I = Ichthus

You may know it as the Jesus fish. You have seen it on vehicles, on clothes, on jewelry, on business advertisements, and possibly many more places. Do you really know what it is, though?

ψάρια (ikhthýs) is a Greek word meaning "fish." You may know that fish are a prevalent thing in the Bible, both actual fish and fish used as a metaphor. Some say that the Greek word in capital letters is ΙΧΘΥΣ, which can also be used as an acronym meaning, "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior."

I found the following explanation here.

• Iesous (Iasoos) is Jesus. The first letter is ‘iota’, Ιησους.
• Xristos (Christos) is Christ. The first letter is ‘chi’, Χριστóς.
• Theou (Theou) is God. The first letter is ‘theta’, Θεοῦ.
• Yios (Huios) is Son. The first letter is ‘upsilon’, Υἱός.
• Sotare (Sotare) is Savior. The first letter is sigma’, Σωτήρ.

Today many Christians display this symbol as a proclamation that they are followers of Christ. Additionally, some display it as reminders that Jesus calls us to be fishers of men, to share Christ with others.

I have read several places that this symbol was originated in the first and second centuries when Christians were being commonly persecuted, tortured, and put to death during the reign of Roman emperors that despised them, possibly starting with Nero, under whose reign both Peter and Paul are thought to have perished.

How did this symbol come to be? It is said that when two people met, one of them might casually draw an arc in the sand or dirt with their toe. If the other person was also a Christian, they would just as casually draw another arc with their toe, thus creating the fish symbol. If that was done, then both people know that they were safe to acknowledge that they were Christians and talk freely amongst themselves.

If you are curious to know more about the ichthus (or ichthys), I encourage you to research it. So many every day things have such interesting backgrounds about which we could learn so much if we want to!

Oh, and for a neat bonus, I discovered the ichthus wheel. When you combine the Greek letters of ΙΧΘΥΣ, they make a six-spoked wheel. Apparently, this symbol can sometimes be seen with the ichthus and the Greek letters.

H = Happiness

What is happiness? Happiness is different for different people. For me, happiness comes with a decision. Am I happy? Yes. Is it that easy? Most of the time, yes.

You may be thinking that I am an idiot. A person cannot just decide to be happy. Life is hard, and there is so much pressure and stress and difficulty, and a person cannot just be happy.

I would beg to differ. Much of the time, it is that easy.

Many of the things in life that cause us stress, frustration, aggravation, are not that big of a deal. We make them a big deal. We make mountains out of mole hills. The next time something upsets you, pause and ask yourself, "Is this really a big deal, or am I making it one?"

Yes, many of us do have big things in our lives that are painful or stressful or difficult. How we handle those situations and our outlook on those situations is up to us.

Do not begin to think that I do not have those things in my life because I can assure you that my husband and I have our share of difficulties and sorrows this year. The fact of the matter is, though, that I do not grab hold of those experiences and let them dictate my mood. After all, is being miserable and wallowing going to change the situation? No. It is not going to accomplish anything but making myself unhappy. Therefore, I can choose to be happy, and I can either do what I can do to change a difficult situation or accept that I cannot change it and ask God to help me do what I can to get through it, to be at peace, to be content, to be happy.

If you still do not believe that you can simply decide to be happy, try it. The next time something causes you to be in a foul or unhappy mood, ask yourself, "Is this really worth feeling this way?" Maybe if you accept that being miserable will not help the situation and choose to be happy, you will find that you actually can be.

I am just saying.

You May Not Mind Your Manners...But I Do.

People are rude. It is as simply as that. I miss a time when I did not exist. I miss an era where people knew their neighbors, cared about the people around them, did for others, and were not as self-absorbed as they are today. In my mind, that time is the 1950s. Maybe it is earlier.

In my mind, and from what I gather by reading and watching old programs, people had manners in the 1950s. I dare even say...etiquette...courtesy. Here are some things that, in my mind, are different about the time from when I did not exist and now.

