Farewell to a Dear Friend - Obituary of Pixie Rockey

Pixie Rockey, aka Lady Pixington, (10/10/03 - 01/03/22) passed into eternity on the morning of January 3, 2022, after a six-month battle with metastatic cancer. 

She is survived by her sister Feathers, aka Lady Featherina, and her pet human, Janet Rockey. Pixie served as a nurse for her other pet human and benefactor, Tom Rockey, until he passed into the Lord's arms in 2016. She comforted Janet as they both mourned the loss of one so dear. Pixie's grief developed into a diabetic condition, which required daily insulin injections. When her time of mourning passed, her blood sugar returned to normal range. Oh, how she loved her Daddy Tom! 

In the years to follow, she brought contentment and joy with her sweet demeanor and amusing antics. She became my consoler, purring in my lap when I felt discouraged, and acted as a protector, guarding the front door against multi-legged intruders.

After eighteen years of faithful friendship, I bid you adieu for now, sweet Pixie. I hope to see you, along with Sammy, Mandi, Sebastian, and Squeakette, in due time.

To make Heaven the perfect resting place

for loved ones we adore

God made sure those Pearly Gates

contained a kitty door.

-Susan Service

Jesus created her and brought her into my world. He even touched Tom's heart to provide a tender fondness when he first saw these two kittens. God knows the bond of love we formed, as He blessed us with the awesome stewardship of caring for His precious creatures.

A Life Lesson from King Uzziah

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Jechiliah of Jerusalem. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, in accordance with everything that his father Amaziah had done. He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him successful. 

- 2 Chronicles 26: 3-5.

King Uzziah had great success during his half-century rule of Judah. He rebuilt Eloth, the seaport for the Red Sea. He succeeded in foreign affairs in defeating the Philistines and occupying eastern territories, such as Ammon and Moab. He succeeded in internal affairs by rebuilding Jerusalem, hewing out cisterns for livestock and crops. He organized a great army, providing them with military provisions of the latest weaponry. 

How did he come to have these successes? He did what was right in the sight of the LORD. He sought God's counsel, listened to godly men, and feared the LORD. 

But then he grew proud in himself, taking credit for God's work. He forsook his faithful trust in the LORD and usurped the priests' authority. He opposed the godly men who confronted him. As a result of his pride, leprosy grew on his forehead - a symbol of his "unclean" mind. He spent the rest of his life in seclusion, separated from his family and friends. Isolation prevailed even in his death, for on his tomb is written the words: "DO NOT OPEN."

In my own life, I can't boast about rebuilding a deep-water seaport, or conquering a mighty army, or providing sustenance for animals, plants, or humans. Assembling an electric fan I bought seemed an arduous task. I've often had to call on friends or handymen to help me with even the smallest of projects, so this small achievement tempted me to express my pride. "Look what I did!" 

I read and re-read the instructions and put the pieces together according to what I thought the manual said. The largest piece refused to be assembled. I realized I had to ask the LORD for help. After a short prayer, I re-examined the the piece I held in my hand. Turning it upside-down, I laughed out loud at myself. It slid right into place and allowed me to secure it with the provided bolt. Voilà! 

Assembling an electric fan is a small part of a larger life lesson. If I can give God the glory for this simple achievement, then shouldn't I give Him the glory for EVERY accomplishment? 

Thank You, dear LORD, for Your long-suffering patience with me, and for Your help in all that I accomplish. May everything I do bring glory to You. - Amen

Announcing a Debut Novel - FRESH SCARS

I am proud to announce the upcoming release of my friend Donna Mumma's debut novel, Fresh Scars.

This will no doubt be the first of many of her deeply moving writing accomplishments.

Fresh Scars is available for pre-order. 

Why Did Jesus Walk on Water?

In this new post, I want to share with you my sermon notes from Dr. Jonathan Murphy's message at Bayside Community Church in Tampa on March 14, 2021. Dr. Murphy's teaching is always profound.

