My Ongoing Thoughts

TONGUE TIED?

9/24/2021

The late Bob Ross made a name for himself as a painter, art instructor, and host of the long running PBS instructional television program titled "The Joy of Painting". Among the things he was noted for was his assertion that there were no mistakes in painting, only happy accidents.

By this he meant that whenever he messed up and inadvertently did something wrong, he would just make the best of it. For example, a slip of the brush resulting in a slash across a previous painted scene would invariably be transformed into a tree trunk and incorporated into his finished painting as such. In short, he was a master at using his own gaffes to his advantage.

Have you ever had a happy accident? I did this very morning. It happened during breakfast. I was busy eating and trying to talk to my wife at the same time. That was my first mistake. In retrospect, my parents cautioned me about any such decades ago.

Anyway, as if attempting to do these two things together wasn’t enough, I managed to undertake and accomplish a third. Only, I did this last one far more successfully than the other two. I bit my tongue!

I’m sure you have had this experience. When it happens, you quickly stop eating. And you stop talking as well. You then recoil in pain, as you spend the next moment or two holding your mouth and wondering how that could have just happened. All of this is then followed up with a brief period of chastising yourself for having been so careless, and finally vowing not to ever let that happen again.

And yet, as the day has progressed and the pain of the experience has subsided, I have come to see the whole experience as a happy accident. Sure, it was a painful mistake that I hope not to repeat. But if I could find a way to learn from it, and profit by it, then it was a worthwhile experience.

And how have I benefitted from this experience? By being reminded that biting one’s tongue, as painful as it can be, is sometimes still a good thing. In truth, there have actually been many times in my life when I have bitten my tongue on purpose; and the benefit from the experience has far outweighed the pain of having undergone it.

Of course, I am talking here about those times in my life when I have chosen to bite my tongue in order to hold it back and not say something that would have caused me and/or someone else pain or sorrow.

The Bible teaches us the importance of holding one’s tongue. The New Testament Book of James (chapter 3, verses 4-10) addresses this:

"A small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.

7People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!"

The Apostle James reminds that an unrestrained tongue, free to say whatever and how much it desires, that proves so devastating. Like a small spark that sets a whole forest on fire, so the untamed tongue all too often produces great devastation.

After accidentally biting my tongue this morning, I stopped talking and got busy eating – which was, ironically, what I should have been doing all along. Only after I was done eating did I resume talking. Both I and my wife were better off for it. And for this reason, I’m actually happy that I bit my tongue.

In a similar way, a fresh commitment to biting my tongue, even if difficult, whenever I am tempted to speak at some inappropriate time or in some inappropriate way will very likely prove beneficial for me and others with whom I interact. Might the same be said for you?

SCRIPTURE:

https://biblehub.com/nlt/james/3.htm.

MORE ON BOB ROSS:

https://www.bobross.com/;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ross.

IN JESUS' NAME?

9/20/2021

Back in the day, when we were in the youth group at our local church where we grew up, our “Student Pastor” (or “Youth Minister” as he was called in those days) was made aware of an issue that had arisen.

That issue was how to get beyond what was, at best, kidding around, and at worse, outright deceit, among certain members of the youth group in their dealings with other members. And what was his solution to the problem? Just this: he encouraged us to look the individual telling us whatever was in question directly in the eye and to ask them, “Can you say that to me in Jesus’ name?”

Soon, we were following up virtually every conversation involving some tidbit of gossip with the inevitable question: “In Jesus’ name?” Needless to say, once this happened, the gossip, the exaggeration, the embellishment, the deceitfulness, and the outright lying all quickly stopped.

Why was this so? Precisely because we all knew better than to affirm something in Jesus’ name if we had any doubt whatsoever that it might not be true. I have kept that well-learned lesson with me for over forty years now; and it has served me very well. Indeed, putting this principle into place will soon all but guarantee that telling the truth becomes a way of life by which one learns to live.

Now, I get that the phrase “In Jesus’ Name”, whether put in the form of a question or a statement, may not resonate with you in this way. But even if not, chances are it still has significance. After all, the vast majority of Christians end their prayers with some such similar phrase.

Perhaps all of this is why a recent piece published by “Lead Like Jesus” caught my eye. Their September 17, 2021 devotional reads as follows:

“To many people today, the words ‘in Jesus' name’ are tacked on at the end of a prayer before saying ‘Amen.’ Yet the book of Acts tells a different story. The early disciples boldly stepped out to serve in Jesus' name. In Jesus' name, people were forgiven, healed, restored, baptized and commissioned. What about you? Is Jesus' name just a catch phrase for you? Or does His name compel you to serve others as He did and carry His message to others?”

Wow! What a novel thought! “In Jesus’ Name” is not just something that should accompany our prayers. It should also accompany our thoughts, our words, and our actions! Personally, I was quite convicted by this notion.

