Urgent...

There was a song in the late 70's/early 80's called "Urgent". It really was a song of urgency, the beat was like that of either an ambulance or police car that was desperately in search of a cure or to solve a case. That is what our lives are at times, especially now. The heart races, beating faster and faster, until we can no longer be sure of where our normal beat is. And we must control that, because on our own a state of urgency will kill us, emotionally and/or physically. We must realize that we are not the one's in control. And we must realize who is best to deal with the urgency.

Joy to the world!

Christmas comes fast and as we await the birth of the babe we also know the sadness and hurt He went through. But we also know the joy in the sacrifice from both the babe and God. Peace be still!!! The Lord is with you!!!

Discretion is the better part of valor

I have an employee that is insistent about informing the whole universe or at least the whole district where we work about her feelings of various interpretations of directives and then the whole circuit about her well wishes. In and of itself she should be free to say what she wants. And she is. But as the Taoists say freedom should not take the place of consideration of feelings and also should be approached with discretion. This is a truism, but it is up to the person to choose whether to use discretion or in the name of "Being Right" roll over everyone in his/her wake. Clearly Jesus didn't think of being right reigning supreme over compassion. Being Right doesn't mean flaunting it all over the neighborhood; on the other hand it does mean teach, rebuking, exhorting and encouraging others as well as being compassionate. May we always remember that there but for the grace of God go us!

Smelling the cookies

I love Christmas time. It is when the world celebrates!!! Better than Mardi Gras, which for me was fun!! Better than the Super Bowl, which is sometimes fun but most of the time it's the commercials that are fun!!! We celebrate the fact that we will give each other presents and enjoy each other's company and most important someone came into the world that offered salvation and said "Guess what? You can be in my family. You can be in peace with God!" I love it and enjoy it. What a wonderful time of the year!

An important thing to remember during this time is that it is truly a time to relax and enjoy. So many are bustling to buy this Christmas present or cook this meal or plan for guests that it is amazing the energy levels to be maintained. These times are fun, but we forget to rest and enjoy what we've done...let's remember this is why we do what we do, to rest and relax so that we can rise again and grow,

Thanksgiving

What do you have to be thankful for?

• If you live in America, you have the freedoms and system of government (although admittedly sometimes faulty) of this country; if you don't then be thankful for your lives
• If you have a job, be thankful there is a way to provide for yourself and your family (if you have one); if you haven't a job be thankful that there are opportunities available or be thankful there are organizations that can help you feed and clothe you and your family.
• If you have a house, be thankful. If not again there are places that won't let you and your family freeze or become overheated.
• If you know your Savior, there is salvation. If not, be thankful there are people who are willing to demonstrate God's love for you and all mankind, just for the asking...

Many times these situations may roll the dice of snake eyes which means that you hit a stone wall and you are not a citizen, or you don't have a job, or a house other than a cardboard box. But the fourth condition is a promise of God. And though we suffer there is light at the end of the tunnel...and it is He!!!

Just wait for it...

SNOW!!!

It snowed this past week and I was so excited. Such a pretty light blanket of snow, covering the mountain passages in mountain parkway, only to disappear a few days later. A heralding that it is time for trees and plants and earth to rest, time to go dormant, time to think about and dream about the current happenings and future plans. Time to reflect. More will come later when the earth will be in deep slumber and thought. But for now, the first stage is a marvelous enchanting phase of where we've been the past year and where we are going.

Resting in the Sunshine

Gorgeous days are here. The fall brings us so much beauty and colors and cooler temperatures. All a reminders that it is time to rest and enjoy His world and not be taken up with the hustle and bustle of things that in the long run do not matter. Go to the fall festivals, state fairs, carnivals, eat peanuts or cotton candy, enjoy the coming of fall and experience the slowing down of nature to be blanketed by winter and a long winter's nap.

What is a hero?

