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Guiding Lights in the Dark

The Captain’s Corner

It’s a dark, murky, rainy night. The cockpit crew members are intently following the flight instruments while descending on the approach to landing. Outside the windshield is nothing but blackness. At two hundred feet above the ground, the co-pilot is now looking outside the cockpit: “I have the lights,” he calls out.

The pilot looks up from her instrument panel and quickly discerns the bright approach lights leading to the runway.

“Lights in sight. Landing,” the pilot states.

The landing is accomplished safely through the final guidance of the approach lights extending a half mile out from the end of the runway.

You may wonder what these lights look like from the viewpoint of those in cockpit. Rows of red and white lights looking like rungs of a ladder are laid out one after another, starting from the end of the runway. About one-third of the way back from this point a horizontal row of lights—designed to show that the runway is fast approaching—extends beyond the vertical rows, forming the appearance of a lowercase letter T. This arrangement of lights is the same across the world. By simply following these guiding lights, a pilot can easily recognize the approach of a runway that he or she has never landed on before.

What I find fascinating and meaningful about this standardized system of lights is not their color or brightness but their configuration. The approach light system is shaped like a cross, pointing toward the end of the runway. This reminds me of Christ’s words in John 14:6: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Hymnwriter Jessie Pounds affirms this truth with her hymn, “The Way of the Cross Leads Home” (public domain):

I must needs go home by the way of the cross,
There’s no other way but this;
I shall ne’er get sight of the Gates of Light,
If the way of the cross I miss.

Refrain:
The way of the cross leads home,
The way of the cross leads home;
It is sweet to know, as I onward go,
The way of the cross leads home.

I must needs go on in the blood-sprinkled way,
The path that the Savior trod,
If I ever climb to the heights sublime,
Where the soul is at home with God.

Then I bid farewell to the way of the world,
To walk in it nevermore;
For my Lord says, “Come,” and I seek my home,
Where He waits at the open door.

What a wonderful truth from these guiding lights in the dark!

_______________________________________

Joe Henderson, Brenda’s husband, is a retired international airline captain and now blogs in “The Captain’s Corner” on a regular basis.

Be sure to join us back here on Thursday for one of Brenda’s “Come on Over” recipes for entertaining.

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By Petals from the Basket | May 16, 2017 | Bible Reading, The Captain's Corner |

But I’m Not a Mom

This post first appeared on the blog on May 9, 2014 and again on May 6, 2016 and May 12, 2017. Though I have removed one paragraph and tweaked a few words because my marital status has changed since the original post, my prayer is that it will once again serve as a reminder to all of us this Mother’s Day weekend.

_______________

With my sweet mama, whom I love, admire, and respect!

There is only one way for single and childless women to view Mother’s Day—the right way. There is no other option. So what is the right way? Let me partially answer that by first sharing what it is not.

On my sister Marcia’s birthday, it would be foolish for me to be upset, stay home from her birthday celebration to watch a sad movie, and eat ginormous amounts of Hot Tamales (my comfort food of choice) just because the celebration isn’t about me.

On my sister Karen’s wedding anniversary, it would have been obnoxious for me to have written a blog post in the years prior to my own marriage, asking the world to stop celebrating wedding anniversaries just because I didn’t have one to celebrate and telling them to be sensitive to my lack in their time of celebration.

Therefore, my single friends and friends without children, this coming Sunday, let’s celebrate our own mothers as well as mothers everywhere for the amazing work that they do. Do you seriously think that when the pastor of the church has mothers stand up to recognize them for their all-too-often thankless role in shaping the generation of the future that your spiritual leader is, in actuality, saying, “What I really want you to do is turn around and take note of all the women not standing and inwardly laugh hysterically that there must be something horribly wrong with them since they are either childless or, worse yet, without a spouse altogether”?

As harsh as it may sound, the answer is NO! This is not about you. [And in you, I include me!]

Too often, as singles or as those without children, we turn situation after situation into what we think is a time of “permissible whining” because we are spouseless or childless. Yes, those situations hurt—I understand…firsthand. But whining is not permissible, and it is not attractive!

We say that we trust God’s leading, but then we fail to trust Him enough to obey His commands:

“Do everything [yes, everything!] without grumbling….” —Philippians 2:14, NIV

“Give thanks in all [yes, all] circumstances….” —I Thessalonians 5:18, NIV

“Rejoice [yes, rejoice] with those who rejoice….” —Romans 12:15, NIV

WAIT! Don’t say it yet! Because I know what some of you are thinking: “But, Brenda, the second half of that last verse you posted reminds believers to ‘mourn with those who mourn.’ So I expect the street to go both ways!”

And you would be right. It should go both ways. But what if it doesn’t? Does that excuse you from rejoicing on their behalf, particularly, in this setting, as they rejoice in the role of motherhood? You know the answer.

