Insights From The Rocking Chair

A year ago I had no idea that a disease called T18 existed. I became aware only after it was diagnosed in the family of some friends. The little I have learned about this disease stabs me in the heart and becomes an indescribable pain. The challenges my wife and I face with our mentally challenged adult son, pale in comparison. The hopes and aspirations of these young couples are crushed with this diagnosis. Maybe at this point you are wondering why I would write of something so sad at a time when joy and hope fills the air. One reason is to remind you that joy and hope is not in the heart of everyone around us. Many dread Christmas for one reason or another. This year, others will experience their first loss of one kind or another. Another reason is to tell you that so far, of all the stories I have read, I have not found one couple (family), that has not experienced a deepening of their faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Not one! This disease has brought them to a deeper, st...

Keeping up with Magdalena's blog, made me aware of yet another family dealing with T18. Little Maxon was born Friday morning at 7:32AM and passed away at 10:15 that same morning. My heart breaks each time I read of these precious families and their babies, but I am encouraged by their common reliance on God's faithfulness in their lives. I wish I could write each of them and offer an explination why God chose them for what is a very difficult time in their lives. To do so would be a presumption that I know what God has planned. I guess the best I could say is; God has promised His presence. God has made that promise, not only to these young families dealing with an awful diagnosis, but to all of us. So during this season of Joy when there are many who are sad, remember them in your prayers and when you can, remind them, "God has promised His presence". If you would like to read Maxon's journey click on his name and it will take you to his blog site.

It is way to early to be up on Thanksgiving morning, but on a day that I could sleep late, I can't. While lying in bed trying to go back to sleep to no avail, I began to think about Thanksgivings past and not many stick out in my mind. Actually only two. I think all of our families try to have the Norman Rockwell type of Thanksgiving. We do our best to gather our families around and have a big huge meal of turkey and and the "fixins". Most times we succeed, but no matter how hard we try, other times it just doesn't work out. Like most of you when living at home, we went to our grandparents home. Most times we went to my dad's folks because mom's family lived 12-13 hours away. Now, we are all spread out and for the most part we don't, we wait until Christmas. Earlier I mentioned that two Thanksgivings stand out as different, their significance in my life will by no means inspire you, they just happened to me. I will tell you about them in chronological orde...

Then...... 1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 "My lords," he said, "please turn aside to your servant's house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning." "No," they answered, "we will spend the night in the square." 3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread witho ut yeast, and they ate. 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them." 6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing....

Dearest Daughter, It has been a while since my last letter. Not for any particular reason, it's just that over the last year we have spent a lot of time together so I hadn't felt the need. I know that this past election cycle has caused many, including you, some concern. That concern shows you are growing and maturing, at least in some areas. Ha! Yes, there are some things that many people don't like about our new incoming president. I know he is for killing babies. I know he is for re-defining marriage and family, and a host of other things that we cannot agree with. But, no matter, he will still be our next president. So, what are we to do? Well, let's see if we can come up with a thing or two. Pray earnestly for him by name. Pray that God will protect him from harm and illness. Pray for his family. Pray for his adviser's. Pray that the decisions he makes are bathed in his own prayer. (assuming he is Christian as he states) Did you notice they all begin with pray...

On the way to work this morning, I was listening to the radio as I do most mornings. One song, by Pam Thumb, stood out this morning. A line in the chorus stood out and is the title of this post. When I started this post, I also remembered a t-shirt slogan, "Life Is Hard....Then You Die". Both state the obvious, Life Is Hard, but only one offers hope, the other hangs you out to dry (you are on your own). This very moment many in America are suffering. They are facing incredible hardships in life. Job loss, foreclosures, family disintegration, war separation, financial distress, and the list could go on and on. It is very safe to say that many are looking for the next president to solve their woes. As has been for over 40 years, many are looking for the government to open the storehouse doors, and pour out blessings (money) on to us to save us from being so dumb. I have to question if there is any validity to that effort. When the well runs dry, where are you then? Hopeless? Y...