And thus, I concur with the concluding prayer offered by the good folks over at www.leadlikeJesus.com:

“Jesus, I don't want to speak Your name in vain, nor do I want to live in vain. I want Your name to be the impulse for every desire and every deed in my life. Fan this longing into flame, and let my life bring glory to You. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.”

Amen indeed!
DEVOTIONAL SOURCE:

https://www.leadlikejesus.com/devotionals/jesus-name.

A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE

9/16/2021

Like many of you, I took time to remember the events of 09/11 this past week. In addition to personal thoughts and reflections, I also tried to catch as many documentaries as I could so as to better understand this significant event in world history. One program in particular caught my attention.

It told the story of how then President George W. Bush was given a port authority badge by the mother of an officer who perished in the attacks. It went on to relate how Bush carried that reminder with him for years into the future in order to help him to “Never Forget” the victims and heroes of that horrific day.

According to an article summarizing the matter, Bush met with families of the victims. One woman, Arlene Howard, approached the president during a Ground Zero visit and gave him a police badge, which had belonged to her son, George Howard, who was an officer for the Port Authority Police Department in New York City.

The article further said that Bush “would always carry it and pull it out to remind people and to remind himself about what happened that day.” In fact, during an address to Congress ten days after the attack, Bush held up Badge 1012 as a symbol of all those who had lost their life.

In that speech, he stated: “And I will carry this. It is the police shield of a man named George Howard, who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others. It was given to me by his mom, Arlene, as a proud memorial to her son. This is my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not.”

It seems that President Bush is not the only one who vowed to remember Officer Howard. The official site of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association hosts a memorial to him. He wasn't officially working on September 11, 2001. He had the day off; but heard about the attacks and immediately went down to the World Trade Center to help in any way that he could.

And what is more, that was not the first time Howard had responded to an emergency at the World Trade Center. When the site was bombed in 1993, it was none other than Officer Howard who responded and was credited with saving several lives. He was off duty on that day, as well.

Other than the photos of the event unfolding that very day, perhaps the most iconic moment of 09/11 happened three days later when President Bush stood atop the rubble with a bullhorn and boldly declared to the rescuers shouting “U.S.A.”: “I can hear you! I can hear you, the rest of the world hears you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”

“He stood on a crushed fire engine and spoke about fear, hope and sadness,” the President’s chief of staff said. “He spoke to every single person.”

As I reflected ion these things, I have been reminded of Mordecai’s statement to Queen Esther (in chapter 4, verse 4 of the Old Testament book named for her): “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

On more than one occasion, President Bush has indicated that the events of 09/11, as much as anything else, helped him to appreciate and understand exactly why he had been chosen to be President. His task was made clear to him from that day forward. As he stated of the badge in his pocket, it was to remind him “lives that ended and a task that does not”.

Ministers understand this. In a very real sense, they know that their purpose is directly related to the story of a life that ended in sacrifice on behalf of others, and the unending task of telling that story to others.

While few are called to be ministers, and even fewer to be the President of the United States and the de facto leader of the free world, we all still need an overriding purpose in life. With one, our lives are sure to be more productive and meaningful. Without one, the opposite is more apt to be true.

I hope you know your purpose. I hope you know why you came “into the kingdom”. If not, I pray you will discover these very things. And I wish you the best as you then seek to fulfill whatever that God given purpose is.

STORY SOURCES:

https://news.yahoo.com/news/george-w-bush-9-11-reminder--the-badge-he-kept-close.html;

https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/09/10/a-9-11-memory-of-a-bullhorn-and-a-badge/.

SCRIPTURE:

https://biblehub.com/esther/4-14.htm.

HIDDEN TREASURE

9/12/2021

Being a lover of nature, I tend to be intrigued by most any headline about wild animals. It is not surprising, then, that the following one recently caught my eye: “Mississippi Alligator Contained 6,000-Year-Old Artifact in Stomach: Another Object in the Alligator's Stomach Is around 4,000 Years Old.”

The article, written by Peter Aitken and posted on www.foxnews.com, was based on an earlier one first reported in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger by Brian Broom. Both recount how a Mississippi wildlife processor made a startling discovery when he found that an alligator was carrying around a couple of artifacts in its stomach that were thousands of years old.

It seems that, after hearing about a processor in South Carolina who discovered unusual items in another gator, Shane Smith, a deer processor and owner of Red Antler Processing, took a look at the contents of a 13-foot alligator’s stomach. What he found completely blew him away: an arrowhead and a plummet.

A Mississippi state geologist examined the arrowhead and determined it was between 5,000 and 6,000 years old. What is more, James Starnes, director of Surface Geology and Surface Mapping for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, went a step further and stated that the stone wasn’t even an arrowhead. Instead, he believes the object was for an early weapon that launches a spear, somewhat like a catapult.

