Priorities – A Writer's Daughter

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!

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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North Carolina Now

Two years ago this week, we moved into our new home near Wilmington, North Carolina. We left the DC area in the fall of 2020, but lived in temporary housing for several months, while we oversaw the building of our house. It was the height of the pandemic and we also lost my mother-in-law during this time. So I like to think of March as our real move anniversary.

Wilmington is a small, port city located on the Cape Fear River. UNC Wilmington is a major university, and the film industry is a presence in the area. Our town is on the outskirts of Wilmington. It has less city influence and a more rural southern personality. Farming and fishing were once the main businesses. While things are quickly changing here, the homey ways intrigue me.

Just down the street from us on the main highway of our town is a pawn shop. I see bikes, lawn equipment and surf boards propped up for sale in front of the store. I ventured into the store because I noticed a sign for jewelry repair. Sure enough, past the case of pawned jewelry and watches, and the inventory of sports equipment and power tools, I turned the corner through the guns and ammunition section, to find the small work space of a jeweler.

The jeweler wears a large leather cowboy hat and decorates his niche with neon-lit western motifs. His space is neat, and he is soft spoken, especially when you consider he’s from Long Island. He assessed my broken chain and gave me an estimate. I left it for repair and in a few hours got a text from him with a photo of my necklace draped on a lovely velvet model, saying, “Here she is!” The idea that my necklace was repaired by a New Yorker in a cowboy hat who works in a pawn shop where they sell guns and ammo amuses me.

Just a few buildings down the highway from the pawn shop is a paint store. We were sent there by our builder to select the interior colors for our house. “Go talk to Jimmy, ” we were told. Jimmy and his business partner, who both sport gray ponytails, run a no-fuss paint supply store. Without fanfare, they carry all the paint brands in all the colors. A gentle cat keeps them company and one of them drives a vintage truck always parked out in front. Neither of the guys ever wore a mask during the mandate period.

There’s also a warehouse fish market off the highway strip where I occasionally shop. The place is wet and stinky but I think I get fairly fresh catches there, though I’ve never tried the alligator. They fly the American flag on the porch, carry homemade birdhouses and advertise bushels of crabs for Mother’s Day. Young kids, probably relatives of the owner, run the counter. In deep southern twangs they can advise you on flavor and cooking methods.

This culture is new for me; so different from the cosmopolitan suburban area we left. I enjoy the downhome feel of the unincorporated town where we now live. It is appealingly unpretentious. That’s how I find the true local people too: down-to-earth, authentic, likeable. Don’t get me wrong, there are also many conveniences and amenities that I miss greatly now! But as I said, the area is changing quickly due to

rapid growth and many outsiders who, like us, are moving in. I hope in our time here, it doesn’t completely lose its southern, country soul.

At the two year mark, my husband and I marvel that we are here, that we transitioned away from DC during such a crazy time. We are confident this is the new place for us now and thank God for His good provision. Like the Psalmist David wrote, “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” (Psalm 16 v 6). Read all of Psalm 16 for insights into God’s goodness in this life and in eternity.

A Time for Calendars

Our son inherited his grandfather’s clock.

This past December, my husband and I were in an office supply store to buy a wall calendar. We like something big with large squares to write in appointments and events, and it hangs in the kitchen where we can see it daily. While checking out, a man (wearing a realtor nametag) commented to my husband that he hadn’t seen anyone use a paper calendar in years! The remark felt disrespectful and condescending to me. Of course, we are aware of digital calendars and on-line scheduling. We use technology options too but a calendar’s day-to-day visual reminder serves us well. Frankly, thanks to his comment, I won’t be calling the guy in the store for my real estate needs, but I suppose he’s right that wall calendars belong to the parent generation, the brunt of a series of recent insurance commercials.

I will be honest: I like calendars. Back in my classroom days, I kept several calendars up. The photos or art for each month aided conversation and content in my ESOL classroom. They added cheer and color to institutional walls and I find them cheerful now inside of closets, on the back of a door, and in a workspace. Some calendars remind me of a ministry with needs; others take me to a beautiful scene or share an artist’s work each month. My all-time favorite FREE calendar was the gorgeous photography and gardening news in the Merrifield Garden Center annual calendar but sadly I am not in Fairfax anymore to pick one up.

