Lynna Clark

My daddy is a great story teller. In honor of his eighty-fifth birthday, I’m retelling one of his. I naively asked one day if the ocean ever got rough enough to be scary when he was out to sea.
“Oh yes.” He replied with a laugh.

I figured that on a huge aircraft carrier he might not even notice a storm. The few times I’ve been out on the ocean I quickly realized that the sea is not for me. I recall praying something similar to “Lord, if You will just get me back to land, I will never gripe or complain again.” He answered my prayers even though He knows I’m a liar.

My question prompted daddy to tell us a story we’d never heard. His ship was near the Arctic Circle along with a fleet of US Navy vessels. Together with the British Navy they were doing maneuvers during the Korean conflict. All their planes were in the air when suddenly a thick fog rolled in. It settled in and stayed for a very serious amount of time.

“It was so thick you couldn’t see any of the other ships. We were in real danger because planes were running out of fuel and the pilots couldn’t see to land. The captain came over the ship’s loudspeaker and called ‘ALL HANDS ON DECK!’”

“Once we were assembled, the captain gave an order. It was really more of a request. He asked us to pray. Everybody bowed their heads. Within about ten minutes, the fog cleared and planes came dropping out of the sky. You’ve never seen such a swarm! It didn’t matter if they were Brits or American, they were scrambling just to land on any vessel before that fog rolled back in. There were over a hundred planes in the air above us that day. We didn’t lose a single one.”

It’s good for us to feel helpless at times. It’s important to recognize that we cannot control each situation to our liking. It’s wise to realize that in the grand scope of things, we are actually very small. Like tiny vessels tossed in an enormous angry sea we know in our soul that we need help. How amazing that the One Who created the vast ocean has invited us to call on His Name, and He hears us! With just a Word, the winds obey Him. The waves are still. The fog is lifted and suddenly, through no power of our own, we find ourselves safely home.

The age old request “LORD help!” is a very powerful prayer. Only when we come to the end of our own wisdom and resources, can we fully appreciate Who He is. And He doesn’t even wait for us sailors to clean up our lives before He answers.
How great is our God!

“’LORD help!’ they cried in their trouble and He saved them from their distress. He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. What a blessing was that stillness as He bought them safely into harbor! Let them praise the LORD for His great love and for the wonderful things He has done for them.” -Psalm107:28-31

Have you ever been misunderstood? It happens. Our oldest daughter Stephanie is one of the nicest people you’d ever meet. She is a pastor’s wife and lives in the farming village of Ramsey, Illinois. She’s so nice she apologizes when she bumps into mannequins. The other day we were visiting by way of text when I told her about an upcoming book signing party. She asked if she should rent a costume and stand by the road to wave people in. I told her that would be REAL nice. So she texted me back that she’d bring her chicken in a bikini suit. Only her text didn’t come to me. It went to the camp director for their church association.

Thank God there were no pictures.

I’m a nice person too… at least I think so. Writing the way I do, putting things out there for God and everybody to see, makes people laugh. However, not everyone gets my humor. I’ve been accused of being negative, careless, and ungodly.

Yep. It’s true.

I am all of those things.

But laughter is good for what ails us. So when I tell you the following, just know it is for medicinal purposes only.
We’ve been having some issues with… let’s say, our community. The neighborhood is changing. King James would name some of them “lewd fellows of the baser sort.”

I would not disagree.

I don’t like change of any kind and especially not when it involves my safe place. So David took me to the gun range. For the first time in my life I shot a pistol. The man-shaped target received bullet holes in his head and heart, plus at least one in his appendix.

I hope he knew Jesus because if he didn’t it is eternally too late for him.

I have to say I was happily surprised. I expected David to be a good shot and he is. But I never dreamed an old chick like me could do well in this area. The bad guy in the target never stood a chance.

Different subject: You know those “Thank You Jesus” signs in folks’ yards? I LOVE them! It makes me happy to tool around town and see one at every other house. I hope you don’t misunderstand. But since we don’t have one, I thought about sticking our bullet riddled targets in the yard instead.

An ounce of prevention and all…

I know. I’m awful.

Apparently God has a sense of humor though. The current series at our church is “Love thy Neighbor.”
I’ll be glad when we move on to something more practical… like Leviticus or Hosea. Maybe I’ll learn to be less negative… and careless… and ungodly.

Shameless plug:
If you’d like to stop by Attractions on Main, Thursday, September 13th to purchase a book or have one signed, I’ll have my negative-careless-ungodly self perched in a chair ready to meet you. My sweet friend Deborah Neely Bowman is opening her boutique to me that day.

Sorry. Stephanie will not be there in her chicken in a bikini suit. Apparently she had prior obligations… or so she says.

I keep a list in the front of my Bible. The title is “Nutshell Verses.” If you’re not into wisdom, stop reading here. Just kidding. Have you noticed the newest tactic to get you to sign up for emails you don’t want? They’ll pop up a message which has choices like “YES! I want to receive a zillion emails about products I don’t use.” Or “NO! I do not like saving the earth and baby bunnies.”

Annyyywayyy, most of these nutshell portions of Scripture start with words like “Above all else,” or “This is what the Lord requires of you.” In other words, it’s usually a short list that will greatly enhance our lives. One of my favorites says: “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace and work to maintain it.”

This little secret to enjoying life is so valuable that the Lord included it in both the Old and New Testaments. [Psalm 34:12-16 and 1 Peter 3:10-11]

It even comes with a promise. Both passages add, “For the eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and His ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns His face against those who do evil.”

Are we wise enough to recognize evil when we see it? I think so… at least some of the time.

The following true story comes with a disclaimer. Please don’t think that I am crazy enough to believe that David and I are holy. How ridiculous would THAT be! We don’t even volunteer for Kid’s Club at church. Everybody knows that’s where the holy people are.

Anyway, years ago we bought a house. It was full, in some rooms from floor to ceiling with almost seventy five years of junk.

I know… probably not our wisest move. But it had a great porch and was right beside our church. Every time we’d make a little headway cleaning out the old place, the former owner would stop by, barge in and want stuff that she had not been able to see before we uncovered it. One day, David told her no. He latched the screen door and would not let her in. [We had closed on the house two months earlier.]

Merciful heavens she was hot! I seriously expected fire to leap from the bowls of hell and consume the man. If she’d had her way, David would be a smoking pile of ashes right now.

Later our sweet pastor’s wife innocently commented. “She might be wicked.”

I tipped my head at the understatement. Then I realized. We weren’t just dealing with a disgruntled person. We were actually in the presence of evil. I hadn’t recognized it. Therefore I had no idea how to deal with it.

Has evil ever knocked on your door? Did you recognize her?* Does she speak words of fear, temptation, anger, or lies?

Latch the door. Turn away. Pursue peace.

She may swear at you, stamp her foot, pound on the door and demand her way. But if you truly desire good days, ignore her little tantrum. Maybe have a bowl of ice cream or call your lawyer to draw up a polite letter.

She has no place in your life. You owe her nothing. In a nutshell, turn from evil. Seek peace. God watches over those who do right. His ears are open to your prayers.