My Ongoing Thoughts

STOKED!

11/28/2022

The news today carried the following headline: “Hawaii’s Mauna Loa, World’s Largest Active Volcano, Starts to Erupt for First Time in Nearly Four Decades”. The article, written by Danielle Wallace with the help of the Associated Press, details the sudden stirring to life of the world’s largest active volcano, which, as the title suggests, has now started to erupt, prompting volcanic ash and debris to fall nearby.

Beginning at approximately 11:30 p.m. Sunday in Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera of the Mauna Loa volcano inside Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island, the seemingly sudden eruption caught many off guard.

Of course, one group not caught off guard was the U.S. Geological Survey. Scientists there had been on alert because of a recent spike in earthquakes at the summit of the volcano, which last erupted in 1984. They had therefore already been warning those residents at risk from Mauna Loa lava flows to review their “eruption preparations”.

According to their latest “Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Status Report” (2:43 a.m. local time), “the eruption continues at the summit of Mauna Loa. All vents remain restricted to the summit area. However, lava flows in the summit region are visible from Kona. There is currently no indication of any migration of the eruption into a rift zone.”

Thankfully for the uninitiated individual such as me, the article went on to define “rift zones” as places where “the mountain is splitting apart, the rock is cracked and relatively weak and is easier for magma to emerge.”

Portions of the Big Island are also under an “ashfall advisory” issued by the National Weather Service in Honolulu, which said it expects that up to a quarter-inch of ash could accumulate in some areas.

The update concluded with these words: “The Volcano Alert Level and Aviation Color Code for Mauna Loa remains at WARNING/RED. HVO is continuing to monitor conditions carefully and will issue additional notices as needed.”

The news story itself finished with several tidbits of information about the volcano itself. Mauna Loa is one of five volcanoes that together make up the Big Island of Hawaii, the southernmost island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Rising 13,679 feet above sea level, it is the much larger neighbor to Kilauea volcano, which erupted in a residential neighborhood and destroyed 700 homes back in 2018.

Given that some of its slopes are much steeper than Kilauea’s, when it erupts, its lava can flow much faster. For instance, during a 1950 eruption, the Mauna Loa’s lava traveled a full 15 miles to the ocean in less than three hours.

The 1984 Mauna Loa eruption lasted for 20 days between March and April 1984. The intervening years since then have been the volcano’s longest quiet period in recorded history.

Given that I have never lived anywhere near an active volcano, I found the article quite informative. But I was also stuck by the fact that mountains and people may have something in common here. After all, we humans can all too often blow our tops as well! Sadly, when this happens, the outcome sometimes can be devastating to those around us!

The Bible writers recognize that anger is a part of being human. Even Jesus lost His temper when he overthrew the tables of the money-changers in the temple court in the Gospel of John, chapter 2, verses 13-16.

Yet the Bible also cautions us against fits of temper. James 1:20 reminds us that “human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires”. So, is it therefore right wrong to blow one’s top?

To begin with, I would argue that what Jesus displayed in the temple was more akin to righteous indignation. His anger was not self-centered, but rather on behalf of a Godly concern. Therefore, it was entirely justified.

Remember also that the same Bible also admonishes us to “be angry and sin not”. Both the Psalmist (chapter 4, verse 4) and the Apostle Paul (in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4, verse 26) use this phrase. How is this possible?

Perhaps the answer is best found in Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, (in chapter 5, verse 22) where He cautions against being angry with one’s brother “without cause”. For me, this is the issue. Anger needs to be justified to be expressed.

And yet, so many today fly off the handle, lose their cool, and/or explode their tops with little or no justification. And in this regard, maybe the New Living Translation captures best the intent of Paul’s statement to the Ephesians when it says “don’t sin by letting anger control you”.

One thing is clear. It’s been the better part of four decades since the world’s biggest active volcano last blew its top. That is decidedly a good thing for all concerned. Maybe, just maybe, it managed that by venting some of the intense pressure from within itself little by little so that the destructive magna boiling inside did not spill over. In this way, it has not been known for continuously erupting.

And maybe, just maybe, we could benefit ourselves and others if we could learn to do much the same, and find ways to constructively let off steam so as not to let the anger within control us, and so as not to be seen as one who therefore erupts at the least little provocation!

