Knowin’ Where I’m Goin’

Travel has long been one of my favorite things to do. I enjoy everything about it, even the planning. I also enjoy the challenge of traveling as inexpensively as possible.

Thanks to my airline employee and retiree benefits, I’ve been able to travel inexpensively for many years. I also get discounts on hotels, car rentals, and cruises too. All of which I’m very thankful for.

So in October of 2022 I traveled to/from Indianapolis for my 50th high school reunion. I flew on a confirmed ticket there because I wanted to make sure I’d get there on the day I planned, and decided to use my airline travel benefits to standby for my return flight. I wasn’t sure if I’d be going back to Dallas or to Tampa, plus getting back on a certain day wasn’t as important as getting there, so standby travel was a good option for my return. I also booked my hotel using reward points and reserved a rental car with a discount rate. Everything was set. At least I thought it was.

I made a little mistake on my hotel. 😬

Well actually, kind of a big mistake.

I had booked the hotel several months out using my husband’s Wyndham Rewards points. I put IND in the hotel search bar as I generally prefer staying near the airport whenever I need a hotel. The search showed availability south of IND airport so I booked it. So far so good.

So I thought.

As I got closer to my travel date, I even pulled up the address of my old high school on my iPhone and noticed that the hotel was actually in Southport. I thought, “Oh, that’s close to my high school. That’ll work.”

Same hotel name. Wrong hotel.

Wrong.

So on Thursday morning I flew nonstop from DAL Dallas Love Field to IND on WN Southwest Airlines. I got my rental car. I drove to Frankfort to have lunch with my cousin, Jeri. We had a nice visit and then I drove by my grandparents old house and also by the graveyard.

Then I drove over to Lebanon where I met my 2nd cousin, Chrissy, for dinner. After a nice visit I put in the address for my hotel on my iPhone map and headed back toward Indianapolis around 10 p.m. It was dark when I exited I-465 on to US 31 South and I was shocked when the map told me to take an immediate right. I thought, Oh no! Not THAT hotel! I remembered THAT hotel from over 50 years ago.

Mercy.

It was late and I was tired. I thought, well maybe, just maybe, they’ve updated it and that everything would be ok.

Wrong again.

As I walked inside the lobby I saw a few attempts had been made to try to update the hotel, but as I opened the door to my room my heart sank. The carpet was torn, the door lock latch was bent and therefore did not work, the toilet paper holder was rusted, and the under sink area had exposed pipes that were rusty and dirty looking.

So I sat down exhausted and upset with myself. I’d been up since 3:30 a.m Dallas time. Why wasn’t I more careful about which hotel I booked? Why didn’t I take time to reconfirm my reservation and verify the location?! I closed my eyes and prayed, “Lord, what should I do? 🙏🏻

I called my husband and told him I made a BIG mistake. While on the phone I heard people out in the hallway which made me feel uncomfortable; unsafe actually. I decided right then that I needed to find another hotel. Then, while still on the phone with my husband I got a text from my cousin Connie, who I was planning visiting the next day. She asked me if I was at my hotel and if everything was ok.

Insert perfect timing and an answer to prayer here! 🙏🏻❤️

I was embarrassed to tell her that I’d made a mistake on my hotel reservation, plus it was so late, nearly 11:00 p.m. but she insisted I come on over to her house to stay instead of getting another hotel. I was so thankful 🙌🏻 and it was so nice to stay with her for three nights.

While in Indianapolis I visited my brother Ron, the graveyard where my parents and brother Eldon’s gravesites are, went to three different reunion events, and had a Sunday visit with my brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Pam, at their new house in Westfield. We went to church, had brunch, a nice 3 mile walk on the Monon Trail, and a yummy dinner at home. The next morning I returned my rental car and flew standby on Delta IND x/ATL TPA.

It was a wonderful trip; all except my hotel mess-up. I realized:

• It was my own fault.

• I booked the wrong hotel.

• I assumed everything was ok, and

• I should have reconfirmed my hotel reservations and verified the location. As a seasoned traveler I should have known better.

Which made me think,

How much more we all need to make sure where our eternal destination is.

Years ago I used to listen to a Christian radio program hosted by Larry Burkett. He taught Christian principles concerning finances. He used to say, “Do your givin’ while your livin’, then you’re knowin’ where it’s goin’.” Good advice with a catchy country twang.

Thus the title, “Knowin’ Where I’m Goin’”

While “knowin’ where I’m goin’” is good advice concerning hotel reservations, it’s of eternal importance concerning where we’re going after we pass away.

