I Stand Corrected

No matter who anyone voted for, exchanges on Facebook have been pretty heated and at times, downright ugly.  I've been, at times, as guilty as the opposition.  I believe I've avoided name calling, but I've mentioned the bitterness and hatred I've noticed in what's been written about Trump and those who voted for him, me included.  That's when the nastiness really turns ugly. I pray I have not stooped to their kind of language or vitriol, but was merely pointing out that the name calling and the foul language is a sign of bitterness and hatred.

This morning, as I was having my devotional time before going to the craft fair, I was reading Proverbs 10:19.  "Sin is not ended by
multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues." That's from the 2008 New International Version. Years ago, I memorized it in the 1984 version, which said, "Where words are many, sin is not absent." Somehow, in all those years, that verse didn't quite have the impact it did this morning. I was immediately convicted,  I know I'm not going to change anyone's mind with my debate. No one is going to change my mind with their vituperative invective.   Multiplying our words on each other is a waste of time and it ruins the peace of mind.  However, the prudent hold their tongues.  It was time for repentance, confession, and some holding of the tongue.

I went off to the Craft Fair with high expectations and although I had some wonderful interaction with potential customers, only one person bought.  I told my boss I felt like the heavens were shut up. My peace was gone. My joy was gone. Before I go to a Craft Fair, I ask the Lord to make me a blessing to those I meet and while He's at it, I would appreciate being blessed.  I was blessed. Very blessed, just not financially.

It wasn't the lack of sales that left me feeling like the heavens were shut up.  It was all because I let myself get sucked into some silly argument that is OVER. And, pointless. No one is changing their mind. We are as divided in our nation now as we were before the Civil War.

Glenn Beck said something several weeks ago along the same lines. Unfortunately, I didn't get the context or much of the content of what he was saying.  From what I did hear, it was my understanding that he was saying all this talk wasn't helping.  Did he mean all this talk was not uniting the nation?  If so, I couldn't agree more.  If he wasn't saying all the rhetoric is not helping, I am. That's what the Lord showed me in Proverbs 10:19 this morning.

When I am in need of comfort or learning a lesson, Scripture does the job.  Again, I was reminded that we are directed to "Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5:17) I am convinced that Donald Trump is the President-elect for no other reason.  Thousands upon thousands were praying all across the country.  Franklin Graham spent a year, travelling to state capitols to hold prayer rallies. Over 200,000 people attended.  Thousands, perhaps even millions who couldn't get there were praying in other places, at all times.

Add to that the facts that Mr. Trump made every mistake in the book and even added a few of his own, was hated by the opposition and the media, and even disliked intensely by members of the party he was part of, and perhaps you can understand why I say his victory was an answer to prayer.

Therefore, it is now time to stop the blathering and start talking to the Lord about those things that disturb me. It disturbs me deeply that our country is so very divided and no one is willing to listen to any opinion other than their own.  Those who have followed my blogs know that I didn't come easily to the Trump camp.  I argued against him on several occasions, but as time has gone on, I have not only come to accept him as God's choice, but as my own as well.

Still here

The news we have from Sebastian this far is all good.  Really good
but we're still waiting for Matthew to decide where he's going to park.  We're still in the middle of the storm.  Experience says it won't be historic or even remembered after a year or two.  We were sure Floyd would be historic. The only reason it's being mentioned now is that it was the last one to come so close to Jacksonville.

A journalist is reporting from Sebastian as I write.  He's in a strip that's 4 miles from where we live. He said the worst damage he'd seen was a false front come down from the building at that mall. Good news, indeed! I remember shopping at that mall after Frances.  The parking lot was full of broken glass at that time.  If that's the worst of it, God has been very good to Sebastian.

Whether Matthew is mentioned, remembered, historic or not, it's heartening to hear the governor say so many other states have offered to help. We're not alone!  I have to say, too, that the governor is impressing a lot of folks.  He was not that popular and being re-elected was not a definite.  However, he's appreciated now.  As I watched his press conference just a few minutes ago, I was impressed with his organizational skills.  He's a businessman who knows how to get things done.  Such behavior bodes well for those who intend to vote for Trump. They're expecting him to do the same.

However, Matthew has not yet come calling on our doorstep. Waiting is really hard because the hype is so overblown.  I understand the need to warn people and some, no matter how strong the warning, will ignore it.  Surfers in Hawaii loved strong storms and without exception, someone always needed rescuing, endangering not only themselves, but the emergency responders. There's probably a few dummies trying to surf right now.

Going back to the talking heads, I understand radios and televisions cannot have dead air, so the journalists have to keep the conversation going.  Since hurricanes travel at 10-15 miles per hour, and it has hundreds of miles to cover, obviously the talking gets thin on substance. Then, too, weather is so unpredictable, even with all the sophisticated equipment. Hurricanes rarely follow the path predicted. Thank you, Lord, that Matthew decided to follow the earliest predictions rather than the ones of last evening.

 So, now I'm sure you're thinking I'm getting thin on substance!  Stay tuned.

In the middle

Our son called Tuesday evening and asked us to seek shelter with his family while Matthew came close to Florida's east coast.  When the first indications of the storm were announced on the news, Matthew wasn't even supposed to make landfall in Florida.  Typical of hurricanes, it's following it's own path.

It's always a pleasure to visit with our son, so we packed our bags and made our way north, fully expecting to leave any possible danger behind.  NOT. The storm of the century has followed us. Well, it's following us. It's still beating up the Bahamas as I write this. Waiting for hurricanes to make landfall feels like FOREVER, but once it hits, then it seems to rush right on by-unless it stalls. Typical of hurricanes, it's also following it's own time schedule.

