CHANGING LIVES--NOT LAWS

"Instead of fighting the government during the last forty years of communist rule, 'Chinese Christians devoted themselves to worship and evangelism, the original mission of the church,' Philip Yancey writes in What's So Amazing About Grace?. 'They concentrated on changing lives, not changing laws.'"

Joanna Weaver
Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World
Waterbrook Press   2007
p. 109

God, give me such a heart.

Willing to Grow,
Lonnie

NO TOLIET LAND

"If he [Andy, with internal problems, needed a bathroom and needed one soon.] ventured too far from the Salvation Army or the Ferry Terminal, he was in no-toliet land. Nine banks, 6 mortgage companies, 8 insurance companies, 10 attorney's offices, 3 jewelers, 4 art galleries, 6 antique stores, 2 tattoo parlors, 8 bars, and 2 restaurants make up the business core of the town, and none of them wanted the likes of Andy using their bathrooms."

Richard LeMieux
Breakfast At Sally's
Skyhorse Publishing  2008
p. 150

Really?! Can't use a bathroom? Mike and Sam, young college men in "Under The Overpass," by Mike Yankowski, experienced the same problem. If food and shelter aren't basic enough needs to be doing without, how often do we consider "this" basic need?

I try to put myself in the position of these business people; what would MY response be if a ragged looking, less than pleasant smelling person or family asked to use my restroom? And you?

Forgiven and Growing,
Lonnie

TERRIFIED

"Don't think Paul was not terrified at times. Of course he was. To think otherwise would minimize his faithfulness. Paul was afraid but his love for Christ exceeded his fear of suffering or death."

Beth Moore
To Live Is Christ
Broadman and Holman  2001
p. 166

Why would I have a file on fear?! Cause that's where I live? I suppose a good Christian shouldn't be so honest, but . . . sometimes, you just gotta be real.

What do I fear? Mostly finances; they've taken more hits than I can count. Freeways (When I merge into traffic, asking God for a wide berth, I remind Him that it isn't just "my" life at stake.) I fear the safety of our children, and fear for any unhappiness in their lives. I'm pretty afraid of people. I'm afraid of making a fool of myself or of someone thinking I don't live in a nice house--and that it's "my" fault.

But first, I have to tell you, "God's been faithful. I've never gone a day without food, warmth, hugs, a bed, or work. God has provided wide spaces in the middle of unbelieveable traffic--not just for the safety of "other" people, but just to show me that He is an Awesome, Able, and Loving God. Our children have had some close calls but we still have them and love them more than can be expressed. Their happiness? Oh man, I wish I could fix every booboo and broken heart! I can't.

What's exciting about today's quote, for me, is that "doing it afraid" can be a measure of faithfulness. I "do" still love my God and my Savior. I take no credit. Jude tells us that "He" keeps us from stumbling. This gives me a new goal--faithfulness, along with many opportunities to practice it.

Thank You, God.

Everyday, Growing,
Lonnie

MY SHARE, PLUS 1

"A Springfield neighbor looked out the window one day and saw Lincoln carrying his 2 sons, Willie and Tad. The boys were shouting at each other and punching the air.

"'What's wrong?' said Lincoln's neighbor.

"'Just what's the matter with the whole world,' replied Lincoln. 'I've got 3 walnuts and each wants 2.'"

Robert Dole
Great Presidential Wit
Scribner  2001
p.30

Sorry. But colour me guilty. When dividing is done, I always want it to fall in my favor.

Growing Needed,
Lonnie

MINUS CALORIES

"Where do we get the idea that the Christian life is a picnic with our favorite foods, minus the calories?"

Lonnie
Journal # ??

Ha. Couldn't believe "I" wrote this--but then, yes I could.

I'd been reading about Paul's sufferings. Most times when I do, I think about the folks who promise us health, wealth, and roads without potholes. Really? BUT that being said, that's how I accepted Christ. Love, gone wrong, sent me to where love never fails. Unfailing love, to me, meant no problems. If you don't believe in Christ's keeping power, believe it! With my distorted attitude and a whole lot of challenges, I'm still following Christ; and still loving His rich Word.

Colin Smith, on KTIS AM, was talking one morning about Paradise. He says if we keep trying to make "this life" paradise, we will always be disappointed. (uh huh) He suggested hanging signs in various places (I'm guessing in BOLD black letters on florescent yellow tag board) stating, "THIS IS NOT PARADISE."

