tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31244816180126051872024-02-18T23:44:59.770-06:00Frankly PhyllisPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-13147016816199852772012-03-29T23:37:00.003-05:002012-03-30T09:04:13.946-05:00Clues to The Way, The Truth and The Life!One way to solve a mystery is with a scavenger hunt. I’m not talking about the one where you can’t find your glasses or your credit card! Not THAT scavenger hunt! My daughter and her husband made a scavenger hunt to surprise their 5 and 7 year olds with a trip. The kids found clues when their parents posed questions like, “Where do we make a hot part of dinner?” In the oven they found a picture of the Willis Tower. Yeah, I know. When I grew up there, it was the Sears Tower. Then they’d bring the envelope back to their parents and tell what they saw. One picture was the Chicago skyline. Another question, “Where do we take our clothes when they need to get clean?” Down the basement they dashed to the washing machine to find a picture of the Shedd Aquarium. And so it went until the kids said, “All of these things are in Chicago. Are we going to CHICAGO?” When the excitement quieted down, there was one clue left. In the last envelope was a picture of a train! “Are we taking the TRAIN to Chicago?” Yes! Shock and awe! The clues to a wonderful trip were built on their special interests, seek and find and fascination to the 9 ’s with trains. They would adventure to a place about which they read and want to know more. All of this with mom and dad, people they trust with their tomorrows.<br /><br />How often do we say, “I don’t have a CLUE!” about life? We search for clues all the time. For example, last week a “Reason Rally” drew thousands of people to Washington, D.C. looking for clues on how to promote secularism to highlight the political power of nonbelievers. Their first attempt to “unify, energize and embolden secular people nationwide” was 10 years ago with “The Godless March on Washington,” with an estimated 2,000 participants. Last week those numbers reportedly increased to 10,000. David Silverman, president of American Atheists, told the crowd, “We are here to deliver a message to America. We are here and we will never be silent again.” This purportedly largest-ever gathering of non-believers in one place, stood in the rain as speakers, singers and comedians charged them with channeling their common rejection of God into a force for political change. <br /><br />The flip side of the rejection-of-God group would be those of us who believe in the Triune God, the Great 3 in 1, Who sent His only Son to die for our sins and rise again. How do we know? God provides clues to lead people to His plan for life here and hereafter. Hundreds of clues in the Old Testament gave people hope for thousands of years before they turned out to be more than clues. They were prophecies that came true. Such as where He would be born, of what lineage, where and how He would die for our sins and rise again. <br /><br />Unlike the kid’s scavenger hunt, God’s clues are life saving. Instead of asking, “Where do we take things that need to be cleaned?” we need to know, “Where do I go when my heart, mind and soul need to be cleansed?” The answer is not in an envelope, it’s in the Bible, in Baptism and through Holy Communion. The Cross is the price Jesus paid for us to be cleansed. What a cleaning bill!<br /><br />In John 16, Jesus assures His disciples the world will hate them like it hated Him and His Father’s work through Him. He’s about to face His torture, death and resurrection. They don’t get it. How could they? People don’t rise from the dead. Jesus speaks to their limitations, knowing in a few days His Words will start to make sense, allay their fears and prove He is God in the flesh. Then He adds, “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.” <br /><br />He gives them a huge CLUE. They couldn’t bear knowing any more, so He doesn’t burden them any further. He promises they’ll understand more about the Truth as the Holy Spirit guides them, once He returns to heaven. <br /><br />The children I told about at the beginning found clues from parents they trusted about going to Chicago, a place they'd read about and wanted to see. Christians find more than clues. From God's Word, which we trust, we read about and find promises that through faith in Christ, we are forgiven and go to heaven when we die. We could make a case for the success of Christianity by noting that since Jesus’ death and resurrection over 2,000 years ago, 3 billion, 200 million people worldwide believe. But that’s not entirely the point. The point is, what about you? Who do YOU say that He is? The kids discovered they were going to Chicago, but they still had to wait a whole week for the trip! It was “now...not yet!” That’s part of the Christian walk, too. This Lenten season we’re aware of staking our lives, through faith in Christ, on getting “there,” to heaven for eternity, and waiting now. Will we wait well? We will when we take seriously the clues from God’s Word in living our daily lives. <br /><br /> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *<br /><br />This is my last blog on the "Woman to Woman" website. Thanks tons for following me, for believing with me and for sharing your insights. I love hearing from you and coming to speak to your events. Continue to stay in touch with me through phyllisnow@att.net Send me your email/facebook address and I'll let you know if/when<br />I set up a personal website in the near future. God's richest blessings to you!<br /><br />Fondly, <br />PhyllisPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-26698081906457201782012-03-23T09:10:00.000-05:002012-03-23T09:12:21.848-05:00Being less anxious!It looks like a convention under my bird feeder this week with temperatures near 80 degrees in mid-March! I keep re-filling the birdbath, so my fine-feathered friends can splash, fluff up, fly away and swoop down for more. weather.com reports even warmer officially recorded winters and springs like this one, dating back to the late 1800’s. Weather cycles fascinate and puzzle us. Right now we’re hoping against a fickle spring that dips temperatures into the danger zone for the fruit trees! This warm weather is even affecting sap production from the maple trees, so guess what happens to syrup prices? We’ve been fooled by the weather before.<br /><br />I look at the birds outside my window and wonder if I should warn them not to be fooled, maybe not put all their eggs in one nest! They wouldn’t understand. A Sunday School song comes to mind. “His eye is on the sparrow. And I know He watches me!” The birds will be fine. Their marvelous mystery of managing has captivated people since the beginning of time. God knows. He designed them to eat right without reading labels, to go south when north winds blow and to flock together with birds of a feather! They’re not worried, just enjoying their Maker’s world.<br /><br />He cares even more for us, the humans He lovingly created one by one! Jesus’ disciple, Peter, wrote, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” <br />1 Peter 5:7 That’s worth heeding right now as we face massive unemployment and businesses closing down; as we watch our savings downsize and our expenses upsize. Feeding on that, without trusting God’s provision, can make us anxious! We need to be wise, of course, about living our lives and managing our money. But just as God assures us we can “Be anxious for nothing,” He provides the how-to’s with that. He invites us to feed, like the birds outside my window, as often as we need to at the “feeder” of His Word! We can dive in to the Bible and bathe in His love as we feed on His promises. Our weather issues are less about the barometer and more about “whether” or not things go as we hope and how we’ll cope. And there’s God …with His daily enabling through the faith He gives us in His Son. He’s specific about how to live and think and act. Whatever we face is covered in this kind of “feeding.” <br /><br />I won’t bother the birds with the forecast. I can’t communicate with them, except to offer food and water. Unless I become a bird, and I won’t even TRY to worm myself into THAT scenario. Seriously, thank God He didn’t simply offer food and water after He created us. He went much further, to communicate His love for us. And He didn’t just “try,” He became one of us! This Lenten season we ponder the extremes God went to in saving us from ourselves, our sins, through His Son’s saving work on the Cross. Look how elated we are over the flowers and leaves coming out of dead-looking branches and ground this spring. But even more awesome is that Jesus came out from the tomb, was raised from really dead, not just dead-looking. That’s the ultimate victory over sin, death and the power of satan. And He did it for you and for me. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. We simply receive it by His grace through faith. <br /><br />To the Christian, God offers the forgiving, life giving “feast” of the Lord’s Supper and food by feeding on His Holy Word and the washing away of our sins through the waters of Holy Baptism. Go to that “feeder” and bathe in the SONshine of His Spirit and you will be anxious for a lot less and thankful for a lot more! <br /><br />Contact me: phyllisnow@att.netPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-40199421522560079782012-03-16T22:08:00.002-05:002012-03-16T22:12:30.900-05:00Madly in Love!March Madness is here! I’m fascinated with the best of the best competing at that level. Two world leaders, U.S. President Barrack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron were criticized for postponing weightier matters for front row seats at the kickoff match in Dayton, OH. We can anticipate 68 teams, 67 games, in-depth character studies and lots of trivia. Univ. of Kansas sets a record with its 23rd appearance since the games began in 1908. Duke comes in a distant second with 17 visits. Excitement and hype are guaranteed, over winners and losers, through hope and heartbreak. <br /><br />Fasten your safety belt because now I’m turning a hard right from March Madness into being “madly” in love! I know, kind of free flowing….or as my kids would say…RANdom, but this has to do with our “journey” during Lent. Our journey to the cross with Jesus, that is, thinking about His Words, examining how we live those out, or not. <br /><br />What do you think when you hear “madly in love?” Maybe your first “crush” or being crazy about someone. Perhaps unconditional love or a love that “drives your bus,” as they say about what motivates you. I know a man who confesses he’s still madly in love with his wife of 50 years! On the subject of “madly in love, “ Thomas Aquinas, the 13th C Roman Catholic Priest/Philosopher commented on living in harmony. I quote, “First we need to know we are all madly in love with the same God!” “Madly in love with the same God!” Unlike March Madness, “madly in love with God” has no losers, only winners!<br /><br />Here are two examples that go beyond the Lenten season in following the way of Christ. They make all the difference in the world….and in the world hereafter! The first “madly in love with God” journey is the Children’s Christian Concern Society. Based in Topeka, KS, this worldwide outreach is a recognized service organization of the LCMS. 40 years ago they began with 11 children. They’re now blessed to reach 25 THOUSAND children through 241 sites in 25 countries. Education leads children out of poverty. For 30 years, Concordia Day Care Center has provided a haven for the children of the BangNa [BongNaah’] Slum on the edge of Bangkok. Every day, 45 children as young as two years old come to this bright and engaging preschool. They learn Thai and English letters and numbers with regular Bible lessons and prayers. In the afternoon 15-20 school age children come to the center to use the computers to do their homework.<br />In 2010, a fire destroyed ten dwellings in the slum, putting its 1780 inhabitants in danger. Miraculously, no one was killed or severely injured. Gifts of clothing, household goods, and building materials from Christians distributed through the Day Care Center showed this Buddhist community that God deeply loves them. When CCCS staff visited the site just a few months later, homes were already being rebuilt. To learn more visit cccskids.org <br /><br />The other “journey” I love to tell about is Lutheran Church Charities under the direction of Tim Hetzner in Addison, IL [lutheranchurchcharities.org] This mission brings the comfort, compassion, Presence and proclamation of Christ to those in need. They connect with needs in creatively brilliant ways! Their K-9 Parish Comfort Dog ministry, for example, sends trained dogs and their trainers into not only churches and Sunday schools, but also disaster areas, like Haiti, New Orleans and recently to tornado ravaged areas in Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois and this week in Michigan. One dog I heard about visited a high school counselor’s office to meet a student who had not spoken to anyone for 3 months after witnessing the murder of his friend. When the counselor left the room and came back, he found the student on his knees talking to the dog and the gates for healing were opened. LCC also offers Biblical educational resources, daily email devotionals, soup kitchens, parish nurse, deaf and ethnic ministry support. Maybe one of them is speaking to your heart. Both organizations, Children’s Christian Concern Society and Lutheran Church Charities are donor supported and rely on volunteers and the prayers of those of us who are “madly in love with God.”<br /><br />Why cite such organizations during Lent? Because they bring it home about our “journey” with Christ to the cross. They compel us to respond to Jesus’ sacrificial love for our greatest need, being lost in our sin and apart from God without Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. How can the world tell you’re madly in love with God? If you’re looking for a way to show it, ask Him to point it out to you. He will! It could be through one of the journeys I told you about today.Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-60118170276171903162012-03-08T21:46:00.002-06:002012-03-08T21:49:45.049-06:00Who Do You Say He Is?Have you noticed how the 40 days of Lent can give Christians pause? It’s a journey for our souls to catch up with our bodies. And it begins when we ask God to be transformed through “the renewing of our minds,” as the Bible puts it. Meditating on Christ being born when and how He was, living perfectly the way He did, dying for our sin as He was sent by His Father to do and then rising from the dead…. either brings comfort or it can raise a whole lot of questions. Or both!