Bibliophile Buddies

6/17/09
For an avid reader and lover of books, there are no better folks to know than other bibliophiles or bookworms, especially if they can nose out a good book for you because they know what you’ll like or appreciate, even if it stretches you a bit. I have two such women in my life, Marge H. in Franklin, North Carolina (who has a reading room at the library there named in her honor) and Marie J. in Franklin, TN., who was recently honored for 7 decades of service by her public library. Their combined years give me 150+ years of reading experience to rely on. Every time I “unwrap” one of their finds----my word for checking out the table of contents or the first chapter of the recommended books, I am grateful for knowing women who share with me those gems that I might never find, apart from them. You see, there are LOTS of books published each year and I barely have time to read the reviews---so, they do it for me. “So Many Books, So Little Time” is the perfect adage for a working woman, especially a research & reference librarian----my stacks/shelves are not exactly bedtime reading. Plus, there are so many books not worth my time.

Visiting Marie recently with friends at her big, beautiful old home on Murfreesboro Road, I had a garden tour, yummy puddin’ cake and great book talks. She also shared a trove of books with me as a way of continuing to encourage me. One was a novel written in 1951---a delightful read about a Baptist preacher. It almost reads like historical fiction now though one of the paragraphs about the problems the church faced sounded like 2009. “The real problems here…..how to practice charity in a world of greed. How to turn the cheek in a world of war. And how to love a neighbor when your impulse is to slap him down.” I also noticed Book Club Edition stamped in red on the inside of the jacket. I imagine that she, like I and many other readers, once belonged to the Doubleday Book-of-the-Month Club. Remember the magazine ads where for only 99¢ you could choose 4 or 5 books and then only had to purchase four more during the year?

Another book she shared was a book of quotes. I love it because it has her underlines and margin notes that are such treasures. Allow me to share of few of the “nuggets” with you.
“A friend is a sanctuary. A friend is a smile. …..A friend is a hand that is always holding yours….no matter how close or far apart you may be..…A friend is a feeling of forever in your heart.“ (Pagels)

By this one MJ had jotted, “great.”

Won’t you come into my garden?
I would like my roses to see you. (Sheridan)

Sadly, I had to postpone a June visit to the mountains to see my other bookworm buddy. I long for the next visit to see her and have her share new titles with me. She’s the one who encouraged me to read Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress----we both were drawn to the cover. At her home we sit by the fire or at the table long after the plates have been cleared and we talk---about real things---and books, of course. Sometimes her husband, a retired Methodist pastor reads aloud to us—be still my heart!

These ladies are my spiritual sisters with literary leanings----how special is that!!!!!!!!!! How grateful I am!

I have called you friends. (John 15:15)

Attitude of Gratitude

6/16/09 Attitude of Gratitude vs. Entitlement
Life is a gift and what we do with it is our gift back to God. Our experiences in this game of life can have meaning, can impact others for good, or can be self-serving in an “all about me” kind of way. Folks who are rich toward God might not necessarily be rich in the world’s way, with all the right toys, but they are usually generous to a fault. I have been the recipient of the generous hearts of God’s people and those are the folks I want to emulate.

I think those generous ones have hearts full to overflowing with gratitude. I also think it is that gratitude that keeps envy, dissatisfaction, whining and complaining at bay. A thankful heart keeps us from taking what we have for granted and stops us from always wanting just a little (yea, right) bit more! That’s an illusion---thinking gratitude will come as soon as the stuff desired is a part of life.

Our society teaches us that we are “entitled” to a big home, a vacation with the family and even good health or at least adequate insurance. So what happens if some of those “things” are missing. Misery? Bitterness? Self-pity? Certainly self-preoccupation can imprison us with those chains of anger and resentment, that entangle us when our expectations are not met. What if the life your living right now is as good as it’s gonna get this side of heaven? What if it gets worse? Can you find blessing and gratitude in the struggle? You can if your life “counts” for other people.

As I’ve mentioned before, one of our family pastimes is playing all kinds of games together, including board games. We have boxes of those and look forward to new ones each year while cherishing old favorites. But regardless of the game, when it’s over it all goes back in the box. I remembered that from J. Ortberg’s book, When the Game is Over.

As I searched this book out, I was taken with the synopsis on the book jacket---a very sobering reminder—a time will come when the game of life comes to an end. Then what?

• No more game cubes or cards.

• No more tokens.

• No more promotions, financial planning, vacation homes or big toys.