So is it wrong to be sad that you are without a spouse or that you still don’t have children after many years of trying and praying for a child? Of course not. Just remember to keep it a desire and not a demand!

And more importantly, remember to rejoice with those who have been given what you long for. Focus on others this weekend. Applaud those amazing females when they stand in church during their far-too-brief moment of recognition! Look beyond your own garden and see the beautiful array of flowers that we all get the opportunity to celebrate this weekend!

I’m throwing in this final paragraph, even though it may seem to slightly contradict all of the above…well…because I can! One of my nieces calls me or texts me every year on Mother’s Day and thanks me for being “a woman of influence” in her life, knowing that my desire for motherhood is not one that will ever be fulfilled at this point and choosing to lift me up on a day when the evil ick whispers in my ear more often than he should be allowed to do! So let me encourage you—both married women and single women—to think of a single woman or a childless woman you could encourage this weekend by thanking her for her influence in your life. No, you’re not trying to make it a “substitute Mother’s Day” celebration for her—she’s not a mom. You are simply using this widely celebrated weekend that honors mothers as an impetus to celebrate women who have impacted your life! (In the process, it just may serve as a means to remind you that you’re not the only one who is not a mom.)

The bottom line? To my friends and family who are moms, I wish you the most joyful of all Mother’s Days! To my friends who, like myself, are not moms, I wish you a day of joy as you look outward and celebrate those who are!

__________________________________

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By Petals from the Basket | May 12, 2017 | Auntie Brenda (Dating/Singles), Bible Reading, Events, Family, God-and-I-Time, Life Changes |

“Come on Over” Recipe

Okay, so I’ve always been honest with you. Really honest. So I’m warning you from the start that this is not your average, everyday “recipe.” In fact, this week’s “Come on Over” recipe for entertaining and meal ideas was supposed to be for a yummy summer salad and my own homemade dressing. That recipe will wait for a future blog post. This one…well, I need to share it with you right away. You can thank me later!

This week’s recipe is not edible. Nor is it original with me. In fact, there are literally thousands of DIY recipes online for this concoction. I heard about it from a relative whose office staff utilizes it, and I simply had to try it after hearing about its “effectiveness!” Let me just cut to the chase on this one, because there is no simple way to further procrastinate discussing this or sharing this any longer.

When you say to someone, “Come on over,” whether it’s for a meal, a yummy snack, a dessert, or all of the above, he or she will most likely need to make a little trip to use the facilities available in the restroom in your home. And well, sometimes, things happen, and—well, odors linger. [Oh my heart, my mother is going to blush at the very thought of my discussing this in a blog post! I know this because I am already blushing as I simply type the words!] As a gracious hostess whose desire is to make her guests feel comfortable and relaxed, you want to have “preventative” sprays, candles, or other good-fragrance-making tools readily available to help your guests avoid embarrassment.

The original product on which today’s recipe is based is undoubtedly the best there is. It’s called Poo-Pourri Before-You-Go Toilet Spray. It’s available on their website or via Amazon, here. Compared to other sprays, it’s not horribly expensive, so you may want to avoid the homemade version and just order yours online. However, here’s the simple, inexpensive recipe for making your own:

“Come on Over” Bathroom Spray

Compiled from Other Suggested Recipes and Shared by Brenda Henderson

Items and Ingredients:

  • 1 small spray bottle ($1.00 at the Dollar Tree)
  • 22 drops of the essential oil of your choice (ex., Thieves, Wild Orange, Lavender, etc.)
  • 2 TBSP rubbing alcohol
  • Distilled water
  • Optional: mini chalkboard; chalk pen

Directions:

  1. Drop 22 drops of the essential oil of your choice into the spray bottle.
  2. Add 2 TBSP rubbing alcohol.
  3. Gently swirl open bottle to mix well.
  4. Fill almost to top with distilled water. (I use the water from the dispenser on our refrigerator door.)
  5. Place cap on bottle and shake well. (When it’s mixed well, it’s “cloudy.”)
  6. Optional: Make a mini chalkboard sign to explain how to use it. You could just as easily print the “directions” out on a piece of paper and frame them in a cute decorative frame to set next to the spray bottle.

Basically, before you “use the facilities,” you spray the mixture about three or four times directly onto the water in the bowl. When you’ve completed the “task,” you’re done, with no lingering odors or harsh fumes to announce that you were there! We set ours directly on the lid so that people will be able to see it (and use it) before it’s too late.

So there you have it: your very own DIY version of Poo-Pourri®!

You’re welcome.

Now…let’s change the subject. And please, please, please come back to Petals from the Basket in the future for truly devotional blog posts and for some honest-to-goodness delicious “Come on Over” recipes!

