Hello, again to my faithful readers of this week’s blog. So, thank you for your faithfulness and interest in Dorothy’s saga when she was a child. Don’t forget, Dorothy is my (deceased) mother and she told me this story of her life on November 25, 2001. If you missed reading Part 1 of this heart-wrenching story, please look on the right side of this blog page and click (Archive March 2024) and catch up with the events so far.

Is It Cracklin’ Yet?….

Up until this point, Dorothy was not allowed to pour off the hot grease. But on the sixth evening of this cooking ordeal, the smell of the cracklin’ and her curiosity got the best of her. It was evening time and the wooden logs were ashes and the oven had cooled down.

Dorothy screamed to high heaven! Momma Kate, who was a large woman, came running to her rescue. Dorothy was in such pain that when she saw her mother she ran to meet her and thrust her burned hand under the fat arm pit of her mother and proceeded to rub her hand in a back and forth motion. Before Momma Kate could calm Dorothy and stop her, all the top skin had been removed from the back of her hand from the wrist to the knuckles. Dorothy’s hand was white as snow. Momma Kate yelled for her husband, Buckwheat, my grandfather, to run to the drugstore which was about 15 blocks away to buy some sulfur powder which was sold by the pound. Today, you need a prescription to buy sulfur, but back then Buckwheat bought 15 cents worth and hurried back home.

Buckwheat’s big foot leaped upon the front porch, barely clearing two steps as his massive hand swung opened the front door. “Get the sorghum (*) molasses and make a paste with the sulfur, quick,” cried Momma Kate. Granddad hurriedly mixed the concoction and spread a thick portion on the back of Dorothy’s hand while she danced a slow motion quick step. (Today, a tetanus shot would be required to prevent infection. But no such precaution was taken for poor little ole Dorothy.)

The next day Dorothy went to school and because of her dilemma became an instant celebrity with her classmates and teacher, Mrs Shackelford. Everyone not only wanted to hear the story, but also wanted to help make Dorothy’s life easier while at school. Surprisingly, the teacher allowed Dorothy to sit at her big desk until the bandages came off. For more than a month, Momma Kate replaced the dressings each night with fresh linens. But best of all, Dorothy’s cousin , Paul, had to do all of her chores until she was 100 percent well.

When I visited my mother in Minnesota on that memorial day, she was 84 years old, and the back of her right hand bares only faint scares of her childhood burns. AIN’T GOD GOOD!!!! It is because of the home remedies and the wise thinking of my Grandmother, Momma Kate, that my mother’s hand is not grossly discolored. You see, after two weeks of Dorothy’s hand being bandaged, Momma Kate took red onion husks and boiled them until, the water turned red. Then she made Dorothy soak her hand in this solution for many days. This process was thought to be a natural dye and after several applications, Dorothy’s pale burnt skin color returned back to its normal brown. Boiled onion juice was also used to dye eggs at Easter time, too.

Post Script…After being raised by a praying mother and grandmother, and being constantly fed by cherished memories of just how the Lord Jesus provided when professional relief was unavailable, has been a guiding light in my upbringing and has caused me to trust the God of our Salvation!

THE END

NOTES:

(*) Sorghum – Rich in vitamins B2 and C, sorghum helps to promote and maintain healthy skin. It can increase the secretion of mucus, which has been proven to help rosacea sufferers and sufferers of other skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema. (Information reported on Google search.)

(**) Sad Iron:

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Did you know that God can and will use anything or anybody to further the gospel of his Son, Jesus Christ. To name a few verses recorded in the Holy Scriptures that testifies to this, how about Genesis 6:10. That verse tells how a dove brought a message to Noah that the flood waters had receded and land was in view. So Noah and his cargo could now dock and come out of the Ark. There are also many other verses about inanimate objects bearing messages from God to his people, as well as numerous animals, humans and celestial beings.

