Woulda, Coulda, Shouda

There’s something about the Christmas and New Year’s season that makes us nostalgic—remembering holidays from the past.  The passage of time also makes us reflect on our lives and how we have lived.  Researchers from Cornell University questioned hundreds of senior adults about their most common regrets in life. Caitlin McCormack summarized for espresso blog “Older People’s Most Common Regrets.”

Pixabay Photo

·        Quitting school

·        Not taking career risks

·        Working too much

·        Not pursuing dreams

·        Not eating healthier

·        Not having kids

·        Not pursuing dreams

·        Not saving enough money

·        Worrying too much

·        Cheating on a partner

None of these deal with one of the most important pursuits we need to face in life.  What is our destination after this earthly life is over and how are we preparing for it?  Reaching the end of this physical life and realizing we have no relationship with God and are totally unprepared for the end, is a sobering thought.  The Christmas season is the perfect time to examine our faith in Jesus Christ, and to determine to take necessary steps to grow spiritually.

94-year-old Ophelia White from Ruston, Louisiana realized that her faith was not rooted and grounded and she didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ. She was baptized and began a closer walk with God.  She regrets not pursuing this path earlier in life.

It's never too late to reconnect with a church, get a devotional book to read in the new year, call someone who is ill to cheer them up, pray for God’s direction, share your faith journey with a neighbor, or give generously to a charitable cause.  Be proactive in facing the future and trust God to give you the strength for the future..

 

Thank you for another year of reading my blog musings.  2020 will be my eighth year to write. As long as you keep reading, I want to keep writing. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from 

Two Late Bloomers.

A New Kind of Scary - Part 3

A new awareness of the scourge of human trafficking has motivated some in the business community. I recently read about efforts to train flight attendants to look for signs that a person is being trafficked and under the control of a pimp that is flying them to a destination in or out of the U.S.  Several young people were rescued because of the diligence of airline personnel.

Stuart Davis meets Pope Francis

My oldest son, Stuart Davis, is an executive with Canada’s Scotiabank.  His responsibilities include monitoring fraud and money laundering of criminal organizations. Anti-human trafficking is part of his responsibilities. He recently spoke at the United Nations on the subject and just returned from a trip to the Vatican where he met with Pope Francis and the leaders of other world religions. It is recognized that international efforts on many fronts will be necessary to tackle this modern form of slavery. Here is Stuart’s description of what he does.

“Many folks tend to think of banks as just focused on profits but what they fail to realize is that many banks are also focused on doing good in the communities that they serve.  One of the ways that they do this is stopping financial crime.  Helping banks stop financial crime (also known as anti-money laundering) has been my career largely since the events of 9-11. But since 2016, my career in banking has taken an unexpected but very meaningful direction, a focus on anti-human trafficking.  A survivor of human trafficking spoke at a conference my team attended and asked who is willing to stand with me and help?  We did, launching Project Protect among the Canadian banks to disrupt the illicit flows from this heinous crime. 

Human trafficking and the profits generated is believed to be the 3rd largest crime in the world.  Studies have suggested that there are over 40 million people trafficked per year and it is often happening right here in our communities.  However, it is often a hidden crime that includes labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and the sexual exploitation of children.

Through the collective efforts of many involved, some impact is being made but much more can be done.  Our early efforts and successes in Canada have drawn international attention.  We have been aligning with those with common goals and purposes globally.  As a result, I have had the honor and privilege to be invited to speak recently at the United Nations on our bank’s initiative to help survivors of human trafficking.  And very soon I will be discussing efforts to protect child dignity and fight child exploitation at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences hosted by His Holiness Pope Francis.

I would have never thought that my career in banking would have a higher purpose and tap deeply into something we can all be passionate about.  Making this world a better place and helping those being victimized recover their lives.  If you are not already involved in helping, please consider how you might do so this Thanksgiving season.”

It will take all our efforts, no matter how big or small, to rescue people caught up in modern slavery.

A New Kind of Scary - Part 2

As a senior adult, I live in a bubble. Our community consists of adults age 55 and older. We belong to a church where we mainly associate with others in our peer group.  I stay on top of the news, but often remain unaware and uninformed about the serious cultural issues affecting my part of the world.  In my last blog post I wrote about how my eyes have been open to the scourge of modern slavery—human trafficking.

