THE DIFFERENCE ONE LETTER CAN MAKE

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Vicki Hinze

What happened to George Floyd was wrong and everyone knows it.  Everyone agrees it’s unacceptable and should never happen again.  Everyone agrees the officer with eighteen complaints should have been stopped long before this incident.  But he wasn’t.  And here’s where we are.

People are emotional, and that’s a human reaction we all feel.  A man was murdered.  Other officers saw what was happening but failed to stop it.  Bystanders saw what was happening and spoke out but were threatened with Mace.  And a man who should be alive is dead and now buried.

Skip forward past the united outrage to protests, then riots, then looting and destruction.  Then to defunding the police.

Put your emotions in a box and think.  Critically, think.  When you saw the video, you were appalled.  You were outraged and disgusted.

Now step back.  Clear your mind.  And put yourself in a police uniform from anywhere else in the country.  From that same department.  Watch the video again—from inside the uniform.  What is your reaction now?

You’re appalled.  You’re outraged and disgusted.  AND you are betrayed.  Betrayed that a brother in blue would do this.  He took the same oath to serve and protect that you took.  He joined the force to do just that, to make your city or town or state or nation a safer place for families to raise their kids and walk the streets without fear of harm.  He or she gets up every morning and hits those streets, taking on the risks of not coming home to his own family because s/he believes in something bigger, something that must be preserved for people to live free:  law and order.

Watching that video from inside that uniform, and you are ashamed of the offending officer.  You know that far too many are far too emotional to remember that the actions of one are not the actions of all.  You are just as upset—even more so—than others, because you know that you will be painted with his brush, though you have done nothing wrong. 

Still standing in that uniform, you watch your mayor and governor and state legislators abandon you and your fellow officers.  They throw you under the proverbial bus, subject you to verbal and physical abuse, because they aren’t worried about you or your career or how hard you’ve worked or how many risks you’ve taken or even how many lives you’ve saved.  They are worried about their re-election.  Winning it.  That’s what most matters to them.  Long ago, while citizens slept, trusting leaders to lead as citizens would lead, the meaning of public service and public servants fell to an insatiable hunger for power and control.  There are, of course, exceptions, and you know that.  But you look around and see far too few of these leaders stand up for the people or for you.

Given no choice, you must accept that you’ve been betrayed and abandoned, and you’ve done nothing wrong.  You stand falsely accused, condemned and convicted not because of any action you took but due to your uniform and your sincere belief in law and order.  Your desire, often a lifelong desire, to serve and protect.

Someone else commits the act.  You live with the fallout.

There is good and bad in everyone, including officers.  But right now, emotion is ruling the day.  Thinking is muddied by rage, and that rage is being misplaced.   In this, you cannot blame an entire group of professional law enforcement officers for the actions of one.  Regardless of what industry or profession you work in, there are those who excel at it, and those who do not.  Those born to do what they do, and those who belong elsewhere but have not yet realized it.

An anchor on TV asked if the police were defunded, and someone broke into her house in the middle of the night, who did she call.  The answer was realizing her privilege.  How do you think that anchor is going to fare against an armed intruder?

Another responded to that same kind of question with a recommendation to sit down and talk with the perpetrator and work it out.  How do you think that home invasion is going to resolve?   Think the homeowner who has been invaded fares well?

Let’s get practical.

In Minneapolis, the day the defund talk started, they began a push for “communities policing their own.”  Citizens would get rid of the police and deal with the crime in their communities.  Untrained citizens who are not professional law enforcement officers. 

How well would citizens do the job, and how would citizens fare?  How would the city and businesses that employ them fare?   

Let’s take an unemotional look at a few situations and see what we think:

  • In NYC, the day the defund talk started, a bomb was found.  If there are no police, what citizens are going to defuse that bomb?  Dispose of it in a manner that doesn’t get them or other citizens killed, maimed or injured?

  • What if your child goes missing? What citizens have the expertise or experience to investigate and provide the best possible odds of finding your child alive and bringing them safely home?   If abducted, who looks for them—your child and the abductor?

  • You’re rushing your infant to the hospital. Your child isn’t breathing.  You see a cruiser and flag down the officer, who administers CPR and, rather than waiting for an ambulance, he rushes your child to the hospital.  Your child’s life is saved.  What citizens know what to do in this situation—and are there to do it?  In this true story, plenty were around but none acted.  The officer, on his way home from work, did.

  • Your dream has finally been realized. You have your own neighborhood grocery store.  Weeks earlier, you were being praised by all for your bravery in staying open, making sure that people had food.  Now your store has been looted and burned to the ground.  Citizens didn’t stand the line to protect the store.  The mayor didn’t protect it.  And now you learn your insurance coverage doesn’t pay in cases of civil unrest.  You’ve lost everything you’ve worked for your whole life.  How did this happen when weeks ago, people appreciated so much what you were doing for them?  Taking everything from you is how you’re repaid.  Police are trained in riot control.  To prevent looting—and they do it, if they’re not ordered to stand down, by their mayor. 

You see the point.  Imagine all the different types of challenges—school protection, assaults on the street, complex RICO cases, hostage situations and everything in between.  Citizens are simply not equipped, trained or in many cases willing and able to meet those challenges.  Why would people take those who are trained and willing out of the picture and insert those who are not?

During the recent riots, 25,000 businesses were destroyed that won’t be coming back.  For those, their dreams are dead.  They must live with having done nothing wrong, but as a result of the actions of others, are now not in a position to rebuild and start over.

Now think about the impact on that community these businesses serviced.  Drug stores—gone.  Car parts (best not breakdown!)—gone.  Grocery stores—gone.  Who lives without them? 

