The Road Home
a modern retelling of Ruth's Ancient Story
by Tommy Tenney & Mark Andrew Olsen

I did it again!!! I read and entire book in a day. I'm amazed at the healing that has taken place. For anyone new to my blog, nearly a year of chemotherapy preceded by a year of two major surgeries and several lesser procedures had left me without the ability to focus long enough to read an entire book, much less in one day. So I'm thanking God for healing and restoration.

And this book is about healing and restoration. There are any number of quotable quotes in the book, reminiscent of the author's father and the Tenney ability to turn a phrase! The story chronicles a prodigal's return to her roots (Naomi), and a lost child who finally finds a home (Ruth) told by a superb storyteller. Told as a modern take on the story of Ruth and Naomi, it brings to light the possibilities of redemption in a modern world. Spanning geography from Las Vegas, Nevada to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania it also provides a vista on the variety and beauty of Americana in the autumn. With characters complex enough to care about, it is an unforgettable story about forgiveness and repentance, well worth the day's effort to finish!!!

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1.03.01

REMEMBERING THE GOODNESS OF GOD

Reviewing my posts from chemotherapy days, I found this scripture posted. It was one of the scriptures that sustained my hope and courage during those dark days when illness reigned supreme and fatigue loomed eternal.

THE MEN IN MY LIFE: The Huerta Hombres!!

Psalm 61

(The Bible in Basic English)

1 Let my cry come to you, O God; let your ears be open to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth will I send up my cry to you, when my heart is overcome: take me to the rock which is over-high for me. 3 For you have been my secret place, and my high tower from those who made war on me. 4 I will make your tent my resting-place for ever: I will keep myself under the cover of your wings.

My family lightened my days with humor! They joined me in crazy headdresses.

When I looked like a cartoon dog with big loopy ears. The hat was to cover my bald pate. The "Ears" belonged to the ice pack tucked up under the hat to cool me down during those episodes of intense hot flashes due to the allergic reactions.Never mind that it was 10 below zero outside and about 65 in the house.

My hands and feet were also swollen and red. I couldn't open presents by myself so Bob helped me.

Brad's laughter bubbled out looking at the card I gave them -- and forgot to write anything!!! Not even my name or his!

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1.03.01

Same Kind of Different As Me

by Ron Hall & Denver Moore

It must be my month for book reviews. This one is a "must read" for anyone who attempts ministry in a multicultural setting. It's written from the alternating point of view of two men. One of them is an white upper middle class Art Dealer whose customers are the movers and shakers of this world. The other is a black, homeless man who says that living in alleys and under bridges in Houston was a step up in life for him. They become friends due to the insistence of Ron's wife and by overcoming the objections that Denver has about relationships and people in general.

The resultant story is gripping, not sweet and syrupy, but real and hard-hitting. While Ron shows Denver what life is like in Middle Class America, Ron learns about that world, his point of view and his God from Denver. He is able to see the world through different eyes.

“God gives each person on the earth a set of keys, keys to live this life down here on the earth. Now in this set, there is one key you can use to unlock prison doors and set captives free.”

Denver turned his head just slightly so that the right side of his face was closer to me than the left. He leaned in with his right shoulder and narrowed his eyes even farther. “Mr. Ron, I was captive in the devil’s prison. That was easy for Miss Debbie to see. But I got to tell you: Many folks had seen me behind the bars in that prison for more than thirty years, and they just walked on by. Kept their keys in their pocket and left me locked up. Now I ain’t tryin to run them other folks down, ’cause I was not a nice fella – dangerous – and prob’ly just as happy to stay in prison. But Miss Debbie was different – she seen me behind them bars and reached way down in her pocket and pulled out the keys God gave her and used one to unlock the prison door and set me free."

I highly recommend the book. In fact, I'm just starting the sequel (recently published) What difference do it make? by Ron Hall, Denver Moore, and Lynn Vincent.

