Welcome to Trace’s Space....As most of you know I work in early childhood, and once in a while I get these little nuggets from these babies that speak a whole lot to me. Most recently it came during our morning circle time and a conversation about words on a poster that we have displayed in our room. It’s a poster of the “Pledge of Allegiance”, so after we engage in saying the Pledge I then let them know that the words are written on the poster, after my little word lesson, my attention goes to the photo of our current president displayed directly above it, out of curiosity I asked them, “do you know who this man is?” To my surprise no one knew his name, but one little one raises their hand and says, “he’s the keeper of the flag!”
The keeper of the flag. My heart did a boom, and the wheels in my brain began spinning, what a interesting observation, what a profound explanation of who that man is, or what he represents. I responded as to who he was, and also added my spin on it that they were very much correct in explaining who he is and that his job is exactly that, the keeper of the flag.
See when it comes to Donald Trump, I am not a supporter, but I am not a hater either. See I am simply an American that has to trust in the hope that the process in due time works and that even though it seems off kilter at times, I absolutely must respect the leader of our country.
In my lifetime I have seen many leaders fail politically and personally while holding the highest office in our country, but never have I seen the amount of hate thrown at one person as much as it is at Mr.Trump! Love him or hate him, it’s not right!
What are we demonstrating to our children?
We live in very ugly times, hate abounds, men are lovers of themselves, there are no filters, being a hater is popular, what is wrong with us?
We are a fallen world in need of a savior; a savior that we have managed to remove from pretty much everything, and why? Because hate despises Love.
I had this thought, why does the world find my faith threatening, why is my love for Jesus offensive?
Then as quickly as I thought it, I remembered that Jesus said we would have times of trouble and we would be hated because of Him. That hate started out very subtle, you know that separation of church and state (which is totally misrepresented because it wasn’t about faith, it wasn’t about the removal of God), then you couldn’t pray out loud, you couldn’t display nativity scenes, then Christmas trees, the list goes on and on, and we like sheep have stood by and allowed it. It is how He says it will be.
We are hated because hate doesn’t win.
See as a Christian I honestly want you to develop a relationship with God, but as an American I also respect your choice to not, or to practice what ever religion you choose. But I also expect that sentiment in return.
I realize Mr. Trump has no filter, he speaks directly from his mind and sometimes it’s very ugly. But I pray for that man, you know that the Holy Spirit get a hold of him and change his heart.
See like it or not he is to serve and defend, and instead of putting forth all this hate toward him, if we as Americans would pray, I believe we would see a change.
If Mypeople who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
1I Chronicles 7:14
See it’s our responsibility to pray for our leaders and for our nation, the rest is up to God!
He is the keeper of the flag, but guess what, so are we!
See you next time!
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Deck Them Halls!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Recently while scrolling trough my Facebook, I came across a post from a friend that featured photos of nostalgic Christmas decorations from the 1970’s... most of the items featured in this post actually were items that our family had, and well that my mother put out every Christmas until she passed away in 1991.
It was funny because most of the folks who commented, had most of the items as well, and we spoke briefly about bubble lights... then I had this thought, my mother’s Christmas tree was very unorganized, kind of cluttered, but each thing meant something to her, each ornament represented some memory, represented Christmas’ past.
My Christmas tree is the complete opposite of hers. While we have the same ornaments year after year, mine have to be strategically placed, a process that drives the folks in this house crazy!
So at my parents house the tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and stayed up until mid January. I know that’s a long time, but my mother celebrated Orthodox Christmas because when she and my father were first married their landlord was Greek, he always wanted my mother to go to church with him, so she was fond of that memory of this gentleman, so that memory started a lifelong family tradition for us!
So this crazy tree.. It had multi colored lights, plus additional lighting, yes, the bubble lights. She loved bubble lights. For the first few Christmases that I can remember there was a plastic angel with a glowing yellow halo, which by the mid 70’s was replaced with a glass tree topper that was a bulb with a point (it was modern and ugly!). For a couple of years we had a train with little buildings, and those buildings had lights... The ornaments, all kinds of things, silk bulbs, glass bulbs, stuff folks made... no rhyme nor reason , all just placed randomly on the tree...but you know what, that tree was beautiful!
I would lay for hours on the floor staring at it, into it, adjusting hollow bulbs so that light would some how illuminate them and make them shine. I loved that tree, I loved Christmas because she made it loveable.
Yes her tree of Christmas past.
My parents were the original Griswolds...not only did Christmas explode inside, it did outside as well... tons of lights, plywood cutouts and music provided via our 8-track player... We had two Christmas tapes, Frank Sinatra Family Christmas and some Perry Como thing...yes it played all day long., I think Mike needs to rig something up here that plays music twelve hours a day!
But what memories. I miss those days, I miss the fun and anticipation of it all, no matter how over the top or mismatched it was.
See Christmas isn’t about the perfect tree or the displays we put out, while we celebrate a Savior, we also celebrate each other. These next few holidays are times for us to come together and make memories, ones that someday will be fond for those who are part of us.
Take a few moments this holiday season to revisit your Christmas past...embrace your future...you will be blessed...
See you next time.
It was funny because most of the folks who commented, had most of the items as well, and we spoke briefly about bubble lights... then I had this thought, my mother’s Christmas tree was very unorganized, kind of cluttered, but each thing meant something to her, each ornament represented some memory, represented Christmas’ past.
