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.

Pandemic Postcard

Last Tuesday I received the blue and green postcard shown in my feature photo. The state of Virginia sent it to our household offering services for anyone suffering emotionally or psychologically due to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting that mailer, realizing that the state formed a helpline, surprised me and yet it didn’t. Just within the past week I’ve had conversations and seen discussions or posts about depression among teenagers, demise and death among the elderly in quarantine, of suicide attempts, and concerns about children’s social development. Many talk half in jest, but with a note of truth, about the summer that wasn’t or about cancelling 2020. I have heard “Will I ever see them again?” or “Will I ever go there again?” Even Dunkin’ Donuts is jumpstarting Pumpkin Spice Latte season early this fall to boost public morale! We seem to be at a breaking point. What is wrong?

Although “stay home, stay safe” is positively promoted, long-term isolation is dangerous. For more than five months now, people have sheltered in place ordering food and supplies on-line, worked and learned from home, socialized virtually and watched streamed church services. With the internet and social media, it seemed that folks could live normally in a distance bubble, but the outcomes reveal differently. People aren’t healthy alone.

Yes, we have texting threads, phone calls by the hours, Facetime and Skype with video chats, ZOOM meetings and the like for interaction but it’s not the same as being together. God created us for community with Him and with humankind (Genesis 1:26-27, 1 John 1:3). Experiencing friends and family in person, not just through screenshots or phonelines, keeps us alive. Think about how God gave us five senses. You can remember the scent of your grandparents, the smells of dormitory life, and the odors of sweaty teammates. Flavors are memorable too: holiday dinners, romantic coffee dates, bitter medicine, childhood popsicles. Human touch is necessary as well, yet we have gone from being hug happy to physical aversion.

It is not easy to decipher the many messages about the Corona virus and its contagious nature. We do our best to stay informed, to choose reasonable precautions and to obey regulations. But if it is safely possible, choose to be with your friends and family. Make coffee dates with friends at outdoor cafes. Meet up with folks for picnics. Open your windows and doors and have company for dinner. Take long walks with neighbors. I do understand that some of you reading this cannot do these things because of restrictions at your residence, employment regulations, severe health risks or other restraints. We all must reach out in secondary ways when ‘in-person’ isn’t possible but I hope that you’ll have that chance to visit, to sit together, to share a meal, to see, smell, touch those to whom you are close. Virginia cares … and so do I!

A Higher Authority

For years one of the core values of my church was “People Matter to God and People Matter to Us.” That tenet is still core in Scripture and to The Church. All human life has intrinsic value because people are created by God and people are made in the image of God, as earthly copies of Him. All people matter!

Few Americans condone police brutality, violent riots and destruction of property. Most of us grieve over inner city poverty, crime and substandard schools. No one applauds fractured families and unparented children. There is also the plight of the rural poor and their lack of opportunity as well.

Despite abundant concern, few new solutions seem to be emerging. Mostly we hear about providing more of what has already been unsuccessful. More regulation and updated policy are not likely to stop looters, end rampages, cease dishonesty or bias within government or prejudice in law enforcement. These problems matter – they are matters of the heart.

Unless one commits his or her heart to something other than oneself, attitudes and actions of selfishness, survival, mistrust and prejudice will prevail. My pastor used to joke about the Hebrew National motto that touted: we answer to a higher authority. Submitting oneself to God’s ways, His authority, is the only solution to our hearts that tolerate insensitivity, partiality, defamation, destruction, and even murder? (see Matthew 5:21 -22).

It says in a New Testament book called James, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God.” (James 4: 6-7) Actually, I recommend reading the entire chapter 4 of James. It begins with “What causes fights and quarrels among you?” and ends with, “Who are you to judge your neighbor?” Once again, God’s Word is spot on!

Postscript – We may wonder if this is a matter to us or an issue for others? Scriptures point out our need to consider. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). King David the prolific Psalmist asked, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me,” (Psalm 139: 23-24a).