And that was not all. A second object, known as a plummet, was recognized as a stone used to weigh down ancient fishing nets. It dated to around almost 4000 years old. Smith speculated that the alligator ate the objects in an attempt to help with digestion. Apparently, alligators, like certain species of birds, swallow stones to help break up the harder bits – such as bone – that are consumed when they feed.

For my part, I’m glad that the alligator chose to swallow these two particular treasures. Even if he did so unaware of their significance, his action at least preserved them for later discovery. But is there any more we can take form this story? Maybe so.

Perhaps this is a picture of who and what I am as a Christian. You see, I too carry within me a 2000 year old treasure. The Bible affirms this in 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Indeed, this treasure has been referred to as “the pearl of great price”; and it is the rock upon which all other history rests. It is none other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I will carry it with me as long as I live. I will never discard it. Why? Because not only is it that which gives me life, helping to nurture and sustain me each and every day, but it is also that which will accompany me from this life to the beyond.

Unlike the aforementioned gator, however, who kept his treasure hidden away, I will gladly share my hidden treasure with anyone who seeks to know more about it. For my treasure, the treasure of God’s grace, is sufficient for all to partake, for all to consume, and for all to be filled!

STORY SOURCES:

https://www.foxnews.com/science/mississippi-alligator-artifact-stomach;

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/09/10/prehistoric-native-american-arrowhead-artifact-found-alligator-mississippi/8271061002/;

https://outsider.com/outdoors/mississippi-alligator-found-native-american-artifacts-stomach-dating-back-6000-bc/.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://www.biblehub.com/2_corinthians/4-7.htm.

GOOD EVENING!

9/7/2021

There are certain days in life that are more productive than others. And then there are other days that are extremely productive. Today was one of the later.

It all began with my breakfast at 7 am. By 8am, the Dish Network man was here and well underway installing new wired boxes with underground cables are now installed in my out buildings, replacing the existing spotty, unreliable wireless receivers.

At the same time, the construction crew arrived and went to work on our driveway entrance. It had been cut through to install the new water line on our road. Now, however, it has been dug, formed, and sits ready for concrete to be poured the first thing tomorrow morning.

Later in the day, the remainder of my new bookshelves were delivered - with zero damage! I will have them installed tomorrow; and will be ready to finally start unboxing my books which have been in storage for over a year now.

8 pieces of mail came and not one single one of them was a bill! And best of all, my beloved Georgia Bulldogs jumped to number 2 in the national poles after having defeated #3 Clemson this past weekend!

By 6:30 pm, I was happy, but dog tired. I had had a good and productive day; but I had not yet done the one thing I had committed to myself that I would do - I had not yet exercised. I was on the cusp of giving myself a pass when my beautiful wife bounced in and changed into her exercise clothes to head down stairs to start her nightly aerobics via DVR.

I was convicted, and begrudgingly got up and changed my clothes and made my way out the door. I did not want to go walking; but doggedly headed off up the road, more or less quilted into meeting my commitment.

I had yet not gone a mile when I happened upon a smart phone laying on the edge of the pavement. Recognizing what it was, and seeing that text messages were blazoned there for all to see, and not really knowing what else to do, I called our county’s emergency office and dutifully reported my find.

In short order, a sheriff’s deputy made his way to the spot and retrieved the phone. For my part, I felt good in that I knew I had done a good deed. Someone would very likely be happy to get their phone back intact. My spirits were lifted; and my pace quickened.

I had gone about another mile or so, and was approaching the lake. I saw a man with Louisiana tag getting into his car by the pier, and asked him if he perchance had lost a smart phone. He checked and replied that he still had his. Then he asked if could get some help.

Long story short – he had come up ahead of the hurricane and was waiting it all out before heading back home. He said that he had heard there was free camping somewhere nearby, but could not find it. I gladly told him where the free camping sites that had been established by the TVA and its subsidiaries were along the lake shore.

I could see that he was very grateful; and as he pulled away, I felt even better about having gotten out of the house and gone walking. Once again, my pace quickened.

Little did I know that there was one more blessing awaiting me. Indeed, the best one was saved for last. Returning from the lake, I encountered another car, which slowed down in response to my hand signals. I inquired as to whether the man or woman inside might have lost a smart phone. They checked and held theirs up.

Then, they two asked if they could get some help. They were from one county over and were riding around looking for “some old campground with a pavilion where outdoor fall revivals had supposedly been held ever since shortly after the civil war”. They wanted to find it so they could be sure to be in attendance this year.

It took me little time to direct him to the National Campground, located barely half a mile away. He and his wife were extremely thankful as they pulled away and made their way there. I was glad to help; and as I made my way back home, I all but skipped down the road.

Why? Because I quickly realized that the Lord had used my wife to motivate me to get up and get going. Why? Because He had obviously scheduled three divine appointments for me this very evening. Unbeknownst to me, when I left the house, one person had already lost something very important that was dear to them; and I was the one ordained to help them find it and retrieve it.

