Stephanie B. Blake's Blog, page 10

Accidental Useful Knowledge

I recently read two books back to back - just for fun. One was A Land Remembered by Patrick D. Smith and the other was Marley and Me by John Grogan. On the surface these two books had nothing in common. One was a historical novel following a family for several generations (1863 to 1968) as they settled Florida. The other was about a family's life with an incredibly spirited dog named Marley.
Reading through A Land Remembered introduced me to Florida when it was practically undiscovered. Only a few Indian tribes dared to live in the swampy, seemingly uninhabitable land; however even the good land was free range at one time. Those that could weather the unforgiving terrain could travel all across Florida. No fences hindered them. Only bandits, disease or wild animals did that. Families could set up homesteads without much interference. Later as things changed, the land had to be purchased. It was owned and fenced making it impossible for others to travel through on their way to the other side of the state.

I considered this information interesting, but might not have dwelt on it had not it also been addressed in a totally unrelated true account about Marley. For much of his life, Marley and family lived in a neighborhood close to the Intracoastal Waterway separating West Palm Beach from Palm Beach. There were vivid descriptions of south Florida thunderstorms in both books. However, what connected the two books in my mind was John Grogan's description of Palm Beach County: "what is less widely known is that it is also home to huge farms that stretch across drained Everglades swamps for miles out of town." I was introduced to those huge farms and drained swamps in A Land Remembered.


Although I have visited Florida, I have never lived there. I had not sought to discover facts about Florida and its development but there may be a time in the future when this accidental information will be useful.

The same thing often happens to me while I am searching online for information. An innocent search about one subject somehow leads down intricate paths to another subject. The facts I discovered at the end of my search could possibly be unrelated to what I wanted to know at the beginning. Sometimes by the time I am through with my research, I forgot what I was looking for in the first place!

I believe that no knowledge is wasted. There have been times when I met someone or was in the middle of a teaching situation when all of a sudden I remembered something hidden in my mind's data bank that was now applicable to the present. I have a vivid memory of one retreat I was conducting where someone posed a question to me that I had never contemplated before. However, just the day previous to that, some unrelated research had supplied me with the knowledge I needed in order to answer the question. Those circumstances often surprise me, but I am confident that God is not surprised. What is accidental useful knowledge for me is part of His plan.

To give prudence to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion - A wise man will hear and increase learning and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel (Proverbs 1:4-5).

Orphans No More

Have you ever noticed once something becomes part of your life that you start observing others with similar things or relationships?

When we had children, I started noticing other mothers with children, strollers and diaper bags - more than I had ever done before. Years ago we bought a black truck. As soon as we bought that truck, I started seeing black trucks everywhere - many of them just like mine. Now that I have an adopted granddaughter (who has just turned three), I keep discovering someone who has an adopted family member or someone who is considering adoption - or is involved in a ministry involving orphans.

Practically everyone has a soft spot for orphans. It is heart wrenching to imagine a child who has lost both parents or who has been abandoned by her parents. Orphans have a life, but not a home. They may live in an orphanage with other children, but they need a family to call their own.

The fortunate children in such a situation are adopted. A family who wants a child is matched with a child that needs a home. God did not ask my husband and me to adopt a child, but I praise Him that He did ask my son, his wife and their two sons to do so. All of our lives have been incredibly enriched.

God is the creator of all men and He gave them life. However, He created mankind with the ability to choose. Adam and Eve chose to sin. Death and separation from God was the result of their choice. We are no different. Our sin separates us from an intimate relationship with God.

The concept of adoption originated with God. Jesus Christ paid for our sin. Those who have accepted His gift of grace and have a relationship with Him are adopted by God the Father. He has provided an eternal home for His adopted children. We are orphans no more.

I have been adopted by God the Father. I am part of God's family. My granddaughter has been adopted by my son's family. She is part of my family. These facts have created in me a new understanding and urgency for evangelism.

I now see spiritual orphans everywhere - people who live but do not yet have an eternal home with God. Those who refuse the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ will forever be separated from Him. They will remain orphans - existing outside of God's family and His home.

