Midweek Mirth

Posted on October 2, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

One of the misconceptions about being a Christian is non-Christians think we don’t know how to have fun or have a sense of humor. Trust me, if the Big Guy can have a sense of humor when it comes to dealing with us mere mortals, so can we.

The difference for Christians is we don’t have to debase ourselves or others to generate a smile. Laughter at life or ourselves is a gift from God.

So, let’s smile a little!

Figures

The new office computer system was down as much as it was working. Cathy decided to stay late one evening to catch up on the work that had accumulated. On her way home, a police officer stopped her for speeding.

“What a perfect end to an awful day!” she exclaimed. “Our computer is up, then down — up, then down. I stay late to catch up, and now this!”

The officer was unaffected by Cathy’s griping and he went to his car to prepare a citation.

After what seemed an eternity, he returned with her license and registration. As he handed them to her, he smiled and said, “Our computer is down.”

And now for the bonus …

USA

Did you hear about the new book out called United States of America?

It has contributions by Ken Tuckey, Minnie Sowta, Ida Hoe, Harry Zoner, Della Ware, Al Abammer, U Tarr, Tex Hass, Miss Soury, Miss Sissippy, D Troit, Flo Ridder, George Jurr, I Ower, Carol Lyner, Mick Cheegan, Indy Hannah, Mary Lande, Cally Fornia and Al Aska.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor. — Charles Dickens

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When

Posted on October 1, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

So, you want to write a book. For the next few weeks — maybe with a break for other writing announcements or reviews — we’ll tackle the five Ws and the H … that’s What, When, Where, Why. Who, and How. Last week we started with What. Today we’ll tackle the When. They are all interconnected.

There are many writers who make a living as a writer. But the majority are just squeaking by or writing to an audience of one. Those in the latter categories are who I would like to help with this overview.

I do believe everybody has a story to tell. We don’t share because we don’t know how to tell the story … then we get frustrated … then we give up. I don’t want you to give up.

Now that you made the decision to do some writing, and decided what you were writing about, it’s time to start honing it.

Your idea will pretty much give you a timeframe for your work. My latest book, My Name Is Sam … and Heaven Is Still Shining Through, for example, chronicles information about Samantha from about age five into her 70s. So, all of the descriptions should be geographically and chronologically accurate. In my case, Sam’s early years were in the mid-60s in northern New Jersey. After she got married to a Navy officer, the scene shifted to the Dayton, OH, area from the 70s on.

I bring this up because you decide the time frame. If you’re writing something historic, know the history. Know what was happening during that time. If you’re writing a contemporary piece, stay in the here and now. If you’re writing a futuristic fantasy, let your imagination run wild … but you still have to give your readers a reference point.

I’ll give you another example – one few if any readers would notice. Not inclined to go shopping myself, in my novella, Heaven Shining Through, I made a reference to Sam and her friends going to the mall. It was 1965. Unfortunately, the mall they would have gone to wasn’t completed until 1969. So in the rewrite to the novel (Sam), I changed it to going research, downtown, which would have more sense.

The same is true for phraseology. You have to be careful not to use phrases or words that weren’t used during your particular time frame.

That all, of course, leads to research, research, research. You can write about what you know – in fact you should write about what you know – but if the words or scenes are at odds with your time frame, you may have a problem keeping your readers’ interest.

Another question I am frequently asked is when I write, so I’ll address that aspect in this tutorial. I write whenever I  get the chance, although I generally prefer late morning/early afternoon. When you write, however, is not as important as actually spending time writing. Like any other skill, practice and repetition are crucial. The more you write — whether scheduled or not — the more proficient you will become.

I’ve been writing for well over 50 years, mostly news stories and opinion/editorial pieces for various newspapers and magazines. Since 2012 I’ve been blogging. Until this year, it wasn’t every day, but I’ve still managed 1,101 posts (including today)  on a variety of topics. In the last 19 months, Ive penned three books. It’s a matter of getting into a rhythm.

I do have a caveat. Don’t let the writing process become a chore. If you enjoy writing, sharing, don’t let the process dampen that enthusiasm. While you might plan on an allotted time for writing, life has a way of getting in the way. That’s okay. You are not always going to be inspired. Let those interruptions become your inspiration. Some days you might be able to just jot down five minutes of thoughts. Other days the clock will race by for hours without you even realizing it.

Writing is an expression of creativity. It’s not enough to have an idea. You have to be able to develop it.

Next time, we’ll address the Where in your writing.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, “Relax, sweetheart, it’s just a bend, not the end!”

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God Is the Great Creator

Posted on September 30, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

Today’s Words for the Week are courtesy of Ray Lammie, from Dr. John C. Maxwell as seen on Faith Thought of the Day.

It doesn’t make sense not to bring God — the Creator of the universe — into the creative process. No matter how much natural talent God has given us, God always can make it greater, better, bigger. That’s why I pray for creativity. And when I pray for creativity, I ask for two things — I ask God to give me an idea or give me an example.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Old friends are gold. New friends are diamond. If you get a diamond, don’t forget the gold because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!