Is a hero someone who goes into hell for a heavenly cause? Someone who gladly takes on someone's pain even when it might mean their own life? Someone riding into battle for those that cannot fight? All of these things are very true and very admirable. But there is also the hero that bolsters and supports on a daily basis those in need. A friend that ensures that a sick friend is nourished and is safe and getting stronger every day. One who takes care of stray animals that may or may not have been abandoned in the middle of a hot summer. Quiet heroes, heroes who are happy without glory and yet heroes that give their all for all. May we all strive to see this in Christ, and be more like Him thusly.

Being sick

Being sick is no fun. But it can be a good time of friends willing to care for you and down time. God allows us to go through this for a reason. Explore that reason....

FALL

Fall is here. A time to mulch and put gardens to bed. A time to harvest. A time to plant bulbs before the first frost. A time when the days are mild but the nights are getting a little chilly. A time to root for your favorite team and make popcorn and hot cocoa. A time to get ready for the Christmas season, planning and getting ready for those cooking days for all to enjoy and see each other and spend a marvelous wonderful day together. May God bless these days for everyone.

Ready to go

Are you ready? Are you ready? Those are the words of a song we sing in church. But are we truly ready? Before my baptism I was afraid to die. But when I was washed in His blood I had this unspeakable joy and love that I would be alive in Him forever. Are you ready? He has open arms and is ready for you.

Here we go again

Will humans ever learn? Better to live in peace than constantly at each others' throats. There is a line in "Fiddler on the Roof", when one of the townies says,"We can't let them get away with this. You know what the bible says, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'". Tevye's response is "Very good. Then we'll all be blind and toothless." Wonderful thought. If we seek revenge we are in the stew always. If we on the other hand follow the ways of peace and live loving people rather than seeking our own agendas then our lives will be full.

Going the distance

So when is enough enough? Do you understand that just because someone pushes your buttons you do not have to work it to where you get the upper hand? I know I have trouble with that and struggle getting to the situation where I will actually pray to the Father before I say anything or do anything. Ahhh but God is there and will help us whether we realize it or not. Praise the King!!!! We may struggle but He picks us up and dusts us off. Then we will be able to go past the "enough is enough" stage.ble to go past the "enough is enough" stage.

Happy Days!!!

What a wonderful day to be alive!!! We always say that about growing up and we say that about the past. Life was better then. Now things cost too much....we had more fun....people were nicer. Let's talk about the 60s when I was growing up. I grew up with fairly decent parents. My mom was a little possessive but was nonetheless a good mom and dad was a good protector and provider but he also had his moments. All in all not a bad way to grow up and learn survival mechanisms. But the environment was one of social turmoil. There was prejudice, there was ostracism, and there were cliques. And today? Well there is still prejudice, still ostracism, still cliques. Only now it is the desire of those in our culture to at least try to amend that. This is wonderful. This is freedom...this is good and these are happy days...to come!!!

Gimme my toy!!!

Ever play with a dog that won't give you his ball back? He holds onto it tighter than a vice grip. Isn't that what we do with things that may not be the best for us but what makes us comfortable? For me it's chocolate. If there is a situation I don't want to deal with I eat chocolate until I can deal with the situation. Will chocolate solve my problem? No...but because I think it will then I will invariably go there. What I seem to forget is that God is the only one that solve any issue, the only one who has everything under control. Instead of using chocolate just as something enjoyable, I use it as my God rather than the actual God....may we all give up our idols and start consulting the one true God.

Going Dark

Everyone needs time away, time to get dark, to turn off the hustle and bustle and then rejuvenate. Vacations is just a little part of that. Getting away to a quiet area for a few days, that's more rejuvenation than going to fast paced cities like New York or Chicago, or going to the beach or just going. Take time to renew, take time to put everything in perspective. Take time to enjoy.

HAIL LORD!!!!

