SPECTATOR SPORT?

Football season is almost over...after the Super Bowl, that's about it. Listening/watching the playoff games there are speculations all over the place...coming from those sportscasters, plus the rest of us who are spectators. The players are where the action is...we watch, they play.


Do you think life is a little (or a lot) like that...just a few actually live, the rest are spectators. Jackie Robinson said, "Life is not a spectator sport. If you're going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you're wasting your time."


When Michael and I were 'called' to go to China, it was my plan to merely be a bystander...that's honestly what I had planned. M was qualified to teach, I was not. Thus, I was going along as a 'dependent'...hey, that's what I was when we were on active duty. The four boys and I were dependents.


Our Director had other ideas though...he said I would teach...I said 'not'...he said I would and he won. Good thing. If I hadn't caved I would've missed one of the greatest experiences of my life...and the greatest life-changing experience of my life.


The Chinese loved me and I loved them...from Toast to Konan to James Bond to Swan to Apple...on and on. They probably taught me more about life than I taught them. Some had never been told they were loved; some were abandoned in trains...many never knew a mother.


Michael and I were known as 'the kindly foreigners' and they actually hung out the windows as they watched us walking to class together. They talked about how our eyes lit up when one of us would walk in the others classroom...they never knew love.


I went to China to be a spectator...an armchair quarterback...letting Michael be the player. That way, if things went wrong it wasn't my fault...being held accountable for nothing.


Facing God, I am accountable & I don't intend to waste my time! I've changed; I'm a player.


Balanced and Unafraid...

FOR THE GOOD...

Michael and I spend countless hours together...hey, we're retired...that's what come retired people do, spend hours together. He reads all our 'morning things' to me and we discuss and discuss. Quite often one of us comes across something we've read many times but...it didn't hit home as clearly as perhaps it could have/should have. For instance...in our Sunday morning class we're studying Galatians. This morning we read Gal 5:22-23 from the Message and it opened my eyes to something I had long missed out on...it touched my heart.

Many of you know that I was addicted to prescription drugs for more than thirteen years...that is something I am ashamed of...but...it happened, and I'm a better person by far for the occurrence. Michael and our four sons worked w/God to awaken me...it was none too soon. If they hadn't taken action I would have been gone, never to return. No one...not one...ever 'noticed' my addiction; that's odd, I think. I surely couldn't have been that good an actress...surely not. That's done with...it's past and forgiven.

Here's my point...I returned to God's way.

Galatians 5:22-23 from the Message..."But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard...things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely."

I always wanted...oh yes...I always wanted to be tall, long legged, you know...willowy! (Scratch that...hopeless). And different, I always wanted to be different; okay, my name is different to begin with...I have a leg w/road maps and ink spots all over it...let's see, what else? Oh yeah, my voice is sort of difficult to understand...oops, one more...I have a pesky familial tremor. I'm different enough, right? Sometimes little things come along to tweak your thinking ...like this quote by Arthur Freed..."Don't try to be different. Just be good. To be good is different enough." Okay I'm done w/being different ~ I'm being good...just being good.

By no means am I 100% good today...but I am much better today than even yesterday. What if I begin treating each person I meet like one of us wouldn't be around tomorrow...if this was our last day? That's my objective from now on...giving each person my undivided attention...helping them in any possible way...showing kindness...life would be good.

I can tell you this (I learned the hard way...you don't need to take such a difficult route), God's way is the best way...I'm making it my only way. How 'bout you?

Balanced and unafraid...

GREEN BANANAS

Michael's fond of saying, 'Vasca and I don't even buy green bananas"...and we laughingly tell people that M's older than dirt and I'm dirt. For years we joked about 'getting old' and what d'ya know? Now, much too soon in our estimation, we find ourselves...old. Who knows if we'll be around long enough for the bananas to ripen? We don't care...taking it a day at a time.

We had no plans when we married (who can think of plans when you're sooo in love)...no road map. Honestly...even then it was day to day w/God in the lead...it seemed that each day was adventure filled. I did my best to make it so. With four little boys who were stair steps...how could we not be filled w/excitement? Life was always 'what's next'?

Isak Denesen wrote, "God made the world round so we would never be able to see too far down the road." In my case that was probably best...for some of the adventures down the road might have scared me to pieces.

I believe God always had a plan for my life...a plan for Michael and I together, a team...to be conduits for His living water. Would I have dreamed of carrying it to Greece...to Ethiopia...to Germany...even to China? How about to airports, to hospitals...to my back door? Me? Sharing my faith...are you kidding me? Yeah...that's the same me who was embarassed about my faith...the faith I never exhibited...ever! Oh, I wonder how God had the patience to wait for me...well, the important thing is...I changed!

I'm no longer afraid to tell strangers how God has changed my life...I've not enough words to tell everything He's done for me. Today I'm about reaching out...reaching out and touching others...about relationships...about making a difference and by the way, it's a very sweet life.