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WWJD? WWYD?

Posted on September 29, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

Words shared this morning at Howland (ME) United Methodist Church.

Morning Prayer:

Lord, open our lips and our mouth will proclaim your praise. Blessed are You, Sovereign God, creator of all, to You be glory and praise forever. You founded the earth in the beginning and the heavens are the work of Your hands. In the fullness of time You made us in your image, and in these last days you have spoken to us in Your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh. As we rejoice in the gift of Your presence among us let the light of Your love always shine in our hearts, Your Spirit ever renew our lives and Your praises ever be on our lips. The night has passed, and the day lies open before us; let us pray with one heart and mind. As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of Your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for You; now and forever. Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God forever. Amen.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

I want to do some visualization this morning, so sit back and relax. You can close your eyes but only if you promise not to fall asleep.

Ready?

The setting is a little hospital chapel. The chaplain is behind the pulpit delivering his sermon. There are a few doctors and nurses and a couple of people from the community in the congregation. And there is a woman with three small children under the age of five.

Since it’s a chapel, there are no tables for the two and four year old and since this is in the dark ages — early ’80s — there were no tablets to keep the children entertained.

The two and four year old were on their knees, backs to the preacher, coloring on pieces of construction paper in the pew. Whenever the two year old needed a different color, he would get up, go to the next pew, go through it and return to his pew, get the crayon and reverse himself. Of course, he did this as quietly as a two year old could be … and it seemed he needed a different color just about 10 seconds.

After a couple minutes of this shuffling, the four year old girl started to get annoyed … especially when the two year old wanted the exact shade of red the four year old was using. With a chorus of “I’m using it now!” and “But I want that color” their little voices got louder and louder. Mom, rocking the newborn, tried to hush the other two, but their actions started riling the sleeping infant who started with a small whimper that evolved into a cry.

The padre had had enough. He scolded the woman. “Can’t you control your children? They’re disrupting my sermon!”

The exasperated woman, with tears in her eyes, stood up and grabbed the children. As she walked out of that chapel, she turned to the priest and said, “I’m sorry, Father. I was just trying to be a good Catholic and go to Mass.”

WWJD?

I’ll get back to that in a sec. The more important question is, WWYD? What would you do?

The story, unfortunately, is real. I was there. And I can tell you what I and my fellow Mass attendees did.

 

That’s right. Absolutely nothing. Nothing to help the woman. Nothing to help the children. No response to the priest. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

There were no souls saved that Sunday morning. There was a few, however, that may have been lost.

In my defense, I did react to the scene in my mind. I know what I should have done. I know what I wanted to do. But I just didn’t do it. I did nothing but watch a crying young mother leave the chapel with her three children.

What I was formulating in my mind was helping the young woman by taking her out of the chapel before the rude comments by the chaplain. It was a hospital … a small, rural hospital which, on a busy week, had about 25% of its rooms occupied. I wanted to — no, I should have taken her into the hall, flagged down a nurse and brought her to a vacant room where she could watch the service on closed circuit television while giving the two and four year olds a little space. I wanted to — no, I should have colored with the youngsters and kept them occupied with a story or two. That’s what I wanted to do. That’s what I should have done.

Instead. I did nothing but sit in my pew as a silent witness to a religious meltdown. I couldn’t listen to the chaplain or his sermon. My mind kept racing back to the woman.

Now, that’s what I didn’t do. The question again is what would Jesus have done in that situation?

I believe in my heart, my reasoning was in line with Jesus’ thinking and action. Yet I failed to deliver. At that moment in time I was a Pharisee. I was about as far away from being a Christian as I could be because I knew what should have been done, yet I did nothing.

So, again, what do you think Jesus would have done?

In truth, I honestly don’t know what Jesus would have done in that situation. I don’t think He would have rebuked the woman had He been the preacher. I think He would have somehow helped the woman either directly or indirectly. I could see Him putting the children on His lap to settle them down.

Those are pictures painted in Scripture. The problem is, pictures aren’t real life. We don’t act with parables. We act with action.

And truth be known, we know very little about Jesus. Sure, we have the Gospels and Epistles (letters) which give us a glimpse into this man/God we call Jesus. But what do we know of Him?

It has been claimed women speak about 20,000 words a day, about 13,000 more than men. Yet, according to Swordsearcher, a bible study research tool, we have only about 2,026 words actually spoken by Jesus … in more than three years of public ministry! That’s more than three times less than an average day for us men and about a tenth of what women say.

That’s not a heck of a lot to go on.

That makes the words and actions contained in our modern day Scripture so valuable. We savor every word. We, like Luke, our current guide, seek answers. We should research and make it a point to verify the accounts that have been passed down. We believe the four canonical gospels to be the cornerstone of God’s revelation to us and central to our belief system. We preach and teach the four canonical gospels are an accurate and authoritative representation of the life of Jesus.

