Today is Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember those that have died preserving freedom for our beautiful America. My family and I decided to travel to Galveston; enjoying the holiday by spending time together near the Gulf of Mexico.
The water was just gorgeous - a deep blue, that special blue that seems the ocean's own particular gift to our eyes. And there were whitecaps, breaking over the sandbars, whose tan shadows lay just beneath the surface of the waves.
We ate at one of our favorite restaurants, which is located on the sea wall. Part of the dining room is all windows, offering a "gull's eye view" of the water; and we talked and enjoyed the seascape as we ate our supper.
Soon, a family came and sat down at the table next to us; one them an older gentleman, who chose the seat that placed his back towards us. He was wearing a black leather vest with several different embroidered decals, and I glanced at them, reading each one as I ate.
The emblem nearest the edge of the vest was embroidered in white thread. In an understated way, it marked the gentleman as a "Proud Marine", and I felt a surge of emotion as I studied it. One of the reasons that each of us lives our life in freedom is because of men like this stranger, a man whose name I do not even know, a man that I will probably never see again. A man whose face was not even visible to me as he sat there, waiting for his order, in a small restaurant near the sea.
To me, he is a symbol of all of the brave men and women in our Armed Forces; men and women whose names I do not even know, the majority of whose faces I will probably never even see. But I can be thankful for them. And I can pray for them and their families; not just on Memorial Day, but often.
There was only one thing for me to do as we finished up our food, gathered our things, and started to walk away. "Sir," I said softly, "I noticed from your vest that you are a Marine."
He chuckled. "Well, not any more, but I was." "Thank you for your service," I said. "I appreciate what you have done for our country, very much." He smiled, thanked me for the kind words, and I left the dining room and went to the car. As we drove away, I sat thinking about how that a perfect stranger made my holiday special. Because our paths crossed, Memorial Day was made more meaningful to me.
And I'm thankful for the opportunity that was presented to me, today, as well. Though it was very inadequate, I was able, in a small way, to say thanks. And that's a memory that I will treasure, forever.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
"Be still and know..."
Today, I awakened to find the sun shining, hotly golden, in the blue, late May sky. The grass was green, and needing a trim, and the doves were having a gentle conversation in the trees. I dressed, and later, as I washed my face, the eyes staring back at me in the bathroom mirror held only peace, and a bit of mild curiosity about what the day would bring. I stepped out into the Texas heat, and climbed into my sister's car to join her for lunch and a bit of shopping.
My brother-in-law is supposed to go to Pennsylvania to do some work for his job, and he needed a new suitcase sturdy enough to carry everything, (along with his heavy work boots,) that he would need for two weeks away from home.
My sister and I found the much-needed suitcase, and had an enjoyable time together along the way; when you are with your sister, even taking a glass of iced tea out on the patio is fun! We then went on to the craft store, and I picked up some flags to place in the yard to commemorate Memorial Day. It was turning out to be a rather quiet, uneventful Saturday.
A few hours later, the stressful situation arose like one of the menacing hurricanes that seem to appear from nowhere out in the middle of the Gulf. The rain lashed, and the lightening flashed in my soul, and dark clouds of doubt scudded across my sky, as they always do, just when one needs their faith the most. And my heart cried out, over the sound of my storm: "God, where are You?"
It was evening, now, and I got in my car to take some medicine over to my grandmother, and I whispered, "please help me Lord, I need You." And I gripped the steering wheel and said aloud: "Please Jesus, fix these broken things! I need You!"
I turned the radio on to a Gospel station, and listened to the music, praying as I listened, and suddenly, that station cut out, and a different song from another Gospel station cut in, much stronger. "Come," the singer sang, and continued with something like: "Come unto Me. Lean upon My strength this night... Be still and know that I am God... Rest... I am the Lord..." And the Scripture echoed in my heart "Be still and know that I am God... Be still and know that I am God..."
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I felt His nearness, and I realized that He is totally in control of every situation over which we have no control, because He is God. And I relenquished and surrendered this thing that I have been trying to figure out and work out in my mind to Him. I am as helpless to change this situation as if both of my hands were literally tied with thick ropes behind my back. There is absolutely nothing I can do in my own power to change it. But He can. If I will get out of the way and trust Him to do it.
I will continue to pray and ask for His help, not only in changing the situation, but in changing me, as well. And He will answer, just as He always does, with love, and patience, and infinite wisdom. He has never failed me yet and He never will. And when I get stressed and manage to forget, as we human beings tend to do so easily, He will even take the time to remind me to: "Be still... and know... that I am God..."
My brother-in-law is supposed to go to Pennsylvania to do some work for his job, and he needed a new suitcase sturdy enough to carry everything, (along with his heavy work boots,) that he would need for two weeks away from home.
My sister and I found the much-needed suitcase, and had an enjoyable time together along the way; when you are with your sister, even taking a glass of iced tea out on the patio is fun! We then went on to the craft store, and I picked up some flags to place in the yard to commemorate Memorial Day. It was turning out to be a rather quiet, uneventful Saturday.
