Our story takes place in Everytown, USA. It is a picture-perfect, 'Chamber of Commerce' Saturday morning with blue skies and warm sunshine. Best friends, Status Quo and Mediocrity, are sitting on a bench near the curb waiting patiently at a bus stop. They pass the time by going through the motions and conversing about their plans for the day. Suddenly, Status Quo exclaims, “Hey! What’s that coming toward us?” Mediocrity looks in the direction of Status Quo’s pointed finger and says, “I’m not sure. It doesn’t look like our regular bus. I think it’s an RV.” Mediocrity is correct. The RV slowly approaches and stops right in front of them. All traffic behind the RV comes to a screeching halt and the sounds of honking car horns and angry motorists ring in the air. As the tinted window begins to roll down, the two friends lean forward from the bench, squinting their eyes from the sun, while trying to get a glimpse of the driver. Extraordinary is sitting behind the wheel. He greets his friends warmly and beckons them to come closer. Status Quo and Mediocrity walk toward the RV but remain on the curb. Extraordinary asks if they’d like to join him for a ride. While he’s speaking, Status Quo and Mediocrity hear laughter and bantering coming from the back of the RV. The voices sound familiar, and they ask Extraordinary who’s traveling with him. “Oh, I’ve just been picking up friends and acquaintances along the way because I don’t want to journey alone." Without leaving the curb, Status and Medio peer through the large passenger side window. Seated at a table in the back of the RV are the familiar faces of Unchangeable, Shortcoming, and Second Fiddle. Extraordinary gets their attention and they look up from their board game. Once the trio get a glimpse of Status Quo and Mediocrity, they rush to the front of the RV. Extraordinary relaxes in the driver’s seat and listens to the conversation between the five friends.

“What have you guys been up to?” says Status Quo.
“Yeah, we haven’t seen you all at the bus stop lately,” chimes Mediocrity.  “We used to spend every Saturday morning going through the motions right over there on that bench. We’ve missed you.”
Status Quo echoes the sentiment, “Yeah, we’ve missed you!”

Unchangeable responds first. “Yeah, I know. My life really hasn’t been the same since Extraordinary came by in his RV. I’ve been having a wonderful time doing new things and meeting new people. It’s so exciting."

“I know what you mean,” says Shortcoming. Everywhere we go, people that used to know Second Fiddle and I (they’re brothers) say we don’t even look the same. We’ve been doing things that we were afraid to try before since we never felt like we could do a great job. Extraordinary has been so kind to us. We feel confident – even when we mess up sometimes.”

Extraordinary interrupts the conversation to address Status Quo and Mediocrity directly. “Listen, we’ve got to get going. Why don’t you two join us? The RV has plenty of room.  I’m not always sure about how to get to our final destination, but I’ve got this awesome GPS system that keeps us from getting lost. We are doing amazing things and making some fantastic memories along the way. What do you say?”

Unchangeable, Short Coming and Second Fiddle encourage their two friends to get onboard.  Extraordinary gets up from the driver’s seat, opens the door to the RV and extends a hand. “Just step off the curb and come inside.”

Afraid and unsure, Status Quo and Mediocrity look at each other as their familiar city bus turns the corner and makes its way toward them…

Have a great weekend,
Phylicia



Nuggets and Pearls is a blog written by Phylicia Perry, founder of Sisterhood Of Servants, for the purpose of delivering encouragement and inspiration for everyday living directly to your inbox. If you would like to receive notification of the blog posts automatically, simply sign up as a friend of the blog on the right side of the web page.

©2011 Phylicia Perry. All rights reserved

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. I’ve been listening to the voices of Andy Williams and Johnny Mathis crooning to this old, Christmas standard for weeks (no one at my house listens to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving). As the days leading up to December 25th march on with increasing speed, friends, neighbors, television and radio personalities will ask this question: “Are you ready for Christmas?”

Just yesterday, on two separate occasions, I was asked that very thing. My response was an enthusiastic, “yes!” I knew what the questioner was asking, and I didn’t have to spend any time reading between the lines. She was inquiring as to whether my house was decorated, my Christmas baking and shopping done, and the gift wrapping complete. In our culture, these are the components that have become synonymous with ‘celebrating the season.’ I have to admit, in all honesty, that I adore the trappings that are unique to this time of year: the smells of sweet treats wafting through my kitchen, round the clock Christmas tunes on the radio and cd player, elaborate decorations and light displays, live nativity scenes, children’s pageants, crowded shopping malls, daily deliveries from the UPS driver, cards and newsletters from faraway friends, and wishes of Merry Christmas from total strangers!