I pray that as God gives me opportunity, I will pay the price to introduce those who do not yet know Christ as Savior - the orphans of the world - to my Father and my family. Will you join me?

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also" (John 14: 16-19).

Diagnosing Connection Problems

I travel a lot. In order to keep working while on the road, access to the internet is a necessity. Thankfully, most places it is no problem. However, there are times when a connection is very difficult. There are even occasions when the network diagnostic assures me my internet connection appears to be working properly but my email does not load nor can I access any website. The message that appears while attempting to view a website states that I am not connected to the internet and network diagnostics can help solve my connection problems. I feel like I am going in circles. 
One thing I know about this problem is that I need help solving it. Usually the issue is not resolved until I ask for aid (usually from my husband). When I am unable to connect to a network because (as the network diagnostic indicates) I have entered an incorrect password or network name, chosen the wrong type of wireless security or am out of range of the base station, I need help in deciding how to correct the problem.
It is somewhat frustrating to be intelligently handicapped in this way since all of my work is done on my laptop. I would prefer to figure things out on my own and not have to disturb my husband, but I am seldom able to do so. I need his help. He understands the network diagnostic language.
There are times when Christians develop a problem communicating with the heavenly Father. Often, the problem is not apparent to others. Appearances may make it seem as if the connection has never been broken and everything is working properly, but there is an adjustment that needs to be made so that communication is unhindered.
When that happens, we need help in restoring our connection. The problem is never on God's side. It is always on our side and our lack of paying attention to the issues that are so critical in keeping the communication flowing. We need the Holy Spirit's help in diagnosing the problem.
Sometimes we are unable to connect because we are not using the proper name. God knows our thoughts and our hearts, but in order to reach Him, we must come through Jesus. Jesus told His disciples to come to the Father in His name. That has not changed.
Sometimes we are unable to connect because we are looking in the wrong place for security. Prayer is not simply meditation as the world defines it. Emptying our minds in meditation opens the door for Satan to fill our minds with his agenda. Prayer is always God focused -  through Jesus.
Sometimes we get out of range of the base station (God's presence) by allowing sin to take control. When that happens, we are the ones who have moved out of range. 
Most of us resist asking for help. We want to control our own lives, not submit to God's direction. In every case, however, that compounds the problem and delays open channels of communication. We need His help. He is readily available to diagnose any communication problems and leads us through steps to correct them.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT).

Breaking out of the Clouds

I travel a lot, mostly by air. It is when I am flying that I am most aware of the beauty and majesty of clouds. I never get over the fascination of breaking out of the clouds. Ascending and descending through clouds gives me three perspectives.

On the ascent, breaking through the clouds can mean leaving a very gloomy day below and being reminded that the sun was shining all the time. It also symbolizes the beginning of the journey, the successful completion of traveling to the airport, navigating the security and check in lines and actually making it to my seat on time. I may as well settle in until we break through the clouds once again at our destination.

Penetrating the clouds means for a short time that nothing else can be seen but clouds. Objects below and things above disappear from sight.  We are traveling in a fog - symbolically and literally.

Breaking out of the clouds on the descent is a delight. On a trip to a new location, the scenery below is captivating because it gives me a bird's eye view of where I will be staying for awhile. Breaking through the clouds when returning home is the best yet. It is familiar and comforting.

No matter where I am - underneath the clouds, in the midst of them or above them - what I see is only one part of the big picture. When I can see the sun, but not the ground, it does not mean that the ground is not there. The reverse is also true. When only the ground is visible and the airplane has yet to break through the clouds to showcase the heavenly bodies, I am aware that the sun or the moon and stars are still there even when I can't see them. They haven't moved. I have.

I have talked to many people about Jesus. Some of them have come to understand that as God's Son, He gave His life for theirs and offers salvation as a free gift. In a sense, they have broken through the cloud of unbelief to see the Son of Man as He really is.

Others may have understood what I was saying, but refused His offer of grace. One person I know has yet to believe in Jesus because he said he could not prove He existed. This otherwise intelligent and nice man could accept the existence of other historical figures, but not Jesus, the most documented human being there is. I continue to pray that he will break through the cloud of unbelief that is fogging his thinking and come to accept Jesus as Lord.

