Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

I’m Jemima L. Yeggs, a.k.a. Stinker.  Pink Lady Apple Yeggs, my landlady and my auntie, wants to read about how younger people, especially couples respond to what the Bible says.  And she wants to know how God is at work at Lily the Pink.

B.B. and I were in our ‘green room’.

B.B. was not working on my hair as usual.  She was posing in front of the mirror.  “When does the baby bump start to show?  I feel extremely full.”

I snickered, “Wait until next month.  What you are feeling now is probably bloating?”

B.B. huffed, “I always watch my diet.  I have never been bloated in my life.”

I groaned, “Your baby is the size of a grape, but your baby does not know that you have never been bloated.  So, the baby is giving you a new sensation.”

B.B. asked, “What should I do to educate my baby, then?”

I shrugged, “I think you should wait another seven months.”

B.B. asked, “What good will it do to wait until the baby is born?  I am bloated now.”

I smiled, “You will look into your baby’s eyes, and you will realize that all the bloating was worth it.  Beebs, you cannot control everything.  I know.  You are director, producer, and bottle washer, but that is at the Storm Chasing Channel.  As an expectant mother, you pretty much have to adjust to the baby’s schedule.”

B.B. sighed, “I cannot wait for our hand off to the ‘B’ team in a few weeks.  Individually, they are doing well, but we need to see them together.”

I snickered, “Interesting about how you changed the subject.  You are about to get your master’s degree in meteorology.  You are a smart cookie, but you complain to me about being bloated?  There are resources that you can turn to.”

B.B. smiled, “Why should I do that when my best friend in the whole wide world is right beside me and she has a baby that is nearly a year old?  I am coming to you for everything.”

I moaned, “Oh joy!  Lucky me.”

B.B. smiled, “And you always have a smile on your face.  That’s part of the reason you became the Stinker.  You are going to love being my life coach in mothering.”

I smiled, “You said I was your life coach in smothering.  About now, I could really get into that.”

B.B. growled, “Mothering, not smothering.  And if anyone on the Turtle is neurotic to do any smothering, I would be the one!”

I laughed, “Yeah, I know, but I must be crazy too.  I still count you as my best friend.”

When we entered the den, Arabella announced, “In recent weeks, we have gotten ice cold water and pizza, what do we ask for this time?”

I announced, “As the teacher in this class, I am going to institute a weekly donation to cover the cost of class protests for food.  The instigator of such mutinies has to pay double or they get keelhauled.”

Arabella asked, “What is keelhauled?”

Easy, my husband, a.k.a. Mr. Dictionary, shocked me by being ready for that one.  “Keelhauling is a punishment in olden times for sailors at sea.  They would have a rope tied to them that wrapped around the ship.  They would be dropped overboard and dragged by the rope under the keel which is the lowest part of the ship and then up the other side.  If they survived, they would not do what they did again.  I have heard of a different method where they attached two ropes, one on either side of the ship, and they would drop the troublemaker off at the bow and then two sailors would drag the rope, dragging the punished sailor the length of the keel to the stern.  I don’t think too many held their breath that long.”

Arabella giggled, “Thank you, Mr. Dictionary.  Since we don’t have a ship, I’m safe.”

I asked, “Darrell, Blake, since we’ve had a lot of rain lately, you two are building an Ark, aren’t you?”

Blake said, “So that I am not in trouble with the teacher of the class, and I especially do not wish to be keelhauled.  Yes, Aunt Jemima, and Griffin Grunge has a full set of prints.”

Arabella swallowed hard, “Oops!” Then she giggled and shrunk her head between her shoulders.

Joseph said, “Odd how that threat worked, and there is not a cloud in the sky.”  But then he led us in prayer.

Emmett’s band was great, as usual.  The song was O God Our Help in Ages Past.

Emmett added, “The old hymn by Isaac Watts speaks of God being our help and our strength.  Was it okay, Aunt Jemima?”

I said, “The song was wonderful, as usual, Emmett.  But you need a flute for a tooter.”

Emmett snickered, “We are working on it.”

Samuel said, “Aunt Jemima, what Attribute of God are we studying today?”

I laughed, “Samuel, we are looking at God overcoming the world.  Arabella, do we need Mr. Dictionary?”

Arabella shrugged.  “Do you mean he still has definitions?  He already defined keelhauling!”

