Patsy Cline is Dead?

When our granddaughter was four or five-years-old, she would listen to music as she drifted off to sleep. Some of her favorites were Disney classics,

Taylor Swift, Elvis Presley, and Patsy Cline. For a young child, she had eclectic musical tastes. She would go around the house each day, singing songs from these CDs, trying to mimic the actual performers.

When the Patsy Cline story was presented by an acting troupe at the historic Ryman Auditorium, our daughter-in-law took little Eva to see it. They were both enjoying it until the radio announcer announced Patsy’s plane had gone down. Eva, looking around tearfully said, “What’s wrong with these people? Patsy’s plane has gone down and everyone’s sitting here as if nothing has happened.”

Her mother realized then that Eva was unaware the singer had been dead for many years. She whispered to her daughter, “Honey, Patsy Cline died in this plane crash decades ago.”

Eva screamed, “Patsy Cline is dead? It can’t be. I listened to her singing last night.”

Her mom explained how taped music worked. She then followed up by saying, “It’s just like Elvis. You listen to him, and he’s been dead a long time.”

Eva wailed, “Elvis is dead, too?”

Communication requires both a speaker and a listener, but it’s important to note that the listener is processing the speaker’s information based on her own knowledge and experience. If the listener’s background does not allow her to process the data on an equal footing with the speaker, the connection is broken. Confusion reigns when we tell without asking questions to insure understanding.

The next time you think you are getting through to someone, be careful. Remember, she may not know, "Patsy Cline is dead". 

When You Can no Longer See the Path

Hiking one of the trails, in the Natchez Trace State Park, can be challenging. It’s not that the trails are too long or too steep. The problem is that you can easily lose the path. Natchez Trace has been almost swallowed up by Kudzu. Kudzu is a vine that was brought to TN, from Japan, with the idea that it could help prevent erosion. Its root system was too shallow to accomplish the intended goal. Kudzu proved to be a real problem for the state. It grows about 12”/day. It will grow up a tree and totally cover a forest quickly. When hiking, one has to be careful not to get one’s feet caught in the vines. Because of its invasive growth, the vines can cover trails more quickly than the park service can clear them.

On a recent visit, my husband and I were going for a short hike, just about a mile, through the forest. We came upon several spots in which we could no longer see the path. Blue paint, on tree trunks, is used to provide markers for hikers. Unfortunately, the kudzu climbs the trees, quickly covering up the markers. When we could no longer see the path, my husband reached up to pull down vines from trees, searching for blue paint. I stopped, not wanting to get caught in vines, until he figured out the way we should go. He found the way without too much trouble, but he had gotten ahead of me. I could no longer see him, but he called my name and I followed the sound of his voice. It presented a spiritual metaphor in my mind.

What do you do when you can no longer see the path you thought your life was taking? You had plans, but obstacles have gotten in the way. You thought you had your life mapped out; the way was clear in your mind. Then, the path became obstructed. It was no longer visible. Where do you go next? You can’t see the next marker.

“Faith is the substance of things not seen, the evidence of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1). When you can’t see the step in front of you, do you throw up your hands and give up? Do you turn around, and go back to the familiar? If you can see the path clearly, faith is not required. If faith is not required, that suggests that you’re not going to achieve anything except that which you can control. Do you really want such limitations on your life? Do you want to be fearful of taking a step forward, because you don’t know where it will lead? If so, you won’t achieve anything with eternal value. Do you expect to experience God’s blessings for work that you do under your own power?

What do you want your legacy to be? Your children are likely to follow your model for living. Do you want them to see how far they can travel a path of their own making, or do you want them to step out in faith, listening for God’s call? If you are a believer, I imagine you want them to follow Him even when they can’t see where He’s taking them. So, what are you doing now, to prepare them to listen for the voice of God?

Enough?

Blog:  When is Enough, Enough?

Our master bathroom was undergoing renovation. While dealing with the demo mess, my husband and I were relegated to the guest bathroom. As I was getting ready to go out one morning, I became frustrated. Jack and I were vying for room around the one available sink. In my angst, I said, “How did anyone ever get ready before dual sink bathrooms?” It just took a moment before we both started to laugh. We had just returned from visiting our son’s family in Eastern Europe. They live in a country that is identified as a functional third world nation. Our son, and his wife, have four young children. His family, of six, is grateful for running water and electricity, because much of the country is not blessed with these simple amenities. A dual sink? Such a luxury is beyond the imagination of much of the world.

I must confess; I am spoiled! I don’t even know how to distinguish between the things that I truly need and those I just want. I feel entitled to many things that the world, beyond our borders, doesn’t even realize exist. We live in a home of about 2200 square feet. In our area, this is considered small. As we visited our son, he said, “Mom, you and dad don’t need that big house. You could easily live in 600 square feet.” I managed to pick my jaw up, off the floor, before he saw it, or at least I think I did. I don’t know if there are any apartments that small in our area, much less a house. The truth is, I don’t want to find out. I got claustrophobic just imagining it. 

My son’s family is blessed with an understanding of what is enough. His wife prepares dinner for the family each night and includes guests, three or four nights a week. She puts forth a generous delicious spread. It is all prepared in a kitchen that is about 5’ x 6’. She has a small refrigerator and very little cabinet space. The counter space is almost non-existent, and the sink doesn’t drain without a plunger to move it along. To add to that, the children want to help cook, and she encourages it. The kitchen is just a microcosm of the differences in their home and lives. The family does not feel deprived, and they live with a sense of contentment. They understand the meaning of enough.

As a mom, I am proud. My son is now teaching me. I may not be ready to sell out and move into a 600 square foot home yet, but he has prompted thought. I am reevaluating my definition of “enough”. And, maybe, that is enough for now.