God Continues to Teach Me Archives - Page 8 of 15

Why Didn’t I Do Something?

04/06/2018 By: CCPearson5 Comments

Where was my courage? Where was my conviction? Did I not understand that being a follower of Christ meant that I was supposed to obey His commands and model His teachings to those around me?

Fifty years ago this week, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee, about a month before I graduated from high school. I was a middle-class, white girl from Alabama who “came of age” in the 1950’s and 60’s. I well remember the days of “colored” restrooms, separated seating in theaters and colored vs. white water fountains. Churches and schools were separated. The blacks had theirs. The whites had theirs.

Separate water fountains.

On my 4th birthday, May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” I didn’t know what that meant, and I certainly didn’t see a lot of change happen in my world. But, terms like “segregation” and “integration” slowly made its way into my consciousness. We didn’t get a television until about 1957-58. I remember that my parents watched the news, and I loved “Captain Kangaroo” and “The Hit Parade,” but gradually the images on the screen showed increasing incidents of whites fighting against blacks and blacks becoming more and more impatient to have the freedoms they deserved. Names like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. were heard frequently, and words like “Ku Klux Klan,” “discrimination” and “sit-ins” crept into conversations. Birmingham seemed to be a hotbed of news stories, many featuring arrests and protests.

A quarter of a million people marched on Washington, D.C. in 1963, when I was 13 years old, and just a few weeks later, four young black girls were killed when a bomb exploded in the 16th Avenue Baptist Church in Birmingham on a Sunday morning. Those four innocent faces were on the front pages of every newspaper. I remember being sad and horrified that people could get killed IN CHURCH!!

Statues of the 4 slain girls with 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in the background.

President Lyndon Johnson worked hard to get Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act, and it finally happened in 1964. Thousands of people marched from Selma, AL to Montgomery, AL in 1965 and that led to the Voting Rights Act which allowed ALL citizens to vote, regardless of color or economic condition.

My high school was officially integrated during my junior year. I remember feeling sorry for the three black students who somehow must have “drawn the short straws” and had to leave their former school and enroll in Charles Henderson High School in Troy. They walked to class together and sat at a lunch table by themselves. Several others came during our senior year, but those first three had to blaze the trail. I don’t believe I was ever unpleasant to any of them, but on the other hand, I didn’t go out of my way to befriend them either. I’m sorry about that and wish I could have a do-over.

When I think back on all of the Sunday School lessons and sermons I heard during those years, I wonder now why I didn’t hear more verses like these:

Acts 10:34-35 – “Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritismbut accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.’ “

Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Revelation 5:9 – “And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

No favoritism. All one in Christ. Persons from EVERY tribe and people.

The Word is clear. Why did it take so long for Christians to understand the depth of meaning in those words? I’d like to think if I could go back I would have been in on those protests and marches and sit-ins showing my support for my fellow residents of my community. I truly wish I had done something, anything.

I have to mention here what joy our African granddaughter brings to our lives. If ONLY I had known then what I know now.

These are some of my thoughts on this important anniversary and after a recent visit to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. I recommend a visit. It is sobering.

Alabama Weather. God’s Word.

03/30/2018 By: CCPearson2 Comments

There’s a fun (and scarily accurate) saying around here: “If you don’t like the weather, wait an hour.”

Yes, there are days that are just hot, hot, and hotter, and others where it seems to rain forever. But, at the same time, Alabama weather gets four very distinct seasons with wide variations within each one.

In a four-day period just last week, we had 80-degree temps with unstable air that produced 10 tornadoes in North Alabama alone, widespread property damage, but thankfully no fatalities, and hail described as both golf-ball-sized and grapefruit-sized. The next day was cold, overcast and windy. The one after that brought freeze warnings, and yet the next one saw temps back up to the 60’s. Similar variations have occurred this week, without the tornadoes — hallelujah!

When we’re not particularly happy about the weather we’re experiencing on any given day, I think it’s helpful to remember that God is the Creator of weather . . . and everything else, for that matter. HE’S in charge, and HE has His reasons for whatever may fall from the sky or swirl through the atmosphere.