Jesus not only lived in history, He always has been, is now and will always be God. I cannot see Him at the present with my eyes, but I see Him clearly with my heart. Those who do not see Him or have rejected Him will someday discover He was there all the time.

The clouds He created took Him out of sight for awhile, but will one day make Him visible to every one. For those who love Him, it will be a joyful experience.

And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Acts 1:9). Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him (Revelation 1:7).

The Real Superman

Superman has always been a favorite of mine. Starting out as a comic book hero in 1939, he has been around ever since. In 1940, the radio series The Adventures of Superman began. It ran for eleven years. During that time, any one listening to it could probably describe Superman as "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound."

All the movies, old as well as new, and all the television programs, including the most recent Lois and Clark and Smallville, have had my viewing attention. They are always good, fun and clean entertainment.

Superman has sustained popularity, I believe, because every one wants to believe in a hero. Interestingly, Superman did not originate on earth. He came from Krypton, sent to earth by his parents as an effort to save him as their planet was being destroyed.

Found and kept by a loving couple in Kansas, he determined early on to use his super powers for good and not evil, adapting to his adopted planet although he knew he was very different from everyone around him. He accepted people's shortcomings without giving into the temptation to become like them when their attitudes and actions were not consistent with his standards of honesty and decency.

Superman felt his disguise as a mild mannered reporter, Clark Kent, was necessary in order to be able to help others. At a moment's notice, Clark Kent slips away to become Superman when he becomes aware of someone's need. He wasn't really a dual personality. Clark and Superman were one and the same. When people were caught in dangerous situations and could not help themselves, Superman showed up to do what would have been impossible for them to do.

Superman has his enemies  - Lex Luthor being the most well known. Lex never feels like he can do all he wants to do - control the world - with Superman around. He is always behind the scenes trying to connive a way to get rid of Superman.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is no fictional character. He is real. He left heaven to come to earth to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. His real enemy, Satan, brought sin into the world and has been trying to control mankind ever since. Satan knows we are helpless to save ourselves.

The best definition of humility is "strength under control." Jesus humbled himself to live among men so that He might save them. Jesus is both the Lion of Judah and the sacrificial Lamb of God. Instead of leaving the human race without any hope and helpless, Jesus chose to give His own life to save those who would trust Him.

Jesus is the only real hero there is.

[Jesus] emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Philippians 2:7-8). Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13).

Treasures of the Written Word

I have a mixture of modern and old-fashioned preferences in my communication habits. The instant communication that is now available allows me to do so much more than I used to do.  I have sometimes thought that the growth of the internet came about just in time for me to do international work. Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites enable me to keep up with friends, family and business acquaintances while I am out of the country. Sometimes an e-card is my only possibility to send a friend or family member a birthday greeting. I take advantage of all the online resources.

However, my real preference is old-fashioned paper and pen. I love to receive notes in the mail from friends and family and I still do the same for them. There is something about going to the mailbox, seeing my name on an envelope, a friend's name in the return address and the anticipation of what might be inside. That's actually my first love and I will never get over it (that is, unless the U.S. Post Office goes out of business)!

I never sent my father an email because he never owned a computer. In going through his things after he died, I found all the letters and pictures I had sent him from overseas. He kept every one and put them in a special notebook. Some he put his own comments on. As I read back through those letters, I could visualize his smile as he read the letters and saw the growth of my family. Although I am thankful that I wrote him fairly regularly, I wish I had written more. It was obvious he treasured those letters.

In my dad's last years, he started reminiscing about his days in World War II. Dad enlisted in the Army in May 1942. He was assigned to the Eighth Air Force, and served as a corporal in the 487th Bombardment Group. Desperately wanting to fly, Dad eventually had to give up that dream because of air sickness. He became a Link Trainer Instructor and served in England for most of his time overseas.

After hearing some of his stories, I asked him to write them down for me. I wanted to be able to have them and pass them down to my sons and their children. Dad did just that. The notebook he gave me is filled with notes of where he was, what he did, pictures taken during that time, maps, his address book and his honorable discharge on October 11, 1945. The pages of the notebook were typed on an old manual Underwood typewriter (which I also have) interspersed with handwritten notes. I wouldn't give anything for that notebook. It is a treasure.

