THREAD OF LOVE →

April 01, 2019 by Clella Camp

"When life whacks you so hard your head flies off, sew it back on and keep going." ~ Mary Pierce ~

THREAD OF LOVE

I am working on a new book, and I found this quote in some earlier notes this morning. I had reacted to these words in 2006 on a blog post. And in the years since then life has whacked me hard several times. You either sew it back on and keep on going or you die-figuratively or literally-mentally or spiritually. Life whacks us all…this is a major part of Satan’s plan. Let us just make sure we “sew it back on”straight! Many times, when we pick ourselves up if we are not careful, we have put our head on crooked or even backwards…we think just getting it back on is all that matters…but it must be on straight!

I thought good old-fashioned hard work would set me straight. Hard work is a good way to get our head back together when life gives us a hard whack, but hard work by itself won’t keep us going. Change of environment and scenery can sometimes put our heads back on after a hard blow but that won’t keep us going either. Friends and family are such an important part of my life and have been important in these times. Significant people have often been the strong thread that keeps my head on straight, but they too can wear thin and snap.

The only thread that is strong enough to keep our head on straight is the crimson thread of Christ’s blood as it embroiders its way through the Word of God. This strong thread is enough to keep our head on even when life has given us a good hard whack.

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13) and “sewing my head back on” is something I have done several times in my lifetime. Getting it on straight was more of a problem; however, it stays on longer and straighter when I use the thread of love that Christ so freely gave on the cross. It is my prayer that this will be the thread we all use when we get the whacks of life that Satan gives us.

My next book (if it is ever finished 😊) is entitle THREAD OF LOVE, Advice you Wish Your Mother Had Shared. As I share this writing journey with my blog readers, I hope you will find advice that can help you “sew your head back on.”

Enjoy your day.

Clella

ONE GOOD FRIEND

February 01, 2019 by Clella Camp

It’s February already! And as I walk through Walmart, I see hearts and flowers for everyone-your boss, your spouse, your children, your grandma, your good friend, appreciation for those we have in our lives. When choosing greeting cards recently, I began to remember my friends throughout my lifetime. How many friends have I had in a lifetime of 80 plus years? I have had many acquaintances, as I reminisce about “friends”, I realize God has provided just who and what I needed in each stage of my life. Webster defines friend as “one attached to another by affection or esteem”; however, the Bible refers to a real friend as “one who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24)

In my childhood days my friend lived across the field, and we walked to school together, played together and often spent the night together. As a teenager, I went on to a friend who shared a small, rural high school where we cheered the team, double dated and shared our hopes and dreams for the future. As a young married Army wife, God sent me a wonderful friend to share our trailer-court, Army base experiences, and then I returned home to raise our children and begin our “real” life. A young mother like myself became my friend. Later during my 25 teaching years, my mentor and friend was a fellow teacher until our retirement. And in these retirement years I have found just the friends for the support I need. Through these friendships one has remained since age 14-my husband of 64 years.

I share all of this to remind you that these friends may be for a lifetime or only for shorter periods in our life, but we need other people. When considering my topic for this month, I kept coming back to these verses and how these words speak to all of us particularly here in Sunset Palm. A strand of three-two friends and God is a cord that can’t be broken.

““Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

MAY YOU ALL HAVE ONE GOOD FRIEND

NEW BEGINNINGS

December 30, 2018 by Clella Camp

2019-A new year. I remember 1940 (vaguely). A world involved in the War to end all Wars. And then new beginning as that came to an end. I remember the 1950’s. My last year of junior high. A new beginning as I began my high school year. And a new beginning again as I married in 1955. I remember the 1960’s. Our infant son was not yet a year old and our young daughter was born 3 years later. I remember 1970. A new beginning at my first year of teaching. I remember the 80’s. I became Mother-in-law twice to wonderful new children. I remember 1990. A new beginning. Retirement for both of us. And on it goes..so many new beginnings. I remember how concerned we were as the year 2000 approached. What would happen to our computer-oriented society? A new beginning. How often in our life do we face a new beginning?

