Cast your cares on the Lord....

Psalm 55:22-23 NIV

“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. But you, God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of decay; the bloodthirsty and deceitful will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you.”

A great verse to start with this Saturday morning as I open my laptop and I'm covered by a wave of news articles touting the woos of the Coronavirus and the doom and despair spreading by the hour.  As I wade through the news stories, I can't help but be reminded of the the late Jerry Clower's story "Judgement in the Sky".  

Jerry tells the story of a man named Kirk Garner who lived in the community where he grew up.  One morning Kirk walks out on the front porch of his house and sees for the first time in his life sky writing.  It had been done by a plane 15 minutes or so before Kirk noticed it.  Kirk cannot read but he recognizes that the clouds of smoke in the sky form letters and words.  

To make a long story short, Kirk starts running in a panic down the road as fast as he can and a neighbor sees him running towards his house so he goes out in the road and bear hugs him to a stop and asks him what is wrong.  Kirk tells him "It's judgement day, the Lord has wrote it in the sky!"   The neighbor tells Kirk that the word he saw was Pepsi Cola and it was written in the sky by a plane.  After much effort he convinces Kirk that it is not Judgement Day.  

The next day, Kirk is telling another neighbor of his adventure and at the end of the story he was asked, "Kirk, what were you going to do if it had been judgement day?"  Kirk responded: "I guess I would have just run until judgement overtook me."

It's been almost two years now and I still cast my cares on the Lord and I thank Him for continuing to sustain my family, my community and me.   But unlike Kirk, I will continue to worship the Lord and fear no evil as I walk through the valley of the shadow of death for He is with me and His rod and staff comfort me.   Amen

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are Alive and Well!

I've not posted for a while because life and death have gotten in the way.  Since my last post, my father-in-law's health took a turn for the worse and he was called to his heavenly home on September 10th at 4:25 p.m. with my wife (his daughter) Carol and I at his bedside.

At 63 years of age this was the first time I actually stood beside the bed of a family member with my hand on their shoulder as he/she took their last breath.  It was not as I imagined it would be. There was not struggling, no groans, no gasps....just here one second and gone the next.  Peaceful, as his spirit slipped away from his earthly remains.

I was in the room years ago for the birth of both of my children and the birth process is so violent and disturbing compared to one's death.  In the days after my father-in-law's death, I had time to process the 9 month decline of his health.  Here are some of my thoughts.

• The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are alive and well.
• Prayer helps, not only the sick but those dealing with the sick person.
• A slow decline in health is God's gift to the person that's ill and to the family of the ill person.  It's an opportunity to "get right" with God and say goodbye to one's family members and friends.
• It's an opportunity to say thanks and ask for forgiveness of transgressions.
• It's an opportunity to strengthen family bonds!

From this day forward, when people ask me, why is God allowing "you fill in the name" to suffer like this, why doesn't He end his/her suffering, I will remind them, because God still has work for him or her and others close to him or her to do.  Likely we may never know what that work is or was but if we're blessed, it will be revealed when the suffering person leaves this world.

I close with this final moment of peace for me the day my father-in-law died.  The morning of his death, circumstances left me in the room with him alone.  I used that opportunity, to go to his bedside and holding his hand, I thanked him for accepting me into his family and expressed my love for him. I told him that he could relax knowing that I will continue to love and care for his daughter, my wife, as long as I live.  I then told him I wanted to share a bible verse that my mother insisted that I memorize when I was a very young boy.  I told him I never forgot it and it continues to be my favorite Psalm from the King James Version of the Bible.  I then recited Psalm 23 with a broken voice and tears.  

I'm unsure whether he heard a word I said, but later that day he passed away peacefully and I'm so glad I had these private minutes with him to share what had been on my heart and mind for so long.

Thanks be to God.

Time to Refocus My Life....

