Scripture – Page 6 – A Writer's Daughter

Transplanted

Our transplant process from Virginia to North Carolina includes building a new house. Some, like my husband, plunge into home construction with great enthusiasm. I, on the other hand, falter at the enormity of the tasks and choices. Reviewing house plans, selecting tile, picking appliances, and determining paint colors have stressed and overwhelmed me. I dutifully did my best, but it wasn’t easy or joyful for me. Then we started talking about landscaping. Suddenly I was engaged in garden planning, enjoyably doing extra research on regional flora, and coming up with ideas for the yard. Now I am scouting local plants on our walks and harvesting seeds. My green thumb is getting back its color!

I am not a master gardener by any stretch, though I have friends who are. I do not have a good eye for layout and design. I merely like being outdoors and trying new plants. I buy nursery plants, start flowers from seed, propagate plants or forage for seeds and salvage plants on the brink. I love ‘window shopping’ at nurseries and garden centers.

I have often thought to myself that it was a good day when I could get my hands in some dirt. Even repotting a houseplant seemed to tend my soul and cheer me up. This winter I was reading a book on brain health and came across an interesting finding. There actually is something to connecting with soil. The phenomenon is called “grounding.” Any physical connection to the earth, be it hands in the dirt, bare feet on sand, or wading in a stream somehow renews us. Timothy R. Jenkins, MD, writes, “coming into direct contact with the earth with one’s skin results in immediate changes in the electrical condition of the human body and restores a healthy natural balance.” I think we innately know this: don’t kids love to make mudpies, stomp in rain puddles, and dig in the sand? My mind really was feeling good after gardening!

Here again I see the amazing truth of God and word of Scripture being discovered in science. Yes, we were made to tend the earth (Genesis 2:15, Genesis 1:26). Though gardening and farming are plagued with hardship since sin’s corruption of the perfect creation (Genesis 3:17-19), remnants of the original blessing and design remain. God gives us the healthful opportunity to work the earth and be outside in His world. And Spring is coming, earlier in Coastal Carolina than in northern Virginia!

I asked my friend Barb, who is a Master Gardener, about this asparagus fern that seems to be a perennial here. She says it can winter over in this area. She suggested harvesting stray seeds to sow – will do!

The book I read is The Aging Brain by Timothy R. Jennings, MD, 2018.

Bling, Part 2

In “Bling, Part 1,” I retold how wearing a special black and gold bracelet matched perfectly with the Bible passage about light and darkness that I read on the same day. God just has a way of speaking to us like that.

Bling is that eye-popping accent that tops off an outfit or adds glitz to a table setting. Women usually love a touch of bling but maybe men do also: a shiny silk handkerchief tucked in a suit pocket, an oversized wristwatch, designer athletic shoes or high-end boots. And then there’s cars – a silver hood ornament is certainly bling!

My husband and I have been traipsing through paint stores lately, searching for colors for the new house. Lots of interesting products fill paint store aisles, among them some BLING for garages. In more than one store, I saw floor confetti. Colorful flecks are sprinkled onto garage floor paint as it dries, adding pizazz to the man cave!

My friend Karen commented on “Bling, Part 1” that Scripture was her “spiritual nourishment – I would starve without it.” Food is exactly the analogy that came to my mind also. We must eat and God’s Word provides the nutritious food we need to thrive in this world. And if the Bible is the good food, the church is the good grocery store! Scripture nourishes us and the church, particularly a worship service, energizes us, ministering deeply to the spirit as nothing else can.

On the first Sunday of the New Year, we attended a local Sunday worship service. Though I knew no one in the congregation and most of the songs were new to me, the corporate worship with other believers fed my soul. Only an actual church service draws Christians together in prayer, music and praise, giving, encouragement and penetrating teaching. A Christian playlist or a pastor’s podcast do not serve the same purpose. We need The Church, The Body, to fully experience the blessings of the Christian life.

