Money

 

Command those who are rich in this world’s goods not to be haughty or to set their hopes on riches, which are uncertain, but on God who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment.  1 Timothy 6:17

To say that we are living in uncertain times is a mild understatement.  I am very blessed to be working for a wonderful company during the these tough economic times, but I am still witnessing the effects of a dismal economy, first hand.   If you have watched the news any length of time over the past few months, our nation’s economy is showing small signs of improvement, but we still have a problem in this country...we are addicted to spending; especially when it comes to borrowed money.

Keep in mind, that the average working American is considered among the most wealthy in the world when compared with the population in every other country.  Still, we want more, spend excessively, and depend on what is in our bank accounts for security rather than trusting on God’s daily provisions.  I have learned a difficult lesson lately in depending on God’s provision and I am learning each day on how to set my hopes in Him and less on the money I work to earn.

Looking back into the Old Testament, God provided manna, a cake-like food that appeared on the morning dew, to the Israelites who were wondering around in the wilderness after fleeing Egypt.  The manna provided nourishment and there was just enough for each Israelite to eat.  The problem was when they tried to gather more manna than they could eat and store it for later, the hot sun melted the manna and it rotted.  This illustration from the book of Exodus just may be the key for our understanding of how God truly provides for each of us on a daily basis.

God will always be with us and He will always provide just what we need; it just may not be what we want.  Thanks be to God for His daily provisions!!!

Bird Song

 

It's hard to believe that it has been twelve years since my mom passed and I cannot find the words to articulate how much I still miss her to this day.  I would do just about anything to just pick up the phone and hear her voice.  With all that is going on in the world these days, God only knows that her sense of humor is so greatly appreciated and needed.  I often hear people say that time heals pain, but there has not been a single day that I haven't thought about her or have not reminisced over the many wonderful memories of this amazing woman that I was blessed to call "mom." I treasure her and the relationship we shared  more than anything on this earth.  There have been so many times that I have wanted so desperately to pick up the phone and hear just her voice on the other line or just see her again.  My mother's sense of humor and positive outlook on life are only a few of the qualities that are sorely missed by all who knew her, and as difficult as today is for not just me, but my father, sister, our family and friends, mom wouldn't want any of us to be sad or depressed.  She was such an influence on my life and I know that she continues to watch over me from her Eternal resting place. I have clung to my faith, leaned on my family and friends and found solace in music and my mother's competitive spirit alive on the pickleball court. 

I love you so very much mom and I miss you more than words can say!

Bird Song (Hunter/Garcia)            

Grateful Dead

     

    

   

All I know is something like a bird within her sang,

All I know she sang a little while and then flew on..

A Celebration of My Mom's Life (August 7, 2014)

Jesus answered: "Truly I tell you today you will be with me in paradise."Luke 23:43

We have come together today to celebrate the life of Anne Lamberson Fisher. Anne was wonderful and a beautiful soul; a loving and devoted wife of 42 years, a proud mother and an even more proud grandmother (Mimi), a loyal and dependable friend, a competitive spirit, a distinguished and classy lady, a woman of utmost character with a larger-than-life personality, a strong-willed woman with a sharp mind and great wit, a stock broker who excelled in her career, and last but certainly not least, one of the most humorous and funny people you will ever meet. And while she fit the bill on all of those superlatives and then some, she was the woman that carried me in her womb, helped me learn to walk and talk, applied my first Band-Aid, took me to school, taught me how to dance, dragged me to church, helped me with my homework, my best friend, my rock, the main woman and love of my life, or as I have always known her..."Mom"

And while the reality of why I am standing here today is still painful for us all-the passing of a sister in faith is not the end, it's only a temporary "goodbye." You see, where my mom is right now, there is no more pain or sorrow; no more trips to the doctor, no more surgeries or follow up visits. She's truly in paradise, enjoying her new Heavenly Body and resting in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For that very reason, we can still be joyful despite our broken hearts. In fact, my mom wouldn't want any one of us to be sad right now and this is a celebration of her life, so to lift our spirits like she always seemed to do, I would like to share some glimpses into her life with some of the memories that I treasure...