We are promised paradise--just not here--not now. Today is hard, but we have so much to look forward to: Unfailing Love Named Jesus plus music and flawless beauty like our hearts cannot imagine.

What did you expect when you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Or have you? I can't promise you ease, but God's Word promises so much more.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie 

WE LOVE FREEDOM

"We love freedom, but too often we treat freedom as a blank check to live as we please, rather than a sacred responsibility to live just and virtuous lives. Too many Americans--from elementary school children to college students to CEOs of our largest corporations--do not know American well enough to love her deeply or critisize her wisely."

Gary Bauer
Doing Things Right
Word Publishing  2001

I think we ALL have room to grow here. I'm honestly not sure how to know America well enough to love her deeply or critisize her wisely. Any ideas?

The one thing I totally appreciate, (partly because I see the absence of this freedom in other countries; and partly because I see freedom of religion eroding in our country) is this: The freedom to own and read my Bible. I was so blessed the other day at Caribou. There were three groups of 2 or 3 sitting around me either having Bible study or discussing spiritual matters. Thank you God. Please preserve that freedom. Your Word is rich, true, and unchanging.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

P.S.

I love writing this blog. I've kicked myself so many times for having "wasted" all that time "handwriting" notes--most of them never used in an article. But, I am getting re-blessed and re-blessed as I RE-read. I am smiling. I'm re-learning. I'm just having fun.

Have a Great Day!

Keep Growing,
Lonnie

THIS TEACHER GETS AN A+

"Someone asked me recently how I handled students who failed. And I said, 'Why I never failed a student. Not in fifty years of teaching. I worked with the troubled students until they succeeded. I thought that was my job."

Sadie Delany
Book of Everyday Wisdom
Kodansha International   1994

If you haven't read, Having Our Way, by Sadie and Betsy Delany, you are missing a treat! Very few books, do I read more than once. This is an exception.

Sadie and Betsy were feisty African American women who lived to be over 100. If I recall, they were trimming their own trees in their 70s because the trees spoiled their view. Sadie was a teacher, Betsy a dentist. I believe Sadie was hired as a teacher without an interview. With an interview, she'd have lost the job, because she was black. 

The Book of Everyday Wisdom is a collection of their sayings. It's great, but you'll miss the humor and spunky interaction between the sisters that you'd enjoy in their biography.

Have you had a teacher that "made the difference" in your life? Share with us; and thank them.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

QUALITY TIME

" . . . at age 24 (1754) Benjamin Banneker built a clock of wood. It kept the time of day and struck the hour.

"Banneker's clock is believed to be the first clock made in the United States. He was a good craftsman, that it kept perfect time his whole life.

"The day of his funeral, his cabin burned to the ground, as did his clock."

Jim Haskins
Outward Dreams: Black Inventors and Their Inventions   2003

Benjamin Banneker's story is one worth reading. He was homeschooled and caught the attention of a Quaker neighbor. George Ellicot noticed Benjamin's facination with how things were put together, and loaned him books to encourage him to continue learning.

Later in life, Benjamin's neighbors thought him lazy because he slept all day. However, he did so because he was calculating the movement of the stars. He determined (and succeeded) to publish the most accurate almanac yet printed.

His talent didn't stop there. Following the Revolutionary War, George Washington set up a commission to design a capital city for the new United States. Three men, including Banneker, worked on that project. However, one man left America and took the plans with him. The officials paniced. How would the city be completed without plans?

But

Benjamin Banneker came to the rescue. He drew the plans from memory!

Children's books often get to the exciting parts of someone's life--and stay there. I've indulged in a few. This story captures me on several levels: homeschooled, unfair judgment, encouragement by a neighbor, determination, and talent. I love inventor stories anyway. They exhibit ingenuity and a level of stubbornness I'd do well to emulate--not giving up just because the road isn't smooth.

Well, I've gone on and on today. Passion is hard to shut up, I guess.

Growing and Wordy,
Lonnie

YOU GOTTA LOVE A GOOD FAILURE

"Most people know that Babe Ruth broke the home run record in 1939, but do you know about the other record he broke? In the same year as this outstanding streak of home runs, he was also the player with the most strikeouts at bat.

