Author: Brenda Proulx

Wife, mother and grandmother, educator and someone who thinks about the things I observe. I am the daughter of a writer; my dad's career was in the field of journalism. More significantly, I am God's child, a person believing in Jesus Christ and in His timeless Word. Blogging is new to me but I feel like I've always had a pen in my hand. I jot notes in my planner, mark papers, underline verses, write many letters, and occasionally draft articles for work or church. When I am not holding a pen, I am probably cuddling a mug of coffee.

Pardon My French – Part 2

This past spring, my husband and I celebrated a milestone anniversary with a trip to the Caribbean island of St. Martin.  The island is comprised of two countries:  the Dutch Sint Maarten and the French Saint-Martin.  Of course, the Proulxs chose a resort on the French side!

Besides the picturesque aqua waters of the Caribbean, the French international atmosphere enriched our short stay.  French citizens travel to this island, no passport needed; guests from France seemed clearly comfortable in their own country! The local language is French though St. Martin is strongly influenced by Caribbean culture.

During our stay at the resort, I noticed that one of the guest activities was a French class.  Being a former language teacher, I thought that sounded fun.  I showed up at the poolside activity booth at the scheduled time and asked about the class.  The host manning the booth scrambled a bit, but soon a staff member showed up, and brought along another staff member in training.  No other guests showed up, so the two guys offered me a table and chair nearby …  and I had a private French lesson!  It was comical!

Here are the phrases the tutor wrote for my lesson.

The two fellows were young, Black Caribbean natives.  Many residents on St. Martin are immigrants from nearby Caribbean islands, as these two may have been (I do not recall).  Apparently, job opportunities are more plentiful on St. Martin.  My tutors asked me what I wanted to learn.  One of them pulled out a sheet of paper and began to write out conversational phrases.  They pronounced the phrases, and I repeated them.  I enjoyed asking them questions about local education and language. They told me the official language and the language of school is French, but English language instruction begins early in their education.  There are locally spoken Creole languages too.  After 45 minutes of conversing with the two young men, I thanked them for their time and went on my way.  Let’s just say that I will need a few more lessons before I can manage any kind of French interaction, no fault of my sincere tutors!

Where does “A Writer’s Daughter” land this post?  One of my favorite themes is work and excellence.  My French teachers demonstrated those admirable traits, but I addressed that subject in my recent post “Dressed for Success on the Produce Aisle.”  Instead, I lean into the value of every individual, folks like us and folks who are not, like my Island tutors, so different from me. All of us share the imprint of the divine, being created in the image of God (Genesis 1 v 27).  We must esteem each other, beyond what we may or may not share in common.  God’s creatures, however, are not automatically all His children, as is often misstated.  God’s children are those who call Jesus, the sacrificial Son whom God provided for humanity, their one and only hope of redemption and salvation. Romans 10: v 9 – 13 Rendons grâce à Dieu.

This post is better viewed on www.brendaproulx.com  where you can also read Part 1 of “Pardon My French” and other previous posts.

 

 

Pardon My French – Part 1

Before our September trip to London and Paris, we met with a couple friend of ours to get their insights on Paris.  He spent some of his youth there, and they had returned to Paris for a family trip.  Being the sweet hostess she is, there was a lovely snack prepared for our short visit.  With the snacks, she laid out the “Pardon My French” napkins.  I laughed at the unlikely thought that my friend would speak any indiscretions.  She laughed too saying she didn’t even think of that, but that her grown children had given her the napkins because of the way she mixed a little bit of French and a smattering of Korean into her English vernacular.  Such fun humor!

I read up on culture as our trip approached, especially for Paris.  One hears that the French do not care for American tourists.  What I read is that the French dislike our brash style.  Americans, especially Americans on travel, may lack courtesy as they pursue their travel itinerary, expect to get all they paid for, and move on to the next event or destination.  In the American rush, politeness may be cut short.  This, I believe, is not the French way, The French are gracious and desire to provide polite service but expect to be approached with due courtesy.