My sister and I were blessed to grow up in such a loving home with two parents that were totally and completely devoted to one another. Mom loved dad more than anything in this world. And dad-your truly lived out your wedding vows, for better and for worse, until death do we part. My earliest memory of mom and dad is that the two of them loved to dance together or 'shag' as was popular during the sixties in the South.

In the 1980s, when we were still young enough to have a babysitter, Leslie and I would hear mom and dad come home from their evenings out and many of those nights we would hear the stereo. If a picture tells a story, I will always remember sneaking to the stairs to the edge of the bannister and watching mom and dad boogying down in our den to Chaka Kahn's "I Feel For You." Knowing that it was long past our bedtime and risking getting in trouble, Leslie and I eventually ended up on the dance floor as well, the shag green rug that covered the floor of our home in Greenville, SC, and our parents were thrilled to switch partners- Leslie and dad, me and mom.

We listened to quite a bit of Gospel music in our home through the years. From the Reverend Al Green to the Honorable Otis Redding, The Tams and The Tymes, The Drifters and The Spinners, The Commodores and The Temptations, The Queen of Soul, The Godfather of Funk, Billy Stewart and The Chi-Lites, Sly and the Family Stone, Michael Jackson and Wilson Pickett, Jackie Wilson, Hall & Oates, and last but certainly not least, Marvin Gaye-this great music was what my mom enjoyed so passionately and it not only provided the most beautiful soundtrack to our lives, but also built the foundation for all of the music that I still enjoy today.

Many people don't realize it but it was my mom that planted the seeds that would eventually sprout into my passion and obsession for music. In the seventies, long before iPods and iPads and sound machines and FM radio being a standard, my mom was the one who placed a black and white GE clock radio beside my crib to help soothe me. The smooth sounds of the 70s AM Gold allowed me to cope and calm me and it grabbed a hold of me and has never let go.As a young child, I couldn't have been maybe five or six, mom first taught me to dance one of our many family beach trips off of the coast of South Carolina. I was too short to even be a suitable dance partner, so I distinctly remember standing on the tops of mom's feet while Billy Stewart's "Sitting In The Park" played from the deck in the setting summer sun.

Many years later, it was mom who encouraged me to find a new interest was because she was concerned about me. I was in the 7th grade in 1987 and was not showing much interest in sports and girls and some of the things that some of the 'normal' guys were into. One day mom said to me "Will, you need to find something else to collect other than those little action figures and 'robot thingies.' How about collecting something else like music?" One afternoon, mom took me to the Record Bar on Laurens Road in Greenville, SC and bought me my very first U2 and Cure albums. My life was forever changed. "The rest is history" as they say and a few years later, I DJ'd my very first high school dance which eventually lead me to being hired as an on-air disc jockey for an FM radio station during my senior year at Springwood School. Mom's influence over my life simply cannot be overstated.

Mom was always upbeat. She never knew a stranger and, man, she could always make you smile with her witty sayings and incredible sense of humor. She was the life of a party, better yet, she was the party, no matter who was there or how many people were around. Mom was often doing or saying something funny and everyone, myself included, would gravitate to her just to hear what she was going to say next. One Spring, close to Easter, I recall asking mom what she had given up for Lent. Always quick with a witty response, she said "John Tesh and cabbage." I replied, "mom, you don't like either one of those." She looked at me with that infectious smile of hers and said "Exactly!"

Mom was never into all the country kitchen stuff and was convinced that if hell had a restaurant on earth, it was the Cracker Barrel. We would often joke that we were going there for a meal almost anytime she got into a moving vehicle.