THEN: Supper was a family event. Families supped together each night. They talked about their days. No one left the table until everyone was finished eating. Children would not even think of asking to leave the table. Then, quite possibly, they even helped clear the table.

NOW: How many families do you even know who dine together at supper time? Of those who do, how many have children who dash away from the table as soon as they are finished shoveling away whatever food they are going to eat? How many people are sitting at the table answering texts, reading the news, not even paying attention to the others at the table? It is rude and un-courteous.

Side Note: In the 1950s, "Breakfast is the one meal at which it is permissible to read the paper, mail, or anything else that suits your fancy." -Amy Vanderbilt, Complete Book of Etiquette, 1954

THEN: Children's behavior. Please and thank you were compulsory. If a child did not say them, an adult present would tell them right then and there that there were being impolite. All teachers were addressed as Sir or Ma'am. Boys knew not to wear a hat indoors, and when they were talking with or met a lady, their hats would be removed. A child would open a door and let someone go through it before they did.

NOW: Manners? What are those? "I want, I want, I want." Respect for teachers? According to what I have heard lately...not so much. If a child is disrespectful nowadays, not much seems to be done to discipline them because people are so afraid of the repercussions. Have you ever heard older adults use the expression, "If I spoke to my parents that way, I would get a whipping, for sure!" As for the door thing, pay attention the next time that you go someplace where there are children. Do they hold the door for their mom, or do they rush inside and let the door close behind them?

THEN: Ladies wore hats. If you know me, you know that I adore hats. That is not the point here, though. The point is that ladies dressed like ladies. As a matter of fact, women cared enough to take the time to dress like a lady. "Casual" may have been a pair of slacks or capris.

NOW: Sweatpants, jeans, leggings, bra straps showing, thongs showing out the tops of jeans...sloppy. I know, I know, whatever is comfortable, right? Ugh. What ever happene to a woman looking feminine for her man? What happened to wanting to look pretty for yourself? Why have we become a kind of society where so many people seem to take no pride in their appearance anymore? Did people forget that looking good also helps you feel good?

There is so much more about today's society that is just not cool.

~When a new cash register opens at the supermarket, does the person at the back of the line rush to that register, or do they make sure that the person who is next in line is aware?

~When someone moves to a new neighborhood, do people rush over with a plate of cookies to welcome them or watch from behind a curtain to see who the new people are and make judgments about them?

Oh, I could go on and on. I will not, though. I am not complaining. Life is good, and we have so many blessings here and now. Simply, I am wondering why things are so different now from a time when, in my mind, they were, in some ways, better.

Now, now, someone is bound to take offense at something that I mentioned. If you do, then I would refer you to Are You Offended? Nothing that I said was geared toward anyone in particular. Some ladies dress quite lovely. Some people's children are very polite. Some people still enjoy a good, family meal as quality time together. I mean, I am sure that they do. Right?

Suicide

Someone that I once knew pretty well committed suicide last week.

Many thoughts were running through my mind. Will he be going to Heaven? Did he think about the people he left behind and how his actions would affect them? Did he really want to die? Did he leave a note?

Yes, that last one may seem off, but Pump Up the Volume, an old Christian Slater movie, came to mind. "Did you at least write a note? You have a reason, don't you? You're not going to be one of those people who kills themselves, and nobody has any idea why they did it? Hey, that's why we need a note, Pal!"

I know that is crass. I am not insensitive to that. If you have seen the movie, then you know that Christian Slater's character did not think that the guy was really going to commit suicide. He thought that the guy was merely having a tough time and feeling down, maybe looking for attention.

Was it like that with our old friend? Did he reach out to anyone? Did they not take him seriously? Did they let him down when he may have needed them most? How alone and miserable must someone feel to go so far as to take their own life?