What a morning! It is the coolest morning of the new fall season. It finally feels like fall and I couldn’t be happier. I am not at home. I am out in the country. The only thing that would make this better is being in my camper at a campground. But this is okay to. I haven’t been here since back in the spring so it is good to get back. Coming through town last night on the way to her mom’s, my wife and I were making observations about how things have changed. This is where she was born and grew up. Our son was born here as well, and things are not the same. At one time this community had vibrant industry that employed many in the town and the surrounding area. Not true anymore. Retail stores lined Front Street. Not true anymore. The First Baptist Church had many young people, children, and young couples. Not anymore. Many have moved on… It is sad, but the reality, towns and people will change. The big question, what kind of change? Is the change better? God institut...

The following was a post that I was working on Saturday Oct. 4. I forgot to post it so I thought I would post it now. Jay is recovering fine and is itching to get to his normal activities. How many times have you had your plans changed? Plans that changed not of your desires but because of circumstances. Well, we have had a week like that. Like most we went to bed Sunday night only to wake up with our son complaining of nausea. I sent him back to bed and his mom called his work to let them know he wouldn't be in. Tuesday still sick. Wednesday still sick and a trip to a new doctor because ours has been sick and out of his practice. Wednesday afternoon in the hospital after finding that he was dehydrated. Thursday test and no clear picture of what was wrong. Hoping to go home Friday, but one more test. Test came back positive as gall stones. Saturday afternoon in surgery to remove gall bladder. That is where we are now. While I am typing this, I am waiting for a call letting us know...

On many occasions I have mentioned Noah, Julie, and Magdalena Roberts. In case you have forgotten, they are the couple whose baby was born with T18. I have been following their blog since the summer when the diagnosis was made. It has been an inspiration to me and hundreds if not thousands of others on how well they have dealt with each and every trial, setback, and rejoiced in every accomplishment. In her latest blog entries, Julie has told us about the weakness of Magdalena's heart. There have been many decisions to make in regards to her health and daily care. Some have been just down right tough. Julie has acknowledged many times that she knows that she and Noah have a God determined time with their little girl, but one comment today struck me. Julie wrote, "For a little bit of time I forgot she was sick, and I really began to think that she had become one of the less than 5% of T18 babies that make it to their first birthday. However, the cardiologist appointment has brou...

Lately, as I read through the news or listen on TV, there are stories upon stories of children being mistreated or killed. We are loosing generations because our children are being aborted, molested, beaten down physically, and mentally. They are tossed around like animals with no concern about their health. They are not loved. They are tortured more inhumanly than the military will torture combatants. They are kept from food and basic hygiene. They are shot and killed by drive byes, angry moms and dads, and out of control brothers and sisters, while in their own beds asleep. They are used as pawns in divorce disputes and tossed aside as if they don't exist. Why? I look at the countless pictures of little girls and boys, such as Madelene and Caylee. Their precious innocence and life are in the balance or maybe even lost. I look at the picture of my own grandson and just cringe at the thought that someone would even think to bring harm against his little life. And then, I go beyond ...

Here lately, I have been laughing out loud at comments made on various web sites. Sometimes I wonder if some of these folks ever went to school. I even wonder what they must be teaching in school in the subjects of history and civics. I am amazed that they can twist fact into meaning what they want, when they want and when it best suits them. I have to wonder what America will look like in just a few short years. Senator Phil Graham was recently ridiculed in the press for calling Americans "a nation of whiners". In reality, that is exactly what we have become. We have the greatest of all blessings here, but yet we have become obsessed with ourselves, our own individual feelings and best interest. I grew up during the Cold War era and in that time, Russia, the former Soviet Union, said they would destroy America without firing a shot, from within. Look around, what does it look like to you? Our "Christian Walk" looks more like a drag. A lot of us have to look in...