<br /><br />One of my favorite journey stories came out of great visits I had with Charlie and Dottie Duke. In the late ‘90’s I recorded the “Woman to Woman” show in their New Braunfels, TX home. Charlie “Moonwalker” Duke, as he was later called, was absolutely out of this world back in the ‘70’s, as a lunar module pilot on Apollo 16. This man kept his cool atop 6 million tons of fuel, anticipating blastoff...then cruised at 25,000 miles per hour while floating in zero gravity. He was the 10th man to walk on the moon, spending 20 hours on its surface. The world noticed. <br /><br />But Charlie didn’t seem to notice, when he returned with 213 lbs of moonrocks, that his marriage was on the rocks. His wife, Dottie, did. Charlie had promised to put her first in his life when they married, but his pursuit of a skyrocketing career left that plan in the dust. Two children and 12 years later, Dottie was depressed, had given up on the marriage and spent her time devouring self help books, but to no avail. She thought about divorce and even contemplated suicide. <br /><br />They were churchgoers and one Sunday the church held a “spiritual renewal weekend.” The guests shared their personal stories of getting to know Jesus and what a difference He’d made in their lives. When they talked about answered prayer, they caught Dottie’s attention. That night she knelt down without Charlie knowing it and confessed to God that she needed to know if He was real and that if He was, to please come to her as He had to the people who seemed filled with love and joy in church that morning. And if He wasn’t, she just wanted to die.<br /><br />BTW, Charlie attended the same service and had been “under”whelmed. Dottie didn’t have any startling revelation or sudden spiritual awakening after that prayer, but she soon noticed she wasn’t reaching for the self help books anymore, now that she’d taken up Bible reading! She got into a Bible study and learned about letting go of her resentment of Charlie and putting him in God’s hands. She began to grow in the knowledge of the Lord and every day she tried to forgive Charlie for his lack of responsiveness in the marriage. For several years she did this and grew in her faith to the point she found joy and a renewed love for herself and others. <br /><br />Then one day Charlie went to a Men’s Bible study at a country club. They discussed Mark 8, where Jesus heals the blind man at Bethsaida and as He and the disciples walk to another town, He asks them, “Who do people say I am?” They <br />replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” <br /><br />After the Bible study, Charlie “Moon Walker” Duke, the big strong astronaut who brought rocks back from the moon, got into his car, put the key in the ignition and as the engine started up, it was as if he heard inside his head, “Charlie, who do YOU say I am?” Without warning, Charlie dropped his head onto his hands on the steering wheel and told God he wanted to find out. From that day forward, his spiritual quest led him to confess Christ as his Lord and Savior. Their marriage was ultimately healed, through forgiveness by both parties. In fact, they traveled the world for years to military bases to help other marriages thrive as they depended on Christ. <br /><br />What about your journey this Lenten season? Who do YOU say He is? When you spend time with Him and listen to His Word, He’ll give you instruction and direction, lovingly, with the destination in mind that He won for you on the cross!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-23402531259879364042012-03-01T23:22:00.002-06:002012-03-01T23:24:52.964-06:00Shoes and LentIt’s Friday with Phyllis! On a recent cross country flight I was amused over an announcement by the flight attendant. Once airborne, she asked, “Did anyone leave a shoe in the lounge area? If you look down and notice one shoe is missing, please let us know. This could be yours. It’s either a man’s shoe or a large woman’s shoe.” Most people smiled and went back to their conversations. I saw a few men actually look at their shoes! Women did not, as if doing so might indicate their size! Quicker than you can spell “yikes!” the shoe was delivered to the gentleman in the row ahead of mine. At which point his wife exclaimed, “How did you drop that?” It was one of those rugged, open any-person kind of shoe and it had fallen out of his backpack. <br /><br />With this much time on my hands, it’s a cross country flight, I thought of sayings about shoes. “If the shoe fits wear it.” I even thought, “Walk in another man’s shoes, if they fit. But be sure to look down to see if you’re missing one!” The most famous shoe saying is, “You never truly know someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” The man in front of me was truly glad to be able to walk the California miles he looked forward to in his own shoes, both of them.<br /><br />I remembered Captain Kangaroo telling me on the “Woman to Woman” show years ago that he was very concerned about kids with entitlement attitudes who figured the key to basketball stardom was a certain brand of shoe. Skip the hard work, just get the shoes! Have you heard this quote? “These are my new shoes. They're good shoes. They won't make you rich like me, they won't make you rebound like me, they definitely won't make you handsome like me. They'll only make you have shoes like me. That's it.” This from the very quotable basketball player Charles Barkley (American Basketball Player, b.1963.<br /><br /><br />During this season of Lent, the 40 days prior to Easter, when Christians contemplate Jesus’ walk to the cross for our sins, do we think about His shoes, His sandals? I do when I read in Acts 13:25 what John The Baptizer said as he was completing his work compelling people to repent of their sin to get right with God. He said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’ Interesting point from the man about whom Jesus said in Luke 7:28, “I tell you, among those born of women, there is none greater than John.”<br /><br />In our Lenten journey, we may give up chocolate or gossip. We may go to church more often than normal. But what other ways can we identify with the Christ during Lent? I’ll be exploring that in the weeks ahead, but for today I’m urging you to pray for Christians who are as radical in their cultures as John the Baptizer was in his. John was martyred for his faith, his head served up on a platter before the king, with no good reason, just at the whim of a girl who’d caught his eye, along with the murderous suggestion of her mother. Persecution of Christians worldwide is at an all time high, no good reason, just political incorrectness or the threat of losing control when people leave other faiths. In the news right now is Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani's impending execution in Iran. Nadarkhani has been in prison for his Christian faith for over 860 days. A mounting outcry worldwide is calling for his release. He’s one of thousands in that country alone being persecuted for his faith. <br /><br />We started out with a story about shoes today. We may not be able to walk in Jesus’ shoes, but we can count on Him to walk in ours. He walked in our situations, and worse, when He lived on earth, and all the way to the cross. Because He’s eternal, He still does. He carries us when we can’t walk, in fact.<br /> <br />For more about that we read the Bible and sing hymns like the 17th century, “Let us ever walk with Jesus,” .. ‘follow His example pure.<br /><br />Flee the world, which would deceive us<br />And to sin our souls allure.<br />Ever in His footsteps treading,<br />Body here, yet soul above,<br />Full of faith and hope and love,<br />Let us do the Father's bidding.<br />Faithful Lord, abide with me;<br />Savior, lead, I follow Thee.<br /><br />The rest of that hymn empowers and comforts us in our soul-searching and repentance this Lenten season. May God bless us in our journey and draw us closer to Himself.Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-7447190401671315342012-02-24T08:52:00.002-06:002012-02-24T08:54:50.947-06:00Which One of Us Do You Love The Most?Let’s stay with the topic of love! We’ve had a pretty good run at it so far this month!<br /> <br />One of my 4 kids used to wonder which of them I loved most of all. I’d tell her the story about my Grandmother to help her understand that I loved each one with the same intensity, but with individualized focus and propensity! <br /> <br /><br />Grandma Kringel modeled grace and mercy to the 9’s. My biological grandmother died when I was 2 and my grandfather later married this lovely woman! She affirmed me, whether teaching me to play canasta, single deck of course, when I was 8; or exuding over the sour cherries I picked from her tree so she could make pies with my help and when she sewed clothes for my “Bride Doll.” She and Grandpa traveled to be with us when our parents went out of town. In contrast to his miserly affection, she was my cheerleader and encourager no matter what was going on in my life. She had no idea what WAS going on in my life, actually, because I was a shy child and didn’t share my fears or hopes with anyone. It would have been pretty hard for her to guess, since she’d had no children of her own.<br /><br /> <br />I was drawn to my grandmother because she made me feel special, so special in fact that I was pretty sure I was her favorite. That was NOT spoken, mind you, but if I’d had a trusted friend, I would have confessed it with little guilt. I felt really good about my relationship with my grandmother. She never knew it, but there were times when she was my “life-line!” I could get quiet inside just thinking about sitting next to her on the porch swing in Pittsburgh when she tried to teach me to knit. I was terrible at it and had no patience with the knit one purl two part…but I loved being with her so much I held the needles and made truly awful looking doll scarves! Her fondness for me, her unconditional regard, soothed my soul, even when she wasn’t around.<br /><br /> <br />When I had my first child, the miles between us were many, but I did take the baby to meet her. We had a sweet time. My parents traveled to see her more often in her later years and were concerned about how frugally she lived, turning off her water heater at night for instance, or cooking down her leftover bars of soap to save money. They supplemented her meager income a little now and then when she would let them. So it was with great surprise when she died and the will was read that, lo and behold….Grandma Kringel left me money in her will! There it was…my name and the amount! And, there it was…the name of every other one of her 10 grandchildren ..and their amounts, the same as mine! $2,000 for each of us! Imagine her sacrifice on our behalf! Who would have guessed? We’d all benefited from her unconditional affection, as we were able to receive it. I never talked it over with my cousins, but I assumed they must have felt as loved as I did. I wasn’t loved any less or more than they were. I was loved for who I was by who she was! <br /><br /> <br />That story seemed to settle my daughter’s curiosity about how I could love each one of my four children as much as the others! <br /><br /> <br />Incidentally, my dad offered to invest my inheritance for 5 years. This was in the ‘70’s and times were good. That investment increased 17 times, significantly multiplying the blessing of my grandmother’s sacrificial love! I see a reflection here of God’s love for us. The Bible calls believers “adopted” sons and daughters of the King, whom He loves equally! In fact we can’t do anything to make Him love us more or less! I was “adopted” into my grandmother’s life when my widowed grandfather married a second time. I knew my grandmother loved me, humanly speaking, for sure! God loves us for sure, no matter what. I had no idea about my grandmother’s riches until she died. In Eph 3:8 the Apostle Paul describes the “boundless riches of Christ” for us to expect and enjoy them! In RO 11:33, St. Paul again. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” That’s Who God IS! That’s a peek at how His love draws us close to Him every day!<br /><br /> <br />I can still feel my grandmother’s affirming presence when she comes to mind. My heavenly Father’s Presence is always with me whether I can feel it or not. Whom does He love the most? Everyone He ever made. That’s you. That’s me. And that’s the Truth! Feel the love?!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-90916808647455317002012-02-16T21:52:00.002-06:002012-02-17T07:46:39.994-06:00Some Kinda Love!One of my favorite love letters ever came, not on Valentine’s Day, but just in time to catch my heart by surprise! My grandson, James, who calls me “Oma,” was 5 years old when he asked his mom for an envelope. Sure…why do you want an envelope? “To write Oma a love letter!” I didn’t know about this until it came in the mail. I’d like to read it to you, if you have time! And you DO have time. 5 year old love letters aren’t very long. My name and address were printed on the envelope and inside, the penciled letter read, “Dear Oma, This is a love letter.” Love, James<br /><br />This week we’ve been delivered a lot of love notes at best, love topics at least. From Valentine’s Day love to the Grammy’s with their love songs about love gone wrong and love that’s good, to Whitney Houston’s tragic death and the playing and replaying of her hit, “I will always love you!” This church choir child came from a privileged heritage that included famous soul singers like her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, and her godmother Aretha Franklin. Whitney was 11 when she sang in her New Jersey church's junior gospel choir. After being discovered and nurtured by Clive Davis, she went on to win diamond, multi-platinum, platinum and gold for her incredible voice. 140 million albums, sold worldwide. She sang the song in her heart to the world that fell in love with her. But along the way, something changed her tune, altered the key in which she lived her life and nothing was ever the same. The beauty and grace of her notes and her face had a different place toward the end of her “space,” called 48 years. <br /><br />Her music lives on, as does her inspiration. I take to heart other lessons from her life as well. In her 2009 interview with Oprah, Whitney openly confessed her dilemma, especially concerning drugs and a difficult marriage. "When it gets to the point where you're sitting in your home and you're just trying to cover what you don't want people to know. It's painful," she said. "And then you want more, just so that you don't let anybody see you cry."