HERE IN THE REAL WORLD

My fondest memories of Thanksgiving are of going to my grandmothers’ houses. I was blessed in that I am able to remember two grandmothers plus one great grandmother. That alone is enough for anyone to offer thanksgiving! Both of my grandmothers started off life as poor country girls. One stayed on the country and lived there until her death when I was 6. The other moved to the city where she still lives at the ripe young age of 92.

The one that lived in the country was poor by most people’s standards, yet I never noticed it. The other moved to the city and ran a rest home and lived, and still lives, comfortably. Though they lived very different lives, they both had faith in God. And. It was visible through their lifestyles. While ones faith was shown sometimes through what she had, the other’s was shown through what she didn’t have. For some reason though I never noticed the have and the have not; the faith was what shown through to a little boy.

I remember walking into their houses on thanksgiving and the smell of the home cooking meeting me at the door. Thanksgiving of 1977 was to be different: it was the first Thanksgiving after the death of my grandfather. We left our home and went over the river, the Black Water River in Franklin, Virginia, and through the woods of Gates County, North Carolina until we reached Elizabeth City where my grandmother lives. I couldn’t wait to open the door and let the smell of turkey and the fragrance of all the pies fill my sinuses. The minute the car stopped my taste buds were doing the doo-see-doo in anticipation of the glories they were about to experience.

The door swung open but no smell waltzed out. Not even the slightest hint of pumpkin pie was in the air. The house was quiet. The kitchen was dark. My grandmother had taken sick the night before and was unable to cook. A quick check of the yellow pages proved fruitless in the task of trying to find a restaurant. Simply stated, “this was 1977, and restaurants and grocery stores closed for holidays!” We made an excursion to Granny’s refrigerator and took inventory: Bologna, hot dogs, eggs, bacon, Pepsi, and ice cream in the freezer. It might not have been what President Carter feasted on, and I must admit I held a grudge against the turkey he had earlier pardoned, but I noticed that we all were full. My stomach didn’t seem to care that it didn’t have turkey with all the trimmings; it never once asked for pumpkin pie.

We spent to the day talking to granny reminiscing about times past and looking to times future. I took a quick trip across town and visited with my granny’s sister, my great aunt. And, great she was. She had been in poor health for many years and yet she took my grandmother to the store daily after my grandfather died (my granny never has driven). Her first name was Grace and her middle name Angelica (somehow I think her mother knew the kind of girl she was going to be). She told me to go look on her bar there was something there for me: a nice freshly baked chocolate pie: which I felt guilty about eating any of as my parents and sister were at my grandmother’s house not enjoying this sensation. I talked to my aunt grace for a while then made my way back to my granny’s house for the trip through the woods and over the river back home. And some where between my aunt’s and my granny’s something strange came into my mind. Could it be that thanksgiving isn’t about pumpkin pie and turkey? Could it be thanksgiving is something a little bit more than all those trimmings? Could it be that my stomach knew best: That it was just as full on bologna and it was happy?

Could it be that through my granny’s sickness that I saw thanksgiving for what it was? Though she was well off, she showed me how to be thankful in poverty, Just as many years before my other grandmother, Ma’maw, had showed me how to be thankful through her own poverty. Could it be that thanksgiving is just something a little bit more than a feast a king could afford? Could it be that it is that feeling that touches you when you around the people you love and love you back. Paul wrote that he could do all things through Christ who gave him strength. And, both of my grandmothers had that strength. It didn’t matter that one’s table might have had more variety on it than the other’s, what mattered was the way the table was set. And, they both set their tables with love.

Tomorrow as you set your table remember it isn’t so much what you set out before your guest, it is how you set the table!

Happy Thanksgiving!

23 November 2006

Bobby Cohoon

Little_sorrel@yahoo.com

IT LOOKS LIKE DIRT BUT IT’S NOT
(read that sentence fast)

I had planned to update my blog tonight with a thought provoking post called “The Annunciation.” I had been mulling it over in my mind, and on paper, for a while and thought I had it they way I wanted. I figured it to be a thought provoking piece. Well, that was yesterday. Today the sinuses hit hard. And, I mean HARD! The pressure over and around my left eye has been at times almost unbearable, not to mention that steady stream that keeps dripping from my nose. In all the time I have been writing on this page, this is most assuredly the first post I have done about, you guessed it, SNOT!

Solomon wrote, “To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecc 3:1). And, for me it’s sinus/allergy season! Solomon wrote that “a time to plant” (Ecc. 3:2) and in the spring of the year I suffer with allergies as all the plants start to come in bloom. Yet, I know that through all my suffering at the time there is going to be some good food coming out of all the planting, not to mention the beauty of the blooming flowers each echoing back to our creator and giving us a glimpse into the mind of God. Things left to chance would end up in chaos, but through the blooming of the flowers we don’t see chaos; we see beauty that can only have been created.

There is “A time to love, and a time to hate” (Ecc 3:8). And, at allergy time the time to love and the time to hate can be at the same time! Of course we hate those allergens, but at the same time we love the creations that surround us. Much like war, we hate the killing, but we love freedom and peace. And, there is “a time of war, and a time of peace (Ecc. 3:8).