How we face and deal with the NEW becomes the issue. Many of us have faced the death of loved ones. The more years we live, the more this becomes a reality. Not only are we left without spouses or friends, but sometimes death comes to our children or our grandchildren and we are left to begin anew.

Often our new beginning comes because of physical situations. I had a hip replaced. Then I had it done again. I once could walk a country block, but as the physical body wore down so did my walking. I once played golf three times a week, but again because of shoulder pain, I had to find a new beginning.

Many times our new beginnings are of our own choosing. We find a new job. We move to a new community. We retire. We choose a new way of life. We make new friends. All our choices may not be good, but we adjust to new people, new environments and new ideas. The key word is ADJUST.

Positive adjustment to change is not always easy. Especially if a person is fifty-five plus. I like life to stay the same, but reality tells me this is impossible. So, I need to make new beginnings and do the best I can with what the situations in life bring.

Scripture tells us that “Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today and forever.” But everything else is fluid and changing. Isaiah 43:18 tells us to “…forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” We can’t live in the past, but only in the day we have. Our new beginning is new each day. Paul wrote to the Philippians and encouraged them to “Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4) We can’t always change the new circumstance in our life, but we can adjust to it in a positive way.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘“The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him’”(Lamentations 3:22)

ENJOY 2019 -ENJOY YOUR DAY-A NEW BEGINNING

SLOW US DOWN LORD

October 16, 2018 by Clella Camp

The musty smell of harvest dust filters into the breeze. Farming families eat in fields; wives and children become errand boys and hired hands. The grain market and the weather report develop into the major news. The geese fly south again. Leaves fade into brilliant reds and golds and the harvest moon rises in the October sky. Fall festivals are rampant, school is in full swing and the high school football season dwindles to one game and the play-offs. Autumn in the Midwest-if only our lives could slow down to appreciate it.

Little chipmunks and bushy tailed squirrels invade my lawn. One little fellow struggles defiantly with the acorns falling among the leaves on our patio. As I step out quietly for my walk, I stop to watch his struggle. He finds them much more appealing than we do. Apparently these little creatures have been here all summer, but I have hardly noticed them until now.

On across the way, the geese are strutting around the edge of Eads Lake, staking their claim to our neighbors’ yards. Soon they will huddle, honk to one another and begin their journey across the sky. I pause to watch and listen as they rise into the blue October sky. Soon they will be gone.

As I walk on around the circle, I notice that the neighbor on the corner has planted several mums-the full-blown bushes are swathed in blooms glowing in the light of the afternoon sun. I vaguely remember he planted them several weeks ago, but I became fully aware of them today.

I return to our house and notice how my pots of mums are beginning to fade into rusty brown blossoms. It is time to remove them from the pots and plant them for next season. In other autumns, I have been too busy to even notice the dry foliage until the time had passed for replanting. I have time today. I pull up the lawn chair to rest after my journey around the neighborhood. Sitting with the sun soaking my shoulders, I begin to reflect on the spiritual side of our life. Maybe we need to sometimes just slow down there also. Sometimes we get so busy with our church work that we don’t stop to notice the little things around us.

Sunday morning our auditorium was beautifully decorated, but I didn’t take time to find out who had done it. I was too busy making plans for lunch after church, and discussing a meeting that I wanted to go to on Wednesday night. Someone would surely have appreciated recognition for their efforts, but I needed to hurry on for lunch.

We go to a committee meeting and make big decisions, but fail to take note of an absent member. No one bothers to find out why there aren’t in attendance. We are just are in a hurry to get this over with and get on to our next meeting. Someone may have needed us.

Perhaps we need to stop being so religiously busy and just slow down for more prayer time during the day, be more aware of the people who are missing at our gatherings, and study the Word more diligently rather than a cursory reading to fill the allotted time we give to reading the Bible. Somewhat like the little creatures storing their nuts, the brown leaves on my plants and the geese that will soon be gone, we may be missing a spiritual blessing and unless we slow down we may never realize what we have missed.

PRAYER FOR THE DAY: Lord, slow me down as I walk with you through this life. Help me to realize I need to take time to notice the small things you have prepared for me to do and not become so involved in “ busyness” that I neglect the little things of life that are so important. In Jesus’ name Amen