June Foster's Blog, page 14

Heaven

The hospital reeked of disinfectant, alcohol, and some musty smell I couldn’t identify. The prognosis wasn’t good. My ninety-year-old grandmother wouldn’t be on the earth much longer. 

I stepped into the room, and my gaze fell on the old woman lying helplessly in the bed. The sides were up, surrounding her like jail bars. She lay on her side, one arm over her frail body and wrinkled fingers gripped the railing. Her white hair, once a rich brown, fell loosely around her head in disarray.  

“Grandma,” I whispered. 

No response. Grandma could no longer hear me and death was no doubt immanent. I wanted to cry at the hopelessness of the situation. I sat in the nearby chair and tried to pray. But then remembrance dawned, and I envisioned Grandma as a thirty-year-old. Alive and filled with the Lord’s joy. How quickly, it seemed, that had changed.

I closed my eyes and an image filled my mind. Again, Grandma lay in the bed, thin and full of years. But another visitor sat by her side. A man in a long white robe and dark beard looked at her, his eyes brimming with love, and he smiled. Jesus. My spirit leaped with joy. He reached toward Grandma and stroked her arm, whispering loving words to her.

So, this was the way it is. Though Grandma neared her last days in this sinful world, she was at the cusp of eternity and would always experience joy.

“Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will bear you. I have done it, and I will carry you. And I will bear you and I will deliver you.” Isaiah 46:4 

Dear Lord, thank You for the assurance of eternal life. Please help me to keep this perspective when I see death and dying all around. Help me to receive continual hope when I observe each gray hair on my head, and the years pile up. Amen.

Half full vs. half empty

We’ve all heard the half empty, half full discussion. I’ll be honest. I have to force 

myself to perceive the glass as half full much of the time. My normal inclination is to see the dreary side of things. I guess that’s my old melancholy nature I inherited from somewhere.

But I’ve received an inheritance much more important than the genes of my ancestors. 1Peter1:3-4 say: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you.” As Christians we now look forward to a family heritage in the eternal city of God. 

It’s easy to see the glass half full with this perspective. Sure life has disappointments, pain, and hardship, the half empty glass. But look what’s in store for us in the future. I fix my eyes on the half full glass of the present and praise my God for his blessings. My day is filled with joy when I’m able to see life in this manner.

Once when we were RVing, I looked out the window. I saw the perfect example. The first picture was in the foreground—an ugly tool shed. But beyond I saw a grassy knoll. 

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,” and we’ll never see the glass half empty again.  

Saint Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17. Patrick was a Christian missionary credited with bringing the faith to Ireland in AD 400. There are so many fantastical legends about his life that we don’t know which were true or which were fabricated. There are a few things we do know for sure- the man wasn’t actually Irish, he loved Jesus and he cared about the Irish people.

I did a bit of research to discover some of the stories that are told around St. Patrick’s Day.

First of all, St. Patrick himself is an interesting character. He was a Roman citizen and was captured by pirates at the age of sixteen and sold into slavery in Ireland. As he worked in the fields with the sheep, he came to know Christ and developed a deep burden for the souls of the Irish people. After about six years he escaped slavery but eventually returned as a missionary.

So why do we wear green on his day? The story goes back to the fictional character of the leprechaun. These creatures like to pinch anyone they see, but if you wear green on that day, you are invisible to them. The Irish love this color because of the country’s verdant landscape.

On St. Patrick’s Day, be sure you eat Irish-inspired foods like corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie and Irish soda bread. I’ve had shepherd’s pie but not soda bread. I looked up the recipe and included it at the end of this post.

If you visit Ireland, you won’t have to worry about running into snakes. The Emerald isle is serpent free. It is believed that Patrick chased them into the sea after they attacked him. Strangely enough, some believe that snake ownership is a status symbol. Not me.

One last piece of information: If you go to Ireland, be careful about hugging, touching, or getting overly physical with others in public. It is considered inappropriate etiquette. And if you need to use the restroom in someone’s home, ask for the “jack.” It means toilet.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, all. 

