Lillie Ammann's Blog, page 24

Doing All Things

The following is an excerpt from my devotional book Finding God in the Everyday. If you enjoy it, check out the book.

I was the first person in my family to go to college, and I
was in a work-study program to help pay for my education. I was assigned to the
library, and when I showed up to find out what my job would be, the librarian
took me into a tiny office.

“Your application said you took typing,” she said.
“You’ll type the catalog cards for us.”

There was a problem, however—and I’m really dating myself
now! The small high school I’d attended owned only one electric typewriter. We
each got to type on it once during the year; the rest of the time, we used the
old manual typewriters. We didn’t even get to turn on the electric one—the
teacher turned it on for us and just let us type a few paragraphs.

To my shock, the typewriter in the college library was an
electric. I immediately panicked. I envisioned myself being kicked out of
school because I couldn’t do the job, humiliating myself and dashing my family’s
dreams of having a member with a college education.

I had no idea what to do, but God gave me the answer.

I took a deep breath and asked, “Do you have a manual
for this machine? I’m not familiar with this model, and I’d like to read up on
it to save time when I start.”

The librarian handed me the book that held the secrets to
this challenging piece of equipment. I took it back to my dorm room and read
it, re-read it, and studied it. The next day, I reported to work and turned on
that typewriter just as if I’d done it a hundred times before.

I don’t know if the librarian ever realized I didn’t know
what I was doing. She never gave any indication she did, and in a few months,
she started giving me the most complicated jobs in the library. She was also the
faculty secretary and even had me type the minutes and correspondence for the
faculty.

If God provided the answer to my ignorance about an electric
typewriter, He can provide the answer in any situation. He may not always solve
our problems, but He always gives us the strength to get through.

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13

Heavenly Father, too often I rely on my own strength, and it’s not enough. I will lean on You, knowing that You will either solve the problem or give me the strength to get through it. You are always with me, lifting me up when I am weak. Thank You that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. In His name. Amen.

Special Offer for National Book Lovers Day

August 9th is National Book Lovers Day. Of course, I am a book lover and have been for as long as I can remember. When I was a very small child, my mother would tell me, “Get your nose out of that book and listen to me.” She often said that I ignored her because when I was reading, I was oblivious to everything around me.

So how do you celebrate National Book Lovers Day? By reading, naturally—and maybe by adding to your library.

Check out my Books pages for great books in a variety of genres. You’ll find my books as well as books I’ve edited for clients—devotionals, mysteries, romances, historical fiction, narrative nonfiction, memoirs, how-to and advice, and more.

Special National Book Lovers Day offer: Contact me to order my romantic mystery Dream or Destiny (list price $12.95) for only $6.00, including tax and shipping. You can pay through PayPal, and I’ll send an autographed copy of the book to you right away.

Happy reading to all you book lovers!

Image: © Depositphotos.com/Baloncici

Deadlines

Last week was deadline week for a magazine I edit. In fact, the deadline had been missed, and last week was the new deadline. For some reason, we had delay after delay, and everything that could go wrong did. When we finally finished and I had time to catch my breath, I thought about maybe the hardest deadline I’ve met.

It wasn’t a publishing deadline. This happened several decades before I started writing and editing. This deadline involved a hotel, indoor plants, and an interior landscaping contract.

My plantscape company had installed and maintained potted plants in an upscale San Antonio hotel, while a landscaping company had installed and maintained the atrium. I discovered a severe insect infestation in the atrium and notified the hotel manager as I didn’t want the plants under my care to become infested. When the manager asked the landscape company to treat the problem, the workers used a chemical that was legal for exterior landscaping, but not safe to be used inside a building with people all around. Although I was beginning to sound like a tattle-tale, I had to warn the manager of the danger. Eventually, he fired the landscapers and hired my company to maintain all the plants.

Several years later, the manager got a job at a high-end hotel in Austin, about eighty miles away. Although bids had been taken and a decision was near on the interior landscaping, the manager told the architects and landscape architects that he didn’t want anyone but my company taking care of his plants. I hadn’t expanded from San Antonio, but this manager insisted that it would worth my while to start an Austin operation with this hotel. I flew to Houston to a meeting with the architects and landscape architects. They told me that based on the manager’s recommendation, they would award the contract to me if I could meet the bid of the company they were planning to choose.

