MEANWHILE IN THE LOUISIANA HOOD

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TRIP TO SOUTH LOUISIANA

WHEN MY SWEET FRIEND

OFFERED ME A RIDE

 WENT FOR A COUPLE OF HIKES 

WHILE THERE 

MARY BROWN NATURE CONSERVANCY

PROVED TO BE A LITTLE MUDDY

AS I WROTE IN 

YESTERDAY'S POST

WE ALSO EXPLORED

THE PORT HUDSON STATE PARK TRAILS

AND THEN

FIRST RAW

AND THEN
GRILLED

AND IF

YOU NEED

A LITTLE

LOUISIANA TREAT

YOU GOTTA LOVE

LIFE IN THE SOUTH!

OUT OF THE SLIMY PIT

While in South Louisiana visiting dear friends, we took a couple of hikes.  The first day found us at the Mary Brown Nature Conservancy.  Beautiful trails through the deep woods and bluffs of South Louisiana, I was prepared to enjoy a frolic through the forest.  

What I did not realize was two days before the area had 10 inches of rain fall in a very short period of time.  The National Highway had been closed for a period of time due to flooding.  AND there are beautiful streams that run through the land.

Add to this the unusually dry past few months they had experienced and you have all the ingridents necessary for a flash flood.  The dry ground had turned to sand and the vegetation was had died from lack of rain.  Then the waters pouring through the area pushed the sand and dirt down the dry creek beds.  It all comes to a halt when there is an obstacle such as a wooden bridge and the mud drops.

The first couple of bridges we crossed presented no problem, but then we found ourselves at the bottom of the ravine.  The mud was soft, gooey, and deep.  We began to explore ways around the deep mud filled trail.  It is NOT a pretty sight to see me pulling myself up the side of a deep ravine trying to get above the quick sand like obstacle.  My first try lead to turning around and retracing my steps to try the other side.  As I cling to trees and bushes trying to pull myself up and keep from sliding down, I am holding The Wonder Dog.  He may be traumatized for life.  FINALLY I make it to the edge of the bridge by walking the railing.  THEN there is another field of mud on the other side.  At this point, I get wise and follow in the footsteps of my friend, Mark.  Carefully placing my foot in the deep prints left when he crossed the mud filled path, I was able to get to the other side and climb the ravine to go around the remaining mud.  It was NO walk in the park.

While thinking this over, I began to realize how like life this little hike was.  The trail is often beautiful and luring us into a false sense of safety.  We turn a corner and there is the mud filled path staring us in the face.  Trying to get around it can prove to be a dead end and often we have to retrace our steps.  It often takes trial and error to realize someone is right in front of us pointing the way.  A trail of footprints, or crumbs, or arrows point the way for us.  All we have to do is stop looking at our toes (right past our navel) and glance in front of us to see we have been left directions on how to continue down the path.  

The mud of the trail and the mud of life can all be washed off.  The beauty of the trail can only be enjoyed if we work our way through the mud and continue down the path.  At the end of this trail was the most beautiful sight of the entire hike-

We would have missed it all had we not gone through the mud.  It was more than worth the struggle.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; 

he set my feet on a rock

 and gave me a 

firm place to stand.

Psalms 40:2

FITS LIKE A GLOVE

Once upon a time a life time ago, there was a unique small group-- I was blessed to be a part of this unique group.  Not unlike a family, members floated in and out over the years, but once a member of the family always a member.  There is a special bond that forms when you live life together and nothing can break the tie that binds. Something about living through the good and bad; lean and plenty; ups and downs tightly knits you into a lasting relationship.  How many times have I heard one of the members say how much they miss the group.  Each and every time I reply, "It was a once in a lifetime experience--never to be recaptured."

Then there was the group formed around the common interest of running.  With age and injury, this group has certainly changed greatly over the years.  Nothing can take away all the miles we ran together, all the laughter, the tears, and solving the problems of the world.  With a wide assortment of athletic ability, some took the sport far more serious than others.  One thing we shared though was the love of community when pounding the pavement in all kinds of weather.  Oh, the stories we share.