Jesus ordered His disciples to leave, to go to their boat and set sail so they wouldn't be infected by the trend of the people to sabotage God's plans. They wanted to proclaim Him king right then, and not wait for His time. 

The disciples were alone in the dark with an approaching storm. They strained with their oars in exhaustion against the violent wind and waves. Fear compounded their colossal struggle.

Question #1 - Why did Jesus walk on water?

The sea is a picture of chaos and death. According to Job 9:8 and Psalm 77:19-20, only God can walk on water. For Jesus to walk calmly on the raging sea identified and declared Himself as God in the flesh.

Question #2 - Why did Jesus intend to pass them by?

In Exodus 33:13, God hid Moses in the cleft of a rock and passed by him in His revelation to Moses. In 1 Kings 19, God passed by Elijah to reveal Himself to the prophet. For Jesus to pass them by also identified and declared Himself as God in the flesh.

When the disciples realized they weren't seeing a ghost, Jesus further proclaimed His divinity with his "I AM" statement. (Exodus 34) This answered the disciples' question in Mark 4:39-41. 

Just as the sea is the picture of death, the mountain top is symbolic of God's presence (Exodus 19:11). From His high place, He sees us in our struggles, straining against the winds and waves of life's storms, and comes to us.

We are God's children. He loves us, though He lets us struggle. Sometimes straining at the oars builds muscles...and character. And Jesus, God in the flesh, walks on our stormy seas to take our burdens upon Himself. Trust in Him.

God's Perfect Timing

In September of 2019, my tenure as a legal secretary for a law office came to an end. If the boss had said, "Janet, it's a budgetary issue. We have to let you go," I would have accepted the decision without harboring any ill will. But that wasn't the issue. Five male bosses seemed to have succumbed to the inappropriate offers of one female employee. My overt Christian faith scalded her conscience for her  amoral lifestyle, which meant I had to go. After ten years of loyal service, with a multiple accolades from my attorney teams in my personnel records, my butt felt the boot. At first, the ugly situation crushed me. Then, a friend from church gave me the encouragement I needed. He said, "I'm sorry you lost your job, but I'm also relieved for you. God delivered you out of that cesspool, and He has a better plan for you."

Those healing words gave me the confidence to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be granted..." I sent an e-mail message to the editor at Barbour Publishing stating that I no longer had a full-time job and was free to write for them. She thanked me for letting her know. The next day, she sent an e-mail message to me asking if I would be interested in writing another devotional book for them. 

God did indeed have a better plan for me. In December, 2020, my third devotional book with Barbour Publishing, "The God of Possible," will be released.

He is truly the God of Possible. In His perfect timing, He pulled me out of a circumstance that challenged my Christian lifestyle and set me in a position to share His message of hope with others.

I pray that this book will bring you comfort, embolden your faith in the Lord, and provide you with the assurance that "...with God, all things are possible."

Sermon Notes for April 5, 2020

Bayside Community Church in Tampa, Florida has some very talented and capable members. With everyone ordered to stay home, our church elders and trustees found a way to live-stream our scheduled speaker, Dr. Stephen Bramer, from his home in Texas. Included in the stream, was a pre-recorded musical performance by one of our favorite vocalists Diane Susek, with organist Lou Young and violinist Grace Wiegman accompanying her. I cannot claim to be skilled in computer technology, so I will attempt to add the link to the church website for your benefit:
Bayside Community Church

In case, that doesn't work, I will give you a synopsis of my notes of Dr. Bramer's sermons.

10:00 a.m. Service:

Scripture reference: 2 Chronicles 14-16

Dr. Bramer opened with a true story about Cliff Young, an Australian Marathon Race Winner. A marathon race requires endurance, not speed. Trust in and obedience to the Lord also requires endurance. King Asa began well, but did not endure the race set before him.

God granted rest to the nation of Judah when they were faithful to Him, protecting them from war with their enemies.

