Women of Valor

Two ladies I love

From time to time it’s good to shout out to some of the dear people in your life.  Today I want to take an opportunity to recount the story of two dear friends, Wanda Pickett and her daughter Maureen.  These two ladies have been a part of my life for a long time, and I am thankful for their friendship, their encouragement to me and their own courage in the face of adversities.

Although Maureen in quite soft-spoken, she uses Facebook to voice the things she would be unwilling to say in front of people.  She has faced her cancer with courage, but that doesn’t mean she hasn’t been afraid—she’d be the first to voice her fears.  She has not let those fears overcome her or defeat her.  She has built her life on the Rock of our Savior Jesus Christ, and she has found Him a firm foundation in the trial of her illness.

Maureen’s illness has been a tremendous test of faith for Wanda too.  Maureen is her greatest treasure here on this earth.  I was so moved by her testimony months ago about how the Lord was dealing with her in this test.  She had moved into a home next to Maureen not long before Maureen was diagnosed with cancer.  She said that she had never fully unpacked her items because she was sure that she would have to move in with Maureen in order to care for her.  But after many months and Maureen’s improving health the need to move in with her never materialized.  Wanda said the Lord spoke to her and said, “When are you going to get on with living your life?”  That was when she knew it was time to unpack her things, hang her pictures, and buy some new furniture.  So she did.

What a testimony they have both been to me of grace in the face of adversity!  I am so thankful for the words they have shared and for their faithfulness in clinging to the only hope that any of us have, Jesus, Lord of all.

Eshet chayil, Wanda and Maureen, you are women of valor!

The Gift

What a gift I have been given!  When people who care about you give you their time and spend their money on something you care about, it is a gift.  So as friends from my church depart and other friends from Tennessee arrive, I am so thankful.  I am overwhelmed by their generosity.

Our group from EBC came and worked in several different areas. They got to experience the beauty and the peace of this amazing place.  They got to know the people who will be here for the long haul. And they left three fine young people to labor in the lives of our campers.

This week we did an "ice-breaker" activity with all the people here at camp.  We called it "Trip Down Memory Lane."  During this activity we told each other stories about our lives.  It was such a great time to get to know each other.  I learned lots of things that I didn't know about this group.  It was a way of connecting and communing.

One of the topics we had to choose from was to tell about the most adventurous/dangerous thing you had ever done.  Little did they know that several of them would embark on the event that may prove to fit that category perfectly.

Wednesday night the summer staff took off for a night in the "bush."  (The "bush" is what they call the wilderness in Canada.)  Tents were set up in a remote part of the lake, and they canoed out after supper to begin their adventure.  Doused with bug spray and with much more in tow, they left in high spirits.  They were accompanied by Johnny, an experienced outdoorsman, and he had several fun activities planned for them.  They had hoped to see the northern lights, but they did not appear. They did, however, see beavers, eagles and loons.  They saw an amazing sunset, and they woke in the morning to a delicious camp breakfast prepared by Tirzah.  It was a special time.

Mallory heads up her canoe, although it might be Tirzah calling the shots.

The guys are trying to keep pace with the girls.

Daneil and Brelyn

Emily and Megan

Just as I received the gift from the presence of friends from home, the summer staffers also received a gift.  They received an adventure to keep in their memory and in their hearts.

The staff has been thoroughly trained, and all are ready for campers on Monday. Friends from church should be safely home.  Jason Dildine and family arrived this evening and a group from Signal Mtn. arrives tomorrow.

An exciting week lies ahead.

Welcome, Aurora!

Welcome, dear little one!

Recently my niece Rayanne had a baby girl.  Rayanne has had her share of struggles, and now she finds herself in Denver, living in Champa House, as part of their New Life program geared at single moms and their dependent children.

Rayanne has been blessed with a loving family and spiritual community in Denver.  I observed this community when I traveled to Denver last spring.  These people are invested in each other's lives.  They speak truth (good, bad and ugly) to each other regularly. 

They speak to each other in a beautiful way that I have never really experienced anywhere else.

And so, upon Aurora's arrival my brother posted this on Facebook:

I love this hand painted sign from one of our Fellows to Aurora. Aurora is the real name of Sleeping Beauty. My daughter, who has dealt with insomnia most of her young life, chose the name as a stand against this affliction in her daughter. Sleep well, sweet Aurora, and tomorrow we will move mountains!

It makes me have tears in my eyes every time I read this.  It is so beautiful.

Blessings upon you, dear Aurora and dear Rayanne!  May you build a life together that will bless God and bless others.

My brother Ray with Aurora

On Local Art and My Small Place in the World

Recently I read a blog post by Amanda Opelt, a musician from Boone, NC.  Here’s some of what she had to say:

But I want to encourage my fellow songwriters out there to write purposefully for yourself and for your own community.  Don't let fear of the global competition or your own demands for perfection intimidate you into silence.  There are countless songs yet to be written and consumed, even if those songs are just consumed at the local level.  Or even if it's just your own spirit's cry to the Holy Spirit, a sacrament of song, and an audience of One.  This too is grace and beauty. 