Soda Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 t salt

2 t baking soda

4 cups whole wheat flour

2 t white sugar

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup milk

1 T vegetable oil

Directions:

Heat oven to 400. In large bowl, sift together all purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Add whole wheat flour and sugar. Stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk, milk, and oil. Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Divide dough in half and form into two round, flat loaves. Place loaves on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

I am the Potter, Thou art the Clay

Over the years, I’ve noticed worship songs have changed. When I was younger, we sang the more traditional hymns—like “How Great Thou Art,” “Amazing Grace,” and “It Is Well With My Soul.”  

Recently a church member told me she stopped going to her church because she didn’t like the music. They only played those loud new songs, she said. I didn’t tell her, but I’ve discovered I can worship the Lord no matter the style of worship. We attend a church whose worship band plays mostly contemporary songs. Sure, it’s different, but the worship leader, the band members, and the singers all love and praise the Lord with genuine hearts. Through their leadership, so do I.

But—I must make a confession. I wish the worship team would play the old hymn that says: 

Have Thine own way Lord,
Have Thine own way,
Thou art the potter I am the clay,
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting yielded and still

The words speak to me in unbelievable ways. 

Have Thine own way Lord, Have Thine own way,
Search me and try me Master today,
Whiter than snow Lord wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

I am merely a misshapen lump of gray clay. But He is the potter. He is the Creator. He can make something beautiful out of what He creates.

The best part is God doesn’t expect us to do anything except yield to Him. Halleluiah.  

So, whether you love to worship with all the contemporary songs, or the old timey hymns, or a combination of both, we all need to be ready to hop on the potter’s wheel and allow Him to refine us.

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand. Isaiah 64:8

Dear Lord, thank you for the opportunity to worship You in song. Continue to reshape our hearts according to Your divine will. Amen.

I Can Explain Why I Was Speeding

Last fall, I drove to the small shopping center nearest our neighborhood to pick up groceries at Walmart. The six- or seven-mile drive from my house takes me on a winding, county road, over the interstate, and onto a busy city street. I don’t really pay too much attention to the speed limit but stay up with the rest of the traffic.

I purchased my groceries then stopped at my favorite store, TJ Max. They have great buys and unique stuff for the house as well as clothing, shoes, and makeup. I have to forcibly steer myself from the racks with purses. I absolutely don’t need another one. I’ve got at least 20 and that was after I made a trip to the Foundry Thrift Store.

I took the usual route home, catching a glimpse of the four-lane interstate as I passed over it. Cars sped in both directions traveling at what appeared to be ninety miles an hour. But in actuality, our speed limit here is seventy. 

From the freeway, the drive took me back on the winding county road to my neighborhood. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, and I rolled down the window. Then I glanced at my speedometer and gasped. I was traveling at seventy-three miles an hour. No! I looked in my rearview mirror, and a truck followed me only a car link behind. I slowed and the guy passed me. Fine, if he wanted to go eighty on a fifty-mile per hour road, that was fine with me. 

I looked at my speedometer again and now I was going sixty. I couldn’t take the turn into my neighborhood at that speed. Then I discovered the problem. My speedometer was set on kph. How that happened I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because we just got a new-to-us car. When I arrived home, I calculated 73 kph, the speed I traveled when the truck was behind me. I was only going forty-five, well under the limit of 50. I wasn’t a candidate for a speeding ticket after all. Right? 

God Wins!

Reading Philippians in the Bible can turn anyone’s sorrow into joy. The book is filled with Heavenly reminders that Christians have a glorious future in store. But not just hope for the next life. We can experience an abundant and thrilling life now. A life not based on what the world says is important, but a fulfilling spiritual life—the source of real joy.

Paul reminds us in chapter four to “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice.” Sure, we can celebrate when we’ve got the bills paid and everyone in the family is healthy. But in Paul’s case, he penned those words from a dark and dingy Roman prison. This tells me he wasn’t looking to his circumstances to bring him joy. 

Speaking of Paul’s imprisonment, Satan thought he’d blocked the growth of Christianity when Paul got locked up, since he was an evangelist to the gentiles. But the enemy of our souls couldn’t have been more wrong. Paul’s message of salvation through Jesus Christ reached the world and spread anyway.