<br /><br />Whitney Houston revealed that"amazingly," through it all, she continued to read the Bible. "I knew God was there. I knew the light was there and I was just trying to get back to it." She also told Winfrey that her ex-husband "was my drug...that's what my high was. Him." How easy it is for us to put someone or some THING on a pedestal and do what they do, let ourselves be enticed, even when we know God warns us to “have no other gods before Me.” <br /><br />One of the many messages in this highly talented woman’s life is to be careful with whom we spend time and with whom we fall in love. When the Bible teaches to “guard your heart,” that includes falling in love wisely, because when you fall in love you give you heart to the object of your love. Pedro Arrupe, born in Spain, served the Lord as a missionary for much of his incredibly dedicated life (1907-1991). He described this love, “What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what gets you out of bed in the mornings, what you do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you. Fall in love, stay in love, and it will decide everything.”<br /><br />“I will always love you”..is the way we all WANT to be loved. But there’s only One Who loves perfectly like that. We leave Whitney’s eternal destiny in the Hands of a loving God whose mercy and grace will be celebrated in her memorial service for family and friends, right where she first fell in love with Jesus.<br /><br />Part of the take away for me is that it’s not only about how she died, how we die, when and where. It’s “Where do we go from there?” How did we live for Christ, IN Christ, with Christ? How did we respond to His promise to be with us always, even to the end of the age? Dolly Parton wrote “I will always love you” to a business partner she was leaving. Jesus says, “I will always love you” to you and to me. The music stopped in Whitney’s case. But the beat goes on because God says through Christ, “I will always love you.” Some kinda love! What’s your response?Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-64251110125375620352012-02-16T21:50:00.001-06:002012-02-16T21:52:33.285-06:00Feb 10 The Valentine of All Valentines!Are you decorating a shoebox to be filled with valentines from your friends next week? Maybe not, but I bet you salivate when you see those little boxes of heart shaped candies! It’s not that they’re so good, but that we’re conditioned to do that, beginning with our first tiny candy hearts with “u r cute” printed on them! Well, guess what? Marketing picked up on that one a long time ago. Those folks use the same principle, more often than we realize, to get the pupils of our eyes to dilate with pleasure over a product or idea, or to get us to respond in a certain way. Buyer beware! The more aware we are, the less we fall for the wrong response triggers out there! <br /> <br />Our human nature goes for marketing gimmicks like earning bonus points or double coupons when we shop here, work out there, fly a certain airline enough for a free round trip. Obviously some of it’s to our advantage, so why not? My question is, why is that so appealing? It’s partly because we like something for nothing, we’re drawn to the extras, the add-on’s. They give us reward. There’s nothing wrong with that. But when you use ‘em up, where’s the reward? After we get the prize, the free trip, the free whatever it is, then it’s “Thanks for the memories.” That lasts awhile, but eventually it’s back to start and we have to earn the bonus points, the add-on’s all over again. <br /> <br />By contrast, God’s great, over-the-top marketing of His love is a bonus, like a reward we can never use up. For openers, we can’t even earn it. He doesn’t dole it out as a perk for good behavior or for praying to Him so many times a day or attending church every week. He gives it freely because God IS love. BTW, “freely” doesn’t just mean gladly, to everyone, always no matter what you’ve done or are doing. That’s true and it would be more than enough, but He goes even further on the love scale. His love is free. It costs us nothing. But it cost Him everything. So he’s serious about love. His commitment is to everyone who believes His Son Jesus Christ willingly/lovingly gave His life on the cross for our sins. He didn’t do this just to start a religious movement. Love came down at Christmas, lived among us so we could see Love in the flesh and then Love conquered sin, death and the power of the devil. <br /> <br />This is the Valentine of all Valentines. Whether or not we get a long stemmed rose or a box of candy or valentine card from someone special, we have an everlasting Love from The Living God, Who makes our hearts beat one hundred and three thousand, six hundred and eighty nine [103,689] times a day! Those beats long for Him because He built that in to our design. St. Augustine put it this way, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." <br /> <br /><br />His everlasting, unfailing love is bigger than any candy, cake or flower shaped heart we can imagine. It’s sweeter than anything we’ve come up with since time began! It’s a little like the way humans market, come to think of it. We hear about this Love of God for us, even though we don’t understand it and can not wrap our human minds around it. Then when we welcome God’s Holy Spirit into our hearts, He gradually teaches Who He is and about the take away for us in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, things like forgiveness and courage and peace that passes understanding. We open up to the potential we have through this Love as we try it on. And we get a FREE TRIP at the end! This is not a round trip, but entrance into the very Presence of our Heavenly Father, the Love of our lives, for eternity! Won’t that be heavenly! Think about it as you open that Valentine right now! And as you pass it on, remember why… We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-1958992911314160432012-02-03T14:22:00.000-06:002012-02-03T14:23:19.815-06:00For the Love of GodDoes anybody know where the expression, “For the love of God!” originated? I can’t find the source. When I hear reverent people who love The Lord God Almighty, say “For the love of God,” it focuses me on His love, over all other kinds of love. I do say it to myself now and then as a reminder of that in trying moments. But I have to confess, I won’t say it out loud, because it can sound like I’m taking the name of the Lord in vain, about which He warns, “DON’T!”<br /> <br />Just in time for Valentine’s Day, something new popped into my thinking. I’ll call these examples of the “love of God” that’s missing among us. Through the years people I care about have “graduated to heaven,” as my friend Pastor David Maier puts it. Go to womantowomanradio.com for my interview with David Maier & his wife and son. It was the first show in 2011. It’s called “Out of Control Is Ok!” Incredible story of facing opposition. Back to “the love of God” expression and those missing among us. As I attend events where my now “graduated to heaven” friends were major players, I see things that aren’t as lovely right now, simply because the person who shared the love of God in them, is gone. This is not meant to slight anyone. It caught me by surprise, but it’s happened more than once, so I do want to think further on it. <br /> <br />For example, to give you an idea of where I’m headed, at the church dinners, bazaars, especially the soup and salad fun raiser, it’s not the same anymore. I finally figured out what’s missing. It’s Shirley’s homemade soup and her fresh baked breads, loaves and loaves of different breads, which she cut with an electric knife! And her jams and jellies aren’t there either, much less her pickles. Also missing are Margaret’s little potted aloe plants and other starts from summer cuttings neatly rooted to take home. Her home grown elephant garlic and generous bunches of fresh basil, absent from the offerings on the table. Now we have good enough rolls from the bakery and no one comments on the soups, but we all know the difference. We’re in a bit of a pickle. <br /> <br />I did inquire once, to see if Shirley’s recipes went missing. No, I was told, she did them from her head and never wrote them down! Now she’s forgetful and that was that. I left it alone and moved on and then one day it hit me. Shirley and Margaret and the others carefully, dutifully, endlessly, joyfully shared their gifts quietly through the years. We’d all say “Uhmm, wonderful!” and “Thank you for taking the trouble to do all this!” But who wondered what would come next? <br /> <br />That’s what I’m wondering right now. WHO will come next? Part of my answer came rather too quickly. “You will!” I heard very clearly in my head. I’ve enjoyed serving the Lord by loving people with other gifts than those that are missing. But as I’m getting older, would it be a nice way to love through some of those replacement duties that are missing? I do pick my own berries and fruits all summer and put them up. How much trouble would it be to make a few more batches? I used to make all our breads before the best bakery in the world came to town. I could do that again, just for special church occasions. The aroma would be worth it! And maybe I’ll even buy an electric slicing knife! I give friends slips of my garden plants all summer long. I suppose I could pot a few to put out for others to buy and raise some money for charity. About those soups…uhm hmm…well, I could cook up some of favorites from the WomantoWomanrado.com website recipe column. I’d forgotten how my sister and I used to trail the gargantuan pickle truck over to Bear Lake, MI from the cottage and wait til it loaded up all the right sized cucumbers and left. Then we’d buy a bushel of odd sizes to take home and pickle! I still have those mason jars! <br /> <br />Thanks for accompanying me on this mental detour! Does it make you wonder how you can restore some of the LOVEliness that’s missing in your little corner of the world? Maybe that’s where the saying ,“For the Love of God” came from; someone pondering, “Now what will I do to share it!” Your turn!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-89605215152798865502012-01-26T22:21:00.003-06:002012-01-26T22:26:36.433-06:00Convincing Me!This week I’ve enjoyed the Florida Gulf coast, in a different way than Santorum, Gingrich and Romney! I’m not working any crowds, doing any convincing, like they are these days. Instead I’m BEING CONVINCED. And politics has nothing to do with it! <br /><br />On our morning beach walks we marvel at red, white and black mangrove trees. These guardians of the shore grow in estuaries where freshwater from the land mixes with saltwater from the ocean, creating brackish water. On a guided nature hike we learned that black mangrove trees exude the salt through their leaves and their trunks, literally sweating it out to maintain the right balance to thrive. These fascinating trees not only protect the shores from storms, they also cradle the nursery of the seas. The brackish water in which the mangrove trees grow, gives fish and shellfish strong starts in a protective ecosystem.<br /><br />We saw a Gopher Tortoise, a land turtle protected from extinction by the State of FL for what he does. This guy digs down 6’, then makes a tunnel 30’ long and then the neighbors move in… numbering more than 350 other species! Talk about, "There goes the neighborhood!" We walked under The Great Blue Heron and Egrets flying overhead and the Black Skimmer scooping up fish as it skimmed the top of the water. We stood within 20 feet of dozens of huge Pelicans diving straight into the Gulf and popping up with a mouthful every time. All of this captivating, even breathtaking. I think of God’s particular concern for creation when I stand in the midst of it like this. In Matthew 10:29-31 we read, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”<br /><br />Just as I was oohing and aahing, our conservancy guide pointed out beautiful orbweaver spiders creating massive silk webs. I wondered out loud, “Why in the world would God invest so much of Himself in things that few notice or appreciate?” I’d walked that same area earlier in the week and hadn’t picked up on the detail. I’ve thought about it a lot since. All of the creatures and pieces of creation we encountered on our walks is staying with me, even though I’m back home in my daily routines which do not include what I’ve just described. I have a renewed sense of how God is wooing us. <br /><br />I’m being convinced this week through His provision and protection for lesser creatures that makes me trust His complete and total provision for me in what Christ accomplished on the Cross and then rising from the dead! My holiday at the shore has washed away some of life’s fears and replaced them with faith. And it only took a few spiders, a relic turtle and some dashing birds of the air to do it! What will it take for you to be further convinced that you can trust the Lord Who counts the hairs on your head and the sparrows that fall from the sky? Unlike the way political candidates try to convince us, God wants to convince us without forcing the issue. He reveals His glory in the everyday ways He comes to us. He doesn’t say, “Take it or leave it.” It’s not, “Believe it or not,” like with the candidates. It’s more taste and see that the Lord is good. Enjoy being convinced!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-33601408883570545682012-01-20T09:41:00.001-06:002012-01-20T09:43:26.768-06:00Trust God in the DetailsLast week my husband and I were excited because our son, Brooks, was flying in from across the world where he lives. We email, text and Skype … but there’s nothing like person to person! Especially with our kids. Lots of us have this challenge. Our kids go with the job opportunity that often takes them far away. To have Brooks home for three whole days would be heavenly for us and give him time for the jetlag rebound! I worried about his layover at O’Hare, which in my experience is prone to closing over things, like rain, wind, snow, ice and lake effect - anything. I steeled myself against COUNTing on his arrival and checked weather.com about 7 times a day! I think moms have a God-given right to hover like that! <br /><br />We had a plan. Friday airport pick up by our St. Louis son-in-law and Friday dinner in our Illinois home for all of us until Brooks “crashed” in our earlier time zone!