Verses from Mama

Hearing God speak one Bible verse at a time.

When God Makes a List and Checks It Twice

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Titus 3:5-6 “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Christmas! It’s the time of year when kids try to be extra good. They know that Santa Claus is making a list and checking it twice to find out who has been naughty and nice. The nice children will receive good gifts on Christmas morning. But the naughty ones will be disappointed. They will only receive coal in their stockings. So during the month of December the disobedient try to make up for lost time with the hopes of getting back into Santa’s graces.

When God Makes a List

Many people believe that God is just like Santa. They think He is up in heaven checking and rechecking His list to find out which individuals deserve His blessings. Those who recognize they have done wrong things may try to make up for lost time by giving money to the poor, volunteering for charities, or attending church more frequently than they have in the past. They hope these acts of kindness and faithfulness will put them in good standing with God.

But God is nothing like Santa. He knows that all of us are sinners and undeserving of His gifts. There is none righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10). So instead of checking His list to measure our good deeds, He instead chose to save us according to His mercy. Through the blood of Jesus He washes our sins away and renews us by His Holy Spirit. This is the gift God provided for all the nice and the naughty who choose to believe.

Even the Nicest of Us Are Still Naughty in God’s Eyes

God does have a list of all the people in the world, but sadly even the nicest of us is still marked as naughty in His sight. But our sin does not exclude us from receiving God’s greatest blessing. Unlike Santa, God’s gift of salvation is given not on the basis of what we do, but on the basis of what Christ did when He came to earth and was crucified, buried, and raised again on the third day. Now because of God’s great mercy, salvation and forgiveness of sin is available to all who believe.

You may be on Santa’s naughty list this Christmas, but what you have done up to this point in your life makes no difference with God. His greatest gift of salvation is ready and available for all who trust Him . . . not on the basis of deeds done in righteousness but because of His great mercy.

Love,

Mama

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Thankfulness and Contentment: The Path to Happiness

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Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” 

Photo by Daniel Tuttle on Unsplash

More isn’t always better. The path to happiness is contentment and thankfulness.

Dear Kids:

How does a person find happiness? Our materialistic culture promotes the belief that the path to pleasure is found in more stuff. All you have to do is watch a little TV or walk through any department store and you will see and hear the telltale signs of this acquisition doctrine. But those who fall prey to the false creed eventually recognize the truth. More stuff doesn’t bring happiness. In fact, it usually brings headaches.

The Foolish Belief of More is Better

A number of years ago I fell for the foolish belief that more is better. I was buying Cornish rock cross chicks to raise for meat and saw that there was a special going on. If I bought fifty birds I could get an additional twenty-five at a greatly reduced price. I wasn’t planning on buying that many but, hey, more is better, right?

A week or so later the babies arrived through the United Postal Service and I got them settled in their new home. But there were so many. As they grew the pen got smaller and the chickens more cramped. One by one they started dying and to my great dismay by the end of the eight weeks I had lost almost all of them. I found out the hard way that more is not better. It is just more! And it didn’t bring happiness only defeat.

Happiness is Found in Thankfulness

So how does a person find happiness? Real joy is found in being content with what you already have. Instead of pining for things beyond your grasp give thanks for the blessings right in front of you. God has blessed us in so many ways, but often we forget in our mad rush to acquire more.

This Thanksgiving rediscover the path to happiness. Look around at what you already have and be thankful. The Lord is good! His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness lasts to all generations.

Love,
Mama

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How To Be The Right Kind Of Wise Guy

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James 3:13 “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.”

How To Be The Right Kind Of Wise Guy

Are you the right kind of wise guy?

Dear Kids:

Are you a wise guy?

Wisdom is a virtue for which we all should strive. But usually someone referred to as a wise guy thinks more of himself than he should. This particular person always has the answers and won’t listen to reason. He highlights his own cleverness by using smart retorts and sarcastic remarks to belittle others. Worldly wisdom of this sort does not endear itself to people or originate with God. If you want to be the right kind of wise guy then you must seek the wisdom from above.

Worldly Understanding is Man’s Natural Default

Worldly wisdom – labeled earthly, natural, and demonic – is fallen man’s natural default.  Jealousy and selfish ambition characterize it. Those who only promote themselves usually step on others to get what they want. They arrogantly ignore personal foibles and exalt themselves without thought of the relational consequences. Sadly, these wise guys who make it to the pinnacle suddenly find the space is small. They are alone and miserable. The downward spiral of their lives creates chaos and every evil thing.

