Advent – Hope, Peace, Joy, Love | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on December 21, 2023:

To the world at large, “advent” is just a word that means the beginning of an event, the invention of something, or the arrival of a person. However, on the Christian church calendar, it is the period of four weeks before Christmas, and in a larger perspective, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. This year Advent began on Sunday, December 3, and will culminate on Sunday, December 24.

One of the traditions surrounding this season is the Advent wreath. The wreath includes four candles, one for each Sunday, and some include a fifth candle which represents Jesus, the reason behind the whole celebration. The colors of the four candles vary with some having three purple candles representing penance and one pink candle representing joy and others having four red candles. But the fifth candle is always white.

Even though the colors of the candles and the use of the wreath may differ somewhat, there seems to be agreement about the meaning of each of the four weeks. The first Sunday represents Hope, the second is Peace, the third is Joy, and the fourth is Love. In thinking back through the past month and in looking through the holiday pictures and posts that are so prevalent on social media this time of year, I found some ordinary examples of the extraordinary truths of the Christmas season.

Thoughts on the Israel-Hamas War | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on October 19, 2023:

On October 7 of this year, Hamas began an ongoing armed conflict with Israel by launching approximately 3,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip toward central and southern Israel. As I considered this week’s column, it seemed inappropriate to continue writing about fallen limbs and Kitty toys without addressing the situation that has the attention of the entire world. The problem is that I am not a big picture kind of writer, focusing more on personal and community human interest stories. But Sunday morning, before beginning his sermon, Pastor Jason Rolen answered the most common question he has received since the hostilities began – how should we think about and react to the situation? With his permission, I want to share his thoughts with you.

• Remember the power of the Gospel – it is greater than terrorism.
• You don’t have to know all the answers, and you don’t have to explain it.
• Don’t use the current situation as an opportunity to speculate on the end times. Such speculation will distract us from the main thing which is to trust in God.
• Think biblically about the nation of Israel, about how the Old Testament portrays God’s promises to Israel.
• We know that there are sleeper terrorist cells in the U.S. that could be activated at any time. But instead of living in fear because of this truth, direct your thoughts toward eternal things. Ground yourself in the local church – help, encourage, and serve one another, and let these activities be the center of your life.
• Don’t watch or read all the news on television and social media. Their purpose is not really to inform but rather to get viewers and increase their ratings.
• Pray for the salvation of those on both sides of the war, especially the leaders, and pray for Christians on both sides to be bold in their witness.

The Voice of the Martyrs is an international nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend the human rights of persecuted Christians. In their most recent newsletter, they listed some specific prayer requests from churches in the affected areas.

• Pray for provisions to meet the practical needs of those in their community. Because of the war, the church is unable to deliver essential items such as food and fuel to their congregants and surrounding community.
• Communication is currently very limited between family members living in some of the affected areas. Pray for improved communications capability and that the peace of Christ will be revealed to our brothers and sisters during this time of crisis.
• Leaders of a church, located in one of the communities infiltrated by Hamas in the initial attack, request prayer for wisdom regarding when and how to share the love of Christ with those in their community.
• The home of one front-line worker’s parents was bombed in the fighting. Please pray that the Lord will fill their hearts with comfort and peace.

They also suggested some more general ways to pray:

• Pray for peace in the region and for this war to end quickly.
• Pray for families who have lost loved ones, that the Lord will fill their hearts with comfort and peace.
• Pray that Christians across the land will have peace and will be salt and light. Pray that all their financial and physical needs will be met.
• Pray that the Lord will lead many to know Him, so that they may repent and be saved.
• Finally, pray that the Lord will grant wisdom to front-line workers as they minister to those affected by the war.

Pastor Rolen ended his pre-sermon talk by reminding us to trust God and not to panic. He said we should be content to know that we have an inheritance in Heaven.

Blessings,

Linda

Aren’t you afraid? by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on May 18, 2023:

By the time you read this, I will be home recovering from a major case of jet lag after having marked a very big item off my bucket list. David and I, along with nineteen other friends and church family will have spent an amazing week in Israel. I’ll probably share a bit more about that later, but since I’m writing this before we leave home I’ll back up a bit.