<br /><br />As winter weather advisories loomed, I prayed “expecting,” as they say. Expecting a strong “maybe.” To be honest, I knew this little side trip could be cancelled by weather and Brooks would have to stay in Chicago, which was his meeting destination in the first place. The only thing I knew for sure… he would if he could. <br /><br />With the FRIDAY dinner deadline in mind, I was slightly distracted by our first significant snow of the year on Thursday. With 2-3” here in St. Louis and a predicted 7-10” in Chicago, my anxiety meter went up. Maybe by Friday O’Hare would be shoveled out and Brooks’ flight would land. I must have had pretty balanced brain chemistry that Thursday, because when our daughter, Hannah, called and asked if she and the kids could come over to sled and stay for dinner, I said “YES!” Normally I’d be flying through the house with last minute prep. But the house was ready, so we sledded instead. My body was sledding, but my head was fussing over Brooks getting here the next day. We ended up eating dinner out. After all, I had my sites set on a big dinner the NEXT night when Brooks arrived. <br /><br />Hannah’s husband was running late, so we ordered for her kids. Meanwhile, I’m planning how much baking I can still get done before I go to bed when these nice people go home! That’s when the kids at the dinner table looked straight past me and called out, “Brooksie!” There he was. A day early and that’s why their daddy was late! The airport run! <br /><br />I turned and my eyes saw him, the beautiful sight of my son, but I couldn’t take it in. In fact, I couldn’t process his actually being there until later that evening. What IS that? It’s like a trick. When I pray for something and it’s answered, why don’t I “get it” right away? Why does it take so long for it to sink in? <br /><br />In a way this reminds me of Acts 12 when King Herod was on a rampage against Christians and beheaded James, the brother of John? He put his next victim, the Apostle Peter, in prison under military guard until after Passover when he would be killed. The church prayed fervently to God for Peter’s release. The very night before Herod planned to execute him, Peter was asleep between two soldiers, secured by chains, with sentries guarding the doors. You can read how an angel tapped Peter on the shoulder to wake up, walked him out of the prison and down the street. Peter thought it was a vision. But realizing that he’d been rescued, he went to the house where they were praying for him. Rhoda, the maid, answers the door, recognizes his voice, doesn’t open the door, but in her excitement runs back to tell the others who tell her she’s crazy! Rhoda believes and the others, including the apostles, don’t! I can identify after seeing, but not seeing, Brooks a day early from across the world!<br /><br />The take-away from all of this: We can get so antsy over the answer, we can’t recognize it when it arrives. <br /><br />It’s Leap year… so let’s leap into 2012 expecting answers. Like Isaiah tells us, “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor His ear too dull to hear.” He’s the “more than” God..more than you would think or ask. As it turned out, Brooks caught an earlier flight due to a cancelled meeting. He decided to surprise us. By coming in a day early, although his international flight was an hour and a half late into O’Hare, he caught a flight to St. Louis with 10 minutes to spare. It was the last flight out of O’Hare because of the weather! No-one knows the behind the scenes story most of the time. Even more reason to trust God in the details of our lives.Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-1210778430337123302012-01-13T09:04:00.002-06:002012-01-13T09:09:01.791-06:00Call for Help You Can Count On!JANUARY 13, 2012 Call For Help You Can Count On! <br /><br />On this “Friday with Phyllis,” I’d like to tell you about my friend Lisa, who’s also my egg lady! Whenever I stop for eggs my world gets bigger by learning how to hold carrots for the horse or how to pick up the rabbits, but last week was singular! Lisa has two gorgeous Partridge Cochin roosters who strut their stuff with lots of fluff, but it was a little rough for one last September. Lisa’s husband was out of town and in the middle of the night, over the air conditioning, she somehow heard a ruckus out in the chicken shed. She grabbed a flashlight and went to find a raccoon lurking in the hen house. He’d dug his way under the door and scrambled out the way he’d come in as soon as Lisa put him in the spotlight! Her light also revealed a badly mangled rooster cowering in the corner, reeling from his predator’s attack. His head was a mess because the raccoon had him by the head. “He was almost gonna be dinner,” she told me. <br /><br />Now I’m hearing this story last week, four months later, while the roosters are strutting toward me from across the yard, as happy as you please. Even with Buster, the Corgi, barking to ward them off, they kept coming! It turns out they recognized Lisa standing next to me and figured she’d go get some corn. Which she did. Buster was ushered into the house, BTW, so I could get the REST of the story right next to these beautiful multicolored, large, fluffy feathered birds with fully feathered legs and feet. I had noticed one was a bit leaner than the other, but otherwise they were identical. So now I knew what had happened!<br /><br />Talk about a close call. Lisa isn’t sure how she heard the squawking over the noise of the air conditioner, with the windows closed, but she and the rooster are glad she did. She saved his life. In fact, when I told Lisa I was using this story today, she said she’d tell the “boys,” the rooster brothers…so they’d have something to crow about! <br /><br />When trouble digs its way into your life in a moment of physical, spiritual, emotional darkness, do you squawk like the roosters did? I hope so, maybe not that loudly, but in some appropriate way because it’s good to let it be known you need help. It can be any threat to body, soul or mind that alerts us to danger. The question is….. who hears our cries for help and shines a light into our situation? [The raccoon heard the rooster’s cry…no help there.] We want the one with the best light, don’t we, to expose what’s going on and rescue us? And WHAT if we don’t see it coming and there’s no time to squawk? <br /><br />In either case, the Bible speaks to that. Hebrews 13: 5,6 "God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” The rooster was helpless. He couldn’t run for help, couldn’t save himself. Lisa had to intervene, stop the attack and get the rooster to safety. It took months for the rooster to heal and it took this incident for Lisa to secure the area under the door of the chicken house. <br /><br />In 2 Cor the Apostle Paul refers to God as “The God of all comfort…Who comforts us in all our troubles.” There’s no limit to what or how God will intervene in our close calls, the attacks against us. When He shines His Light..the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, into your life, through prayer or Bible study for example, it sends away dark thoughts and circumstances. Like the rooster, we need outside intervention. We can’t save ourselves from attacks. So call on God, in the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ…Expect Him…and trust His timing and mercies in your behalf. <br /><br />And now a little plug for the February 3 & 4th Women's Day of Renewal at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, IL. ”Responding with Faith” is the theme. We’ll look at finding faith for our freakouts with the insights of Psychologist Dr. Melanie Wilson who teams up with me on the stage! All women are invited to this fabulous event, the 12th annual WDR at GSLC in C’vle. Expect God to shine His Light on your freakout so you can respond with Faith. His Holy Spirit gives you the faith…you have that", It’s a given," as they say. But you’re still scared, hiding in the corner of your nest, your hen house, behind your thoughts about what freaks you out. Your job, stepping out with confidence knowing your weakness, your scars may show. Like the rooster beaten up by the raccoon. But guess what…like Lisa’s flashlight shined into the rooster’s corner and scared away the raccoon..God’s Light, His Holy Spirit shines into your dark too. You have choices about how to respond to freakouts. Find out what they are at the Women's Day of Renewal. Contact: goodshepherdlutherancollinsville.orgPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-2491803616281997642012-01-06T11:43:00.003-06:002012-01-06T11:46:35.978-06:00New Year Aspirations!We have 6 days under our belt in 2012. How’s your new year’s resolution going? For some inspiration, here’s an idea. Look back over your shoulder at December 2011 when Time Magazine announced its “Person of the Year.” For 84 years the winners have included Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2010, Bill & Melinda Gates and Bono who shared the 2005 honor for being shrewd about doing good, for making mercy smarter and hope strategic and then daring the rest of us to follow! Awesome. Young People were highlighted in 1966 for shaking up society and trusting no one over 30. I was young then. I remember. There have been U S Astronauts and Presidents, along with men and women from other countries who’d most impacted the news and our lives, for good or otherwise, to exemplify what was important about their year. <br /><br />Would you have guessed the 2011 “Person of the Year?” Admittedly, there were strong finalists, like Admiral William McRaven and Congressman Paul Ryan. And the “PERSON of the Year” was THE PROTESTOR! Not as in “Thou doest protest too much!” Oh no…it was “more is better” and “too much is never enough.” Now Protest IS REALLY NOTHING new. It’s made news headlines before and even changed history, but it’s been rather subdued by the good times of the last decade. Before the “bubble” burst in the U.S. a few years ago. Many thought the good times would never end and became complacent in them. <br /><br />If lethargy was rampant world-wide, then protest became kindling for the fire when in Tunisia in Dec of 2010, a hard working 26 yr old street vendor had been dehumanized by harsh and unfair treatment at the hands of his town authorities one too many times. He went to city officials to file a complaint. Getting no response, he poured paint thinner on himself and lit a match. “My son set himself on fire for dignity," his mother said. His sister added, “In Tunisia, dignity is more important than bread.” [mom = Mannoubia Bouazizi] This incident incited the huge protest in Tunisia that overturned the government there.<br /><br />Protestors from all over the world are mentioned in Time magazine’s award. From the nameless masses who swarmed the streets with the Arab spring to the protestors in Greece and the Occupy Wall Street movement and on it goes…notice was taken and high marks given by Time magazine, 2011. Protestors were cited to share a desire to reform and improve their countries’ political and economic woes. Egyptian eruptions came out of fraudulent elections in 2010. In Russia it was the reality that another six (or 12) years of Vladimir Putin, the Time magazine 2007 “Person of the Year” incidentally, might NOT improve prosperity and daily life. <br /><br /><br />What does this have to do with my NY’s resolution and yours? The Bible teaches us about resolution in terms of who drives your bus and what motivates you to stand up and be counted. Who of us doesn’t protest something to one extent or another? But how & why we do it matter to God whose Son, Jesus Christ endured protest and protested Himself here on earth. If Jesus had demanded to be treated fairly with dignity, where would that have taken Him? How many times was He offended.. from “no room at the Inn” to false accusations and injustice on the cross? <br /><br />He could have marched with signs and gotten air time and said “Forget This Stuff!” And then where would We be? Instead He said, “Forgive them and gave His life as a sacrifice to give US dignity…even, especially, when others don’t. Maybe this year we can protest with more of a Divine purpose. <br /><br />The Bible says, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalm 37:23). Let’s check with Him first.<br /><br />‘Know where you are headed and you will stay on solid ground’ (Proverbs 4:26). ‘Many are the plans in a man’s heart but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails’ (Proverbs 19:21). <br /><br />Above all, let’s be sure to seek God’s will in whatever cause we promote. 1 Sam 2:10 warns that those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. That sounds like something to avoid! In the process, we stay humble, as He gives us the grace to encourage others and work for good change. That's why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." And when we get beaten down and discouraged by the opposition, we take heart from Heb 12:3 “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Of course, begin any protest with prayer!<br /><br />Bottom line: in contrast to proTEST, let’s PROclaim..the Good News of JC. In contrast to OCCUPY, let’s BE OCCUPIED by the HS. That’s how God guides our protests to be most effective so what we occupy will count far beyond the here and now! Lord willing, That should make for a great 2012!<br /><br />Contact me phyllisnow@att.netPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-59848080834169867972011-12-23T09:27:00.000-06:002011-12-23T09:28:18.457-06:00God's InterventionDec 23 God’s Intervention<br /><br />Have you seen the YouTube video …when dancers or singers step out of a crowd and perform in the park or a train station or on the street? I am captivated by this phenom, happening world-wide and described by a performance group at Central Station in Stockholm as, “A short fun event to create presence in the moment and with other people, having fun, creating happiness.” I’ve seen Handel’s Halleluiah Chorus and 1950’s dancing, with sometimes hundreds of performers who simply show up for the fun of it!