Operation Shoebox

WOW... I have to say we had the most amazing experience ever. We had the opportunity to be an intregal part in the ministry of Operation Christmas Child. The boxes we handled were shipping to Zimbabwe, Lebanon and Bangladesh that night. The hundreds of volunteers in just the one shift we worked were able to process 106,000 shoeboxes out of the Charlotte, NC distribution center. It was an incredible experience to know that our hands touched part of a package that a child will open and be blessed with it's contents. What an awesome way to celebrate the reason for the season!

We were all truly blessed to be part of this program. Not only was it a great time sharing the experience with each other, but just knowing that thousands of children and their families will be blessed this year when they get one of these shoeboxes. Praise the Lord!

Schedules and Comfort

Okay, so I haven't written in ions or so it seems. Not that I haven't had any ideas mind you ... it's just that, well I've been on a tight schedule lately. You see, I felt like I was wasting a lot of my days not doing anything constructive. Not that I feel writing is not constructive, it is very constructive in my own little mind. But, I just felt like I wasn't getting anything done and the things that I did get done didn't really make me feel like I had accomplished anything.

I started this little regimen that came from the discipleship ranch facility that our church offers. Let me just say when I first decided that I was going to do this, I thought I could do the men's ranch schedule because it looked to be so easy. Big surprise, it is not easy and the women's schedule for the day starts an hour later than the men's. There is a lot of Bible Study time and a lot of work details (I gave myself writing as one of my work details today).

My heart goes out to the women in the ranch. God Bless those women that stay in the program. I have no addictions to speak of and it is hard for me to stay on the schedule that they work on. I also make a list of my own chores and work details for the day. I have no idea what their chores or work details are, but I know some of the ones I give myself, at the end of the day ... I'm tired. It gives me great satisfaction at the end of the day to look at everything I have accomplished. It has also made me realize how important our time on earth is. Psalm 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Since I have been on this schedule and taking the time throughout my day to study, I find that things that used to bother me, are trivial. I used to watch one soap opera every day and I gave it up in order to do this regime effectively. When you become comfortable in any situation, that is when you know it is time to get uncomfortable. Change your schedule. Truly, it makes a world of difference and will give you greater appreciation of the things you have.

Things That Go Bump In The Night

I bet this is Stephen King's favorite week of the year. The week when all the creepy crawlers come out from under their rocks. Too bad there wasn't a full moon this week to add to the drama. I used to love reading Stephen King (OK, I still do) ... he could scare the living day lights out of a young teenager. That was back in the day ... do teenagers read books now?

What scares you? You ever notice how some people do things just because it scares them? Ride a roller coaster, bungee jump, para sail, etc.? I can do the roller coaster thing, but bungee jumping and para sailing ... I don't think so. Some things that we are scared of we are able to tolerate and other things are just too frightening. I don't care for high places. In fact, they terrify me. Four steps up a ladder and I'm ready to climb back down. I can't go downhill skiing because the chair lift ride to the top of the mountain is too traumatic. (Not to mention that in the past when I did reach the top of the mountain I came down on my butt and not on the skis).

As I am writing this, I think of things that I consider myself to be afraid of. Spiders, confined spaces, the dark, heights. As I'm thinking about it, the only thing that really physically affects me (I mean cold sweat, shaking, tears running down my face, peeing my pants kinda scared) is heights. I can't do them...it's too much for me. Spiders, I don't really like, but just step on them and splat, they're gone. The dark, well, turn on a light, unless the power is out and then light a candle. Confined spaces, well I know I don't like them so I stay out of them. But I am pretty sure they would cause me to react the same way I react to heights.

We watch movies that make us jump. We read books that make us draw the covers up close to our chin. It's the adrenaline thing am I right? What are you scared of? Everyone is scared of something. Is it as placid as heights, confined spaces, spiders, snakes, or is it more zealous, like the fear of dying? What do you think happens when you die?

It's Scary

It was a dark and eerie night and the wind was howling. Tall Cool One was at a conference and I was home alone. He had been gone for a little over an hour. The wind was really howling outside and there was a fire burning in the wood stove to keep it warm and toasty inside. Suddenly the power blinked. I thought, "Oh no, this is not going to be good." Immediately I went searching for the emergency candle we had stashed and I located the flashlight and my favorite book.

