A few weeks ago, I posted on my blog and FB about a wonderful birthday party I had for a sweet young girl here at The Creekhouse Pool.  My sweet friend, Juliann, whom I do not get to see very often anymore, posted that it would be fun to have a party here to celebrate her retirement.  She has been a teacher for about 100 years….not really, cause we are the same age, but she taught all of our friends children and mine and then she moved over to teach in GA. for awhile.  She is just a born teacher.    So, we settled on a date and decided to invite some of our friends from ‘way back’.  You know that term- ‘way back’?  We were all young girls…newly married and newly parents and newly working…and we bonded in church together at Southside.  We went to Sunday School together and we taught choirs together and we eventually taught Sunday School,and Bible Drills and Missions and choirs.  And, everyone’s children became our children.  We watched them grow and struggle.  Some headed straight, some took the wrong path, but eventually, they all remembered their ‘training’ and got in line.  When one was struggling in school, we all gave our opinions.  Some of our friends were actually the other children’s teachers.  Which made for a hard year for the kids…they could get away with nothing.  And eventually, they graduated and we celebrated with each Mom as they graduated from college!

And so, those of us who were able to make it, gathered at my house and had a wonderful time catching up on each other’s news and things that had transpired.  We talked of children (they would hate to be called that now) who are engaged to marry, and those who have just married.  We talked of grandchildren and how different things are now than when we were raising our own.  We talked of friends of friends and those we had lost touch with.  We talked of parents and those who are no longer with us.  We remembered old days at church and at school with our children.  All but 2 of the group have been in the education field and 3 of us have retired.

We ate yummy food…compliments mostly of Juliann (in white shirt, above)…I just did the fruit and drinks…she did all the rest. We laughed and laughed and talked some more about grandchildren…Shea had great pics on her phone…and the rest of us showed our pics, too.  We talked of spouses and anniversaries.  Three of us will have 40 years invested in matrimony next year!!!  In just this little group, we have children who are bankers, and doctors, and artists, and photographers, and film work, school teachers, and merchants and ministers, and accounting, and computer programming managers and missionaries, and some others I’m not exactly sure of…but I’m sure it is of great importance.  Some are still in school and others will be starting back to school soon for new careers.  Wow!  Are we blessed or what?

We sat through a rain shower and didn’t even know it until we went outside to look at the pool.  That’s hard talking, y’all.  Jan had to leave before we got a group picture…

Shea….Pamela….Tonja….Juliann…..Cindy…..Tina…..and Jan (not pictured)

It was a wonderful afternoon…just catching up.  Isn’t it wonderful the way we are with ‘real girlfriends’?  Not those we were just aquainted with.  The things that were funny once, still are.  And, the things you share through the years have built a bond that time can’t disturb.  Hard times, deaths, serious illness, heartaches, all seem so much the easier when shared with someone who cares…really cares…about the outcome.  These are some of the friends who tell the stories of my life….they watched me struggle….they watched me stumble….they helped me stand again.  As, I have for them.  And the uniting comes from this place…the love of God, which ties us together and joins our hearts in friendship…for keeps!

At the risk of losing all of my readers (the faithful few, I call them)…I am going to post about Levi again.  Yes, I am.  I can’t help myself.  You all just need to know this and I just need to share it.  It has always been one of my problems to keep my mouth shut.  I tend to tell my friends everything.  Yet, you seem to love me anyway.  I’m just so glad I can share my heart with you.  But, if you are tired of hearing about this wonder child…this boy among boys…this sweet angel, Levi…I will understand if you skip this post.   But come right back, OK?  And, just don’t tell me about it.

…INTERRUPTION…

I just lost 4 whole paragraphs!  Have you seen them?  I have no idea under God’s beautiful blue sky where they went!!!  I was busy typing along and looked up and there was nothing there.  Disappeared, I tell you!   WHOOSH!  Gone!  I just find it hard to understand that I can not get a grip on this computer.  (So, OK, you may not have the same trouble understanding it…but I do not want to hear about it. thank you very much!)  What would cause it to just eat up my paragraphs?  Did it not like the first one?  It stayed.  Where do they go when they go?  This bothers me.  Do they end up in Greece or Rome or Italy and just pop up randomly on some one’s computer?  Are they going to show up in some high-flying boardroom today and get some poor employee in trouble?  Do they just go up, up, up, in orbit and fly around and around and around the world?  I really wonder these things.  I did NOT delete them, so they are still written somewhere.  Right?  I don’t know.  I just don’t know.    …END OF INTERRUPTION…