Though it is later in January than I would have liked, may I encourage you to make church attendance a priority in the new year? We all love high-end, specialty grocery stores, the myriad of Whole Foods, Fresh Markets, and the like. Find yourself a quality church and go there. We are commanded: ^“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 NLT

Full credit to the Christian Science Monitor website and to photographer Efrem Lutkatsky/AP. The caption read: “A bird flies over the sky near the 1,000 year old Orthodox Monastery of the Caves covered with the first snow this winter in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 15.” I happen to be of Ukrainian descent and my birthday happens to be January 15 😊 Wouldn’t this be a great scene for a jigsaw puzzle?

Bling, Part 1

Crows are drawn to bright and shiny things and so am I! Recently I wore the frayed bracelet shown in the photo. As I put it on, I recalled how I acquired it. Years ago, Craig and I were in New York City over the holidays and we passed through Bryant Park. Vendors had set up small kiosks. I saw and liked the hand-crafted bracelet, so Craig bought it for me.

I have always liked jewelry with black accents. The class ring for my high school featured an oval black onyx stone with the school name “W & L” overlaid it in gold. Though I loved the unique and classic design, sadly I did not splurge by buying it. Over the years I have gotten a few inexpensive onyx pieces as well as other costume jewelry in black. Black jewelry is elegant but bright in its own way: a versatile accessory. Bling!

After dressing for the day, I turned to my Bible reading: 2 Peter 1:12-21. There I read, “pay attention … as to light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” While this is a complex passage, we know that light dispels darkness. Spiritually speaking, keeping close to Jesus, the Light of the world, protects us from shadowy evil. I marveled at the connection of the day’s Biblical theme to my morning’s musings over the gold and black bracelet. God’s Word is truly alive and is used by Him to speak into our lives.

Later that day after having breakfast with friends visiting from out of town, I realized I had lost a favorite dangly black and rhinestone earring that I had been wearing. Apparently in putting on and off my mask (see my post, “Mask-Wearing Woes,” Sept. 24, 2020), the earring fell out without my noticing. Thankfully, it was an inexpensive pair but still disappointing to lose.

I hope you read Scripture often. I believe it is God’s perfect writing. You may not agree but would you still consider regularly reading the Bible (or listening with apps)? It will shed light on dark things; you too will experience how the Word meets your world.

It is well, with my soul

In her later years, my mother-in-law enjoyed the calm activity of coloring pages. Many of the fill-in drawings were quite intricate and colorful, especially the Mandalas, but others were plainer. “It is well, with my soul” was a simple page, mostly the letters, but she had taped the finished art up on her kitchen wall. Last week, that transaction of her heart and soul was finalized when she passed from this earthly life. One’s soul is perfect when saving faith has been placed in the God of eternity, as hers was.

The phrase “It is well, with my soul” is not a Scripture; it is a line from Horatio Spafford’s famous hymn, “When Peace Like a River.” The truth of the lyrics is summed up plainly by Psalm 62:1 –

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.”

Bling

A Christmas Alphabet

I enjoyed alphabet books as an ESOL teacher because of the patterned style and vocabulary emphasis. This alphabet poem aims to include the significant details and themes of the story of Christmas as found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. With a grandchild in our family now, I was inspired to write a Biblical Christmas piece. I hope you or a young one in your family will enjoy its cadence and message.

A is for Advent

A blessed time of year

When Jesus’ birthday

Is coming near.

B is for baby,

So sweet and so small.

Jesus who saves us

Was born for us all.

C is for Christmas

And Christ is His name.

God’s Son from heaven

To our Earth He came.

D is for dream,

Or visions God sent:

News and direction,

His perfect intent.

E is for excited

And jumping for joy,

Like John leapt for Jesus,

The cousins, both boys.

F is for fear.

So many had fear.

Surprise angel visits said,

“Peace, God is near!”

G is for go,

Go tell the Good News

That Jesus is born.

Go, run in your shoes!

H is for heavenly,

Heavenly host.

Those angels praised Jesus,

The best and the most.

I is for incense,

With myrrh and with gold.

