...a word from Kathy

D istractions abound.  I have no time to write this blog.  I have no time to focus on the bigger picture. Christmas is just days away and I have so much to do, more money to spend, more groceries to buy, more food to cook, more packages to wrap, more highways to travel, more...more...more.  But wait, what happened to "oh, holy night" and "silent night" and "away in a manger"?  The beloved songs speak of quiet and peace and of worship.  I'm getting ready to sing those songs but those songs don't speak of how I'm living my life right now.  Yes, it's Christmas-days-extraordinaire count down.   The irony of all this 'doing' is that we're counting down to a very quiet, private moment that God Himself chose to come into this physical world and find me and you.  He came just to meet us.  He completely went out of His way to come and find us.  He took a trip just to live in our world with us.  And here I sit, Miss Hustle-Bustle. I...

W e hear over and over, "Make your Christmas list!  When my kids were little they each had a  Christmas list.  Actually, by the time Christmas Day arrived their lists had changed many, many times.  It was hard to keep up!  My natural tendency is to go against a Christmas list - not in a Scrooge sort of way but in a surprise sort of way.  If I just give gifts from a list the surprise of Christmas morning is really not possible.  And I like to give surprise gifts that are right on the mark!  It's the unexpected gifts I give and receive that I love the most. The story of Christmas is much the same.  Jesus was expected in one way and came to earth in another.  It was an unexpected arrival, an unexpected gift, in an unexpected way of delivery.  I suppose a christmas list back in the days before Jesus' arrival were something like this: A strong, powerful King A commander who will defeat the enemies surrounding our country A ru...

T he foretelling of Christmas has officially begun.  If you have doubt look at some headlines from around the world. Signs Christmas is coming    Glasgow, Scotland News,   Evening Times 1. The Coca-Cola advert comes on TV: It was a Coke ad which first put Santa in a red and white outfit. 2. Coffee shops start using Christmas cups: We wonder where they keep them the rest of the year? 3. You can't find a birthday card anywhere: Tough for December babies. 4. Workers spend less time working and more time on online gift sites: Watch out, the boss is behind you! 5. Christmas songs are everywhere! 6. Brussel sprouts appear in the shops: Try them shredded and stir-fried with chilli and garlic - delicious! 7. Eating chocolate for breakfast becomes normal: As any good doctor will tell you, calories don't count at Christmas. 8. Schmaltzy TV ads fill every break: I wasn't crying, I had something in my eye. 9. Adults turn into big kids at the first sight of sno...

Please visit the Hayes/Elliff Christmas blogsite:  adventagain.blogspot.com A s we roll into this Christmas season, I've been pondering.....If I had not been born in the USA would I know the name Jesus?  Would I believe in this God-Man?  If I had been born in Vietnam or Russia or China would I have learned the story of Christmas?  Or would I still be waiting to hear some Good News? I recently heard a story of young woman who was studying at an American university and Christmas was about to be celebrated.  She had only heard of God since arriving in America three years ago and was interested but still seeking.  As she visited with her American friend one day they begin to discuss spiritual matters.  And after a matter of minutes, this young foreign student became intrigued about a book her friend was discussing.  As she took out her notepaper to write down the book title she hesitated....her writing looked like this......Je She stopped wri...

I n a stadium of football fans, the number equals 100,000.  On the university campus the number equals 30,000.  In the mall last week during sale day, the number equaled 10,000.  On the highway yesterday the number equaled 1000.  In my world today, how many do I see?  How many am I called to see? There was a man and he was blind.  Friends of his physically brought him before the great Healer and begged for the Healer to touch him.  They had absolute faith.  The healer then took the blind man by the hand and led him to a private area.  Just the two of them now remained.  The Healer actually then spit on the man's eyes and put His hands on him.  "Do you see anything?"  The man looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."  Once again, the healer put His hands on the man's eyes.  Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Mark 8:22-26 My sight is...

E ver since I was a little girl I have loved football.  In my childhood days  we only had 3 choices of TV stations in my house.  And also in those days, my daddy chose the station the entire family would watch for we only had one TV.  On Sunday afternoons, it was always football so I grew to love the game.  I was also a pretty good player, for a girl, as my brother liked to tell me.  I was often his "center" if the team needed an extra.  Occasionally, I got to play wide receiver however, this was a much more pressure packed position in the neighborhood.  After a dropped pass, my brother would say to me, "if the pass touches your hand, you should catch it!"Oops! But my favorite part of the neighborhood games was the huddle.  We would get in the huddle and my brother would call the play.  Then he would stretch out his hand and diagram it on his palm, showing me the wide-receiver route.  I was exhilarated to be included in the huddle...