Our friend Randy Wyant (idophoto.com) captured these cloud shots at the beach. We wondered if the double halos were a jet trail left by some pilots we know “makin’ lazy circles in the sky” (Oscar Hammerstein, “Oklahoma,” 1943).

Brevity

On my pre-pandemic commute, I passed a street named Brevity. Brevity sounded like a profound topic for a blog post until life as we knew it was upended, continuing to this day. With the utmost of brevity, I share these words.

It is not whether you test positive for COVID19 or not. It’s not poverty or prosperity. It’s not black or white, or left or right. It is know Jesus or no Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)

As someone who knows Jesus, let me be quick and clear to say that Christians are not perfect and don’t always get it right, but we desire to follow the life and message of Jesus, as written in God’s Word, the Bible.

The Apostle Paul summed it up this way: “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2

Lexicon Part 2 – Variations in Rhythm

In the second of this “Lexicon” series, I contemplate the word rhythm. Its plainest meaning refers to the beat of music or patterns in sound. In that use, rhythm denotes syncopation that is harmonious, repetitive and predictable, or at least pleasant in digression. In a wider scope, rhythm describes motion and patterns in life. The term Circadian rhythm refers to long cycles in life. I hadn’t heard it for a long time until the other day I read it in a newspaper article about adjusting to Daylight Savings time.

A newer use of the word rhythm in today’s lexicon aligns the concept with routine. Some young newlyweds I know felt that it took a few months for them to find the rhythm of living together. Another young married couple setting up house chose to run the dishwasher nightly and awaken to the cleaned load each morning, as a positive “rhythm.” A recent issue of Victoria magazine, in describing an upcoming winter feature, stated “Rhythms of Repose: Amid the cadence of a quiet pastime or treasured ritual of daily living, find a calming breath of serenity …” (Victoria, January/February 2020, p. 11). Rhythm is a predictability that gives life calm.

My Pastor mentioned rhythm in a podcast explaining the importance of personal and corporate worship (“Pray the Word” Podcast # 880, David Platt, January 6, 2020.) Platt’s explanation focused on both the idea that worship should be regularly scheduled into our lives, and furthermore that within worship itself, there is rhythm. Complete worship always pairs revelation (teaching and learning from God’s Word) with personal response (letting the Word soak into your heart for God to use it and grow you.) Today’s sermon further elaborated on the “rhythm of gratitude” in worship (Mike Kelsey, 4/19/2020, www.mcleanbible.org/sermons). Clearly, spiritual rhythm is a thing and without the frequent rhythm of a worship structure, you’re out of sync. The beat won’t go on.

I wrote most of text above on a return flight from a wonderful late winter visit to my parents in Florida. The Corona virus was just beginning to be newsworthy. I remember being encouraged by the bustling airport and many families still arriving for Florida vacations as I departed. Only days later my district, with no forewarning, shut down school for a month. Shortly thereafter, governors closed schools statewide, in Virginia’s case, for the rest of the academic year! Talk about losing all sense of daily and work rhythm in life! It has frankly been that upheaval that has kept me from finishing this blog post. I may have more time on my hands but our new normal feels anything but normal and I accomplish less in the offbeat fallout.

As I observe Americans responding to the COVID19 outbreak, I notice something that concerns me greatly. Few seem to approach the crisis spiritually. There’s our wonderful American spirit of hope and triumph. We have some of the world’s best scientists and healthcare professionals to guide us. We protect our entrepreneurs as they improvise business practices and creatively provide needed resources during the shutdown. It is all so positive and encouraging but our hearts, as a nation, don’t appear to be seeking God in response. Maybe most folks are out of a spiritual rhythm; acknowledging the God of the universe in crisis or calm isn’t firmly regulated in their lives. I pray that whether we’ve reached the apex of the outbreak or not, people turn to God. “Call to Me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.” Jeremiah 33:3, Psalm 46:1, Zephaniah 3:17

A friend who’s both a teacher thrown into on-line instruction and a mother thrown into homeschooling organized her daughter’s day.