She always had nicknames for her family and friends; sometimes for people she barely even knew. As a young child, mom used to joke that I barely ate enough food to sustain life, so she anointed me "The Bangladesh Child." While I cannot say in church what she used to lovingly refer to me from during the years1984-1993 (here's a hint- it sounds like "little hit" with an 's' before the hit.), my all-time favorite nickname was the one she reserved for dad..."The Ayatollah."

When one of her nearest and dearest friends, Nannie Ferguson came to work with mom as a stockbroker, she quickly dubbed their partnership "Two Old Bags."

Her ability to conjure laughter despite the situation also shaped me and my sister's personalities tremendously and mom's sense of humor has been passed on to both of her grandsons as well.

My mom was the most competitive person I have ever known. If she was playing a sport like tennis or golf, she was out for blood and wanted to win. Heck, even playing board games as a family was quite the event. She could make a game as simple as Jenga as important as The Super Bowl. She never did anything halfway-it was all or nothing with mom. She was a phenomenal athlete and passed down every bit of her natural talents onto my sister, Leslie. I definitely have mom's drive, strong will, and competitiveness, but let's face it, winning awards for artwork isn't nearly as spectacular as Leslie winning the MVP Award and state championship and being the all-time high scorer for the Lady Wildcats!

Behind mom's larger-than-life persona was a very affectionate, nurturing, and loving woman. For me, it was often times after everyone was asleep, mom and I would still be going strong and there were countless nights, just me and her sitting outside by the pool or watching tv and she would run her hands through my hair and tell me that she loved me. One thing I can say is that I never questioned how she felt about me one single time over the past forty years and I know my sister shares the same sentiments.

Mom is alive and well and all of these characteristics that made her the extraordinary woman that we all love and miss have been passed down to both me and Leslie as well as both of her grandchildren, Elliott and Elijah. Her influence will be carried on by my father and every one of her friends as you simply cannot deny that the world was a better place because she was in it.

I close with a verse of scripture that seems befitting for today. Luke 23:43. One of Jesus's final moments as He hung on he cross in Galilee along side two criminals. One of the criminals mocked Him, but the other knew who He was and believed in his Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you today you will be with me in paradise."

Mom is in heaven now, where she will spend the rest of eternity. Her paradise is most definitely on a relaxing sandy beach somewhere out there, where the party is hopping, the cabbage is scarce and John Tesh ain't hanging around. The only music that can be found there is R&B/Soul and the official dance of the land is the 'shag.' The stock market is always bullish and Cracker Barrels do not litter every exit along the highways. She can always find a tee time, all of her sisterhood is nearby and she wins every game of bridge that she plays, along with every tennis match and by now, mom has even mastered the art and skill of Jenga. She is surrounded in love, by her Heavenly Father and I cannot wait to be reunited with her there. So, until we meet again... I THANK YOU. I am so grateful for the past 40 years that you were my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my greatest influence and the love of my life. You have touched the hearts of everyone who has ever known you, but I can say without hesitation that I am truly the most blessed to be your son. I know you'll be sitting in the park waiting for me...

Forever yours, Your Bangladesh Child and "Little Hit with an 's'"

Mind Games

 

Let us who live in the light be clear-hearted, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as out helmet the confidence of our salvation. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

While I mostly walk these days and get my cardio workouts on the pickleball court, I have been running on a consistent basis since 2007.  It was not until 2009 that I ran my first half-marathon in Knoxville, and I can say that one of the biggest obstacles to excellent performance is more of a mental battle than a physical one.  I ran my second half-marathon in 2013 while injured.  I recall being exhausted on the final leg of the race, but went into a 'mental zone' that helped me push through the pain and finish the 13.1 miles in an 1 hour and 39 minutes.  By no means am I writing to brag or boast about my running, as I am only a mediocre athlete at best, and am committed to exercise every day so that I can maintain a healthy lifestyle.  In fact, this year I have even begun to add walking to my workout regimen. 

