Recently I got a wonderful surprise in the mail. A friend that I've known for 20 yrs. (but haven't had a lot of contact with for the last 15)sent me a box filled with a whole collection of vintage linens. It also contained some paper potato bags from Maine. (I come from Maine, which is where Kathy and I met and became friends. Maine is also known for their potatoes,especially in Aroostook County where we were stationed at Loring, AFB together.
When I showed Brian the contents of my box he made the comment; "Well that's a little odd!" To which I replied, "No, Kathy knows me." In Brian's male brain it was weird that someone I really haven't had a lot of contact with over the past 15 yrs. would send me a box, out of the blue, full of things that he saw no value in.
You see, sometimes men just don't get it! What Brian didn't understand is that there are people in your life that while you may not talk to them for a long time, you can pick up the phone, write a note, or send a wonderful surprise box and it's like you've been talking every day! They know you. They know what you love. They know what you hate. They understand who you are and how you think. Those are the people who just "get" you! Those kinds of people don't come around very often. Most people don't invest or take the time to get to know you that well. Those are the friendships that are lasting, wonderful and forever.
I am blessed to have several wonderful people in my life like this. We may not talk often, or we may talk every day. Irregardless they are the people I know I can call at 3am... or not for years, we're still friends.... forever.
To all my "forever friends", and you know who you are, You are loved.
Feathers From the Nest
Friday, July 30, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Reality
We live in a world that embraces make believe. We love fantasy. Movies transport us to worlds we can only imagine. Sometimes the fantasy is so "out there" we can file it away as just that. Fantasy. Other times the story is so real and we find ourselves relating to the characters so closely that our emotions can get caught up in the story. (Thus, the reason girls cry over romantic story lines.)
I've never been a fan of movies where the supernatural was prevalent. Movies about the Occult or anything even close have always really creeped me out. To me, that's just getting to close to flirting with reality, and the reality is that the world of satan and his minions is very,very real.
We caught a glimpse of that on Sunday morning. Those of us who have felt the call of God to reach out to the Arts community decided to go down to the Blue Star Arts District to see what was being offered in the way of spiritual things. We had a fair idea of what we would be walking into however, I think I can say we were totally unprepared for what we found.
About a hundred people, all stages in life gathered at a place called "Celebration Circle". Small children, the elderly... they were all there. Their eyes however all held the same expression. Emptiness. As we approached the doors the sense that we were about to enter enemy territory hit.
I will never forget the face of the man who "greeted" us at the door. He was NOT welcoming. NOT friendly. Almost wore a look of disdain. (I wonder now who I was looking at.)
The smell of incense was powerful. As we entered the room (a rented theater space) we stood far to the back of the room in a corner. Our goal was to just observe. Just as we acclimated to the room the leader instructed the group to turn to the east and begin "praying" to the "fire". (The sun) Soon they were chanting... "We are one".
Ok, so this is where we saw the exit and took it. Quickly. The same empty eyed, unfriendly man who was at the door when we entered opened the door for us as we left.
Guess what? It could have been the scene in a movie. It wasn't. It was REAL LIFE. There are people in downtown San Antonio who every Sunday gather to worship themselves, the earth, anything and everything other than the One True God. These are people who are searching for truth and acceptance. People who need to be introduced to the One that can give them joy, happiness and eternal life. These are the artists, musicians, creative people that the mainstream church has pushed aside. They are looking for love, acceptance and the deeper meaning of life.
I have no doubt we encountered the darkness that morning. I am quite sure the enemy is not too happy with us. After all, he is not omniscient. He didn't know we were coming, but he knows now! I'm guessing he isn't too happy about it either. As dark and scary as it is, it exists. We saw it. THAT is REALITY!
I've never been a fan of movies where the supernatural was prevalent. Movies about the Occult or anything even close have always really creeped me out. To me, that's just getting to close to flirting with reality, and the reality is that the world of satan and his minions is very,very real.
We caught a glimpse of that on Sunday morning. Those of us who have felt the call of God to reach out to the Arts community decided to go down to the Blue Star Arts District to see what was being offered in the way of spiritual things. We had a fair idea of what we would be walking into however, I think I can say we were totally unprepared for what we found.
About a hundred people, all stages in life gathered at a place called "Celebration Circle". Small children, the elderly... they were all there. Their eyes however all held the same expression. Emptiness. As we approached the doors the sense that we were about to enter enemy territory hit.
I will never forget the face of the man who "greeted" us at the door. He was NOT welcoming. NOT friendly. Almost wore a look of disdain. (I wonder now who I was looking at.)
The smell of incense was powerful. As we entered the room (a rented theater space) we stood far to the back of the room in a corner. Our goal was to just observe. Just as we acclimated to the room the leader instructed the group to turn to the east and begin "praying" to the "fire". (The sun) Soon they were chanting... "We are one".
Ok, so this is where we saw the exit and took it. Quickly. The same empty eyed, unfriendly man who was at the door when we entered opened the door for us as we left.