It’s OK to make a mistake with a hotel reservation.

It’s not OK to make a mistake with our eternal destination.

• Have you admitted you’re a sinner in need of a Savior?

• Have you repented of your sin and placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone? Was there a change in your heart and in your life?

• Never “assume” you ’re going to heaven because you’re a “good person” or because you were baptized or because you go to church, or because of any “good works.”

• “Reconfirm your reservation” to heaven in “fear and trembling:

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13)

And,

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5

Make sure Jesus is your Savior and Lord.

You must be born again. John 3:7

Then, rest in knowing that the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

“By grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8

As the hymn writer, C.L. Bancroft (1863) reminds us, we’re not saved by anything we’ve done, we’re saved by a work done for us:

Because the sinless Savior died,

My sinful soul is counted free,

For God the just is satisfied,

To look on Him and pardon me.

Lost and Found

My first car was an old clunker. It was a light blue Chrysler and I’m not sure of the year (late 1950’s or early 1960’s) but it was definitely old. It had what I would describe as “wings” on each side at the rear of the car, and a convenient hole in the driver’s side floorboard where I could empty my soft drinks and coffee. Ha!

Strangely, it had an automatic transmission but no “P” for park; I had to put it in “N” for neutral and pull the parking brake. This would have been fine, except for the fact that the parking brake was broke. So, I had to open my door and throw a wood block under the front tire to chalk it in place. The real problem came when I’d miss the tire and have to hurry out of the car, get the block from wherever it landed, and wedge it under the tire before the car rolled too far. Good times! Ha!

Hey, I was 16 years old, it was 1970, and I was happy just to have my own car, even though it was a clunker.

It basically got me from point A to point B, and it had an AM radio, which was always tuned-in to either pop or rock music. 🎶

The problem was my sense of direction; it wasn’t very good. I was always getting lost. I remember crying on more than one occasion because I was lost. This was the point when I first began thinking how cool it would be if my radio could please just tell me where I was, and how to get to where I was going. I was on the edge of brilliance (😂) but somehow fell short of inventing GPS navigation.

Then,

In 1972, I got a major upgrade; a brand new 1972 Camaro Rally Sport in Mojave Gold, complete with rear spoiler, an AM/FM stereo radio 🎶 (woo-hoo!), an 8-Track Tape player, lots of pop and rock 8-Track Tapes.

Me and my Camaro, May 1972. (My dad gave me $1000 for the down payment, and I worked full-time my senior year of high school, paid my monthly payments weekly and got it paid it off within a year.)

Fast forward to today, I drive a 2019 Jeep Grande Cherokee. It has a beautiful Pearl Red exterior color, and my favorite interior feature: Car Play with access to my iPhone apps, media, contacts, maps, and more.

October 2017, at the Texas State Fair in the Car Pavilion. I told Harold I loved the color of this 2018 Jeep. He surprised me a little over a year later in December 2018 with a brand new Pearl Red 2019 Jeep Grande Cherokee!

Lots of changes.

Much for the good.

But,

Of all of these changes over the past 50 years I’d have to say that the greatest change has not been in my cars,

but in my heart,

and in that which I choose to feed it.

The change in my heart occurred in my mid twenties when I turned to Christ in repentance and faith. I became born again, but God still had a lot of work to do in me, and still does. What I choose to feed my heart has a lot to with the process of sanctification and in the recognition of God’s grace in my life. It has been in my Bible studies that I recognized within myself, similar weaknesses and defeats experienced by many of the hero’s of faith in the Bible. I realize that any good I have done for Christ is not the result of my strength or intellect or character, but because of God’s grace. His grace is amazing and it is by His grace that He is still doing a work in my life. I know it is the Lord who is keeping me standing day by day, and moment by moment.

A.W. Pink reminds us that “God suffers it to appear that the best of men are but men at the best. No matter how richly gifted they may be, how eminent in God’s service, how greatly honoured and used of Him, let His sustaining power be withdrawn from them for a moment and it will quickly be seen that they are ‘earthen vessels.’ No man stands any longer than he is supported by Divine grace. The most experienced saint, if left to himself, is immediately seen to be as weak as water and as timid as a mouse.”

“Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.” Psalm 25:4

So these days,

My favorite thing to do while driving is listen to Christian talk radio. My favorite station is AFR, a Christian Talk Radio Station out of Tupelo, Mississippi. That station, combined with my favorite pastors, Christian teachers, and podcasters on iPhone apps are such a blessing. Suffice it to say that I’m thankful for each one of them. They, along with Bible study and prayer, help me keep more “in tune” with God and less “in tune” with the world.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8

So, how cool is it, that my getting lost when I first started driving, and my desperate hope that the radio would tell me where I was and how to get to where I needed to go, has actually come true in my life,

And,

in more ways than one:

Thanks to my Car Play maps and navigation system, I no longer get lost.

Thanks to Christian Talk Radio and my favorite iPhone apps that help guide me in my walk with the Lord.

Cooler still,

Thanks to the Lord,

“I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.” #JohnNewton

By the grace of God,

I know who I am, (a sinner saved by grace).

I know where I am, (in Christ Jesus)

and,

I know where I’m going, (In the world but not of the world; on my way to heaven one day in God’s perfect timing.)

So,

“Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.” Jeremiah 42:3

And enjoy the ride along the way.

Impressed

Back in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s my sister Joyce and I used to go out to the airport to watch the airplanes take off and land. We also went inside the terminal just to walk around sometimes. I was in my early teens and this was before the days of increased airport security, back when we day-dreamed of flying somewhere, back when life was simpler, and back when the main airport in Indianapolis was simply known as Weir Cook.

So, one day while we were walking around Weir Cook, my sister recognized Bobby Gentry of “Ode to Billie Joe” 🎶 fame. She was standing near one of the counters and was obviously upset. The airline had lost her guitar and my sister talked with her for a few minutes about it. I didn’t recognized her at first, even with her signature poofy hair-do, but I could tell she was somebody famous by the way she looked. I just didn’t know who she was initially.

So as we walked away, Joyce explained to me who she was and I was both shocked and impressed! I remember thinking how cool it was to see someone famous. It was 1967 or 1968 and I was a young teenager, around 13 or 14 years old. Her song, “Ode to Billie Joe,” was a very popular song on the radio at this time. The song was basically a story put to music, about a boy who died jumping off a Mississippi bridge. The story included a girl who secretly loved him, some mysterious circumstances, and her family who spoke of his death with casual indifference while eating dinner.

So Bobby Gentry was my first encounter with someone famous. I have to admit I thought it was pretty exciting, but I was pretty young then too. I was easily impressed.

Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of meeting or talking with a variety of famous people. I think most everyone has as well.

Here’s some of mine:

• Actors Jerry Mathers and Tony Dowell of Leave it to Beaver fame at a dinner theater (Beef and Boards) meet-and-greet and photo op in Indianapolis.

• Singer Mel Torme (“Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”🎶) when he stood behind me at the America The Beautiful Circle-Vision 360° Movie at Walt Disney World in Florida.

• Actor Robert Ulrich (Dan Tanna in the crime drama series Vega$, and Spenser in Spenser for Hire) on a telephone call one day when I booked several flights for him and his family to/from Florida, while working for Delta Air Lines in Tampa.

• TV Show Host Gary Collins on a telephone call discussing his wife’s (Mary Ann Mobley) reservation, while I worked at Delta Air Lines in Los Angeles.

• Actor Ed Begley Jr. (Ghostbuster’s, St. Elsewhere) in a little store onboard a tour of The RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.

• Actor Henry Winkler (The Fonz) photo op with my daughter Megan at a Dallas children’s hospital.

• Comedian Yakov Smirnoff (Soviet-Born comedian famous for the phrase “America: What a country!”) photo op with my daughter Mackenzie and me in Branson, Missouri.

• Artist Thomas Kincaid, “Painter of Light” photo op with Harold and me after we purchased a Hometown Morning Limited Edition Canvas in Longview, Texas at a Thomas Kincaid Gallery Event.

• TV Game Show Host Bob Barker when I was a contestant on The Price is Right TV show in Los Angeles in 2005.

• Comedian Jay Leno photo op at a Tonight Show taping in Burbank where my daughter Megan and I talked with him before the taping. He called us “The Dove girls.” 🕊

• Actor Ben Affleck at a Tonight Show taping with my daughters Michelle and Megan, where he came over to say, “Hello,” and to shake our hands.

• Singer Robin Thicke photo op at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, when he came over to speak with me and my daughter Megan after a show taping.

• Morning TV Show Host Robin Roberts photo op at NYC Times Square at a Good Morning America TV show taping.

• Singer Jason Mraz photo op in Los Angeles at an American Idol Finale with my daughter, Mackenzie.