In my case, as I look back over my life, the Lord has engaged all Three Persons of the Trinity to foster me in spiritual learning, faith building and how to obtain a deeper understanding about sacred things. Hallelujah!! Thus, portrayed in the story below that I am about to reveal to you (in a two-part blog post), says it all. My grandmother’s prayers on behalf of her child (my mom) are felt even today, fifty years later! (For the record, I was blessed to have a praying mother and grandmother.) So thank You, Holy Spirit, for your grace and mercy and for positively growing my faith in You. YOUR GUIDING HAND HAS BEEN AN ANCHOR IN THE LINEAGE OF MY FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS…TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

It was bitter cold that day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.  I was standing at the window peering out from my mom's eleventh floor apartment.  I could see snow drifts on the streets below that appeared to be four or five feet high; cars were sliding in slow motion across white lines, yellow lines and cross walks.  It was a cold and windy day around Thanksgiving time in November 2001, and also my birthday.  I had traveled to Minnesota to celebrate my 62nd  year of life with my mom, who was lovingly referred to as  Momma T.

That particular morning, mom was on the telephone with one of her many girlfriends and she was laughing and interjecting bits and pieces of an amusing childhood story while at the same time discussing current events.  She was in such good spirits that day, and I could overhear her relate portions of an incident that had happened to her as a child.  Mom was sitting at her kitchen table and was fingering her personal telephone book, completely oblivious  of my presence in the room.  Her conversation so intrigued me that I turned from the window and deliberately eavesdropped on her.

After finishing her conversation, and hanging up the phone, I asked her what she had been talking about and implored her to tell me the whole childhood story.  It went like this:

The date was 1931 or 32. My mom was about 12 years old when the incident happened. It was in the winter time. Her adopted mother, Kate, (who was also her biological aunt) made delicious fried skins from the rind of bacon slabs. At that time skins (or cracklin’) were not sold in stores. Today these curled crispy morsels sell for about one dollar per bag. Momma Kate would slice the rind off bacon, put it in a large loaf pan and place it in the hot oven. It was not an electric or gas oven but a wood burning stove which turned fire-engine red when hot. Now this stove held its heat all day, but during the night the fire went out and the stove cooled.

The next morning the fire was rekindled by Paul, mom’s older cousin who lived with them. Now, the half-baked bacon rinds stayed in the oven for another day of cooking. This went on for about a week: Cooking, cooling and re-cooking until all the fat grease was extracted from the rind. Once the rind curled, it was done. The hot grease was drained from the pan each day by Momma Kate. As a child, baked bacon cracklin’ was one of my momma’s favorite treats. So, naturally, every day she asked Momma Kate gleefully, “Is it cracklin’ yet? May I peer into the oven to see if it is done?” Momma Kate said yes, but she cautioned my mom to be careful so as not to get burned.

(TO BE CONTINUED NEXT FRIDAY. STAY TUNED. COME BACK FOR PART 2.)

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“The body that is sown (planted like a seed) is perishable, the body that is raised (instructed to stand up) is imperishable; a body is sown in dishonor (often misrepresented), it is raised in glory (in the hereafter…Heaven); a body is sown in weakness (self-criticism), it is raised in power (by the Trumpet of the Son); it is sown a natural body (given a certain number of days), it is raised a spiritual body (given an endless number of days).” 1 Corinthians. 15:42

Death of a loved one, (whether sudden or in due season) can, does, and often takes the wind from beneath our wings.  The ones who are left behind often are unable to process their feelings immediately or even after months of acceptance.  Feelings of shock, numbness, denial and/or remorse can linger still.  Even when reality sets in, deep forlorn sadness could cause a person to seek medical attention.

NEVERTHELESS, God desires all of us to go on living and to cast all our anxieties on Him. (1 Peter 5:7).

Over the past several years I have experienced the untimely demise of six of my closest relatives:  My father and mother, three siblings and one niece.  Consequently, in addition to this group of family members, my older sister and myself are the only ones left as the matriarchs of this family.  Of course, we both have our own children and grandchildren, but our core family members have whispered a fond adieu.

It is for this reason I searched my library files of short stories and poems I had written over the course of my life to see if I could find any blog posts I had written concerning any of my deceased relatives. And sure enough, I ran across a heart-felt poem my deceased baby sister, Kathy, had written to our mother on May 9, 2003. If I remember correctly, Kathy was asked by one of our mother’s church members to compose and present a tribute to our mother at a recognition ceremony at which the church had chosen to honor her for. The title of Kathy’s poem is “My Mother Prayed For Me“.