More importantly, another man needed shelter for the night. Through no particular skill other than a basic familiarity with the locale, I was uniquely positioned to direct him to where he needed to go.

And last but not least, the Lord had intended to use me to give direction to a couple seeking an opportunity to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

I had a good day today. But let me tell you that I had an even better evening! How has you day been? Was it long and tiring? Was it productive but still exhaustive? Either way, I pray that your evening is always better than your day!

I specifically pray this for both you and me tomorrow. No matter what I have planned; no matter what you have planned; no matter how productive it all is; no matter how tired we are, may our day not be complete until we find the one, two, or three divine appointments, tasks, and/or blessings that God has planned for us!

After all, it’s not really hard. You just have to try to do right and be available for the Lord and His will whenever the opportunity presents itself.

SOME HANDY ADVICE

9/2/2021

A recent headline caught my attention. It read: “Are Left-Handed People Smarter than Right-Handed People? Here's What Researchers Say.” In the article, written by Ann W. Schmidt and published on www.FoxNews.com, was timed to reflect the celebration of “International Left Handers Day”, celebrated each year on August 13th.

In it, Schmidt raised the age-old question: “Are left-handed people smarter, or even more creative, than right-handed people?” Apparently, the answer to this burning question is hotly debated. It seems that left-handed people make up about 10% of the population. Scientists’ best guess is that being left-handed is influenced by genetics, environment, random chance, and/or a combination of these three factors.

Either way, history records a long list of famous left-handed people, including Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, Benjamin Franklin and Ronald Reagan. And for this reason, it might be easy to assume that left-handed people are perhaps smarter than right handed people.

Not so fast. Now, certain studies appear to have found otherwise. For instance, a 2017 study and meta-analyses conducted by researchers at the University of Athens in Greece found what they assert was a "negligible" difference between the intelligence of left-handed and right-handed people.

In the study, researchers analyzed 36 studies measuring the IQ scores of more than 66,000 individuals. The meta-analyses actually found that right-handed people had slightly higher IQ scores than left-handed people. Moreover, the report said that when the largest study was excluded, the researchers found “no difference between the two groups”.

Add to this the fact that a 2019 survey found that despite the fact that left-handed people think they are more creative, they actually did not spend "significantly more time on artistic pursuits" than right-handed people. This particular survey questioned more than 20,000 participants. The researchers did acknowledge that creativity is not all that easy a quality to measure in individuals.

The article was of particular interest to me because, even though I myself am right-handed, my father was left-handed. My youngest son is ambidextrous, in that he writes right-handed, but plays golf and fields a baseball left-handed. And it now appears that more than one of my seven small grandsons is very likely proving to be left-handed.

Researchers have long asserted that right-handed people utilize more of the left side of their brain while left-handed people utilize more of the right.* Hence, the well-worn quip that only left-handed people are in their right minds!

Given all of this, I still do not know whether I am actually smarter or dumber than my father, my son, and/or several of my grandsons. I could easily claim as much; but they could just as equally claim otherwise.

So maybe what really matters is not so much whether or not each of us has a particular hemisphere of his or her mind that is dominant. Instead, maybe what really matters is that each and every one of us was created in the image of God and endowed by Him as our Creator with a unique set of individual characteristics.

If we were born right-handed, then God desired of us to be such. And if we were born left-handed, the He desired us to be such as well. The important thing is that we each recognize our respective God-given endowments, and put them to use for Him and His kingdom. Otherwise, irrespective of whether we are right-handed or left-handed, we will prove ourselves to be less intelligent than God intended as we fail to realize our God-given potential. And clearly, anyone who does such is not in his or her right mind!

So, here’s some handy advice: recognize exactly who you are in Christ Jesus! This involves acknowledging that God created you in His image, and in the process, endowed you with a uniquely chosen set of characteristics, skills, talents, and gifts. He did this solely for His purposes and for His glory. And you will best glorify Him when you put these to work for His purposes and His glory!

I assure you… Doing so makes you a very handy person in God’s eyes!

SOURCES:

NEWS ARTICLE:

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/international-left-handers-day-smarter.

SEE ALSO:

https://www.healthline.com/health/are-left-handed-people-smarter#hand-preference;

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

https://www.lefthandersday.com/; and

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handedness.

*NOTE: According to an article titled “Difference between Left-Handed and Right-Handed People” posted online at https://theydiffer.com/difference-between-left-handed-and-right-handed-people/:

“It is said that since our brain’s hemispheres are crossed (the right side of the brain controls the left part of the body and the left side of the brain controls the right side), lefties are more prone to having the characteristics dictated by the right side of the brain. This means that they should be more creative, more intuitive, better at expressing their feelings, better at visualization and 3D perception. Also, the dominance of the right side of the brain and a prevalence of emotional intellect could make lefties more susceptible to a wider range of emotions, meaning that they live more intensely…

Right-handed people make up the majority or 90% of the entire human population. They are said to be left-brained, meaning that they will have higher abilities in mathematics, logical thinking and organizing, memorizing, computing and technical information processing, discovering patterns and applying them.”

