Memorial Day Weekend

Below is the story of my friend's dad.  Twylia wanted to share the story of her favorite soldier of all.  It tells of the sacrifices veterans often make so that we may enjoy the freedom of peace-enjoyed everyday living.  May we all remember those of the past and present.  Veterans---They all give some but some gave all.

With Memorial Day fast approaching, I am thinking of my dad, Harley N. (Bud) Gray, a WWII soldier, who enlisted in the U.S. Army in early June, 1941, just after he had married my mother, Ruby Burchell Gray, on May 17 in Crossett, Arkansas.  May 17 would have been their 70^th wedding anniversary.

After boot camp at Camp Robinson in Little Rock, my Dad served in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign and was severely injured at Guadalcanal on May 11, 1943.  Prior to that he had been stationed in the Fiji and Solomon Islands with other men in his company, many from Ohio and West Virginia.  When injured, he was near a soldier who stepped on a land mine and Daddy was hit directly in the throat and legs by shrapnel.  A large piece of shrapnel literally cut his throat and shattered his jawbone….he lost his bottom teeth and his tongue was exposed through his neck.  A buddy, Sgt. E. A. (Dave) David, held him up so he would not strangle on his own blood.  He was so badly injured, they left him under a mosquito net for three days waiting for him to die.  When he didn’t, he was transported to Auckland, New Zealand where he began a long 23-month journey to recovery.   A bone was grafted from his leg to his face to reconstruct a new jawbone and his mouth was wired shut for eight months.  During that time, he was on a liquid diet and suffered a severe weight loss (see picture).  He returned to a hospital in the United States…in San Francisco…in July of 1943 and then was transferred numerous times to various other hospitals within the states….including army hospitals in Pennsylvania, Texas, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas.  He was honorably discharged after his full recovery on April 2, 1945 (though he carried the scar underneath his chin and the shrapnel in his legs for the rest of his life).  He opted not to have plastic surgery, after my mother told him if he could live with the scar so could she.  From the letters that I have of my mother’s from Sgt. David and from the stories that we have heard from other Army buddies (though they did not talk about it often), we understand that Daddy had a very strong desire to live and return to Mother so that they could have their life together.  Sgt. David wrote, “The fortitude he has shown has won for him the admiration of all who came in contact with him.  I have yet to see a man more courageous than he. You, yourself, Mrs. Gray, gave him the inspiration and the will to recover.” I am not kidding when I say that “I am here by the grace of God”, but then I suppose we all are.

Sgt. David and my dad were never reunited after the war, although Daddy did reunite with many others from his company fourteen years later, and remained in close contact with some of them until his death on January 4, 1998.  In June of 1995, Dave’s daughter, Carol Falone, called Mother and Daddy to let them know that she had found two letters that Daddy had written to Mrs. David (Dave’s mother) during that same time (1943).  Sgt. David had passed away that year (1995) and the letters were among his possessions.  Carol was born in April of 1946; she is just four months older than I am.  I found her letter to Mother after my mom passed away on May 1, 2000….I called Carol on Memorial Day of that year and we “met” over the phone and shared our thanksgiving for our fathers.  I still have the letters she sent.

Though my father did not see a lot of battle, and actually was not killed during combat, he is a hero to me, as he served to preserve our freedoms just as those who were on the front lines did.  Daddy remained a very proud veteran of the U. S. Armed Forces throughout the remainder of his life and was always totally supportive of veterans and men and women in service to our country.  He never complained about his injuries, though I know they did cause him hardship at times.  Because of his service and the example he set for me, I too am a blessed U. S. citizen who cringes at the thought of anyone who wants to burn the American flag or criticize this land of liberty.  I know for a fact, and from Daddy’s suffering, that our freedom has come at a great cost and a great sacrifice.  I am deeply appreciative to Daddy and to all the other men and women who have contributed, and who are still contributing, to preserving our country.  We truly cannot thank them enough!