Some say the federal government should have stepped in faster and with a firmer footprint.  Yet they ignore the fact that we live in a republic.  The mayors and governors and state legislators run the states.  It is on them to protect and defend the citizens in their states, and if they need help, to ask for it from the federal government. 

Those watching saw the federal government offer help and mayors and governors refuse it.  We read the letters from mayors refusing to call up the national guard in sufficient numbers to protect citizens of the states they took oaths to defend and protect.  We saw the federal government, like the police, be vilified and demonized for warning those state officials that if they didn’t take appropriate steps to defend their own citizens, the federal government would.  It has been done before.  Multiple times.  That promise to step in is what finally stopped a lot of the destruction.  

To those casting blame at the president and federal authorities, it would be wise to study how your government works.  These challenges are the result of mayors and governors not executing their duties appropriately.  That’s a simple truth. 

And it’s also what makes defunding the police an emotional and, I’m sorry to say, irrational response.  Up to eighty percent of the rioters were from out of state.  They infiltrated peaceful protests with ill intentions, fake identification, and stolen license plates on their vehicles.  They were flown in, driven in on buses, and many were paid to riot and loot. 

There were pre-staged pallets of bricks, ready for grabbing to destroy property that wasn’t theirs.  There were sticks, metal pipes, concrete milkshakes (to cause head injuries to those struck, many of whom were Secret Service agents guarding the White House), tennis balls filled with concrete, weapons and Molotov cocktails and other incendiary devices and bombs.

Defund the police?  A hard push to disarm the public and now to defund the police?  How then are all citizens not placed in greater jeopardy?  Think…

Those with the training and the desire to protect citizens are defunded and no longer on the job.  Are you aware 300 NYPD officers retired last week?  That 600 spoke to their superiors about resigning or retiring and might yet do it?  That hundreds were injured in the riots, and many were hospitalized for those injuries?  They faced everything from being run down by cars to being shot in the back of the head to being stabbed in the neck.  And that doesn’t take into account the verbal abuse.

Who is going to step into their shoes?  Who is going to willingly face what they face knowing the mayors, governors, and many state legislators will abandon them?  That many of the individuals arrested will be put right back on the street to rejoin the riots?

As stated in the beginning, there is one letter’s difference between DEFUND and DEFEND.  One letter, and that letter is U.

Think about it.  We all hate and resent what happened to George Floyd.  We all hate injustice and unfairness across the board.  We all want to live safe and free, to live our lives without having others kill us or our dreams as the result of something we oppose.

One last point.  Police are under intense scrutiny all the time.  Their actions are judged by many.  Internal Affairs.  Superior officers.  The mayor, the governor, watchdog groups, the people on the street.  More oversight isn’t the problem.  They’ve got tons of oversight. 

Before you paint them all with the brush of one whose actions the rest of the officers deplore, remember this:

Who ran into the buildings while citizens ran away on 9/11.

Who manned the streets during Covid pandemic to keep streets and citizens and businesses protected.

Who answered when you called 911 because someone you love was in crisis, had a medical emergency.

Who talked you through an emergency procedure that saved the life of someone needing help when you didn’t know what to do.

One. Letter. Different.  One.

 

U.

   

 

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Surrendering Self by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Nancy J. Farrier

I live in a small rural area. Most traffic goes right by us on the highway, but we also have a low road for the sparse local traffic. In the early mornings a few residents of the area, including my husband and me, like to walk this low road, enjoying the quiet and the exercise. 

For the past few weeks, the county has been doing roadwork on our little street. They are redirecting a wash in the hope of preventing future flooding. That means the low road is closed to through traffic as they dig up the pavement, put huge pipes in the wash, and do all manner of work. 

On the weekends, the walkers are free to walk through the work area since the workers aren’t there. But, during the week when they are running their heavy equipment, it isn’t safe to walk through and we have to find another route to get in our walking time. At least, most of us do.

There are a couple who are tired of waiting for the work to be done. They ignore the signs, the heavy equipment, and the workers, and walk right through the area under construction. After all, this is their road and it’s their right to walk where they want. What’s wrong with that?

I struggle with this way of thinking. To me, it seems so self-centered. Yes, I’m tired of having my usual walk area interrupted, but there are the workers and safety concerns to put ahead of my wishes. Every time someone walks through the area, the workers have to stop or at least watch carefully to make sure no one is in the way when a piece of equipment is moving. This puts the walker and the workers in danger. 

I see a correlation between this small defiance and what our world has been going through with the pandemic. We are all tired of staying home. We are all tired of wearing masks. We are all tired of not seeing family or friends—of not being able to interact with those we love. We are tired to the point where some people are walking past those restrictions and putting themselves and others in danger.

Now, I get it. I really do. Masks are suffocating. It’s hard to breathe. Glasses steam up. It’s hard to talk and make yourself understood. On the other hand, I don’t wear a mask as a fashion statement, or for my health and safety. I wear one for the safety of those who might be immunocompromised. The same goes for staying home and avoiding crowds. I abide by this because I care about others, not myself. I know many agree in this respect.

“Greater love has no one than this,

 than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

John 15:13 (NKJV) 

Jesus’ words to his disciples are so true. Throughout history, many have willingly laid down their lives for the good of others. But, what if He’s not talking only about a physical life, but about our rights? What if laying down my life for another means giving up my right to what I want when it means endangering those around me? What if, in doing so—in surrendering self—I am being an extension of Jesus Christ to those in my world? What if instead of demanding our rights, we think about the other person’s needs?

What if I’m becoming the hands and feet of Jesus by surrendering self in this way? And, what if we all did this—put others needs ahead of ourselves? 

Consider laying down your life today. You will bless those around you.

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An Attitude of Strong Faith by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on June 11, 2020 by Bridget

Over the past few weeks, I have been writing about faith. I hope you have been enjoying the posts as much as I have. Today I want to talk about a very important factor that plays a role in our faith – our attitude.