In Chapter 14, King Asa did what was right in the sight of the Lord, removing the pagan idols and places of worship of false gods.
When the Ethiopian Zerah came to fight them with an army of a million men, he outnumbered Asa's 300,000 soldiers. King Asa prayed, "Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let no man prevail against You."
The Lord routed the Ethiopians.

In Chapter 15, the prophet Azariah encouraged King Asa to continue relying on the Lord. "If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but I you forsake Him, He will forsake you." The king further cleansed the land of the false idols and entered into a covenant with God.
There was no war for thirty-five years.

In Chapter 16, King Asa began to fade spiritually in the thirty-sixth year of his reign. He compromised his trust in God. Instead of praying when King Baasha of Israel came against Judah, he used silver and gold from the temple treasuries to bribe the king of Aram to make a treaty with him against Israel.
The Lord removed His protection of peace and rest. King Asa died of a disease that afflicted his feet.

Here are 3 applications to this lesson:
1) We must characterize our lives with always trusting the Lord
2) Expect to be tested. Trials will come to test or strength our faith.
3) Plan to end well. Continue to pray, study His word, and encourage other Christians.

* * *

11:00 a.m. Service:

Scripture reference: 2 Chronicles 17-20

In Chapter 17, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king. He trusted God and followed the example of King David, having a whole heart for the Lord. King David was the standard for leadership. Jehoshaphat brought in teachers and prophets to teach the word of God to the people. He knew that obedience could not be forced, so the teachings gave them a desire to be obedient to the Lord. Even the nearby nations feared God.

In Chapter 18, compromised his faith when he made an alliance with King Ahab of Israel. Of all the prophets in Israel, only one named Micaiah told the truth. The others four hundred were false prophets who told King Ahab only what he wanted to hear. Ahab knew the word of the Lord, but refused to obey. He died in battle.

In Chapter 19, Jehoshaphat returned to Jerusalem in safety. The prophet Jehu rebuked him for his unfaithfulness. The king repented and brought the people back to the Lord, the God of their fathers. He appointed judges and admonished them to render judgment not for man but for the Lord.

In Chapter 20, the Ammonites and Meunites came to declare war against Jehoshaphat. He turned to the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout Judah. He then prayed, "O Lord, the God of our fathers, are you not God in the heavens? And are You not ruler over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand so that no one can stand against You." Jehoshaphat continued with his prayer and praise to the Lord.
The Lord took possession of the battle to prove to Jehoshaphat that he could trust Him to defeat the enemies without Judah's army. God caused the Ammonites and Meunites to destroy themselves.

Here are 3 applications to this lesson:
1) Let us desire the statement, "The Lord is with him" to be said about us.
2) Avoid alliances with ungodly people. Live for eternity, not for the present.
3) Reliance and trust in God should be evident in our daily lives. We can praise God in advance of our victories!

Let us win the marathon race of life with endurance.

I HAVE RETURNED

Please forgive my extended absence from my blogpost. Many events in the past few years turned my life upside-down. With God's persistent love, care, and provision, I have almost overcome the pain associated with those struggles. That's such good news. To know that God is faithful to His promise to never leave us nor forsake us. I feel His loving arms around me every day.

The Lord has also granted me favor through dear Christian friends who have not left or forsaken me. Family members continue to share our love with each other.

I'll bring you up to date with the most recent events: After 10 years of loyal service with the same company, it was secretly determined that a younger woman could do my job for less money. Riling the boss' presumed girlfriend aided in his decision to "let me retire." I immediately accepted another similar position, which lasted a month. It was a good company, with friendly and helpful co-workers. However, a bit of unintended bait & switch about the qualifications helped me determine that it wasn't a good fit. A week later, Barbour Publishing offered me a free-lance writing job for a 180-day devotional: "The God of Possible." This will be my third devotional with Barbour, not counting the "Fear Less, Pray More Journal," which they created using my devotion of the same title. I loved the challenge and the opportunity to pour over God's word to complete my work. This devotional should be released in December 2020. I receive no royalties for these because it's a flat-fee contract assignment. But it isn't about the money. It's about sharing God's love.