B ack-to-School shopping was always a big event in our house.  New notebooks, backpacks, school clothes, new tennis shoes, file folders, 3 ring binders, calculators and etc etc.   The upcoming year offered our children a clean slate, a new start.  All of their gear was new, the teachers were new, the classroom was new.  All the difficulties of the past academic year seemed long gone.  The lazy days of summer were over.  A fresh start awaited.  And in anticipation...we waited. This year is no different; however, now we buy used furniture for apartments, sheets for new beds, tires for cars and college books!  Yikes, the price tags have increased but the process remains much the same.  It's a new start for my kids and for me.  We're each anxious, excited and anticipating what lies ahead.  It's like a New Year celebration.   I'm ready for new year.  One that I dream new dreams.  One that let's me start over with a newne...

F ive or six years ago, they begin to meet every Sunday night in a campus building for Bible study.  A  dozen students would gather.  Students that had absolutely  NO knowledge of God...many of whom had never heard of Jesus. (as an aside, it's a thrilling moment to help a person learn how to pronounce this name...Jesus).  A month later, a few dozen more students joined their meeting.  Soon dinner after the meeting was suggested.  Sunday worship services including transportation were offered and accepted.  The numbers continued to grow and grow and grow.  Before long, English classes were started, field trips planned (blueberry picking, American restaurant visits, museums) road trips scheduled (Braves baseball, beach trips, shopping trips to Atlanta), pre-game parties, Halloween parties, more Bible study, and more and more and more.  Seven days a week, they are meeting with students and serving and loving them to Jesus.   Hundreds ...

W e met in the main student building on campus.  It's a building that has constant activity: meetings, Starbucks stops, food choices, banks, student services of all types.  As we walked into the building, we were surrounded by Parent Summer Orientation groups.  There were hundreds of parents and students, information booths in every space.  I see worry and fatigue on the faces of many moms, perhaps it's just that I'm remembering those early freshman days!  But my friend and I slip into the building unnoticed.  We are but two among throngs of people.  We're kinda strange looking in that we're a middle-aged woman and a young Asian male....but nonetheless, unnoticed. As we find a quiet place to have our English tutoring session, my friend exclaims to me that he passed his mathematics comprehensive exam; therefore, he is now able to begin his research project in order to complete his PhD.  Oh my.  Does this dear man realize how very poor my mat...

  B ack in the day, I remember Saturdays spent shelling peas and butter beans.  It was the worst of Saturday duties for me.  I wanted to be out and about.  I can still feel the cold pan, full of beans, wedged between my legs as I peeled purple-hull peas.  My fingers turned purple and became sore long before I reached the end of my pan of peas.  And I can still smell those fresh peas, there's really nothing like that richness.  My parents weren't true gardeners until my daddy retired and I had left home for college.  Daddy only had a small garden but it bore much produce which meant picking, peeling and "putting up" the fresh crop. We have friends in Tuscaloosa who have a large garden plot.  They work the soil, fight the deer, water, weed and love the work and effort and reward!  I love the spoils of their hard work.  (I've been promised fresh veggies and in late summer....Fig preserves!!! Oh my!) And then, there are other...

L ubbock, Texas was my destination last week.  The trip held excitement, a family united, joy, astonishment and love.  We were all gathered to celebrate a rebirth.  My beautiful son, Nick celebrated his third year of recovery.  There were dark days during the prior years of this journey and actually the darkness was so very black and ominous and scary.  But last week, we were washed in bright light.  I've learned that it's only in fully experiencing the dark that we truly appreciate the light.  Now, for our son there is a newness, an eagerness to share what he's learned.  He leaves for Africa in just a few days...going into the world to share hope and recovery and redemption. Austin, Texas is my destination next week.  The trip holds excitement, joy, astonishment and love.  I'm going to help my beautiful daughter, move into her summer place.  This sweet girl was brave and courageous and left a safe community to move 730 miles aw...

P ondering is alive inside me.  I find that I ponder quite a bit.  Perhaps it's in these recent years of difficulty with my children that I find myself pondering a bit more.  Most recently I've been pondering Jesus' last week of life on earth.  I've been reminded of Jesus' complete surrender which became our complete satisfaction....ponder that a minute.....I've also been thoughtful of Jesus' last words, "Into your hands I commit my spirit".  My question to myself is, have I done that?  Do I live my life in complete submission to Jesus? Am I actively seeking this Jesus that came to seek and save? I have some friends who are seeking Easter. 1.  I had lunch last week with a visiting scholar from China.  I've been friends with this young Ph.D student for over four years.  We've learned English together, went on a retreat to Memphis, shared lots of coffee, laughed, discussed the possibility of mermaids and many more topics.  We've talke...