Let’s look at a Biblical example found in 1 Samuel 30. Prior to David becoming king, he had been living in a place called Ziklag. In this story, David and his men had been away from home. When they returned, they discovered tragedy had struck. The Amalekites “had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.” (1 Samuel 30:1-2)

You can imagine how distressed David and his men were. In verse 4 it says that they “wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.” If that wasn’t bad enough, the men then turned on David. Verse 6 tells us that “the men were talking of stoning him.”

But I want to focus on something else from that same verse. In the King James Bible, verse 6 goes on to say, “David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” The New King James Version says, “David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” And the NIV and NLT versions say, “David found strength in the LORD his God.”

I love this verse and I think we can learn a lot from it. When we face something difficult, we have a choice to make. Are we going to let our despair take over? Or are we going to strengthen and encourage ourselves in the Lord? Strong faith will choose the latter. Strong faith will not have a pity party, but will press forward while tapping into the power of the Holy Spirit. Grief is something we might experience for a time, but we cannot stay there forever. We have to seek the Lord and find comfort and strength in Him.

This is what David did. In this story, he and his men wound up going after the Amalekites and they recovered everything and everyone that was taken. All the women, children, and other people were recovered. I have to wonder what ending this story would have had if David had NOT encouraged himself in the Lord?

When we face trials, we too should encourage ourselves in the Lord. We should run to God and trust Him with whatever we are facing. Nothing is a surprise to Him. He can help us get through our difficulties and come out the other side with joy and peace.

© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

 

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If 2020 Were a Movie by Brian Arduini

Posted on June 10, 2020 by juliearduini

Yep, you read it right. It’s my rotation, Julie Arduini, but I’m stealing content from my oldest, Brian. He’s the one that sent me to early labor at 32 weeks, a month’s worth of bedrest, and then 20 hours of Pitocin coursing through my veins before an emergency C-Section, so…

Anyway, Brian’s on trek to be a history teacher, and he takes current events very seriously. He’s processing the first six months of 2020 and like the rest of us, the emotions are raw and the questions, many.

He created a video that I think hits it out of the park. He treated as if 2020 were a movie trailer.

You’re invited to not just view it, but share it as well.

Also, if you’re a gamer or know one, Brian is building a community over at Twitch. Go give him a follow at BriPoems. What I love about what he’s doing is beyond playing games, he’s creating a safe place. He loves to chat with visitors and encourage them. With recent events, he felt the need to start his stream with prayer. You’d think on a gaming app that would be weird, but it really comforted folks. I’m excited to see what God does with him, and these things.

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Creating Fictional Worlds

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Kristin

I finished a book this weekend. It’s a book I’ve been working on intermittently for over 5 years. Considering I used to write up to four books a year, it’s hard to get too excited about finishing one book, but I’m ecstatic!

This book is the first in a series set in my beloved San Francisco. Granted, it’s a whimsical, historical view of San Francisco. The one I grew up knowing. The series is set in modern times, but I wanted to bring in some of the fantasy life I lived back then. My cousin’s grandparents owned the Fairmont Hotels when I was growing up and as a child seeing that kind of wealth fascinated me. I didn’t want it for myself. It looked like way too much work to be responsible for that kind of wealth and the decorum that goes with it.

However, as a keen observer of people (even as a child) I did love analyzing the personalities and the adults in that opulent world. This series is called the “Pacific Avenue” series and it’s set in the Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. There is no Pacific Avenue — it’s Pacific Street that runs through this neighborhood. But this is my view of San Francisco and I took a few creative liberties.

I’ve plucked characters from the past and my memories of what “old money” means in the modern world. I wanted to dissect the theme of how one person can be a hero to some and a villain to others — so I started with a father. Five girls. Three mothers. One marriage. And I built the world around that.

I’m self-publishing this book and I can’t tell you how lovely it was to have the freedom to create the world I wanted to create — not the one that is approved. It took me long enough, but I hope that my book will encourage others to create the world they want to read and dream about!

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Secondary Characters by Tara Randel

Posted on June 8, 2020 by tararandel

Last time I posted, I talked about the appeal of books set in a small town. There’s nothing like returning to the place where your characters shine and you fall in love with the locale. When I read series books, I’m happy to return to these places and experience the joys and familiarity of a particular location all over again.

There’s another reason I love books set in small towns. I get to catch with previous characters, which is always nice because we become invested in their stories. But as an author, I love to create quirky secondary characters and to me, a small town has plenty of them. Think about your favorite books and I’m sure a character or two is rooted in your memory. While with the main characters I spend a great deal of time figuring out their conflicts and what makes them tick, with secondary characters I have a ball. They say and do things my main characters wouldn’t. And they don’t shy away from who they really are.

Secondary characters can be used as a sounding board for the hero or heroine. They can also be troublemakers who push our main characters into circumstances they would normally walk away from. Or, they just add humor and color to a story.

The Meet Me At the Altar series features the Matthews brothers who have their own story lines. In each book, I featured their mother, a strong women who knows her own mind and how to manipulate her sons…in a good way. Through her interaction with her sons, she draws out emotions that they have to reflect on at some point in the book. She loves her sons, but she wants daughters-in-laws and grandbabies and never lets them forget.

Also in this series, one brother is a main character, but the other brothers feature in the books to capture a different side of each one. We see their family loyalty, but also sibling rivalry and affection as they pull the wool over each other’s eyes.

9781335889577 (405x640)

Here’s an excerpt from Always the One, the story of the oldest brother, Derrick Matthews. This scene features Jasmine Matthews and her sons.