"Mother prayed and raised us all.  Separately she prayed.  Our names she did call. 
Although I strayed, my mother still prayed that one day God would help me find my way.
She prayed for me!

During all those dark years that I was lost, my two boys she raised and religiously taught; Teaching them how to pray and trust in God; Helping them to find courage to make a new start.
Yes, she prayed for me.

In God's own time He responded to Momma in kind; Speaking assurances to her heart with words of kindness; Promising that her wayward child would be restored; Today, relationships with my two sons have been renewed.
Oh, yes, she prayed for me.

During those years of darkness and deep black of night; It was Momma's prayers that brought me to the Light; She said He was a God of a Second Chance, maybe three or four; All I know is it was God's grace that reunited my sons to me forevermore.
God knows mother prayed for me.

As I reflect on my life I now see; How long and how deeply my Momma prayed for me; She earnestly prayed, that woman really, really prayed; And in my despair I heard my Momma pray for me.
Thank God, she never gave up on me...My mother prayed for me.  Hallelujah!  Thanks be to God!
My mother prayed for me.  Amen and Amen!

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So, for this week’s blog, I would like to enlighten my readers with a report I gave to my church officials in July 2002, of my missionary experience while on assignment to Lusaka, Zambia, South Africa. It was during that year when about 38 other missionaries along with myself, whose churches are affiliated with American Baptist Churches of the South (ABCOTS), went on a seventeen-day mission trip to minister to several Baptist churches and a conclave of other church leaders in South Africa.

Our assignment while there was to be in communion with the Holy Spirit as we divided up into teams and visited several towns and villages that have covenant agreements with the ABCOTS association. In these communities we taught Bible classes, preached sermons, visited orphanages and schools and shared basic family skills with the inhabitants.

Our mode of transportation throughout the continent was by jitneys, tour buses, and small planes. The countryside was beautiful and we saw our share of wild animals. Towards the end of our trip, we traveled to Zimbabwe and visited the Victoria Falls. We also went on an early morning safari in Sun City just outside of Johnnesburg. We visited some historical sites in Cape Town, South Africa (Mandela’s home) before flying back to the United States.

My Out-of-body experience with the Holy Spirit

One evening, while reading the Book of Isaiah, the words in Chapter 44 began to transform into a pictorial expose of the entire trip to Zambia. The actual names of the towns and villages and many names of the churches we visited mysteriously appeared on the bible pages in the form of scriptures instead of the original words written by Isaiah.

Instinctively, I knew that I had been transported into a higher plain of existence by the Holy Spirit and He wanted to commune with me and give me a ‘Word to bring back‘ concerning South Africa. I grabbed my pen and paper and began to write the litany, “God’s Blessing on Zambia.” What a blessed post script to my missionary journey.

Now, my friends, it is your turn to recall a situation/event in your lives that has turned out to be a ‘divine life lesson’, that has altered or confirmed your understanding of God’s Word and how you can bring it back to help you share the Good News of the Gospel. God’s not dead but alive in your life! Today he is tenderly calling you to concentrate on him and whether you have traveled near or far, the question is…What will you take back?

  God's Blessing On Zambia
(An Adaptation of Isaiah 44:1-5)

"Yet hear me now, O Missionaries to Zambia,
My servants, and American Baptist Churches
of the South whom I have chosen.
Thus says the Lord who made you and formed
you from the womb, who will help you while
on your journey:

"Fear not, O missionaries My servants; and you,
Eleazar, whom I have chosen as their guide.
For I will pour water on the House of Lusaka who
is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground of
compounds in Zambia;

"I will pour My Spirit on all those who journeyed
to Africa and My blessing on Eleazar's dream
for the Zambian people; New churches will 
spring up among the grass huts like willows
by the watercourses;

Hope International Church of Lusaka will say,
'I am the Lord's;
Bethel Church of Kafue will call himself by the
Name of Jacob;
Soweto Baptist Church will write with his hand,
'The Lord's';
and Riverside Baptist Church of Chingola will
name himself by the name of Israel.