Since my initial blog on the subject, I have researched ways people are addressing this problem.  I’ve interviewed two people that work in different ways to make a difference. 

 

Leah Kurtz works as a volunteer with the Out of Darkness Ministry in metro Atlanta https://outofdarkness.org/  She shared the following with me in an interview. The three-fold purpose of this important organization is to 1) Reach, 2) Rescue, and 3) Restore. This Christian organization works with people who have been victims of commercial and sexual human trafficking.

Reach

The local group of volunteers spends Saturday nights in the known hot spots and red-light districts of downtown Atlanta and surrounding counties. They pass out roses and cards to individuals and work to build relationships with those who work the streets.  The cards provide a hotline number for those who want to call for help.  Some volunteers go into strip clubs in order to be a positive presence in a negative environment.

Rescue

It can be very difficult for those who are trafficked to try to escape their situation. They have been threatened and brainwashed by their pimps and have few resources. The presence of the Out of Darkness volunteers provides an opportunity for them to ask for help. The 24/7 hotline helps them to contact someone who can listen.  If they are prepared to come out and go to a safe house, the group will conduct a rescue. As you can imagine, this is a dangerous process.

Restore

The safe houses are kept secret to protect the residents who stay from two to six weeks. The volunteers help the residents to obtain ID cards, Social Security numbers, birth certificates, and other documentation to reenter society.  Often detox from drugs and alcohol is required. All who complete the short-term stay are admitted to  long-term programs which last up to a year.  Bible studies, trauma care, PTSD counseling, and classes in life skills are offered.  Every person is different and requires help in different ways.

Leah further explained that the average age of a child that enters the human trafficking world in Georgia is 11-14. Over 2,000 men per month pay for sex and profit the pimps up to $32,000 per week.  It is a more lucrative  business than the illegal drug trade. 

Even if you don’t feel led to volunteer with this group, you can pray, and provide financial and material support. https://outofdarkness.org/  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

My next blog post will tell about how the business community is involved in raising awareness of human trafficking. 

A New Kind of Scary

Scary movies, decorations, and parties dominate during the month of October in preparation for Halloween.  Skeletons, witches, and monsters grab your attention at Home Depot and Walmart. With no small children in our life, we don’t involve ourselves much in the make-believe celebration.

 

Real life scary stories are harder to overlook. In my insular world, people don’t talk much about slavery.  After all slavery is dead in this country, or so I thought.  My eyes have been opened recently to an ongoing form of slavery called human trafficking.  It is frightening to think that over 100,000 children and young women are trafficked in America today.  They range in age from nine to nineteen with the average age being 11. 

Some of the forms of slavery involve the sex trade, labor exploitation, organ harvesting, and black-market babies.  And the law enforcement and legal communities are struggling to stay ahead of the exploding criminal organizations that profit from exploiting others.

A human trafficker can earn on average over $250,000 a year pimping out a young girl for sex.  Many victims are brought into the U.S. from Eastern Europe and southeast Asia and sold to work in sweatshops, as domestic servants, and in agricultural work. It’s not a topic discussed much on the nightly news or in the halls of Congress.   However, the U.S. State Department calls forced enslavement the greatest human rights issue of our time.

Any child or teen runaway—both male and female—is in danger of being snatched and forced into slavery.  The internet plays a significant role in grooming vulnerable minors to meet up with older men and women who sell them to traffickers for a healthy profit. 

Florida, California, and New York are the states where most human trafficking occurs. Metro Atlanta, where I live, sits on important Interstate routes that provide quick access to the interior of the country.  The income generated by forced slavery in the U.S. is expected to exceed that of the drug trade in as little as five years. 

I suspect you are equally disgusted and saddened by what I have written.  These are just some of the statistics that you can find on the internet.  Those who manage to escape are psycho

logically traumatized for the remainder of their lives.  Many live with lifelong disease and disfigurement from their capture.  The problem seems so overwhelming that I wonder if there is anything being done to combat it. 

