It’s not the Texas tea that made Jed Clampett a millionaire. It has made many wealthy; white gold is still in demand.

King Cotton was one of the leading exports in early 1800’s America. Rural Northeast Louisiana has produced high amounts of cotton; now, most of our area farmers plant corn and soybeans. Yet, I do still get to see some beautiful cotton fields. Prayers that all who invested, money, time and sweat will have a bumper crop this year…

Hats off to the faithful who plant the seeds!

“Listen then to the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much (Matthew 13:18-23 NASB).”

I know the mathematical equation. Good seed + good soil=fruit.

“Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:4-5 NASB).”

 Lawrence Welk was right.

‘Wonderful, wonderful!’

“I will thank Yahweh with all my heart;
I will declare all Your wonderful works (Psalm 9:1 HCSB).”

His name was, is and forever will be wonderful.

“For a child will be born for us,
a son will be given to us,
and the government will be on His shoulders.
He will be named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6 HCSB).”

Listen to Him.

“This also comes from the Lord of Hosts.
He gives wonderful advice;
He gives great wisdom (Isaiah 28:29 HCSB).”

His words of Scripture are wonderful.

Selection from ‘Wonderful Words of Life’ by Philip B. Bliss [1874/Public Domain]

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life;
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.

Refrain:
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life;
Beautiful words, wonderful words,
Wonderful words of life.

My husband and I are both ‘Green Acres’ fans. It was corny, yet creative; showing viewers the vast differences between life in a big city and down on a farm. We not only find the reruns entertaining; we identify with them.

In our careers, we have lived in both cities and rural areas.

Though we never listed a New York City penthouse as our address, we did live in Chicago. Our current home is 3 miles from the closest main road and far from any busy city.

No, we can’t hear Oliver Wendell Douglas’ corn grow but we can watch progress in the gourd patch!

Speaking of hearing corn grow…

I don’t think that’s possible; yet, there is tranquility here in the country.

Walking across the road to my mailbox, I often notice how quiet it is. I like that; it was never quiet in Chicago. I remember how difficult it was to have quiet times with God while living in the absence of silence.

Maybe we can’t tune out noise and distractions but we can worship the LORD.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah (Psalm 46:10-11 KJV).”

How’s your peripheral vision?

Could you pass an eye test?

Driver instructors frequently remind their pupils to be aware of their surroundings.

“Now Peter and John were going up together to the temple complex at the hour of prayer at three in the afternoon. And a man who was lame from birth was carried there and placed every day at the temple gate called Beautiful, so he could beg from those entering the temple complex. When he saw Peter and John about to enter the temple complex, he asked for help. Peter, along with John, looked at him intently and said, ‘Look at us.’ So he turned to them, expecting to get something from them. But Peter said, ‘I don’t have silver or gold, but what I have, I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!’ Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong. So he jumped up, stood, and started to walk, and he entered the temple complex with them—walking, leaping, and praising God (Acts 3:1-8 HCSB).”

Peter and John passed the test with flying colors!

The apostles looked closely at the man; they didn’t dismiss him as an annoying beggar. Instead, they saw his need and his worth. Begging was the only means of support the lame man had known. Up until then, his legs could not support his frame. Peter offered him mobility; yet, he drew no attention to himself. He credited healing to Jesus.

In humility and compassion, Peter extended a helping hand.

Women, they were the first.

Before full daylight, faithful women began a mission of love. Laden with spices to anoint His body, they approached the Master’s tomb contemplating how to remove the large stone barrier.  

Finding it open puzzled them. The stone lay off to the side, affording them access to the burial place. Consider the women’s frame of mind as they discovered Jesus was not inside His place of burial.

Where is He? 
 
Suddenly, they encountered two men dressed in radiant clothing. Fright griped them as they fell to the ground. The men asked a pertinent question. “Why do you seek the living among the dead (Luke 24:5b NKJV)?” 

A messenger continued.

“He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again (Luke 24:6-7 NKJV).” 

But… They saw Jesus die. 

Three days had passed since His lifeless body had been placed inside the sealed tomb. Yet, as the sun began to rise, hope and joy rose in their hearts.  

“So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word (Matthew 28:8 NKJV).” 

On their way, they met the risen Christ. He calmed their fears.  

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me (Matthew 28:10 NKJV).” 

He’s alive!

Prejudice against women prevailed as they shared their experience with the disciples. 

“And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them (Luke 24:11 NKJV).” 

The disciples received affirmation of Jesus’ resurrection in the remainder of the 11th chapter of Luke’s Gospel.

Jesus is indeed alive and the women’s message was verified. 
 
Don’t lose track of the women’s prized privileges. They were the first to see the open tomb, first to hear an announcement of His resurrection, first to behold the risen Savior.

Women, they were the first appointed messengers to carry the gospel; the good news of Jesus conquering death.

Do you have a fear of flying?

That’s a phobia many experience.

It has been the source of many jokes. I remember watching an entire Bob Newhart episode that focused on the problem.

Bob attempted to rid his psychology group of their fear of flying. Though humorous to watch, his wife Emily thought it was no laughing matter. She was not convinced by Bob that flying is safe; Emily wanted to get off the plane.

You’re not alone if you share Emily’s fears.

Her fears were in the past tense; she found the courage to fly.

Emily overcame her fears. Some fly even though terrified; they white-knuckle during every take off and landing.

The fearful are determined to never-ever fly.

Through faith, others will be taking a miraculous future flight.

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 ESV).”

Fear not; there won’t be any crash landings!

Grand-parenting is wonderful; well, it’s grand!

“Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly,

and the pride of sons is their fathers (Proverbs 17:6 HCSB).”

I wear the crown proudly and admit to being in the elderly age bracket.

Grand parenting is one of the best perks; one of the blessings of family life.

God rewards both men and women.

“How happy is everyone who fears the Lord,

who walks in His ways!

You will surely eat

what your hands have worked for.

You will be happy,

and it will go well for you.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house,

your sons, like young olive trees

around your table.

in this very way

the man who fears the Lord

will be blessed.

May the Lord bless you from Zion,

so that you will see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life

and will see your children’s children (Psalm 128:1-7a HCSB).”

He continues to bless; I’m living to see my grandchildren’s children!

Homesickness is a common malady; beware, it mercilessly strikes around this time of year.

Though I call our current residence home, (like many) I consider the neighborhood where I grew up as my home.

In my case, I have no family left in the small CNY State neighborhood.

Yet, each Christmas I visualize our Mycenae living room and the Ford family tinsel decked tree.

Homesickness is apt to pop-up at any time of year; even grown men are susceptible.

My Dad briefly resided in Southern California, at Devore.

His furnished apartment was in walking distance from me; my husband and our two young children.

At first, my father put up a good front; (not wanting to admit how homesick he was).

Soon, the facade fell.

Dad made sudden plans to go back home.

I know he was happy to return to family and the familiar surroundings he was accustomed to.

“Like a bird that wanders from its nest is a man who wanders from his place (Proverbs 27:8 NKJV).”