(This 2002 prophecy is certain to come to pass, saith the Lord.)

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Have you ever wondered why a particular verse in the Holy Bible that was attributed to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, sounded off colored? You know, sounded harsh. Or unpleasant to the ear. Well, for me, there were two scriptures that I vowed I would query my Lord the moment I graced(*) my foot in Glory.

Needless to say, the Holy Spirit showed compassion on me and pitied my every groan about these matters and decided to put my heart and mind at ease. Yes, the Comforter came to my rescue. He has clarified my lack of understanding concerning both matters. (All scripture verses below are translated from the New International Bible.)

Situation No. 1 (Matthew 15:22-28) (Please notice the last verse of this dialogue. The Holy Spirit made it very plain for me and caused me to see the message more clearly after He interpreted the characters in the verses.

A Canaanite (Gentile) woman from that vicinity came to him (Jesus), crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."    

    Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him. "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."                                  

    He (Jesus) answered. "I was sent only to the lost sheep (Jews) of Israel."

    The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord help me!" she said.

    He replied, "It is not right to take the children's (Jews) bread and toss it to their dogs (Gentiles)."

    "Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs (Gentiles) eat the crumbs (Jesus' message) that fall from their (the Jews) Master's (Jesus') table."

THE CLARIFICATION IS THAT THE GOSPEL MUST FIRST COME TO THE LOST SHEEP OF ISRAEL, THE JEWS; THEN, IF THEY REFUSE TO LISTEN/RECEIVE IT, THE GOSPEL IS TO BE PREACHED TO THE GENTILES (THE DOGS).

Situation No. 2 (Psalms 91:1-3)

    He WHO dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
    Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.

Now, personally, I have a problem reciting those verses above in Psalms mainly because I inherited a derogatory last name...FOWLER. And to recite the name Fowler out loud, causes a person's face to bare a frown. BUT, believe it or not, the Holy Spirit gave me comfort in that situation also, many years ago, by clarifying history.

During my employment career, while on a company business assignment to a convention, I was riding in an elevator with 2 other people. They kept staring at my name badge but did not say anything. When we all disembarked on the lobby floor the couple approached me and introduced themselves as Mr. and Mrs. Fowler. They said that they were from England and wondered where I got my last name from. I told them I acquired it from my husband. The couple smiled and then asked if I knew the history of the name. (Now this is where it gets interesting!)

The couple explained that hundreds of years ago, when the King of England went hunting with all of his regalia and entourage, he also went pheasant hunting. A foul was released in flight and the king would take his bow and arrow and shoot it down from the sky. Next, the servant who accompanied the King, known as the fouler, would run to the downed bird and retrieve it to be returned to the King. However, if the King missed killing the bird, the fouler would crouch down in the bushes and finish off the bird with his own knife before holding up the now 'dead' trophy for all to see. Of course, the King would receive a much deserved round of applause.

So, the runner servant was known as the 'fouler'. However, when the occupational surname transcended across the Atlantic Ocean to America, with new settlers in tow for the new world, the 'u' in fouler was changed to a double 'u' or as Americans pronounce/write it...'W'!

NOW I LOVE MY LAST NAME BEAUSE THE FOWLERS WERE ALWAYS AT THE 'KING'S RIGHT SIDE!

Psalm 91 – My Refuge and My Fortress (With words – KJV) – YouTubeyoutube.com • 21 mins ago

(*) NOTE: I used the word ‘grazed‘ here because I consider myself a sheep of His pasture.

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How many of you guys out there have come to realize that what your enemy meant for evil, God meant for good? Joseph’s brothers found that out the hard way. 

I can imagine that at that time his ten siblings were thinking thoughts that many of us have to this day: does not God only dispense blessings when something good happens? Our intent was to permanently dispose of our day-dreaming-braga-dose brother! Modern day researchers and bible scholars suggest that quite possibly, in the Christian’s vocabulary, the word blessed is the most frequently used word.

