Fancy Creamers……do you use them? You know the big bottles of flavored creamers for coffee. They have such wonderful flavors in them, and new ones arriving with each season. My top picks would be Blueberry Cobbler and Coconut Cream.
It has become the running joke at my church for our Ladies Ministry… “You need to come, because we will have fancy creamers!” You know, in the Baptist church you never have a gathering without food…..ever. And in modern times, you don’t have a ladies gathering without coffee and fancy creamers. We were horrified one Tuesday morning to come to Bible study and find three large bottles of fancy creamers left out since Sunday! All had to be poured down the drain.
There is something about those fancy creamers. They take a dark and bitter drink and turn it into something light, sweet and yummy!
I have two friends I talked into trying my favorite creamers. My friend in Tennessee thought I was strange to put Coconut creamer in my coffee…..until she tried it! It is wonderful! My dear friend here at home thought I was nuts about the Blueberry Cobbler creamer……until she tried it! She even took it a step further, her favorite is Blueberry Cobbler creamer mixed with Pumpkin Spice flavored coffee! She will tell you that now she is spoiled, she does not want to drink plain old coffee anymore, she wants the fancy creamer added!
My question is this, what kind of fancy creamer are you?
In a world filled with darkness and bitterness, we are called to be salt (or sweet) and light. John 3:19 tells us that the Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than the Light. God had a plan to bring the people to this Light. In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us that the believers are the salt and light of the world. Verse 16 says “In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” The world walking in darkness, sees the light and wants to be in the light. Back in John 3, Jesus tells us that anyone who lives by truth comes to the light. The people want this Light in their lives. We are the ones that show the way. We bring sweet and light into the world, until they don’t want the dark and bitter, they want the Light that we have.
Just like my friend, the old way does not work for them anymore, they want the fancy creamer.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Land of the Lost
Land of the Lost, do you remember it? Saturday morning TV fun in the late ‘70s. The show was about a dad and his son and daughter, Rick, Will, and Holly Marshall, that went on a rafting trip and ended up in “prehistoric” times with the dinosaurs. There is a whole blog post in that one statement. One about creation science, the lies of evolution, and erosion of educational freedoms, but we will save that for another day…………
The show was from Sid & Marty Krofft….remember shows like H.R. Pufnstuff, The Bugaloos, and Sigmund & the Sea Monsters. Every week we watched the family battle dinosaurs, the Sleestaks (yuck!), and other creatures as they tried to find the way back home. And there was even a theme song...I don’t remember it other than ‘Land of the Lost….Land of the Lost’. Can you imagine living in such a world? A world where you just didn’t fit in, a world where enemies were attacking from all sides, a world in which you struggled to keep your family united, a world where you just wanted a safe place……………..sound familiar?
As Christians, we live in our own ‘Land of the Lost’. As believers in Christ, we are surrounded on all sides by people that think we are strange, not fitting in with them. 1Peter 4:4 tells us that the world is surprised that we don’t “plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation--and they slander you.” As believers in Christ, we are surrounded by attacks from all sides. Ephesians 6 assures us that we will have these battles, and how to suit up to fight them. As believers in Christ, we fight to keep the commandments to our family….to honor our father and mother (Exodus 20:12), to honor our marriage (Exodus 20:13), to love our spouses (Ephesians 5:22-32), and to raise godly children (Deuteronomy 6). We want to keep the thief at bay (John 10:10). Yes, we are living in the “Land of the Lost”.
Now, in the TV show, they never made it home, they got cancelled after three seasons. We will make it home. Hebrews 11, the “Hall of Faith” chapter, tells us that we don’t belong here, there is a country we can not see, and the faithful believe in the promise of it. There is a promise of it, of a place made for us. In John 14, Jesus tells us that He goes to prepare a place for us, and will receive us to Himself. He tells us that we even know the Way home…”I am the way, the truth and the life.” We have the assurance of a Way home, much better than the TV family.