PEACE OF MIND (AND HEART AND SOUL)

8/31/2021

It is often said that lightning never strikes twice in the same place. Maybe, maybe not; I do not know for sure. But after today, I do know that one other rare phenomenon of nature can, in fact, be experienced twice.

Back in 1985, Hurricane Gloria plowed her way up the east coast of the United States. My wife and I were at home that day in our apartment in Princeton, New Jersey as the storm passed over with its strong winds, dark clouds, and torrential rains, when all of a sudden, the winds died down, the rain let up, the clouds departed, and the sun amazingly began to shine.

We made our way outside, where we mingled with our neighbors for a brief few moments in what we knew to be the eye of the storm. Sure enough, after some twenty or so minutes, the winds picked back up, the sun disappeared behind darkening skies, and the rain began to fall before soon returning to the inundation level it had been at a half hour or so before, and which it was to maintain for the next several hours.

Obviously, it was a very memorable experience that I would not soon forget. This was due, in part, because I never imagined that I would go through this experience again. Until today, that is. Last evening, Hurricane Ida, initially a Category 4, but now downgraded to a tropical storm, made her way north from the Gulf of Mexico, and moved into Tennessee. After a spate of gusty winds, the skies darkened and the rains came. And they fell all night and all morning until after lunch.

Then, suddenly, once again, my wife brought to my attention the facts that the rain had let up, that the skies had cleared, and that the sun was actually shining. While it was tempting to think that the storm was over, the weather app on my smart phone confirmed what experience had already taught us – we were once again in the eye of the storm.

Granted, Hurricane Ida was now greatly diminished. Albeit, she was still a significant storm. And she still had a punch to pack. True to form, some twenty or so minutes after her eye passed over us, her back half unleashed its fury. The clouds returned and the rains began to fall. They have now continued for the last six hours, and are expected to do so for the remainder of the night and most of the day tomorrow.

What can we make of this? To begin with, while I have never been directly struck by lightning, I have nearly been struck by lightning on multiple occasions. To my knowledge, at least three times in my life, a blue streak has passed within a few feet of me so clearly that the hair on my head and body stood on end. I pray that is as close as I ever get to getting struck by lightning!

But while I have never been struck by lightning, I have lived through the eye of the storm, so to speak – not just once, back in 1985, but once again, here in 2021.

And yet, truth be known, I have lived through the eye of the storm many more times than this. My life has been no different than that of any other person who has ever lived in that I have lived a life fraught with its share of difficulty. Like you, I am no stranger to storms. None of us is.

As more than one preacher has put it, every single person alive today is either:

1. Just now coming out of a storm; or
2. Just now in the midst of a storm; or else,
3. Just now about to go into a storm!

In light of this, the real question is: “How do we live in light of this principle?” And the answer, as best I can assert, is that we need to learn to look for peace in the midst of the inevitable storm.

As we all know, storms are a given in life. But that does not necessarily mean that we must endure them with no respite! The Bible makes this plain. Psalms 57:1 puts it this way: “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.”

In my life, I have faced many storms. But I have never faced a storm when there was not some degree of God’s peace to be found in the midst of it! For that, I am grateful! As well as encouraged! Why? Because I know that this is proof positive that no matter what I go through in the future, I will never face it without divine support!

Time and again (in Psalms 31, 46, 57, 62, 91, 119, etc…), the Psalmist affirms that God was his refuge in the midst of difficulty. I affirm his testimony. And I give God praise for His peace in the midst of the storms of life!

Of course, what He has done for the Psalmist, and what He has done for me, He also promises to do for you, my friend! Will you not take Him up on this?

In Mark 4:35-41, the Disciples encountered a storm on the Sea of Galilee and cried out to the Lord in its midst. In response, Jesus faithfully stilled that storm. In the process, the Disciples found a little peace in the midst of that storm.

Are you in a storm? Then cry out to the Lord and He will surely give you peace. If and when you do, as the Apostle Paul puts it (in Philippians 4:7): “…the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/;
https://biblehub.com/bsb/mark/4.htm;
https://biblehub.com/philippians/4-7.htm.

SEE ALSO:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Gloria;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Ida.

TRASH TALK!

8/27/2021

The New York Post carried an article by Zachary Kussin yesterday titled “Mom of 4 Ditches Job to Be a Dumpster Diver, Earning $1,000 a Week”. The Texas mom referred to in the title is one Tiffany She’ree. In addition to four children, she now has two million followers on TikTok.

The 32 year old left her job as a canteen server back in 2020 when she realized she could earn as much as $1,000 per week simply by selling off discarded items that she found by dumpster diving at local garage sales.

