Growing Up

Don't you just love it when you try to do the right thing and it blows up in your face?

I got myself into the middle of a big misunderstanding by trying to do the right thing. Explanations and apologies haven't helped and it is very clear by actions taken that I am going to be paying for this one for a while.

The last installment of payback just made me sit down and cry. Regardless of what I do, I can't win in this situation. Others are involved now, although how much they know of the original misunderstanding, I don't know. So what do I do now? I want to give up. Turn the reigns over to someone else - I mean, who needs this kind of junk when all you were trying to do in the first place was honor what you thought were the wishes of others?

But, I went to God and asked for direction. I opened my Bible to Proverbs 24. I read several good verses and then v. 10:

"If you fail under pressure, your strength is not very great."

My strength really isn't very great. As a matter of fact, I am pretty much of a weakling. But, for the last couple of weeks, I have been reading and re-reading Ephesians 3:14-21. This passage ends with these words:

"Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope."

So, God's power in me makes me strong enough to do what He has called me to do. I don't have it in me on my own to hold my head up and keep going. I am so far from perfect that I couldn't even see it with a telescope! But God's mighty power in me can accomplish anything! After all, it isn't really about me (as Max Lucado and Rick Warren remind us).

At the end of this horrible week (which I might add, started out with my birthday), I'm a little wiser and a little more humble. I know, regardless if anyone else believes it, that there was never any maliciousness in my actions. God knows that, as well. Being mature is knowing that sometimes, life just doesn't work the way it should. At those times, being right in attitude is more important than proving to others that my actions were right.

So, in Shari's world this week, at 40-something, I'm still in the process of growing up...

(You didn't think I was really gonna tell my age, did you?)

Computer Dependency

Andy woke me up this morning with words that no one wants to hear anytime, much less first thing in the morning - "Mom, the computer isn't working right!"

My first thought on hearing the Dell was down was, "Oh no! No e-mail!" Forget the fact that we still have a house telephone and 3 cell phones. I'm still just a phone call away but the thought of missing an important e-mail was enough to send me into a panic! It's only been a couple of months since a virus attacked the laptop and visions of several days without the new computer threatened to upset my secure little world.

Now, here's the part that really makes no sense to me. There are no longer manuals with new computers! All help and troubleshooting is either in the computer or on-line. Well, what if you can't get your computer to a point to get to that info! That's where I was this morning and my first avenue of computer support (my dad) was enjoying breakfast out with friends! So, before Facebook withdrawl set in for Andy, I made myself somewhat presentable and headed to the library - on my day off - to search the internet for answers. As evidenced by this blog posting, I found the answers I needed and somehow managed to follow the instructions to restore health to the Dell.

But, it started me thinking. Is it just me or does it make anyone else nervous to think about how dependent we have become on computers - both our personal ones at home and the ones that store all the information necessary to run our society.

Think of all the things we do on our home computers - visit with friends, pay bills, keep various kinds of records, surf the internet, listen to music, read daily devotions and inspiring quotes, shop, type research papers for school - the list is endless. Expand that to all the businesses and services that depend on computers - the banks, our family doctors, the library, the pharmacy, our police and fire departments, - again, an endless list. If we start to hyperventilate when we can't check our email because of a simple little computer glitch, what would happen to us if we couldn't get our money out of the bank due to a malicious "terrorist" attack on the world's computer network?

Computers have definitely made vast improvements in our lives. Shucks, who doesn't like being able to come home from a trip, download the pictures from the camera, upload them to Snapfish and share them instantly! Catching up via Facebook and alumni sites with schoolmates that you haven't seen in 30 years is a blast! Finding that rare book that you've been looking for and having it shipped from a little used bookstore in Oregon - now that's a thrill!

But, as with everything we get used to, when they don't work as they should, fouled-up computers can be amazingly disruptive to our lives.

I'm not a computer expert. I can create all kinds of computer problems but fixing them is usually beyond me. These are just the ravings of a technologically-challenged child of the '70s. But, I'm feeling a little vulnerable in Shari's world...

Smoke on the Mountain

Andy made his theatrical debut last night in the High Point Community Theatre's production of Smoke on the Mountain. As the banjo-playing cousin Andy Sanders, he helped back up the singing Sanders family as they performed in a Saturday night singing at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. Set in the economically-difficult days of 1938, the play is a mix of rousing gospel music, soul-stirring tunes and stories, and hilarious church humor. If you've spent much time in church, you'll surely see a character that resembles someone you've known.