I look back on my life and I've been working since I was old enough to walk and talk.  I know many of you laugh at this comment, but it's true.  I grew up on a family farm in central Georgia and all members had "chores" as soon as they were able to walk, communicate, and understand.  Assigned chores at a young age were performed under close supervision of an adult but as I grew older, more responsibility was put on my plate.  I remember plowing fields with a tractor after school when I was maybe 9 or 10 years old.  I would have to stand on the tractor running board and use all my weight to engage the clutch and/or brake.  Yes, I did damage a fence once or twice as I learned.

On May 15, 2019 at 63 years of age, I work my last day as a paid civil servant of the Georgia State Financing and Investment Commission and I move on to the final chapter of my life.  Some call it retirement.  I call it a new adventure.  As my new adventure card above indicates, I will be doing many things but they will likely fall into one of the 5 categories shown on the card; Explorer, Inventor, Artist, Craftsman, and Sower of Seed (2 Corinthians 9:6-15 NIV).

I look forward to continuing to share my new life adventures here at https://www.fairclothcove.com

Thanks be to God.

Baby It's Cold Outside but It's Hot on Social Media and News

I awoke this morning and moved on with my Christmas routine.  After showering and readying for work, I relaxed in our kitchen with a cup of coffee and listened to Dean Martin's 1959 version of “Baby It’s Cold Outside”.  I listened because I was curious.  Since I’m not a member of the Facebook Social Club, I’ve been hearing bits and pieces of conversations from friends about the controversy surrounding this particular song, not the performer Dean Martin but the song “Baby It’s Cold Outside”, curiosity got the better of me. 

It’s a snappy tone, usually sang by a female and male in which they verbally debate the ending of their obvious date.   The female argues that it’s time to call it a night and go home, while the male responds with reasons why she should stay.

My google search showed that this song has been recorded many time by many different people.  To name a few:

Johnny Mercer and Margaret Whiting, 1949 
 Ray Charles and Betty Carter, 1957

Homer & Jethro with June, 1953

Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton, 2004

Lady Antebellum, 2008

Louis Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald, 1955

Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone, 2003

Kelly Clarkson and Ronnie Dunn, 2013

I could continue on, it’s an old song that has been around for going on 76 years.  It continues to be popular even today or it would have been long gone after its first release back in 1942 as was Glenn Miller's performance of “Moonlight Cocktail” back in 1942.  “Moonlight Cocktail was composed by Luckey Roberts with lyrics by Kim Gannon. It never resonated with the public and other than an occasional resurrection in the past 76 years, “Moonlight Cocktail” stays in the unvisited graveyard of historic music. 

So what’s my point? How can a 76 year old song that has been extremely popular since it was released, recorded by dozens of artists over the years, be wrapped up in so much controversy today?  My answer is social media.  

I’ve long believed that the United States of American is strong because it’s a melting pot of cultures. People who came and continue to come to the United States are here in pursuit of liberty, justice, and freedom.  After they arrived and assimilated, they remember their heritage but they became “Americans” first and foremost.  

I also believe that the down fall of the United States will not come from invasion by a foreign government.  It will not come from economic collapse.  The United States will fall because of internal conflict and strife.  

Years ago, I walked away from Facebook because, even then I saw the evil that social media of this type brings to the world.  Granted, it has some good points, but I believe the Devil exists and his instrument of destruction is social media.  

If you look up the meaning of “strife” you will find a definition similar to this: “angry or bitter disagreement over fundamental issues; conflict”.There is no negotiation or reasonable discussion in "strife".  It tears at the fabric of society.

So now let’s close the circle.  As I watch the “strife” developing over the song “Baby It’s Cold Outside”, I know the fuel to this strife is the news media which is profit driven and in social media which is also profit driven.  What social media does is also provide a battleground for social strife fueled by anger, confusion, and sometimes hate.

So how does one cope in these turbulent times?  I can only advise on what works for me.

First, cut yourself off from social media and if you can’t cut yourself off, at least limit it to people you closely know and/or family members. Focus on positives if you must participate.  Do not be afraid to block people who are filled with hate and fuel social strife.

With regard to news, I limit myself to local news media only.  I focus of current events and the good things going on in my community. All other sources tend to drive me towards worry.  

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Matthew 6:27 NIV.  “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 NIV.