Pastor Phylis

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1.03.01

My Bangs Look Good
and other Lies I tell Myself

Confessions of a Tired Supergirl
by Susanna Foth Aughtmon

I laughed and cried my way through this entire book today...and that was while attending my granddaughters' soccer games (in 40 degree weather, I might add), making preparations for Mother's Day at church tomorrow and interview candidates for nursery teacher. I haven't been that engrossed in a book in a long time.

I don't think I can explain the premise except from the back of the book: "Discover the real truth about yourself--and God". It's all about the lies we tell ourselves about God. Things like "God is disappointed in me" (He isn't...or at least not for those reasons), "God can't Change me" (He will; it's me who's resistant to change" or "I need to protect myself from getting hurt" and many more.

This is one of those books that has to soak in. In fact, I'm going back through it and doing the study questions in the back of the book. Since this is the book ladies are receiving for Mother's Day tomorrow, maybe we'll do a group study. We'll see. But I have to get some of this just a little deeper in my heart!

Do rush out and get the book. (I'm not paid to say this!!! I won't even get a free copy of the book -- the church purchased the one I borrowed today -- just 24 hours before it will be given to me!!! (Click here for the website)

God loves you!!! You don't have to be good so that He will love you!!! And You ARE NOT stuck in your present circumstances!!

Believe it!!! 
Pastor Phylis

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1.03.01

SPRING LIGHT

Is there anything more miraculous than the way golden light changes thing? The light was perfect this afternoon, giving a golden glow to all of nature. God's light gilding man's creations to works of perfection! 

Pastor Phylis

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1.03.01

Things are not always what they seem

Things are not always what they seem. . .

One of the important things that God is teaching me is not to jump to conclusions. You’d think at my age I would have learned this already. Alas! I have not. Specifically, some of the things that anger me are not what I presume they are. Imagine that!

Take for instance this morning. I’m driving to work on a snowy morning. I head uphill the last half block to work when suddenly a car backs out into the road in front of me. Now, I have time to stop. But I am partially up a fairly steep snow covered hill. I’m muttering to myself about ignorant people who don’t think about weather conditions before pulling out….. yada, yada, yada.

I did get traction again, fortunately, and follow the new Chrysler up the hill. To my surprise, he turns left into the school parking lot. I’m thinking, “Is one of our teachers really stupid enough to do that? Which of my friends doesn’t have sense enough to deserve to be behind the wheel?”

So as I park my car I keep an eye on this miscreant who doesn’t park, but makes a U-turn in the lot and just sits there. Then I spot a tall teenaged boy coming down the stairs from the subsidized housing next door with a young teenage girl on his back – piggyback style. I’m interested.

The boy walks over to the car and very gently sets the girl down. She is favoring one foot and holding her hand to her stomach as though she is either sick or injured. And I have an aha moment.

The driver of the car is either a friend or a relative of the kids and has answered a call for help to take the girl to the doctor/hospital. And I have a sudden change of attitude. Nice person, to come out at 7:30 a.m. on a snowy morning to give someone a ride for medical treatment.

And I start to wonder. What would it be like to have to call for help for your injured/ill sister. (I’m presuming here – but reasonably probable stuff). To have to depend on a friend/relative for transportation. Where’s the parent of the teenagers? Why isn’t the girl accompanied by someone from her own home? What would it be like to call a friend or relative hoping they’d take you to the hospital?

Yep. My attitude changed. I realized that the car that cut in front of me had passed by the entrance to the parking lot and was turning around to go back when he stopped me dead in my tracks. But he was on an errand of mercy. Early morning, snowy and cold. He had the heart to come help a friend even if he didn’t have the good sense to drive appropriately in the snow. Maybe I had the good sense, but he had the heart.

Turn off the anger. Turn on the compassion! Things are not always what they seem.

Pastor Phylis

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1.03.01

Cleaning out my email, I found this. And it spoke to me today. Hope it speaks to you, too! (Author, unknown)

Best Prayer I Have Heard In A Long Time... Heavenly Father, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children. Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester. Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares. Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that -- based on the biopsy report she got back last week -- this will be the last year that they go shopping together. Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those that are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Pastor Phylis

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1.03.01