I don't think that means we only release our art to our close family and friends, or only consume local art.  I'm grateful that there are people in other parts of the world who have enjoyed (and bought!) my music.  I guess what I'm saying is: I don't want the global competition to intimidate me or make me reticent.  I don't want to feel like I have to be as good as the next genius coming out of New York or LA to feel like I'm adding value to the world and my community by sharing my art.

These words really captured my heart because it made me think about what I do here on this blog.  I write for a very small audience.  That audience includes my hometown friends mostly, but also includes friends and family across the country and around the world, which I find most amazing.  What a thought to be able to be heard by such an eclectic audience! 

Most of my posts are only seen by thirty or forty people, although some entries have had nearly 200 views.  I know that what I do is small, but that doesn’t make it unimportant.  I like writing these words and putting them out there for whoever may happen upon them.  I know that my thoughts will impact only a few, but still I write because I know that God has given me good thoughts to share, and it makes me happy to do it.

So I want to say thanks to those of you who follow along here.  Thanks for your kind and encouraging words on my behalf.  Thanks for caring about me and my life.

On a final note let me add that Phil and his works of art from turned wood fit into this idea also.  When Phil gets a log from a person he usually gives them a piece he makes from the tree.  Sometimes these mementos are very dear to people when the tree is one that has been in their life for a long time. 

 Local art in its many forms is to be celebrated!

Bon Voyage, Will!

Today my son Will leaves on the adventure of a lifetime.  He is going to spend the next four weeks backpacking Europe.  He flies out of Atlanta this evening and will arrive in London by morning.

Alyssa Mullins put the idea in his head, and he ran with it.  He spent the year teaching and living at home.  Now, with time and money that few people are blessed to have at the same time, he’s getting ready to travel.

This trip has been months in the planning.  He has been diligent in doing his research, checking out websites, talking to other travelers and watching Rick Steves on PBS.  His determined his route, made reservations in hostels, packed his bag and now off he goes.  His route includes London, Amsterdam, Paris, Switzerland, Venice, Rome and Athens.

He’s excited and understandably nervous.  Traveling alone and in foreign countries will certainly be stressful from time to time.  His dad and I are also excited and a little nervous.  What a big undertaking!  But we are so proud of him for his courage and his sense of adventure.  We both know we never would have dreamed of doing anything like this at his age.

So here’s a prayer I found for travelers, Son, to launch you on your journey.  I love you much!

“Lord, be [Will’s] guide and [his] protector
 on the journey [he is] about to take. Watch over [him].
 Protect [him] from accidents.
 Keep [him] free from harm to body and soul.
 Lord, support [him] with Your grace when [he is] tired.
 Help [him] be patient in any trouble which may come [his] way.
 Keep [him] always mindful of Your presence and love.
 Amen.“

Three Months

Phil and I will be spending almost three months in Canada.  Three months is a long time to be gone, but we’ve learned to manage taking care of our business back home from a distance with the help of our children, my parents, and several friends.

It’s been harder for me to leave this year because of Madeline.  I also have a hard time leaving my aunt and uncle without a visit for a couple of months.  In both these cases three months is a long time because so many obvious changes take place in that short amount of time.  And I’m struck by the contrasts between the very young and the very old and what can happen at both ends of this time line of life in a short three months.

By the time I return Madeline may be walking on her own.  It is likely that my aunt and uncle will no longer be able to walk at the end of the summer.

Before I left I was able to feel Madeline’s two bottom front teeth coming in, and I’m sure she’ll have several more soon.  When I took my uncle to visit my aunt she said to him, “You’ve broken off a tooth, haven’t you?”

The last time I kept Madeline I took her out for a walk.  It was a bright sunny day, so after I put her in the stroller I put on a hat and sunglasses.  We walked along until we came to some shade.  To give her a little thrill I leaned the stroller way back and said, “Wheee!”  She took one look at me with my hat and sunglasses, and she began to cry inconsolably.  She didn’t know who I was.

I wonder if my Aunt Betty will know me when I return.  Maybe she, too, will not recognize me.

Will Madeline be feeding herself when I return?  Will Aunt Betty need to be fed by someone else?

Will Madeline know any words?  Will Ralph be able to talk  and communicate?

The comparisons could go on and on.  I will save you from further discussion of all the bodily functions we could talk about.

All in all, it’s still just three months.  Three months of time that we all have.  Like time-lapse photography, we are able to see the progression of time in the lives of the very old and the very young.  We are given a snapshot of how quickly it is flying by.

                                                      ****************

Often when we’re traveling Phil sees animals along the side of the road that I never see.  Even when I’m driving I tend to look just straight ahead.  I told Phil that the reason I don’t see things is because my mind is a million miles away, focused on many different things.

He replied, “You need to start living in the moment.”

He was right.

Phil also reminded me of James Taylor’s epistle to his music fans, “The Secret of Life,” on this very subject.  “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time,” he sings.

So, this summer I am going to make an effort to focus on the here and now, to be present with the people across the table from me, and to notice the wildlife around me.

Time is a gift, our most valuable commodity.  There’s nothing novel about this idea.  But I need to be reminded of it often.  Living in the moment will help me to use time wisely this summer.