If memory serves, this will be the eighth hurricane we've encountered in the 21 years we've lived in Florida.  Each is different.  We also have been through a tropical storm.  The only thing I remember about that is taking care of Sheila, our 10 week old puppy. At that time, I had the strangest prayer I've ever had and God answered!  I asked the Lord to help Sheila make her deposit between rain bands and she did! I guess there are funny moments as well as serious ones. Scary ones and dangerous ones, too.

The first hurricane we encountered in our adopted state was Bertha in July of 1996.  Our son's family had endured Erin the year before.  The evacuation and endurance of Erin was enough to make him say he was staying home unless Bertha reached a category 3.  We left, telling him we'd rather he laughed at our skittishness than us crying over his grave.  Bertha steamed right on by, never reaching more than a category 1 and staying hundreds of miles off shore.  We left in sunshine and returned in sunshine while our son continued to build the backyard playhouse for our granddaughter.

Irene hit somewhere in there, but she, too. was no real problem.  We didn't even lose power, so we had our daughter-in-law and granddaughter over for a pizza luncheon because they'd lost power even though our houses were less than a mile apart.  Different grids, I guess.

Floyd was the terrifying one.  A monster storm, at times reaching a category 5.  Fortunately, those strong winds can't be sustained for long period of time.  He was a 3 when he hit the North Carolina coast.  That one, we drove all the way to north Georgia to avoid it.  Driving home was more annoying than any inconvenience of the storm.  Radio personalities in Atlanta made the remark that there was no gas available on I-75 all the way to Savannah.  I-75 doesn't go to Savannah!  Worse, they thought it was funny. Idiots.  Those poor people in North Carolina who'd fled to safety in Atlanta faced enough heartbreak when they returned.  They didn't need overpaid jerks making light of their situation.

2004 was the year of the storms.  Charlie hit the west coast of Florida.  Shortly thereafter, Francis hit us. We spent the night in Shiloh's school, laughing and having a party while the storm raged outside. When a hurricane passes, the sky is such a bright blue, the grass and shrubs a sparkling green.  Wires hanging precariously over the middle of the road and telephone poles leaning dangerously in the middle of flooded swales  juxtaposed with blue skies and green shrubbery makes for a confusing picture.  We were grateful that our condo suffered so little damage, we didn't even bother to make an insurance claim.

The hardest part of Frances was the 9 days without power in a hot, humid, tropical climate.  I've always said Florida is hottest in September because the heat and humidity builds toward the peak of hurricane season.  September was HOT and HUMID. 9 days without power had me concerned that Bob was going to have a heart attack.  He could hardly breath. Red slashes painted his cheekbones while his hands and feet had a bluish cast.  On day 9, he announced there was a snake on the porch, which meant we had to close the living room sliders and lose any breath of fresh air we were trying to find.  Ten minutes later, the power came on!  Thank you, Lord.

Ivan followed Frances.  I was stunned to learn that Ivan went all the way to Pennsylvania and then circled back to dump pouring rain on Florida.  Not finished with the hurricane season, Jeanne struck exactly 3 weeks after Frances.  Already weakened from the previous 2 hurricanes, Sebastian was devastated.  Most houses had a blue tarp roof. Many of the trees were twisted in the middle of the trunk and then snapped and laid over. Construction people descended like locusts, gypping people every way they could.  Some of the condos in our development had no exhaust pipe from the dryer to the outside of the building.  It took 6 years for residents to realize they were sitting under loads of lint and mold.  We were fortunate.  Our hot and cold water taps were reversed and had to be fixed before we could sell, but it was only an annoyance.  Our 2 year old kitchen was completely destroyed, thanks to the ignorant plumber.  That was more than an annoyance.

Finding the neighbor's cancelled checks littering the lawn along with bits and pieces of insulation wasn't pretty.  But, it was their pillow laying in the curb and their bathtub hanging out of the second story where the wall used to be was the saddest. Being homeless for 2 1/2 weeks was no picnic and waiting 22 months before we could return to the condo wasn't easy, either.  But, by God's grace we survived it all.  And became the better for it.

Wilma, sassy lady that she was, brought us to our son's place, but then she stalled over the Yucatan Peninsula, so we ended up going home and enduring the storm there.  No big deal.  We're pros by now at this hurricane thing. NOT.  You never know what's going to happen.  Literally.  It's all in God's hands and He has been gracious to us.  Losing stuff in nothing.  In fact, it can be freeing.  Losing health or life is another matter and many have done that.  108 in Haiti at the most recent count.

Matthew has already been declared the storm of the century, replacing Sandy from a few short years ago.  The "cone" is the strangest one ever. It started out looking like a backwards apostrophe, meaning the track was up the coast of Florida before turning east and going out into the Atlantic.  As time has passed, that apostrophe has taken the shape of a huge circle, meaning several models are now saying after it devastates the coasts of Florida, Georgia, South and possibly North Carolina, it will circle back around and hit Florida a second time.

Most of the models indicate landfall will take place close to Sebastian-both times. The devastation would be beyond description.





