Letting My Alter Ego Out

Do you have an alter ego?  Sometimes ya just gotta let it out and, well, Halloween is as good a time as any for such an endeavor.



Me in my element, sharing a light moment on Lake Awassa in Ethiopia in early 2011.  The real me?



Or...sharing the inner me.  I'm the one in front.  What do you think?



 

Hidden Beauty

I did something this past Saturday that I hadn't done in 44 years.  (Imagine that...a woman giving indication of her age!).  I visited Luray Caverns in western Virginia with a good friend.  While I remembered being intrigued by the caverns even as a young child all those years ago, I decided that perhaps I couldn't quite understand the true beauty of this natural setting at that young age.  In fact, what I saw was quite spectacular.



That's some great looking limestone behind me.


When I visit my favorite exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution's Natural History Museum, I am always awed by the fact that so many rocks look like roundish, gray, uninteresting...well...rocks.  That is, until they are cut open to reveal the wonders of beautiful agates, quartz and many more varieties.

That is the same feeling I had when I visited Luray's caverns.  To think, just a few dozen feet above, the countryside looks like anyplace else where there are rolling hills covered by trees and perhaps some farmland.  Maybe even a few homes dot the covering scenery.  But just under the surface, the limestone filling the earth has opened chambers and passageways and with the help of rainwater seeping through, formed stalactites draping themselves down from above.  In fact, in some areas, these stalactites are even referred to as drapes.



Notice the texture in these drapes.  They look, even on close view, almost like hardened fabric.  Yet they are rock formations in all different shades due to varying degrees of calcium and other mineral elements that make them up. 



The stalactites, over thousands, even millions, of years drop moisture onto the ground, just as a melting icicle does on the side of a building, and stalagmites grow from the sediment that forms.  In the end, what is created is a glorious, natural wonder where even the small lake is so clear that it mirrors the beauty above it so much that it's difficult to know that there is water there at all.

This is an accurate depiction of Dream Lake, the largest body of water in Luray Caverns.  At its deepest, it is only about 20 inches. 

Andrew Campbell, William Campbell, and Benton Stebbins discovered this natural wonder because cold air came blowing out of a sinkhole in 1878.  They quickly began digging and, within four hours, found more than their imagination could have conjured up.  Within only a few months time, they began offering the first tours of the location, which is still the largest series of discovered caverns in the eastern part of the United States.  Today, the walk through these caverns, about 75% of which is now open to the public, covers about a mile and a quarter.

Just imagine how many more things are yet to be discovered in this beautiful world God created.  The possibilities are truly limitless.


Enjoy one more view of this amazing wonder of nature.  Put this on your tour list.  It's worth it!

Doing What I Hate

Romans 7:14-16
Good News Translation (GNT)

The Conflict in Us

 ¹⁴ We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am a mortal, sold as a slave to sin.^{15 (A)}I do not understand what I do; for I don't do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate.¹⁶ Since what I do is what I don't want to do, this shows that I agree that the Law is right.

This brief post is not all about spiritual laws and my inability to live up to them because I am a mere human, although the title of this piece brought that reference to mind.

You see, about a month ago, I signed up to take advantage of my company's gym.  To most people, I don't look terribly unfit, but I know that my body can definitely use some toning and shaping.  That, of course, means that I need to undertake some efforts that I haven't been making for far too long.  I need to exercise more, eat smaller portions and motivate myself to change the habits I've developed over time.  You know, those habits that allow me to happily vegitate in front of the TV in the evenings or websurf for far too long when the TV lineup is boring.

Anyway, the first week, I visited the gym every other evening and worked out hard for one hour and 15 minutes each time I went.  The 2nd week, I nearly kept pace with the first.  The third week, I dropped to a couple of visits, and by the fourth week, I'd sunk to one workout in the middle of the week.  Mind you, every time, I still hit it hard for an hour and 15 minutes.  Still, motivating myself to get into workout attire, go back to the company gym (which is very close to my home), work out when my energy is ebbing, well...I've simply let the little guy with the pitchfork and pointy tail standing on my left shoulder convince me that I don't need to go when I'm tired or not feelin' it.