Wisdom From Above Seeks Peace

Wise guys pursuing the wisdom from above have different goals. This wisdom is characterized by purity, peace, gentleness, reason, and abundant mercy. In humility these reach out to others with a willingness to grow in knowledge and promote goodwill. They are skilled at handling people and even under provocation gently seek to restore peace. This wise guy or gal represents Christ well through the power of His Spirit who gives the grace needed to live in this way. The results are a peaceful heart and the fruit of righteousness.

What Kind Of Wise Guy Are You?

We all know both types of people – those who have used us or ignored us and those who have made us feel loved and important. The real question is what type of person are you?

Do you struggle with jealousy and selfish ambition? Consider the consequences. Choose to reject worldly wisdom that tempts you to advance only your own personal interests. Instead ask God to give you the grace you need to pursue His standards. Your good behavior and deeds done in the gentleness of wisdom will please God, bless others, and prove you to be the right kind of wise guy!

Love,

Mama

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Hello Emmy Sue! Goodbye Heart!

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Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

Hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart.

Sweet Mary Lou, I’m so in love with you

I knew Mary Lou we’d never part

So hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart. 

                        ©1961, Gene Pitney

Dear Emily:

Hello Emmy Sue! Goodbye Heart!

My sweet daughter, Emily, on her wedding day! Goodbye Heart!

This has been quite the weekend! Saturday you got married and we all worked hard to make it a special day. Now that the dust has settled, I sit collecting my thoughts and rehearsing everything that’s happened over the past week, months, and years. Time just seems to fly. Little boys and girls too quickly grow into men and women who launch out and start homes of their own. I now know that from the day I first stared into my little Emily Suzanne’s eyes the clock started ticking. And the lump in my throat reminds me that when I said the first hello to that little seven-pound strawberry blonde I also said goodbye to my heart.

A mother’s love is fierce. It perseveres night after night when a newborn awakes to be fed. It runs after a two-year-old who wants to explore and touch everything in sight. This love smiles and waves goodbye on the first day of Kindergarten while masking tears trickling down cheeks. It stays up late helping with homework and asking review questions for the big test. It suffers through middle school drama and comforts when friends are unkind. This love sits through scores of ball games and late night heart to hearts. It takes a whole SD card of pictures on prom night and stays up editing them for memory’s sake. Every day that passes strengthens a mother’s powerful love, but also requires the inevitable goodbye to piece after piece of the heart.

Now the day has come when you have left our home for good. You and Casey will start to build your own family. It seemed my job was done, but then I suddenly realized it is only a new chapter. You will always be with me in my prayers, in my memories, and in the deepest part of my being. You will always be my daughter and now I have a new son. This is not the end, just a new beginning. I will never let you go because you have stolen my heart forever.

So, hello, Emmy Sue (and now Casey too)! Goodbye heart!

Love,

Mama

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The Master Potter’s Prerogative

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Jeremiah 18:2-4 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the wheel. But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel as it pleased the potter to make.” 

Dear Kids: 

The Master Potter's Prerogative

It was the master potter’s prerogative to keep this lopsided vase. It sold at auction for a handsome sum.

Sometimes I wish inanimate objects could talk. If they could I am sure I would hear amazing stories from the past that would explain a lot of things. But sadly we are often only left with speculation. The explanations of why things are the way they are remain a mystery locked up tight in the forgotten history of those who have gone before. One of these conundrums is the decision of a master potter.

A Lopsided Pottery Jar

At a recent auction some puzzling questions came to mind. A number of antique pottery jars were displayed in rows on a table. But upon closer look I noticed that one jar was different than the rest. This particular vessel had a lopsided top.

Our auction manager told me that a craftsman would place rods on the newly processed jars in order to stack them until they cooled down and fully hardened. It seemed that in the process this particular jar had become misshapen. Usually these “mistakes” would be discarded, but for some reason the potter decided to keep this one. Now, many years later, the misshapen jar was sitting on a table amongst many other antiques waiting to be sold at auction.

The Potter’s Prerogative

Why did the artisan choose to keep this particular jar? I have no idea. The jar can’t tell me, but it was the master potter’s prerogative to make that decision.

The Lord sent the prophet Jeremiah to the home of a local potter. There, Jeremiah observed the craftsman spinning clay on his wheel. This potter, realizing his project was marred, chose not to keep it. Instead, he started over making the clay into a different vessel that would please him.

