Crossing the Street to Peace May 18, 2022 - Naomi Judd’s battle with depression saddened me in a way few understand. Hers was a "drug-resistant," lifelong struggle with a disease that eventually took Naomi away. She fought abuse and poverty earlier in life, worked diligently to become a nurse to support her children, and used her Christian faith to live through hardships. She gained fame with her God-given musical talent, was loved by her family, and lived in comfort. “So, why did she take her life?” “What in the world could be so bad that she no longer saw any good?” “I don’t understand how she could be so… Read More A More Perfect Union May 11, 2022 - Why do I feel that "We the People" have collectively taken on more than we can chew? News is flying at us faster than that speeding bullet regarding so many diverse, complicated, and polarizing issues. Does anyone out there have Clark Kent’s telephone number? A tragic war is raging, inflation is climbing, a recession looms, gun violence is rising, and evil COVID has not left the building. We add the conflicts over abortion laws, immigration issues, and spar over books in school libraries. Oh, and let’s not forget climate change, fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. You are lucky if you can… Read More Still Miraculously My Own May 3, 2022 - My three-year-old daughter stood below me, gazing at her mother's swollen belly. And, while pointing, questioned, "Did you have me in your tummy, like that?" Her nose scrunched in disgust at the thought. It was a moment in time that is as clear today as it was forty-nine years ago. "No, honey, I didn't carry you in my tummy." I leaned down, looked into her soulful brown eyes, and explained, "Your daddy and I chose you. We went to a beautiful castle full of infants, and when we saw you, we said, "That's the prettiest baby in the world! So,… Read More The Power of our Kindness April 27, 2022 - Kindness is a powerful word full of good intentions. Everyone believes kindness to be an asset, but like anything worth having, it takes work. Components of kindness are love, compassion, understanding, and thoughtfulness. We can all be nice, but ‘nice’ is akin to lifting a one-pound weight expecting to build muscle in a week. Being nice is nice but being kind is how we collectively become strong enough to change our world. When my granddaughter was entering her pre-teen years, she witnessed bullying in school. She explained how some of her friends made fun of others and did so as… Read More Grandpa’s Golden Egg of Joy April 19, 2022 - She was usually in her kitchen by 4 am to prepare for her day. Grandpa (my grandmother) deemed Sunday the most important day of the week, and it required dedication and early rising to make it perfect for all. I recall her preparing the roast, fried chicken, and her heavenly biscuits before Sunday church services. However, there was never a feast like her Easter Celebrations. Grandpa and Grandaddy hosted most of my cousins, aunts, and uncles for this special day. The food was enough to feed an army, prompting my mother to say each time, "Mama, why do you cook… Read More A Conversation with the Lord April 13, 2022 - First, Lord, thank you for coming to us, suffering for us, and teaching us the power of God. None of us thank you enough. Sometimes, we don't hear you knock on our door or listen to your whispers during noisy days. We tune you out when we want our way and yet call your name when we are desperate. Remember when I was little, and Dad would tell me what I should do, but I didn't listen? You also remember the trouble I was in afterward, right? Since we are all your children, we create problems when we don't follow… Read More The Simple Structure on the Hill April 6, 2022 - As I approach the Easter season, my mind does not immediately envision the joyous day Christ rose, but instead the day He died. When I think of myself below the cross, watching Him suffer as nails spear his flesh and His tears fall to the dry earth, I am filled with sorrow and dismay that human hearts could sink to such despicable levels. Jesus used his short mortal life to teach us the ways of love, kindness, mercy, compassion, selflessness, and faith. With the touch of his hand, he healed folks from disease, darkness, and despair. Christ taught us that… Read More Seek Truth to Destroy Distrust March 30, 2022 - When my niece was a young teen, she phoned me from her summer camp, “Aunt Lynn, why do my parents not trust me? If they love me, they should trust me!” I don't recall what precipitated the call, but I answered, “Sweetheart, love is a gift, but not trust. Trust must be earned along with respect. If we lie, cheat, or dishonor someone, trust erodes, and it is up to us to ask forgiveness and repair the damage. So, no, trust is not a free ticket on the love train.” Suspicion, doubt, and mistrust in our society have become a… Read More For the Good of Others March 23, 2022 - It was a sun-drenched day Saturday as the end of winter blew away, and spring began to show its magic. A day when Little League baseball was in full swing, and parents cheered their children to victory or comforted them in defeat. Golf courses and tennis courts were packed, and basketball's March Madness increased competition and fans' shouts to a high pitch. Young parents pushed babies leisurely in strollers down neighborhood streets as joggers raced by. Tulips, buttercups, and budding tree branches completed nature's goodbye to winter in the Southland. However, for me, it all seemed a bit unnatural. Spring… Read More One Lone Man March 16, 2022 - "I never thought I would view such horror in the year 2022!" How often have you heard those words since the Russian invasion began in Ukraine? Indeed, we assumed that we had evolved above tyranny, evil, and barbaric dictators as a society. We also thought there could never be another Adolph Hitler or Stalin. Leaders of nations today would undoubtedly fear repeating the destruction of World War II and any threat of nuclear warfare. Certainly, humankind has learned its lessons from history. Yet, one lone man rose from the bowels of immorality, unchecked and