The Story Behind The Story: "I Wish I Were Many Colors"

“We must never underestimate the incredible life-shaping power of even the smallest word of encouragement, spoken by one who loves and respects another.”

[Paraphrased from Author Lynn Anderson]

It was dinnertime and I was sitting with my sons when my deep-thinking, sweet second child remarked that he wished he had another skin color. [On our side of town, blacks are in the minority.] My child further observed that most of the TV shows on the major child friendly networks show few children of his pigmentation.

I was surprised at the turn of the conversation; and surprisingly, I did not respond in a hurt or shameful manner. In a lighthearted way of diffusing the situation and grasping the teachable moment, I said, “Why not wish you were many colors instead? We could write a book. What color should your eyes be? Carrots are good for your eyes so let’s say orange.” What color should your ears be? Lets say red like the fire engine” and I grabbed paper and pen and gave birth to this beautiful masterpiece - “I Wish I Were Many Colors”. We had so much fun! That was over two years ago. Since then my children no longer desires to be of a different skin color. I encouraged them then, and still do now, to be the best they can and to believe that they too can be on Television; they too can write the script; they too can produce the show; they too can be the Director. The possibilities are endless!!! The lesson of acceptance coupled with desire and determination (ADD) was taught and is reinforced on a consistent basis.

My ten year old joined the News Crew at school. (He stays behind the camera though!); and he is also the Lieutenant of the School’s Safety Patrol Troop. He is also a Webelos crossing over to Boys’ Scout in a month’s time.

My 9 year old (The Thinker he is) is reading at a 6^th grade level with excellent comprehension skill. He is smart, talented, and can tell me within seconds of my asking, how many hours it would take to bake a ham that weighs 9.06 pounds at fifteen minutes per pound. [The answer my husband confirms is 2 hours and 16 minutes.]

My 7 year old boasts that he is smarter than his 5^th grade brother (sometimes) and is excelling in reading and math in school.

My 4 year old annoying tells me over and over again to ask him a question that he can answer by spelling the words “Yes” and “No”. Yes, he is spelling words and can accomplish simple additions as taught by his 7 year old brother. My 4 year old even has his own profile on the computer and knows his User Name and Password.

Most importantly, as my 4 year old will tell you, they all know that “God made me Special”! They know that God should be first place in their lives and no matter the pigmentation, the statistics, the ratio, the probability, they can achieve anything they set their minds to achieving.

Dear Readers, keep on hoping and encouraging our young children. They are so precious and God made them special. “I Wish I Were Many Colors” is bound to become a classic for our young people.

PS: I love to see that slow smile creeping across their faces when they accomplish a task they thought they could not do …… PRICELESS!!

A Voice From The Past

Hello Dear Readers,

I must apologize for the silence. Wise King Solomon tells us that "there is a time to speak, and a time to refrain from speaking". I have been silent but for good reasons. Life has a way of knocking you down and you just have to yield your stubborn will to the Almighty. I have been extremely busy doing good things, and I'm thankful that God has kept His loving arms around me as I go about my daily tasks.

Tonight, my long of list of "To DOs" will go to sleep in a little while. My allergies are so debilitating, (but then again I refuse to take all those prescription or over the counter drugs) so I am suffering.

I do have some exciting news to share and will get back to you next week the latest.

Hold on to God and remember always that there is absolutely nothing to fear if we are children of His. Be hopeful,

Melanie

Thanks For Your Encouragement

Tis the season for giving thanks! As we celebrate the US Thanksgiving holiday, the whole country is focused right now on giving thanks, roasting that turkey, families getting together, sharing, eating, laughing, and having a good time. All our troubles will be temporarily forgotten and we we spend the day giving thanks.

I strive to be forever thankful and one particular message I received via email encouraged us to give thanks for three things everyday from now on. "Try this: every morning, say out loud three things you're thankful for. I mean it. Even if you're having a really rough time in your life. If you think about it, there are always things to be grateful for - your husband. Your wife. Your children. Your health. Your faith. The roof over your head. The dollar in your pocket. Get in the habit of giving thanks... not just on Thanksgiving... but every day." That might be a monumental task for us, but it ought to be a way of life, simply because we know full well the benefits of leading a thankful life.

You have been a blessing to my life and if I have neglected to say so, please pardon me. I thank you for your prayers, your words of encouragement, your tolerating my mess ups, your putting up with my annoyance, your listening to my complaints, sorrows, joys, your celebrating special moments, and especially, I thank God for you because each of you play a special role in making me a better person. Sincere thanks always.

I cherish your thoughtful words that make me smile and give me hope that this world has some really special people. Please allow God to continue using you to make a difference in the lives of others - be thankful and spread some hope!!

