My 5-year-old granddaughter presented us with a Living Room performance of the Ballet Nutcracker, as she called it. Before 'the curtain went up,' she made this announcement to the audience which consisted of her mother and myself, "Turn off your cell phones and shut your mouths, cuz the dance is about to start!" I was overtaken by laughter and almost had to leave the 'auditorium.'

Announcers in public settings would probably love to be so blunt when they politely ask patrons to "please turn off your cell phones and pagers, and refrain from talking." Although frankness may be warranted - there will always be those few who would ignore the respectful entreaty - people would certainly be offended. Communication requires tact.

How do we get someone's attention AND the desired response without being offensive? In dealing with other Christians, Bible commentator Tom Constable says, "Loving, effective confrontation involves speaking the truth in love. (Eph. 4:15) The truth may be as medicine to the person who needs it, but love is the sugar that added to the medicine makes it palatable. Remember Mary Poppins' prescription: 'A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.'" Substituting the word LOVE for POLITENESS is not an option. People can see through insincerity. We must show God's love to carry it off.

Even then, the end response may not be what we'd envisioned. But love never fails. (1 Cor. 13:8) And love can live with the results.

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear". (Ephesians 4:29)

posted by Joye @ 3:01 PM 7 comments

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

PSA

I lost my wallet today. I discovered it missing after we returned home from a matinee. I knew exactly where I lost it: in a movie theater seat. But no one could find it. As soon as we realized it was missing, we began the process of contacting our bank, credit card companies, etc., etc. I regretted that I didn't have all of the necessary phone numbers and info at my fingertips. I regretted that I couldn't remember whether or not I'd been foolish enough to carry my social security number in my wallet. But I didn't beat myself up about it. I asked God to return it to me with all the cards still in it.

Hence, this public service announcement from RealSimple.com:

The First Thing to Do When You Lose Your Wallet

First: Close any financial accounts - credit cards, bank or brokerage accounts - represented in your wallet, says Claudia Bourne Farrell, a spokesperson for the Federal Trade Commission. The longer you wait to report stolen credit or ATM cards, the more financial liability you will face if they are used fraudulently.

Then: Contact one of the three consumer-reporting agencies (Equifax, http://www.equifax.com/; Experian, http://www.experian.com/; and TransUnion, http://www.transunion.com/) to have a fraud alert placed on your credit report. (Whichever agency you call is required to share the information with the others.) And ask your local department of motor vehicles or another government-ID-issuing agency to flag your file so that if anyone else tries to get a replacement license or ID in your name (after you have), the agency will know it is fraud. Finally - since even items that may seem unimportant, like a gym or work ID, can be used for identity theft - notify all the organizations you're connected with and tell them you lost your cards.
Written by Kathy Squires
August 2006

Now for the good news. About four hours after I asked the theater management to search for my wallet, and Mike drove over there and looked himself, someone called and said it had been found and could be picked up at the box office. The only thing missing from it was the twenty-some-odd dollars.

Oh yeah, and I didn't forget to thank God. Profusely!

"casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." 1Peter 5:7

posted by Joye @ 12:46 AM 5 comments

Monday, August 28, 2006

'F- I... were King... of the FOR-HE-HE-HEST!

Ever feel like the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz? Like you're supposed to be "King of the Forest" but the other animals just won't let you? Maybe that isn't a fair question, we all feel that way sometimes. I have in mind only one other animal: Stinking Sanders, our ever-devoted Schnauzer with the halitosis problem.

He has a nice personality. In fact, he's a lovable guy. It's his off-putting peccadilloes. Like his penchant for pulling Kleenex out of the trash for a midday snack; and like not playing well with others of his own species (he'll attack smaller animals but run screaming from larger ones); and like acting the noisy, nagging fishwife when he greets us upon our returns; and like being such a prima donna about his food (no matter how much we spend on it) that he'll refuse to eat for days until we acquiesce to give him "people" food. It's taken him ten years to cultivate his special behaviors. Wonder if it has something to do with the three times we tried to give him away. Ah, well, we can't afford the pet psychologist he needs to help him wade through his angst and anger over that. And dog whisperers we're not. We just want to be his benevolent kings and have him do our royal bidding. Sit. Stay. Be quiet. Stop stinking.

