Cloudburst

With all the rain that soaked our area in August and September and then Hurricane Florence that walloped the Carolinas, it seemed apropos to share about clouds and a gray spirit.

There are times when zest for life eludes us. Continuing dull weather or an endless ‘to do’ list or another day of feeling alone deprive us of joy and energy. Paul Tripp writes that we lose sight of the amazing awe of God (Awe, 2015).

One of our many recent storms, taken by my friend Carla.

I experienced that kind of day; a day when the glumness never subsided. But as Broadway’s Annie crooned, “The sun’ll come out tomorrow” and it almost did. Dark clouds parted slightly the next day. The early morning also brightened with some hearty laughter over a family text. My morning progressed with successful errands and we fixed a comfort lunch of grilled cheese and tomato soup. The afternoon gave way to household chores fueling a satisfaction in accomplishment. We planned on our usual after-dinner walk but got an unexpected downpour instead. As the heavy deluge persisted, my husband and I decided to knock off one more errand.

Specialty summer drink at my “go to” coffee shop, Jireh, in Centreville, VA.

We drove to a store and dashed from our car to the store entrance in drenching rain. Once inside we continued to hear the downpour pelt the roof. We finished our quick purchase and as we exited, found a glorious sky unfolding! Dense pure white puffball clouds billowed out of streaming silver storm skies. Clear, dazzling azure-blue filled the rest of the infinite skyscape expanse! I considered taking a picture but knew the beauty couldn’t be captured in a photograph, just as my words don’t adequately convey the brilliance of that scene.

Sunny October days now shine regularly for us and we pray for the on-going hurricane recovery in the Carolinas. As you may face clouds and gray monotony in life, don’t give up. Instead, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14 KJV

“Joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5(https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1peter5:10&version=NLT for another encouraging Scripture.)

Postscript – I recently published a blog acknowledging the two-year anniversary of “A Writer’s Daughter.” I sent it only to my blog subscribers and did not post it on social media. You’re welcome to look back at it, enjoy the link to Josh Wilson’s song “Dream Small,” and I hope you’ll become one of my subscribers. Thank you.

This is a favorite photo of my son. I love the joy and energy and also the cool cloud background.

“A Writer’s Daughter” Turns Two

August marked the two-year anniversary of my blog. I enjoy the discipline of writing and posting. Ideas and topics come to me regularly and I pair them with what I pray are appropriate Scriptures. For me, the challenges of blogging include technical issues and the pictures. I can’t always navigate the WordPress software and ‘sharing’ through social media sometimes goes awry. Last spring, I attempted to strengthen my photography skills by enrolling in a class. Then our daughter got engaged and we plunged into wedding planning for her July wedding. I flunked the class because I couldn’t complete the homework; so much for the teacher being a student!

Thank you for subscribing to my blog. If I had a goal for my blog, it would be to increase the number of subscribers, however I am not fussing over my statistics. I write in response to God’s prompting. When I introduced my blog, a friend expressed her hope that it would reach millions. Such success is unlikely, but I will follow through faithfully. The Bible tells us to be faithful in the small things (Luke 16:10), so I plan to continue posting. The song “Dream Small” by Josh Wilson captures this message. He says, “simple moments change the world … find little ways.” Many amazing things happen in the world because of the obedience of ordinary people in seemingly insignificant ways.  Watch the song below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOBaLrItEyc

I snapped this as Dad sweetened his Dunkin coffee.

As I created my blog two years ago, two parallel ideas emerged in my mind: God as The Author and my father’s writing career. My blog is not meant to be a tribute to my Dad but I am happy to acknowledge his wonderful influences. I had a special chance to spend time alone with him this summer while my mother was out of town for a funeral. Though my dad is experiencing some age-related declines we enjoyed the extended visit. He shared an idea he has for a new book and he asked about my writing. We discussed gardening and he kept me company on errand running. Dunkin Donuts is a favorite spot for us and we discovered a Russian gourmet store in the same shopping center. We stopped in to eye all the Slavic goodies. I asked the clerk to speak to my Dad. Dad responded with a robust Ukrainian phrase, sounding quite authentic!

I look forward to writing on as I continue being blessed by the presence of my earthly father* and my Heavenly Father. Thank you for your part in this calling.