So, the question for this week’s blog is ‘how do you process your thoughts when someone’s actions towards you were suppose to have been a stumbling block, but in hindsight turned out to be a blessing from God (**). If your thoughts resemble those of Joseph’s brothers, then what you are really saying is that blessings from God are transient and therefore unreliable. That is, they are like a person who moves from place to place…similar to a homeless person. Unbeknown to the ten brothers, it was God who all along orchestrated them to execute a mis-deed that would in the future work out for God’s good in the form of a blessing. Needless to say, many Christians often only credit God for blessings received when something good happens to them. 

God proclaims with a loud voice…REVISE THAT MISGUIDED WAY OF THINKING! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES CAN MAN EARN GOD’S BLESSINGS . BLESSINGS ARE A GIFT FROM GOD!

May I draw your attention to one of the most misunderstood biblical stories in the Holy Bible. It is found in Luke 15:11, “The parable of the prodigal son.” Basically, the elder son felt that he should earn the blessings of his father by remaining at home and working for his father. But that was not necessary.

For the father had already freely provided (on a daily basis) every thing for the elder son’s welfare, who, on the contrary, did not have to wait to receive it. Everything that the prodigal son received on his return to his Father’s house was awaiting him and freely given even though he did not deserve it. The prodigal son had not earned the loving blessing he received. 

The elder son had taken his father’s provisions for granted and perhaps had not thanked him nor shown his appreciation or gratitude during the time period his prodigal brother was on the fly. Ask yourself which brother are you. Do you take people’s generosity for granted?

And since the Truth is being told, neither have any of us done any thing worthy enough to receive forgiveness from God our Father, BUT because (like the father of the prodigal son), our Father God so loved us that he gave his only Begotten Son to shed blood and to die on the cross as atonement for our transgressions.

The lesson to be learned is this…

From the beginning, God created mankind to receive blessings. The very first words God spoke over Adam and Eve were blessings. For example, initially, human beings were created to be fruitful and multiply (meaning human beings should procreate). Also, God placed human autonomy over animal life; and last but not least, over all his creation. God also extends his blessings to us when we persevere under trials and tribulations. (James 1:12)

To refresh your memory of how we can surely please God and express our gratitude for his blessings is to practice all the attributes mentioned in the beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12 and Luke 6:20-23. These verses describe the inner qualities of a faithful servant of God.

So, I invite you to take some quality time to count your blessings by naming them one by one. I’m sure you will give God a little chuckle as you erroneously credit him for ‘blessings’ that you actually received from Satan and to Satan those genuine blessings that you actually received from God although you declared at the time…..the Devil made me do it! 

(*) NOTE: The references below concerning when God laughed were supplied from a Google search reference.

Three times in the Book of Psalms (Psalm 2:4; 37:13; 59:8) we read that God shall laugh. The word “laugh” does not mean what we usually think of today as laughing with “joy” or “making a joke of.” It always means, “to hold in derision — to mock or to scorn.” And when he laughs, he does so for our sake, to communicate to us.

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. (Psalm 2:4)

God’s enemies may plot against his people, “but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming” (Psalm 37:12–13).

God laughs at those who set themselves against his anointed (Psalm 59:8).

(**) NOTE: When you finally received your ‘blessing’, did you proclaim to others…”see, God don’t like ugly!’ If that was your response, then you actually were taking credit for something you thought you had EARNED. Think about it. And remember that blessings are NOT earned. God alone put you in that new position perhaps for you to mentor a future employee for an assignment he alone had ordained. 

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Dear readers of this week’s blog post, as you can see in the picture above, an Archangel is at war with Satan, the arch-enemy, par excellence, of God and the people of God! In other words, Satan, that ole serpent, as you also know as the deceiver that leads humanity astray. According to biblically records, this scene is to take place during the End Times(*).

Every generation believes that because of the world events that are taking place politically, religiously, and economically, during their life time is indicative of the End Times.

As you can imagine, the end of the world ‘talk‘ has been a topic of discussion for a very, very long time. There has been sightings/reports of people and organizations stocking up on food, furnishing safe houses and building storage shelters, etc. Yes, world societies have become obsessed with the idea of preparing for the apocalypse.

