"God Doesn't Talk to Me"

Seven year old Gracie and I had been watching the movie "Love Comes Softly."  She was very interested in the movie and especially their dialog about God.  This interest extended into Primary Church the next day and was even stronger after the lessons taught by Miss Janni and Miss Rachel.  Why had God not talked to her? Gracie was so focused on the fact that God had not talked to her. She wanted Him to speak to her so she could hear His voice.

All day we talked about how God talks to a person and the possible reasons she had never heard Him..  Why does God talk to some people and not to others?  I explained that God spoke in different ways to people.  That it wasn't always an audible voice that one would hear with their ears, but with their hearts, and as she grew older she would be more aware of God and would be able to hear His voice within her, but for now the Bible was God's word and that He spoke to children through their Sunday School and Primary Church teachers, the pastor, and their parents.

Gracie is a very talkative young lady.  As the old saying goes, "she could talk the horns off a billy goat!" As we got ready for bed, and after we said our prayers, she said again, "God doesn't talk me."  She began her line of questions again still not satisfied with my answers.  Finally  I reminded Gracie that she was going to have to talk less and listen more.   

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the innocence of children and the hunger they have for learning about You..  

A little Georgia Wisdom:  We need to talk less and listen to God more.  Remember Psalm 46:10,  "Be still and know that I am God." 

Joseph was a Step-dad

Have you ever thought about Joseph's important role in the life of Jesus?  Joseph was chosen by God to be our Lord's earthly father.  As Pastor James Lyons, of Camp Creek Baptist Church, pointed out in one of his sermons, "Joseph was Jesus' step-father."

A "step-parent" is seldom given a lot of credit for being a caring, loving, and responsible parent.  But, Joseph was given this responsibility  to the Son of God!  What an amazing position of honor!

Have you ever thought about the training Joseph gave Jesus?  Joseph was a carpenter by trade.  I would imagine he spent countless hours teaching Jesus the tools of the trade and in return Jesus taught him about his heavenly Father.  I would imagine the conversations were intense as Joseph learned about God from his step-son.

Jesus obeyed his heavenly Father and honored his earthly father.  There are many undocumented years when Jesus was growing up with Joseph and Mary.  Jesus would have been wise beyond his years and his earthly parents were probably amazed at what they learned from his teachings.

I can see Joseph take the little boy hands of  Jesus when they went into the city or traveled together.  The precious hands of the Savior.  He didn't know that one day those hands would  have nails driven through them, or the little feet that carried the little boy Jesus as he walked with his step-dad would have nails driven through them. Joseph didn't know what the future held for his step-son.  Joseph knew Jesus was special and the son of God, but how would he have handled the information that Jesus would die a painful death for the sins of the world?  That he would die for Joseph's sins and Mary's sins.  The knowing would have been too overwhelming.

God knew exactly who would be the perfect step-dad for Jesus.  What an honor for Joseph.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the precious blood You shed for my sins.

A little Georgia Wisdom reminding you to honor the men who have the important role of "step-dad" to a child.  It is a position not to be taken lightly.

Aunt Dovie

Aunt Dovie lived a long life and was, herself, a wealth of information.  She was up at dawn and worked until the late evening.  She believed you were to hoe your garden early in the mornings, and that the afternoons were used to get things done around the house.  She stayed busy.

Aunt Dovie never bought dirt.  As a matter of fact, she would think one was crazy to buy dirt!  She would get her bucket and shovel and to the woods she would go,  She would dig away the leaves and look for the blackest dirt she could find.  This was the richest dirt to use.  After filling her bucket, she would go back home and make another trip to the barn where she gathered the rich deposits of the cows.  Mixing the manure with the dirt, she would plant in pots.  Her plants came from folks who let her have cuttings or seeds.  Her plants were beautiful.  A person must ask for cuttings or seeds; if not the plants you took would die.  You never "steal" a plant, cuttings, or seeds.

Aunt Dovie lived through a time when ladies' dresses touched the ground.  She told me how, as a little girl, she love to watch the long skirts roll the little stones as the ladies walked in their long skirts.  That was a good memory of her childhood which held many painful ones.

She lived during a time that her father had the ultimate say without questions.  When she was eighteen years old, she eloped with my uncle Roy.  They left in a buggy and went to church where they were married.  Her father came looking for her with a hickory to whip her, but by the time he found her, she was already married.

Aunt Dovie lived through the Great Depression.  It was because of this hardship, she made sure she had plenty of food canned for the winter.  She had a storage building in which she stored all her canned foods and a freezer filled with more food.  She would never go hungry.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for the gift of knowing wise folks like Aunt Dovie.

A little Georgia Wisdom reminding you to talk to the elderly folks in your life and treasure their advice.  It never hurts to be prepared for the future.

Cameron, the Teacher

January 15, 2011 is a special day.  My grandson, Cameron, will be 18 years old. This is the age when young men sign up for Selective Service or "the draft" for the military even though one has not been implemented since 1973.  It is time for young men and women to register to vote.  Eighteen years of age is a turning point in a teenager's life.

Cameron is a special young man.  God has given him to us for a reason--to teach us.  Cameron teaches us unconditional love.  He doesn't speak, but he communicates his love to all of us with his gentle manner and loving ways and his sweet smile and, the feel-it-all-over laughter. Cameron teaches us that we don't need words to tell others how we feel, and he teaches us that music is a universal language; the rhythm is the same.

Cameron needs special care.  He depends on others to take care of his needs and in return he gives love and understanding.  Cameron doesn't judge people.  He accepts them.  We have learned these life lessons from him.