Shadow of Death

I crisscrossed the roads of Norfolk and Virginia Beach quite a bit this winter when I stayed there to help my daughter with her new baby. One afternoon as I headed back to her house following the directions of a navigation system, I drove past some city services buildings and noticed an unusual display of t-shirts. It took me a second, but I soon realized that it was a memorial for the victims of the Virginia Beach shooting on May 31, 2019. The complex was just a couple of miles away from my daughter’s home. It was a sobering thought for me. She and her husband had also spent time in Pensacola, FL for Navy training a few months prior to the shooting at that Naval Base. Life nears the “shadow of death” more closely and more often than we realize.

Many near miss or divine intervention stories emerged from the events of 9/11. People overslept, missed the bus, or had traffic tie-ups that kept them from being at the office on time, resulting in escaping the horrific tragedies at the Pentagon and the Twin Towers in New York. Unplanned circumstances saved the lives of quite a few that day. They too narrowly passed by the “shadow of death.”

I faced the Corona dilemma early on when a new student from an affected region transferred into my school. At the time, school officials had no enforced policies in place. Our principal gave us only vague assurances from the school district. I contacted a friend who works in the international enrollment office and she confirmed that the county had no regulations for them to implement. Those of us who were to work closely with the new student had concern but we accepted the risk. We too were “in the shadow.”

I love Golden Books. We often read this depiction of the 23rd Psalm.

The Corona virus pandemic brings a seemingly tangible danger to our world. Although there is a wide continuum in how folks perceive their personal risk, the virus and its potency are real. The daily stats, new policies and lifestyle changes indicate a threat. Risk has moved from the cloudy shadows into clear view and many are shaken by the fear that they could get sick or that loved ones could die.

The phrase “valley of the shadow of death” is taken from the Twenty-third Psalm. Verse 4 of the short chapter states, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” For centuries this passage has comforted its readers with promises of God’s protection and provision. Believing that God leads us results in calm and rest. David, the shepherdboy turned king who was inspired by God to write these words, explains a conditional peace. These promises are given to those who call the Lord their Shepherd, who are in God’s flock. Times of crisis remind us to check our status. Are you truly one of God’s sheep, living safely in the boundaries of His Fold? Now is the time to make sure that your life and soul belong to the Light of the world, Jesus (John 8:12).

Illustrator Tasha Tudor produced versions of both the 23rd Psalm and The Lord’s Prayer. She always included Corgis and floral borders in her artwork.

Lexicon – How Do You Say It?

Lexicon is a word that may not be in your lexicon. Though it sounds like a type of unicorn, the word means the collective vocabulary of a person. As a teacher of English language learners, words and language intrigue me.

I am intrigued by a new phrase that seems to have crept into the modern lexicon. The phrase “of course” is now used as a response to “thank you.” The words “of course” are not new, but this context and connotation is a recent development. I have experienced this response especially in service situations. I say “thank you” to someone for ringing up my transaction or providing information and “of course” is the reply. Typically, the response to “thank you” was “you’re welcome” or in a service situation, “my pleasure.” The “of course” I have heard carries an air of arrogance as in, “Don’t degrade me with your gratitude” or “Wouldn’t you expect me to do this – it’s my job.” Is some of it tone? Is it generational? Probably yes to both.

Tone of voice is everything. Not too long ago I answered a family member with what I thought was a respectful reply. Unintentionally however, my words sounded terse and communicated impatience. Looking back, I could attribute my tone to both physical discomfort (overeating) and frustration with this same kind of request in the past. I spoke acceptable words but said them with an air of irritation and it was wrong. With my manner of speaking, I wounded a relationship.

God tells us that the right words spoken at the right time, in the right tone, paint a lovely still life portrait:

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11

May God give us grace and wisdom for our speech. I believe that gratitude (thank you) and courtesy (you’re welcome) should continue to be “apples of gold” in our daily lexicon. Please teach these phrases to the little ones in your life. Thank you.

I received this dictionary as a gift for high school graduation. I have used it ever since.