unleashed, to render havoc and instill… Read More Love: The Word in the Shadows March 9, 2022 - She stood on the cold tile floor of the train station surrounded by luggage that appeared taller than her actual height. She held a sign just below her soft brown eyes as she looked up to the photographer who captured her. The sign read, “Poland, best frind!” She may not know how to spell ‘friend,’ but this Ukrainian child understands more about evil oppression than most of us will ever comprehend. My friends’ parents and in-laws were at the train station in Poland when they noticed the little girl. They witnessed tears as if they seemed to fall in slow… Read More The Day the Sky turned Gray March 1, 2022 - The rain is steadily falling through a sky of gray. It seems apropos today as a world away in Ukraine, their citizens are gazing at skies filled with smoke. A desk lamp dispels the darkness in my office, and the hum of electricity breaks the silence. However, I know others in the world are huddled in the dark, cloaked in fear. My grandchildren play in their heated rooms, relishing a Sunday with their parents and playing games. Yet, Ukrainian children are fleeing their homes, tearfully waving goodbye to their fathers while clutching their mother's hand as she attempts to reach… Read More Do Good While Standing Strong February 23, 2022 - Daddy always said, "The only problem with living long is watching others go away while I still stand strong." He was right about that. Many in my family lived long lives, and they were surrounded throughout their days with an abundance of good friends. However, when the Lord finally called them home, few friends were left to bid them farewell. My friend, Allison, passed away this week. She was quite a force in the writing world who edited words, wrote books, and inspired many with her wisdom. She was one of the first who thought a southern chic could tell… Read More A Snowy Day in Georgia January 19, 2022 - It's a snowy day in Georgia and much of the south today. A soothing comfort envelopes me when I watch the lacy flakes gently fall to the ground. As a child, when I noticed a winter Tennessee sky turn a pale grayish-white, I pulled my white rubber boots lined in red fur from the back of the closet. I dressed in two pairs of pants, multiple pairs of socks, sweaters, earmuffs, and gloves, then bolted for the door. "Lynn, it is not snowing yet! Where are you going?" Mom would shout when she saw me resembling a stuffed polar bear… Read More Grandpa’s Diary: A guide to living January 5, 2022 - It was Christmas 1969 in the Tennessee mountains when my grandmother (aka Grandpa*) opened her gift from a friend. The present was a handsome, small green leather diary with a gold lock and key. Grandpa had never written in a journal before, but she felt she must use her friend's generous gift. My humorous grandmother wrote on the inside cover, "I'll try to remember to write as the days pass, but guess I'll forget to write half the time!" Grandpa never missed a day until the end of 1970, when grief left the pages void of words. Last year, while… Read More The Heart of Christmas December 15, 2021 - The fog settled in for the evening and a steady drizzle chilled my bones. While driving a short way home after visiting a friend, I noticed the Christmas lights on neighbors' houses were blurred, and their decorations were barely visible through the dense air. In poor visibility, I navigated down the hills, past the lake, and toward my house. Christmas will be difficult for many this year, especially if they are trying to weave their way through the blur of loss, grief, sadness, or troubles. Those suffering desire to break through the darkness and clearly see the light of happiness… Read More Mrs. Shirley Claus and her Elves December 8, 2021 - She is just under five feet tall with rosy cheeks that illuminate a pixie face. Her smile can light up not only a room but a heart. This Mrs. Claus does not reside in the North Pole because she dislikes, rather abhors, the cold. No, this merry soul prefers palm trees, ocean breezes, and sand, not snow, between her little pink toes. Mrs. Shirley traded Rudolph for a Cadillac years ago and prefers listening to Elvis on her radio rather than Christmas music. At home, pink flamingos hang on her Christmas tree along with an array of mermaids, shells, plus… Read More My Name is “Old Glory” June 29, 2021 - As my cousin drove his ATV over the Tennessee hills and green pastures to show me his farm on a recent visit, I could see from afar our American flag flying high above the main house. It was as if the banner owned the sprawling land below and she waved her stripes declaring so. God’s lush acres encased by an azure sky dotted proudly with the red, white, and blue depicted a picture-perfect Americana post-card. Once we arrived back at the house, I looked toward the banner high atop the flagpole. Old Glory’s ends were frayed and worn, her stripes… Read More Salute the Vietnam Warriors May 27, 2021 - While recently thumbing through my old Tennessee and Georgia high school yearbooks, tears pooled in my eyes. Yes, they were all there, young men with hope in their eyes and their youth on the edge of disappearing. I wonder what they would have accomplished in their lives if they had the promise of a future. Would they laugh as I do at the silly antics of a grandchild? Would they still possess the impish grin the camera caught in the 60s? Maybe Howard would have made it onto the big screen with his good looks. Perhaps Bobby would be a… Read More The Music Just Beyond the Doors May 19, 2021 - Years ago, shortly before my mother passed away, she described a vivid dream she experienced one night that prepared us both for what was to come. In the Tennessee mountain town where she and I were born, the vacant old Imperial Hotel stands frozen in time as if passing years dare to touch it. The brick three-story building next to the train depot was built in 1909. Weary rail passengers would spend the night, enjoy a good meal, and feel the cool air as it whirled around the mountain. The Imperial boasted 30 rooms and indoor plumbing, which in… Read More