Back to my first question: Will he go to Heaven? There are an array of thoughts on the matter of whether one will go to Heaven after taking their own life. Some believe that you must ask forgiveness for your sin, and if you are dead, then how can you ask forgiveness? Some believe that once your have Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your sins are paid for and covered. The Sixth Commandment tells us, "Though shalt not murder," or "Though shalt not kill." Does this make suicide a sin?

I will admit that I do not know the word in its original Hebrew. In today's English, Dictionary.com's first definition of murder is, "the killing of another human being." Does that mean that you cannot murder yourself? Dictionary.com's first definition of kill is, "to deprive of life in any manner." Wait a minute, that means something different.

Here is what the Bible tells us.

God's Word says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God," (Ephesians 2:8) and that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39).

NOTHING can separate from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. That is, as long as we have a relationship with Christ Jesus. Did my old friend have a relationship with Jesus? I am sorry to say that I do not know.

Do we have people in our lives who might be reaching out for help? Are we extending a hand to give them something to grab? Are we sharing the Gospel with them? Are we emphasizing John 3:16? Are we paying attention to what people are not telling us? Are we working to be sure that the people around us are exposed to Christ's love through us?

Most of us are not equipped to deal with a person considering suicide. Hopefully and thankfully, most of the people in our lives are likely not going to even consider it. Probably, though, we do have people in our lives who are feeling bad in some way. What we are equipped to do is to love someone who is sad, to comfort someone who is hurting, to listen when someone wants to talk, to simply be there when someone is feeling alone.

Not only are we called to, but it is also so important that we share the rewards of Christ's love with others. Bear in mind that if someone is in need and is thirsting for something, then the Living Water could sound realllly good.

After all, "How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" -Romans 10:14

Hey, look...this song fits again. Thank you, Casting Crowns.

NOTE: If you know of someone who has a serious problem, and you are not able to be what they need, then I encourage you to find someone who might: a pastor or a doctor or someone professionally trained to handle serious, emotional issues.

Gossip

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. -Proverbs 11:13

Gossip is wrong. We know that, right? Gossip accuses people. It charges others with wrong, and people love to talk about the alleged wrongs of others. People love to put others down.

Proverbs 16:27 tells us:

A scoundrel plots evil, and on their lips it is like a scorching fire. (NIV)

Mean people spread mean gossip; their words smart and burn. (MSG)

A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. (ESV)

An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire. (KJV)

No matter how you say it, gossip is not good. When it is brought to your attention that you have been a victim of gossip, it may cause you to wonder. "What have I done to this person? Do I even know this person? I actually know this person. I thought that we were friends." ...or so many other things.

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. -Matthew 18:15

...so if someone had a problem with you, why did you hear the gossip from someone else?

More directly, why did they gossip in the first place? Do people think about the results of their gossip? Do people intend to hurt others? Sometimes, possibly, they do.

"They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows. They shoot from ambush at the innocent; they shoot suddenly, without fear." -Psalm 64:3-4

Oftentimes, I would suspect that people do not think of the results of their actions.

People gossip to feel superior. People gossip to try to impress others by being the person to have "the dirt." People gossip out of jealousy. People gossip for attention.

One of the damaging things about gossip is that it is often untrue or based on other gossip. You remember playing the telephone game when you were younger, right? One person would start by whispering something in someone's ear, and then they would whisper is in the next persons ear, and so on and so on until the last person would say it out loud. Usually, what the last person said out loud was not what the original person said.

Gossip is much like that.

When the message gets to you, what do you do with it? Do you continue to talk about people behind their backs? Do you even bother to find out the facts, or do you continue to spread the gossip?

...OR do you nip it in the bud and say, "I do not want to hear that gossip. If you have an issue with that person, then you need to go talk with them directly."

"The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." -Proverbs 12:18

We can be cruel, hurtful, catty gossipers, or we can be the positive example and treat those around us with respect. Which is the kind of person that you would rather be?