I don't usually pay much attention to forwards but this one caught my eye. It was also sent by a co-worker that doesn't send junk around. Thought you might like it I sure did. Church In The Weeds Just two little boys walking down a dusty lane .... They came upon this old white house... with broken window panes The paint was faded, the shine was gone... the grass had grown so high.... still they made their little feet go see what was inside. They opened up the squeaky door and then it came to light.... This must have been an old church house... once upon a time. Dirty, dusty wooden pews... a pulpit that still stood... A Bible laid upon it.... though the pages weren't too good. An offering plate and song books too... were lying on the floor. They must have left this old church fast... the day they closed these doors. And over in the corner... a piano was still there. it must have played a pretty tune.. but I guess nobody cared. So little Bill looked up at Tommy.. and Tommy lo...

What would you do if you knew beforehand the outcome of something God was telling you to do? Would you do it or not , as my grandson likes to say? Maybe it is something good and very easy to do with the probability that it will turn out good in the end. But what if were difficult and the outcome was in question? Sometimes I get my brainteasers from the oddest of places. Maybe a billboard sign, a song, a radio or TV show or just from God’s small voice. But I get them, and I don’t always act on them or give them much more than a fleeting thought. Mr. Smith, a character in the TV show Jeremiah, supposedly hears from God and goes to wherever he is supposed to “to prophesy”. Now most of the characters don’t believe him, but some things he does tend to make you believe that he is a little more than mortal. In this episode, he tells a young woman she doesn’t need to make the trip they are taking knowing that her demise is at hand, but she goes anyway. Later he sees her and like most ...

What a contrast of this morning and the morning of my last post. Last it was a clear day and the air was cool, today it is raining and I am inside writing this. These last months have been different for me. I have found myself thinking a lot on the Lord, examining the things I do or don't do for him or with him. I have found myself coming up short in what I believe he wants of me. The real problem is I can't quite put my finger on just what he is dealing with me about. I am deeply moved by stories of God's faithfulness and wonder again just what is God stirring in me. I have an emptiness that seems to be growing, but not for the lack of his grace for that is abundant but for the looking for the purpose of all this in the first place. Soon I will know for he is always faithful. While watching the rain fall this morning, I think back to just a couple of weeks ago and everything seemed to be just hanging on. We were having to water to keep things alive and now without our hel...

Finally a cool morning on a Saturday and I can just sit outside and do this for a few minutes. Hasn't been much going on. A few birds singing and AC units are running but other than that, oops, a siren now is blaring down the road. I want you to keep Julie and Noah Roberts in your prayers. They are the couple that I have blogged about that just had the Trisomy 18 baby. The reports on Friday afternoon were not as encouraging as previous. Little Magdalena had to have her IV re-inserted because she was not digesting her food as well and they were afraid of dehydration. We went by to see them but could not because they had just received the news and were really upset. I think that the little miracles experienced have given them hope that she would beat the odds against her and this was a set back. The insurance has approved for Julie to stay in the hospital until tomorrow, Sunday and we are thankful so she can be near Magdalena. (by the way the g is silent). Be in a spirit of prayer f...

A few months ago I wrote a blog by the same title . I did not anticipate doing a part 2, but after the events of the last two days I thought that an update would be in order. My daughter's friend, who is as much a part of our family as anyone that is non blood related could be, had her baby yesterday, August 6. Magdelena weighs in at 3lbs and 15ozs and 18" long. If any of you read the first installment then you know the odds that were against this little baby ever seeing the light of day and if you didn't click on the link(same title) above and read it. I would like to point out a miracle or two. Magdelena lived to be born After her birth she began breathing on her own. A feat not expected. There was concern that her kidneys would not be working, but, she is passing fluids and dirtying her diaper. She was given a pacifier to see she could suck and she did. At 5:30 this morning, her mother was able to feed her a bottle. On many occasions they cannot do this and are fed wit...

Watch this all the way through. God still takes the rejects and makes them jewels for His Name's Sake. If you get this email click here to see this video.