*My friend Seth Barnes recently shared blogs of time with his aging dad.   www.sethbarnes.com

 

 

Welcome Back Teachers

The Master Teacher

The Master Teacher, Jesus, taught a lesson on humility and children:

” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.  See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.’ ” portions of Matthew 18:2-11

This object lesson strongly cautions those of us who work with children. With the little one before Him, Jesus warned us not to mislead children or cause them to sin. One of my saddest days of teaching was the day I witnessed a teacher compel some students to be dishonest. The kids were working on a project and realized it was time to go to another school activity. When they reminded their teacher that it was time to go, the teacher said, “No, we’ll just tell them we forgot.” I watched the children react in bewilderment as they realized their teacher suggested that they tell a lie. It broke my heart but I could not intervene. All of us err; every teacher, including me, has said or done something we later regret.  It is encouraging to see that God protects young hearts and minds with His angels.

In my classroom preparation this week, I had to reread the school handbook. It states that school personnel shall not impose their “biases” on students. At times, teachers may sense a conflict between covering required curriculum and misleading students into ideas and behavior contrary to God’s standards and Biblical truth. Teachers of faith who have given Jesus charge of their lives can trust God to help them navigate that struggle. All of us can shine wherever God places us.

Teachers, have a great year!

The flag picture on the far left is a collage a sixth-grade student made for me 10 years ago. I have kept it all this time because it is a sweet reminder of her.

NOTE: I am annexing this post to a previous post. Both posts start with a longer portion of Scripture and both address the Christian and culture.

One Nation Under God

My usual writing process is to share an experience and some thoughts, ending with an appropriate Scripture quote. Today on America’s birthday, I will let Scripture speak for itself. This passage, though addressed to God’s people as they inhabit their new land, parallels modern life in Western culture. In affluence and intelligence, God can be forgotten and society credits itself for its success.

1”Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.

 6“So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. 8 It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. 9 It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. 10 When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

11 “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today.12 For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, 13 and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! 14 Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

19 “But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed.                             Deuteronomy 8: 1, 6 -14, 18 – 19 New Living Translation

Wedding Reflections

These last weeks have been a needed time of rest and reflection for me as well as joyful remembering! In May our son and his bride married in a beautiful Southern wedding in Florence, South Carolina. Seven weeks later, we hosted our daughter’s wedding in Virginia’s historic Piedmont region. With some trepidation but much excitement we experienced a double season of engagements, showers, guest lists and invitations, rehearsal dinners, and beautiful ceremonies surrounded by family and friends. There is the expression “showers of blessing” but we had a deluge!

Showers for the brides.
And fun to be Mother of the Bride!

Weddings are joyful celebrations but they require a great deal of planning, taking a great deal of time. Our daughter-in-law and her family took on the first wedding but the second one was ours to coordinate in just three and a half months. I credit the groom and bride and others for their extensive efforts but I knew a lot of the wedding work was my responsibility and it was a daunting task. Several perspectives kept us sane and upbeat in those busy planning days.

First of all we focused on the reason for our work: a young couple had found each other and committed to a future together. Many prayers had preceded this finally happening and it was the happiest of events for us. It was important to see this as a marriage more than a wedding. We wanted a fun party, but the priority was to launch a lasting marriage; Scripture tells us that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16).

And if you’ve been in a wedding season recently yourself you know there is no end to the trimmings for today’s weddings. Pinterest, Etsy and Amazon, bridal magazines and The Knot and Zola have advertised every detail you’ve never thought of! Together with the bride and groom, we purposed to plan a lovely event without overdoing it. As the saying goes, our intent was to bless, not impress.

Personally, I had to get serious to accomplish a lot of tasks quickly. Though I like organizing and planning, I knew a wedding in three months required laser-like focus, which is not my natural style.   I had my teaching job, home/family responsibilities and other commitments but I dropped all optional activities and pastimes to get going. I also encouraged myself that since this was God’s plan, it could be done in time. I could think of the two weddings a few different ways: a spring wedding, then a summer wedding; about three months apart (May, June, July); or I could say less than three months apart; just seven weeks between them. Maintaining perspective kept me positive. For the most part we all did pretty well working together, being patient, and coming to agreement on many decisions.

A candid from her ‘dry run’ and portrait day.

As the main details came together, we enjoyed wonderful moments of celebration and beauty. Gift giving, creating and decorating, parties and getting pretty filled many hours with joy, togetherness and prayer. My husband and I continued with life beyond wedding planning too. It gets old when every dinner conversation covers the latest wedding expenses and selections.   In the course of our wedding season, we managed to get out to two local car shows and host a campaign event. There were hospital visits and a funeral to attend as well. While we experienced joy others faced pain.