My Christmas tree is the complete opposite of hers. While we have the same ornaments year after year, mine have to be strategically placed, a process that drives the folks in this house crazy!
So at my parents house the tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and stayed up until mid January. I know that’s a long time, but my mother celebrated Orthodox Christmas because when she and my father were first married their landlord was Greek, he always wanted my mother to go to church with him, so she was fond of that memory of this gentleman, so that memory started a lifelong family tradition for us!
So this crazy tree.. It had multi colored lights, plus additional lighting, yes, the bubble lights. She loved bubble lights. For the first few Christmases that I can remember there was a plastic angel with a glowing yellow halo, which by the mid 70’s was replaced with a glass tree topper that was a bulb with a point (it was modern and ugly!). For a couple of years we had a train with little buildings, and those buildings had lights... The ornaments, all kinds of things, silk bulbs, glass bulbs, stuff folks made... no rhyme nor reason , all just placed randomly on the tree...but you know what, that tree was beautiful!
I would lay for hours on the floor staring at it, into it, adjusting hollow bulbs so that light would some how illuminate them and make them shine. I loved that tree, I loved Christmas because she made it loveable.
Yes her tree of Christmas past.
My parents were the original Griswolds...not only did Christmas explode inside, it did outside as well... tons of lights, plywood cutouts and music provided via our 8-track player... We had two Christmas tapes, Frank Sinatra Family Christmas and some Perry Como thing...yes it played all day long., I think Mike needs to rig something up here that plays music twelve hours a day!
But what memories. I miss those days, I miss the fun and anticipation of it all, no matter how over the top or mismatched it was.
See Christmas isn’t about the perfect tree or the displays we put out, while we celebrate a Savior, we also celebrate each other. These next few holidays are times for us to come together and make memories, ones that someday will be fond for those who are part of us.
Take a few moments this holiday season to revisit your Christmas past...embrace your future...you will be blessed...
See you next time.
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Why Do We Cover Our Crown Of Glory?
Welcome to Trace’s Space. “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is found on the path of righteousness.”
Proverbs 16:31
Today when I was leaving church, I engaged in a conversation about hair. One of the ladies I was speaking with use to do hair and always compliments my hair, especially it’s color. Now I am fully aware that she knows how much process is involved in coloring my hair, and I am grateful for my girl Denise who does an awesome job. If it were not for her skill, I would be totally salt and pepper gray.
Honestly I am not trying to hide my age, but I am a little vain when it comes to my hair, and can not fully commit to the aging process that will eventually force me to face the hair color I am destined to have.
So in this conversation I start talking about my mother. She was blessed with the genetics of graying young. As was her brother Joe. I have no recollection of Joe with any hair color but gray, except for a Grecian formula mishap, that shade of red, not natural, really funny. Never the less my moms hair was salt and pepper gray most of her life. She would have product put on it to brighten in up, once got blonde highlights ( really strange) but she embraced her crown of glory!
As a child I would play in her hair, I can still remember what it felt like to run my fingers through it. The smell of Prell shampoo. She would put her hair in rollers, and on special occasions roll ours too.
My mother was not flashy, that roll belonged to my grandmother, her mom! Grandma Mary was very much into her appearance, when we would go visit she had the best stuff... Rouge, lipstick and glitter nail polish. Oh I loved going there, and she colored her hair, wore flashy clothes, she and my mother, polar opposites. There is a story there, but not for today, just let me say, I believe my flamboyant grandmother was the reason my mom was on the lowdown with her appearance.
Mom was beautiful. She embraced who she was, and no facade was needed because the natural was spectacular.
My, oh my, I’m crying. Not my plan, but deep down that may be why I color my hair.
Mike always says I should let nature take its course, that the gray is beautiful and it won’t change who I am. But for me it seems to be a place of surrender. A season that I’m not fully ready to enter into.
I am not ready to take on the gray hair crown! Lol!
There will be crowns in heaven, the crown of Righteousness, the crown of Life, the crown of Glory, the Incorruptible crown and finally my favorite, the crown of Rejoicing. You can look these up for yourself and there is scripture that explains what they stand for, but wow... The crown of Rejoicing represents the scripture in Revelation where God takes away our pain, our tears... there will be no more of that on that great day. What a promise! That’s my crown I hope!
But what is really cool is we will after we receive our crowns have the honor of laying them at the feet of Jesus. One of my favorite songs is, “ We Bow Down and Lay Our Crowns At The Feet Of Jesus”. We will probably not say much, just Holy!
Today I am missing my mother, all because of a conversation about hair. I have spent a lot of years figuring out my mother because she’s not here to enlighten me, not that she would have done that. Totally not her personality. But as I get older, I see so much of her in me, my thought processes I believe align with hers, and the things I thought she would have thought as a young adult are way off.
She wore her life crown well. I hope someday, my children will think that of me.
And with that I say, see you next time.
P.s. Hair appointment this week, yep, color will be happening!
Proverbs 16:31
Today when I was leaving church, I engaged in a conversation about hair. One of the ladies I was speaking with use to do hair and always compliments my hair, especially it’s color. Now I am fully aware that she knows how much process is involved in coloring my hair, and I am grateful for my girl Denise who does an awesome job. If it were not for her skill, I would be totally salt and pepper gray.
Honestly I am not trying to hide my age, but I am a little vain when it comes to my hair, and can not fully commit to the aging process that will eventually force me to face the hair color I am destined to have.