But we can also learn from the apocryphal, non-canonical, Jewish-Christian and gnostic gospels. While that is a higher level of theology than most of us want to get into, nonetheless, in some cases, those writings substantiate canonical writing. In other cases, they contradict traditional Scripture or veer off in directions we may not want to consider. These non-canonical gospels might include the Jewish-Christian gospels, Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Peter, Gospel of Judas, infancy gospels, Harmonies, Marcion’s Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of the Lots of Mary. While it isn’t important to know the details of these writings, it is important to recognize their existence and how they influenced our current canon. In some cases they give us a different perspective. In other cases, our present canon points out the heresy of the day and provides a homogeneous collection of thought.

The same can be said about oral tradition and folklore of the day– the preferred means of everyday communication in the days Jesus walked the earth.

The lectionary readings of  Jeremiah [32:1-3a, 6-15] focus on the renewal of things to come. Jeremiah 32:15 declares, houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land. The waywardness that led to the lament and repentance of the Israelites is now leading to the hope of a new future in God.

Few things speak more hopefully about the future than a vineyard. Vineyards take a number of years before they are able to reward their investors. This is not a short-term investment or financially a quick return. Jeremiah definitely looks to the future here. And as he looks to the future, he has one eye on the past. He hears what Moses dictates and brings them to fruition.

This connects nicely to the gospel offered this Sunday [Luke 16:19-31]. We hear of the sufferings of Dives or the Rich Man. He ignored the plight of Lazarus, the poor beggar who was at his gate every morning. At 16:29, the parable tells us: They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them. We see this parable nicely refer back to this deuteronomic tradition shared by the books of Deuteronomy and Jeremiah.

I bring this up because the tradition of the day may have been the prompt for Luke’s inclusion of today’s parable about the rich man and Lazarus. It is the only retelling of the parable; it is not found in Mark or Matthew.

If you remember from last week, a parable is a short, fictitious narrative designed to illuminate a spiritual truth, in this case the reality of heaven and hell. With its vivid journey to the afterlife, and its exaggerated imagery of contrast, this parable fits the form of an apocalypse parable. An apocalypse serves as a wake-up call, pulling back a curtain to open our eyes to something we urgently need to see before it is too late.

It is plausible Jesus — through Luke — is addressing the Pharisees who were known to talk the walk but not necessarily to walk the talk. They had a tendency to be ritualistic, although not as bad as the upper class Sadducees, who were snobbish toward the poor and disadvantaged. In fact, Luke characterizes the Pharisees as lovers of money (16:14).

In the Lucan tradition, this is another of those reversal of fortunes texts pointing out material wealth doesn’t equate to eternal salvation.

Luke makes clear over and over the poor are a focus of Jesus’ ministry. In His inaugural sermon, Jesus declares He has been anointed by the Spirit of the Lord to bring good news to the poor (4:18; see also 7:22). Jesus admonishes His followers not just to invite to their parties the friends and neighbors who can repay them, but to extend their invitations to the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind (14:13). This is echoed when Jesus describes the kingdom of God as a wedding banquet where the invitation has been extended to the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind (14:21).

Here, in a Scrooge-like way, we get to see the two principals engaging after death, despite the fact the rich man had no part of the beggar Lazarus during life.

I suspect the rich man had a great funeral in which many dignitaries attended. Speaker after speaker probably related what a great, wonderful, religious man he was. He had to have been blessed by God because of all the wealth he enjoyed. I’m sure they reported he had gone on to his reward in heaven. But one split second after the rich man died, he got the strange feeling something wasn’t right. This wasn’t heaven.

In contrast, when the beggar Lazarus had died, it doesn’t say he was buried like the rich man. His body was probably dumped on some garbage pile. Yet Jesus said the angels escorted his soul into the presence of Abraham — heaven as it might have been understood at the time.

The first realization the rich man had was being able to look up and see this beggar in the bosom of Abraham. And he remembered all he did and didn’t do. Recognizing his fate in what we call hell today, the rich man realizes there is no hope for himself, so his thoughts turn to his family.

He had five brothers, and they were all like him, religious but lost. So he says in verse 27, I beg you, Father Abraham, send Lazarus to my house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment. Suddenly, the rich man in hell becomes a wannabe soul winner. He develops a missionary spirit. He expresses a concern for the lost people in his family. It’s too bad he didn’t have that same fear of hell before he died!

The rich man rationalizes if Lazarus is allowed to go back and warn his brothers to stay away from hell, when they see a man from the grave warning them, he is certain they will repent.

I tend to agree with the analysis of David Dykes, who taught, “Imagine I’m not a Christian and somebody knocks on my door some evening. When I open the door, I’m shocked to see an old boy whose funeral I attended a few weeks earlier standing there. He says, ‘I’ve come to talk to you about Jesus, can I come in?’ After my initial shock I say, ‘Of corpse you can come in.’ The man begins to say, ‘I’ve just come back from heaven to especially warn you there is a hell because your older brother is there now. He asked me to come warn you not to come to that place. So if you will admit you are a sinner, turn from your sins and trust Jesus, you can be forgiven today. Would you like to bow your head right now and receive Christ?’