<br /><br />It’s a planned intervention. Folks are coming and going. Minding their own business in a world worried about wages, wondering about tomorrow, about this possibility and the latest tragedy. Then, out of nowhere, comes music and some in the crowd begin to dance and sing and draw together in routines until it’s obvious, this is a PLAN! Dancing in Union Station or at the Denver airport or on the street, STOPS people in their tracks, whisks them away, lifts them out of their troubles for a few minutes. It’s a power break that puts a spring in their step. Reactions vary from wide-eyed wonder to tapping feet and swaying bodies! People turn to strangers and point and comment as they take pictures. <br /><br />Maybe I find this so enchanting because it takes me back to the Christmas I wanted my children to experience giving without getting. I took my 5,6, 9 and 11 year old Suzuki violinists, dressed in their Christmas best, to play for a few shut-ins. We headed for Anita Kubant’s upstairs apartment, in a U shaped building with an upstairs deck and railing and a courtyard below. I’d arranged with Anita’s caregiver to open her door so we could surprise her. My last minute reminder to the kids that true giving from a loving heart expects nothing in return, seemed to sink in as we approached the building. <br /><br />The door opened to a small space. No problem, we stood outside and played a 10-minute repertoire. The three girls watched my conducting, but my son, Brooks, while on the correct notes, was looking at a moving object I caught out of the corner of my eye. Whenever he would look back at me, the fluttering would resume and I’d lose him again! After recital bows, I turned to face a smiling audience of residents lining the balcony. A man waving paper money had caught Brooks’ attention! <br /><br />On all of our minds was the mantra, “something for nothing!” As the children walked past the clapping adults, I heard the moneyman’s plaintiff, “Please, I WANT you to have this. You’ve brought us such a wonderful Christmas tonight!” I quickly realized that to ignore his heartfelt response could be hurtful. I thanked him and said it would go to the Christ-child. Brooks was all eyes! <br /><br />With instruments tucked back in their cases, we drove to the next “something for nothing” opportunity. We decided to give 90% of the man’s money to the children’s Christmas Eve service and spend 10% on the instrumentalists. It wasn’t the lesson I’d planned, but then some of life’s best lessons aren’t! <br /><br />The next performance that evening was at the house of Augusta, an elderly woman who was literally “into” the bells and whistles of Christmas. She had more blinking lights in her windows and front room than you could take in without doing brain damage! And what didn’t blink, whistled, sang or popped out of a box or nest. She was delighted to show off her collection. The kids were wide-eyed over it, except for the youngest who jumped every time a new gadget rolled across the floor or ceiling. This performance lasted only 5 minutes and we were on our way, but not before Augusta disappeared and reappeared with a wrapped box. Same thing…we HAD to take it or she would have melted or maybe it would have been lights out, I’m not sure. We buckled up and opened a re-gifted box of chocolates. And most of them were still in there! <br /><br />What SWEET things happen when you give something and expect nothing! <br />My planned intervention with little ones playing violins wasn’t of the same caliber as the YouTube variety around the world, but it made a lovely difference in people’s lives, for a few moments anyway.<br /><br />Let’s consider another kind of intervention. A HEAVENLY one. What if angels appeared in Union Station or the Mall singing and then said, “Don’t Be Afraid. We bring you Good News of great JOY that will be for all the people. In the City of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2: 10,11 Would people stop in their tracks, take pictures? Would smiles replace frowns? Would it be as described at the Stockholm surprise dance in the station…an event to create a presence, to create happiness? <br /><br />Well, actually, a planned intervention 2,000 years ago DID bring an overwhelming response to the Presence of the Babe of Bethlehem Who came to save us from our sin. The angels didn’t perform in a mall or a train station or airport. They lit up the night sky and sang to shepherds who stopped in their tracks. They didn’t get out their cell phones and take pictures and call home. But the Bible tells us they headed to the manger to see this Baby Who was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. WHAT an intervention! Has it happened to you? Has God’s Great Gift of Christmas stopped you in your tracks yet? If so, I rejoice with you as we celebrate Christmas. Oh, come let us adore Him! If not, His intervention is a gift, a present. It’s an invitation to receive Him. There’s no time like the present! Merry Christmas! <br /><br />Contact me phyllisnow@att.netPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-90131292836990475112011-12-16T09:57:00.002-06:002011-12-16T09:59:19.474-06:00Personalize The Christ ChildWith Christmas 9 days away, you still have plenty of time to personalize the Babe of Bethlehem. The other day I asked a friend who lost his dad last year how it was going. He said, wistfully, “I wish I could hide somewhere and let Christmas pass by and come out when it’s over. I’d just like to skip Christmas this year. I think about him every day.” This man of strong Christian faith is normally upbeat, but he’s been socked with loss and grief. This got me thinking about how God comes to us in celebration, amidst our losses.<br /><br />On the “Woman to Woman” show, produced by Lutheran Hour Ministries, when I interviewed guests about loss they insisted that The Lord of Life can use that very situation as an opportunity to experience His power and peace in a whole new way. John the Baptist, a major Biblical voice, calls out of the wilderness for people to repent of their sins to prepare the way of the Lord. What about the longing in our hearts for someone who’s no longer with us? Can that prepare the way of the Lord? Since God is not distant, since He is at hand, Matt 28:20, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" …the answer is YES, our loss, any loss, can prepare the way of the Lord. Keep that awesome reality in mind. God will use the emotions you’re experiencing through your loss to give you what you won’t get any other way. <br /><br />As you try to celebrate Christmas best you can, a few tips from Dr. Susan Zonnebelt-Smeenge, a clinical psychologist in Grand Rapids, MI and co-author of the book THE EMPTY CHAIR. <br /><br />About the one less place setting at the Christmas table this year, one less chair where HE or SHE always sat. Holidays usually raise us above the humdrum of life to renew and revive us! Grief is tough enough, but when Christmas comes it can be even more difficult. Grieving the loss of a loved one can turn your holiday into a painful time that robs you of happy memories of past celebrations. <br /><br />Certainly, the holidays will never again be exactly the same for you, Dr. Zonnebelt-Smeenge says. With the death of a loved one, things change. That doesn’t mean, however, that you’ll never again be able to join in the celebration or experience a full richness during holidays. You’re on a journey, she advises, with these ways to find peace in your pain and hope in your hurts. <br /> <br />Remember that Grief not a passive process<br /><br />Have a Plan in your head. To avoid the “elephant in the room” that everyone tiptoes around, give people permission to talk re. him, how he always lit the candles, or her favorite dish, how the person lived their life.<br /><br />Holidays like Christmas are emotionally charged and it probably doesn’t take much to throw us off from having a great time to having a horrible one. Dr. Zonnebelt-Smeenge says, “full resolution of grief is possible through a combination of time and intentional grief work.” You don’t come out of it and find your old self again. You come out a different person.<br /><br />She calls it “Sorting through the ashes” which includes accepting the loss. Admit you’re frozen inside like the ground, that you cry when you look at your gift list. Your holiday spirit has been broken by death, maybe nothing sparkles but your tears. “What about a less than ideal relationship with the deceased?” Her advice was to keep the finest of your loved one alive to pass on. Celebrate the joy he brought into your life. Thank God you loved and were loved by this person. Her point is that Grief can be one of the great deepening experiences of life. <br /><br />To get “control” over our emotions, be intentional about this grief work. If it’s your first holiday without your husband or child or parent, it can be overwhelming. Take care of yourself physically. Don’t scrap the whole thing and deny yourself pleasure in obligation to the deceased. Instead, buy a gift for him and give it to someone needy.<br /><br />If you live alone…visit a soup kitchen or a nursing home. Make new bonds out of shared losses in a grief support group. Above all, find a time of peace & reflection. The person IS there in a sense. He or she is part of each of you. It could be lovely for people to share that. Lower your expectations of the holidays. Be kind and gentle with yourself. Plan ahead so you’re not overwhelmed at the last minute. It’s hard to concentrate when you’re grieving, so make lists and simplify your to-do list this year.<br /><br />My dad’s been gone for 4 Christmases, my mom for 8. I still have moments when I stop and in tears, thank God for all the ways they focused Christmas on The Christ, the Giver above the gifts. <br /><br />What about you? Prayerfully consider what we’ve talked about and invite God’s grace to reach in and transform your grief from an ending into a beginning.<br /><br />No matter what your loss, you needn’t be at a loss over what to receive. <br />The 14th century German melody [author unknown] “Now sing we, now rejoice”, 2nd verse, speaks to this. “Come from on high to me; I cannot rise to Thee, Cheer my wearied spirit, O Pure and holy Child; Through thy grace and merit, Blest Jesus, Lord most mild…Draw me unto Thee! Draw me unto Thee!”Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-19806662568991014572011-12-16T09:55:00.000-06:002011-12-16T09:56:55.129-06:00Christmas TraditionsDec 9<br /><br /><br />What are your favorite Christmas traditions? Maybe watching classics like Charlie Brown’s Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life and White Christmas? Anybody go caroling in the neighborhood or the retirement community or hospital wards? One year a group of us was allowed to sing carols in ICU at the local hospital. I kept thinking, oh please don’t let this cause a code blue on my watch! But the staff and the patients were misty eyed over that one! They LOVED it. <br /><br />Then there were the Christmas cookies with the kids. We’d roll, cut and bake and then sort by shapes. Stars here, bells there, angels in this tin, please! Next we’d mix the icing, add colors and get out the brushes. We had 76 cooky cutters, much to the delight of those on the receiving end of this tradition! My friend Marcy saved some, like the beautiful male Mallard Duck. She couldn’t eat it. It looked so real!<br /><br />One of my favorites was a church with a steeple. Maybe you have that one, too. The year Jennifer invited her BF, Phil, to come over from Washington U and join us, he not only pitched in, he painted stained glass windows on the church cookies! I think that enthusiasm carried the relationship to a new level! Then he had fun inventing shapes, like a toothbrush and a Grinch, still part of our traditions, BTW! Jennifer and Phil eventually married and now lots of folks in NJ benefit from the way they and their children shape Christmas with cookies, delivered in baskets, often accompanied by caroling! Perhaps you make your own Christmas cards or toffee? What about the traditional advent calendar to help count the days? There’s the Advent midweek service at church and choir rehearsals and the children’s Christmas program! And aaah…Classic99.com for sacred and classical music on “Holiday Wrappings!”<br /><br />There’s something very grounding and peaceful about traditions, whether they’ve been passed down through generations or you start them yourself. It’s NEVER too late to start a tradition!<br /><br />AND THEN there are the RULES! One rule in most families -- no one peeks in the gift closet before Christmas! <br /><br />The Christmas Brooks was four, he forgot our family “rule” about eating breakfast BEFORE going into the family room to open the gifts around the tree. I heard the pitter patter of feet in the wrong hallway outside the kitchen door, just in time to hear his hushed little voice giving his peek away. "I remember what I wanted for Christmas. An edow (yellow) tractor!" I called ‘round the other way for breakfast and then, Of Course, he had to fake surprise when he saw the yellow tractor next to the tree as we walked in together!<br /><br />How many of us want to hear this Christmas, "It's JUST what I wanted!" Whether you're scurrying from one mall, cataloge or website to the next, or creating your own gifts this season, you want the PERFECT gift for each person. 540 Most people on your list are WAITing in anticipation, having been notified that Christmas is just 16 days away. Some, expecting nothing, will be surprised! <br /> <br />In anticipation of the birth of His Son, God notified people for centuries that the Messiah was coming. No date, so they couldn’t count the days, but the faithful tried and longed for it to happen. Three hundred times the Bible predicted and promised the Birthday of the Savior of mankind. And still when it happened, only a few believed. Some were surprised, like the shepherds in the field that night. Then there was faithful old Simeon, impressed somehow by God that he would not die until he actually saw the Christ Child. Luke tells us in Chapter 2 that Simeon was moved by the Spirit to go into the temple courts one day. When Mary and Joseph brought in Baby Jesus, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying he could now die in peace because he’d seen with his own eyes God’s salvation to be revealed in this Child. “Lord lettest now Thy servant depart in peace!”