New Tricks

My daughter Krista is a nurse; she's a great one...caring and knowledgeable. Delores is really good at nursing me. She compassion and smart. She knows just how to coerce me into trying new remedies. Those used to be called home remedies. Now she finds them on Google or Facebook.

Several days ago my sinus drainage cough had turned into a hacker and was threatening going bronchial. Donning her nurse hat, Delores encouraged me to try some things. I began taking garlic capsules. That is something she does regularly, but I never have until now. Then she peeled an onion, and I wore slices inside my sleep socks all night. I used a thicker pillow to elevate my head. Today she made a poultice of onions and garlic, heated them, placed them in a handmade bag, and had me put it on my chest along with the Vicks VapoRub I had already been using. I was also taking my Coricidin HBP for cough congestion.

Photo by Hans Vivek/Unsplash.com

All of this together seems to be making a difference. It better, since we have a two week road trip west to Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico starting this Friday morning that includes visits with six of our grandkids. I should know for certain in the next couple of days whether this old dog has been able to learn some new tricks.

Lazy Day

A personal note to MyValentine on this 14th day of February, 2020:

Remember, my love, over five decades ago when we used to walk the streets of Searcy, Arkansas, and we would sing a favorite song to each other. I remember that Lazy Day (by Spanky and Our Gang) was special to us.

Blue sky, sunshine, what a day to take a walk in the park.

Ice cream, day dream, till the  sky becomes a blanket of stars.

What a day  for pickin' daisies, and lots of red balloons;

And what a day for holdin' hands and bein' with you.

Lazy day, just right for lovin' away. Lazy day, made for a stroll in the lane.

Baby, you and me (Baby, you and me) and the honey bee ('Neath a shady tree).

Lazy day, lazy day, lazy day for you and me.

Blue sky, sunshine,  flowers bloomin' children sayin' hello.

Row boats, bird notes, people smilin' ev'rywhere that they go.

What a day to be together, and what a sky of blue;

And what a day for thinkin' right out loud I Love You!

Lazy day, just right for lovin' away. Lazy day, made fo a stroll in the...

 Baby, you and me (Baby, you and me) and the honey bee ('Neath a shady tree).

Lazy day, lazy day, lazy day for you and me.

photo by Kristina Litvak/Unsplash.com

 Thank you, Delores, for spending all our lazy days together and for editing all my blogs this year except this one. Surprise! Hope this isn't too embarrassing. By the way, Happy Valentine's Day today and Happy Birthday tomorrow!

What happened to the bread?

I've thought about the betrayal of Jesus by Judas many times. It began with Satan entering Judas in the upper room. Jesus and his disciples were celebrating the Passover. Jesus stated that betrayal would come from the one to whom he gave the dipped bread. The other Eleven were questioning who that could be. They lacked the vision to even notice when Jesus handed a piece to Judas Iscariot.

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(John 13:20-38 MSG) "What you must do," Jesus said, "do. Do it and get it over with." Judas, with the piece of bread, left. It was night. That's all we hear about that small parcel of unleavened bread. We know that Judas approached the Jewish leaders with a plan. He told them the one whom he kissed was the person to be seized. He was paid 30 pieces of silver for his kiss. After that encounter in the garden, he returned and tried to give the money back. Upon being met with refusal, he threw the money down. He immediately went out into the dark night and hanged himself.

How could he? How could anyone? Many deep questions can simply be answered by, "It was God's will." My question is, "What became of that piece of bread?" Did Judas eat it? Did he dispose of it? Was it forgotten in the hem of his garment as he dangled breathless in the noose? I guess we'll have to wait to have that answered with so many other queries once we enter heaven. It is certainly not rhetorical; but it is trivial. We can only imagine and possibly hypothesize.

He Wrote on the Ground

(John 8:2-11 NIV) When the religious leaders brought the woman caught in adultery to Jesus, he was teaching in the temple courts. After hearing their accusation, Jesus stooped down and wrote with his finger in the dirt. We all know his reply, "Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Jesus wrote on the ground again as the accusers left one at a time. When there was no one left to condemn the woman, he commanded her to, "Go and leave your life of sin."

