Humor Me—Let’s Talk About My Book!!

Monday, June 29, 2015

Happy Monday Blog – Welcome!!

I’m missed you guys! I was on the road all last week and had a book signing in Charlotte, NC at Park Roads Books store on Saturday. Those folks were just the best and we all had a great time. I’ve shared thoughts and photos of the event on both my Face Book pages: Margaret McBride and That Melvin Bray, also, on Twitter.

It seems like every book signing I do, no matter where, I am so totally blessed to get to experience some of the nicest, sweetest and kindest folks alive!! It was no different in Charlotte and at this event, we served an assortment of huge (no, really) cookies and we were set up at the front of the store along with a huge bouquet of colorful balloons swaying back and forth above in the AC air current. When you entered, you just couldn’t go past that cookie table without picking up a cookie!! The whole store was fragrant with the yummy smell of freshly baked cookies—Awesome!!

We sold a few books, made lots of new friends, got an invitation to come back (that’s always a good thing, seriously), but most of all, there was no doubt that there was also a special loving energy floating in the air, along with the balloons and the cookie aroma, from front to back of the bookstore. I call that “God’s Love”…what else could it be? I was happy in my heart and was well aware that it was because of Him—He may not have been there in “person”, but He sure was there in His holy spirit.

HALLELUJAH!!

My book, That Melvin Bray, is all about Him. If you’ve read it, you know that, and if you haven’t, I hope you will read it and feel His wonderful love and power as you turn the pages. He loves us all so much that it’s just hard to believe sometimes.

Now when I say, “let’s talk about my book”, I’ll use the review below, to help describe my “spiritual thriller” for you…

Writer’s Digest Annual Author Book Reviews: 2014

“Author Margaret McBride treads some familiar ground with her Christian inspirational ‘That Melvin Bray’. There is a lot going on in this book; a lot that the Christian fiction reader will find of value here. Regular readers of Christian fiction will find a like-minded soul here, telling a story of faith and one’s ability to rise us up from less than ideal beginnings in a world where the dysfunctional family seems to be the new normal. This is a timely message and one that could be of significant service to many people.”

Here’s another quote about reading, with which I believe we’ll all agree:

“When reading, we don’t fall in love with the characters’ appearance. We fall in love with their words, their thoughts, and their hearts. We fall in love with their souls.”

I’d like to think this quote is also a good description of my book—as it is about many precious souls!!

In closing today, I’ll begin my next conversation:                                                                                   Person: Do you know any good books?                                                                                           

Me: Are you ready for this conversation?

God is Good! God is Great!!

I love you,

Margaret

This week, let’s all forgive those who have hurt us and forgive ourselves so we can walk in victory… and “don’t forget for a moment that GOD is bigger and more powerful than the enemy.”—1 John 4:4

Don’t Judge The Book By The Cover—(God’s Watching!!)

Monday, June 15, 2015

Hello, my Dears, Welcome to my Monday Blog!!

I was all set for a different topic this morning, but God had something else on His mind for us today.

So, this morning on Face Book, I had received a photo of a small, quaint and quite shabby little country church, intimately nestled in the midst of a small wooded area, in a forest. The church alone, caused me to pause and feel a longing to be sitting inside it on the first or second pew, taking in the message of some awesome little country preacher’s devout love and affection for our Lord and Savior. Beneath the image of this little church, was a poem that I immediately began to read out loud. Since I’m a believer in the fact that angels walk among us, I was moved to tears as I continued to read the poem:  “Shoes in Church”

“I showered and shaved…I adjusted my tie. I got there and sat…In a pew just in time.

Bowing my head in prayer…As I closed my eyes.

I saw the shoe of the man next to me…Touching my own, I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side…I thought, Why must our soles touch?

It bothered me, his shoe touching mine…But it didn’t bother him much.

A prayer began: ‘Our Father’…I thought, this man with the shoes, has no pride.

Their dusty, worn and scratched. Even worse, there are holes on the side!

‘Thank You for blessings,’ the prayer went on. The shoe man said…a quiet ‘Amen’.

I tried to focus on the prayer…But my thoughts were on his shoes…again.

Aren’t we supposed to look our best…When walking through that door?

Well, this certainly isn’t it…I thought, glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended…And the songs of praise began.

The shoe man was certainly loud…Sounding proud as he sang.

His voice lifted the rafters…His hands were raised high.

The Lord could surely hear…The shoe man’s voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering…And what I threw in was steep.

I watched as the shoe man reached…Into his pockets so deep.

I saw what was puled out…What the shoe man put in.

Then I heard a soft ‘cling’ as when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me…To tears, and that’s no lie.

It was the same for the shoe man…For tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service…As is the custom here,

We must greet new visitors…And show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow…And wanted to meet the shoe man.

So after the closing prayer…I reached over and shook his hand.

He was old and his skin was dark…And his hair was truly a mess,

But I thanked him for coming…For being our guest.

He said, ‘My name’s Charlie…I’m glad to meet you my friend.’

