and why does he keep sending me emails?
Everyday I get at least 2 emails from this fine gentleman (??) advising me that he is in desperate need to contact me. Apparently I'm due some grossly-large amount of money from a business transaction I completed a lifetime ago. Or was it my relative? Or his relative?
Apparently he has not yet heard that I won 15-million British pounds in the international lottery. Never mind that Bill Gates himself has set aside a portion of his vast financial fortune just for my benefit. Let us also not forget that due to some oil refinery explosion in the middle east, I have now the right to un-holy amounts of money. (I'm working on claiming my riches as fast I can, folks....no need to send QUITE so many emails!)
It's Another Day in Montgomery and if you hear from Song Lile, please tell him I'll get to him just as soon as I receive my check from the woman in Nigeria who so terribly needed my assistance in collecting her late grand-father's, long lost brother's, next-door neighbor's cousin's 12.5 million Euro's worth of completely legitimate gold-bullion!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Little Easter Things
Easter is such a beautiful time. We had a lovely one here this year.
We made it to the Sunrise Service and it was a good thing because I was scheduled to sing and my husband was to be an usher. Whew!
It's always a delight to me to sing with the sun rising. Watching the sky lighten as you lift your voice. Figures shrouded in the fading darkness begin to appear...transforming right before your eyes into the faces of old friends and strangers seeking a reminder of the grace and mercy of our Lord. It's beautiful to me.
This year - when I finished singing with the small group of men who joined to play their instruments and share their voices, I received an unexpected surprise. (I wonder if anyone else noticed it.) The very moment (the Very Moment) the last note of music was sounded, a hidden bird raised his voice! It was such a treat and I felt duly blessed. He (the little bird) cried out, "Wheet-whoo! Wheet -whoo! Wheet-wheet-wheet-whoo!" Was he applauding the praising of the Lord? Had he been inspired to raise his voice from the music? Did he come as a hidden blessing from the Lord to me to wonder over all week? No matter what his motivation, it was a treasure to my ears.
The second little gift came later in the day. We (me, my husband and children) went out to dinner with my mother-in-law. Her treat! Oh, I know that sounds nice enough, but wait! There's more!! We were enjoying our meal and everyone but I had finished eating, as usual. I was taking my last bite of food - my Very Last Bite - when I found (dun-dun-duuun)...a HAIR!! Tangled in my tartar-sauce. Ewww...right? Well, to be fully candid, I could not be sure it wasn't the hair of my youngest child - but I could not be certain that it was either. SO -I told the server and he told the manager and guess what?? We didn't have to pay...not just for MY dinner (as is typical in those types of situations)...but NO ONE had to pay! Not one cent! The entire meal was free for the whole family! Personally, I think it was a gift from my deceased father-in-law via Our God. It would be just like him to wait until the very last minute to lay one on us like that -AND to put the hair in MY food. How sweet it was that is was the LAST bite and not the first. It was grand and we were all grateful.
It's Another Day in Montgomery and now you know the Little Easter Things that made my day even more delightful than it already is!
We made it to the Sunrise Service and it was a good thing because I was scheduled to sing and my husband was to be an usher. Whew!
It's always a delight to me to sing with the sun rising. Watching the sky lighten as you lift your voice. Figures shrouded in the fading darkness begin to appear...transforming right before your eyes into the faces of old friends and strangers seeking a reminder of the grace and mercy of our Lord. It's beautiful to me.
This year - when I finished singing with the small group of men who joined to play their instruments and share their voices, I received an unexpected surprise. (I wonder if anyone else noticed it.) The very moment (the Very Moment) the last note of music was sounded, a hidden bird raised his voice! It was such a treat and I felt duly blessed. He (the little bird) cried out, "Wheet-whoo! Wheet -whoo! Wheet-wheet-wheet-whoo!" Was he applauding the praising of the Lord? Had he been inspired to raise his voice from the music? Did he come as a hidden blessing from the Lord to me to wonder over all week? No matter what his motivation, it was a treasure to my ears.
