Dear Reader:

Yesterday I happened upon an article on faith ( by Liz Helgeseh) …differentiating it from the term belief. A belief is man-made in nature, thus subject to varying interpretations that can cause separations among differing religious sectors…but faith is about our personal relationship with the Cosmos, Universe, and God. Faith is an on-going ” function, an active verb… and not an isolated noun.”

The author gave this example … One doesn’t go into a grocery store and order a pound of faith. ( Actually I visualized ordering two pounds… to cover those weak moments when I run out and don’t want to make a return trip.)

Instead faith can turn into the verb ” faith ing”.. making it active and on-going… an interactive relationship between man and God. The author defines it as something we say like this: ” I open myself up to the central intelligence of the universe, to its core, God, so that I might live for the purpose for which I was made. ” ( Wow! I love that last line)

Faith, as a verb, means to surrender… as in ” I’m letting go of how I would like the world to be… instead I’m asking God -“How do you want me to understand You! “( Exactly!)

This interactive dialogue of surrender to God’s plan for our lives enables us to turn to our fellowman and proclaim ” You love God, I love God… let’s sit down and talk.”

Scripture is not meant to be a slogan or bumper sticker… scripture is based on sacred teachings. But I did see one bumper sticker that made me smile…

I will be the first to admit that my mind, unlike God’s, doesn’t always have it together. I would sure hate to put all my thinking on public display. ( shivers down my back!) I am just a humble inchworm who is trying to absorb as much of God’s presence as I can and pass it along …where hopefully it might help someone along the way.

So until tomorrow… my faith and trust will always be served with just a sprinkle of magical pixie dust… because that’s just the way I was made… whimsically.

The best random act of kindness happened to me yesterday… I took my amazing nonagenarian friend and neighbor to breakfast and while cutting across the gas station to get to Eva’s Restaurant I bumped into a friend I haven’t seen in ages… Diane Frankenberger, owner of the widely acclaimed People, Places, and Quilts shop downtown.

I used to work summers and weekends (some years while teaching) for different merchants who rented rooms from her building and Diane,also, lived next to Poppy and DeeDee Dingle for years. We started swapping stories and she asked where we were headed… ” The best place for breakfast-Eva’s… ” I responded.

After being seated …one of my favorite waitresses came over and whispered to me… ” The breakfasts at this table is already paid for.” I looked around in surprise but saw no one I recognized. Then it hit me. Diane! It made my and Miss Janie’s day. Now do you see why I love my Summerville so much! A-Shout-out to Diane who represents everything good about our town’ Thank you for making my day!!!

So until tomorrow,,, Rhea continues being monitored… family is hoping her departure date is nearing but they also want to make sure her little system is all on GO! Nothing but green lights! We are all ” faithing” ( surrendering) that Reah is in God’s hands and we know His timing is impeccable!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh