I Am Lowly

I am but a lowly beast – a donkey is all, you see;
But on that special journey, I carried royalty!
A young girl rode upon my back and lying inside her womb
A babe whose first bed was a manger and whose last bed was a tomb.
I carried them as gently as my little hooves could trod;
That humble little mother and the precious Son of God!

I am but a lowly beast – a camel is all, you see;
But on that special journey, I carried royalty!
Upon my back a wise man rode with precious gift in hand,
He went to see a newborn King in another distant land.
When we arrived I gently knelt to lower him to the ground,
To present his royal treasure to the tiny King he’d found.

I am but a lowly one – a simple man, you see;
But on that special journey, I carried a cruel tree.
The man was badly beaten, his blood so greatly lost.
A soldier yelled quite hatefully – “You, carry his cross!”
And, so I knelt beside this man, the precious Son of God,
I took His cross upon my back, up Calvary’s hill I trod.

I am but a lowly beast – a white stallion is all, you see;
But on that special journey, I will carry Royalty!
At the end of time when the Father says, “It is time, dear One.”
It is I who will have the honor of carrying God’s Son!

Written by: Dawne Coward
December 1, 2009

Mid-Life and Menopause

What is it about getting to the "middle age" part of life, combined with the "menopause" part of life, that makes us go temporarily insane at times? That's what happened to me a week ago today when I had a "moment" and got all my hair whacked off! But, you know what? It's a change from the same old thing I've had for the past 10 years or so, and I really like it -- at least for now. Who knows? My next "moment" may result in the GI Jane look!!!

Oh well, I'm not too worried -- it's just hair and mine grows like it's shampooed with fertilizer. So, if I get weary of this style, I won't have to be weary of it very long -- that's for certain!

The Puffy Little Puppy

This is my 10-month-old little girl, Belle, last Friday, 10/23/09. But, it looks nothing at all like my beautiful puppy! That's because she was either bitten or stung by something (we don't know what) and this was what happened as a result. Talk about scared! I completely stopped breathing when I walked in the house and saw her almost unrecognizable face. Of course, it was after 5:00 PM, and of course we had to make an emergency trip to the vet's office for shots to reverse the effects, but man was I happy to get some medicine in her little system. She was about to claw her own face off because it was itching so badly.

Now, $103 later, she's back to her normal skinny little face and long nose and I hope this doesn't ever happen again!

From Terror to Tranquility

Picture a wee little girl asleep in her bed in the middle of the night Then, imagine an extremely LOUD train coming down the tracks right past the little girl's house, horn blaring fiercely. All of a sudden, the little girl sits straight up in the bed, hops down on the floor and makes a mad dash to her mamma and daddy's bedroom screaming, "It's gonna get me -- I scared! Can I peas seep wif you?" Oh, what a warm comforting feeling to crawl into their bed and snuggle up all safe and sound away from the mean old choo-choo train! Well, that little girl was me -- oh so many years ago in a small town in South Carolina. Night after night after night that train came through, and night after night after night I ran as fast as my tiny little feet would carry me to the safety of my mamma and daddy's bedroom.

Now picture that same little girl who is all grown up at the age of 48. How ironic is it that I would end up living my married life 3 hours away from the little town in South Carolina, yet a similar set of train tracks runs right past my house nestled back in the mountains of western North Carolina, and a train chugs along those tracks every single day? Only now, it's amazing how much joy and tranquility a train brings to my life! I can't wait to see/hear it coming down those tracks. It's actually makes for quite a beautiful motion picture as it glides along through the lush green trees of spring and summer, the colorful trees of fall, and the snow-laden trees of winter.

Amazing how the clocks and calendars of the aging process have a way of changing our outlook on certain aspects of life and move us along from moments of sheer terror to moments of pure tranquility! More amazing still is what you can see in the picture above that I took on my cell phone at lunchtime today. The train was making its way past my house as I went home for lunch. I wonder if the shadow of a telephone pole, which just happened to somehow get into the picture (and which I didn't notice at all at the time I was taking the picture) was God's way of speaking sweet peace to my soul? After all, that shadow sure looks like a cross to me -- a symbol that God paid the supreme sacrifice and, because He lives in me, I have nothing to fear! Sorta makes cold chills run up and down my spine. Our God is an AWESOME God!!!

Flat Stanley

That's me, of course, in the picture to the left. And, that little guy I'm holding who you can barely see is Flat Stanley (FS). He was sent to me through the mail by a little cousin in Texas, and she asked if I would be willing to help her with this project for school. Of course, she asked me quite sweetly in a phone call that preceded the US Mail, so I couldn't say no. See the other picture? Well, the cutie on the right in the blue shirt with the glasses is Rikki -- the cousin I'm helping out. The other cutie pie in the red shirt is another Texas cousin, Anna. They were here a couple months ago and we took them to Fuddrucker's to eat. We had such a good time.

Anyway, apparently Flat Stanley is a bit of a rage right now in certain grades/classes at the elementary level, so I was asked to take FS with me to various places I visited, to write a short story about each place where I traveled, to have my picture taken with FS at these places, and then to mail him back to Texas. I have to admit that FS hasn't been with me to a lot of places, but he's tagged along quite frequently as we went to church, the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Mountain State Fair, and Dollywood (as you see from this picture).

I must admit that I've gotten some very strange looks from folks observing me having my picture taken with, for lack of a better word, a paper doll. But, it's been fun and I hope I can get a few more pictures made with FS before packing him up, along with our pictures and my stories, and sending them back to Texas!

Good Times

The date is Saturday, October 3, 2009. The place is The Galley at Portman Marina in Anderson, South Carolina. The time is 7:00 PM. The occasion is the Belton Honea-Path High School Class of 1979's 30th reunion.

What an absolutely FABULOUS time was had by all in attendance! Our reunion committee (of five very special ladies) did an awesome job of pulling it together, and I am forever grateful to them for all their hard work.

It was a bit comical at times watching one person walk up to another and say, "Hello! How are you doing?" And then give them a great big hug, only to have the "huggee" pull away and stare at the "hugger's" name badge to see who was hugging them! Yep -- we've changed -- all of us -- in one way or another. Except for a few, who actually make me sick to my stomach because they look EXACTLY like they did in high school!!! You shouldn't look the same as you did in high school after you've been out of high school for 30 years, for crying out loud! What's wrong with these people, anyway? Did they forget they were supposed to age like the rest of us?!?!?

What a magical time of camaraderie we shared. Some laughed; some cried because they were overcome with emotion; some acted crazy just like they did in high school; but some were not present to do any of these things because, sadly, they have departed this life way too early. May they all rest in peace!

Thank you, God, for allowing me this wonderful opportunity to spend a few precious hours with some of the most special people in the world -- people I grew up with and learned to love at an early age! The older I get the more I realize just how much these friends mean to me, even though now I only get to see most of them at reunions.

GOOD TIMES!

Feeling Old

Where on earth did the years go? Just yesterday I was a carefree little girl with all my dolls and stuffed animals lined up in a row in my bedroom playing school. In my little mind, I was a great teacher and I had some of the best students in the world. They listened and paid attention, never talking out of turn and never being loud and rowdy.

Just look at me nearly 49 years later! I just celebrated my 29th wedding anniversary the 6th of this month; today I will receive an award for 20 years of service as an employee of the State of North Carolina; on Saturday I will drive to South Carolina to celebrate my 30th high school class reunion; and I have one son who will soon turn 24 and another son who will turn 27 two weeks later. Unbelievable!

We spend the early years of our lives wishing to be older. I remember being very excited about turning 5-years-old and, from there, I could not wait to turn 10, then 16, and then 18. But, once I hit the ripe old age of 20 -- zoom -- the clock of time went into warp speed!

Yep -- I'm feeling just a tad old right now. So many things (good and bad) have happened in my life over the last 48-3/4 years that I couldn't even begin to write it all down in one post. But, you know what? I'm forever grateful that a loving God has allowed me to live each and every year. I only hope I can spend whatever time I have left on this earth working harder for Him than ever before. God is good -- all the time!

My Firemen

Last night, like soooo many other times in the past, when the pagers in our house went off and woke me from my sound sleep, my heart began racing -- again like soooo many other times in the past. You see, my husband and both our boys are volunteer firemen/first responders, and every time they answer a call, the potential is there for none of the three to come back home -- ever again. That is quite a sobering thought! I could all of a sudden find myself "husbandless" and "childless" all in one fail swoop. I try not to think about it too much, though, because -- well, it's honestly too much to even imagine!

My guys absolutely love their role as firefighters/first responders, and even though everything they do is on a volunteer basis, they take their role very seriously. Many times, on snowy/icy mornings or nights, they have jumped a guardrail in an effort to escape a sliding vehicle careening out of control, and many times they have run into a burning structure in an effort to extinguish flames and insure the safety of those who may be inside -- all the while giving no thought for their own danger.

I'm very proud of the three of them (as well as all other such volunteers who place their lives in jeopardy on a daily basis), and while it would be more devastating than I can even comprehend to lose them in the line of duty, I know that were such a horrible fate to happen they would die doing something they believed in with all their hearts.

So, on nights like last night, when they were called out to a possible structure fire; anytime they are called to work a wreck somewhere; and every time they crawl into their personal vehicles to answer a call -- no matter what it is -- I do the only thing I can do to help them -- PRAY, PRAY, PRAY AND PRAY SOME MORE!

Thank you, God, for my volunteers!

I Feel Like a Kid Again!

Today is the day -- YIPPEE! WOOHOO!! I'm sooooo excited! Yep -- it's raining, but not hard, and even if it keeps raining at this pace for the rest of the day -- it's gonna be a good day at the Mountain State Fair in Asheville, NC! I have rain gear, so I'm not worried. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've been to the fair?

