2020’s Silent Shifter

A “Silent Shifter” changed everything about the way we think. It was like an invisible force field swept over our world. The fight for life has been the #1 goal. Our world has been united in this fight. Our medical field and essential services' heroes put on their “superman/woman” capes, masks, gloves and have been relentless in their exploits as they help to rescue humanity. The word, hero, has forever changed the way we use that word.

On the positive side – the “silent shifter” caused gasoline prices to go down. Pollution has subsided, so much so, that it seems like wildlife came out of hiding and is celebrating. The sounds of nature are louder. The air seems clearer to breathe in deeply. We want to get outside more and walk or just stand in “social distancing” and talk to each other. We have more time for each other. Parents are spending time with their kids as a family and work, traveling and social life is no longer a priority.

Yesterday, I attended a “LIVE” outdoor concert along with others in my community at LaDonna Gatlin Johnson's and her husband, Tim's backyard. They had moved their grand piano to their dining room. Tim is a gifted pianist, and of course, LaDonna is equally gifted as a vocalist and the "baby" sister of the Gatlin Brothers. We sang along to several "heavenly" songs, but one if my favorites was “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. When she got to the line, “Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow”, she teared up and so did we. Our Lord gives us the strength for this day and, PRAISE GOD, knowing Him gives us bright hope for tomorrow. On one of the songs, this cute couple couldn't resist getting out of their seats and dancing! I loved it!


As you can see from the photos, we sat “social distanced” in our lawn chairs. It was wonderful to sing, praise and make the most of celebrating God’s goodness. My dear cousins, Dr. Charles and Mary Ellen Snow, live here in my community. Dr. Snow, gave an inspiring talk about our Lord’s “Blessed Assurance” that He’s got this and He's got us! Oh, how sweet to know Him!

It seems solidarity, hope and faith, as well as appreciation for each other, has risen to a new level. We’ve realized that we are all in the same boat; rich and poor. New cars and old cars are in garages. Small living spaces as well as mansions house families. Survival has become the most central theme.

We’re learning about each other during these times. I’m sorry for those who don’t have faith, because I know our best protection is GOD. Our best refuge is HOME. Our best company is FAMILY. Our best wealth is HEALTH. Our best time is TODAY. Our best attribute is PATIENCE.

What matters most is our HEART and our trust in God. The main thing is we are NOT God and only He is in MASTER control. We are having to be who He made us to be – human BEINGS – not human DOINGS. What if we just breathed in and out, BEING a child who awaits Daddy to get home and surprise us with something He’s bringing to us. What if we stop our narcissistic “It’s all about ME” and become “It’s all about YOU, God!” I will be patient, in the meantime, and be willing to go back to the basics, to the essentials of letting Your peace guide me as my Creator and I, Your Creation. I’m thinking I’m going to settle for that in my heart and soul!

What if we hold tight and watch God do what He does best? He is the Silent Shifter! Let’s be willing to be “shifted”!

'We Declare that Mothers are Heroes'

That was The Washington's Post's headline yesterday. Other comments from other news organizations said, "In a pivotal year in the legal battle over abortion, crowds estimated at over 100,000 of anti-abortion activists gathered in Washington, D.C., on Friday for the annual March for Life that featured President Donald Trump as the first sitting president to appear in person at the event in its 47-year history." I heard the sound of a heavenly army of angels singing "Glory to God in the highest!" Calling it a “profound honor" to be the first president to attend, he said that "unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House," citing his own actions. Of course the other side sites his words are for politcal gain, I wouldn't care if he was. He's putting his words to action.

My post today is dedicated to heroes of a different kind. They are the ones who put actions to their words. They, “literally” walk-the-walk, NOT, just talk-the-talk. I can’t begin to thank God enough for being alive to see God's love-in-action like I saw in those supporting the right to life yesterday. Lovers love by fearless, uncompromising love-in-action actions. Can’t you see what love looks like in these marchers? And, our President? Well, his actions are speaking for themselves. Who would want to be on a side that doesn't defend life? I can’t put it into better words than what Tulsa’s Bishop David Konderla says here:

“You are my heroes! You inspire me and make me proud! You are young and old, but mostly young, carrying the future in your pockets. You come from all over the country enduring long bus rides and trips in cars and sleepless nights. You brave freezing cold and possible rain or snow, standing and walking for hours. Many call you the Pro-Life Generation; I call you heroes. You come to witness and to celebrate and to mourn and pray.

