Cushion of the Sea

"There is what is called the 'cushion of the sea.' Down beneath the surface that is agitated by storms, and driven about with winds, there is a part of the sea that is never stirred. When we dredge the bottom and bring up the remains of animal and vegetable life we find that they give evidence of not having been disturbed in the least, for hundreds and thousands of years. The peace of God is that eternal calm which, like the cushion of the sea, lies far too deep down to be reached by any external trouble and disturbance; and he who enters into the presence of God, becomes partaker of that undisturbed and undisturbable calm."  Dr. A. T. Pierson

After putting down the two inch Christian History book I couldn't get into, I picked up a friend. It's been over 30 years since my friend, Jeanne, gave me a copy of Streams in the Desert. It was my primary devotion book for a number of years as I learned how to deal with and overcome the trials of life through the many readings in this book. Jeanne's been gone now for several years, but my heart will always remember her when I pick up this book.

The top quote is from the October 20th selection in Streams in the Desert, accompanied by a most loved verse from Philipians 4:7: "And the peace of God, which transcends all our powers of thought, will be a garrison to guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

The first verse of a poem, title missing, by Harriet Beecher Stowe expresses it so well:

"When winds are raging o'er the upper ocean,
And billows wild contend with angry roar,
'Tis said, far down beneath the wild commotion,
That peaceful stillness reignth evermore."

Ah, the cushion of the sea. Do you have it? That undescribable feeling of well being that can't be pushed away. It's yours for the asking.

The other week we drove out to Western Maryland to get some snaps of the fall colors. I was a little disappointed in the colors, and had to enhance them to bring them out. The first two snaps I've enhanced. The snap directly above is sitting on my front step. I love the colors in it!

One sign, below, that we found on a mountain road delighted me--not that bears are killed, but that there are bears! We drove up a mountain to an overlook I remembered and as we were driving back down the other side the sign caught my attention immediately! The paper recently reported that 94 bears were killed in Western Maryland during bear season this year. I didn't realize we had so many bears in Maryland, and that's only the ones killed. I'll have to find a good bear watching place out there! I'm still looking for a wild bear to snap! It's one of my life's dreams.

The beginning of my third year of retirement is here. I've noticed I'm still learning to slow down, realizing I don't have to be active all the time or do things quickly. There's plenty of time for everything.

I'm so glad I picked up my friend and was reminded once again, of the peace of God that is ever present, deep down in my soul! I've enjoyed reading from it several mornings now, and think it's time to reread this devotion book and find the encouraging words each day! Even the encourager needs to be encouraged!

For the Love of a Chip

Yes, that's me, doing my thing as an Utz representative! Utz and I go way back to my growing up years. I've never found a chip I liked better!

It's been over 20 years since I visited the Utz factory to see how my favorite chips were made. When we arrived at the plant, we glanced through some brochures provided by the company. One of the brochures began with the history of the first potato chip.

"The year was 1853. The place was 'Moon's Place,' a popular resort in Saratoga Springs, New York. There, an Indian cook named Aunt Kate accidently dropped a very thin potato into hot fat. As Aunt Kate fished the crispy morsel from the fat, restaurant owner, George Crum happened by and tasted America's first potato chip . . ."

There are four steps in making potato chips: potato selection, preparation, frying, and, inspection and seasoning. Attendants on the production line observe all the chips and pick out the dark ones. It only takes 30 minutes from raw potato to packaged and ready-for-delivery chips.

I wrote an article about my experience and shared it with the company. The president, Michael Rice, wrote a nice note back to me and said, "I asked one of our sales supervisors in your area to deliver an Utz logo can to you." A special touch!

They are strong community supporters, and right now they are supporting breast cancer research. If you've never, which I can't believe, tried Utz potato chips, now's a great time to do it!

Early in our marriage Jerry and I were in North Carolina. Jerry went into a store to pick up some potato chips for me. "They didn't have any Utz," he said, "so I bought these." Being the young, immature girl that I was, I quickly told him, "I only eat Utz!" I guess he's gotten use to me by now.

All through my life, Utz potato chips have been my friend. Just a plain, old, regular potato chip. A simple delight to make a day go better. You just have to smile!

Limitations

I love hearing and singing Southern Gospel music. I have been exposed to hundreds of songs and singers I'd never heard or seen before when we started watching the Gaither Homecoming videos. We still enjoy watching them to this day.

One of my favorite groups is The Booth Brothers. They were introduced on the Freedom Band Homecoming video in 2002. I immediately was drawn to their singing style and have enjoyed them ever since.

I enjoy reading the Singing News magazine that comes out monthly. The stories are inspiring, and I can find out where my favorite groups are playing. I also get emails from Singing News keeping me up-to-date on happenings, and I can pull them up on their website.

That's where I saw a video of the Singing News Fan Awards show. And that's where I heard Michael Booth's speech accepting the award for favorite tenor in 2013. It's his words that caught my attention, and that I pass along to you here.

He began by talking about his limitations in singing. Then he said, " . . . God is not affected by our limitations . . . matter of fact, I believe He uses them in ways that we can't imagine . . . so I just want to tell God thank you for limiting me so that I know anything that is effective has come from Him, and I can give Him the glory for it and have confidence in Him alone."

I certainly know my own limitations, and it's all God who gives me the words to write to encourage hearts. After writing for over 20 years, I'm still amazed at words I write and know it was God who gave me the words.