As we walk through our “Land of the Lost”, we have a much easier journey; we know how ours will end. We have the Word to help us through the journey. What Scripture helps you in your journey? I want to know.
By the way, Will Farrell is making a Land of the Lost movie, but nothing compares to the original.
The show was from Sid & Marty Krofft….remember shows like H.R. Pufnstuff, The Bugaloos, and Sigmund & the Sea Monsters. Every week we watched the family battle dinosaurs, the Sleestaks (yuck!), and other creatures as they tried to find the way back home. And there was even a theme song...I don’t remember it other than ‘Land of the Lost….Land of the Lost’. Can you imagine living in such a world? A world where you just didn’t fit in, a world where enemies were attacking from all sides, a world in which you struggled to keep your family united, a world where you just wanted a safe place……………..sound familiar?
As Christians, we live in our own ‘Land of the Lost’. As believers in Christ, we are surrounded on all sides by people that think we are strange, not fitting in with them. 1Peter 4:4 tells us that the world is surprised that we don’t “plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation--and they slander you.” As believers in Christ, we are surrounded by attacks from all sides. Ephesians 6 assures us that we will have these battles, and how to suit up to fight them. As believers in Christ, we fight to keep the commandments to our family….to honor our father and mother (Exodus 20:12), to honor our marriage (Exodus 20:13), to love our spouses (Ephesians 5:22-32), and to raise godly children (Deuteronomy 6). We want to keep the thief at bay (John 10:10). Yes, we are living in the “Land of the Lost”.
Now, in the TV show, they never made it home, they got cancelled after three seasons. We will make it home. Hebrews 11, the “Hall of Faith” chapter, tells us that we don’t belong here, there is a country we can not see, and the faithful believe in the promise of it. There is a promise of it, of a place made for us. In John 14, Jesus tells us that He goes to prepare a place for us, and will receive us to Himself. He tells us that we even know the Way home…”I am the way, the truth and the life.” We have the assurance of a Way home, much better than the TV family.
As we walk through our “Land of the Lost”, we have a much easier journey; we know how ours will end. We have the Word to help us through the journey. What Scripture helps you in your journey? I want to know.
By the way, Will Farrell is making a Land of the Lost movie, but nothing compares to the original.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Myrtle Beach Days
"Myrtle Beach days, we’ll have some fun in the waves"………..Beach music, do you know it?? I do. My parents love beach music. They grew up with it. They dance to it and taught my sister and I how to dance to it. They have taught it to my sons, the music, not the dancing….yet. My oldest can hear a song start and tell you if it is beach music. His Poppi has trained him well.
If you are not from the South, let the education begin. Beach music has its home in the state of South Carolina. In fact, the dance of beach music, the Shag, is the state dance of South Carolina. It is a laid back dance with a simple count. Those that can do it well make it look effortless. My attempt at it is not pretty, but I know enough to dance with my dad. My sister does much better, she is the coordinated one. My guess is she will teach her son soon, he is 3. But the music is fun, Southern rythym and blues with a beat that you can count. The official home of the music and the dance is the Ocean Drive section of North Myrtle Beach. That brings me to my story……
My husband was at Youth Camp last week with the Youth group from our church. He spent the week in the barracks with teenage boys. My sons and I spent the week with my parents at their vacation house at the beach. My sons love their dad. The constant question is “What time will Daddy be home?”. I knew better than to stay home with Daddy not here. We went where they could be distracted.
My sons love the beach, the beach house, the golf cart, the pool, the whole experience. My mom and dad intentionally bought the house for childhood memories for my children. They know how hard it is to raise a family on one income, and they wanted us to be able to take vacations.
My husband and I had this conversation last week about raising children. The memories we are making for them. I know now that we did not have it easy growing up, but I don’t remember that. I have lots of memories of time spent with my family. Most of my memories involve the church and how my parents served there. That is what I remember, not the little budget for groceries. That is what we want for our children.