He entitled this photo “real men wear pink.”

Gratitude best sums up this season of weddings. We are thankful to God for the gift of spouses for our children. We have witnessed their Christian marriage according to God’s design. From the very beginning God established marriage with the words, “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh,” (Genesis 2:24). Be assured that we realize life will have its challenges for them and for us, but we have been glad, very “glad, in the day the Lord has made,” (Psalm 118:24)!

 

A Message on America’s Birthday

My usual writing process is to share an experience and some thoughts, ending with an appropriate Scripture quote. Today on America’s birthday, I will let Scripture speak for itself. This passage, though addressed to God’s people as they inhabit their new land, parallels modern life in Western culture. In affluence and intelligence, God can be forgotten and society credits itself for its success.

Folks find creative ways to display the flag.

1”Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors.

 6“So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. 7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. 8 It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. 9 It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. 10 When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

Another Old Glory display.

11 “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today.12 For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, 13 and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! 14 Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ 18 Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.

19 “But I assure you of this: If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods, worshiping and bowing down to them, you will certainly be destroyed.                Deuteronomy 8: 1, 6 -14, 18 – 19 New Living Translation

Star and stripes atop a construction crane in DC.

This Season

Those of you who do not know me personally may be wondering what happened to me and my blog writing.  As of mid-March, wedding plans took over my free time.  Our son got married in May and our daughter became engaged in March and began plans to marry in early July!  It is a fun, happy and exciting time for us but it is also very busy, and at times, a bit stressful.  It humors me that in our 32nd year of parenting the two weddings would come less than 2 months apart!  But the possibility of two upcoming weddings crossed my mind even last fall before either of the ‘kids’ were engaged:  I created one of my passwords using a  plural  reference to weddings.  I will return to writing and sharing as soon as the preparations end, but for now, know that I am fine and we are busy.  Enter into our joy!

“There  is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:   … a time to laugh …  and a time to dance”  Ecclesiastes 3:1,4

Mother of the groom dance.

 

Epic Departures

My niece departed from her wedding in epic fashion. Her reception took place at an old sailing club on one of North Carolina’s barrier islands. A ferocious tropical storm blew through the area the day before the wedding, nearly cutting off the island and jeopardizing the reception plans. But the day of the wedding dawned with sunny blue skies prevailing. After a chapel wedding, a beautiful nautical reception ensued and as the sun began to set, an antique fishing craft pulled up to the dock. The bride and her new husband literally sailed off into the sunset. Epic bests describes the perfect scene!

Billy Graham’s recent funeral was an epic departure too. After a famed life and his extraordinary reputation for genuineness, Billy Graham became one of only four non-statesman to “lie in honor” in the United States Capitol Rotunda. Crowds came to pay respects to a man who boldly yet plainly preached the Gospel, including my husband and me who took an afternoon to attend the Capitol viewing. Two former U.S. presidents paid their respects to Rev. Graham in repose at his North Carolina homestead and the President and Vice President, along with their wives, attended his funeral service. The worldwide attention to his death was remarkable.

I snapped this as we left the Capitol viewing.

Jesus Christ faced an epically gruesome departure from his human life. Crucifixion was a cruel Roman method of torture and execution. Jesus endured tremendous physical pain on the cross but Scripture informs us that his emotional anguish and spiritual pain were more crushing. Even the surroundings reacted to Jesus’ death. The sky turned dark for several hours during the day, there was an earthquake and a massive temple curtain ripped in half! It must have been terrifying.

Departures leave impressions but there is more to consider. Weddings evoke joy and celebration but a solid marriage means so much more. Funerals provide comfort and hope which remind us to live our own lives well. And Jesus is not so much remembered for his suffering and death but for his victory over it. He triumphed over that brutal execution and the burden of our guilt and returned to life, escaping death’s curse. This is the Resurrection; this is Easter. God’s promise to you is that your death too can be “swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54) by complete faith in Jesus’ death for you.

 

 

Distinktive February

Preface – Writing this blog helped me process a discouraging series of annoyances. Not wanting to bring my readers down, I hesitated to publish it. Lately, I’ve seen others struggling (two co-workers in tears) and the weekend storm brought major inconvenience to many. My February logic fails but may this post give you a chuckle and encourage you to persevere!

I often take on heavy subject matter in my blog posts. This time I write with some attitude, a bit tongue-in-cheek, on a lighter topic. I will however, end up where I always do, looking at how God may look at it, through His messages to us.