Some of the happiest memories from my childhood were the times my mamma and daddy took us to the Anderson County Fair (Anderson, SC). Mamma and Daddy didn't have much in the way of money, so we tended to make our own fun most of the time -- for free! But, Daddy always saw to it that we got to go to the fair every year because, quite frankly, he was as big a kid as we were and loved it just as much. I was the dare-devil of us two kids -- my brother tended to analyze things a bit much, so he deduced that a lot of the rides weren't safe enough to get on -- and, he didn't. Mamma pretty much shared my brother's opinion, so they always found something else to do while Daddy and I rode. There wasn't a ride at the fair that we didn't get on, and I remember with much happiness the way my daddy screamed, yelled and laughed along with me on each and every ride. Imagine my surprise when I had children of my own and Daddy confessed that he really didn't liked those rides as much as I thought he did -- he only rode them because he knew I loved them so much and he didn't want me to get on them by myself. Now, people -- THAT'S LOVE!!!

Once we had visited the livestock area, the arcade area, etc. we were always allowed on the way out of the gate to stop and get either a candy apple or cotton candy -- YUMMY! That was always a hard decision for me since I loved both, but I generally ended up with a candy apple because I so love that red stuff they dip those apples in!

When I visit the fair tonight, chances are I won't get on a single ride because in my older years I have become quite the sissy when it comes to rides. But, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll take in all the rest the fair has to offer. And on my way out of the gate, they better have just one red candy apple left for this kid at heart!!

Furry Friends

I never knew one four-legged little critter could bring me so much joy! This is my Belle, and I really don't know what I ever did without her. Except, I do have a cat -- Bree -- and she was my "baby" before Ms. Belle came along. Bree is still my baby because I had her first, but you just can't love a cat and a dog on the same level. Cats want to be loved on their own terms while dogs just want to be loved all the time. So, when Bree rolls over on her back, exposes her furry tummy for me to pet, I try my best to accommodate. I've learned over the 6 or so years that I've had Bree to let her come to me for cuddling and not try to force cuddling on her. She likes to play with a string or chase around a little ball for fun, but she requires her own space sometimes -- much like us humans.

Belle, however, is an entirely different story. She'll take cuddling whenever she can get it. And, this little girl would play 24/7 and never get tired! She has this little personality all her own, and there are many times I'd sure like to be inside her head to know exactly what she's thinking. She can be a little hellion sometimes, though, especially when it comes to tormenting Ms. Bree, pulling things out of the garbage can, and making a mess in general. It's really hard to get mad at Belle, though, because she always gives me this look as if to say, "I'm sorry, mommy -- please don't be mad!" Then, my heart just melts.

Bree has a small problem keeping her floppy little ears in their proper position, so what you see above is what she looks like a large majority of the time. I don't care whether or not her ears flip forwards or backwards -- I love her anyway!

It's such a pleasure to come home -- no matter what kind of day I've had -- and see that happy little face "smiling" at me. Unless they're sick for some reason, dogs don't have a bad day. And, they don't get mad at us for leaving them alone in a crate all day, either. Now, what they say about us under their breath after we leave them is a question that will never be answered. But, they get over it as soon as they see us walk through the door, and every time we walk through the door it seems like the best day of their life!

I thank God for making animals -- even huge, scary black bears and screaming coyotes that show up uninvited in the wee hours of the morning! I make no claims of knowing anything about what Heaven will be like; all I know is that I'm going there some day. And, in my heart I believe that, even though animals don't have souls, God will have plenty of them in Heaven because He knows they make for a happier place!

Always Remember

On that horrific day -- September 11, 2001 -- I was sitting in a room waiting for roll call for jury duty. We soon learned that our case was settled out of court, so all potential jurors were dismissed to go home. I had forgotten my cell phone, so I called home from a pay phone in the hallway to tell my husband, who was staying with our sick son. That's when he told me he was watching the news and had just watched the second plane fly into the Twin Towers.

We all know what happened from that point forward. I remember going through such a range of emotions, i.e. shock, unbelievable sadness, and fury -- all within a matter of minutes. As I got into my car, I began praying out loud, "Oh, dear God in Heaven, please help us -- there is no way we can get through this without You!"

It's so hard to believe that 8 years have passed since that awful, tragic day, and even though it hasn't been constantly on my mind, I have thought about September 11, 2001, many, many times during that 8-year period. So very many lives lost; so many innocent people taken away from their families in such a short time span.

Those of us who are left here to mourn the carnage of that day should make a special effort to pause each and every September 11th to remember the thousands upon thousands of those victims' family members whose lives have been forever changed. May we always remember that day with remorse, and may the United States of America always be the land of the free, the home of the brave and one nation under God!

Simpler Times

How I long for simpler times when life was meant to live,
Before our days were packed so full and we had time to give!
When we needed ideas for supper, to the garden we would have gone,
And there we’d find a smorgasbord of veggies we had grown.

If we needed entertainment, the porch swing was always there,
We’d sit and swing and watch kids play -- they never had a care.
Or maybe we would take a walk beside a babbling brook,
The sights we saw were more grandeur than any picture book.

