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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781728304175 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 03/15/2019 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 108 |
| File size: | 679 KB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
Are You In?
In my junior and senior years of high school, I lived on a small army base called Fort Buchanan on the island of Puerto Rico. My senior year I was the aide-de-camp to the high school football coach. I picked up his laundry, kept his heap of a car full of fuel, made sure his game play sheets were in order. I also made sure the practice and game equipment were in place at the correct time and place. I had my hands in lots of miniscule parts of the coach's football life and personal life.
The job was a lot of work and thoroughly enjoyable and it came with many personal platitudes from the coach and his staff. The players knew me, relied on my management to ensure they had what was needed to make them ready for practice or games. Many times, I was the go-between, for those players disenfranchised by the coach due to poor performance. I did not really like that part of the job. There were times I would be consulted by certain members of the team about the starting roster, as if I might even have had a say.
With all that said, when it came to the awards banquet after the season, I did not receive a varsity letter in the sport of football. I never put on a pad or entered the huddle. I never ran a route, threw a block or tackled anyone. I was involved in a lot of areas that related to the game, but I never actually played. Since I did not play, I never received a letter in the sport.
I participated in other sports while in high school. I lettered in varsity baseball, varsity soccer and varsity wrestling. In those athletic pursuits, I did more than just hang around ensuring the coach was properly prepared. I practiced, exercised, developed skill sets that would help me gain the best results possible. Because I prepared, developed and competed, I earned varsity letters in those sports.
There is a difference in hanging around a sport and participating. Nothing wrong with either but there needs to be the proper expectation for each activity. As an aide-de-camp for the coach, as rewarding as that time was in my life, I could not expect to receive a varsity letter in the sport of football. I did not expect to letter in the sport nor was that an honor I thought I deserved. So, when the awards banquet came along and the sport of football was being spotlighted, my name was not called to come forward to receive a letter in varsity football. My feelings were not hurt, no surprise and no resentments were developed. I did not do what was necessary to be labeled a football player.
Later on, at the athletic banquet, as the other sports were being highlighted my name was called to receive a varsity letter in the sports, I actually participated in. If my name had not been called in those sports, I had participated in then I would have been developed some hurt feelings, developed some resentments.
We live in a world today where everyone "gets a trophy!" All you must do is hang around an event, a sport or some block of instruction and you get a reward, a certificate or a credit. You get a trophy, a letter of completion or a social advancement regardless of any imperial data saying whether you deserved the recognition or not. No thought is given to the quality of your participation. No measure is made of your mastery of the subject. No quantifying data is assessed to determine if you deserved to receive anything. Worse still, is this model has become the expectation today. Try to not give every team and every kid on a team a trophy, see the backlash that happens. How do the league champions feel when they earn a trophy while the rest of the teams in the league receive a trophy as well?
I've said all this to say that there is a difference between those who have been "touched by the Master's Hand" and those who have not. The spiritual principles expounded on in this project are addressed to those who are in the family of God. If you are a Christian, then the hope and encouragement I offer in this writing is for you. God's Word is understood by those who believe. The lost will find it confusing. Without the Holy Spirit's enabling, it is not possible to understand the lessons of God in His Holy Word. That is moving into some deep theology, but I would be remiss not to include it in the scope of this book. I do not wish to confuse the reader. As saved Children of God, we receive privileges that are not given to those who have not received Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Ephesians 2:1, says "You were dead in your trespasses and sins ..." Paul goes on to say in verse 5, "We were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ..." Further in verse 8. "For by grace you have been saved ..." And finally, in verse 9, "not as a result of works ..." We are out of God's will by nature and must ask to be accepted by Him. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." No secret words, actions or society to navigate, just simply ask, believe and then follow - you're a team member and eligible for all the promises set forth in God's Word.
Do not fear if you have not made a confession of faith. Keep reading, I still want to be encouraging. My aim is to lead those who the Holy Spirit moves to read more, to a deeper understanding of God and His Son Jesus. The disciple of Jesus, John, in his Gospel 12:32, says Jesus teaches, "If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Himself." So, it's my prayer that all who read this will feel the draw of God on their life to great maturity or for an initial decision or commitment.
There are no participation rewards in God's economy. You are either His or you are not. Hanging around the church, doing good works, giving of your time, talents and tithe is not a pass to receive the promises of God. You must have accepted Jesus, God's Son as your Lord and Savior to receive them. In Christianity, we call this being save. Let me state Romans 10:9 again, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." If that is you, then your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life and you are in and a full fledge member of God's family, with all the rights and privileges outlined in His Word.