Some groups come in very small sizes.  There are relationships that span half a century.  Though they change with circumstances, nothing can ever take away the hours of discussion and the trials and successes of life lived together.  With time comes a familiarity not to be equaled.

Perhaps the nucleus of forming community begins with a family.  The very root of where we learn to live life with others.  The give and take, love and bickering, triumph and dismay of standing shoulder to shoulder with those of our own and walking the path through this life creates our first community group.

The circles of love and friendship in our lives is amazing.  When we sit down and think of all those we are connected with in various ways it is amazing how richly we are blessed.  Connection and relationships are what this world is all about.  No two groups are the same and all are filled with individuals which create the one of a kindness never to be imitated.

In each and every group or community we are blessed to participate in, we bring our unique personality.  What we bring to the table in each one is our birthright gifts.  The role we play in one group may be entirely different from another.  We are charged with using the gift which best suits the needs of each group.  When we identify and fill the role we are meant to play, then the group functions at its best cohesiveness.  Only when we all perform to the best of our abilities for our unique tasks does the group achieve its highest function.  

Groups have come and gone over the years--some will be eternal--some for a season.  God created us to live in community and we are responsible for seeking out the community which fits like a glove.  Close but not binding--protecting but not stifling--warm but not smothering--I am always seeking relationships which fit like a glove.

YOU TOO?

The past weeks have seen a fire storm of "Me Too's".  What started as a blown whistle on an influential member of the Hollywood elite, has grown into a social media viral epidemic.  The question seems to be not who is a member of the society of "Me Too," but who is the rare individual who has never been initiated.

The fire storm has lead to plenty of discussion, and what I have walked away from almost every encounter with was a profound and deep sadness over the deep injury that has been wrecked upon more than I would have ever imagined.  The field is littered with bodies of not only women, but even men who are some point in their life have been inappropriately taken advantage of in a sexual manner.  It's not a new thing---the stories are legion for young and old alike who have been scarred.  The strong taking advantage of the weak is as old as the beginnings of time.

Why now has it come to light?  Somehow the barrier of shame has been torn down and the cleansing has begun.  We didn't talk about these things most of my life--the shame of allowing an incident to happen always sat squarely on the shoulders of the victim.  As if somehow we could prevent a stronger, more influential, more powerful, and sometimes dearly loved attacker from making their lewd advances.  Silence came from shame---the victim was the one who bore the mantle of shame and sadly--the attacker walked away with no consequences to strike again.  The mantle of shame is heavy and can only be stripped away with the admittance of what happened.  With time, the mantle becomes part of the daily uniform one would never walk out the door without.  Shame is a powerful emotion that influences the vision we have of ourselves.  It influences each and every relationship in our lives.  Until it is stripped away, we are never free from the burden of self condemnation.

Thankfully many are being released from their burden of shame by coming forward and shouting, "Me Too".  Perhaps social media is not the best place to release the mantle, but better there than never.  At some point, one must face what happened, lay the blame with the perpetrator, and walk away free from the shame of something you had little or no control over.  Swallowing the lie that somehow one is complacent becomes a chronic life altering weight.  The worst part is telling the story the first time.  When one sees they are not blamed or loved any less, the path to freedom begins.  With freedom from this unmerited shame, life begins to be lived with greater joy and renewed purpose.

SHAME on those who cross the boundary of decentness and take advantage of another by forcing uninvited advances.  There is NO justification under any circumstances for refusing to acknowledge, "No".   There is NO SHAME for the innocent victim --and hopefully freedom from this lie from Hell will lift-----when that first step of telling someone,

"Me Too"

is taken.  And the best news I have for those who have been victimized, Jesus is in the business of redemption and restoration.  He WILL deliver us from our distress!

6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,

 and he delivered them from their distress.

