GLORIA

EVERY KNEE

SHALL THEN

BOW DOWN

BLESSED SABBATH,

DEAR FRIENDS!

MEANWHILE HERE IN THE HOOD

MY FRIEND
WHO HAS A GAME CAMERA
TELLS ME THE RACOONS
CHANGED THE SETTINGS ON HER CAMERA
TO VIDEO

I SUPPOSE
THEY WANTED
A FAMILY SELFIE
OF THEM
STEALING HER CORN

CHRISTMAS WAS
OFFICIALLY
USHERED IN
WITH THIS
PRESENTATION

I NEVER CEASED TO BE AMAZED
AT THE HUGE POOL
OF VERY TALENTED PEOPLE
HERE IN RUSTON

THE LOCAL CAMPERS & BUSINESSES
TEAMED UP AT THE
LINCOLN PARISH PARK
AND PROVIDED HOLIDAY LIGHTS &
DECORATIONS
FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW

RUSTON IS ALL
DECKED OUT
FOR THE SEASON

AND THERE IS EVEN
AN ICE SKATING RINK
DURING DECEMBER



THERE IS NOTHING
QUITE LIKE
CHRISTMAS
IN A SMALL
SOUTHERN CITY!

CHRISTMAS IS ON ITS WAY
HERE IN THE HOOD

POSTURING

Hero, The Wonder Dog, is all show and no action.  When we take our thrice daily strolls, if any dog or cat for that matter happens to catch his eye, he puts on an award winning performance.  His hackles go up, he is snorting and blowing, growling and spitting, and itching for a fight-----as long as he is in my arms.

For you see, to protect the not so smart (Hero), I scoop him up as soon as he begins the show opening overture.  The truth of the matter is the ten pound (yes he has gained two pounds--25% of his body weight) wonder dog does not stand a chance---even in a fight with a cat--he would be down for the count before the opening curtain was all the way up.

IF--I left him down on the ground--and IF the intruder dared approach--Hero would curl up in a sniveling heap before the fight ever got off the ground.  He's all storm and bluster---in an effort to warn off any potential threat--he puts on a great show---trying to avoid being bullied.  What the other dog does not know is the amount of time Hero spends shaking and quaking--tail tucked--hiding behind my legs.  He is a BIG sacredy cat!  All this carrying on is posturing---in an effort to appear to be someone he is not.

We've all experienced overt bullying in our lives.  The bullying I've noticed lately is the subtle variety.  The snide remarks--off-hand comments--verbal bombs thrown casually into a conversation.  Perhaps you are able to let these pass--I am more prone to analyze--and re-analyze anything that is said.  I am no Ouiser and will let the moment pass without quick retort or jab.  I will walk away and play and replay the remarks in an effort to understand where they are coming from and why.  Why would someone seemingly purposefully make a remark that stings to the core?

I have finally come to the conclusion, it is all about posturing.  It really has little to do with me, and a great deal to do with them.  Their feeling of inferiority creates a need to throw up defense lines in a effort to defray the imaginary contest in their heads.  Sadly we feel like if we show others how little we think of them or put them in their place we will get the upper hand before a contest begins.

PEOPLE---LIFE IS NOT A CONTEST!  

We have become so shell shocked by bullying and competing in all forms, that we immediately take the offense---for no apparent reason.  We are trying to get the upper hand before the dukes are ever raised.  This, My Friends, is not so subtle bullying.  

With all this said, I am interested in hearing your thoughts on bullying in your own life.  What is your response?  What do you think causes it?  How do you handle it?  

Praying we all would remember---Jesus was NO BULLY!  He appears for the most part to be a gentle man who commanded great attention when he spoke.  He had no need to bully anyone--His reputation preceeded Him.  IF ONLY--we could all learn from Him and become more like Him daily.  Praying for wisdom.

29 Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words,

 the kind that build up and provide what is needed, 

so that what you say will do good to those who hear you

Ephesians 4:29

LESSONS FROM HERO

The official vet's verdict is in about Hero--he is borderline obese.  She advised no more weight gain for the wonder dog.  BUT I only feed him from these little dog food cans and we walk three times a day--WHAT could be the problem?  What am I going to do with Hero?

Although Hero is the one stuffing his face, so far, he does not have thumbs is not able to serve his own food.  I am the one fixing his bowl full of kibble and wet food.  Unfortunately if he comes walking into the room with his empty bowl in his mouth, I am a sucker for a hungry dog.  When He brings the bowl in and sits it on the floor in front of me and proceeds to lick the empty bowl cleaner than before, G U I L T---rears its ugly head.  I am OFF to the pantry to refill the slick as a whistle bowl.  Instead of Pablo having a dog here in the hood, Hero has a Lulu who performs upon command.  All it takes is the empty bowl trick and I am responding.

And THEN there is the begging trick!  When I am eating, he sits directly in front of me or by my side and looks pleadingly at me.  The looks says I am starving--haven't had a meal for at least ten minutes.  HOW can you eat in front of me and not offer me a bite.  The   SUCKER  shows up again!  I rationalize one little morsel won't hurt!  BUT if I give him the morsel before I have cleaned my plate--one leads to more.

WE ALL know Hero also gets a treat for every successful walk.  So we walk around the block once or twice and he gets a bacon strip.  Who WOULDN'T sit at the door and beg to go for a walk.  He knows at the end of the glorious sniff-a-thon adventure, he gets a bacon strip for producing what comes natural to all dogs.