• Game over.

If your life has been filled with the love of the Lord and has overflowed with gratitude and thanksgiving to Him and others, you will have been “rich” and your eternal reward will be great. People matter. A relationship with the Lord matters. As Ortberg says, fill every square on the game board of life with what matters most and be thankful. What ever we do for God and others does not go back in the box---it lasts throughout eternity.

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5) and with all your mind' ; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Luke 10:27)

WITHOUT COMPLAINT..........

6/15/09 Without Complaint
That’s just another way of saying, “no whining” or no pity parties. It’s a choice---an attitude of gratitude. That phrase encapsulates Larry’s mother----our Mommar. Year after year I have watched her endure what ever comes her way without raising her voice or allowing negative words to flow forth. We all loved Grandaddy, Robert Thomas Liles, and he will be sorely missed but he was a corker---Mommar was the “saint without complaint.”
I wish that could be said about me. How ‘bout you? Will others see you as one who counted your blessings or as one who not only wallowed in self-pity and suffering but also gave a complete account of all the misery?
For three days I was hacking, sneezing, dripping mucus uncontrollably----because I couldn’t feel it coming out of my new nostril----my throat was raw, my body ached with fever, I was too tired to read and too miserable to sleep. See how easily I can blather and drivel about my own misery. FINALLY, I began to thank God that this was a cold, it wasn’t cancer. I could breathe through my mouth this time and that’s a big praise. Then, I was so grateful for the timing of this infirmity---after the surgeries, after hospital visits, after Grandaddy’s final days.
I have so much to be thankful for and so do you. Gratitude is seeing life as a gift.
Today’s meditation is from I Thessalonians 5:16-18. I was only going to include verse 18 and then I saw how they all tie together. In order to rejoice, there’s going to have to be some focused prayer and gratitude. Prayer holds the two together---with prayer we can be thankful, when we’re thankful we can praise easily and that increases our prayers which results in an overflowing of joy. That’s the way I see it. Let me know what you see….because tomorrow I’m going to start meddlin’ about having a grateful spirit.

• v. 16 Rejoice always;

• v. 17 Pray without ceasing;

• v. 18 In everything give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

No Whining

6/13/09
2nd day of ailing---sick as a dog—body must have just worn out--typing in a drug-induced stupor-- today’s “My Utmost” entry said, “no whine” so I’m going to bed—actually that’s where I’ve been all day. Maybe tomorrow I can give you beaucoup medical facts that don’t sound like whining--

Who is 2? What heritage do we give him?

6/12/09 Heritage Builders
Happy Birthday, Owen!! “2”
Storm brewing---Channel 3 says could be a repeat of '03 Hurricane Elvis---more later---getting off-line.

EE--emotional exhaustion

6/10/09 Emotional Depletion
What is it? How do you handle it today? How can you recover?
These questions came to mind today as early this morning we put Josh and his fiancé, Megan, on a United Airways plane for NYC and then loaded all six Texans in the big Suburban to return to their home in Allen. At 8:30 a.m. we were spent---I guess that is emotional depletion. How did we handle it? We started with a 2-hour nap.
How will we ever recover---with all that lies ahead with Mommar’s care as well as handling financial affairs that require close following a death. Today’s “Jesus Calling” entry said, “Rest in Me…Give your mind a break from planning and trying to anticipate what will happen. Pray continually.” Well there’s the answer. That little devotional book continues to have the BIG answers for right where I am in life.
So…………more prayer it is---and I feel a second nap coming on.

Robert Thomas Liles

6/6/09

Robert Thomas Liles
“Grandaddy”
November 6, 1926 – June 6, 2009

Husband of Mary Black Liles---they would have celebrated 65 years July 21.

Father of Robert T. Liles, Jr “Bobby” (Carolyn)
Grandaddy of Robby, Cody, René (Terry), Brent (Amber)
Great grandfather of Nate, Addy and Caleb

Father of Lawrence E. Liles “Larry” (Dotsy)
Grandaddy of Buddy, (Day) Josh, Molly Kennedy (Corey)
Great grandfather of Nathan, Noah, Caleb, John Parker and Owen

Father of Susan Liles McCullough (Bobby)
Grandaddy of Ashley Davis (Eddie) and Brandon
Great grandfather of Olive

Father of William Edward Liles “Bill”

Son of the late Jack and Anna (Douglas) Liles
Brother of Jack D. Liles (Doris Ann) and Mary Ann Thompson

• Hard worker at Tri-State Armature and Electric for 45 years
• World War II veteran
• A self-proclaimed “Crankshaft”
• Dubbed “tough old bird” by his doctors---and he’s had lots
• Adored by the nurses on the 5th floor at St. Francis Hospital and the 3rd floor ICU crew
• The lollipop man at both Highland Heights Presbyterian and Cordova Presbyterian
• Electrician, woodworker, and builder of Pickwick cabin and Christmas displays
• Purveyor of everything from junk to antiques found at flea markets and garage sales

So loved by so many-----now at rest in the arms of his Lord and humming, “The Old Rugged Cross.”