Wise men gave gifts

To Jesus we’re told.

J is for Joseph

The dad Jesus knew,

A man good and faithful.

He raised Jesus too.

K is for King,

From King David’s line,

Both father and mother,

A promise divine.

L is for light

Of so many kinds.

The angels, the East star,

The world’s Light who shines.

M is for Mary

The Lord Jesus’ mother.

God chose her to bear Him,

Her heart above others.

N is for Nativity

The plain stable scene,

The place and the people

Of such lowly means.

O is for only,

God’s only Son,

Jesus our Savior

For us, He’s the one!

P is for promise.

God’s prophecy said

A saving Messiah

Would come crush sin’s head.

Q is for quick.

Things happen so fast.

Be ready for Jesus

Before time is passed.

R is for room,

The Inn had no room

So a family was left

Out in Bethlehem’s gloom.

S is for sheep

Sleeping out in the night

Who woke with their shepherds

To angel singing and light.

T is for temple.

Jesus visited there

From baby to manhood

To teach and for prayer.

U is for upright,

In righteous ways

Zechariah, Simeon, Anna

Lived out their days.

V is for virgin,

A young girl named Mary,

The mother of Jesus,

A miracle she carried.

W is for worship,

Give Christ the praise

As babe in a manger

And now and always.

X is for exceptional,

Exceptional but true.

Jesus’ birth, boyhood, grown-up,

His Resurrection too!

Y is for why,

Why God sent His Son.

To save us from sin,

The cross – it is done!

Z is for Z

We’ve come to the end.

The Alpha Omega

Forever AMEN!

Decorations are simple this year as we live in transition until our new house is done: greens from our new yard, local Spanish moss, and a creche I managed to bring.

Grateful to Encourage

My husband and I moved south!!! After years of planning and praying, we left the DC metro area for coastal North Carolina. And while our new area is changing into something more cosmopolitan, it is still The South.

The South is traditionally known for Southern hospitality. As a newbie I don’t know all that the expression entails, but I have previously observed unusual affection, often demonstrated with terms of endearment like sweetheart and honey, from complete strangers. I find it genuine and heartwarming. During our first days here however, I am also experiencing an absence of warmth. From the frustrated bank teller working us through a change of address and check order, to the sullen barista at a healthfoods café, to the distant cashier at the upscale grocery store on the day before Thanksgiving, folks don’t seem to be their cheerful selves. Retail is a tough job and masks do not help (see previous post) but something is amiss.

We’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it 100 times, these are unprecedented days. The months will soon be a year of rumors of disease and daily numbers reports. Fatigue from the virus and its fallout are palpable. When the lockdown began last spring, I remember thinking ‘at least the weather is getting warmer and we can be outside, and it isn’t over the major holidays.’ Now winter approaches and the holidays are here. This is long and this is hard.

Over Thanksgiving some brothers in the faith brought encouragement. In a Thanksgiving email, Joe Rogers wrote us: “(we) love people, especially family … Period. Politics, misunderstandings, harsh words, differences of opinion, rejections, exclusion from gatherings- these things can and do hurt … stay faithful. Stay healthy. Be kinder than necessary.” Around Thanksgiving kitchen preparations, “Pater,” one of the family grands, almost admonished us regarding God’s great love for people. Pater repeatedly declared God’s endless, loving efforts to reach every soul, as he occasionally chopped cilantro and I quartered parsnips!

I am grateful for these reminders. Our world is hurting and as followers of Christ we have the opportunity to demonstrate God’s patience and kindness to brighten the lives of others around us.

Let the peace of heart that comes from Christ be always present in your hearts and lives, for this is your responsibility and privilege as members of his body. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (The Living Bible)

This weekend we shopped small business in a new hometown.

Mask-wearing Woes

Mask wearing is now a routine of daily living. Regardless of local law, mask requirements are entry policy into most public spaces these days. For many of us, including me, mask-wearing looks weird and feels strange. Recently, two friends from the medical world who regularly wear PPE, remarked to me about their mask aversion in private life but for the foreseeable future, mask-wearing is in! The bright spots in this masquerade are the American spirit of creativity, ingenuity, and entrepreneurship in mask production and … we are all set for Halloween!!!

