First Person Limited

The scripture for today was Miriam’s song of praise after God parted the Red Sea, led the Israelites across and then let the sea fall on the Egyptians. The writer of Adult Bible Studies (Cokesbury, The Methodist Publishing House) suggested that some might be disturbed by Miriam’s poem for its military mood and violent language (“horse and rider thrown into the sea”). But, he goes on to point out, the Bible “reports things as they are, not as we wish they were.” And things were violent during Old Testament times (New Testament, too). I don’t have a problem with Miriam praising God and saying, “The Lord is a Warrior…”

However, this does remind me of a pet peeve: Taking yesterday’s heroes and judging them by today’s yardstick. There is a trend today to out every famous person’s past mistakes.  And on a slow day, some media personnel searching for sensation look at past presidents, founders of our country, heroes of United States history and point out all their faults.  Ahhh, this one owned slaves, that one had a mistress, another obviously had Asperger’s or ADHD. (Undiagnosed of course, because no one had heard of it back then. But we can pin point it because we saw a PBS special once.)

All this makes me wonder if some time in the future, when the world is enlightened, when there are universal child labor laws, when the world knows what our hunger for the newest electronics has cost in human sacrifice . . . what will historians look back at the leaders of 2012 and say?  ”They did a valiant job facing economic challenges, addressing climate change and health care. But they all owned iPhones!”

(An iPhone is made by hand by children working for FoxConn Corporation in Shenzhen, China.  I can’t judge. My Tracfone was probably made there, too.)

And so this has moved from Miriam’s song to American heroes to children working 12 hour shifts in China.  So much meandering you probably need a road map.   Not exactly focused writing, but maybe a few morsels of food for thought.

For more information about FoxConn here’s a link http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57367950/the-dark-side-of-shiny-apple-products/

When a movie is nominated for an award, it’s rarely a film I have seen. Most of my movie viewing is done on basic cable or through Netflix.  Which means, the movies must be at least old enough to be released on dvd.   But this week, only days after it won Golden Globe Award, I saw Midnight in Paris.

This movie stars Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams, two of my favorites, and features Kathy Bates, another favorite, in a smaller role.  Wilson was nominated Best Actor, and Woody Allen scored two nominations, for directing and for writing the screenplay.  The musical score is beautiful, good enough for an award nomination, except awards are given only for original scores.  This sound track contains a lot of Cole Porter and other songs from the early Twentieth Century.

Midnight in Paris is different from most Woody Allen movies in that, while it is quirky, as his films usually are, it is rated (only) PG-13 — for sexual innuendos and smoking.   No F-bombs or nudity in this cinema.

On a visit to Paris with his fiance’s family, Gil Fender (Owen Wilson) falls in love with the city. He has become an aspiring novelist after achieving success as a Hollywood screenwriter and he senses Paris is the perfect place to write. While walking the streets one midnight, he steps back into the Paris of the Roaring Twenties.  Great writers and painters together, partying, drinking and living their Bohemian lives. Meeting and talking to the literary geniuses of this era changes Gil’s writing and his life.  Who wouldn’t want to flesh out their ideas with Ernest Hemingway, or have Gertrude Stein critique their work? In the end Gil comes to realize that today’s reality can be as exciting and rewarding as the past. It’s up to us to make it that way.

Because Woody Allen is Woody Allen, some of the 1920-era characters are humorously over the top, written rather tongue in cheek. Hemingway talks like he wrote, all about heroism, bravery, war, and deep, true feelings (for women in particular).  The slightly mad personalities of Picasso and Dali are fodder for Allen’s pen.

Woody Allen won the Golden Globe Award for writing the screenplay.  The Golden Globes are given by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

This is really a delightful movie that I recommend.

My 14 year old Dodge Caravan has been seriously ill this week.  Even though she’s getting on in years, she seldom has health issues.  Only a few usually associated with the aging process.

She has lived a full life. She began as a soccer-mom vehicle and when she came to me at age 5 she was healthy and strong.  For the next five years she visited her health care provider only for wellness visits.  We traveled to Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee many times. As well as to Branson, MO and several delightful towns in Arkansas – Hot Springs, Heber Springs, Eureka Springs to name a few.  If necessary she could find the Cabot Walmart on auto-pilot.