The second little gift came later in the day. We (me, my husband and children) went out to dinner with my mother-in-law. Her treat! Oh, I know that sounds nice enough, but wait! There's more!! We were enjoying our meal and everyone but I had finished eating, as usual. I was taking my last bite of food - my Very Last Bite - when I found (dun-dun-duuun)...a HAIR!! Tangled in my tartar-sauce. Ewww...right? Well, to be fully candid, I could not be sure it wasn't the hair of my youngest child - but I could not be certain that it was either. SO -I told the server and he told the manager and guess what?? We didn't have to pay...not just for MY dinner (as is typical in those types of situations)...but NO ONE had to pay! Not one cent! The entire meal was free for the whole family! Personally, I think it was a gift from my deceased father-in-law via Our God. It would be just like him to wait until the very last minute to lay one on us like that -AND to put the hair in MY food. How sweet it was that is was the LAST bite and not the first. It was grand and we were all grateful.
It's Another Day in Montgomery and now you know the Little Easter Things that made my day even more delightful than it already is!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Ode to Four
Oh to be four
When the world is such fun
When your biggest complaint
Is that dinner's not done.
There's Cheetos a plenty
And juice boxes galore
How wonderous the world
When you're only four!
Everywhere that you are
Everyone says hello
And they smile and giggle
Over all that you know.
Everyone thinks your precious
And tells you as much.
Whoever not four
Knows a life that is such.
When you are four
Days are full of delight
And you love everybody
No matter their plight.
Your biggest dreams
Are for the smallest of things
Like ice cream for breakfast
And gold plastic rings.
You marvel at wind
And blow kisses to trees
And you laugh at the folds
And bends in your knees.
You talk with the Lord
In a most secret way
That eludes even brilliance
Found in leaders today.
You find love in a blanket
And boo-boo's healed with a kiss
Oh to be four
Living life just like this.
When the world is such fun
When your biggest complaint
Is that dinner's not done.
There's Cheetos a plenty
And juice boxes galore
How wonderous the world
When you're only four!
Everywhere that you are
Everyone says hello
And they smile and giggle
Over all that you know.
Everyone thinks your precious
And tells you as much.
Whoever not four
Knows a life that is such.
When you are four
Days are full of delight
And you love everybody
No matter their plight.
Your biggest dreams
Are for the smallest of things
Like ice cream for breakfast
And gold plastic rings.
You marvel at wind
And blow kisses to trees
And you laugh at the folds
And bends in your knees.
You talk with the Lord
In a most secret way
That eludes even brilliance
Found in leaders today.
You find love in a blanket
And boo-boo's healed with a kiss
Oh to be four
Living life just like this.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Ripple Effect
In sermon a while back, the pastor was discussing how the things we do aren't just for now.
The actions we take today, the choices we make, have lasting effects. The effect that shapes eternity. Wow! What a concept!
In theory I see it as this:
You smile at the woman who enters the door with you at the grocery store. She in turn shares that with the deli worker,who by the way has been having a horrible morning, and the woman adds a kind remark and "thank you". The deli worker with the rough frame of mind now finds his mood a little lighter - who wouldn't when we feel appreciated? He's a little more patient with his young boss, who is nervous about the "big boss" coming in, and double wipes the counter and offers an encouraging word. The young boss now has a little more confidence because his employee believes in him. He can calmly and rationally discuss the major issues at hand. The "big boss" is impressed and feels more secure in his area of management. He in turn is more thoughtful and respectful of his assistant, who then can show more respect for husband. Her husband feels more loved and is able to wake up feeling refreshed and valuable when he returns to work in the morning. On his way...he offers a smile to the guy behind him in line at the convenience store...and so the one smile travels onward and upward.
In actuality, I'm sure it's much more profound.
I've seen the ripple effect in a little couple I'll call "Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama". :-) Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama were a part of our church. They lead our Praise and Worship team and were a general delight. This fine young couple was called away from the church to a new home. :-( Although they are happy where they are and doing as they were called to do, their ripple effect still going...