Anyway, it’s worth a thought…

NEWS SOURCE: https://www.foxnews.com/us/hawaiis-mauna-loa-worlds-largest-active-volcano-starts-erupt-first-time-nearly-four-decades. The writer, Danielle Wallace, is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering politics, crime, police and more. Story tips can be sent to her at danielle.wallace@fox.com and on Twitter: @danimwallace.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/john/2.htm;
https://biblehub.com/james/1-20.htm;
https://biblehub.com/psalms/4-4.htm;
https://biblehub.com/ephesians/4-26.htm;
https://biblehub.com/kjv/matthew/5.htm;
https://biblehub.com/nlt/ephesians/4.htm.

A DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET…

11/24/2022

As I write this, it is Thanksgiving day. I must admit that I have enjoyed the holiday. Like so many holidays, this was a day spent with family and familiar activities.

To be sure, as a child, I celebrated any and every holiday that came down the proverbial pike. I saw them one and all as an opportunity to enjoy a little time away from the routine, be it the rigors of school lessons or the regular chores associated with life on a farm.

Still, certain holidays were more fun than others, especially for a little boy. I much preferred the opportunity to pinch people who had forgotten to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day than having to write out notes to all my classmates on St. Valentine’s Day. Others were appreciated largely for the food they afforded, such as cookouts on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.

But the most beloved were those in which I stood to gain. For instance, Halloween afforded an opportunity to amass a small horde of candy. Yet this paled in comparison to Christmas and New Year’s Day, which generally got me two whole weeks off from school with a living room floor full of toys to boot!

And yet, of all the holidays of my childhood, the one that seems to stand out the most in my memory is Thanksgiving. To begin with, it got me a four day weekend. That, in and of itself, was a rare luxury. (Let’s face it - every school child agrees that whoever thought of putting Thanksgiving on a Thursday instead of a Friday is to be lauded forever!)

But even without this added bonus, I grew to love this day. I quickly understood that it meant that I got to spend time with my extended family, and with my cousins in particular. What is more, all we were required to do was to be present for a massive family feast filled with a plethora of gastronomic delights.

In addition to turkey and dressing and ham and roast beef, there would generally be an assortment of side dishes that would make even those who planned the fifth Sunday dinner on the grounds at our local Baptist church envious!

Creamed corn, corn on the cob, mashed potatoes with giblet gravy, green beans with fatback, green bean casserole, black-eyed peas, fried okra, sweet potato soufflé, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, cornbread, biscuits, and rolls – invariably, it was all there!

And then there were the deserts! German Chocolate cake, Red Velvet cake, Carrot Cake, Lemon cake, Lemon Meringue pie, Apple pie, Fried Apple pies, Peach pie… Again, they were all to be seen. I can only hope The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will contain such items!

Given all this, the fact that anything else would stand out about Thanksgiving Day is noteworthy. And yet, such is precisely the case.

The year was 1970. The date was November 26. Even though I had just turned nine, given that I was born in late October, it was technically my tenth Thanksgiving on earth. And it was a day I will never forget – for two reasons…

First, as we were on our way to my paternal (Jackson) Grandparents’ house, we saw billowing black smoke and heard sirens. We soon ascertained that the location of the fire was somewhere north of us off 92 Highway, the main route running north and south west of our little dirt road. When we finally arrived on the scene some twenty minutes later, it turned out to be the old plantation home in the great curve on Lee’s Mill Road that was ablaze.

From my perspective, it was one of many such old home places that had long since become dilapidated and were now the abode of renting tenants. We stood in awe as the crews of multiple fire trucks fought in vain to save the venerable old wooden structure. I took note that my father in particular was disturbed by the experience. What I did not know then, and was only to discover later, was that this was the home of his own childhood.

For it was there that he, along with his parents and grandparents, had resided as sharecroppers, eking out a hardscrabble existence year after year in an all but vain attempt to better themselves.

The second event that occurred that memorable day was what I had witnessed earlier that morning. The house in which I was raised was situated on a farm about fifteen miles due south of what was then Hartsfield International Airport (itself located some twenty miles south of downtown Atlanta). We were on the glide path for its landings. (Indeed, an omnidirectional antennae was located barely a quarter of a mile from our house out in the woods.)

It was not uncommon for me to look out on the northern horizon of our pasture and watch airplanes land and take off with regularity. Nor was it uncommon to look up and see large aircraft descending or ascending overhead. On this particular morning, as I was outside awaiting our departure to my grandparents’ house, I looked up to behold a 747 jumbo jet.

I knew what it was because the “Weekly Reader” we had been given at school that very week had included an article on the largest ever passenger plane yet to be produced: the Boeing 747. I recognized it immediately because of its four turbofan engines and distinctive raised forward passenger deck and cockpit. It had been introduced in January of that year when it was christened by the First Lady in our nation’s capital; and yet, I was now seeing one overhead with my own eyes right here over our family’s farm.

