Saturday, February 24, 2024

Church History

Where I've attended church over the years....

1958 - St Luke Episcopal, Atlanta, GA (baptized)
1965 - St Anne's Episcopal, Atlanta, GA
1966 - Mtn Home AFB 
1967 - St James Anglican-Episcopal, Atlanta, GA (confirmed)
1978 - Chalcedon Presbyterian, Atlanta, GA
1979 - Harvester Presbyterian, Springfield, VA
1980 - McLean Presbyterian, McLean, VA
1981 - Church Creek Presbyterian, Charleston, SC
1985 - Rainbow City Presbyterian, Rainbow City, AL
1987 - First Presbyterian, Rome, GA
1988 - Chalcedon Presbyterian, GA

Saturday, January 27, 2024

WORD OF THE YEAR - HEARTw

 


As a follow-up to the practicality of last year's word (steward),
 I am focusing on what informs that Biblical action: a heart properly connected to the Creator ~







Per habit, an acrostic

H = HELP
E = EMPOWER
A = ABIDE
R = REVIVE
T = TRANSFORM

With these I will do Scripture-based word studies and also focus on Psalm 119:  the very foundation for connecting one's heart to the Creator.

Not only will I read Psalm 119 methodically, but also will search for  hymns/lyrics based on these verses.  Daily readings from Charles Bridges' commentary on Psalm 119 are already underway.
Re-listening to a JCMIII Psalm 119 series:  The Christian's Delight at Sermonaudio and referencing commentaries by Thomas Manton, John Calvin, and Matthew Henry supplement my study.

At church, Pastor Jess is preaching through Corinthians, so I will attempt to integrate his sermons with my personal devotions.  In addition, I hope to read up on the life and times of the Corinthians: biography of the Apostle Paul (for example, historical fiction byTaylor Caldwell and movie _Peter and Paul_)

That sounds like a good start for  2024 ~

Saturday, January 20, 2024

ABOUT ME

CREATED by the LORD God Jehovah

SAVED by the sacrifice of His precious son Jesus Christ

EMPOWERED by the Holy Spirit to live on earth and serve (Rom 6:11)

STEWARD of the manifold grace of the one and only true God

FOLLOWER of King Jesus

DAUGHTER of Christian parents

WIFE of one Godly husband

MOTHER of four daughters

GRANDMOTHER of seven 

SISTER of fellow followers of Jesus

FRIEND to some

NEIGHBOR to many


Sunday, June 18, 2023

Father's Day Reminiscences

 



June 18, 2006
Father's Day

After worship at Chalcedon Presbyterian Church,  we gathered at Pine Lark for a Sunday lunch of boiled shrimp with Louis sauce followed by listening to a CD of spirituals in the living room.

Fun things to remember about WDJ  a la five senses:

Touch:  steady hands coupled with practiced technical skills to perform delicate operations on small human anatomy (arteries)....... and remove splinters from children's fingers and toes

Sight:  green eyes that were observant - dont ever think he wasn't paying attention ~

Hearing:  loved singing/listening to music like spirituals and Handel's Messiah  

Taste:  keen taste buds that allowed him to detect specific flavors in our cooked dishes and he always ate whatever I prepared.

Smell:  distinctly shaped nose that loved the scent of gardenias, and hence, his wife's perfume (White Shoulders);  on his 80th birthday I gave him a new supply white cotton handkerchiefs - 80 of them!



On this day in 2023, I re-listened to his 1987 lecture on organ transplantation and brain death.  It was nice to hear his voice and be reminded of his astute reasoning skills.


Thursday, May 11, 2023

Mother's Day

This year is my second for *firsts*.   In 2021, my father died.  Then 21 months later, in 2022, my mother died. 


And so, that just means that I am experiencing once again those *firsts* without one or the other. 

It's just my turn to suffer  loss. 


I am thankful for the loyalty and support of my nuclear family and special friends.



I am blessed to have had both of my parents for such a long time in my short life.... to get to know them as an adult as well as an *older* adult is indeed special.