• NASCAR drivers, Rusty Wallace, Dale Earnhardt Jr (with my grandson Landon), Danica Patrick, etc. photo ops at TMS (Texas Motor Speedway)

• Reality TV Personality Willie Robertson (Duck Dynasty) photo op at TMS.

• TV Spokesperson Marie Osmond when she and I spoke on the telephone on two scheduled QVC/Nutrisystem TV show call-in’s. She called me “girlfriend” and a “silver fox.” 😂

• Singer Meghan Linsey (from The Voice) at a Nutrisystem photo shoot at a Tampa advertising studio.

• And honorable mention to Elton John and Bernie Taupin’s travel agent. Ha! I talked with her one day back in 1990 about some problem’s with their booking while working in the Los Angeles Customer Service Department for Delta Air Lines.

So, out of the list above, how many of these people have you heard of or remember?!

If you’re around my age, maybe most of them, but if you’re young, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of any of them.

Actually, I think it’s fairly likely that after a generation or two, most so called “famous” people eventually sink into obscurity along with everyone else.

In reality, we are all just people.

While being famous might make a person more recognizable than others, it doesn’t make a person any more special than anyone else.

While a famous person may be a great actor, artist, musician, or athlete, etc., in the eyes of God they are equal to people who cannot act, paint, sing, play an instrument, or play sports, etc.

Eventually no matter how famous a person may be during their lifetime, “this too will pass.”

And, the best of people are just people at best.

The Bible tells us that,

“God created man in his own image,”(Genesis 1:27) and “there is no partiality with God.” (Romans 2:11)

And,

Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands. Job 34:19

Most importantly, the Bible warns us about holding idols (people, places, or things) in higher esteem than God. God is to be honored above all things and to be worshiped in “spirit and truth.” (John 4.23)

Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own mercy. Jonah 2:8

Specifically,

“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3

So while it may be a pleasure to meet interesting and famous people along life’s highway, the Bible reminds us that we’re to keep it all in proper perspective.

We should look at everyone equally as individuals created in the image of God.

And we shouldn’t be overly impressed with anyone.

Except,

God.

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! Psalm 115:1

Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. Revelation 4:11

Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,and he is to be feared above all gods. 1 Chronicles 16:23-25

The Sun ☀️

The sun is simply amazing. It provides light, warmth, energy, and natural vitamin D to support our immune system. All provisions that God has graciously made to benefit and sustain us. Without the sun, life as we know it, would cease to exist.

I remember when I was in my early teens back in Indiana, my best friend had the prettiest golden tan. I figured I could have a tan just like her if I just laid out in the sun like she did. Right? One day after we had just spent the afternoon in my backyard laying out in the sun together, and just as I was beginning to think I was getting some color, her mom came to pick her up and said to me, “Elaine, you need to get out in the sun more!”

Later that summer, on a Florida family vacation, I stayed out on the beach all day the first day of our vacation. I walked up and down the Daytona Beach coastline thinking I was going to such get a good tan! Wrong. I was practically burnt to a crisp, from head to toe. I spent the entire rest of our family vacation sick in bed with sun poisoning. It was the absolute worst sunburn of my entire life. I remember I was so sick to my stomach, I was dizzy for days, and I fainted whenever I tried to stand up. It was awful!

I learned then and there that too much of a good thing, isn’t always good. I also learned, the hard way, that fair skin just doesn’t tan as well as other skin types.

So I’ve pretty much avoided overexposure to the sun in one way or another ever since. I began by seeking shade whenever outside, and made a conscious choice to give up laying out in the sun.

It wasn’t until I was in my 30’s that I started actually thinking about sun damage and started wearing sunscreen everyday.

In my 40’s I experienced the first of several Basel cell skin cancers that have emerged over the past 25 years or so.

In my 50’s I found some skin care products that lightened some of the brown spots on my face, and I also increased my sunscreen SPF to 50.

Now in my late 60’s and at the suggestion of my dermatologist, I also wear a sun 👒 bonnet whenever possible.

Hat or no hat, the long term effects of sun exposure, especially the years of not wearing sun screen when I was young, has taken its toll on my skin. Regardless, I still enjoy the outdoors as much as possible and am thankful for all of God’s provisions, including the sun.

I say all of this to draw attention to a false theology involving the sun that I recently became aware of. This false theology actually started many years ago however it still exists today and is being practiced by people who claim to be Christian. It’s called Astrotheology and is best described as the combination of astrolatry (worship of the sun, moon, and stars) and Christianity, however anytime Christianity is combined with another belief system it becomes a false theology.