I was engaged in a brief conversation with the postal clerk who was weighing my packages when she asked if I was ready for Christmas. I replied, “yes.” Her response was something like, “Boy. I’m not.” Later that day I thought more about our conversation. I had missed a golden opportunity with her. My goodness, there is so much more to being ready for Christmas than just getting the house decorated and shopping for the perfect gift. My thoughts immediately turned to a period in history, long ago in the town of Bethlehem, about 4 B.C. At that time Jewish people lived under the oppression of the Roman government, and they longed to be free from Caesar’s tyranny. Jewish lore for centuries past was filled with the stories of God’s provision and promise, his intimacy and love for this special race of people. However, for the past 400 years, there were no prophets living who, upon receiving God’s message, would share it with the people. The last word from God was a promise that redemption would come – freedom at last for the Jews. Sadly, the silence continued. Its deafening ring had called out through the ages. Hundreds and hundreds of years would be lived with no relief from the oppression, but the Jews remained hopeful. They wouldn’t ask the question as we do today — Are you ready for Christmas”? They would greet each other with a statement more akin to this: The Messiah will come this year. Are you ready?

Here’s a newsflash: The Messiah has already come to earth, as a miraculous baby born to a young virgin. His name is Jesus, the Christ. It’s his birth that we celebrate on December 25th. He wasn’t the mighty, military warrior that so many had longed for and expected, but he came with great power, nonetheless. He offered to all who would believe in him the promised gift that has been sought by mankind since the beginning of time: fellowship with the creator of the universe, redemption from sin, and eternal life.  Today, He still offers that very same gift to anyone who will receive it.

Second newsflash: Jesus is coming back! When he comes again, he won’t appear as a baby born in a sleepy, obscure little town. He’ll return as a triumphant King with power and glory and might and splendor! His return is imminent. Are you ready for Christmas?
 

 

 

Nuggets and Pearls is a blog written by Phylicia Perry, founder of Sisterhood Of Servants, for the purpose of delivering encouragement and inspiration for everyday living directly to your inbox.  If you would like to receive notification of the blog posts automatically, simply sign up as a friend of the blog on the right side of the web page.

©2011 Phylicia Perry. All rights reserved

I would venture to say that when most people hear the word nativity, the following images immediately flash through their mind: stable animals, an angelic choir, a young, pregnant woman and her nervous husband, an overcrowded inn, shepherds, wise men bearing gifts, and a wonderful baby! All of these images come together to form some part of the events and scenery surrounding the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Nativity simply means “birth,” and the word isn’t reserved only for use during the telling of the Christmas story. Everyone has at least one personal nativity story. I feel very blessed to have two…

The scene of my first nativity takes place in Meridian, Mississippi on August 18, 1969. Category 5 wind gusts and torrential rain from Hurricane Camille had blown though Mississippi the day before, and the Gulf Coast was a complete disaster zone. The city of Meridian, like all cities located near Camille’s track, was still reeling from the effects of her wrath on the 18th. Due to heeded warnings about the storm’s severity and projected area of landfall, death tolls were low. However, property and coastline damage were severe. At that time Camille was the second worse storm to make landfall on the United States. Decades later, hurricanes Andrew and Katrina would establish their own infamy.

Reports of the devastation bombarded the television and radio as my mother drove herself to Jeff Anderson Memorial Hospital, heavy with labor. My father was at work and was notified by his brother of my imminent arrival. At 5:04 pm, my mom gave birth to me, her third baby girl. Needless to say she and my dad did not name me Camille! I’ve been told I have a generally sunny disposition, but there might be others who would testify to my occasional stormy and wrathful persona. Perhaps Camille left a little of herself in me after all!