Calendars measure time, something precious and finite in the human experience. Belonging to the Author of Life, I thoughtfully consider time. I want to enjoy it, I don’t want to waste it and I know I am held accountable for it. I realize my earthly time will end one day. Already, I have attended two funerals in the new year. One life remembered was long, full and clearly dedicated to the Lord. The other memorial service also honored someone with a faithful legacy of serving the Savior, but the years were much short of the “span of seventy, maybe eighty years” described in Psalm 90 v 10.

We have quickly flipped over the first calendar page to February, torn off January, or digitally have swished or scrolled forward. We might still be in the mode of planning, goal setting, prioritizing or establishing better habits for the new year. That’s where I am too but I hope you are also considering how you will make your relationship to God a priority this year. How will you spend time with our very Author of Life, learn of Him in the Scriptures, and be encouraged by others who share faith in Jesus? David the Psalmist wrote that he “set the Lord always before” him (Psalm 16 v 8). The entirety of Psalm 16 describes the safety, value, goodness, joy, and LIFE in choosing Him as our priority. Blessings as you pursue Him fully in this unfolding new year.

Sweet generations remind us of the passage of time.

Entangled in Lamps

My subject this blog post is much lighter, excuse the pun. Decorating and redecorating our new house has been a challenge that has left me entangled in lamps, among other things. Lamps, pillows, rugs, and the like are the accessories that add personality to a room. I accessorized our new home with items we already had and by getting new things.

One new find was a sturdy, classic-shaped, ‘marble’ lamp base that I envisioned for our foyer. I just needed to buy a lampshade for it. I made multiple purchases and returns because matching lampshade sizes and shapes to a base is not easy. A specialty lamp shop gave me good advice and the lamp hardware that I needed, but the $100 lampshades were overpriced for the consignment price tag of my base. Too much effort for one silly lamp ended with a look that didn’t go well in the foyer. The lamp is now on the porch where its weighty base may withstand a hurricane.

I’ve been trapped in other lamps too. One cut glass lamp from our former home seemed like it would work well in the new living room. Again, it needed an updated lampshade and I splurged on a cut glass finial, from the aforementioned lamp shop, to top it off! When I put the new shade and finial on, I discovered the lamp had cracked in the move. Oh well, gives new meaning to the description, cut glass.

Another splurge had been the purchase of a pair of pineapple lamps from a friend’s estate sale before we moved. The lamps weren’t outrageously priced but on the high side for that kind of sale, I thought. I bought them as a treat to myself in anticipation of our move south; they were quintessential Southern style! Again, on unpacking, it turned out that one of the lamps had cracked and been repaired which I had not noticed when I bought it, and surprisingly my friend had not divulged. We have since freshened up the pineapple bases with new paint and I adore the rattan lampshades they came with!

And lamps are just a part of it; there are still the pillows and rugs and all the rest! I was and am entangled. The house and its furnishing can encumber me. I enjoy a lot of the decorating, but I realize that it is not all a good use of my time, money. and energy. Material things are temporal. Interior design is not important in the big scheme of things. God allows us to enjoy beauty and gives us pleasure in creating but keeping its value in proper perspective is important for me. Hebrews 12:1-2 reminds us of this and of the need to stay focused on Jesus: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin* that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

* I am not suggesting that the pastime of decorating is sin. Activities and objects become sin when they become more important to us than Jesus.

Scripture is the Best Script

Not too long ago, I saw a live dramatized recitation of “Revelation” performed by Marquis Laughlin. From memory, Laughlin recited the entire Biblical book called Revelation, word for word. He used no props that I recall, but his inflections and voices, sound effects, physical motions and posturing presented a powerful rendition of God’s Word and only God’s Word! The theatrical performance of “Revelation” lasted about two hours, in two acts, but it was spellbinding throughout!

Marquis Laughlin delivers a theatrical rendition of Revelation. Learn more at actsoftheword.com

As part of the program, Laughlin shared some of his story and how he got into dramatic recitations of the Bible. Early in his life and career, Laughlin wanted to be an actor. He went to California to pursue an acting career. While in California, a faith in Jesus Christ was born in his life. He began to grow and mature in his new Christian faith. He wondered how his beliefs would impact his acting career. Eventually, Laughlin concluded “Scripture was the best script” and he began his work in theatrical performances of the Bible. His ministry, for over two decades now, is “Acts of the Word.”