It's easy after reading that story to seek answers. Where was the man? Why was he not condemned like the woman? Obviously the Pharisees just wanted to trap Jesus. The other question that might haunt the memory is What was it the Master Teacher was writing on the ground? Were they words of wisdom, a scripture text, or time-killing doodles? There is no way of knowing, though I'm pretty sure the Lord wasn't doodling. I'm saving that last question for when I get to the Pearly Gates.

This story makes me think of a time when I drew in the dirt. Did you ever play marbles? We would draw a bull ring about 3-5 feet in diameter on the ground. Inside the ring we would scatter a designated number of marbles from each participant's drawstring bag. Positioning ourselves around the ring, we took turns using a shooter to knock marbles out. When the last marble was tapped out, we counted how many we each had knocked from the circle. The player possessing the most marbles was the winner. It was good clean fun except for the dust that ended up covering our clothes and bodies.

photo by Crissy Jarvis/Unsplash.com 

Oh, the innocence of children's games. Drawing a game board for marbles on the ground was much more frivolous than whatever Jesus was sketching with his finger in the dirt.

Become More Than

In Luke 14:10-11 (MSG) Jesus taught how to act as a dinner guest in someone's house. When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, "Friend, come up to the front." That will give the dinner guests something to talk  about! What I'm saying is, if you walk around with  your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.

When we have dinner guests, especially first timers, there are some things we point out soon after they arrive. These include:

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• Where we put hats, coats, and purses (or man bags)
• Where the bathroom is located
• Where we would like them to sit at the table

We also try to be good hosts by inquiring about their choice of beverage. We ask about their preferences if there are other options at the upcoming meal. Common courtesies were obviously important to Jesus. I believe his mother taught him well about etiquette.

Like Jesus we don't want any of out invitees ending up flat on their faces. Guests should be comfortable in our home, so they can simply be themselves. So if you're fortunate enough to get a dinner invitation to sample my wife's amazing cooking, just be yourself. Maybe you'll become more than yourself. You might even be invited back for seconds.

Over There

George M. Cohan became the first performing artist to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. In 1940 President Franklin Roosevelt recognized him for his contributions to the war efforts. Particularly he was cited for his compositions honoring America: Grand Old Flag and Over There. The latter is one of my favorite patriotic songs.

Over there, over there, send the word, send the word over there...

That the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming, the drums rum-tumming everywhere.

So prepare, say a prayer, send the word, send the word to beware.

We'll be over, we're coming over and we won't come back till it's over, over there.

That is just one of the many entertaining songs in the 1942 musical Yankee Doodle Dandy starring James Cagney. It follows the life of the Cohans as they transitioned from burlesque to Broadway.  George became the writer and star of many musicals over the span of several decades.

Recently during my daily morning time with God listening to the audiobook of the Bible, I noticed the familiar scripture of Jesus praying in the garden. Then Jesus went with them to a garden called Gethsemane and told his disciples, "Stay here while I go over there and pray." (Matthew 26:36 MSG) We know how earnestly Jesus prayed to his Father. Remember that his disciples fell asleep rather then watching and praying with their Master?

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An extremely important part of a Christian's life is to spend time alone with the Lord. Those moments can be in a special room at home, on a mountainside, in church, or in a beautiful garden. The meditation, prayer, Bible reading, or singing that come from those occasions can form a unique part of following Christ. As often as possible, make the opportunity to find solitude with your Savior over there.

Worth More Than a Million Canaries

(Luke 12:6-7 MSG) What's the price of two of three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail--even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries.

How's your self image? How many canaries are you worth? There have been times in my life when I didn't think too highly of myself. I used to enjoy parties with no one attending except me. They were pity parties. It was a time to revel in feeling sorry for self. I was good at it. All it would take to snap out of the doldrums and up to the proper altitude was words of affirmation from my wife or a friend, a pleasant memory, or the right music. I once heard Mid McKnight preach that "attitude determines altitude."

Scriptures assuring me of God's love are innumerable and valuable. Not only does He know me down to the number of hairs on my nearly bald head, but He sings love songs to me with lyrics that only He could pen. Listen to the words of Zephaniah 3:17 (MSG)...Your God is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he'll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.