Just Breathe

     Well, I can tell you today feels like a total bust.  I was looking forward to going bowling with my dad in Cabot and picking up some 3 Flamingo's yogurt on the way home today.  Well my sinuses and allergies instead teamed up against me to put a halt to those plans.  So my goal for the day has changed to unlabored breathing. For most people, allergies are just a nuisance but for me they can rule the day.  
     Psalm 150;6  ''Let everything that has breathe praise the Lord.''  Proverbs 19;21  ''Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.''   These two verses comfort me in the change of my plans today and remind me to praise Him in all that today brings.
     

Integrity

     You may have heard recently on the news about parents that had wire-tapped their children for school to prove the abusive claims of their children about their teachers.  The recordings proved the cruel and abusive language used on their kids by the adult in charge. I personally think they should be fired on the spot. That is not an example to be taught.
     Do you claim integrity as a personal characteristic of yourself?  Integrity consists of  honesty, reliability, not being swayed by immorality, and righteous behavior.  If you were wire-tapped, would it need to be edited to get a G-rating?
     Even when we think we are alone, we never are.  God is always watching and listening to us.  Nothing is hidden from Him.  Convicting, huh?  That is why we need to meet with Him every day in prayer, spend precious time in the Word and fellowship with other believers.  We each need accountability to keep us from veering off the narrow path.
     Instead of looking into someone else's bathroom cabinets when you're alone, I encourage you to look into your own.  Hebrews 4:13  ''Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.''   Luke 8:17  ''For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.''

Proverbs 2:1-9   "My son, if you will receive my sayings and treasure my commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And he preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course."

Way Back Wednesday.....A Good Start

  


    















    

      Here I am at age 3.   This is one of my favorite pictures because I love pigtails.  It took me until 2 to get any hair to speak of, so by 3 I had enough to put up with a cute style.
      In my daily Bible reading today was Psalm 119;9-10  ''How can those who are young keep their way pure?  By living according to your word.  I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.''
      My church life began at First Freewill Baptist in Conway but I was too young to remember that.  I only know of what I've been told, which was that I used to ask the preacher if I could sing to the congregation after each Sunday or Wednesday night sermon.  After we moved to Sherwood, we attended Freewill Baptist in Jacksonville.  I remember loving children's church.  We learned Bible story songs like 'Lil Zacheus up in a tree' and 'Build your house on the Rock.'  We had puppet shows with messages about how to get along with others and sharing the Word.  I think it is a fundamental building block to take children to church so to begin their life's journey with a firm foundation.  It teaches them that church is part of life and not a now and then activity.  Also reading Bible stories to them at home is a good practice.  I don't know why but my favorite was the one with baby Moses in the basket.
      Proverbs 22:6  ''Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.''

Armed for It

     I think this caption points out the value of reflecting upon our past.  I can personally think back on times where I felt scared or lost in what to do but was always equipped with a solution in His timing.  'I will never forsake you' is a comforting thought in stressful situations. 
     People often say 'Life isn't fair.'  Who said it was supposed to be?  I think we see others trials and wonder if we could handle it as well.  I think God equips us in a specific manner for specific ordeals. As I was going somewhere the other day I was a little anxious about needing to cough.  I saw a church sign that said 'Trusting God relieves panic.'  The storms of life will come to test you so your foundation must be solid to withstand them.  God gives us a full set of armor to fight our battles. We are to always speak the truth, always do the right thing, always be ready to witness to others, always trust with faith what we do not understand, always guide our ways thru the Word, and pray without doubt.  This is how we make our way thru a dark world with the light of the Son.

Ephesians 6:13-18  ''Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.   Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. '' 

Don't Compare

     The other day I found out something about someone and began to compare my blessings with theirs.  It was the devil at work in my mind.  I thought why do I care?  I wasn't envious because I never wanted that situation in my life.  It did try to rob me of the blessings in my life, until I got my perspective back on track.  How did I do that?  I started naming off the blessings in my life.  An instant joy booster.
     Comparison is only good for price shopping, nothing else.  If you compare your looks to a model's picture on a magazine, you'll lose confidence in your own beauty.  Einstein said, 'if you judge a fish by its inability to climb, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.'  We are all given different abilities to journey on our different paths.  Don't sell yourself short because your blessed in a different way.  Embrace your uniqueness.
      If you must compare yourself to someone, choose your past self to the current one.  It should show growth and maturity both physically and spiritually.
      'Don't compare yourself to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.'