Then began a scramble to order plants and containers and determine the logistics to get the job done. I hired some temporary workers and arranged for some of my team to drive to Austin every day for the week of installation. We left early in the morning and got home late in the evening, working a ten-to-twelve-hour day in addition to a three-hour commute.

We had the plants shipped directly from the Florida grower to the hotel site. In one day, my husband rented a huge truck in San Antonio, drove to Dallas to pick up one kind of container, then drove to Houston for another kind of container for a different area of the building, delivered the entire load of pots to the Austin hotel, then returned the truck to the rental agency back in San Antonio.

My team and I were busy prepping the plants—leaching the soil, cleaning the leaves, setting them in the decorative containers, and finishing them off with decorative moss to hide the inner pots. We had been assigned an empty room to work in, but as we neared the deadline, painters came in and tried to chase us out of the room so they could paint. All the contractors, including my business, faced severe financial penalties if we didn’t complete our work on schedule, and construction workers were arguing and trying to make sure they met their deadline, even if it meant someone else didn’t.

The hotel was scheduled to open at 4:00 PM on a Friday afternoon, and I had most of my team in Austin very early Thursday morning. I sent the last of my workers home about 2:00 AM on Friday, thinking I could finish the rest myself. The plants were all potted and prepped. The plants in heavy clay containers were in place, and all that remained were plants for the lobby area and hallways in brass containers on wheels. I was given permission to take a shower in the employee lounge and catnapped on a bench for an hour or so. Then I started rolling six-foot tall plants from our prep room to their final destination in the hallways or lobby. All I had eaten on Thursday was a sandwich or burger at lunch and dinner. I hadn’t slept more than an hour in the last thirty hours or so. I was very stressed, wondering if I could possibly get all the plants in place before the 4:00 PM opening.

This was in the days before cellphones, and I didn’t have access to a phone in the hotel. Early Friday morning, I was leaning down, very slowly pushing a pot with a large plant. When I reached the lobby and looked up, I saw my husband standing in front of me. I thought at first I was hallucinating until Jack said, “When you didn’t come home last night, I figured you needed help.”

He took me to the restaurant, where the staff was serving breakfast to hotel employees as their last practice session before they opened that evening. He saw that I had a good meal and a relaxing rest. Then we both went back to work and rolled plants through the hotel and into place.

Finally, around 3:00 PM, we finished. I was driving my car, and Jack was following me in his car. Somewhere along I-35 between Austin and San Antonio, everything caught up with me, and I started crying. I had to pull over to the side of the road because I couldn’t see to drive. Now, I’m not normally a crier, but I cried and cried. Jack sat with me and gave me time to recover, then we drove the rest of the way home.

When we got here, I took a shower, had something to eat, collapsed in bed, and slept for many hours.

Now, when I’m facing a looming deadline, I remember this experience and realize the deadline I’m facing isn’t so bad after all.

Ben Ferguson Awarded Order of Aaron and Hur

The Order of Aaron and Hur is the only award given by the US Army Chaplain Corps to persons who are not part of the Chaplain Corps. Today, as part of the 244th anniversary of the founding of the Chaplain Corps, my friend and client Ben Ferguson was awarded this high honor. Ben was recognized for fifteen years as “chaplain to the chaplains” through the organization he cofounded. Adopt-a-Chaplain supports our troops by supporting chaplains.

I’ve worked with Ben on two books: God, I’ve Got a Problem and A Pause to Refresh. You can learn more about Ben and his books in these earlier posts:

A Pause to RefreshGod, I’ve Got A Problem: Part 1God, I’ve Got a Problem: Part 2 Interview with Ben Ferguson

Both of Ben’s book are free in ebook format, and they are well worth reading.

Congratulations to Ben on this well-deserved and prestigious honor, and thanks for all he and Adopt-a-Chaplain do to support the troops through the chaplains.

Book Review: Ur1+My1=Our1

About a year ago, I edited this book for the authors. Usually I am involved througout the publishing process, but the authors preferred to handle everything else themselves, although they did use the cover designer and formatter I recommended. Since I wasn’t involved in the rest of the process, it slipped through the cracks when the book was published, and I didn’t write a review. I’m making up for that oversight now, late as it is.

This is a Christian marriage manual/workbook, and the authors recommend it as part of premarital counseling. I agree that would be the best use for is, but I think it would also be helpful to couples who have been married a while—especially if the marriage isn’t all it should be. Eze and Nakeisha cover topics such as communication, sex, and finances—all from the Christian perspective of “the two shall become one flesh.”