According to the article, She’ree is quoted as having said:

“I’d never heard of or thought about dumpster diving before I randomly saw a video on YouTube of these girls dumpster diving,” she told Media Drum. “When I saw the haul they came back with I knew I had to try it for myself.”

She took her first run at it back in 2017, and found skin care products and makeup valued at $1,200. Since then, accompanied by her husband, Daniel, she has been able to pay all their bills just from the resale of discarded items. What is more, the two of them have also furnished the bulk of their home with items they found in the trash.

Using TikTok, She’ree shows off recovered items from dumpsters outside of stores such as Victoria’s Secret, Party City, and Ulta. These items range from ones with slightly damaged packaging to returns that apparently could not be sold again.

One recent score was a $750 coffee machine from Bed Bath & Beyond along with assorted unopened makeup items worth hundreds of dollars. She added that other finds have included bedsheets, pillows, blankets, towels, little odds and ends, and even pet products like cat trees and dog cages.

To be sure, some have trashed her dumpster-diving efforts, even going so far as to accuse her as stealing. But what she is doing is actually legal. What is more, she contends that that if she hadn’t fished the goods from the dumpsters she hits, they would have simply gone into landfills. As she puts it: “I’m happy that I’m saving items from landfills and doing my bit to help the environment and keep the planet clean.”

As I read this article, I reflected back to my own childhood. When I was about ten years old, my father decided to start a garbage collection company. For five years of my life, part-time after school and full-time in the summer, I worked alongside him and his employees running trash routes and making regular trips to the county dump.

I remember one particular day when we arrived at the dump with a load of trash to make a dump. I exited the truck and stood at the edge of the c. 20 feet deep, 50 feet wide, 200 feet long trench excavated out by Mr. Marvin (the man who ran the county dump).

As my dad was backing the truck up, I glanced down and saw what could only be described as a box of pure treasure in the eyes of a twelve year old boy. For there sat a cardboard box about two feet long and one foot deep and chock full of little green plastic army men. Even from the great height, I could see that it had not only men, but trucks, cars, tanks, airplanes, buildings, and other assorted odds and ends.

My heart leapt within me. How could anyone discard such a gem? I would have given anything to possess such a prize. I immediately set about imploring my father and Mr. Marvin to allow me to descend into the pit and retrieve the beloved treasure. Seeing how much in earnest I was, they gave their consent, and I was gone.

I tore off down the length of the trench to the end where it was shallow and descended into its abyss. In no time flat, I had clawed my way through the plethora of trash and reached the box, gathered it in my arms, and lovingly carried it to safety!

Thereafter, I returned with my prize to the truck, where I placed it in the cab and saw it safely transported home with me. Once there, I unloaded the box and subjected the entire contents to a thorough wash job in a 35 gallon galvanized tub of soapy water.

As the day came to an end, I lovingly sorted each and every piece of what I would estimate to have been my new 500 piece army.

Over the remainder of that summer, I led my army to multiple victories as we vanquished foe after foe in the ditches of the dirt road where we lived fighting for truth, justice, and the American way. Never was there a single earthly commander who was so fond and so proud of his troops!

All of this is to say that I can relate to Tiffany She’ree. Like her, I willingly dove into a pile of trash to retrieve that which I valued. And in so doing, like her, I reflected what God has done for us in and though His One and Only Son Jesus Christ.

We as men and women were tarnished by sin, counted as damaged goods, and all but discarded for all eternity. But Jesus Christ valued us so highly that He chose not to give up on us. With the full blessing of the Father, He came down to where we were and retrieved us from the ravages of the pit. He sought us out and found us and washed us and made us clean. Then He formed us into a mighty army destined to win victory after victory under His leadership and in His name.

I still have my Army men. I love them too much to ever depart with them. And my Master still has me because He loves me too much to ever let me go! For that, I will ever be grateful!

STORY SOURCE:

https://nypost.com/2021/08/26/texas-mother-of-4-ditches-job-to-become-a-dumpster-diver/.

SEE ALSO:

https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/texas-mom-of-4-dumpster-diver.

SINGLED OUT…

8/24/2021

Turtles, as we all know, are somewhat interesting creatures. They are technically known as "testudines" (or "shelled animals"), meaning that they have a hardened external shell affixed to and surrounding their torso and abdomen, from which they extrude a retractable tail, four legs, and an extremely long neck leading to their head.

It is not uncommon to happen upon a turtle with its neck fully extended, revealing an appendage rivaled only by a giraffe. Such a sight shows us that their necks, when extended, can easily equal the length of their shells.

But turtles are also extremely shy animals. Typically, once encountered, they will quickly retreat into their shells in response to what they perceive as an uncertain situation. Little doubt this defense mechanism accounts for the longstanding survival of these creatures. Scientists tell us they are among the longest living animals in the natural world.