I saw a man on TV yesterday who sits in a courtyard somewhere in northern Africa with his 140-years-if-it's-a-day old black powder rifle and picks off rats, monkeys, and dogs for his daily meal. I've seen rez dogs (remember, Brent?)- Haitian dogs- Mexican dogs- between which there's not much difference; mangy creatures with ribcages jutting through their skin and whose faces I'm sure coined the phrase, "hangdog expression." If Sanders would only watch a few hours of the Travel Channel, I know he'd appreciate just how good he has it. My friend's poodle is an avid TV watcher, and he's much more understanding of his caste in the castle.

Okay, it's a pipe dream. He's an old dog and I'm wishing new tricks of him. The Cowardly Lion demanded more kingly respect from Toto than we do from Stinking Sanders. We all know who rules around here. And who's the benevolent king. Dream on, Cowardly Lion!

"Each rabbit would show respect to me.

The chipmunks genuflect to me.

Though my tail would lash,

I would show compash

For every underling,

'F- I... 'f... I... were King-

Just King."

(Wizard of Oz)

posted by Joye @ 1:03 AM 4 comments

Saturday, August 26, 2006

Two Faces

James Thurber wrote a short story called, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty." It's about a man who escapes the sameness of everyday life by daydreaming of fantastic scenarios in which he's an exciting man of derring-do. Mitty is a dull person who suddenly becomes interesting. To himself. Because he finds his real self so unremarkable.

I knew an engaging fellow who daydreamed his thrilling exploits aloud. He could spin yarns and tell tales in enough detail to convince his listeners it was all true. He invented a series of pasts tailored to his audience. And he let them believe. Maybe because somehow if they believed he was exciting, he might believe it, too. But acquaintances seldom became friends. I think he feared that once they knew the truth, that he spent his days the same as every other schmoe, he might see his real self reflected in their common, ordinary eyes. And he couldn't bear that. The reality was too dull. Too average. Too painful. So he was a man without friends who alienated his family and never settled too long in one place. That was his reality.

Sadly, the reality also was that if he allowed himself to drop the facades, then he would've become truly interesting. Reality, honesty, openness, candor. These are interesting qualities in a person. Commitment, integrity, vulnerability. All are desirable qualities for a person of Godly character.

I know an unassuming woman who aspires to be as transparent as Jesus. Her life is as ordinary as they come, but she doesn't mind. She seeks joy in reality. She embraces the chance to hear the stories of ordinary people she meets from day to day. And if they ask, she'll tell them hers. She makes friends easily and adds them to her life. She's thankful for the roots she's established. She treasures her family.

The engaging man and the unassuming woman are brother and sister. They couldn't be more dissimilar.

What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin, while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life. Proverbs 12:12

Unscrupulous people fake it a lot; honest people are sure of their steps. Proverbs 21:29

The wicked are edgy with guilt, ready to run off even when no one's after them; Honest people are relaxed and confident, bold as lions. Proverbs 28:1 (MSG)

posted by Joye @ 1:03 AM 0 comments

Friday, August 25, 2006

Fun Times

This day was fun. I attended a training day for our women's bible study which begins soon. The clever women who put it together showed us a video collage and performed a skit. They fed us international-themed breakfast snacks, a tasty, attractive lunch, and all the information we could hold for one day. They gave us high quality materials to equip us as leaders. I felt spoiled. It's going to be a great fall going through a study based in Romans.

Mike & I went out for the evening. As I mentioned in a previous post, our daughter-in-law is appearing in the Denton Community Theater production of Sweet Charity. We met L & Z and our son at the theater and sat together. The musical was great! I've been a Bob Fosse fan since I was in junior high school, so to get to see a live performance of his choreography was great fun. The woman who plays Charity Hope Valentine is a Theater & Dance teacher at a high school in the Dallas area, and she did an outstanding job carrying the whole play on her shoulders. And our beautiful Tiffany gave an excellent performance as Second Cop/Chorus/Dancer. She's off to a great start in local theater. Please go see it if you're in the area, it runs through the 27th. And it's a lot of fun.

posted by Joye @ 12:21 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Read a Little

"Read a little every day," they used to sing on Electric Company in attempt to stimulate children to read. (I can't believe it's been so many years since my kids were that little!)

Here's what I read today:

1 Samuel 7
Samuel has to be the grownup. And God blesses.

Psalm 20
Verses 1-5: something to pray for others.
"Lord, answer _____ in this day of trouble! Set them securely on high! Send them help from the sanctuary And support from Zion! Grant them their heart's desire And fulfill all their counsel! I will sing for joy over their victory, And in the name of Jesus I will set up my banner. Lord, fulfill all of their petitions."

