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 working on my hair as usual, but she was extra careful.  “Stinker?  What are you thankful for?”

I snickered, “I am thankful to have you as a girlfriend, B.B.  You have these make-up skills from learning everything you need to know about running a news network, and you insist on fixing my hair every Sunday.  I should get a complex about how my best friend in the whole wide world thinks I can’t comb my own hair, but I love you, even your neurotic side.”

B.B. huffed, “Stinker, I am not neurotic.  I am just obsessive-compulsive. … and a perfectionist … and I worry about things that I have no control over … and my imagination goes wild at times …  Okay, a little neurotic.  But I am grateful that the doctor said that I was on the right pace with the baby coming, but he wanted me to eat more of the right food.”

I groaned, “So, he said you are on track, but you might not be eating enough.  You are eating for two people you know.”

B.B. moaned, “I know, but you and Dr. Ellie are struggling to get back in your former shape.  And I don’t really know what to eat.”

I shrugged, “Why haven’t you tried Sally Mae’s pregnancy fries?”

B.B. made a face, “Jemima Yeggs, does this body look like I eat French Fries?  French Fried anything?”

I turned around and smiled at her.  “Sally Mae’s pregnancy fries are baked.  They are a blend of sweet potato and jicama.”

B.B. giggled, “What is jicama?”

I smiled, “Jicama is also referred to as a Mexican turnip.  Sally Mae peels them, parboils them, and then seasons them and bakes them.  And Sally Mae also bakes breaded okra.  You probably thought those things were deep-fried.  Those three vegetables are high on the list for expectant mothers.  Keep eating your proteins, and your favorite veggie, broccoli, but add some other veggies.  Focus on whole fruits and grains.  I have an idea.  You could have a spinach, apple, and berry salad for lunch.”

B.B. groaned, “Because you suggested it, I’ll try the special fries and okra, but the salad sounds yummy.  Maybe with some grilled chicken and crumbled gorgonzola.”

I winked, “Yeah, I thought you’d go for that one.”

We entered the den and nodded at Joseph to open us in prayer.

Joseph led us in prayer with no interruption from Arabella.

Emmett’s band was great, as usual.  The song was Great is Thy Faithfulness.

I asked, “Emmett, is Don Sanderson back from the hospital?  He was still on the prayer list this morning.”

Emmett shook his head, “No, he is still not doing well.  I worked out a deal with the organist.  She and a couple of guitarists and a drummer can take care of the first service.  But instead of going with Sophie to Sunday school, I’ll be warming up the choir and getting one last pass at the anthem before the second service.  If the organist needs me for the first service, I will have our combo here lead the music.  Since I am just volunteering, they are giving me some wiggle room.  The tricky thing is going to be the cantata in a couple of weeks.  I’ll have an orchestra and a bigger choir.  I doubt if we’ll have music here that Sunday.  I want to recruit everyone to help out.  A few of them already go to the practices.”

Mike asked, “Is there anything for the tubulum?”

Emmett sighed.  “No, but the special music you are preparing for here at Christmas can be used before the cantata starts, and then you can join the tenor section.”

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

I laughed, “Samuel, we are looking at God as our Teacher.  Arabella, do we need Mr. Dictionary?”

Arabella sighed, “I hope he is better than my math teacher.  Algebra is tough.”

Emmett (John 14:26) “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

Emmett asked, “Is this the way you send me off?”  I smiled, but he shrugged. “Okay, I haven’t done my share of the reading anyway.  Who knows what is to come soon, but God knows.  The Holy Spirit is a good teacher.  He may speak in a whisper at times, but He tells us what we need.”

I laughed, “Thank you, Emmett, and yeah, I called on you while I still had the chance.”

Sophia (Psalm 32:8) “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Sophia said, “I went with Em last week to show support, but I plan on staying for this class.  He only needs to go over an hour early for practice, and only when that is necessary, but the cantata is different.  Will you have enough left for class?”

I smiled, “Look around, Sophie.  There will be enough left, but we would not wish to miss the cantata, at least those who go to First-Third.  The rest of you are invited, but your intentions need to be communicated to have enough buses.  That’s two weeks from now.  But, Sophie, what about the verse you read?”

Sophia smiled, “If we take this verse to mean God teaching us, it is very similar to Emmett’s verse.  When you read this psalm, David is praying for his own sake.  His sin needs to be forgiven, but then in the eighth verse, it seems that it is God promising to teach us and keep His loving eye on us.  But in a way, it works either way.  God teaches David and then David teaches the people.”