This gives you some idea of where Matthew might go. There's no telling.  It's must watch TV for those in its path.  Mind numbing, fear provoking it might be, but the minute you turn away, it might change.  That's why it's a relief when it finally arrives.  Then, it's the loss of power-usually in the wee hours of the morning, so it's pitch black.  Howling winds and pounding rain serenade you to sleep or insanity, depending on your nerves and faith in the Lord.  Falling trees, snapping trees can make you feel like you're in the middle of a war zone. They sound like cannon booming when they snap. Usually that's the result of tornadoes, which hurricanes add to the arsenal. The trees twist in the middle of the trunk, like you'd twist a wet towel to snap someone. When the twist becomes too great, the tree snaps and the tree falls from the twist.

When it's over, which it may not be for Sebastian until early tomorrow morning-if it doesn't return- and for us, late tomorrow night, it's a matter of assessing the damage and picking up the pieces. Worst of all is the warfare with the insurance company.  We've learned insurance companies are worse than the federal government when it comes to caring about the people they are supposed to service. Insurance is a pre-paid service, but you'll never convince them of that. Quite an adventure for a couple of old foggies.  Stay tuned.  

I apoligize

Can you see me blush?  Ever do something dumb on the computer and can't change it?  I did. Blush.  A poll came the other day and out of idle curiosity, I began to fill it out.  There were 30 questions and the more I answered, the more intrigued I became.  There were 4 possible answers: Yes, No, No opinion, and Other.  If other was the chosen answer, there was a place to enter the answer.  The fact that I chose yes or no didn't stop me from also filling out why I answered the way I did.  Whether or not that will be seen by those who check the answers is unknown and not the reason I'm embarrassed.

When I finished answering the questions, there was a request for donations and I tried to send my answers on without donating.  No dice. The poll indicated that $1.00 was the minimum, so I entered $1.00.  Then, I was embarrassed at being such a cheap skate and I tried to change it, but couldn't. I'm sure it was thought I meant it to be an insult.

Truly, I didn't.  I just wanted my answers to go forward.  Yes, we could make a donation now and I'm not generally superstitious, but we have donated three times to politicians-who lost!  I do not want Donald Trump to lose, and I'm concerned we'll jinx his campaign.  Instead, I pray for him.

Then, we got a robocall from Ivanka Trump about the Melbourne Rally.  A friend really wanted to go, so I sent for tickets and got them. But, she had a conflict she couldn't get out of.  I don't drive after dark and that ended my ride. I didn't want someone else who could attend to lose out on the opportunity because I had tickets they could have had. I asked everyone I could think of.  I was even willing to drive, but I couldn't get any takers.  Long story short, I didn't get anyone to go with me and I wasn't about to go by myself.

It's bad enough that I'm sorry I may have denied someone else an opportunity. Lo and behold, in this morning's emails, there is a note thanking me for attending the rally!  That's Presidential.  That's a gentleman.  Yeah, he's got thousands of people who do that for him. But, it's much more Presidential than Hillary Clinton dropping the f-bomb on Secret Service men when they say good morning to her. It gives me yet another reason to vote for him.

OJT

Like him or hate him, you have to give Trump credit.  He's done this political thing strictly OJT.
When the debates started with 17 Republican candidates, 16 of whom were professional politicians, he still won even though he had no experience in the political arena.

Then, last night, in the first debate with Hilary, he won 6 of 7 polls. Not bad.  Not bad all all. My congratulations to you Mr. Trump.  Anyone following my blog regularly knows I didn't start out rooting for him.  Even today, I have to say I do more praying for him than rooting for him.  He's not in the White House, yet. I'm praying He is God's choice and make no apology for it.

His rhetoric over the last year has toned down considerably. Whining about unfairness has all but completely gone away.  He was very gracious last night in refusing to bring up Clinton's infidelities because Chelsea was there.  A year ago might  have been a different story.  He's developing the demeanor of a President. His opponent, on the other hand, continues to lower her standards and degrade herself in the worst possible way.  Imagine what the country would have done to any other candidate who had called the opposition "deplorable" or the whole country "racist."

Being President of the United States has to be one of, if not the toughest job in the world.  Snap decisions have to be made at all times.  If the wrong one is made, the whole country suffers.  No matter what decision the President makes, there are many people who will criticize and condemn. That's the nature of the beast.  Who would want to put up with that? It takes a strong sense of self-confidence to endure that.  It seems to me his opponent is running for the office to prove herself. Trump has more than proved himself capable of handling criticism and snap judgments. He's done enough of both that seeking the Presidency would be unnecessary for him.  He said he's done it for the country and his previous success in the business world proves his words.

There are many, mostly "never Trumpers" and Democrats who continue to dredge up his past, who continue to denigrate him for his mistakes, but what good does that do?  The past can't be changed. If he's learned from his mistakes and for the most part, he seems to have done that, then getting snarky about something over and done with is petty on the part of the person doing it. There is not one single person in this world today who could have their mistakes made public and not blush.  Me included.

He's not nearly so off the cuff as he was.  Some people liked that, and he won their vote because of it. Can't say I agree, but the longer he's in the arena the more he's grasped the situation and learned to be more Presidential. I have to say I admire him for pulling himself out of the mud slinging and has moved on to more substantive speeches.

No, he's no orator.  That's undoubtedly why he won the nomination. Neither was Jimmy Carter and he was still elected. People are tired of the likes of Obama and Clinton (Bill) who promise you the moon and can't even deliver the cheese some people they've convinced it's made of.