Two more blinks and the power was out. "No problem," I thought, "I have the candle, my book and the wood fire will keep it nice and warm in here." Two minutes later a big gust of wind moved the chimney, or so it seemed and smoke started filling the living room. I panicked. The living room was becoming filled with smoke and soon all of the smoke detectors were bleep, bleep, bleeping. I did not want to call Tall Cool One to come home. I had to get a grip and calm down. I was running through the house, opening all the doors, the windows and trying to remember what he had told me about taking care of the stove. I put on the welders gloves, opened the stove and grabbed the burning wood. I flung it out the front door onto the lawn. I stood there for a minute shaking and getting my emotions under control.

A few minutes later the smoke cleared from the house and the bleep, bleep, bleeping finally stopped. I closed the doors and accepted the fact that a blanket would be the way to keep warm for the evening. Then the darkness really set in. I noticed as vehicles went by, every shadow became three dimensional. The wind blew harder and the noisy creeks in the house grew louder. Every so often a fire truck siren or a police car could be heard in the distance and our blind dog would howl at the sound.

Ever notice how more intense everything seems in the dark? Me being the writer I think I am, should have taken advantage of the moment. It's dark and eerie and storms are about us. Use the experience and write. Instead, my mind goes back to every slasher scary movie I ever saw as a teenager. I think Jason Voorhees is going to come through the window on the porch with his machete. I'm scared to go to the bathroom because I know Michael Myers is standing behind the door and the second I get in there he's going to stab me with his knife. And if I go out in the kitchen for a glass of water, Thomas Hewitt is out there waiting for me with the chain saw. So I stay on the couch, curled up with a blanket tucked tightly under my chin. Pretty vivid imagination, huh?

As if the fictional characters aren't scaring me enough, I start visualizing the real ones. Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, David Berkowitz, Albert DeSalvo, Ed Gein and Ted Bundy are the faces I recognize in my head right away. Most likely because they are the most famous, the ones that the media had field days with. I'm having nightmares and I'm not even sleep.

Five hours of being alone in the dark without power, or phone or anything ... I didn't even have batteries for a radio. Not fun. I was frightened so I prayed. It wasn't long when I realized I was inside, I had my faithful doggy, I was not getting shot at, I was not being hunted, I was safe for the most part. Sometimes we forget that all we have to do is ask. He answered and I am thankful.

Word of The Day: Beautify

Take time to just thank Him for how great He is.

Shortcuts

Yesterday afternoon Tall Cool One and I were out for our afternoon walk with the dog. The dog is blind so sometimes he doesn't notice the things that a normal dog would take after. We jokingly refer to him as our "Special Needs Dog". He really doesn't need anything "special". In fact when we get to the dirt road, we take him off his leash and he does the two mile walk on his own, zig-zagging back and forth from one side of the road to the other. Of course if a car comes, we call him over and make him sit and wait for the vehicle to pass. He then takes off running in the wrong direction (I did mention he was "special") after the car as if he's going to catch it. Silly dog.



Anyways, we were a little less than half way through the walk when Tall Cool One stopped and was looking out into the woods. I didn't say anything in hopes of seeing a deer or some other form of wild life. He then started walking again and I asked what it was. He said, it sounded like a bees nest and he was just trying to see where it was. Just when he said that, I saw where the buzzing was coming from. A deer head, legs and hide in a pile on the side of the road. There was a swarm of flies around the carcus. Thankfully, our blind dog took no notice to the sound or any smell that may have been coming from it. We concluded that someone must have shot a deer and left the parts they didn't want there on the side of the road.



Some people do things to satisfy themselves. They left legs, head, hide, guts, and whatever else that wasn't visible in that heap of carcus. Chances are good that the turkey vultures will have most of the flesh cleaned up by the time we take our walk this afternoon. Too bad people wouldn't strive to do their best and be their best at all they do. Instead they take short cuts or the easy way around. It makes me think of the people that park in the handicap parking when they don't need it.

Protect Your QB

It is 34º outside this morning and the smell of the wood fire waifs through the air. It brings back memories of a certain Tall Cool One skating on the Frog Pond for eight hours playing hockey with his friends instead of hanging out with his girlfriend. Yes, I'm past it but I like to remind him about it every now and again.