Lastly, I pray a lot; all the while, remembering the words of Psalm 46:10 NIV:

"He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”"

Thanks be to God.

Anxiety

Years ago, I made a conscious decision to no longer follow the national news.  I'm sure you all know why.  I gave up Facebook for similar reasons.  This leaves me with "Messenger", "Email" and "Instagram".  Instagram is now turning into Facebook since being purchased by Facebook so it will only be a matter of time before I pull the plug on it also.

This past weekend, my wife and I traveled to a Methodist Retreat on St. Simons Island.  While there I was exposed to national news once again as we dined at local restaurants which all seem to have big screen tv's turned to a national news network.  In only a few minutes, I was flooded with stories and images of murder, anger, corruption, violence, perversion, and vanity.  Only interrupted by fund raising advertisements for "cruelty to animal" advertisements showing suffering kittens, dogs, and wild life and how our contribution of $5 per day could save these suffering animals.  What about the suffering human animals in the world?

Needless to say, my weekend of R&R was finished with a full tank of anxiety from just the short exposures to the broadcast media's mind control garbage flooding the screens that surrounded me.

When I returned home, I read stories on the local news websites of local college girls who were subjected to an attempted kidnapping from a local grocery store parking lot adjacent to a college.  The suspect was identified and when police went to his residence, he had hung himself!  I read story of a man found shot in the neck, laying in a ditch in Savannah, alive but in serious condition. I read a story of two men found in a local apartment both with gun shot wounds, apparently shooting each other during an argument.  And of course I read the story of 3 dead and 11 wounded at a Jacksonville online gaming completion at a bar downtown!

With my anxiety level high from media overload (doesn't take but minutes a day for me), I fall back on the bible for help.

Psalms 46:10 KJV:

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."

As for me, back to my favorite TV station:

EMPTY CABINETS AND REFRIGERATOR, MONDAY NIGHT, SATISFY A HUNGRY FAMILY SUPPER DISH

Servings: 4 Prep Time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
4 Oscar Mayer Wieners
4 Generic Hot Dog Buns
4 oz of Finely Shredded Cheddar Cheese
4 oz of Finely Shredded Mexican Style Blend Cheese
8 oz of Salad Shell Pasta
2 tb of Mrs. Campbell’s Chow Chow 4-6 pieces of Dole Pineapple Chunks

DIRECTIONS:
My inspiration for this recipe came from sme.86 on Instagram. She posted a photo of a mac & cheese dog served up at “Franks & Sammies”. Thanks Sylvia.

Of course, my other motivation was to make sometime that resembled the wonderful mac & cheese dog in her photo but work only with what I have at the time in my cabinets and refrigerator. So here we go.

First I started about 1 quart of lightly salted water boiling in a small sauce pan. I also started another 1 quart of water boiling in a second small sauce pan.In this first sauce pan of boiling water, I put about 8 oz of salad shell pasta I found in the cabinet left over from a previous recipe. I reduced the heat to medium/low.

In the second sauce pan of boiling water, I put 4 Oscar Mayer Wieners reducing the heat to a to mid- low and low boiler.

After about 10 minutes of cooking the pasta shells, I drained them and put them back into the same sauce pan. I then put about 4 oz of cheddar cheese and 4 oz of Mexican blend cheese in with the hot pasta shells and stirred with spoon until the pasta and cheese was smooth and creamy.

I then took a plate and place a hot dog bun on it, retrieved a hotdog from the slow boiling water of the second sauce pan and placed it in the bun. I immediately covered it with the mac/cheese shells. I topped it with two table spoons of Mrs. Campbell’s Chow Chow.

I sprinkled it with Galbani grated Parmesan cheese because I had some in the refrigerator and we all know, “You can never have too much cheese.”

I slide the plate in the microwave for 30 seconds to warm things back up and then served it with 6 chucks of Dole Pineapple on the side.

Of course, you have to eat this dish with a fork but boy is it good. Enjoy!