WORSHIP HIM WEDNESDAY

Today is Wednesday, and, for a twist, rather than chattering on with my thoughts, I would really like to read yours. Thus, my post for today will be simple.

What is worship to you?

You Farted

Does your child ever say something that makes you so grateful that you do not have company or so happy that you are not in public?

Boy was in my arms. There was a noise. Boy looked at my hubby and said, "Poppie, you farted."

"What? No, I didn't. Momma did!"

"No, Poppie, you farted."

"No, I didn't! Momma did!"

"No, Poppie, you did!" It is as though Boy is telling my hubby to stop trying to blame me.

The argument went on for a few more rounds, my husband's face full of shock as he protested his innocence and tried not to laugh.

He was innocent.

Why on earth, you may be wondering, am I posting this today? I am sharing it because it is funny. If you do not see the humor, then maybe you do not have children...or maybe you just lack a funny bone. If that is the case, phone your orthopedist today and make an appointment.

If you are horrified because I used the word "fart," then watch and listen to what Brad Stine has to say about the matter.

What can you do?

Untitled

one little boy

alone in an alley

unknown

a little girl

on the other side of town

unforgotten

two children

with no families

unloved

no friends

to stay with

unwanted

no one to help them

through the long, cold winter

uncared-for

yet we all know

that they are there...

...unforgotten

While cleaning out a closet and going through boxes, I found an old notebook with poems that I had written in high school. The poem above was one of them, and it brought to mind a recent sermon stemming from James 1:27.

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you."

We know that there are orphans out there, some on the streets, some at some kind of a shelter or orphanage. Wherever they are, they are children. They may be scared. They may be lonely. The Lord has called us to care for these children. Do we? Do we care for them, with care being a verb? ...or do we pity them, pray for them, hope that "someone" does something to help them?

Isaiah 1:17 tells us to, "Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows."

How can you help? What can you do? How can you know where there are needs? These are all good questions. Doing a simple search, I found MissionFinder.org, which has a section called Opportunities for Service in Christian Orphanages. Well, look at that. There is also Orphanage.org.

If you are in the position and place in your life to give a child a loving, nurturing, happy home, then please be encouraged to consider that. If you are not in that position but have love to share and would like to do something to help, then take the initiative. Find an orphanage, contact them, and ask what you can do to volunteer or give or fulfill any needs that the children there have.

Maybe you belong to a group or a club who can get together and reach out, organize a service project, do some outreach to benefit the children and/or the people who work with them every single day.

YOU can make a difference.

“And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me." -Matthew 18:5

Disobedience

For a while now, my husband has been saying that we needed to go to New York to visit his grandfather. It was important to spend time with G'pa and to introduce our son and his great grandfather. When we planned to go, we wound up not going.

G'pa died Sunday morning. My husband was crushed, and my heart broke for him. The misery was twofold. My husband was remorseful because we did not go and spend time with G'pa before it was too late.

Additionally, my husband was devastated because he had disobeyed God. You see, the reason that he knew that we needed to go see G'pa was because God kept telling him to go. My husband told me this, repeatedly. We both knew. We never made the time and went. Now we do not even have the opportunity.

This was a slap in the face to my husband because it highlighted his disobedience to God. As if He wants to make sure that we do not forget, G'pa died on our son's birthday. Can you even imagine how that must feel to my husband?

As we were absorbing the reality of what happened, and my husband was feeling incredibly remorseful, I felt like he was not alone in the disobedience. You see, even though God was speaking to my husband, my husband conveyed the message to me, and I could have been more proactive in making the journey happen. I even had the idea of asking someone to help G'pa get on Skype so that we could at least speak with him and let him and our son see each other. How simple is that? Did I follow through, though? No.

This loss is most definitely a lesson on obedience for my husband. However, it is also a lesson on action for me. I knew that my husband had a calling. I knew that it was time sensitive. I could have been less of a "supportive" wife and more of a wife of action. For that, I am truly sorry to my husband.

