Sweet Williams

While some cities are complaining about the rain and floods, Texas would gladly pay big money to have a few thunderstorms pounce on our state. We have had record breaking temperatures these past couple of months.  The drought has been rough on our plants and wildlife.  The rivers and lakes are drying up, water lines are breaking, and people's yards have holes that go to China. Is there no end?

As the sweat poured down my back the other day, something distracted me from the 110 degree heat.  Amazingly I came across some beauitful purple flowers.  I was surprised to see them thriving in the evening heat.  Many sweet memories of my Grandma Jean flooded my mind. The flowers resembled the Sweet Williams (or Blue Phlox - the official name) that grows in KY.  It was always one of my Grandma's favorites.

Since there wasn't a lot to do in the holler, picking these and other flowers in the summertime was one of my favorite hobbies as a kid.  Many times I would put the flowers in a used jelly jar as a gift to my Mom and Grandma.  Within a day the flowers would wilt and be thrown away.  I didn't mind.   The summer days and those flowers seemed endless back then. I can still smell the sweetness of the flower.  Some grew close to the creek.  I enjoyed getting my feet wet just to pick a few.  Afterwards it was hard to walk in my squeaky flip flops so I would run home in barefeet only to have my mom scold me for getting wet.

I didn't realize the specialness of the flowers until my Grandma Jean passed away in the summer of 1985.  Her passing was one of my first hardest lessons in losing someone so close.  I couldn't imagine being that close to anyone again.  She always had a way of making me feel special and important since I was her first grandchild.  Being an only child, I thrived on any attention that she gave me.

Like a lot of evenings that summer, I sat on the hillside next to her grave which was just down the road from my house. It was easy to escape and share with my Grandma all of life's problems. Even though she was physically gone, I somehow knew her spirit lived on within me. Yet I was still alone. She couldn't converse back to me but I could imagine what she would say.

I looked out at the beautiful evening sunset feeling lost and alone as usual.  As I did, something caught my teary eyes.  There they were on the side of the hill, the beautfiul Sweet Williams flowers, growing strong within the dry leaves.   From that moment I knew it was her way of conversing back to me.  It was a reminder that she would be with me always.  I realized how life goes on even after our loved ones pass.  The flowers grow, the rain comes, the leaves fall.  All of God's creations works in perfect harmony.  Even though we can't see them, our loved ones remain in our spirit and in our memories. Those are the things that keeps them alive. It is our faith and hope that they have never left us.

Perhaps we live life as if the days and flowers will never end. We may ignore the beauty of the flowers and those around us.  We may become ungrateful towards life and those who mean the most to us.  Sometimes we don't appreciate the special moments until there are no more special moments. 

Its no secret that we are powerless over time and death.  Death is just another step that we all have to take one day.  What gives me hope and courage is that I will not be alone. While I would gladly pay money to have another moment with my Grandma Jean and my Daddy, I am grateful for the memories.  I am grateful for the moments and the people in my life today.

Make and enjoy every memory of today.

The Response

A Nation that's blinded?

Negativity, sadness, and blamelessness seem to be the mindset of many today. Just look at any TV channel or news headline. Rarely will you find good news promoted. We all seem to be at a loss on how to fix our economy, stop the war on drugs, protect our children and their future, or even stand up for our personal freedom of rights. Amazingly, we humans have conquered a lot of things...just look at our history! Many have come to the conclusion that we alone have the power to create, control, and end life. But even with all this power, we are unable to hold our very own tongue at times, forgive others, or maintain that peace within ourselves when someone has a different opinion, belief, or treats us unfairly.

Admitting that we are powerless and refocusing is usually the first step with anything. The Response was that stepping stone. Seeing this nation in its current turmoil, this wonderful gathering happened, Saturday, August 6th, 2011, which made an impact on my life that shall never be erased. No words, no video, no testimony can explain the Spirit that was felt that day.

This all day free event was held at the Reliant Stadium in Houston which brought together people from all walks of life, from different races, cultures, ages, political views, and denominations, praying compassionately to our Heavenly Father for the state of our nation and our world.

Yet with every positive step there will also be naysayers or those who may not understand. The weeks leading up to the event, the media fueled the fire with a negative outlook mainly because the Texas Governor, Rick Perry, called out for such a day of praying and fasting for the state of our world. Many judged the gathering a discriminating failure before it even got started since only 8,000 people had registered.

As any believer will tell you though, our faith, hope, and determination relies not on mankind and his judgement of the future. We believe in God, a Power bigger than anything on Earth. We believe that any and all things are possible with Him. We believe in peace and forgiveness. His Power was truly felt that day. For many of us, myself included, The Response was a dream, a prayer, and an inspiration that had been in our hearts for many years.

This was not an event to promote a politician, a band or celebrity, a church leader, a ministry, or any denomination. In fact, no announcement was made of the lineup or even the process that was to take place at the event. There were no flyers, no CDs/DVDs, no books, no posters, no shirts – no keepsakes for sale. Only a small agenda listing 4 prayer segments was passed out by an assortment of volunteers.

People simply only knew to follow their heart, visit the stadium if they wished seeking prayer for the nation. Whatever the case, the people followed through...

Over 35,0000 people responded and followed their heart to Reliant Stadium that Saturday. Many fasted. Others volunteered. Some stayed the entire day of prayer while others stayed for a few hours. Some came from Houston and the local areas. Others had traveled as far as Maine, Mississippi, Georgia and New Hampshire. Over 1,300 web telecasts from the nation and around the world were tuned in to pray as well.

Overwhelming joy and compassion filled me as I looked out across the diverse crowd. From Pentecostal to bikers with leather jackets, no one could miss the wide range of ages, races, and cultures crying out to God in one place. By the end of the day, the emotion that had filled the Stadium brought many to tears.

The time had come to leave the Spirit-filled place and return the world. Yet we were taking with us the experience to share with others and prayers for future gatherings. As I returned home that Saturday, I was sadly reminded of the negativity once again. The news media gladly showed a small set of protesters at the event, none of which I had seen on my end. There were no good news or positive reports of what I had just experienced. Was this nation blind or had it all been just a dream to me?

Like any toxic relationship, we subconsciously love negativity. Positive stuff is just too boring. The same goes for our society. We have turned into a self-righteous and self-loathing type of people. We moan over our own or the nation’s problems. If we are not moaning, we escape into a lost world surrounded by the latest and greatest materialistic items. Society has taught us to continue to be ungrateful and fulfill our own personal needs. We have become insensitive and selfish to the world around us.

We unconsciously idolize and lose our own self-worth through celebrities, sport stars and teams, and public figures like our politicians. Sadly, we are teaching our children this same lifestyle. The new generation is becoming a self-centered with a blameless and insensitive attitude towards others and the world. What’s worse is that We, as nation, are blind or ignore it all....

...So what's Your Response? Whatever happened on that Saturday should not be forgotten and misinterpreted. This should only be the beginning for positive changes. May others Seek compassion for our great nation.

May you be Blessed to Respond.