Life’s more complicated now, to slow down – well, that’s taboo,
We rush around so frantically – there’s much we have to do.
Yet, taking time for simple things would enhance our lives so much,
Like gazing at the fluffy clouds or feeling a baby’s touch.

So, let’s strive to make the most of each and every passing day,
And thank God for each blessing He has sent along our way.
Let’s slow down just a little as we travel through this vale,
And appreciate the little things along life’s “simple” trail!

Written By: Dawne J. Coward
September 9, 2009

Blessings

WHERE do the years go? The older I get the more I sit and ponder that question. Seems that just yesterday I walked down the aisle of my church in South Carolina and married the love of my life. Yet, as of this past Sunday, September 6, 2009, that "yesterday" somehow turned into 29 years! As we celebrated our anniversary, I looked back in my mind's eye to our life together. Has it always been wedded bliss? Are you kidding me? What on earth is wedded bliss?!? Have there been times I have just wanted to walk out the door and go far away from him never to return -- and have there been times he wanted to do the same thing? You bet your bottom dollar! But, we've held in there -- together -- and made it through to this phase in our lives. And somewhere along the way, we've managed to raise two wonderful sons. Of course, we didn't stay married this long on our own nor did we raise our children all alone -- we had God right there beside us. I shudder to think what we would have done with Him, too! Wow -- 29 years -- that's a long time to be married to the same person. Amazing how a love that you think can't grow anymore just grows deeper and deeper and deeper with the passing years!

And, for our anniversary, we celebrated by going to God's house. I can think of no better way to celebrate! We didn't get each other material gifts because we've recently remodeled our kitchen, and that will be our anniversary, birthday, and Christmas gift to each other for awhile to come. But, we did go to our favorite place to eat -- Carrabba's -- and it was awesome, as usual! Following our meal, we headed down to South Carolina to spend Labor Day with my parents. I can honestly say that I did absolutely nothing in the way of "labor" on that day -- and it felt soooo good to do nothing!

What a blessed person I am! I don't know why God chooses to bless me so much! After all, I am the person who lays down in the bed at night, starts saying my prayers, and falls asleep almost instantaneously. I am the person who gripes and complains about the most trivial of things. And, I am the person who all too often takes for granted everything my God in Heaven does for me. Nevertheless, He loves me and blesses me anyway. It's hard for me to fathom the love I have in my heart for my family and friends. It is an impossibility for me to comprehend the love Jehovah God has for me!

Family Matters

I love my family! I love the family I live with (my husband and youngest son); the part of my family that doesn't live in my house anymore (my married son and his wife); my entire family that still lives in South Carolina (my mamma, daddy, brother, brother & his family etc.) and part of whom live in Charlotte, NC (my niece and nephew); my church family; all of my other "extended" family; and my "pet" family (Bree, Belle, Sox, Maggie and Samson). God has richly blessed me (even though I don't know why) by placing all these people and creatures in my life, and for that I am extremely grateful!

In this post is a picture of another part of my "family". They are so very near and dear to my heart that I could never express in words exactly how much they mean to me. There's daddy Steve, mamma Paula and son Tyler, and I couldn't imagine not having them in my life. They are in no way related by blood to anyone else in my family, but they might as well be because I love them with the same love that I have for my blood family! They've been there for us through thick and thin and they know things about my family that no one else knows. They are simply THE BEST! Are they perfect? Heck, no! But, then again, I don't know anyone other than our Heavenly Father who is! Doesn't matter, though, cause in the words of the country music icons "Alabama" -- "they're close enough to perfect for me"!

I love you with all my heart, Becks!

More Treasures

Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Mamma -- happy birthday to you! I'm very thankful, at my age of nearly 49, to still have a mamma and daddy who are alive and, for the most part, well. Not many people my age are that fortunate. That is a treasure.

And speaking of treasures, the sweet faces you see in today's post are each a treasure in their own unique way!

That first face you see is my Tanner. Wow -- what a special guy! He's another one of the many children from our church who I've known since he was in the womb. I've watched him grow, mature and come out of his shell so much over the past several years. He's the smartest guy and so well-rounded. He loves everything from hunting to NASCAR to football to WWE wrestling and so much more. He's been my "go-to" guy several times when I needed someone I could depend on to help out in Christmas plays, etc.

The face right beside Tanner? Well, that's his little sister, my Lydia, and she is quite the character. She's the sweetest, sassiest little thing you'll ever meet and you NEVER know what's going to come out of her mouth! She can be sooooo funny sometimes. And, one day when she's older I just know she's going to get embarrassed when her mom and I start reliving her toddler and preschool years and talking about her huge crush on my son, Dan! Tanner and Lydia have the greatest parents -- Greg and Natalie -- and they are working hard to make sure their children are brought up in the church!