A few years ago, I discovered a book series entitled Madame Chic.  The American author, Jennifer Scott, lived with a French family as an exchange student.  Scott was taken with the priority for grace and elegance she experienced in the home of her French host family.  The hosts were not a family of means, but they took the time to make everyday life elegant.  This included setting a nice table for every meal, keeping the house orderly and uncluttered, and taking care to dress and groom well daily.  These little niceties created a sense of beauty, enjoyment, and calm in the everyday. The French expression “Joie de vivre,” the joy of living, suggests living well in the moment.

I think we felt this vibe in Paris.  Many Parisians dress nicely.  For example, an older lady may be seen wearing pumps to walk her dog.  The cafes of Paris – there are three on every corner – are filled late into the night, even on weeknights, with folks savoring their meal, their cigarettes, and their wine.  There appears to be no hurry; they do not seem to worry that it’s getting late on a ‘school night.’   I rarely saw a laptop open in a Paris cafe, unlike an American Panera where half the patrons are working on their computers or phones.

Espresso is not the size of American coffee!
Every corner in Paris!
Called ‘red stonefruit tart’, this fresh raspberry tart was extraordinary!

 

 

 

 

 

I certainly admit that I can tend to be in a rush, especially when we lived in DC, especially when I was working.  I caught myself barging into an office or classroom, in a hurry to meet a student, blurting out a request, not taking the time for a kind greeting.  I get impatient in inefficient lines, rather than saying a friendly word to someone else who is also waiting.  Jesus’s disciples had a similar tendency:  anxious to find food or in a hurry to move on to the next stop, missing the mission of the moment.  Jesus, on the other hand, savored His earthly time.  He stopped to heal, paused to engage (with Zaccheus, among others), welcomed children.  The Apostle Paul wrote that we should “make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil.”  (Ephesians 5 v 15 & 16) The words God speaks through Paul may not be emphasizing the large quantity of things to be done, but rather the value of quality pursuits, using time wisely for God’s kingdom, relishing opportunities rather than rushing through them.  What do you think?        And yes, these are ominous days.

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Jesus Revolution

This past spring the movie “Jesus Revolution” was released in theaters, more than doubling its projected earnings for the first three opening days, eventually making fifty million in theater showings. A digital format has now been released and the movie played on Netflix.  I did not see the movie in the theater but recently watched it on Netflix.

“Jesus Revolution” is the true story of hippie Christians in Southern California.  The movie is based on a book of the same title, written by Greg Laurie and Ellen Vaughn.  I grew up with Ellen and am happy for her continuing success as an author. I have clear recollections about the hippie era.  I remember the church facing the issues of the day: rock music, drugs, freedom, and anti-establishment sentiment. But genuine faith in Jesus among hippies needed to be celebrated and welcomed in traditional churches and that struggle played out in the movie.

In the early 70’s, hippies seeking truth found the truth of Jesus and began spreading the Gospel among their peers. The movie tracks a hippie Christian leader and his connection to a local church pastor, picking up on the spiritual story of a young man named Greg Laurie. The hippie pastor, Lonnie Spears, is shepherding his flock of young Christians in a commune-like setting.  He teaches them and ministers to practical needs, eventually forging a relationship with a local pastor and his traditional church.  The local pastor takes a risk on Lonnie, but it proves fruitful for the most part.  I was captivated by this part of the story because the pastor of the church my husband and I attended for decades was also named Lon, and he too followed Jesus in the 70’s, radically changed from pushing drugs and a freefall lifestyle.  Like Greg Laurie who turned to Jesus and still pastors a large ministry in Southern California, the Lord had a great plan for our Pastor Lon, who ministered to thousands, including us!

On just about a weekly basis, my husband and I recall a sermon or something we learned under our pastor for all those years.  We and so many others grew spiritually because of our pastor’s commitment to God’s call of ministry on his life.  I think of other pastors who have been used by God in my spiritual life too.  Pastor means shepherd.  Pastors lead their flocks, who wander and may be unappreciative.  Ministry is hard and at times, unrewarding.  The movie shows how it is personally demanding and involves difficult people dynamics.  This is common in churches, but God’s work always continues, even in disappointing circumstances.