God used this creative trade to demonstrate a particular truth He wanted Jeremiah to pass on to the people of Israel. The Lord, as the Master Potter, could do what He wanted with the nations. At one moment He may plan to uproot, pull down, or destroy a particular nation. Yet if that nation would turn from evil, He as the Master Potter had the prerogative to relent concerning the impending calamity. Likewise He could choose to tear down a kingdom He previously planned on blessing if they did evil in His sight.

Jeremiah conveyed this example and message to the men of Judah as a warning. God was fashioning a calamity to be brought against the inhabitants of Jerusalem because of their sin. But if they would turn back from their evil and reform their ways He would change the outcome.

Sadly, the hearers ignored God’s words spoken through the prophet. Instead they said, “It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.” With these words they sealed their fate.

We Are The Master Potter’s Handiwork

We also, are the Master Potter’s handiwork. While sin has spoiled the perfection in which humankind was originally made, God continues to speak the message of redemption. We have the choice to obey and follow Him. If we do, despite our flaws, He has promised to restore us and give us great worth in Christ.

By grace He will take an unworthy vessel and give it honor. Like the misshapen pottery jug, the Lord will gladly display us on the front table with all of His prized handiwork. Why? I really don’t know other than He loves us, it brings Him glory . . . and it is the Master Potter’s prerogative.

Love,

Mama

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The Dangers of A Hidden Enemy

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2 Corinthians 2:10-11 “But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”

Dear Kids:

Part of the Sheridan family standing on the North Bridge where the “shot heard around the world” changed history.

The most dangerous enemy is the one you can’t see. The British found this statement to be true on April 19, 1775. A professional battalion of red-clad soldiers marched confidently towards Concord, Massachusetts, where they intended to seize ammunition hidden by the town’s citizens.

A Hidden Enemy

Much to their surprise the regulars were met by a ragtag bunch of men and boys who were determined to defend their homes and possessions. These Minutemen occupied a hill near the North Bridge. Recognizing the danger, the British retreated back across the bridge. Gunfire was exchanged leaving a number of British soldiers dead. The first shot fired became known as “The Shot Heard Round the World”.  It is attributed to the beginning of the American Revolution.

During the British retreat more Minutemen, hidden in the roadside thickets, sprayed the fleeing soldiers with bullets. The unseen snipers caused great damage to the deflated and exhausted British regulars. Using these unconventional tactics the colonists secured the victory of the first battle of the American Revolution by outsmarting their professional military counterparts.

Satan’s Schemes

We have different tactics for war these days, but the world’s greatest danger is still a hidden enemy. The Bible names this adversary. Satan, a fallen angel and the first tempter of human kind, still desires to take down any who are ignorant of his schemes.

One of his “behind the thicket” strategies is to nurture a spirit of unforgiveness. We who have been forgiven so much by Christ are called to forgive those around us. But so often we hold onto our grudges. This only breeds bitterness, which can wound us even more than the initial offense. It also sabotages our relationships with others and with the Lord.

Hard though it may be, we must relinquish our desire to wound others back for the hurt they have brought to us. In so doing we allow God to deal with the offender in His own way and are protected from Satan’s deadly attacks.

Satan Uses Unforgiveness

By the time the exhausted British reached Boston the casualty count had reached upward of 200 men. The hidden Minutemen had won the day. But we are now on the other side of the battle. Our enemy, Satan, is the one hiding in the brush ready to attack when we are least aware.

Stay alert and keep your eyes open for any sign of unforgiveness in your life. Immediately relinquish the desire for revenge and release the offender to God’s perfect wisdom. You will render this particular scheme of Satan ineffective. Instead, he will be the one forced to retreat.

Love,

Mama

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A New Genealogy: Children of the Light

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Ephesians 5:8-10 “ . . . for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”

Dear Kids:

Recently there has been a growing interest in the study of genealogy. Improved technology and DNA testing has created previously unknown avenues for a person to open up the world of the past and find out more about their ancestors.

4-H Genealogy Project

For years Dad has had a great interest in his family’s history. Starting at the age of thirteen when he took a 4-H genealogy project to the county fair, his love of searching out the past has grown. He has visited different counties, graveyards, and libraries. He has talked to numerous people in order to glean any small detail related to the names and histories of those who came before him.

This is a worthwhile hobby for more than one reason. Certainly it is fascinating to discover the names of great-great-grandparents and fill them in on a family tree, but the study can also give us an insight into who we are and why we do the things we do.

Family Traits Passed To Future Generations

Family traits are often passed on from generation to generation. Not just physical characteristics, but also mannerisms and outlooks on life. This familial trend can have a positive side, but it can also have a negative side.