The authors share Biblical principles as well as experiences and lessons they’ve learned in more than two decades of marriage. The book is aimed at young couples, as indicated by the text talk in the title. The authors presented some issues in a slightly different way than I might have, and they omitted a couple of things that I think are very important. However, they did an excellent job of sharing their vision of marriage and the Scriptural basis of their ideas. 

Any Christian couple would be much better prepared for marriage if they read this book and completed all the exercises before typing the knot. 

Independence Day 2019

ALMIGHTY God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage; We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favour and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honourable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogancy, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. ~ 1928 Book of Common Prayer

Enjoy this patriotic music and fireworks to celebrate Independence Day!

Memories: Scooting Along

The arthritis in my knees, especially the left one, has finally caught up with me to the point that my walker is no longer enough assistance. For years after I had a stroke, I used a motorized scooter to get around. I still used a scooter occasionally in the next two decades if I was walking long distances or over rough surfaces, but the last time I used the scooter—a little over a year ago—it died. I figured it was just old and worn out.

However, after realizing I needed more help than a walker, I asked the doctor about a wheelchair or a scooter. He explained that Medicare would probably cover a wheelchair, but Medicare is reluctant to approve scooters. I decided to have my old scooter checked out. Amazingly, all it needed was replacement batteries, and I expect to have it back from the shop next week. In the meantime, the repair shop provided a loaner, which I used for church this morning.

I was reminded of the time I transitioned from the wheelchair to the scooter after the stroke. I told that story in my devotional book, Finding God in the Everyday.

Here is the devotional about that experience.

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Scooting Along

After my stroke, I had to use a wheelchair most of the time.
Although I could maneuver short distances, I wasn’t strong enough to get around
in the wheelchair on my own for any distance. To be able to return to work, I
hired a young man to push me whenever I visited clients or attended meetings.
When I was in the office, he worked in the warehouse.

The people I encountered in elevators and other public
places ignored me and spoke to my helper. I could communicate as well as or
better than my helper, but people directed their words to him. They seemed to
think that because my body didn’t work well, my mind didn’t either. Or maybe it
was simply that it was easier to talk to him because he stood at eye level, and
they had to look down to speak to me. Whatever the reason, I didn’t like it.

Then I got a motorized scooter. With a lift in my van to load
and unload the scooter, I could get around on my own. I was thrilled to be
independent again.

I didn’t expect that people would treat me differently, but
suddenly, people started talking to me. They joked around and teased me about
speeding or running over their feet. I was exactly the same person driving
myself around on my scooter as I had been the day before being pushed in a
wheelchair, but I was perceived and responded to in a completely different way.

The Bible tells us that God doesn’t look at us as other
people do. He didn’t ignore me when I was being pushed in a wheelchair. He
loved me and treated me just the same as when I was on the scooter and when I
was standing on my feet before the stroke. We don’t have to worry about what we
look like—we just need to fill our heart with love for Him.

God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. ~ 1 Samuel 16:7

Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. ~ 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13

Thank You, Father God, that You don’t judge by outward appearances or worldly accomplishments. Purify my heart and fill it with love for You and others. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Image: © Depositphotos.com/ahavelaar

My Blog is a Teenager

I started blogging on WordPress in 2006, when the platform was just three years old. In those early days, WordPress was for blogging—period. I installed WordPress on the website that I created and maintained in Dreamweaver, and for a long time it remained separate from the site itself.

Now, of course, my entire website is on WordPress, and it’s in good company with millions of other WordPress websites, many much larger and far more complex than mine.

In the beginning, I wrote about my freelance writing and editing projects, ebooks and epublishing, and writing and publishing tips and advice. I still cover those topics, but I post a lot more about my faith, including daily devotionals throughout Advent and Lent. I used to allow comments and got a lot of comments. Unfortunately, I got a lot more spam, and it became so hard to keep up with the spam, I quit allowing comments.

The early years of my blogging coincided with the heyday of blogging. I posted several times a week, and I visited dozens of other blogs every day. Today, blogs are not as popular as social media. However, social media allows blog posts to be more widely distributed than just to readers who subscribe or who come to the blog to read it. I share posts on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

I appreciate your reading my words, whether you come to the site, subscribe via email or feed reader, or find them on social media. I just hope my thirteen-year-old blog doesn’t start with teenage moodiness and rebellion!