Now, when I am ready to seek another day job, nearly the entire nation is shut down because of the COVID-19 Virus pandemic. While most of us are stranded in our homes, able to leave only for necessities like fuel for the car, groceries, and medical appointments, this is a great time to turn our attentions to the Lord. As Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:13, "Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, exhortation and teaching." (NASB) We have time now to pray for our loved ones, pray for our nation, pray for our world, and give thanks for His blessings in spite of the life-style disruptions. We can use our phones to listen to Bible verses during our daily walks around the neighborhood, tell others about God's gift of eternal life, and teach His word through venues like Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and others.

This post isn't meant to bring guilt to anyone. I confess I spent the last two weeks watching reruns of Murder She Wrote, Gunsmoke, and Laramie." I have a valid excuse: my cats follow me around the house. If I dare sit down in the TV room, one or both hop into my lap and pin me to the chair. (A little humor helps in these dark days.)

If you feel so inclined, please join me in prayer:

"Heavenly Father, please bring Your peace and healing to those who have contracted this virus, and Your strength, love and comfort to the families of those who have succumbed to it. Let us look to You as our hope in these difficult days ahead. In the name of my Savior, Jesus. Amen."

Chicken Soup for the Soul - Life Lessons From the Cat

I submitted my short story, "Meowy Christmas," to the 2015 Tapestry Awards contest. Tapestry is a Florida state-wide contest associated with Word Weavers International, an excellent not-for-profit organization that supports Christian writers through an encouraging critique system.

Imagine my joy when "Meowy Christmas" took first place in the short story category! The judges who read the submissions also offer suggestions, when needed, to improve the work. As an example, their notations informed me that not everyone is familiar with an Austin Healy Sprite. I mentioned my 1969 British sports car in the story as I described trying to drive a stick shift from one city to another with two rambunctious kittens underfoot. (For those under thirty years of age, a stick shift is a vehicle that doesn't have an automatic transmission. The driver shifts the gears using a clutch to the left of the brake pedal. 😼)

I made the suggested edits to the story, then submitted it to Chicken Soup for the Soul for one of their Christmas books.

No response.

The following year, life sent me storms of challenges that rocked my world. The story sat idle in my computer until the tempests died down. I opened it up again, made a few technical edits, then submitted it again to Chicken Soup for the Soul for their next collection of cat stories.

A few months letter, Voilá! The long-awaited message from D'ette, the Chicken Soup for the Soul editor, arrived in my inbox.

As I read the other stories, I consider it an honor to have mine included in this collection with other talented, award-winning authors. "Chicken Soup for the Soul Life Lessons from the Cat" is available in bookstores, online from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through the Chicken Soup for the Soul website. I have a few in my personal stock for local friends.

They make great gifts. Enjoy! 😸

Remembering the Greatest Generation

Since my soon-to-be completed novel, "Miss Ellie's Orange Tree," is set in the 1940s, I am re-running this previous post:

 Remembering the Greatest Generation

Ads on TV call for donations of WWII memorabilia. These ads state the importance of documenting "The Greatest Generation." Call me cynical, but do they really want to preserve this part of our history, or destroy anything that might show our soldiers in a positive and victorious light?

 

We've seen how the education system has twisted the discovery of the New World, the Mayflower passengers and the American Revolution. They've demonized Christopher Columbus, Thomas Jefferson and other signers of the Declaration of Independence, as well as removed portraits of George Washington from school buildings. The latest misconception of the Confederate flag, supported by the news media, speaks to the skewed teachings of the War Between the States. They even mislabeled it, calling it a "civil war." The word "slavery" is mistakenly associated with that war, instead of the true issues of taxation, economics, and states' rights.