However, Trump apparently does get results.  America is hungry for results.  Another reason he won. The number of qualified candidates that began over a year ago were probably all better at oratory.  I loved Lindsey Graham's sense of humor.  I appreciated Scott Walker's dignity in the face of Megan Kelly's disgraceful unprofessional question that cost him any further chance. Everyone I talked to appreciated Carly Fiorina.  If Trump is elected, I sincerely hope many of his nominations comes from those 16 candidates.  Every one of them has much to give for the betterment of America. That would also be very Lincolnesque.

All in all, Mr. Trump, you've come a long way, baby.  On-the-job training is not for the weak or the faint-of-heart.  Actually, every person who enters that august office will experience some degree of on-the-job training.  I seriously doubt anyone can be prepared enough or experienced enough so that nothing comes as a surprise.

I appreciate the way he's surrounded himself with Christians. Naysayers will dismiss that as a way to get votes.  Possibly.  We are none of us mind readers.  Deciding on his motives is judging and God frowns on that. Whatever he intends by doing so, God can use those men and women to His advantage.  And, that can only benefit America.

Statuesque

Statuesque is such a nice word.  To be honest, I thought it was a nice way of calling someone fat, so when a woman called me "statuesque" yesterday, that was my first thought. I knew it meant more than that, so I took it as a compliment and after actually taking the time to look it up, I learned it was an enormous compliment.

Especially after I looked up the definition.  Tall and dignified.  School always taught me the first definition is the preferred one.  I'll take it, even though I'm not considered tall by today's standards.
The dictionary goes on to say imposing, striking, stately, majestic, noble, magnificent, splendid, impressive, royal, massive, and beauty.  Please note, of all those words, the only one that implies fat is massive and that word is massively outnumbered by more complimentary ones. I am not only complimented, I stand corrected. Sweet.

Then, to add to that one, the woman said I reminded her of Barbara Bush!  I assumed she was talking about my white hair. I mentioned that I loved wearing royal blue because it looked so beautiful on her at the inaugural ball. I figured if it complimented her hair and complexion, it would do the same for me. And, it does. When someone says I look good in that color, I mention how good it looked on Mrs. Bush.

She looks good in red, too, doesn't she? So do I. When I responded that those colors go well with the color of our hair, the woman who started this whole conversation said it wasn't just the white hair.  It was my whole demeanor, my countenance.  She said she kept watching me as I browsed through the books, saying she thought some of the words that define statuesque. It was humbling to hear her high praise, especially since I'd never met her before.





It bothers me when I'm expected to talk about myself.  It's taken me two years to come up with a bio for my books.  It's something that needs done, I know, but I honestly don't know what to say. Authors should include bios, but I'd rather someone else wrote mine.  The one I did was about 150 words instead of the 400+ available.

I don't like to hear others brag and I hate it even more when it comes from me.  Bragging, to me, is a strong sign of insecurity.  Proverbs 27:2 says, "Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. I'm sure the high praise pouring from that woman's lips meant far more to me and the friend who was with me than anything I could have ever said about myself.  She blessed me greatly and I'm grateful.

Restraints

Oh, the things I do to try to get my weight under control.  This morning might have been one of the healthier attempts, but it was even more different than ever. My weight has yo-yoed since I was 13 years old.  I'm within months of 60 years of that kind of foolishness. Unfortunately, the "experts" tell me it will never stop. According to most, it will never get better, so at the age of 72+++, I'm supposed to be stronger to fight those urges than I was at 13? Get serious.

I will, however, never give up. Why bother you ask? I Corinthians 6 tells us why sexual immorality is wrong.  The same principle needs to be applied to food. "You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies." I'm overcome with a sense of guilt when I overeat because I know I'm not honoring God with my body. I'm denigrating what I cost Him to save me from my sins.

The second reason is that my poor old body is wearing out. I've been on cholesterol medicine for almost 10 years now and I have a sneaking suspicion the doctor is going to strongly recommend blood pressure meds as well. My numbers are beginning to climb a little. When I finally caved on the cholesterol meds, the nurse said if I got my numbers under control, I could always go off them.  And, she's right.  Those times I'm exercising and watching what I eat, my numbers go down.  Trouble is, I don't discipline myself to the point where they stay down. My Romans 7 mode creeps up on me all too easily and too quickly.  Next thing you know, I'm a runaway freight train. Long story short, age isn't the only thing ruining my body. I'm trashing my temple.

Reason three, of course, is appearance. A church bulletin once said, "Never judge someone by the way they look, but always remember that's how you are being judged.  It's not so much vanity as sit is practicality. For some reason, obesity is always associated with stupidity.  It's also a matter of respecting others. We need to show we care about them by looking like they're worth the effort.

I don't think there's a diet on the market I haven't tried and I say again, all programs work, as long as I work the program.  My problem is that I'm too much of a free spirit to stick with any program for any length of time. Recently, an ad began on TV, urging people to lose weight through the "GOLO." program.  Desperate, I called and ordered a month's supply of the supplement.  With it came a new food program, which is different from anything else I've ever tried.

It calls for a cup of vegetables at breakfast!  Eggs and vegetables, fine, but oatmeal and vegetables?  A friend suggested carrots, but I couldn't see me eating a cup of carrots with my oatmeal, so I continued to eat the egg and cheese with peppers,onions, and mushrooms. I'd been eating oatmeal for years and got really tired of it.  This morning, the wild idea to add spinach and mushrooms to my oatmeal struck a chord, so I thought I'd try it. In the first place, I'm a cranberry nut and always put them in my oatmeal.  I've eaten spinach and cranberries in my salads, so I thought, "Why not?" Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

My recipe for my vegetable oatmeal is as follows: 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms, 3/4 cup chopped spinach, 1 tsp. coconut oil, 1 tsp. light agave, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tbs. chopped walnuts, 2 tbs. dried cranberries, 1 tbs. PURE cranberry juice, diluted with water to 1/2 cup liquid, 1/4 cup oatmeal. Microwave at 1/2 power for 5 minutes. Enjoy with 1/2 cup of milk.  I know I did.