In memory of my recently deceased mother, this year for Mother's Day I made a donation to Frontlineresponse.org  This particular organization has a strong presence in my city/state well-known for attracting crowds for special sporting events and conventions.

To show my heart for someone I dont believe I have to have "walked a mile in her/his shoes" (moccasins*).  I am willing to be judged by the standard of Holy Scripture and strive to be a good steward ("put my money where my mouth is.")  Support for those in crisis pregnancy has long been dear to my heart and now I add support to the rescue of those ensnared in se*-trafficking.

In the past in memory of my father I made donations to topics dear to his heart:  pro-life ministries (GRTL) and private practice/education of medicine/surgery (AAPS & GA Vascular Foundation)
















PS - Red Tulips on Moma's yet-to-be-marked grave are representative of her battle with Parkinson's.

PPS Family group photo taken 4/21/13 - ten years ago ... on my 55th birthday celebrated after church with dinner at the Canoe restaurant in Vinings, GA on the banks of the Chattahoochee River where I grew up.

* reference to popular poem by M Lathrap


Sunday, April 30, 2023

Judge Softly

 

“Pray, don’t find fault with the man that limps,
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the moccasins he wears,
Or stumbled beneath the same load.

There may be tears in his soles that hurt
Though hidden away from view.
The burden he bears placed on your back
May cause you to stumble and fall, too.

Don’t sneer at the man who is down today
Unless you have felt the same blow
That caused his fall or felt the shame
That only the fallen know.

You may be strong, but still the blows
That were his, unknown to you in the same way,
May cause you to stagger and fall, too.

Don’t be too harsh with the man that sins.
Or pelt him with words, or stone, or disdain.
Unless you are sure you have no sins of your own,
And it’s only wisdom and love that your heart contains.

For you know if the tempter’s voice
Should whisper as soft to you,
As it did to him when he went astray,
It might cause you to falter, too.

Just walk a mile in his moccasins
Before you abuse, criticize and accuse.
If just for one hour, you could find a way
To see through his eyes, instead of your own muse.

I believe you’d be surprised to see
That you’ve been blind and narrow-minded, even unkind.
There are people on reservations and in the ghettos
Who have so little hope, and too much worry on their minds.

Brother, there but for the grace of God go you and I.
Just for a moment, slip into his mind and traditions
And see the world through his spirit and eyes
Before you cast a stone or falsely judge his conditions.

Remember to walk a mile in his moccasins
And remember the lessons of humanity taught to you by your elders.
We will be known forever by the tracks we leave
In other people’s lives, our kindnesses and generosity.

Take the time to walk a mile in his moccasins.”

~ by Mary T. Lathrap, 1895

Saturday, April 22, 2023

2023 WORD OF THE YEAR

STEWARD

I am but a steward of the manifold grace of God

Matthew Henry's commentary on     Luke 16












An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating Luke 16:1-9 in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England.

Phillip Medhurst - Photo by Harry Kossuth


S = SINNER - 1 JOHN 1:8 - If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

S = SAVIOR - LUKE 2:11 - For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.


T = TREACHERY - Ezekiel 18:24b - None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die.

T = TRUTH - Ephesians 4:25 - Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

       

E = EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT - Revelation 20:10 - and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulphur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and forever.

E = ETERNAL LIFE - JOHN 17:3 - And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.


W = WICKEDNESS - Luke 11:39 - And the Lord said to him, "Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness."

W = WISDOM - Luke 21:15 - for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.


A = APATHY - Rev 3:15-16 - I know your works:  you are neither cold not hot.  Would that you were either cold or hot.  So, because you are lukewarm (apathetic), and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

A = ABUNDANCE - Rom 5:17 - For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.


R = REBUKE - Psalm 119:21 - You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones who wander from your commandments.

R = REWARD - Psalm 19:11 - Moreover, by them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward


D = DECEIVER - 2 John 7 - For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh.   Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

D = DISCIPLE - John 13:35 - By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.


PARABLE OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS STEWARD

Luke 16: 1-18