 

For this reason, I'm hesitant to send anything without doing some research on these organizations. Who funds them? Are their workers volunteers or paid employees? Where will they store the collected items? Will the public be allowed to view the items? What will they do with faith-related letters or documents?

 

Many years ago, I donated my late father's uniforms and some photos to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum. I recently found the web page for the 379th Bomb Group, my dad's unit. (379thbga.org : The 379th Bomb Group of WWII) We may have located a photo of him with his crew. I have his small Gideon Bible, in which he inscribed the words: "This Bible flew 33 missions with me."

 

 Before you give away precious memorabilia to an unknown source, do your research. Locate your family member's unit. Visit bona fide museums and consider donating to them instead. Preserve them and pass them on to additional generations to give them a perspective of the faith and sacrifices required to defeat a godless dictator and win a world war.

 

Let us never forget the Greatest Generation and the faith that brought them through to victory!

The Empty Stocking

THE EMPTY STOCKING

"Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking.

Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child’s cry. A blazing star hung over a stable, and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven’t forgotten that night down the centuries. We celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, the sound of bells, and with gifts—but especially with gifts. You give me a book; I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer. Uncle Henry could do with a new pipe. Oh, we forget nobody, adult or child.

 

All the stockings are filled.

All, that is, except one.

And we have even forgotten to hang it up. It’s the stocking for the Child born in a manger. It’s His birthday we’re celebrating. Don’t let us ever forget that. Let us ask ourselves what He would wish for most, and then let each put in his share: loving kindness, warm hearts, and a stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shining gifts that make peace on earth."
 

David Niven, The Bishop’s Wife, 1947

 

A Bit of Family History

My dad researched our family tree back in the 1960s, in pre-Internet days. He had to do it the hard way, through letters and library archives. He had told us the story of our ancestor, Sir Gregory Clement, who was hanged for beheading the king of England.



Sir Gregory Clement

My sister found a short article on Sir Gregory Clement through Wikipedia, and they even had a portrait of him! Born in 1594, to John Clement, a merchant and Mayor of Plymouth, Gregory grew up to become a Member of Parliament and one of the regicides of King Charles I. After working for the British East India Company, Sir Gregory returned to London from India and supported Parliament in the civil war.
He became a Member of Parliament for Fowey in Cornwall in 1648.
He then served as a commissioner of the High Court of Justice at the trial of King Charles in January 1649. He was the fifty-fourth signatory on the king's death warrant. Fifty-nine commissioners signed in total. In 1652, the House of Commons dismissed him because of a reported scandal with his maidservant. Political opponent Thomas Harrison is suspect in engineering the false accusations. (Some things never change.)

When Charles II reclaimed the throne, all fifty-nine judge regicides who signed the death warrant and witnessed the king's execution feared for their lives. A few fled England, but Sir Gregory was arrested, tried, and convicted of high treason.

According to Dad's research, the executioner offered those who were convicted with him a cordial for courage before being put to death. Sir Gregory refused the elixir and went bravely (and unrepentantly) to his death. On October 17, 1660, Sir Gregory Clement was hanged, drawn, and quartered at Charing Cross. A sad ending for a man of nobility and noble causes. So, there you have it. Part of my history. And I'm sure a part of history that will prevent me from ever being invited to tea with Queen Elizabeth (a direct descendant of Charles I?).

OUR INCOMPARABLE GRIEF

The younger of my husband’s two daughters died a few years before I met him. The loss shattered the family. When I asked him about grief counseling, he said he briefly attended meetings for parents who had lost a child. However, he left the group when the parents related how their children died. Their descriptions unintentionally grew into a “can you top this?” competition. So deep was each one’s personal anguish that they had little to no sympathy with which to comfort one another.