These two sights - a blazing antebellum home and a gleaming new state-of-the-art jet airliner – will forever be emblazoned on my memory. Why? Perhaps it was because neither of these were everyday sights for a small lad growing up on a farm in rural Georgia in the early 1970s. But perhaps it was for another reason as well. Perhaps it was because of what they each represented.

While I may not have fully grasped it at the time, I nonetheless sensed that the antebellum house I beheld burning down bespoke the past, whereas the enormous jet plane i had witnessed overhead bespoke the future. Accordingly, the former world was clearly giving way to the latter world. And, by inference, I could chose to live either in the past or in the future!

This is not to say that either of these was more or less significant than the other. The past will always matter. After all, it largely determines who each of us is. But the future also matters. Because the past, as important as it is in giving us a heritage, is nowhere near as significant as the future! Where we can one day go, what we can one day do, and how we can one day turn out as a result will always be more significant than where we came from, what we once did, and who we once were!!

Astute readers will note that the previous sentence is punctuated with not one, but two exclamation points. I assure you that this was intentional, as I hope to underscore the significance of the statement.

I was raised in the south. And I am proud of that fact. But irrespective of the present narrative, this does not imply I was part of some elite caste that prospered at the expense of others. Like the majority of southerners, my family consisted of little more than sharecroppers who were bound by, and confined to, a system in which they were cemented for generations.

And yet, even though my grandfather’s schooling concluded at the end of the third grade (resulting in his barely being able to write his own name), and my father’s education ended after the tenth grade, I managed to actually finish high school and then go to college.

You see, in a world where PAN AM requested a massive airplane 2.5 times larger than anything yet in existence in order to reduce flight cost and “democratize” air travel, I found my own self in a position to take off and ascend to heights heretofore unknown by my forebears. I therefore applied myself accordingly.

I have lost count of the times I stood in our back yard in the years after that eventful Thanksgiving and observed one jumbo jet after another landing and taking off. But I will never forget the resolve I undertook each and every time. And that was that I myself would one day take to the skies and ascend ever upward and outward!

That very image has propelled me forward ever since. And for that, I will always be thankful. More than this, I will always celebrate!

What about you? Do you have reason to celebrate this Thanksgiving? Do you have more than just a heritage? Do you have opportunity as well? If so, then do not be hesitant. For (to quote the Apostle Paul in II Timothy 1:7), “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”

So, wherever your previous context, whatever your present situation, and whatever your future presents, may you embrace the latter with passion as the Lord intends! No doubt, once you do, you will forever be grateful that you did. And you too will have reason to celebrate thenceforth and forever thereafter!

SOURCES:

PLANE: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_747.

WEEKLY READER: https://archive.org/details/sim_my-weekly-reader-1_1969-1970_47_index/page/n1/mode/2up. The publication in question was Issue 20, page 1.

SCRIPTURE: https://biblehub.com/2_timothy/1-7.htm.

“TENDING LIKE!”

11/22/2022

When I was a child, a common game we enjoyed playing was called “tend like”. By that, we meant “let’s pretend like…” We were then free to pretend we were cowboys or superheroes or wild animals or whatever else suited our fancy in the moment. At the time, little did I know that adults also played a version of “tend like”! Allow me to explain.

Back in the day, a group named The Platters had a number one hit on the Billboard charts with a song titled “The Great Pretender”. It has since been covered by numerous other artists. The lyrics are:

Oh-oh, yes I'm the great pretender, pretending that I'm doing well. My need is such I pretend too much. I'm lonely but no one can tell.

Oh-oh, yes I'm the great pretender, adrift in a world of my own. I've played the game, but to my real shame, you've left me to grieve all alone. Too real is this feeling of make-believe, too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal.

Yes, I'm the great pretender, just laughin' and gay like a clown. I seem to be what I'm not, you see.

I'm wearing my heart like a crown, pretending that you're still around. Too real is this feeling of make-believe, too real when I feel what my heart can't conceal.

Yes, I'm the great pretender, just laughin' and gay like a clown. I seem to be what I'm not, you see. I'm wearing my heart like a crown, pretending that you're still around.

Focus on these revealing phrases: “My need is such I pretend too much.”; “Too real is this feeling of make-believe.”; “I seem to be what I’m not you see.”; “Oh-oh, yes, I’m the great pretender.”

This song clearly deals with pretense. No doubt, it reached number one, in large part, because so many people relate to its premise. Let’s face it - pretense is a pervasive part of life. It is on display all around us every single day.