Voices rose in celebration. His mother’s gaze caught his and with a small lift of her chin, she motioned him over. He skirted the outer rim of the crowd to find his brothers already behind the gazebo with their mother.

“I have a request,” she said as the four circled her. Derrick could have sworn he heard Dante groan.

She looked each of the grown men in the eyes. “I love you boys too much to decide who will give me away at my wedding. So I’ll leave the decision up to you.”

“Are you sure?” Derrick asked.

She cupped his cheek with her warm hand. “I’m sure.”

After winking at him, she strolled away.

Reaching into the front pocket of his jeans, Derrick withdrew a worn coin. He ran his thumb over the warm metal, the raised edges smooth after years of being handled.

“Okay, guys. What do you say we decide who gives Mom away in the Matthews’ family tradition.”

Dante rolled his eyes. “I hate this tradition.”

“Poor loser?” Derrick asked.

“No, so far I’ve been fortunate, but the anticipation is agony.”

Dylan slapped Derrick on the back. “What do you say we let those two go first.”

“Works for me.”

“Heads,” Dante called.

Deke shrugged.

With a flip of his thumb, the coin sailed into the air then landed in Derrick’s palm. He looked at it for a long time, stretching out the suspense, a grin curving his lips.

“Oh, for the love of…” Dante griped.

“No worries, little bro. Heads.”

Dante blew out a breath and turned on his heel.

“Escaping so soon?” Deke called after him.

“I’m going back to Eloise where it’s safe.”

Deke turned back to the bearer of the coin. “Heads.”

“You sure?” Derrick asked.

“Let’s keep the good luck rolling.”

Once again, Derrick made a show of letting the coin twist in the air. The wind picked it up, but after it came down, he winked at his brother. “Safe.”

“Good,” Deke replied, then narrowed his eyes. “By the way, I’m onto you.”

Derrick’s hand flew to his chest, and he projected an air of innocence. “Me?”

Shaking his head, Deke walked away but not before Derrick glimpsed a small smile.

“That just leaves us,” Derrick said to Dylan.

“Why bother? The coin is double-sided.”

“How do you know? You’ve never seen it.”

Dylan sent him a really? glance. “My point, exactly. You wield that coin to do your bidding.”

“Harsh.”

“The truth.”

“Then let me buck the system and call tails,” Derrick said.

“Magnanimous of you.”

With a chuckle, Derrick sent the coin into the air. It hovered. Dropped. Derrick eyed the metal and said, “Guess I had to lose some time.”

“Let me see,” Dylan said, reaching for the coin. Derrick snatched his hand away.

“Nope. Doesn’t work that way.”

“So you really lost?”

“You doubt me?”

“You’ve been known to cheat.”

Once again, Derrick went for hurt. “I’m wounded.”

Dylan crossed his arms over his chest. “Yet you haven’t confessed.”

Derrick shrugged.

“Fine. You win.” Dylan took a few steps back, then turned to leave. A couple of minutes later Jasmine reappeared.

“How did it turn out?”

“We decided I’d have the honor of walking you down the aisle.” He puffed out his chest. “I am the oldest, after all.”

“And this decision didn’t have anything to do with you manipulating the coin toss?”

His eyes went wide. “How…”

“You boys think you’re a step ahead of me.” She rolled her eyes. “That will be the day.”

Meet Me At the Altar(1)

I love a mother who is always in the know. Didn’t we grow up hearing about eyes in the back of a mother’s head? How she caught on to everything we did? With secondary characters we get to have fun or they help move the story in an emotional way, which is why we open books to begin with.

The next time you’re enjoying a good book, take the time to savor the secondary characters and their roles. You might just discover a whole new world hidden inside a book.

Tara Randel is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. Family values, a bit of mystery and of course, love and romance, are her favorite themes, because she believes love is the greatest gift of all. For more information about her books, visit Tara at www.tararandel.com. Like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TaraRandelBooks. Sign up for Tara’s Newsletter and receive a link to download a free digital book.

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Be Strong and Courageous by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on June 4, 2020 by Bridget

Over the last few weeks I have been writing about faith. When I think of strong faith, one person that comes to mind is Joshua. After forty long years in the desert, the time finally came for the Israelites to take over the Promised Land. Moses had died and now Joshua was left in charge. God spoke to Joshua, encouraging him on what was ahead. There were three vital pieces of information in what God said which are still key for us today.

1 – God is with us. In Joshua 1:7, God said, “…I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.” And in Joshua 1:9, God said, “…the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” This is true for us as well. And it is so important for us to remember, no matter what we are facing. Knowing that our Heavenly Father is by our sides makes a world of difference in how we face each day. Whether it is a good day or a not-so-good day, we can have peace in our hearts when we remember Who is walking with us.

2 – The Bible is essential. The Lord told Joshua, “Be careful to obey all the law… do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:7-8) For us, reading our Bibles is one the single most important things we do. This is not something we should do once in awhile or when we feel like it. This is something we need to do every single day. Just like breathing. It is really THAT important.

3 – Be strong and courageous. God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6,7,9). If God said something three times, he probably wanted Joshua (and us) to pay attention. Whatever we are up against, we too can be strong and courageous. But having points one and two above will help us to be strong and courageous. We have to remember that God is with us and we have to spend time with Him daily. It would be difficult to be strong and courageous without those two factors.

Seeking God wholeheartedly, every single day, will point us in the right direction. This will help us to remember and walk out the three points above. I am so thankful that we have a Heavenly Father who cares for us so very much. He never leaves, and He is by our sides in whatever we are going through.

© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas

Photo courtesy of Pexels.

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Replacement Policy

Posted on June 3, 2020 by jrcoggins

“What do you mean my coverage has been denied?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Grey. It’s company policy. This is the third total replacement claim you have made in—what?—a year.”