I have to say this program does more to help me RESTRAIN sensual indulgence (Colossians 2:23) than any other program I've tried. but then I've said that at the start of every program that's ever succeeded for a short period. Lunch also calls for a very large amount of food and I'm still not hungry by then.  Here's where the personalizing comes in. Instead of eating everything I'm entitled to at the prescribed meal times, I've begun to eat lunch about 2:30 or 3:00. when I actually am hungry. For supper, I have 1/2 cup or cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup of fruit-if I feel the need. Don't feel sorry for Bob. He's thrilled. He's a grazer and getting him to a table for a meal is a battle.

Lest I give the impression I'm touting another program that I believe answers my needs and start pushing it off on anyone else, let me hasten to add that it's not the program .It's Who's in control.  As a believer in Jesus Christ, I have ALL I need to discipline myself in the area of food. Like a clerk at Wal-Mart said last week, "It's a matter of surrender."

What or whom shall I surrender to?  Food, the scale, opinions, fashion, or the Lord? II Corinthians 10:3-5 is a good place to start. Stay tuned.

Fishy

Publishing my first book, The Color of Roses, was exciting, no doubt about it. But using a self publishing company made it seem like it wasn't real.  I felt like a pretender. After all, you pay the money and they publish the book.  No guarantee if it's going to sell. In fact, statistics are a disappointing 8% return on your investment. I'm doing better than that, but have a long way to go.

Traditional publishers, on the other hand, are the ones who decide if your book is worthy of their time, money, and effort. One author who's done the traditional publishers said she just got tired of the rat race.  I'm too old to be in any kind of race, rats or otherwise.

Self-publishing has its advantages, let me hasten to add.  The author controls the content.  Traditional publishers have too much say in what goes into a book.  For me, controlling the content was vital.  It's very distressing to see Christian authors who include graphic sex in their books.  That's not me.  I don't believe God is honored by doing that.

I'm still going with a self publishing company.  However, this time, I had to submit my work and they had to approve it.  That makes me feel more like I'm actually an author.  It takes a while to believe the dream has come true and it's done so because others have said it, not because I've forced the issue. Proverbs say to let the lips of another praise you, not your own.  I try to live by that.

In college, my fellow students nominated me and I was chosen to be included in "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges," 1991 edition.  I told one student who voted for me I didn't know whether to kiss him or slap him.  It was such a shock and such an honor to be so highly respected among men and women the age of my children.

To have my work chosen is like that. I am shocked and honored. Bob, bless his heart, said he never had any doubt.  Not only does he endure my hours of burying my nose in my laptop, but he endures the frustrations, the meltdowns, and the expense, as well as the highs that come with the good news.

Actually, there's been lots of good news on the book front lately. For example, the craft shows and flea markets have begun again.  Last Saturday was the first of the season.  Walking into the room, a fellow who refinishes furniture asked me when the next book was due.  I was surprised.  I don't write the kind of books I think men will like.  However, men have bought it and men who've read it liked it. Encouraging. And, a woman who bought the book said she was looking forward to the second one coming out.  Still another woman from South Carolina said she'd rather pay the extra price and order it from a bookstore in her home town so it will open up another market for me.  Bless her! Still another woman said she thought my writings were "inspired." No one's ever said that before and I appreciate her high praise. I sold more than I usually do and if I'd have figured out how to use the square, I'd have sold even more.  All in all, it was a very good day.

It's not been an easy road.  I'm a salmon swimming against the current in more ways than one. So many people have been destroyed by believing there's nothing wrong with a sexually active lifestyle. It's the current PC. There are those in the church who've not lived that lifestyle and cannot grasp the pain that those who have are suffering.  They just don't get it. Then, there are those who have lived a sexually active lifestyle in spite of what they've been taught. They may feel condemned by what I write, but if so, they are causing themselves even more unnecessary pain.  My objective is to show that God's way is best and if God's way has not been followed, there can be redemption. My son said I was limiting my audience by my message and I am, but this is the message I believe God has given me and I will run with it as long as He provides the message.

So, stay tuned. Prompted by Love updates will be posted as new information becomes available. Thanks for your support.

Jerky friend

If I haven't mentioned it before, I have tics.  They started about 15-16 years ago when my abdomen jumped, like I was several months pregnant with an active baby.  Highly unlikely since I was in my late 50's at the time and my name is not Elizabeth.

When they began, it would happen every couple of months.  In between times, I would forget about it, sure I would die of humiliation if it ever happened in public.  One day, Bob saw one, and typically male in his thinking, made a very crude remark.  No, I will NOT repeat it. There are some things that are only to be shared between a husband and wife.

Since they began, the tics have now increased in violence and intensity.  Typically, they occur anywhere from 100-500 times a day. Finally, 9 years ago, I found a doctor who said if he couldn't find my problem, he'd find someone in this country who could. He found it on the very first MRI.  I have something known as syrinx.  I've met doctors and nurses who didn't know what I was talking about.  Trouble is, there's no cure.  Not even surgery because with surgery, 33% of the time, the surgery works, 33% of the time it does nothing, and 33% of the time it makes it worse, including paralysis. Too, surgical scarring can cause tics.  Surgery is out unless I have trouble standing or lose control over body functions. Hopefully, I'm old enough I don't have time for those to happen.