A lady recently spoke at our church about what is happening at the local level to rescue teenage girls.  The group is called “Out of Darkness.” Also, I have become aware of the efforts of the financial industry to track down the criminals that engage in laundering money from their illegal enterprises.  My son, Stuart, is involved through his banking job in Toronto. I will interview both for my next blog post in order to raise awareness of how we might get involved.

As Christians with a moral compass, we need to pray for our lost children and young adults that they will be freed from their slavery.  Pray also for our law enforcement organizations tasked with finding the criminals who perpetrate these heinous crimes.

The Long Hot Summer

Courtesy of Pixabay

Fall is one week away, but today the temperature records in Atlanta were shattered.  Instead of the mid 80’s, we have had 97-99 temperatures for the past week.  The last time it was this hot in Atlanta was in 1900.  We finally got some rain, but everything is suffering. My low energy level is a product of this extreme heat. If I don’t get my errands done in the morning, they don’t happen.  Regardless of what some people think, there is not a whole lot I can do to change the weather patterns. What caused the heat back in 1900 in Atlanta and what is causing the heat today are probably not the same weather process. 

It is said that the invention of the air conditioner allowed the South to rise again after the decimation of the Civil War.  The first air conditioner was invented in 1902 by Willis Carrier, not to keep humans cool but to keep factory equipment from overheating. My first experience with an air conditioner was in 1958 when I visited my sister in Atlanta for the first time.  The heavy-duty window unit helped to keep my upstairs bedroom cool in the hot Georgia summer.

I am ready for the cooler weather of fall.  The stores are filled with darker colored clothes, sweaters, and boots. I am ready for a wardrobe update, but it will have to wait a while longer. My plans to make my winter staples of soups and stews have been put on hold too. Today I saw a display of forlorn looking gourds and pumpkins in front of the grocery store.  They looked out of place and slightly shrunken from the intense heat. 

Many trees are trying to turn to fall colors, but I’m afraid they will go from green to shriveled brown.  What a disappointment that will be.  I checked the weather in the town where I was born in upstate New York.  The daytime temperatures average in the upper sixties and nighttime in the upper 40’s.  They will have beautiful trees by the end of this month.  I do miss that annual colorful display.

Wouldn’t it be nice to save some of this heat and release it next January?  Then I will be complaining about something else.  A Bible verse comes to mind: “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24   No matter what each day brings, we all have so much to be thankful for.  I was challenged recently to write down three things I am grateful for each day and to thank God for each one and to share that list with others.

Book cover courtesy of Pixabay

The first item on my list is to thank God for you, my blog readers.  Some of you have followed me for the past seven years since I started writing. You are the reason I write.  Your support keeps me sitting at my computer asking God to help me put words on paper. When you comment and share my blog post, it means so much.  God bless.

A Turn in the Road

In recent weeks, I’ve learned that I am not too old to go in a new direction.  Senior adults—me included—are notorious for not wanting to change their living conditions, schedules, habits, or affiliations with friends and groups.  We enjoy the routine and similarity of each day and don’t want to be jarred out of our comfort zones.

After 23 years of love and loyalty to our church, Charles and I are being led to find a new one. It started in January of this year when we realized the distance and traffic on our route to church had become more of an issue than ever before.  The still, small voice of God spoke to my heart and said we needed to find a church closer to home.  I didn’t tell Charles about my feelings at the time, because I knew we didn’t want to leave our close-knit group of friends with whom we study the Bible, worship, and share life.

Charles is still a top-notch day and night driver in all weather conditions. He can navigate the interstates with the best of them and I can ride with him anywhere.  Not so for me.  My night driving skills have changed, and I avoid heavy traffic on the interstates at all costs.  When it’s raining, my driving skills really deteriorate.  We had already changed doctors and dentists and other providers in order to stay within a less than five-mile radius of home.

Recent developments in our church and issues that no one saw coming six months ago have confirmed that my earlier thoughts and urgings were preparing me for the inevitable. Theological differences with our pastor and staff helped us realize, it is time to move on.  We are not too old to go in a different direction after all.

Our friends will still be friends.  It will just take more effort to see them and communicate with them. We have no idea at this point where we will find the right church for us.  But God knows where he wants us to worship and serve.  He will lead us in the future just as he has in the past.

