Ghosts - what do you believe?

A strange beginning for a blog, but keep reading and it will probably make sense. We went to Fort Smith, AR, to visit with our daughter and husband this past week.As they both work - she at the VA and he as owner of the family restaurant, we were left to our own during the day. After eating breakfast at Bob and Wanda's Wagon Wheel Restaurant (the family restaurant owned by our daughter and son-in-law) we did a bit of exploring. But if you are ever in Fort Smith, drive West outside of Fort Smith to Barling where the restaurant is located. Wonderful food, terrific service, and great owners who truly care about their customers. One day we traveled to Van Buren, a small touristy town nearby. Lots of historic buildings, a railroad (which still runs tourist trips), and lots of interesting shops. I did buy some patchouli soap for one of my daughters and myself, while indulging in taffy and flavored popcorn ( maple butter and also cinnamon). While strolling around I saw this sign:

Guess there are a few ghosts hanging around town. Ghosts are described as" a disembodied soul; especially : the soul of a dead person believed to be an inhabitant of the unseen world or to appear to the living in bodily likeness, a spirit or demon".  You have heard of friendly ghosts (ie: Casper) and more often scary or demonic ghosts. Many people do believe in the spirit word. There are times when I feel the hair on my neck rise up or think I feel someone close by but really do not believe that unhappy or discontented figures of dead folks are floating around in this world. I do believe in the Holy Spirit, who lives within us and always guides our conscience, thus warning us of sin. But apparitions or ghostly figures - nope not really. But it does make for good reading at times! 

While on our short trip to Fort Smith, I continue to  marvel at the beauty of the Ozark and Boston Mountains of the area. I never tire of the changing scene depending on the time of year, day, or even weather conditions. My heart seems to swell up at the beauty that surrounds us, created by the One who loves us and wants us to enjoy this world He created. I took these pictures as the sun was just beginning to set and evening was approaching. 

Love the misty look of the mountains and valleys

this scene changes constantly as the daytime sum shines on the trees, but turns to misty elegance as evening approaches

We are leaving AR this week for WI - first to visit friends for a few days then on to our sister-in-laws, as Fred's brother passed away three years ago and Susan needs help yet in sorting out things in his workshop. She has lots of lumber stored there as my brother-in-law loved to work with wood, but she does not know what is good, salvageable, or even good enough to sell. Fred also loves wood, so hopefully he will be able to sort it out for her. We will be able to visit fiends and relatives in the area, as we lived there for a few years when we were first married, and it is the stomping grounds of Fred when he was younger. I love the area, as it is close to the restaurant my parents used to own and the high school I graduated from - lots of good memories there. Also cheese factories, gelato cafes, and wonderful Amish stores! Even though I was raised in Chicago for 11 years, I love and prefer the small towns.

We continued to study about the power of the tongue in Church last Sunday. (Vance Eubanks is such an amazing preacher - wonderful pastor, and friend.) Life giving words can change our family, workplace, and community. 

 

Proverbs 12:18 The words of the reckless pierce like swords,  but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 15:1 New King James Version (NKJV). A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. These are only two of the many verses in Proverbs pertaining to the way we speak. Gentleness wins. Gentle words fuel your body and soul. Think of how good you feel when someone says a kind word to or about you. But be jarful - when you are in places of influence, words are power. The use of our words is a calling of God.The word Christian portrays the way we live or talk. Does your speech say :"he/she is a Christian?".Our words portray all areas of our lives, especially in our home. Does your "outside" speech also carry over into your home? We are called to be greater than today's culture, where vulgarity seems the norm. Don't fall into that world. We can speak the truth but need to do so with grace. As Christians we need to be unselfish - we need to listen to and care for others, instead of thinking of what we are going to say next,. We need to be curious as to why others act as they do - what is happening in their lives. Slow down, think before you speak, and do so with love and grace. Don't take things personally - that person who just lashed out at you probably has lots of stuff going on in their lives. Don't let the Holy Spirit be grieved by your action or words. We need to be a life giving spirit just as Jesus was to us. Encouragement is something that God does because He loves us so that we can encourage others. Here is a challenge for you this week:

1)think of three people you can encourage this week and do so verbally 

2) post something positive on social media for 3 of your friends

3) make your home a place of encouragement