Proverbs 23
"Don't envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. For surely you have a future ahead of you, your hope will not be disappointed."

Luke 2
Wonder who watched the sheep while the shepherds were hanging around the manger?

2 Corinthians 5
God himself has prepared us for this. Verse 10- a judgment? Is that the Bema?

Revelation 19
What a thrilling description of Jesus!

Romans 8:12-17
N. T. Wright says we have been adopted into Abraham's family and given an inheritance. Therefore, we are under obligation, we are debtors to God, which brings us suffering in this life, but our great inheritance is our goal.

There you are. A sampling of notes from my daily reading. For lack of anything else to blog about!

posted by Joye @ 11:05 PM 0 comments

Hide and Seek

Sometimes I want to blend into the crowd. Sometimes I want to be noticed.

"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!" Psalm 139:14 -17

posted by Joye @ 12:01 AM 1 comments

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Whale Phobia Revisited

Five months ago, March 26 to be exact, I blogged about my lifelong fear of whales in a post entitled Whale of a Phobia. Since then I've had 22 visits to that post from people who have Googled "fear of whales." So I decided to revisit the topic.

There just isn't a whole lot of information to be found on the web about whale phobia. I can't even find a name for it. There must be an official name for it out there somewhere. To name an unlisted phobia, it must have a Greek prefix to go with the Greek word 'phobia.' The Greek word for whale is 'ketos' or cetus', from which we get the word cetacea, the scientific order for whales. Therefore, let us refer to the fear of whales as "cetaphobia." Works for me.

Some may think a fear of whales more farfetched than say, a fear of snakes or a fear of crowds. Why would someone be afraid of a creature they have no danger of encountering? There are a multitude of irrational or unfounded phobias, but maybe this one isn't so fantastic. I know of a few individuals who wouldn't consider cetaphobia so farfetched. Note the following:

Whale leaps aboard sailing boat
August 2003LONDON, England (Reuters) -- "A British family's holiday was rudely interrupted when a 30-foot (9-meter) whale crashed onto their sailing boat off the east coast of Australia. The 10-ton humpback whale leapt out of the water and pulled the rigging and mast along with it as it slid down the boat, British media reported on Wednesday. "I was below deck when there was a hell of a crash from port as it leapt out of nowhere," said Trevor Johnson, 61, who was on the boat with his wife, two sons and a son's girlfriend. "It's amazing that no one was hurt or killed, but it was a terrifying experience," he told The Daily Telegraph. The 40-foot boat was 10 miles away from the shore and the radio equipment did not work. They were eventually towed to dry land after using a mobile phone to ring for help. The family, from Coventry, chartered the £150,000 (U.S. $238,000) boat and set sail from Airlie Beach to go on a 10-day trip around the Whitsunday Islands, according to the Telegraph. "There was a bang and a thud, and a whale came about 12 ft out of the water and slid down the side. It was shedding barnacles from its tummy and caught itself on the rigging. I was very shocked -- it was very scary," Mark Johnson told the newspaper."

Woman hospitalized after run-in with whale tail
Jul 2004 CBC News
HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY - "A woman from Labrador was in hospital on Tuesday, recovering from face and head injuries she suffered when a whale whacked her boat with its tail.
On Sunday, Brenda Hancock was taking an evening cruise on Forteau Bay with her husband Regg and another couple when a whale surfaced, flipped its large black tail out of the water and struck the Hancocks' brand-new boat. The blow knocked out the windshield and struck Hancock on the head, causing minor injuries. No one else on board was injured.

"My wife has this terrific fear of whales and every time you go near a boat she is always talking about 'Don't go near whales,'" Regg Hancock says.

"I used to always laugh at that and say, 'There is no way a whale will come near a boat.' Well, she proved me wrong."

Brenda Hancock is recovering from her injuries at Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital in St. Anthony."

Book of Jonah
Jonah 1:17, 2:1, 2:10 (MSG)
"Then GOD assigned a huge fish to swallow Jonah." "Jonah was in the fish's belly three days and nights. Then Jonah prayed to his God from the belly of the fish. "Then GOD spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore."

Well, okay, the Hebrew word used in Jonah was 'fish,' not 'whale,' but it's traditionally believed to have been a whale. It could easily contribute to developing a fear during childhood. Another source of stuff that fears are made of is the story of Pinocchio.