The Bible verse from Jeremiah 29:11 will be my anchor for the next several months.

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The Rocket Scientist

Where were you on July 16, 1969? Most people were gathered around their small televisions to watch grainy live footage of Neil Armstrong take his “first small step for a man, and one giant leap for mankind.”  We sat our 18-month-old son on a kids-sized chair in front of the TV so he could see history in the making.

The USA celebrated the three men launched by the Saturn rocket who made their way to lunar orbit and the two men who walked on the moon’s surface.  Little did I know that twenty-seven years later that I would marry a rocket scientist who worked on the Apollo program to make the moon walk possible.

For two and a half years—from 1964-1967--Charles worked with Lockheed Missiles & Space in Huntsville, Alabama on two engineering challenges of the Saturn V rocket. They were both unsteady aerodynamic problems that could cause grave structural damage to the launch vehicle.  He explained these problems to me several times before I could understand them enough to share them with you.

The Saturn V was so light and limber, the engineers described it as a “wet noodle.” Like a flagpole in the wind, oscillating vortex flows from strong ground winds could cause the whole vehicle to shake from side to side and fall off the launch pad. Charles’ experience in aerodynamics prepared him to learn about these unsteady oscillating air flows.

The second challenge concerned the small rocket or launch escape system on top of the Apollo command module. The concern was it would vibrate excessively and cause the Saturn V rocket to wobble and come apart during takeoff. His group had to measure the oscillating frequency of the launch escape system to see how much it would shake the whole vehicle.

The research conducted by the Lockheed engineers contributed to NASA’s understanding of what to expect during the lunar mission. It was fortunate none of these problems occurred and the launch and return to earth was successful. According to Charles, it was challenging work where he learned mathematical principles that apply to his vortex control work today.

Scientific research by unsung heroes who did the grunt work necessary for a successful effort made the moon landing possible. Much of life is like that.  It’s the behind-the-scenes folks who care for the sick, teach the children, and keep the office running (to name a few) who make it possible for others to succeed.

During this third week of July as you gaze into the sky and enjoy the Full Moon, or as others call it the Hay Moon, the Buck Moon, or the Wort Moon, remember this quote by President Ronald Reagan.

“There is no limit to the amount of good you can do,

if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

Words Matter

“One day you will tell your story of how you’ve overcome what you’re going through now, and it will become part of someone else’s survival guide.”  (Suspended Coffee-blog post quote)

That one day arrives much sooner than we think.  The necessary gobbles up so much time, not much is left for contemplation and creativity.  The impetus to finish Charles’ memoir, Chasing a Whirlwind, became more real this past week when I read about the sudden death of Jennifer Kennedy Dean.  She was a writer extraordinaire on the Christian’s prayer life and spiritual growth. She wrote dozens of books on those vital topics.    She had not been sick, and I am sure she didn’t wake up that morning expecting it to be her last.

I wake up every morning determined to get back to editing Charles’ book, and before I know it the day has gone.  I sure can’t blame Charles. He has given me page after page of material to edit and massage into a story format. So now it is up to me—no pressure, right?

The same has been true with my blog writing in June. I’ve neglected it far too long. First, we spent a very busy week working in our church’s Vacation Bible School. Both Charles and I were at the church by 8 am each day setting up for the boys’ and girls’ arrival.  He manned the parking lot making sure everyone was safe. At the registration table, my workers and I passed out name tags and helped the kids find their rooms. We were done in by the end of the week, but so glad to have been a part of the VBS team.

We spent the next week working with a realtor to help my son find a new place to live. Apartment rents in this area are sky high, so he needed to find a better fit for his budget. We looked at over a dozen places and  agreed  on a townhouse closer to his children.

 

Finally, we were able to take a week’s vacation in the mountains.  We traveled to Highlands, North Carolina and soaked in the mid-70’s temperatures and the beauty of the hills and valleys around every bend and curve.  Charles hiked, I shopped, and we both enjoyed being away from home and all our responsibilities.

Now it is time to put aside all the going and doing and get back to the business of writing.  A change of pace is good, but there is also a lot to be said about routine and quiet times.

Tomorrow I will take Mark Twain’s admonition to heart and kick my book writing into motion.