"Several years ago I [Debbie Macomber] attended a writers' banquet and sat through the awards ceremony. They announced the name of the writer who sold the most magazine articles and, to polite applause, the woman came and accepted her plaque. The next award was for the person who had received the most rejections that year. To everyone's surprise and amazement, the same woman came up to accept that award as well."

Debbie Macomber
Knit Together: Discover God's Pattern For Your Life
Faith Words  2007
p.51

I love this! In "writer language," it definitely has "take-away." It feels like every time I read this, I'll discover a new lesson.

The more times you try-- the more times you'll succeed.

Jealousy? Envy? If we only knew!
 (Just for the record and confession, I've often been one offering polite, not to be misaken for genuine, applause.)

I would love to hear what you take away from this story. Feel free to add personal experience to it.

Gonna Keep Growing No Matter How Long It Takes,
8-)
Lonnie

MORE THAN YOU IMAGINED

"And you'll find that sin will not only take you further than you wanted to go, it will keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and it will cost you more than you ever thought you'd pay."

Kay Arthur
Lord Is It Warfare?
Waterbrook Press  2000
p. 229

FOR SMILES' SAKE

"I am told by my friends and family that I am to 'have a little faith.' That may mean patience. That may mean optimism despite the perceived odds. That may mean flipping Murphy's Law like a pancake and believing that my life will not land jam-side down."

Julie Cameron
Prayers From A Nonbeliever: A Story of Faith
Tarcher/Putnam  2003
p. 42

You did catch yourself smiling, yes? And nodding your head? Isn't it great when someone understands? Even if it's someone you've never met?

What made you smile, today?

EverGrowing--Sometimes Smiling,
Lonnie

FEELING AT HOME . . . WHEN YOU'RE NOT

" Down deep you know you are not home yet.

"So be careful not to act like you are. Don't lower the duffel bag too soon. Would you hang pictures on the wall of a Greyhound bus? Do you set up a bedroom at the roadside rest stop? Do you load your king-size bed on a commercial flight?

"Would you treat this world like home? It isn't. The greatest calamity is not to feel far from home when you are, but to feel right at home when you are not. Don't quench, but rather, stir this longing for heaven."

Max Lucado
Traveling Light
W Publishing  2001
p. 153

My head knows. I wish my heart would catch up.

This earthly place, that I too often complain about, is "not" home. Max Lucado creates great mental pictures to serve as reminders. And . . . he seems to write from a place of knowing.  Not like someone who has watched others pass through the struggles; but like someone who has been there!

Who serves as the greater comforter or encourager? One who is sure he knows the reason and solution to your struggles? Or one who's been there and knows there's a way through--but knows, too, that the way through isn't the same for everyone? 

Growing Toward Home,
Lonnie

LIES! NOTHING BUT LIES!

"Before salvation, Satan tells us we're fine. We don't need a savior. But after we're saved, the accuser points his bony finger at us and tells us we're no good. We don't deserve a savior."

Joanna Weaver
Having a Mary Heart In A Martha World
Waterbrook Press  1999
p. 69

"Na Na-- Na--Na--Na -- I can't hear you Satan, nor do I choose to. Lying is your language and no one speaks it more fluently."

God's Word--a different story. Always true. Never changing. Always applicable.

Do those lies sound familiar to you? What other lies seem to plague your head and heart? What truth/ Bible verses do you replace them with?

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

WOOLWORTH: WORST MORNING OF HIS LIFE

"Without the benefit of advertising, Woolworth opened the door for the first day of business and waited for the shoppers who did not show up. He later said it was the worst morning of his life.

"What he didn't know was that the circus was coming to town that morning, and everyone in town was watching the traditional circus parade. However, when the parade was over hundreds of people found their way to the Woolworths 5 cent store and in no time bought up one third of his stock. In a matter of hours, 2,553 nickel purchases had been made . . .

Woolworth died in 1919 at age 65 and had "amassed a personal fortune estimated at $65,000.000. There were over 1,000 stores around the country . . . including the Woolworth building in Manhattan, then the tallest building in the world, for which he paid $13.5 million in cash!"

Frank H. Olsen
Inventors Who Left Their Brands on America
Bantam Books  1991
p. 57-60

I went through a season of reading about inventors. As I reread this note card, I know why. Inventors were kings and queens of perseverence. Little if anything stopped them. This story of Woolworth reminds me that if I/we can hang on just a little bit longer, we might come face to face with Pleasant Surprise.