Guess what? It could have been the scene in a movie. It wasn't. It was REAL LIFE. There are people in downtown San Antonio who every Sunday gather to worship themselves, the earth, anything and everything other than the One True God. These are people who are searching for truth and acceptance. People who need to be introduced to the One that can give them joy, happiness and eternal life. These are the artists, musicians, creative people that the mainstream church has pushed aside. They are looking for love, acceptance and the deeper meaning of life.
I have no doubt we encountered the darkness that morning. I am quite sure the enemy is not too happy with us. After all, he is not omniscient. He didn't know we were coming, but he knows now! I'm guessing he isn't too happy about it either. As dark and scary as it is, it exists. We saw it. THAT is REALITY!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Freedom Of Being Six!
Recently, I was having a conversation with a friend who was relaying a conversation with their six year old to me. Seems during a ride in the car someone was driving in a manner that caused Dad to say, "That person is driving like an idiot!". From the back seat, a little voice piped up and said, "Well Daddy, maybe he IS an idiot!"
I can clearly remember a similar situation when I was a kid. My dad had taken my brothers to a basketball game. (This was back when smoking in public didn't have all of the restrictions and people pretty much smoked wherever they liked.) My brother, who was likely about 6 (although I don't remember his exact age) saw a large woman smoking a cigarette and said, "You know you're going to die!" If I remember correctly he also tried to engage her in conversation about "why she was so fat". You just have to know that my dad wanted to crawl under the bleachers or head for the nearest exit! Sometimes our kids can put us in such embarrassing situations. You gotta love their honesty!
Being a kid can have such freedom! Kids don't have a filter between their thoughts and their mouths. Whatever they think, they usually will say. Somewhere along the way they get that filter installed and realize that sometimes it's better to not say whatever they are thinking.
Do you ever wish that you could just say whatever you and everyone around is thinking? Sometimes there is this big elephant in the room and everyone wants to point it out but no one dares. I have been in many conversations where speaking what I really thought would have been so easy! The only problem with doing so is that it likely would leave me with few people willing to carry on a conversation with me!
Figuring out how to speak the truth in love is the key. I think we often will miss opportunities to speak truth into someone's life or into a particular situation because we can't figure out how to deliver what we have to say in such a way that the receiver will accept it well. Kids can just blurt out whatever they think and everyone will chalk it up to being a child. Have an adult do the same and people get downright offended.
I'm still trying to figure out when it's right to speak the truth in love and when it's just better to keep my mouth shut. Most times I think I probably fail miserably at this.
I think I'd rather be six!
I can clearly remember a similar situation when I was a kid. My dad had taken my brothers to a basketball game. (This was back when smoking in public didn't have all of the restrictions and people pretty much smoked wherever they liked.) My brother, who was likely about 6 (although I don't remember his exact age) saw a large woman smoking a cigarette and said, "You know you're going to die!" If I remember correctly he also tried to engage her in conversation about "why she was so fat". You just have to know that my dad wanted to crawl under the bleachers or head for the nearest exit! Sometimes our kids can put us in such embarrassing situations. You gotta love their honesty!
Being a kid can have such freedom! Kids don't have a filter between their thoughts and their mouths. Whatever they think, they usually will say. Somewhere along the way they get that filter installed and realize that sometimes it's better to not say whatever they are thinking.
Do you ever wish that you could just say whatever you and everyone around is thinking? Sometimes there is this big elephant in the room and everyone wants to point it out but no one dares. I have been in many conversations where speaking what I really thought would have been so easy! The only problem with doing so is that it likely would leave me with few people willing to carry on a conversation with me!
Figuring out how to speak the truth in love is the key. I think we often will miss opportunities to speak truth into someone's life or into a particular situation because we can't figure out how to deliver what we have to say in such a way that the receiver will accept it well. Kids can just blurt out whatever they think and everyone will chalk it up to being a child. Have an adult do the same and people get downright offended.
I'm still trying to figure out when it's right to speak the truth in love and when it's just better to keep my mouth shut. Most times I think I probably fail miserably at this.
I think I'd rather be six!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Being Still
How do you feel when things are totally quiet? I mean, not a sound. I LOVE it when that happens. Listening to the silence is wonderful. It is then that I can really "hear".
You may wonder what it is that I "hear". I can hear my own thought process. I can hear God speak. I can hear my response to Him. Our lives are so full of "noise". We have radio, television, iphones, computers, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, mowers, cars, trains, airplanes. The list is endless. All of those things fill our lives with so much noise! Our brains are constantly processing that noise.
When it is completely silent, nothing to distract us... that is when we can hear clearly. Answers suddenly don't seem so distant. Clarity seems so much easier.
Maybe that's why God told us to "BE STILL... and know that I am God". Maybe that's the reason that it is one of my favorite verses.
You may wonder what it is that I "hear". I can hear my own thought process. I can hear God speak. I can hear my response to Him. Our lives are so full of "noise". We have radio, television, iphones, computers, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, mowers, cars, trains, airplanes. The list is endless. All of those things fill our lives with so much noise! Our brains are constantly processing that noise.
When it is completely silent, nothing to distract us... that is when we can hear clearly. Answers suddenly don't seem so distant. Clarity seems so much easier.
Maybe that's why God told us to "BE STILL... and know that I am God". Maybe that's the reason that it is one of my favorite verses.
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