Home Again

England Was BRILLIANT!

We just returned Friday evening and the jet lag hit me hard yesterday.  I was grumpy and tired and foggy brained all day. I even broke the lid for my sugar bowl while trying to make coffee.  What a mess.

But the trip itself was well worth all the jet lag.  This evening I'm scrambling to take care of several "end of the month" matters as well as to get a blog post online.  Thank you for checking in while we were away.

Earlier in the year, I was invited to speak for the women's conference which would be hosted by St. Austell Baptist church.  Frank was to speak for their Sunday service.  He also spoke for a men's gathering while I shared again for their regular ladies Bible study.

Each time we spoke, the people were so very gracious and receptive. They had paved the way with much prayer and it felt like Heaven just opened up to meet with us.  (Of course, in typical British fashion, the heaven's did open up literally to pour cold, liquid sunshine all day Saturday.  But the ladies came anyway.)

We met so many new friends.  They shared stories which reminded us God cares greatly for all His children.   And if the story of a girl from Florida will best encourage a girl in Cornwall, He can arrange for them to connect.

Sue Cox, the women's director for St. Austell, made the bold move of setting things in motion after meeting a mutual friend I've written about before, Sue Parsons.  Those two started communicating in 2017 and that's how it all came to be.

Frank and I have ministered in England several times over the past 18 years.  We love the people, the countryside, the customs, the cathedrals......  I could go on but I won't.

On our first visit, it was Frank who made a serious verbal blunder.  (Even though we technically speak the same language, American English and British English have some stark differences.) 

This trip, it was my turn to "Make a Memory!"

I was speaking for the Tuesday evening Bible study.  We were joined by additional ladies from other churches who had heard what a great day we had together on Saturday.

As part of the message that night, I wanted to draw the ladies in with the illustration of how every little girl dreams of her wedding day.  I wanted them to see the picture of little girls who might tie a sheer curtain under their chins like a wedding veil.

In an attempt to use a term they would readily understand I said, "As a child, I would tie my mother's old kitchen sheers under my chin and walk up and down our hallway while humming the wedding march."  

Of course, in my enthusiasm I had to parade up and down in front of the podium they'd provided in an attempt to imitate my five year old self.

The sudden buzz of whispers and puzzled expressions caught me off guard.  They weren't following me.

My lifetime friend Sue Parsons spoke up, "Whatever do you mean?"

I began using larger gestures to help them envision my point.  "I would tie one of Mom's old kitchen sheers under my chin."  (Please see me bent forward slightly at the waist in order to make my chin stick out a little further.  Arms bent at the elbows while my entire lower arm made the tying motion.)

Still no connection.

They looked puzzled and I just stood up perplexed.

At long last someone called out, "Do you mean a net curtain?!"

I quickly looked over to Sue for help.  "I don't know.  Do I mean a net curtain?"

The room erupted into gales of laughter.

You see, what I said was 'kitchen sheers' a term they would never use.  What they all heard and tried their best to envision was a child tying a set of kitchen SHEARS (American version: scissors) under her chin.  They tried to see that same child parading up and down her hallway while humming the wedding march.

"We couldn't understand why your mother would allow you to tie SHEARS under your chin!"

Well, when you put it that way, neither can I!

Some of you will want to know how I handled such a huge blunder.  I chose the response Frank and I have found best at such awkward times. 

I laughed right along with them.

Overseas travel will quickly teach you to never take yourself too seriously.  Embarrassment is just part of the experience.  Enjoy the laugh and move on.  (Except I feel sure this faux pas will follow me for years to come.)

Hopefully, I've given you a little smile tonight as well.

Blessings for you all as together we welcome October!



How about you?  Any embarrassing moments while trying to communicate in a foreign culture?  We'd love to hear about your favorites in the comment section.......

Feisty, Faithful Friendships

So for today, I want to talk about Friendships.