Shine On

     I have wanted to write this blog for some time now but have waited for the right caption to go with the story.
     My friend's mother, Paula, found out that her neighbor was in desperate need of a kidney transplant.  Paula wanted to do whatever she could to help her so she participated by signing up on the organ donor list.  She didn't know how or who it would help.  Well the Cleveland Clinic found several matches, 8 I think, where it would work like a chain reaction.  On Feb. 14, 2012, Paula's kidney went to someone in California but as part of the swap, her neighbor got a kidney too.
      I asked Paula how she could literally give so much of her self to someone else?  She said she felt blessed with good health from God and that He would protect her in wherever it took her.  She also realized He might call her home sooner by doing this but that was okay too if this brought Him glory.
     What an example of light to others in this dark world of selfishness.  I hope the organ donation story has/will touch so many people thru all of its duration as an example of 'love your neighbor as thyself' to the n-th degree. 
     May you be a shining example today in whatever you do to help someone else out....shine on!

A Desire for More

     This past Monday night we completed our women's Bible study on the Book of Revelation.  I can tell you alot of it surpassed my mind but it did reassure me that God does have a plan and it will all come to be one day.
     We ended with combining both Rev 21 and 22, which both relate to what heaven will be like.  Rev 21;1  ''Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.''  Rev 21;3-4  '' And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
     As the caption implies, there is so much more to put our hope and trust in that this world cannot begin to give.  I think of us like a baby in the womb.  We are created for so much more but in His timing only will he push us into that new realm.  He does give us a taste thru the Word of a preview of what is to come.  Isn't it exciting?  'This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru.'  As I look ahead, I trust He's got my back.

Not Forgotten

     Have you ever felt forgotten?  I call it the 'back burner syndrome' when everything you want to do gets put on the back burner till later but then it's forgotten. 
     Sometimes our relationships can take this road, especially long distance ones.  Keeping in touch is not easy and takes work.  Before I moved back here, I made sure to bring with me some of my forget-me-not plants from my yard that one of my friends had given me.  We planted them here and remind me of my friendships that I cherish from Springfield.
     God never forgets us.  We are the ones that need reminded of Him by prayer and His Word.  We ask Him to draw near to us and yet we are the ones that pull away.  If our plea truly is to have a closer walk with Thee, then we must recognize His ever presence with us, His unfailing love for us and His good plan/will for us.
     ''Our total being--mind, will, emotions, personality, and physical body--are to be turned over to our heavenly Father (James 4:7a). Submitting ourselves to the Lord requires a definite decision to give Him control and a daily commitment to remain under His authority. By surrendering to Him, we will position ourselves for godly living.''  from intouch.org

Way Back Wednesday-----3rd Grade Art

    

     Well I have blogged before about Mrs. Bowen's third grade class but here the picture is included.  Mrs. Bowen was a great teacher because she had love and discipline balanced perfectly.  That means she was full of praise and patience but didn't take any crap.
     I remember most from her class, two art projects.  One was using butter lids to make coasters or pot holders.  We glued different types of beans onto the underside of the lid in a concentric pattern.  The other project was gluing different colors of rice onto an 11x12 piece of wood that had an animal traced onto it.  My project was a bald eagle.  It was a tedious task using a toothpick to line the rice up to make it look like smooth feathers but it was fun.
      They say the Earth without 'art' is just 'Eh.'  I think Mrs. Bowen instilled an appreciation for art in me.  The projects also taught me to finish a project,  especially ones that take a long time to complete.