This past Sunday was really a good day. My son-in-law made it home from his deployment. My vocabulary is too limited to express the feelings that we all had that evening watching him drive up. But this little video will explain very easily how his 3 year old felt about it and I will let that speak for us all. For those of you that subscribe by email, I am not sure if this video will email so if you want to see it click on here t o see video .

My title this time is not original, as you can probably tell by the quality. It is taken from a billboard ad of a popular trial lawyer. It has been several months since I noticed it and don't know if it is still being used, but I thought what a great title for a sermon. Since I am not a preacher (at least professionally) I will use it here. Of course, the lawyer was advertising for folks injured in a car crash, but life in general can be just as destructive as any car accident. None of us can deny that we are living in a perilous economic time. Major and minor corporations are laying folks off by the thousand's. And what about the gas prices. Anyone saying I'll pay more to go to work? I didn't think so! Life is hard and most of us, if we live long enough and are honest, will come face to face with a personal crash of some kind or the other. It might be the death of a child or some other family member or dear friend. Maybe your marriage is failing. Maybe your spouse is ...

On mother's day I wrote about my mom and I should be strung up and whipped if I didn't do the same of our day. I am sitting here staring at the cursor blinking wondering where to begin, because I have a lot I could write but really don't want to bore you to death. I called my dad this morning to wish him a happy father's day. I have to call early because he would have soon been out the door and down to the church where he pastor's to begin his usually busy Sunday. And I guess that is what describes him best. Being a pastor is who he is as well as what he does. I will try to better define that for you. A few years ago at 65 he retired. (ha!) Soon after, he went part time as an associational director, but it wasn't long he was back at the church he had retired from as an interim while they looked for a new pastor. Well that interim turned into coming out of retirement and back to pastoring. Before he committed for the second time, I believe I asked him why he woul...

This weekend I have the opportunity to participate in an historic event in our community. The church I attended for many years is celebrating it's 50th anniversary. Quite a milestone for any organization or marriage or just about anything, but this weekend is their day in the spotlight. If you are reading this as a Christian, then you know that the church is not a group of buildings, but is the body of believers that have banded together to worship and to re-charge the batteries. It is also that body going out from the building into the community to use the knowledge in the head moved to the heart to show God's love and compassion to everyone. As I sat and listened to 3 of the former pastors speak Friday night, they spoke of the commitment of the church members to do the things necessary to make sure that when people were in need there was someone there to help. My mind was taken back to a time that compassion and God's love was poured out on my family. I have told this st...

I once heard a visiting preacher tell a story about leaving a meeting in some town and while at the airport he needed to call home to let his wife know when to expect him. After making the call he hung up the pay phone he had used and the quarter came back. He picked up the phone and dialed the operator and told her that the quarter had returned. The operator said she knew. She said that she had recognized his voice when she helped him make his call. She had been in the meeting the night before when he preached on character. She had made the phone give the quarter back because she wanted to see if he practiced what he preached. I have been around people all of my life that were made from the same stock. Their word is their bond and you can take what they say to the bank. Now we will be watching two men vie to become the next President of the United States. If not for you, for me, character will be a big deal. I don't expect either to be perfect or believe exactly as I do, but I am ...

It has been a while since my last post. Many reasons why and lazy has been a good as any other, but I wanted to give out this blog link for you to keep up with this family. By doing so I hope that you offer prayers for them on a daily basis. You may remember that I blogged about them some time ago. They are having a baby with trisomy 18. You can keep up better if you go here noahandjulieroberts.blogspot.com

This morning marks yet another Mother's Day. And sometimes I wonder if that is just not the way we look at it. That we take our mothers for granted. We show up at their house like we never left and when we get there we expect the same old treatment we always got; unconditional love, a hot meal and never ending praise on how good we are. Personally I like all three even when they are not deserved. But let me tell you about my mom. I should be able to tell you lots because after all I have known her all my life. My mom is a great cook! I know we all say that but she really is. Maybe her generation is the last to take their time when preparing a meal. Growing up we had 3 squares a day. She got up early started the cooking before she ever called us to get up. While cooking our breakfast she oversaw our getting ready for school and trying her best to make sure we didn't miss the bus (no, I didn't walk up hill both ways in the snow barefoot). Since I have 3 siblings, mom spent a...