Read this passage in The Message paraphrase where Job explains WHY certain weather-related events occur:

Job 37:1-13 – “Whenever this happens, my heart stops—I’m stunned, I can’t catch my breath.
Listen to it! Listen to His thunder, the rolling, rumbling thunder of His voice.
He lets loose His lightnings from horizon to horizon, lighting up the earth from pole to pole.
In their wake, the thunder echoes His voice, powerful and majestic.
He lets out all the stops, He holds nothing back.
    No one can mistake that voice—
His word thundering so wondrously, His mighty acts staggering our understanding.
He orders the snow, ‘Blanket the earth!’
    and the rain, ‘Soak the whole countryside!’
No one can escape the weather—it’s there.
    And no one can escape from God.
Wild animals take shelter, crawling into their dens,
When blizzards roar out of the north and freezing rain crusts the land.
It’s God’s breath that forms the ice, it’s God’s breath that turns lakes and rivers solid.
And yes, it’s God who fills clouds with rainwater and hurls lightning from them every which way.
He puts them through their paces—first this way, then that— commands them to do what He says all over the world.
Whether for discipline or grace or extravagant love, He makes sure they make their mark.”

What an amazing passage of Scripture!

In the last line, did you catch the reasons Job gives for God’s actions? For discipline or grace or extravagant love. In the King James version, the words are: “for correction, or for His land, or for mercy.” The New International Version reads: “He brings the clouds to punish people,
or to water His earth and show His love.” We all remember times in the Bible when God withheld rain for a time or even caused fire to rain down from heaven. After all, He has the whole of creation at His disposal to use as He sees fit.

Jeremiah 10:12-13 in the NIV explains it this way: “But God made the earth by his power; He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses.”

And probably my favorite passage about God and the weather is in Luke 8:23-25 which describes Jesus commanding the raging storm to obey Him. Awesome.

He IS in control. The weather on any given day might not fit my agenda or be “convenient” in my finite view of things. I can’t change it. I just need to remember what The Word says, be patient and trust.

The Reason We’re Reminded to Number Our Days

03/23/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

Psalm 90 verse 12 begins: “So teach us to number our days . . .”

Last Sunday morning we were worshiping at The Church at West Franklin where our son Matt is the pastor. It was Baby/Child Dedication Day. As Matt addressed the parents, he started with the sobering statistic that there are 936 weeks from the time a child is born until he turns 18. A scant 936 weeks. Matt continued by calculating, according to the present age of each child, how many weeks those parents could expect to have with their child before he/she was ready to leave the nest. The faces of the parents of the five-year-old, the two-year-old, the four-year-old, looked very much like the faces of the parents of the twin girls who were only a few months old. Sobered. Startled. Challenged. In the midst of sleepless nights with newborns, potty-training with toddlers and temper tantrums with youngsters, these parents were reminded that their days of influence and training were limited. How important it becomes to avoid wasting even one of them on worrying, misplaced priorities, meaningless activities and prayerlessness. How crucial it is to seize every moment for loving, speaking words of encouragement, modeling godliness and instilling truth.

Matt continued by showing all of us the rest of that verse, the “why” of teaching us to number our days — “that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Not only must we keep learning and studying God’s Word, but we must APPLY the wisdom contained in it. When we are likely in the busiest, most stressful days of parenting, we’re reminded to spend time in the Book to find the answers and to get the guidance we desperately need.

The Living Bible paraphrases it like this: Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.” Priorities. Valuing each one.

The New Living Bible puts it this way: “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” One of my Momma’s most frequent quotes was “life is short.” So true.

The part about “growing in wisdom” continues, I believe, even when our children are launched and our nest is empty. A couple of days ago, I did one of those things that my parents used to do. (How many of you can relate to “becoming your parents?”) I was scrolling through the online edition of a local newspaper and came to the obituary listings. Age 69, age 65, age 62, age 66, age 88. Whoa. Only one name had lived past 70. Steve is 70 now. I’ll be 68 in less than 2 months.

Parents of preschoolers are not the only ones God reminds through the psalmist to “number their days.” Many of us have spent decades studying God’s word and mining it for nuggets, even big chunks and boulders full of wisdom. We never get to stop applying the wisdom that we’ve learned, and there’s still time, as long as we’re still breathing, to find and apply more.

Some thoughts for all of us on the first week of spring, 2018.

47 and Counting

03/16/2018 By: CCPearson4 Comments

Next Tuesday, March 20, the first day of spring, Steve and I will celebrate our 47th wedding anniversary. It would be easy to just skip over this one and start planning for the Big 5-0, but I’ve watched my friends long enough now to realize that no anniversary can be taken for granted, and, instead, each one should be savored.

