We are gifted

     Why do we continue to look for God's purpose for our lives rather than explore the gifts he gave us?  

        The drive to succeed is a much longer trip than the walk of faith.  

Sticks and Stones

    When I was a child my mother lied to me.  She said,  "Sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you."      Her words hurt.
               And although today, she still lives her own lie, I have forgiven her.
      Click the link below to hear how she let her tongue bite her.
http://www.christchurchva.org/sermons/audio/mp3/081212.mp3

Faith or Prophecy

    Is our faith the product of great psychic prophecy, or were the early prophets gifted with foresight as a result of their profound faith?

   The foundation of Christianity is based on the birth, death and teachings of Jesus as foretold hundreds of years earlier and validated by eye witness accounts.  Yet, I find it so interesting that today any individual with psychic abilities, no matter how well documented, are generally discounted by the Christian community.  Even the word 'psychic' has a negative connotation.

    I believe we all possess the ability to see into the heart and spirit of one another, but we seldom choose to look.

Masterpiece

Nature's beauty is God's masterpiece every artist merely attempts to copy.

God's Timing is as perfect as his plan...

Ever wonder why God gave us a memory?

     
Imagine life without regret or guilt, pain or grief, all of our past transgressions permanently erased.  And every thoughtless word and deed someone had imposed on us gone in the next instant.
     But in a life without memories, we would be destined to repeat our mistakes rather than learn from them, and pivotal moments in our lives would have no meaning.  How could we admire the people our babies grew up to be, if we had no recollection of picking them up when they fell down?
    Cherish all your memories whether small occasions or momentous events.  Remember your anger, your pain, your grief and your happiness for they are all God's unspoken lessons.

Yes or No?

   Saying "No" gets you nowhere.  Saying "Yes" may not get you where you want, but at least you'll get somewhere.
                                                              -Michael J. Fox

Bad Days

     The funny thing about bad days is that they are so very necessary.  Because without ever having one, how would we know to appreciate the good days?

Inspired

    My faith is perpetuated by inspiration.  I am inspired by those who's selfless, quiet acts renew the spirit of another.  Like the career soldier who chose to retire and be home with his ailing wife rather than accept the promotion to General and leave her for an extended tour of duty across the world.
    Free will is more than the power to choose good over evil.   It is the willingness to become the person God made us to be.

   ... Jeff, you are a blessing and an inspiration because you lead others by example.

Subtlety by Design

    Coincidences are the little miracles when God chooses to remain anonymous.

Angels

    Have you ever had someone enter your life at the exact time you needed a helping hand, words of wisdom, encouragement or an answer to a prayer?  Perhaps a friend once gave you a little nudge that sent you in the right direction.  God sends angels to gently guide us along and we are sent as His angels to others who need guidance.   There are no chance encounters because everything happens for a reason.

Homosexuality

    Medical science is said to be on the verge of discovering that homosexuality is a genetic allocation determined at conception?  How will the christian community react to the news, "They Were Born That Way"?
Truly homosexual by DNA rather than by choice.  Will church leaders still view homosexuality as a sin as or will they be accepting as they accept those with cerebral palsy, down's syndrome or any other genetic difference?

But if we as christians, choose to Love not Judge, the outcome won't make any difference!

Worth Living

When death has no reason, Life still has purpose.  Because one death made every life worth living.

ALPHA 16 Retreat

Dear God,
    I am renewed this day.  I'm loved and fulfilled this day.  Thank you for leading me back to the church of Christ I loved so much as a teenager.  I had forgotten how precious and supportive a church can be when people truly follow your word.  I'm so thankful for all the people I've met this weekend and the kindness they have all shown me.  God please bless each and every one of them and smile on their lives as you have smiled on mine.
                  You are Amazing Grace,
                                    Love,
                                       Maggie

Happy 90th Birthday Aunt Margaret

Dear Aunt Margaret,
     My most treasured childhood memories are from my visits to New Mexico because you and Uncle Nelson made them such a special time for Dad and I.   I wrote the following piece to show you just how much those visits meant to me.  
     Then it occurred to me that I had written a journal entry after my last visit with Dad in July of 1987.   I don't remember if I shared it with you at the time; because back then I was quite shy about my writing.  But in honor of your birthday, and to thank you for all the wonderful times we spent together playing cards, tying flies, fishing and visiting, I want you to have it now.
                                      Happy Birthday With Love, 
                                                         Maggie

          My Land of Enchantment - 2012
                      by Margaret Eileen

   White diamonds danced across the dark water.  The bright light of day had not yet reached it's full potential, and the morning air was especially cool under the dew soaked pines.  Shady hollows beneath the trees were awakened by yellow patches of sun stretching downward through hundreds of leafy branches.  A covey of gnats circling low over the lake provoked the occasional trout to breech the surface.  In that early stillness the high pitched spinning of my fishing reel followed by a small, distinct splash was the most vivid.  For in that sound heaven and earth collided.