Image: © Depositphotos.com/atulvermabhai

Review: A Line in the Water

A Line in the Water by H. Rick Goff

Since I edited this book, you would expect me to give it five stars. However, I didn’t give it five stars because of my editing but because I saw the 5-star potential the first time I read it.

I am not a fisherman and have no interest in fishing, yet these anecdotes captured and held my interest from beginning to end. Fishing was only the backdrop—the stories were about life.

My head and heart were engaged in every story. I smiled; I cried; I laughed; I sighed. I experienced a wide range of emotions as I read stories that were poignant, sweet, joyous, sad, or funny—but always touching the emotions in some way.

Working with Rick on A Line in the Water was a joy, and I’m looking forward to another book soon.

View all my reviews on Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1462477

Fifty-Two Years …

This photo was taken fifty-two years ago today, after our wedding ceremony held on the back porch of my parents’ home. It was a simple service that began our married life that was filled with love, laughter, and joy.

If my beloved husband were still alive today, he might have given me a huge, elaborate anniversary card. Or he might have given me a little scrap of paper torn off something headed for the trash with a lovely and sweet note on it. He was totally unpredictable and was known to do both—for our anniversary or my birthday or “just because.” I loved the little scraps of paper as much as the fancy cards, because both contained sincere and emotional expressions of his love.

For certain, we would have gone out for dinner, perhaps to a very nice restaurant or maybe to a favorite hole in the wall, but it would have been some place that we both enjoyed.

And we surely would have laughed a lot. There were very few days in our marriage that we didn’t laugh a lot. His sense of humor was the first thing I noticed about him, and it was one of the many things I always loved about him.

After his death, I compiled a book with memories shared by friends and family. The stories are funny, poignant, serious, sweet, joyous —everything but sad.

We proved the axiom that “opposites attract.” Jack was self-confident, brilliant, and outgoing, with a strong ability to come up with creative solutions to problems. I was shy, quiet, and insecure—at least at first. With his encouragement through the years, I became much more confident and secure. He always believed in me much more than I believed in myself.

Jack’s philosophy was “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission.” A favorite example of that happened after my sister, who worked for our plant leasing and maintenance company, was injured when a ladder she was on to water plants high on a wall slid to the ground. Not wanting that to happen again, Jack went to the restaurant where the accident occurred, carrying a drill and a huge nail. Another sister, the maintenance supervisor for the company, was with him. Although she tried to convince him to see the manager, Jack confidently pulled the extension ladder out of the storeroom and carried it over to where the accident had occurred.

He leaned the ladder against the wall, got Nancy to confirm it was in the right position and at the right angle, and marked a spot on the floor at the foot of the ladder. Then he moved the ladder away and proceeded to drill a hole where the mark was. Nancy tried to stop him, saying he had to get permission from the manager first. Jack finished drilling, put the ladder back in place, and demonstrated how to put the nail in place before climbing up the ladder, then how to slip it out of the hole when it was time to take the ladder down.

About that time, the manager came over and demanded to know who Jack was and what he was doing. He calmly introduced himself, reminded the manager of the accident that had occurred a few days earlier, and showed how the huge nail would temporarily secure the ladder so it wouldn’t slide down the wall. After taking the ladder down, he moved a chair over the hole in the floor and said, “Look; you can’t even see the hole.” The manager shrugged and walked away.

Jack’s supreme confidence was exemplified in how he identified himself in relation to my plant business. He didn’t have day-to-day responsibilities in the company, but I called upon to deal with problems. He was just as adept in collecting delinquent payment from clients as he was in keeping ladders from sliding down walls. Whenever he talked to someone as a representative of Lillie’s Plantscapes, he always introduced himself as “Jack Ammann, Mr. Lillie.”

In the last few years of Jack’s life, he developed Alzheimer’s and lost all ability to reason and solve problems, his self-confidence, and his memory. However, he never lost his memory of me or his complete trust in me. He depended on me totally and never doubted that I would care for him and do what was best for him.

As surprising as it may seem, we had some wonderful times in those final years. We were together constantly, as it was not safe to leave him alone at all. Often he sat in front of the TV, not able to follow stories but able to enjoy outdoor shows, and I sat in my chair nearby reading. Jack loved to sit on the front porch and look out over the neighborhood. Often, he would turn to me and say, “We have a good life, don’t we?”

Yes, we did. We had a wonderful life. I was so blessed to share my life with him for forty-five years of marriage. I just wish he was still with me to celebrate fifty-two years.