Negative ways of dealing with stress, thought processes about how to handle conflict, and destructive attitudes about others not like us can become rooted in our heart. These and more become part of the fabric of who we are and dictate how we respond to the world around us.

The negative effects of sin on our life could seem like a discouraging prospect. We have been born into a dark world filled with immorality, impurity, and greed. But there is great hope!

God’s Children Inherit A New Genealogy

When we accept the salvation Jesus Christ provided by His death and resurrection, we are reborn into a different family. No longer are we children of darkness, but now we are children of light in the Lord. The characteristics of this family are different than the one we were physically born into. These are goodness, righteousness, and truth.

While we will still display some of the negative effects of our past from time to time, these do not define us. God has promised to complete the work He started in us at the time of our new birth. He will teach us what pleases Him. Gradually our new self will reflect the traits of our heavenly Father more than any negative traits of our family’s genealogy.

Children of the Light

We all have a genealogical history, and today it is much easier to find out what that is. But don’t be discouraged if you recognize some of your own undesirable traits as coming from your parents. We were all born into darkness. Sin is part of our physical familial inheritance. But if, through Jesus Christ, you have been born into the family of God you now have a different genealogy and a different Father. Let your actions, attitudes, and responses to the world reveal what Ancestry.com cannot show. You are no longer a child of darkness. You are now a child of the Light.

Love,

Mama

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Repentance: When A U-Turn is Needed

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Jeremiah 8:4-5 “You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not repent?’ Why then has this people Jerusalem, Turned away in continual apostasy? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return.’”

Dear Kids:

There are plenty of times in life when you will find yourself going the wrong direction. It may be you have made a bad decision and found yourself in a muddle. Maybe you over committed and feel overwhelmed.  Or maybe you just misread the map and found yourself on a road you don’t recognize. Whatever the situation, the best option is repentance.  Admit your mistake and redirect your course. Otherwise you could find yourself really far away from where you want to be.

Before we even got married Dad discovered my weak navigation skills. I have always had trouble deciphering between right and left. Before the days of Siri it was common for me to make a wrong turn or two and find myself far away from my planned destination.

One Saturday, early in our dating relationship, Dad and I planned to attend a friend’s wedding in Northern New Jersey. He jumped in the driver’s seat and handed me the handwritten map (that was his first mistake). About thirty minutes into the trip he asked if we were near our exit. I glanced at the map and determined we still had some more miles to go. A few minutes later he inquired again, but I reported we still were not there.

After a little more dialogue we found ourselves no closer to our desired exit. So Dad finally pulled over to look at the map himself. He quickly recognized our problem when he examined the drawing . . . and then turned it 180 degrees.

Yes, I admit it! I had been holding the map upside down. We were now miles past our desired destination, and the only thing to do was to retrace our route. I am glad to say that despite my blunder we finally made it to the church. But that was only because we determined the error and rerouted our course.

We all make mistakes, but it’s what we do with them that determines the final outcome. When we refuse to admit we’ve done wrong and continue in the same direction, things only get worse. But when we acknowledge our shortcomings, take responsibility, and turn the other direction, we will be better off for it.

Sadly, the people of Jerusalem during Jeremiah’s time held fast to their sinful ways. Although they heard God’s message repeatedly they chose not to repent of their wickedness. Instead they doggedly continued charting their own errant course. This road took them farther and farther away from the Lord and closer and closer to grave punishment. How much better things would have been if they had just turned around and repented!

My map skills have not improved much over the years. There have been many times when I had to admit sheepishly that I was lost or headed in the wrong direction. But I have learned the best option is to own up to my errors and turn around.

So don’t be like the people of Jerusalem who ignored all the warnings and continued full speed down the wrong road. If you find you have made an incorrect turn then admit your mistake. Readjust the map, make a U-turn, and head back the other way. God is gracious and responds to repentance. And He is always faithful to get you to the correct destination.

Love,

Mama

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The Importance of Good Soil

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Matthew 13:3 “Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed.’”

Dear Kids:

I shouldered my bag and started the long hike from my car to the Molly Caren Agricultural Center. I had arrived, along with 50,000 other people, to enjoy the sights and sounds of the annual Farm Science Review in London, Ohio. After surrendering my ticket at the gate I paused to gain my bearings. I immediately noticed a huge sign inviting me and others to Uncover Your Phosphorus Variability with Grid Soil Sampling.

Good Soil Yields Bumper Crops

Now I have never even considered the phosphorus variability of the soil at our home, but working in the real estate business I know that soil matters. The farmers attending this event had great interest in this information. The perfect mix of sand, silt, and clay could be the difference between an average and a bumper crop. These farming men and women love the land and the yield supports their families.