October is Clergy Appreciation Month.  I encourage you to express your appreciation to those who minister in your life: pastors, Sunday School teachers, Bible study leaders, youth group volunteers, and other church staff.  They will appreciate your heartfelt “thank you.” Scripture tells us to do this:  “Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work.  They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance.  Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work.”        1 Thessalonians 5 v 12-13a

 

 

Dressed for Success on the Produce Aisle

Recently returned from our trip across the pond, which will surely generate a blog post soon, I squeeze one of my favorite topics into the last days of September:  work.  September merges Labor Day, Back to School, and the close of the fiscal year for many organizations, so I return to the theme of our labors. Ideas about work, career, and calling have interested me since I entered the workforce after college.  Occasionally I still ask, “What should I be when I grow up?”

The Wall Street Journal carried a career attire feature in late September too!

We interact with workers daily.  At my local grocery store, I have observed the produce manager over the last couple of years.  He stood out immediately as he always wears a dress shirt and necktie to stock and maintain the fruit and vegetable bins.  Dressing up and keeping a groomed appearance express pride, not vanity.  They show that one values a job and its responsibilities.  In so many fields, including my own of education, workers dress down, go casual, looking less professional.  This man respects his job and dresses to show it.

He also commits seriously to his responsibility.  During a renovation of his corner of the store, he actively helped customers find items that had been moved from their previous locations.  When I commented on the taste of a brand of blueberries, he offered a free replacement (which I declined).  One day, I noticed him in an uncharacteristic golf shirt.  He said he’d come in on his day off because his assistant had been fired.  I don’t know if grocery retail is his lifetime work or a second career, but he clearly demonstrates the words of Scripture, “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.”  (Colossians 3 v 23)   Whether he knows the Lord or not, the produce manager does his job with excellence and pride, for the good of Food Lion and its customers.  He rests well at day’s end, assured of a job well done.

Here are three of my favorite books related to work and calling.

God talks about the value of work for material provision and personal satisfaction throughout the Bible.  You might be retired from a job as I am, or you may not be employed for other reasons, but we are all doing something, working in some sense, for as long as we live.  In fact, the Bible verse referenced above is directed to slaves working for a master!  Earlier in the Colossians passage, a similar phrase, “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,” refers to church ministries (Colossians 3 v 17).  We can take pride in all that we do, doing things to the best of our ability, landing the attention and credit on the Lord Jesus.

 

 

 

 

Providence

Once in a while a photo sparks one of my blog posts.  Earlier this summer, I admired this photograph* of the tall ship Providence, sailing through the Wilson Bridge, in Alexandria, VA near Washington, DC.   It brought to mind the idea of the providence of God.  When I think of God’s providence, I associate it with His goodness toward us.  God often protects and provides for us in generous ways and in ways we couldn’t earn for ourselves.  I see God’s sweet providence to me when a neighbor brings me flowers, when an item I need is on sale, or when a loved one recovers more quickly than expected.

I have a funny story about the Wilson Bridge. When George Allen ran for governor of Virginia, I took the kids to a small campaign event at Reagan National Airport. Allen greeted each of us and upon meeting our son, he joked, “I’ll name the new bridge after you!” – it was under construction at the time, near the airport. That fall, Allen won the election and now you know our son’s name!

The American Dictionary of the English Language, a preferred resource by one of my family members, defines theological providence as “the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures.”**  Maybe that aligns with my perception of its meaning as God’s good care of us.  Some will challenge this view asking about those events that do not seem good, times when disease or tragedy strike.  That leads me to the second term that I often pair with the thought of providence, and that is sovereignty.

Dictionary & clock: lovely shelf accents.

God is sovereign.  He has the right, the authority, the power, and the responsibility to carry out His plan.  Parts of His plan, at times, do not seem good but because God is good (Psalm 107 v 1), His plan must be trusted.  This is difficult to always accept. Horrible stories cross our screens daily.