Wood fires and seeing your breath in the cold morning air reminds me of growing up with all of the neighborhood kids getting together for a big football game. Of course, everyone wanted to be the quarterback. Who didn’t? The rest of the team’s job was to protect the quarterback. While playing, every now and again an opponent would break through and sack the unsuspecting quarterback but for the most part the QB was well protected. Being sacked only hurt for a minute. Then you get up, brush yourself off and continue playing the game.

Imagine now, being the quarterback and playing the game by yourself. No offense, no defense, you against the other team all alone. There is no effective way to play the game; impossible, right?

When people wake up in the morning and start their journey though life without his or her team members (John, Luke, Matthew, etc.) that might as well be exactly what they are doing. They are trying to play a football game as the quarterback all alone. Of course, they may get a lucky break here and there and may even score a touchdown or two. But eventually they are going to get sacked and without their team members there to help soften the blow, it’s going to hurt … it’s going to hurt real bad. Implore God’s team, they are the best offensive and defensive team members there are.

Mamby Pamby & Mumbly Jumbly

The other night when we were watching the presidential debate, I asked, "What are we going to do about voting on November 4th?"

Tall Cool One tells me, "We are going to vote for the best candidate based on Biblical Values."

You want to know what scares me? I can't tell if either of them have any. You know what else scares me? The people out there that are going to vote based on how they have always voted in the past. The republicans will vote republican and the democrates will vote democrate. Then you have the naive crowd that will vote based on some whimsical reason because of race or gender.

I found these top five classes that scholars take to learn to become a politician.

• Fabricated Speech Class
• Skirting the Issue
• Learning to Abnegate
• Urbane Correctness
• Equivocation 101

Seriously though, you can find any Cock and Bull story online that you want, about the candidates that are running for president. What is important is NOT what you read about what they believe or what they say they are going to do for our country. What is important is what YOU feel is right in your heart. Ultimately there is only one ruler and as long as He is in your heart, it's really not going to matter which candidate wins the election.

I Get It, I Get IT

Okay, so it took me 52 weeks to figure it out, but I get it. Thanks, James.

The Weight of Sin

A flippant youth once asked a preacher, "You say that people carry a weight of sin. I feel nothing. How heavy is sin? It is ten pounds? Eighty pounds?"

The preacher replied, "If you laid a four hundred pound weight on a corpse, would it feel the load?"

The youth replied, "It would feel nothing, because it is dead."

The preacher concluded, "That spirit, too, is indeed dead which feels no load of sin or is indifferent to its burden and flippant about its presence."

Head-dibber

If It Feels Good, Do It!

~ There is a way that seems right to man. But it's end is the way of death. Proverbs 16:25

Have you ever been on a diet? Ever quit smoking? Ever fast for blood tests? Ever sacrifice something for a holiday because of some silly ritual? It is not easy sometimes is it?

People try to justify their sin but putting the blame on someone or something else. They are caught up in the ways of the world and instead of doing what's right, they defend what they know is wrong by blaming someone else. The rapist says, "She deserved it being dressed in those provocative clothes." The murderer says, "If he just let me take the money instead of fighting me, I wouldn't have killed him." The thief says, "If they didn't leave their keys in the car, I wouldn't have stole it." The liar says, "What's one little white lie about my weight? Everyone lies on line, who's gonna know?" The sexually immoral person says, "I was born that way."

You know, the "Slut or Homo" is right. We were all born "that way". We were all born with a sinful nature; the lusts of the flesh; fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Human nature is to desire power, fame, riches. The conscience knows what is right and what is wrong. It's like going on a diet or quitting a bad habit. It ain't easy! But if you ask, if you seek, if you knock, He will be there for you. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are capable of handling and He will always provide you with a way out.

Society will always rationalize certain sins as being "okay". God judges ALL sin.

Hornbook

I recently visited the elementary school that Tall Cool One works at. I was surprised that none of the class rooms have a chalk board.

I asked him, "Where are the chalk boards?"

He looked at me kind of like I had three heads. "Where have you been?" he asked. "They don't teach with chalk boards anymore. Now they teach with a Smart Board."

"A what?" I asked.

"A new technology called "Interactive White Boards".

So I got looking at them and saw these color-coded markers; your basic red, green, blue and yellow. So, me being the hands on kind of person that I am, picked one up and tried to write on the board with it. Nothing happened and I looked at Tall Cool One questionly. "If it's so smart how come I can't write on it?"