The cute little face in the bottom picture is my Addie. Her name is Addison, but most of us at church call her Addie. She's such a sweetheart, and one of her passions in life is playing on the playground. I do believe that child would swing and slide all day long if she were given the chance! Her daddy is fairly new to the "preaching profession", but he has already preached at our church a couple of times and does an absolutely great job. Her mommy cleans teeth for a living (and, by the way, she has my utmost respect cause I'm not sure I could play around in people's mouths like that all day!). The three of them make up one of the most precious families I know. Addie is now a PK (Preacher's Kid), and PKs can get a pretty bad rap sometimes. I hope Addie is one of those PKs who proves everybody wrong!

So, you see, my treasures don't come in the form of diamonds, gold, money and other such worldly things. My treasures come in the form of family members, church family members, the promise of a Heavenly home, health, freedom, etc. These are treasures that cannot be bought!

I've Fallen In Love With Fall

Just when I think God can't improve on His beauty anymore -- along comes FALL and He totally and completely outdoes Himself! I absolutely love autumn. I'm thankful for all seasons, but fall is my favorite time of the year. I am constantly amazed on my drives to and from work at how the color changes day by day until these mountains are absolutely aglow with reds, yellows and oranges. The Master Painter certainly knows how to use His paintbrush to create majestic pictures that no human artist can touch!

How peaceful it is to view a God-made waterfall while the leaves fall from the trees and float lazily down to the waters below. How exciting it is to hear the cheers and roars from stadiums as football season begins. How tasty it is to bite into a beautiful crunchy apple picked fresh from the tree.

I don't know why fall means so much to me -- unless it's because I was born in the fall of the year -- but, it always seems to renew my spirits immensely. I thank God for allowing me the privilege of living in these gorgeous mountains where I can witness some of the most beautiful scenery in all the world!

Why Me?

Over the past several days I've found myself wondering -- why me?

Why did God choose to bless me so much? I never have and never will deserve His blessings, yet He keeps sending them my way day after day after day. I moan and groan, gripe and complain, and whine and cry most of the time, so what kind of God could care enough to bless a person like that? My God, that's who -- my Heavenly Father. It is something I will never understand -- it's just so mind boggling!

This morning my eyes opened to the sight of another beautiful day; my lungs inhaled and exhaled air; my legs walked me through my daily routine of getting ready for work; my ears heard the priceless songs of grateful little birds; and the list of blessings just in the past couple of hours goes on and on.

What will I do with this day? Will I wish for 5:00 to be here so that I can leave this place or will I be thankful to have an 8-hour-a-day job where I can do some small part to help provide for our family? Will I snap at my co-workers in anger or will I try my best to show them God's love? Will my cup be half full or half empty?

Today, I choose to try with everything that is in me to be thankful for the blessings I have been given! Again, I ask -- why me? The only answer I have is because: JESUS LOVES ME, THIS I KNOW!!

Freckles are Our Friends

The little guy in today's post is yet another one of my all time favorite little people! His name is Matthew and he's in the 1st grade. He and his beautiful family left our church awhile back to join another church, but they will always, always, always be part of the Balsam Baptist Church family.

This kid will absolutely crack you up because you never know what he's going to say; yet, it seems that whatever comical thing he says is so appropriate for that particular moment in time. His smile melts my heart absolutely in two! But, one of my most favorite features of Matthew is his freckles!! You see, I'm somewhat a "person of freckles" myself, and while I used to absolutely hate them with every ounce of my being, I've become quite accustomed to them over the years, and they don't seem nearly as ugly to me now as they once did. Matthew's freckles, however, run in a little patch from his cheek on one side right over that cute little nose to his cheek on the other side. They just add so much to this little fella's already bubbly personality. He's quite a handsome young man and is the "mini-me" version of his daddy, Randy.

The beautiful young lady in today's post is Matthew's sister, Breanna. She is a great combination of her mom and dad, and I don't believe dad's feelings would be hurt if I said that she is absolutely as lovely as her Mom. But, the most wonderful thing about Breanna is that she isn't just beautiful on the outside. She has the sweetest spirit inside, and that makes her extra special!

I seriously miss getting to see the Lucas family on a regular basis, but they are always in my heart and I think of them often. They are without a doubt one of the most special families in my life and I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to love them!

Love Comes in Small Packages

See that cute little guy with the glasses and the backpack? Well, that's Morgan Barnes, one of my favorite fellas in the whole wide world! You see, I've known him since his beautiful mommy carried him in her belly, and I've watched him grow from the sweetest little bundle of joy into a proud kindergartner. I love him soooooo much!! Today is his first day of kindergarten, and while I'm sure there was a certain amount of nervousness on the part of him and his mom about "leaving the nest" and embarking into a whole new world, his mom says he (and she) did just great and there were no tears shed at all when they parted ways at school this morning. YIPPEE!! What a big boy!

Morgan has the greatest older sister you'd ever want to know and he loves his sister more than words can say. He's watched her every move and, even though I'm sure they have their disagreements every now and then, I believe he looks up to Melissa with the utmost respect. I've also watched her grow up from the time she was in her mom's belly -- what a sweetheart! That, of course, is her with the glasses and the beautiful smile.