Easy, my husband, a.k.a. Mr. Dictionary, said, “I asked Google AI to explain, and I rather like their definition.  You have to be careful with Ai, but this was good.  Jesus overcame sin and this broken world by dying on the cross.  By accepting Jesus, we can overcome the wages of sin.  Those are already paid.  The Holy Spirit can give us the strength to endure temptation, not eliminate temptation, which each of us want, but endure and not succumb to temptation. But there is an ungodly system on this earth.  Evil reigns in the hearts of many people on this earth.  And even if those evil people take our lives, our soul is secure in the arms of God.  So, God has the final say on everything.  And no matter how bad this world gets, God can fix it all and make it right.  We have been having these Bible studies since before Stormie was born.  And they have focused on who God is.  His power is unlimited.  His knowledge is unlimited.  His wisdom is beyond our capacity to understand.  So, no matter how bad the world gets, God’s ultimate plan that is spelled out in Scripture will happen.  Does that give you an idea about how God has overcome the world, defeating sin.  He continues to overcome the world in protecting His chosen people.  And God will overcome the world by maintaining His plan no matter what we do.”

Arabella shrunk her head between her shoulders and giggled, “Thank you, Mr. Dictionary.”

Blaise slammed his Bible shut.  “Do we even need to read through the Scriptures after Artificial Intelligence has answered the question?”

Easy snickered, “Little Bro, you know that a dramatic statement like that usually gets you reading the first Scripture.”

I added, “Easy’s AI answer focused on our faith being the answer.  That is what makes all this work.  God gives us the faith, and we put that faith into action.”

Easter Yeggs (John 16:33) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Easy said, “Wait!  It was Blaise who tried a mutiny like you mentioned earlier. Not me!  I am your lovable hugga bear.”

I laughed, “I know, but I had to throw Blaise and you off a little.  You need to show Blaise some brotherly love.  After all, he is your brother.  Now, how does this verse speak about God overcoming the world?”

Easy smiled and closed his eyes, “You must look back at what was said already in that chapter and even before.  The verse starts off with Jesus saying that He had told His disciples ‘all these things.’  So, what things?  What He had just said was that He would be leaving them and the Holy Spirit would come.  His disciples did not want Him to leave.  And Jesus says that they should not lose heart.  They should have peace.  But if I was losing my best friend, I would lose heart.  I would mourn.  I would have no peace in my heart.  But in the previous chapter, Jesus talks about the religious leaders did not like Him and they would be coming after the disciples once Jesus was gone.  Then, here, Jesus says He has overcome the world.  On the face of it, it makes no sense.  The religious leaders are going to kill Jesus.  When He dies on the cross, the disciples are going to remember that He said that to follow Him they had to take up their cross.  But then, when Jesus rose from the dead, it made sense.  He had overcome death.  What else could be thrown at Him once He did that?”

Blake asked, “But the verb tense is that Jesus had already overcome this world.”

Easy nodded, which was a lot of exertion for him to do.  Easy saved his actions for when he drove the Turtle through a storm. “God the Father is outside time and space.  God already saw what was about to happen.  He probably told His Son at this point that all the pieces are in place, and all you have to do is to go through with it.  Then, Jesus knew He was going to go through with it.  It was as good as if it had already happened.  That plays tricks on us, but remember that God cannot change His mind like we can.  With the pieces in place, no matter what Jesus would say in His prayers that night, the last line would always be, ‘Your will be done.’”

Blaise (1 John 2:15-17) “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

Blaise asked, “I am sorry that you could not find a longer passage, Aunt Jemima.  With this one, I hardly feel keelhauled.”

I snickered, “I thought of having you start at Genesis 1:1 and go through to the end of Revelation, but we might miss the buses.”

Lauren jumped up, “The buses, Aunt Jemima!  They’re not here yet!”

Menzie softly said, “No, Lauren, go back and play.  Aunt Jemima was just saying that she did not want us to miss the buses when they get lined up.”  Lauren looked reassured and went back to her playing.

I huffed, “But Blaise, you have not said what these three verses mean to you.”

Blaise smiled, “Ouch!  You noticed that?  Okay, okay.  John is saying that we should not love the world or anything in the world.  Then he mentions lust, which is the evil desires of this world, not just the comely lass that sits next to you.”

Margie fanned herself, “Did you hear that, people?  He called me a comely lass.”

Blaise corrected her, “I did not say that it was you who was the comely lass, Marguerite, Sweetheart.”

Margie held up her hand.  “I will give you five reasons why you were referring to me.”  And as Lucy did in the Peanuts comic strip, as she counted to five, she folded one finger at a time until she had a fist.  “These are your five reasons, and that goes for Brooke, who is sitting on your other side!”  Brooke doubled over laughing.

Blaise said, “Yes, dearest, I was referring to you.  May I finish?”  Margie nodded, but she held her fist near his face. “Whatever we desire in this world is included in the use of ‘lust’ here.  And why would God be upset with that?  God gave us life, so why do we feel pride in who we are or even proud to be among the living?  And God made everything in this world.  We should not lust after what God created.  We should ask God for something of that nature, within reason.  I think C.S. Lewis said something about if we cling to the slightest thing in this world, we lose heaven and the thing to which we cling, but if we reach out to God with open arms, we get things in Heaven that make our earthly desires seem like nothing.  I think I butchered the quote up enough to make it mine, but it was his idea.”

