Fine Lines...

Forever we have heard the expression "that's a fine line between ...." or "walk a fine line" and even "thin line".  I feel quite sure you understand my reference. All of those basically mean that there's a very small difference between the items - small distinction.

These are some of my favorite lines!!!

So - to me there's a fine line between opinion & judgment. I am somewhat concerned that where I am headed in this blog entry is going to get mushy but I must continue. My cause comes from seeing the world with a big divide that only seems to get larger. 

In many ways the divide is becoming greater and we as a society seem to be moving farther apart. In our quest to have opinions - in our quest to provide "perfect" - in our quest to be about ourselves we have created a deeper chasm between ......

When my boys were growing up, we had a great opportunity to have a significant opinion & judgment about their beliefs. Perhaps even have that influence as long as they are receiving money & living under our roof. We certainly have had the responsibility to share what we believed to be the truth - particularly Biblical truths with our boys. Those teachings have never been really "tested" - pretty much how we felt was the norm for our environment. 

Our boys in 1994

Our boys are our responsibility. It's our job to provide these teachings - its our job to provide guidance - direction and we felt like it was our job to provide a Christian environment for them - a Christian environment that we chose. Our choice is just that - our choice. There are certainly many great Christian parents who make choices every day that may not look like our choices.   

I think the "church" should also provide instruction & direction for our family too. Since we have chosen to be there and have chosen to learn I suspect the will be opportunities for instruction. I think one kind of assumes that we are in church to learn .....

However - what am I to do when that norm of my environment is tested? How do I act - how do I react - what is my responsibility to that world?  

I must practice love. We have a hurting world and that world does not need me to tell them how much I disagree with their choices. That hurting world does not need me to determine if they are right or wrong. That hurting world needs to feel love. 

Yes I think we have to stand for the things that we believe to be right & wrong - of course. But what does that stance look like?

First of all we have to consider that deeper chasm. It has been created because it takes a lot less time to spew our opinions & thoughts into someone else's life than it does to take time to learn about them and show love. Sometimes in order to show love we have to understand - in order to understand we have to take the time ....

Just love .... If we make our decisions and share our opinions with love as the agenda - I think that fine line is ..... Well not so important. 

From MLK, Jr:

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.

Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.

Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

a Graduation present....

I am fairly decent at justifying things I want - I feel quite sure most of us are but anyway.... It is just the truth.  But as I get older and wiser - I have learned to make sure particularly where money is concerned.... So I thought I wanted an iPad.  Oh I wanted one but was it something I would use - could I justify the expense?

My first trip to the Apple store revealed that I thought an iPad was much like a bigger version of my iPhone - so would that really serve my purpose?

Oh that's a thought.... What is my purpose for having an iPad?

I started thinking about an iPad when I started realizing that I need to have my parents' medical history at my finger tips.  I have most of it in a note on my phone but let's be honest - that is okay but really not convenient.  So their medical history.... does that warrant an expense like an iPad and only to find out that it is only a bigger version of my phone..... Then I decided I would get an Apple lap top.  That really is an expense item to consider but consider I did.

Then I decided nevermind to both.

And then I thought of graduation..... After all I graduated with a doctorate - Kerry's parents sent me graduation money - my parents gave me graduation money - all I needed was some from Kerry!

BUT wait - what is the purpose of a new expense?
Medical histories at a glance - quickly. 
Access to cool apps

Well - not so sure I have a nice long list of purposes for an iPad but I do have an iPad and I am adding to those purposes daily.  One of the cool things I just discovered is the "bookstore" that comes on the iPad - and there are FREE books.  One of the books I downloaded was "How to use an iPad at work" - I don't use an iPad at work but there were some great ideas.  For example I love to have a "to do list".  Recently I created my own format - and carried it in my day planner.  If I could not replicate that idea on the iPad then I was losing ground.  After all if I have to carry my iPad AND my day planner each day then it seems pretty pointless.   App to the rescue!  While reading that free book - I found an app that allows me to write on a PDF.  So I used my same format that I had earlier in paper form - saved it as a PDF and I have been using it every day since!!!  It is amazing!

I LOVE my iPad and I love colors - typically I would get a black cover/case - but not this time - this Dr. got a bright green case - engraved with Dr. Cheryl Cannon Groves - Eucharisteo.

Eucharisteo - I wanted a reminder every day - every moment that I am using this wonderful piece of technology.  A reminder that it was because of God's Grace (oh I am thankful for that grace) - that I even had a graduation to celebrate.

And... my mom had a wireless keyboard that she was not using - so now I have a keyboard I can use at home with the iPad.  I even typed this blog on the iPad- such a fun time!

The app on the bottom set on the screen with the red daisy is the PDF app I was referring to - it may just be the coolest app ever!

Always,

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

2 Corinthians 13:14.