“Well…”

“Precisely. The company can’t keep covering these losses.”

“But I need the replacement. It is vital for my work.”

“That may be, but that is your problem, not ours. I do not care what business or hobbies you pursue. Those things do not really matter to me. My only concern is protecting the interests of our company.”

“Do not take me for some conjuror of cheap tricks. I am not trying to rob you.”

“Of course not, Mr. Grey, but you must admit that these losses are at the least unusual. Wizards’ staffs are supposed to be the most powerful weapon in Middle Earth, and you have managed to destroy three of them. What are you doing with them anyway that you have destroyed so many?”

“Well, there were encounters with ring wraiths and orcs and other wizards…” Gandalf explained.

“But that is precisely my point. You habitually travel in high-risk zones, and that is why the company can no longer insure you against these losses. Wizards’ staffs are not cheap, you know. They don’t grow on trees.”

“But they are made of wood. They do grow on trees.”

“Technically, yes, but there is all that expensive additional remanufacturing work on them, the application of magic spells and so on. Maybe in future you should consider getting one made of cast iron or stainless steel.”

“But that would ruin the image…”

“I am not interested in your image, Mr. Grey, only in following our company’s policies.”

“Why do you keep calling me Mr. Grey? I am Gandalf the Grey, a renowned wizard, not a man named Gandalf Grey.”

“Gandalf Grey is what is on the policy, but it doesn’t really matter. Your coverage has still been denied. This destruction of insured property has become a nasty hobbit, and it can’t be allowed to continue.”

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Peace be Still… (by Hannah Alexander)

Posted on June 2, 2020 by alexanderhodde

It has come to my attention that the novel I am writing at this time would work quite well as a novel dealing with the pandemic. It wasn’t begun that way, but it is about medical research. But honestly, I asked myself if it was something I’d want to read, and it is not. I don’t want to be reminded of the stress the whole world is enduring.

So instead I want to share my “whatsoever” thoughts and pictures. I hope you can see the pictures. To me they bring back memories of happier times, of tranquil days when the only worries I had were about stepping on the right part of the trail so I didn’t go hurtling into the lake, or the river, or onto my face.

Or too close to the moose.

Or into the roses.

Or anger the beavers.

I know I’ve said this before, but I have these words on a plaque to remind myself to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. This is from Philippians 4:8. It’s one of my favorite passages, and now, especially, I need these words. I hope they help you, too.

 

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Who Would Know by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Nancy J. Farrier

When I lived in California, I loved going for morning bike rides. There were certain routes I liked to ride and my usual distance was between twenty to twenty-five miles. This was time spent thinking about my story, or pondering a Bible study, or simply enjoying my time outside.

One morning, as I prepared to ride, I opened my cycling app, an app that tracked my route and collected my stats for me. When finished, I would upload the ride, which would show me my distance, speed, calories burned, etc. 

Many people used this popular exercise app. The top people on the app were those who dedicated whole portions of their day to working out. I rarely looked at their stats because I didn’t hope to make it that high on the roster.

As I headed out, I started my app and enjoyed the ride. The wind in my face. The fresh morning air. And, outside of town, the peace of the countryside. 

I returned home, having completed twenty-two miles – not in record time, but that didn’t bother me. After I put my bike away in the garage, I uploaded my ride and checked the stats. Lo and behold, I was number one above all others. I gasped. How could this be? 

That’s when I realized my mistake. While I had gone for a bike ride, I logged in on the app as being on the treadmill. All those miles zipping along at a slower speed for a cyclist were mighty fast for a treadmill runner. To the app, I appeared to have been doing some Olympic running and had gotten to the head of the exercise guru pack. 

A very heady moment indeed. But, also a lie. An accidental lie, but a lie nonetheless.

What to do? Who would really notice a nobody and her stats? I would sink back to obscurity the next day when I recorded my normal exercise routine. Did this mistake really matter?

Of course it mattered. If I left that workout as is, I would know, and God would know, even if no one else ever did. He knows every secret within me. I can’t hide from Him, and I shouldn’t want to. 

“Would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.” Psalm 44:21 (NKJV)

If I left the stats as they were, I would be lying and would become an abomination to the Lord. Whoa. That’s very scary. I would much rather strive to be a delight to Him, even at the cost of everything I am. 

“Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.” 
Proverbs 12:22 (NKJV)

I am not a tech savvy person so it took me a little while to figure out how to change my workout from treadmill to cycling, but I did it. I was no longer on top of the pack and that was okay. I am not a top-of-the-pack sort of person anyway. I don’t exercise to receive glory. I exercise to care for this physical home God has given me. 

It isn’t just my physical being I need to care for though. I need to make sure my heart is lined up with God. I must understand what He wants for me to do in order to be content in my life, and to serve Him to the best of my ability.

 “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end.” Psalm 119:112 (NKJV)

When I realized the mistake I made, I understood erasing the workout completely would be better than leaving misinformation for all to see. Maybe they wouldn’t have noticed. Maybe no one would ever had called me on that Olympic level workout. But, I’m called to a higher standard. I know what is required of me, and I intend to do what delights Him. 


“He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?”

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)

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Strong Faith is Selfless by Bridget A. Thomas

Posted on May 28, 2020 by Bridget

There are many Bible stories that I love. But in one particular case, there is a certain lady who is only mentioned in a handful of verses. However, she made an impact on me and I believe she is a great example for the faith series that we have been walking through these past few weeks. Her name is Jehosheba.

Let’s start with a little back story first. There was a man named Ahaziah who was king of Judah. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as did many of the kings we read about in the Old Testament. Long story short, he wound up getting killed. So his mother Athaliah proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.

I know this story doesn’t sound good so far. But this is where Jehosheba comes in. She was the sister of King Ahaziah, who had recently been killed. She did something amazing. It says in 2 Kings 11:2-3:

“But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.”