My Heavenly Father wrote an entire book. I love it so much that I have several copies of it, with my notes interspersed throughout. Sometimes I feel like it was written just for me because I know He took special care to make sure it had all the information about Him I would ever need.

God's Word, the Bible, has sometimes been called God's love letter. I believe it is. What He has written is a treasure not only for me, but for all His children.

Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee (Psalm 119:11 NAS).

A Love That Lasts Forever

Written in 1973 and released as a single in 1974, Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You was a hit. When Whitney Houston sang her version of it in the movie The Bodyguard, it became known as her "signature song."

When Whitney released her single of I Will Always Love You, it was a success all over the world. Although she had eleven number one hits I Will Always Love You was the longest running, spending fourteen weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard 100.

Right after Whitney's death on February 11, 2012, I Will Always Love You could be heard on practically every news program. Tributes to her were accompanied by a clip of her singing this song. Dolly Parton and Whitney's ex-husband Bobby Brown were quoted as saying, "I will always love you, Whitney."

That song, as well as many other love songs, reveal a deep desire we all have to be loved. We not only want to be loved, we want to know that our loved ones will love us forever. Many holidays - Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, etc. - were put in place so that we could express our love for one another. Card companies, florists, jewelers and other businesses flourish because people want to say, "I love you," in a tangible way to the special people in their lives.

People who love each other show love in many meaningful ways. Presence makes a bigger statement than presents do. Caring enough to spend time with another is often what the loved one needs most. It is not always possible to be with your loved ones. That's what makes family reunions so sweet.

Of course, not everyone is so fortunate.

For some always doesn't mean forever. What felt like always at the beginning of a relationship may degenerate into not any more after the passing of time. The pain that comes from rejection in a relationship is all too well known. News reports are filled with stories of those in the public eye -politicians, movie stars, sports figures, etc. - who have severed relationships. The tabloids make fortunes out of their distorted versions of these stories.

For a Christian, there is no question about the definition of always. It has a stronger meaning than is even possible with a human relationship. For a child of God, always means "everlasting," literally lasting forever. God's love never changes. That's who He is.


"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you" (Jeremiah 31:3). He who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8).

Restoration and Redemption

The town I live in was settled in 1867. It still has a few houses built during those first years and is filled with houses that were constructed in the early 1900's, most of them in desperate need of restoration.

My husband and I live in a 1905 Queen Anne. According to neighbors and my mailman, at one point, this house was in very bad shape. Fortunate for us, though, several years back, someone saw the potential in this house, moved in and did a remarkable job of restoration. As a lover of antiques, I have really loved living in this house. There is obviously maintenance needed from time to time (as is also the case with new houses) and my husband does a wonderful job on that. 

Ever since I moved to this town, I have been interested in seeing more of these old homes restored. Thankfully, I am not the only one. I have a friend who is running for mayor who wants to bring the town back to its former glory. There is a new business downtown dedicated to restoring the town's old homes. Other people recognize that there is value in saving what was once beautiful and bringing it back to life.

Restoring old houses or refinishing antiques takes a lot of work. It requires acquiring the knowledge of how to do it right, the ability to imagine the value of a restored product and the patience to keep at it. 

There is a similarity between houses that need restoration and people that need redemption. What was created to be beautiful decays over time if careful maintenance is not done. It was not always that way.

When God first created man, conditions were ideal. Adam and Eve enjoyed God's company. They walked and talked with Him freely in the Garden of Eden.

Then, because of sin, everything changed. Because of sin, people age and die. Sin created a gap between God and man that could only be bridged by the sacrificial substitutionary death of Jesus, God's Son. He died in our place to do what we could not do for ourselves - restore us to the possibility of a relationship with God.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17-18a NIV).

Once a person has trusted Jesus Christ as Savior, he has been redeemed or rescued from the penalty of sin. Jesus is alive and His Holy Spirit lives within the believer. A believer's body is His house. However, because of the presence of sin, it is a constant struggle for a believer to stay committed to God.