You’ve read about past anniversaries here and here. In the second link, Steve chimed in with an excerpt from his book that was finally published last week. I am SO proud of him. Feel free to check it out through this link to Amazon. And, your positive reviews would be most welcome.

This past year has brought some blessings, some surprises and some challenges, but aren’t most years like that?

Under the category of Blessings, we added another beautiful grandchild (Enoch Jonathan Rodgers), we took a fabulous trip to Alaska and Washington State, and we spent some precious times with friends and family. Under Surprises, we sold our house in Athens and moved back to Hartselle. And under Challenges, we started building what we hope will be our final earthly home. For the past 7 months, we have basically been camping out in a little rental house with most of our worldly goods in storage. Laura hosted Thanksgiving. Julie hosted Christmas. And we have been “making do” with a skeleton stash of stuff while every delay imaginable (most of them weather-related) has seemed to impede our progress. They say that building a house is a harsh test for the durability of a marriage, and that’s true. Frustrations mount while dollars diminish, and you have plenty of tense moments. We bicker, negotiate, disagree and compromise, but the one constant is that we love each other, so all decisions are made with that underlying theme of commitment and security.

I was thinking about our marriage recently, and desserts popped into my mind. Yes. Desserts. We each have our own preferences when we’re choosing for ourselves. Steve will always name blackberry cobbler as his favorite followed by yellow cake with chocolate icing and coconut or chocolate pie from Bob Gibson’s. I tend to lean toward lemon icebox pie or strawberry pretzel salad. But, when we’re in a great restaurant together and see Key Lime Pie or Bread Pudding under desserts, we can easily agree to share one or the other.

Key Lime Pie at Doc Ford’s Rum Bar and Grille on Captiva Island in Florida. (No, we didn’t sample the rum).

White chocolate bread pudding with blueberries from Grille 29 in Huntsville.

It’s kind of the same way with seafood. He loves salmon, and I love scallops, but we BOTH love raw oysters.

Raw oysters from King Neptune’s in Gulf Shores, AL.

After all of these years, we are still very distinct individuals, and yet we can agree to share some very delicious foods and incredible experiences. We delight together in our children and grandchildren. Their accomplishments and antics fill us with pride and bring us joy and laughter. We love worshiping God together. When a praise song causes him to respond by lifting his hands, I am likely to shed tears — happy, God-loves-me tears. We love traveling together — he drives, I navigate, but we both explore new places and meet interesting people. Even though we probably have a pretty good idea what the other one is thinking and about to say, we still listen and do our best to understand.

So, here we are. We’ve agreed on the house plan and location. We’ve found paint colors, flooring, countertops and plumbing fixtures we both like. We’re probably still about 2 months away from making our new nest, and once again, everything will feel unfamiliar for a while. We’re so eager to share our new place with family and friends that our patience often wears pretty thin. But that “one constant” is still present. We love each other.

Happy Anniversary to my Silver Fox.

My Silver Fox and the great smile that I fell in love with a long time ago.

Our marching orders for the coming years? — Ephesians 4:2-3 – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Learning from Passionate People: Thomas Edison and Henry Ford

03/02/2018 By: CCPearson2 Comments

When Steve and I were in the Fort Myers/Sanibel Island/Captiva Island part of southwest Florida recently, we spent a very enlightening morning at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, strolling around the gardens, homes and museum. I highly recommend a visit to this historic place. You’ll be inspired, and it will give you a great sense of pride that these two men were Americans who contributed their genius minds to enhancing the lives of others. Thomas Edison once remarked that he wished he could live 300 years, because he had enough ideas rolling around in his brain to stay busy for that long. In the “short” 84 years that he lived, he was granted 1,093 U.S. patents. It’s startling to think how many more could have been issued if he had lived longer. The friendship that was formed between Thomas Edison and Henry Ford (who had hundreds of patents of his own) was significant and striking in its nature.

Children’s book about Edison and Ford.

Can you just imagine the conversations those two might have had?!

The wide porch of Thomas Edison’s home.