<br />The familiar refrain from <br /><br />We have the advantage of the Bible to read the documentation of all that followed to enhance our Christmas celebration. Whatever your traditions, whatever your rules, receive the Perfect Gift, the free gift, from the Great Giver, God Himself delivered through faith in His Son! That gift is just your size, shape and color to face any situation and to open every day the rest of your life! <br />“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”<br />With that in place, you’ll have a Merry Christmas!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-11678760630055210062011-12-02T20:55:00.001-06:002011-12-02T20:58:11.331-06:00Are You Ready?ARE YOU READY?<br /><br /><br />Now that the Thanksgiving Day Retail sales experiment appears to be a success and Black Friday and Cyber Monday are past, we learn Christmas sales are up a LOT over last year at this time. So I guess we’re all set for Christmas. Or at least MORE all set than we were last year at this time? What about you? <br /><br />”Are you ready for Christmas? My "ready" lesson occurred the year I wrote our Sunday School Christmas play. Weeks of rehearsals and 150 children later, this one night stand was attended by 600 loving parents, friends and staff. There would be lines rehearsed and parts forgotten. Dancers were ready. Cast members sat in the school auditorium, sparkle eyed in anticipation of coming forward as part of the act. Everyone was ready, from pre-service carolers who looked like they’d stepped right out of Charles Dickens to the last tiny preschool choir. The time had come to join the celebration of the biggest birthday party in the world. Music began and the huge stage curtain parted. In that moment it hit all of us. <br /><br />This was for real. Christmas was here. This was the night. Ready or not, Here He Comes! By Act III there were few dry eyes in the house. Everyone left with a birthday balloon and a piece of the huge Birthday Boy's cake, fresh from Kruta’s bakery in Collinsville. Young and old seemed to understand this party was for the real birth of a real boy who would grow up to really die for our sins. The Spirit of the Christ Child had touched the hearts of those open to Him. Ever since then, when Christmas comes, I remember it’s for real, just like the night of the play.<br /><br />You're ready or you're not....but He Comes. I'm invited to the party and so are you. I hope you'll say yes. Ready or not, here He comes. The Virgin Mary had nine months to get ready for Christmas. Once the initial shock became reality, Mary pondered the incredible wonder of the Divine conception of her Son. Martin Luther, the 16th Century reformer, reflecting on Mary's situation, said the Virgin birth appeared to him a trivial miracle compared to the Virgin's faith. It might help our preparation to ponder the thought from Luther that it was not such a big deal for God to make a spectacular star, but rather that the Lord of the universe should care enough about ordinary people like you and me to take our flesh and share our woes. When we don't find ourselves naturally caring for each other, why should God humble Himself to lie in a feed box and hang on a cross? The time had come for the promise of God to be fulfilled. God was ready to send a Savior into the world. <br /><br />It may not take us nine months to prepare for Christmas, but where to begin? How about with the message of a man who wore rawhide and ate honey and locusts in the wilderness? John the Baptist called people to repent to prepare the way for the Lord. Repentance gets us ready. It shows what needs to BE readied. Feel that grudge? Any unconfessed sin lurking in the corners of your heart? The tree may be up, the shopping finished, but you're not ready for Christmas. We need the medicine of the Christmas story, the Good News to clean our sin-sick hearts. In the words of Luther's Christmas hymn, "Ah dearest Jesus, Holy Child, make Thee a bed soft undefiled; within my heart that it may be, a quiet chamber kept for thee." <br /><br />Prepare the way. Whose way? Yours? Mine? His? “Prepare” reminders surround us; days left, wish lists and the Tree of Lights. Lights remind us Jesus came to light up a dark world. He was the LIGHT the world could not put out, and still cannot. We deck the halls, get all charged up, literally. One store delivered its holiday catalogue three weeks before Halloween to help us get ready. We decide between the electric motor driven whatchmacallit, the mechanical thingamajig or the fourseat - you name it. Once we have it, we think we're ready. But are we? <br /><br />A tender "are you ready" moment occurred when our Jennifer was six. I asked what she would give Baby Jesus. Without hesitation she said, "I'll give Him my violin." We decided Baby Jesus could not use the violin, but she could play it with the talent God gave her. That inspired the first Musical Offerings at church, continued for decades, when children offer their musical gifts back to the Giver on Christmas Eve. What will you give the Christ Child this Christmas? Mary was ready. John the Baptist was ready. All it takes is a place for the Christ Child to lay, within our hearts, in a manger of faith. Are you ready?" This Advent season is a perfect time to ask God to ready us. Welcome His Light into your bits of dark….at midweek services, through music, personal devotions…and see how ready you’ll be to celebrate Christmas!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-86120116685313370212011-11-27T21:48:00.001-06:002011-11-27T21:50:56.670-06:00Fill in the Blank!Let’s try a fill in the blank quiz. <br /><br />Oh, GIVE THANKS UNTO THE _ _ _ _! <br />Now thank we all our _ _ _. <br />Thank _ _ _ _ _ _for little girls. <br />He had only _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to thank. <br />We can thank our lucky _ _ _ _ _. Answers: Lord, God, heaven, himself, stars. <br /><br />It's Thanksgiving week in our great nation. Whom do we thank for what? Wait a minute. Do we thank, at all? When did you last hear anyone express thanks? Maybe from a salesperson; or a phone call requesting a favor; a gift received; or for advice given? I find genuine thanks to be so rare it can actually cause an awkward silence. In fact that happened this week when I complimented a salesgirl on her efficiency and pleasantness. She didn’t know what to say. <br /><br />My dad taught us gratitude with statements like, “God is having fun with THAT sunset, isn’t He? Or Look at these rose bud petals. They won’t open until tomorrow. I wonder why. What do you think?” <br /><br />Thankfulness is a learned behavior. When I did prison research on the self-concept of the delinquent male, I noticed as a young graduate student, no matter what I did to teach, encourage, nurture or entertain the inmates, the word "thanks" was absent from their otherwise colorful vocabularies. They had No word for gratitude. There was no such attitude. Even on my last day with them, when I brought cake and punch and gave a party for their help with my research and took pictures and said I would miss them and meant it....as I drove off, the empty cry of my heart was not for their physical poverty as much as for their spiritual wasteland. No one had taught them to say or feel thanks. <br /><br />At best, they misinterpreted my loving kindness as "coming on." At worst, they didn't notice me at all, except that I was the only female there. These young men were locked out of a beautiful emotion that frees us to receive and pass it on. There are folks outside of prisons, in their own personal lock-ups, who do not know how to give thanks. Some read their horoscopes and breathe a sigh of relief when they come true. Some thank their lucky stars. Many say "Thank God" without a clue. Then there are those blessed sorts who follow the lead of J.S. Bach who wrote on every page of music, "To the Glory of God." Others practice I Th. 5:17, 19 where it says to give thanks in all circumstances bc this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you, and so no matter what, they’re able to praise the Lord anyway! Thankfully some are very "thankful to God for His unspeakable gift" in Jesus Christ.<br /><br />My Thanksgiving memories are rich. I look back on 28 years of relatives coming to our house, ages 1-95...Nannie, Pickie, Spooky, Ada & Arlie and others. I'd order a fresh turkey from the farm. Jennifer made pilgrim hat place cards. We'd ask God's Grace for our own garden red raspberries to hang in there and one year everyone got two on their plate! The children played violins, oboe and piano with me after the pies. And we'd pass a cup for each person to put in a kernel of corn with thanks to God for something that year. <br /><br />Time marches on. No more fresh turkeys. He raised 'em for 42 years and finally quit. Says he couldn't get the hang of it! The older relatives are with the Lord. The kids are all grown up and have flown the nest!<br /><br />"What's your favorite Thanksgiving memory?" <br /><br />I see a nine year old boy. It's Thanksgiving Day. His parents are readying the house. He's practiced his violin. His room is clean. The sunny day beckons and he's free. Mom fusses over food. Dad arranges furniture. Three sisters are doing their thing. The guests arrive. Mom calls out the back door. No answer, but her eye catches something small leaning against a tree. She crosses the patio to pick it up. In her hands she holds the faith of a child. He has nailed together wood scraps into a 9" cross. At the top is carved a crown. Running down the length are the letters CHRIST. A small paper shaped man is placed on the nails and from his mouth are penciled the words, "Father forgive them." <br /><br />Company's here, Brooks!" I call out, with moist eyes, as I hold the best thanks of all from a very small boy. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? And to whom?<br /><br />Reach me at phyllisnow@att.netPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-2716944568444688892011-11-19T23:07:00.002-06:002011-11-19T23:10:58.134-06:00All About the Baster!NOVEMBER 18, 2011 All About the Baster!<br /> <br />It’s time to talk turkey. Not recipes. Go to womantowomanradio.com for those. Let’s talk about the benefits of the baster! I have two rather unique turkey baster stories I’ve saved just for today.<br /><br />The first happened years ago in our MI cottage where 12 of us trekked over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving. The turkey was my assignment. I first loosened the skin from the breast meat and slipped in bright green basil leaves for that subtle pattern when the bird was done. I made my broth and chopped, stirred and mixed my stuffing. Lastly I seasoned and buttered the outside of the bird and into the oven it went. I knew people would salivate when they came in from their woods and beach hikes. Every 45 min I basted the bird to keep it moist. Cardinal rule, right? Baste the bird. <br /><br />When the appointed time arrived, guests were ooh’ing and aah’ing over the Lake MI view, anticipating the great feast. Each place was set with acorn squash bowls filled with soup. Breads and beverages beckoned. The candles were lit. The gravy was perfect. All that was left to do was take the bird out of the oven and plate it. I winked at my brother in law to follow me into the kitchen and help lift the bird from the oven onto the counter. With mitts in hand he DID! He lifted that gorgeous turkey out of the oven and before you could say “Oh Feathers!” that well basted bird slid across the entire kitchen floor. <br /><br />Fred and I were the only witnesses. The Thanksgiving holiday isn’t usually aligned with keeping your lips sealed. Should we come clean? No way. Fred picked up the bird, I wiped off the bottom, placed it on the platter and surrounded it with its cooked friends from the field///a few vegetables cover a multitude of sins. And out into the lake view room it was carried with a flourish like none other in the history of that cottage, as far as we know.<br /><br />Everyone raved about the turkey and wanted my secret for its tenderness. “Well basted is the secret,” was my line. And I’m stickin’ with it! So is Fred. <br /><br />Fast forward to the summer of 2011, same cottage, no bird, but another baster opportunity. Fred, the turkey handler from yesteryear, notices my car’s low coolant light is on. I check my car manual and search for a specific coolant brand which turned out to be 20 miles away. Freddie offered to pick up the coolant. This was going well.<br /><br />Fred returns victoriously and I pop the hood. He points to an opening, holding its lid, saying, “Put it there.” I did mention the symbol on the lid in his hand looked like a steering wheel! He said nope that was the one. So in I poured a cup and then stopped, wondering, “What if this isn’t the right spot?” I put everything down to examine my manual more carefully. Yep…. We’d poured coolant into the power steering opening.<br /><br />NOW? “No problem, said my accomplice. Won’t hurt a thing!” And thus began “Under the Hood 101.” I learned a lot. Like, don’t start your engine, have the car towed, let professionals correct the mistake. But when you’re in the north woods, out of all the voices, you trust your car guy at home who says on the phone, “Listen, if it were me, I’d just get that coolant fluid out any way I could and fill it back with power steering fluid and bring it in when you get home.” <br /><br />The turkey baster….Where’s the turkey baster when I need it? Nowhere to be found and you don’t go cottage to cottage to borrow one. You improvise with paper towels with your rubber gloves on until it seems empty. But I’m hesitant because one guy told me I better have it towed or the line could become contaminated and destroy my engine. <br /><br />Just then….up drives a friend. Sizing up the situation, he said 6 kids and 7 vehicles had prepared him for this moment. Taking off two hoses, he asked for a baster. Sorry, missing! Then he put his mouth on an old plastic gas can funnel and blew into it hard harder and hardest to drain MORE coolant out. That did the trick. <br /><br />Turns out the coolant container is mysteriously and unclearly marked. Normally the coolant container is where the power steering fluid container is on my car. So I will give Fred that much. It also turns out Fred leases his cars and has never looked under the hood! <br /><br />Fred and I will laugh over this through the years. I've been sliding turkeys on the kitchen floor ever since! Just kidding. Now a spiritual application. The baster made for a delicious turkey. Having NO baster led to a huge hassle. Apply this to a well-basted life. Jesus calls this abiding in Him. He says, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples" (John 15:6-8, NASB). The key to a full and fulfilling life as a Christian is to abide in the Lord. As we baste our lives with the Word and soak in prayer, we benefit from "abiding" in Jesus, as His words and His Spirit abide in us. And that’s a baster that’s never missing. Happy Thanksgiving! <br /><br />Reach me at phyllisnow@att.netPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-44396537538379969322011-11-11T20:23:00.002-06:002011-11-11T20:30:03.720-06:00Thanksgiving Warm-Ups!While the national news is a bit dour this week, I’M finding lots of good news! And it’s teaching me something. But first….the “lots of good news” part!