The Adventures of Pinocchio
by C. Collodi (Chapter 34)
"Poor Pinocchio! The sight of that monster frightened him almost to death! He tried to swim away from him, to change his path, to escape, but that immense mouth kept coming nearer and nearer.
"Hasten, Pinocchio, I beg you!" bleated the little Goat on the high rock.
And Pinocchio swam desperately with his arms, his body, his legs, his feet.
"Quick, Pinocchio, the monster is coming nearer!"
Pinocchio swam faster and faster, and harder and harder.
"Faster, Pinocchio! The monster will get you! There he is! There he is! Quick, quick, or you are lost!"
Pinocchio went through the water like a shot--swifter and swifter. He came close to the rock. The Goat leaned over and gave him one of her hoofs to help him up out of the water.
Alas! It was too late. The monster overtook him and the Marionette found himself in between the rows of gleaming white teeth. Only for a moment, however, for the Shark took a deep breath and, as he breathed, he drank in the Marionette as easily as he would have sucked an egg. Then he swallowed him so fast that Pinocchio, falling down into the body of the fish, lay stunned for a half hour.
When he recovered his senses the Marionette could not remember where he was. Around him all was darkness, a darkness so deep and so black that for a moment he thought he had put his head into an inkwell. He listened for a few moments and heard nothing. Once in a while a cold wind blew on his face. At first he could not understand where that wind was coming from, but after a while he understood that it came from the lungs of the monster. I forgot to tell you that the Shark was suffering from asthma, so that whenever he breathed a storm seemed to blow."

The only good thing about this phobia is that it isn't a debilitating one. It's not too hard to stay away from environments where I might encounter a whale. If I'm exposed to whale images on television or in magazines which I find disturbing, I have only to change a channel or turn a page. I haven't dreamt of whales in years, as some people do. So maybe at this point in my life it's more discomfiture than full-blown phobia. But for the few seconds it's in my consciousness, it's real and unpleasant. And it's time to remind myself that God would have me be anxious for nothing, but dwell on lovely things and be at peace. (Philippians 4:6-9) I know, I know. Whales ARE lovely things in the eyes of many. To each his own.

For any visitors who happen across my blog in search of answers or self-help, I can't help you there. But if you come looking for a little empathy and understanding, I hope you find that. Being cetaphobic doesn't make you strange. At least not in itself! And you're not alone.

posted by Joye @ 12:32 AM 49 comments

Monday, August 21, 2006

That's Our Girl!

Today's post is a Proud Gran moment. Squeal had her Girl Scout investiture ceremony on Friday, at which she was required to recite the Girl Scout pledge. She received her pins for her vest and is now an Official Girl Scout Brownie!

Lindsay brought the digital camera after the meeting so I immediately uploaded the pictures onto the computer. Seeing how serious the whole business was to Squeal by the expression on her face in the photos brought tears to my eyes. It truly was an auspicious moment for her.

I was never a Girl Scout. Lindsay was a Campfire Girls Bluebird and I was her troop leader. So Squeal is the very first Girl Scout in the family. And Squeak is already talking about becoming a Daisy. I see boxes of cookies in our future.

posted by Joye @ 12:12 AM 3 comments

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Time and Tide

I've seen little boats at Cape Cod lay useless as a stack of firewood in a Texas summer. At low tide they list to their sides in the wet sand like so much dead weight. They're utterly useless to their owners.

That's where I've been the last few days. Low tide. Maybe not useless (what's the old saying, "you can always serve as a bad example?"), but definitely stuck in the sand. Where do I always go when I want to lament my sorry lot in life (which isn't at all sorry but is tremendously blessed and I know that as I'm thinking it but nonetheless there it is)? King David. Misery does indeed love company. David and I have been hanging out in the cave together. Our cry goes up, "Return, O Lord, deliver my soul!" "Look upon my affliction and rescue me!" "Lord, how long will you look on?" I haven't really been as low as David. My "affliction" is only a mood. But it's interesting how my moods affect the way I read the bible.

When I am caught in the doldrums, I'm more aware of my wretchedness as I read through passages of Scripture. In reading Psalms I don't just skim over David's expressions of pain and desolation to get to the praise passages, I empathize with him and with the human experience of those times in life. I read Proverbs and am convicted of sin in my own life as I read "better to ____ than to ____," rather than clicking my tongue and mentally wagging my finger at "fools" and "mockers." I guess even when the tide is out God can use it to help me scrape a few barnacles off my boat.

The tide always returns like clockwork, though. The little Cape Cod boats bounce back to life, buoyed upright and ready to carry the navigator across the water once again, with the pull of a motor or the turn of a sail. And the voyage resumes.