What Have I Done? (The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength)

We are all so very familiar with the true statement, “be careful when you pray for patience because in order to demonstrate patience you have to go through some stuff”. What have I done? Well, I took it upon myself to encourage you, dear Readers, to have hope in the midst of life’s storms, and what would you know? Circumstances in my life have hit home and I am forced to either have hope or despair.

You may remember how much we have been surrounded by sickness and death of our loved ones- some of you have been there at all times, some of you have shed a tear or two on our behalf, some of you have sent cards, some of you have given of your financial means, some of you have been a source of strength and comfort – in all this I am more than confident and I am so convinced that I need to live a life of real faith, trusting in God, knowing and believing that His promises are faithful. The harder I try, the more the Evil One seeks to attack. The beauty and the wisdom in all his attacks, is that I know and am aware of what Satan is trying to do, so I scoff at him, depend on your prayers, and do my utmost to hold on for dear life to my Lord and Master even when the pain is too much to bear. I desire to help you to have hope, to trust in God, to truly believe that His words are true, and if I have to live it to be in a position to better help you, then so be it! You honestly don't need me to tell you about hope as I am yet to have gone through some of the stuff the Apostle Paul went through in his lifetime. I would encourage you to read it for yourself and since we believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, then we can truly say “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ….” 2 Corinthians 4:8-17 [Emphasis mine]

I love those words and especially knowing that it is coming from a man who has suffered so much for the cause of Christ. My sufferings do not compare with that of the Apostle Paul. His persecution did not come about because his loved ones were sick and dying. He was beaten, imprisoned, threatened, shipwrecked, and all because He was defending the gospel. Have hope, Dear Readers, have hope. All that we go through, no matter how painful, are but light afflictions when compared to the glory that awaits us.

[I wrote the piece below on July 30 and didn’t get around to sharing. Thank you for reading, and for your encouragement.]

The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength

A week ago, I was in Freeport, Grand Bahama, attending a lectureship of the Caribbean churches of Christ. The theme is the title of this writing – “The Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength”. I was even more thankful to have had an all expense paid trip. Today, I am sitting on the floor in my living room gradually healing from the news that my beloved Aunt and Mother passed away last night. If you have been traveling with me on this road, you would remember that she had three strokes in one year. The third one was last December - couple days before she was scheduled to fly to Orlando to be with us. [I still have her ticket in hand]

God sure has a way of asking us to show out! Here I am embarking on this journey to encourage others (and myself) to have hope in God and in what He is capable of doing, yet I feel like I am under the assault of the evil one. Yet, I am aware that my sufferings do not compare in the very least to those of God’s servant, Job. [I shared the story of Job with my children yesterday morning, trying to encourage them to always give God the glory no matter the situation. I do find it interesting that they get so frustrated so young in life. Will they be able to handle life as adults, I wonder!]

Aunt Vera’s death was anticipated, and over the past couple weeks, I tried to figure out how I would react to the news. While in Freeport, I had a vivid dream that my sister called and told she was dead and the phone fell out of my hand and I was in tears. I woke up and the message light was blinking on the phone. Did I listen to the message? No, I called my sister immediately and was relieved. Last night on the way home from Bible class my sister called and after she established where I was, she gave me the sad news. I was quiet, sadness welled up inside, and I just needed to use the bathroom. I am not afraid to cry, but in my house, it is difficult to as these wonderful boys come around and you can’t help but smile at them – just seeing their caring ways always break down my resolve and I have to smile. I cried myself to sleep last night and woke up early and went walking. For most of the day, I stayed home in a prayerful, reflective mood.

I know the Lord is waiting to do his powerful will – I only need to allow Him and I am surely trying. Every time I think of what I could have become had it not for Aunt Vera, I can’t help but be full of gratitude which leads to tears. She was truly a vessel used by the Lord to save me, and for that I am eternally indebted.

The joy of the Lord is truly our strength and despite all the unfortunate events that happen in our lives, we must hold on to God and never despair. It might be comforting for us to consider that someone is enduring more than we are – just go to the cross and think of all that Jesus suffered. In real life, I know a brother (in his early 30s) who lost both parents a week apart and later found out he is plagued with the same illness that took his parents – cancer. For the last two years he has undergone treatments upon treatments and the cancer seem to enjoy his body as it keep popping up in different places. Yet, I am told, he is in good spirits. He is taking his licks and giving God the glory because he is a believer in the great Physician.

