Category Archives: Uncategorized

Guidance: No Sense. -By Karla

Posted on by

Ok, I have a little sense, but not so much when it comes to directions.

Which Way Is Up?

Over the years, I have provided my family with lots of stories that give validity for their harassment. I have tried to come up with some way to explain my actions but had little success. When I turned 16, I told Mom I was ready to go take my driving test. Concerned because she did not think I had studied enough, she asked if I was sure.  Now, I would almost swear that I never said the following, but apparently, there are too many witnesses.  

“I have just one question,” I must have blurted without thinking. “How do you know which side of the road to drive on?”

Just Point the Way

Another directional story that seems to haunt me from my youth is one my Aunt Anna likes to share. In the middle of some blabberings, I simply pointed to Nana’s house. The two houses are only a few hundred yards from each other. Lord only knows what I was trying to tell because my pointing ended the story. I remember them standing me in front of the living room window, where I could see her house. However, for the life of me, I could not figure out which way her house was so that I could point in the right direction!

Better Late than Never

Over the years, I would like to say that I have been cured from my directional disabilities, but that would be a bold-face lie. Before navigation systems were on our phones, my girls were in their prime basketball and volleyball days.  God love them. I know they started a ton of away games wondering if I would get lost and miss half of it. Once I got to a game with less than two minutes left to play!

The Stories Just Keep Turning Up From Nowhere

And don’t even get me started talking about the times Donna and I have been lost; there are several hundred blogs for those stories.

Once I even got lost on the beach!  Now to be perfectly honest, I didn’t even tell anyone about that one except Donna because we were on the phone when the realization hit me!  t was December, and I decided to take a stroll on the beach and watch the sunset. Taking off my shoes, I put the condo key inside them, and tucked them under my a chair. I walked for about a mile; then headed back. The problem was that we was so involved in our conversation, that I did not noticed I had passed the beach chair by a mile or so! My phone died; the sun set completely, I was barefoot and had a serious need to find a potty.

The beach was deserted by this point, and I was uncomfortable walking alone in the dusk.  Heading for the road, I thought I would be a little safer. Up ahead, I thankfully saw a very nice hotel, and knew I could make a pit-stop. Though shoeless, I darted for the ladies’ room. After hours of walking aimlessly, I came to familiar surroundings, located my sandals, and made my way home.

Finding Our Way

Life sure is filled with numerous, complicated situations that require us to know how to find our way. Recently, while in the nursery, a young girl came in, sat, and begin to talk. Forming a little bond over the past year, we chatted, and I prayed with her. She is from an unchurched family; she needed to learn how prayer helps us find our way. Our world is filled with chaos, some that we do not even create, prayer guides our unknown paths.

How blessed we are, but often lazy. We have access to a Bible; all we need to do is open it and read. The closer I get to God, the more I want others to know how He desires to navigate us in the right direction.

 Isaiah 55:8-9 says,  “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” He has the best road for us to travel, so that we will never get lost. We need to invite God with us, lighting the path to our destination.-Karla

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Uncertainty: The Unknown Path -By Donna

Posted on by

A couple of years ago when Karla was between moves, she needed a place to keep her dogs. So Katie and Lucky came to spend six months at our house. We had large fenced-in kennels on the other side of our lake that we weren’t using, so that was where they made their home. Each day Tucker and I would walk down the dirt road to the pens, release them, and take them for a stroll. Some days it was later than others due to after-school activities. Even if it was dark already, I was going to make sure they saw freedom each day.

Tucker has a spotlight that can shine 300 yards. When we prepared to walk over, I always grabbed it first. Why? Because I quickly learned the difference in the way we each held the light. Tucker shined the light out in front of us to see ahead. He often scanned the woods just to see what he could see. I, on the other hand, shined the light directly at my feet. I needed to see where my shoes were walking. It didn’t matter to me what was up ahead, I was worried about the snake that I might step on or the rock that might turn my ankle. My Mama didn’t call me Grace for nothing!