Of course, turtles have one other general quality as well. Let’s be honest - turtles are just not all that good-looking. In fact, their reptilian features make them ugly at best and repulsive at worst.

Given these principal qualities, excessive "shyness" and excessive "ugliness", it is easy to see why the humble turtle does not often get singled out by the press. In fact, apart from Aesop’s famous 2000 year old fable in which it races a rabbit and wins, few if any affirmations of the value of turtle-hood have been forthcoming. Nonetheless, two of these often overlooked creatures have been singled out in the headlines this week.

The first had to do with a turtle that tracked down, attacked, and then consumed a tern chic on Fregate Island in the Indian Ocean. To be clear, the seven plus minute video documenting the horrific affair was technically taken of a land tortoise rather than of a turtle. But hey, who’s splitting hairs in this shell game?

The hoopla surrounding this article seems to have to do with the fact that, heretofore, these animals were assumed to be herbivorous. But as the incontrovertible evidence presented in the video shows, we now know for certain that they are omnivorous, meaning that they eat both plants and animals as they have opportunity.

In and of itself, this is not necessarily all that surprising. Most animals with a limited food supply such as is found on a small isolated island, are opportunistic, and will gladly consume any form of sustenance that presents itself. We humans do this. Just let your pantry or fridge run low and see what all you are willing to consume!

The second news article, however, is a bit more intriguing. And also a bit more informative. It seems that a National Park Ranger recently discovered a two-headed turtle at the bottom of an egg nest on the Cape Hatteras, North Carolina National Seashore.

Nor is this the first such two-headed turtle found this year. It seems that another equally rare, two-headed turtle was found at Edisto Beach State Park in South Carolina by one of that park’s sea turtle patrollers. In both cases, it seems that the second head of the animal in question was attributed to a "genetic deformity".

The above referenced article continues:

"In response to a question about the animal’s wellbeing, the park wrote, 'This particular hatchling was released in the ocean along with the others found at the bottom of the nest during an excavation. And yes, you are correct! Park biologists identified it had good flipper function and was exhibiting overall good health.'"

All of this brings me to my point for this blog post…

The article began with seven simple words: "Two heads are still better than one." My response contains three words: "Really?! Says who?!"

Sure, in a communal setting, two heads may well be better than one. Personally, whenever I am faced with a major decision, I have learned the wisdom of seeking the input of others. But when it comes to an internal decision, two heads may not always be better than one.

Jesus, Himself, told us an individual cannot serve two masters! Either he or she will hate the one, and love the other; or else he or she will hold to the one, and despise the other!

Imagine being a hungry turtle and trying to decide which meal to pursue. Or how one mouth might react when the other gets a taste and it doesn’t. Or worse, imagine being pursued by a predator and trying to decide when and where to flee. For that matter, in the face of danger, how can two heads be withdrawn into a space designed to accommodate just one?!

Sadly, irrespective of what the so-called experts might have to say, a two-headed turtle is not likely to survive for very long out in the natural world. If it does, it is in for a pretty rough go of things.
No, turtles are not designed to have more than one head. And neither are we.

The head is more than just the housing for one’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. It is the home of the brain, which rules over the body. And two brains trying to drive one body is untenable. The competing agendas would quickly confuse and overwhelm the other appendages through a continual flow of mixed signals, thereby compromising the efficiency of the body as a whole.

Little doubt this is what the Apostle James had in mind when he wrote in his New Testament Letter (chapter 1, verse 8), that "A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

Thankfully, I know of no two-headed humans. But I know many double-minded people. And the latter always tend to face a rougher path in life than those who are single-minded, meaning that they are generally focused on a single goal, a single project, a single concern, a single focus, a single relationship, a single day, etc…

So before you go sticking your neck out too far, why not use your head?! Consider carefully what purpose you are ultimately intending to fulfill, which will then tell you what task you will first need to accomplish, and in turn what direction you will first need to head, as well as what step you will first need to take, etc...

Doing so may well single you out for a little easier life. It will likely single you out for a bit more productive one as well.

NEWS ARTICLE SOURCES:

https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/vegetarian-tortoise-attacks-eats-bird;

https://www.foxnews.com/great-outdoors/two-headed-turtle-north-carolina-discovered-park-ranger.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://www.biblehub.com/matthew/6-24.htm;

https://biblehub.com/luke/16-13.htm;

https://biblehub.com/james/1-8.htm.

BREAKFAST AT SUPPERTIME…

8/20/2021

Up north, here in the good ol’ U.S.A., people tend to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Down south, of course, we also eat three times a day. The only difference is that we like to say that we eat breakfast, dinner, and supper. But, whether one eats “dinner” at noon or in the evening, most everyone seems to agree that three square meals a day tends to be the norm.

That being said, most everyone would also agree that whatever one chooses to eat at each one of these three meals is expected to be both qualitatively and quantitatively separate and distinct from what one traditionally consumes at the other two daily meals. Most everyone, but not completely everyone.