The scene of my second nativity is far different and takes place much later. It was in the middle of the parking lot of First Financial Management Corporation, on October 8, 1992. I was a twenty three year old woman who’d been married for two years, had a college degree, and was working full time as a supervisor in the Human Resources department of my company. On that particular day, I decided to eat lunch in my car. So many things were going on in my mind. I was beginning to have questions about my future and where I would ultimately spend eternity once I died. I had attended church fairly regularly as a child and into my teen years, so I was very familiar with most of the bible stories. However, it wasn’t until after I got married that I realized there must be more to this “Christianity thing,” and I began to investigate. My husband and I started attending a wonderful church, and I was learning so much about the bible. I became better acquainted with the story of Paul’s miraculous conversion to Christianity and his willingness to place his very life on the line just for proclaiming Jesus Christ as Messiah, the long-awaited savior of the world. I loved the tenderness of the exchange between Jesus and Nicodemus in John chapter 3 as Jesus explains that one must be born again (regardless of age or intellect) in order to have intimate fellowship with the creator of the universe and spend eternity in heaven with him.

I so enjoyed just being around people who seemed to have a genuine love for God. I became actively involved in various church ministries. I played my violin in the orchestra, served in Sunday school, and enjoyed church visitation on Monday nights. I was doing all of these really good works, and I knew the correct Christian lingo, but something was still missing. I knew the truths of the bible with my “head,” but I had never actually placed my faith in them. What is faith? It is simply belief that shapes and influences behavior. So, that October 8th, while sitting in my car, I bowed my head and had a conversation with Almighty God.

I talked with him about my doubts concerning my eternal security. I told him about my sinful, lifestyle practices and asked him to forgive me for the things that I had done wrong that I knew displeased him. I told him that I believe Jesus Christ truly is the son of God, and he paid the penalty for my sins by shedding his own blood on a cross, giving up his life in exchange for mine. I told him that I knew there weren’t enough good works that I could do that would guarantee my place in heaven. I thanked him for loving me and sending Jesus to die for me. I asked him to help me live my life in a way that would please him. When I raised my head, I was a different person. I was no longer dead in my sins, eternally separated from God. I had been made alive — I was born again! Now, the prayer I prayed didn’t have any magic words that had to be said in a certain order to secure my eternal home in heaven. Simply put, I was a new creature because I acknowledged and placed the weight of my faith on the fact that without the righteousness of Jesus and his work of sacrifice on my behalf there was no way I could ever be in right standing with God. I acknowledged that truth with my mouth and for the past 19 years, I’ve been attempting to profess that truth with my life.

I joyfully celebrate BOTH birthdays each year because I've been born twice. That explains the plural in the blog title. I hope you have two stories to share, as well.

With a thankful heart,
Phylicia
 

 

Nuggets and Pearls is a blog written by Phylicia Perry, founder of Sisterhood Of Servants, for the purpose of delivering encouragement and inspiration for everyday living directly to your inbox.  If you would like to receive notification of the blog posts automatically, simply sign up as a friend of the blog on the right side of the page

©2011 Phylicia Perry. All rights reserved
 

Swimming upstream against the current comes effortlessly to the person who is accustomed to using unconventional methods to tackle problems and reach goals. Men and women with this personality profile have been labeled pathfinders, pioneers, free thinkers, overachievers, trailblazers, and — troublemakers! These are the people who refuse to go along with the status quo and are unable to resist the call to “boldly go!” Sometimes their pro active, think-outside-the-box, can-do attitude is a constant thorn in the flesh to those who relish their comfort zone, live their lives on cruise control, and don’t want to upset the proverbial apple cart.

Human history is overflowing with these amazing individuals whose spirit of wanderlust and non- conformist views have not only survived the test of time but have inspired generation after generation. The journeys of Marco Polo inspired a young Christopher Columbus to think and dream about lands beyond the borders of Italy. The Apostle Paul’s call to take the gospel to people groups other than the Jews began some of the greatest missionary journeys in recorded history. Rosa Parks determined stance to remain “seated” gave birth to a Movement that dared to challenge the injustices of segregation. Think of the first suffragettes that paved the way for all women to have a voice in the political process. They endured the persecution of their peers, were imprisoned for their desire to be acknowledged at the polling place and at times were labeled insane because they were courageous enough to express their thoughts out loud. There are thousands of others.

It is true that accepting and welcoming the unknown can be frightening — particularly when the unknown manifests itself in the form of new ideas or challenges to an established methodology. However, these fears can be overcome with a willingness to be objective in thought while refusing to compromise on truth!