Thus, the Bible verse above smacks me right between the eyeballs. "I do not understand what I do; for I don't do what I would like to do, but instead I do what I hate."  That about sums it up.  I hate that too often I sit around being lazy when I know I want to get into better shape.  Considering Paul's words in Romans 7, I guess I fall into good company.  On the other hand, I have to agree with him.  I know what is right, even while I do just the opposite.

Fortunately, the old cliche, "knowing and doing are two different things," can be the start of changing my tune.  Why not rewrite that to "knowing leads to doing that which is right?"  Hey, I think I've created a new mantra.  Ask me in a month how I'm "doing".

I Coulda Been a Star!

...but then reality set in.

I never went to Hollywood to become a star, but once I was out there, the opportunities were all around.  The cameras and klieg lights, the movie studios, the daily ads calling for actors, game show contestants, extras, well, just about anything in the industry--it was everywhere.  I was young and ready to try my hand at most anything, so I thought, why not?

First, I tried out for Tic Tac Dough.  They didn't bite.  Then, I auditioned for Sale of the Century.  I made it through the first audition, and the second, and on to the show taping at NBC studios in Burbank.  I didn't win, but I do have a memorable story to tell.  You see, the video cameras broke down just as I was wildly buzzing in and shouting out my over-the-top wrong answer "King Kong" when it should have been "Godzilla" to a question I can no longer remember.  We were in front of a live studio audience and after the game concluded, we had to reshoot that particular question, wild animation with wrong answer and all, so it could be spliced into the show that would air a few weeks later.  How fun!  I never experienced dry mouth to the extent I did at that taping.  They could have called me Ol' Cottonmouth!

Anyway, I decided it was fun being in front of the cameras, so I signed up for some commercial acting classes and auditioned for an agent at International Artists.  To my surprise, I was one of three selected to sign on.  I guess it was my charm and good looks that sold her on me.  Seriously though, the actor and producer teaching the workshops I was taking seemed to feel I had a look that could work in a wide variety of roles, from young professional to college student to next door neighbor and more.  So, I decided to jump on in the pool and get a headshot and some photos I would need in order to audition for commercials.

I learned, like probably about 99 percent of all actor wannabees, however, that being selected to join a casting agency and actually getting sent on auditions, much less snagging roles, were two very different things.  It didn't take long for me to put this little lark into the book of fun memories, and go and get a real job earning real income.  Still, fantasies are good for everyone every now and again.  I recommend them as long as they are legal and decent.




 




When I Wake Up Singing

Just the other night, I woke up…several times…for no apparent reason.  Well, not really.  It wasn’t the first time this had happened, and I surely hope it won’t be the last time.  I wasn’t continuing a dream into wakefulness.  There was no story that had come before what woke me.  I simply heard and sang “I’ve just seen Jesus, I tell you He’s alive, I’ve just seen Jesus, my precious Lord alive.”  It made me unbelievably happy.  Then I would drift back to sleep, only to awaken again a short while later hearing and singing “I’ve just seen Jesus…”  God prepares us in His own ways.  These events don’t happen by accident.  They make me long for that heavenly homecoming whenever the time is right.  They fill me with excitement and peace all at the same time.

Another song that has awakened me on many occasions is “To God be the Glory.”  I didn’t even realize I knew the words, but I have often awoken singing “Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice…”  I could wake up singing pop songs, or show tunes, or TV jingles, but I don’t.  I wake up singing praises to God, not every night, but when He wills it.  I feel more loved in those moments than I can adequately explain. 

I can only hope that others recognize the realness of God through the songs He places in their hearts.  It’s a wondrous experience.

“Don’t ya know that I sing because I’m happy?  I sing because I’m free.  His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”  This is a tune that comes to me when I’m walking my dog, or sitting quietly in my living room in the evening, or when I’m driving along an interstate.  It makes me happy just to realize that if my God looks out for tiny birds, He also watches out for me.  Just think…there are close to 7 billion other people on the planet, not to mention everything else in all of creation.  He knows each hair on my head.  He knit me in my mother’s womb.  It’s hard to even grasp the greatness of our God, but this song helps me do that, and it makes me happy.