We are investing in our lives every day. We earn money, and how we save or spend determines the length of time or value of our investment in us; we eat hopefully healthily but whatever calories we do eat will burn and we can continue for a little bit until our bodies tell us that we need real nourishment and our investment will either last a while or not; we sleep and our cells become restored so that we can be recharged to gather and hunt and cry and laugh and read and write another day. But all of this is transitory. It doesn't last. Will never last. Can never last. Money loses its value over time no matter how we try to hold on to it. The food we eat sometimes causes our arteries to close and become crunchy. Sometimes our bodies don't respond to the food we put in it. Sometimes our bodies overcompensate...sometimes...well sometimes we can watch our weight, eat healthy, exercise, and still contract cancer, MS, heart disease...we invest but we really have no control over the development of that investment. Whatever path our lives take is under the control of the Creator...and He chose to place 250,000 genes on the human genome. Some of those genes are spot on for living a long healthy life. Some of those are nonsense genes. Some genes are fatal. And some express in disease. Not exactly as planned at creation but God knew we would need something to ask Him, "Why would you do this?" Just so He could answer, "You forget, this earth is not where it's at. It may be beautiful, but I have a much more fulfilling place for you. And if you make it you will never cry again, never go hungry, never sniffle...I'll take good care of you forever." The investment that lasts forever is not here. It is in God. And the house He has prepared for us.

School's in!!!

A good summer was had by all I hope. Mine was busy and trying at times but hey my favorite time of year is here...football, cooler weather, daylight savings time being put to bed. Getting ready for Christmas...My hope is that the lessons learned over the summer carry into fall and winter and that we grow, particularly in God!!!

Pre-season

Pre-season in the NFL means a chance to get with a team and prove you can do what your resume said you could. God doesn't ask us to prove anything but that we love Him and trust Him. And if we love Him we will obey Him. He wants us, He wants us on His team, But we must walk as His Son did in order to show we love Him. Are we up to it? God is hopeful in that way....

Smile

What puts someone off the most? Smiling probably makes a person take stock more than any other body language. Do you love it when someone smiles? Does it make you wonder what they have? Next time instead of wondering why not try smiling?

Getting hands slapped!!!

Having my hand slap is no fun. So much so that for a time I have to be by myself and think and internalize and take it personally and just bloody feel like getting rip roaring drunk and calling in sick the next day... because I have yet to learn the key to survival is a rough skin... bend but don't break... but don't boing back either... the worst part about recovery from a severe tongue lashing is the self esteem is lowered a notch or two and then I get angry because no one should ever do that to anyone. And manipulators make me angry too...

May God bless all of those people who have had to endure bullies because of jobs, or bad governments or whatever reason...

Bon Apetite!!!

Good food is something hard to forget. Like love at any level when it is mutual and endearing. It is something to be treasured and is a measure of everything that is eaten afterwards. For me it is the crawfish platter at Mike Anderson's in Baton Rouge, the lasagna at the now-defunct Mama Leonies, the "pesche" at Le Cou-cou in Paris. Delightful, comfortable, pleasing. My prayer is that may the aspects of life always be this endearing and unforgettable in a loving and exciting way.

Thanks LORD GOD FATHER

Do I always know what's best for me? Obviously not or I would be able to control whatever causes me to overeat. And I would exercise every day. Nope I would make all the right choices with activity and eating and sleeping and other things I need to make choices about. But I don't. However God knows what is best for me. And provides me with vegetables...and the ability to say "no" to things I shouldn't eat and "enough" to the right portion and above all when to admit to myself that enough is enough. God has given me this ability and I would not be able to survive without Him....Thanks, abba!!!

Art is the imitation of life...

Art matches life. This is our focus, our vantage point, our heart and what we understand. It must, for while we have imagination our life colors art. Imagination give body to art. We learn from our art and our life. And the sadness of art or the joy of art reflect our life and our art helps us figure out life's difficulties. May God bless us with this wisdom and craft to be able to understand our life.

Just when you thought it was safe...