I've done the math. Based on the many promises of God, I'm worth a heap of canaries. The number I conjured was 1,395,207. That's a whole bunch of canaries; but I'm worth it! God said it. I believe it. That settles it.

Keep It Simple

(Luke 9:1-3 MSG) Jesus called the Twelve...and commissioned them to preach the news of God's kingdom and heal the sick. He said, "Don't load yourselves up with equipment. Keep it simple." This principle also applies to backpacking and wilderness canoeing, two of my favorite activities as a young man.

Back in the Seventies I lived in the Missouri Ozarks. Two teacher friends and I formed a company called Ozark Backpackers. We guided teenage boys on 3-5 day treks into the mountains. When backpacking, you realize the value of downsizing to lighten the load. No one needed to carry more than 35 pounds.

In the Eighties I guided trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in Northern Minnesota and Canada. The same principle applied except we had the luxury of a canoe to support the load most of the time. We portaged between lakes or around waterfalls bearing all the gear including canoes. Those times frequently took multiple trips. When rapids loomed, a decision had to be made. Most could be run safely.


The canoes were beached above the rapids.  We scouted the swift water from a vantage point near the roughest part. We were looking for the natural "V" in the water. This illustrated where the river flowed between rocks. If we stayed in that part of the river, all we needed to do was keep the boat straight. The person in the rear would act as the rudder while the bow paddler supplied the power. Fortunately I never overturned my canoe. I can't say the same for the less experienced teens in the group.

Jesus sent his disciples out with the instruction not to overload themselves with equipment. This is excellent advice whether on a campaign for the Lord or vacationing in the wilderness. The excursion will be more enjoyable and problems minimized if we keep it simple.

Creation Day Five: Flying Birds

(Genesis 1:20-23 MSG) God spoke: "Birds, fly through the sky over Earth!" God created every kind and species of flying birds. God saw that it was good. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Birds, produce on Earth!" It was evening; it was morning -- Day Five. There are estimated to be about 18,000 types of birds in the world; this is twice the approximation of 2016. In the last 4 years 150 species have become extinct. I've seen gulls, herons, egrets, and the pterodactyl-like pelicans soaring above and fishing in the waves. Lakes, ponds, bayous, streams, and rivers are filled with God's winged creatures floating on the surface or standing in the reeds along the bank. Songbirds often fill the early morning hours with their shrill singing outside my window. I thrill to be able to hear, see, and photograph these amazing creations. Can you imagine the music and flutter of wings in the air on Day Five?

Creation Day Five: Sea Life

(Genesis 1:20-23 MSG) God spoke: "Swarm, Ocean, with  fish and all sea life!" God created the huge whales, all the swarm of life in the waters. God saw that it was good. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Ocean!" It was evening; it was morning -- Day Five.

"Have you ever stood at the ocean with the white foam at your feet; felt the endless thundering motion? Then I say you've seen Jesus my Lord." (John Fisher, 1970) I've seen whales, sharks, sea turtles, seals, sea otters, and swimming in the foam or lying in the rocks and on the beaches. Lakes, ponds, bayous, streams, and rivers are all filled with God's creatures. I thrill to observe and photograph them. Can you imagine the thundering motion of the waters on Day Five?

Creation Day Three

(Genesis 1:11-13 MSG) God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants, every sort of fruit-bearing tree." And there it was. Earth produced green seed-bearing plants, all varieties, and fruit-bearing trees of all sorts. God saw that it was good. It was evening; it was morning -- Day Three.

According to the Royal Botanic Gardens in England, there are about 391,000 species of plants in our world. Of these 369,000 are flowering plants. That means 94% of all the flora on the planet displays blooms and blossoms at some point.These add a special beauty to God's Creation.

Creation: In the Beginning

Genesis 1:1-2 (MSG) states, "First this: God created the Heavens and Earth -- all you see, all you don't see. Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness. God's Spirit brooded like a bird above the  watery abyss."

One of my favorite hymns about Creation is The Spacious Firmament on High. Joseph Haydn composed the music in 1798. Joseph Addison added the lyrics in 1812. Ponder the verses and the photos that follow as they aptly describe what was In the Beginning.