Here are just a few of the facts I learned that day:

Thomas Edison had 6 children – 4 sons and 2 daughters – three with his first wife Mary who died unexpectedly in 1884 at the age of 29, and then three with his second wife Mina who outlived him by 16 years. But, out of those 6 children, he only had 4 grandchildren. They were the children of his daughter Madeleine who married John Eyre Sloane, so their last name was Sloane and not Edison. BUT, they all had the middle name of Edison — John Edison Sloane, Michael Edison Sloane, Thomas Edison Sloane and Peter Edison Sloane.
Thomas Edison really hated the winters in New Jersey and loved fishing. He bought the 13-acre plot of land in Fort Myers while on a trip with his friend Ezra Gilliland, when Fort Myers only had a population of 349 people. The property had waterfront access to the Caloosahatchee River.
Caloosahatchee Riverfront at the Edison-Ford Winter Estates.
Thomas Edison had a boat dock built first, so supplies could be ferried to the property, then had a house and laboratory built. He and Mina spent their honeymoon on the new estate in 1886.
View of the Edison home.
Edison only slept 4-6 hours per night. His brain was filled with too many plans, designs and notions.
Authentic furnishings in the Thomas Edison home, except for the light bulbs which are modern.
Henry Ford was an employee at the Detroit Edison Illuminating Company when he and Edison met at a conference. They partnered to develop an improved storage battery for the Model T, and later included Harvey Firestone while forming the Edison Botanic Research Corporation (EBRC) to do rubber research.
The Ford and Edison families enjoyed a camping trip together in the Florida Everglades in 1914, and that’s when Henry Ford was introduced to the idea of owning property in the Fort Myers area. In 1916, Ford purchased the property adjoining Edison’s.
Henry Ford’s winter home, adjacent to Thomas Edison’s property.
Ford didn’t like Florida quite as much as Edison did and only visited for a couple of weeks each year. He did, however, manage to time his visits to his Fort Myers property for Edison’s birthday (February 11) for a number of years.
Ford gave Edison a Model T, but Edison was unsuccessful in learning to drive it. A chauffeur had that honor for many years.
Henry Ford with one of his trucks.

The docents and tour guides are extremely knowledgeable about all-things-Edison-and-Ford, particularly as it pertains to this property, so you will learn MUCH more when you visit. These are just a few interesting facts that were on my mind today.

When I think about creative people in the Bible, Noah comes to my mind for building the Ark. But, of course, God gave him the exact plans and dimensions to use. I also think of David, who creatively and expressively wrote so many Psalms (songs/poems).There were two men in the Bible who were specifically mentioned for their creative abilities — Bezalel and Aholiab. God, as is always the case, is the One Who weaves intelligence and special tendencies into each of His people. I don’t know very much about the spiritual beliefs of Edison and Ford. I hope they had faith in Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the talents God gave them and for the inventions I have in my life today as a result of their work.

Exodus 35:30-36:2

³⁰And Moses said to the children of Israel, “See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; ³¹and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship, ³²to design artistic works, to work in gold and silver and bronze, ³³in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of artistic workmanship.

³⁴“And He has put in his heart the ability to teach, in him and Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. ³⁵He has filled them with skill to do all manner of work of the engraver and the designer and the tapestry maker, in blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine linen, and of the weaver—those who do every work and those who design artistic works.

36 “And Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whom the Lord has put wisdom and understanding, to know how to do all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, shall do according to all that the Lord has commanded.”

²Then Moses called Bezalel and Aholiab, and every gifted artisan in whose heart the Lord had put wisdom, everyone whose heart was stirred, to come and do the work.

Thoughts from a Shellseeker

02/09/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

As I confessed in last Friday’s blog post, I absolutely LOVE finding seashells. So, that makes Captiva Island and Sanibel almost utopia for me. When I’m searching for shells, the rest of my problems fade away. I’m not worried about the new house getting finished or a dozen other daily consternations. I’m not worried about my aches and pains or what is going to happen as Steve and I get older. I just focus on the ebb and flow of the tide and what treasures are being washed ashore. For me, it’s almost a religious experience. Most certainly, the act of being a shellseeker causes many spiritual thoughts and applications to emerge.

Cat’s paws or kitten’s paws

To be successful as a shellseeker, it’s important to prepare. Before we flew to Captiva, I bought some cheap tennis shoes I could use to wade along the shore. With so many broken pieces strewn about and embedded in the sand, it can be both painful and dangerous to walk barefooted. Flip flops are useless. They will just come off and float away. A shellseeker needs some kind of shoes that will withstand lots of water.

Southern Surf Clam and Channeled Duck Clam

I anticipated finding treasures, so I had a bag in which to collect them. Again, it needed to be suitable for water and very lightweight. I wore sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. Even though it was January, I wore some travel pants which could be converted into shorts with a quick zipper on each leg below the knees. I had to be able to get out to “where the good shells were.”