If you have not given your life to Jesus, do not fear the invitation is open to everyone. In John's gospel chapter 3, verse 16 he tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life." Do not allow the lies of Satan to convince you that God will not accept you. That for some reason you are too far gone for Him to love you, not true. There is nothing you have done or are currently doing that can keep you from God's love. Repentance and an honest profession of faith will be accepted by God.
When I was in prison, I was surrounded by men who society has deemed unworthy to mix with them. For the most part these folks had earned that title. Their actions had been anti-social and violated social norms. Admittedly these men would say they earned their bunks in that place. Nevertheless, they were not beyond the reach, love and compassion of God. Many found the truth of God's Word, accepted it on faith and developed a relationship with Him. Still locked up, some for life, they still receive the promises God gives to those who are heirs to His kingdom. No one is prohibited from entering: accepting through faith God's invitation in John 3:16! Society may limit certain folks and, in some cases, rightfully so. That does not preclude anyone from the chance to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
The famous country music singer Charlie Daniels, while performing at Billy Graham crusades would say, "God loves you, and wants you to be part of His family, baggage and all." Bring it with you, He will accept you just the way you are. I paraphrased his statements, but the basic meaning is there. Before moving on in this well written, informative manuscript, take time to reflect on your salvation status. If you are saved move forward with much anticipation. If you are not, read anyway. It's my prayer that my words and more importantly the scripture quoted within will lead you to do what Romans 10:9 says. Then get hooked up with a local church and start a wonderful life journey. Oh, of course, continue reading and all the hope, encouragement and promises outline within will now apply to you.
God bless and Amen!
CHAPTER 2Aunt Betty
My Mom's only sister was named Betty Vic. She was born in the early 1930's and was about three years older than my Mom. From my earliest memories as a child Aunt Betty was in my life. For as long as I can remember Aunt Betty brought joy and laughter into my Grandparent's house as well as my family's. She brought a wonderful mixture of strange behavior, uninhibited laughter and humbling insight to the world at large. Her unique, positive and childlike way of living her life blessed her family, and several generations to follow. My inspiration for this project is my Aunt Betty, soon you will meet her and understand why!
Growing up at 627 Maple Street in Spartanburg, South Carolina was an oasis of love, encouragement and laughter. From as early as I can remember Aunt Betty lived there with her Mom and Dad, Charles and Grace Hart. No matter when we arrived for vacation, visits during our travels, Aunt Betty was there. She seemed old; of course, everyone older than twelve seems old to a ten-year-old. Aunt Betty played with us, chased us around the house, watched cartoons with us and made sure we were always kind to each other. She was involved in all areas of our life and, to me, appeared to be just an adult version of us kids.
Aunt Betty was smart. She knew the names of the states and their capitals. She knew the names of all the presidents. She knew all the family members, their wives and children. She kept up with current events, the weather and the days left until Christmas. No matter what us kids did she never seem to get mad, never punished us or told on us to our parents. She was ever present in our lives and without her, our family dynamics would have been not near as full or complete.
I was in the fourth grade, our family was living in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas where my Dad was stationed. I came home from school one day and my Mom and Dad sat my sister and myself down to tell us some news about a development in our family. My parents told us that Aunt Betty was going to be living in an Adult Living Community directed by the Charles Lee Center. Aunt Betty was mentally retarded and need to begin to develop some skills to help her become more self-sufficient. Her parents were aging and knew they needed to help her to be able to live without them.
What? Are you kidding! How could that be? Aunt Betty was just like me! Was I the same way? The truth was Aunt Betty was emotionally a lot like me, a ten-year old kid. She looked just like my parents but never left home, married or drove a car. Physically she appeared to be like every adult I knew. She had lots of adult qualities but was lacking in some areas that kept her living with her parents, even as an adult. It just did not seem possible to my ten-year old mind that she could be anything less than my parents or grandparents. I could not believe what I was hearing and I am still amazed that I had no clue.
Aunt Betty was born in the early 1930's and seemed to be developing normally. It wasn't until my Mom came along three years later and began to develop skills that Aunt Betty was still not grasping. Doctors said she was "shy - nothing to worry about." It became obvious that Aunt Betty was not developing like she should, but the idea of mental retardation was not even thought of. Not until my Grandparents tried to enroll her in school in the fourth or fifth grade and were told that the school had no programs for retarded children. Well, the diagnosis came as a shock to my Grandparents but nevertheless helped explain the development issues they had been dealing with.
Society wanted to label her, shuffle her to the side and put her in a place where "her kind" could be together. The masses have nothing against those who are differently able, they just don't want to have to deal with them. They will throw money at institutions so mainstream society doesn't have to deal with them. Differently abled folks did not have the access to mainstream opportunities as they have today. As we all know back then as well as now, once labeled it is difficult if not impossible to have it removed. Once labeled it sticks to you like a Sharpie marker on your skin, like the Scarlet Letter of old.