My sister (who is more introverted than I and quite happy being so) has often accused me of having 1000 best friends.  Of course, no one can have that many closest, dearest friends.  But I DO love a lot of people.

Fortunately for me, interacting with people is actually part of my job.  I remember the disappointment on my dad's face when I told him I could never see myself locked behind a desk all day.  Some people prefer working in solitude. I would be most miserable!

Imagining your smiling faces is the only thing that helps me stay seated the hour or so it takes to compose a good post.  I write Embrace the Grace for many "friends" I may never meet.  But I imagine you clearly.

My first task today was checking on a few friends who live on or near the coast of NC.  Hurricane Florence is predicted to have a major impact when it makes landfall.  Living in FL makes me acutely aware of all the stress associated with being in the path of any hurricane.

I was relieved to hear that Becky (of Smithellaneous fame) will be evacuating with her husband and her little dog Toto, too.  Umm, wait.  Wrong storm.  Her dog Summer will accompany them to a much safer area.

Please join me in praying God's protection and grace over all those in the path of this monster storm.  Many of you were so faithful to pray for Florida last year when we were facing a potential category 5 hurricane.  It's a wonderful gift to live on a coastline.  But flooding and hurricanes and tornadoes are no small matter.

I want to also say, "Thank you" to so many faithful friends who have encouraged me with my new venture into Facebook Live.  If you had been in my office last week, you would have burst out laughing, I'm sure.

Meagan gave me another brief tutorial as I prepared to go live.  "Tap this button, then that one.  Stand up.  Sit down.  Hop on your left foot.  Hold your right hand over your heart and hope for the best...."  That's not exactly what she said but I was so nervous, I could hardly process all she was telling me.

Proper angle on the camera?  Check.  Props ready?  Check.  Notes visible?  Check.  Okay . . . reach over and hit the START button.  Long moment of hesitation.  Umm, let's go over the check list again.

I reached out about four different times to try and start the video.  Each time, my courage would fail.  I would draw back my hand and go directly into the nervous habit of pulling at my right eyebrow.  (It's a wonder I have any eyebrows left on that side.  Thank heavens for an eyebrow pencil that fills the gaps.)

It took almost ten minutes of this back and forth behavior before I finally hit the button.  START!  Nothing happened. START!  Still nothing.  Finally it dawned on me that tapping my computer screen was NOT going to start the video.  That requires the clicking of a mouse.  (Sigh.)

Friends were there right away to cheer my terrifying attempt.  How thankful am I?

In the title I mentioned not only faithful friends but feisty ones, too.  Feisty is the best word to describe my friend Anne.  She just moved to Heaven last Wednesday and my heart misses her terribly.

Anne had grown up in New Jersey.    Always a bit frail, her 92 year old body had wasted away to less than 100 pounds.  But her blue eyes were piercing and her mind was still sharp right up to the end.

Frank and I had the privilege of singing to her and praying with her the few minutes before her passing.  I say privilege because Anne had no blood relatives around her.  Garden Grove Church was carrying that role.  Along with a dear neighbor who became like a son.

Friendships really matter in our lives.  Choose wisely.

My feisty friend, Anne loved God with all her heart.  She would tell anyone who would stand still about her relationship with Christ.  She even told her doctor, "I'm old.  I'm dying.  You can't fix me.  But I've already paid to see you so let's talk about Jesus."  He would sit and listen while she talked.

Now my feisty friend, Anne is with her dearest friend, Jesus.  He's my friend too so one day I'll see Anne again.  I'll see my mom and my Grandma (whom Anne reminded me of.)

I guess that would be the best place to close this post.  A simple reminder . . .

Whether you consider yourself more faithful or more feisty, make sure your friendships are ones you'll enjoy for all of eternity.  Those of us who know Christ as Savior will never have to bid farewell permanently.

And for that I'm forever grateful!


How about You?  Do you have 1000 best friends?  Are you perhaps faithful and feisty?  I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below . . .