What are your limitations? Can someone do it better? Do you feel inadequate with your gift(s)? I've recently begun writing folks in my church family, beginning with those families I haven't written to before, to encourage them in their Christian walk. These are some of the words I'm sharing: "Thank you for serving God with your gifts. Every one of us are important for God's work to be accomplished. I encourage you to stand tall for Christ, displaying His love with courage and using your gift(s) for His glory."

No one can do what God has called YOU to do. You've been given the ability to work for Him with just the right skill and talent to bring the results He needs done. As Michael said: "God is not affected by our limitations."

On the CD that is pictured below, I was introduced to a new song to me. "Sweet Will of God." I just love it when I hear a song that touches my heart and soul. Thank you, Michael, for letting God use you to encourage and inspire His people.

Limitations? You've been given everything you need to fulfill God's purpose in your life. To witness for Him and serve Him. As Michael said: "I know anything that is effective has come from Him and I can give Him the glory for it!"

Fall is in the air!

True Confession

So, did I turn on the television Saturday evening and watch Cedar Cove? (See last week's post.) I was going too. God knew it. He took care of it.  The television broke. Up to Saturday evening the television worked fine.

Don't you just love it when He takes control of something? It makes you get a silly grin on your face and a big smile in your heart. Yes, I confess, I was going to watch it again. But a power stronger than me took control.

Instead of being mad and frustrated that I was going to miss the episode, I just shook my head in amazement. As it turns out, we could still watch videos, so we put in a Gaither Homecoming video and was lifted into the heights with praiseworthy songs.

But if this is a true confession I must tell you I pulled the Cedar Cove website on Sunday and read the recap of the episode. The great thing I discovered is the finale is this coming Saturday. Even so, I'm glad I experienced this struggle and was reminded God controls all things . . . even me. I wouldn't have it any other way!

We ended up buying a new television. After all, Nascar would be on and Jerry didn't want to miss it. Decided the one bought it was too wide so we took it back and got a smaller one. Our friend, Cindy, came over to hook it up and program it. Just too complicated for us at this stage in our lives.

And I also must confess that I flunked reading. In plain langugage. That's Christian History in Plain Language. It's not that plain. I've tried, but I'm not retaining very much. I don't know if the two inch book is just too daunting, my older mind is rebelling or it's not interesting.

I'm going to give it a little bit longer before I put it on the shelf for another time. I so wanted to learn and was hoping the book was written for a simple mind. I can see that it is written plainer, but I just can't get into it.

And that concludes my true confession.

Top picture is from Gettysburg; a tree in the fog on a near road; geese bathing at Columbia park; three colts and their Mom's on a beautiful afternoon; Mr Buck was up with his buddies one rainy afternoon. Still thrills me to look out back and see them eating at our gate. After filling their stomachs they contently walked back to the woods.

Sucked In

Yes, I'm afraid so. I was sucked in to a television mini series at the beginning of the summer, and now I'm going to have to let it go.

When I first saw the advertisements for "Cedar Cove" on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday evenings I was looking forward to watching it. I'd never read any books by Debbie Macomber, but usually Hallmark provides good movies to watch.

One of my favorite authors, Janette Oke, had her first book series made into a movie on Hallmark, and it was a delight! Love Comes Softly paved the way for Christian fiction back in 1978. It came out about the time I was saved. There have been 8 or 9 sequels to the first TV movie, and I was hoping Cedar Cove would be as good.

When I first started watching Cedar Cove I decided it was a clean soap opera. With the interest of 10 million viewers (at least I think that was the number quoted) the series has continued into the fall and who knows how long.

After watching the episode the other week I seriously considered not watching it this past Saturday evening. But I turned on once again.

I stopped watching television shows more than 10 years ago and began a movie library of shows we can watch that are good entertainment, clean and positive. It's been much more enjoyable than turning on the television and not being sure of what my eyes will be explosed too.


Of course, I realize television shows are real life; life that goes on all around me. Bad things happen; people hurt people, and sex sells. I've experienced, seen and heard enough sad stories about life. Is this really what I want to be entertained with? Every time we expose our eyes to non Christian behavior our acceptance of that behavior becomes more relaxed.

Philippeans 4:8 tell us to think on " . . . whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—and anything excellent or praiseworthy.

Oh my, now that I'm caught up into the happenings of Cedar Cove I don't want to miss any episode. But I think there's a time coming, very soon, that the Hallmark Channel will not be turned on Saturday evenings to watch Cedar Cove.

This past Saturday evening I saw a preview of a movie titled "When Calls the Heart," and the title sounded familiar. Sure enough, it's another book series by Janette Oke scheduled to show on October 19th. I will certainly be tuned in to that!

What are some movies in my home library that are good entertaining shows? November Christmas, A Smile as Big as the Moon, Ring the Bell, Front of the Class, Beyond the Blackboard, Come Dance at my Wedding, Candles on Bay Street and The Note.How do these differ from shows like Cedar Cove? These shows are about life too, but dwell on the positive instead of the negative. Yes, things go wrong, but the story is uplifting instead of depressing.

Pictures: Early Sunday morning I took corn down to our backgate and saw Mom and two fawn along the tree line.  A little while later the fawn came up to eat. The buck came up the evening before. He's a big guy! Not a good snap because the light was low, but those antlers stand out! We had buck, doe and fawn all enjoying the corn and grass as the sun went down Saturday evening. My fall garden is still looking lovely! The fawn's face below looks so forlorn. Mom turned around before they got to eat corn. I'm sure the little fellow is saying: "Gee Mom, why can't we eat some delicious corn!"