Most of us have experienced the event of a little girl selling 'Girl Scout Cookies' ...and it was not like that famous clip of W. C. Fields, 'The Little Girl'. And the little girl was not selling cookies, though his interaction with the little girl was not kind, "Go on, get outta here! Come on ...scram!"
When I was younger, I remember people trying to imitate his very recognizable voice, saying, "Go away, little girl ...your momma's calling you!"
But, that wouldn't work because as I remember, the 'momma' was standing right there, encouraging her little girl right along ...to sell those 'Girl Scout Cookies'. And yes, most of us have had this experience ...and we have bought the cookies, so we know which ones we like the most.
But, what if her ambitious little twin brother was also standing by ...and he wanted to get in on the action. Since he didn't want to do the Girl Scout thing ...suppose he made his own cookies. And suppose he was more interested in the words of affirmation, and didn't care about the money ...so he was giving the cookies away.
Yes, you would likely accept the cookies from the little boy, and say something like, "That was real nice of you ...thank you very much!" But, when you got home, would you eat the cookies? I know from personal experience that birds like cookies.
And what if the little boy was so encouraged that he brought you another batch of cookies the following week ...and the week after, and the week after that??
I am no longer a little boy ...and I am not a twin. Honestly, nor was I the one baking cookies. I did eat my share of Mom's baking though.
Some people would say I am well-fed ...and that's okay, as I do agree. Yet, some people are like the character played by W. C. Fields ---not very kind, and would say some of my ideas are also half-baked. And I would likely laugh if someone said that to me also.
I was not one to quickly join others in their criticism of individuals whom we were working with ---rather, I wanted to help those who God is not finished with yet ---and yes, that includes me too. So, besides my daily showing up for work, I also attempted to do something I was not at all good at in school ---and that was writing.
To be a good writer, it would seem logical to be also a good reader ---which I was also not. I've read about a hundred books in my lifetime, and close to two-thirds of them were comic books.
Yet, I wanted to (and still do desire to) relate to those whom I saw (see) struggling ---so, I found myself writing.
I find it difficult to just watch the struggles, and during my years of employment, I was very active in attempting to make things better in whatever work environment I was in.
As an adult, I see most of the youth are the same as I was ---not reading much, and with social media it is clear that brevity is certainly encouraged. So, by the time I got around to publishing what I wrote, book stores are closing down, and libraries are not crowded ---and interest in reading an actual book is becoming more and more obsolete, except for a select few from around my generation and older. My dad still likes to read, but he is 97 years old ...and he can't focus like he used to.
I know this may not be a fair assessment of how things are ---as it is just my limited observation and perception. So, instead of making any value judgment, I will just relay my experiences of when I share my writing.
The response I often get is not "thank you very much", but I get a hug. It is indeed a polite response. Though with a hug, the embrace does not allow for me to see the expression on their face.
And in a way, the most common response I get is similar to when one of our two dogs died ...a hug. There are no words to quite accurately describe those feelings ...and it is not usually known how attached someone is to their dog.
Some people also say, "I'm so sorry." But, no one has ever given me that response after I had given them one of my books. There are usually no words, and usually no words in the following weeks ...as not to bring up the painful subject again.
And that is a good thing too ...after all, Mom always taught me: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."
I certainly don't want to misrepresent here ...and I have had compliments, and once even encouragement along with it.
But, I guess I'm a bit like the little boy who keeps baking those cookies ...as I keep writing, and it seems I didn't need too much encouragement. I now have ten books (thirteen now, as I edit this blog). Yet, unlike the little boy with the cookies, I don't keep presenting the books. I wouldn't want you to have a cookie jar filled with stale cookies, nor would I want your bookshelf to be a dusty collection of literary works solely taking up space for fear someone may be offended.
My mom was loving that way too. There were six of us kids, and most of us now live several hundred miles away ...so that gave her adequate time to take things out of the closet and display those things that were given to both of them from whatever child was about to visit. I found this out when I came a day early and witnessed it.
Another poor analogy: A Mom encouraged her teen or young adult child to attempt to go on the TV show, 'American Idol'. It's no surprise that Simon thought the contestant was not good, but it's rare when all of the judges agree that the person sings badly. Parents can be blind with their love, and in this case deaf ...but was the encouragement by the parent good in this case, if the end result is embarrassment in front of an audience of millions of TV viewers?
Just like cookies can sometimes be bad, it may be the impression that my writing is not good ...and perhaps not of the content of what someone wants to be part of their appetite for reading. I worked in a mental health environment, and at times it left a bad taste in my mouth ...yet, what I've written about doesn't even come close to what I've come to find out through my years of working there, and even more intense were the reports of crimes that sadly later landed them in the prison system.
Those who've had to endure the kind of lives most of us don't aspire to ---may actually be able to relate better to what I'm attempting to communicate ---and perhaps they are much better off for having come through some of those experiences. What I try to do always ...is not avoid or ignore the problem, but to attempt to see if I can discern how I can turn to God to navigate through the problem.
Everyone's option is to choose whether to ignore the problem ...and that may also include ignoring me. And don't feel guilty for your decision. Just don't ignore God. Everyone's life is unique and though we should encourage each other, often we have to accept God's encouragement in our own life first to be most useful to others.
If you seek peace with God, and find it comforting to read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John ...then that is foremost what everyone should do. After all, Jesus is the answer to our struggles and the source of true joy.
Enough said ???
Well, it should be ...but, I often can't leave well enough alone. And speaking of reading Matthew ....Chapter 25 speaks of talents, one having five, one having two, and one having one. If I perceive 'talent' to mean gifts, and it is not clear what my talent is, or perhaps when I choose to share my perceived talents ...yes, perhaps I'm like that person on 'American Idol' who seemed to have had a hole dug, and at this point was laughed at, and encouraged to bury that talent. The judges made it clear that this person didn't have any musical talent at all ...so, of course, we need others to help us discern these things. If we do indeed have a talent, it would seem good to share it. But, if we don't have much talent in a certain area ...is it good to continue to pursue that which truly is not a gift of ours?
It may seem like I've already dug the hole ...so, help me discern whether I should bury the book there ...or give it over to the money changers (Amazon?). Don't worry, I'd never feel so discouraged that I'd think of jumping in the hole I dug ...even if you think that may be a novel idea.
Now, I'm trying to decide what to write on the back of one of my books, so somehow I've broken off from my other thoughts, and am just using this space ---it's like the space between my ears, likely to be filled with lots of stuff (though my default is to come back to ---not my fault, but my joy ---thoughts about God.
Not a disclaimer:
The views expressed in the content of this book which are quoted from the Bible, I view as God's Word, and I embrace those quotes.
You could say I'm content with the care that was taken to preserve the 'content' of what we have in the Bible.
I say, "Content ...content ...content!!" Sort of like when people speak of real estate, saying, "Location ...location ...location!!" And I think that is important for eternal consideration also.
Not a disclaimer:
The views expressed in the content of this book are not solely mine, yet I carefully chose the many quotes listed ...as there is so much in those words, and I want to pass on to you that which was preserved for us all to potentially read.
Having read it, and now sharing it ...it could be said that I am content with the 'content'.
I say, "Content ...content ...content!!"
It's somewhat similar to when people speak of real estate, and say, "Location ...location ...location!!" And I feel that is important for eternal consideration also.
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