Mom and Dad traveled to the Holy Land twice when they were young and healthy in mind and body, and I always longed to go – but the time wasn’t right. Then we moved to Emory and joined BBC who has their own resident travel agent. I watched several groups go and come back aglow with experiences that went deeper than words or pictures could tell. Finally, this year the time was right and David and I hopped on board – pun intended. Those of us who are going have already developed a special bond that I’m sure will deepen during the trip. Those who have been share their favorite memories, those whose time has not yet come wistfully ask about details of the trip, and absolutely everybody asks if we’re getting excited. But the ones that surprise me are the ones who ask, “Aren’t you scared?”

 When I say no, they ask if I’m aware of what is going on in that area of the world, and regardless of what I say, they proceed to tell me. Tensions have increased between Israel and Palestine this year, and some who are supposed to know about these things believe the growing violence might lead to another uprising against Israel like the ones in 1978 and 2000.

Church Family | By Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on September 27, 2023:

Sunday was a great day with our church family at Believers’ Baptist. That was the opening sentence I planned for a simple article about some touching vignettes I saw on the first day of this week. But one thing some people don’t like about Christians is when we use “churchy” words without explanation. So, of course, I went to Google.

I found an article on BibleStudyTools.com titled Why Do Christians Say “Church Family?” It was dated September 22, 2022 and was written by Pamela Palmer. She opened with “Being part of the body of Christ can oftentimes feel like being part of a family.” She goes on to explain that the Bible frequently used family terms when talking about fellow believers, and she quotes many verses to back up her point. The idea of family captures the depth of life shared by people who go to church together, and I witnessed some of those moments on Sunday.

As usual, David and I separated at the front door – he went to the Fellowship Hall to get a cup of coffee, and I went to the foyer to get a bulletin. This week I detoured to Pastor Jason’s office to give him a big coffee-table-style book titled “Josephus: The Jewish War” that I had found at the Friends of the Library Book Sale. I knew he’d love it because he loves books, especially books about history – family knows that kind of thing about each other.

Good Friday – Revisited

A classic post from two years ago.

Published in the Rains County Leader on March 30, 2021:

Holy Week began this past Sunday and ends this coming Sunday on Easter. But before we can get to Resurrection Sunday, we have to go through Good Friday.

Good Friday is the day when Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus. Because it’s a somber day with an intense religious meaning, few if any traditional celebrations or secular customs have developed around it. Instead, this solemn day is often observed with worship services, prayer, penance, and fasting.

One of the first questions that comes up around this sacred day is why the observation of such a grim reality is call “Good.” There are several theories, but one makes a little more sense than the others. One idea is that Good Friday derives from “God’s” Friday; however, there’s no evidence of this in the history of the word. Another idea is that Jesus’ death for the forgiveness of sins was a good thing, so the anniversary of that event is a good thing, a Good Friday. Although, this might be a logical theory, those who are supposed to know about these things believe there is a better one. They say that at one time good meant holy. In some traditions, the Friday of Holy Week has been called Sacred Friday, Passion Friday, and in German, Sorrowful Friday. Other days of this week are called Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, and so forth. So it seems reasonable that just as Holy Thursday has become Maundy Thursday, Holy Friday has become Good Friday.

For some reason, the church in which I was raised didn’t observe Good Friday at all, but instead jumped straight from Palm Sunday to the Resurrection. My first question was why. My guess was that the church leaders came from a tradition in which all appearance of ritual was avoided. New ideas were not welcome either, but I suspect new blood has also made new ideas – and possibly a Good Friday service – more acceptable.

The next thing I wondered was if that church had any Good Friday hymns. I have four different hymnals at home. As far as where they came from – don’t ask, don’t tell. I will say that every church pianist from the era before video screens probably has a collection of hymn books in either a piano bench or a bookcase. A search of the Topical Indexes in my hymnals turned up only one Good Friday section with only three hymns.

To be fair, two indexes had a section called Suffering and Death, one had a section on The Passion, and several had sections titled Blood, Calvary, or The Cross. Some of the songs in these sections were Go to Dark Gethsemane, Tis Midnight; and on Olive’s Brow, O Sacred Head Now Wounded, There is a Fountain, The Old Rugged Cross – the same songs that were sung once a quarter when we celebrated The Lord’s Supper. My theory is that conservative churches didn’t have Good Friday services during the era when hymnals were used so Good Friday hymns weren’t needed.

