The Chronicles of Janie

I wonder... I wonder what would happen if, instead of complaining about problems, I went at them with the attitude of 'how can I fix this?' I wonder what would happen if, instead of being merely sickened and saddened by abortion, I asked God, "what do you want me to do today to stop abortion?" I wonder what would happen if, instead of complaining about church unity (or the lack thereof) I simply asked how He wanted me to go about unifying His church? I wonder what would happen if, instead of thinking regretfully about 'those poor lost souls', I asked the Lord how He wanted me to go about reaching them? I wonder what would happen if I stopped settling for what everyone else tells me is OK and made Christlikeness my only goal? I wonder what would happen if I listened to and followed God this minute, this hour, this day? I wonder what would happen if every single Christian in the world went into action? I wonder what would happen if they all asked God what He wa...

'On my way home I can remember all the good days. On my way home I can remember all the best days...' That just so happens to be one of my favorite Enya songs, but it also applied very aptly to Mom. On our drive back to good ol' Misery...er...I mean Missouri... we passed through some of Mom's old Mississippi stomping grounds. She, Dad, and the girls lived there, many, many years before anyone except God had even thought of my existence. We passed signs for Coldwater, where the girls had gone to school. Strayhorn, the town (if it's large enough to be called that) that features so prominently in Charissa's story about the old GMC truck. If you've never read that story, remind me to show it to you sometime. If you don't split a gut laughing, I'll....I'll...well, I don't know what I'll do. But nevermind, you're sure to laugh. Anyroad, to get back to my chronicling; Mom decided to leave the beaten path to go in search of two of the hou...

Washington, D.C. October 3, 1863 By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation. The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needfu...

What is the real test? Is it in the first conviction, when you're faced with a God you can't avoid? Is it the reckless,  inspirational moment when you commit everything to God? No, I believe it comes after that. When the busyness of your life engulfs you in its spirit-crushing waves. When you realize that loving your neighbor means that neighbor, the one you've always avoided. When the blackness of depression, defeat, or anger creeps into your heart. In short, it's when the first flush of devotion begins to wear thin. You realize it's wearing thin, and try desperately to draw closer to God. You know you need to spend more time with Him, but when? Where? How? What is the real test? It is when you're no longer being challenged by 'the big things'. It's when you begin to think you can handle this thing called life pretty well on your own. It's when you don't always remember that you're not in control. What is the real test? It is the d...

"Rain, rain, go away. Come again some other day." Our anti-rain chant had no effect, however, and our original plans to go hiking had to be abandoned. After several attempts to look things up on the internet, which were thwarted by a spotty (at best) internet connection, we decided to throw maps, directions and planning out the window. Or at least, most of them. We got in the car and drove about until we found a road that ran alongside the river. High embankments on one side hid the water, while tall fields of sugarcane grew on the other. The cane fields were occasionally broken by a house, a small town, or a brown historical marker. We craned our necks to read the markers as we sped past, but usually just got to, 'this was the sight of the first....' before we had passed by. We at length found ourselves in the town of Plaquemine. The first sight that met our eyes was on old railroad bridge that would raise up to allow boats to pass underneath of it. A little furth...