SO the problem seems to be ME!  My choice is to be Hero's encourager or his enabler and I have sadly turned into his enabler.  I am the one to blame for Hero's over consumption.  I am providing the calories which are expanding his girth. 

POOR HERO!  His master can't say No--when No is the best response!

Who else am I enabling?  Who else am I not encouraging to form healthy habits? Who am I unwilling to say, "No!" to when no is the right response?  We are not just speaking of eating habits here--though I am a sucker for a dinner invitation--we are talking about life sustaining habits or deadly habits of sin.  Would I offer an alcoholic a glass of wine?  Would I invite a friend to skip Bible study for a movie?  Would I not speak truth when presented with life destroying problems?  Do I listen to gossip when changing the subject would be better?   Do I shirk my responsibilities towards others in an effort to stay in their favor?  HMMM---who is the common denominator---ME!  I have total control over which "en" I will be---hopefully I will have the courage to pick the best path.

13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

Roman 14:13

MESSIAH

A

BABY BORN

TO SAVE

US ALL

BLESSED SABBATH,

DEAR FRIENDS

THE REAL STORY

ONE OF MY

FAVORITE

TELLINGS

OF THE

REASON

FOR THE SEASON

WHAT'S FAIR ABOUT THAT!

Once upon a time---LONG ~ LONG ago, I worked for a bank.  I began working when I was nineteen years of age---A BABY!  By the way--I also had a baby and he was ten weeks old when I began this job (sometime work is a necessity--if you like to eat and live in a warm [or cool in the South] house).  I was thrilled to get the job--the thrill soon wore off--but I loved my job (except for the long hours, standing on my feet all day, and working on Saturday---otherwise I loved it).  

                                   (NOT the actual bank I worked for

and the names have been

omitted to protect the guilty)

The bank employees soon clued me in to the annual rite of the "Christmas Bonus"---I believe when I was hired the CEO might have even made mention of the expected windfall.  I was among the working poor in those days and the very thought of extra cash sent me into delusions of  a meal out--paying old bills--and perhaps even a visit from Santa.  The "CATCH" (there is ALWAYS a catch) was you had to be employed by the bank for a certain amount of time--SO I was out of the running that first year or maybe two (my memory fails me on that detail).  NO smiles for me when the envelopes were passed out and others were grinning from ear to ear!  BUT the carrot of the future promised bonus kept me plugging away!

Fast forward (aren't you glad I am not boring you with the details of banking in the last century) to the year of the promised bonus.  I have planned and re-planned exactly how I was going to spend that windfall over and over.  As Christmas neared, I was living in anticipation of my own fat envelope being handed to me.  AND THEN---there was an employee meeting called--EVERYONE had to attend.  I cannot tell you all that was said--for I was thrown into the pit at these words

The bank board had made a decision to cut out the bonus in favor of starting a profit sharing plan--which is a long ago ploy to entice employees to stay around for their entire working careers.  In a nutshell, the bonus money would be put into a profit sharing account, you were were NOT vested until you had worked for the bank for X number of years (that means you have no rights to the money until you were there for that long).  After a certain age (remember I was either 20 or 21), you could withdraw the funds---or transfer them to a retirement account in your name--to be used AFTER you reached some advanced age--like 50).  To add insult to injury--I was not yet old enough to be a participant in the Profit Sharing Account.  OH--and by the way---IF you left earlier than your full vestature--the funds went back into a slush fund. 

Color me F U R I O U S!  This WAS NOT FAIR!  I had worked just as hard and diligently (maybe more than some) and was not going to reap the year end benefits.  I fumed for a L O N G time over the injustice of it all!  My entire attitude was affected.  It was a matter of months before I resigned from the bank and went back to school.  Perhaps one of my best decisions E V E R!  It was just the jump start I needed to plunge myself into debt and the unknown world of how I would eat and support my son to obtain that degree.  BUT I DID IT--with God's help and a swift kick in the rear by the unfairness of the world.

Fast forward and I have an accounting degree in hand, a CPA certificate, and have obtained LOTS of knowledge about the business world.  In my old age, and looking with another set of eyes filled with accounting wisdom, I now saw why the profit sharing plan was a good idea for the bank.  Those employees who had been loyal and stuck it out were handsomely rewarded for their years of service.  Though NO enticement for a wet behind the ears 20 year old, it was a prudent and good financial decision for the bank management.  With my new perspective and a great job I loved even more than banking, I now forgave the unfairness of the dropped bonus.

If you want fair, it comes around once a year and has rides and exhibits.  Fair is NOT a promise in this world or life.   While the loss of a bonus was NOT fair by any means, it worked for my good.  When we are struck by injustice, the only options are to stew in our anger for the remainder of our days and grow old and ugly with hatred or shake it off, pick up the pieces and move forward.  SO thankful with God's help, I moved forward.  

There are wonderful memories of working in the bank and I made life long friendships from those three years.  It also was the catalyst for pointing me in the direction of my future career, since I became fascinated with numbers during this short stint as a banker.  So much good--and truly only one injustice (well except for women not being paid on equal footing with men~that's another day's post) came from this experience.  One more example--that God can use ALL THINGS for our good and His glory.

11 I also saw other things in this life that were not fair. The fastest runner does not always win the race; the strongest soldier does not always win the battle; wise people don’t always get the food; smart people don’t always get the wealth; educated people don’t always get the praise they deserve. When the time comes, bad things can happen to anyone!
Ecclesiastes 9:11