I researched which beaches on the island were reputed to be the best for shelling, and I headed toward them.

Venus clams

It takes a little time to develop what I call “shell eyes.” In other words, during the first few minutes, or maybe even the first day, of shelling, you don’t really know what to look for. You’re tempted to grab anything and everything. But, after awhile, you begin to look for certain colors, certain shapes that might be sticking out of the sand with the hope that the rest is buried just beneath the surface. And, what is really special is noticing a shell that rolls back and forth with the tide. THAT’S the sign that one of the sought-after shells may have made it to the shore.

Cockle shells

It’s actually dangerous to stand in one place for very long when you’re shelling. On beaches with lots of shells, the surf causes the sand under your feet to erode quickly, and you can easily lose your balance and be toppled over, getting drenched and embarrassed in the process. It’s important to keep moving.

Atlantic slipper shells with the little pocket inside.

“Perfect shells” come in all shapes, sizes and varieties. Cat’s paws, scallops and cockles were probably the most numerous ones I found, but just because they were plentiful didn’t make them any less wonderful and delightfully-designed. One shell, though, in particular was my “prize” for this shellseeking time. It was a Florida cone — small, but with intricate swirls. Somehow, with lots of endurance and good fortune, that shell made it all the way to the shore without being crushed or broken. Quite a feat. And quite a happy find for me.

Florida cone

So, what were the spiritual applications and parallels I found while being a shellseeker?

To be successful in other areas, I need to prepare. My heart needs to be prepared for worship, for ministry, for sharing my faith, for teaching and for being taught. When I am doing my work, I need to be mentally and physically prepared, and I should show up with the right equipment.
God wants me to see people, circumstances, life situations through HIS eyes. I need to develop “God eyes.” Too many times, my eyes are full of prejudice or preconceived, erroneous notions. Often, they’ve been filtered by politics, my background or even through social media. Instead, if all of those layers were peeled away, what would God see in the purest form? That’s how I want to learn to see.
“If you don’t change, you die.” That’s a phrase I heard just recently by a very successful business owner. He knew he needed to keep learning, moving, observing and determining how best to meet the needs of his customers. Yes. Absolutely, we are to be immoveable in our convictions and in our allegiance to Christ. But, in other areas of our lives, it is vital to keep learning, to keep growing, and to keep moving for maximum mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health.
“Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” People come in many colors, shapes and personalities. God sees perfection in all of us. If I’m a “scallop,” then hallelujah, I am loved by God just as much as a “Florida cone.” He created beauty in endless forms for His purposes and for our enjoyment.
Calico scallops.

The Bible tells us to be prepared for the Lord’s return — Luke 12:35-38, and to put on the whole armor for fighting the battle against Satan – Ephesians 6:10-18. God’s Word reminds us that God doesn’t look as man does, but instead He looks at the heart – 1 Samuel 16:7. I could give you more references, but I think you get the idea. What activities or hobbies do you have that teach you spiritual truths? I’d love to hear about them.

Shaped like Angel Wings, but smaller.

Beauty in Brokenness

02/02/2018 By: CCPearson3 Comments

Thirty years ago, I was borderline obsessed with seashells. My husband and children will testify to the truth of that statement. I researched and found that Sanibel Island near Fort Myers, FL was one of the best shelling beaches in the world. I found an affordable resort on the beach where we could stay and booked a trip for all five of us. The kids were fine with it. They just wanted to build sand castles and swim in the resort pool. Steve just wanted warm, sunny days and maybe a place to throw out a fishing line. But, me? I wanted to find as many seashells as humanly possible in the days we were there. I dug in the sand, and I waded out into “the deep.” Well, it was deep for me, because I can’t swim. Whenever I could persuade Steve and the kids, they put on goggles and searched with me. We found hundreds and hundreds of shells, enough to discard those that weren’t absolutely perfect. We even went live shelling. Remember this was before such a thing became illegal in Florida. As a result, we had some of the prize specimens: horse conchs, worm shells, alphabet cones, angel wings, sundials, turkey wings, fighting conchs, pear whelks and Scotch bonnets, to name a few. Oh, how I wish I could find the various crafts I made with many of them, but, alas, too many moves have occurred during the intervening thirty years.