"Dr. Marvin, I'M SAILING!"
"That's good, KEEP SAILING BOB!"
(from the movie What About Bob)

posted by Joye @ 12:35 PM 4 comments

Thursday, August 17, 2006

ITEMS OF INTEREST (to me, anyway!)

Who's Your Daddy?

Adam or Ape? "Scientists believe they have found a key gene that helped the human brain evolve from our chimp-like ancestors." Sorry, but I don't have enough faith to be an evolutionist. Read the article here.

Hey, Big Spender

Our daughter-in-law is in the new production of Sweet Charity presented by the Denton Community Theater. She has spent many long hours in rehearsal and we can't wait to see her in it. It's going to be great! Go see it if you can. Check it out here.

Brownie Points

Squeal really will receive Brownie points tomorrow when she earns a badge to put on her new vest! I can't believe she's old enough to be in Girl Scouts! Here's a picture of her with her troop. She's the one in front wearing the solid pink t-shirt.

Pro-Choice

So I'm reading in 1Samuel. And I have questions. Wonder why Hannah, who so desperately wanted a child, was willing to give him away to Eli as soon as he was weaned? Seems like that would be buying into a whole lot of pain. And I wonder why Eli's sons turned out so bad, and Samuel turned out so good? Were they not all influenced by Eli? I'm thinking that maybe God gave Hannah the desire to give her child to the priest since in reading ahead, he was certainly God's man for the job. And she made the right choice. More than her desire for a child, she desired to honor God. And I'm thinking maybe Eli's wife raised the bad boys, while Eli himself raised Samuel. Maybe. But we're all responsible for the choices we make from what we're given in life. Just like Samson, who was given every good thing, every opportunity, to grow into a man who would honor God but threw it all away to indulge his selfish pleasures. Choices. That must be it.

posted by Joye @ 10:06 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

THE Book

The book meme was fun. I enjoyed seeing what books are important to people I know and getting good recommendations for my own future reading. There are a lot of good ones out there. I have a whole shelf of books that are 'next' on my reading list. Some help me grow in faith and understanding. Some teach me new things. Some entertain me. But none. No book. Ever. Has changed my life like the Bible. And no single discipline has strengthened my walk with God as much as reading the bible each day.

For many years my bible reading habits were pretty much hit-or-miss. I stayed away from most of the Old Testament prophets. Too depressing. And were they writing about the past, the present, or the future? I skimmed over the books of the Law. Too weird. No way could I understand how a little nation lived thousands of years ago by a lot of strange rules. I tried praying first and then letting my bible fall open to a random page to see what God would say to me (must've heard it from a friend, certainly not from Mike); I tried read-the-bible-in-a-year programs (I invariably fell behind and couldn't catch up); I tried starting at Genesis and reading my way through (I'd get bogged down somewhere in Leviticus, lay my bible aside for a while, and start all over in Genesis at some later date). So I usually spent most of my time hanging around in Paul's letters where I felt most comfortable, with an occasional run through one of the Gospels.

A couple of different things happened that transformed the way I read the bible. First, Dr. John D. Hannah came to our church to do a bible conference over five years ago. During a Q&A with the staff and their spouses, someone asked Dr. and Mrs. Hannah what one thing helped them the most in their Christian walk. Their answer: reading the bible every day. They gave that one activity the credit for a better understanding of and a deeper walk with God. I wanted that.

Secondly, I asked Mike what method he used for reading his bible. It appeared to have changed in recent years. He told me he reads in several different books in his bible at the same time. Always a psalm and a proverb. A Gospel. An epistle. An Old Testament book. And he keeps track of what he has read in a journal. I borrowed his idea and ran with it.

I wanted to read The Book for the express purpose of knowing God better. So for the past few years, I've been reading in seven or eight different places each day. This method gives me a great overview of the entire bible. It keeps me from getting bored in one book. It helps me see the overall character of God in how He interacted with people in the Old Testament and in the New. It has made my daily reading exciting.

I affixed a chart of the 66 books of the Bible, divided into categories in the back of my favorite bible. I read one book from the Law/History/Government books; one Psalm and one Proverb with an occasional pass through the other Poetry books; one Prophecy book (I include Revelation in that category); one Gospel; one of Paul's letters and one of the General letters. I systematically work my way through the entire bible this way. And I journal my reading with any observations or comments I want to make, sometimes writing my personal feelings about a passage I've just read.

Reading this way has also freed me from the rigidness of a year-long bible reading program, because if I skip any days or any chapters in my schedule, I just start where I left off on the next day of reading.