So in this conversation I start talking about my mother. She was blessed with the genetics of graying young. As was her brother Joe. I have no recollection of Joe with any hair color but gray, except for a Grecian formula mishap, that shade of red, not natural, really funny. Never the less my moms hair was salt and pepper gray most of her life. She would have product put on it to brighten in up, once got blonde highlights ( really strange) but she embraced her crown of glory!
As a child I would play in her hair, I can still remember what it felt like to run my fingers through it. The smell of Prell shampoo. She would put her hair in rollers, and on special occasions roll ours too.
My mother was not flashy, that roll belonged to my grandmother, her mom! Grandma Mary was very much into her appearance, when we would go visit she had the best stuff... Rouge, lipstick and glitter nail polish. Oh I loved going there, and she colored her hair, wore flashy clothes, she and my mother, polar opposites. There is a story there, but not for today, just let me say, I believe my flamboyant grandmother was the reason my mom was on the lowdown with her appearance.
Mom was beautiful. She embraced who she was, and no facade was needed because the natural was spectacular.
My, oh my, I’m crying. Not my plan, but deep down that may be why I color my hair.
Mike always says I should let nature take its course, that the gray is beautiful and it won’t change who I am. But for me it seems to be a place of surrender. A season that I’m not fully ready to enter into.
I am not ready to take on the gray hair crown! Lol!
There will be crowns in heaven, the crown of Righteousness, the crown of Life, the crown of Glory, the Incorruptible crown and finally my favorite, the crown of Rejoicing. You can look these up for yourself and there is scripture that explains what they stand for, but wow... The crown of Rejoicing represents the scripture in Revelation where God takes away our pain, our tears... there will be no more of that on that great day. What a promise! That’s my crown I hope!
But what is really cool is we will after we receive our crowns have the honor of laying them at the feet of Jesus. One of my favorite songs is, “ We Bow Down and Lay Our Crowns At The Feet Of Jesus”. We will probably not say much, just Holy!
Today I am missing my mother, all because of a conversation about hair. I have spent a lot of years figuring out my mother because she’s not here to enlighten me, not that she would have done that. Totally not her personality. But as I get older, I see so much of her in me, my thought processes I believe align with hers, and the things I thought she would have thought as a young adult are way off.
She wore her life crown well. I hope someday, my children will think that of me.
And with that I say, see you next time.
P.s. Hair appointment this week, yep, color will be happening!
Sunday, September 9, 2018
If That Door Slams In Your Face, There’s Your Sign!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. I was recently thinking about a girl I use to work with. This was a little over thirty years ago, and I really struggled with remembering her name until today. I was sitting in church and as our Pastor gave his message, the Lord was strongly encouraging me to write mine, and this particular story/message has to do with me having difficulty opening a door in a spiritually awkward moment. It would be years before I saw that moment for what it was, how interesting that God gave me opportunity and I blew it, but yet He never gave up pursuing me.
I worked at Denny’s. It was a wild time in my life, I loved to party, and I loved the folks I grew at that time to accept as friends. We were a truly wild bunch. Young and dumb were we, a whole lot of poor life decisions, yet a good time was had by all. In the midst of this crazy bunch of folks was a young college student named Robin. She was beautiful inside and out, she glowed with the love of Jesus and evangelized to we heathen as often as she could. I really was drawn to her, just really liked her. She never had a poor opinion of anyone, especially her coworkers.
So one morning as we were serving up our grand-slam specials she approached myself and two other girls who were working the breakfast shift. She explained that she had been attending revival services at a local hotel ballroom and felt like she was being lead to invite us to come. She went on to tell us the services were nightly at seven and she really wanted us to try and come. My one friend says quickly, “yes, we will be there tonight”... meanwhile I’m thinking, we made plans to go dancing, we are planning on drinking, I certainly don’t feel like going to a tent meeting, and well my other friend, she was merely red faced!
Don’t think poorly of us, we didn’t truly know any better, so we talked and decided, why not, we can go do this Jesus thing for a few and the bar is open till two, all will be well!
So we get all dolled up, and make our way to the Ramada. I’m sure dear sweet Robin was surprised that we actually showed up. We awkwardly found seats, very close to the door, and then, they started having church. I don’t recall there being any worship music, I’m sure there probably was. The Evangelists name was Charlotte, a very stern looking woman with very tight permed hair. When she spoke she was stern, and her delivery was very Pentecostal, her speech deliverance would remind you of Robin Williams doing his best Ernest Angley, she was scary, well to me anyway. I’m sure I was feeling conviction because I knew I was there only because my friends were my ride to the bar.
So Charlotte starts to talk about sin....of course.... sure...we all fall short....I could feel the uncomfortableness of my friends and finally I feel a tug and one of them says, let’s go.
So they went first, quietly they exited the room, one by one, I never heard the door, then I got up to go, and boom! bang, slam! The door won’t open! I’m trapped, I can’t get out! I could feel this woman glaring at me, finally she says, “just pull, it will open”!
That was it, that’s all she said. My friends on the other side were crying, they laughed for hours at me! I felt horrible.
God was then pursuing me, I just didn’t see it. Funny how thoughts of that evening would come back to me periodically for years. I wondered if I would have just stayed how different things would have been. Not that I regret a lot of things, there are some choices I have made outside of Gods will that caused me great heartache. See I believe He was trying to keep me there, but when that door slammed I was given the choice to keep trying to get out or just sit back down. I chose to go.
