Patricia's Principles for Living

Even at jeopardy of being late for an important  appointment  I refused to go above the posted  35 miles per hour speed limit.  I may not be as righteous  to adhere to posted signs on other roads when I'm in a hurry. However this stretch of the Martin Luther King Highway descending into Renton always got my respect. At least it did, after that day in 1980, when to my chagrin I found myself being stopped by one of our friendly Officers of the Peace, otherwise known as a policemen.  I was completely unaware that I was being followed by a police car. It wasn't until I noticed the flashing lights that I pulled over. I had been so intent on being on time for a meeting at First Baptist Church that everything else clouded my judgement and the speed limit. When the policeman asked me about my great hurry I explained I didn't want to be late for my meeting at the church. When he came back with my well deserved ticket  he jovially said, "Just say the devil made me do it."

The Bible records the first horrific act of family violence in the story of Cain killing his brother Abel. God saw the anger that Cain was mistakenly harboring towards Abel.  God talked with Cain. God told Cain that he had an opportunity to correct his mistake. Consumed by jealousy Cain refused to change his attitude. . Cain continued to make Abel the target of his wrath. Cain chose rage over reason. He overpowered and killed his unsuspecting and innocent brother. Everything in creation was affected by Cain’s solitary action. Cain’s violence brought death to Abel, the disapproval of God, grief to the parents and a disillusioned life of hardship to himself. Even the earth found itself an unwilling participant as it was forced to receive Abel’s blood. Family violence has never been a confidential matter between the abuser and the abused. It disrupts life on so many levels and causes physical, mental, emotional and social pain to everyone. The injured party is no longer able to contrib

Last fall I could feel the chill of winter creeping into the atmosphere. What would happen to my beautiful red velvety  geraniums that brought me so much pleasure during the summer? I hated to say good by to them.  I wondered could they possibly live through the winter and bloom again  if  I brought  them in from the approaching  frost,  I was willing to see if they could. The wooden pot was very heavy so I enlisted some help to bring it into the unheated pool room. All winter long I watched indifferently as they began to shed leaves.  For months they lived without one drink of water from me, their neglectful owner. I began to ask myself why did I  even bother bringing them in if I wasn't going to care for them?  The dying brown leaves still did not move me to water the plant. One tenacious geranium kept  hanging on for dear life. Five months later spring arrived.  That one stubborn red geranium proved to be a survivor. I thought I might need help to move the pot outside to le

“Solange, Beyonce’s sister captured on elevator camera beating JZ,” screamed the headlines. None of us know what led up to this seemingly outrageous event. However I do know that all of us have a friend or family member who will go gangsta on someone who they think did us wrong. Even Jesus had a "Ride or die buddy" though his ride was pretty short. His name was Peter. Peter went gangsta in the Garden of Gethsemane. Remember Peter took a sword and cut off Malchus’ ear. King David, writer of the Psalms, had two first cousins, Joab and Abishai that he could not control. David said, “These sons of Zeruiah are too violent for me.” They were willing to cut off anyone’s head that they thought threatened David. Also Moses, in Numbers 11, had to quiet down Joshua from going after people who Joshua thought were out of line. Now whether you have a relative or friend like this, or you are the one like this may I offer a word of advice. Well it actually comes from Jesus, not just to

My childhood home in Philadelphia shared the property line with one of the city’s trolley and bus terminuses. The old mustard yellow and green iron wheeled Route 23 trolley’s last stop was a child’s skip and a jump to our first step. Our miniscule side yard was a few feet from the trolley tracks separated by a sturdy black wrought iron fence. The protective iron vertical bars were less than six inches apart. A tangle of lilac and forsythia bushes completed this urban oasis. I learned that a quick escape from this dead end peninsula could be accomplished by squeezing through the iron bars. The key to this feat was to put my head through first. If my head could go through sideways the rest of my body would follow. First time pursuers were baffled. They thought they had trapped me in the side yard only to find out I had mysteriously escaped. As I ruminated on this long ago pleasant childhood memory I thought isn’t this like life. If I can get my head through a problem or a challenge

All of us have areas in our lives where we are weak. The Book of Proverbs gives us insight on what to do to compensate for our weak areas. Strength and size do not have to doom one to always being in last place. We must learn to compensate for our weaknesses. Proverbs 30:24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 1. 25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; If you have been given only a little strength carry a little at a time out of season and start earlier. 2. 26 The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; If you are weak without a coat of armor take advantage of the free natural resources around you. 3. 27 The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; If you don’t have a natural leader, at least agree to march in step with others. 4. 28 The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces. Work quiet