I find it quite disturbing that there are so many false religions and false teachers in the world today. What is it about false religions and false teachers that draws people into it? Why believe a lie instead of the truth?

They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Romans 1:25

Anyway, to explain Astrotheology in more detail, the following includes excerpts from one of my favorite websites, Got Questions:

Astrotheology attempts to twist Scripture so that Jesus Christ, instead of being God’s SON, is actually God’s SUN. Astrotheology ties the gospel to ancient god myths and mystery religions.

True theology looks up at the stars, moon, and sun; sees proof of God’s glory; and worships Him for what He has made.

The heavens declare the glory of God,and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1

True theology does not worship the creation (which astrolatry does), and it does not view the creation as a symbol of God (which astrotheology does).

The false concept behind Astrotheology is that the story of Jesus Christ is the story of man’s relationship with the sun and the seasons. Early man was afraid of darkness and realized his dependence on the sun, waiting for the sun to come again day after day. Darkness became a symbol of evil (the devil), and God, who gave us the sun for light and warmth and growing food, was good. Eventually, says astrotheology, these ideas were expressed in the Bible as the story of Jesus Christ.

Astrotheology falsely teaches that Bible verses that say Jesus is the light of the world (e.g., John 8:12) are really referring to the physical sun. Additionally they purport that the twelve months of the year are represented by Christ’s twelve apostles, and the four Gospels represent the four seasons.

Additionally, Astrotheology falsely teaches that the mythologies of ancient gods such as Osiris, Horus, Adonis, and Mithras were based on seasonal cycles, and that the story of Jesus Christ is just a retelling of those ancient tales. Several books and two recent films, The God Who Wasn’t There and Zeitgeist, are making these claims popular.

The problem with such claims is twofold: 1) astrotheology and similar beliefs dismiss the evidence for the historical Jesus Christ, and 2) the so-called parallels between the Gospels and the mythical religions are invalid, as honest research will show. The claims made by the historical Jesus are unique and do not match the stories of the pagan gods.

Any attempt to allegorize the Word of God, pervert its plain sense, or deny Jesus Christ is abominable. The Bible warns us against “ignorant and unstable people” who distort Scripture “to their own destruction. . . .

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position” (2 Peter 3:16–17).

Trust in Christ alone, and

…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3:16-17

Gilligan’s Island

What fun it was to watch Gilligan’s Island when I was a kid! I was 10 years old in 1964 when it first came out. It ran for 3 seasons and I suspect it’s been in re-run syndication somewhere in the world ever since.

As I’ve mentioned before in some of my earlier writings, I spent a lot of time watching TV when I was young. Probably too much. It kept me “busy,” a bit distracted from reality, but for the most part it entertained and kept me company.

🎼 “Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this tropic port, aboard this tiny ship. The mate was a mighty sailor man, the skipper brave and sure. Five passengers set sail that day for a three-hour tour. A three-hour tour.” 🎶

It was all about a group of seven people who were stranded on a deserted island, and in which most of the episodes were centered around getting off the island. They also entertained themselves with crazy skits and just plain silliness.

The irony and endlessly frustrating thread throughout the series was that somehow other people came to the island but somehow always managed to get off the island. But, the seven castaways always failed to get off of the island! And invariably, it was Gilligan who sabotaged their attempts to escape the island.

Recently, I learned that the show’s creator, Sherwood Schwartz, was noted as saying that each of the “Gilligan’s Island” characters represented one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

For example,

1. The Professor was guilty of pride.

2. Mary Ann was envious of Ginger.

3. Ginger was lustful.

4. The Skipper was a glutton.

5. Mrs. Howell was angry often.

6. Mr. Howell was wealthy and greedy.

7. And last, but not least, Gilligan was the sloth.

Interestingly, I also found an article that deepened the plot. The plot twist being that Mrs. Howell was actually the sloth, that the Skipper had two sins, gluttony and anger, and that Gilligan represented the devil. The writer reasoned that since Gilligan always wore a red shirt, and sabotaged every attempt to get off the island, aka “hell,” that he represented the devil. Hmmm…..

I prefer the first theory over the second. I always liked Gilligan, but who knows. I could be wrong. So maybe Gilligan was the devil and he just acted likable? The Bible does warn us that Satan sometimes disguises himself as an angel of light. Maybe Gilligan’s sabotages were ultimately to keep them all there in their private hell, forever bound in their sin….

Wait!

it was just a TV show!