Typically, Christians lean on Scriptures that promise God’s goodness.  Jeremiah 29 v 11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you” but it should be remembered that these words were spoken to a people living in captivity.  Romans 8 v 28 promises that “in all things God works together for the good of those who love Him” but it must be noted that not all things are good, but for the good of those called according to His purpose.  Isaiah does not mince words about life’s dangers when he writes, “when you pass through the waters ….  when you walk through the fire” but he continues by speaking of God’s care, His providence, over those in danger (Isaiah 43 v 2).  Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble,” which sounds ominous, but He adds, “But take heart!  I have overcome the world.” (John 16 v 33)

As my husband and I embark on an upcoming adventure, we pray for God’s providence, that He will superintend over all that we have planned, but friends are cruising in quarantine, experiencing God’s sovereignty over an unplanned outcome.  You can wish us a bon voyage, and Godspeed to all of you too!  See my blog post on   “Godspeed”

* The photo may have been from the Facebook page “Visit Alexandria, VA” **Webster, Noah.  1828.  Websterdictionary1828.com

Postscript – After drafting this post on Saturday afternoon, my pastor specifically spoke about God’s sovereignty and providence in the Sunday morning sermon.  Coincidental?  No, providential!  And we concur.

This post is best viewed at  A Writer’s Daughter

 

My Summer Abroad?

I spent one summer of my college years at a science station in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  My college required completion of a summer program, and while classmates headed off to Europe and Israel, I signed up for science in South Dakota!  Cost was a factor, but I hoped checking off my academic science requirements would be easier at a camp than on campus.  I also thought field science courses seemed practical for my future as an elementary teacher.

A good plan had unfolded for my Black Hills summer studies.  My college best friend also enrolled in the program.  It was reassuring to go with someone, since it was far away and I didn’t know anyone else going.  Days before the spring semester ended, my friend met me for dinner and told me that she had decided not to go.  Her change of mind stunned me and left me questioning my plans.  I only vaguely recall considering my options, but I have a clear memory that confirming my Black Hills program plans was a step of faith that God wanted me to take.  It seems trite now, but it was big for me then.

The summer of botany, zoology and geology studies proved rewarding in every way!  I saw it then, and still do now, as confirmation that I had followed God’s plan for me. In academic subjects that had proved challenging for me in high school, I made my all-time highest college grades.  I developed a growing appreciation for the beauty of nature and the wonder of creation ( All Creatures Great and Small).  Hands-on classes were fun and engaging.  We travelled throughout the remote and beautiful Black Hills region for field trips, and I camped for the first time with new friends.  I experienced a spiritual awakening that summer too.  As I spent regular time outdoors alone with God and His Word, a personal real walk developed with Him.  Braving the program on my own turned into a time of maturing and happy expansion … yes, just west in South Dakota!

One of the reasons my Black Hills summer comes to mind occasionally is because of a song I hear on one of my regular playlists. It was not that summer’s hit tune, but a hymn sung by a student choir.  One of the guys took it upon himself to form a volunteer choir for us.  He picked a few hymns that we practiced and performed in Sunday services at one or two local churches.  I especially remember singing “How Firm a Foundation” *.  The hymn’s lyrics are vivid yet poetic, and the tune is robust, like a national anthem!

I close by sharing the first stanza of the hymn “How Firm a Foundation” because the words align perfectly with the theme of my blog:  the foundational value of God’s Word for us.

How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!

What more could He say than to you He hath said,

To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

From John Rippon’s “Selection of Hymns,” 1787, Public Domain                        Based on 1 Peter 3 v 23 & v 25

* ”How Firm a Foundation” is one of several hymns Rev. Tim Keller chose for his memorial service.  The worship service in his remembrance was held last week in St. Patrick’s Cathedral (NY).  I have added the memorial link to my recent blog about him.

Photo credit of the Black Hills, SD – travelsouthdakota.com

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Church Vacation

This building in Parry Sound, Ontario now houses Harvest Church.