Last week, Steve and I had a chance to go back to the area, this time to Captiva Island which is attached to the end of Sanibel by a short bridge. There was much I wanted to explore for my travel and food writing, but we were able to squeeze in a few hours of shelling on three different beaches. I was struck by the differences in what I saw as beautiful and “keepable” on this last visit.

Treasures freshly washed onto the shoreline on Captiva Island.

I spotted many gorgeous PIECES, shells that had once been highly prized and wondrously shaped that didn’t quite make it to the shore unscathed. I grabbed several dozen as they rolled through the surf, cleaned them up and brought them home.

Broken shells from Captiva Island.

They represent something important to me. I am not the same person I was thirty years ago. I have been broken at times by life’s circumstances, and my body is certainly more broken that it was in my younger days. Many of my friends have recently been facing all kinds of brokennesses in their lives, as well — loss of a child, knee and hip replacements, open heart surgeries, divorces, deaths of spouses, harsh cancer diagnoses and treatments, unwanted changes in their living situations, etc. etc.

As I was searching the Scriptures and pondering why I found these broken shells so beautiful, I ran across these words by Debbie McDaniel in Crosswalk.com:

“Here is truth. Just because we’ve been broken doesn’t mean that we are thrown away. Just because we’ve been broken doesn’t mean that we are un-usable, set up on a shelf. Just because we’ve been broken doesn’t mean that we are forgotten.

Brokenness has the power, unlike anything else, to bring forth new beauty, strength, and inspiration to others. Because it’s often in those moments that we’ve tasted deep suffering, that we noticed, we were made for more. There’s more. There’s purpose.

The scars of life, the healed wounds, the deep lines, they all have stories to tell. . . .” Read the entire blog post here.

I believe that God still sees me as beautiful, usable and strong, and He sees my friends the same way. Fellow broken people reading this, be encouraged.

(Verses in the New King James Version)

Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Psalm 34:18 – “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”

Psalm 147:3 – “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Isaiah 66:1-2 – “Thus says the Lord: ‘Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest?

For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,’ says the Lord. ‘But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.’ “

Stay tuned for more thoughts about seashells next week.

Time to Share: A Market, A Kitchen Gadget and 4 Cookbooks

01/26/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

The Bible uses the word “share” and the concept of being generous throughout the entire Book.

Hebrews 13:16 – “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Proverbs 22:9 – ” The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”

Romans 12:3 – “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Proverbs 11:25 – “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Today I thought it might be time for me to do some sharing of my own. You might not want to check out all of my suggestions, but maybe at least one will strike your fancy.

A MARKET — A & V Seafood Market, to be exact.

I first heard about this “great place to get fresh seafood” during a cooking class held by Chef James Boyce at Cotton Row in Huntsville. Recently, I had a chance to check it out. The name is derived from the couple who own the business, Allen and Vickie Nguyen. The small shop at 2000 Cecil Ashburn Dr. SE is on the right as soon as you turn left from Carl T. Jones Highway onto Cecil Ashburn. Yes, it smells fishy, but all of the products are carefully iced, and the store is immaculate.

Vickie Nguyen, A & V Seafood Market owner

I had a great conversation with Vickie who obviously enjoys her business and her customers. She was quick to make accommodations for customer preferences, and Steve and I appreciated the large selection. We walked out with a dozen oysters, large filets of grouper and salmon, some tuna dip and 4 large scallops. We prepared the salmon and oysters for dinner that very night, after enjoying an appetizer of tuna dip and crackers. I have a recipe all picked out for the grouper and hope to imitate a YouTube video I saw of Chef Boyce preparing scallops. Can’t wait! If you are a seafood lover, I think you’d enjoy visiting this market. It is open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A KITCHEN GADGET — MiTBA Salad Cutter Bowl.

Do you sometimes avoid making a fresh salad for your lunch or dinner because you dread all of the vegetable chopping involved? If so, this is a gadget you might want to check out. I ordered mine from Amazon after seeing it on Facebook.

Basically, it is a colander with cutting grooves and a base. You put your salad fixings in the colander, wash and drain them. Attach the base, then, using a long sharp knife, cut through the grooves in one direction. Twist the base slightly, then cut through the grooves again. Voila! Your salad is chopped and ready.

The size is perfect for two people. To make salad for more people, you might need to go through the process a couple of times. A sharp knife is essential.

It’s not expensive, and I recommend it. I expect we’ll eat more salads as a result.