“Something like that would literally scare the hell out of me — scare me out of hell.”

But Abraham said, “If they don’t believe God’s Word, they won’t believe if someone rises from the dead.”

Huh!?  Not the response I would have expected.

If this parable is an apocalypse, then Luke is situating the audience not so much in the role of either Lazarus or the rich man, but in the role of the five siblings who are still alive. The five siblings still have time to open their eyes. They have time to see the poor people at their gates before the chasm becomes permanent. Send Lazarus to them, that he might warn them, cries the rich man on behalf of his brothers, so they do not come to this place of torment. The terrifyingly vivid apocalyptic journey to Hades awakens a sense of urgency on the part of Luke’s audience — you and me, right here, today.

In this story, God’s eternal judgment has everything to do with how we use wealth in this life and whether we attend to those less fortunate in our midst.

A few weeks after Jesus told this story to the Jews, He was crucified, buried but most of all resurrected — and some still scoffed and rejected Him. They still do today.

Like the rich man’s five brothers, we have been given all the warning we need. Will we see? Will we heed the warning, before it’s too late?

Let’s close by playing “what if” for a moment. It’s an exercise Dr. Dykes proposed to his congregation at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, TX. What if God offered to let you spend 30 seconds in heaven or 30 seconds in hell today? Which would you choose? This is not forever; it’s just a 30 second visit. Which location do you think would make you a stronger, more mature follower of Christ? Seeing the glory and majesty of heaven would probably make you a stronger Christian, but would it give you a greater burden for lost people?

If God gave me that option, I would ask Him to let me spend those 30 seconds in hell. I know the Lord and I know I am going to spend eternity in heaven, but I think 30 seconds in hell would change me for the rest of my life. If I could see the agony and hear those voices, I think I would come back and be the most evangelistic Christian on earth. According to the parable, people in hell are concerned for lost people who are headed for hell. That’s something from hell we need to do … be concerned as well.

WWJD? WWYD?

And the people of God say … Amen!

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: All things in life are temporary. If it’s going well — enjoy it.  That won’t last long. If it’s going badly, don’t worry. That won’t last long either.

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Instant in Prayer

Posted on September 28, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

As we build this community prayer platform, we ask the Lord to listen to our petitions with full confidence they not only are heard but acted upon by God according to His holy will. These requests are on my prayer list and I hope you consider putting them on yours as you place your petitions before the Lord Sunday.

Let’s remember to approach the throne room and respond with faith and not fear, knowing the promises of God and His mighty hand will hold us through any situation! Sometimes, all it takes is just one prayer to change everything. Something extraordinary happens when two or more agree together in prayer.

What is one of the most important things we should do as Christians? Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).

I will lead this week’s charge. Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight  as I take the pulpit tomorrow at Howland (ME) United Methodist Church.

The family and I were blessed by arrival of Ivy Lynn, 6 pound, 4 ounce, 18 1/2 inch long, daughter of Taylor (my granddaughter) and Michael. She made her appearance at 3:13 p.m. Lord, I thank you for this gift. Give my grandchildren the same strength and wisdom You blessed me and my children with to raise her as Your special child, with potential and possibilities way beyond their belief. They will not be perfect and neither were we. She will not be perfect and neither were we. But, let us all remember whose child she is … Yours. May Ivy Lynn grow as a reflection of the One who made her all the days of her life.

Annie reported she was pain free in her right ankle and foot first time in 10 months! All glory to ADONAI!

Nerve testing revealed severe carpel tunnel in both wrists for Helen. Surgery on both in future.

Amanda fell off a horse broke her hip. Surgery was performed and she has to be off her feet 6-8 weeks.

Daniel is in the hospital, quarantined due to meningitis.

Jordyn, 15, suffered a spinal cord injury during a football game at Fort Bend’s Austin High School two weeks ago and remains hospitalized.

A family in Thomson, GA, lost three children in a car accident Thursday morning, ages 16, 14, 12. Prayers for the family.

David headed to the hospital! Prayers requested.

Michele is feeling overwhelmed with emotion as God closes a six year chapter of his life and the family  moves to a totally new location. “The door is open … now I have got to walk forward in faith, leaving behind me everything that is familiar and secure. Please help me Lord Jesus.”

Jayce is doing well, although doctors haven’t set a day yet for surgery to open him up, shut him off, and sew his pipes together in different places but it will be in October. Mom and pappy are stressed.

Jennifer needs prayers for God’s peace and emotional healing.

Roger has been moved to a rehab center after 24 days in hospital. He could use prayers.

Andrew continues to fight the fight.

There were a host of unspoken prayer requests and we heard of a number of deaths this week. Prayers for their families as they go through this earthly trial. We grieve … heaven rejoices.