As an adult, I’ve been to several Good Friday services. Some have been very serious, emphasizing the crucifixion and ending with Communion. Some seem to be mostly a rehearsal for Easter Sunday, focusing on the Resurrection and uplifting songs about the Risen Lord. The most meaningful one I’ve attended was a candlelight service. I don’t remember the beginning, but in the last several minutes, the only light in the sanctuary was from a half dozen candles at the front. A person stood behind each candle, quoted a verse about the passion, and then extinguished his or her candle. When the last candle was extinguished, we were in complete darkness. The house lights gradually came up, and the congregation exited in total silence. It was almost the perfect Good Friday service. The only way it could have been better was if, while we were sitting in the dark, a recording of S.M. Lockridge reciting It’s Friday, but Sunday’s Coming was played. 

This last year has been extremely difficult for most of us, and it hasn’t improved for many. As we go through Holy Week and beyond, remember this – it may be Friday, but Sunday’s coming.

Blessings,

Linda

Local Couple in The Chosen | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on June 30, 2022:

The Chosen is described on its website as “a fan-supported, seven-season episodic television series that creates an authentic and intimate picture of Jesus’ life and ministry, seen through the eyes of the people who knew Him.” It is also described as the #1 highest crowd-funded entertainment project of all-time, raising $10 million for Season 1 and over $40 million for Seasons 2 and 3. A press release says The Chosen has garnered praise from critics and fans alike for its historical and biblical accuracy, playful spirit, stirring drama, genuine humor, and disruptive impact.

The Chosen is offered free of charge on mobile and smart TV apps. Some income is generated for future episodes through the sale of series merchandise, but the majority of the funds comes from viewers who “pay it forward” by donating at certain levels based on the number of episodes that will be viewed for free because of their gift. Since they believed strongly in the project, local couple Kent and Stella Larson decided to support the series.

The Larsons faithfully followed website updates and newletters, and when a casting call for extras in Season 3 went out to funding partners early this year, their interest was piqued. Donors and immediate family members were eligible to participate and singles could bring one friend. The Larsons signed up and were accepted for the feeding of the 5,000 scene. Around the first of March Kent began to let his beard and hair grow, and they began to work on their costumes. Participants were given a choice of who they wanted to be – Jews, Greeks, Romans – and they were given a color palate based on that choice. Because of their Scandanavian and Northern European heritage, the Larsons opted to dress as merchants from the north.

Sunday’s Coming! by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on April 14, 2022:

Last week was a hard one, not so much for me personally, but for several people who are important to me. A friend lost a long-fought battle with cancer, a family member was unjustly accused of scandalous behavior, a sweet young lady lost her first love, and a friend who is normally the life of the party is suffering through a bout of depression. As if that weren’t enough, we’re entering the week on the Christian calendar during which we remember the betrayal, death, and burial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In deciding what to share this week, my thoughts drifted back to a time when my own son experienced what the doctor called a psychotic depression. To paraphrase the opening line from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, it was the worst of times, but it ended up being the best of times. Following is an excerpt from my first memoir about a special day during that time:

My heart ached as I watched this brilliant young man, who was always going, doing, thinking, or creating, do little more than exist. Day after day, wearing baggy shorts, a t-shirt, and a baseball cap, he sat in front of the TV until I came home from work. His long, blond hair that was normally meticulously washed and brushed became stringy and oily, and more often than not, he forgot to eat. He lost weight and began to look severely emaciated. His normally erect posture became slumped and downcast. He visited with Dr. E periodically and took the various medications he prescribed, looking for the magic combination that would break the bonds that held him in his pit. I continued to pray.

Community | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains  County Leader on August 20, 2019:

According to several on-line dictionaries, community is 1) a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common and 2) a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

Last weekend I attended the 5^th Annual White Chapel Girls Retreat at the White Chapel Bed & Breakfast in Mountain Home, Texas. Every year about this time, a dozen women withdraw from everyday responsibilities and gather for Bible study and prayer along with lots of food and fellowship.

Before it became a B and B, the site of the retreat was simply the home of Julee White, a woman with a heart that is much bigger than the six acres on which she lives. She has the gift of hospitality, and because of this, she has become the go-to place for strays of all kinds. At present, she has 4 dogs, 4 cats, 7 goats, and 3 donkeys in residence. The dogs and cats have free access through a pet door into the laundry room where they find a variety of food and water dishes which, although intended to be species specific, are often shared equally. The donkeys and goats share their food with each other as well as with the small herd of deer that sidle over when they hear the door to the feed shed squeak open. In addition to the four-legged critters, Julee feeds her feathered friends from countless hummingbird and regular bird feeders. The deer have been known to help themselves to the spillage there as well. Because of her many mealtime guests, especially the goats who have become very well-rounded since coming to live with her, Julee originally named her place the F & H (Fat & Happy) Ranch .