Great news, this was never a thought in my Grandparent's minds. My Grandparents went against the prevalent thought of the day. Aunt Betty was always allowed to be a major part of the family dynamic. No diminished role was assigned to her. No limited access to life just because, at times, it was difficult for my Grandparents to meet or understand her limited life skills. My Grandparents were very progressive and mainstreamed Aunt Betty long before it became a politicly correct concept. As I understand the situation at times it was difficult to see a what appeared to be a normal child, teen, young adult that never seem to handle life any better than a ten-year old. Yes, her abilities limited her, but her family did not, nor did her family allow society to limit her. Wherever possible Aunt Betty lived just like my Mom, her cousins or school classmates.
Aunt Betty was socially moved on through school until she reached high school. The decision was made not to let her go to high school because she was so friendly and innocent there was a fear she would be taken advantage of. So, Aunt Betty began to be schooled at home and by the limited programs they had at the time for those with special abilities.
The Charles Lee Center started as a day school for special needs children right after the Second World War. As God would have it, the program was developed and an Adult Learning program came about with living facilities and life skill training for folks with Aunt Betty's limited skill set. Aunt Betty was enrolled and a new stage of independence was begun.
Aunt Betty soon could live in her own apartment and had a roommate. She kept her own room, used her own washer and dryer, microwave TV and recliner, normal grown up living abilities. Aunt Betty was able to get a job. For a time, she would get up on her own and ride a bus to work. She worked at Dritz, a company that sold sewing supplies. She would put buttons on cards for less than minimum wage. She would wrap banting on cards that would be packaged and sold in sewing sections of stores. After work, she would ride the bus back to her apartment.
Just a quick side track. Society now supports folks that are much more capable than Aunt Betty yet are not willing to lift a finger to support themselves. They refuse to put the effort forth to get up early, ride a bus and work for minimum wage. Not Aunt Betty, she took pride in the fact that she had a job, had co-workers and earned a pay check. "I bought this with my own money", she would say. Or, "I can't afford that" when something she saw was out of her price range. Obviously, her job was more therapeutic than necessary for her survival. The job program was designed to help her developmentally and was not ever planned to meet all her basic needs. The state and federal governments help fund these wonderful programs; the point is she did her part well beyond what society would have ever expected from a "special needs person"
I was driving with my Grandmother and Betty one afternoon. I had my learners permit and was chauffeuring my Grandmother around. Betty was in the back seat talking, chattering about anything and everything. She would even make occasional comments about my driving ability, like she was the expert driver ... whatever. I ignored her and continued to maneuver the Plymouth Fury III through traffic around Morgan Square in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina. Don't know where we were going at the time, but I remember driving down the hill, going west about a block off Morgan Square. Going down a hill we came upon some railroad tracks; not a surprise. they had been there while. These tracks were smooth going our direction but on the other side there was a prominent drop off, creating a huge hump. I guess I went over a bit fast and when I put on the brakes to slow down, they grabbed and threw everyone forward against their seat belts. Power steering and power breaks on that car were sensitive and sure enough, I fell victim to them. This minor struggle with gravity, mechanical leverage and my inexperience got Aunt Betty wound up. She started indicating her understanding of my driving inadequacies. She prattled on and on about her "near death" experience. All the while my Grandmother seemed unaffected by the whole ordeal. If you knew her that is how she seemed to always handle life. Her normally mild manner demeanor got stretched and, in no uncertain terms, insisted that Aunt Betty, "shut up." Not sure if that was to keep my ego from being bruised further or if the prattle from the back seat irritated her as well. Nevertheless, what a memory of my wonderful Aunt Betty. She meant no harm whatsoever, she was just articulating the best she could. I think about Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew, 5:5, "Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth." She was gentle and was not critical, just letting me know she was there, like I could miss her presence.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Labels"
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Copyright © 2019 Rev. Dr. Charles B. Mayson.
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Table of Contents
Introduction, ix,
Chapter 1 Are You In?, 1,
Chapter 2 Aunt Betty, 7,
Chapter 3 Rahab, 16,
Chapter 4 Ruth, 25,
Chapter 5 David, 34,
Chapter 6 Jonah, 43,
Chapter 7 The Lady with Perfume, 53,
Chapter 8 Jesus, the Disenfranchised One, 62,
Chapter 9 Hello My Name Is, 71,
Chapter 10 Are We There Yet?, 80,
Summary of Scripture, 89,