I was reminded of this while out and about running a few errands this past week. As I was making my way down a city street, a car pulled out in front of me. It was a small four-door Japanese sedan originally designed for fuel economy. Only it was now covered in dents, Bondo, and rust. Moreover, attached to its trunk was an aftermarket spoiler which was entirely too big for the car.

In fact, it was so big that it appeared to be weighing the back end of the car down so far down that the oversized tail pipe that had been affixed underneath (which itself looked like something that belonged on a tractor trailer truck as a smokestack) was all but scraping the ground.

The fact that he shot out in front of me was of no consequence to the driver, as he floored his prized possession and eventually separated the distance between us. Apparently, neither was the trail of exhaust smoke he left behind him as, in vain, he sought to give the impression that he somehow belonged in a fast and furious movie!

In truth, the car he drove screamed pretense. I chuckled at his whole approach, which bespoke attempting to present himself and his prized possession as something which, sadly, neither he nor it clearly was!

The driver of that car was not alone. Material and social pretense dominate our culture. Were this not so, then social media would never have become the phenomenon that it now is. Far too many of us spend far too much of our time and resources only to put up a façade. As one pundit observed, far too many of us spend money we do not have on things we do not need to impress people we do not know. Ouch!

And yet, there is another form of pretense that is even more unsuitable than either the material or social versions we have perfected. That, of course, is spiritual pretense!

It is one thing to put on airs before our fellow man. It is quite another to put on airs before our Heavenly Father!

In His famed “Sermon on the Mount” in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapters 5 through 7, Jesus called out the religious leaders of His day for their blatant spiritual pretense. He railed against their pretentious almsgiving, praying, and fasting, all of which was done in public in order to impress their fellow Israelites rather than their Heavenly Father.

His admonition to His followers in this regard was twofold, as found in Matthew chapter 6. In verse 1, He says: “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven…”

Later on, in verse 18, He concludes His teaching on almsgiving, praying, and fasting by reminding His followers to make sure that whenever they undertake such things, their behavior “will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen.”

His concluding admonition is as direct as anything else He ever stated: “And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Whatever else you make of it, Jesus is here calling those of us who follow Him to be completely unpretentious! The thrust of His teaching here is to remind us that, while we may be able to deceive others to some degree, in no way can we ever even begin to deceive Almighty God!

The Bible tells us that God sees all and knows all. It also tells us that one day, all will be made known. Given this, why should we spend our time trying to deceive Him and others?

Why indeed?!

SOURCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Pretender;

https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/platters/thegreatpretender.html.

SCRIPTURE:

https://biblehub.com/bsb/matthew/6.htm.

THE ROOT OF THE MATTER…

11/18/2022

Not far from where my wife and I live, perched on a hill overlooking a farm, stands a picturesque old oak tree that towers over the adjacent trees and pastures. It is notable above all for its immense size.

But what I love the most about it is its proportions. The top presents a fine, full, and balanced profile. The trunk is large and fully formed as well. I doubt if the enjoined arms of two people could encircle it.

And yet, these attributes pale in comparison to its most impressive feature: its roots. These are simply massive, protruding well above the ground as they encircle the trunk like a large suction cup holding it securely in its place.

As I have reflected on the physical qualities of this majestic old tree, I have been reminded that it was once just a tiny sprig. No doubt it was top heavy with three or four leaves at the time as it first sprang forth and stretched ever skyward. At this point, while laden with potential, it still had a long way to go before it ever reached its present glory.

Years later, after it had grown taller, its trunk likely began to expand outward as well as upward. As a result, on the outside, a nice, full, rounded appearance was produced. While on the inside, a significant number of rings accumulated down through the years testifies both to its struggles and its victories.

And yet, the tell-tale sign of its successes down through the years, decades, and perhaps even centuries afterwards, has to do with its root system. For just as this tree has grown upward and outward over the process of time, so has it also grown deep. In short, the sheer size of its roots testifies to how strong they now are.

Thus, while the trunk and the branches above may fear many things, such as wind and pestilence, the one thing they do not likely have to fear is ever being uprooted. For the roots of this tree clearly run vast and deep!

For my part, I well remember the time in my life when I was young. At that time, I too was small, but blessed with potential. Later, there came a time when I had grown upward and outward, as it were. Like many, I enjoyed my fulness and displayed it pride.

But these days, I have come to see that my strength lies mostly in my roots. My forebears imbued me with a strong foundation upon which to build my life, including an abiding faith in God. And it was clearly for this reason that I was allowed to grow and flourish.