Dwight L. Moody said of the Bible, "This book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this book." I don't remember the source of the quote, but I have it written in the front of my bible. Wise words. The Book will definitely help you grow in your faith, as well as in wisdom and knowledge. (Psalm 1:2, 3; 1 Peter 2:2) If you haven't found a reading method that works for you, I hope you can adapt this one to your own liking and gain a workable way to know God better through His word.

"O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation." Psalm 119:97-99 (KJV)

posted by Joye @ 8:35 PM 3 comments

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Book Meme

So many books, so little time. This meme is a way to share books amongst our blogging community. Since we already know that the Bible is The Book with the most impact on our lives, this list should be books other than the Bible. The hard part is just sharing ONE book for each category!

1. One book that changed your life:
The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
A good companion to the Bible for discovering the character of God.

2. One book that you've read more than once:
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo (4 times)
Unbelievably satisfying experience- good vs. evil. There' so much in it that it becomes a good friend by the time you reach the end.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island:
Complete set of Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
I do have it all in one hardback volume, so I'm counting it as one book.

4. One book that made you laugh:
Big Trouble by Dave Barry
I enjoy his column so much that I bought this book. If you like his style, this novel doesn't disappoint.

5. One book that made you cry [or feel really sad]:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Happy ending and sad ending. The girl had a hard life.

6. One book that you wish had been written:
A big, fat, definitive volume on the emerging church that gives an authoritative representation of what this "conversation" is all about. by Savvy Someone
Though I'm gaining an understanding of the gist of it, the opinions and writings seem to be all over the map.

7. One book that you wish had never been written:
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
Not inspired by the Holy Spirit, not accurate to the original texts. Trying to be careful how I word this because I love my family and recognize their right to believe what they choose, but Franz's translation is definitely biased and slants away from the deity of Christ. Why not stick to a literal translation of the bible?

8. One book you're currently reading:
The Chinese in America by Iris Chang
A narrative history of (once again) a people who rose above white American racism and dirty politics.

9. One book you've been meaning to read:
Mankiller by Wilma Mankiller
Former principal tribal chief of the Cherokee Nation.

10. Now tag five people:
Mike (Finishing Well); Kathy D. (Jesus Wept); Caroline (Journal Me This...Journal Me That); Robyn R. E. (Musings of a Mutating Missionary); Kathy K. (Fabulous Fifty).

posted by Joye @ 12:55 PM 8 comments

Thursday, August 10, 2006

A Very Slow Day. (Sniffle)

My head hurts. My eyes burn. My throat is irritated. Mike's head hurts. Mike's eyes burn. Mike's throat is irritated. We stayed home today, napping and reading and websurfing and napping. We did drag ourselves out long enough for beans and cornbread. Wasn't as much fun since we couldn't taste as well. And it was tiring. So I really have nothing to blog.

I did read some really good stuff today in Romans, but will save it for another day. Blessings!

posted by Joye @ 10:09 PM 8 comments

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Isolation vs Interaction

NOTE TO SELF: See how inventive you can be in encouraging love and helping out, spurring others on, especially as you see the big Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24, 25)

I read an interesting article yesterday on recent findings that "Americans' shrinking circle of intimate friends ... is worsening." But then, we already know that. If we aren't personally experiencing it, we at least know people who are.

"The nation has never been more populous, soon to reach the 300 million mark. And it has never been more connected by phone, e-mail, instant message, text message, and on and on. Yet so many are alone in the crowd." "Lonely people may not be aware of things they're doing that perpetuate the problem."

"Strolls through the neighborhood and visits on front porches have been replaced in many cases by retreats indoors to be entertained by TVs, computers and video games. Spouses are more likely to be both working and less likely to have one or two other couples with whom they forge close, long-lasting ties. Instead, they may have a broader circle of couples they know only casually..."

The article addressed a few different demographic groups: mid-life singles, empty nesters, college students, the old and alone, our neighbors. I think the list could be expanded to include people from any group. I've seen it a lot. Among people who attend the same church as me.

We, The Church, are admonished to practice hospitality, to take care of one another, to carry each other's burdens. Are we doing it? Or are we 'wasting privelege,' as author Andree' Seu refers to resting on our blessings.