Julee also has many human friends, and her home is a museum of their love. Her lawn is encircled by a walking path lined with yard art, and her front walk is embedded with mementos, all from people who love her. The interior of her home is filled with treasures, and she can tell you who gave her each piece and when.

However, the focal point is the White Chapel, also referred to as the Broken Chapel. Several years ago, Julee felt a Divine Call to build a chapel toward the back of her property. She tried to brush the idea off, but it wouldn’t go away. She wanted it to have special meaning, so she sent out a call to friends for materials that were broken or discarded from other projects, and the response was overwhelming. The resulting chapel is more than can be described in this small space, but it is all she had imagined and more.

In 2014 Julee received a call from two friends who wanted to organize several women’s retreats, and they wanted to know if she wanted to participate. “Now I know why God wanted me to build the Chapel,” she said through tears. “Can we have one here?”

Friend invited friend, and in August of 2015 ten women invaded Julee’s home for the first annual White Chapel Girls Retreat. We were all a little uneasy at first. Some of us knew only one other person, and the teacher had never done anything of this scope, but Julee wasn’t fazed. She spread air mattresses on the floor, pulled casseroles out of the freezer, and by the end of the long weekend, we were all Fat and Happy sisters.

Five years later, the F & H Ranch has become the White Chapel Bed & Breakfast, and the White Chapel Girls, now an even dozen, have become a community. For most of the year, we live in places scattered across the country, but for one weekend a year we live together. I don’t know if that qualifies us as a community, but we definitely have a particular characteristic in common – we all believe in Jesus as our personal Savior. As for the second definition, that fits us to a Tee. Throughout the year, we share attitudes, interests, and goals through Facebook and email so that each year there is a feeling of fellowship as if we had been apart days instead of months.

On our last night together, we shared Communion in the Chapel. Community and Communion come from the same root word, and one definition of Communion is sharing or exchanging intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level. As we communicated with God and remembered His sacrifice, we also looked around the circle and thanked God for each other.

Our world has become a scattered place where we can live, work, shop, and travel without ever seeing another person. But like Julee’s menagerie of birds and animals, we were made for community. “Reach out and touch someone” is more than a telephone company commercial.

Blessings,

Linda

Fallen Angel Salvage

Tatia’s Tattoo

Mom’s Long Goodbye

A Long and Winding Road

Marked for Life | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on June 18, 2019:

I’m home with all bones intact but with a heart that has more marks than I can count. Let me back up a step or two in case you didn’t read my last column. I went to Royal Family Kids Camp last week, a very special place where kids in foster care can spend five days and four nights just being kids and having fun in a safe environment. In 2013 I served as a counselor and came home with a broken ankle and a broken heart. This time I was the camp scribe. I wasn’t as actively involved in the organized games and other strenuous activities – and David was home praying that he would get his wife back in one piece – so I came home physically undamaged. But as I watched and listened with the eyes and ears of a writer, I saw and heard the struggles, heartaches, and triumphs of more children and counselors than before when I was focused on the two campers that were my responsibility. There are more stories than I can write, but here are a few.

“Jane” was so afraid of the water that she brought her own life jacket and continuously questioned her counselor about the lifeguard’s ability to save her if she got into trouble. All campers are required to pass a swim test in order to venture into the deeper end of the pool or to go over to the pond. She wanted to take the test, but she was afraid, so she practiced long and hard. By Wednesday, she was ready to try. Everyone in the pool area had seen her struggle, and they all stopped to watch. When she passed, the cheers and applause were deafening. The wrist band she earned became her pink badge of courage, and she showed it to anyone who would look the rest of the week.

The Good Light | by Linda Brendle

Published in the Rains County Leader on March 12, 2019:

I’ve learned a lot about good and bad light from Connie, my photographer neighbor. Good light results in pictures that make me look like I want to look, and bad light makes me look like I do in a changing room mirror under the awful lighting the retail stores seem to favor.

It’s difficult to take good pictures inside our home, at least in the daytime. There are windows in every room, and I’ve learned that natural light pouring in from one of those windows results in washed out photos and lots of silhouettes. After several unsuccessful attempts to capture Kitty in her condo, which is in front of a large window, Connie advised me to change my position by ninety degrees so the light would illuminate my subject from the side. The result is one of my favorite pictures of Kitty. She is looking out through one of the round holes in the side of the condo with a regal look on her face and a halo of light bouncing off her shiny fur.