He tells me, "It has to be turned on in order for it to work".

"Oh, of course it does", I roll my eyes.

Then he explained that he watched a child grab the letters from the bottom of the screen and move them up on the board and spell out his name.

"Grab the letters and move them up on the screen!" I exclaim. "Huh? That makes no sense to me. How is that child going to learn to write his name?"

Tall Cool One laughs, "Everything is computerized now, no one needs to know how to write."

I know he said it jokingly, but he's so right. What happened to the chalk boards in the world? What happened to the hornbooks? What's next?

The Little Red Hen

One day as the Little Red Hen was scratching in the field, she found a grain of wheat.

"This wheat should be planted," she said. "Who will plant this grain of wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

Soon the wheat grew to be tall and yellow.

"This wheat is ripe," she said. "Who will cut the wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

When the wheat was cut, the Little Red Hen asked,

"Who will thresh this wheat?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

Once the wheat was all threshed, the Little Red Hen asked,

"Who will take this wheat to the mill?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

She took the wheat to the mill and had it ground into flour. Then she asked,

"Who will make this flour into bread?"
"Not I," said the Duck.
"Not I," said the Cat.
"Not I," said the Dog.
"Then I will," said the Little Red Hen, and she did.

She made and baked the bread. Then she asked,

"Who will eat this bread?"
"Oh! I will," said the Duck.
"And I will," said the Cat.
"And I will," said the Dog.
"Oh, no you won't," said the Little Red Hen, "I will do that." And she did.

I really liked this story as a child and just wanted to share.

What is Your Duty?

So my dog is whining because he has to go out and do his duty. Do his duty. That strikes me funny, a dog having a duty. What is a duty? My dictionary says: an obligation that must be performed for moral or legal reasons. The dog knows that if he poops on the floor, the law tells him he is going to suffer repercussion so it is his duty to go outside and take care of that and it is my duty to take him out so that he can. Be right back . . . .

For a dog, taking care of his duty is quite simple. Of course there is the running and rolling around on the grass, playing in his water dish until it's empty and then carrying it around proudly in his mouth after he takes care of his duty. But he knows what he is out there for and what the duty is he is supposed to do. He gets it done before I call him back inside.

I noticed on the calendar that tomorrow is Yom Kippur. A duty that some Jewish people are very meticulous about. I looked it up because I didn't know what it was or what it meant. In the Bible it is referred to as The Day of Atonement. It is the holiest of Jewish Holidays. It is a day of intensive prayer, fasting, and sacrifice of frivolous activities.

I am not Jewish and I don't believe I know anyone who is. But I do remember one time when I was a senior in high school, two of my friends came up with this great idea that the three of us would spend our summer in Boston, Massachusetts working as nannies for these Jewish families with young children. Through our guidance office we were put in contact with three different families in the Boston area. During the week of April vacation, we stayed with the families that we had been coordinated with as a test to see if we would be a good fit with their children. I was three days into my stay when I came to the conclusion that I was not a good fit for changing diapers and I was so confused about keeping the dairy foods away from the meat produce. There were two separate cupboards for different sets of dinnerware. The rule was meat and dairy products do not go together at all. The dishes couldn't be put in the sink at the same time, the foodstuffs had to be kept on different shelves in the refrigerator. Needless to say, I hopped on a greyhound back to Bangor, Maine as fast as I could. Looking back on that experience now, I wish I had taken the summer job. It would have been an educational chapter in my life.

I am not Jewish, but I find what The Day of Atonement means for the Jewish people as far as respect for God and what He has given us (His Son) moving and stimulating. Yom Kippur expands my feeling of duty I have for God. "Sacrifice of frivolous activities . . . no eating, no drinking, no marital relations, no washing, etc." It might be good for people to experience sacrifice. What are today's people giving up? Nothing. We should give things up.

Sometimes things happen to me that I find very weird. As I have said, I am not Jewish. Earlier this week, I wrote a letter to an old friend (whom I had a falling out with over eight years ago and we have not spoken since then). Sometimes God puts things in our hearts and we should always do what He says whether we like the idea or not. I had no idea what Yom Kippur was or what it meant, but as I continued to read I came across this: It is customary to seek out the forgiveness of anyone whom you may have sinned against before Yom Kippur begins. Strange that I wrote that letter with no knowledge of Teshuva and like I said, I am not Jewish. He works in our hearts sometimes and we don't even know that He is.