I took the feature photo of this 100 year old church last summer as I vacationed in Muskoka, Ontario.  The church is located just blocks from Parry Sound that connects to Georgian Bay of Lake Huron.  My husband and I attended the Sunday worship service here with relatives, and I recall the encouragement of the gathering and the meaningful Bible sermon.  Timing is everything:  I had recently experienced a hard conflict.

You might wonder why we “wasted” a day of vacation by going to church.  Aren’t there fifty-one other weekends to attend church?  We went not out of obligation, but to join a community of fellow believers (that’s fellowship).  Personal blessings flow from music, a message, and even as visitors we taste of local ministry at work.  I have particularly experienced that worshipping in a new setting, not my own church, has unique benefits.  I am not distracted by who’s leading praise or what friends are in attendance, rather I focus solely on the elements of the service, and I gain reassurance from new congregations who share my faith.   A waste?  Not at all!  As the Psalm goes, “Better is one day in Your courts, than a thousand elsewhere.”                  Psalm 84 v 10

Yesterday was another case in point.  In a small group at our church, we discussed 1 Peter chapter two*.  It starts out boldly with a charge against several evils related to lying (1 Peter 2 v 1).  A deeper dive took us back a few sentences into the first chapter of 1 Peter.  There, God’s Word clarified that those who follow Jesus are “purified … by your obedience to the truth” (1 Peter 1 v 22).  Yes, that makes sense:  truth is the opposite of lies.  The passage continues by highlighting the strength of pure brotherly love (v 22), the importance of God’s “abiding” word (v 23) and the value of hearing it preached (v 25).  Devoted community, reliance on the Bible, and Gospel preaching are all found in none other than the church!  There is no substitute for joining a church, and it will be okay if you miss a Sunday on vacation!

*1 Peter, which is usually read as “first Peter,” is the first of two letters the apostle Peter wrote to Christians in Roman provinces in the early 60’s AD

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This is the church we now call home in NC, taken at peak azalea season!

 

A Friend Remembered

Two years ago, one of my several Susan friends texted me this photo of her garden bouquet.  She and I regularly sent texts, and shared visits and calls over decades of friendship.  This past Saturday, I attended her funeral. To quote her published obituary: “Many will know Susan for her love of Jesus, people and conversation …  She loved the Lord Jesus Christ… She never hesitated to genuinely ask… how she could be praying for (you).”  She and I often exchanged personal prayer needs and that is probably what I will miss the most.   Deeply loved by many, we gathered to remember her life, celebrate in Christian faith, and lay her to rest.  Her healed lungs now inhale the glorious airs of heaven!

Because of her saving faith in Jesus, Susan lived and died as Ephesians 6 v 13 commends: “that you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”  The Scripture words prove relevant for our nation too.

We were invited to wear an accessory of yellow, her favorite color. I found the pictured earrings for the occasion and carried this ‘wrap’ given to me by another Susan friend.

The Woes of June

This month many folks must endure workplace propaganda that contradicts their personal beliefs.  Friends have told me how tiring and oppressive the continuous onslaught can be.  I am no longer employed but similar promotions appear in businesses and media I come across.   ‘Pride’ ideology is massively divisive.  For this reason, my post features words directly from the Author of Life, letting Scripture speak for itself to the issues at hand.  My compilation spans the Old and New Testaments and various Biblical genres of history, poetry, the Gospels (of Jesus) and the Epistles (letters).  The prudent practice of comparing multiple passages is referred to as “the whole counsel of Scripture.”

Genesis 1 v 26-27 NIV

26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 9 v16-17 NIV

16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”  17 So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant I have established between me and all life on the earth.”

Psalm 139 v 13 – 16a  NLT

 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.

Proverbs 8 v 13 ESV

13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and perverted speech I hate.

Matthew 19 v 4 – 6 ESV

4 He [Jesus] answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

Romans 1 v 21, 24 – 27  ESV

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Galatians 6 v 14 CSB

14 But as for me [Paul], I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.

2 Timothy 3 v 1 – 5a CSB

But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, 4 traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to the form of godliness but denying its power.

