Lifestyle Evangelism

She was as red as a red rose.

As we stood in line in the Piggley Wiggley, she turned and asked,

"Do you know of a natural remedy for sunburn? We don't have money."

My husband hearing only the "natural" part said, "aloe".

Me hearing the 'no money' part, looked closer at the sunburn.

She pulled up her shirt to show that her stomach was burned also.

The flaming red burn covered every inch that was exposed, arms and back, also.

Having once been in that same predicament and remembering how painful and miserable it was, it was easy to feel compassion.

~

I chose to ignore the fact that the young couple was unwisely purchasing beer and cigarettes, when medication was the greater need.

I hurried to the first aid isle and found the only sunburn product.

Back at the check out, I watched as the young woman put back the cigarettes when she could not find enough change in her purse to pay the cashier.

The man chose the beer over her physical pain and remarked that he had told her not to go to sleep in the sun.

As they completed their transaction, I told the woman to wait a moment.

When the Solarcaine was scanned I handed it to her with a God Bless You.

Whether they were grateful or spongers didn't matter.

I would have felt shame if I had walked away without trying to help someone in pain.

The outcome is not what matters, doing what Jesus might do in the same circumstance is paramount.

Although He might have healed the burn, naturally!

~

"In the same way, let your light shine before men,

that they may see your good deeds

and praise your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:16 (New International Version)

SING FOR JESUS!!!!

YOU CAN DO IT!

Early on, confidence comes from your parents. If they encourage you and support your efforts you will learn to be confident in your own abilities. Later, confidence is gained from experiences. We learn that failing isn't the end of the world and success is worth the effort.

YOU DID IT!!!

Even if you are asked to sing alto when soprano is your forte.

"Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name." Psalm 30:4

Toddlers, Tiaras & Swimsuits in Vegas

Am I just jaded from years of advocating for abused children in court and reading heartbreaking case files? I mean, is it just me? Or do others see the incongruity of little girls in two piece swim suits parading (or gyrating as a TV commentator remarked) their bodies in Vegas? Not to mention exposing your child on national television? What are these parents thinking?

What I am thinking is that every pedophile in America is TiVo-ing this program.

~

"For wisdom is better than rubies,

And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her."

Proverbs 8:11

PATIENCE IS BETTER!

Several years ago I received (everyone got one) a free CD while attending a Gaither Homecoming concert. On the way home we popped it into the player ready for more great Gaither music. The first song was not one of the songs I had heard that night and it didn’t ‘do’ anything for me, so I skipped to the next one. That one wasn’t up-beat enough for me either. You get what you pay for, I thought (remember...it was free) as I, disappointedly, removed it and listened to other music as we drove home.

We have been attending Gaither concerts for close to 30 years. We took our young son when he was a preschooler and the first time I left my daughter in the care of someone else was to go to hear the Gaither Vocal Band at Carolina Coliseum. We had most of their music from vinyls, tapes, CD’s and even piano sheet music. The lullaby of choice for my babies was “There is Something About That Name” so we were connoisseurs of a sort.

Fast forward to June 2009… My now adult daughter and I were driving as she browsed through my CD case. She chose the above mentioned CD and I grimaced because I knew there was better music to be had. The first two songs played and really weren’t that bad. Better than I remembered. Much to my surprise next was one of my favorites, then another good one and before I knew I was enjoying the whole thing. How could it have changed so much? It got better while lying around unused? Or could it be me? Was I not as discriminating as before?

Well, I will tell you what happened, plain and simple. I had given up on it too soon. Before I listened to all of it, I had judged it unacceptable. I laughed at myself for missing out on some good music for several years. The sad thing is that if my daughter had not chosen it from the case, it would still be in there.

Isn’t that the way we treat many things in our fast paced world? If something isn’t fun or exciting we quickly move on to the next thing. We are too impatient to put the time into learning a new skill, nurturing a new friendship or a new marriage, or even playing a game with a child. The skill we thought we wanted was tedious so we put it aside. A friendship is developing too slowly and there are other potential friends up ahead. The marriage is struggling so we move on. And we took the child to a movie instead of investing an afternoon to monopoly. Then suddenly, it seems, we have nothing to show for a year of living, the friend is gone, the marriage is over and the child has grown up.

Is there an area in your life where you need to persevere?

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning,

and patience is better than pride.”
Ecclesiastes 7:8

Garbage In/Garbage Out

For several years I have been intrigued
by the number of otherwise smart,
thoughtful friends
who put CSI in their list of Fav things.

Tonight I accidentally was faced
with the opening scenes of this program.

The newscast ended...
I was busy ...
and neglected to change the channel.

There I am
winding down
from a lovely Sunday
and suddenly
thrust into my line of vision
is a woman
(of course, it is always the women
who are beaten, raped, chopped up)

who has been sawed in half.

Believe me
when I say
that this
is not
a vision
I want
imprinted
into
my brain
as I am preparing
for sleep.

As I hurriedly
pointed the remote
and powered off,
I breathed a frustrated sigh
for the state of our world.
No longer are crime shows
and murder mysteries
simply entertainment,
but too often
are copied
from recent headlines.

When I was in my twenties
I enjoyed mysteries
(they contained very little gore,
actually I didn't even know
who Al was at the time;
but I digress)
Then in my thirties
not too far from where I live
a high school student
was kidnapped
and murdered.

Soon after
the killer kidnapped
a little girl
and murdered her.
By this time
I had a little girl
of my own
and my built in maternal alarms
went off in a big way.

Now
twenty years later
kidnappings,
homicides,
gang shootings,
rapes
are almost common place.
During this same twenty years
violence
(again mostly towards women)
in movies and TV
has escalated
to an alarming terrifying level.

We all know
that there are unstable
persons
out there
who are living
on the edge
until something
pushes them over
into the abyss.

We now occasionally
hear of
unspeakable actions
that were copies of a scene
from a movie
or influenced by
some other media.

Shows like CSI
are using scripts
that were news events
so recently it is shocking
(to my sensitivities)
that the families have either
ok'd this or have it thrust upon them
just as I did.

Ok,
the point I am making is this.
How can intelligent people
not see
the relationship
of violence
breeding violence?
I realize
that some people
have stronger stomachs
than others me.
And, I am thankful
that doctors
and nurses
especially
can handle
blood and gore.

But,
what about
the rest of us?
What about
conditioning,
desensitising
and garbage in/ garbage out?

How many parents
are watching these programs
with a child nearby
who has refused
to go to sleep?
And how many
young women
are watching
with a new love interest,
they barely know?

I love a good mystery,
but in my opinion
this type show
isn't one.

And most of all,
I wonder
how the writers,
directors,
producers,
actors,
TV execs,
and local station managers
sleep at night.

"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise."

Ephesians 5:15