Jesus understood the earth’s importance to a farmer’s livelihood, and He used it as an example of another type of soil. Sitting out in a boat on the nearby lake, Jesus told a parable to the large crowds who had gathered on shore to hear His teaching.

The Parable of the Sower and the Seed

“A farmer went out to sow his seed,” He began. Some of the seed fell on the hardened path and birds came and ate it all up. Some of the seed fell on the rocky places at the edge of the field. These sprang up quickly but wilted fast when the sun radiated its scorching rays. Still other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the plants. But still other seed fell onto the good soil. This seed produced a bumper crop, multiplying what was originally sown by as much as a hundred times.

Jesus explained the meaning of this parable to his confused disciples. Many will hear the message about God’s kingdom, but not all will understand. For some, the evil one snatches away what was sown in his heart. For others difficulty causes them to fall away quickly. Some will become overburdened with the thorny worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. But the one who receives the message of God’s kingdom and understands it will yield a crop up to a hundred times what was sown.

Is Your Heart Good Soil?

You may never need to know the phosphorus variability of your particular plot of earth, but it wouldn’t hurt to evaluate what kind of soil makes up your heart. Do you hear God’s message and respond with joy and obedience? Or do you allow the evil one and the cares of this life to choke out any seeds of truth?

Ask God to cultivate your heart to receive His good seed. He will do it, and you will be thrilled with high demand crops He produces in your life!

Love,
Mama

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It’s Only a Game – Holding On To What Really Matters

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Philippians 2:16 “ . . . holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.”

What really matters? Opposing volleyball teams uniting in prayer for a fan with a medical emergency.

Opposing volleyball teams uniting in prayer for a fan with a medical emergency.

Dear Kids:

When it comes to sports in our family, I am on a different wavelength than everyone else. Since I never played team sports when I was young (that was not a thing for girls in the town and the culture I grew up in) I have never been able to understand completely the all out, life consuming commitment to the game. So it has become a joke in our family when the competition gets stiff to repeat my favorite saying, “It’s only a game . . . just like UNO”.

My sport is not like a card game!

I have taken a lot of ribbing for this statement over the years. “Mom, you don’t understand! (eye roll) My sport is not anything like a card game!” But while I have made my comment with tongue in cheek, there is a grain of truth to the saying. And it was played out in living color last week.

Our high school volleyball team traveled to another league school where they engaged in a discouraging match. For various reasons the team has struggled this season, and even with a lot of good effort they were lagging behind this opponent’s group of accomplished girls. The coaches and parents were frustrated as the disheartened players tried to focus and get back on track. Suddenly there was a disruption at the far end of the court.

The other school’s athletic director was watching from the corner when, without warning, he collapsed breaking two teeth and wounding his head. As he lay motionless on the court, nurses and medical personnel rushed from the stands to help. The rest of the players, coaches, and fans sat in suspended silence watching and waiting for any news on his condition. Finally, a local parent gathered both teams into a circle on the court and led the group in prayer for their administrator. Twenty minutes later the ambulance arrived and transported the man to a nearby hospital.

The game resumed and concluded quickly, but there was a new outlook on the results. Tears were not about who won or lost. There was more at stake then being a winner or loser in the game of volleyball. Someone’s life was hanging in the balance.

Hold Tightly to What Really Matters

I firmly believe we must give our best effort to whatever God sets before us, whether that be our job, our homework, or our sport. But we must always keep in mind what is most important. The Apostle Paul understood that his life, glory, and worth did not depend on what kind of grades he received in school, how much money he made in his career, or his stats on a high school volleyball team. He recognized that the purpose of life and his true worth was in Christ alone. Christ was working in him to will and to work for His good pleasure and he counted everything as loss in order to know Christ more fully. Paul determined to hold tightly to the Word of Life. This would assure he would have reason to glory and he wouldn’t run or toil in vain.

Kids, there will be many disappointments in this life. But these don’t determine your worth or your status with God. Give your best effort to all that you set your hand to do in order to bring Him glory. But keep in mind that life is short and everything on this earth will soon pass away. Instead hold on tightly with all out, life-consuming commitment to what really matters – the words of life, knowing Christ, living above reproach, and shining your light for all to see.

Then when you have a discouraging sports season, you won’t take it too hard. Your perspective will be changed and you will finally agree with what I’ve always said, “It’s only a game . . . just like UNO!”

Love,

Mama

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