My children are storing memories for their futures. A future that I may not be there for. What are the memories we are giving them? What are the memories you are making for your family? I know that my children will remember that they were loved. They had a Gi and Poppi that loved to spend time with them. An Aunt Amy that would act silly with them and let them ride her like a horse. An Uncle Scott that would do sparklers with them and sit in the sand to watch fireworks. A cousin that doesn’t know he is a cousin, he thinks they are his brothers. I want them to remember that we love each other because God loved us and showed us how to love.
"………I don’t care what the West Coast says, love those Myrtle Beach days."
If you are not from the South, let the education begin. Beach music has its home in the state of South Carolina. In fact, the dance of beach music, the Shag, is the state dance of South Carolina. It is a laid back dance with a simple count. Those that can do it well make it look effortless. My attempt at it is not pretty, but I know enough to dance with my dad. My sister does much better, she is the coordinated one. My guess is she will teach her son soon, he is 3. But the music is fun, Southern rythym and blues with a beat that you can count. The official home of the music and the dance is the Ocean Drive section of North Myrtle Beach. That brings me to my story……
My husband was at Youth Camp last week with the Youth group from our church. He spent the week in the barracks with teenage boys. My sons and I spent the week with my parents at their vacation house at the beach. My sons love their dad. The constant question is “What time will Daddy be home?”. I knew better than to stay home with Daddy not here. We went where they could be distracted.
My sons love the beach, the beach house, the golf cart, the pool, the whole experience. My mom and dad intentionally bought the house for childhood memories for my children. They know how hard it is to raise a family on one income, and they wanted us to be able to take vacations.
My husband and I had this conversation last week about raising children. The memories we are making for them. I know now that we did not have it easy growing up, but I don’t remember that. I have lots of memories of time spent with my family. Most of my memories involve the church and how my parents served there. That is what I remember, not the little budget for groceries. That is what we want for our children.
My children are storing memories for their futures. A future that I may not be there for. What are the memories we are giving them? What are the memories you are making for your family? I know that my children will remember that they were loved. They had a Gi and Poppi that loved to spend time with them. An Aunt Amy that would act silly with them and let them ride her like a horse. An Uncle Scott that would do sparklers with them and sit in the sand to watch fireworks. A cousin that doesn’t know he is a cousin, he thinks they are his brothers. I want them to remember that we love each other because God loved us and showed us how to love.
"………I don’t care what the West Coast says, love those Myrtle Beach days."
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Jose' Kanusi
Do you get it?? Jose’ Kanusi--HO-SAY KAN U SEE--Oh Say, Can you see?? I know, it took me a while too.
I was a Jose Kanusi singer. Impressed, huh? There were eight of us. Two bass, two tenor, two alto, and two soprano singers were in the group. We sang the Star-Spangled Banner at high school games and other functions. I was a replacement. Another soprano had bad grades and was kicked off. I was lucky. I didn’t have to sing every Thursday and Friday at games. I got on in the spring time. We went to all the middle schools and sang to try to recruit singers for the chorus. Chorus of the ‘80s, when we sang Whitney Houston songs….”How will I know??”….bad, really bad. But, that is not what we are talking about today.
The Star-Spangled Banner. Do you know the song? It is a really hard song and in a high key for a national anthem. It is not easy to sing right. But we still love it. The story of it’s writing and how it came to be add to it’s worth as a national anthem. It is a story of pride in a nation and it’s ideals.
Francis Scott Key wrote the song on the back of an envelope. He had spent days as a “guest” on the British ship the Surprise during the war of 1812. He witnessed a night of full bombardment on Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. He was awestruck the next morning, when he saw the American flag still flying over the fort. He knew the sight of the flag in the dawn’s early light was proof of the land of the free still standing.
We know the first verse, and maybe the second. This is my favorite, I think you will know why.