Witness to the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death. Celebrate the turning of the tide of our nation as we grow in numbers and move ever closer to overturning the stain that is Roe v Wade. Mourn for the lives lost and the hearts of parents broken because of a choice they wish they could take back. Pray for the healing of all and the conversion of those who still cling to the tired, old propaganda of choice. How sad for them, growing old and facing the end of their lives or political careers trying to defend the indefensible. How could anyone plan to explain to God that to the end of their life they clung stubbornly to the idea that freedom means being able to take the innocent lives of those He loves?

You are going to win! But you won’t win through marches. Marches are for witness and celebration and mourning and prayer. You will win through lives committed to God, the giver of life. You will win through the timeless beauty of modesty and chastity which prepare the heart and the soul for faithful marriage open to the gift of all the children that God desires to give. These children raised to know and love God and coming in ever greater numbers will be heroes too and will take their faith and their place in the public square and will win our nation for life. So march, heroes of life, and live Godly lives and receive the blessings of God and the thanks of a grateful nation.”

The Band Plays On

I'm so thankful for this season of life that God has given me the sweet opportunity to slow down to hang with my youngest grandchildren. They seem to be in their prime season of life -- with their many activities, competitions, sporting events and just plain living their teenage lives that are filled with vigor and vitality. What I remember about my grandparents is "they were so old and sat in their rockers and listened to the radio....a lot"! That is not me. Not by any stretch of the imagination. My band wagon hitches up to whatever they're doing and I go along for the ride!

Speaking of bands and bandwagons, I'm with the Wallace's as Payton and Alexia compete in their regional speech and debate competitions. While I enjoy slipping into the rooms to hear and see them compete, I also enjoy judging other students in their various speech and debate categories. I am mesmerized by their talents and abilities. This is Regionals, so the best of the best are weeded out for Nationals.

I was so impressed by a Biographical Narrative speech I judged yesterday, that I knew it would be my inspiration for today's blog. This narrative was about Wallace Hartley. Does that name ring a bell for you? It didn't for me. I found out Hartley was a devoted Christian musician, having been raised in the Methodist Church, and his greatest claim-to-fame was that he was the Band leader for the Titanic. One of the survivors of the fateful loss of the Titanic, Charlotte Collyer, said of the band: “They kept it up to the very end. Only the engulfing ocean had power to drown them into silence. The band was playing ‘Nearer, My God, to Thee.’ I could hear it distinctly. The end was very close.” Eight musicians, led by Hartley heard one thing, "Play on." Those eight band members behaved with remarkable calm and courage and today they are remembered as heroes who could have joined other passengers on life boats because they were also considered civilians -- not Titanic employees, but they chose to be instruments of peace for those who were calmly led to the life boats or to the watery grave.

Extraordinary act of courage in the face of death. What if we faced a situation like that? We know that our choices reveal our deepest values and beliefs, so would we do absolutely anything to get a place in a lifeboat or would we gladly put someone else first? Would we stick to our spouse or could we live with the possibility of being parted? Would we carry on playing music, or pack up our instrument and leap overboard? Those musicians faced that ultimate challenge. Many survivors gave their final account of the last fleeting moments in their memories. Their words included "And the band played on." The Associated Press recounted "As the screams in the waters multiplied, another sound was heard, strong and clear at first, then fainter in the distance. It was the melody of the hymn "Near, My God, to Thee' being played by that fearless band. Some of those on the water started to sing the words, but grew silent as they realized that for the men who played, the music was a sacrament soon to be consummated by death. Another passenger remembered the last moments of the great ship's doom, when all was plainly lost, when braver and hardier men might almost have been excused for doing practically anything to save themselves, they stood responsive to their conductor's baton and played a recessional tune. In one edition the front page was given over entirely to the words and music of the hymn.

No words could have been more meaningful as the more they played, the nearer to God those band members came. And, they became heroes by putting others before themselves.

There was another who could have magnificently called ten thousand angels to rescue Him from the cross, but the music played on. The Creator of music continued to play as He went to the cross to bring redemption for you and me.

Oftentimes we don't have an easy way out of circumstances that we are in. We don't even see a lifeboat, helicopter or any other vessel to take us to safety. We have, however, an Orchestra Conductor that continues to play the background music for our lives. As long as that music continues to play, we have hope for today and tomorrow. As long as we, too, hear those words, "Nearer my God to Thee" and live those words....we'll find ourselves close to the Source of Music. In the meantime, "Let the band play on!"