We come to You, Lord, because prayer is the least yet the greatest thing we can do for each other. When two or more are gathered in Your name, we confidently know You are with us. What better company can we have? You reign and we trust You! We may be broken and battered but know You heal and quiet the soul. You are the source for all that happens in our lives. We thank You for the progress being made. We thank You for the many blessings we have received this week — some we unfortunately didn’t notice. Nonetheless, those blessings are ever-present in our lives. We thank You for healing. We thank You for slowing us down. We thank You for providing us our daily needs — no more and no less. We thank You for being with us, listening to us, walking with us on this journey. I ask for Your blessing as I minister to the Howland (ME) congregation. Please be with me, Lord. We thank You for the support of our family and friends … for seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary — sunrises, sunsets, flowers, kids laughing, adventures, good news amid the bad news. We thank You for the blessing of Ivy Lynn and all newborns — Your promise of a future. We thank you for Annie’s recovery . We also know we can come to You with our concerns and they will be heard. Through Christ all things are possible. We lift up those family members and friends who are battling various physical, emotional, financial, career or spiritual issues and ask not for Your guidance and healing (although that would be welcomed) but to keep reminding us we are not alone in our battles. Specifically we lift up Helen, Amanda, Daniel, Jordyn, David, Michele, Jayce, Jennifer, Roger, Andrew and all those needing Your healing touch. We pray for the families of all those You have called home, including the three lost in a traffic accident n Georgia. We grieve … You celebrate. We pray for obedience to Your Will so Your “Son” Light shines through us through the power of the Spirit. And we come to You through the confidence of the words taught by Your Son Jesus.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Keep your joys and concerns coming. They have been and will be included during my prayer time and I trust they will be on your lips as well as you approach the altar. All it takes is a couple of keystrokes under the “Contact Me” button on the top bar {or to the right if you’re not a follower yet}. I hope it becomes your best friend as you navigate around the site so we can all be viable prayer warriors. You can also comment or reach me at wisdomfromafather@gmail.com.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: An Unfailing Blessing

All of our errors and failures that we made in the course of the day

Are freely forgiven at nighttime when we kneel down and earnestly pray,

So seek the Lord in the morning and never forget Him at night,

For prayer is an unfailing blessing that makes every burden seem light.

— Helen Steiner Rice

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Five Minute Friday — Success

Posted on September 27, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

It’s time for Five Minute Friday, the weekly timed keyword-themed writing challenge hosted by Kate Motaung. Her words — and those of the others who congregate around the virtual table to share — are on Facebook at fiveminutefriday.com. I encourage you to read them … and participate in the often challenging exercise.

I’ve been sharing snippets taken from Five Minute Friday: A Collection of Stories Written in Five Minutes Flat. They are a testament to the value of the exercise. This week, I’ll share some perspective from Tammy, who I hope inspires you to check us out or, better yet, encourage you to try your hand at focused, unscripted writing for just five minutes. And share it on Kate’s website.

“I joined the FMF community in 2015 and am amazed at the depth of relationships I have built! Seeing the same people’s posts every week and reciprocating reading and commenting has encouraged my writing. The Twitter party on Thursdays has also become a joy!”

The word this week is SUCCESS. The clock is started, so let’s GO …

Eleven years ago today, my family and I said good bye to my wife Karen. Amid the tears, we realized we failed to keep her alive in her five month battle with metastasized small cell lung cancer. But despite our sorrow and grief of the day, we realized she left quite a legacy.

By the world’s standards, she didn’t leave much — at least in her eyes. But there isn’t a day that goes by when we collectively and individually talk to her, laugh with her and cry with her. We witnessed the most perfect grace under difficult situation. She left the world a little brighter.

I am always proud to share her story to others through my words. She touched so many people — people she knew and those … STOP

… who only know her through these words and stories. She has a success story worth repeating.

Two thousand years ago, a man/God called Jesus wandered the earth. Loved by many and hated by a few during His three year ministry, He died a horrific crucifixion. By the world’s standards, He  was a failure. His ministry crumbled. His followers either distanced themselves from Him or scattered out of town.

But three days later He walked out of His tomb, flipping that failure into the most wonderful success story in the world.

I am always proud and honored to tell His story through my words. He touched so many people — He saved so many people, failures like you and me. His is a success story worth repeating over and over.

Some day, my bones will fail. My fluttering heart will beat its last beat. My lungs will exhale for the last time. I hope through the tears and sorrow, my family will see my grace and remember a legacy of love, care, and share.

By the world’s standard, I will be labeled a failure like Lazarus at the gate. My earthly possessions will be packed not so neatly into a few boxes with little value to anyone but me. If I’m lucky, the financial ledger will balance.

But at that moment, I know the script will be flipped and I will witness first hand the comfort of being in the bosom of Abraham, reunited with my wife, the throng of other believers before me and the heavenly host in the throne room of the triune God.

I hope I leave a legacy of love. I hope people remember me with a smile for that corny joke. I hope they ponder the inspirational messages Ive left. When they read my words I hope they see the Light I always tried to shine.