To briefly summarize, some of you may think these are intolerant words.  I believe them to be God’s perfect plan for what He created.  God’s way is worth celebrating!  As the Apostle Paul put it, we take pride only in God’s work on the cross for us.    With humility, Brenda.

*Note – the abbreviations following the references indicate the Bible translation used:  Christian Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, New Living Translation.

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Our family celebrated a long-awaited June reunion.

 

Befriended in Ruther Glen, Virginia

Traveling home on the last leg of a recent, long road trip, we stopped to eat at an Arby’s in Ruther Glen, Virginia, off I-95.   I placed my meal order with a very upbeat cashier.  Repeatedly she interjected “m’ dear,” an endearment quite typical in Southern speech, as she confirmed my selections.  The sweet expression felt good as my husband and I were in need of rest and refreshment at this point in our many miled journey.  Next to me, a handsome young Black man also placed his order and a few minutes later a woman in a cute yellow dress joined him.

Ruther Glen is big enough to have an Arby’s but too small to be named on the exit sign.  Photo by Doug Kerr, from the site Mapcarta.

Our meal came and we sat in a booth, the fast food satisfying our hunger.  Being the people watcher that I am, I saw that the African American couple sat in the booth next to us.  As they too ate their meal, I overheard playful banter in their conversation that spoke of love and a healthy relationship, nothing course or lewd about it.  At some point, her man and mine left our tables and she spoke to me.  She commented that she noticed us and thought we showed a mature and seasoned relationship.  I told her that indeed we had recently celebrated our fortieth wedding anniversary.  She congratulated me with seemingly genuine happiness for us.  I asked about their life together and she answered that they were at the twenty-year mark.  “Wow,” I responded. “You look too young for that!”  Our little chat ended with wishing each other many more years of loving commitment in marriage.

About this time, the cashier from up front began circulating the dining area with a broom.  She too engaged in conversation with me.  It was almost Mother’s Day weekend and I think that’s where she started.  She shared about all the gifts she got for her mother and couldn’t wait to give her on her day off.  I think one of the gifts was a plaque or decorative family tree because she began telling me the names of her kids and siblings and step-siblings.  It was clear that she adored her mother and planned to generously express her love through gifts.

It struck me that both women initiated conversations with me.  Did I look lonely or lost?  I doubt that was the reason:  the Southern way is just warm, friendly, and casual.  The Southern way has also been associated with prejudice, yet both Black women felt comfortable and interested in talking to me, a white stranger passing through town.  Life’s commonalities drew us together.  I was a wife sharing fast food with my husband, and I was a daughter, possibly also a mother, to the talkative cashier.  We found a connection by sharing those life roles.  The connection provided a measure of kindness.

God felt the same about connecting with us.  He sent His Son Jesus to experience our humanity.  Jesus willingly gave up the glories of being God, to share life’s human realities on earth, including the eventual agony of death.  At this point, some of you will recognize these as truths from Philippians 2.  I was part of a discussion on that passage on Sunday. I love how one person said it:  God who is eternal and omnipresent (is everywhere at once) subjected Himself through Jesus His Son to our limitations of time and place.

Three years ago, at this time, our country experienced a terrible fissure.  What appeared to be an unnecessarily harsh police arrest incited an uproar of protests.   Thousands rioted in city streets to voice their indignation, even as churches and schools were shut down, parks and beaches were closed, and many jobs were suspended.  Fear of a virus and social isolation fueled the reaction and rage.

As grievous as the Minneapolis incident was, my encounters at the Ruther Glen Arby’s happen more often.  I believe when kindness or empathy occur, it is a small reflection of the great image of God’s kindness, as explained in Philippians 2; how Jesus demonstrated the ultimate emptying of His divine rights and privileges.  We can receive His saving grace (which Scripture defines below as bending the knee and verbal consent), and common grace can be imparted to those with whom we walk this earth.

~from Philippians 2                                                                                                                     5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:                                                                                                                                                   6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

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