Morgan's all time favorite thing is Thomas the Tank Engine. That boy eats, drinks, sleeps and breathes Thomas! I'm not sure whether or not he knows it, but Thomas the Tank Engine has a fan for life, for I firmly believe that even when Morgan Barnes is a man, he will still be one of Thomas' biggest fans! It should be quite obvious which picture is Thomas.

It's a bittersweet feeling that I have in my heart right now. On the one hand, it's very sad that the years have flown by so fast and that now Morgan is old enough to go to school. On the other hand, it's such a blessing from God for me to have had the opportunity to have him in my life for 5-1/2 years, and I pray I will have him and his entire wonderful family in my life for many years to come.

I love you, little man -- with all my heart and soul!! God bless you!

The Main Thing

I've been hearing quite a bit lately about churches who are experiencing turmoil internally and about some who are even tearing apart at the seams, and I find myself asking over and over -- "Why?" The only answer I can come up with is what my pastor has said time and time and time again from the pulpit -- "We have made church all about "us" -- mere, mortal, imperfect humans -- and we are not keeping the main thing the main thing!" And, the main thing is JESUS CHRIST!! After all, what other reason do we have for going to church?

Oh, don't get me wrong, the fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ is something that can be bought with no amount of money, but the whole purpose of church is to worship the Lord. Are we there to put on a fashion show in order to get compliments on our clothing or to try to outdress Sister Sue or Brother Bill? Are we there to have our bottoms powdered, our backs patted and our feelings soothed? Are we there to serve on committees, teach classes, etc. in order to have something upstanding to put on our resumes under the heading "Civic Activities"? Are we there because our ancestors had a falling out with the ancestors of someone else in that church 100 years ago and, by gosh, we have to go in order to defend our ancestors' beliefs? And probably not even knowing the reason for the falling out in the first place?

If we answer "yes" to ANY of the above questions, then my friend we have failed to keep the main thing the main thing! God is not impressed by our clothing; He doesn't care about our resumes; and He's more than likely quite nauseated by the years of animosity between church members! And, while He does care about our feelings, my belief is that He expects at some point for us to grow up and get over the need for powdered bottoms, patted backs and soothed feelings!

Then, I find myself asking "Why?" again. "Why can't we just go to church to worship our Omnicient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent God?" After all, HE IS THE REASON WE WORSHIP!! No matter what we have been through in the past, what we are going through right now, or what we will face in the future, our Heavenly Father suffered so much more than we ever have or will when He took the sins of the entire world upon His shoulders, hung on that cross, poured out every drop of blood in His body, and endured the most horrible death imaginable. Any problems we have pale in comparison.

I just know in my heart that if church members were diligent in keeping their eyes focused on Jesus and on trying to reach lost souls for Jesus -- leaving self completely out of the picture --everything else would take care of itself. Churches would thrive, people would love each other and most important of all -- lost people would be saved!! And that, dear friend, is the MAIN thing!!

Reminiscing

Even though I have lived in North Carolina for 10 years longer than I lived in South Carolina, my entire family is still in South Carolina and there are many times I find myself missing them so very much. Today, for whatever reason, I've had my brother on my mind. So, I dusted off an old poem I wrote as a present for him for Christmas 2005. I hope those who read it will enjoy it, and I hope it causes you to have fond memories as you think about your "growing up" years. By the way, that's my "Bubba" in the picture on this post.

My Thanks for Our Family

From the same womb we both entered this world;
Two years apart -- you a boy, me a girl.
You were the first one to make your debut,
With sandy brown hair and eyes azure blue.
Born to a couple with hearts full of love,
They both knew this miracle came from above.

Such joy you brought to your parents each day.
“Watch over our baby”, to God they did pray.
“Please bless him and keep him in Your loving arms,
And, Heavenly Father, protect him from harm.”
Day after day you developed and grew,
Then all of a sudden, guess what? There were two!

I came along with my eyes also blue,
I’m sure people thought that I looked just like you.
Were you proud of your sister, my Bubba, so dear?
Or, did my presence cause you a measure of fear?
Were you eager to hold me and kiss my bald head?
Or, did this “competition” make you angry instead?

Our parents loved us so much, you and me.
But, I think we convinced them they didn’t need three!
We sure had our moments, some good and some bad.
Looking back, though, I know those were the best years we had.
We didn’t have money or treasures galore,
But with all of that love, we just didn’t need more.

They raised us the best that they could, Mom and Dad.
We didn’t own much, but each other we had.
They took us to church and taught us of God,
And firmly believed in not “sparing the rod”!
They worked very hard so that our needs were met.
No better parents could two children get.

We weren’t perfect children, oh no, not at all!
There were plenty of times we would stumble and fall.
I guess we’re the reason their hair turned to gray,
And the reason they prayed so much day after day.
I often wondered, “Are we causing them pain?”
“And do they ever wish it was just them again?