"Relationships - consistent, genuinely caring interactions with other human beings - are not just icing on the cake of life. They are its very substance." Sandra Wilson from her book, Into Abba's Arms

NOTE TO SELF: Do yourself a favor and win a friend forever; nothing can untie that bond. (Proverbs 18:19) Because friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. (Proverbs 18:24)

posted by Joye @ 11:41 PM 4 comments

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Boring Normal Revisited

Well, the carpet survived its second deluge of heavy rain yesterday. The first was a few months ago. We got pretty much all of the water sucked into the carpet shampooer, but now the house smells like a wet pile of two-day-old soured laundry. Not a pleasant odor. Our patio tilts down where it meets the back of the house, which is also where we have sliding glass doors off the living room and off the master bedroom. So the water came in.

It was pretty intense for a while. Non-stop action. Since we soaked all of the bath towels we own, I threw them into the washer on "spin," then tossed them into the dryer to put them back on the floor. Lindsay, Zach, and the minis were here, and they all pitched in: Lindsay used the shampooer to extract water from the carpet, Zach went out in the rain and dug a little trench to divert the flow of the water, and Squeal and Squeak laid towels around the bedroom floor and jumped up and down on them to soak up water. Squish sat on the couch "reading" a book while she watched all the action, which was the best thing she could do to help.

In spite of a few problems, we're not complaining. How can we be anything but thankful for a couple of inches of sorely needed rain for this parched area we call home? I don't know about you, but we have some cracks in our backyard that look more like craters. No, we're not complaining. Thank you, Lord, for a little rain.

That was yesterday. Today, Mike and I accompanied a friend to Smilin' Rick's in Denton. Our friend hardly batted an eye as he sat on the receiving end of the tattoo needles our son applied to his flesh. I don't think he needed our "support," but he humored us and let us come along anyway. He really acted like it was almost a non-event except that the symbols he chose to wear from now one had very special meaning for him.

We did enjoy watching our son ply his trade as a tattoo artist. It was Mike's first time to see him work. It's a very clean process done with sterile supplies in a place that looks more like an eclectic Goth/Old West/Mystical art studio than anything else. It certainly isn't your grandpa's tattoo parlor.

Sometimes our boring normal isn't quite so boring. Or normal, for that matter!

posted by Joye @ 11:56 PM 3 comments

Monday, August 07, 2006

Expressions

Today I captured Squeal on camera as she was executing one of her best bubbles :

But I made Squeak cry. She thought I was taking a picture of her in her "dress-up" clothes when I took Squeal's bubblegum picture. When she realized the camera wasn't aimed at her, she dropped the clothes and climbed up next to her mama for comforting.

This was too funny NOT to post, so I included Squish in today's photo post. Lindsay tried to catch her with the Oreo-cookie-beard, but she smeared it. I like the smarmy expression!

posted by Joye @ 11:59 PM 3 comments

Sunday, August 06, 2006

On a Lighter Note...

THIS will make me laugh now, every time I get on the treadmill. OK GO!

posted by Joye @ 10:21 AM 5 comments

Friday, August 04, 2006

Less Than Joyeful

Sometimes life is just hard. Even though your own life is going okay, people you care about are going through really difficult patches. And that makes life in general feel
H
..E
...A
....V
.....Y.

There were four encounters today with brothers and sisters in the Lord who are hurting. The pain, as always, is the result of Loss. Loss of a loved one, loss of health, loss of hope. Bad things happening to good people. They all know that God is still on His throne, still sovereign, and yet walking the rough patch right alongside them. I know that too. Knowing that doesn't make it any less painful, doesn't answer the why's either.

We cry out to the Lord the same way David did-

"Heed the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, For to You I pray." Psalm 5:2

"In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears." Psalm 18:6

"The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry." Psalm 34:15

posted by Joye @ 9:37 PM 2 comments

Thursday, August 03, 2006

Bullet Points, Volume II

~ Is it possible to covet rain? I had a phone conversation with my mom tonight. She was sitting out on her screened porch and I could hear the sound of chimes trilling in the wind and thunder rolling across her piece of the sky. I'm jealous.

~ In hindsight, there are some things I think we might've handled differently in raising our kids. Thanks be to God, He was there through all of it, and they're amazing grown-ups now.

~ My cars have never had a bumper sticker of any kind on them in 30-hmm-hmm years of driving. Until now. "Tattoos by Ian." (I might make one that says "My daughter is a SAHM!")

~ So where were y'all when we went to Mama's for butter beans this evening? We almost waited for you!

~ No one has to tell me when the end of summer is eminent in this neck of the woods. I can taste it in every ice cube or glass of tea or cup of coffee- the dreaded red algae that the August heat births each year. (Shudder.)