God won’t hold you hostage, this relationship that you develop with Him is totally up to you. Even though I went my merry way, He kept after me because He knew before I was formed in my mother’s womb that He had something special just for me.
I was actually changed by that moment, when I was ready the next door was easier to walk through, the difference being I wasn’t walking away, I was running in!
If you seek Him you will find Him, knock and He will answer, just know this, He is always pursuing His children, and no matter how far you have gone, He has the ultimate open door policy?
Today I pray for you, if you feel a door has been slammed in your face and that you are not welcomed as a true friend of God, I pray that you see that as a fib, I pray that you recognize that His door is easily opened, and that you just simply step on in!
See you next time!
I worked at Denny’s. It was a wild time in my life, I loved to party, and I loved the folks I grew at that time to accept as friends. We were a truly wild bunch. Young and dumb were we, a whole lot of poor life decisions, yet a good time was had by all. In the midst of this crazy bunch of folks was a young college student named Robin. She was beautiful inside and out, she glowed with the love of Jesus and evangelized to we heathen as often as she could. I really was drawn to her, just really liked her. She never had a poor opinion of anyone, especially her coworkers.
So one morning as we were serving up our grand-slam specials she approached myself and two other girls who were working the breakfast shift. She explained that she had been attending revival services at a local hotel ballroom and felt like she was being lead to invite us to come. She went on to tell us the services were nightly at seven and she really wanted us to try and come. My one friend says quickly, “yes, we will be there tonight”... meanwhile I’m thinking, we made plans to go dancing, we are planning on drinking, I certainly don’t feel like going to a tent meeting, and well my other friend, she was merely red faced!
Don’t think poorly of us, we didn’t truly know any better, so we talked and decided, why not, we can go do this Jesus thing for a few and the bar is open till two, all will be well!
So we get all dolled up, and make our way to the Ramada. I’m sure dear sweet Robin was surprised that we actually showed up. We awkwardly found seats, very close to the door, and then, they started having church. I don’t recall there being any worship music, I’m sure there probably was. The Evangelists name was Charlotte, a very stern looking woman with very tight permed hair. When she spoke she was stern, and her delivery was very Pentecostal, her speech deliverance would remind you of Robin Williams doing his best Ernest Angley, she was scary, well to me anyway. I’m sure I was feeling conviction because I knew I was there only because my friends were my ride to the bar.
So Charlotte starts to talk about sin....of course.... sure...we all fall short....I could feel the uncomfortableness of my friends and finally I feel a tug and one of them says, let’s go.
So they went first, quietly they exited the room, one by one, I never heard the door, then I got up to go, and boom! bang, slam! The door won’t open! I’m trapped, I can’t get out! I could feel this woman glaring at me, finally she says, “just pull, it will open”!
That was it, that’s all she said. My friends on the other side were crying, they laughed for hours at me! I felt horrible.
God was then pursuing me, I just didn’t see it. Funny how thoughts of that evening would come back to me periodically for years. I wondered if I would have just stayed how different things would have been. Not that I regret a lot of things, there are some choices I have made outside of Gods will that caused me great heartache. See I believe He was trying to keep me there, but when that door slammed I was given the choice to keep trying to get out or just sit back down. I chose to go.
God won’t hold you hostage, this relationship that you develop with Him is totally up to you. Even though I went my merry way, He kept after me because He knew before I was formed in my mother’s womb that He had something special just for me.
I was actually changed by that moment, when I was ready the next door was easier to walk through, the difference being I wasn’t walking away, I was running in!
If you seek Him you will find Him, knock and He will answer, just know this, He is always pursuing His children, and no matter how far you have gone, He has the ultimate open door policy?
Today I pray for you, if you feel a door has been slammed in your face and that you are not welcomed as a true friend of God, I pray that you see that as a fib, I pray that you recognize that His door is easily opened, and that you just simply step on in!
See you next time!
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Danger Danger Will Robinson!
Welcome to Trace's Space! Future tripping, that’s what’s on my mind today. We all do it, we thrust ourselves into the future and most time when we do, it is seldom associated with good thoughts of things to come. We find ourselves engaging in Debbie Downer day dreams of what tomorrow may bring.
I am very guilty of this. As you all know the trust issues tend to get the best of me, hence forth why I tend to be awake at three in the morning, the mind just never rests. I can find myself worrying about finances, or my kids, my job, you name it. Usually the mind adventure I take is not even close to the outcome but I still tend to do it! If we are honest, I betcha some of you do too.
Today Mike and I took a road trip, and as we were traveling we ended up behind a truck carrying a very hazardous material. I then say to Mike, “do you realize how easy it would be for a terroist to get control of that truck and slam it into a building?” Seriously...what brought that on?
See I have a theory about we Americans, after 9/11 we never delt with our fears, our grief, and I believe that as a nation we entered into a collective season of PTSD. I believe that the events of that day began the spiral of craziness that we are dealing with today, almost twenty years later.
We are always looking over our shoulders waiting for the next mass shooting or genocide to take place, every man seems to be for himself, people really do live with a real fear of tomorrow. While the terrorist of the day did not cause a fall, a surrender of America, theoretically, they succeeded in gaining control of our minds. We see a whole lot of acting out, a lot of self destruction, a true sign of PTSD.