“Oh! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand.
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”
I was a Jose Kanusi singer. Impressed, huh? There were eight of us. Two bass, two tenor, two alto, and two soprano singers were in the group. We sang the Star-Spangled Banner at high school games and other functions. I was a replacement. Another soprano had bad grades and was kicked off. I was lucky. I didn’t have to sing every Thursday and Friday at games. I got on in the spring time. We went to all the middle schools and sang to try to recruit singers for the chorus. Chorus of the ‘80s, when we sang Whitney Houston songs….”How will I know??”….bad, really bad. But, that is not what we are talking about today.
The Star-Spangled Banner. Do you know the song? It is a really hard song and in a high key for a national anthem. It is not easy to sing right. But we still love it. The story of it’s writing and how it came to be add to it’s worth as a national anthem. It is a story of pride in a nation and it’s ideals.
Francis Scott Key wrote the song on the back of an envelope. He had spent days as a “guest” on the British ship the Surprise during the war of 1812. He witnessed a night of full bombardment on Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor. He was awestruck the next morning, when he saw the American flag still flying over the fort. He knew the sight of the flag in the dawn’s early light was proof of the land of the free still standing.
We know the first verse, and maybe the second. This is my favorite, I think you will know why.
“Oh! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand.
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!”
Friday, July 4, 2008
National Treasure
When in the course of human events………….Do you know how the Declaration of Independence begins?? Today, this famous document is two hundred and thirty-two years old, and we celebrate our nation’s birthday. We all go and celebrate with family and friends. We eat hot dogs and hamburgers. We watch fireworks and wave flags. But do you actually know what the document says.
I love to read the Declaration. I wish I could write like that, I wish I could think like that! A declaration of the rights that were given to them by the Creator....A declaration of the wrongs committed by the monarch....A declaration of outrage at their unfair treatment....A declaration of surprise at the treatment from their British “brethren”....A declaration of Independence to the world.
I wonder what it would look like if it were written in “politically correct” language of today. I don’t think it would pack the punch that it does, nor would it send the same message. These men were “traitors” and declaring the all-powerful King of England an unfit ruler and tyrant. These men were the movers and shakers of the time. Despite what you may have been told, most were Christians. They knew the Source of Power and the Source of Freedom.
References to God are found in four places in the Declaration. 1. “and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.” 2. “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” 3. “appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World, for the Rectitude of our Intentions.” 4. “with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence.”
Read the Declaration. I know it can be found in many places on the web. You may not have read it in years, or you may have never read it. It is an amazing document, written by men that were confident in their place in God’s plan. It is full of wonderful ideas, beautiful language, and knowledge of the Creator.
And no matter what you hear, I don‘t think that there is a treasure map on the back.
I love to read the Declaration. I wish I could write like that, I wish I could think like that! A declaration of the rights that were given to them by the Creator....A declaration of the wrongs committed by the monarch....A declaration of outrage at their unfair treatment....A declaration of surprise at the treatment from their British “brethren”....A declaration of Independence to the world.
I wonder what it would look like if it were written in “politically correct” language of today. I don’t think it would pack the punch that it does, nor would it send the same message. These men were “traitors” and declaring the all-powerful King of England an unfit ruler and tyrant. These men were the movers and shakers of the time. Despite what you may have been told, most were Christians. They knew the Source of Power and the Source of Freedom.
References to God are found in four places in the Declaration. 1. “and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.” 2. “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” 3. “appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World, for the Rectitude of our Intentions.” 4. “with a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence.”
Read the Declaration. I know it can be found in many places on the web. You may not have read it in years, or you may have never read it. It is an amazing document, written by men that were confident in their place in God’s plan. It is full of wonderful ideas, beautiful language, and knowledge of the Creator.
And no matter what you hear, I don‘t think that there is a treasure map on the back.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Semper Fi!
Semper fidelis means always faithful! That is the motto of the United States Marine Corps.