See and Taste

Last weekend I prepared a salad to take to a couples’ dinner. As I shopped in the produce aisle, I hunted for colorful salad additions. I bought two shades of green lettuce, red cherry tomatoes, a yellow pepper, carrots and purple cabbage. The bold vegetable hues of the finished salad lit up my eyes and heart with pleasure. The raw veggies provided both nutrition and joy. Even the recognizable shapes of irregular peppers, cylindrical carrots, tomato spheres, and frilly lettuce and cabbage seemed playful to me. The featured photo is my salad two days later, but it still looked and tasted fresh and delicious!

I usually identify a blog idea and then follow-up with appropriate pictures to insert. This time, it was the visual beauty and happiness of the salad bowl that inspired me to write. The title “See and Taste” is a play on a Scripture verse found in the Psalms (Psalm 34:8). It states: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.”

Tasting and seeing the Lord is a good challenge for the new year. How might we “taste” God? The metaphor reminds me of a poem entitled “How to Eat a Poem.” The point may be to be proactive: to intentionally search for God, to be in His presence, to read His book, to be around others who also are tasting and seeing His goodness. Attending church and getting involved with Christian believers provides the spiritual nutrition we need to grow and be healthy. Reading the Bible regularly and thoughtfully also nourishes us so much more than other worldly junk food that might be in our diet. For ideas and Bible reading plans, see this blog post from last year https://brendaproulx.com/2019/01/

There is a pivotal Bible event about seeing and tasting without good judgement. Genesis 3 tells the story of a beautiful world forever corrupted by the eating of an enticing but forbidden fruit. But if you continue on reading the Bible, you will find out about God’s love and His plan to restore us. In addition to reading God’s Word this year, I’ll be reading a book my daughter gave us for Christmas called Taste and See by Margaret Feinburg. It focuses on Scripture themes of feasting and food – sounds delicious!

Happy New Year!

As a teacher, I’ve used many early reader books about salad, fruits and vegetables. And who can forget the Blockbuster series Veggie Tales?

Written by My Father

This summer, while sorting through papers with my parents, we came across a short devotional written by my father. It was published in a devotional periodical but inquiries to both Our Daily Bread and Guideposts confirmed that it was not their publications. Since we have the original page with a date, we know the piece appeared somewhere, yet I couldn’t determine its source.

As you may know from my blog bio, my father had a career in journalism, launching with a wire news service, then joining the staff of the newly founded Christianity Today, and eventually becoming the editor of Christian Herald magazine. His writing featured current events and issues mostly within the Protestant church, including magazine editorials. His style usually wasn’t homiletic, so the short piece quoted below is unique. I don’t know if the prayer and Thought for the Day were my dad’s or added by an editor.

Wednesday, December 1, 1976

Read John 1:43-51

Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? John 1:46

My wife and I were charmed by a visit to the village of Oberndorf, Austria. It was there that Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber first introduced what has come to be the world’s best-loved Christmas carol, “Silent Night.” The church organ was broken, so a guitar was used for accompaniment at the Christmas Eve Mass.

That was in 1818 when communications were such that the song could not be readily shared with the world. Yet it not only found its way out of that obscure place, but became the most renowned of all Christmas songs.

Jesus Himself came out of what from every worldly standard would be considered obscurity. God actually ordained that His Son take on humanity in that way, and then suffer an ignominious death so that all who trust Him might have forgiveness of sin.

Doesn’t this tell those of us who have trusted Him as Savior something important about our work for the Lord? Everything we do, no matter how humble the context, has a great potential if we do it well – as God ordained.

PRAYER: O God, help us to keep in mind that the quality of performance is so much more important that what we deem to be ideal circumstances. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Thought for the Day

The most humble became the most famous.

David E. Kucharsky (Arlington, Virginia)

I hesitate to add much commentary to this piece; his words speak for themselves. As he says, he always valued doing quality work, and that included work that was service, things done for Christ’s sake. Even recently my dad spoke to me about continuing to be useful and cognizant of what ministry God would have for him in this stage of his life. This Scripture was not quoted but it fits his intent: ²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV).