Think about it. How often do you go to a restaurant, or to a movie, or a concert and not plan your escape?
I would like to believe that we live in a safe, worry free utopian society, but we do not. We have to get a hold of our need to exaggerate in our imaginations, most of us can do that, otherwise we would never go anywhere... prime example, once on a hike with our daughter Anna and my husband there was a rattle snake on the path! While they were quick to cautiously investigate, it ruined the hike and every hike there after for me. It is a fear that I force myself to face, if I don’t, I will miss out on waterfalls or awesome rock formations, however every time I hear a stick fall I know there is a snake ahead. Realistically, snakes live in the woods and we simply need to avoid them, for me, I would feel safer with a pistol and a shovel in hand, but that’s not even a option, or a smart option!
While that is a very real fear, think about the ones that are not. We tend to avoid our fears no matter how silly they may be. I have never been on an airplane, why? I’m afraid it will crash, also how will my body respond to the pressure, the whole idea of flying terrifies me. I will probably never fly because that is a fear that I don’t believe I can conquer. Silly, right?
But back to worrying, we shouldn’t, we have been instructed in the Bible to not worry about tomorrow, it will tend to itself. Also it says that God takes care of the sparrow, what makes us believe He won’t take care of us?
We need to take hold of the fact that Gods got us, and quit allowing our minds to get the better of us. Most of the stuff we future trip about we can actually do nothing about. We have no control of others, like we have no control of the weather! Does this mean live a life of denial? No, but we can grasp on to what’s real.
I think we need to face our giants head on and let them know they don’t own us! Whether it be our own or hey even America’s!
Back to 9/11, we are still fighting the battle on terror, we fight it everyday because as citizens we never reclaimed what that enemy stole from us. Safety, security, real national pride. We have allowed them to crash those planes in our minds thousands of times, that’s how terrorisim works, it’s not about the exact moment, it’s about the moments to come! America needs debriefed! We need healing.
So today I pray for those of us that worry. That some how we find the ability to simply rest easy! To not allow our fears to get the best of us. To not worry about tomorrow, because He’s got our Hands! Amen, Amen!
See you next time
I am very guilty of this. As you all know the trust issues tend to get the best of me, hence forth why I tend to be awake at three in the morning, the mind just never rests. I can find myself worrying about finances, or my kids, my job, you name it. Usually the mind adventure I take is not even close to the outcome but I still tend to do it! If we are honest, I betcha some of you do too.
Today Mike and I took a road trip, and as we were traveling we ended up behind a truck carrying a very hazardous material. I then say to Mike, “do you realize how easy it would be for a terroist to get control of that truck and slam it into a building?” Seriously...what brought that on?
See I have a theory about we Americans, after 9/11 we never delt with our fears, our grief, and I believe that as a nation we entered into a collective season of PTSD. I believe that the events of that day began the spiral of craziness that we are dealing with today, almost twenty years later.
We are always looking over our shoulders waiting for the next mass shooting or genocide to take place, every man seems to be for himself, people really do live with a real fear of tomorrow. While the terrorist of the day did not cause a fall, a surrender of America, theoretically, they succeeded in gaining control of our minds. We see a whole lot of acting out, a lot of self destruction, a true sign of PTSD.
Think about it. How often do you go to a restaurant, or to a movie, or a concert and not plan your escape?
I would like to believe that we live in a safe, worry free utopian society, but we do not. We have to get a hold of our need to exaggerate in our imaginations, most of us can do that, otherwise we would never go anywhere... prime example, once on a hike with our daughter Anna and my husband there was a rattle snake on the path! While they were quick to cautiously investigate, it ruined the hike and every hike there after for me. It is a fear that I force myself to face, if I don’t, I will miss out on waterfalls or awesome rock formations, however every time I hear a stick fall I know there is a snake ahead. Realistically, snakes live in the woods and we simply need to avoid them, for me, I would feel safer with a pistol and a shovel in hand, but that’s not even a option, or a smart option!
While that is a very real fear, think about the ones that are not. We tend to avoid our fears no matter how silly they may be. I have never been on an airplane, why? I’m afraid it will crash, also how will my body respond to the pressure, the whole idea of flying terrifies me. I will probably never fly because that is a fear that I don’t believe I can conquer. Silly, right?
But back to worrying, we shouldn’t, we have been instructed in the Bible to not worry about tomorrow, it will tend to itself. Also it says that God takes care of the sparrow, what makes us believe He won’t take care of us?
We need to take hold of the fact that Gods got us, and quit allowing our minds to get the better of us. Most of the stuff we future trip about we can actually do nothing about. We have no control of others, like we have no control of the weather! Does this mean live a life of denial? No, but we can grasp on to what’s real.
I think we need to face our giants head on and let them know they don’t own us! Whether it be our own or hey even America’s!
Back to 9/11, we are still fighting the battle on terror, we fight it everyday because as citizens we never reclaimed what that enemy stole from us. Safety, security, real national pride. We have allowed them to crash those planes in our minds thousands of times, that’s how terrorisim works, it’s not about the exact moment, it’s about the moments to come! America needs debriefed! We need healing.
So today I pray for those of us that worry. That some how we find the ability to simply rest easy! To not allow our fears to get the best of us. To not worry about tomorrow, because He’s got our Hands! Amen, Amen!
See you next time
Thursday, July 26, 2018
We Went To The Enemies Camp! Nothing Is Funny There!