           Visiting Old Friends - 1987

   Escaping to a world of absent minded melancholy- getting away from it all.  No plan, no agenda, taking a step out of time for a chance to smell the roses.  The return to a simpler life of country breakfasts and neighbors down yonder.
   A climate where folks smile to each other nestled in a small town of gentle breezes with a serene mountain backdrop.  Familiar surroundings once called home create tranquil memories of the past.  The fast pace of our daily lives slows down to a meandering stroll through the streets of nostalgia.
  The warmth and serenity of relatives seldom seen relieve a troubled heart.  There is a pleasant reassurance to be known, understood an encouraged by loved ones with a sympathetic ear.  Details of the past are recaptured with old photographs.  And cool, peaceful evenings spent reminiscing the memories of love lost, bring a smile of love remembered and a joy of love found.
   Content and relaxed by a lake full of trout, problems are gradually put into perspective.

   **Dedicated to Dad, Aunt Margaret, Uncle Nelson for the most peaceful two weeks of my life--New Mexico, June 22 - July 6, 1987.

Interpretation

  A single piece of scripture may have many interpretations.  Like a fine work of art, the Bible evokes different meanings to the eyes of each beholder.  One person may see an ancient document linking them to the past, while another comprehends a literal translation applicable to daily life.  And a third may hear a deeper message directly from God.

  Are these variances based on emotional need?  If so, then perhaps Bible interpretation belongs to those with a much higher level of understanding and education.

  Written by ordinary men about extraordinary events, thousands of years ago...Historical, Literal and Metaphysical.
                                How do you read the Bible?

The Tribute

      Col. Helen Jane Mackey, US Army Nurse, Ret.

She served in the 8063rd M*A*S*H unit in Korea.  A senior surgeon nicknamed her "Hot Lips" because she always wore bright red lipstick.  Her nickname became famous when it was used in the popular TV show depicting the fictional 4077 M*A*S*H unit.  Many times during the show references were made about the real 8063rd.  

     Colonel Mackey died in April of 2011.  I made this video as a tribute to her because she was my Aunt Helen.   But, it's also a tribute to the Honor Guard and Burial Teams of Arlington Cemetery who make every funeral a proud and beautiful memory for the loved ones of those who served our country.

Please let the video completely load before playing by pressing pause.
Click here for video

Sex

Does indifference perpetuate sin? Sexual innuendo, the occasional dirty joke, bedroom exploits discussed over coffee, even the most popular comedians today use sexual references as their main source of material. As a culture, we have become immune to that which was once considered to be offensive. By not allowing ourselves to be offended, society erases the lines we were once forbidden to cross.

I'm Being Published!

My short story, 'Conference Call Cupcakes', will be published in the book, "Stories of Motherhood" due out in March of 2013.  The original story was a fiction based on a true event.  But the published version below required the true story.

Margaret Eileen Burke, Virginia

Conference Call Cupcakes

Being a working Mom presents its own set of challenges. My life revolves around a meticulous schedule of business meetings, deadlines, social functions and our children’s activities. Yet there are still occasions when an interruption in the schedule can cause my two worlds to collide.

Take September 30th, for instance.

It was my son’s eighth birthday and my Mommy duty to take cupcakes to school for the 11 a.m. snack time. There, I would spend twenty quality minutes making my son feel special, and then proceed to a 1 p.m. meeting, which was approximately forty-five minutes from the school.

Remember those word problems we all did in math class? If a train leaves New York at 7 a.m. traveling at 70 mph, and another leaves Chicago at 10 a.m.... Well, it turns out that these seemingly useless calculations really do have a practical application.

Here’s how that day went.

8:40 a.m. The last of my three children leaves for school. Most days I would already be dressed, but I don’t want to run the risk of spilling anything on my suit. I’m not exactly Betty Crocker in the kitchen. I grab a quick bite of breakfast and clean up the family breakfast dishes. It’s time to start the cupcakes. Most moms would have made them the night before, but I worked late last night and utter exhaustion overtook me. Just as I rip open the Pillsbury cake box, the phone rings. It’s a sales rep, one of the forty I support in my region. He has a rush print job and needs my assistance to put it into production.

8:45 a.m. Several minutes into the conversation, I can’t wait any longer. I prop the phone between my shoulder and chin and set the oven to 325 degrees. The sales rep is still explaining the job specifications while I pour the mix into a bowl, add two eggs, and a quarter cup of oil and water. Using a noisy electric mixer is out of the question, so I hand stir the batter, listening intently to every painstaking detail of the rep’s job.

9:35 a.m. The cupcakes need to bake for thirty-five minutes and cool for another twenty minutes before I can ice them and start off for the school. It’s going to be close, but the school is a short two-minute drive up the street.

9:36 a.m. Suddenly, the rep asks a question I can’t answer. “Hold on,” I say, “I have to conference in the vendor.” I put the rep on hold, dial the vendor, find the cupcake wrappers, distribute them and begin to spoon the batter into the cups. The phone slips off my shoulder and nearly lands in the batter. Fortunately, the call doesn’t get dropped along with the phone.

9:52 a.m. We arrive at a course of action for the print job. I hang up the phone and pop the cupcakes into the oven. I throw on my business casual, paint on a face, and even manage to accessorize.