I am having another time of writer's block and find myself short on ideas and words, so this may be a jumbled mess of nothing to do with anything. Last Sunday Last Sunday I got to do something I don't get to do often. Because a severe storm blew through the area last week, the church I serve as music director didn't have power and we didn't have services and my wife and I went to an early service at another church and got home early and were able to relax. Grandchildren I was told before my grandson was born that grandchildren were wonderful. Guess what? They are. Because my son-in-law is overseas this past year, I have had a lot of time with my grandson. As I sit with him and listen to him talk about things and watch him grow and play and figure stuff out, I think back to my own children and try to remember, only to remember that I was too busy making a living to listen and watch. He spent the night with us last night. One thing I have learned about him, if he is quie...

Last week I received a copy of an email sent by one of my good friend's daughter. In that email she was updating friends and relatives on her sister's unborn child's condition. At the beginning she cut straight to the chase. Their unborn child had been diagnosed with Trisomy 18 . Maybe you are like me and had no clue what this was. Her description was clear and to the point. 50% of all diagnosed children never make it full term. Of the 50% that do, only 50% of them live longer than 2 months. Of the children that live that long, only 2-5% live to their first birthday. Secular wisdom would tell them that it wouldn't be fair to go through the entire pregnancy. Secular wisdom would say that you don't really want to subject the child to the pain it will feel after being born, or subject yourselves to the feelings of hopelessness after it is born. Secular wisdom could not be more wrong. Oh, I would consider their view although I could never follow their guidance. I have ...

I got this via email, but as I always do I did some research to see if the article had been written. I didn't find it a the New York Sun as the email suggested but I did find it Here This man, Ken Blackwell, wrote it and you should go and read it. It will be worth your while.

My mind took me back today. Back to a time when I was a youngster and a teenager. A time when our country was in a war that seemed to never want to end. My first thoughts were about the time when I became eligible for the draft. Yeah, we had to sign up those days. We went to the local selective service office and gave the personal information desired and a few weeks later you received your card. It carried a classification designation of your status. My initial one was 1H which was holding. I was still in high school and that was the usual classification. Later that year it was changed to 1A because I had graduated high school and was now in college. Even though the draft had expired there was still 2 years left that a lottery was drawn. Each January somewhere in DC a person would draw birth dates at random. Depending on the number your date was drawn determined the likely hood that you would drafted(if the draft was still active). My first number was 365 which meant that I was less li...

As for me and my church, we preach the word of the Lord God Almighty. Recently a friend forwarded the old email telling that Obama is a Muslim. I don't know Obama so I cannot vouch for his religious leanings. But someone he sent this email to "replied to all" and wanted to bet that Obama is a "strong" Christian. He offered $1000 as a wager. I didn't take the wager but I did take the challenge. Can we tell what someone believes by the church he attends? In all honesty, NO! But, yes. I will admit that I know very little if anything about the inner workings of African American churches. So, I will not disparage anything they may or may not preach. I do know in the south they are to perceived to be the havens for political activism without much true God fearing spiritual substance. Please note that I used the word perceived. With that said, what should anyone look for in selecting a church? One that the pastor preaches the infallible Word of God. One that nurtu...