OK.   Back to my post.  Last week, I was able to do one of the things I have wanted and prayed for.  I was able to keep  sweet Levi while his parents worked.  I am keeping him 3 days a week and his other grandmother, Mary, is keeping him the other two.  What fun we had!  Nothing I had to do but sit and hold him and look at him and laugh at him and sing to him and rock him to sleep and then watch him sleep!  What a job, huh?  I know there are those of you who do the same.  And I know that those of you with grandchildren think YOURS is the cutest/smartest/most wonderful grandchild ever.  And, you know what?  They are!  That’s the magic thing about grandchildren…all of them are  right up there at the tippy top of wonderfullness! (Is that even a word?  Should be)  Spellcheck said ‘NO’.)

So, on his first day staying at Lulu’s house (that’s me, Lulu)…here is a collage of faces that makes me laugh and smile and thank God for this gift.

I have tried to click on this pic to make sure it will enlarge.  But, when I do, the whole picture goes away and I have to upload it again.  But, Alex said it would enlarge, so I’ll have to trust him.  Enjoy!

Oh…I might as well show you this one, too.  It was made last week, too.  But, trust me on this…it’s better if you do NOT try to enlarge this one!

You do know, don’t you, that water makes things seem much wider than normal….just saying….

This is the day, 79 years ago, that my Mom was born.  She was born and lived in North Carolina until she married Pop and moved to Alabama.  And here she stayed until she moved to her heavenly home.

I think of her so often, and I know many others do also.  When you speak of her to me, it is as if I am seeing her again through your eyes.  When I hear you say that you remember her kindness, or her dedication to her church and missions, or when you tell me of special notes she wrote to you…it reminds me again of how blessed I was to call her Mom.  She loved to pick out special gifts for others, and I could not even begin to tell you how many of her most delicious pound cakes she made to give to friends she loved.

I have written of her often on this blog, and you have so kindly read and commented accordingly.  But, I  have nothing new to add today.  I’ve probably said all there is to say several times over…(I have a tendency to do this more and more the older I get).  That’s OK…I’m just ‘taking after’ her…she did it, too.  🙂

In my files of things I like, I have this poem.  I am sorry that I do not know who to attribute it to.  But, whomever it was who wrote it, did an excellent job.  My Mom lived her dash well.  And, I am grateful to have been there to see so much of it.  And, I am grateful that my children and Joy’s children were there to see how she lived it as well.  As I have said before…she was a wonderful example and we were blessed to live in her heart…as she lives on in ours.

HOW YOU LIVE YOUR DASH

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years. 

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth…
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars…the house…the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard…
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left,
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real,
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
And more often wear a smile.
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read
With your life’s actions to rehash…
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

I was taught from a young age, to explore topics that interested me.  If there was a current event or issue that intrigued me, I was encouraged to learn about it  and see if I agreed or not and why.    Many parents would forbid their kids from reading about certain topics and would refuse to even discuss ideas with them.  That’s the way kids get wrong information,  they listen to other kids instead of finding out for themselves.  Or their parents refuse to share the standasrds and morals they themselves believe in.   This leaves the young person searching on their own with no guidance.   I adhear to the belief that the more information I have on something, the better decision I can make.  This is the same whether buying a new car, or finding out if there are ‘aliens amoung us.’  No topic was ever ‘off-limits’ for our boys.  Whatever questions they asked got an answer.  We may have had to search it out, but we found it.

My Pop and I were both interested in phenomena such as ‘visitors from other planets, or the ‘crop circles, or other’ strange sightings from way above the earth’.  We both read and share books…and even went to lectures on the subject.  And, then we formed our opinions.  Which is…we don’t know.  But at least we have a better understanding of why some folks think we have been ‘visited’ and why some folks are sure we haven’t. ( My sister used to say that I was really an alien…but I don’t think that’s true at all.  Besides I’ve seen baby pictures of me and my Mom.  Hmmmmm. can’t recall any of hers, though!)

I say all of those things so you will know where I am coming from with this post.  Tonight, I watched a program on the Science Channel.  The new series is called ‘ Curiostity’…and the program tonight was entitled’ Did God Create the Universe?‘  It shows again on the Science Channel at 8 PM on Monday, August 15.  Flipping through the channels, I ran across the programs notes,and I tuned in.

I saw at the very beginning, that it was going to be weighted in one way…toward science.  The first person on the program, and actually the only guest was Stephen Hawking,  considered the greatest mind since Einstein. The rest of the dialogue was taken from his latest book.

British physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking embarked on a journey to explore the biggest question of all … who or what created our universe? The episode discussed the origins of the belief in a Creator, including those of Vikings and Ancient Greeks; explored the laws of science vs. the laws of nature; listed the fundamental ingredients necessary to create a universe like ours; and explained the relationship between the Big Bang, a black hole, and the creation of the universe itself.

Now, I have told you before that  I’m not good with the math, and science stuff.  I was surprised to find that with one of the very first questions…I could actually understand what they were talking about!  They explained that in the beginning there was NOTHING, (I knew that) and that there didn’t need to be anything.  And from this NOTHING…the world was formed (I knew that, too).  Then they said that was no need for God to be involved.   He wasn’t needed.  He did not start the world.    And, in their minds, that settles it.  They say it could have all been done with what was available in the ‘void’ at the time.  Well, of course it could have.   God can take anything and make anything out of it. I realize that science can explain many things.  I realize that they have found answers to many mysteries of the universe.  And I realize that according to them, there was no time, there was no sun, planets, atmoshere, or Earth until the Big Bang.  And, I can not discount the majority of their theories.  I can not say if they are right or wrong…I’m not that smart.  But, I do know they are wrong about one thing…it was GOD who spoke the world into being.  Now how He did it, I don’t know.  Were there things such as the Big Bang?  Could be.  Could not be.  But, if there was…it was God’s design.  It was His plan.  And, it was He who decided how the world came into being.

My Bible says, ”

 ^{1 ‘} In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. ‘  Genesis 1:1-2 NIV

From The Message Bible…”God created the Heavens and Earth—all you see, all you don’t ‘ see.  Earth was a soup of nothingness, a bottomless emptiness, an inky blackness.

You know and can re read the account in Genesis.  But, after God had completed His work, He said that it was good.  And, the Bible says this”

  “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array”.  Genesis 2:1

And from The Message Bible…”Heaven and Earth were finished, down to the last detail.”

The show was very thorough. and it went through many, many reasons why God was NOT involved.  It was such a one-sided and biased program.  As I said before, I do not mind watching a good debate.  I enjoy seeing each side present their arguments for and against.  But, this program gave no credence to God.  They even went so far as to say, that since ‘they’ had decided that there was not a God…..we must understand that there is no ‘afterlife’, either.  “This is all there is”, said Hawking, “so enjoy this world and do what you will…there is no more.”

To be honest, the show was well done, and I actually learned some things.  It was also presented, I think, for the average Joe or Jane.  It was easy to understand. and their positions were made clear.   It fills me with such distress, though, to think that those who have no strong foundation could easily be swayed to this thinking.   They were so sure and confident of their beliefs.  And, to be fair, there was an after show.  However…I just ran up on it by accident…it was on a different channel, even.  It was as if they showed a sliver of truth, but if you wanted to hear it, you had to find it for yourself.   It was not even mentioned on the main program. There was a known newscaster, who gave no opinions and 3 guests on the panel. Two of them were scientists who fully agreed with the show.  There was one Christian college professor and author who stood firmly on his beliefs that God was the Creator of life.  However, he was not able to give much of an argument for the belief in God, because the newscaster was asking questions of all of them.  And, I think he did a good job of giving everyone equal time, for a half hour show.

I am no expert on parenting…but this I know to be true.  Teach your children what you believe to be true.  Give them a foundation of godly principles and morals.  Go to church with them and discuss what you hear.  Let it become a habit to be involved in a group who believe the same things they do.  There are many different congregations and denominations who believe the same basic  principles.  Don and I were raised Southern Baptists, and as such, so were our children.  Two of them go to Baptist churches…one with us, one to a different Baptist church, and one attends a Presbyterian church.  Their beliefs were formed when they were young.  They learned what was right and wrong.  They learned what the Bible speaks about many different topics.  This is at the core of who they are.  So, I feel confident and at ease when they look at things that are outside the ‘norm’.  Knowledge is good.  Questions are good.  But, a strong foundation is one of the best things you will ever give your child.