Gentleness

     ''You're being too rough with me!''   I've heard it, thought it, and said it before.  I think this is how impatience shows its ugly head.  It's not an easy thing to be at the mercy of the hands of someone else. Have you ever played that game where you fall backwards into someone else's arms?  It's supposed to teach you trust but sometimes we aren't given the choice.  We have to trust and hope they're gentle.   Sometimes we think we can make a square peg go thru a round hole, if we just force it a little more. 
      I think the caption above uses a cat as a prime example of gentleness.  Have you ever tried to catch a cat?  It does take a gentle touch with a patient hand.  They are quick and know when you're up to something. When we share the Word with others, we must use gentleness in our approach or the listener may too run off.   Donald Gee, gave another illustration I like. ''A guide was taking a group of visitors through a factory. One of the things he showed them was a giant steam hammer capable of flattening an automobile. Then the guide put down a walnut and had the hammer break the shell without hurting the meat of the nut. What an illustration of gentleness as power under perfect control!''
     Gentleness is one of the fruits of the Spirit.  Therefore, it should play out in all areas of our lives.  Gentle words, gentle actions and gentle thoughts.  Philippians 4:5  ''Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.'' 
     ''In our daily lives we cannot help coming into situations that bring conflicts with people. It is easy for us in the natural to react with violence or anger, especially if we feel insecure in our position. But when we accept the reality of who we are in Christ and trust the Holy Spirit to help us, we can be gentle, whatever conflicts may arise.''

Colossians 3:12  ''Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.''

Happy Mother's Day

      HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my Mom and all the other mothers who read this.  I thought this picture was appropriate to show my mom at what she does best.  I'm not skinny because of her cooking, that's for sure.  Love you Mom!

Changes

     We are all a work in progress.  Are you being tranformed into something better?  I think this caption gives good examples of how time and pressure can be of huge benefit.  We often think of everyday pressures as strife and yet they are useful to our spiritual and personal growth.  We also tend to just associate time with getting older but it should also bring wisdom. 
      For those of us with a few more miles, aren't you glad you're not the same as at age 20?  I guess that's where the phrase 'I wish I knew then, what I know now' comes from. 
      How gritty as sand and dirty as coal are we without His love and discipline to change our image into one like His?



Romans 12:2  ''Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.''

2 Corinthians 3:18  ''And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.''

The New Rude

     I'm sure you've heard of the 'new math' [yea I don't know what that means either], but this caption makes me think of the 'new rude' from people.  I am a big advocate of eye contact.  Of course, most people need to look at me to understand what I'm saying but I think it should be done with everyone.
     This reminds me of a story back when there were no cell phones.  For a couple of years, The Villa had a location here in Sherwood.  I went on a date there with a guy named Larry.  I didn't pay attention to our seating arrangement until a few minutes into the date.  The tv was in his line of sight over my head.  This does not leave a good impression.
      So now days, the ante of how rude can you be has been raised.  A large majority of people are hog-tied to their cell phones by which I mean they cannot move or function without it.  Emergencies are one thing, the rest can wait. Pay attention to who you're with or they will leave you there alone with just you and your phone.....or at least they should.

Routine

       This caption is so me!  I am a creature of habit and like to stick to a routine.  I like to rise at the same time, eat on schedule and do things a certain way.  I do like to mix it up a little with a change every now and then, like a vacation, but I do like to get back to the familiarity of things.  Some may think it's a sign of age but I think I've always been this way.
        One of our preachers brought up the topic of routine in his sermon the other day.  Traditionalism is what he called it.  Why do we do the things we do?  Are we going to church to worship with a seeking heart or going with a heart of habit?  Do we give donations to missionaries because it's that Sunday of the month or with a 'love thy neighbor as thyself' mentality?  We should do things not out of duty but out of the heart.
       I am not against traditions.  I think some family traditions are very important and have a special meaning to them.  I'm just warning about how some things can become rituals without any thought to or behind them.