After reminding us to rejoice, Paul even tells us not to be anxious about anything but pray about everything with all kinds of requests. He assures us that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds. If you are sorrowful, weary, and just plain fed up with life, take a look at the book of Philippians. Allow Paul’s hope in Christ permeate your life as well. Take heart. Satan loses. God wins.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

Dear Lord, I cling to Your message of salvation and that You will carry out Your plans until they are complete. Thank you for the assurance of victory through Jesus. Amen.

No Condemnation

I’m not sure why it seems to happen more now than ever. 

“You made a mistake when you chose your house. The one on the other side of town would’ve been better, but it’s too late now.” Or “You didn’t witness to your friend when you had the chance. Now, it won’t happen.” So on and on the condemning thoughts accuse.

Perhaps you’ve never heard these pesky little voices. I pray you haven’t, and you won’t, but it’s my guess you have. 

As I write these words, they don’t have the impact as they did at the time. But when the notions bombarded my brain, the thoughts convinced me to believe them, and I grieved. 

But here’s the good news. In prayer today, I took the matter up with the Lord. I sensed His response. “Are the thoughts condemning? Or do they bring life to your soul?”

The Bible says: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 

Do you regret your past? Paul says, “But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13

Who will you listen to? The condemning voice that I’ve come to realize is the enemy of our souls? Or the Word of God?

Take a breath, fix your eyes on Jesus, and walk bravely into the future.

In book one of my Woodlyn series, the hero, Jess Colton, had to listen to God’s voice instead of the condemning thoughts that said, “You can never be good enough.” 

In “Flawless”, Jess grew up with a demanding father he could never please. No matter how hard he tried. Jess even got an advanced degree, but nothing ever seemed enough to earn his dad’s acceptance. So, he turned to alcohol to numb the pain. After he gave his life to the Lord, he realized getting drunk didn’t please God, so he gave up alcohol to honor his Savior. But… he only traded one addiction for another. This time gluttony. 

At the beginning of the novel, Jess weighs over 300 pounds and borders upon diabetes. When he meets a beautiful young woman while trapped in an elevator at his apartment complex, he can’t imagine how she would ever consider dating a guy like him.

I can’t reveal the ending, but like me, he had to come to terms with the source of the condemnation and discover who he really was in God’s sight. 

The next time you hear a condemning voice, close your mind to it and open up to what God’s Word says. 

Find on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QChUL9

Meet author, Pat Nichols

The award-winning Willow Falls Series follows the lives of three women. Strangers brought together in The Secret of Willow Inn by tragedy, a long-held secret, and one man’s dream to plant a vineyard and build a winery. Emily Hayes, a reporter for the local paper was raised in Willow Falls. As an aspiring author, she longs to write a novel about the town’s unique history to attract tourists and save Willow Falls from a slow painful death. Sadie Liles returns after serving a thirty-year prison term for killing the town hero. Rachel Streetman, raised in Atlanta, abandons her acting dream to work for her father’s real estate development firm and live the life he chooses for her. Until she meets Charlie Bricker and discovers the shocking secret.

The women’s relationships with each other and the town’s quirky residents evolve in The Trouble in Willow Falls. Rachel and Emily face new stumbling blocks in the pursuit of their dreams while five newcomers complicate residents’ struggles to overcome obstacles and transform their town into a tourist destination. One charming stranger with an exaggerated British accent claims he’s a writer needing a quiet location to create his latest novel. Sadie questions his motivation to pay cash for a five-month stay at Willow Inn.

In Starstruck in Willow Falls a Hollywood film crew and three famous actors swoop in to shoot a full-length motion picture. They disrupt the town’s new normal as a popular tourist spot and transform residents into groupies, stage mothers, and wannabe movie stars. The chaos upstages Emily’s debut as a published author. Weeks away from marrying Charlie Bricker, the manager of the town’s new winery, Rachel questions if auditioning for a role in the movie will boost her lackluster acting career or open the door to a lifestyle incompatible with the small-town life she has come to accept. Adding to the turmoil, an unexpected visitor threatens Sadie’s future and triggers citizen action.