Yes, this is a tough lesson for both of us, and, yes, I am sure that God will use this lesson to bring blessings to our life and hopefully to others. For me personally, I hope that I can take this lesson to heart and make a change in myself to be more like the kind of wife God wants me to be for my husband, to sense when he has a need, and to take action to help him fulfill it.

Be Kind to Jerks

You have heard it said, "Be kind to others," and "Treat others as you would want to be treated," and other things like that. Have you ever heard it said to "Be kind to jerks?"

Welll...maybe not in those exact words, but you have probably heard, "Love your enemies."

We are called to do good for everyone, not just the people that we like. I read a Bible verse recently that made me chuckle.

"If you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that." Luke 6:33 (In context.)

It is such an obvious statement, yet it is so sagacious at the same time. For those of us who strive to shine as a light of Christ to the world, this especially rings true. What kind of an example of His love are we if we play favorites and only love those who love us?

Wait a moment....

Now, as I type this, my train of thought is wandering to Casting Crowns' "If We Are the Body."

Since that is on my mind now, rather than continuing to type my thoughts, I am going to sign that song for you. Soo...this post started with the intention of talking (err...typing) about being kind to jerks and is ending with a song about being jerks. It may not be exactly where I had in mind to go originally, but it is where I am going now.

If you want to watch the video larger and with some more clarity, you can see it on YouTube by clicking here.

"But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

-1 Corinthians 12:24b-27 (20-27)

It Figures

You know about what I am talking.

You pick what you thought was the shorter line at the supermarket, and the cashier has to call a manager for help for the person in front of you. You watch the next line over go through three customers before the manager even gets to your cashier. It figures.

You are running late to something and seem to get every red light on the way there. It figures.

You get a telephone call and forget to take supper out of the oven, and it gets overcooked. It figures.

Something happens that is not what you wanted, and you say, "It figures."

This is one of those expressions that annoys me. Yes, it annoys me. You may ask me why it annoys me. I may ask you, "Why does it figure?!"

Is your life so miserable that it just figures when something does not go your way? Do things go wrong in your life so consistently that you just figure that that is what is going to happen?

I would be surprised if you answered, "Yes," but if you did, and if that much is truly going wrong in your life, then perhaps it is time for you to make a change.

Is it your outlook that needs to change? Is it your attitude that needs to change? Is it where you put your focus that needs to change? Is it where you put your faith that needs to change?

Personally, right now in my life, I do not think that I know anyone who has it as bad as Job had it. Job was a wealthy man. In Job 1 and 2, in one day, he had more go wrong than one might imagine could happen in one day. Job's oxen, donkeys and camels were all stolen. A fire killed all of his sheep. Did Job say, "It figures?" No. In Job 1:21b, he said, "...the Lord giveth, and the Lord has taken away."

On another day, Job was afflicted "with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head." (Job 2:7b) At this point, in verses 9 and 10:

His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

Wow.

This man's had a faith in the Lord that got him through the worst of times. Job lost just about everything possible, yet he maintained the right attitude and a strong faith in God. Does that make you think?

The next time that you are getting frustrated because you let someone pull out in front of you, and then you wind up getting the red light or because you are baking a cake for company in two hours and it comes out lopsided or.... When your instinct is to say, "It figures," maybe instead you can say, "Well, if that is the worst thing that happens to me today, I am doing great."

Maybe you could say, "Hey, at least I am not Job."

Oh, and if you are wondering what ever became of Job after all of that, check it out!

*******

Deed 12: We were at a restaurant this week, the kind where you take your trays back and throw away your own garbage. A group of men had left three tables with their trash on them, so I decided to clean off the tables. A friend who was with me helped me. The people working at the restaurant did not know that we did that, and that is just fine.

Deed 13: We went to the grocery store, and when we went to return our cart, I took a few minutes to gather the scattered carts and stack them neatly to make it easier for the person who would have to bring them back inside.