When the right time came, the priest crowned Joash as king. He was only seven years old at the time when he became king. And Athaliah was then killed.

I simply love what Jehosheba did in this story. She acted out of faith and not fear. Fear would have made her think only of her own survival. If she had been acting in fear, she would have fled and not gave Joash a second thought. This story illustrates that strong faith is selfless. Strong faith looks out for other people, helps them, and gives whatever they can. Strong faith doesn’t worry about the consequences in these situations because we know that God is our source and our provider.

As Christians, we are called to be selfless, just as Jesus was. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

This isn’t always an easy thing to do. We might get caught up in our own daily lives, and not take other people into consideration. But there are many Bible verses that talk about selflessness. Unfortunately, in today’s culture, many people have an “all about me” mentality. And sometimes this is rooted in fear. We look out for ourselves because we are afraid we will lose something when we give to others. But when we recognize that God is our source, we don’t have to fear.

So I hope this story helps you to press forward in your faith walk. Look for ways to be selfless in your daily life. Look for ways to help those in need. Look for ways to do something for someone else. You never know who you might make an impact on. And you will not only bless the people around you, but you will be blessed as well. When Jesus is your lifeline, you have the ability to help others in miraculous ways.

© 2020 Bridget A. Thomas

hanging lifesaver

Photo by Tobias Bjørkli on Pexels.com

 

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As Many as it Takes by Julie Arduini

Posted on May 27, 2020 by juliearduini

As I’ve shared before, during this time at home I’ve been using a Bible in a year reading plan with a new Bible. I’ve nearly worn out a new set of highlighters and have been floored by revelations that were sitting there all along.

One a-ha moment was as I read about Moses on the mountain with the Lord crafting the Ten Commandments.

It’s not a new story to me, most likely not to you, either.

But what grabbed me was the fact that Moses made his way down that mountain, tablets in hand, to see the Israelites carving idols and just acting like plain fools. The tablets crash to the ground and all that work, now in pebbles.

It was then I received what I call the heavenly downloads. A gentle and loving nudge from the Lord that I can’t ignore.

Moses didn’t present his writings with the first draft either.

What’s that now?

Confession. I’m starting a new contemporary romance series called Surrendering Opinions. I’ve had this vision all mapped out in my head for years. It’s about a set of sextuplets who remain in the national spotlight because of tragedy. Now they are young adults navigating their own identity while trying to find a love that matched what their parents had. Each sibling gets their own book by birth order. The first is Jordyn Bell Collins in a title called Anchored.

And I have started this book once. Twice. Three. Four. I think at least five times. I’ve given up counting and I’m frankly scared to submit my new chapters to my critique group. This time, I sense I found the vibe and I’m excited. But I thought I’d be on the third book by now. And here I am starting all over.

It was the same with Entrusted, my first book. That idea came to me in the early 1990’s. I wrote it and shelved it because I had a paying job. Then marriage. Then kids. When I had that heavenly download that it was time to write for Him, that story was junk. I completed the Christian Writers Guild. I wrote freelance articles. Created weekly challenges to grow. I started submitting to my critique groups. There was a draft in third-person. Several in first-person, present tense. Then I used NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) to start over. Finally, a draft I was proud of. Still, so many revisions and re-writes. I think from that first time when I was in my 20’s to publication in 2014, Entrusted was at least 14 attempts from start to finish.

That Moses reminder encouraged me to keep on keeping on. Moses turned around and scaled that mountain again. He chiseled out all the wisdom the Lord gave. And when he descended, those commandments guide us to this day, and Moses grew in his faith so much he glowed.

—Julie Arduini

My prayer is especially as I write romance, readers would relate to the characters and be encouraged by the transformation they take. That they would seek His face and surrender the things that keep them from living free in Him.

So this summer, I’m back to chiseling.

And I’m really excited about it.

***

Today I join other authors with May releases over at Christian & Sweet-n-Clean LAUNCHES talking about You’re Brilliant, playing games, and of course, offering surPRIZES. I’d love for you to stop by and say hello!

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Day 942 of Our Captivity

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Kristin

All right, not really.  It simply feels that way.  Lockdown isn’t that much different for me as a writer.  I’m generally a homebody — granted, the lack of Starbucks and easily-attainable espresso genuinely lowered my word count — but for the most part, lockdown is my normal.

For those of you extroverts out there, I’m truly feeling for you.  We aren’t meant to live life alone and the absence of family connection is devastating for many — especially those with loved ones who need medical care and they’re separated from them.

I’ve also seen the strain on at-home caregivers and parents who have been drafted into homeschooling.  This is not an easy time, but it’s clear that we have vastly underestimated our love of freedom and the chance to live our lives as we please.

As we start to come out of this extreme lockdown, I pray we never take for granted how wonderful it is to have a hug or look into the actual eyes of our loved ones and not their “Zoom meeting eyes.”  I hope this has been a time of reflection for us and we never take for granted the simple things — like a meal out with a server who brings your food without looking like you’re in the “Contagion” movie, or sending your kids off to school, or graduating with your peers, or getting married with your loved ones.

As we continue to wage this crazy battle, I hope that we can appreciate all that we have in the day-to-day.  May your family be healthy and safe.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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I read in the park to pass the days — which seem never-ending.

 

 

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IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS: A MEMORIAL DAY MESSAGE… by Vicki Hinze

Posted on May 25, 2020 by Vicki Hinze

Ignorance is not Bliss, a Memorial Day Message, Christians Read, Vicki Hinze

 

It’s Memorial Day.  A day when we honor those who fought and died on behalf of our nation to preserve its ideals and values, and our freedom.  A day when we honor them and their sacrifice.  Their families’ sacrifice. 

