I can’t quite remember what I got for Christmas last year. Or the year before. And definitely not the year before that.
In fact, for the most part I can’t remember what I got for Christmas for the last ten years. (No offense to my husband I promise.) I can however, remember what I got for Christmas when I was six years old.
You see, those gifts changed my life. I remember finding them in my mother’s closet…
I had waited until she was asleep on the couch to go poking through her room. I knew my presents were in there because she had forbidden me from setting foot anywhere near her small closet about a week before. I might have been six, but I wasn’t an idiot; something was hiding in there.
I spent eight years of my professional life on staff at the Oklahoma Christian Schools (OCS) High School and administrative offices. A good part of my energy went into building a drama department from scratch, but part of that time was also spent as the lead Freshman sponsor and the Freshman Bible Teacher.
The Bible Department, from an outside view, represented quite a diversity of theological perspectives: I was raised in an independent Christian church context, our Sophomore Bible teacher (David Thomas) was more of the charismatic persuasion having attended ORU for his education, our Junior Bible Teacher (Dan Anthony) was a Church of Christ cowboy, and our Senior Bible Teacher and Department Head (Ted Hough) had his master’s degrees both in Literature and in Divinity. Sometimes it seemed to me that Ted’s perspective was to teach the Word of God with the finesse of only that which a liberal arts major could do. His devotions were pure art.
But today I want to talk about David Thomas, our Sophomore Bible teacher. David went to meet his Maker on the evening of December 4th, 2010 after a decade-long battle with a brain tumor. I loved his spirit and his heart and am dedicating this post to he and his family. I’m going to write only briefly about his personality, his preaching and his prayer. However, I promise you – volumes could be written…along the lines of how John honored Jesus when he said,
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
When it comes to gifts, my husband has it pretty easy. Even though I have received a few pieces of beautiful jewelry over the years, I don’t require these expensive gestures like some women do. I got an upgraded wedding ring on our ten year anniversary. It gets stuck in the fingers of my work gloves and it’s kind of annoying. I prefer a card and/or some quality time. I already know that every day comes with its own gifts, and it’s up to me to “untie the ribbons” (~Ruth Ann Schabacke). Man, is this guy lucky, or what?
We had only lived in the country for three weeks when our seven-year wedding anniversary weekend began. In our typical style, we decided to forgo “gifts” (we were starting plans to build an entire house, after all), and we opted to go out to eat. There were three restaurants from which to choose…
One of the things Red Dirt Kelly LOVES is finding talent, photos, literature, or other media with anything in their name related to Oklahoma. Above is the OK Chorale (sometimes performing as a single quartet) from New Zealand. She’s never heard the “12 Days of Christmas” like this, and guesses you may not have either. Enjoy!
Captain Karen Walden portrayed by Meg Ryan in "Courage Under Fire." Years earlier? Jeremiah, portrayed by himself, in the Book of Jeremiah.
by Alfred Lamar Jackson
Good Saturday, RDC followers new and old. Another week has gone by and we are moving closer to the New Year. Many times a new year brings uncertainty and change. For some, a new year is a welcomed fresh start. To all those who have uncertainty and fear, I encourage you to make fast and anchor yourself in truth. God has you in His hands and in His plans.
This brings me to my journey through Jeremiah. This man has really amazed me! As a reader I sometimes feel like the book is redundant because Jeremiah is prophesying what seems to be the same message over and over again. To an extent it is, “Repent evil people and serve God again!” God’s message was still the same and Jeremiah delivered it without fail. He had to have courage. It’s not a new concept of people with courage doing God’s will, but it means more when you read the whole story instead of someone telling you how courageous this man was.
In Jeremiah chapter 26 our hero faces the first written attempt on his life. I can’t put the whole chapter here so I’ll summarize. It starts as a normal day for Jeremiah: prophecy destruction, accuse leaders of evil, repent or die, and the Lord’s about to bring some pain. Normal day. However THIS day the priests, other “prophets” and the people in the courtyard reached their limit. They said, “YOU MUST DIE!” Then they snatched him up and brought him to the officials. Fortunately God was looking out for His boy and had wise people and a friend in the city’s high places. And, Jeremiah was released.
Just imagine yourself all alone amidst these odds; one person facing the murderous intent of more than a handful of people. I would surmise the crowd was in the hundreds because the temple courtyard was a pretty busy place. But Jeremiah showed resolve. He said that he was truly sent by the Lord and spoke His words. They could kill him if they wanted to but they’d have innocent blood on their hands. That’s intestinal fortitude.