10:19 a.m. The oven timer and the doorbell buzz simultaneously. The dog barks his head off at the friendly alert from the UPS guy that my package has arrived just in time for my 1 p.m. meeting. “Hush up!” I holler to the dog, while I take the cupcakes out of the oven. They look fabulous.

10:20 a.m. I respond to a few emails while I wait for the cupcakes to cool.

10:35 a.m. They’re still warm, but time is running out. I carefully ice each one and place them into the cupcake carriers. My cupcake carriers were one of those impulse buys that give our husbands ammunition to complain about our spending habits. But buying these carriers turned out to be a stroke of pure genius.

10:46 a.m. Done! I load the cupcakes, my briefcase, and the UPS package in the car and I’m off. A few hundred yards from the house it hits me: no napkins. Showing up at school with a messy snack and no napkins is a major Mommy faux pas. I turn the car around and charge back into the house to grab the napkins left over from my daughter’s birthday party that I’d put in a baggie. I feel something hard in the bag and discover the number eight candle. I’m grateful for this small victory of forethought. “Matches!” I blurt out loud. Fumbling around in my junk drawers, I finally find them, and I’m off for the second time.

10:59 a.m. I’m almost there. I’m walking—no, running!—across the school parking lot. But if you think I make it with a minute to spare, guess again. Things have changed since we were in school. There are security procedures to follow, forms to sign, and a mandatory self-adhesive visitor’s pass to affix.

11:05 a.m. From the main office I break into a jog to the classroom.

11:06 a.m. Arriving at the door, a cupcake carrier in each hand and a baggie of napkins under my arm, I see my son’s face light up. I also see the teacher trying to force a smile as she sneaks a look at the clock. To make matters worse, the Diva of all Room Mothers is volunteering in the classroom today. She and the teacher exchange a pained “She’s finally here” look.

11:10 a.m. Despite my tardiness, we have time to sing Happy Birthday to my beaming boy and eat our cupcakes. Still, I can’t help feeling remorseful. Having twenty-four second graders squirming in their seats for six long minutes must have felt like a punishment—for the teacher, at least, if not for the kids. “Maybe I should have settled for store-bought cupcakes,” I think, regretfully. But I had promised my son I would make his favorite flavor—vanilla flecked with colored sprinkles—and you can’t buy those off the shelf.

11:25 a.m. We clean up the mess, and by the end of snack time I’m out the door and on my way to my meeting.

I know there are moms who choose to work for the challenge or satisfaction of working, but I’m not one of them. My income is an absolute necessity for our family. My husband is a self-employed contractor who works long hours. The honest truth is that we are only one broken bone away from serious financial difficulty.

Our children have to make some significant allowances because their parents both work. Our 15-year-old son watches our two younger children in the summer when we cannot. I leave a list of chores on the kitchen counter every morning for them to complete.  My children know how to empty the dishwasher, pick up after themselves, and run the vacuum.

Most of the working moms I know don’t strive to be the best at what they do; they simply try to do the best the best they can for their families. Keeping up with a job, a home, and children is a juggling act, and some things simply fall through the cracks. These transgressions, no matter how small, heap a load of guilt on our heads.

I’m proud of myself for putting my children first despite the occasional inconvenience. As a mom, I’ve learned that it’s my smallest accomplishments that give me the greatest joy. So when you get home from work, put down the guilt and pick up your child. Because at the end of the day, it’s all about the cupcakes.

Margaret Eileen worked as a Print Development Manager for five years before joining her husband, Brian, as Marketing Manager of his kitchen and bath renovation company in 2011. She and Brian are the parents of two boys and a girl. She writes short stories and has published a screenplay titled “Trusting Faith,” the story of a woman grieving the tragic deaths of her husband and children and what transpires at a house she rents on a solitary vacation.  Margaret Eileen is a regular contributor to Faithwriters.com and Christianwriters.com.  She blogs at www.maggiemoments.blogspot.com and her website can be found at www.margareteileen.com.

He's With Us

          by Margaret Eileen

So immense is your sorrow, we cannot measure

So great is God’s love we’re taught to treasure.

The lost life of an unborn child

Jesus in a manger so tender and mild

The life of one man revered with fond memory

No room at the inn for Joseph and Mary

Angels we have heard on high,

Tires screech, a young boy dies

While another life ends tragically

We deck the halls with boughs of holly

Folks have no job, no money, with each day more stress

And we’re told the first Christmas was oh such a mess

With our hearts heavy with so much sadness,

Why do we celebrate with merriment and happiness?

If everything bad happens for a reason,

Why lift our glass to toast the season?

Well, it’s all about having Faith

And turning to God when your heart aches

Because every life is a gift, no matter how brief

God’s love will see you through your pain and your grief

Each life has a purpose to nurture and cherish

Each death a reminder that our spirit won’t perish

It’s that time of year to remember He’s with us

That’s why we say, "Have a Merry Christmas"


  ~For the loved one's we've lost at Christmas Time~