Eventually, everyone noticed.  They couldn't help it. A friend smiled as she said she didn't mind having a "Jerky friend."  I appreciate that. If a stranger notices, I smile and say I'm not dangerous, so an ambulance or the police is not needed.

Several medications have been tried over the years.  Trouble is, the medications are for the brain and they do nothing for my spine, or make the situation worse.  That's really what my rant is about today. Medicines, or recreational drugs in particular.


More and more, I hear people younger than myself talk about the lack of  problems caused by recreational drugs.  That's nowhere close to my own observations over years. The first time I had any association with drugs was in Hawaii.  The post commander insisted I observe a burning of marijuana evidence the mp's had stockpiled so I could get a good whiff of it.  One of the mp's was a young, extremely handsome black man.  While the pile burned, I quoted an article by a scientist from the University of Hawaii that stated marijuana is fat soluable and go to the brain and the reproductive organs.  This handsome young man's eyes grew large and round as he said, "Really?" The shock on his face and in his voice made me laugh as I told Bob I think I made a believer out of him.



In Denver, a dad and his daughter had a minor traffic altercation with several young people in another car.  That night, the teens fire bombed the house, killing five of the seven residents in it.  I worked with a woman who knew them and she said yes, they were heavily into marijuana.


In Missouri, three of my son's classmates along with two other teens were doing between 110 and 115 mph, according to police reports.  Worse, they were passing long strings of traffic on a two lane highway in the Ozark mountains.  A girl at that party observed them taking drugs and they were on their way back to town to get more. Five teens and two adults died.  Two young children were critically injured as well as orphaned.

"Anecdotes," will be the dismissal of those who favor recreational drugs. "Where's the statistics?" will be the next remark.  So, what are statistics but compiled anecdotes and is anyone collecting them? The next argument will be that marijuana, in particular, can have wonderful affects on people suffering from pain or seizures.  I agree.  However, go back to what the scientist said about the brain and reproductive organs. He, by the way, said there was a time when he had no objection to it until he noticed his students slipping in their ability to grasp what he was teaching.

Who can say what future generations will suffer because the parents indulged in recreational drugs? Have statistics been compiled? Have studies been done? I have to say it troubles me deeply for more reasons that one.  I have personally experienced what mood altering drugs do to the brain.  It ain't pretty.  I was talking to a woman at the gym in Vero one day.  We were discussing a very troubled young woman.  She remarked that when people go on drugs, everything seems to be OK for a while, then it all falls apart. That's what happened to me. Every time. I would notice my ability to think clearly was slipping.  My tics would increase, my emotions would be out of control.  There were days I couldn't go to work. Days I couldn't get out of bed. And, those drugs were doctor prescribed medications, not something I bought from a dealer.

Let me hasten to add there are people who need drugs.  In fact, my own situation has caused me to wonder if I should pursue marijuana pills with my doctor, but over the years I've learned mind over matter and never remember to pursue it. Marijuana does wonders for children with seizures. I am not opposed to tightly controlled marijuana treatments for children with seizures or those whose pain from cancer is unbearable. Without it, those patient's quality of life would be miserable and worse.  I understand that, but I also know that drugs have side effects.  We just don't know how, when, or how strong they'll be when they kick in. Therefore, why take the risk for "fun?" Or to go along to get along?  Who needs friends like that?

It's been said that saying your bored is an insult to your own intelligence.  That's true in my book with recreational drugs as well.

The measure of my father

Hannity interviewed Ivanka Trump last night after the convention ended for the night.  He asked her if it hurt to hear her dad trashed. I thought that question was a little dumb, but her answer was priceless.  She admitted it was very painful, but she knows "the measure of my father." Wow! How powerful! Obviously, she was talking about her biological dad, but it opened my heart and my spirit to gain a new understanding of my relationship with my heavenly Father.

When others ridicule God, I can feel sorry for them and pray for them because they're spitting in the wind. The Psalmist says God laughs at them. Even better, it deepens my faith because I know He is all God's Word says He is. He is worthy of my love, my trust, my obedience.

Another thing Ivanka said that was so powerful is that her father taught his children to be grateful. She freely admitted that they could be considered "spoiled" because their childhood had so many advantages, but what kept them from being truly spoiled is that they were grateful. We could all take a page from her book. Not only is she articulate, she gives her dad all the credit.  That's another thing I can turn to a spiritual lesson.  Everything I have is a gift from the Lord and I need to be grateful.

She also mentioned learning as they go along, acknowledging mistakes have been made. They all seem to polished, so elegant, but admitting mistakes is good reason to admire the family.It humanizes them. Never mind the fact that all 4 adult children are so successful, so upstanding. They don't drink or do drugs.  How many American families can say that? Governor Pence said you can't fake good kids.  Trump's children are good kids.