Grief is painful, regardless of the circumstances. The death of a spouse, death of a parent, death of a child, death of a sibling, death of a friend, death of a marriage, even death of a beloved pet – each brings its own magnitude of bereavement.
I tried, without success, to choke back my tears when I told my physical therapist that my husband had unexpectedly passed away. She understood my pain. An auto accident had claimed her husband’s life several years ago. Our situations were similar in that we both lost our husbands, but they also had their differences: She identified her husband’s body from the wreckage. My husband died in my arms. Instead of comparing her loss to mine, she grasped my shoulders, looked me in the eyes, and said, “You’re going to be okay.” I desperately needed to hear those words.

To weigh one person’s loss against another’s doesn’t diminish the grief, but stabs another dagger into an already broken heart. We can offer our compassion, love, and sympathy; even months or years later, when we recognize that each loss has it’s own depth of sorrow.

(A widowed friend sent the quote to me in a text message when I lost my husband. I wish to give credit to the author, but couldn't find the source.)

Confession of a Pie Hoarder

My friends, Sarah, and her adult daughter, Grace, are (in my humble opinion) champion pie bakers. Although pecan pie had not been one of my favorites until I met these two wonderful ladies, my mouth waters at the mere thought of a slice of their pecan pie.

They brought a whole pie to my home for a covered dish luncheon during the holidays. I put it in the refrigerator during the main course and forgot to set it out for the guests when we were ready for dessert. Was that a real slip of the memory, or a subconscious desire to hoard the delicious delicacy for my own enjoyment? Hmmm.... a point to ponder for a nano-second.

When it became apparent that I could not, in good conscience, hog the whole pie, I shared it with my co-workers. All it took was a two-line office-wide e-mail: "Home-made pecan pie in kitchen. Enjoy!"

 A stampede to rival a scene from "Rawhide" confirmed my suspicions that my office buddies weren't yet sugared-out from all the earlier treats and goodies presented throughout the month of December. I thought I saw Rowdy Yates among them, but, of course, it was a sweets-induced hallucination.

In this first week of the first month of the new year, I have cleansed my guilty conscience. I have confessed my desire to hoard a treasured pie, and shared my bounty with others.

Now, I have to ask myself: was my motive to share the delectable dessert seeded in a heart of giving, or my fear of an expanding waistline?

The Reason for the Season

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy,  which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of  David a Saviour, 

which is Christ the Lord.

 

And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe wrapped

in swaddling clothes,

lying in a manger.  

– Luke 2:10-12

(Manger scene is taken from free clip art)

Fear Less Pray More

I am happy to announce that my newest devotional - Fear Less Pray More - A Woman's Devotional Guide to Courageous Living, is now available.

It is my prayer that these devotions will bless you. Some will make you laugh, others will bring tears. I also hope you will glean an insight into the power of our Lord and Creator at our fingertips. We have a mighty advocate to stand with us as we face our fears and challenges.

Tragedy struck my family when I was a little more than half way through writing this devotional. Our Heavenly Father led me through the crisis and, although He gave me the peace, strength, and courage to finish the project, it still felt like rolling a boulder up a slippery mountain. The Lord didn't promise to make it easy, but He did promise to be there with me. And He keeps His promises!

My critique group, Word Weavers International - Tampa Chapter, helped me not only with their critiques, but also with their prayers. They are all a special blessing to me.

My sister, Kathy, coached me through those difficult days and held me up in her prayers. God granted me the treasure of the best sister in the world!

Friends and other family members, including my church family at Bayside Community Church in Tampa, urged me on with their encouraging words and prayers. My friend, Sarah, summed it up best with her comment, "Death by deadline!" I've claimed that as the title of a novel I'll write.

I can't give enough praise to the editors at Barbour House Publishing for their excellent work. Many thanks for their patience and kindness, and for extending my deadline more than once.

So...through my blood, sweat, and tears, but most of all, through God's gentle embrace, here it is.

Winning the Battle

Too often I read an obituary that states: "...lost his battle with (name of disease), and passed away..."