Of course my problems not are not from some type of germ that has been in the air since the spring planting. Nope. I am suffering from the harvest! And, as Solomon said, there is “a time to pluck up that which is planted” (Ecc. 3:2). The dust is stirred up in the air, not to mention the fall plants blooming. But, it is that time of year. And, this time of year (harvesting) is a direct result of SIN: Genesis 3:17. Oh yes, before Genesis 3 there was no harvesting to stir up everything in the air; of course, if it was nobody would be allergic to it anyway as it was a perfect world so no one would be allergic to anything. It just occurred to me; ADAM MADE ME SNEEZE!

Well, there is a time for everything, so now its time to wrap this up. Next time you sneeze, or suffer allergies in whichever way you choose (or choose not), You can do one of a few things; 1) you can complain about everything in the air, 2) think about all the beauty that is around you, the Creator and the creation: The Creator made a perfect world, the creation made you sneeze!

10 November 2006
Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
little_sorrel@yahoo.com

I VOTED TODAY

Well I did my civic duty today; I voted. Of course as I sit here and look over the ballot count it seems I picked al the losers. Well, I am a Cincinnati Reds fan so I am not good a picking a winner. But, as I look over the returns what does it mean for us Christians? When the election chips don’t fall where we Christians would prefer what do we do?

Over in my sister state of Virginia they had a choice of making an amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. The actual amendment is worded like this:

Shall Article I (the Bill of Rights) of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to

state:

“That only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in

or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.

This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a

legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the

design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage. Nor shall this Commonwealth or its

political subdivisions create or recognize another union, partnership, or other legal status

to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage.”?

The amendment passed and will now become part of the Virginia constitution. But, what if it hadn’t passed? If it hadn’t passed it would have opened the way for civil unions between man and man or woman and woman. What would that mean for us Christians?

It would mean that a homosexual cohabitation could have been seen legally on the same level as a heterosexual one. Nothing more. Many of us run around acting like if such an amendment didn’t pass that WE would be forced to live in a homosexual relationship. Just because the government would have seen such a relationship as “legal” would not compromise what we in our beliefs see as a relationship ordained by God. Had the amendment not passed it would not have made the sin righteous in the eyes of God anymore than its passing is going to stop the sin. The passing of the amendment has done nothing to stop the sin. Much like abortion: Just because some abortions are legal in the eyes of the law doesn’t mean we have to rush out and get one.

Whether our candidates win or loose we Christians are called to act on their behalf. Paul wrote to Timothy, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). We Christians should offer up prayers on behalf of those in authority on a daily basis. Pray that they lead us on a path of godliness, all the while knowing if our leaders take a side path towards sin we are not commanded to follow. Pray that the sin of homosexuality be gone, yet knowing that if it stays we do not have to partake of it. Pray that not another innocent child is murdered in the womb, yet knowing that just because it is legal we do not have to kill our own. Pray for peace. Pray that our leaders will lead us into paths of peace.

And, our biggest prayer should be in the area of foreign policy. We should pray daily that those who are of this world might join us in the salvation that gives citizenship in Heaven.

7 November 2006

Bobby Cohoon

North Carolina, USA

little_sorrel@yahoo.com

Maybe I am just weird or something; I don’t know. But I have gotten to the point where I see God all around me. I know the Bible tells us, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen” (Romans 1:20). So, yeah I see God in a beautiful sunset, or in a dark cloudy day. And, everyone has seen God through the smile or even the tears of a child. But, my condition has worsened. I mean, I have seen God in war. I have seen Him in catastrophes such as Katrina. By the way, what kind of sneakers do you have on?

Of life, James wrote, “It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:14). And that is true. Let’s say you live 75 years; that isn’t a drop in the bucket to the eternity you will spend: it just a little time! And, now day and times temptations seem to lie waiting for us around every corner. God told Cain that if he didn’t do right “sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him” (Genesis 4:7). Some times it is a task to turn from temptations. If we need that wisdom we are to asked God who gives to all men liberally (James 1:5). And, we have to asked “not wavering” (James 1:6). The world is not our home and in most instances it is hostile to our Christian beliefs. We have to play hard. Do you recognize how short life is and do you play hard? Maybe it’s time to throw away those generic sneakers and become a Reebok Christian: “Life is short Play Hard.”

We know the commands of God; he has given them to us in His word. Yet, sometimes it seems we just struggle in finding time to do what it says. Maybe today you had a golf game and just couldn’t squeeze in time to lead someone to Christ. Or, maybe you are to worried about what your friends might say about you if you are in church every time the doors are opened. Of course Saturday night was long and the work before was stressful, so maybe sleeping in this Sunday might be a good thing. James said, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). As Christians we are called to do more than just hear the word and be done with it. We are called to be doers of the Word! We are called to teach and to make disciples. We are called to live Godly lives. What logo is on the side of your sneakers? Maybe it’s time to become a Nike Christian and not only be a hearer of the word but be a doer: JUST DO IT!

I remember back in school we got “stars” for doing good. Not just a good grade, but for actually doing good: Helping someone. James said we are to do good to others. He wrote, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). Who have you helped? Have you gained any stars for doing good? Have you offered food to a brother or sister that was hungry? Or maybe a blanket or coat to someone who was cold? Look at your sneakers. Now, earn you a star and start helping those in need. Wear the ones with the “Star” on the side: become a Converse Christian!

I told you I was weird in the beginning of this. But, brothers and sisters, the point is this. Life is short; you know it as well as I do. And, we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27). So, don’t you think it is about time we stop being hears of the word only and become doers: JUST DO IT!