That’s success. It’s not what we have, but what we give and share. And our God loves to flip our failures — your failures, my failures — into the sweetest success story ever told.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: All things in life are temporary. If it’s going well — enjoy it.  That won’t last long. If it’s going badly, don’t worry. That won’t last long either.

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TTFN

Posted on September 26, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

As I contemplated this post, I channeled the words of the famous T-I-double-Guh-Er who oft departed with the words of wisdom — TTFN, “Ta Ta for Now”. It pretty much sums up my too short yet fruitful stay in Maine.

Depending on how you count, I called Maine home for the past four years, but as I was looking for that perfect spot, I preceded the formal move with seven years of wandering the coast, creeks, rivers, lakes and mountains in the Pine Tree State before settling on a quaint little town on the banks of the Piscataquis River, Dover-Foxcroft.

It’s true. My travels took me throughout the state. I looked at housing in Dexter, St. Albans, Ripley, Garland, Newport, Casco, Long Lake, China Lake, Vassalboro, Harrington, Cherryfield, Wiscasset, Westport, Lubec (easternmost town in the USA), Island Falls, Pembroke, Madawaska, Ashland, Bryant Pond, Rangely, and even another property in DoverFoxcroft before choosing my new digs at The Mayo Mill.

I made the most of my time here. I intentionally visited each of the 16 counties in the state along with some sightseeing and some good eats Androscoggin (Auburn/Lewiston, photo ops of the bridge separating the two towns, dinner at Mac’s Downeast Seafood); Aroostock (Allagash, just because, dessert at Two Rivers Lunch); Cumberland (Portland, downtown and waterfront stroll, lunch at DiMillo’s on the Water floating restaurant); Franklin (Berlin/Weld/Tumbledown Mountain, trail hike, skipped dinner); Hancock (Hancock, Frenchman Bay Conservancy and the reversing falls, dinner at the Salt Box); Kennebec (State Capitol Augusta, stroll along the riverfront watching the sturgeon jumping out of the Kennebec River, visiting Old Fort Western, chowing down at Riverfront Barbeque and Grille); Knox (Port Clyde, visit to Marshall Point Lighthouse Museum– cover shot for Wisdom From a Father — dinner at the Yardbird Canteen); Lincoln (Southport, coastal experience, dinner at Robinson’s Wharf); Oxford (Dixfield, walked across the bridge and along the Androscoggin River bank on both sides, dinner at the quirky Front Door Cafe): Penobscot (Lincoln in November, which was gearing up for its annual Festival of Lights Parade, part of the Lincoln Tree Lighting event, fish and chips at Gillmor’s Restaurant); Piscataquis (Guilford/Abbot, stopped at a little park and boat launch to wander and wonder at the rolling Piscataquis River despite a misty morning, picked up a meatball parmigiana sandwich and an overfilled raspberry croissant from Abbott Village Bakery and Cafe); Sagadahoc (Hockomoc Bay, serendipitous lunch at Ship’s Chow Hall); Somerset (Rockwood/Greenville, sightseeing around Moosehead Lake just watching the snowmobilers dashing on the frozen pond, the fishermen with their poles dunked through a hole in the ice, the fishing huts, some skaters near the shore and even an impromptu hockey game, enjoyable dinner at The Birches, punctuated by the sound of snowmobiles on the lake [very dangerous after dark, I am told], the crackling and smell of wood in the fireplaces and and the chatter from the lounge); Waldo (Belfast, expansive harbor at the mouth of the Passagassawakeag River off Penobscot Bay, Delvino’s Grill & Pasta House); Washington (Lubec, sunrises and the West Quoddy Head Lighthouse, Helen’s Restaurant in Machias); and York (Cape Neddick, Nubble Lighthouse, dinner at Fox’s Lobster House). Yeah, I’ve seen Maine bathed in summer sunshine, bundled in winter white, covered with budding green in spring and vibrantly dressed in fall classic splendor. Each venture was an adventure. Each stop was special. I also witnessed Maine’s other two seasons first hand — Mud (March-April/May) and Black Fly (May-June/July).

I included the state for one of our grandkid excursions, whale watching in Boothbay Harbor, a day the Adventureland, some hiking and plenty of swimming while camped at Balsam Woods in nearby Abbot. I saw more movies in these past four years at the Center Theater than I had ever seen in my lifetime. I witnessed my first real rodeo (yeah, right here in Maine!); finally got to see Jersey Boys live and on stage in Portland with dinner at Grace; published and launched three books — Heaven Shining Through, My Name Is Same … and Heaven Is Still Shining Through, and Wisdom From a Father … one dad’s thoughts on life. I’ve been hosted at a number of book signings. I formally taught two writing classes (the first drew four participants and the second 10 and spawned a writer’s group!). I’ve done addition pulpit supply. While commuting back and forth to New York, I often went through Canada and hit customs at Madawaska, Jackman and Coburn Gore on the Maine border and Thousand Island Bridge in New York.

