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September 21, 2004

From Our Hearts to Yours...

eugene armstrong.jpgOur prayers and deepest condolences go out to the families of Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong....

May God have mercy on us all....


[AP Photo courtesy of Yahoo! News]

September 20, 2004

Knowing Harry

Here's another gem from the vault...
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Knowing Harry

I never knew Harry. He was my husband’s grandfather who died several years before my husband and I met. Though Harry has been gone for many years, I can tell you a little about him nonetheless.

Harry was a vivacious man, full of life, full of energy, full of spunk. A little rough around the edges, Harry was a sweetheart deep down. He had a thing for girls, having three daughters and a knock-out wife--a sweet, sincere woman named Marion.

“Mare and Hare”, as they were affectionately called, were quite a duo. She, the straight-man to his colorful comic antics. She was often the naive damsel, while he was the more worldly wise-cracker. “Mare” seldom knew what to say in sensitive situations so she often spoke what was on her mind. And Harry was there to break the tension with an equally direct comment. Usually something like, “Mare, you don’t know...shinola...” Immediately those in earshot would roar with laughter while Harry pulled his bride close for a squeeze that communicated, “You may not know much, but you’re mine, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

Harry never took life too seriously. He was the fun-loving sort who was never too busy to spend time with his grandsons, ribbing them without mercy.

Everyone loved Harry.

Even though Harry is gone, there are special traits of his that live on. His oldest daughter, my husband’s mother, has his zest for life. She too is a fun-loving grandparent who always makes time for her grandchildren.

His grandson, my husband, has that same playful demeanor. There is often a glint in his eye. And like Harry, my husband is an entrepreneur--destined to make something out of nothing.

Harry’s great-grandson, my son, bears his smile--sweet and tender, with a little “devilishness” now and then.

Even his great-granddaughter, my 3-1/2 year old seems to have his sometimes off-beat sense of humor.

Although Harry has been gone a long time, he is with us still in the three generations of warm, loving people he left behind. People I have the privilege of knowing very well.

I regret having missed out on knowing Harry personally. My husband said he would’ve been nuts over me. Knowing those he left behind, I feel certain I would’ve been equally nuts over him.


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Copyright Mary Comm July 8, 1998

September 04, 2004

Responding to Hate

I have a confession to make. Yesterday I yielded to temptation. You see, I had received a couple of comments on this blog from some very angry liberals who had been offended by my husband's outspoken views on the current presidential race as stated on his own personal blog. These venomous comments to my blog were not only unsolicited and uncalled for, they were personal. They attacked me for my views, without even knowing what my views are, and they even went so far as to put words in my mouth, so-to-speak, attributing viewpoints to me that were completely offensive. These comments were filled with hatred and anger, and I felt violated. Initially I thought my husband's blog linked to mine, thus explaining how these people located me. That not being the case, they apparently had gone out of their way to track me down. This awareness added to my feeling of having been violated.

So in response, I blogged about the presidential race and the all-elusive truth regarding Mr. Kerry's Senate voting record. I did my research then posted my findings based on a Democratic web site which gave conclusive evidence of Mr. Kerry's affiliations with various liberal groups. This evidence was enough to convince me of the kind of character Mr. Kerry possesses, and I thought it sufficient to allow those findings to stand on their own, with only minimal assessments from me.

However, after I posted that blog, I experienced that all-too-familiar "check" in my spirit -- you know, the one that says, "Hmmm...Maybe I shouldn't have done that." Subsequently I got distracted and forgot about the entry until this morning when the "check" returned. I knew deep down I needed to delete it. There was nothing inherently wrong in my stating my findings or my views. I think the reason the Spirit urged me to delete my post was because it did not do anything to serve Him or His purposes. It did not help to heal the rift between the Liberals and the Conservatives in this country. It did not prove one side right and the other wrong. And it did not portray the heart of God within me to the hurting masses that are incapable of seeing the wrongs of this dark and despairing world.

My "quiet time" this morning reminded me that because Christ gave His life for payment of my sins, and because of His victory over death for my sake, my life is not my own. As the Scripture says,

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20 (NASB; emphasis mine)

So, the post has been deleted from my blog. I'm not sure how to be Christ to those who despise the cross and all it stands for, but I do know what is counterproductive to that end, and for me, because I am His, I joyfully choose to yield to His ownership.... I am not my own, indeed! I can think of nothing better than knowing I belong to such an awesome God and Savior!