The last time I approached this subject, I left the impression that the Antichrist would ride in on a wave of popularity like no one has seen. And again, I am not in the least trying to leave an impression that Obama is the Antichrist. What I would like for you to see is the circus that has surrounded him and remember when the time is right this will be the same way for the appearance of the Antichrist. Then you will have some memory in the back of your head as you see it come to pass. Being a native Mississippian, I watched with some interest as both candidates came here to woo us. The excitement level varied widely between the two. Clinton was a little more subdued and business like. Obama looked like he was the star quarterback of the local standout team. It felt more like a pep rally, which have lots of hype and no substance. The hype was so big that a county democratic committee ran out of ballots in a county that ordered triple the amount of ballots than in the last Presidential ...

In November all of us will go to the polls (or should) to select the next President Of The United States. My feeling is that many do not take this as seriously as they should. They approach it rather carelessly. They do not spend any time researching the facts and depend on motivational speeches and news sound bites to make their choice. But if you will just do a little looking you can really find out a lot about some one's thoughts. A lot of things have been said about Obama, some true, some speculative and I am sure there are some false statements as well, but what he says about himself should be of interest to all of us. For instance, a news article on One News Now , showed how he really feels on the gay rights issue. In his own words from his own blog site, "As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that...

Larry Norman, widely considered the father of Christian Rock, passed away Sunday at the age of 60. Many people, myself included, really didn't know who he was. Here is an article about his death. He suffered much criticism in the early years and was quoted as saying he had no interest in preaching to the redeemed. He and many that followed, provided those of us that were part of the "Jesus Revolution" a new song to sing instead of the hymns. Many of those songs became staples in the 70's. One of the songs that many may remember was in the very first "Sing and Celebrate" songbook that came out in the 70's, I wish we'd all been ready . Life was filled with guns and wars and everyone got trampled on the floor I wished we'd all been ready Children died the days grew cold a piece of bread would buy a bag of gold I wished we'd all been ready There's no time to change your mind, the Son has come and you've been left behind. Man and wife asl...

With this post and maybe another or two I hope to show a little how the "Anti-Christ will come onto the scene and how so many will be deceived. I am not a Bible scholar and you might take issue with something I say and that will be fine. All you have to do is send a comment and I will consider your opinion in light of scripture. This post will most likely be more of a stage setter than anything else. So, I will now begin my feeble attempt at a comparison. Many movies and books have been produced and written on the end times. Billy Graham's movie section made one that I saw when just a boy. There have been others such as "Left Behind". All show the rise of the Anti-Christ as someone who is very likable, and a "brilliant leader". He will by all standards of human kind be a "STAR". I am not predicting or trying to put his attributes and personalities onto any one person today, but merely show through a rough comparison how easily, when the time is ri...

It's early Sunday Morning. I have oil heating outside in the turkey fryer getting ready to fry a turkey. Why in the world are you frying a turkey in February and why on Sunday morning? Well, that's easy. You see on Christmas Eve we were talking with my son-in-law on the webcam. While we were talking I made the statement I had to go check on the temp. of the oil. He asked, "You aren't frying a turkey are you"? I promised him when he came home I would cook one for him. He came home on furlough last Saturday and today is the day I keep that promise, sort of. I am only frying a breast, but that is because we wouldn't be able to eat a whole turkey in one sitting. He has been home for a week and will have to go back sometime this week. We are now on the down hill side of his active duty and he will home for good soon. We will miss him. An old saying comes to mind, "Don't wish you life away", and I agree with that except in some situations. His deployme...

If you think that the election cycle for President has become way too long, raise you hands. Okay, you can all put them down now. I am not sure when it changed, but I know I grow weary of the ever persistent media coverage. And what about those who are now holding elective office, are they meeting the demands of the job they already have? Probably not! And when you are elected President, you get to serve the office 100% for the first two years then you are out again trying to keep it. History has shown that sitting senators are less likely to win the office of president. By most accounts that is exactly what will happen this time. For the first time in many years I really enjoyed watching the Super Bowl. Good game! Great commercials! Sorry halftime! If found looking at my son-in-law’s pictures of overseas more fun (he is home on furlough). Speaking of halftime, I can’t remember a single one that was worth the time it took to watch. So, I usually don’t pay much attention. I ...