Marquis Laughlin’s story illustrates the transformative power of the Gospel. Among other things, for him, it meant a shift in his career plans. As one deepens in true Christian faith, beliefs will permeate all aspects of one’s life. Social choices, finances, lifestyle, education, health issues and more are surrendered to God. With Laughlin’s career redirection, it could wrongly be assumed that all Christians must go into some kind of ministry work. This is not at all what I believe God requires. Instead, our faith infuses whatever career God leads us to! That is why there are great Christian chefs, electricians, scientists, artists, medical personnel, you name it! As my father once wrote in a pamphlet on careers, “Every human activity provides a way for your light to shine.”*

A few years ago, I had my Bible rebound. The result was beautiful; a treasure preserved.

“Scripture is the best script” reiterates the theme and place where I always like to land in “A Writer’s Daughter.” The Bible is the most useful textbook, manual, or script ever written. Read the script, study the textbook whenever you can, for every reason. I have added a new tab to my blog: “How to Read the Bible,” for those of you who may need direction with Bible reading.

*Kucharsky, David E. (1995) Where in the World Are You Going? [pamphlet]. Christian Publications, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Thankful for November’s End

I am thankful for November 30. The date marks the end of the Atlantic Hurricane season. In setting up a new life and our home in coastal Carolina, we accomplished a lot. But hurricane preparation, or even having a “just in case” plan, missed our list of top priorities. We took a risk, and I am thankful that hurricane season is soon over. The year 2021 was an active hurricane season for the Atlantic, using all 21 storm names. None of them swiped our area although a deadly tornado struck south of here in early spring.

Talking to neighbors and new acquaintances, I observe a serious respect for storms. Many folks have stories of damage and devasting loss due to past hurricanes. In 2018, Hurricane Florence stalled over the area causing unprecedented flooding. We were looking at property and houses then and we witnessed the piles of debris and blue roof tarps everywhere! Among some lady friends recently there was disturbing recall of past hurricanes Florence, Floyd, and Fran. I guess I better beware of storms that begin with the letter F!

Storms pack power: the ocean has fury. This is God’s hand. He created the earth, nature, and weather. Its beauty awes us; its potency demands respect. Jeremiah 31:35 says, “This is what the Lord says, he who appoints the sun to shine by day, who decrees the moon and the stars to shine by night, who stirs the sea so that its waves roar – the LORD Almighty is His name.” Jesus’ followers also experienced amazement when He “calmed” a raging Sea of Galilee storm, saying, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey Him!” (Matthew 8:27)

Blessed with a calm Sea of Galilee sail three years ago.

Recently, I came across this poem that considers the ocean and our worshipful response, https://decisionmagazine.com/ruth-bell-graham-relentless-yearning/. It was written by Ruth Bell Graham, wife of the Rev. Billy Graham. Their home was in the mountains of North Carolina.

Now, let’s hope my husband and I work on a generator and flood prevention before June 1, 2022!

Now That’s a BHAG

A few small tables displaying a basic assortment of Christian books and Bibles line a corner of the large lobby of my church. I stopped there in December to buy a little gift. Lots of other folks thought of shopping there too, so a line had formed. As I got closer to the cashier, I spotted my friend Cheryl who runs the book ministry as a volunteer. People were commenting that she was busy with sales and she replied, “My goal is to outsell Amazon!” Now that’s a BHAG!

A BHAG is a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. James Collins and Jerry Porras coined the term in an effort to incentivize companies and employees to dream really big. The idea is not necessarily to set a realistic, reachable goal but to think way beyond expectations and believe in the impossible. For example, Walt Disney embodied the BHAG mindset and he achieved legendary success. The adage “Reach for the moon and if you miss you’ll still be among the stars” is a similar expression.

We have just begun the New Year. This is a season when many set goals, or at least reconsider priorities. But New Year’s resolutions almost seem out of vogue these days because people fail at them or forget them so quickly. I am not keen on setting New Year’s resolutions yet I do think of a new year as a fresh start and a chance to improve and grow. My nature is pragmatic and realistic so BHAGs aren’t my mental default. Instead I mull over changes I want to make and prayerfully reset priorities for my time. Above all, I love to make lists, which is a type of goal. Lists, and weekly planners, act as short term goals for me and the reward for me is checking them off. Apparently this is not a bad idea. Just the other day a professional email came through at my work suggesting that making very low, easy-to-reach goals was helpful. As the goals are met, mood and accomplishment improve.

A friend just gave me this planner, photographed in the same setting as my blog theme photo. The planner was created by Cheryl Martin and the Excellent Living organization.