Witness what happened when I chanced upon my sainted mother-in-law busily preparing supper the other night. Her evening menu included bacon and eggs along with all the trappings typically associated with a hearty morning breakfast.

As I stumbled upon this scene, I was unexpectedly whisked back to my childhood. For there, too, my mother would occasionally choose to serve breakfast at suppertime. To be sure, this did not happen often. But oh the joy when it did! Sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs (almost always cooked with cheese), grits (swimming in butter), cathead biscuits, gravy, and all the associated trimmings would constitute this rare and special meal.

Around this same time, Audrey Hepburn purportedly enjoyed “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” up in New York City. But trust me, her satisfaction in doing so could have in no way compared to my own delight at consuming the occasional “breakfast at suppertime” down in rural Georgia!

As happy as these occasions made me, they seemed to have had an even greater effect on my father. To this day, I remember how he would giddily crumble his biscuits onto his plate, before adding in scrambled eggs and cheese, then crumbled sausage, and finally topping it all off with gravy in order to create a mixture that can best be termed a proto-breakfast casserole.

I do not know if there was a name for this concoction or not. Having followed his example and made my own, though, what I do know is that, while it may have been a bit mushy in texture, it was nonetheless a gastronomical delight to the taste buds!

In those days, the notion of eating breakfast at suppertime was an infrequent and wonderful treat that provided immediate satisfaction and lasting memories for an impressionable little boy seated at the kitchen table. But today, eating breakfast at suppertime has taken on a whole new meaning. Today, it has given me pause, and cause, to ponder certain things about life.

After all, what does breakfast represent if not the earliest part of each individual day? Conversely, what does supper represent if not the culmination of each individual day? Having breakfast at suppertime, therefore, is like coming full circle, is it not?

It is like finishing the day, tired though one may be, and weary as well from the multitude of things one has had to face throughout that day, by returning to the freshness and innocence of one’s first few hours within that day!

Maybe we each might benefit by trying to end each day with a little of the perspective with which we began it. If nothing else, it might well leave less of a bitter taste in our mouths as we rest up for the next day soon to dawn.

What approaches, activities, actions, etc. might you and I consider undertaking at the end of each day that would help facilitate such a small little blessing?

And here is another thought. Might such an approach be equally as applicable to one’s lifetime as it is to one’s daily grind? One thing transitioning to retirement has taught me is that there are wonderful blessings associated with returning to some of the simpler activities I once enjoyed.

Perhaps you can relate. Was there a time when you once relished simpler activities that you now seem rarely get to ever get to enjoy? Was it back before obligations related to fulfilling the responsibilities of life largely forced you to marginalize them to the point that they all but disappeared?

Whether it was spending a morning fishing or an afternoon making home-made ice-cream or an evening catching lightning bugs or a night watching old movies, taking time to rediscover and reengage in activities that bring joy and reduce stress is a productive and rewarding approach to life. These days, I’m enjoying breakfast at suppertime in the sense that I am finding times and places for just such goings-on; and trust me, the taste it leaves in my mouth is wonderful.

Oh, and one last thought. Time and eternity may well be designed to work this same way. The opening two chapters of Genesis depict a scene where man and woman, as God’s children, live in a wonderful time and place of innocence wherein they enjoy the blessings God intends them to experience.

Sadly, Genesis 3 saw that world spoiled. The good news is that, even though it was destined to take considerable time culminating in the ultimate sacrifice, the rest of the Bible tells us how God has gone about restoring that world (all of nature) to its proper order. This He did by redeeming its principal inhabitants (us, as human beings, created in His image) through the death, burial, and resurrection of His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.

And now, when we read the closing chapters of Revelation, we see that there awaits us a new Heaven and a new Earth. And in that time and place, we will dwell forever while enjoying the simple blessings He intended all along for us to experience as His children!

Wow! The blessings of the Garden of Eden enjoyed forever in Heaven! Talk about “breakfast at suppertime”! I plan to be there! I plan to consume as much as is possible! And to never stop! I plan to have seconds and thirds and fourths and fifths and sixths and seventh helpings, world without end!

I hope you will be there too. You can be. After all, you too can have a place at the table. For the same One who said, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world,” (in Matthew 25:34) also said (in John 14:1-4), “There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”

This prompted Thomas to ask just how we can get to that wonderful place, to which Jesus famously replied, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one goes to the Father except through me.” There you have it - the key to the blessings God has prepared for us, described in the Bible as being so wonderful that they can only be said to consist of things “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined”.

Imagine! Blessings at the ending that will far surpass those of the beginning! Sounds like the ultimate “breakfast at suppertime” experience! Sink your teeth into that!

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/matthew/25-34.htm;
https://biblehub.com/nlt/john/14.htm;
https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/2-9.htm.

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