Bearing that in mind, this might seem like an odd post, but bear with me.  It is relevant and does those things, just not in the way you typically see it done.

Many hate politics and don’t want to hear about it.  I understand.  I really do.  But if you’ve been conscious of the impact of politics on your daily life only during this virus shut down, you have discovered (or rediscovered) the importance of not sitting on the sidelines but of engaging and exercising your rights, including the right to vote.

I am referencing national level politics but also state and local level politics.  During this national emergency, state and local leaders have deemed which businesses are essential and non-essential.  Some state and local leaders have determined liquor stores and abortion clinics essential and churches non-essential.  This “choosing” relates the direct impact on you and on me in very real and critical ways.

Ask yourself these questions:  When do most people turn to God and plead for help, for divine intervention?  When do those who rarely pray reach out to others to request prayer?  When do most people grasp that we are three-dimension human beings—physical, emotional and spiritual—and for balance, we must nurture and tend to all three?

In crises. 

Yet, religious leaders were prohibited from tending the spiritual needs of those in crisis.  Those who were not prohibited were substantially hindered.  We’ve all heard the reports of them being arrested for presiding at funerals.  For holding drive-in services.  For daring to open their church doors, so that those who wished to attend worship services could exercise their right to attend. 

Attacks on Christianity and some other religions have become all too commonplace, but this non-essential classification took the battle for the soul of the country and its citizens souls soaring to new heights.  People of faith have been left gape-jawed, and many have reacted with defiance.

Fortunately, our President stepped in and deemed churches essential.  He insisted that houses of worship be safely reopened immediately, or he would override the states’ orders.  While there is dispute among scholars on his authority to do so—we are a republic, and states’ rights not assigned in the Constitution are retained by the states—nothing, certainly not a virus—negates or overrides the rights of citizens set forth in the Constitution, which includes its amendments.  Namely, the Bill of Rights, which specifically cites the freedoms of religion, expression, assembly, and speech.  According to legal experts, in an honest court of law, fighting on behalf of the people, the president wins.

In an honest court.  Those who fought and died to retain rights for all Americans clearly understood that electing honest leaders and jurists was essential to retain rights and preserve freedom.

Initially, I heard many Christians complain that President Trump was a flawed man. For that reason, they would not vote.  But it serves us well to recall we are all flawed, and men like Moses and so many others from the Bible, were also flawed.  To remember that God chooses flawed men to fulfill His objectives. 

These days, from people of faith, I hear a lot of positive comments about our President and few complaints.  He has been steadfast in supporting faith and freedom.  Biblically, we know God works with His chosen, as He does with us all, to infuse the individuals He selects with what is needed when it is needed to fulfill his purposes.  The individuals chosen grow into those purposes. Those watching have seen this transition in the president take place.  It’s been a long time since I’ve heard anyone doubt that he has been a relentless warrior for faith.

Throughout our nation’s history, those who made the ultimate sacrifice grew into and understood the value of self-governance.  The benefits and the responsibilities, for one cannot be exercised without the other.  Which means they took very seriously the sanctity of the vote, recognizing it as one of the most serious responsibilities of every citizen and one of citizenship’s greatest privileges. 

Even today, most people in the world do not have a voice.  In this country, every citizen does, and that is due to those who sacrificed to see to it.  Our warriors knew that to have a voice—to vote—was important enough to forfeit their lives to protect.  To assure each citizen had a voice in the laws by which we collectively function as a society was worth fighting and dying for—literally.

Recently, there has been a big push for mail-in ballots for the upcoming election and for ballot harvesting.  A couple of states already have voting by mail-in ballots as their only way of voting.  And, while some say voter fraud is not an issue, it is.  For evidence of that, look to Judicial Watch and the legal cases it has been fighting for decades.

In a legal settlement in the State of California, over a million people were removed from the voter rolls—something politicians are very reluctant to do for obvious reasons.  Why?  Because the rolls were loaded with people who had moved out of state, voters who had died, or persons ineligible to vote.  

 

Nationwide, there were voters registered to addresses of residence that were empty lots, non-existent addresses, and also an abundant number of counties and precincts across the nation where in prior elections more votes were recorded than there were registered voters who resided in those counties and precincts.

Recently, there was a report that in California 445,000 people refused to serve on jury duty because they were not citizens—but they were registered to vote.  This report has been deemed false by one fact-checker of mixed reputation, however there have been a multitude of firsthand reports by those who are not citizens but have received jury-duty summons. 

In California, jury-duty summons are issued using two sources:  voter rolls and driver’s licenses.  Last election, videos taken at multiple polls on election day surfaced.  In some, identification was not being required to cast votes.  In others, driver’s licenses were being accepted as identification.  While a driver’s license is deemed acceptable ID in many places, can it be accepted in places where it does not authenticate citizenship?    

Think about that authentication, the jury-duty summons for non-citizens, in practical application terms.  Now, recognizing that every illegal vote dilutes every legal vote, imagine these challenges on a national scale.  Makes a case for supporting Voter ID, doesn’t it?

It also makes the vulnerability of citizens’ rights stark.  Some claim requiring Voter ID results in voter suppression.  Considering the things we do on a daily basis that require an ID, I don’t see the logic in that.  Go to a book-signing for a national figure, you must produce your ID.  Cash a check, check out a library book, sign up for assistance—all require an ID.  The list goes on and on.  It seems sensible, to preserve the integrity of the vote, we’d insist on Voter ID.

Some say these things don’t matter.  That there is little to no voter fraud.  That’s simply not true.  More voted in my county than are eligible to vote in my county.  Judicial Watch investigated and reported it.  In another county, we have watched the legal battle play out against the supervisor of elections.  She had a group of staff in her office behind closed doors create ballots for specific candidates.  Ballots found in trunks of cars.  In storerooms.  Suddenly manifest during recounts.  There are far too many instances like these across the land.