The spacious firmament on high, with all the blue ethereal sky,

And spangled heav'ns, a shining frame, their great Original proclaim:

Th'unwearied sun from day to day does his Creator's power display,

And publishes to ev'ry land the work of an almighty hand.

Soon as the evening shades prevail, the moon takes up the wondrous tale,

And nightly to the list'ning earth repeats the story of her birth;

While all the stars that round her burn, and all the planets in their turn,

Confirm the tidings as they roll, and spread the truth from pole to pole.

What tho in solemn silence all move round this dark terrestrial ball?

What tho no real voice nor sound amid their radiant orbs be found?

In reason't ear they all rejoice, and utter forth a glorious voice,

Forever singing as they shine, "The hand that made us is divine."

Creation Day One

And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day," and the darkness he called "night." And there was evening, and there was morning -- the first day. (Genesis 1:3-5 NIV)

At 29 years of age, Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917) wrote the poem he titled The Sacrifice of Praise. It has since become known as For the Beauty of the Earth. It was originally written as a Eucharistic hymn used primarily in celebrating the Lord's Supper. The young poet/hymnist was enthralled by the beauty of the countryside around him. The first verse from his original version is:

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies,

For the Love which from our birth over and around us lies:

Christ, our God, to Thee we raise this our Sacrifice of Praise.

Over the years that third line was changed to "Lord of all, to Thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise." That was an effort to widen its use to serve as a more general hymn of praise and thanksgiving. The hymnal we use at our congregation combines parts of both lyrics.

Who of us has not been mesmerized by God's Light and His separation of day and night? As night brightens into dawn or day fades into twilight, we get a glimpse of God's creative majesty. One of my favorite memories is captured in this photo of sunrise at Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park. I am awestruck by the unique manner in which God begins and ends each new day.

Seize the Day

This is Groundhog Day. Punxsutawney Phil promised an early spring. He didn't see the bright sunshine we had in Tennessee today.There's a football game on tonight that has much of the civilized world mesmerized. It is a super day! Yesterday I completed 32 blogs in as many days in this new year. That's worth celebrating. Today is also the Lord's Day and that means a day of worship and rest.

Luke 9:62 (MSG) expresses my feelings on this Super Sunday. Jesus said, "No procrastination. No backward looks. You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day!" My gift to the handful of friends and family who actually peruse my blog from time to time is the few preceding words and the following photos. Relax and enjoy while you relish the remainder of this special day. It is one to be seized.

Hawaii flora

Virginia sunbeams

Switzerland flower garden

Missouri sunset

L00K!

Robert Fulghum stated in his book All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten, "Remember the Dick and Jane books and the first word you learned -- the biggest word of all -- LOOK?" What are some things you have looked at with amazement and awe?

Everytime I see a majestic sunrise or beautiful sunset, I am in awe. I never tire of the full moon on the rise. I stare in wonder when the Harvest Moon appears like a huge ball of orange splendor. My first view of the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Old Faithful, or that elusive herd of seven bull moose in Yellowstone National Park all took my breath away. What such memories of awesome looks can you share?

Luke 12:27-28 (MSG) reminds us that we have never seen such color and design as wildflowers display in the fields. "The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside  them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never seen, don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?" That rhetorical question is answered with a resounding, "Of course He will!"

As a child I played in New Orleans' Rose Garden in City Park. Years later as an adult, I wandered through the thousands of multi-colored flowers of Butchart Gardens in British Columbia. I've been privileged to view many other rainbow-like nearly kaleidoscopic landscapes in God's creation. What colorful experiences have caused you to marvel?

Recently my wife and I daydreamed of someday returning to Butchart Gardens. I would like to return to Alaska for my 4th time hopeful of seeing the Northern Lights. With limited opportunity for a chance encounter with the Aurora Borealis, we missed them last fall in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There is more probability that I will wander the paths of the Garden again than that I will get lucky enough to see the Lights.

I will always take every opportunity to see and thank God for His resplendent marvels. I take joy in wandering in nature just to LOOK!