I saw "Jaws" on TV. I didn't get the thrill of seeing the mechanical shark eat people on the big screen, mostly because of the protectiveness of my parents, but too I wasn't so sure I wanted to see it. Seeing it and "The Exorcist" on TV and having read the book "The Exorcist" one summer night from cover to cover I am actually thrilled my parents were that protective of me. And God is like that. Using Jesus as a shield, whatever we go through is nothing compared to what He went through...He took all our sins upon His shoulders. He protects us and loves us that much. I am so glad my Daddy has a lap big enough for me and all peoples to hide and be protected.

L'Chaim

To Life...absolutely....we all are breaking down slowly but our spirit is also growing quickly. It's called quickening the Spirit...death is nothing only a doorway to go through before we see Our Creator, Our Judge, the Lover of our souls...to live in Him that is the pleasure of life!!!

Friends

Friends are important!!!! So important so I'll say it again. Friends are important. They are comfortable, when something is wrong they tell you, they cry with you, they love you no matter what. I thank God for my friends because I don't know what I would have done without them.

Helping Hands

I have had many friends in my lifetime that have been sick...many relatives too. It is sad...but I feel priveleged to be a part of their comfort zones, aiding them and giving them the comfort that they need to survive. I pray God can use me to do this If that is in His plan for me....

I am Who am

I am scared of very few things, yellow jackets, snakes (the poisonous ones)...but I am most scared of becoming involved in sin that may take me away from God...my Lord loves me and may I never fall from Him or treat Him as though He doesn't matter, because He matters a great deal...

L'Chaim

To Life...or rather to God....to the most wonderful Spirit and being ever in my Life...I owe Him praise and love. May God always protect His followers and those that seek His soul.

Memorial!!!

Remember those that went before so that we can go on. Remember those that loved not just you but all, that we might all be free....and remember their sacrifice.

Going back really is impossible

I love New Orleans. It was where I was born, was educated, and worked for over 30 years before I moved. I moved ostensibly for the job but mostly for me...new territory...my territory...in a way I had to find myself because I was overshadowed by my brothers. Not that they were not wonderful, they were indeed. But my eldest brother was the head of his own family, and became a lawyer and worked with my father, the lawyer. And my elder brother was brilliant as a musician and arranger. I was a research associate with one of the leading biochemists in the nation. And I just didn't feel like putting up with letting anyone down, silly as that sounds. No one gave as much indication as we were competing, and I am not so sure we were. But I could just feel the need to be more "special" than either one of them, because my eldest brother finally did something with his life by becoming a lawyer, my elder brother was a disappointment because he never finished the pharmaceutical chemistry course he started, and I was a research associate working with primates, with the unspoken questions of, "what about a practice?" Leaving allowed me to strike out on my own, make my way, and finally bring me back to the land I love, Kentucky. For it was here that I first really felt at home, here that I felt people looked at me not for what I did, but for who I was...since then, living in North Carolina and South Carolina also gave me a very loving feeling...but never like Kentucky. I love New Orleans. But going back to live where I grew up...well, I believe I am home now.

Vacation

After working long hours, everyone needs a vacation. If not for refreshing, if not for renewal...we all need help and vacation provides that help. May God bless us all with rest and recreation!!!

Excitement with God!!!

What a wonderful world this is!!! What a wonderful holy God we seerve!!! There are  issues which knock us down. There are things that treaten our very existence but we are special to Him. Still special. Always special/ And may we always remember that.

Compassion

It comes when you least expect it, No from a compulsion or obligation but from something deep, soft and quiet,poking its head in your side like nudging...nuzzling like a cat that wants a pet. Answer that call...for it is coming from God...

Busy?

Is this world never going to slow down? Computers are supposed to make life easier but all they do is speed up life and speed requires skill to hold on. And those of us who like to stop and smell the roses find it harder and harder to do...but we must slow down....or our inability to hang on will be more and more apparent.