The Prophet Jeremiah once compared the faithful people of God to a tree “planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Given all this, I have also now come to see my responsibility more clearly than ever. I am to provide that same strong foundation for others. I can only hope that the trunk and the limbs and the branches that have all issued forth from me and are now climbing ever upward will find in me a root system that is strong and secure and dependable.

If so, not only will they have benefitted, but God too will have been glorified. And in the end, that will be enough for me!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/niv/jeremiah/17.htm.

Notice the parallels here to the very first Psalm:
https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/1.htm.

A FULL AND MEANINGFUL LIFE...

11/14/2022

In the Gospel of John (chapter 10, verse 10), Jesus told us why He came into this world. There are various English translations of His words.

The NIV says He came so that we may have life and have it to the full. The King James says so that we may have life and have it abundantly. The NLT says so that we may have a rich and satisfying life. The Good News Translation says so that we may have life in all its fulness. All of these translations aptly describe the life He gave to my sister, Barbara Jean Jackson Brand.

As so many have asked me about this wonderful lady, I thought I would post her memorial video here. I hope it helps to give everyone just a small taste of the full and meaningful life with which our Lord chose to bless her in this world before calling her home to Heaven to experience an even fuller and more meaningful life with Him forever.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES: https://biblehub.com/john/10-10.htm.

EXEMPLARY CONDUCT!

11/9/2022

A few years ago, my mother suffered a debilitating stroke. Sadly, she passed away a few weeks thereafter. In the intervening time, she underwent both physical and occupational rehabilitation; and as a part of her rehab, she was asked to draw a simple clock face.

Try as she might, she just could not get it right. What she drew was a clock face with sixteen hours as opposed to the standard twelve hours. Oh, she succeeded in drawing one o’clock through twelve o’clock; only all of these ended at what amounted to eight o’clock on the dial. She then repeated nine, ten, eleven, and twelve o’clock, to round out the circle.

After her passing, my precious wife took the picture she had drawn, and had it copied, framed, and mounted for my two sisters and me. Here was the result…

Pay particular attention to the quote she had put at the bottom: “Love never has enough time!” This comes from Karen Kingsbury’s book titled Ever After; and it has haunted me ever since I first read it.

This past week, I helped to bury my older sister, Barbara Jean Jackson Brand, down in Alabama. Toward the end of her struggle, she affirmed the same testimony that the Apostle Paul had in his second letter to Timothy (II Timothy 4:6-8):

“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

The words Paul closed with here include my precious sister! Like the Apostle Paul, she fought a good fight, having suffered from the ravishes of ovarian cancer. Like the Apostle Paul, she faithfully finished her course. Like the Apostle Paul, she kept the faith. And, just like the Apostle Paul, she is now experiencing her eternal reward!

As you can see, her passing has clearly underscored for me the importance of preparing for how we will spend eternity in the world to come. And yet, her passing has also underscored the significance of how we spend our time in this world.

We are each allotted our respective time in this world. Yet, no matter how long we are given, when all is said and done, we likely conclude that Karen Kingsbury is right in that “love never has enough time”.

Never enough time! To do what we hope to do, to go where we hope to go, or to say what we hope to say. And yet, in God’s timing, perhaps, we do have that. Perhaps we just need to make that a priority! The passing of my mother, and now of my sister, has reminded me that I do not need to find time for such things; rather, I need to make time for these things!

Perhaps this is why the Apostle Paul also told the Ephesians (chapter 5, verse 16) to “make the most of your time” in this world. Opportunities to do what we hope to do, to go where we hope to go, or to say what we hope to say in this world are available, but limited.

More to the point, opportunities to do what we need to do, to go where we need to go, or to say what we need to say in this world are available, but limited. To her credit, my sister did just this.

The Apostle Paul once told the Corinthians (I Corinthians, chapter 11, verse 1): “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

My sister did that. All throughout her life, she did that! But especially as her time in this world grew short, she did that even more so. Just like Jesus and just like Paul as they each faced the end of their earthly lives, she increasingly focused on what mattered most. Just like Jesus and just like Paul, she increasingly focused on what she truly needed to do and to say. And just like Jesus and just like Paul, she then actually did and said these very things.

And so, inspired and motivated by her, I now intend to follow not only Jesus’ example, and not only Paul’s example, but also my sister’s example, and go forth and do the same!

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/2_timothy/4.htm;

https://biblehub.com/niv/2_timothy/4.htm;

https://biblehub.com/ephesians/5-16.htm;

https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/11-1.htm.

REST IN PEACE

11/5/2022

Barbara Jean Jackson Brand, age 62, of Wedowee, Alabama, was made whole on Saturday morning, November 5, 2022, as she went home to Heaven to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all who have placed their faith and trust in Him and preceded her there. She was blessed to live a full life as she enjoyed her family, her friends, her community, and her church.