We all have a duty. If you don't know what it is, sometimes you just have to listen to your heart to do the duty He wants you to do. Jesus says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:34

A Word Isn't A Bird

So the other day I was mumbling about not getting any positive feedback from anyone after sharing the gospel. I'm such a dork sometimes. You know, a word is not a bird. Once it flies out, you can't put it back in the cage. I think I need to practice up on my "gentle" skills when I share with family and friends. I have a way of getting right into the nitty-gritty, wailing and gnashing of the teeth, tormented with fire and brimstone, no rest day or night, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire in hell for ever and ever and ever. By the time I get to the "Oh, and by the way, God has a wonderful plan for your life", they don't want to have anything to do with me. Oops.

This morning, I was encouraged after doing the further Bible study from our Way Of The Master Evangelism class that we are taking. You know, the more you study, the better you feel? John 15:19-21 Everything is not always hunky-dorrie. In fact, most likely it will get down right nasty. Ray Comfort was spit on and he smiled about it. WOW, some people just have so much more stamina than I can even begin to imagine. Me, I get all teary eyed and depressed and think that everyone hates me. I forget it's not me they hate, it's the message I'm trying to deliver. People love the world and no one (me of all people) is going to tell them that the way they are living is sinful.

My list of family and friends is growing shorter. Pretty soon I will have to start at the top of the list again. Maybe the second time around will go smoother than the first. What do I have to lose? The bird is already out there.

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I see a person standing in the middle of the road that will be hit by a tractor trailer truck that I know is coming. I warn them, but they don't believe me because they can't see it. When it comes to sharing the gospel people don't want to get it. Why is there so much more rejection than acceptation? I know we are to be patient and God will do His work. We plant the seed and He will make it grow. God has way more patience than I can fathom. I want to tell people about Jesus and have them get it and accept Him right then and there. Praise the Lord, Hallelujah! Unfortunately it doesn't work that way.

The world has put a standard on right and wrong, good and bad and it's not even close to God's standard. If a mother is shopping at the store and her little boy sticks his finger up his nose, she will slap his hand and tell him "that's naughty, don't do that". Pick your nose in public, that's disgusting and bad, right? But if the little boy yells and points at cookies, the mother will say "Okay, if you will be a good boy I will let you have this bag of cookies". It's okay for the little boy to covet and the mother is abetting it, but picking his nose is bad. Another example, in the workplace breaking the eighth commandment every day (surfing the web instead of working, taking extra long lunches, coming in a few minutes late, leaving work a few minutes early)is normal practice. "It's okay, everyone is doing it." To most people breaking the first, second, third, fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth commandment is second nature and few realize it because they don't understand God's standards.

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Bad Habits?

If you want to change your habits you have to change your playground and your playmates.

Learning on His Terms

I was having myself a little pity-party, hissy-fit, emotional tantrum this morning. I have them pretty regularly, once a month. It's always a different theme but generally family oriented. This one was no exception to the rule. Yesterday I received an email from my loving daughter whining that she hadn't received a letter from me in weeks. The fact that she has not written to me is not the point here.

I just spent the month of September pouring my heart and soul out in hand-written letters to my friends and relatives that I don't have emails for. Unfortunately, I feel pretty confident they intend to keep it that way. My problem is I put too much credence in people. I think they will read my heartfelt letter, read the gospel tract I included with the letter, and then overwhelm me with gratitude for sharing it. Ha! Silly I am, huh? What do you expect? I am a young Christian at heart eager to go out there and save the world.

If there is any wonder why there is backsliding in churches everywhere, I'm willing to bet that's one reason. It's hard enough to try to walk the Christian walk, but then to share it with others. Jesus brought a sword, not peace! Rejection stinks! It appears that it would be easier to go back to the evil ways of the world than to be a vagabond and live the life God wants us to live.

Once a person becomes born-again (2 Corinthians 5:17), relationships and friendships change; some for the worse and some for the better. My personal experience, a number of people think I'm a religious Bible thumping Jesus freak and they ignore me. Others, for some reason, regard born-again as an indication that I think I'm better than everyone else, when that's not the case at all. I still have my short-comings, sure. Everyone does. But I'm still the same person; I've just changed my evil ways.