My flight to Freeport was delayed for the entire day in Fort Lauderdale, and I took it in good stride. I was traveling alone, I received a meal voucher, and I was glad they discovered the problem on the ground and fixing in before take off. Other people on the other hand, were anxious to get home. One irate lady actually moved a representative to tears! Later, I came upon a lady in the restroom with a bare-footed three year old girl and couldn’t help but ask about her shoes (since the restroom can be so filthy). The Mom smiled and said her daughter took them off. She further informed me that their flight was delayed from the night before, and the child was tired of wearing her shoes. Yes, they were in the airport lounge from Thursday night into Friday evening and were still waiting when I left after 6:00 pm. Let’s face it! What did we, delayed for a little over eight hours, have to complain about?

Dear Readers, I know I’m rambling, but don’t miss the message. As we read, study, and understand God’s words, let us use those words in our lives to comfort us when trials get dark on every hand. His word is true and He means exactly what He says. Trust Him. Hope in Him. He will turn our darkness into dancing; we are more than conquerors, and we might be down, but we are not out. Take it to Him on bended knees, with an open and contrite heart, knowing that “the prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. We can then rejoice in tribulations and sufferings counting it all joy.

Aunt Vera will be laid to rest in a couple weeks; I shall cry myself to sleep again tonight. I know whom I have believed and I’m persuaded that He is able………. Join me in singing that song!



September 18, 2009

We traveled to Jamaica for the funeral on August 8. We returned home on Monday, August 17, and the next day my three year old was hospitalized – while in Jamaica, an insect bit him close to his left eye leaving it swollen and infected. The doctor took care of him, and we got out of the hospital two days later (in time for Meet The Teacher).

Notwithstanding the emotional turmoil, stress, and anxiety that come when we see our loved ones gone, we also spent a small fortune on travel and funeral expenses. In all this, God has been awesome, like He faithfully promised He would. Our church family was so generous with their love, their prayers, and their monetary gifts. We had to make some sacrifices, some cut backs, but we can truly say, “thanks be to God”.

I serve a living Savior and I want the world to know that He is faithful in all that He promises. I am standing on those promises.

It is my prayer that we live more hopeful lives in the Lord. Be encouraged.

Our Handsome Strong Men

Happy Father's Day!

I love men. Got your attention, didn’t I? Well, yes, I really do love men! God made them just perfect. They are so different than us – they are rough, we are soft and tender; they are strong, we pretend to be; they are logical, we are more on the emotional side! We balance each other and that is why God made us to fit perfectly together.

A happy belated Father’s Day to all Fathers reading this – I pray that you are being appreciated and living up to your responsibilities as you enjoy the precious blessings from God. I know your task is great, and I pray you have a good woman by your side, sharing the beautiful joy of bringing up your children. If you do not, and, right now you are somehow feeling unappreciative, rejoice that God is on your side. He will reward you and your children in due season.

It pains my heart when I observe good men being decapitated by women whom they love and who profess to love in return. Ladies, we do have changing emotions and are sometimes overly fragile, but we should not use that as an excuse to disrespect our men. Sure, some of them might be deserving in our own eyes, but we should not try to play God and mete out punishment. Our words should be seasoned with love, encouragement, gratitude, peace, and joy.

Picture this: Worship services are over and everyone meeting and greeting in the foyer. Out came wife number one all emotional, because husband didn’t pick up the child from the nursery, “Why didn’t you get Sophie out of the nursery? I can’t trust you take care of one little thing. Don’t leave her in the nursery if you are not going to go pick her up.” Loud enough for a number of people to hear! The very controlled, patient handsome husband attempted a response, but she launched into more assaults with her words and body language, so he shook his head and walked off – obviously embarrassed!

Why was all that necessary? Where was the control on the part of the beautiful wife? Why talk to the love of your life in that manner and in a crowd? I know that sometimes we don’t even realize what we are saying and doing. We are just reacting out of our emotions. I have been there (and perhaps sometimes still do) and have been short or outright disrespectful to my handsome man in a public setting. He does the godly thing by not responding in a harsh manner. I have also been blessed to have my beautiful sister pull me aside and make me aware of my actions. Honestly, sometimes I wasn’t aware that my responses came across so harshly to the observer. We need to become more aware of the effects our speech has on our handsome men.

If the roles were reversed, I am sure many would start to scream “verbal abuse!”, “verbal abuse!”, “verbal abuse!” Yet, day by day our handsome men are subjected to our harsh unseasoned tongue lashing. We don’t encourage enough! We don’t praise and lift up enough! We know it is hard to find a good man, yet we don’t cherish the one we have found! We ought to be so ashamed of ourselves. We desire encouragement from our spouses - why not return the same? They sometimes pretend they don’t need to hear it, but that is simply because all their lives they were not encouraged or told how much they were appreciated.

