American Legion Posts

Normally, I do not loiter outside of buildings, but last night I loitered.  I never felt safer than I did waiting outside the American Legion Post here in Brownsburg.  Quite a collection of memorials, flags and other patriotic signage!

My host welcomed me and we wandered through the bar, er canteen?!  Until we wound are way into the large dining hall that I had visited during a wedding feast years ago.

Fascinating to meet our local vets.  Share their stories and learn about what they do for others.  I was intrigued by the empty chair upon which the colors of the MIA flag were laid throughout their meeting in recognition of their on-going passion to bring the last soldiers home.

Thank you vets!  For who you are, what you have done, and what you continue to do for our country and our local communities!

The Paradoxical Commandments

While working on my sermon on forgiveness for this coming weekend, I stumbled upon a treasure that perhaps many folks already know.

I found Kent M. Keith's "Paradoxical Commandments" from 1968 from The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council.  Apparently, he wrote these as part of a booklet for student leaders.  

They have been used by business leaders, military commanders, government officials, religious leaders, university presidents, social workers, teachers, rock stars, parents, coaches, and students. Mother Teresa thought the Paradoxical Commandments were important enough to put up on the wall of her children's home in Calcutta. 

“People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. 

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.” 

A Decade as a Parent

Ten is the age my kidlet arrived at this past Monday.  She is now in the double digits and quite proud.

A decade of living on the earth and I still remember the smell of her baby soft black hair the day she was born. Weird that my nose has a ten year old memory? And very cool at the same time as well.

Happy Decade to my babe, who isn't a babe, anymore.  The next big birthday you will have, my dear, is when you transition into being a teen.

Egads, as a Momma, I am not ready for that.  Let's soak in 10 for as long as possible!

Devotion and Blog at Upper Room

After years of attempts, near-misses, fails, and rejects; last year The Upper Room Daily Devotion accepted one of my devotions.  It was written about my mother in law regarding her long journey with cancer.

I received word from the editorial staff about 4 weeks after her death.  The moment was bittersweet. My excitement over publishing something was diminished by my sense of loss and grief.  But then, God is always good.

When the staff from Upper Room asked me to write a follow up blog and include a picture, I jumped at the chance to finish my mother in law's story.  Or at least finish my story of her.

Here is the link to that blog for you to enjoy.

Be blessed... even in bittersweetness.

http://devotional.upperroom.org/blog/2014/08/knight083114