Welcome to Trace’s Space! Football. In my home growing up football was serious business. My dad has to be the most intense Pittsburgh Steeler fan I have ever known. Growing up, during game time, it was a given that he would be jumping across the living room doing his officiating and calling calls , and also it was known by our family to not get between him and the television.
When I was growing up, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a great winning streak, and that Championship run came when South Western Pennsylvania was in a economic slump, factories were closing, unemployment was ramped, but those Steelers brought happiness to a couple of generations, the hard working war babies, and the next generation of kids who were learning about winning with class.
Good sportsmanship was a quality that I would hope most fans of any sport would have, and with that being said, I would hope that as a fan of any sport that you should be able to enter into the enemies camp and maintain sportsmanship and respect the game.
Poking fun at the opponent is okay, it’s actually hilarious, especially when families choose different sides. I would hope it doesn’t cause a legit family feud, seriously, I know of folks who have gotten pretty ugly during hockey season because one person loved the Ducks and the other the Penguins... how can you not love the Penguins?
As a girl in a football house, I learned the game, I also learned to officiate, learning from my fathers example, yes I am an intense football watcher...Sometimes I need to turn off the game because I can feel my heart racing and do not want to become a statistic. I love the game, I love the Steelers!
While on vacation we decided to take a small road trip and visit the enemies camp! Yes, Mike an I went to the home of the New England Patriots, a place called Patriot Place, this mall like atmosphere which surrounds Gillette Stadium was quite nice, lots of shops and restaurants and everything Tom Brady. Thousands of visitors all wearing their jerseys with pride, some of them there raising money for charity by entering a race that would happen on the field, most of these runners being children... it was very cool. No one knew where we were from, however we did.
It was weird, we felt funny because we knew we really didn’t belong, but it was super cool. I imagine that’s how most opponents feel when they visit different venues, but I would hope people would remain respectful... We totally got the message of how much our team was hated when we entered the pro shop and the game being played on the big screen was the Patriots versus the Steelers, and well, it wasn’t a going to end well rerun! But, it’s a game, it is what it is! To us that’s how it was.
Then the moment came. We decided it was time to go, so after taking a zillion pictures, and doing the touristy thing, we get on an elevator to leave. Another couple get on with us and I (ok I need to know things) ask a question about the fundraiser going on, I explain we are not from there, and the woman seemed shocked that we were not there for the race. I then say, “ funny thing, we are actually from Pittsburgh.” She looked at me and she says, “there is nothing funny about that!”
Mike said the life drained from my face. For once in my life I was speechless! I then had the epiphany that folks really hate us simply because of football. I said to him, she hates us!
It was all good as long as no one knew who we represented we were welcome there, we blended in, but as soon as the truth was revealed, it was apparent that we needed to vacate as quickly as possible!
We felt like the lepers in the Bible, unclean! unclean!
Where did the fun go? Rivalries are to be fun. Trust me, we as a family jab at each other because of our differences when it comes to supporting opposing teams, but we still love on each other! The gloating is over in a few months, about the time training camp begins, but sports don’t divide us or define us. We love the game, key word, the game! It’s a game!
Now onto the application, where am I going with this?
The enemies camp. While we chose to visit that camp, we often find ourselves by no fault of our own walking right into a camp that we do not belong in. The Bible says we will be hated because of Him. There is absolute truth in that. We are now living in a time when there are so many things contrary to what God desires for us, we are living in a time that our God view is not welcomed, and we are being attacked simply because we have chosen to believe, to follow Him. We are hated because we choose to defend what is right, what is Holy. While we walk in truth, we are made to feel like we don’t belong, and honestly the truth of the matter is, we really don’t.
Our place is with Him and daily in His presence, pushing forward, living this life running the race and gaining momentum toward the prize of enternity.
We have to be able to live and let live, and rely on the promises of God!
This life is hard. There is so much division, there is so much hatred, and what’s the point. Heaven or hell issues, life or death, but it’s biblical, Jesus said there would be days like these!
So today I simply pray, Jesus protect us. Show us how to maintain and clearly live as You would have us live, give us words of wisdom, help us to love even when we clearly know we are not! It’s all bout You! Amen? Amen!
See you next time!
When I was growing up, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a great winning streak, and that Championship run came when South Western Pennsylvania was in a economic slump, factories were closing, unemployment was ramped, but those Steelers brought happiness to a couple of generations, the hard working war babies, and the next generation of kids who were learning about winning with class.
Good sportsmanship was a quality that I would hope most fans of any sport would have, and with that being said, I would hope that as a fan of any sport that you should be able to enter into the enemies camp and maintain sportsmanship and respect the game.
Poking fun at the opponent is okay, it’s actually hilarious, especially when families choose different sides. I would hope it doesn’t cause a legit family feud, seriously, I know of folks who have gotten pretty ugly during hockey season because one person loved the Ducks and the other the Penguins... how can you not love the Penguins?
As a girl in a football house, I learned the game, I also learned to officiate, learning from my fathers example, yes I am an intense football watcher...Sometimes I need to turn off the game because I can feel my heart racing and do not want to become a statistic. I love the game, I love the Steelers!