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

Hedgehogs & Computer-itis

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have issued several warnings to the public about the danger of Salmonella. The “Don’t Kiss or Cuddle Hedgehogs” warning was issued in January 2019, and today the CDC warned about the dangers of backyard poultry.

“Don’t let backyard poultry inside the house, especially in areas where food or drink is prepared, served, or stored. Poultry should not be kept in day cares, preschools, hospitals, or nursing homes. Don’t kiss backyard poultry, or snuggle them and then touch your face or mouth.”

The CDC didn’t need to warn me about hedgehogs and backyard chickens.  I have never and will never kiss hedgehogs and backyard chickens, let them into my house, or snuggle with them.

I’m also not in the habit of kissing or snuggling up to my computer, but it still has infected me with a virus and a bad case of computer-itis. I’m late writing my blog for May because my email has been most uncooperative—in fact, it quit working in Outlook all together.

Enter my two late bloomer husband’s attempt to fix it. His well-meaning efforts fell short when he allowed an unknown computer tech company access to my computer. They immediately started fixing things that didn’t need fixing and selling him an expensive plan to beef up my anti-virus and malware protection. 

And my email still did not work.  In fact, my email inbox showed that I now had 43,000+ unread messages.  My computer is only six years old and every email and spam message since 2013 suddenly showed up in my inbox. Yikes!  I thought that stuff was long gone. I even beat Hillary in the number of deleted emails.  How come they couldn’t find hers?

My inbox was over stuffed and no new messages could arrive. In the past few days, I’ve deleted over 12,000 messages —50 at a time—anymore and the email locks up.  I found over 1000 Costco messages and an equal number from Amazon and other stores, along with hundreds more from every online site I’ve visited.  Do these companies have nothing more to do than to bombard my inbox with their ads?

In addition, my Facebook messenger site was hacked by someone sending out messages in my name.  Some of my friends let me know of the suspicious activity.  Now I need to change my Facebook password.

I’m actively deleting my consumer and shopping history, so that I can get back to business.  How much of my life has been controlled by my online usage?  It’s a reality check.  Computers help us in wonderful ways, but create their own set of problems.  At some point I also need to delete hundreds of emails from my cell phone before it shuts down.  I spend too much of my time on line to the exclusion of other important efforts and spiritual pursuits.  I think God has gotten my attention and I’d better listen.

New Paint

It’s easy to become satisfied with what is old and comfortable—a faded bathrobe, baggy sweats, stretched-out shoes. Shaking things up takes work and effort. We resist doing things in a new and different way. Getting out of our comfort zone and taking on new challenges is even harder the older we get.

Sticking with the old and comfortable had to go if we were going to paint the interior of our house. We knew that moving furniture and taking down pictures and window treatments would reveal lots of dust and dirt. We’d look at the cracks in the sheet rock, the scuffed-up walls, and chipped baseboards and one of us would say, “We really do need to paint, but it’s so much work.” This spring, we decided to bite the bullet.

Picking out a paint color, a painting contractor, and a start date was half the battle. Once we made a commitment, we dove into the packing and moving process. We decided not to paint our sun room now so we could use that room for storage.  Charles had the unenviable task of taking down wall decor and window treatments that hadn’t been dusted in quite a while. I packed up all my glassware and dust collectors scattered around the house. By the end of day two, we were both coughing and sneezing. But there was no time to stop. We unloaded our master closet, made a mound on our bed, and covered our clothes with a tarp.

Fortunately, we have a finished basement with a sofa bed. We piled 6” of padding on top of the mattress to make it bearable for five or six nights.  We hauled clothes, food, and dishes down the stairs for our week of “glamping.” If you don’t know that term, it means camping with some of the luxuries of home, such as a bathroom and kitchen facilities. Is there any other way?

The painters hope to finish today, and our physical labor will begin again–in reverse order. Take everything back upstairs, unload the boxes, and take our clothes off our bed. The best part is that everything will smell and look clean, and we vow to keep it that way, at least for a while.

During our recent Easter celebration, we were reminded by our pastor that with the Resurrection of Jesus, everything became new. Living life encumbered by sin, the fear of death, and a secular world view has to go in order to fully embrace the new gift God wants to give us. 