Albert Einstein said, "A person starts to live when he can live outside himself." I'm living outside myself and guess what? I am...

Balanced and unafraid...

Labels...

Someone has a theory that at one time or another, everyone has been an outcast in high school, a stranger in a foreign land, the best at something, the worst at something, the one who's different. I've been on the fringe in school (I moved at least once a year), been a stranger in four foreign lands. I might be 'the best' (on my block) at making cards...I'm definitely the worst at singing and 'I'm different'...after all, my name is Vasca.

Michael and I moved many times and we adapted well...although at times we were not readily accepted because everyone knew we wouldn't be there long. Once, a beautiful christian woman who was my age said she could tell me something confidential because I was 'a migrant'...it stung and after she'd told me 'the secret' I told her we planned to retire there. That was very un-nice and extremely catty of me. Lesson learned...I'm nicer these days.

Bad enough in society itself...but in my mind, I'm thinking we also label people in our churches. I don't mean to 'harp' on churches; it's just that God and His family occupy most of my life. Back to the labels. Are you a liberal or a conservative? Like what do you mean? Well, do you clap in worship? Well, yes I do...when I feel moved to do so. I can't sit on my hands when it is so wonderful worshipping my God...we are to be joyful. Do you kneel in prayer at worship? Um-mm, when there is sufficient room for me to get my creaky knees down and back up. Kneeling in prayer is as old as the hills...like me.

Do you think the Holy Spirit is active in your life? That's a positive 'Yes'...I don't just think it, I know it. How do you know it? Because...from the get- go Father was prepping me for what He had planned for me, for Michael. I'll save the explanation for another post...it's an entire post in itself. I think you'd love it. Some don't believe the Spirit is active outside the word.

So many labels...liberal/conservative...right/wrong...sinful/un-sinful...scriptural/non-scriptural...label after label stuck on each of us....how hurtful can we be to each other. A famous boxer said, 'Don't we have something better to do than to beat each other up?"

I hope we don't purposely want to upset each other with what we do as Christians...I realize we don't all agree...but we can disagree w/o being disagreeable, right? Of course! Just because I differ w/you...you differ w/me...does that mean we can't be 'friends'? Does that mean we can't associate with each other? And something I really must be careful of...does it make me angry? If the answer to that stinger is 'yes' I'd best really get down on my knees and beg forgiveness. That is an unhealthy state of things...ouch.

Here's the nitty-gritty...how's my christian health? I pray that it's good ~ honestly, I'm doing my best and remembering that labels are for cans, not people.

Balanced and unafraid...

MOVE IT...

How exciting, a new day...a new year...and I wonder what God has lined up for me this year? M and I pray that He will provide opportunities for us to be used in His kingdom. If He says "Go"...Varoom! Now wait a minute...I'm not forgetting the last 'Go' He whispered. China was a bit further than I would've expected but it changed my life...changed a lot of lives. I'm not thinking about all the other places He could come up with...oh, wow! But...He knows...I'll go.

Going means moving...and I'm a klutz who constantly gets out of whack and tangles up my feet while moving. Albert Einstein said, "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." Isn't that the truth?

Balance is important...good at losing my balance and ouch...down I go. Trouble w/me is I'm afraid of falling. Okay, that's leads me to focus...I have to focus on something...hmm, and that would be? Looking up...if I look up I don't focus on bang-ups and hang-ups...that's good. So, I'll concentrate on Him and what He wants. Anyway it's not about me and my stuff and what I want...why, oh why is that so difficult for me to practice??? I have so much more than I need...really, it's about serving...it's about others, all those others. Oh, me!

Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Life's most urgent question is, what are you doing for others."

That's a very good question...pricks my conscience but I truly am keeping my eyes and ears open for opportunities to help others...it's most important/necessary to be receptive. Believe me, God doesn't waste any time...He's active...like?

Like in the grocery store the other day...my favorite checker looked very sad...I asked about her Christmas and she said it was okay. Just then Michael called me and his caller ID is "I just called to say I love you"...she smiled when she heard the ring and asked if that was my phone (it kept playing as I had to dig it out of my purse). I laughed and said it was...she asked how long we'd been married and I replied 58 years adding they just get better every day. She said I was so blest...yeah, I know. As I was taking the receipts, etc. from her...she leaned over and quietly asked me to pray for her. I asked why and she said "Circumstances"...I think she wanted to cry...I wanted to cry and it makes me cry now...for her, and her circumstances.. Please God, help her.

"Wonderful Father, Here we are, beginning a new year; my prayer is that as you continue giving me opportunities. I'll take action and shine your light, give drinks of your living water. Thank you for loving me and for trusting me to serve others. Help me to keep my momentum and not lose my balance. In Your Son's Most Wonderful Name, Amen."

Balanced and unafraid...