In March of 2006, I was a theology student at a Christian Academy, and one of my professors assigned students in the world/international missionary class to compile a scrapbook of prayers that Christian believers might pray about to Father God in preparation for the End Times. For this assignment, students had to work in pairs. So, I would like to share with you a few of the subject matters my partner and I chose. We decided to pray for some future and incumbent civic leaders in different societies. Basically, we emphasized keeping it together and to remain strong in their pursuit towards greatness.

A Suggestion For How To Prepare For The End Times

In a 2006 Dallas, Tx., newspaper article by Brian Davis, Staff Writer, it was reported that Oklahoma quarterback Rhett Bomar was cited for being a minor in possession of alcohol for a second time. My study group partner and I decided to pray for him to find the courage and strength to get back on the straight and narrow path of righteousness and not destroy his early blooming and successful football career. Rhett's legacy has proven he did just that.

During that same period of time, two other former political administration officials faced criminal charges: Former Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis Libby was indicted on charges related to the leaked identity of a CIA officer. And also, David Safavian, former chief of staff to the General Services Administration, was fighting charges that he obstructed a federal investigation and made false statements in connection with the corruption investigation linked to a lobbyist. 

And finally, we prayed for the misgivings of a former domestic policy adviser to Ex-president Bush who was arrested and charged with claiming phony refunds for more than $5,000 worth of merchandise at department stores.
 
Below are the prayers my study partner and I  composed with the aide of the Holy Spirit, during those bleak years in 2006 of the lives of those who desired to become men of influence in the lives of others...
Our prayer summary was...even though they fell down...they got up and held up righteousness.


"Dear Heavenly Father, 
Once again, I call upon Your holy and blessed Name. We beseech You to receive our praise and adoration for Your wisdom and tender mercies showered upon those persons in leadership positions; be it government, or other forms of society, whose role is to administer to the masses and to be role models for those persons who are looking for hope. I earnestly pray, Lord Jesus, that all leaders take their positions seriously and that they feel obligated and responsible to put their best efforts forward in everything they do. As I think about their awesome responsibilities, I can imagine that many times they may feel overwhelmed but, Lord, I am trusting that they will become examples of righteousness to our society and learn to depend on You and Your wisdom in their deliberations. These partitions are raised up to You in Your Name, Lord Jesus. Amen and Amen! 

Donnie McClurkin – We Fall Down But We Get Up

(*) Notes: But I WANT TO WARN YOU! DO NOT ASK ANY ‘ONE’ PERSON WHEN THE END OF THE WORLD WILL BE UNLESS YOU WANT TO BECOME ENGAGED IN A HOT MESSY ARGUMENT! ONLY GOD KNOWS!

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Now, as a seasoned senior citizen (try repeating that phrase 3 times in a row), I remembered making a vow in my middle-aged moments of melancholy(*). I vowed that as I attained citizenry(**), I would strive to continue ‘living in the moment‘. That is, letting go the past (especially those difficult and troubling years); yet, not waiting for the future. I wanted to live my life, being consciously aware that each and every moment you are alive and breathing is a precious gift from God.

What this life long way of existence has taught me is that as I aged, I would have to monitor, adjust and continuously calibrate my attitude. That jewel of advice came from my indulgence with God’s holy word in the Bible. So for this week’s blog, I decided to engage the Holy Spirit and inquire of Him to give me a report on what He thinks of my attitude towards life and the people I come in contact with on a daily basis.

After reading several books on how to meditate in order to receive the most spiritual understanding, it appeared to me that the question put to me was simply this: How do you converse with yourself! Is it with curses or with praises! Are your innermost sentences and ‘head talks’ prefaced with…’I hate this or that’. Or, ‘why am I always late or forgetting something’. (You’re getting the idea.) The question is are you constantly belittling and/or criticizing yourself? While at the same time, the Holy Spirit is trying to remind you that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) King David realized who he was and just how meticulously God had created him. And David also declared…’my soul knows it very well!’

If you need any help in learning this jewel of advice consult your Bible. Mindfulness meditation also teaches us how to practice speaking kindly to ourselves in all kinds of situations. And if we can master this practice in the quiet situation of our minds, we can transfer this practice to others and become more accepting and friendlier towards them along with ourselves and less judgmental and critical of everyone when we engage them in conversation.