Early on, I experienced mask challenges. I started with a quasi-mask: a sideways-turned hairband but decided that straps around the back of my head messed up my hair. I broke down and bought the cheap blue industrial style until I had time to sew up some fun masks with my own fabric. The ear loops worked better for me except for the earring issue. Another learning curve was lipstick. I hated not putting lipstick on at all, but the creamy types rubbed off, so I switched to paint-type lipsticks that dry. For recent air travel, I splurged on a heavy-duty snug-fitting type of mask, which apparently kept me COVID-free.

My dad cheerfully sports his Pittsburgh Pirates mask.

A major fallout of mask-wearing is communication. Masks muffle clarity: it’s like you have cottonballs on your mouth, which you do!! My husband and I have misheard conversations including medical directions and food orders. When a second language, cell phone dynamics and less-than-sharp hearing are added to the mask mix, it sends me through the roof!!!

In my last post, I discussed how God created us with five rich senses with which we amazingly engage with people. Masks, I believe, disturb yet another of our God-given, wonderful human gifts. And that is our perceptive ability to read people and their moods and emotions. We perceive through the observation of facial expressions and tone of voice. That sensory ability is greatly diminished when a mask conceals expressions and dulls voices. Eyes peer out (if they’re not also in a hat and sunglasses, making them a regular bandit) but much is lost to the observer. I am especially concerned about children having a prolonged gap in observation and practice during their developmental years, as the mask mandate persists. As a sidenote, I call on Dave and Mark, designers/inventors I know, to develop a transparent mask that meets protection protocols!

This drugstore sign made me laugh – an oxymoron, don’t you think?

To be honest, I do not have answers to the mask mess. With long practical use in the medical world, and some assuring data about at least temporary protection, we are likely going to be wearing masks for quite a while yet. I am trying to put on a happy face, along with my lipstick that you can’t see, as I wear mine.

It does not matter to God if you wear a mask or not. I am not speaking about conformity or rebellion but about how God sees us. We present a desired exterior façade of ourselves which may fool others but never fools God. Not only did He create our bodies and faces, but He sees our hearts and our intentions. The Bible says man looks on our outward appearance, but God perceives the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). Psalm 139 details God’s intimate knowledge of us, to the point of knowing our words before we say them. This is scary yet assuring. God knows us completely, our best and our worst, yet He loves us wholly. He is compassionate too, fully grasping our pain, loss and fears. In the end, that we cannot disguise our true selves, is deeply reassuring.

It was a beautiful evening at a picturesque spot but my smile, not my mask, covers an undercurrent of discord.

So Long, FCPS

This is actually a Facebook post, but I am sharing it on my blog too:

So long, FCPS!

This is an unusual Labor Day for me. For most of my life, tomorrow was back-to-school for me as a student, parent of students, or as a teacher, but not this year. I recently retired from Fairfax County Public Schools as my husband and I prepare to move within the next year. Schools hold a special place in my heart. Education challenged, even stressed me at times, but I loved teaching. Amazing teachers and administrators, delightful students and kind parents enriched my work.

I began my elementary teaching career immediately after college, took a break from employment during our child-rearing years, and returned to public education in 2005 as an elementary ESOL teacher (English to Speakers of Other Languages). This past year, I took a one-year position as my “victory lap” only to end “limping to the finish line” as we were unexpectedly thrown into Distance Learning. It was huge and uncharted for all of us, kids and parents too, but we managed to “carry on” – a theme I had selected for myself prior to the pandemic.

So, good-bye FCPS! After 40 years around schools, I exit with fond memories and satisfaction. As I said, my colleagues were often outstanding and inspiring, and I wish all of you well. A Virginia Tech professor once called teachers, “the salt of the earth” and you are! Stay wise; you know what to do.

“Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3 – Yes, He did!

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).