Regardless, of how you feel about running/exercise, you can apply the same principals to our everyday lives, in particularly our faith.  Our confidence doesn't come from our abilities or physical circumstances, how we look, or what we achieve.  Everything actually comes from our faith-the blessed assurance that God is always with us, every second of every day, fighting for us and helping to us win our battles and live victoriously.

I am constantly looking for ways to live in more confidence knowing that God is a part of my life every single day, even when times are hard.

The Heart of the Matter

 

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.  Ephesians 4:32

When our boys were much younger, I told them that we all make mistakes or bad choices that hurt other people’s feelings at times.

Forgiveness as I understand it, means letting go and letting God.  Sometimes, we may not receive the apology we seek from someone who has hurt us.  In those instances, we must turn that situation/conflict/person over to God and let Him deal with it.  When we turn it over to God, we must trust Him to handle things His way and NOT our own.

It makes no difference if someone asks for forgiveness or not, we must learn to extend forgiveness at all times.  Too often, I have held onto my hurt feelings for long periods of time, often escalating the issue/conflict and as a result, causing myself more sorrow than it's worth. 

The sooner that we forgive, the sooner that God begins His good work and the healing process in us.

God Bless The U.S.A.

 

God Bless The U.S.A.

 

I urge you, first if all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.  Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.  1 Timothy 2:1-2

On this 4th of July, we celebrate our freedom and independence here in the United States of America.  Too often, we take for granted the sacrifices of the many brave men and women who have fought to defend this country and continue to keep us safe.  One of the greatest things we can do as Christians, is to offer our prayers for this nation; and right now prayers are needed more than ever.

We can pray that our nation is protected by God's might hand.  We can pray for our ALL of our leaders to discern what is good, noble, and right for our country, seeking God's wisdom in the process. We can pray for the least, the lost, and the last to be taken care of. We can pray for the "call to arms" to finally end racism in this country and make it equal for all.

I am proud to be an American and this year as we celebrate America's 250th we all must remember to keep praying for this country and to remain diligent about doing so.  A nation that collectively seeks God and worships Him will stand firm and live in peace!  

Surrender

 

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  Therefore submit to God.  James 4: 6-7

Our sons are both growing up too fast-Elliott graduated high school and is off to college soon and Elijah will be turning sixteen and driving, but along with all of the milestones, both capable of also showing child-like attitudes at any given moment. I feel like a ‘broken record’ at times, reminding them to clean their rooms and occasionally still to this day reminding them to flush the toilet. When they were younger, rounding the boys up for their sporting events was virtually an every week event day/night. Almost every lacrosse and flag football game of the season and it's like these two don't know that they need their uniforms, cleats, gloves, cups...you catch my drift. Despite our many efforts to stay on them, they are both stubborn and usually don't yield to what Alicia and I ask of them. 

 

The same principle holds true in our relationship with the Holy Spirit.  If a drowning man thinks he can help himself, he becomes dangerous to anyone who attempts to rescue him.  Until we surrender to God and give him full authority to reign supreme in our lives, we are not in any position to be helped either.  We may not realize it, but when we aren't following his lead, we are listening to ourselves and being disobedient.

To truly follow God, we must make his will our own and it starts by surrendering our own will!

My Father's Eyes

Take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your week knees.  Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.  Hebrews 12: 12-13

We all model something to someone else.  Being a father, this has never been more apparent to me in all of my lifetime.  There are times that I set good examples for our children; other times, I wish I that could take back something that I have either said or done.   The reality we now are facing is that our oldest is off to college in a few weeks,  and we are almost certain that we won't be able to enjoy having the four of us here at the house on a regular basis.

After almost 52 trips around the sun, I have really come to appreciate all of the wisdom, advice, and love that my father has given me through the years.  The Bible promises us the way we live our lives will influence others; it may be for good or bad, for Christ or the enemy, so ask yourself what kind of example you have been setting for others lately.

I hope that one day our two sons will look back and realize that I tried to set a good example for them to live by, just like my father has for me...