Great News from St. Jude for Michael B.

9/20/12  CaringBridge Posting from the Brady's made my day. Having spent a little time with this Chicago area family as they were waiting to go in for the results, I understood how, even in the midst of hope, there is always that element of apprehension that comes from having cancer in your rear view.

"ALL CLEAR!!!!!!" Praise God! Prayer works! Thank you St Jude!!!!!!! We are meeting with Dr Furman then heading to the airport. Details to come! We love you all so much and are so blessed and thankful!!!!!!
Love, Anne

More info to follow with pic when I receive one since my camera battery gave out on me.

Walkabout Wednesday: a reprise

30 Days of Pop-Up Opera (Photo by April, age 8)

9/19/12 Walkabout Wednesday took on a new twist this afternoon as my walking buddy, Ellen, has “turned” to swimming for exercise because of a foot malady. I miss our times together. I miss the different places we walk. I just miss her.

But.....today I had the granddaughter of friend Claudia accompany me and we “walked” through the Farmer’s Market at the Botanic Gardens.  What a surprise we found there. The Opera Memphis folks were performing. Good music with great food. How serendipitous was that!

My young friend asked the OM director, “What are they singing?” When I asked her what he said, she replied, A word that tickles my tongue---“La Boheme.” 

I explained to her that this music was opera---and that they had been taking opera “to the people”----just popping up in different places like festivals, universities, parks, libraries and even the Greenline. I was thrilled that we had happened on one of their outside "free" productions!

When I asked her how she liked the music, I loved her response. “It crackles me up, and makes me shiver.”

Well done, Opera Memphis. That sounds like a rave review to me.

Since the group will be performing at Shelby Farms on October 6 (at the playground) I suggested a "walkabout reprise." Hearing the word playground, she was all for it.

A Great Start to My Day

attenDANCE!

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design@brokenpromises.org

9/19/12 Successful businesses have attendance policies. Attendance is seen as an integral part of a good work ethic.  Sometimes an unstated, but real, expectation.

Class attendance. An important facet of education. ADA (Average Daily Attendance) results in rewards ($$) from the state because the Department of Education knows how importance attendance is for learning. After 42 years in education, I know that to be true.

Learning and growth occur when one is attending. Present. Focusing. In the realm of education, attendance is both a physical and a mental act. The same is true in the spiritual realm.

attenDANCE! Time alone with the Lord. Necessary for instructions in each “dance of life” which one faces.  Only the Lord God knows these steps. It’s the dance He has planned. He wants to lead you. Following requires attenDANCE.

attenDANCE!! How long has it been? Darkened the doors of a church lately? (Hebrews 10:25) How else can one spur others on to love and good deeds if we’re not in attendance. (Hebrews 10:24)

attenDANCE!!! How long has it been? To dance with Him, one must “show up.” This attenDANCE requires our participation, both individually and corporately.

MEDITATION “MUSTS”

9/17/12 “Life is at its richest when we are living in close communion with God and loving our neighbors at the same time.” (Loritts, p. 10) A-men!

In his book, a CROSS-SHAPED Gospel, Bryan Loritts states so well the “musings” of my own heart. The vertical relationship with the Lord is all about loving and serving Him---with prayer, Bible study and intimate times in His presence. Yet, the horizontal relationship with others occurs as love for the Lord overflows into love and service for others---neighbors here, in Ukraine or wherever God gives a sphere of influence. Focusing on one aspect to the exclusion of the other is an "off kilter" message of good news. It takes both to have that complete God-centered relationship.

So…..today’s meditation will be on 2 verses to allow for the complete truth to “sink in.”

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

2 “Musts” for meditation that MUST not be overlooked or missed.

SABBATH SNAPSHOTS: A Wedding Weekend

9/16/12 Whirling from one event to the next, New York came to town to be a part of Stephanie and Ryan’s wedding.

From “Up on the Roof" at Metro 67......

River Reflections

Floral Reflections

Mother-of-the-bride "to be"

Engaged tonight---tomorrow starts a new life chapter

.......To the sanctuary of St. Mary’s

The long walk to give away his precious daughter

The vows---may they remember "love is patient, love is kind, love does not seek its own, and love endures all things....(1 Corinthians 13)

The Kiss

Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Gillin

....to the historic Cadre Building

Celebrating "Southern" roots with upscale BBQ compotes, cones of fried goodies from okra to hushpuppies, and even Memphis' "Now famous cheese ring" with its requisite strawberry  preserves---yet served in a pastry shell.....plus dancin' to the music of the "SoulSations---mighty fine!