PHOTOS:

Some Time to Think

It has been a while since I’ve posted but life has gotten in the way.  This week, one of life’s bumps in the road has afforded me some time to rest and think.  To make a long story short, I fell ill earlier in the week with symptoms of an upper respiratory infection that was diagnosed yesterday by my family physician as Influenza Type 2 (bird flu). 

So, under the influence of a steroid injection and unable to sleep last night, my thoughts drifted back to my childhood and what takeaways influenced me as an adult.  Before I jump into the list, let me first paint the picture of the place I grew up. 

I grew up on a small family farm located about 5 miles from Rentz, Georgia.  The farm was about 100 acres in size with approximately 70 acres in cultivation and 30 acres in timber.  There are 5 children in my family and I was on the next to last stair step in age (oldest to youngest).  The age span from oldest to youngest is 18 years.  This means when I’m 6 years old, my oldest sibling is a senior in high school, the next oldest is in junior high school, the middle sibling is in upper elementary school, I’ll be starting first grade next year, and the youngest sibling was just born.

Looking back it’s clear to me now, my childhood was not going to be quite as typical as most.  By the time I reach 8 years old, the oldest and only male sibling in the family has graduated from high school and is heading off to college. My two older sisters are now in high school and junior high and my baby sister is in her terrible two’s.

At this point, my father looked to me to become his #1 farm hand and this is where today's blog begins.  What were the takeaways from growing up a farm hand that shaped the personality I have today?

           How things work.  On the farm, we were farmers, mechanics, electricians, scientist, inventors, problem solvers, and engineers, depending on what the situation we faced demanded. Much of the knowledge shared from elders to youth was learned by trial and error or passed down by their elders but there was always great encouragement and celebration when a younger farm hand would come up with a better way to address an old problem. So I was always looking for new and better ways to do our daily farm tasks. Most were rejected but that occasional "home run" was thrilling!

      Patience.  This is one I cannot stress enough.  In an age of instant gratification we lose sight of the importance of patience. As a young man I can remember the overwhelming feeling of despair as I  looked at a 50 acre field that was going to have to be plowed knowing it would take days with the small tractor we had in those days to complete the task.  I would spend hour after hour in the cold or heat riding the tractor slowly but surely completing the task, one pass at a time.  At the end, there was great satisfaction looking back over the freshly plowed field and knowing that I had set a goal and seen it to completion.

      Faith.  It became clear to me at an early age that farming is a gamble.  You do all the right things; prepare the fields at the right time, plant the good seeds, fertilize them, cultivate and nurturing the crops, but in the end, there are no guarantees.  Insects, diseases, too much rain, not enough rain, storms, too hot, too cold, etc., can destroy or partially destroy your crop.  So one farms on faith.  Looking to the Lord to for strength and guidance when we plant our crops and we always gave thanks for the little or plentiful harvest received in the fall.

  
            Love.  If you were raised in a close knit farming community, over time you see the love of the people in the community.  I cannot list here all the acts of kindness I’ve seen during my youth but the ones that stand out include, my father making trips to an elderly neighbor’s house on summer nights to sit on his porch and share fellowship and bible study with him. The multitude of meals my mom prepared for the sick and shut ins in our community. And the neighbors and family that came to my own family’s assistant when my father broke his leg building our last home in the 1960’s.   They dried in the house while he was in recovery. 

      Peace.  I will always cherish my memories of laying in a trailer full of fresh picked cotton on a warm summer day and staring at the blue sky with clouds like massive cotton balls and wondering if this is what it’s like to be in heaven. Moments of peace were easily found in many places on the farm.

So these were my takeaways to this day.  How things work, I’ve used it for years, I able to look at complicated situations and quickly break them down to logical steps so the operations can be better understood, fixed or improved. 

Patience, a lost skill these days but still very necessary.  Otherwise no complicated project would ever get finished on time or in budget.  I guess with patience also comes focus, young grasshopper.

Faith, spiritual faith comes from within.  You have to open this door yourself.

Love and Peace, these comes with faith.  Once you’ve been touched by the Holy Spirit and accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, these two come easy. 

Thanks Be To God.