An epilogue to the fame of “Silent Night” is an event from World War I. During the war, an unofficial truce occurred on Christmas Eve 1914. That night enemy soldiers joined in singing “Silent Night.” The movie “Joyeux Noel” (2005) retells the story. The humble carol, composed because of an obscure church crisis, holds a world stage.

Some vintage piano sheet music similar to what I played as a child.

It’s Fixed

I am happy to report that many of our previous problems have been fixed!! The septic system was overhauled, and new grass is growing. An extra blessing from the Lord was that our insurance company covered much of the repair cost. The cars are working fine, we said good-bye to a kitty, and usually our technology cooperates, except for tonight when I am trying to work on this blog. A recent flood of the washing machine indicates that the 18-year-old appliance needs to be replaced but I think we got our money’s worth.

This is not the picture I intended to feature but photos wouldn’t download this time. I do like the candy cane vine.

I update this short blog to assure you that we press on even when things go wrong. And as I said before, we dealt with some nuisances but some of you are experiencing serious relationship, health, job or financial crises. Whether we are facing a series of setbacks or a season of blessing, there is a reality check. Romans 8 describes frustration in creation, a waiting for liberation, and a groaning for future hope. You can read the whole interesting passage in Romans 8:18-27. Put encouragingly, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” (2 Corinthians 4:16) That is the renewal of walking daily with Jesus.

Football Season and Extra Yard for Teachers

I like football season. I barely understand the way the game is played, and I don’t closely follow any team, but I enjoy the rhythm of the season. Fall Saturdays feature the college games with traditions like Homecoming and tailgate parties. The sportscasters and programming of pro football games feel familiar to me also. We’ve had fun attending college football games, especially at our kids’ schools, and have made it to a few professional games. Football has been momentous for my husband and me. We officially met at my college Homecoming game and we became engaged after attending a Navy football game in Annapolis.

On the right, my son and I chat at a pre-game cookout back in his college days. GO FLAMES!

Extra Yard for Teachers (EYFT) is an initiative leveraging the college football program to honor teachers and inspire people to become educators. EYFT just finished an 8-day blitz of events, but each week of the collegiate football season, players share about a special teacher who inspired them. As a teacher, I appreciate higher education athletics recognizing the formative contributions of educators.

I came across a remarkable football story reading a waiting room magazine. Rob Mendez is a young man without arms and legs, the result of a rare congenital condition. From a young age he loved football and passionately learned all he could about the game, dreaming of becoming a coach. Understandably, securing a coaching position proved challenging given his extreme physical limitations. Mendez said this:

“Two years ago, I rolled out of a church service dejected, out of work, wondering if I’d ever get a chance to become a head football coach. I remember finding a quiet spot near a bush and just asking God to give me a sign that I wasn’t wasting my life, that there was a place for me in football. A few days later, I got the phone call for the interview at Prospect. And now all this has happened.” (ESPN, July 2019, p. 60)

Mendez got a JV Head Coach job, coached an 8-2 winning season and was awarded ESPY’s “Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.”

Mendez’s turning point followed his participation in a worship service. He shares how he felt very down but it seems that time spent in church strengthened him to plead to God regarding his dreams and despair. It wasn’t long after that his coaching opportunity came along.

Rob Mendez coaches a JV football team in Saratoga, CA.

Church has a way of doing that. Joining worship, leaving the concerns of life at the door, experiencing fellowship, being lifted in song, and hearing the Bible preached, result in change and produce healing. Many people think they can experience God without going to church. You can experience God on your own, but church is God’s vehicle for fully encountering Him and Christian community. Corporate worship uniquely offers connection with other believers and a focused time learning through Scripture. Psalm 73: 16-17 describes frustration thwarted by joining others in the place of God: “it was oppressive to me until I entered the sanctuary of God.” God’s design is for us to “flourish” as we enter “in the house of the Lord … the courts of our God” (Psalm 92:13). The New Testament restates it clearly: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing” (Hebrews 10:25). Leave your excuses at home and go to church next Sunday.