Cameron won't ever be able to drive a car or play baseball.  He won't run the Peachtree in Atlanta  July 4, but he will continue to win our hearts over and over again as he melts us with his sweet smiles and his feel-it-all-over laughter.  No, he won't register to vote in the 2012 elections.  He won't even care who the candidates will be on the ballots.  He might, however, be affected by Obamacare as a low priority medical care patient.  I'm not sure where he would fit on that scale.  I shutter to think about it.

Cameron will be eighteen years old.  We were not sure how long we would have him with us when he was first born and weighed 1 pound and 13-l/2 ounces.  The doctors could not assure us that Cameron would reach  this age, but the Lord has blessed us with Cameron who will forever be our "Little Man."

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for a special grandson who teaches us life lessons.

A little Georgia Wisdom to grow by:  Never overlook the life lessons taught from the most unusual sources.  God uses all His children, even the ones with physical and mental limitations; they are the ones with the most to give.

The Klutz Sisters

Road trip!  Road trip!!  Don't you just love a road trip?  My best friend, Kathy, and I went on a road trip to the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina.  The Biltmore House was decorated for Christmas and we couldn't wait to see it.  Kathy had been before, but this was my first trip.  I was so excited.

We had absolutely no problems getting to the Biltmore Estates.  The Christmas snow was still on the ground and it looked like they had seen over 8 inches.  The roads were fairly clear, but the parking lots were slush with ice.  We walked very carefully.  The Klutz Sisters had arrived!

We got our name the old fashion way--we earned it!  Every bruise, stitch, and broken bone had come with a price.  We even laugh our pains away, but today we were concerned that the Klutz Sisters were in for a two-fer.  You know a two-fer-the price of one deal.  We were trying to help each other over the ice and snow by choosing our steps very carefully.  Each had a hold of the other.  Instead of taking a shuttle like sensible, over-the-hill ladies; we decided to walk and enjoy the snow and view.  This is where you are sure that we fell, or slid on our "embarrassments" right?  Wrong!  We made it!  Very confident in our accomplishments, the Klutz Sisters had arrived at the Biltmore House unscathed.

I will admit to stepping on my coat a few times as we climbed the steps from one floor to the other in the Biltmore House.  Kathy reminded me that she couldn't believe she had depended on me, the Klutz Sister with the most stitches and the recently mended broken wrist, to help her over the snow and icy slush.

We may be the Klutz Sisters, who trip over their own feet, but we made this delightful and memorable road trip without a stitch.

It is me again Lord thanking you for a best friend who shares laughter and tears and who makes life a little easier when the road gets bumpy.

A little bit of Georgia Wisdom:  Enjoy your friends, and if you don't have a "best" friend, make one.

Granny's Legacy

Christmas is over.  The pretty paper is in strips and shreds in plastic garbage bags and forgotten boxes.  The family has been here and gone.  It is over until next year.

A life's lesson is found in Christmas gifts.  It is the one time when all the presents are under the tree at the same time.  As we call each name, one at a time, we enjoy  the excitement in the eyes of the children, and then it happens.  One child got a present or two more than another. It doesn't matter how much their presents cost; it is the "quantity" of presents under the tree that counts.

In our lifetime we search for "quantity" sometimes and forget about "quality."  I saw this first hand when my grandmother fought so hard with cancer.  The doctor asked her if she wanted a "quality" life or to take treatments that would give her "quantity" of life.  She chose "quantity."  Sometimes she was so sick she could barely sit up.  She knew that there was no chance of recovery at her age of 84 and the severity of the cancer, but she decided to fight it as long as she could. It did give her, at age 84, a few more months.

Even though she suffered with sickness and pain, she got to see her first two great-great grandchildren.  I have the treasured picture of five generations together.  She may have missed them had she chosen quality.

Only our Lord knows what our future holds.  It is like the brightly wrapped presents under the tree; the person who gives it knows what it is and how much it is worth.  It is only when it is opened that the receiver can decide what it is worth to him or her.

Thinking about my grandmother as the anniversary of her death, January 1, approaches.  She was a brave woman who loved her children and grandchildren and fought a brave battle to stay with them as long as possible.

It is me again, Lord, thanking you for a wonderful legacy of a strong grandmother.

A little bit of Georgia Wisdom: Enjoy the moments you do have and search for the "quality" of life you want. It could be your "quality" of life is hidden in the "quantity" of life God gives you.

Putting out the shoes...

"It's the most wonderful time of the year."  I am reminded of Christmas when I was a little girl.  The house was dark and I just couldn't wait until morning!  I would sneak into the living room, with a flashlight in hand, while trying to be as quiet as possible. The toy I had asked for would be there.  It was a wonderful feeling!

We didn't have a fireplace to hang our stockings, but we did put our shoes under the tree.  The shoes would be filled with an assortment of nuts just waiting for us to crack open and dig the sweet meats from each shell.  Our shoes would be topped off with an apple on one shoe and an orange on the other.  Santa was a wonderful man.

It didn't matter how much we believed in Santa Claus, We always knew the reason for Christmas.  It was the birthday of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  I can't remember a time that I didn't know about Jesus; my mother made sure we knew the real reason for Christmas.  My prayer for you is to know the real reason we celebrate this wonderful time of the year and share Jesus with your children.

It's me again Lord, thanking you for the memories of Christmas.

A little Georgia Wisdom saying make memories with your children and grandchildren and celebrate the birth of our Saviour.