I said, “Margie, Sweetie, you can unclench your fist now.”

Margie (1 John 5:3-5) “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Margie said, “Thank you, Aunt Jemima for giving me these verses to read.  I do not need to confess to threatening my boyfriend of three and a half years with bodily harm because everyone in the room saw me do it.  Brooke, I apologize for hinting that he has the hots for you.  If that gets back to Goober, my boyfriend might be snot boogered.  Blaise is starting to fill out a little, but judging on his age, he should still be at Moon Maid Middle, and here we are both seniors at Flintheart.  These verses talk about keeping God’s commandments and I guess I just trampled on them a bit.  When you take it to the level Jesus took it, I messed up big time.  But I still love my lovable idiot, and I believe and I trust in Jesus, the Son of God.  With that, we are overcomers ourselves, but it is not easy.  I know that Blaise might not want to say it, but I am feeling very insecure right now.  I know Blaise’s verses said to not lust upon anything in this world, but I need him to say that he lusts for me.  Yes, we love each other, but we have not done the deed.  If you know what I mean.  After three and a half years, I need him to say it.”

Blaise mumbled, clearly amplified by the speaker system, “But my verses said we should not lust.”

Margie said, “But, Blaise, my Sweetheart, we live for God first, but then we must live for each other if our marriage, that is if you ever propose, our marriage needs to last based on mutual respect and love, but I want to know that when you have worked all day, you will desire to go to bed with me, that is after we get married.”

Blaise was red in the face, and he looked at everyone in the room.  He looked for anyone to tell him to not sin.  B.B. wrote me a note, knowing that the speakers would even catch a whisper.  The note said, “Margie’s engine has been revved and running full out for a couple of years, and Blaise may not even has the starter going yet.”  That was probably a counselor’s wife saying something she should not even know.  But instead of a chant to stay true to what he had read, a chant came up for him to say it.

Then Brooke grabbed Blaise’s hand that was closest to her.  She said, “Blaise, since I am sitting next to you, I have suddenly become the third wheel in this love triangle.  For your sake and mine, tell her.”

Blaise turned to Margie.  He held her hands and looked her in the eyes.  “Marguerite, my Darling, my Sweetheart.  I lust for you with every fiber of my body.”

She threw herself into his arms and they kissed passionately.  Blake said, “I’m on the Lily the Pink fire team.  Should I go get a fire extinguisher?”  The rest of the room was cheering.  It only took them a few seconds to realize how many witnesses there were.  They quickly retreated to their chairs, and they both looked at the floor.

I said, “And I think we need to look at Blaise’s verses with a bit of understanding.  A married couple must love one another completely.  We love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, but we must have that fire that burns within us for our spouse also.  It is not a sin to enjoy the special gift that God gives married couples, but saving it until they are married is the hard part sometimes.”

Missy snickered, “Yeah, I have let the new head of security at the Tracy campus know to keep an eye out on these two.  And I don’t spend all my time in executive meetings, so I keep my eye on them too.”

Julia (Revelation 12:11) “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

Julia smiled, “I think this gives us some wiggle room.  When push comes to shove, and you are facing a tough problem, you will want to be with Jesus in Heaven rather than be alive and having betrayed Him here on earth.  That still gives us room to love the one that God wants us to marry.”

I nodded, “Yep, I think that’s a good way to say that.  By the way, is Gordo still your betrothed?”

Julia smiled and nodded.

I smiled, “Is Grannie Fannie behind me?”

Grannie Fannie snickered, “You know I am right behind you, Jemima”

I asked, “Grannie Fannie, can you lead us in our benediction?”

Grannie Fannie (Romans 15:13) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Lauren ran up to Menzie and Samuel, “Mommie!  Daddy!  The buses!  The bus driver is here.  And Liam, Lympie, and Ellie Rain are with her.”  Then, she ran to Grannie Fannie and hugged her.

Brooke came over and got Stormie’s carrier.  “Hi, Stormie.  Did you want to go to church?”

Stormie simply smiled.

Credits

The nature of the blog from Sweet to the Soul Ministries gives only one verse.  I used various searches and cross references for the other verses.  I used just a few sources.  I changed the search criteria a few times.

The reference to Lucy of the Peanuts Comic Strip was in the comic strip and also one of the TV shows, if I am not mistaken, regarding the five good reasons.

Here is the Grace Community Church congregation singing O God our Help in Ages Past.  Rev. John MacArthur was the pastor there until passing away 14 July 2025.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.