<br /><br />Right after “Fridays with Phyllis” last week, I was delivered a very spiffy car for the weekend. This, because at the Anderson Hospital fall auction my husband bid on a “Full Spa Service” for my 6 yr old car. Such a generous donation by Newbold BMW in O’Fallon, IL! For supporting the hospital, we drove a 2011 BMW- 5 series while my 2005 non-BMW was transformed! Fun and amazing, but the highlight for me was their client advisor, Lance Tulacro. His upbeat take on business, cars and life itself gave me more of a lift than the wheels he delivered! When I returned the car, he didn’t do the buying squeeze. He knows he has a great product. He knows I know he has a great product. It was simply, “If we can ever help with your car needs, call us!” So now I’m handing out his biz cards! And I didn’t know I even WANTED a BMW until I drove one!<br /><br />At the same auction I lined up 6 sessions with a Personal Trainer. Oh my goodness. It turns out we have a CORE that resists workouts! This fabulous training I’d only read about, I NOW want to maintain, with or without a personal trainer. <br /><br />It just gets better. My good friend Kathy Rule of Cabott Cheese and Dierberg’s cooking demos..set up a delicious b’fast with our daughters at Rue Lafayette. Over the world’s best hot chocolate we rejoiced in God’s goodness. You’ll understand why when you catch the W2W show at womantowomanradio.com called “The Girl with 3 Hearts.” Kathy’s daughter, Angela, was born with a defective heart, had a heart transplant at Barnes Hospital at age 12 and then another at age 30! It’s a miracle story right down to Angela’s 7 mo old Karsten who snuggled us at Rue Lafayette! <br /><br />During this yummy interlude, I heard a man’s voice call out “Mom!” and turned to see if it was my son who lives in the UK! I mean seriously…do we ever stop that knee jerk reaction? His mom turns out to be Arceli, the owner of Rue Lafayette café. We laughed about my reaction to her son’s “Mom” call as she shared how when he was 4 he called her some special name just in the grocery store, so all the other moms wouldn’t turn around. Sharp kid, that Pablo, who now cooks at the café and is in training to be a paramedic. You’re doubly safe eating there!<br /><br />Then I hopped into MY like-new car, thanks to the Newbold Spa, and heard a KFUO visit with songwriters Joan Voges and Dr. Paul Schreiber on “Law and Gospel” about how they compose such beautiful music to glorify God.<br /><br />That morning I’d picked up some tips from Paul Clayton’s chat with a Dr. on nutrition that included a call-in question from Dr. Bob Weiss of the Bio-Ethics Chair at Concordia Seminary. Not to mention the always insightful “Meyer Minute” and the spiritual-musical encouragement from Rev. Mark Hawkinson. All of this, meantime, overrides the bad news of the day with good news.<br /><br />But it wasn’t all grins this week. When I learned cartoonist Bil Keane died Nov 8, at 89, after 50 years of cartooning, I thanked God for his unique gift of making us laugh at ourselves to smooth the rough edges of the human condition. Bil was my guest on a Father's Day Special titled "Dads Who Pass It On." <br /><br />Just remembering that visit at the mic reminded me how glad he made you feel just to be alive, even if you’d burned the toast that morning! After the interview, he faxed me a personal cartoon I treasure. “Family Circus” daughter “Dolly” holds a radio that’s blaring and says to her little brother, who’s trying to listen in, “No Jeffy, you can’t listen. It’s 'Woman to Woman'!” <br /><br />In a week of disturbing news reports, I found this Biblical advice to be true…”Good news gives health to the bones!” Christians have the best Good News in what Christ did for us, so bad news doesn’t have to drag us down. Do what you can about it……and look for good news. A bit of my good news this week is a spiritual tweak on my not realizing I wanted a certain car until I’d driven it. As I drove away in my own, 93k mile sparkling clean car, it occurred to me that I didn’t realize I wanted to hang out with Jesus until He found me, forgave me and called me His own! It’s kind of a warm up for Thanksgiving. Take some time between now and then to find your own good news source and give health to your bones!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-48950798308991383692011-10-28T22:12:00.002-05:002011-10-28T22:14:20.291-05:00Who IS that Voice?Who IS That Voice?<br /><br />Soon many of us will open our front doors to characters we do not recognize and hand them treats! In my daughter’s neighborhood, where they have over 200 customers, the trick or treater must DO a trick to earn the treat! So kids sing a song, recite a poem, do a gig or ask a riddle. The challenge is to look surprised when you’ve heard the most popular riddle about 43 times! <br /><br />Do you notice how, especially if you know the child, [he’s maybe your own] and you say, “Who IS this character? Let me guess!” and you come up with all the wrong answers…finally, when you say his name, off comes the mask or out comes the smile to reward your efforts! Our 4 year old Brooks was all dressed up one Halloween and I could not “guess” this little guy’s name. After a minute, from behind the mask came the whisper, “Listen to my voice, mom!” <br /><br />Our voice identifies us. On our family cottage telephone I kept one special voicemail for four years. It was my dad’s voice with good news following cataract surgery at age 91! [Mind you, he did not wear glasses and was still reading maps with over- the-counter half- glasses.] My kids think it’s weird that I play this message now and then. The message isn’t profound. It’s simply, “Hi Phyl. It’s Daddy, around 3 o’clock. I’m now back to perfect eye sight. I have a certificate from the doctor that I don’t have to take my driver’s test. I don’t need to wear glasses. So, back to square one. Now if we can just get the body working a little faster, we’d be in great shape! Isn’t the Lord great! Thanks. Love ‘ya. Talk to you later!” I treasure the sound of his voice, which was silenced when he was called “home” to heaven several months later in his sleep. <br /><br />What is it about a voice that’s so special? You know what I mean. Our voices are unique, so much so that research reveals our “voiceprint” to be as unique as our fingerprint! The implications of that are huge. One day we’ll probably be able to access bank accounts, activate engines and who knows what else with our one-of-a-kind voice. This begs the question, what do you do with the power of your unique voice? Do you bring comfort, speak encouraging words, speak the truth?<br /><br />The next question is,TO whose voice do you listen? In this swirling political season, voices call to us to do this and think that. If you’re an election junkie you probably hear those voices in your sleep! Whether in politics or in real life, we want to discern whose voice speaks truth, to know who is worth following. It’s a tough choice for some and an easy choice for others. It’s the same in the family, in the neighborhood, at the office. Voices can beckon, urge, sometimes annoy and anger or motivate and inspire us. <br /><br />Speaking of voices, the Book of John quotes Jesus talking about a voice, namely His own when He refers to Himself as The Good Shepherd. Those who follow Him and live out His teachings are called “sheep.” You’ve heard the song, “I am Jesus little lamb…!” Same deal. Jesus makes a point in the 10th chapter about how His “sheep” know His voice and won’t be led astray by beckoning voices that are not His. Here’s the exact quote. “My sheep know my voice. The watchman opens the gate for him [the shepherd], and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."<br /><br />It’s important to follow the right voice to keep from going astray. Get the tie-in with our voiceprint that’s as unique as our fingerprint? It’s recognition! Brooks tells me at age 4 from behind his mask, “Listen to my voice, mom!” He knew I‘d recognize him then! My dad’s 91 year old voicemail still reminds me of who he was, what he stood for, how much he loved our family and how faithfully he followed The Good Shepherd.<br /><br />Your voice is truly a gift. You use it to lead, to follow, to rebuke and to lift up. The bigger question is, how does your voice respond to The Good Shepherd Who calls you by name? Can you hear Him saying, “Listen to my voice. Come to me, you that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Do you recognize His voice from all the others? You will when you get to know Him. My son reminded me I knew his voice. I recognize my dad’s voice because we walked together this side of heaven all my life, one way or another. Walking with Jesus is like that. He draws you close through his Word, His Sacraments and through others who know Him. It’s how you literally hang out with Jesus, as He brings Himself, His protection, His wisdom, His life-saving Grace to you!<br /><br /> <br />Who’s voice IS it? No costume can hide it. No others can be as authentic. When you hear His voice, it’s safe to follow!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-14248528961514820912011-10-22T19:41:00.002-05:002011-10-22T19:54:58.523-05:00Win or Lose?Charles Schultz’s “Snoopy” character observed, "It doesn't matter if you win or lose, as long as you win!" This month's tally of winners and losers will add up to more of one than the other in both the World Series and the political scene. Winners make headlines and begin that uphill climb to deliver their best. What about the losers? What happens to them and to their supporters?<br /><br />A look at some psychology behind winners and losers reveals the anguish of "Second Place." Close doesn't count, in the eyes of many, who brush aside a lifetime of striving and discipline to idolize the winner. An Olympic athlete, for instance, can come within a hair of taking the gold, stand before the world to receive a medal of another color...and think, "I'm a loser. If only I'd breathed better or turned slightly to the right instead of the left." <br /><br />There's the classic case of Abel Kiviat who ran away from the field in the 1,500 meter track event at the 1912 Olympics when a British rival pulled ahead in a thrill finish to win by one-tenth of a second. Seven decades later, Kiviat told the Los Angeles Times that even at age 91, "I wake up sometimes and say, "What<br />the heck happened to me?" It's like a nightmare."<br /><br />And THAT was before agents, multimillion-dollar broadcast contracts, bonuses and Dream Teams. How do we promote the privilege and thrill of just being able to enter the race, when confronted with that old shoe slogan, "YOU DON'T WIN SILVER, YOU LOSE GOLD!" Or the billboard ad that screams, "CONTEMPT IS A HUNDREDTH OF A SECOND."<br /><br />No wonder the U.S. team in Atlanta set the Olympic record for the largest psyc squad to sanitize stained egos. The experts LABEL putting yourself down as A LOSER, unless you're absolutely at the very top. It's called "counterfactual thinking." And it's not confined to one area or one age group. How did you feel when your mom looked at the B on your report card and wondered why not an A? Buzz Aldrin, second man to walk on the moon, suffered crippling depression back on earth. You're as qualified as the next guy to get the promotion at the office. How does it feel when you're in the last 3 to be considered and don't get it? You score well on the ACT, your academic standing is excellent, your extracurricular involvement outstanding. You even get the letter from the university of your choice, stating you are a "strong contender." But you don't get in...along with thousands of others who applied. Are you a winner or a loser? <br /><br />"To the victor go the spoils." Or should that read, "The victor will be spoiled and the loser will be soiled." Psychological evaluations conclude it's actually easier to lose by a lot than by a little. Even the bronze medalists, for example, get on with their lives better than those with the silver. Their reactions are healthier. They seem to retain the thrill of just being part of the event. <br /><br />I’ll be cheering for the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, checking the stats, saying “Oh rats!” now and then, predicting and rerunning plays…but always in awe of the discipline each member of the team displays, from the stadium keepers to the managers to the players. They’re all winners, when you come right down to it, even tho just a few will take home the prize. <br /> <br /><br />What do we do when we're the "also-rans?" How do we handle the loss or victory of "our" candidate or “our” team? Do we live the poignant motto, "Humble in victory...Gracious in defeat."<br /><br />C.S. Lewis in The Screwtape Letters talks about disappointment. The Senior devil, Screwtape, to junior devil Wormwood: "Whatever men expect, they soon come to think they have a right to; in the sense of disappointment this can, with very little skill on our part, be turned into a sense of injury."<br /><br />What about us? Can we view what we risk, discipline ourselves for and strive toward as part of a "holy experiment," used to serve the Living God with our time, talent and treasure? With that attitude, we can't lose. So work, campaign and pray hard at what you do. It's not time wasted. Christians serve a greater purpose. It's a higher calling than individual "wins and losses." It's ALL going somewhere, cumulatively, as God promises in His Word. We offer who we are, what we have, with the Psalmist, "My times are in Thy hands." Win or lose, they’re times He’ll use. <br /><br />You can contact me at phyllisnow@att.netPhyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-48816411633333354072011-10-14T00:20:00.002-05:002011-10-14T00:23:44.148-05:00Deciding....DECIDING....