It is amazing that I thought to write on this subject last Friday, and on Sunday, Fathers’ Day, our Senior Minister, Wesley T. Leonard, preached a stinging, encouraging message along the same lines. [Stinging to those who find themselves guilty of not doing; and encouraging to know that scripture supports the need for us to uplift, praise, and exhort our handsome men.] At the end of worship, one brother loudly proclaimed to a group of us sisters, “Did you hear that message? You need to get the tape!” I will be obedient and get the tape!!

The three points from the sermon, entitled, “The Strong Man” - Matthew 12:29-30, are as follows:

1. Men are given to reason, women to emotion. Ecclesiastes 1:25

2. Man was made in the image of God and therefore desires exhortation and praise. Ephesians 5:33

3. Men need affection from their wives – 1 Corinthians 1:1-5.

[If you are single, I am not sure what Minister Leonard had to say to you. I am yet to listen to the sermon as I was on Nursery duty. I would encourage you, as a single handsome man, to focus on serving God and pray that he remove that desire for deep affection from you until you have been united in Holy Matrimony. Easier said than done, but I know it is possible, trust God!]

I dedicate this writing to my handsome strong man. I thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. I thank God for you in my life and I want to praise you and encourage you to live a life pleasing to God. You are a hard worker and that pays the bills around here. With the help and direction of God, you have a lovely roof over our heads and we never want for food to eat. Your children shall surely call you blessed! We love you in times of laughter, times of sadness, times of great joy!!

Be encouraged, Dear Readers! My brothers, I encourage you especially to keep on being the strong man you are! I recognize your worth and appreciate you all for who you are. You all are heroes in your own special way. May God continue to bless you all!

Melanie

PS: If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the sermon, let me know, they sell for $5.00 on CD.

Emotions Deactivated

“Captain”, said Data, “I am feeling excited, thrilled, ….”
The captain interrupted, “I suggest you deactivate your emotions right now.”
“It’s done”, Data replied.
Then the captain looked at him enviously and said, “Data, there are times when I envy you!”

Wouldn’t it be absolutely awesome if we had the ability to deactivate our emotions at times? Ladies? Are you with me here?

Data is an Android (robot that looks human) in Star Trek The Next Generation; and he is exceptionally smart and devoid of emotions, therefore he usually makes excellent deductions, especially in problem solving matters.

Problems in our lives can sometimes fall on us like hail during stormy weather or it can attack us like bugs in the summer. It is even more troublesome when you are really trying your best to do the right thing and you feel like you are being bombarded from all angles. You feel like screaming, you feel like hurting, and you probably can’t help but feel like cursing!! May I suggest you deactivate your emotions at this point! Not so easy is it? How many of us nodded our heads in the affirmative?

Yes, initially I thought that was an impossibility for us being humans and made up of mind, body, and soul. But then I consider that our awesome, all powerful, all knowing, all seeing God made us in His image. He did not hold back from us, He gave us all that we need to live controlled lives. He asked nothing of us that is impossible, so when the Apostle Paul, empowered by Jesus Himself, tells us to “...let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” [Colossians 3:15], I must believe that it is possible to deactivate my emotions! The “peace of God” mentioned here, enables us to have control over our emotions. We are even more empowered than Data, the Android, as we have the capacity to express good emotions and the power to squash those that are not good. We need to believe that we can have that type of peace in ANY situation, once we are committed to allowing God to guide us.

Never forget that God will give us the means to accomplish anything He asks of us. Our greatest responsibility lies in controlling our own emotions and emotional responses to people, events, and circumstances in our lives. Once we get this under control, we would have won half the battle! We need to develop strong relationships with God to allow Him to work through us to tackle this monumental (in our human eyes) task of keeping our emotions (the negative ones usually) in check.

When we find ourselves wishing for that “emotions deactivate button”, let us remember Jesus Christ on the cross! He had the power to speak one word to silence all those jeering Him, slapping Him, and laughing at Him. But He did not. Not because He was weak, not because He was scared, but because He was focused on His mission and maintained His peace. He kept His emotions under control, because He was determined to give us HOPE! Data deactivated his emotions and was unable to fulfill his mission. How about us? Are we going to grasp the peace that the Lord has left here for us and use it to help us on our mission? I pray we do!!

Thank you all for reading and responding. God bless!!


Melanie

By the way, Data can easily deactivate his emotions, but I failed to tell you that those emotions aren’t just negative ones, he is also devoid of love and can be extremely cold ……. Jesus Christ provides the right balance we need in our lives. Take hold, Dear Readers, of the HOPE - Help Overflowing Powerful and Eternal – we have in Christ.

