life

Vashti, Wrong and Wronged!

by ladypbwiggins

Vashti, I found nothing in my research to explain or support your behavior. You may have had a legitimate reason for rejecting King Ahasuerus’ request. I may never know. I can only guess based on what the scriptures tell us.
1. You both were probably drunk and feeling quite emboldened. We know he was.
2. You may have decided to become a feminist at that moment. Were you tired of parading around in front of a bunch of drunken men so the king could puff out his chest?

3. Were you just tired? You had been partying for seven days also.

Whatever your reason, it wasn’t a wise move. Girl, you knew your man. You knew he was a proud man who would be drunk and showing off. You also knew those princes. After all, the wives were at your banquet. I’m sure they had some input. Did they put you up to it? 🤔

That said, I did see how you were WRONGED!

I don’t believe you thought or knew you were in danger and here is why. When you denied  the King’s request, he asked his advisors what did the law say regarding your behavior.  They never answered that question and the King was too drunk and angry to notice. Instead, for their own fearful and selfish reasons, they convinced the King to be harsh in punishing you. Why? So their wives would not oppose them. Got to keep them in their place.
King Ahasuerus did not respond to you according to the law. He created a new one that he later regretted.

Vashti, you were Wrong and you were Wronged!

Faith or Sight? Choose! Revisited

by ladypbwiggins

Several years ago I posted this during a personal medical crisis. I felt led to repost as a reminder to me and other believers as we walk through this most recent national health crisis.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

I have heard that scripture cited so very much over my life. I even thought I knew what it meant. I thought….

On Friday, April 10, 2015 I realized I didn’t get it before. God said to me “Your behavior does not match your words. Are you really walking by faith or are you really walking by sight wrapped in limited faith.”

Let me give you some context.

At Eagles Wings Christian Church, we have been focusing a lot lately on “Walking by Faith, Not by Sight.” There are new activities that we want to accomplish and it will require faith to do it.

On Sunday, March 1, 2015, God spoke through our praise leader that everything would be alright. She uncontrollably kept repeating “everything will be alright.” We said Amen. What we didn’t understand that a few short minutes later, the pastor, my husband, would pass out just before taking the pulpit. Apparently, his blood pressure dropped and so did he. The emergency response team was called and he was revived and taken to the hospital. That morning the believers swarmed him with prayer. I felt no fear just prayerful power. After all we had been told “everything would be alright.”

The teachings continued and we as a church expected every week for a miracle. Little did we know God had an object lesson planned. On March 26th, God’s lesson began. “In That Moment” and “After the First Moment” tell the story so I invite you to read those posts.

This is where the Friday conversation becomes relevant. We talked about walking by faith and not by sight at church and among believers. That basically means we live, make decisions based on the faith that we have in some thing or someone not by what we observe in the circumstance. The scripture that was laid on my mind when my husband had his heart attack was Psalm 91 especially verses 14-16. I told everyone that I was standing in faith on this scripture for my husband’s recovery.

Here was my contradiction.

Sight said

He had a loss of oxygen. Brain damage

His heart has a 10-20% refraction – doesn’t pump blood strongly enough

Needs a defibrillator or other surgery

Prognosis is not so good.

The practical and realistic thinking person says let’s do what is medically necessary to save and improve his life. I mean it is reasonable right?

Faith says Psalm 91

Psalm 91:14-16 (NKJV)
14 “Because he has set his love upon Me,

therefore I will deliver him;

I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
15 He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;

I will be with him in trouble;

I will deliver him

and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him,

And show him My salvation.”

God said “You said Psalm 91 was your faith anchor while you make preparations to satisfy sight.” His question was clear. “Will you totally and completely trust me and my word? Choose.”

Do I listen to faith or sight? I chose faith. In that choice, I signed up to behave or live according to faith not what I see. Yes, I gather all the information from the doctors. I ask questions to understand what the doctors are doing. I then turn all that over to God and remind Him what He said.Until God says something different, I am expecting everything that He said in Psalm 91. My husband fulfills the conditions and I choose to trust God’s Word. It is my choice to live, walk, behave according to faith not just mentally believe.

Hemp Seed Milk

by ladypbwiggins

I made hemp seed milk for the first time. I had being seeing it in some recipes and I always told myself I would make some. Today was the day.

It was easy. Three fourths cup of seeds and 4 cups of filtered water. Creamy to the mouth but it had a raw plant taste. Definitely an acquired taste. I’ve checked my raw vegan/ vegan books and the hemp seed milk seed to taste better with cashew milk. I plan to try it in combination with other milks. I am going to soak the seeds next time. Maybe that will help the taste.

Dangerous Ground

by ladypbwiggins

The President of the United States is refusing to honor a constitutionally legal subpoena as I understand it. I wonder has he thought about the repercussions of his refusal to honor the supoena?

His example is giving everyone who is ever subpoenaed the precedent to disregard it and there would be nothing the prosecution, defense attorney or judge could do about it. Thus rendering subpoenas powerless.