Arabella asked, “Who is teaching this class?”

I said, “I pray that the Holy Spirit is teaching each of us, but you will learn from whom you learn, Arabella.  Who is that going to be?”

Stormie giggled, “Mama!”  Perfect timing!

I smiled and looked into her carrier.  “Yes, Sweetie, I am right here.”

Stormie laughed.

B.B. (Isaiah 48:17) “This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”

B.B. said, “A little confession time.  I am expecting and since Stinker is my best friend and a very good mother, I have leaned on her for answers.  And I guess I will continue to do that, but God is the One with the answers.  We cannot go wrong when we rely on Him.”

I said, “B.B., know that I will continue to give you a lot of lip, but I will always be there for you, unless you are throwing up with morning sickness.  Then, you are on your own.”

Arabella asked, “So, if a train leaves New York at three going sixty miles an hour and a train leaves Chicago at eighty miles an hour and the teacher asks where the trainwreck will take place, God has the answer?”

Easy said, “Fireball, in the immortal words of Linus in the Peanuts comic strip, ‘Hoping and praying should never replace studying.’”

Gordo (Proverbs 2:1-5) “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

Gordo (Sknarf) smiled, “Godly wisdom comes when we fear the Lord.  We cannot learn properly if we are scared, but the fear of the Lord is an awe that tells us that God is great and we are not.  We need God within us, and when we trust God within us, we can exhibit that wisdom.  But it starts with that fear of the Lord.  If we do not have that, we can think we can go without God, even for the smallest of tasks.”

I smiled, “And this was the father telling the son, who would become king.  And who did Rehoboam trust?  His buddies and not the sage advice of wisdom from Solomon’s advisors.”

Julia (2 Timothy 3:16-17) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Julia said, “Paul was talking about the Old Testament when he mentioned Scriptures here, but it applies to the entire Bible.  We need to stay in God’s word.  We need to read it over and over again.  It’s not that we miss something, but God reveals more to us each time.  He knows what we can understand, and He gives us just that.  But once we grow in faith, we can handle more.  God does a lot of teaching through us reading the Bible, but the trick is that we must make the commitment to read the Bible.”

I said, “Thank you, Julia.  That was wonderful.  I know that I read my Bible every day.  I trust God to guide me.  I spend time in prayer to hear God’s voice, and you cannot recognize God’s voice unless you spend time in God’s word.”

Cassie (Acts 18:9-11) “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.”

Cassie said, “Jemima, we can read the Bible from cover to cover, but if we do not have God guiding us, it makes little difference.  The more we trust God, the better it gets.  These verses speak of God telling Paul to stay and teach them.  We hear from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians that he did not use fancy speech and emotionally charged language to win them over.  He spoke plainly to them.  The Corinthians knew what that meant in that some philosophers swayed the crowd with the ploy to win their hearts with flowery words.  But to teach people, you make the language as simple as possible.  You spend time explaining things.  And you show that you care.  You challenged Arabella earlier.  I would like to know what Arabella’s answer is.”

Arabella said, “I choose the listen to Aunt Jemima and read the Bible.  I like having a good time, and Aunt Jemima gives me freedom to say what is in my head at the moment.”

I gasped, “You mean that I can stop you?”

Arabella giggled, “Yeah, but you want to know what we are thinking.  It makes you a better teacher.  And you don’t have to teach this class.  You teach this class because you love everyone in this room.  I love this class.  But what you have hinted at is that God is teaching each one of us, even with you directing the class.  That’s what makes this class so much fun.”

Penny said, “I agree with that!  God is the great Teacher, but we keep coming back because Aunt Jemima shows us God’s love.”

I smiled, “You are about to make me cry.  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.  And their granddaddy is here too.”  Then, she ran to Grannie Fannie and hugged her.

Lance asked, “Jemima, can I bring the children here and attend your class?  Grannie Fannie is in charge of lining up the buses, and she can only come near the end, but we can study the Scriptures together.”

Lauren said, “Does that mean Liam, Lympie, and Ellie Rain can play with Sammie and me?  Yes!”

I mumbled, “I guess Lauren has spoken.  Welcome to the class.”

Brooke came over and got Stormie’s carrier.  “Hi, Stormie.  It’s Aunt Brooke.  Are you ready to go to church?”

Stormie laughed.

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.

The dietary suggestions came from various websites.

The “Quote” from Linus may not have been accurate, but it gets the point across.

Here is Chris Rice singing Great is Thy Faithfulness.

God teaches us.  Through His faithfulness, He will ensure that those that truly seek Him will find Him.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.