Why?

Was scrolling the national headlines at shelbystar.com today.
"N. Korea threatens to attack U.S. ships"
The world is way more complex than "Why can't they just play nice?"
But c'mon.

'Thank you' - a practiced art

We hear a lot about giving, don't we?
To give is better than to receive, we're taught.
Give from the heart.
Give and it shall be given unto you.
Give 'til it hurts (because that's where the sacrifice is.)
Taking, on the other hand, seems to be a bad word.
It can be.
But graceful, grateful receiving is an unpracticed art.

When I invited myself to lunch with friends, I expected to pay and came prepared to do so. But when I reached for "the card," I was told, "No, it's taken care of."
That's when my little voice inside said, "Accepting gifts is a way of blessing the giver."
I said 'thank you' without protest.

In a short Letter to the Editor, a member of Roberts Tabernacle church in Shelby thanks her pastor and his family for what some might say was an unusual act.
The Jerry Webbs served each member breakfast before and lunch after the July 20 worship time.

Jesus told a story about 10 men healed. Only one returned to thank him.
How often do we 'take' a gift with no acknowledgement...

I believe if I practice the art of graceful, grateful receiving - quite a different concept than soliciting - the world and those in it around me will benefit.

Each day a gift

Evelyn Kennedy's birthday party last week was a true celebration of life. Death is not far away, the 57-year-old believes, because her body is racked with pancreatic cancer. Apparently there's no cancer in her spirit and her sense of fun is still quite intact.
Take the 10-pound sombrero she donned with grace - if not so much with confidence as it wobbled about - as friends sang and cheered and urged her to take the first piece of cake for herself.
Remember to count your blessings today.
See the glass half full, not half empty.
Touch someone with your smile.
You know that smiling at those who think they're your enemies drives them nuts!
:)

True celebration of life

I'm invited to a birthday party today.
By most accounts, this looks to be the last birthday Evelyn Kennedy may have in this world, but I fully expect a joyous time.
What an inspiration to meet and get to know Evie, as many friends call her. Her no-holds-barred approach to living life and to dying - what can I say? I believe God has gifted her with special insight and that she can say, along with the late Dr. Carl Naman, that it's a win-win situation: If you live, you get to be with friends and family. If you die, you get to be face to face with God.
Now that's a good reason to celebrate.
I'll let you know how the party goes!

On the road again - or not

If a blown head gasket means nothing to you, that is, if it's something you know how to deal with, you might want to check out what I've been seeing on Kings Road.
Big orange emergency cones and a hand-scrawled sign draw attention to this car.
My auto experiences range from bending the A frame on my brand new car decades ago through pushing numerous VW bugs down the hill to start them to enduring two and a half summers with no A/C in my truck. None of that was fun.
But if car tinkering sets your soul on fire, go for it!

Silly Putty

Ever feel like Silly Putty? I mean the part where you can get pulled in so many directions you don't have a real shape anymore? I get that way with more and more regularity these days.
No easy answer, is there?
Trying to stay focused under my own power....not working!
But when I remember that I am clay but that I am not the potter, things improve - my mind clears, my focus returns.
That's pretty important for someone whose job is to impart information to other people.
It's even more important when you have family to care for, friends to respond to and a world to come to grips with.
I thank my Creator every day that he is who he is and I don't have to be in charge!

Squint and you can see them

More travels with Cassie:
On my way home recently, a family of four rudely ran out in the road in front of me.
But there was no skidding, no squealing brakes, no horn blowing or shouting, because I'm usually a rational driver. And no, I didn't hit them.
Indeed, this stop had me saying, "Oh, how beautiful!"
Wearing what could be mistaken for burglar masks Papa and Mama waddled across Kings Road, with two fuzzy babies pattering behind.
Look closely, because as I stopped to capture them (digitally, of course) they intentionally kept a fairly non-photographable distance.
Just one more of God's little surprises in my life. Thanks!