There were a couple of regrets — better termed things I didn’t cross off my proverbial bucket list — but, as they say, regrets they have been few. I did not get to see a Northern Lights display. I never took a Katahdin Cruise on Moosehead Lake. I never went back to hike to Tumbledown Pond. I never made it to the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory (the tallest observatory bridge in the United State — 420 feet in elevation) nor the Maynard F. Jordan Observatory in Orono (astronomy planetarium). Outside Maine, I failed to drive up Mount  Washington in the White Mountains in neighboring New Hampshire or visit Prince Edward Island, Canada. Other than those, I’ve hit most of the state’s attractions.

I felt the peace and tranquility of Maine from the moment I first spotted it’s welcome sign so many years ago, “Maine — The way life should be”. I embraced it as the perfect transition for workplace to retirement.

I became active at Dover-Foxcroft (ME) United Methodist Church, where I was named a co-lay leader and sometimes pulpit supply {something I enjoy doing}. I was also named church representative on the Dover-Foxcroft Area Food Cupboard board, dealing with the ever-growing food insecurities in Piscataquis County (dfafc.com/). I started attending TIP (Thriving in Place) meetings to deal with local issues of interest to seniors, which morphed into Senior Commons involvement at the newly refurbished Commons at Central Hall (centralhallcommons.org/). I have also been a fairly regular fixture at community events such as the weekly community dinner (the food {yes, I don’t have to cook!} is always tasty and the fellowship is special), Community Cafe and AARP Coffee Talk. I also rejoined Kiwanis International, Dover-Foxcroft Chapter. As president-elect I was expecting to assume the president’s role this year, but had to renege {another regret, although I know Pat Hinckley will do a great job — much better than I would have}. Each organization brought new friendships — deep, lasting friendships that will remain in my heart for the rest of my days.

I brought Karen in her urn with me to Maine and she occupied a special place on a special table overlooking the river. When we got to the apartment, I carried her across the threshold … just like I did when we graced our first apartment together. This was a little easier. You should have seen the small landing to that first attic apartment.

We toured the apartment together — the gleaming, new kitchen with an island separating it from the living room, flanked by two bedrooms.

And I “heard” her voice. “Put the couch over there.” “No, change that. Put it on the other wall and the television over there.” “Don’t get new furniture. Old stuff — our stuff — would fit in better.” “You need to get a rug. {Of course, she didn’t specify what kind of rug, like I know rugs.} “Don’t forget the Precious Moment collection.” “And accessories.” “Don’t forget” plates and knives and forks and spoons and kitchen utensils … and food … and cleaning supplies {who would have thought of those?} … and shower curtains … and towels and wash cloths … and … and … and … It was like starting a new life! Oh, wait. We did.

And I heard her a couple of months ago. “It’s time to go. Live your life. Visit the kids/grandkids/great-grandkids.” And so we packed up and hit the road — both of us.

I always felt God was with me in Maine, especially after taking the step to lease. I would often wake up to a sunbeam splashing through the clouds onto the peaceful river and reflecting into the apartment. I know the rainbow is God’s covenant, but I see His awesome beauty and power in the sunbeams and outlines. That’s my sign of God’s presence in my world.

As I drove down Route 95 last night, rays of sun peeked through the clouds as an eerie sign of God’s approval and as approached the Piscataqua River Bridge at dusk, the clouds were replaced by a relatively clear sky with pale oranges and yellows on the horizon and ribbons of pastel pink tinting the few clouds.

My Maine memory folder is overflowing in my mind. And it is very good.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Friendship is like a book. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

 

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Midweek Mirth

Posted on September 25, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

One of the misconceptions about being a Christian is non-Christians think we don’t know how to have fun or have a sense of humor. Trust me, if the Big Guy can have a sense of humor when it comes to dealing with us mere mortals, so can we.

The difference for Christians is we don’t have to debase ourselves or others to generate a smile. Laughter at life or ourselves is a gift from God.

So, let’s smile a little!

Sunday Services

During the school year, the public library is open on Sunday afternoons. Signs posted around the library read, Sunday service available 1:30-5:00, September-June. One day a woman was returning some books when she noticed one of these signs, “Oh, you have Sunday service now?” she asked.

“Yes, from 1:30 to 5:00, September through June,” the librarian explained.

“I see,” she said. “And what denomination is it?”

And now for the bonus …

Yard Work

When the power mower broke and wouldn’t run, a wife kept hinting to her husband he ought to get it fixed, but somehow the message never sank in. Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When her husband arrived home the next day, he found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. He watched silently for a short time and then went into the house. He was gone only a few moments when he came out again. He handed her a toothbrush. When you finish cutting the grass,” he said, “you might as well sweep the sidewalks.”

The doctors say he will probably live, but it will be quite awhile before the casts come off.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. — Victor Hugo

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What

Posted on September 24, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

So, you want to write a book. For the next few weeks — maybe with a break for other writing announcements or reviews — we’ll tackle the five Ws and the H … that’s What, When, Where, Why. Who, and How. Today we’ll tackle the What. They are all interconnected.