Friends, we are losing the battle while we remain here to endure the fatigue, the pain, and the frailty that so often accompanies the ugly diseases we encounter. But for the believer in Jesus Christ, that battle is not lost. Victory belongs to those who break free from their sickly torment and accept the outstretched hand of the Savior. No more pain and anguish; bathed in the glorious love of God, our Creator. That is a battle worth winning!

"Just think of stepping ashoreand finding it Heaven,of touching a hand and finding it God'sof breathing new air and finding it celestial....of waking up in glory and finding you are Home..."

Finally Home! 
by Don Wyrtzen

Here are the links to the latest lessons from Charlie Clough. He spoke at Bayside Community Church in Tampa (3333 Bayshore Blvd.) on Sunday, 10/9/16.

As always, his teachings on the issues of global warming and Darwinism are mind-blowingly clear.

10 AM Three Ways the Culture Weakens Our Faith and What We Can Do About It - Pt.1
http://bcctampa.sermon.net/main/main/20779859
11 AM Three Ways the Culture Weakens Our Faith and What We Can Do About It - Pt. 2http://bcctampa.sermon.net/main/main/20779857
Read about him on his website:
http://bibleframework.com/about/clough/

God's Invisible Protection

The next-to-the-last leg of my journey to work this morning put me on a curved road that emptied into three lanes at the traffic light. The left lane was a "turn only," the middle lane offered a choice of turning left or going straight. The right lane was another "turn only."

While I waited in line six cars back from the traffic light, the man behind me grew impatient. He pulled his Jeep into the oncoming traffic lane (crossing a double yellow line - Gasp!), and drove around the curve to the left "turn only" lane.

 
A woman in an SUV turned onto the road, missing a head-on collision with the Jeep by two seconds. A second impatient driver behind me performed the same trick the guy in the Jeep had done. He zipped around the hairpin corner, on the wrong side of the road (another Gasp!), and stopped behind the Jeep.

A young woman in a sedan with a little dog in her lap turned onto the road, missing the latest impatient jerk by a whisper.

The two women who turned onto the road were unaware of God's protection at that moment. Did they get stuck behind a school bus that delayed them those few precious seconds? Did they complain about it?

It made me wonder how many times I've sat stuck in traffic, fuming about being late for work. Did those traffic jams actually protect me?
A simple life lesson learned from people watching:

Thank you, God, for using delays to protect me from other impatient people!

The Birth of Charlie's Angles

Meet the new femme fatale crime fighters: (Left to right) Cool, Kassarine, and Jammies.

After a career as super modules, Charlie's Angles find themselves fighting crime in the quiet village of Pass-a-Grille Beach, Florida. They meet at the local ice cream parlor to discuss their next case.

Each episode in this new TV program has a different ANGLE, (hence the name Charlie's Angles), starting with a jewel heist. The prime suspect is a dealer in stolen fine handmade fashionable trinkets. He enlists the aid of Gilly, the tubby seagull, known for his talent of stealing breakfast sandwiches from unsuspecting hungry sun bathers.

The girls stake out the kiosks at the Pavilion on Saturday, an event known to draw tens of tourists and more than a few thieves.

Don't fail to miss this suspense-filled action unpacked episode!

Thank you, Kassarine, for your input into this fun blog post. Sometimes we need a diversion of silliness in this crazy upside-down world.

Feel free to add to the saga of three post-menopausal spies seeking truth, justice and black-eyed peas.
("Live peas?!?" - LOL. You had to be there.)

Dynamic Audio Message by Charles Clough - 8/7/16

Fasten your seatbelts before hearing Charlie Clough's messages at Bayside Community Church in Tampa, FL  on Sunday, August 7, 2016.

Links to the audio messages are below:
10 AM Lessons From Trying to "Fix" a Broken Society 3000 Years Ago - Part 1http://bcctampa.sermon.net/main/main/20735408

11 AM Lessons From Trying to "Fix" a Broken Society 3000 Years Ago - Part 2
http://bcctampa.sermon.net/main/main/20735402