Andy perfomed his role as part of the back-up band well. He gets a chance for a couple of brief breakouts that, in last night's performance, were very well received!

For a kid whose desire is to play professional banjo in a bluegrass band and own a dairy farm, he had a lot of reservations about being part of a theatre troupe. But he has had an absolute blast with every aspect of being in this production! Being with the people, the independence of going off several nights a week on his own, being on tv for the first time, getting his picture in the newspaper, learning new music, playing his banjo. And of course, for anyone who is truly a performer at heart, being on stage and hearing that applause - these are the opportunities he has had over the past 6 weeks as part of the Smoke on the Mountain cast. As I had hoped, I don't think he'll be the same when this weekend's performances are over!

Thanks to everyone who helped "convince" him to take advantage of this opportunity. Thanks to the cast and crew of Smoke on the Mountain who have been a part of teaching my kid some valuable skills and lessons. Thanks to family and friends for supporting Andy by coming to the perfomances when possible and messages of encouragment from those too far away to be here physically.

And, thanks to God for the talent He has seen fit to bless Andy with. My prayer is that Andy will always remember where the talent comes from and will use it for His purposes.

We're giving high-5's today in Shari's World...

"Who Stole My Church" - A Book Review

Who Stole My Church?; What to Do When the Church You Love Tries to Enter the 21st Century by Gordon MacDonald; Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, TN; 2007

"It was a dark and stormy night."

And so begins the journey of a fictional New England congregation to move the church they love into the 21st century, led by real-life Pastor Gordon MacDonald. Alarmed by some of the changes they feel are being forced upon them, a small group of church members in their 60s and 70s agree to meet on that rainy Sunday night to discuss the future of their church. The feelings of these folks is summed up in the sad statement of Yvonne, a widowed long-time Sunday School teacher who grew up in church. "All I know is that someone stole my church and I'd like to get it back."

Over the next several months, Pastor MacDonald guides this "Discovery Group" to new ways of looking at how and why they "do" church. He encourages them to look at how the church has changed throughout its history and why those changes were necessary. He takes them back to the response of their parents and grandparents to the things that drew them into the church. One of the most effective things he does is to bring the two generations involved in the current conflict together to talk and listen to each other.

It's pretty clear all through this book that the author is targeting those who want to keep change from coming. Since Pastor MacDonald is the one telling the story, the reader knows alot of what he thinks but doesn't say when dealing with the Discovery Group. This reveals his frustration with those who have a harder time letting go of their ideas. But, it's also clear that he believes these changes are necessary for the church to fulfill its God-given mission.

Having been in church since before I was born, I admit to being a participant on both sides of this issue. As I read this book, I couldn't help thinking back to times in my own personal experience. I have been both an advocate for change and a voice for slowing down change that just seemed to push me from my comfort zone way too fast. There were times while reading that I wanted to shout an "amen". At other times, my toes were stepped on and I even felt a little angry. I know, however, that I will not look at issues of change in the church the way I did before.

Read this book with an open mind and an open heart and I think you'll feel the same.

Bluegrass Serenade

Happy 2009!

At this moment, I'm being serenaded by 2 up-and-coming bluegrass players! Andy's friend Daniel, a great little fiddle player, is out of school today and spent the night last night. They have Bluegrass Junction cranked up to top volume and they're playing along. In a little bit, I'm heading out to take them to a local nursing/assisted living facility so they can serenade the residents there. Guess they're warming up for their afternoon show.

There's some lively bluegrass music being played in Shari's World today!

Look what the chickens did!

Back in July, Joel and Andy went on a 4-H field trip to the Poultry Science department at NC State. They learned about chickens and ended up bringing some of the day-old chicks home with them. They turned out to be 4 hens and 2 roosters. In the past 4 months, we've learned alot about chickens!

Did you know that roosters don't start out saying "Cock-a-doodle-doo"? When ours first started to crow, they sounded like those little baby dolls that say "Momma" when you turn them over on their tummies!

Last night, Andy came in the back door, very excited and calling for me to come see what he found! When he fed and watered them, there were 2 eggs in their pen. By this morning, there was another one! Ah, there are farm-fresh eggs in Shari's world tonight!

More Fall Pics

Here are a couple more of my favorite shots from my stroll through nature.