Scrapple or Scruples?

SCRAPPLE or SCRUPLES?

Amish Country has Beautiful Simplicity

We were on vacation in Amish country when I decided to try scrapple. I like to try new things, so I asked the waitress to describe it. After her explanation I placed my order.

I discovered that although I like the ingredients in scrapple, I do NOT like them together. It’s been years since that experience, but I never forgot it.

I struggled to give myself permission to leave the scrapple mostly untouched. You can understand my dilemma if you were trained as a child, like I was, to always clean my plate!

If you are unfamiliar with scrapple, it’s a frugal way to use leftovers. I’ve seen it described as a mush made from pork scraps, cornmeal, wheat or buckwheat flour and spices. Sometimes it’s cooked, cooled and sliced, but my order reminded me of hash.

As I was thinking of scrapple the word scruples popped into my head. I liked the alliteration, so I stopped to think about it.   

Just as not everyone likes scrapple, some people ignore scruples. 

While growing up we get a mixture of scruples from parents, teachers, and religious leaders. It’s a mushy mixture of moral training from which we must select parts to become our own.

People with scruples care about right and wrong. If they have qualms, misgivings or uneasiness about something they generally choose to avoid it.

The value of that is described in Proverbs 2:11: Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you (NIV). The New Living Translation puts it this way: Wise choices will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.

Feel free to avoid scrapple, if you want to, but do NOT forget to pay attention to your scruples.

Alive With the Big Five

ALIVE WITH the BIG FIVE

I Love to Walk in the Forest, Too

It’s a beautiful day for a walk outdoors. I enjoy feeling the wind in my face and seeing all the shades of green on the trees in summer. In winter, I enjoy blue sky peeking through their leafless branches. 

Downtown I walk Historic Whiskey Row across from the courthouse square. As I window shop, I smell leather here and popcorn there. A store being refurbished gives off paint smells and alcohol odors float out of darkened bars.

Like me, you may think we learned about the Five Senses in primary grades. But don't most parents delight in teaching their toddler the “Point and Name” game? How excited they are to see their child name his toes, nose or other body parts as he points to them. 

It's not a body part, but I'm amazed by touch. Often it is represented by a hand, but it's really a function of the entire body. For example, we can sit down and feel the cold metal of a chair. And if we pluck even one stray eyebrow hair, we feel an immediate twinge of pain.

World-Wide We Have Five Senses

There are many amazing things about our body, but I love the balance and order in God's Big Five. Think about this:

1. We have peripheral vision, but we do not have EYES in the back of our head. 

2. Our EARS are like cups to catch surround sound, with a balance between noise in foreground and background. So far, I have not had a person with a hearing device ever tell me it balances sound as well as their original hearing.

3. One NOSE is all we need to smell the difference between light fragrances and noxious odors. 

4. One TONGUE is all we need to enjoy a variety of tastes such as salty, sour or sweet. 

Five Senses Counted on Five Fingers

5. The TOUCH of one finger can determine hot or cold. The touch of one hand lovingly holding another is a source of satisfaction. 

Aren’t we amazing? Five senses help us connect to our world. Psalm 100 mentions being thankful and giving God praise. 

If you can’t think of anything else, just tell God you’re glad to be “Alive With the Big Five.”                                      

Birds of a Feather

BIRDS of a FEATHER

Birds of a feather flock together may be truer than we humans think. People are into their independence these days and it’s harder to gather a flock.

“Let’s have a meeting” doesn’t always mean there is complete unity. It can be healthy to share different viewpoints and ask questions of one another before a decision is made.

It's not always business, however. Sometimes people gather to enjoy a special event. Discussing a shared football game or stage performance can build up relationships and create a sense of community.

Birds in "V" Formation

Have you ever looked up to watch birds flying in a “V” formation? I’ve heard it gives them more flying power, no drag on their aerodynamics.

Groups have their time and place, but there are times to be alone. On the ground, for example, each bird must hunt for its own food. The group will be affected by how well they do that.

We live in a time when personal gatherings happen less often. I worked for one company where the boss loved communicating by email. I often thought if we could just meet face-to-face, we’d clear this up much quicker.     