I have noticed that the people in my life that had a hard time understanding why I changed are usually the ones that don't comprehend God's Word. It is easier for them to disregard me and my faith than to try to be pleased about it. It's a hard road to walk. I pray a lot. I miss some of my old friendships. It has taken me a long time, about 19 months, to realize things are never going to be the same. I have a hard time accepting that; hence the hissy-fits. But I keep on keeping on. Just like Paul told Timothy, "Fight the good fight . . ." — and I will.

Until next time,

© Crackerberries 2008

Not So Rose Colored Glasses

Have you ever put on a pair of prescription glasses? Everything appears distorted at first but then after awhile the images kind of come into focus. Not real clear, but enough to see. Imagine if you forgot that you put the glasses on. After awhile your eyes would conform to the destructive lenses. You would think that your view was unobscured but actually your eyes would be deteriorating with each day you continued to wear the bad lenses. Eventually it would appear that you would need to put more "corrective lenses" on so that you could see clearly.

The world continues to add corrective lenses where they are not needed. Sin has become the acceptable way of life. The world is lost and sin is habitual. Think about it. In 1939 Rhett Butler used the famous last words, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn". Since then, more and more swear words have made their way to daytime television. Even children's animated movies have "adult humor" within them. One little compromise at a time. The world conforms to the cultures of the current time.

What compromises are you making? It happens all of a sudden and sometimes you don't even realize that you've done it. Think about Samson, the strong man of the Bible and how Delilah pestered him daily until he gave in and told her where his strength lay.

Instead of taking the glasses off and seeing how God wants us to see things, the world just keeps adding more corrective lenses in hopes of making things clear, when in reality they are just making things worse. Take the glasses off, look into your hearts and listen to what God is saying.

©Crackerberries 2008

Steel Walls & Skinny Dogs

When ever I’d go to the bank or the post office or the grocery store, I’d always be sure to use the pen they had for irresponsible people. If I liked the pen or it wrote well, I’d absentmindedly drop the pen in my purse after writing out the check. If someone were to speak to me about it, I’d defend myself by saying, “Oh, I’m sorry, I must have thought it was mine.” If I got away with it, I’d justify it in my mind by telling myself, “don’t worry about it, people do it all the time, they have plenty more pens to put out there”. But I knew it was wrong.

When I was a little girl in the first or second grade, Cricket was hit by a car. Cricket was this great, big fluffy cat that I could barely lift. She died in my arms and I was devastated. I cried and cried and I was hugging my kitty and wouldn’t let her go. My father wanted to bury her and I didn’t want him to. Either my mother or my father told me that I had to let him bury her so the angels could come and carry her away to heaven. At some point after my beloved kitty died, I was looking out into the back yard and I remember seeing two white angels floating above the ground where Cricket was buried. I don’t know whether I dreamt that or it was my vivid imagination kicking into overtime mode or what it was. Maybe it was my mind building up a wall of justification so that I could deal with the death of Cricket.

Every year when I was young I remember Santa Claus would come to our house on Christmas Eve and inundate the tree with so many gifts that if you were to ask me what my favorite childhood Christmas gift from Santa was I can’t think of one that sticks out in my mind. We were so spoiled. One year Christmas Eve came but Santa did not. I believe it was the year that my parents were divorced. Although my sister and I found out the truth about Santa that year, I wanted to believe it was because we were naughty and we didn’t deserve gifts that year.

Even after remembering what it was like to find out the truth about Santa, when I became a parent, I did the same thing to my kids; played Santa on Christmas Eve until they were old enough to realize that Santa Claus doesn't really exist. Why would we do that? Why would we let our kids or anyone for that matter believe something that we know is not true? We justify it because it’s easier to hide behind a figment and go along with what everyone else is doing or saying rather than face the truth.

Once I understood the gospel and accepted Jesus I began to wonder about the people out there that have never heard the gospel, never read a Bible, and don’t know who Jesus is. “What happens to them when they die? If they don’t know, will they still go to hell?” Romans 1:18-19

Although sinful people mentally recognize the truth about God, they choose to suppress it but they are without excuse. It is so important for us to share everything we can. We need to tear down those steel walls and feed those skinny dogs the truth. Take the unbeaten path, take the road less travelled.