Rarely has an individual made as much use of her God-given talent as did this wonderful lady. She poured her life into multiple business ventures, various ministries, and her church, where she served broadly in discipleship, jail ministry, and children’s worship, all while still choosing to place a premium on her family and friends.

Above all, she loved her Lord Jesus Christ and His Word, and travelled extensively throughout the lands of the Bible, as well as many other places in the world, where she selflessly employed her skills in missionary endeavors on His behalf.

She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Onas Jeffrey Brand of Wedowee; her son, Jeffrey Cole Brand and wife, Ashton, of Corvallis, OR; her daughter, Bryana McKay Hunt of Fayetteville, GA; her son, Halsey Cameron Brand of Bowdon, GA; her grandchildren, Kenneth Colt Hunt and Lily Elizabeth Hunt of Fayetteville, GA; her brother, Cleo Eugene Jackson, III, and his wife, Vickie, of Greenback, TN; her sister, Erica Jill Jackson Phillips and her husband Brian of Wedowee; her stepfather, Robert Earl Taylor of Fayetteville, GA; stepsisters, Cheryl Taylor Cater (husband, Mike), Carol Taylor Moore (husband, Danny), Debbie Taylor Nicholson (husband, Ed), and Donna Taylor Wright (husband, Kenny), all of Fayetteville, GA; her mother-in-law, Martha Carolyn Brand of Fayetteville, GA; along with numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and many, many in-laws from her husband’s family.

Pallbearers will be Halsey Brand, Micah Jackson, Ed Nicholson, Brady Phillips, Brian Phillips, Levi Phillips, Andy Rape, and Kenny Wright. Honorary pallbearers will be Caleb Jackson and Dean Mertens.

A service of celebration in honor of her life will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, at Benefield Funeral Home Chapel in Wedowee, Alabama, with Dr. Cleo Eugene Jackson and Bro. Ricky Daniel officiating. Burial will follow at Wedowee City Cemetery with Benefield Funeral Home of Wedowee in charge of arrangements.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00-8:00 PM on Monday, November 7, 2022.

A “PATRON”IZING POST

11/1/2022

As I write this, it is now November 1st. This means two things. First, I somehow managed to survive the previous evening, October 31st, without managing to get completely overrun by either goblins, ghosts, or gremlins. Better yet, no disappointed “Trick-or-Treaters” pulled any nefarious tricks on me for not having been dissatisfied with whatever treat I had to offer.

Second, it means that I have spent the day focusing less on “All Hallow’s Eve” (a.k.a. Halloween) and more on “All Saints Day”. You see, the first day of November is the day set apart each year on the Christian calendar for remembering all the Saints of the all the ages.

Now, granted, we Protestants (remember, I am a Baptist) are a bit conflicted about the whole notion of Sainthood. Technically, we abhor the Roman Catholic practice of venerating specific Saints. After all, even though they seem to have a “Patron” Saint for virtually everything and every situation, we tend to resist elevating mere human beings to any special spiritual significance.

And yet, practically, we appear to have no problem whenever March 17th rolls around joining in on all the fun with the luck of the Irish on “Saint” Patrick’s Day, by gathering lucky charms (such as four leaf clovers), intentionally wearing green, and/or pinching any unfortunate souls who happen not to have remembered to have done so.

Nor do we have any problem making merry amidst all of the festive celebrations related to the feast of “Saint” Nicholas. December 25th may be Christ’s birthday, but we sure place a lot of emphasis on ol’ Kris Kringle (a.k.a. Sinterklaas, or Santa Claus)!

Likewise, every February 14th, we spend a lot of time and effort and money acquiring chocolate, candy, flowers, and similar such items in order to express our love to our significant others. In the process, we quietly laud “Saint” Valentine on his special day for having given us this opportunity to reaffirm our love.

Given all of this, I find it interesting that so many Protestants make so much of an issue of Halloween on October 31st, and yet, fail to give any weight to the following calendar date, November 1st. Without the latter, the former has no real significance!

That November 1st date every year is set aside as “All Saints Day”; and I, for one, contend that it is appropriate for all true believers to celebrate this day. Why? I would suggest two reasons...

First, because all believers in all places in all times are in fact “Saints”! The Apostle Paul affirms this in First Corinthians, chapter 1, verse2, when he states: “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours…”

In short, this is to say that all believers are saints. Thus, all believers matter! While I appreciate all that Nicholas, Patrick, and Valentine once did; this in no way downplays the innumerable untold sacrifices of countless other Saints down throughout the ages!