We each have a choice to make. We can leave the dust and dirt in our lives, or pack it up and make a fresh start. When we        choose to let God’s Spirit dwell in us, we receive his                forgiveness, joy, and love. Only  then will we become new inside and out.

                                           

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

A Spring in My Step

Spring is a much anticipated time of the year that I eagerly await – until it gets here. Then I have to face some of the more challenging things about the season.

• The sun doesn’t come up until after 8:00 am and I have a harder time getting out of bed in the dark. Thanks Daylight Savings Time.
• The deck and car is covered in yellow dust and there is a haze of pollen in the air.  I am using more antihistamines, eye drops, and nose sprays just to make it through the day.
• My closet is a jumbled mess. Heavier clothes need to be cleaned and boots packed away.
• Dust bunnies are visible in the late afternoon sun reminding me it’s time for spring cleaning.
• Baby squirrels busily destroy my container garden of pansies and tulips before we discover their nest under our grill cover.

As new life springs up all around, I am also reminded of the enjoyable aspects of this time of year.

• The ornamental fruit trees are dressed in white, pink, and purple blossoms. The red and orange leaves on oak and maple trees gradually fade into green.
• Catalogs arrive with page after page of colorful spring fashions that tempt me to order the latest and greatest.
• My too late bloomer husband agrees to use on sale coupons and take his semi-annual shopping trip for his furnishings.
• Reminders of the Easter season and the new life experienced in Christ are in the stores and even on the History Channel (Jesus: His Life.)
• My thankful heart rejoices in all the challenges and joys that this season of renewal has to offer.

A Season of Change

The place was mostly abandoned and spooky.  Wind whipped up dry leaves that danced around the empty store fronts.  Rows of dealer—not shopper— cars filled the parking lot. We’d hoped to find a place to eat around the mall, but most eateries were closed.  We saw up close the new face of suburban America. 

On March 1 of this year, CNBC online pronounced, “The retail apocalypse is alive and well this week with major chains… announcing massive closures, totaling the death of more than 465 stores over the last 48 hours.” Ten years ago, only a few saw this massive change coming.

Online shopping from the comfort of your own home is replacing the brick and mortar experience.  I do my share online, but still like a retail therapy trip to check out the merchandise. Just as the mall replaced the downtown main street shopping experience during the past fifty years, the future of retail is changing again to meet consumer demands.  The malls that are thriving incorporate experiences, other than shopping, to attack customers.  Indoor put-put golf, bouncy houses, carousels, pottery painting, and live theaters seem to be major attractions.  How do we handle the changing times that are imposed on us by our society?

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  As a Baptist type of Christian, I usually don’t give up anything for the forty days leading up to Easter. But, I feel it’s an important time to reflect on the meaning of Easter and the Resurrection.

In New Testament times, life was about to change drastically for the twelve men we call disciples and all the other followers of the Teacher, who was called Jesus Christ. He tried in many ways to prepare them for the upheaval that would affect their lives forever.  Following Jesus was new and exciting as the disciples saw Him perform miracles, heal the sick, and drive out demons.  They envisioned a new kind of kingdom that would overthrow the Roman Caesars and restore the power of King David’s empire. They were shocked when Jesus began to predict His death and could not comprehend the possibility of His resurrection.  Things were changing all around the disciples, and they didn’t see it coming.

After Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, life would never be the same.  He would no longer walk with them in the flesh, but in the Spirit. His disciples and followers ever since would be filled with God’s Spirit when accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord.  Lives and society would be transformed by the good news of the Gospel. 

Will there be malls in twenty years, or will all shopping be done online?  I still can’t imagine buying a car online without kicking the tires.  Only time will tell, but the huge change that Jesus brought to this world will still be alive and well in the heart and minds of His followers. Climate change proponents who predict that a weather apocalypse will destroy the earth in twelve years must not be students of the Bible.

God plainly states in the Scriptures that He will have the last word and the future of our planet is in His capable and loving hands. We should open our eyes to the truth of God’s word and embrace each season of change.

My Diamond Jubilee

According to Wikipedia, “A 75th birthday or anniversary is commonly known as a Diamond Jubilee.