Yet, no matter what trials we both put them through,
They were always still willing to say, “I love you.”
They watched us with love in that “growing up” time,
As you became your own person and I became mine.
We didn’t always make choices that they’d like us to,
But they stood right there with us, their love saw us through.

We’re fortunate people, God has blessed us so much!
With His sweet gentle Spirit and His soft loving touch.
What more could we ask? We have blessings untold,
With fond memories to comfort us when we are old.
As the years come and go, I’m more thankful each day
That God chose to shine on our lives in this way!

Written by: Dawne Jennings Coward

December 16, 2005

Fire Trucks, Family and Fun

I have just returned from a 4-day trip to Raleigh where I enjoyed spending time with my family at the North Carolina State Firemen's Association 2009 Expo. My husband, who is the treasurer of this State association, worked extremely hard alongside other members of that board to ensure everything ran smoothly. I have to say that I've never seen so many HUGE fire trucks on display in one place, and there were various and sundry emergency service-related vendors there as well. We were fortunate to have the opportunity to stay in a really nice hotel that had an underground connector to the Raleigh Convention Center where all the festivities took place.

But, had there been no fire trucks, vendors, or nice hotels, it still would have been one of the most special weekends I've had in a long time. On the drive to Raleigh Thursday, I caught myself with a perpetual smile on my face just listening to my children (who aren't really children anymore -- but who will always be my babies) joking, laughing and having the time of their lives. I didn't realize how much I missed that -- they were like little boys again! As we strolled together along the streets of Raleigh and along the vendor floor of the convention center, I silently and consistently thanked God for allowing me to spend this precious time with my boys.

I returned home on Sunday with a renewed sense of thankfulness for God's undeserved yet unending blessings. God is good -- ALL THE TIME!!

Simple Things

I have a lot of time to think in the mornings when I'm the only person awake at our house. So, in the shower and/or sitting in front of the make-up mirror, I can normally be found "pondering". This morning, for some reason, my mind was on the simple things in life. I'm not a person who needs material things to be happy -- oh, yeah -- it's wonderful to have luxuries such as a home, a car, a job, etc. But, it occurred to me this morning that it's the smallest things I am the most guilty of taking for granted.

For instance, sometimes I don't really like the vision that is staring back at me in that make-up mirror, but then I think, "You know what? Like it or not, it's the face God gave you and you need to be thankful for eyes that have the option of seeing that face. Many people would love to know what it feels like to be able to see!"

Then, there are days when I get up to walk down the hall and my knees ache, pop and crack so much so that I worry sometimes if they're going to carry me one step further! And, I think,"You should be very grateful you have the ability to walk -- many people are not that fortunate!"

And, every time I turned over in the bed last night I woke up because of the smell of homemade apple butter cooking in the crockpot in my kitchen. One time I thought to myself, "Man, I sure wish I had waited to do that during that day so the smell wouldn't keep waking me up and starving me to death!" And, then I thought, "You ingrateful horse's patoot -- why can't you just be glad you have a nose that works instead of fussing about it keeping you awake?"

So, when the coyotes decided to make a pass through the woods next to my house this morning, screaming at the top of their lungs and scaring me to death, I thought "Those are God's creatures and, even though you don't know what it is, He DID have a reason for creating them. Besides that, you should be thrilled you have good ears that can hear them scream!" Just think about all those people who hear nothing -- all day long -- day in and day out.

Yep -- senses are such simple things but -- WOW -- what an impact they make on our lives on a daily basis! Yet we go about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feeling, etc., rarely taking the time to appreciate the ability to do all that.

Thank you, God, for reminding me to be grateful for THE SIMPLE THINGS!

Doors Are Our Friend

I must admit that I've never really given much consideration to the importance of doors. I mean, let's face it, they're only a piece of wood or metal with a couple of hinges, a knob and maybe a glass insert, right? Yeah -- they serve their purpose; for example, they keep out the cold wind; they allow us to go to the outside world and view God's majesty; and they allow us to walk back into our homes where we feel safe and secure.

Well, this morning at 3:00, I acquired a new appreciation for doors, because it was our back door that separated us from a 5-1/2 to 6-ft., 250-275 lb. black bear! We were lying there in our beds snoozing peacefully, and all of a sudden I heard a loud noise. I woke up hubby and told him I thought our visitor from yesterday had returned. So, we got up, tip-toed down the hallway to the back door and I reached over and flipped on the light. OH MY GOODNESS!! What a massive creature we saw. It's head and rear-end were humongous. It had its head down in the dog food bowl munching away. Did my turning on the light phase it? Nope -- not one little iota! Finally, it turned and we thought it was going to go down the steps -- NOT! As it was facing the door, all of a sudden it went from its all-fours to the standing position and just glared at us through the door. We were totally and completely awestruck! After staring at us for what seemed an eternity, it turned on its haunches and put its front two paws on the gas grill, and that's when we got worried it would start ripping the grill cover and destroying the grill. So, hubby kicked the inside of the door really hard with his foot and the bear finally bounded off down the steps and left.