After a period of about 1/2 a year, the roles of Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama were filled. Not replaced, but a new couple came to lead the team. We'll call them, "Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife".
During the time between the leaving of Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama and the arrival of Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife, everyone always wante to know who had heard from Mr. B and L.M. Where were they? What were they doing? How were their children? Then, after the arrival of Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife, it became evident that Mr. B and L.M. were still sorely missed.
Poor Mr. TRH and HW were, even are to this day, compared to Mr.B and L.M.
When HW sings, you hear, "Well, she's no L.M." Mr. TRH is met with a little less enthusiasm than Mr. B. and I personally have heard numerous times from the pastor, "When Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama were here...."
What must it be like to be Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife? If I've heard it, others have and you know Mr. TRH and HW have heard it and I'm sure it's more prevalent to them than it is to me. How far their ripple will travel has yet to be known. How the ripple remaining from others will have an effect on them will show sooner rather than later, to be sure.
It's interesting.
Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama had such a profound and lasting effect on those whose lives they touched -and I'll bet they don't even know. They probably just thought that they were here and were called to be elsewhere and that's the end of it. But it's not. It never is just the end of it. Their ripple effect is still going. Onward and outward to all those who knew them and know them still.
It's Another Day in Montgomery and I ask:
How wide will your ripple trickle? It's probably a lot further than you think. I hear tell it goes through eternity.
The actions we take today, the choices we make, have lasting effects. The effect that shapes eternity. Wow! What a concept!
In theory I see it as this:
You smile at the woman who enters the door with you at the grocery store. She in turn shares that with the deli worker,who by the way has been having a horrible morning, and the woman adds a kind remark and "thank you". The deli worker with the rough frame of mind now finds his mood a little lighter - who wouldn't when we feel appreciated? He's a little more patient with his young boss, who is nervous about the "big boss" coming in, and double wipes the counter and offers an encouraging word. The young boss now has a little more confidence because his employee believes in him. He can calmly and rationally discuss the major issues at hand. The "big boss" is impressed and feels more secure in his area of management. He in turn is more thoughtful and respectful of his assistant, who then can show more respect for husband. Her husband feels more loved and is able to wake up feeling refreshed and valuable when he returns to work in the morning. On his way...he offers a smile to the guy behind him in line at the convenience store...and so the one smile travels onward and upward.
In actuality, I'm sure it's much more profound.
I've seen the ripple effect in a little couple I'll call "Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama". :-) Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama were a part of our church. They lead our Praise and Worship team and were a general delight. This fine young couple was called away from the church to a new home. :-( Although they are happy where they are and doing as they were called to do, their ripple effect still going...
After a period of about 1/2 a year, the roles of Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama were filled. Not replaced, but a new couple came to lead the team. We'll call them, "Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife".
During the time between the leaving of Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama and the arrival of Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife, everyone always wante to know who had heard from Mr. B and L.M. Where were they? What were they doing? How were their children? Then, after the arrival of Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife, it became evident that Mr. B and L.M. were still sorely missed.
Poor Mr. TRH and HW were, even are to this day, compared to Mr.B and L.M.
When HW sings, you hear, "Well, she's no L.M." Mr. TRH is met with a little less enthusiasm than Mr. B. and I personally have heard numerous times from the pastor, "When Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama were here...."
What must it be like to be Mr. Trying Real Hard and His Wife? If I've heard it, others have and you know Mr. TRH and HW have heard it and I'm sure it's more prevalent to them than it is to me. How far their ripple will travel has yet to be known. How the ripple remaining from others will have an effect on them will show sooner rather than later, to be sure.
It's interesting.
Mr. Bigstuff and Little Mama had such a profound and lasting effect on those whose lives they touched -and I'll bet they don't even know. They probably just thought that they were here and were called to be elsewhere and that's the end of it. But it's not. It never is just the end of it. Their ripple effect is still going. Onward and outward to all those who knew them and know them still.
It's Another Day in Montgomery and I ask:
How wide will your ripple trickle? It's probably a lot further than you think. I hear tell it goes through eternity.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)