Speaking of work, you might be surprised to know that elementary students are required to write personal goals quite regularly. Counselors provide guidance about how to draft goals. Young students come up with some winners: “I want to spelle beter.” Children often lack the maturity to implement steps to meet their goals. Things like practicing math facts daily teaches the student the times tables, but kids don’t always make that connection. My hope is that children do begin to understand the link between effort and success; that is an important part of education and life.

So how does this topic of goals connect to words from the Author of Life, which is the aim of my blog? I think the Bible states some incredible BHAGs. For example, Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the plans I have for you … plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” That sounds wonderful but God spoke those words to people in captivity, living in exile a thousand miles from their homeland. For them, prosperity and hope were a BHAG! Another amazing Scripture BHAG is, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” (Ephesians 3:20) Wow, God outperforms even our wildest imagination but the fine print identifies that the power is God’s and only if that power is activated in you, by belief and repentance. Which leads to the ultimate Biblical BHAG: God’s plan, His goal for mankind. Scripture states that the one sacrificial death of Jesus justifies the sins of the entire world, for those who claim that truth (Romans chapter 5). And that is NOT a wishful BHAG; it is a goal accomplished, a task finished, for you to embrace in this New Year 2018!

Postscript: I don’t know if you can PS a blog post, but I will add this anyway. When I announced my blog, a friend emailed me back that she hoped my blog would reach millions. I was thankful for Cynthia’s dream for me. My goal is to write regularly, highlighting God’s word with my experiences. I have usually met my own deadlines in the past 18 months and I appreciate all of you who are reading and sharing my posts. Please feel free to continue sharing it and sign up to automatically receive posts, if you haven’t already. The best way to find my blog on-line is www.brendaproulx.com.

Deeply Rooted

I began plant propagation experimenting with a date palm. At about 10 years old, I got a pit from a dried date and decided to plant it to try to grow a palm tree. I covered the pit with dirt and set my flowerpot in a sunny window. I watered and waited. After many weeks, actually it turned into months, the pot remained unchanged. I figured my seed was dead so I dug into the pot. To my great delight, the pit had sprouted and was sending up a shoot. I filled the soil back in and eventually witnessed the emergence of a mini palm tree complete with leafy fronds. I guess that success hooked me!

Succulents are easy to root and that’s how I got all these. Mezoo is a favorite tropical.

I have grown quite a few trees since then. From its fruit I have grown a paw paw tree, a Hardy Orange, and an Osage tree. In addition to those three, our yard includes some sassafras trees and a mulberry, as well as Rose of Sharon, barberry and grape holly shrubs that were raised from replanted saplings or cuttings. Some of our evergreens came from the north and from Forest Department saplings given away at the New York State Fair. Many of our woodland perennials grew from transplants from elsewhere or were shared by gardening friends. Once established, a lot of these kinds of plants naturalize again on their own and fill in large areas or they can be passed on to the next gardening friend.

I call this the candy corn vine: it blooms in October. Its real name is Mina Lobata, Spanish
Flag vine, and it’s one of my few seed successes this year.

Rooting plant cuttings yields the most reward for me. It’s so easy to snip a vine or side stem, plop it into water, and watch the roots appear! My husband collected antique glass bottles which now serve as lovely vases for my windowsill cuttings. My green thumb is much fainter however, when it comes to starting from seeds. I buy and plant seeds every year but few seem to make it all the way to the flowerbeds. Some germinate but I’ve discovered that growing to garden size is challenging. I understand why plant nurseries have to charge so much for annuals. I think an elegant glass conservatory would be the perfect place to tend my tiny plants and I discovered an abandoned greenhouse nearby, but somehow I’ve been unable to convince my husband that he should relocate it to our property!

My potting still life. It was a sharing project.

The Bible says a lot about planting. Ancient cultures survived through cultivation. “Have your roots planted deep in Christ. Grow in Him. Get your strength from Him. Let Him make you strong in the faith as you have been taught. Your life should be full of thanks to Him.” (Colossians 2:7) The Apostle Paul explains that to be strong in faith, you have to grow a good root system. This takes effort and the right growing conditions. Getting to know God by reading the Bible, listening to teaching from Scripture, and being around others who have Christian faith will give you a healthy growth spurt.

I also love how the first Psalm paints a vivid image of a vigorous tree to describe the life of strong faith. https://www.bible.com/bible/111/PSA.1.NIV

Footnote: The cuttings photograph credit goes to my daughter.

Summer: A Season for Everything

Two summers ago, I witnessed a wide array of life experiences in my neighborhood. Within about a week, there was destruction and expansion, loss and celebration, among the two dozen or so homes on our street.