We returned to bed, the hair standing straight up on our arms and neck and our knees as weak as dishwater. It was at that moment I realized how thankful I am for doors -- doors that separate us from impending danger! Yep -- doors are our friends!

Blessings and Bears

What a wonderful weekend! Busy, busy, busy -- but wonderful. We have been remodeling our kitchen for three weeks now and, thanks to our electrician son, were finally able to get the new microwave and dishwasher in working order, the outlet moved for the stove, and a new light installed in the dining room. So, then began the process of re-stocking the new kitchen cabinets and drawers and finally -- I cooked my first meal in the new kitchen on Sunday -- hooray!! I'm so very blessed to have 1) an AWESOME God 2) a WONDERFUL family and 3) a brand new kitchen! And to make life even better, on Sunday morning one of the little guys in my Sunday School class gave me a great big hug and kiss and said, "Ms. Dawne, I WUV YOU!" Folks, it just doesn't get much better than that! Thank you, Lord, for your blessings on me!

On Friday I put a post on my profile page on Facebook that said, "Count your many blessings, name them one by one!" And, now I'm just wondering, do I have to count that bear that invaded my property this morning as a blessing? There I sat, all alone at the make-up mirror in my bathroom, the only soul in my house awake, when all of a sudden I heard this horrible noise. I jumped up and ran to the back deck just in time to see the shadow of a bear going up into the woods. It was barely daylight, so I couldn't tell exactly how big this furry critter was, but I know he or she must have been quite large -- judging from the looks of the 30-gallon trash can that we use for spare dog food storage. Old Smoky gave that can a great big old bear hug, squished it flat, popped the top off, and ate every bite of dog food inside! In addition, we have one of those tall plastic self-feeding containers for the dog and it was ripped to shreds, void of one morsel of food! I'm just very grateful that it didn't rip the cover off the gas grill and tear it up trying to get to the little drip pan underneath. I hope he or she doesn't realize they forgot about the grill and decides to "visit" again tonight! I foolishly didn't realize when I got married, left the flat lands of South Carolina, and moved to the mountains of western North Carolina, that I was signing up to contend with bears. But, it is what it is, and they have their place on this earth just like everyone and everything else. So, I suppose we will co-exist as best we can. One thing is certain -- I'm gonna give a bear ALL THE ROOM IT WANTS!!

A Warm Fuzzy Feeling

What an awesome time we had with the youth from our church last night stuffing back-to-school backpacks at the Jackson County Department of Social Services! It gave me such a great feeling in my heart to know that in some small way we played a part in helping provide those who are less fortunate with the supplies they need to get them started off to a great school year.

Do we know these children? Maybe -- maybe not -- but we can't be sure because they were all assigned a number and the employees of DSS are the only ones who know which backpack goes to which child. Do we need to know these children? Oh, I'm sure our lives would be much richer by knowing them, but in the grand scheme of things -- what difference does it make? They are each known and loved in a very special way by our Heavenly Father, and that's ALL that we need to know!

Thank you so much, employees of Jackson County DSS, for the obvious love you feel in your hearts for the youth of our county! And thank you from the youth and youth committee members of Balsam Baptist Church for extending that love even further by allowing us to help brighten a kid's day! May God bless you all.

Thursday's Thoughts

Wow -- what a busy day! But, you know what? I'm thankful to God for my job. There are days when I find it extremely difficult to drag myself out of the bed and come in here, but then I tell myself how fortunate I am to be among the ranks of the employed in a world where many, many others are not so fortunate. So, I try to crawl out of that bed with a grateful attitude because I have the health and strength to work in order to contribute some small portion to my household income! God is good -- ALL THE TIME!

Today was a bittersweet day for me because one of the youth from our church was delivered safely by his parents to his first day of college. I'm sure it was a tearful ride back home for the parents, but at the same time I'm positive they are very proud of their baby boy, who isn't much of a baby anymore! I've known this guy since his mom carried him in her belly, and through our affiliation at church I have played a small role in helping to raise him. So, he feels just like one of my own. I couldn't help shedding some tears today just thinking about how much I'm going to miss him! Godspeed, Jordan!

We also have another beautiful young lady from our church who has chosen to serve her country in the military and she, too, feels like one of my own children! I pray daily that God will send his angels to watch over her and keep her safe. I can't begin to imagine the pride and fear in her parents' hearts! Her great smile and bubbly personality will definitely be missed at church. Godspeed, Angela!

Yet another one of our youth will be leaving us in just a few short days to go away to college as well. This one I also watched grow from a baby to a beautiful young woman. She came to us through a foster family in our church and later would become this foster family's adopted daughter. What a blessing she has been over the years. Her smiling face will be greatly missed at Balsam Baptist Church! Godspeed, Nikki!

While it would be wonderful if we could keep them little for just awhile longer, it's so wonderful to see these kids spread their wings and take flight! I am a better person for having them all in my life. Thank you, God!