A few problems arose around her tenth birthday and over the last few years there have been transplants and prostheses – water pump, timing belt, power steering gizmo.  Eighteen months ago there was major surgery for a transmission issue.

Last Tuesday she suffered some sort of attack, became incontinent and lost a large amount of body fluid. She moaned and wailed pitifully as I gently brought her home from the Family Dollar, where she had become ill.

I was devastated. Surely this must be the end. No car could recover from a trauma like that. “Prognosis negative.”

Her Primary Care Provider made a house call.  He diagnosed the condition as serious but not terminal. There was hope, there was a treatment for this affliction.

She is currently home bound on total rest until the procedure, which is scheduled for Monday morning.  At this time we don’t know if it will be out-patient or will require an overnight stay.

She should then be able to resume her normal activities, curtailed only by certain limitations due to her advanced age.

My thanks to Bill Nick of Bill Nick’s Garage, and to my sis, Betty Liddle, for loaning me her car. Also to my son, Phillip, for holding my hand and patting my shoulder.  And to Carla Barnwell and Rhonda Roberts for letting me hitch a ride.

Since I’ve had this blog, each January I have listed the books I read the previous year.   Here are 2011’s books with one-sentence synopses.

1. Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury – Christian Fiction. A teenage girl, sensitive to the needs of an autistic classmate, takes a stand against her popular friends to look for a miracle.

2. Witness by Karen Hesse – Young Adult Fiction. Written in blank verse, this is the story of the Ku Klux Klan’s attempt to move into a small town in Vermont. I reviewed this book in January.

3. Blue Like Jazz -  Christian Non-Fiction.  Donald Miller tells of his faith walk and the people he meets along the way.

4. Critic’s Choice by Ira Levin – Play.  The wife of a literary critic for a large New York City newspaper write a mediocre play and manages to get it produced.

5. The Outlander by Gil Adamson – Fiction. A woman running from an abusive husband finds help, comfort and love with a reclusive mountain man in the far reaches of Canada.

6. Wedding Belles by Alan Bailey – Play. Delightful tale about three spinsters who volunteer to provide a wedding for a young girl with no family.

7. True Grit by Charles Portis – Fiction. The classic story of Mattie Ross’ pursuit of her father’s killer.

8. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller – Christian Non-Fiction. Story of the making of Donald Miller’s book Blue Like Jazz into a movie.

9. Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury – Christian Fiction. A couple learn that their five-year-old son’s birth parents plan to sue for custody.

10. The Captain’s Dog by Roland Smith – YA Creative Non-Fiction.  Adventures on the Lewis and Clark Expedition from the point of view of Captain Lewis’ dog.

11. A Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen – Christian Essay. Perspectives on how to lead a life of contentment.

12. The Pilot’s Wife by Anita Shreve – Fiction. When her husband is killed in a plane crash, a widow finds about his secret life, including another family in Europe.

13. Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult – Fiction. A prominent prosecuting attorney kills the priest accused of abusing her child. This book was reviewed here in May.

14. The Trial by Robert Whitlow – Christian Fiction. An attorney with a lot of baggage of his own, takes the case of a young man accused of murdering a young girl. The Trial was reviewed in June.

15. God Came Near by Max Lucado – Christian Motivation. Scripture-based readings about God coming to earth as Jesus.

16. Hotel by Arthur Hailey – Fiction. Plush hotel in New Orleans faces bankruptcy while several sub-plots are taking place.

17. Mosaic by Verna Lee Hinegardner – Poetry. Chapbook by the former Arkansas Poet Laureate.

18. The Helper by Catherine Marshall – Christian Essays. The author shares stories of encounters with the Holy Spirit.

19. Same Kind of Different Than Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore – Christian Non-Fiction. Story of the unexpected friendship between a homeless man and a wealthy art dealer. This Book was reviewed in August.