A few hours later, the stressful situation arose like one of the menacing hurricanes that seem to appear from nowhere out in the middle of the Gulf. The rain lashed, and the lightening flashed in my soul, and dark clouds of doubt scudded across my sky, as they always do, just when one needs their faith the most. And my heart cried out, over the sound of my storm: "God, where are You?"
It was evening, now, and I got in my car to take some medicine over to my grandmother, and I whispered, "please help me Lord, I need You." And I gripped the steering wheel and said aloud: "Please Jesus, fix these broken things! I need You!"
I turned the radio on to a Gospel station, and listened to the music, praying as I listened, and suddenly, that station cut out, and a different song from another Gospel station cut in, much stronger. "Come," the singer sang, and continued with something like: "Come unto Me. Lean upon My strength this night... Be still and know that I am God... Rest... I am the Lord..." And the Scripture echoed in my heart "Be still and know that I am God... Be still and know that I am God..."
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I felt His nearness, and I realized that He is totally in control of every situation over which we have no control, because He is God. And I relenquished and surrendered this thing that I have been trying to figure out and work out in my mind to Him. I am as helpless to change this situation as if both of my hands were literally tied with thick ropes behind my back. There is absolutely nothing I can do in my own power to change it. But He can. If I will get out of the way and trust Him to do it.
I will continue to pray and ask for His help, not only in changing the situation, but in changing me, as well. And He will answer, just as He always does, with love, and patience, and infinite wisdom. He has never failed me yet and He never will. And when I get stressed and manage to forget, as we human beings tend to do so easily, He will even take the time to remind me to: "Be still... and know... that I am God..."
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
"...therefore have I hope."
Lamentations 3:21 -26 is encouraging my heart today.
21: "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22: It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23: They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24: The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25: The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26: It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."
21: "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22: It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23: They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
24: The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
25: The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26: It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD."
I Will Not Forget...
The whole idea is very "in your face". It's the equivalent of the muslim population shoving the collective bottoms of their shoes into the faces of the families of those that perished during 9/11. Deliberately exposing the sole of one's shoe to someone else is quite an insult in the Arab world; and, though he may deny it, why else would the islamic cleric Feisal Abdul Rauf want to have his thirteen-story, 1 million dollar mosque built in the very shadow of the fallen World Trade Towers? I think the answer is fairly obvious.
Today, I couldn't seem to wrap my brain around the fact that New York City Community Board 1 had voted 29 to 1 in favor of allowing the mosque to be built. They did this even though many of the 9/11 victims' family members were present at the board meeting, and very vocal in their opposition to the proposal. From the accounts that I have read about the meeting, there was quite a bit of screaming, arguing, and shouting going on, and I can certainly understand why!
If the muslims are not trying to make a point, and if they are not trying to mock the dead, and, in fact the entire United States, why won't they agree to build the mosque elsewhere? Why are they so adamant that it be built at Ground Zero? If they are as cognizant of the families' suffering and sorrow as they say they are, why won't they show some real respect, and back down?
Even if the abominable mosque is built, and it stands tall and proud as a monument to muslim hatred, violence, and mockery of the U.S., there are still those of us that will not forget. We will remember where we were that Tuesday morning when our country was instantly plunged into mourning. We will remember the tears, the terror and the dead. And we will pray for their surviving families, that God will continue to comfort,uphold, and strengthen them. And we will honor the dead in our hearts. No islamic eyesore, were it a thousand stories tall, will ever be able to change that.
Today, I couldn't seem to wrap my brain around the fact that New York City Community Board 1 had voted 29 to 1 in favor of allowing the mosque to be built. They did this even though many of the 9/11 victims' family members were present at the board meeting, and very vocal in their opposition to the proposal. From the accounts that I have read about the meeting, there was quite a bit of screaming, arguing, and shouting going on, and I can certainly understand why!
If the muslims are not trying to make a point, and if they are not trying to mock the dead, and, in fact the entire United States, why won't they agree to build the mosque elsewhere? Why are they so adamant that it be built at Ground Zero? If they are as cognizant of the families' suffering and sorrow as they say they are, why won't they show some real respect, and back down?
Even if the abominable mosque is built, and it stands tall and proud as a monument to muslim hatred, violence, and mockery of the U.S., there are still those of us that will not forget. We will remember where we were that Tuesday morning when our country was instantly plunged into mourning. We will remember the tears, the terror and the dead. And we will pray for their surviving families, that God will continue to comfort,uphold, and strengthen them. And we will honor the dead in our hearts. No islamic eyesore, were it a thousand stories tall, will ever be able to change that.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
"Connor-isms"
My friend Kathy has the most adorable toddler named Connor. He has curly auburn hair and pale skin, and his eyes just sparkle with intelligence and mischief. He is a bundle of energy-in-motion, and his smile can melt your heart in an instant. His family sits near us in church, and it's often hard not to laugh at his antics, because he never fails to entertain! He does love to worship the Lord, though, and sings and claps along with the music with all of his heart.