There were tears in his eyes…But he had a large wide grin.

‘Let me explain,’ he said…Wiping tears from his eyes,

‘I’ve been coming here for months…And you’re the first to say, Hi…

I know that my appearance…Is not like all the rest,

But I really do try…To always look my best.

I always clean and polish my shoes…Before my very long walk,

But by the time I get here…They’re dirty and dusty, like chalk.’

My heart filled with pain…And I swallowed to hide my tears.

As he continued to apologize…For daring to sit so near,

He said, ‘When I get here…I know I must look a sight,

But I thought if I could touch you…Then maybe our souls might unite.’

I was silent for a moment…Knowing whatever was said,

Would pale in comparison…I spoke from my heart, not my head. 

‘Oh you’ve touched me’, I said…’And taught me, in part,

The best of any man…Is what is found in his heart.’

The rest, I thought…This shoe man will never know,

Like just how thankful I really am…That his dirty old shoe touched my SOUL.

************

So poignant and perfect, is this example of us “righteous children of God” judging another child of God. Who do we think we are anyway…GOD?! God could care less about how we look on the outside, He cares only how we look on the inside. What condition is our heart in? Are we loving our neighbor as ourselves? We must be careful not to “judge the book by the cover”…God’s watching!!

Hey, and let’s not forget the fact that angels walk among us:

“Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angles unawares.”—Hebrews 13:1  

“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways”. —Psalm 91:11

We have no guarantee of tomorrow. Let’s live in this very moment with all our hearts and souls, embracing the fact that…”If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” —1 John 1:8(KJV)

We must do our very best, forgive those who wrong us and ask forgiveness of those who we may wrong.  We’re ALL here in God’s world together, so let’s:

Live It, Love It and Leave It …when He calls us to His mansion in the sky!!

Hallelujah!!

God Is Great! God is Good!!

I love you,

Margaret

Note: A special “Thank You” to my dear friend  Marilyn, for sharing this awesome poem by Greg Burke and Joni Ward. I hope you’ll hold it tenderly in your hearts as a reminder that in God’s eyes, we are ALL the same…shoes or no shoes!! XO

 

What’s A GRUDGE MONSTER?

Monday 8, 2015

Hey, it’s Monday Blog time and I’ve waited a while now, to get into today’s topic—It’s a doozy!

So, what is a 👿Grudge Monster, anyway?

Urban Dictionary:  Any of the now familiar creepy ghosts in Japanese horror/thriller films. Aka ghost children, women with long black hair, crawly people on the ceiling and crawly people coming out of the television sets.  “I’m too scared to get your stuff out of the closet alone, because a Grudge Monster might get me?”

But, hey…heck with the closet, could a Grudge Monster live inside us?!! (Course we just refer to them as grudges). No matter what we call it, the answer is: Absodamtootly—All we have to do is close our hearts and invite them in, the grudge begins to grow, and left alone too long, sure enough it’ll grow into a full blown 👿Grudge Monster.

There’s a serious problem with that though: Once they’re all comfortable and dug deep into our hearts, they’re very hard to get rid of…like ants at a picnic, bees on honey, white on rice, or those huge, gross, green flies on a dead carcass, kind of hard!!

I know a lot about grudges! Frankly, I’m what you call an “Expert” on the subject. (Read my book!)

Mirriam-Webster Dictionary: grudge 

verb – to give, do, or allow (something) in a reluctant or unwilling way

Learner’s Definition:  grudge  

noun – a strong feeling of anger toward someone that lasts for a long time                                                    verb: to dislike or feel angry toward (someone) for something

And finally, what does the Bible say about grudges?

“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge angainst anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”—Leviticus 19:18  

It’s interesting that God concluded this particular command with the words “I am the Lord.” In doing so, God reminded us that He is the Lord, not us. To hold a grudge is to set ourselves up as judge and jury—to determine one person’s wrong should not be forgiven. No human being has the right or authority to do that. Then in Romans 12:19 , “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay’ says the Lord.”

Misunderstanding forgiveness often keeps us in bondage to grudges. We think that to forgive is to excuse sin or pretend the offense did not matter. Neither is true. Forgiveness  is not about the other person. Forgiveness is God’s gift to us from the control of someone who has hurt us. When we retain a grudge, we give someone we don’t like power over our emotions. Without forgiveness, just the thought of an offender can send acid to our stomachs and heat to our faces —😈Grudge Monster!!  In essence, we make  that person an idol, giving him or her control over us. But when we forgive, we release to God any right to vengeance or restitution. Forgiveness puts our relationship with God back in proper alignment. We acknowledge that He is the judge, not us, and that He has the right to bring about any resolution He chooses. Forgiveness is the choice to trust God rather than ourselves with the outcome of the offense.