In uncertain times, I find myself like Tucker and want to know what is up ahead in my life. But when I look at 2 Samuel 22:29 I am reminded that God is my lamp, not my spotlight. “For You are my lamp, O LORD; And the LORD illumines my darkness.” I suppose it’s for many reasons He doesn’t want us to know what is up ahead. Maybe what we would see is scary and is not what we would have hoped. Then we would want to travel another route rather than the path He has chosen for us. But I think the main reason is so that we must rely on faith. By trusting in him, we acknowledge that His plan is best and He will prepare us. All we need is the lamp that guides us one step at a time.

I was sharing this thought with Emily, and she commented, “Oh, I totally understand that concept, focusing on one step at a time. Did I tell you I almost died the other day?”

Now she tends to be dramatic, but also knowing that she is my adventurous one, I cringed. “No, you failed to mention that.”

Trains still run through Rome. She and her friend were on a train trestle above the river, when it unexpectedly came around the corner. They began to run as fast as they could. She kept her eyes on her feet, watching them to make sure they hit each plank, not to slip in between the boards, and fall into the water below. But the moment she looked ahead to see how far it was to safety, she began to stumble.

When I try to look to far ahead, not totally trusting God with each step, I am not allowing Him to be …a lamp to my feet, And a light to my path (Psalm 119:105)

-Donna

Share and Enjoy !

Shares

Fasting: Life Is a Song, Sing It! -By Donna

Posted on by

Our pastor asked the congregation to do a twenty-one day fast to encourage more prayer time. During the three weeks, you choose what you would like to eliminate, and choose something different every seven days. So the first seven days I gave up meat and sweets. It was a piece of cake, no pun intended. The second week I gave up just bread. No problem. Even when I went to Cracker Barrel, and the plate of cornbread and biscuits were set in front of me I wasn’t tempted. It was the first time in my life I have eaten turnip greens without cornbread!

For the third week, it was suggested to choose something that you really love and spend a lot of time doing. The first thing that entered my mind was music. I adore music. From bluegrass to Frank Sinatra to 80’s hair bands, I love it. (Though, I can do without opera and rap!) So this week I am giving up listening to music. I have reached for my car radio dial numerous times. At home, I often click the Pandora app without thinking. I am only on day two, and the struggle is real!

Music

Music has always been a part of my day. I forever have a song playing in my brain. I literally wake up each day with a melody in my head. This morning was “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”. I don’t even know how I know that song! Growing up I listened to records Mama played on the big wooden stereo, hymns in church, and 8 tracks in the car. I took piano lesson and was in chorus for years.

Our family has reunions in the summer. We have cousins and uncles that set up a sound system and play on the front porch while we all lounge in the yard and listen. We enjoy guitars, banjos, spoons and voices.

In college, Karla and I listened to “Delilah’s Love Songs” B98.5 every night as we did our homework. Every afternoon after lunch, we would take turns standing on the bed singing karaoke into our hairbrushes to the Bellamy Brothers or Dolly Parton, to pep us up before class. To this day, we still finish sentences with song lyrics whenever possible.

Music is very powerful. It can take you back to a moment in childhood. I can still hear the tune that Grandmother used to hum in the kitchen. My mind remembers what song was playing when my mama told me Elvis died. I remember the hymn being sung as I walked down the aisle to give my heart to Christ.

Music Memories

Music also gives me vivid memories of when my children were little. I can see Tucker at 18 months strapped in his car seat kicking his little legs, pointing at the radio saying, “three steps, three steps” . He was indicating that he wanted to hear his favorite song by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I can see Travis crawling as fast as he could to the TV when he heard the theme song from Barney. I laugh as I remember Emily in her pig tails dancing around her room, singing to the Spice Girls.

Music can bring a tear to my eye. I’ll never hear “I’ll Fly Away” without picturing my mama’s body lying in the casket that cold February day. When I hear the song, “One More Day” I think about my cousin Tammy, who left this earth too young.

Music is a gift of inspiration. The words to music can be healing to your heart. During a tough time in life, three songs seemed to follow me. They were “Good, Good, Father”, “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again”, and “Just Be Held.” Every time I got in the car and turned on the radio, one would be playing. I don’t believe it was an accident. God was using what I love to remind me He was there. Fasting from music may be strange, but it has made me very thankful for the gift that God has blessed us with since the beginning of time.

.

Share and Enjoy !

Shares