©Crackerberries 2008

Human Sorrows

Recently I came across this quote I wrote in an old notebook:

"One of the greatest sorrows of human existence is that some people aren't happy merely to be alive, but find their happiness in the misery of others"

~Stefan in "Lightening" by Dean R. Koontz

I'm forever writing things down and finding them later wondering why I wrote it down or what it meant to me at the time I wrote it. We have lists of things to do, notes to remind us where the lists of things to do are. I never know when I'm going to come across a quote, note, or list of something. When I found this one, I thought how terribly sad at how much truth there really is to it.

When do people pray? When something bad is happening, right? When do we hear from long lost relatives or old friends? When something bad is happening, right? When do the news people get all pumped up and out there everywhere? When something bad is happening, right? When do fire trucks, police cars and ambulances turn their sirens on? When something bad is happening, right?

I remember staying at my grandparents house as a little girl. My grandmother forever listened to a scanner. She was so obsessed with it that she even took it to bed with her. Whenever that thing would squelch, she would yell, "Hark! Wilson! You hear that?" And off we'd go. She packs my sister and me up in the car and my grandfather would obediently drive us to the scene, "just to see".

Last night we watched We are Marshall (okay, so it is taking us a little while to get caught up to new releases). This true story is about a community that looses most of the members of the football team in a plane crash in 1970. A tragedy. But Jack Lengyel takes the opportunity to turn the town's grief into something good. Great movie, if you haven't seen it, do.

One of the boys came over the other night with his girlfriend. They told us a story about being someplace they probably had no business hanging out at. They laughed about people that were pushing shopping carts around (that they stole from a local Wally World or grocery store) filled with empty soda pop and beer cans. They shared a story about one "bum" that came up to them and asked if he could have a cigarette. Their response was, "No, get the (explicit) away from here!" They said they wondered why he didn't just find a job. I said, "Did you ask him that?" Although they found humor in the failure of these "bums", once I put the question on them, they didn't find it funny anymore.

When something bad is happening to someone else we feel better about ourselves because it's not happening to us. But what makes us any better? Who is to say that we aren't going to end up like them or worse? When there is tragedy or misery in some one's life (no matter who it is) we should be doing all we can to be an effective witness and example to them. Life change is done by God, but we are here to ". . . go and make disciples of all nations . . . "! If we do our job, you can rest assured knowing God will do His.

The Unveiling

Last night while preparing din-din I finally found where that smell had been coming from. Tuesday I thought it was the macaroni salad. (You want to see something funny, give chickens pasta ... they love it!) Wednesday I thought it was the leftover turkey chili (no I did not feed that to the chickens, that's just wrong, although they do love my homemade baked beans). Thursday morning I came to the conclusion that it was the shrivelled up lemon that was stuck to the bottom of the crisper. Actually when I took that out of the fridge, the smell kind of dissipated so I figured that was it and yeah, the smell was gone. I even emailed my Tall Cool One and told him it was gone. But then he got home, opened the fridge and lo and behold, the stench was still there. "I can't find it, " I whined to my wonderful husband.

But then I did something that amazed me. I took the broccoli out of the fridge and set it on the counter while I prepared the pork that we were having with it. Immediately the smell waifed through the house. Although it was worse than our dog when he has gas, the vegetable had not perished.

People without Jesus are like me trying to find that stench in the fridge. Instead of looking in the obvious place they search and search to find the stench (the emptiness in their heart) with worldly things. It used to be shoes and handbags for me. I couldn't buy enough. It's cars for some people, and others their job, perhaps drugs or alcohol, trips and vacations. Anything to fill the void. 2 Corinthians 3:16 Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord the veil is taken away. The smell in the refrigerator is gone.
Until next time,

The Refrigerator Stinks

Three days ago, I opened the fridge to a stench I can't quite figure out. I said to Tall Cool One, "something in the fridge stinks, smell it". He gives me a funny look as if to say, "if it stinks, I don't want to smell it". "But I can't figure out what it is," I tell him. "Oh, you'll figure it out," he assures me.