Psalms 107:6

THE LAMB OF GOD

OH, WASH ME WITH

YOUR PRECIOUS BLOOD

BLESSED SABBATH,

DEAR FRIENDS

HEADED TO BANKRUPTCY!

It can prove to be a delicate guessing game to have enough funds to last until we leave this terrestrial ball for a better place.  My in laws saved their entire life for "The Big Illness".  In his 80's, my father in law had to have open heart surgery and my sweet mother in law was incapacitated with dementia.  I told Pappaw one day, during all of this, that the Big Illness he had saved for his entire life was here and it was time to spend some of that stash.  He was still reluctant--you never know what might lie down the road.

One of my long term client's step mother lived long into her 90's.  He took care of her finances and told me she ran out of money for all the expensive extensive end of life care the month she died.  He was greatly relieved she had enough funds to last her until that final curtain call.

I am at the point in life where this is a concern for me.  Though I have end of life plans in place, I do not have a crystal ball and so far God has not revealed how long I will be here.  I live a quiet non-extravagant life trying to ensure my needs will be taken care of by the savings I have.  I hope to be like the client's step mother and have just enough to make those final payments with no need to file bankruptcy.

This brought to mind a statement made to me by my sweet friend who is a therapist.  She told me that we give a piece of our heart to everyone we love.  I often quote this and reflect upon the validity of this.  I have a host of family and friends I love---and they each hold a piece of my heart.  There is still plenty of heart to go around to the new family and friends God Blesses me with.  It is risky to love and give away a piece of our heart.  It is gone forever once we allow another to claim a piece.  It is a risk I am willing to take.  I had rather die bankrupt of heart- with not one piece left than to stop taking the risk.  Something tells me if we hold on to our heart--it becomes hardened-calcified and is of little use to anyone.   The beauty of it all is with each piece we give away--God fills that void with His presence.  He will never allow us to become bankrupt of heart by loving others.  His presence provides an unending supply of love---for God Himself is Love.  Go ahead and give away all you want--His supply is endless and there is never a threat of bankruptcy of heart--when God is the fountain of endless love.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love

I John 4:8

YOU HAVE BEEN REPLACED

I recently heard a story about someone being replaced in their job.  After giving their all and creating a successful program, they decided to join a new venture.  The change has not transitioned as smoothly as hoped.  Human emotions and expectations get in the way and when the almighty dollar is involved it puts an entirely different spin on things.  The ability to replace us is a big life lesson.

As I thought this over, the current controversy over taking a knee by professional football players during the  "National Anthem" shot to the surface.  This post is NOT about  your position on this hot button.  I have though thought of the movie from many years ago, "The Replacements".  The news seems to indicate the corporate headquarters are feeling the wrath of the people and their bottom line has been affected.  There is threat of a new rule--take a knee--don't play.  You will be replaced.

When I walked out of my CPA office for the last time, I knew I would be replaced.  The fact of the matter is I could have sat behind that desk until my last breath.  My clients, Bless Their Hearts, would have paid their respects and begun the search for their next CPA in the same day.  Realizing this is how mankind works made it much easier to leave the pencil behind and walk out the door.  These are the facts and I am not hurt or upset one second about it.

We can be replaced in almost every role in our lives, someone can step in and take our place.  The chair seat will hardly have time to cool before someone else plops down to enjoy the warmth we left behind.  When we start thinking we are irreplaceable--we are headed down the path to disappointment.  Someone else can always step into our shoes.

HERE IS THE REALLY GOOD NEWS---NO ONE can fill our unique shoes.  We bring something to the table in each and every relationship which is unique.  God created us all different and we act and react differently from our fellow man. We might be replaced, but we take our unique personalities with us when we walk away.  Perhaps the bitterness of swallowing someone taking our place can be mellowed with the sweetness of our uniqueness.  I take great comfort in knowing I am uniquely and perfectly created for His good purpose.  I celebrate our God given uniqueness.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.[a]
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.

Psalm  139:14