Ice Cream Hangover

Before you do something that you want to do, it is wise to get all of the facts. That seems like a logical statement, right? However, how often do you do something because it is what you want? How often are you just making a selfish decision when it might not be what is the best decision or even the right decision?

When I was young, I used to enjoy doing things with the Boy Scouts. Yes, I am a girl. However, my dad was a troop leader for many years, and there were often activities happening. One weekend, when [I think] I was thirteen years old, I was going to be getting up early Saturday morning to go to a Boy Scout camp with Dad. I was looking forward to it.

Friday night, I decided that I wanted mint chocolate chip ice cream Mmmm...that was my favorite flavor. Mommie made the best homemade ice cream, and I decided that it would be genius to make my own mint chocolate chip ice cream.

I went to the freezer and got a container of Mommie's homemade vanilla ice cream. I want to the refrigerator and found a bottle of some minty-smelling liquid in the back. I went to the cabinet and got a bag of chocolate chips. I went to the drawer and got a spoon. I was set. I mixed the ingredients really well and enjoyed the mint chocolate chip ice cream that I wanted. Mmmm.

The next morning at somewhere around 7:00 or 7:30, it was time to get up to leave for the Boy Scout camp. OH. MY. GOODNESS. I had such a headache and felt sick to my stomach. How much of that ice cream did I eat? Did I eat too much?

As it turned out, I had a hangover. I did not realize that until years later. After all, how would I know? I did not even know what a hangover was. I also, apparently, did not know what Creme de Menthe was.

That is right. I wanted something, so I went about making it happen for myself without asking for help or finding out all of the pertinent facts. Then I suffered for it. (Some of you may have heard me say that I have never been drunk yet once had a hangover. Now you understand.)

How often do you find yourself acting on your own wants and desires and doing whatever you need to do to make what you want to happen happen only to find out that it was probably not the best thing for you at the time, after all? Worse yet, do you get the facts and choose to ignore them because they do not suit what you want?

He who separates himself seeks his own desire,
He quarrels against all sound wisdom.
-Proverbs 18:1

My challenge for you is that the next time you find yourself in a situation where you need to make a decision, if you have even the slightest question about whether or not you might be making the right decision, then seek the facts necessary and consider them objectively. You may wind up saving yourself (and possibly others) some hurt or frustration when you make the right decision because you had the right information.

Like at First Sight

While we were away, we got to do so much, including watch our Boy continue to be such an amazing child.

Boy is not even two and an half yet, and he had three teenagers doting on him at the pool...the first time that he went there! He called them his ladies. By the end of the second day, the girls and a couple of their guy friends were "hanging out" with Boy. They could not seem to get over how adorable he is, and he certainly enjoyed being a part of their group. They played, they laughed, they booped each other's noses, they "walked" the pool wall, the talked. The last time that he saw them, he obligingly gave each one of his new girl friends a hug good-bye when they asked and then told each of them, "Bye-bye, (name of girl)."

How amazing is it that the children can like someone right away and just enjoy the time with them? How willing are we, as adults, to instantly like someone and welcome them to our lives.

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Jesus has a special place in His heart for the little children. Could it be because the youngest of us are the least jaded and the least cruel and the least hateful of all of the people? Could it be because the children are the closest to what Jesus would have each of us be with their open hearts and welcoming kindness toward others.

Matthew 18:4 tell us, "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Who among us could take a lesson from the children rather than trying to teach them one?

Thankful on Thursday - Summer

Yes, I have been quiet for a couple of weeks. My little blog was getting a rest. We had some time away, some time visiting with friends, some time getting to know more about people, some time getting to know the Lord more. All in all, it was a good time.

One of the things that we did during my time away from Words from DUG was to head down to our place at Hilton Head Island for a vacation. What a beautiful place that island it. The quiet sounds of the forest mixed with the soothing sounds of the beach make for such a relaxing atmosphere.