Now for those who think I am anti-Trump because you have assumed I am a progressive Democrat because I am black consider this scenario.

Imagine you were on trial and the person that could prove you were innocent refused to testify. A subpoena is issued. They refuse to honor it. The President didn’t so why should I? Off to jail or prison you go.

His behavior doesn’t only affect his life but all of ours. Has he considered that. Or maybe this is part of his plan. For sure, this is dangerous ground.

Congress and SC judges if you stand by and allow this to happen, you have just lost your jobs. If the executive branch is above the law or any branch is above the law, there is no need for the law or lawmakers or adjudicators. Dangerous Ground.

This is not a political issue. This is a living in this democratic republic we call the United State of America issue. Both sides of the isle need to unite to do what is right.

Right now we are standing on dangerous ground.

Un-conditionally

by ladypbwiggins

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, especially the last few days. Have I really grown to love unconditionally?

You know I went back to the dictionary to see if I missed anything regarding “un”.

Un means not. When attached to a word it means not that. Un+Fair =unfair – not fair.

Un+conditionally =unconditionally – not conditionally. We, or maybe I should say I, think of no conditions, no strings attached. Could it mean more?

I looked at the statement my son Sam made: you can’t love unconditionally unless you know the condition the person is in or has. (My paraphrase). The context for the word condition changes. This doesnt’have anything to do with the strings attached but instead the state or situation the person is in. Could mean their character, their socioeconomic status, their health, or behavior. I thought about that. I don’t like liars. It would be easier to embrace someone with a possibly contagious disease than a liar. But that’s the condition of mental health they are in, their character.

Condition = liar

Uncondition = not liar

I am to love them as if the condition did not exist. Love them as if they weren’t liars.

To love unconditionally then means to love as if the condition you find so offensive was NOT. See past the condition and love them anyway. This doesn’t mean you accept or agree with wrong. It doesn’t mean you are blind to the condition. It means you see it and choose to love as if it wasn’t there.

I have to ask myself do I truly love some people unconditionally that I thought I did? Can I love racists, hatemongers, rapists, pedophiles, murderers, liars, and the like in my present “condition”? I still don’t like liars but can I love them anyway?

Loving unconditionally is loving as if the condition was NOT.

A Deeper Level

by ladypbwiggins

All year God has been teaching me the depth of His love and what He requires of me to give that kind of love to others. In April I submitted a post entitled #Love?. The content was about God’s definition of love. Since then I have been focused on how Pat would apply this level of understanding. Don’t get me wrong, these precepts I have known and taught for years. What has changed is my depth of understanding deep down in my spirit.

Tonight I listened to a spiritual son and daughter share a portion of their journey in learning what love really is. My son shared something he had learned in his journey that hit home to me. He said, “You cannot love someone unconditionally unless you know what their condition is.”

I am going to leave that right there and let you ruminate along with me.

Resurrecting Franklin

by ladypbwiggins

I went to bed last night thinking about causes for my stress and how to relieve it. I realized all the different directions I felt pulled into; all the different ideas floating around in my brain; all the different responsibilities I now have. I felt my stress level go up just thinking about it all. Anyone who knows me well knows I hate unorganized chaos. (I believe I can have some organization within my chaotic life) Example:looking for the tops to storage containers or pots and pans. When they are cleaned, I store them with their tops on. Having to look for them creates stress.

Then an organization system we used in the ’80s popped into my thoughts: Franklin Planner. I haven’t used it in years but it seems quite appropriate for the chaos in my life. Can’t hurt. After this thought I went into a restful sleep.

For those who haven’t used the system, it is quite simple and very effective. First list all the things you have to do. Then prioritize them. All urgent, time sensitive recieve an A level; the next in importance recieve a B level and so on. Making the lists should prove very enlightening. Prioritizing is going to be interesting because right now I think everything is urgent. Recently I unpacked my husband’s office and found his planner. Now I can organize my chaos. 😄

So today I will resurrect Franklin.

Foundations

by ladypbwiggins

Do you remember nursery school? Today they call it preschool. I do. The place: McKenzie Courts Center. The administrator/teacher: Mrs. Henderson. The first lovingly, strong academia influence in my life. She and her staff taught us skills to prepare us for elementary school. It wasn’t just the a,b,c’s, colors and numbers. When I left there I could read and write legibily. They taught us how to behave in social settings outside our home. They required our best in all areas. I never thought of that place as a place for poor, black kids. I never felt the sting of “separate but equal” unequal segregation. Jim Crow overshadowed this sanctuary, but I didn’t know it. I felt safe. Mrs. Henderson and company did that for us. I remember we ate, we slept, we played, we learned. But most of all we were respected and loved. You can’t get much richer than that:My Black Soil. My roots got stronger every day. I was a little kid enjoying life. I believe Mrs Henderson is enjoying a well-deserved rest in heaven. Thank you.

Black Soil Living

by ladypbwiggins

Oftentimes a change in direction or purpose is accompanied by a name change. This season in my life is no different. I am still interested in health and wellness for mind, body and spirit.

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