Let’s backtrack a little. You might not actually know me in real life. I have a mind full of useless information, or a useless mind full of information, which ever way you want to look at it. This is an example….with apologies to my brother-in-law, because I know that the history of the USMC is not useless information--OO-RAH!!
I am fortunate to have been brought up in a very patriotic family. I have a twelve foot flag pole in my yard with Old Glory flying. My husband is a police officer. My dad is a retired fire fighter, and a veteran of the US Navy (USS Little Rock). My brother-in-law is a “once a Marine, always a Marine”. My paternal grandfather was a US Navy veteran. My maternal grandfather was career military, “a full bird” Colonel in the Air National Guard. He actually was in the Army before WWII and helped start “the Guard” in North Carolina.
Our choir is rehearsing a song that our pastor has requested for the Sunday after Independence Day. It is a medley of the anthems for the United States Armed Services. I love singing this song. It is a song that I sang in the choir at our previous church for many years. We sing the songs for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. It is a lot of fun.
There are many things we see/say/sing/hear that we may not understand the “full measure of devotion” that it required. Such is the anthem of the USMC.
“From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli, we will fight our country’s battles in the air, on land and sea.” This is the first line of the USMC anthem. We will sing it this Sunday. Many will sing it throughout the week as we celebrate our nation’s birthday. Do you know what it means??
“From the halls of Montezuma” is a reference to Chapultepec Castle, also known as the Halls of Montezuma. There was a decisive battle fought by the US Marines here in the Mexican-American War in September 1847. The Marines overtook the castle and occupied Mexico City after this battle. The Marines also remember this battle with the red stripe of the dress uniform, it is known as the blood stripe.
“The shores of Tripoli” remembers the first US battle fought on foreign soil in the First Barbary War in April 1805. It was a war against terror. America refused to be terrorized by the Barbary pirates. America showed itself capable of being a player on the world stage, even as a young country. The USMC remembers this battle through the tradition of officers receiving a Mameluke sword, which resembles the sabers carried in this battle in Derna, Tripoli (modern day Libya).
This is just the example from the USMC. Each of the other branches has a story to tell, one of honor, bravery, brotherhood and freedom.
“Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Let’s backtrack a little. You might not actually know me in real life. I have a mind full of useless information, or a useless mind full of information, which ever way you want to look at it. This is an example….with apologies to my brother-in-law, because I know that the history of the USMC is not useless information--OO-RAH!!
I am fortunate to have been brought up in a very patriotic family. I have a twelve foot flag pole in my yard with Old Glory flying. My husband is a police officer. My dad is a retired fire fighter, and a veteran of the US Navy (USS Little Rock). My brother-in-law is a “once a Marine, always a Marine”. My paternal grandfather was a US Navy veteran. My maternal grandfather was career military, “a full bird” Colonel in the Air National Guard. He actually was in the Army before WWII and helped start “the Guard” in North Carolina.
Our choir is rehearsing a song that our pastor has requested for the Sunday after Independence Day. It is a medley of the anthems for the United States Armed Services. I love singing this song. It is a song that I sang in the choir at our previous church for many years. We sing the songs for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. It is a lot of fun.
There are many things we see/say/sing/hear that we may not understand the “full measure of devotion” that it required. Such is the anthem of the USMC.
“From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli, we will fight our country’s battles in the air, on land and sea.” This is the first line of the USMC anthem. We will sing it this Sunday. Many will sing it throughout the week as we celebrate our nation’s birthday. Do you know what it means??
“From the halls of Montezuma” is a reference to Chapultepec Castle, also known as the Halls of Montezuma. There was a decisive battle fought by the US Marines here in the Mexican-American War in September 1847. The Marines overtook the castle and occupied Mexico City after this battle. The Marines also remember this battle with the red stripe of the dress uniform, it is known as the blood stripe.