20. The Water Seeker by Kimberly Willis Holt – YA Fiction. Life along the Northwest Passage is hard and sometimes tragic for a young boy and his family.

21. Just Like Jesus – Christian Motivation.  Max Lucado writes about Jesus’ attributes and how we can immulate them in our lives.

22. An Uncommon Crusade by Caron Guillo – Christian Fiction. Story of three youth involved in the Children’s Crusade during the 12th Century. This book was reviewed in October.

23. Like a Rock by Steve May – Christian Motivation. Studies on character building from 1 Thessalonians.

24. The Devil in Pew Number Seven by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo – Biography. Minister’s family is persecuted and beset by problems created by an angry church member.

25. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck – YA Fiction.  Two pre-teens travel from Chicago to visit their grandmother in rural Illinois with resulting culture shock.

26. House Rules by Jodi Picoult – Fiction. Teen age boy with Asberger’s Syndrome is accused of murdering his social skills mentor.

27. Near to the Heart of God by Robert J. Morgan – Christian Devotional. Daily readings based on a connection with favorite Christian hymns.

It’s been said that no one greets New Year’s Day with indifference. They are either eager and excited about what opportunities lie ahead or they are down and depressed that the future holds no such promise. Some think, “Is this as good as it gets? What if the Hokey Pokey really is what it’s all about?”  But wait, listen to the words of the song. Maybe turning yourself around is what it’s all about.

Well, I’m not going to expound philosophically about a children’s game. I’m just going to say I’m in the first group. I love January 1! I spend the day organizing my new day planner, making lists of things I want to accomplish in the coming year. I set comfortable, do-able goals (i.e. nothing to do with weight loss). I also look over the achievements of the past year, giving practically zero attention to my failures. (I am aware that sounds shallow but what I mean is that I don’t count how many contests I entered, only how many I won.)

This sort of puts unmet goals in perspective. For instance, I planned to finish my current writing project during 2011 and yet I am only half-way through. But when I look at what happened instead I can’t feel too bad about it. That was a very ambitious goal anyway.

So, that’s my view of our brand new year. May yours be blessed beyond anything you can hope or imagine.

This is the fourth Sunday in Advent. We continue our search for the Christ Child.

Long ago, an astronomer saw the prediction that in a far eastern country a king would be born. The stars also told him that this king would be so special, his impact on the world so great that his birth would be a momentous event. To witness the birth of such a king would be an honor indeed. The astronomer and two traveling companions set out on their journey with the hope of seeing this new born king and presenting him with gifts.

We can only imagine what the trip was like. Across language barriers and through countries at war, where traveling might be dangerous. We are not sure how long it took them to finally reach Judah, charting their course through the desert by the stars, much as sailors did on the sea.

When they came to Jerusalem, they paused. Surely they were near — the star was brighter. Someone in the palace would be able to direct them to the exact spot where the birth of a King would take place.

They left Herod with the distinct feeling the new king’s life was in danger. They continued their journey and in a short time they found … a stable, a peasant carpenter, his young wife and a baby. This humble setting, the birthplace of a king? Surely this was not what they were seeking.

Has this happened to us? We follow the star of what we know is God’s leading and when we come to the end … there’s a stable. And we wonder, why did we try so hard if all we find at the end is a barn, and hay and animals and … other stuff that’s found in a stable?

We don’t know what thoughts went through the minds of the wise men who stood gazing at the baby in the manger, but somehow they knew they had found what they were searching for. This was the king. The star had led them to the right place.

When we follow a star only to find at the end something less grand than we expect, we need to look closely at the stable, look in the manger, find Christ. Chances are, we are right where God means for us to be.

Today is the Third Sunday in Advent.

She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger — there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

The innkeeper in Bethlehem is not actually mentioned in scripture; his presence is only assumed. He has been added to the cast of Christmas pageants, either to give one more child a speaking part or to add drama to the story (as if it were needed!). Joseph stands at the door and says, “Please!” The innkeeper says, “No room.”

Hordes of people had flocked to the little city of Bethlehem. To what can we compare it? Any major city airport during inclement weather. New Orleans after Katrina. Only the rich or very lucky find hotel rooms. Displaced persons wander about, carrying their belongings, finally to spread out and rest anywhere they find six feet of space. This was the picture that night long ago.