There are many writers who make a living as a writer. But the majority are just squeaking by or writing to an audience of one. Those in the latter categories are who I would like to help with this overview.

I do believe everybody has a story to tell. We don’t share because we don’t know how to tell the story … then we get frustrated … then we give up.

It all starts with an idea. It might be a thought, something you saw that triggers an emotion, a dream. The key is developing that idea. Will it evolve into a short story? A poem? A novel? A journal jot? A blog post?

That’s entirely up to you, but the first step is getting the thought on paper (or computer screen). From there you can develop the idea from concept into something more tangible.

That’s where your creativity comes in. A lot depends on your audience. If you’re writing for yourself, for instance, like in a journal, you can use shortcuts with abbreviated words that trigger your thought. You can flesh out the words as much or as little as you want while keeping true to yourself.

If you’re writing for a wider audience, say in a blog post or – hopefully – in a novel, you have to develop the words more deeply. You have to understand what you’re writing, but more important, make sure your readers understand what you’re writing. And that sometimes can be tricky.

It’s not uncommon for authors to know what they want to say, yet completely miss the mark with their prospective readers. Yes, that tidbit is from experience.

Rule No. 1 to remember is you are vying for a prospective reader’s time. If you want to keep them engaged, you have to write at their pace. If you haven’t captured them in the first couple of sentences, you’ve probably lost them. With poetry and short stories, that hook time is even shorter.

So it’s important to develop the idea quickly. In the newspaper business, we called it the lead – those first few sentences which told readers what the story was about. You follow it with the details as you weave the story.

The same is true for any writing venue (except personal journaling). Your lead will determine your readership. We’ll get into the hows later, but I can’t underscore enough how important it is to know what you are intending to write about. The whole story revolves around that central thought. Your characters and scenes are the spokes linked to that hub. The “what” becomes the vehicle that carries your work from start to finish.

I’ll give you an example. In my newest book, My Name Is Sam … and Heaven Is Still Shining Through, the “what” was a story about life – one girl/woman’s life. After I wrote it from start to finish I realized I didn’t give readers a reason to read. So I went back and wrote an Introduction. I introduced my lead character (Sam), incorporated the ending, connected the meaning of the secondary theme of Heaven Shining Through — the title of the original novella – and invited readers to follow Sam’s journey through life with the following:

“Friends, everyone has a story. Some are dramatic. Some are humorous. Some tug at your heart. Mine is ordinary. Many would classify it as pedestrian. As I look back, there was no ‘ah hah!” moment, just a string of ‘ahs’ weaving a tale of life, love, loss, some sorrow, but oh so much joy! Just a free-willed suburban girl trying to figure out this journey called life.

“As you read my story, you’ll find some drama, some humor, some heart tugs. I know because I lived it. And through it I was constantly reminded of God’s presence in the ordinary as He allowed heaven to shine through.”

And I capped that Introduction with a personalized “Love, Sam” and the disclosure the book is a Christian-based fictional memoir.

If anyone reads that Introduction – which is also the promo – the “what” becomes clear. It’s Christian-based. It’s fiction. It’s written in a memoir style.

The genesis of the “what” in this book was actually the novella. While received well, a constant critical comment included phrases like “should have been a novel” or “too short and there could have been much more detail to develop the characters more.” So I expanded what I had in the novella with more character development and continued the story beyond the original.

The underlying “what” in the novella was the restoration of a relationship between Sam and her mother. It was told through the prism of a flashback to Sam’s life — her early home experiences, her wilder side, meeting the love of her life, Chad, her growth as a wife and mother through sorrow and blessings, and the presence of God in an ordinary life.

That’s what you have to decide. What is the underlying story? What idea do you want to develop? Most important, what do you want readers to get from your manuscript?

It’s not enough to have an idea. You have to be able to develop it.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Why is a car’s windshield so large and the rear view mirror so small? Because our past is not as important as our future.  So, look ahead and move on.

 

 

 

 

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In Retrospect

Posted on September 23, 2019 by wisdomfromafather

On Jan. 15, 2009, Gerry McNamara was on US Airways Flight 1549 that ditched in the Hudson River. Here is his account of the event … and our Words for the Week.

Among other things, he said, “There is a great deal to be learned including [from this experience]: Why has this happened to me? Why have I survived and what am I supposed to do with this gift?

“For me, the answers to these questions and more will come over time, but already I find myself being more patient and forgiving, less critical and judgmental.

“For now I have four lessons I would like to share:

“1). Cherish your families as never before, and go to great lengths to keep your promises.

“2). Be thankful and grateful for everything you have, and don’t worry about the things you don’t have.

“3). Keep in shape. You never know when you’ll be called upon to save your own life, or help someone else save theirs.

“4). When you fly, wear practical clothing. You never know when you’ll end up in an emergency or on an icy wing in flip flops and pajamas and of absolutely no use to yourself or anyone else.”

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: Don’t count the days, make the days count! — Muhammad Ali

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