While on vacation we decided to take a small road trip and visit the enemies camp! Yes, Mike an I went to the home of the New England Patriots, a place called Patriot Place, this mall like atmosphere which surrounds Gillette Stadium was quite nice, lots of shops and restaurants and everything Tom Brady. Thousands of visitors all wearing their jerseys with pride, some of them there raising money for charity by entering a race that would happen on the field, most of these runners being children... it was very cool. No one knew where we were from, however we did.
It was weird, we felt funny because we knew we really didn’t belong, but it was super cool. I imagine that’s how most opponents feel when they visit different venues, but I would hope people would remain respectful... We totally got the message of how much our team was hated when we entered the pro shop and the game being played on the big screen was the Patriots versus the Steelers, and well, it wasn’t a going to end well rerun! But, it’s a game, it is what it is! To us that’s how it was.
Then the moment came. We decided it was time to go, so after taking a zillion pictures, and doing the touristy thing, we get on an elevator to leave. Another couple get on with us and I (ok I need to know things) ask a question about the fundraiser going on, I explain we are not from there, and the woman seemed shocked that we were not there for the race. I then say, “ funny thing, we are actually from Pittsburgh.” She looked at me and she says, “there is nothing funny about that!”
Mike said the life drained from my face. For once in my life I was speechless! I then had the epiphany that folks really hate us simply because of football. I said to him, she hates us!
It was all good as long as no one knew who we represented we were welcome there, we blended in, but as soon as the truth was revealed, it was apparent that we needed to vacate as quickly as possible!
We felt like the lepers in the Bible, unclean! unclean!
Where did the fun go? Rivalries are to be fun. Trust me, we as a family jab at each other because of our differences when it comes to supporting opposing teams, but we still love on each other! The gloating is over in a few months, about the time training camp begins, but sports don’t divide us or define us. We love the game, key word, the game! It’s a game!
Now onto the application, where am I going with this?
The enemies camp. While we chose to visit that camp, we often find ourselves by no fault of our own walking right into a camp that we do not belong in. The Bible says we will be hated because of Him. There is absolute truth in that. We are now living in a time when there are so many things contrary to what God desires for us, we are living in a time that our God view is not welcomed, and we are being attacked simply because we have chosen to believe, to follow Him. We are hated because we choose to defend what is right, what is Holy. While we walk in truth, we are made to feel like we don’t belong, and honestly the truth of the matter is, we really don’t.
Our place is with Him and daily in His presence, pushing forward, living this life running the race and gaining momentum toward the prize of enternity.
We have to be able to live and let live, and rely on the promises of God!
This life is hard. There is so much division, there is so much hatred, and what’s the point. Heaven or hell issues, life or death, but it’s biblical, Jesus said there would be days like these!
So today I simply pray, Jesus protect us. Show us how to maintain and clearly live as You would have us live, give us words of wisdom, help us to love even when we clearly know we are not! It’s all bout You! Amen? Amen!
See you next time!
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Cheese Please! How Can You Be Out Of Cheese? It’s a Deli!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Cheese! No, I’m not asking you to pose for a photo, but my latest life lesson has to do with cheese. We seem to go through cheese here at our house like the fish eat bread at the spillway at Pymatuning .
I should explain for those who do not know of this spillway, here in Pennsylvania there is a lake (it actually spans and shares itself with part of Ohio) Pymatuning, it is quite large and actually very beautiful. There is a spillway on this lake that is famous for a gathering of Carp. These fish are huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if a human fell in that these fish wouldn’t suck the skin right off them. So on any given day, you can actually stop there, purchase bread and feed them. There are thousands of them, and they fight their way to the top of the water in order to devour their fair share of bread. Little kids enjoy watching them fight, actually, most folks enjoy watching them and listening to them, they squeel like pigs! Yes, back to the cheese eating, that’s how quick it’s gone!
I should also clarify, I am not calling my family fish or pigs, they just enjoy cheese!
Now this is where we get to the meat of this story. I seldom purchase groceries at a certain “super” store in our town, but the last two times that I have needed other items that are considerably cheaper than at my favorite grocery store, I have to decided to just pick up what I need as far as food there. The deli experience there is always awful, but for me the issue is always cheese. See, I am picky when it comes to the quality of the cheese, it’s too expensive to not be. The first trip I waited a very long time at the deli to get what I needed, they never have enough help, and they have to cut everything fresh, wrap it up then put it away. Second trip, I ask for my cheese, the girl says, “we have no cheese”.... Response, “ how can a deli not have cheese?” I was in total disbelief, my face was definitely in eye roll mode, and then boom! Right in front of me, there is a unopened sleeve of American cheese! The girl never saw it. She had been told by another deli person, no cheese! Honestly I had this vision of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld saying, “ no cheese for you!” She was going by this persons word not actually looking for herself.
How often do we do that? Someone offers up information and we choose to not investigate for ourselves. We either except value in that which is shared, form an opinion based on someone else’s facts, without even checking it out. Most times folks are reliable, they are factual, but what about those times when your gut is saying, hey, this doesn’t sound right, or it is what it is and I really don’t have time to research. I believe deli girl didn’t have time to research, she had to get about her business and cheese wasn’t her priority. She was so consumed with getting the job done she didn’t have time to look right in front of her.