We often hold onto grudges because we feel we have the responsibility to see that justice is done or that others know how badly we were hurt. But when we release the situation to God, along with the right to dictate the ending, we free the Lord to work as He sees fit without our anger getting in the way. (Matthew 18:21-22)

It’s important to remember that forgiveness and reconciliation are not synonoymous. Forgiveness is a matter of the heart. It is an act of surrender to God’s will and is primarily between us and God. We release to Him our right to hang on to anger. However, reconciliation depends on the true repentance and proven trustworthiness of the offender. The victim must forgive as a part of ongoing healing by releasing their anger to God. But at the same time, must keep protective boundaries in place until the abuser has proven over time he or she is worthy of trust again.

God does not need our anger, He needs our cooperation as we submit to doing things His way. And God’s way is always to forgive as He has forgiven us. We can release a grudge with a simple act of our will, by offering the whole situation to God and letting go of it. Forgiveness brings healing to our souls and allows God to build His strength and character into our lives as we allow Him to reign as our holy God. ❤️

There’s no better way on Earth to keep the 👿Grudge Monsters away, than to live a Life of pure LOVE because if LOVE is the path to God, then forgiveness clears the way. Amen.

Hallelujah!!

My prayer for all of us this week is that we will embrace God’s will and let go of any grudge that’s inhabiting our hearts and minds…Let go, Let God.

God is Good! God is Great!!

I love you,

Margaret

Remember that God doesn’t care what we’re NOT. He cares who we are. We are His. When He adds His extra to our ordinary, nothing is impossible for us! Hallelujah😊

A grateful “Thank You” to James McDonald for his awesome contribution today and his great love for God, our creator. 🙏

 

Luck v Blessing (is there a difference?)

Monday, June 1, 2015

Good morning, Everyone & Happy Monday Blog to you!!

A dear friend and I were discussing today’s title and I realized I had my own questions, as well. My research has taken me to the following opinions:

“The Bible teaches against the idea of “luck”. If the forces of God and the devil are what’s at work here on Earth and God only allows or orchestrates everything, that leaves no room for “luck”. God gives us blessings, tests and even hardships to mold our character to be more giving and forgiving—to become more Christlike. The devil wants to hurt and destroy all that is good in our lives and turns us against God. God sends people to help overcome the hurts and show His love. It’s all in our attitudes, take to heart the Beatitudes!” (Matthew 5 & Luke 6 —Buddy)

The American Heritage Dictionary: Luck

1. The chance happening of fortunate or adverse events. 2. Good fortune or prosperity; success…to gain success or something desirable by chance: lucked out in finding that rare book

What does the Bible say about luck?

“I returned and saw under the sun that—The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong, Nor the bread to the wise, Nor riches to men of understanding, Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them.”  Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

This perspective applies to a person who looks at life on Earth without God…i.e., a  Que Sera, Sera attitude—Whatever will be, will be; however, by leaving God out, there seems to be both good luck and bad luck.

“The lot is cast into the lap, but it’s every decision is from the Lord.” —Proverbs 16:33

Throughout the Scripture, it’s clear that God is in control of all of His creation. And Christians, specifically, are given the promise that He works all things, whether seemingly good or bad, together for God, to those who love Him. (Romans 8:28).

“Luck” is a worldly word, un-related to the Christian life. In Jesus, such words do not apply: “seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things will be added unto you.”  —Matthew 6:33 (Stephen)

God says He will cause good to happen in our lives when we obey His will and we can trust Him to do good in our lives, even when we don’t think it’s good from our earthly perspective.             —  Word of Life

So now, what about Blessing?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary:

A blessing is “the act or words of one that blesses,” or “a thing conducive to happiness or welfare.”

God is the only one who pronounces blessings. The blessing is connected to the knowledge that God is at work to direct us in the right path. God’s chastisement is actually a display of His love for us, like a parent who disciplines a child who plays in the middle of the street.

Psalm 1:1-3 carries that theme further when it states, ““Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.”

Ephesians 1:3 blesses God for all the blessings that He gives us in Christ.

Statements of blessing are a wish for God to restore His favor on others or a declaration of His inherent goodness. The ultimate blessing that God has given is the new life and forgiveness that comes through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. The material blessings we enjoy from day to day are temporary, but the spiritual blessings available to us in Christ encompass time and eternity, as well as material and immaterial things. (J.I. Packer)

The way I see and understand these two, luck and blessing, is simple:

Luck is not of the Lord and a blessing is only of the Lord; therefore, if we look at luck at all, it must come from the Lord in the form of a blessing. I’m forever saying to folks, “good luck”…for this or that…but in fact, what I’m really saying is “may God bless you…”

This little short but mighty verse assures us of many blessings:                                                        “Seek God’s will in all you do and He will show you the path to take.”—Proverbs 3:6

Thanks for being with me today— my prayer for us all is that we’ll keep in our hearts and minds,  both God’s Will and Word for us, in all we do, because what we see depends mainly on what we look for in this Life Jesus so preciously gave to us.

GOD is Good! GOD is Great!!

I love you and MAY GOD BLESS YOU,

Margaret

PS I dedicate today’s BLOG to Marilyn. Thank you for helping me to receive God’s blessings! Hallelujah!!