Just Released February 2, 2021!

Meet Pat!

 Retired from a twenty-seven-year corporate career, Pat is proving it’s never too late to follow your dreams. She draws on her experience working with hundreds of amazing women from all walks of life to create stories about women who face challenges and triumphs in the pursuit of their dreams. She and her high-school-sweetheart husband live in Duluth, Georgia and continue to celebrate their fifty-plus-year marriage. She is a mother of two and grandmother of four. One precious granddaughter lives with the angels. Pat volunteers for church guest services, participates in two social organizations, and is a member of ACFW and Word Weavers International. She is grateful for God’s blessings through the peaks and valleys of life. 

Starstruck in Willow Falls (shoplpc.com)

Find Pat here:

Website: https://patnicholsauthor.blog

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.nichols.52459

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My Favorite True Romance Story

The story of how my great grandmother and great grandfather met is not a common one. It begins with the unusual fact my great grandfather was a Catholic priest. Yes, you read that correctly. He was born in Austria to a Catholic family. In those days the oldest boy was expected to go into the priesthood and Mathew Frances Halbedl followed in the tradition. 

As a young priest, he was transferred to the United States to Louisiana where he served in a parish for several years. Here’s where the story gets a bit crazy. One day during mass, he spotted a young teenage girl, Mary Louise Gross. He tried to deny his feelings but realized he was attracted to her, and he eventually fell in love with her. 

To prevent any kind of scandal, he avoided her, realizing if he relented to his feelings, it would be disastrous for him and his career as well as the reputation of the girl. He hid his love away in the back of his heart and determined to wait until she grew up. Then he’d see what happened.

When Mary Louise grew into a young woman, Mathew realized his love for her had grown stronger. He soon discovered she felt the same and had been attracted to him for years. So, long story short, he stepped out of the priesthood and married Mary Louise. 

They had five children, one of them was my grandfather, Clifton Halbedl. Clifton and his wife named their daughter, my mother, Mary Louise.

I regret I don’t know the exact details as to all that happened, so I decided since I’m a fiction writer, I’d make up my own. Thus, Dreams Deferred was born.

I can’t imagine a more romantic tale than a man relinquishing his chosen career for the woman he loves.

Find on Amazon https://amzn.to/2N4quQC

I Can Explain – About My Mysterious Washing Machine

We recently moved into our house and purchased a new washer and dryer. I’ve had washing machines through the years—some better than others. But I’ve never had a machine like this one. If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was possessed.

I generally don’t read the owner’s manual, but I did on this one—out of necessity. First of all, there’s no where I can actually turn the machine off. None of the buttons will do that. So, when a load is done, the machine merely stops and doesn’t start again. Anyone should be able to figure out the load is finished, right?

There are five green indicator lights across the top that also go off and on at will. One day they will be on. The next, they’ve ceased to shine.

Last week, I ran a load of wash then put it in the dryer. Before bed, I noticed the five green lights were on, but I shrugged. I didn’t know how to turn them off so I merely switched off the light in the laundry room. Something strange happened. The green lights stopped blinking and went dark. Yea. I found the trick to shutting them down. Wrong.

That night around 2:00 am, I got up to use nose drops. The laundry room is down the hall from our bedroom. In the pitch-black dark, I saw twinkling lights. I got up and this time the lights furiously blinked on and off reflecting onto the back wall. Chills ran down my arms. I tried turning off the overhead light, but this time the little green lights didn’t go off. 

The next morning, well, you guessed it, the green panel of lights had ceased their flashing. Neither me nor my husband can figure it out. 

But the story of lights isn’t over. The next night, I woke up around 3:00. An odd green light lit my bedroom and then faded. I threw back the covers. I’d had enough of weird lights. This time when I made my way to the laundry room, I found the culprit. My vacuum cleaner’s on-light was flashing on and off every three minutes or so. 

Now, every night before I go to bed, I make sure the laundry room door is closed. If you think I made up this story, I didn’t!