Anyway, I found it interesting that the inspiration behind the creator of Gilligan’s Island was based upon the theology of the Seven Deadly Sins.

While I’m not a Catholic, I do agree that sin is deadly, but more so because it’s a matter of life or death as it pertains to our salvation.

Because…..

The bad news is that we’re all sinners, (Romans 3:23.)

And, the wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23a)

But the good news is,

…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,… 1 Timothy 1:15

….the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23b)

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

So,

Whoever stays in their sin and never comes to an authentic faith and relationship with Jesus Christ will “never get off that island” and will spend eternity separated from Him.

Sin is a snare of the devil. Don’t be fooled. Don’t “castaway” your life for the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Turn to Jesus today in repentance and faith; place your trust in Him alone.

And rest assured,

Christians not only make it “off the island” but have eternal life beginning here and now and forever into eternity with Jesus.

Heart Surgery

First came the dress. Was it white and gold or was it blue and black?!

Then came the audio recording. Was it Laurel or was it Yanny?!

They were both quite the internet buzz when they first came out and I found them quite fascinating.

The “dress” was a viral internet phenomenon in 2015, and the “audio recording,” which was just as popular, was in 2018.

While I saw white and gold, it turns out the dress was actually blue and black.

And,

While I heard “Laurel,” others heard “Yanny.”

I wondered….

How can two people look at the same photo but see something different?

And….

How can two people hear the same audio recording and hear something different?

Apparently, there were scientific explanations for both phenomenons, but I still found them fascinating.

On a more serious note, I believe there is a phenomenon that relates to the hearing of the gospel message.

How can two people hear the same gospel message but only one actually listens, receives the message, and takes steps toward Christ?

Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction. Jeremiah 17:23

Likewise, a similar phenomenon that relates to seeing Christ in the gospel message.

How can two people see Jesus in the gospel message but only one receive Him as Savior?

The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4

So the problem is not really our ears and eyes, the problem is our hearts.

The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.”’ Acts 28:27

And people like their sins,

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. John 3:19-20

Keeping in mind,

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” John 6:44

And knowing that,

The root of our heart problem is sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

And,

The wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23

But God made a way,

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Why do we need a new heart?

It’s like a heart patient who’s in need of heart surgery. Not someone who just needs some medicine, but someone who’s in desperate need of heart surgery; someone who must have surgery in order to live.

So how do we get a new heart?

By turning away from sin, and turning toward Christ, in repentance and faith.

By faith believing He is God’s only Son, who died a sacrificial death on the cross, taking the punishment that we deserve. Believing Christ died and rose again three days later, according to the scriptures.

Trusting in Christ alone.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Hearing,

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

And seeing,

To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ Acts 23:18

With thanksgiving,

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 118:1

Being born again,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3

So,

Are you in need of heart surgery?

Don’t wait.

Your very life depends on it.

Book your appointment with the Great Physician.

Call out to Him in repentance and faith today.

Tomorrow may be too late.

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Matthew 9:12

Martin Luther and The Man on the Middle Cross

It was on October 31, 1517, that Martin Luther, nailed his 95 Theses to the church doors in Wittenberg, Germany and began what is known today as the Protestant Reformation, or simply, the Reformation.

During this time, the nailing of notices on the church door was a way of public communication and proclamation. As a devout Augustinian Catholic Monk, he was inspired to write his 95 Thesis in protest to the various corruptions and injustices he witnessed in the Pope and in the Catholic Church. One of which was the Pope’s solicitation and collection of money from the poorest of the poor to build St Basilica’s Cathedral, all while the Pope was one of the wealthiest men alive. The foremost corruptions included the “selling of indulgences” as a means of forgiving people of their sins, and the preaching of good works as a necessary means of salvation.

To further clarify “indulgences,” it was a corrupt means in which the priests profited from the rich by inferring that they could “buy their way into heaven” and provide “absolution for their sins” by the giving of large sums of money to the Catholic Church. Simultaneously, these “indulgences” inferred a condemnation of the poor as they couldn’t possibly have enough money to “buy their way into heaven.”

No doubt, Martin Luther’s 95 Theses caused quite a stir, as speaking publicly in this way against the Catholic Church was very much frowned upon at this time in history. Luther was subsequently excommunicated from the Catholic Church in 1521 and went into hiding. Now during this time it’s interesting to note that the Bible was primarily only available in Latin. While in hiding, Martin Luther paved the way for the people of Germany to understand what the Bible actually said by translating the New Testament from Latin into German, which took him approximately 10 years to complete. For the first time in history, the Bible was made available for people to read in their own language. At this same in history, the printing press was created which made it possible for many copies of the Bible to be made available. Thanks to John Wycliffe and William Tyndale, the Bible was translated into English and spread during this period as well.