Not much has been said about Tiffany Trump's speech. but she humanized her dad in a beautiful way. She does not seem to have the self-assurance of her half siblings and her history could be the reason. Yet, she stood up and spoke of her dad in a way that told why his children adore him.  She spoke of his warmth and his concern for other people, especially her family in Georgia.  I appreciated knowing he wrote notes on her report card that encouraged her without focusing on her grades. To know she's much younger than the other three and has a different mother could have made the relationship with her siblings difficult, but their care for each other is obvious and enviable.
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Perhaps her speech didn't get the attention it deserved because it was a love fest for her dad and then her oldest half-brother spoke eloquently about his abilities.  His comment that he and his siblings are the only billionaire's children he knows that are as comfortable driving a caterpillar as their own cars. His love for his dad was obvious, as was his admiration. Last night, he and his wife reached for each other's hands as they sat listening to other's speak.  I'm again reminded of the similarities between Solomon and Trump.  Neither are examples for marriage, but both know a lot about how to make a woman feel loved.  I say that because of the way Donald jr. and his wife behaved toward each other when they didn't realize they were being observed.  His dad taught him that, I'm sure.

Eric, too, seems to know the measure of his father. He spoke of why his dad took on this massive effort to right things he sees wrong with our nation.  He quoted his dad as saying he would only consider running if things got too bad and apparently, he'd reached his limit. Good thing.  Psalm 125:3 says, "The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil." Many of us are tired of evil not only being done, but celebrated.  Lord, keep me faithful. Thank you for his courage to stand up and try to do something when he didn't have to.

It's been said you can't have five children without at least one of them abandoning their raisings.  Thus far, Donald J. Trump has reared really great children.  Theodore Roosevelt was quoted as saying he could be in charge of the White House or he could keep his daughter, Alice, in line, but he couldn't do both. Since Trump has proved himself as a dad, we can be confident he'll do just as good a job in the White House.  Congratulations, sir.  My hat's off to you.

Unique Similarities

I've been reading some books in an effort to make sure the message I present in my books is what God would have me to say.  Something written by David Jeremiah brought the political situation to mind, kind of unusual since the book is about "Love, Marriage, and Sex."

Dr. Jeremiah's book is a commentary on the "Song of Song's" or "Song of Solomon," depending on which translation your Bible uses.  In today's chapter, Jeremiah states that many people have trouble getting past things that Solomon did in his life that were anything but Godly.  Let's be honest. 700 wives and 300 concubines is hardly a ringing endorsement for marriage. He started out great, but the Bible makes plain it was his foreign wives who led him astray. What that has to do with the Republican Convention and politics today, I'll get to in a minute.

Solomon's life was a recipient of God's grace from beginning to end.  God's grace and love is beyond human comprehension and Solomon's life is a good example of that.  In that day, adultery was punishable by death. Except for God's amazing grace, David and Bathsheba, Solomon's parents, could have died for their sin. God spared them and by extension, gave Solomon life.


Solomon was not David's eldest son, the typical line of succession, but Solomon was chosen to be king even before David died, another unusual situation.  Both, to me, are again, evidences of God's amazing grace and Sovereignty.  God led the events that transpired to make Solomon king. To his credit, Solomon asked for wisdom when God asked him what he desired in a dream. He became not only the wisest man on earth, but the richest, too, all because God favored him. Unfortunately, Solomon did not follow God wholeheartedly, and yet, God said Solomon would not face the consequences his behavior deserved.  Instead, his son would.


Now, what does that have to do with what we're watching on television this week? For one thing, Trump also has been on a unique journey over the past year.  When he first announced his candidacy, he was pretty much considered a joke. His faults, foibles, and sins were well known, gleefully reported, and joyfully accepted. Then, his campaign style of name calling was a guaranteed defeat or so the media would have us believe.  Establishment Republican politicians have been loath to support him. They've blamed it on his campaign style, but it could be more that he's repudiated the establishment to the country and it's turned out America has agreed with him. Miraculously, he gained support in spite of his out of control mouth. It looks to me like God has His hand on Donald Trump.  I can think of no other reason he's done so well when he's made so many mistakes.

Then too, as I read about Solomon, I thought about the weakness of humanity in general.  We all are so quick to point fingers and scream about the sins of others to keep from dealing with our own. I know, because I've been there. What gives me the right to condemn him for Trump's past mistakes? The Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  That includes me.  David and Job asked God not to remember the sins of their youth.  Me too, Lord. My criticism won't change Donald Trump. That's God's job.  And, it's God's job to judge him, not mine.

Dr. Jeremiah's point was that it might be better to think a little more positively instead of focusing on the negative. Is David and Bathsheba's adultery and the subsequent murder of Bathsheba's husband my first thought when I think of them?  No, I remember God saying David was a man after His own heart. It humbles and reminds me of my own shortcomings. What are my thoughts about Solomon? That he had 700 wives and 300 concubines or that he was the wisest and richest man on earth? Or do I appreciate and learn from his wisdom in Proverbs? Sometimes it takes work to think positively instead of negatively. What about Trump? Should I focus on the things he's done wrong? Or should I trust Sovereign God who has stated His ways and His thoughts are not ours? I say again, I am at peace about my choice to vote for him and leave him to God.

End to end

As I attempt to write this, I have to admit my thoughts are being distracted.  The Republican Convention has just now begun and I don't want to miss anything.  This has been a very different political season, to say the least.  It's touching to see the WWII vets present the colors. The last fellow can hardly walk, but he saluted the flag and sang the National anthem.