What State Are You In?

The first time I did it, I promised myself, I would never do it again. Then a couple years later, in relocating from New York to Orlando, we were forced to do it. Again, I promised myself I would never do it again! Only too recently, upon the death of my husband’s Grandmother, and with funeral services scheduled to take place in New York, we did it yet again! Yep! You guessed it, “a road trip”. This trip should ideally take eighteen hours if you only stop to refuel, but with us older, and somewhat unfit people and young children, we projected twenty-two hours. We managed to do it in nineteen hours and Lorraine has not stopped chiding us for speeding. [Really though, the traffic was light and we had no meals in a restaurant, so NOT much speeding was done.] Despite the sadness of the occasion, driving together was of great benefit. We were able to spend time together in extremely close, confined space, and the children enjoyed being in the different states.

On the journey I noticed that once we crossed into a new state, the signs pointing to the welcome center are quite evident. Everyone was advertising the merits of their individual states and luring us to spend some time and some money. The disparity in the gas prices were also quite evident ranging from $1.71 to $2.25. All this leads me to ask this question, what state are you in right now?

What State Are You In? Almost fifteen hours into the journey, my friend, Cynthia, texted me to ask “What state are you in?” My immediate response was, “We are in Sleepy State”, because although we got some “shut eye” I wanted to sleep. My three year old woke up in Sleepy State and mumbled, “Mom, I want my bed”. Even the toddler recognized that that was no way to get a good sleep! Nevertheless, we were preserved. God gave us the energy and the strength to continue on the journey.

As the world around us seem to be crumbling, people are going penniless, families, and friends are dying, and it just seem like morality is hurriedly escaping through the front door, we will sometimes find ourselves in various states. We may not see the welcome center sign when we are in the “State of Despair”, all we might see is darkness. Don’t miss the sign … “ye though I walk through the valley of the shadows of death, I’ll fear no ill, for though art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”. [Psalms 23:4] Imprint those words on our minds and bring to remembrance as we go through the State of Despair. Accelerate and speed if we must to hurriedly get out of that state.

Ooops! Now we have traveled to the “State of Discontent”. We just can’t seem to get it right. Things are not going our way and we long for something better in our lives. Please don’t slow down in this state, keep the speed limit, but get out on the wings of “they that wait up on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” [Isaiah 40:31]. Did you remember that we can ask the Lord to teach us how to wait? Yes, He Will!!

Dear Readers, aren’t you glad you made it through the Discontent State? Stop!! Don’t go that way to the “State of Sadness”! Now, now, now!! What are we going to do? Being sad is okay, but we don’t want to stay that way for too long. Take the bathroom break, wash your hands, and your face, get back in the car and read the sign written by King David, “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” [Psalms 30:11] God will help us to move on through our state of sadness. It is up to us to put that car into drive and press that gas pedal to get out!

Why did we make that wrong turn to the “State of Loneliness”? It is late in the night and no one is on the road with us. Do we feel lost? Turn the radio dial and listen to the news, perhaps, something happened that we didn’t hear about. It just doesn’t feel right. Why must we be so lonely? It sure is taking a long time to get out of this State of Loneliness! Then again, King David found himself in that state and scribbled the sign that said, "Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life." [Psalms 142:4]. Okay, it can’t get anymore lonely! Everyone in our cars has fallen asleep and we are the one driving so must stay awake. My goodness! It sure is lonely on this highway!! We MUST find our way out of this State of Loneliness. LOOK OUT! Our exit is coming up! Read the sign "... God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." [Hebrews 13:5]. Praise God, we are not alone! We were never alone!! Our great Protector has (and will) always been with us - we only forgot! What a relief!!

In this country alone we have fifty states, and we can drive to all but one. In life, we know we have so many different states of mind that we often find ourselves in, so I could go on and on and on….. but I will stop here and encourage us to move over, put down roots, and take up residence in the “State of Leave It All To God” remembering King David’s poignant thoughts expressed on the billboard of Psalm 137:

“O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall[a] on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,
But the night shines as the day;
The darkness and the light are both alike to You
[Psalms 137:1-12]

“OH NO!” We still haven’t reached our destination! Please take the next and only right, and I guarantee that we will be in a better State…..if only we stay on the narrow road that leads to LIFE!! [Matthew 7:13-14]

I thank you all for your prayers, love, and tangible show of care and concern. Grandma Sophia has been laid to rest and as always, it was good to see (and meet) family members.

Let us try to remain in the State of Hope, knowing that our Righteous God knows just what we need! We praise and thank Him!!!