By Petals from the Basket | May 11, 2017 | "Come on Over" Recipes, Entertaining, Family, Friends, Ideas, Organization |

Check Your Attitude

The Captain’s Corner

“First, check your attitude indicator,” our flight instructors would admonish us. As students who were learning to fly, we were being trained to “fly blind,” preparing for the times when we would be in the midst of clouds, unable to see the true horizon. The attitude indicator, central in the midst of the myriad of dials on the cockpit’s instrument panel, “is an instrument used in an aircraft to inform the pilot of the orientation of the aircraft relative to Earth’s horizon” (Wikipedia). By moving the controls correctly and checking the visual of the airplane on the screen against the instrument’s artificial horizon, the pilot could obtain the desired flight path. So if our attitude was right—and this was critical—all other elements of flying (such as altitude, air speed, climb and descent, and course direction) would be correct.

Just as in instrument flying, our attitude in life (our outlook, viewpoint, or behavior) can be a benefit or a “blister!” We’ve all encountered someone who had “an attitude”—as a difficult or harsh outlook is often described. We’ve also been helped by and have appreciated people who have had a great attitude. Scripture repeatedly describes our heart attitude as being central to our everyday life; therefore, it is an important element of who we are. Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV) states: “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Just as the attitude indicator in the plane requires constant checking to keep the plane on course, our heart’s attitude needs frequent attention and correction. We are admonished in Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV): “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” The Bible provides many verses that we can pray back to the Lord when seeking His guidance for our heart attitudes. For example:

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10, KJV).

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14, NKJV).

Remember: A merry heart does good like a medicine (Proverbs 17:22); a contented heart is of great value (1 Timothy 6:6); and a pure heart is priceless (2 Timothy 2:22). So I have only one question for you: How’s your attitude?

_______________________________________

Joe Henderson, Brenda’s husband, is a retired international airline captain and now blogs in “The Captain’s Corner” on a regular basis.

Be sure to join us back here on Thursday for another “Come on Over” Recipe: “Come on Over Salad.”

Would you like to receive these posts in your Inbox? We won’t spam you! You will only receive e-mails from us when a new post appears on the blog. Click here to subscribe.

By Petals from the Basket | May 9, 2017 | Bible Reading, God-and-I-Time, Guest Posts, The Captain's Corner |

And the Award for Outstanding Graduate Goes to…

As I opened the alumni newsletter from my alma mater, I gave a quick glance to its contents and landed on the story of that month’s featured graduate. Oh, his accomplishments were noteworthy, the implied level of his salary enviable, the suit and tie he chose for the photo shoot impeccable, and, I must confess, his recognition well deserved. But as I finished the article, I sighed one of those out-loud, close-to-asthmatic-sounding sighs, wishing, as I did nearly every month, that once, just once, the featured graduate wouldn’t be selected because of his or her salary, business achievements or title, or industry-specific notoriety.

Nope. I want the featured graduates to be school teachers who have simply shown up, cared, taught, listened to, and loved their students every school day for the last fifteen years. I want the featured graduate to be the guy who used his degree to get his desired job, regardless of the salary, and who mows lawns on the weekends as a gift to three of the widows from his church. I want the featured graduate to be the husband who faithfully loves his wife, the wife who faithfully loves her husband, and the parents who are shedding tears and just hoping that, by the grace of God, they’re doing it right.

I want the featured graduates to be my sisters, my brother, my friends. You know—people who wake up, give their all, give some more, and keep growing in the knowledge of how God is using them where they are to be who they were meant to be and who they are able to be. Yes, the business leaders are great examples too, but show us people like us. People who don’t get awards for doing the right thing when no one is watching. People who won’t hear thunderous applause for keeping the house clean, getting to work on time, holding the hand of a sick child or parent, or rocking a child into the wee hours of the morning—for the fifth night in a row.

These people, the “ordinary” graduates, are heroes worthy of feature articles, yet you as the reader and I as the writer both know that it’s not likely to happen. But colleges, universities, schools, look around at your constituency. It includes the ordinary folks doing ordinary things in ordinary—and occasionally extraordinary—ways. These are the role models, the examples, the feature stories who will touch the lives of your students. These are the moms, the dads, the Sunday school teachers, the caregivers who will most greatly impact your students.

I’m not saying that business leaders, legislators, and high-ranking officials should not be featured. I’m just reminding you…no, I’m imploring you to remember…that they are only a fraction of the graduates who are excelling at what they’ve been called to do—no matter what that role may be.

So to the teachers, the moms, the dads, the aunts, the uncles, the church musicians, the community workers, the nurses, the doctors, the bus drivers, the small business owners, the guy whose name fades into the woodwork, and the girl whose name seems unknown, remember that Jesus Himself said toward the end of His life, when speaking to God the Father, the words that every graduate should be featured for being able to say, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4, NKJV). Now that is a front-page-worthy life worth living!

By Petals from the Basket | April 29, 2017 | Bible Reading, Family, Friends, Life Changes |