Simply put, Martin Luther’s original intention was to reform the Catholic Church however instead of reforming the Catholic Church, the church divided. Those who agreed with Martin Luther became known as Protestants. Those who disagreed with him remained as Catholics.

As an adult I find Martin Luther and the facts about the Reformation quite interesting. I actually don’t recall hearing or learning about him or the Reformation when I was young. Nor did I realize that Martin Luther was of Calvinist persuasion until I became an adult. I also didn’t know about the differences in Calvinism and Arminianism when I was young. Basically Calvinism teaches that God is sovereign and in control of our salvation, also known as election. Whereas, Arminianism teaches that we choose our salvation, also known as free will. Perhaps more importantly I also believe that we’re not saved by our precise understanding of how this great salvation comes to us (Martyn Lloyd Jones.) There are many great theologians on both sides of the Calvinism and Arminianism school of thought.

In the past few years however, I find myself more drawn to Calvinism or Reformed Theology, as it’s more commonly called today. I believe that God is sovereign over everything and is in ultimate control, including our salvation. I also prefer Baptist churches that are not affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) as I have found the liberal, progressive, and corrupt leadership in the SBC to be intolerable. Perhaps the subject of a future writing.

So, I’m thankful for Martin Luther, and for his brave writing and posting of the 95 Theses. I’m thankful for his diligence in translating the Bible, and for the birthing of the Reformation; the foundation of Protestantism. Martin Luther established the fact that the Bible is to be the central source of authority for Christ followers, and that salvation is reached through faith, not deeds.

Martin Luther’s teachings also birthed the beginning of what we know today as the 5 Solas: sola fide, sola scriptura, solus christus, sola gratia and soli deo Gloria!

By Scripture alone.

By Faith alone.

By Grace alone.

Through Christ alone.

To the Glory of God alone!

So, I agree with Martin Luther; I am a Protestant.

I believe we are saved by grace through faith, and that,

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them. John 6:44

And,

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

I repeat,

Ye must be born again. John 3:7

And that,

Salvation cannot, nor could it ever, be obtained through indulgences, sacraments, or good works.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8

Salvation is by faith alone, in Christ alone, and by the grace of God alone. It is a gift of God.

We are saved as a result of what Christ achieved on the cross, as it was on the cross that He paid the penalty for both my sin and yours. On the cross He made a way of salvation for all who turn to him in repentance and faith.

It was over 2000 years ago, on a hill called Calvary, that Jesus and two thieves were each nailed to a cross. One thief turned toward Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

And Jesus, the Man on the middle cross, replied,

“…Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

I repeat, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8

Hot! ☕️

Hot coffee! ☕️ My love for it first began when I was a little girl. It was the aroma! My mom drank hers black, hot, and in a small White Castle coffee cup. The first time I tasted it as a teenager, I was surprised it didn’t taste as good as it smelled. But, by the time I was old enough to live on my own I was an official coffee lover, although I took mine with milk and sugar.

Nowadays my requirements for a good cup of coffee are pretty simple. I prefer Folgers Classic Roast Instant Coffee Crystals, with a little skim milk, Splenda Naturals, and most importantly, it must be hot! Lukewarm will not do!

So, you can imagine how excited I was to own my first microwave oven back in 1980. It was a wedding gift from my mom, and it wasn’t just any microwave; it was a Sharpe Carousel Microwave. I actually didn’t cook much in it but I found it perfect for making coffee and keeping it hot. ☕️

Fast forward to May of 2021, our youngest daughter, Mackenzie, got me an Ember Temperature Control Smart Coffee Mug for Mother’s Day. I love it! When used properly, it keeps my coffee a perfect 140 degrees.

Three things I’ve learned about using the Ember mug:

1. You need to start out with hot coffee. For example, you can’t pour cool or lukewarm coffee in the mug and expect it to work properly.

2. You need to start out with a full cup. It doesn’t work well if you only pour in a half of a cup. It needs to start out full.

3. You need to keep it charged. While it will work off of its charging base, it doesn’t work for long periods of time. It needs to be connected to its base often in order to keep a good charge.

Writing about this reminds me of the Bible verse. Revelation 3:15.

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot!”