While I am thankful this summer for our first "real" family vacation since...umm...I do not even remember for sure, I am also thankful for so many things that summer offers.

Summer brings around our wedding anniversary, and my marriage is one things for which I am so thankful. God put together a great team when he matched up my husband and me.

Swimming pools with water that is just the right temperature are another thing for which I am grateful. I love the feeling of clean water rolling across my body as I swim and play.

I have a heartwarming thankfulness for the happy image of my husband and our son playing outside and doing "boy things" and being able to bond as father and son in the midst of the beauty and boldness of summer's vegetation.

I am thankful for sun dresses to wear and sea gulls for Boy to feed and pelicans to admire and dolphins to make us smile and back porches to sit outside and eat and countless other summer time things.

Admittedly, though, I am not grateful for the weeds that seem to have taken over our gardens and mulched area. Two weeks away and a bunch of rain will do that for a yard.

What makes summer special for you? What are some things about summer that make you feel grateful?

Dickie & Dug -- July 19th (Pt. 3)

Once they finally found the Chapel in the Village, the guy and gal liked it. Plus, they allowed you to dress in period costume for your ceremony. How fun!

Figuring that people would need to plan months in advance, the couple asked the woman when was their next opening. She looked through her calendar and said, "Eleven o'clock."

Huh?!

"What time is it now?" the couple asked. Looking at her watch, the woman responded, "About ten to eleven."

The guy and the gal looked at one another. "Do you want to?"

"I do not know. Do you want to?"

"Sure!"

"Okay!"

They chose their old-timey outfits and settled on a Cowboy (complete with a hat, trench coat and gun holster) and a Southern Belle (if you know the gal, you know that there was a hat).

They made their way up the stairs to the chapel. Did I mention that the guy was on crutches and wearing a cast-boot through all of this? That is love and dedication.

The ceremony.


Completely in love and happily married, the couple was on track for a life together full of adventure and many stories to come.

Happy Anniversary, Husband!

******* If you want more details about that time, then you are welcome to attend a speaking engagement to hear my husband and me share our testimony.

Dickie & Dug -- July 19th (Pt. 2)

Once they got together, it was as if the guy and the gal had always been together. Their whirlwind relationship progressed quickly.

On February 22nd, about six months after that first dinner which no one else attended, they had an engagement party in the form of a mock wedding. Dress, flowers, guests, "minister" and all. What a romantic event that was.

Truth be told, they would have gotten married for real by that time, but the gal still had a house in New York that she wanted to sell. The gal did not want to get married until she had her financial obligations taken care of...and, frankly, the guy was okay with that.

The gal's house was sold on July 5th. Yay!

Unrelated, the guy and the gal decided to go to Smokey Mountains of Tennessee for the weekend of July 18th. While they were there, they talked about it and thought that the mountains might be a romantic place for a wedding and were not too too far away for guests who might want to attend. Saturday morning they went looking at chapels in the area to get some ideas.

The guy and the gal could not find one chapel, so they phoned and left a message on an answering machine. They went to another chapel, which looked just like a little church building. Technically, I suppose it was. Was it closed? If I remember correctly, they looked at it through the windows. There were several wedding chapels in the area where the guy and the gal were looking.

After wandering for a bit, the couple thought that they found the chapel that they could not find earlier. The cellular telephone rang. The gal answered it. The woman on the other end said that she was returning their call from the Chapel in the Village. The gal opened the door and said, "I think I am looking at you."

Then...well, to find out what happened then, return tomorrow for the dramatic conclusion.

Dickie & Dug -- July 19th

The year was 1996. The city was not important. It was a time when the "interweb" was not overly populated. AOL chat rooms were popular and "normal" people typed and got to know one another. There was a local chat room for the area. A local gal decided to throw a party with a friend. They invited the people from that chat room. If I can remember correctly, eighty-seven people were in attendance at that night club. One of those people was the guy.

The gal and the guy met one another, as well as many other people. A group of those people got along well and decided to meet for dinner together the following week. When the evening arrived, the gal and the guy were the only two to arrive for the dinner.

The rest, as they say, is history!






Okay, okay, we will not stop there because one of my readers did ask me to share the story. Also, entire books are written about historical events, so why not a few posts on a little blog that almost no one reads anyway?

When the gal and the guy met, there was an instant attraction. However, the guy was not exactly what you would call "available." He sort of had a lady friend who was out of state. Thus, the guy and the gal became and remained friends. They spent time together, enjoyed one another's company, and eventually became roommates-- in a two bedroom apartment.

As time went on, it became apparent that they guy's lady friend was not going to turn out to be the other half of his future. He probably knew that for while. Then, one day, it hit the guy like a slap to the forehead. The guy had had the "right" gal right for a while, and she was wonderful. He realized that he had loved her since that night when they were the only two to meet for that dinner. What next? I will tell you more tomorrow.

Father's Love Letter

My Child,

You may not know me,
but I know everything about you.
Psalm 139:1

I know when you sit down and when you rise up.
Psalm 139:2

I am familiar with all your ways.
Psalm 139:3

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered.
Matthew 10:29-31

For you were made in my image.
Genesis 1:27

In me you live and move and have your being.
Acts 17:28

For you are my offspring.
Acts 17:28

I knew you even before you were conceived.
Jeremiah 1:4-5

I chose you when I planned creation.
Ephesians 1:11-12

You were not a mistake,
for all your days are written in my book.
Psalm 139:15-16

I determined the exact time of your birth
and where you would live.
Acts 17:26

You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14

I knit you together in your mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13

And brought you forth on the day you were born.
Psalm 71:6

I have been misrepresented
by those who don't know me.
John 8:41-44

I am not distant and angry,
but am the complete expression of love.
1 John 4:16

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you.
1 John 3:1

Simply because you are my child
and I am your Father.
1 John 3:1

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.
Matthew 7:11

For I am the perfect father.
Matthew 5:48

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand.
James 1:17

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs.
Matthew 6:31-33

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

Because I love you with an everlasting love.
Jeremiah 31:3

My thoughts toward you are countless
as the sand on the seashore.
Psalms 139:17-18

And I rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17

I will never stop doing good to you.
Jeremiah 32:40

For you are my treasured possession.
Exodus 19:5

I desire to establish you
with all my heart and all my soul.
Jeremiah 32:41

And I want to show you great and marvelous things.
Jeremiah 33:3

If you seek me with all your heart,
you will find me.
Deuteronomy 4:29

Delight in me and I will give you
the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

For it is I who gave you those desires.
Philippians 2:13

I am able to do more for you
than you could possibly imagine.
Ephesians 3:20

For I am your greatest encourager.
2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

I am also the Father who comforts you
in all your troubles.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

When you are brokenhearted,
I am close to you.
Psalm 34:18

As a shepherd carries a lamb,
I have carried you close to my heart.
Isaiah 40:11

One day I will wipe away
every tear from your eyes.
Revelation 21:3-4

And I'll take away all the pain
you have suffered on this earth.
Revelation 21:3-4

I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love my son, Jesus.
John 17:23

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed.
John 17:26

He is the exact representation of my being.
Hebrews 1:3

He came to demonstrate that I am for you,
not against you.
Romans 8:31

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19

His death was the ultimate expression
of my love for you.
1 John 4:10

I gave up everything I loved
that I might gain your love.
Romans 8:31-32

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus,
you receive me.
1 John 2:23

And nothing will ever separate you
from my love again.
Romans 8:38-39

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party
heaven has ever seen.
Luke 15:7

I have always been Father,
and will always be Father.
Ephesians 3:14-15

My question is…

Will you be my child?
John 1:12-13

I am waiting for you.
Luke 15:11-32

Love, Your Dad
Almighty God

Father's Love Letter shared with permission.