Right now, mail-in voting is a hot topic.  Specific to it:

In 2016, due to a medical issue, a dear friend requested a mail-in ballot.  She never received it, so on election day, she went to the polls to vote.  She was told she had already voted.  When she insisted she had not, that the requested ballot had never been received, she was permitted to vote a “provisional” ballot. 

Which ballot—the fraudulent one or the provisional ballot—was actually counted in the official report?  Who knows?  In the news, surfaced reports of mail-in ballots being stolen from mailboxes.  That sent a strong and clear message on mail-in ballots and the ease with which those votes can be manipulated.

That strong and clear message is amplified by glimpses we find in reports mostly about the upcoming election.  Take a look at the following:

  • US Post Office finds “three tubs” of absentee ballots for Wisconsin election in Chicago. (Chicago is in Illinois.) Source.
  • Voter fraud and its impact.  Source.
  • South Carolina. “election ballots reportedly found in Maryland this week.”
  • Democrats paid Pennsylvania Election Officials to Stuff Ballot Box. Source.
  • Nevada.  “Troves of ballots are lying around Nevada apartment complex…Postal workers are finding thousands of them just sitting in crates.” Source:

And lest you think this only happens in the US:

  • United Kingdom.  Man finds 83 ballots shipped to a single address in his apartment building. Source.

   

Every abuse of the vote is a slap in the face to all who have fought and died to protect it. To protect us.  Some say, cheating is the way it is. It has always been that way.  I say, we owe it to all those on whose shoulders we stand to develop a zero-tolerance for dishonesty and it’s time for us to change the way it’s always been.  People tend to perform at the standard expected.  Elevate the standard.  Insist on honest elections.

I am so sorry for the length of this, but I hope it provides some insight.  This nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and it has been the responsibility of each successive generation to maintain them.  We cannot meet our responsibility or honor those who sacrificed, if we do not engage. 

Those we memorialize today stood and met their fates for all of us.  They knew that freedom isn’t free and paid the ultimate price.  And they warned us explicitly that we are always only one generation away from losing it.

We best honor them by acknowledging all that has happened and not happened.  By receiving the wisdom they sacrificed to convey, for those we memorialize today have proven ignorance is not bliss.

With God’s help, may we never forget.

 c2020, Vicki Hinze

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A Worthy Sacrifice by Nancy J. Farrier

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Nancy J. Farrier

I grew up on a farm in the Midwest. One of my favorite days revolved around butchering time. Aunts, uncles, and cousins would descend on our farm. The kids played while the men took care of the killing and preparing the animals. It was a messy, smelly process that took plenty of time. The butchering, usually two or three steers, took most of a day, and everyone would be tired by the time they went home. 

The meat then had to hang in a cooler for a number of days when everyone would return and the work of cutting and packaging the meat began. This was hard work, but still fun. You visited with family, and with my family, there was usually a lot of joking and laughter throughout the day. Once again, another tiring but satisfying day.

In II Chronicles, we see Solomon building the temple for the Lord. For the first time, the Israelites would have a house to go to when they wanted to worship. A place to make sacrifices. 

For the consecration of the temple, Solomon made a huge feast, starting with the sacrifices to the Lord. Did he sacrifice the two or three animals that would take us all day to butcher? Not at all.


“Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.” 2 Chronicles 7:4-5 (NKJV)

Every time I read this passage, I remember butchering day at home. I am astonished at the sheer number of animals sacrificed. I have no idea how many people were involved in the work but there had to be hundreds to be able to do a sacrifice of this magnitude.

There are a few things that stand out to me about Solomon’s sacrifices for the consecration of the temple. And there are some questions I must ask myself.

Abundance: I think we can all agree Solomon’s sacrifice was an abundance. I realize he was a wealthy king, but giving up thousands of bulls and thousands of sheep had to put a dent in his livestock. Am I willing to give with abundance to the Lord even when it hurts, or do I make excuses for hanging on to what I have? 

Joyful: Solomon gave with joy. He was excited to consecrate the temple and to dedicate these animals to the Lord. Not only did he sacrifice an abundance of livestock, he put on a full week of feasting for all the people who came. There is sacrifice there too in the amount of food, drink, and time involved. Am I willing to be joyful when sacrificing an abundance, even when it comes at a great cost? 

Shared: Solomon didn’t make sacrifices and consecrate the temple by himself even though building the temple had been his project. He invited the people to join him in the celebration. His whole focus was to honor God and worship Him with all he had. He wanted the people to share in this time of worship, to see the wonder of who God is. Do I share the joy of sacrifice with others, or do I just want to “do it myself” with a stomp of my foot like an indulgent two-year-old?

Humble: Solomon was humble in his dedication to God and his worship. He didn’t promote himself or brag about the cost to him. He simply pointed to God and His sovereignty. He didn’t demand the people pay homage to him, but encouraged them to seek the Lord. When I make a sacrifice to the Lord, do I expect praise for what I’ve done, or recognition? Am I trying to steal from God, when I should just be joyful to be in His service and in His presence?

Leviticus 22:17-25 talks about the sacrifice Aaron and his sons are to make to God. How the sheep or bull is to be perfect, without blemishes. They are to examine the sacrifice animal to make sure there are no imperfections. 

I believe Solomon’s sacrifice was a perfect one before the Lord and he has set an example there. I can’t give something cast off, or tarnished with greed or pride. I need to make sure my sacrifice is abundant, joyful, shared, and humble. As in those days on the farm, my giving to the Lord should be something I remember with joy in the Lord, not regret in what I gave up.

Photo by Sam Carter on Unsplash

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