Tag Archives: Christianity

Addiction, beauty, Church, Faith, Family, grace, inspiration, Jesus

Heart of Community

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In church I was probably the least prepared person there, and most likely, the one who needed to be there the most.  The preacher started talking about togetherness, belonging, unity, community.

Somehow, someway, sometimes something will hit you right between the eyes and just smack across the brow.  Today it smacked me.  Community.

I looked around.  A few rows over sat a young couple who are privately grieving a miscarriage and wondering when, if ever, will they have a child.  They hurt. Only those who’ve been there know how hard it is to say goodbye before you say hello.  Community.

Continue reading Heart of Community →

dying, Faith, Family, fathers, grace, Hospice, inspiration

I See Daniel

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My dad, Daniel Rab, was best friends in high school with Jimmie Jones, who lived right across the street.  Dad was the fifth of 9 Rab children and Jimmie was the oldest of 8 Jones kids.  Needless to say, under those circumstances, they were always at each other’s house and there was always something to do.

Dad got to where he would go over to Jimmie’s house, but not so much to see his best friend, but rather Jimmie’s younger sister, Jo Ann, my Mom.

And so it was over time Mom became a Rab.

Continue reading I See Daniel →

Church, Faith, Family, grace, inspiration, kindness, love

Hayride of a Lifetime

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In my junior year of college, Aubrey came to the Gulf Coast from Mississippi State for a college internship.  He was in every way a young, southern gentleman, a kindhearted fellow with a charisma that shined when he spoke in his slow, southern drawl.  On top of it, he was mature beyond his years.

We met at church, and Aubrey immediately became a part of our college group.  In fact, not knowing a soul from Texas, we became his local social network.  He became a friend.

Even under the best of circumstances, things can go bad.  At no fault of  Aubrey, it did. Continue reading Hayride of a Lifetime →

Church, Faith, Family, Humor, inspiration

Bible Battle

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I’m not even sure how it started, but once it did, it became a friendly free for all. It was insults, from the Bible, no less.

I got to work one morning and found a yellow sticky note stuck on my computer screen from a co-worker which had both an insult, and a Bible verse that went with it.  It said – They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard… Leviticus 21:5  “You shave the sides of your beard having your little goatee AND you’re bald!  You’re a double sinner!!”

 I laughed. Then plotted.

The next day I left a post it note on his desk, and was quite pleased with my response —  Continue reading Bible Battle →

Faith, Family, grace, Poem

A Dove’s Search

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Then Noah sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground. Genesis 8:8

A dove feathers through the wind,
In solace quest to seek,
For peace and hope that claims a chair,
At the table of the meek.

For somewhere in the midst of waves,
A promise is her goal,
To loose the boarded spirit,
And free the humbled soul.

The pleasure in a journey,
Comes seldom while in flight,
But wings that rest in virtue,
Soar gentle through the night. Continue reading A Dove’s Search →

Addiction, Faith, Hope, inspiration, Work

Rock Bottom Hope

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Two questionable characters were loitering in front on the grocery store bench. I did what all concealed handgun licensed carriers do.  I slipped a small pistol in my pocket before going in.

About the time I was in front of the bench, one of the men said, “Hey brother! Why don’t you hire me?”

That’s not the first time I’ve heard that line, so I knew at some time or another he had worked or interviewed for a job with me. I looked at the man who spoke and said, “I’m sorry. I recognize your face, but your name is slipping me.” Continue reading Rock Bottom Hope →

beauty, Family, Hope, inspiration, kindness

We All Is

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It’s odd, but when the mood for pancakes strikes, Whataburger, the hamburger place of Texas, is where I go. On Christmas Eve morning, the mood struck.

When I walked through the Whataburger doors, the woman behind the counter immediately greeted me.  She was probably 45 years old, fairly small, and a little rough around the edges.  She was the only one there wearing a Santa hat which covered all but the ends of her short corn rows on the side of her head.  She spoke with a semi-deep smoker’s voice and was missing four, maybe five, of her top front teeth.  She whole heartedly welcomed me, took my order and started pouring coffee. Continue reading We All Is →

beauty, Faith, Family, grace, Hope, inspiration, Jesus

Dear Emmitt

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Dear Emmitt,

Stillborn — that’s what the doctor said, but to your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and extended family, you very much lived!  Thank you so much for entering our lives, even if ever so briefly. It is sweet, yet bitter, to miss and love you so much at the same time. Goodbye seems impossible before hello.

Your mother knows you better than anyone. She loved…no, she loves you dearly, Emmitt! You made her really sick those first few months. She was miserable in the mornings, and certain smells, like baking brownies, made her really nauseous. By the third trimester though, she was talking about how much you moved and how hard you kicked. We knew you were there because sometimes your mommy would let us put a hand on her tummy and feel you move. You would roll and stretch big, then give a hard kick just for good measure! I think you got all that energy from your daddy.

Continue reading Dear Emmitt →

beauty, Church, Faith, Family, Hope, Jesus

It’ll Be Alright

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Problems knock on everyone’s door. If not today, tomorrow. Troubles come. Troubles go. Some work out. Some don’t. Some people crater in the storm, some thrive, others just survive. Eventually the valleys, tunnels, the dark roads all reach an end, and in the end, there’s relief.

Still, it may seem impossible to get through. The mountains look too high. The valleys are too dark and deep. The water is over your head and you’re quickly losing strength. Energy fades. Determination wanes. Encouragement leaves. Continue reading It’ll Be Alright →

Faith, Family, inspiration, Jesus

The In-Between Seconds

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In the brevity of a moment there are seconds, when noticed, that mysteriously blink.  Those blinks are where the essence of life is lived.  It is in the mystique of those brief seconds when everything can, and does, change.  Although those seconds may be understood, they are never adequately explained.

It’s the seconds between a baby in the womb, and the first breath of life.  It’s the seconds between a mindless, carefree drive in the car, and an explosion of the air bag. Continue reading The In-Between Seconds →