And second, because so many of these latter, unnamed Saints are responsible for me being exactly who I am. The cartoon character, Popeye, was famous for saying “I am what I am!” For my part, I know that “I am what I am” in large part because of the influence of a myriad of Saints who came before me and influenced me by their lives.

Some of these Saints are known by their name to billions, others to millions, still others to thousands. But most are known to only a few dozen or so at best. Thus, I owe my theology to the likes of men such as “Saint” Augustine of Hippo, but also to the likes of men such as “Saint” Alex Boatwright of my hometown.

I owe my ethics to men like “Saint” Thomas of Aquino, but also to men like “Saint” Lester Bray of my 9th and 10th grade Sunday School Class. And above all, I owe my knowledge of the Bible to men like “Saint” John, “Saint” Peter, and “Saint” Paul, but also to men like “Saint” Harry (Smith), “Saint” Glen (Higgins), “Saint” Claridge (Tucker), “Saint” Richard (Lee), and above all, “Saint” Ike (Reighard), each of whom who served as Pastor at my local Baptist Church throughout my formative years. (The last has particular significance in that he was the one who both licensed and ordained me to the profession of Christian Ministry.)

Now, you may well have heard of all these former Saints, but not necessarily these latter ones. If so, then that’s’ okay. I’m sure the same would be true for me if you listed those Saints who had been the most influential in your life. Either way, though, we would all do well to acknowledge and appreciate the Saints who have come before us – whether they be those who are more well known, or those who are known largely only to us and a few select others. Each one in his own way had a significant impact on us all.

Of course, there is One Other Who has knowledge of each and every Saint. That One is the very One Whom they each devoted their lives to serve and honor. That One is none other than Jesus Christ!

For this reason, I look forward to an eternity with Him, in which I will be able to hear, learn, and celebrate all the untold stories of all the untold victories of all the untold Saints of all the ages!

When that time comes, it will be not just “All Saints Day” once a year, but “All Saints” for all eternity, as together, we join them in the presence of our Lord and Savior forever.

Make that forever and forever, Amen!

SCRIPTURE: https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/1-2.htm.

SIGNIFICANT DATE!

10/28/2022

After spending a few days down in a neighboring state visiting relatives this past week, I made the four hour long drive home. It just so happened that the date of my return trip happened to be my birthday. And it was one I will not soon forget.

It had one thing in common with most of my other birthdays. It was filled with well wishes from family and friends. I got an assortment of cards, calls, texts, and emails, and even a present or two! Naturally, all of these were greatly appreciated.

But one thing set this birthday apart. It was something that happened as I was driving home. I topped a hill and happened up on a car accident that had obviously just happened. It could not have unfolded more than five or ten minutes or so before.

A car was upside down in the ditch, with major damage and smoke and steam coming forth. Skid marks marred the intersection. A couple of other cars were stopped already, ostensibly either to lend assistance and/or to testify as to what had happened. Lastly, two police cars and a first responder were pulled alongside as well, all with lights flashing.

What caught my attention in all of this, and what I will likely never forget, was the sight of a first responder and a police officer zipping a body into a body bag just as I was passing. Clearly, at least one person involved in the accident had already been pronounced dead on the spot.

As I made my way down the road, I encountered two different ambulances en route. I like to hope that this means that one or more people survived. But even if they did, I’m sure the day was one they will long regret, no matter who was at fault.

My thoughts also kept returning to the deceased individual. Heretofore, the date of my birth has always held significance to me as the day in which I was granted life. From this day forward, however, it will have double significance as it will also be remembered by me as one on which another lost his or her life.

It is somewhat ironic that I had just left a cemetery at which I had stopped on my way home in order to pay my respects to a long lost ancestor. Perhaps this is the reason I thought about headstones as I drove along. On my headstone, the month and the day will eventually be carved as that of my birth. On another’s headstone, however, that same month and day will now be carved as the date of their death.

Of course, my headstone will inevitably have a date for my death as well as a date for my birth. I am like every other person who has ever lived in that the New Testament Book of Hebrews (in chapter 9, verse 27) tells us that “each person is destined to die once”, and that “after that comes judgment”.

None of us knows the day or hour of our death. We only know that it will assuredly happen one day. Given this, it behooves each of us to live our lives in such a way so as to be ready for what comes after we depart this life.

It is a blessing to live in this world. But how much more of a blessing will it be to live in the world to come! And if we know Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, then we must only face death “once”. But if not, then we will have to face death “twice”- once in this life and once again in eternity.