Way Back Wednesday---Kindergarten Grad

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      Well I didn't know until now that I had a doctorate degree.  You can now start calling me Dr. Angie...lol..just kidding.  This was my first of three diplomas in my life. 
      We lived on Flagstone Street off of Kiehl Avenue back then, that's one street west of the skating rink.  I went to a private school called Lil People School for kindergarten and first grade.  I loved it.  They stayed open until 6pm to give parents time to get there after work to pick kids up.  They offered a variety of different after school classes.  I was first put into dance class with ballet and tap.  Well after discovering I had two left feet and no rhythm, I moved into baton class. You might notice in the picture that my shoes, that later became fashionable, were not a stylish statement by me.  These were corrective shoes that were a precursor to my braces.
       I think it's important to make education an important aspect in a child's life at an early age.  A lil graduation for a lil people group makes it fun and special.  Getting a good start to a hopefully long road of education is priceless.

Not In, Today

     Don't you hate it when you go somewhere for something specific and they are out of it? I wonder how far this little girl and her dog in the caption walked in the cold only to be disappointed.
     I've gone to Whole Hog Bbq for one of their pork loaded potatoes and found out that they had run out of them. What? No potatoes? That's what I had my heart set on and now nothing on the menu is going to taste as good.
     Another example is finding white jeans.  I think there are about two weeks in a year when you can find white jeans.  Why is that?  Apparently I missed it this year and am going to have to wait till next spring.
     How disappointed is God with us when He comes to us for something specific and we claim to just not have it in us that day?  Will He not give us the strength and provisions to do what He asks of us?  We can only blame our being 'out' on ourselves.  We each have so much to give that could bless someone else's life and to just keep it, is to waste it. 
     ''You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.''

A Rebel?

     Do you consider yourself a rebel?  For the most part I don't but I certainly have my rebellious areas.  I would define a rebel as one who thinks they have it under control, know best and reject authority's instruction.  An example of my rebel nature is definetely behind the wheel.  When I started driving to high school-- North Pulaski, my parents told me to take Kellogg road all the way to Hwy 107.  They didn't want me to take the shorter route, Oakdale road, because of the limited line of sight on the south side.  Well I don't remember going the long route one time because I was usually short on time.  Now most rebellious stories end with punishment but grace must have been with me because my secret never came to light or caused a problem.  I was probably extra cautious to make sure I didn't get caught.
      The Bible has many stories on rebellion to teach us to submit to His authority thru examples.  Surely the most well-known story is that of the Israelites.  God led them, protected them, and provided for them but they still questioned and disobeyed Him.  Rebellious? Most definetely.  Am I feeling more like a rebel in His eyes?  Most definetely. 
     Hopefully as I have progressed thru my journey here on earth, I've learned to become more submissive and less rebellious in my thoughts and ways.  The Israelites felt the consequences and so have I.  ''The rebel can never find peace. He knows what is good and, despite himself, does evil.'' 

     1 Samuel 15:23  ''For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.”

Leap for Joy

     Frogs are in the air this weekend.  In Conway, Toad Suck Daze is kicking off the beginning of summer festivals here in Arkansas.  A relative's son won his preliminary round in the frog jumping contest yesterday when his frog crossed the finish line with two jumps.
     Do you remember playing leapfrog as a child?  We too can leap over obstacles in our lives with trusting God as our strength and shield.  I know my heart was leaping with joy yesterday when I was out yesterday for a good while without having to come home to cough.
     One way to give my thanks in song is by learning the new song, 'The Love of God,'  I got yesterday during my music lessons.  His love is measureless and pure.
     I'm going to toad-lly leave you with a hip-hoppin good day.

Ready for the Weekend

     Are you ready for the weekend?  When I worked, I just looked forward to some rest on the weekends.  Now, I look forward to it as a change of pace.  Maybe the chance to go out and do something different.  I always look forward to my friend that comes over on weekends, when she can.  I also have music lessons on Saturday mornings which is a joy to anticipate.  Of course, there is church on Sundays that can refuel me for the week ahead.
     A quote I love is  'Why is Monday so far from Friday, and Friday so near to Monday?'  You know the feeling.  The week when it drags on slower than a snail's pace and yet the weekend flies by faster than a F-14 plane.
     I hope you don't have to work this weekend and can do and enjoy the things you want to do.   HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!