Living above ourselves

Humans are hurtful and hateful...it is in our nature...it is the reason that God gave us the choice of following our free will for bad or for good...I've been hurtful to the people I love as recently as yesterday...my goal is to get over myself and my desires for them not to be the way they are, but yes Satan pushed my buttons and I was hurtful. Didn't mean to be but there it is. What makes up for it? Nothing....what covers it? Jesus' blood. Thank you God for that....that is what forgiveness is all about...

Easter

Happy Easter everyone and remember to celebrate the Journey....He is the end of the Journey and He is risn...may He give you Qi, may He be your life source!!!

This is the week!!!

This is the week that was pivotal in the belief in God and Christ. Enough said. If you believe that Jesus died for sinners and that we must all acknowledge that then this week above all weeks is indicative of the strength of God, that He led Christ. He loved us so much that He sent Jesus to us. Amen. Live each day in love with Him.

Holy or holier-than-though?

What is worse than being self-righteous? Being so submissive to the authority of man that God is not the center of personal worship. Taking someone's word for it, following blindy without checking things out...and not loving God enough to really dig into His Word, not praying to Him and Him alone, not even caring enough to obey God the Father that is also God the Son and God the Holy Spirit... it's like a flood of disillusionment and setting the self up for pain. We ache to serve...and then we serve to ache so that we know what it is like to suffer as the martyrs did. But God knows that would nullify all His work as Jesus. May God bless us in this understanding.

Believe

What do you believe about yourself? What do you really like about being you? God made each one of us unique. That's why our teeth can identify who we are, our fingerprints, even down to our DNA. We are made special. Do you believe that? If that is so...then whoop and holler and praise God because He made you and you are pretty special!!!

New Books

I have a new book out. How Quenton the Calf Got His Name. Available on Amazon and on Qi My Journey and also by emailing me at LGuil42909@aol.com.

WINTER SPRINGS!!!

Springs are the things we look forward to...we love to get out of the house just one day of sunshine or maybe a light little rain with temperatures starting to warm,,,But then it happens. If a hot fall day going into winter is called Indian Summer what do you call a cold nearly spring day...A Winter Spring..thank You God for such a day...because it always reminds us of how dependant we are upon You,,,

The Giving Tree

What is more important than the sacrifice that some do so that others may survive oppression, or suffering, or dire circumstances? Christ has given us the biggest sacrifice to get us out of our dire circumstances. And on our journey we must know that He is not only our sacrifice...but our brother and friend....May God bless all of us to have the strength of faith like a tall oak and the sacrifice built out of the love for Christ in our hearts

To Be Yourself

Being yourself is important because therein lies the only truth in this world. Even if there are missteps, you made them. You made them. You, yourself and you made all the decisions, right or wrong. Be yourself and enjoy it. Because even if you make mistakes you are making them. You are.

Never

Never never never give up!!! You may feel like it at times, things may not go the way you plan but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Never give up!!!

Where is your focus? Is it on guns, the gay agenda, the education of our children, ettiquette, or is it on Christ? When we have focus we are believers and lovers of God's heart and soul. We wait on Him. I have to admit that I am one without patience, one that wants things on my time. But God is teaching me, teaching me to be patient, to be the same as His Son was the same. And that it is OK to feel sad and suffering even if I smile on the outside....thank You God for your Son...

Disappointment

Life is full of disappointment. Can we do anything about it? Probably not. Except rejoice in the Lord always, as Paul says and so I say rejoice, rejoice and again I say rejoice....and think on things beautiful, pure, trustworthy...

Newness

Babies fascinate me. They explore. They see and survey. They can smile and laugh at the same time. And if they are lucky, they never lose this. They maintain their curiosity and are never afraid to look into things. Are we as adults like that? If we hope in God and in the work God did in Jesus, then we will. We can maintain that joioe de vivre.

ANEW

This is the forest primeval...so begins Longfellow's poem of Hiawatha. Wonderful poetry. How do you feel about beginning anew? Does it scare you? Or do you want to be an adventurer? Whatever it is, go in with eyes open, go in with heart ready, go in sharp and ready to go. Follow the light that God gives you and you will do well this year!!!