Did any of you buy anything from Woolworth's? If so, what? I remember buying a set of 3 porcelain pans for my first apartment.

EverGrowing--Not Always Liking the "Process,"
Lonnie

GOOD THERAPIST? MAYBE NOT.

"I envision people who have given up hope of ever becoming whole experiencing a level of transformation that exceeds their wildest dreams and changing in ways that provoke observers to exclaim, 'Praise God!' rather than, 'Glad you found a good therapist.'"

Larry Crabb
Shattered Dreams: God's Unexpected Pathway to Joy
Waterbrook Press  2001
p. 6-7

I love this!

 I've been to counselors, and definitely feel they have a place in seasons of our lives. But I know this, too; we need God's discernment and His strength to do the homework. And for those hurts so deep that no one can touch . . . God can! To Him be the glory.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

MINE!

"You are on my land, sir."

"I answered him instantly and in a way wholly unexpected to myself, 'You are breathing my air, sir."

David Grayson/Ray Stanard Baker
Great Possessions
Doubleday, Doran, and Company, Inc  1936
p. 78


Sorry. This little neighbor, trespassing spat makes me smile. I see a younger me screaming, "Mom, Paul's in my room!"

"Shut up," he might well have said, "you're breathing my air."

David Grayson, exchanged the hectic life of the city for a hard but satisfying life in the country. He offered such wisdom, fun, and relaxing gentleness. Grayson and his books were a great find . . . until . . .  

I discovered that David Grayson wasn't real. I was reading novels.  

But a little research revealed that David/Ray wrote from his heart. Even his biographer would say that David Grayson and Ray Stanard Baker morphed into one.

I wrote a children's story a long time ago, about a shy boy named Jacob. Though I wasn't intending to do so, "I" was Jacob. Writing classes often tell us to write what we know. Hmm. I guess we do.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

YOU'VE GOT 4 MINUTES!

"According to Leonard and Natalie Zunin, co-authors of the book Contact: The First Four Minutes, the way two people communicate during the first four minutes of contact is so crucial that it will determine the way the relationship will continue. They refer to it as breaking the four-minute barrier.

. . . it is the average time it takes to decide to part or continue their encounter."

Quoted by Selwyn Hughes
Bethany House Publishers  1983
p. 67

The first person that came to mind is my supervisor. She is a GREAT 4-minuter! I still remember my first day working with her. I'm sort of shy, but introductions are necessary so I stepped up to her open office door to do so. Besides her huge brown-eyed smile, I saw shelves and shelves of nun figures. Not boxes of this, files of that -- but nuns. "Come on in," she said -- an inviting, genuine, with-hint-of-humor "Come in." She's a great supervisor--no nonsense, yes; but fun. That's a great combo, don't you think?  (And Susan, this blog has nothing to do with my review coming up in a couple weeks.)

I asked my husband, Ray, if he remembered our first "four minutes" of meeting. All he remembers is hugging everyone in the room but me. And I? Same memory; I hugged everyone in the room but him. We didn't want our "liking" to be too obvious. (Where does everyone hug every stranger or non-stranger in the place? A prayer meeting.)

I would love to hear about one of your 4-minute encounters.

Sometimes Growing is Fun,
Lonnie

REASON TO LIVE

"The more I read the Qur'an, the more I realized that the book cannot be from God . . . I am free now. Free from fear. A religion should give mankind a reason to live. Islam gives reasons to die."

Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out
Compiled and edited by Susan Crimp and Joel Richardson
WND Books  2008

BUYING TIME

"When we spend money on computers, we are literally buying time--the faster a machine runs, the more we have to pay."

Richard Leider & David A. Shapiro
Repacking Your Bags
Berrett-Koehler Publishers/San Francisco
p. 175

FOR MAT

"A high percentage of people who truly feel that they are living the good life, have work that uses their talents as opposed to a job they do mainly to earn money. Think about this: whose work more often inspires our deep admiration? That of the midlevel corporate executive who earns 6 figures for manipulating theoretical concepts, or that of the simple craftsperson who transforms raw material into useful beauty?

What is it about the craftperson's livelihood that so appeals to us? First, most genuinely seem to enjoy their work. They are immersed in it. Go to the house of someone who makes guitars for a living, and you'll probably see fretboards and tuning pegs all over the place."