I am a fact finder. I love facts and truth. I do not have time to second guess or to have to back track because someone else didn’t feel it necessary to find out what it’s really about. I have been gifted with an ability to see beyond superficial factoids, and a mere stroke of information, the need to really know will actually motivate me right to google. I want to be well informed and also I want to be clear when I relay that information and I certainly do not want to be caught up in a fib. Liars make me tired, gossipers, well...being misinformed isn’t wrong especially when it’s not intentional, but we do have a responsibility to own what we say, and know what we are talking about, we also have the obligation to admit we were wrong or misinformed when we find out the facts.
I read a lot of information on a lot of subjects, especially when my gut says, there is more to the story. I have to say nine times out of ten, when I get the gut reaction, someone in the line of communication has left out or misinterpreted a piece on information. What brings on my gut reaction? Well it’s not eye rolling, it’s when those eyes either look down or away, or a person literally turns themselves away when presenting what they claim to know. It’s not that need to be right, I just want facts, I want truth. I hunger for truth! So if you find you are making up the truth as you go along, you better be taking notes, you will forget what you said, your facts will go kerplunk and the truth will set everyone free but you! Again it’s your responsibility to fact check your source, and again, to own what you say.
Deli girl was worried that I was upset with her. I was not, I actually laughed and said, girl you are so busy, I get it. She had integrity and I believe from our encounter that she values truth. I bet she apologized five times. At the end of this the responsibility did not lie with anyone actually doing their job there, it went clear back to management, the folks who schedule, the folks who order. But, she still was willing to own it and not place the blame on anyone but herself.
Truth is a Who God is... His word is full of information, and I believe that is why we hunger for it and why He has told us to come and dine. To drink from the fountain...
Cheese while in demand is basically easy to come by, but not easy to keep. Truth the same!
See you next time
I should explain for those who do not know of this spillway, here in Pennsylvania there is a lake (it actually spans and shares itself with part of Ohio) Pymatuning, it is quite large and actually very beautiful. There is a spillway on this lake that is famous for a gathering of Carp. These fish are huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if a human fell in that these fish wouldn’t suck the skin right off them. So on any given day, you can actually stop there, purchase bread and feed them. There are thousands of them, and they fight their way to the top of the water in order to devour their fair share of bread. Little kids enjoy watching them fight, actually, most folks enjoy watching them and listening to them, they squeel like pigs! Yes, back to the cheese eating, that’s how quick it’s gone!
I should also clarify, I am not calling my family fish or pigs, they just enjoy cheese!
Now this is where we get to the meat of this story. I seldom purchase groceries at a certain “super” store in our town, but the last two times that I have needed other items that are considerably cheaper than at my favorite grocery store, I have to decided to just pick up what I need as far as food there. The deli experience there is always awful, but for me the issue is always cheese. See, I am picky when it comes to the quality of the cheese, it’s too expensive to not be. The first trip I waited a very long time at the deli to get what I needed, they never have enough help, and they have to cut everything fresh, wrap it up then put it away. Second trip, I ask for my cheese, the girl says, “we have no cheese”.... Response, “ how can a deli not have cheese?” I was in total disbelief, my face was definitely in eye roll mode, and then boom! Right in front of me, there is a unopened sleeve of American cheese! The girl never saw it. She had been told by another deli person, no cheese! Honestly I had this vision of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld saying, “ no cheese for you!” She was going by this persons word not actually looking for herself.
How often do we do that? Someone offers up information and we choose to not investigate for ourselves. We either except value in that which is shared, form an opinion based on someone else’s facts, without even checking it out. Most times folks are reliable, they are factual, but what about those times when your gut is saying, hey, this doesn’t sound right, or it is what it is and I really don’t have time to research. I believe deli girl didn’t have time to research, she had to get about her business and cheese wasn’t her priority. She was so consumed with getting the job done she didn’t have time to look right in front of her.
I am a fact finder. I love facts and truth. I do not have time to second guess or to have to back track because someone else didn’t feel it necessary to find out what it’s really about. I have been gifted with an ability to see beyond superficial factoids, and a mere stroke of information, the need to really know will actually motivate me right to google. I want to be well informed and also I want to be clear when I relay that information and I certainly do not want to be caught up in a fib. Liars make me tired, gossipers, well...being misinformed isn’t wrong especially when it’s not intentional, but we do have a responsibility to own what we say, and know what we are talking about, we also have the obligation to admit we were wrong or misinformed when we find out the facts.
I read a lot of information on a lot of subjects, especially when my gut says, there is more to the story. I have to say nine times out of ten, when I get the gut reaction, someone in the line of communication has left out or misinterpreted a piece on information. What brings on my gut reaction? Well it’s not eye rolling, it’s when those eyes either look down or away, or a person literally turns themselves away when presenting what they claim to know. It’s not that need to be right, I just want facts, I want truth. I hunger for truth! So if you find you are making up the truth as you go along, you better be taking notes, you will forget what you said, your facts will go kerplunk and the truth will set everyone free but you! Again it’s your responsibility to fact check your source, and again, to own what you say.
Deli girl was worried that I was upset with her. I was not, I actually laughed and said, girl you are so busy, I get it. She had integrity and I believe from our encounter that she values truth. I bet she apologized five times. At the end of this the responsibility did not lie with anyone actually doing their job there, it went clear back to management, the folks who schedule, the folks who order. But, she still was willing to own it and not place the blame on anyone but herself.
Truth is a Who God is... His word is full of information, and I believe that is why we hunger for it and why He has told us to come and dine. To drink from the fountain...
Cheese while in demand is basically easy to come by, but not easy to keep. Truth the same!
See you next time
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