It began with an eviction of catastrophic proportions at the first home on the block. The entire contents of the house were thrown out onto the driveway and street. Furniture and personal belongings were broken and irretrievable on the pile. Eventually, a bulldozer loaded the ruins into a county garbage truck. I never knew if it was a rental gone bad or a disputed foreclosure.

But then a neighbor around the corner held an open house for their remodeled home. They did a beautiful job of updating the home’s exterior and adding new living areas that probably better suit the needs of their young family. Many cars lined the street throughout the afternoon and it was obvious that it was a happy housewarming.

About this same time we got word that a retired couple at the end of our road lost their three year old granddaughter; a case of sudden infant death syndrome. Although we usually chatted with them in passing, we made an intentional visit to their home. As we sat on their deck, they softly shared memories of a little girl they loved but who had lived far away from them on the west coast. They showed us her picture and thanked us for the card we sent, designed by a special artist.

Life goes on and two houses down from us, a family threw a barbeque and jamboree for a 50^th birthday! We were forewarned that it would be loud but I won’t complain about kids, friends and family gathered outside to run, laugh, eat and sing in commemoration of five decades! I was delighted to watch the lawn lanterns glow and listen to the country music on a warm summer’s night.

Life is happening all around us all of the time. Sometimes we have the opportunity or obligation to join in and other times we just observe. I have written previously about “rejoicing with those who rejoice; mourning with those who mourn” Romans 12:15 (March 31, 2017). The Bible also reminds us that people, our neighbors, experience many life seasons: “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die . . . a time to tear down and a time to build” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 2 and 3). Wise King Solomon wrote more on God’s perspective on work, priorities, life and eternity in that passage. Take a look because it is always worth reading the words of the Author of Life.

The puppy next door loves learning her “sit” command!

And who can resist the cuteness and energy of a new puppy? That summer two years ago, the next door neighbors got a new puppy. He has grown up into strong, good-hearted woofer. This summer, he has a new ‘sister’: another adorable black lab puppy, so full of life!

Frantic Vs. Frenetic

A year ago we had a record-breaking two feet of snow.

In planning for this post on rest, I began to think of adjectives that describe busyness and life pace. I thought of the words frantic and frenetic. I wondered how they were different. A quick Google search of the terms revealed that frantic has to do with one’s mental state and frenetic applies to behaviors and actions. Whether we use the words frantic and frenetic appropriately or not, I am sure we all understand that life in the 21^st century moves recklessly fast! With all our technology and the speed of travel, daily life is overloaded. Should I call it frantic or frenetic?

I am very guilty of both overscheduling my life and carrying out daily routines with excessive effort. According to psychologist Archibald Hart, some important activities require adrenaline and heightened focus, but we should beware of keeping this pace with routine chores. I find this to be true of myself. I catch myself with clenched jaws as I peel carrots or furrowed brows while brushing my teeth. Such intensity is unhealthy.

The Bible speaks many times of rest, of leaning on God, of waiting. Often the message is in the command form: Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). God, having designed our bodies, knows how they work and knows what is best for us physically and mentally. Slowing down, getting away, and listening are frequent admonitions in Scripture. God Himself modelled rest for us by stopping on the seventh day of Creation to sit back and enjoy the wonders He had just created over the previous six days. He invented the Sabbath which is just one of His lifestyle ideals for us.

My sister captured this sweet shot of my parents. My mom is petting a grandcat. Stroking an animal is known to lower blood pressure.

With age, I think we might get better at resting. It could be out of necessity; the body is slowing down, without its former youthful energy. It might be opportunity; less responsibilities and obligations and freer to relax. And with age, wisdom is gained; like Solomon, you realize that being a workaholic is all “vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:14)

Our frantic mindset can come to a screeching halt with a snowstorm. Where I live in northern Virginia, snow is a novelty. We don’t get regular snowstorms. When we do get measurable snow, the roads are considered impassable and schools close, providing a wonderful respite. Neighbors gather outside, resting together between shoveling. Kitchens are suddenly happy places simmering with soup smells and the scents of baking. Families sit beside fireplaces talking and laughing. The white blanket puts our frenzied lives to bed.

So while we wait for this winter’s big snow, let’s practice by slowing down and living reasonably. God wants us to savor the life He’s given us but we’re prone to miss His offer. “God has told his people, ‘Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here. This is a place of quiet rest.’ But they would not listen.” Isaiah 28:12