Richard Leider & David Shapiro
Repacking Your Bags
Berrett-Koehler Publishers/San Francisco
p. 80

Though I don't see fretboards, strings, or cigar boxes all over his house, my son makes the most incredible musical instruments from cigar boxes, cookie tins, and soda cans completed by using some cast-off items to make them even more unique.

Suprisingly, I saved this quote way before his hobby started. Sort of fun.

Growing and Enjoying,
Lonnie

TATTLING ON MYSELF

"As a little girl, when my dad told me to hoe the garden, I was profoundly insulted that he would ask such a thing. I was mad too. So I cried as I hoed. Then I took a handful of dirt and rubbed it all over my face. I wanted to prove how hard I'd worked, how much I'd perspired, and how dirty I'd become by labor. Surely his pity would rescue me from further hoeing. It didn't."

Linda Anderson
The Too-Busy Book
Waterbrook Press  2004
p. 180


The truth doesn't always hurt; sometimes it makes me laugh.

 Mom and I used to share books. She didn't mind that I underlined in them--in fact, she rather liked my markings. However . . . it dawned on me, one day, that those underlines might tell more about me and my life than I wanted her to know. I suspect my note cards could do the same.

 So, when I pulled this anecdote from my collection, I smiled. That's telling, I thought. I could definitely see myself in that little girl. I could also see that I'd changed. To God be the glory.   

Hmmm . . . Take a look at your bookshelf. What does your collection tell about you?
EverGrowing With His Help,
Lonnie

HEART-FELT THANKS

"I've come to believe that only broken people truly worship. Unbroken people--happy folks who enjoy their blessings more than the Blesser--say thanks to God the way a shopper thanks a clerk."

Larry Crabb
Shattered Dreams
Waterbrook Press  2001
p. 57


Ouch! I'm not sure if I don't completely agree, or if I don't want to agree. I can tell you this: I long for a far closer relationship with God than I have with any store clerk. And to be honest, Crabb causes me to wonder how many of my thank-yous are courtesy (not a bad thing), yet how many are heart-felt and genuine.

If you were offer heart-felt thanks to someone in your household or workplace, today, who would it be?

Still Growing,
Lonnie

FRIENDS

"C.S. Lewis said, 'Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'"

quoted by Max Lucado
Cure For the Common Life
W Publishing/ Thomas Nelson  2005
p.79

Whoa, really? You like to write? You like to quilt, cross-stitch, hike, read? Let's meet for coffee -- oh, you "don't" drink coffee? That's ok, we can still make this work.

I worked at a Christian bookstore. Carla worked at a craft store next door. Boy, talk about the perfect combo. But it was to get better. Carla's husband had health problems. It was a "you too?" moment. Mine did too. Her hugs, true understanding, and laughter saved my sanity. Thanks Carla.

Do you have a "you too?" moment to share?

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

Homeless

"There is a beggar--I guess the politically correct term is "homeless person"--who I regularly hand a dollar to. I have taken the unusual step of asking his name and using it. Not that this makes me wonderful, but it does make him a little more real."

Julie Cameron
Prayers From A Nonbeliever: A Story of Faith
Tarcher/Putnam 2003
P. 104

How do you respond to the homeless? Ones playing music in the streets? Ones holding signs at the exit ramps? Ones hanging out at the malls or at McDonalds?

In our current subzero temps plus windchills, I can't climb into my warm bed without praying for them.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

Boxes . . . and Boxes of Notes

Louise told me to save it all. I did.

"If you think there is any chance that you will use a fact, quote, or anecdote in your writing, jot it down; along with Title, Author, Publisher, Copyright, and Page Number."

Eight boxes and several years later, I look at those boxes neatly stacked and organized in my closet. I've kicked myself more than a few times for the hours (months, years) I've spent handwriting those notes. But as I reread, with intention of weeding, I'm so glad I took the time, saved the wisdom and the inspiration.

Do you remember when Jesus fed the multitudes with a few loaves and a couple fish? And THEN they gathered leftovers? I love leftovers! These are mine and I'd love to share them with you.

They are Borrowed Words, and credited as credit is due. Enjoy and feel free to share your thoughts concerning the quotes and anecdotes; or add some of your own.

These posts will be short but, hopefully, daily. Stop in often.

EverGrowing,
Lonnie