The “truth” that will become more evident and authentic in your mind is this: You will learn the difference between “knowing” and “realizing“. For example, you will know that a certain body of water is deep, ‘But‘ you won’t realize just how deep the water is until you start to drown.

The same is true in mindfulness meditation as friends and family begin to comment on the new way you are communicating with others…much gentler, more empathy, employing a sweeter and more quiet spirit than ever before.

Becoming less judgmental in your interactions with others will cause you to know that intellectual thinking about something, is shallow thinking, compared to intellectually experiencing that same something.

(*) NOTES: Adjective meaning of ‘melancholy’; having a feeling of melancholy; sad and pensive: “she felt a little melancholy”.

(**) Old age

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On a bright and sunny day in July 2011, (some twelve years ago), I was privileged to accompany 6 other members of my Sunday School class on a short term mission trip to a small orphanage in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, that our church had adopted and supported financially. So, this first week in the New Year 2024, I decided to converge upon my home office computer and put typing strokes to an electronic page and to share with you my experiences on one of the earliest saintly duty-calls our Lord and Savior ‘shackled‘ me with. In my humble attempt to eke out from my limited understanding of what God’s plan was for his people down in Mexico, I will share with you how He used me and my small mission team during those five days of service.

You see, that assignment, all those years ago, reinforced and put pep in my steps because I had always known that international mission work was far more different from ministering to God’s people in your local venue; and have wholeheartedly embraced His call on my life to step out from my comfort zone and to follow the wind. Let me be perfectly clear, that this is not to infer that international mission work is superior to domestic mission assignments, because both tours of duty are necessary to spread the message of salvation to everyone.

The wind was a cool 78 to 85 degrees each day down in San Miguel from the time our plane landed at the Leon Airport on July 22nd until our departure on July 29th. Each night we saw heavy rain clouds and most evenings it did shower. Light jackets and plastic rain slickers became our mode of dress at night. But nothing hindered the active lives of the local residents of this mountainous central region of Mexico.

The assignment given me by the mission leader was to select and coordinate five Bible story lessons for Vacation Bible School for three age groups of children, all Spanish speaking, that would be in attendance. Their ages ranged from three years to twelve years old. This required that all stories be age appropriate and related in a fashion that would include interaction with as many children as possible.

I sought the Lord who guided me to draw stories from the parables (New Testament) rather than the usual Daniel or Noah or Joseph stories (Old Testament). You see, most of these children come from homes heavily steeped in Catholicism where the worship of Mary and other biblical saints as their 'savior' is prevalent. So the Holy Spirit led me to develop the parable of the lost sheep; the parable of the Sower of Seed, the parable of Jesus feeding the 5,000, the parable of the Women at the well and the parable of the Paraplegic as my five-day lesson plan. All of these parables emphasize Jesus' divine authority as Savior and soon coming King. I was blessed to have the Pastor's wife, Sister Janice, of our host city as my Spanish interpreter. I furnished a cache of bible character costumes to outfit the children who were assigned to assist me in retelling the stories.

Reinforcement of the bible parables came during craft time with Sister Gail of the mission team as the instructor. The third hour of VBS was out door games that were supervised by Sister Tiffany. Brothers Morgan and Joe (also known as Big Country) of our team. Each day, the children had a craft to take home, along with a “Jesus” story and memory verse and usually a prize received while participating as a team-player in the games. Lunch and snacks were provided each day for the children as well as gifts and school supplies distributed to our hosts and teen helpers as a token of our appreciation and love.

It was a true blessing to witness the Holy Spirit interacting with the English to Spanish dialogues as the Dallas, Tx. missionaries and San Miguel interpreters labored to express God’s word to the anxiously awaiting ‘ninos‘. What revelation! What joy! What harmony! All I can say is; “To God be the Glory!”

As far as international mission trips go, I have fought the good fight and I have finished God’s course for me. I constantly pray for the next generation of all missionaries and financially support as many as the Lord says so. 

Click below and listen to my prayer in song as conducted by the Richard Smallwood, Hezekiah Walker, Kurt Carr, and others…

Mix – Richard Smallwood – You Are The Source Of My Strength

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