In this verse, Jesus was referring to the church at Laodicea. It was a dead church; their hearts were lukewarm and their deeds were hypocritical; done for show and not with the heart or the love of God. Basically, the church was full of unconverted, pretend Christians who saw themselves as “rich” believers, but in reality they were self-sufficient hypocrites who relied on their own prosperity and their own good deeds. The Lord saw them as wretched, pitiful and “poor” unbelievers, who he chastised using the analogy of the temperature of their water:

Interestingly,

Their drinking water was disgustingly lukewarm. It came from a viaduct via a nearby spring but it was practically worthless. It wasn’t hot like a hot springs that people could bath in, nor was it refreshingly cold for drinking: it was lukewarm, basically good for nothing and nauseating to drink. Thus the analogy of the Lord’s response to the Laodiceans who sickened Him like the lukewarm water:

“So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:16

A very stern warning!

And thus a simple analogy:

1. Lukewarm won’t do: You must be born again. Good works are not a substitute for salvation, nor is their any value in trusting in prosperity or possessions. Attending or being a member of a church doesn’t make you a Christian either.

2. You need to be full: There are no halfhearted Christians. To be a “lukewarm Christian” is the equivalent of being an unbeliever. You’re either saved or your not saved. Fully trusting in Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross, taking the penalty for our sins in our place, turning to Him in repentance and faith.

3. Stay close to God: Christians stay connected and ever growing in their relationship with God through prayer, the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and grow in the truth of God’s word through meaningful Bible study. Good works are a result of salvation, not a means of salvation.

Something to think about the next time you enjoy a delicious hot cup of coffee. ☕️

More importantly,

Something to pray about.

Talents And Spiritual Gifts

My dad was bi-vocational, working for White Castle in the Indianapolis office as supervisor by day, and playing guitar by night (mostly weekends) at VFW’s (Veterans of Foreign Wars) and various venues. He also played guitar on a local TV show called Midwestern Hayride.

So, his day job was necessary to put a roof over our heads and food on the table, but his night job was simply because he loved playing the guitar. He was self-taught and quite talented, and more than just a guitar player, he strived to be an entertainer, and that he was. He would often point out other musicians that he believed were good entertainers, and although we had different taste in music, he was right about entertainers. There was something different about them; entertainers seem to instinctively know how to entertain.

As for me, I never went into the entertainment industry and rightly so; I don’t have an ounce of theatrical or musical talent! Although I do remember daydreaming when I was young about becoming a famous singer one day. Ha! Don’t we all?

Actually, it’s human nature to want something that someone else has. Unfortunately our human nature tends to cause us to envy a talent that we find attractive in others, all while ignoring a talent that we may have but are totally unaware of.

In reality, not everyone is supposed to be on stage. There are many wonderful talents that are in the background and not meant to be front stage and center.

Do you know what your natural talents or abilities are? It’s probably something that you enjoy doing; something that you’re good at; something creative; and something that stands out about you to other people.

While most everyone has some natural talents and abilities, spiritual gifts are different. Spiritual gifts are only given to believers and shouldn’t be confused with a natural talent or ability.

Spiritual gifts are given to believers by the grace of God for the purpose of doing the ministry that God has planned for His followers to do. Spiritual gifts are also known as gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual gifts include, but are not limited to:

• The gift of teaching others about God.

• The gift of exhorting or encouraging others in the faith.

• The gift of showing generosity to others.

• The gift of Christian leadership.

• The gift of showing mercy to others.

• The gift of administrative or organizational skills.

• The gift of helping in some way, service, etc.,

Spiritual gifts are to be exercised in the life of a believer for the glory of God, in service to Him, to further His Kingdom, and ultimately to point others to Him.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

In actuality, God calls us to obediently serve Him in all things, not just in one particular area of ministry. He equips believers with whatever gifts we need at the time to accomplish any task that He’s called us to do.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” I Corinthians 12:4-7

So, do you know what your spiritual gifts are? You can have more than one. It’s also OK if you don’t know what your spiritual gifts are. It’s really more important just to be serving God in some way. Ask God where he wants you to go and/or what He wants you to do. You’ll likely discover your spiritual gifts as you are “going” and “doing” for the Lord.

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received.” 1 Peter 4:10

And,

As believers we should ask ourselves questions from time to time, such as…

“Am I using my spiritual gifts in the way that God intended?”

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. Psalm 115:1

And,

“Am I glorifying God with my life, with my natural talents, and with the spiritual gifts that he’s blessed me with?

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31