Dear Reader:

Yesterday Jo Dufford referenced the book One Perfect Word by popular author, Debbie Macomber. The idea behind this theme was to choose one word that would be your lantern, your mantra, to guide you for the year. (* Jo chose the number “one” itself for her word.)

Macomber used the example of when her father’s health was rapidly failing and he had to be moved to a special care facility leaving her mother, who was not in good health either, alone.

She was worried about both parents and saddened at the idea of losing her devoted daddy who loved her unconditionally. She finally realized her word for the New Year must be “Surrender.” This whole sad situation was beyond her control and she had to surrender it to God.

I have thought about this idea of choosing one word each year as my guiding compass and I am still trying to decide on my word for 2017. Think about it and if you have a word you want to follow this year please send it to me with your name or if you are more comfortable… anonymously. I would love to share your “one perfect word” for 2017. ( I will share mine when I settle on the “perfect word” for me and my situation.)

Inside another book by Debbie Macomber – Patterns of Grace (Daily Devotions) an anecdote in the author’s book made me pause for reflection.

Debbie Macomber said that she grew up suffering from dyslexia. As a child, adolescent, and young adult she was always getting turned around and lost in more situations than she could count. Here is her personal account of an epiphany that happened to her … turning her writing career into reality.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

I grew up in Yakima, Washington, with a large extended family. We cousins were as close as brothers and sisters; we lived in the same neighborhood, attended the same church and school, and often vacationed together.

After I married Wayne and moved to Kent, just a few miles south of Seattle, my cousin David, who was closest to me in age, developed leukemia. His doctors sent him to Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Although I didn’t often venture into the big city, I was determined to visit David.

Somehow I ended up at Swedish Hospital, which is connected to Fred Hutchinson by a sky bridge. Lost and confused, I wandered down a number of corridors without finding the bridge. Finally, I stopped a doctor and asked if he could give me directions.

“It’s simple,” he assured me. “All you need to do is walk down this hallway, take the first right and walk through the door marked ABSOLUTELY NO ADMITTANCE.” Those directions did more than show me the way to my cousin.

Somehow, that experience has given me the courage to walk through other doors: my dyslexia that I feared would keep me from working; my terror of speaking in front of people. God has met me at the door marked ABSOLUTELY NO ADMITTANCE and held it open for me.

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Lassie shared the next anecdote with me, from her sister-in-law Carolyn, and I just had to ‘pay it forward‘ to you readers so you could enjoy it… if you haven’t read it before or even if you have…share the chuckle again.

“The Deacon and the Biscuit”

One Sunday morning at a small Southern church, the new pastor called on one of his deacons to lead in the opening prayer. The deacon stood up, bowed his head and said, “Lord I hate buttermilk.”

The pastor opened one eye and wondered where this was going. The deacon continued, “Lord I hate lard.” Now the pastor was totally perplexed. The deacon continued, “Lord, I ain’t too crazy about plain flour. But after you mix ‘em all together and bake ‘em in a hot oven, I love biscuits.”

Lord, help us to realize when life gets hard, when things come up that we don’t like, whenever we don’t understand what you are doing, that we need to wait to see what you are making. After you get through the mixing and the baking, it’ll probably be better than biscuits.

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Isn’t that the perfect anecdote for this very troubled time in our country? Many Americans are confused and terrified at the mixed messages and metaphors playing out before us on a daily basis.

So until tomorrow…It is time for us to call on God to open doors of understanding and wisdom once marked “Absolutely No Admittance” and then look and wait for God’s signals and plans to help reunite all citizens out of an apathetic state into a stronger united front to keep America a leader in building a better world for all God’s children.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Tommy and Kaitlyn came over yesterday…and we finally got to have Tommy’s birthday lunch – we went to Continental Corner and shared different helpings…all of it yummy! We then walked around town square and checked out some of the new shops/restaurants around town.

We ended up at our new brewery in town next to Marigolds to check out our home-brewed brew! We tried different types and flavors…it was all good with some beers personally tasting a little big “gooder” …according to our individual tastes.

We checked out a few more shops and then rode through some of the newer subdivisions in town….so glad Kaitlyn and Tommy stop by at intervals… so I can discover what is going on in my own town.

*Since Tommy and Kaitlyn both work for Brooks Styles Tommy wanted to show Kaitlyn where the Styles family lived (*God bless you Brooks!) we pulled into their neighborhood entrance and before we could circle around….Tommy and Kaitlyn spotted Brooks in the front yard with the grandchildren…so we stopped to speak and were generously invited to crash the party.

It was so much fun to see Ginny and Lindsay (Brooks and Ellen’s grown children again)….they were both students that went through Alston Middle School and we all went to the same church while our children were growing up.

All the grandchildren are so adorable and funny. The youngest, Mayes, is Pollyanna incarnate, I do believe. She is so filled with happiness and joy that she can’t contain it all…it just overflows onto anyone near her and as the afternoon went on…we got closer and nearer all the time. Too precious!

Thanks Styles family for your exceptionally warm hospitality for some unexpected ‘drop-ins’ on a drop-dead gorgeous January Saturday afternoon. We had a ball!!!!