4 COOKBOOKS.

Yes, I am one of those people who LOVES cookbooks. That doesn’t stop me from Googling or using Pinterest to find something specific, but I still enjoy reading cookbooks. I especially like the ones written by people I know or cookbooks featuring regional specialties in places I have visited. In the last few months, mostly through my travel/food writing adventures, I have acquired 4 new cookbooks that are beautiful and are filled with amazing recipes I’m eager to try.

Pizzazzerie Entertain in Style – I first learned of this one because my good friend Kay Dekalb Smith shared on Facebook that her daughter Evin Krehbiel was the photographer. Her photos are stunning. The book is filled with gorgeous table settings. I have my eyes on two recipes in particular that I want an excuse to make soon: Bacon and Pecan S’Mores and Hot Chicken Salad. Those of you who know me well, know that I’m a HUGE chicken salad fan, so it’s natural that I spotted the one in this book.
What Can I Bring? by Elizabeth Heiskell. I had the opportunity to meet Elizabeth at an event in Birmingham and watched her make her signature Tomato Pie. She has a very engaging personality, and her Tomato Pie was awesome. Elizabeth appears often on The TODAY Show. You might want to check out some of the episodes and watch her at work.

I baked two Chocolate Chip Bundt Cakes from this book during the holidays, and everyone appeared to enjoy them. This book includes plenty of Elizabeth’s anecdotes and is a lot of fun.

3. Morning in the Mountains. This book has been compiled by members of the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association. Steve and I will be staying in a couple of these B & B’s in a few months. The photos and the recipes have us salivating already. Almond Streusel French Toast is on my must-make list for an occasion soon. It sounds so good. You can order your copy through this link.

4. Gumbo Love by Lucy Buffett. I got this beautiful book when I was covering the World Food Championships in Orange Beach back in November. It seems that every visitor to the Alabama Gulf Coast makes their way to LuLu’s Restaurant at least once while they are in the area. This is her latest cookbook, and it tells lots of great stories, and she offers good advice for making gumbo, of course, as well as all kinds of seafood and Gulf specialties. I plan to use her recipe for Grouper with Balsamic Butter Glaze on the big filet I brought back from the A & V Seafood Market. It looks like a winner.

So, here are my recent findings that I wanted to share with all of you today. The kids gave me an Instant Pot for Christmas, and when I shared that info on Facebook, many friends were quick to share recipes and advice for using it with me. Their efforts made me feel good. Hopefully, learning about this seafood market, the salad cutter bowl or these cookbooks will make you feel good, too.

Biblical History Center in LaGrange GA: A Glimpse of Life in Bible Times

01/19/2018 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Who would guess that The Louvre in Paris, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and a 3-acre archaeological museum in the small city of LaGrange GA would have something truly significant in common? The Israel Antiquities Authority has entrusted only seven museums in the world to house some of its ancient artifacts, and the three mentioned above are among those seven.

Dr. Jim Fleming is the CEO and Founder of the Biblical History Center. He has lived and worked in Israel since 1973. He has coordinated 12 archeological excursions in Israel, has been a Professor of Geography and Archeology, has taught both Jewish and Arab tour guides about Christianity for the Israeli and Palestinian tourism representatives in Jerusalem, and Dr. Fleming established Biblical Resources specifically for developing teaching materials about the history, geography and archaeology of the Bible. Dr. Fleming KNOWS what he’s talking about, and he’s passionate about making the Bible and its setting come alive to others.

Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

The stated goal of the Biblical History Center in LaGrange is “to help people understand the Bible and the ancient world in its historical and cultural context. We do this by providing exact replicas of ancient life settings coupled with cutting-edge teaching based on the most up-to-date evidence and information in the fields of archaeology and biblical scholarship.”

The Center is open Tuesday – Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. but is closed for normal U.S. holidays. There are guided tours of the Archaeological Replica Garden and self-guided tours of 250 rare artifacts in the gallery. Special emphasis tours occur during Easter and Christmas seasons. Reservations can be made to partake in a Biblical meal, a shepherd’s bread making activity, a kid’s archaeological dig or for certain conferences and lectures. Check the website for the event calendar and pricing.

And there is a very nice gift shop with books and many items from countries of the Middle East.

Nativity set in the Gift Shop.

Jewish items in the Gift Shop.