This morning, as I was taking a shower, I saw a rainbow right above the temperature gauge, which I have to keep inching up to keep the water hot enough as I get used to it.  TMI?  Well, anyway, as I looked at  that little rainbow, the first thing I thought of was a little song I used to sing with the children about rainbows.  It’s a great little song, but to make the song rhyme, you have to sing the colors out of order.  I just don’t like that…even though…I still taught it to the children.  I’m sure you know the  correct order of colors of the rainbow……

Following is a little technical info, should you care to refresh your memory about all this ‘stuff ‘ you learned in school.  Truthfully, for ME…it’s just enough to know that a rainbow has colors in a certain order…that’s the law…and I don’t have to know WHY. Obviously the One who decided this knows much more about such things than I.

Attention:  Technical Stuff…

A rainbow is composed of the entire spectrum of colors of visible light, from the longest wavelength, red, to the shortest wavelength, violet. The order of colors in a rainbow is easiest to remember by the following mnemonic (a formula that helps one remember something): ROY G. BIV. R=red, O=orange, Y=yellow, G=green, B=blue, I = indigo, and V=violet. Red is at the top edge of the rainbow and violet is at the bottom edge, with the other colors in between.

Rainbows are created both by reflection and refraction (bending) of sunlight in raindrops.  When a shaft of sunlight enters a drop of water, a part of it does not pass directly through but is reflected from the inner surface and emerges from the side from which it entered. Moreover, it is refracted both on entering and leaving the water drop. This process, repeated in the same manner for an immense number of drops, produces the primary rainbow, which appears in front of the observer, who has his back to the sun. It has the red band on the outer edge which are long light waves and the blue-to-violet on the inner edge which are short light waves.

Attention:  Awesome Stuff…

“Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: …”  Genesis 9; 8’16

 Do two people ever see the same rainbow? No. As the eyes of two people cannot occupy the same place in space at the same time, each observer sees a different rainbow. Why? Well, because the raindrops are constantly in motion so its appearance is always changing. Each time you see a rainbow, it is unique in its own spectacular way! 

DID YOU GET THAT?  Every time you are seeing a rainbow, NO ONE else is seeing the same thing you do.  You all may see that there is a rainbow in the sky…but each observer sees it differently.  I find that truly awesome and amazing!  God shows me this beautiful reminder of His promise in a way that is unique and special to just ME!  

Now, in all honesty, I do not understand all that talk about refraction and spectrum and wavelengths.  In fact, I can read it and tell you that all I get from it is that the colors follow a certain order and water and light are important parts of the miracle.  Never been too good with that kind of stuff.  But, I have NO trouble understanding that God is showing ME something that He is showing no one else.

The rainbow below was made out of a bus window as Joy and I were exploring Maui.  I love the way the raindrops give this pic a dreamy quality.

“Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”  Ezekiel 1:28

 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  said that a rainbow was “God’s illumined promise.”

~ A rainbow in the morning Is the Shepherd’s warning; But a rainbow at night Is the Shepherd’s delight. ~This old rhyme has been used by sailors for centuries as an indication of the weather to follow.  (It is also sometimes used with the words “red sky’ in place of ‘rainbow’)  A Rainbow in the morning meant a storm was on the way…but a rainbow at night meant smooth sailing.

Below is a picture of one of the treasures of my heart.  When I was pregnant with Alex, we had prepared his nursery with a rainbow wallpaper that was VERY colorful!  One day, Adam came to me and handed me this picture and asked me to put it in the nursery so our new baby would know his/her big brother was happy that he/she was here.  We did not know if it was a girl or a boy, but this was such a sweet sentiment, that I took the pic and had it framed and it hung in the room until we had to take the wallpaper down because the boys…by now there were 3…refused to sleep in that ‘girly’ room any longer!!!

The rainbow picture was moved to my studio and has stayed with me ever since.  BTY, I know the colors are not in order…however they WERE in the order they were depicted on the wallpaper.

Meanwhile…back in the shower…as I looked at that tiny rainbow in my shower, it made me smile.  I looked all around the shower, and to the window high above my head.  There was no water on the glass in the window…and it was not raining outside.  I have some beautiful prisms hanging in some of my windows that cause many tiny rainbows to dance around the room when the sun hits it just right.  Probably due to refraction and wavelengths and stuff.  But, there were no prisms there.  Where was it coming from?  Never did see anything to cause it.  But, for some reason, God wanted to cause me to stop and ponder His wonders.  And, I did.  And, I thank Him for wonders I am blessed to see daily.  And, I thank Him that He is God…and able to control the universe and the laws that govern our natural world.  I thank Him that He can send a message just to me, no one else can see.   This beautiful creation of color serves as a reminder to me that every single promise He ever made is true…and will be true…for ever.  Amen.

“LISTEN!  Stand still and consider the wonders of God.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Job 37:14