<br /><br />For the annual Fall Festival at our kid’s high school my husband, Rich, lugged in a 25 pound Libby's pumpkin. I was pleased. This plump, pale apricot boulder had "pies" written all over it. It was a surprise for my friend's front porch, to be surrounded with October offerings of gourds and field corn. By Thanksgiving it would surrender its throne to be stuffed into pastries, breads and soups. Rich asked, "WHY are we doing this?" I laughed off that reality question as an editorial remark and browsed the booths, challenging him to "dunk the teacher." Then a table full of cookbooks caught my eye. <br /><br />Rich was headed for the parking lot. He'd paid his dues by appearing at the fund raiser and had that "yardwork is calling me" look. But those cookbooks...the poor mom who'd tried to hawk them still had 150 left. She’d reduced them from $5 to $1. Such a deal. Within seconds I offered to sell them as a fundraiser at my Bible study. I'd charge $2, give her $1 and our group would get $1. <br /><br />Are you excited yet? Neither was Rich. As he loaded the 150 cookbooks into our car, exactly where the Libby's pumpkin had been, he mumbled, "WHY are we doing this?" At that precise moment a wise friend waltzed by wondering what was IN that big box. He was hoping someone would ask. She sized up the situation, and blessed us with, "Phyllis does tend to go off the end of the scale when it comes to Mercy!" That sweet summary left us both intact and able to get home with a minimum of hard feelings about my typically eager, instead of meager, responsiveness. I can justify my actions faster than any computer can set a margin. But in this case, the good Lord reminded me that not every need is a call from God on my life! Add Rich's query, "WHY are we doing this?" and you get a theological dilemma. What about all the needs I sensed, purportedly with my spiritual antenna? Do I tend to react more than act? This is not a fun exam. Instant replays are indelible in my mind. Wednesday Woman, a Bible study I led for 10 years, is an example. One hundred women from 14 different church backgrounds were empowered by God's Word. Marriages were saved, depressions lifted, confidence restored, faith in Christ increased. Supervising a staff of 24, affirming individuals in small groups and writing the study, eventually began to consume me. <br /><br />One family night [don’t go WOW, we only had 3 all together] the 6 of us shared observations, all in love. Jennifer, 12, noticed I'd been more of a “Wednesday Woman” than a mom lately. Sarah, 4, said prayers that night, ending with "Make Mommy a good “Wednesday Woman!" A creative “ditto” came the next day when my husband and I attended a funeral. I jotted a note asking what he wanted on his tombstone. “Do you know something I don’t?” He answered, adding "I know what I'm putting on Yours! ‘SHE DIED ON HER WAY TO WEDNESDAY WOMAN.’" Within a year I transferred my leadership to others. That Bible study continues to this day very nicely without me. It was the Lord's work. He gave me the burden and then took it away. His timing was perfect. Next He led me into broadcasting. In fact, He’d been heading me in that direction all along! <br /><br />If I hadn't listened to feedback, I may have missed that opportunity and continued writing weekly lessons, panicking when childcare staff didn't show up and trying to master the F sharp chord on my guitar. How do we know when to play what role? It would appear far better to seek it, even trial and error it, than to pontificate and debate it. In the Lord's Prayer we ask God to enable us to accept His will AND to DO it. Back to pumpkins. While the Libby pumpkin makes great pies...the other one, called a jack-o-lantern, is good only for eyes! One of these things is not like the other. A face pumpkin tastes terrible. A pie pumpkin doesn't make a very brilliant show. <br /><br />Are you like the pie or the face pumpkin? One way to tell is to let others taste and see that the Lord is good through you. Their feedback can reinforce wise use of your talents. If folks move away from you in the choir loft, it might signal a misuse of gifts. If people are drawn to you in times of crisis, consider it the gift of encouragement. And don't be DIScouraged if you knock on a few doors that won't budge. It's another way God steers us in the right direction. <br /><br />Speaking of directions, I have this great idea about opening an intimate little tea room. On the FACE of it, it looks like a golden opportunity: great location, favorite recipes, a friend who can help. But I wonder if I'm confusing pies with eyes in this patch of possibilities? Since there's no way he can fit this one in the trunk of the car, I could ask Rich for some feedback. Or maybe I'll just ask myself, WHY are we doing this?Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-4028709323322596492011-10-07T11:09:00.002-05:002011-10-08T08:06:58.416-05:00Baseball Lessons Can Be Home Runs!With world series drama unfolding, I realize there’s plenty of other drama playing on your life stage…mine too, but hang in there with me as I reflect on a fascinating game with so many apps! I was there this week…in St Louis for Game #4 of the NL playoffs. In anticipation of being there, after watching on TV and catching baseball on radio all season… my mind raced back to 2006. <br /><br />We had World Series Tickets, because the Cards were down to the wire in that one. We were 10 rows up behind 1st base. These big games can’t be planned in advance, so you don’t know the exact date and time until the last minute. My speaking opportunities, on the other hand, ARE planned in advance with exact times and dates! I was excited about my first in person world series. I hoped against hope IF we got that far in the playoffs, it wouldn’t be a game played in STL on the night I was booked for an event. <br /><br />But it wasn’t going to be that simple. Our seats were close enough to lipread Albert Pujols in conversation with Dave McKay, the first base coach! Flying back from the east coast, I faced a dilemma. I was lined up for a Friday night-all day Saturday retreat with Seminary wives, just outside STL. I hesitate to admit this, but I made frantic phone calls to see how I could work this out. Actually, to see how I could gracefully get OUT of the Friday night part of the weekend. I’m a woman and I have to use up my words, so I considered advice from strangers, mostly guys, who said, sure, the Sem wives would understand. You gotta GO. This is once in a lifetime! It’s weird, but I wanted to go to that game so much I could taste the peanuts. It was decision time. I decided. My airport advisers were convincing. I COULD go to the game. Someone else could cover for me that night and I’d be with the Sem wives the next day..all day. What Commandment would it break, after all? Opportunities come up!<br /><br />I’d been asking for God’s input, of course, since He counts sparrows that fall from the sky and in the Greek that means He counts their take offs and landings! He was a bit silent on the issue, frankly. I mean, I didn’t get a call from the organizers to say, “Hey, BTW, if you and Rich have tickets to the game tonight, have at it! We’ll be fine.” For a second I thought, “Well, this is one of those grey areas, like coloring your hair or what car to buy. The women would have been ok and so would God who had a lot bigger things on His plate than whether I spoke to Sem wives or went to a world series game. Besides, there was a big push at that time for women to take care of themselves, as in tell the kids you’ll resurface in 30 minutes and take a bath with scented candles or plan a getaway now and then. So let me think, scented candles & bath, getaway with friends….World Series tickets and a magical chance at winning. Now I had to make the agonizing choice. If we didn’t use those tickets, someone else would. <br /><br />As I drove into the parking area for the retreat in the woods, my car radio tuned in to the first inning, I learned that our tickets went to Cardinals 3rd baseman, Scott Rolen, for his friends & family. That was nice. But not nice enough to smother the grumbling rumbling inside of me. What good would I BE to these Sem wives from all around the country who were not distracted by the hype? Their concerns were over more “real life” events, like would their husbands pass Greek and Hebrew; when would he put down the books and re-enter the marriage, how would they pay back student loans; were they prepared for the real world; where would their “call” be and how would they like it? I sat in the woods listening on my radio and gradually, the excitement from inside the ballpark, 15 miles across the Mississippi River, seemed even further away as the Lord impressed on me the priceless opportunity right there in that back woods. Who needed cheering on more than THESE women, facing formidable unknowns and knowns? <br /><br />I walked from the car, asking God for grace to put on the mind of Christ in that place. A few hours later, Friday night’s mission accomplished, I went back to the car radio just in time to hear the final inning. We won, on a sacrifice fly! I was elated and hopped out of the car to run in and tell the others. It turned out there WERE some fans inside after all! So I wasn’t the only one who “sacrificed” my own interests that night! I could almost hear the cheering inside the stadium float across the river and into the woods. I could see the distant sky light up with fireworks in celebration. And in the gentle fall breeze drifting through the trees, I think I heard a whisper, “You take care of my people and leave the final score up to me!” It turns out… Baseball LESSONS can be home runs, too!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3124481618012605187.post-6177043820523858042011-09-30T13:01:00.002-05:002011-09-30T13:08:40.842-05:00We WON!9.30.11<br /><br />Welcome to Fridays with Phyllis!<br /><br />When it comes to baseball…I’m in for the long haul! I’m a St. Louis Cardinals fan who learned to “Go crazy folks!” from Jack Buck. And I DO. I follow the game and the players, not obsessively, but enough to miss them when they’re traded. <br />I even notice what they do off the field, investing themselves and their money in projects to help others hit the ball out of the park! <br /><br />I don’t keep a scorecard or collect signed balls, but I do add to my baseball facts a bit each year. This season the learning curve blocked me on what SB stands for. I never paid attention to it before, sitting in the column right next to RBI and HR which are easy to figure out. But SB? I texted my Son-in-law, who started out with the Cards as a bat boy when he was a kid and still works there. “What’s SB stand for?” He’s a man of few words. Texted back, “Stolen Bases.” I could not keep those two simple words in my head. I’d go to SB and my brain delivered Street Blues, Swinging Ball, South Bark. Finally, after I said Stolen BASES OUT LOUD and told someone how puzzling this was and said Stolen Bases to them out loud, on the 3rd day I kept it in my head.<br /> <br />So it’s been with mounting anticipation I’ve stayed up late with my laptop to watch mlb.tv out of town or catch games on XM or wherever I find myself on game day. I’ve agonized, sympathized, criticized as the Cards came back from injuries and defeat time and time again this season. I’ve watched their coach, Tony LaRussa, <br />explain his strategy to keep them focused, admitting when and why it didn’t work, always putting a frank and upbeat face on it, even tho his own facial expression seldom changes, win or lose! It’s been fascinating to hear Albert Pujols talk about his comeback potential and keeping his eye on the goal to do his best at the game. <br /><br />The STL Cardinals are perhaps the biggest surprise in baseball this year, coming from 8.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves to win the wild card slot this week! After 162 games this season, fans now buzz about who’s the "team of destiny!" And so it goes…this baseball fever.<br /><br />Why this fuss about a game, a national past time called baseball? Well, for one thing it’s Biblical. Yeah…. Right off the bat, the Bible starts out in Genesis, “In the Big Inning” God created the heavens and the earth! <br /><br />Some stunning stats are tucked into my head as I bask in the unpredictable down to the wire, Wild Card win. It’s been more than an energizing distraction for me. I’ve learned from this team about being down but not out, about a daily enabling for the task at hand, about putting the naysayers’ doom and gloom aside, keeping your eye on the prize, staying in the zone, being a team player<br /><br />In my exhilaration over this huge win and my anticipation for the future of this series…I’m thinking, "Wait a second, how did I help in this win?" This piece speaks to that, by Gerhard Frost.<br /><br />WE WON.<br /><br />I remember a moment long ago<br />In a small-town restaurant.<br /><br />We’d played a basketball game –<br />Played away from home and won,<br />And were in a celebrative mood. <br />I was fourteen, and not very good,<br />Nor was our team, and this made victory<br />Sweeter still.<br /><br />As we crowded into a booth<br />I jauntily said, “Well, we won!”<br />Quick as the flash of a knife<br />Came the remembered words:<br />“What do you mean, ‘we’?<br />You didn’t play!”<br /><br />I can’t forget the words<br />Or the one who spoke them,<br />But I can turn to other words,<br />Sounding in my soul.<br />My Lord says, “This do in remembrance of me.”<br />Baptized into the death of Christ<br />I die in Him to rise again.<br />With no part in the victory<br />I’m still invited to say,<br />“We won!”<br /> <br /> By Gerhard Frost, sainted Lutheran pastor, from his<br /> meditations, SEASONS OF A LIFETIME. <br /><br />Just as Cardinal Nation is able to say,”We won the NL Wild Card..and looks forward to winning the world series…the whole community of saints is able to say, “We won the victory over death because Christ won over death on a cross and we look forward to the eternal victory parade, marching through streets paved with gold!" <br /><br />In my quest for new information with Cardinals stats, I didn’t know what SB was. And you know, life has a lot of things I don’t understand. But Heb 12:2 helps me here. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Keeping my eyes on Jesus steadies me in the race and keeps me focused through the wins and losses of life until the final win which He has won for me and for those who believe and confess that He is Lord.<br /><br />Now there’s a game plan you can count on!Phyllis Wallacehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495626940641251658noreply@blogger.com0