That was three days ago. I've been pulling everything out that could cause the fridge to reek and have been feeding it to the dog or the chickens. Not that anything has been bad or past the "use by" date. I just can't seem to figure out what is causing that icky smell. Even when I open the freezer I can smell it. Can stuff from the freezer cause an odor? Does stuff that has covers on it stink through the covers? There is a fresh box of baking soda in the fridge - I thought that was supposed to take the stinkiness away. What can that smell be?

I am going to find out what it is today, I assure you. If I have to take everything from pickles to ketchup out, I am going to find it.

Acceptance

Do you ever feel like you aren’t as important as you thought you were? An old friend forgets your birthday, your kids don’t need help tying their shoes anymore, and the boss forgets about secretary week. The grandkids have more important things to do than Sunday dinner at granny and gramps house. The list could go on and on but you get the idea, right? We all want that feeling of importance; to be accepted. Human nature; people do crazy things to feel accepted. Think about it.

I remember in high school I dressed and thought I was like a Valley Girl and I talked like totally like gag me with a spoon. Don’t ask … I don’t know why. Peer pressure? Not sure, no one else dressed or talked like that. After high school there were worse things that I did to feel that acceptance – no need for elaboration.

There comes a time in everyone’s life where the going gets tough and we just want to feel acceptance. We want to know someone cares and thinks we are important. There is. He is with us always. He may put circumstances in our lives to test our faith, but He walks beside us for ever and a day. Before I came to South Carolina, I trusted my horoscope everyday to guide me as to how my day was going to pan out. I know, scary isn’t it? Deuteronomy 18:10-12. I can honestly say that I did not know that reading my horoscope was an abomination. I am fearful now and constantly searching the Bible to learn more because I didn’t know that. I pray that God will lead me to the things I need to learn and to change in my life.

You know what bothers me more; trying to reach the lost. So many are conformed to the world and its seduction there is no room for their conscience to hear the Law. I fear for them because if I am saved by grace and my sins are still being revealed to me, what about all of those people that aren’t saved and that aren’t learning and that don’t know about the abominations?

We may not feel as important as we would like to some days. I know I have my days when I go out to the mailbox and there is nothing but a Piggy Wiggy flyer. But, God created every single one of us for a reason. Every one of us has an important job to do. If you aren’t sure that you are doing what He put you here for, maybe it is time to have a conversation with Him. Look to Him for that feeling of acceptance instead of the pagan world we live in.

Until next time,

Intro

Okay, so it went from a blog to a POJ and now Crackerberries. Whatever you want to call it is fine by me. It all comes from the same place ... deep inside my head and out through the bottom of my heart.

My first blog was posted on MySpace September 19, 2007 (myspace.com/chrismarriedbarbie). I made a commitment then to write every Wednesday and after reading through some of the archived posts, I can see how that commitment paid off. Thank God. Some of those first blogs ... ouch ... definitely a work in progress. Then I realized that is what the Christian walk is like. The more committed we are to learning, the more faithful we become which brings us closer to the Lord. Yet, it is a constant work in progress.

I used to think that once you were saved, there was nothing to worry about. Boy, was I way off base there. Every time I turned around there was something slipping out of my mouth calling some poor lost undeserving soul an idiot or cursing the telemarketer on the other end of the phone line for calling after 8PM. And then there is the children. What can I say about children? They test the limits with their parents that is for sure. That is what they were created for. Look up children in the dictionary. It says: to produce severe wrinkles; to make hair turn gray; to give an uncontrollable desire to scream and yell at the top of ones lungs. Not really, I'm just kidding but sometimes don't you feel like it should say that?

Anyways, last night I joined CSC (Circle of Sisters in Christ) with our church ... Calvary Chapel Lexington. I believe this is going to be an awesome Bible Study with a wonderful group of women. I have never been in a Bible Study before. I only came to Christ in March of 2007. I can tell you I have learned a lot, but there is always more one can learn. Heidi Hoppe will be teaching us through the Book of Proverbs. She said something last night (and I cannot even remember what it was, but whatever it was it brought me to posting Crackerberries as my new POJ/Blog). She made me realize that even though we walk the Christian walk and even though we are sinners saved by grace, the opportunity to stumble is always there. We still have hard times and the devil is still there trying to make us stumble. With CSC we can make a circle and hold hands and be strong for each other while learning God's Word.

So my blog that turned into a POJ that posted weekly has turned into Crackerberries that will post whenever God leads me.

Until next time,