A couple of weeks ago I had the same thought in a cell phone company’s chat room. After texting back and forth for twenty minutes, "Charlie Chat" did not solve my problem. In fact, he finally texted I lost you and hung up.

I got in my car and drove about fifteen miles to the company’s physical store. There were several birds of a feather behind the tech desk, and one of them solved my problem in less than five minutes.

Face-to-face is still my favorite way to meet with people. It can be two or three, ten or twenty . . . it doesn’t matter. I like the personal connection.

These are Spoonbill Cranes

Birds of a feather flock together in small or large groups. All my life I’ve enjoyed being part of a faith community. I flocked into a variety of settings, such as small groups, large congregations, staff meetings, potlucks and special events.

Group size is not the issue. What matters is the fulfillment of purpose expressed in Hebrews 10:24 and 25: Meeting to love and encourage one another through long days and hard times.

Be, or become, part of a flock with a positive purpose. We can never have too much encouragement to keep the faith and continue doing good.            

A Meaningless Re-do

A MEANINGLESS RE-DO

It never would have happened if my husband had not insisted that we must cooperate.

What was the problem?

His and Her Wedding Rings

Our Pastor had decided to have a day to honor marriages. No problem there. I’m fully in favor of celebrating commitment.

I was fine until I heard the plan for ending the service.

Not only was the pastor going to ask all married couples in the audience to stand, he was going to call the staff to the platform. We would all repeat our vows after him.

There was the problem.

I said, “I love you, Honey, but I can’t do it.”

He said, “I know you love me, but we have to do this.”

“Maybe I can be gone that Sunday,” I said, knowing full well I would be there. I thought I’d probably feel worse as a deserter than a target on stage.

Daily routines kept me busy. I tried to forget that Sunday was coming. I usually enjoyed going to church because the people were very friendly and accepting.

Make a List -- Get It Done

Working with this pastor and his wife was a joy to me, too. But I couldn’t ask to be excused because of loyalty to my husband.

The dreaded Sunday arrived. As planned, the pastor concluded his sermon and called the staff forward.  On the platform, as we faced each other, my husband quietly said, “We’ll be OK.”

I had always said, “I meant my vows the first time and I don’t ever intend to repeat them.” I strongly felt that for me it would take something precious away from the original.

As we started to repeat the vows, I started crying. How embarrassing!

I was happy in my marriage, but what would people think? I was thankful my husband kindly escorted me off stage. I wished I could disappear.

My father-in-law saved the day. As I tried to slip out the back door he said, “Well, Dar, it was just like the first time.”  He smiled and laid a hand on my shoulder. What a relief. I knew Dad understood and life could go on.

Love and Understanding Help A Day Go Better

No one ever mentioned my tears, not even the pastor. And I’ve never again been asked to repeat my vows. I’d have to be true to myself and refuse.

I'm sure my husband would agree for a couple of reasons: 1) It would be nice to avoid another embarrassing moment, and 2) he knows repeating my vows would be, for me, a meaningless re-do.

Any couple choosing to repeat their vows has my full support. We all need to be free to choose what means the most to us.

Solomon had some good advice: When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it (keep your word) . . . Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 NKJV).

It doesn’t matter if it’s the first time around, or a re-do.

God Bless You

GOD BLESS YOU

Cell Phones Do Text Messaging

I’ve been thinking about these three little words since a friend used them to close a recent text message.

I replied, “Thank you, I receive that." In my mind that was like saying “amen” at the end of a prayer.

Amen is a word of agreement, like saying “it is so,” or “so be it.” 

To bless someone is to wish them well. What better way than to call upon God, who is greater than you, to make it happen?

One of my favorite blessings is in Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV). It’s called “The Priestly Blessing.” Even today I love it when a pastor or priest closes a service with these words:

The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.

Morning Coffee Goes Good With Bible Reading

While leading the great Exodus, God told Moses to instruct the priests to bless the people with those words.

Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, says the priestly blessing, though spoken to a group, was to be received individually.

The same principle of individuality is indicated in Romans 10:12 (NIV):  “. . . the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him . . .”  