On a recent visit to LaGrange, I was introduced to this wonderful place and enjoyed a tour and a Passover meal. I LOVED it! The tour guide said several times during the presentation, “Doesn’t that just make the Bible passage come to life for you?” He was right. It did. The guides wear biblical costumes and are very well-trained. I cannot recommend this highly enough. It was a complete surprise to me. I had never heard of it, but now I want to go back and take others with me. It reminded me so much of the song, “I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked” by Geoffrey O’Hara.

Sharing the Passover Meal.

Passover Meal.

I have never visited the Holy Land. Perhaps someday I will. In the meantime, this is a great alternative.

BIBLICAL HISTORY CENTER “An Archaeological Museum Exploring Daily Life in Ancient Times”

130 Gordon Commercial Drive, LaGrange, GA 30240

706-885-0363

A Microphone for Jesus

01/12/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

We all saw it. Well, let me clarify that. “We” all saw it, if you join me in the segment of the population avidly following SEC football in the United States. In this case, I’m referring to the National Championship game that took place in Atlanta on January 8th between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. Those were the two teams who emerged to the top at the end of the 2017 college football season. (And just to be 100% clear and transparent, I am a graduate of Auburn University, and my Auburn Tigers handed BOTH teams their only loss during the regular season. So there). But, I digress.

Georgia handily won the first half. At the beginning of the second half, Alabama starting quarterback Jalen Hurts was replaced by a virtually-unknown freshman from Hawaii named Tua Tagovailoa. With his running and passing accuracy, Alabama battled back to tie the score at 20-20. But, a last-second field goal attempt, to win the game for Alabama, failed, putting the game into overtime. Georgia scored first, so we were at 23-20. On Alabama’s first play on offense in overtime, the quarterback was sacked WAY back from the line of scrimmage. It looked very bad for the Tide. But, on the next play, Tua Tagovailoa threw a perfectly-placed missile to the goal line, and it was caught for the winning score. Alabama instantly became the National Champions 26-23. Pandemonium reigned. Confetti poured from the rafters. Coach Saban, generally restrained after victories, was jubilant. Reporters swarmed the field. That’s when it happened. Since Tagovailoa was the undeniable hero of the game, the microphones were immediately in his face.

Without hesitation, he gave glory to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He thanked God for being with him. He quoted Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And, the black crosses painted on his face were there for millions to see. Soon after, he raced to the stands to hug his parents and family members who had transplanted themselves from Hawaii to Alabama to support him in pursuing his dreams. It was a beautiful, tear-producing sight.

In subsequent interviews back in the press room, he continued to start out his remarks by praising God and referring to Jesus as his Lord and Savior. In one clip, he was asked how he felt about moving from Hawaii to Alabama. “Do you miss Hawaii?” His response (at least the way I remember it) was “The people in Alabama are nice. There’s religion here. And there’s football. What more could you ask?” Ha! What a great kid!

I’ve thought so much about those moments after the game. I don’t know about Jalen Hurts’ spiritual condition, but if he had been the game-winning quarterback, would he have witnessed for Christ? I don’t know about the spiritual condition of the placekicker who missed the kick, but if his kick had gone through the uprights, HE would have been the hero. Would he have spoken out for Jesus? Maybe so. I don’t know. But, I DO know that the young man from Hawaii had a microphone thrust into his face, and he used that pivotal moment to tell thousands that he belonged to Jesus.

Would I have been that vocal?

In that moment of overwhelming excitement and joy, would my FIRST thoughts have been about sharing my faith and letting the whole world know I was a Christian?

Would I have been humble enough to take the focus off of myself and my accomplishments and put them on my Savior?

I don’t expect to ever be on a stage of that magnitude, but I would so like to think I would use the opportunity to speak out for Jesus.

I’m not a Florida fan, but I AM a Tim Tebow fan because of his consistent Christian witness.

I’ll never be an Alabama fan, but I AM a Tua fan, and I hope he continues to have opportunities to speak boldly. I expect he’s going to have a huge impact on his teammates, coaches, fellow students at the university and thousands of grateful fans.

Isaiah 42:12 – “Let them give glory to the LORD And declare His praise in the coastlands.”

Psalm 115:1 – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth.”

Psalm 34:3 – “O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.”

Psalm 86:12 – “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever.”

P.S. A friend just shared with me that on the losing sideline the Georgia quarterback was ALSO praising God. Here’s the clip. No blaming. No excuses. Just “God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.” Wow.

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