“The shores of Tripoli” remembers the first US battle fought on foreign soil in the First Barbary War in April 1805. It was a war against terror. America refused to be terrorized by the Barbary pirates. America showed itself capable of being a player on the world stage, even as a young country. The USMC remembers this battle through the tradition of officers receiving a Mameluke sword, which resembles the sabers carried in this battle in Derna, Tripoli (modern day Libya).
This is just the example from the USMC. Each of the other branches has a story to tell, one of honor, bravery, brotherhood and freedom.
“Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
Monday, June 30, 2008
CLINK!
CLINK, Clink, clink, clink, clink.
This was the sound of my Sunday. It is actually a sound I look forward to, and I don’t know if anyone else even notices it. The sound has been a favorite of mine since childhood, but it has changed through the years. It is the sound of the unity, obedience, and holiness of a church. Listen with me……
As a child, I attended a small church. My memories of childhood are all church memories. Spending time with other families at church, summer church activities, children’s choir and youth group were all wonderful memories for me. I don’t know if the sound meant much to me before the age of twelve. But at the age of twelve, the way I saw things changed. I could participate in the unity of the church. The sound was loud then. CLINK, CLINK, CLINK.
After we married, my husband and I attended a different church. I went many years without hearing the sound at this church. We were part of a very large church. And in obedience to the Lord’s command, the sound was heard there, too. But due to logistical issues, it was not heard often.
We are members of a different church now. The sound changed at this church, and I will explain it later. It is a Clink, clink, c l i n k . Our pastor says you can see the heart of the church through the baptisms, but you can see the holiness of the church through the observance of the Lord’s supper. We hear this sound at every observance.
This sound. You may think me odd to like it. It is the sound after communion is over. It is the sound of the communion cups being set down in the pews.
As a child, the communion cups were made of glass and hand washed by the deacons. This made a loud sound when the glass and the wood connected. The communion cups of modern times are plastic. They make a quieter sound.
What does this sound mean to me?
It means the unity of the body of believers, obeying the Lord’s command to “Do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19
It means remembering the body and the blood, that the penalty has been paid. “It is finished.” John 19:30
It means looking for His return. “…you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Cor 11:26
It means living the joyful life He came to give us all. “I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10
What does it mean for you?
This was the sound of my Sunday. It is actually a sound I look forward to, and I don’t know if anyone else even notices it. The sound has been a favorite of mine since childhood, but it has changed through the years. It is the sound of the unity, obedience, and holiness of a church. Listen with me……
As a child, I attended a small church. My memories of childhood are all church memories. Spending time with other families at church, summer church activities, children’s choir and youth group were all wonderful memories for me. I don’t know if the sound meant much to me before the age of twelve. But at the age of twelve, the way I saw things changed. I could participate in the unity of the church. The sound was loud then. CLINK, CLINK, CLINK.
After we married, my husband and I attended a different church. I went many years without hearing the sound at this church. We were part of a very large church. And in obedience to the Lord’s command, the sound was heard there, too. But due to logistical issues, it was not heard often.
We are members of a different church now. The sound changed at this church, and I will explain it later. It is a Clink, clink, c l i n k . Our pastor says you can see the heart of the church through the baptisms, but you can see the holiness of the church through the observance of the Lord’s supper. We hear this sound at every observance.
This sound. You may think me odd to like it. It is the sound after communion is over. It is the sound of the communion cups being set down in the pews.
As a child, the communion cups were made of glass and hand washed by the deacons. This made a loud sound when the glass and the wood connected. The communion cups of modern times are plastic. They make a quieter sound.
What does this sound mean to me?
It means the unity of the body of believers, obeying the Lord’s command to “Do this in remembrance of me.” Luke 22:19
It means remembering the body and the blood, that the penalty has been paid. “It is finished.” John 19:30
It means looking for His return. “…you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Cor 11:26
It means living the joyful life He came to give us all. “I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.” John 10:10
What does it mean for you?
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