GRACE MEDS

6/1/09 Grace Meds----medicine for the soul
Here’s my meditation verses on grace--- verses 11 & 12 from chapter 2 of Titus. In context, I like the next verse that reminds me that I am to live this way as I am awaiting the "blessed hope."

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,

“‘Tis grace hath brought us safe thus far
And grace will lead us home.”

"Grace, Grace, God's Grace"

5/31/09 GRACE THOTS

• Grace precedes peace in scriptures.

• Resistance to accepting God’s grace is pride.

• Not much grace evident if we don’t let go, and instead keep trying to control.

• If more “doing” than “being” in our faith walk, we could be missing grace.

• Self-sufficiency can detour/sidetrack us from the benefits of grace.

• Pain avoidance can slam the door on grace---blocking God’s provision.

• His grace in the midst of pain and suffering can allow us to discover more of Him---result = life with meaning and purpose---it’s a deep level of intimacy.

• By God’s grace, potential problems can be avenues for blessings and the result = growth.

• His grace empowers my weaknesses. It is amazing!

“My grace is sufficient for you, My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Today’s entry in My Utmost for His Highest said, “ Put God first in trust. If I trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone, I will become bitter because I have insisted on man being what no man can ever be----(perfect) Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else.

BTW, tomorrow’s Monday. Find a grace verse and meditate on it. Let me know what you find---and learn.

Grace and peace to each of you. I will probably be off-line for next 10 days due to both planned and possibly unplanned events---will write when I can, but posting could be difficult.

Encouragement for My Dance

This was not the blog I had started writing earlier today but it is the RIGHT blog. This e-mail came from Michèle---my friend from Germany, who is a year ahead of me in her microcystic adnexal carcinoma journey. She calls it her McJourney and she is the one who understands so well all that I go through because she has been where I am. She continues to encourage me and to be accepting of my humanity while she reminds me of the One who loves me---and as I had written earlier today, "in my weakness, He is strong." My journal jotting read, " a juxtaposition of my frailty and God's strength." As you read, may you be encouraged by her as I was.

Dotsy, I just read your blog. And about two hours ago, I finished writing a blog of my own that somewhat parallels yours. Mine is about the year-end emotional roller coaster of BFA, not necessarily about the emotional turmoil following the trauma of your last months, but the conclusions I write about work for both situations. Correction: the conclusions work for all situations, because they allow for human weakness and post-roller coaster emotional exhaustion and they point us toward the one immovable point in the constantly swirling "dance" of life.

It's a bit like ballet dancers who have to "spot" as they turn pirouettes. They keep their eye on one spot on the edges of the room and, while their body turns, keep their eyes anchored there, whipping their heads around only to reclaim that spot as their immovable point. The same is true for what we've been through. In a sense, we're locked in an emotional pirouette we can't control and we mostly manage to keep our eyes on that fixed point. But sometimes, during that fraction of time when we have to whip our heads around to keep up with our bodies, we lose sight of it. We flounder a little. We doubt a little. We wish a little that it were not so hard, not so long, not so wearying. We tap into the very real human side that God loves so much in us. And He says, "Look over here--turn your eyes back to the spot that has stabilized your world before. I can do it again. Turn your eyes back to me." And we do--as you will soon, I know. But I also know that there will come more spins, more losses of eye-contact, and even in those circumstances all we'll need to do is trust and wait for our revolving journeys to turn us around to that heart-position where we can claim His peace and confidence again. Please don't be too hard on yourself during these more fragile times. They're what remind us of our frailty so we can cling more firmly to His strength!

I'm praying for you right now, on the gorgeous evening in the foothills of the Black Forest. The valley outside my windows is cast in the day's final golden rays. It's my favorite time of day--my students and I call it "The Goldening." I'm praying for serenity and endurance.

Michèle