“How did I reach three-quarters of a century old?” If I had been born in any other period of time, I would not have lived to celebrate this time of my life.  It’s been a long and at times difficult journey to get this far.  Health issues plagued me most of my life culminating in a successful liver transplant in 1998. The medical technology of the 20^th century and the generous gift of a donor organ saved my life. Three have been health problems since then, but nothing of that magnitude. You can read about my second chance at life in my memoir, Born Three Times: A New Life, A New Liver, A New Love.

Since this is my diamond jubilee, I decided to research those precious stones. Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth.  They are formed within the earth’s mantle and brought to the surface by deep source volcanic eruptions.  The impact of asteroids and meteorites on the planet can also produce diamonds. Much of the world’s diamond mining comes from Africa. South Africa and Angola are sources of diamonds, but they are also mined in Canada, Russia, and Australia. The only diamond mine in the US is found near Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Diamond mining can be very labor intensive and environmentally harmful, leaving massive scars on the earth’s surface.

“As you can imagine, the journey a rough diamond undergoes from its violent formation process to being mounted on an exquisite setting is long indeed and passes through many different channels.”  (Beyond 4Cs-The real insights to mining diamonds) "The round diamond is the undisputed king of brilliant cuts. With 57 carefully placed facets, every round diamond that is polished from a rough crystal has the potential to becoming a jewelry masterpiece.” Carat, cut, and clarity determine the price of each precious gem.

A Jubilee was significant in Old Testament times.  During Jubilee years, it was mandated that lands be given a year’s rest so that the earth could rejuvenate.  Healthier and better crops would grow in future plantings.  Also during a Jubilee year, the slaves and indentured servants were set free from their bondage and given a second chance at life. 

I see many parallels to my life’s journey. Like the diamond, I have been cut and polished and been given the opportunity to enjoy an abundant life here and eternal life after death.  After all, it is said that “Diamonds are forever.”  And like the Israelite slaves, I’ve been given a second chance at life.  

At our wedding Charles and I played the song, “Grow Old Along with Me, the Best is Yet to Be.” 

  That has proven to be true in both of our lives.

 

Jumping to Conclusions

I recently watched an old movie with Paul Newman and JoAnne Woodward.  In The Long Hot Summer, Newman’s character was falsely accused of being an arsonist.  Almost the whole town jumped to the conclusion that he was guilty and tried to run him out of town.

A quote from Pinterest reads as follows:

“Snap judgments often lead to regrets from those

whose only exercise is jumping to conclusions."

Two events in Washington, DC have captivated the news in recent days. The ever-present cable news networks and social media took these false stories and inflamed public opinion.

The first accused the President of telling his lawyer to lie to Congress.  With no documentation to back up the claim, much of the news media had the President convicted of an impeachable offense.  The accusation was later walked back when the Special Counsel who investigates such crimes said it wasn’t true.

Next on a demonstration-filled weekend in the nation’s Capital, teenage boys from a Catholic school in Kentucky were accused of racism against Native Americans. The accusation was based on a cherry-picked video.  When the full video was released, it was revealed the boys did not instigate a confrontation, but were themselves victimized by epithets from a Black Hebrew Israelite group. 

These two incidents of the media defaming people and making snap judgments, made me question if the Bible had something to say to me on the subject.  Yes, I confess; As a Christian, I’ve been guilty of jumping to conclusions myself.  Four truths "jumped" out at me.

Appearances Can be Deceiving - See the situation from all sides and from another’s point of view.

John 7:24  “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”

Be Slow to Judge - It’s better to be discerning and deliberate in our thinking than to pay the price of false judgment.

Proverbs 25:7-8  “What you have seen with your eyes, do not bring hastily to court,  for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?"

Grow in Wisdom - Senior adults should use their life experiences to help resolve difficult situations and relationships.

Job 12:12  “Is not wisdom found among the aged?  Does not long life bring understanding?”

Remember your Weakness – Look inward and not outward before jumping to conclusions.

Luke 6:37 “Do not judge and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

I conclude with a word to the wise from author, Scottie Waves:

“Stay open-mined. Things aren’t always what they seem to be.”