Carol's25th bday

OCT. 28, 2018 Well today is full of emotions.  I’d like to summarize a few of them:  Went to church {Bill stayed home}.  Carol’s youth pastor spoke today about Social Justice:  Racism.  Johnny Byrd amazes me every time he speaks to us ‘adults’.  Carol, I know would be so proud of him too!  Yeah, I know Carol..that church that we went to before North Ridge didn’t know what a jewel they had when it came to Johnny.  You know what they say ...“ their loss, our gain”.

Johnny said a lot of good things this morning that we all need to take to heart, and let our actions do our speakin’ for us.so the world “will get it” too! The following points are the best I can translate from my chicken scrating-writing of notes:  For far too long the  modern church has been shouting to the world that we should love one another to eradicate racism but we have not presented the world with  actions to back this up.  Racism is not a skin problem, but a sin problem.  Racism is not the presence of hatred but the absence of LOVE.  He listed 3 things we can do to help us in our relationship with others, to keep racism from creeping in: 

1. Recognize our own prejudices--they can be small but still there
2. Seek to understand others with whom we come in contact, by understanding what they think is important to know about differences between us.
3. We HAVE TO show others  God’s LOVE even tho they may not come from where we have, have a different skin color, gender, belief system, and so on.

His scripture reference was Luke 10 (story of the good Samaritan) and James 2:9.  A this is part of a series of teachings called The Justice League at North Ridge Community Church West Market campus.

So Johnny gave us all some things to think about our perceptions and actions towards others and to not let racism traint our words or actions.    Oh, and he said he asked some friends of his ….of other races, creeds, and color what one thing they would like the world to know, and one person said “that racism still exists”.  IF we could just turn our minds to remember the great love God had for us, when we were so unlike him, he looked past our short-comings and allowed His Son to become the substitute for the consequences of our sins.  

And Johnny took a piece of Ronda Paulson’s  talk last week saying  “we can all do more” when it comes to loving others.  And that brought to my mind the saying “be the change you want to see in the world.”

So the other great thing about our campus is the worship music is great!   But I just could not forget  the irony of the last song being sung on Carol’s birthday: “The Reckless Love of Christ”.  There  is a line in it that speaks about the Parable of The Lost Sheep, and that was Carol’s favorite bible story when she was little.  It is an amazing song about what lengths God will go to pursue us and show us His great love for us.!

Link o the song:  https://youtu.be/dWi-Q00zdrg

Now go read Romans 8:38-39 which we had put on Carol’s marker and fully believe that she believed it  Hugs from Judy and thanks for the remembrances of Carol you have shared today.

Li
nk o the song:  https://youtu.be/dWi-Q00zdrg
http://www.hallels.com/articles/20232/20181015/jo-dee-messina-takes-refuge-in-god-in-cancer-battle-by-recording-reckless-love.htm

Memories of being at the beach with my sister

I am sitting here in the dark in a hotel room, listening to someone to which I am related, sleep soundly but not too quietly.  Note to self:  bring ear plugs next time I room with my sister!    We are at the beach with one our dear friends from our younger days.

I am up because I have slept so hard the last couple of nights.  My sister said I was acting out a dream and hit her last night, so I am trying to stay awake and not hurt her again as I dream.  I will just make up any lost sleep under the umbrella at the beach, listening  to the waves and feeling that wonderful sea- breeze later today.

I should not complain (or blog about my sister's  sleep habits) because I am really grateful for my one and only sister, Karen.  We have been through some really good times and a few scary times.  Karen is two and a half years younger than me.  She may have lived her early years in my shadow, but in these later years in our lives, I find myself wishing I could be more like her - mostly because she just knows how to make people feel special.  She quickly becomes the life of any party or gathering, and she is the greatest role model  my daughter had as she grew up that anyone could have!

We are currently getting to spend a week together at the beach.  Just that experience alone would be great, but it becomes even more special when we both know of many good times we shared at the beach  in our younger days, camping at Myrtle Beach, SC, riding our bikes around the campground, and swimming from daybreak to dark.   Those really early years at the beach were in a tent, and then in a popup camper.

Our mom decided the beach was her place, but she was not going to stay there any longer in a tent or popup camper with no A/C;  cooking and washing for 3 other people; and walk to the the potty in the middle of the night with one hand    holding aflashlight and  the other hand griping  a young 'un half asleep, and return to try to sleep on a cot or air mattress.

Score a major victory for Mom on that one! From then on it was a hotel or condo at the beach for the Good clan!  I must admit, I am not one who regrets my mom's decision at all, Thanks, Mom, for showing us the way to really enjoy the beach!

One other incident may have been the most scariest of my younger days.  I was about 7 years old and we were camping  at the beach, out in an open area (unlike previous times when we were more in the woods)  when a typical mid-afternoon storm hit. Mom rushed me and Karen to the safety of the car while daddy was left to run around the tent and try to tie-down the tent flaps.  Did I tell you were parked by this really tall tree that turned into a lightening rod all at once and we saw a bright light and then tree bark cover the front windshield.  The next thing I heard was mom screaming at dad to get his hiney in the car.  She had seen him jump 3 feet in the air when the lightning struck the tree beside our car, and decided a live husband and dad was better than one fried and burning on top of our tent!

It was almost deja vu several years later when some newlyweds ,.. that would be me and Bill,  who with a meeger checking account decided to go to the beach the only way we could...to camp in a tent.   We actually stayed in the same campground!  But I insisted on not camping by any tall trees. We had great weather almost till the end of the week.  That is when a lightning storm hit in the middle of the  night.  I insisted that we leave the tent and get in the car.   So we spend several hours trying to sleep in the car, and finally gave up and packed up  at first light (with everything wet) and headed home.

Needless to say I pulled a "Becky" on my husband and said "No more tent camping for me!"  We camped maybe one more time and about froze to death the first weekend of June at a campground near South Holston lake! But t has been cono rental living for any vacation since then.

So Karen and I are at the beach together again.  Not in a tent, but safely in a condo rental.  We will enjoy  eating out most nights, making new memories of the being at the beach together along with a mutual friend, and just chilling out for a few days.  I wonder if my sister has the same memory of the day the lightning hit the tree beside the car in which we took safe refuge?  IF she does, then I don't think I will ever have to worry about camping again..anywhere!


Judy
Oct 2018