Last Saturday it rained for the third weekend in a row. While preparing breakfast that morning, a kitchen fuse blew. Around lunchtime, the printer wouldn’t print and after a fix, then became jammed, almost causing us to miss a deadline. Late in the afternoon, a T.V. component randomly disconnected and we went through all kinds of contortions to plug it in on the back of the large, mounted screen.

We all have days like this. Nothing serious but one annoyance after another. Frankly, I think the whole month of February stinks! Within a month’s time a pipe in our house leaked requiring a plumber’s attention, a new computer crashed during an update and we’ve attended two funerals. We have faced piles of forms and paperwork for some insurance issues and a car transaction. And since writing the first draft of this piece, the bathroom overflowed on my way out the door to work! Dreary weather and gray landscapes characterize this month. I’m sure that’s why God made February the shortest month of the year (wink, wink).

Years ago, my washing machine flooded. As I bemoaned the mess in my laundry room to my friend Janice she remarked that at least my floor got cleaned. Her words and perspective jarred me. Indeed my laundry room floor was in great need of a cleaning and the small deluge had done the job! Similarly my co-worker Andrea ordered a personalized license plate that read: AG Lining. She daily reminded herself to look for the best, a cloud’s silver lining, in rough situations and to focus on the bright side.

I noticed this bright spot in the grocery store yesterday.

Perspective, attitude and hope provide options in the daily, or in February’s case, the monthly grind. It turns out that we had a nice time catching up with our plumber friend when he came over to repair the leak. The day the computer crashed I had read a quote about 90% attitude vs. 10% circumstance and I concentrated on this as I spent the better part of a day in the MicroCenter repair department. The rain on one of those Saturdays morphed into snow and my husband and I enjoyed homemade soup by a roaring fire. And as is always the case, funerals bring neighbors and family together in meaningful and compassionate ways. The bright side shines.

We find February-type discouragement frequently in Scripture. For example, David the Psalm writer, shepherd boy, and king, wrote a lot about his doubts and despair. In Psalm 73 David lists the inequities he observed, calling them “oppressive.” Then he described the comfort he experienced when he “entered the sanctuary of God.” David found hope and regained perspective by spending time with God and I believe uplifting fellowship with right-thinking people may be suggested here too. Jesus needed this same encouragement to face His earthly challenges. He retreated to quiet places to commune with His Heavenly Father (Mark 1:35) and he walked daily with a group of twelve committed partners.

If February had you down, thank God that it is over! Whatever month it is, we always need God’s perspective on life and its little and big annoyances. Reading God’s words gives guidance and assurance, and spending time with others who also love His words will encourage you and keep you from succumbing to despair.

 

Life, Love and Loss

Contrasts. For me, the juxtaposition of opposite ideas, experiences or images ignites comprehension and awakens emotions. Sunsets display beautiful contrasts as fading light bounces off of the darkening horizon. Many foods pair contrasting flavors of sweet with salty or spicy. Home decorators prominently place accents of contrasting color, like the orange touches I’ve added to a bedroom of mauve. Contrasts cause me to contemplate.

Last month, I saw two friends in greatly contrasting situations. The one friend is quite young and has just had her first baby. We visited together and I watched her care for her newborn with mothering skill that was becoming more natural for her. We talked about her new life. She’s enjoyed a season of being at home. We discussed her marriage and the very great transition husbands and wives go through, from footloose couplehood to the parenting responsibilities of a threesome family. They ponder jobs, a home, more children and keeping their romance alive. New parenthood brings joy, wonder, adjustment and a changed reality.

Loved holding this precious new life.

The day after seeing my young friend and her baby, I attended a memorial service for the husband of a long-time acquaintance. Through social media, I was aware that her husband had been diagnosed with cancer but I had not spent any time with them in years. The couple was set up by friends because “they were from the same state, were both tall, and both liked to laugh.” It was a perfect match and love endured for 27 good years. With amazing composure, the widow shared fun and meaningful stories of those nearly three decades together. The couple came to understand that God’s timing for his life would be shorter than they had envisioned but their faith assured them of God’s plan in even this loss.

So life conflicted with loss; a baby’s arrival contrasting a husband’s passing; a cradle and a casket. But life and loss can be mastered by love. I don’t mean to say that loss is easy. Death, especially untimely bereavement, is tragic and devastating. Love isn’t replaced but it isn’t lost either. My widowed friend read this Scripture to summarize the faith and love she and her husband shared: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12: 9 – 11

 

 

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.