Sister of the groom and the best man, Ryan's dad

Flower girl with her grandaddy

A book of well wishes, Memphis style

Maintenance ???

9/15 12 Saturday’s have become a day for asking questions. No answers given, just questions to provoke thinking. Today’s question is, “Do you maintain a continual watchfulness over your heart?”  “Are there on-going thoughts for which you are ashamed?” (Psalm 19:14)

Oswald Chambers in 9/15 entry of My Utmost for His Highest asks the same type question. “Is there a thought in your heart about anyone that you would not like to be brought into the light?”

Unlike me, he also gives the answer. If so, “renounce” those thoughts immediately. That’s the maintenance required for one to live to the higher standard of God’s calling---of being our utmost for His highest. (My Utmost, 9/15)

Maintenance required. Always for our spiritual growth, maintenance is required.

September 13---A Day of Giving

9/13/12             Gifts received from others.

Gifts given to others. 

All gifts from God’s hand.

 It was a glorious day!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,….(James 1:17)

Legacy

9/12/12 It’s hard to load 27 years of living into a moving van as one enters a new season of life. To pack up to travel 13 hours away to a new home location and reduce one’s household to fit into a truck seems minimizing the importance of a life lived in that homeplace. The good news---it’s the relationship with people and the memories, especially the spiritual legacies, which remain. An impact on others that far outlasts our household goods. 

The Swets were such godly, caring people for us and all on our street. We watched our street change together. We watched people be carried out in ambulances together. Our kids grew up together.

We will miss their legacy of kindness as will the folks at Second Pres where Paul ministered for years. International students will miss their open door and holiday meals. All of Longreen will miss their gifts of soup on windowsills, energy drinks at the back door, caramel corn tied up with a verse of scripture and neighborhood watchfulness. 

Their kitchen table and chairs remain, along with the large, shiny “new” kitchen window’s unobstructed view of backyards. No fences between our house and theirs have given all our kids and grands lots of room to hit baseballs, ride in mini golf carts and just roam. A good neighborhood for folks to get to know each other.

This morning has the new neighbors, a young couple whose grandparents I know, making their first steps toward moving in and establish their own home and legacy. May they build a spiritual inheritance as well---a legacy that will last into eternity.

Man of Faith

9/11/12

Todd Beamer showed a true biblical faith aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on that fateful day in September 2001. 9/11.

“Let’s roll!” That was Todd’s voice leading the passengers to takeover and foil the hijackers.

That’s how he is remembered. Prior to that command, he had been on the plane’s in-flight telephone with GTE supervisor, Lisa Jefferson, for over 10 minutes before the plane crashed. She had apprised him of the other hijackings and he told her that he and others vowed not to be their pawns. What I remember is that though Ms Jefferson could hear the shouts and commotion, Beamer asked her to pray with him and they recited the 23^rd Psalm.

The rest, as they say is history. A tragic history.  A history of a man of faith. His wife told reporters that she knew Todd was in heaven because he was saved. As she puts it, "Just knowing that when the crisis came up he maintained the same character we all knew; it's a testament to what real faith means.” (http://old.post-gazette.com/headlines/20010916phonecallnat3p3.asp) 

The couple had met at Wheaton College near Chicago, IL. That’s where, this summer, I first got a glimpse of the legacy left by this man of faith. His story is there. In the basement of the Todd M. Beamer Student Center, is the 7' x 7' wall relief depicting Beamer and his sons. Clay Enoch, the sculptor, is son of First Evan folks, Betsy and Doug, and is a 1995 graduate of the college. Seeing this work gave new meaning to me of “let’s roll.” That phrase seems to be a statement, not only of Beamer’s character, but also of his faith in a trustworthy God. A man assured of his eternal destination can lead such a charge. 

Todd Beamer---a man of faith.*

Tonight’s NT reading by hubby was from Hebrews 11, dubbed by many as the “Faith Hall of Fame” of the Bible.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Todd Beamer, a man of faith, whose actions surely pleased God.