Here’s a bit of wisdom to tuck away for now. It may come in handy when faced with the prospect of new discovery that flies in the face of what is considered normal and acceptable: Unconventional is not the equivalent of unwise or ungodly. It is simply more akin to untested. What famous words are often spoken just before the death of fresh, new vision: “We’ve never done it that way before!”

 

Most readers of this blog post will probably remember the military initiatives waged against the Taliban and Saddam Houssein earlier in this century. The name given to the combat strategy by the U.S. Armed Forces was "Shock and Awe." I still remember the live television footage of the bombs and gunfire that lit up the sky that fateful April night in 2003. That wasn’t a beautiful array of color characteristic of a 4th of July fireworks display. Instead, images of eerie, yellowish-green explosions and a non-stop aerial assault filled the television screen - all made possible by advances in satellite technology. Shock and Awe was so named because its purpose was to overwhelm the enemy with a deluge of military force that would leave it paralyzed with no comparable counter-attack.  While there isn’t a physical enemy in my path hunting me down and attempting to thwart my plans and pursuits, my world has been turned upside down lately by a myriad of unforeseen circumstances that have left me feeling like I was drowning with no rescuers in plain sight. Consider the following story and analogy:

It is an ordinary summer day, and I am enjoying an afternoon at the beach. It isn’t too crowded, the sky is calm, there is just a whisp of a breeze, and the water temperature is perfect. I hunt for shark’s teeth, body surf, and giggle at the small fish that swim around my ankles. I’m careful not to venture too far from shore, always making sure my feet can touch the bottom. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a big wave comes up and knocks me off balance. Feeling a little unsettled, I head back toward the shore. Before I can get there, another wave hits me hard in the back, and it feels like the ground is slipping away beneath my feet. This time I actually lose my footing and fall over. My head plunges beneath the surface for a moment, and I swallow a little  water. I am completely disoriented and begin to cough. I don’t flail my arms in panic, but before I’m able to get my bearings and feel around for the stability of the ocean floor, another wave crashes into me. I am pulled further into the depths.

Far in the distance, I hear people on shore screaming to me. They say, “Be strong!” “Get up. You can do it!” “Don’t go under!” “Fight harder and kick your feet!” “Swim!” I hear what they are saying, but they don’t realize how powerful the waves are. They didn’t see the sneaky undertow that stole my footing. They don’t realize how hard it is to remain composed at a time like this when the reality that I could be carried out to sea at any moment with no means of preservation comes to the forefront of my thinking. I KNOW there is a possibility I might not survive because the longer I try to tread water, the weaker I become. But then, Praise the Lord, I feel something strong around my waist. Once my head gets upright and the stinging spray of salt water is blinked away, I can see that I am being pulled safely to shore. I lean back into the arms of my life preserver – helpless and thankful.

There is a real, paralyzing feeling of shock and helplessness that engulfs a person when faced with that situation. I’ve been assaulted by successive waves of bad news that are merciless in their timing and have left me shaking my head in confusion asking the questions, “Why this, Lord?” “Why now, Lord?” It seems like I can’t catch my breath. Coupled with that are well-meaning friends who want me to defeat my difficulties and live to testify another day! They cheer for my victory, and shout out their best attempt at encouragement from the sidelines. Yet, they are oblivious to the realities and details of my predicament.

This is a hard truth to accept and it isn’t a popular statement, but sometimes people don’t overcome their adversity. Sometimes they are consumed by it. We would much rather convince ourselves that difficult trials and consequences are reserved for those who bring those things upon themselves because they willingly choose to jump in the ocean despite the red flag warnings. What an untruth! Decent folks who play by the rules suffer and experience life-altering circumstances, too. There is no guarantee that I’ll survive or come out of the water stronger than when I went in...

That life preserver in the story is nothing short of the mercy of God. Because he is God, he has the authority to extend his mercy to whomever he chooses. That mercy may come in the form of a life preserver that pulls me out of the raging sea, but God’s mercy can also be found in the comfort that he supplies while I struggle through the full brunt of the storm’s fury! Even if I lose everything here on earth and don’t have an inspiring story of overcoming adversity to share with my grandkids, my future is secure. As a Christ-follower I know that I’ll spend eternity in the presence of my Savior, and that reality spurs me onward like nothing else can.