If God is to be glorified in His children, continual maintenance is necessary. We must use the tools He has provided - His Word, fellowship, corporate worship, prayer - in order to be what He intends us to be.

Satan tries to make it as difficult as he can by distracting us. Satan wants us to believe that we do not need restoration. Don't be like Eve and believe his lies. Living the Christian life takes a lot of work, but it is God who does the work for us.

Our role in the redemption and restoration process is trusting God. He knows how to do it right. Only He can see the real value, His intended purpose, in each of His children. He is forever patient with us as we struggle with anything that needs to be repaired. He is, after all, in the business of redeeming and restoring mankind.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12 NIV).

The Importance of a Good Seal

Until recently, I hadn't thought much about the word "seal." However, watching my husband install a shower where the drain had to have an adequate seal in order to keep it from leaking made me curious. It became obvious that creating a good seal was not only very important, but also takes a lot of hard work and patience.

As a noun, a seal can be an aquatic animal, a device used for stamping a document to authenticate it, something that gives credibility to something else (as a seal of approval), or a substance used to join two things together so as to prevent them from coming apart or to prevent something else from passing between them.

As a verb, a seal can mean to make tight to secure against leakage (as in sealing windows or a shower drain), close securely (as in sealing an envelope or sealing homemade jams or jellies), prevent something from escaping by closing an opening, isolate an area to prevent entry and exit (as in sealing off a crime scene), apply a coating to a surface to make it impervious (such as sealing a finish with a varnish), fry a piece of meat briefly to keep the juices intact (seal the lamb before adding other ingredients) or secure something so as to exclude the possibility of reversal or loss (as in sealing a business deal).

The definitions of seal have an application when applied to the Christian life. God the Father placed His seal of approval on His Son; God set His seal of ownership on His children and we are marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (John 6:27, 2 Corinthians 1:21 and Ephesians 1:13). Jesus never broke the seal during His lifetime. His integrity remained intact. He never allowed anything to come between Him and His Father's will.

For the rest of us, however, it is a constant struggle to keep worldly temptations from distracting us. The apostle Paul reminded us to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit, but as my husband often says, "we leak." The presence of the Holy Spirit is real to us. We have already been "authenticated," but while we are still here on a fallen planet, we must be diligent in remembering that we have to work hard at preventing anything from entering our lives that will dishonor the Spirit that lives within us.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you (Ephesians 4:30-32 NIV).

Sidewalks, Foot Paths and Stepping Stones

Walking is my favorite exercise. The best thing about walking is that you can do it practically anywhere. As I frequently travel, the only exercise equipment I need is a pair of shoes that fit properly and are comfortable - as close to "made for me" as they can get. If I don't wear a good pair of walking shoes, I pay the price for it later.

Some places make walking easier than others. Many countries offer wonderful foot paths through the forest. These paths have often been cleared of trees and fallen debris. It is therefore possible to walk through the woods enjoying the scenery rather than having to watch the ground for areas where you might trip up.

Many European countries offer pedestrian commercial areas. Without having to watch out for vehicles, you can have a very pleasant experience walking while shopping, banking, dining, or any other business you need to take care of.

Sidewalks are also provided in many places for walkers. They are even separated from designated bike paths, so that if you stay on the walkway provided for pedestrians, you are in good shape. In areas where sidewalks are not provided or are not reliable, walkers have to pay much more attention to their path. That inhibits the joy of sight seeing as you walk.

Sometimes it is up to me to provide my own walking path. While working in an area on some land that had to be leveled because heavy rains had caused unevenness in the soil, I first placed stepping stones around the perimeter. That proved to be a very good decision as the stones were the only reliable walking area for some time.

Sidewalks, foot paths and stepping stones remind me that God has provided safe paths for us in life, if we will just take advantage of them. I know that I have a choice. I can stay on His path or I can deviate from it. Life is always much more pleasant when I stay on the path He established for me. It is when I get off His path that I am prone to trip up or make wrong decisions.

Just as I only need a good pair of walking shoes to make the most of the sidewalks, foot paths and stepping stones, the only thing I need for life is to truly trust God and let Him lead me down the path He has provided for me.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path... Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight  (Psalm 119:105, Proverbs 3:5-6).