Tonight in church, after the singing, the minister asked if anyone wanted to give a testimony of what the Lord was doing in their life, and I stood to give mine. I am believing the Lord for healing, and was feeling much better after having had the preacher pray for me during the a.m. service. I was relating this to the church, and then mentioned what one of my doctors had said. I heard a little voice pipe up "Monkeys!" and then some soft mumbleing, and I finished my testimony and sat down. I didn't realize that Connor was the one contributing to my praise report until after the service, when Kathy came up to me and told me what he had said.
It seems he has been learning the song about the "five little monkeys," and when he heard me say: "and the doctor said," he thought I was talking about his song, so he finished up the sentence for me: "and the doctor said, no more monkeys jumping on the bed!" When Kathy told me, I cracked up, and said:"it's a good thing I didn't hear everything, or I never could have finished my testimony!" That is just one example of what will surely be many more "Conner-isms" that this little guy will come up with to make his family and friends smile.
Tonight in church, after the singing, the minister asked if anyone wanted to give a testimony of what the Lord was doing in their life, and I stood to give mine. I am believing the Lord for healing, and was feeling much better after having had the preacher pray for me during the a.m. service. I was relating this to the church, and then mentioned what one of my doctors had said. I heard a little voice pipe up "Monkeys!" and then some soft mumbleing, and I finished my testimony and sat down. I didn't realize that Connor was the one contributing to my praise report until after the service, when Kathy came up to me and told me what he had said.
It seems he has been learning the song about the "five little monkeys," and when he heard me say: "and the doctor said," he thought I was talking about his song, so he finished up the sentence for me: "and the doctor said, no more monkeys jumping on the bed!" When Kathy told me, I cracked up, and said:"it's a good thing I didn't hear everything, or I never could have finished my testimony!" That is just one example of what will surely be many more "Conner-isms" that this little guy will come up with to make his family and friends smile.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Love and Marriage
What a wonderful day! Today my family and I traveled to East Texas to my cousin's wedding. The ceremony took place in a quaint little cabin deep in the piney woods, and the vows were said in the glassed-in sun porch area overlooking the lake. It was all very low-key, but so sweet. I could see purple water-lilys floating on the edge of the water from my perch next to one of the windows, and I just knew the squirrels, birds, rabbits and other forest creatures all around us were sending as many warm wishes to my cousin and his bride as we were!
I couldn't help thinking about how beautiful and precious is the thread that binds families together. It is invisible, but so strong. Even though we may live many miles apart, and see each other only once in a great while, the family-thread wraps around our hearts and makes it seem as if no time has elapsed at all since we were last together. A thousand shared memories crowd into the room with us, and we hear their voices in the laughter, and the "do-you-remember-whens." In remembering the past and participating in the present, the thread grows stronger, and lengthens to include the newest members of our family, wrapping around them ever-so- gently, and binding them to our hearts with love. We don't get to choose our families. God does the matching-up and the placement, and I am so thankful that He chose mine for me.
I couldn't help thinking about how beautiful and precious is the thread that binds families together. It is invisible, but so strong. Even though we may live many miles apart, and see each other only once in a great while, the family-thread wraps around our hearts and makes it seem as if no time has elapsed at all since we were last together. A thousand shared memories crowd into the room with us, and we hear their voices in the laughter, and the "do-you-remember-whens." In remembering the past and participating in the present, the thread grows stronger, and lengthens to include the newest members of our family, wrapping around them ever-so- gently, and binding them to our hearts with love. We don't get to choose our families. God does the matching-up and the placement, and I am so thankful that He chose mine for me.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Here it is!
At long last, here it is! I have finally taken the time to set up my blog. Some of my dear friends have mentioned several times that I should do this, so that they can better keep track of what's happening in "my little part of the universe". I am so eager to begin sharing with all of you. A few moments ago I returned home from a delicious Tex-Mex dinner, and thought, well, Jenni, why not get started now? Ah Tex-Mex, the food of inspiration! LOL! So, there will definitely be more to come in the future (with or without the Tex-Mex) Ha! Hmm... wonder if Italian is "food for thought" as well?
I have been holding Isaiah 41:10 close to my heart today. It is beyond reassuring, and more wonderful than words could express, to know that God is with me, and that I can lean on His strength, (for I have precious little of my own). This scripture also reminds me that I can depend upon His help whenever I need it. Isn't that awesome? Just stop and think for a moment. The Creator of the universe loves us enough to remind us of these things in His Word... it boggles the mind!
I have been holding Isaiah 41:10 close to my heart today. It is beyond reassuring, and more wonderful than words could express, to know that God is with me, and that I can lean on His strength, (for I have precious little of my own). This scripture also reminds me that I can depend upon His help whenever I need it. Isn't that awesome? Just stop and think for a moment. The Creator of the universe loves us enough to remind us of these things in His Word... it boggles the mind!
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