The Night the Wheels on the Bus Stopped Going Round
He turned off the lights. My heart—almost audible—frantic inside my chest.
I was twenty. He was old enough to be my father. Sitting behind him had been a decision of safety. Late evening approached when a hand-full of people boarded a Greyhound bus. The majority made their way to the middle and back of the bus.
Vacationing at the beach with my dad and family. We had driven down the prior Saturday. My dad decided to extend his trip, though I was leaving a few days later in route to Africa for six weeks of missions.
I went with my father to the bus station. “It will be fine.” he assured me. “People take the bus all the time.”
April 23, 2015 at 8:33 am | Uncategorized
5 Ways to Never Give Up on Marriage
Mike and Karen, April 6th, 1985
“Thank you both for always loving and never giving up on each other! We are so thankful!”
Powerful words tucked inside a greeting card. The author is not a clever Hallmark writer. This is a personal view of struggles—in the midst of love—from a front-row-seat-ticket-holder.
Words penetrating my soul from our daughter and son-in-law, Megan and Tyler, for our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Why thankful?—we have not parted ways when the going gets tough. And it does get tough. Our children have seen our fight for love . . . for staying together.
Thousands of wonderful, joyous moments are celebrated in our marriage. A marital bliss caption; All Smiles and Kisses. But there are other moments. Marriage in the real world has a real caption; The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
April 16, 2015 at 8:38 am | Uncategorized
Sexual Purity
Purity starts in our mind then trickles down to the rest of us: body, soul, and spirit.
“Go with the flow!” An iconic saying when I was a teen. Going with the flow, not fighting against the tide of popular trends, but going along with prevailing opinions.
The sexual flow in our culture promotes a philosophy of personal choice and doing whatever feels good. Whoa! What-ever is the undercurrent of impurity carrying us away from God’s standards about sex.
Philosophies trickle from the flood gates in our mind through small, steady streams of messages. Cultural attitudes on sex ebb and flow through several mediums. We aimlessly listen to song lyrics, watch visual entertainment, and read writings penned with impurity’s voice cheering us on in sex—with no boundaries. Allowing sexual impurity to defile our mind as we go with the flow.
April 9, 2015 at 9:37 am | Uncategorized
Where’s the Gravy?
By Karen Friday
Southern gals know how to make gravy. It’s one of those unspoken prerequisites for coming of age in the south and getting married to a Southern guy.
Types of gravy come in the boatfuls—you’ve heard of the “gravy boat.” Red-eye gravy. Chocolate gravy. I’m referring to breakfast gravy, usually sausage-flavored, poured over piping-hot Southern biscuits.
For 20 years my husband, Mike, served as a youth pastor. He is now lead pastor of our church. Mike grew up on Southern gravy, as did I. Many of our pastor friends often discuss whether there is food in heaven and if it’s Southern favorites like pinto beans and cornbread . . . and gravy!
April 2, 2015 at 8:00 am | Uncategorized
#Throwback Thursday
# TBT
By Karen Friday
Hashtag it’s Throwback Thursday! #TBT
Pictured is me (left) with my twin sister (Sharon) and mother (Joyce). We are about seven years old and celebrating Easter with dresses, gloves, and hairdos. My mom pin-curled our hair with bobby pins that we slept in overnight. I have memories of this procedure when my head hit the pillow. Oh, what a girl has to do. Pin-curling my daughter’s hair on Saturday nights for church and special occasions became a throwback recollection and tradition.
I imagine my mom’s hairdo was professionally styled. Either way the decorated netting and up-do had to be “in.” No one has ever been able to accuse my mom of not being in style.
Posting content pertaining to the past (usually photographs) is a popular social media trend. Throwback Thursday is a wistful look back—a blast from the past. Pictures of yesterday, yesteryear, or many moons ago.
Taking ourselves, friends, and family back to a nostalgic time worth documenting:
March 26, 2015 at 9:07 am | Uncategorized
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
By Karen Friday
He slid the note across a neighboring student’s desk, motioning to pass on to the intended recipient—that would be me. My name visible along the top fold of paper.
Feeling as though the world was ending that day and I would never survive this breakup. The quirkiness of seventh grade. When did I decide boys did not have cooties? (This should be re-evaluated.)
Many breakups would be scattered across my young life. I made it out alive. Yet, my heart was lacking resilience—as are most hurting hearts.
Breakups are hard. Heartbreaking. The larger the investment of time, the harder we fall. The song title, Breaking Up is Hard To Do, describes how sobering the experience.
Although painful, some breakups are in my best interest. Therefore, I’m composing a note to send, specifying the exact reasons I want out. If you are a neighboring heart, please pass on to the intended recipient.
To Insecurity:
March 19, 2015 at 9:02 am | Uncategorized
“Ta-Da!” Moments
By Karen Friday
“Ta-Da!” rolled off my tongue as if I were a magician performing a feat of extraordinary magnitude. The only audience member, my husband, was rather amused.
It was a fanfare moment since the last time I made cornbread something went amiss. Pulling the iron skillet out of the oven to execute the next part of the act—the great flip—turning the cornbread upside down onto a plate. This displays the mound of southern goodness for slicing and eating.
Instead of letting go, the cornbread decided to stick. Knowing I had been generous with non-stick cooking spray, I loosened the edges with a knife and tried again. Nope—stubbornness had made up its mind—the cornbread was not budging. To serve, I had to slice and dig leaving most of the outer crust behind.
March 12, 2015 at 9:32 am | Uncategorized
Are You Being Followed?
By Karen Friday
It was an acute case of the “heebie-jeebies.” A reminder I had been watched and followed.
The summer after my freshmen year in college was spent in ministry at Virginia Beach, VA with Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU). On a mission at the beach—somebody had to do it.
I was a young, crisp nineteen year old who wanted to spend summers making a difference in the world. Pursuing Christ with my whole heart and a passion to make him known.
Serving with college students from across the country and one from England, we completed training sessions to prepare us for evangelism. Sharing the gospel on the boardwalk several nights a week with Saturdays devoted to ministry on the beach among sand and surf. Crowd-gathering events like volley-ball and slow-motion football provided opportunities for proclaiming the message of Jesus Christ.
March 5, 2015 at 9:00 am | Uncategorized
Jesus Unedited
By Karen Friday
When we boldly proclaim the name of Jesus, we are storming the very gates of hell.
I’ve been deemed bold, opinionated, and creative in many aspects of life and ministry. Speaking has been a passion for decades, but I’ve only been writing for a year.
I can easily muster creativity in getting my thoughts down, letting the words flow as I type and take dictation from my soul. However, a great writer must become a student of another class—Editing 101.
February 26, 2015 at 9:34 am | Uncategorized
It’s Time to Draw a Line in the Sand
By Karen Friday
I’m chilled to the bone. In my neck of the woods here in Northeast Tennessee, a winter storm of snow and frigid temperatures has set in.
A beautiful snowy backdrop with blankets, hot chocolate, and my laptop should have brought a surge of writing ideas for my weekly blog. Instead, I have struggled with words to share as I try to remain cozy, comfy, and warm.
Recalling my original intent for writing and blogging: On this site you will find my love for God’s word, expressing scriptural truths as life happens. Real. Authentic. Soulful.
So here it is—what’s stirring in my heart as life is happening right now: I. Am. Chilled. To. The. Bone. There’s a much bigger storm at large. A worldview has set in bringing an icy, cold-hearted assault on the family unit, the sanctity of marriage, and Christian beliefs.
A cultural war is here (in everyone’s neck of the woods) between Christ-followers and non-believers of Jesus Christ.
February 19, 2015 at 9:23 am | Uncategorized