Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Hey you came back--good. If you're new, welcome. Since I'm new to this blogging thing and need to develop some good habits I have decided to write once a week but when's a good day? Monday? I was born on a Monday but I have a whole book dedicated to them and I don't want to wear Monday out. Tuesday? Mom did her volunteer work on Tuesday and her life greatly influenced me but Tuesday was also the day my big brother acted up most. Wednesday? No known associations there. Maybe Wednesday would be good but I don't want to settle so let's move on. Thursday? Mom was born on a Thursday but she had this thing against the past invading the present. Friday? Paul's birthday and he already has a book. Saturday? Toastmasters. Sunday? Church and family time but since I will probably share about church sometimes it may work. On second thought, sometimes I think a bit before gaining insight. Well then it looks like Wednesdays it is. So look for new insights from Ears in the Cornfield on Wednesdays. It has occurred to me through historical decisions that have come to mind and precedents which have been challenged recently and will continue to be challenged long after this blog has gathered dust that by association my blog may be offensive. Mom was very anti-controversial and certainly wouldn't want me to offend but in this case I think she'd approve. My blog will offend some because of my association with God. We no longer allow teacher-led prayer in public schools. They've tried to take His Name out of our pledge and off our money and remove His 10 commandments from our courtrooms. But I can't remove Him from my blog anymore than I can remove my breath from my lungs. He is an essential part of who I am. He guided and sustained my mother and her faith inspires me. If my life were a braille book He'd be the stylus putting the dots in place to form the words. Now does that mean I'll have some religious blog every week or even that I'll even mention God every week? No. But in my life I hope He's like the wind--you can't see the wind but you can see its effects. This blog is the place to share little tid-bits of my life and insights gained along the way. I don't intend it to be another outlet for my devotional writing. So come back next week and I'll tell you about one of those "ears in the cornfield" moments and a decision that was made. I hesitated to say that because inspiration is all around me and I may find something else to talk about next week. But as I thought about, I realized that's okay for 2 reasons. It's my blog and if I change my mind that's going to have to be acceptable and I can always save drafts for later use. Another new thing I'm doing is blog tours. A publisher sends me a book free of charge and I promote it on my blog during a set block of time. This week it's A Matter of Character by Robin Lee Hatcher. It's a good book so far. If I'm unsuccessful posting a link here then you can check it out on my Facebook page. Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0310258073

Sunday, May 23, 2010

There’s that phrase again. The black receiver is cradled in her petite hand and I hear her say, “There are ears in the cornfield.” That was Mom’s code for I can’t talk about that now—the kids are listening. What didn’t she want to talk about? Fun surprises like Christmas or birthday presents, sad secrets, difficult decisions … the list could go on. What I did hear and witness taught me about faith and perseverance. Born nearly blind, Mom needed large doses of both. So what will you find in this blog? Insight from growing up with a sightless mother. It’s no coincidence that as I compose this in my head I walk by a jasmine bush. The night hasn’t quite fallen yet but still it has released its fragrance. It feels like my mom’s way of saying hello since night blooming jasmine was her favorite plant. Physically Mom may’ve lived in a world of darkness but spiritually she was one of the brightest people I have known. I am who I am largely because of my mother's care and influence but what I blog about won't always be directly related to her. Based on the fact that the braille alphabet– which allowed her to read the Bible and nourish her faith– is made up of the combination of 6 dots, I will share from 6 areas of influence: 1. Mom (including thoughts on Braille) 2. other family 3. friends 4. encouraging situations 5. discouraging situations 6. church If you know me, you may wonder where God is in the above list. He’s the Stylus placing the dots where they need to be to write the story of my life. So keep coming back. Who knows what I’ll talk about next? I won’t even always know.