Saying “God Bless You” is a way of calling upon Him. But might I give a word of caution? Do not say it mindlessly. It’s NOT a breezy saying like Have A Nice Day.

I would suggest: 1) Don’t say “God Bless You” unless you really mean it, and 2) If someone says it to you, confirm it by saying, “I receive that.”

This three-word blessing can be powerful. 

Propelled by Hope

PROPELLED BY HOPE

Small Planes Need Propellers

Small planes and motor boats have something in common: propellers. Though they differ in size their purpose is the same: power to get moving.

Humans have a hidden propeller called hope. I think it gets us moving each day. 

In Arizona, as you drive from Wickenburg to Quartzsite, you'll find Hope. It's a tiny settlement in what some would say is "the middle of nowhere." But big signs on each end of town make me smile.

First I read "You Are Now Entering Hope." Seconds later I read "You Are Now Beyond Hope." I enjoy the town's sense of humor.

I always wonder who named this place? Did they find hope and stay there, or did it propel them on?

Even in a car equipped with air conditioning, my trip feels long. There's not much to break up the view. The land on both sides of the road is treeless, filled with lots of cactus and plenty of clear blue sky.

Covered Wagons Were A Rough Ride

I think of pioneers on this road over a century before me. Their trail was dusty, the sun was hot and covered wagons were not a soft ride. Their journey must have seemed endless, but history proves they did not give up.

Wagon trains plodded westward. People moved forward with hope. Some were to join family already established in the west. Others hoped to homestead land or find steady jobs. 

Hope propelled them from the known to the unknown on a daily basis.

I like the practical explanation of hope in Romans 8:24-25 which says, " . . . hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Hope is a powerful four-letter word, but it's no shortcut in life.

Read the above definition again. Do you see a couple of words you might like to avoid? How about "wait" and "patiently." 

My mother-in-law, actually named Hope, lived up to her name. As a young mother, she contracted polio and was in an iron lung for months.

Told she would never walk again, she was sent home with braces. But hope burned strong in her heart. She wanted to walk freely.

When I met her years later, she did not even use a cane. I was surprised to hear her story. It was one of hope, faith, prayer and perseverance.

Deserts Do Have Life

Hope may seem no stronger than a whisper inside us at times, but don't push it down. Take it to heart, let it propel you.

When progress seems slow, don't give up . . . persevere!

French Fries and Onion Rings

FRENCH FRIES and ONION RINGS

Eat Fries While They're Hot

My husband and I were visiting his family when Dad came in and said, “Who was eating French fries in my truck?” There was silence as the rest of us in the room looked at each other.

Mom never drove the truck, and neither my husband nor I could remember eating French fries. So, not getting the satisfaction of an answer, Dad went out to finish cleaning up his pickup.

The incident reminded me of a quote by American humorist Erma Bombeck: Onion rings in the car cushions do not improve with time.

Whether onion rings or French fries, hidden scraps lose their charm. Cold and greasy, they’re about as appealing as jellybeans to a chocolate lover.

We like the idea of nice hot fries or rings, so we plunge ahead and place an order. When they arrive, we dig in and enjoy both aroma and taste. But as we get full, we slow down and lose interest.

Good Ideas Light Up Our World

Every day people come up with good ideas to help others. Some even research ways to develop them. But enthusiasm does not always carry a project to completion. You might hear a conversation like this:

“Hey, what happened to that project you were working on?”

“Which project?” you ask, stalling for time.

 “You know, the one for the homeless."

It’s been months since you worked on that project. Why are they asking now? Feeling awkward you say, “I raised some funds over Christmas, but then I got interested in another project.”

“Oh? The needs were met then? No more need?”

The crumbs of your neglect have been uncovered; now you’re squirming. “No, the need is still there but so are many others. I made a little difference at least. How about you? Any helpful projects on your list?”

Your goal, if you can’t change the subject, is to at least move the spotlight away.

Simple to Order

Ideas and goals are like fresh orders of fries or rings. They have great appeal. Placing the order may be easy, but can you finish them?

Jesus gave some great advice in Luke 14:28-33: Count the cost BEFORE you start something.

Life may be more satisfying if you avoid the crumbs of good intentions.