                                                        There has been a great deal of conflict and inflammatory rhetoric over the past year while Republicans chose their candidate for President.  Some have vowed, "never Trump," family members included.  Indications of voting for the Libertarian candidate has been been mentioned and. in the interest of learning, I looked up the Libertarian platform.  To be honest, I didn't study it, but I did read it.  It didn't take me long to come to the conclusion that Libertarianism is one end of the utopian spectrum and Democrats are the other. It seems like about every paragraph of the platform said people are free to do whatever they want as long they don't infringe on the rights of anyone else. Trouble is, people are flawed.  The Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  It also says there is no one righteous, no not one.  Therefore, who's to decide when there's conflict between opposing sides? Who's in the right and who's not? Another person?  According to the platform, that's not the Libertarian way. The realization that such a platform is not possible to implement hit the hardest when I read their paragraph on abortion, in which they say it's a matter of concern to the mother and her doctor. Babies have no way to say they want to live. Dads? Families? Society? Scratch self-determination. They also have no qualms about recreational drugs. I've seen too many lives destroyed to go along with that.  There are also historians who say the entire nation of China was destroyed by drugs.  People need guidelines, rules. Even God gave the 10 Commandments because He knew that.

The other end of the spectrum of utopia is the Democrat philosophy.  If we just let the government take care of us, all will be well.  How's that worked out for you?  We've just had 7+ years of that utopia and the country has taken a definite turn for the worse.  Just yesterday, a new friend said all the violence that's going on right now reminds her of the 1960's. I said the same thing just last week.  The problem is, so many of the rabble-rousers in the 1960's are now in leadership in the Democrat party. So, how's that working, America? Democrats have been in power for the last 7+ years, meaning their policies are well known.  There's so much hatred, violence, anger, hopelessness.  Policy failure. Have we learned nothing as a nation? Country after country has failed because of leftist policies and yet, do we think we can make them work in America just because we are American? Little needs to be said about the character failure, leaving the public with a very bad taste in their mouth and the bitter feeling that America got taken yet again.


While the Republican party is by no means perfect, it is also more pragmatic.  As the Bible says, we're imperfect. We're seriously flawed. However, I do see the Republican party as more logical, much more central on that utopian spectrum. When the primaries began, I was astonished Donald Trump was so popular among Christians. I was astounded that he could say some of the awful things he did and still win the nomination. It was disappointing and I said so in a previous blog. In it, I proclaimed I would never vote for Trump. A short time later, I changed my mind.  It came with much prayer and struggling about my reasons for making my change. As time has progressed since those first wild, disturbing, primary debates my impression of Trump has improved.  I was especially pleased to learn he'd chosen Pence as his Vice Presidential Running Mate. Until last night, about all I knew about Pence was his statement that he was a Christian first, a conservative second, and a Republican third. That fits me as well. There is a small group that has formed and calls itself the Conservative Party.  I confess I know nothing about them,and would not consider voting for their candidate until I do. Before Pence was chosen, Dr. James Dobson said that Trump had become a Christian.  For his sake, I hope so, but experience has taught me the spectrum of people who call themselves Christians is an even broader spectrum than utopianism.

Who will win? Or will the racial violence become so great Obama will declare Marshall Law and we'll have no election?  It's been suggested by several people. Only God knows.  Again, I say, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence The Lord knows what He's doing and I am confident that His purpose will be fulfilled.

Closing the gap

Congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah led the committee hearing on FBI Director Comey's justification for his findings regarding Hillary Clinton's email uses and abuses. Chaffetz said whatever the FBI needed to investigate her lies before Congress, he would get.  Comey dodged a reciprocal answer when asked for information from the FBI. "As much as I can," was his answer.






Congressman Cummings begged, not asked, FBI Director Comey to "close the gap," indicating that even he doesn't understand why Comey excoriated Hillary Clinton and then said there wasn't enough there to prosecute.  Today, Comey is being cross-examined by the Congressional oversight committee because of that gap that even Democrat Cummings acknowledges.

Has he done it? I've listened to the majority of the questions and answers and I have to say a resounding NO for a few of the following reasons.

1. The law clearly states that intent does not have to be proved, but Comey's entire defense is just that. Does that mean, as one Congressman suggested, he believes he has the right to rewrite the law? And, a former judge states Comey's very wrong when he said no one has

been prosecuted for being ignorant of the law.  Trey Gowdy stated he'd prosecuted many who didn't believe there were laws against murder.

2. Comey stated that Clinton did not lie to the FBI.  Repeatedly, she lied to Congress and the American people. He refused to discuss what she said to Congress. Why? How can he say with certainty that she did not lie to the FBI? He did admit at one point he hadn't paid attention to what he said to Congress.

3. He stated that the decision was unanimous among all who worked the case, yet he admitted he did not canvas or even speak to all the agents. How then, does he know?


4. He claims Clinton to be technologically naive and that's reason enough to say she should not be prosecuted.  However, he did admit that she signed the document that clearly states what she was doing was wrong.  Nor does he believe anyone who worked for her and knew it was wrong should be prosecuted, either.

5. He has repeatedly defended himself and yet, he has NOT closed the gap. He has the same answers for the questions that Republicans are asking him in different ways, trying to get him to explain himself, but he has not done it. If anything, the gap is even wider.  It almost seemed to me like he had made up his mind going in what the decision would be, regardless of the facts.

6. He continually refused to accept the fact that lawyers erasing and then scrubbing computers to keep the FBI from getting to the truth was a strong indication of intent. No one asked him if he just might be wrong.  I'd have loved to hear his answer to that. Even honorable, honest men with integrity can make mistakes.

7. The FBI would review any person working for them and have consequences for such behavior, but he doesn't believe the evidence reaches the prosecutorial level with Clinton.  Why not?

It seemed as though every one of his answers only exacerbated the feeling that government workers are above the law.  It was very sad.