~ I bought a most unusual novel. Written from the perspective of a 15-year-old autistic boy who sets out to solve the murder of his neighbor's poodle. The book is full of numbered lists, charts, diagrams, and sketches. When the book began with page 21, I went along with it thinking it was a gimmick. Then after page 52, it started over at page 21 again. Did this have something to do with how the mind of an autistic child works, I wondered? I kept reading. My mom suggested I find another copy and see if the first 20 pages were missing. They were. Sheesh.

~ "Hallelujah! Thank GOD! And why? Because he's good, because his love lasts." Psalm 106:1

Labels: bullet points

posted by Joye @ 10:51 PM 2 comments

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Natasha

It's a month now, since we returned home from the mission trip to Russia. When we first returned, I felt such wistfulness for Natasha, the translator I had while I was there. I missed her. It seems slightly strange to me that I would feel such fondness for someone I barely know and only spent a few days with. But there it was. We just "connected" on that first day and she, too, seemed to have felt some sort of bond to me. She also showed such a tender heart toward all the children we worked with. She even felt compassion for the abominably rude waiter we had at the same restaurant where we all ate lunch each day.

Upon returning home, I immediately e-mailed notes and pictures to Natasha. A couple of the e-mails were returned to me undeliverable, so I wasn't sure if she received any of them. I didn't get a response from her. Two weeks ago, I e-mailed her again. Again, no response.

I decided I'd been sentimental; that my emotion was borne out of dependence on her for language. And out of the hot weather, jet-lag, and fast pace of constant activity. And maybe a little because of just being a middle-aged mom whose affections are freely given.

Then today, her e-mail came. I cried. I'm still baffled about that. I'm not usually overly effusive. Maybe God has placed her on my heart so I'll be more inclined to pray for her each day. But her words were so affectionate and better yet, she has "a lot to say, a lot of ideas to share with" me. I hope the ideas have something to do with the books I gave her-among them, Tim's Living Inside Out and The Bema; a novel about a young woman returning to her faith; and a Russian New Testament. I feel sure that this young woman is meant for the Kingdom and I'll continue to pray for that 'birthday' to happen. I also feel sure that we were meant to be friends.

posted by Joye @ 5:30 PM 3 comments

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

FYI

My beloved has joined the blogging community. Check him out at Finishing Well.

posted by Joye @ 5:21 PM 0 comments

Firsts

Squeal blew her first bubble gum bubble today! Her face registered shock, surprise, and excitement when she ran over to me, chin jutting out, and proudly displayed the big pink bubble she'd created. She must've had the same piece of bubble gum in her mouth for at least four hours, trying to perfect her bubble-blowing technique, but she was so proud of her achievement. We were excited for her. Such a small thing, but very important to a five-year-old.

It brings to mind a lot of important 'firsts' for children that, while not important to gaining immediate independence or enhancing their education, are still very significant in the eyes of the child. I remember how pleased I was when I learned to whistle, though I'm still not very good at it. Being able to finally ride my bright, blue Huffy bicycle all by myself was a huge milestone not just for me, but for my parents. Cooking an entire meal for them and my brothers with no one else's help gave me a great sense of accomplishment.

I wonder what God sees in my spiritual life as small accomplishments and important milestones. Does it make Him smile when we have one of those "aha" moments while we're reading the bible or as we sit in church listening to a sermon, when we begin to long for the pure milk of the word? (1Peter 2:1-3) Is He proud of us when we hit the same bump in the road yet again, but are finally able to stay a true course on our "bicycle" instead of crashing and skinning our knees?

There's a difference between learning things in our earthly childhood and learning things in our spiritual childhood, though. The great accomplishment in earthly things comes from being able to do them on our own, apart from any other person. But in our Christian walk, our greatest achievements are realized when we learn to depend more and more on Christ. (John 15:5)

It's as amazing to watch my grandchildren grasp things in their minds and make them their own as it was to watch my children. But for them all, my greatest joys are in seeing them grasp biblical truths and live them out in their lives by faith.

"The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way." Psalm 37:23

posted by Joye @ 10:54 AM 2 comments

About Me

Name: Joye
Home: Lewisville, Texas, United States
About Me: I write whatever's on my mind or what's going on in my life from a biblical worldview. God has gifted me with His Son; my husband/best friend; 2 children and 2 children-in-love; 4 grandchildren that make my heart soar; dear friends; and an uncommonly loving church family. Life centers around relationships and I thank God every day for the ones He's brought into mine.
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