Happy Birthday Never Sounded So Good

That's me...on my July 22nd birthday way back in 1959.  Fortunately, I can tell you that there was, indeed, a body attached to that little head.  I came along about a month ahead of schedule and with great drama attached to my birth, but that's a story for another time.  Today's story is all about the family birthdays my mother is still helping us celebrate this summer.  That's her, below, holding me on Easter Sunday in 1960.  My sisters and brother shared in the photographic moment.

Following multiple strokes over the past 20 years, each one of which caused increasing physical incapacity, my mother reached a point this past May where she lost the ability to speak.  Her mouth had become paralyzed and her tongue thickened.  Due to severe arthritis, she is no longer able to write or type, so her communication ability had become extremely restricted.

Late in June of this year, my sister and I traveled from our homes in another state to visit with my mother on her birthday.  As we prepared to sing that old familiar childhood tune, my sister informed our mother that she had to sing along with us.  To our surprise and amazement, she sang "Happy birthday to me..."  Each word was understandable and her voice brought joy to our ears and mist to our eyes.  Still, she could not verbalize even single syllable words with any clarity.

The next day, we sang "Jesus Loves Me" and "You Are My Sunshine" with her.  Her voice rang out with clarity on each one.  Two weeks later, she sang "Happy Birthday" to her brother over the cell phone that had been dialed for her.  All this time, she remains mostly unable to speak.

My birthday is tomorrow, and I will be traveling again to visit with my mother.  I look forward to enjoying the sweet sound of a woman in her waning years finding her voice even when no one, including her, knew it was possible.  Our bodies and minds are mysterious and wonderful things.

Happy birthday never sounded so good, thanks to this blessing bestowed upon my mom.  It brought encouragement to me, and to her.  Scientists may try to figure it all out, you know, how our brains really work.  In the end, however, there is nothing left to do but praise God for all of nature's variety and grandeur, for He alone knows the beginning and the end in all things.

In college

Now

Some of the Best Gifts

Did you ever think about the great gifts you've received in your life?  I know, I know.  It's better to give than to receive.  But, it's also a good and wonderful thing to accept gifts graciously, and sometimes with much excitement.  Such was the case nearly 48 years ago when my Uncle Art gave me the greatest thing a child could receive on her 4th birthday -- a shiny, new, red bicycle.  Within days, those training wheels came off and I was speeding along the neighborhood streets with the big kids.  I was gaining a degree of independence and growing up.  I was a happy gift recipient, and my uncle was pleased at my reaction to the gift he'd given me simply because he loved me.



Note the very satisfied smile.  Uncle Art, the gift giver, sits in the background with my childhood playmate, Debbie, who had just attended my mid-summer birthday party.



Fast forward to the new millenium, about 40 years later, and much the same story unrolled in a far-off land south of the equator and thousands of miles from here.  By this time, I had a beautiful little Colombian girl named Monica in my Compassion family and, on the occasion of her 10th Christmas, I bought her a terrific, new bike.  Until that point, we exchanged fond words through our letters, but after that point, I received more expressions of love than I think I'd ever heard in my entire life up until then.  She wasn't just enamored by the thing she'd received, though that was plenty good.  She understood, even at that young age, that God blessed her by bringing someone into her life from a very distant place who simply loved her, even though we'd never met in person.  Her bike wasn't just a bike...it was love itself. She felt it and she knew it.



Enoche and his father on the day we met in person.



Monica also had an international little brother through my Compassion family.  He lives in Haiti and, like her, was being raised in a family with love but little else.  Usually, he would receive an animal to raise with Christmas gifts I sent him.  One year it would be a goat, another a donkey, and still another it might be chickens.  I met Enoche and his father when he was just nine years old, and learned more about their country, living conditions there, and a degree of poverty most of us don't fully comprehend in America.  So, when he was reaching his early teens, I was heartened to see an expression of love from a father to his son that amazes me even to this day.  When he received the money I'd sent for Christmas gifts for him and his family, instead of purchasing livestock, clothing or other supplies that were surely much needed, Enoche's father opened a bank account in his name and deposited the money for him.  Like our father in heaven, he loved his son so much that he put aside his own needs to provide for his son's future in this selfless way.

Gifts given out of love are something to cherish.  Gifts received in this same spirit teach us about ourselves, our relationships, our world and, indeed, the giver of all good things in life.  Thanks be to God.