I hope the individual and/or individuals who died in that accident was/were prepared for the moment that their earthy life/lives ended. For my part, I know I am, for I am ready, as the Apostle Paul affirms, to “stand before Christ to be judged”.

I hope you are as well. If not, then why not let today be a significant date for you? Why not let today be the day you get prepared for the next life by coming to know Christ? Why not let today be your spiritual birthday?

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/hebrews/9-27.htm;

https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/5-10.htm.

WHO’S AFRAID NOW?

10/24/2022

While visiting relatives in Alabama this week, I took my normal daily walk. The only problem is that I was not the only one on the road. I had ventured a about a quarter of a mile when I encountered what seemed to me what may well be the single largest German Shepherd alive on the planet today. I do not know his name, but “Cujo” would certainly be appropriate.

In any event, I noticed him about the same time he noticed me. As he came down the driveway of the house where he apparently resides, my initial response was to freeze. He was clearly growling in order to let me know that he did not know who I was and that I was not welcome on his turf.

I will not lie. I was overcome with an irresistible desire to turn and run! But I fought the urge to do so and decided to call his bluff. As he approached me, I boldly returned the favor. Only, rather than growling at him, I held out my hand, snapping my fingers and speaking to him in a friendly, soothing, and welcoming manner.

It worked. He soon ceased his aggressive behavior and adopted a more conciliatory manner. When we finally came face to face, I reached out and petted him and talked to him in a way that let him know I was pleased to see him. In short order, we had become friends, and he walked along with me for a short while before veering off to make what appeared to be his regular patrol of his domain.

As I walked on, I remembered why I was so guarded around German Shepherds. As a child, I loved to go and play at my friend’s house. But between his house and mine, a distance of some three to four miles, was a house where an enormous specimen of this very breed resided.

Simply put, if I wanted to see my friend, I had to pass by this house on my bike. And in the process, I had to encounter this terrifying beast. The best approach, developed over time, was to get a good start from about a quarter of a mile away and peddle with all my might in order to gain as much speed as possible and zoom past the monster before it had a chance to intercept and accost me.

Even as I write this, my palms are sweating as I recall how close that colossal creature came at times to my legs as I furiously peddled for my life!

All of which raises the question as to what changed along the way… Why was I so deathly afraid of a dog fifty years ago and not now? And the answer is that I, and not the dog, am the one who changed! Rather than respond in fear and panic at the aggressive approach of a German Shepherd, I now respond with boldness and confidence, for I no longer fear the encounter.

Granted, I am now twice as tall and a full hundred and fifty pounds heavier than I was back in the day. If push came to shove, I could likely hold my own against a dog attack, at least long enough until help arrived.

But more to the point, while I am no “Dog Whisperer”, I have now reached the point that I know most dogs can be managed simply by the way one responds to them. If you show fear in response to their aggression, they are only encouraged. By contrast, if you boldly go up to them and show them that you are not scared, you largely call their bluff.

And besides, even if this approach does not work, whenever I walk, I make certain to carry on my person what I will say are appropriate defensive mechanisms. Being thusly equipped gives me all the added confidence I might otherwise need to survive any encounter with an aggressive animal.

I share these thoughts in light of what the Apostle Paul had to say in First Corinthians, chapter 13, verse 11, when he said: “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”

Whether it is facing up to a local dog while transiting past its turf or facing up to far more serious challenges to my person on the journey of life, it behooves me to live my life with confidence rather than fear!

Fear in the face of danger is the quality of childhood. Confidence in the face of challenge is the quality of adulthood. The former is more a reflection of a state of immaturity; whereas the latter is a more a reflection of a state of maturity!

And it for this reason that the Bible tells us (in Psalm 56, verse 1-4) that King David once prayed: “Be merciful to me, O God, for men are hounding me; all day they press their attack. My enemies pursue me all day long, for many proudly assail me. When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise - in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

His words here reflect his earlier affirmation in Psalm 23, verse 4, when he famously said: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

David knew then what I have now come to know, and what the Apostle Paul also came to know (as he stated in Romans, chapter 8, verse 31), and that is this: “If God is for us, who can be against us?!”

Let’s face it… most dogs are far more bark than bite! But I, for one, have now lived long enough to learn that this is also true of the vast majority of other challenges I face. Given this, I could choose to live my life in fear; but I choose not to. I choose instead to live in the confidence that comes with knowing the Lord Himself has my back. And that is good enough for me!

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/1_corinthians/13.htm;

https://biblehub.com/bsb/psalms/56.htm;

https://biblehub.com/bsb/romans/8.htm.

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