Maybe Joseph stepped around a courtyard full of sleeping bodies to approach the door of the inn. He surely asked for accommodations, explained Mary’s situation. Perhaps she had felt the first nudge of contractions and it was evident she would have the baby soon.

Who’s to know what motivated the man in charge of the hostel that night. He didn’t invite all these people to come crowding into town. He would see nothing of the new tax. It was not unusual for women to die in childbirth, even in the best of conditions. What would he do if that happened? The innkeeper took time from his hectic job, maybe even stuck his neck out, to show consideration to someone in need.

Jesus’ birth was marked by a stranger’s act of compassion. As was his death. We don’t know Simon of Cyrene’s state of mind when he was asked to help Jesus — but he did it. He put aside his plans for the day and lifted the heavy cross from Jesus’ shoulders and put it on his own. And walked the last few steps to Calvary with our Savior.

Two men who moved away from the business of their daily lives to help someone. We know hardly anything about them, their deeds are mentioned only in passing. But they were part of something great.

Hopefully when our opportunity comes to perform and act of kindness, we will put aside our own concerns and do what God would have us do.

In 1975 I made my first trip from Oklahoma through the southern states of Arkansas, Tennessee and Alabama. It was springtime and everything was lovely and green. Especially beautiful was the ivy I saw growing on the trees along the highway. When I commented on this to my friend, who was a native southerner, she said, “That’s kudzu! It’s a parasite that will destroy the trees. We’ll come back this way some day and there will be no trees, just kudzu. There’s no way to kill it and it just takes over everything in its path.”

Kudzu was brought to the United States in 1902 to be used in soil erosion control. Farmers were paid $8.00 an acre to plant it. A few years later, they discovered that when they no longer wanted a field of kudzu, it was very difficult to get rid of. It not only thrived but it became aggressive. Cutting it back seemed to make it more hardy and it turned out to be practically impossible to uproot.  In 1970, kudzu was declared a weed. This beautiful plant that was welcomed into our environment had become a nuisance to be reckoned with.

So, the question is, do we have any kudzu in our lives? Perhaps there is something that at one time appeared beautiful, useful and beneficial, so we invited it into our lives. But now, the hold it has on us is too strong and destructive. We feel we are being consumed and that soon our life will be nothing but kudzu.

The good news is that even though getting rid of kudzu may be impossible for us, with God anything is possible. God can get rid of all the parasites in our lives. And he will. All we have to do is ask.

What better time to ask than during the Advent season, as we prepare our hearts to welcome the Christ Child.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26 NIV

Today is the first Sunday in Advent.

During this season there is a question we ask, often just to make conversation. It is, “Are you ready for Christmas?” Usually what we mean when we ask this is, “Have you finished shopping?” Or, “What are your holiday plans?”

Our talk is full of the preparations that are going on in our lives. We wouldn’t neglect putting everything in place for the traditional family Christmas we all enjoy, even though at times it seems stressful when we think of all the things we must accomplish by December 25.

Advent is the time in the Christian year meant for preparation, but this preparing has nothing to do with buying presents or baking pies. This is the time for us to ready our hearts for the coming of the Christ Child. So often this is seen as something we need to do in addition to all the other activities that are going on. The result is that we may feel pressure at one more thing we need to do to get ready for Christmas.

Could it be that if we keep our hearts and minds in a state of constant preparedness that the love, joy, wonder and splendor of the Christ Child might come to us at any time, not just at Christmas?

Oh Holy Child of Bethlehem, be born in us today.

November has been a busy month in my writing year: Two book signings, a meeting with my critique group (Central Arkansas Writers) and editing an Advent booklet (see previous post). All these activities while still making a bit of headway on my novel-in-progress, An Ordinary Day (working title).

Another exciting event is that R.I.P. Emma Lou Briggs, the play presented last summer at Center on the Square Theater, is now published in book form.

Visit my author’s page at Amazon.com for a look at all my books.

http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004HL64I0