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donloyw's Journey Notes
Volume 20
June 2020
What’s with the geese and weeds this year? I asked God
to remove these non desirables from my life, but when I looked outside, they were
still there. So apparently God said no - maybe because it was not his Will, or because
I did not behave good enough, or believe hard enough, or pray, cry, or plead
hard enough, or stroke him sincerely enough to make him smile in order to earn a "blessing." Or maybe it was for
reasons I don’t know - except that he is God and does whatever he wants to do to
bring glory to himself or for reasons that are none of my business
(hyper-Calvinist doctrine). Or, maybe it was because, as it occurred to me when
I was reading Galatians 6:7-9, that God has ordained his Law of Sowing and
Reaping (Cause and Effect) to govern outcomes in my life based on the choices I
make. So I did some research to learn some common sense, non super
religious, non mystical, non hocus-pocus, non hopey-hopey, cross-my-fingers ways
to get rid of the geese and weeds – which I applied. When I looked out today, I
found that the geese and weeds were on the demise.
Don Whisnant / The Grace Perspective 20E30
So about the geese: We moved to to our present home from a condo
community that was overrun with geese. Our walkway stayed covered with
poop. (Funny story: The geese began showing up about the time our neighbors’
small son got a new bike with a horn. When the honking became non-stop outside
our door, I thought I should say something. When I finally opened the door to speak to the young man,
I discovered it was a gaggle of geese.) Since, I did not know how to legally get rid
of the geese, we moved. When the geese followed us, I set out to
address the problem. Of course we could just live and
let live. But I have learned that, when geese find a spot they like, they move
in, and not with the intent to improve the community. I have also learned from
my years in Atlanta
as a HOA president that communities can decline, but that we can help slow the decline by giving
attention to problems, including geese.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 20F06
May 2020
When I was a youth pastor in my
early 20’s, I didn't have a clue how to counsel gays except to warn them of the
judgment of God upon them. Today, I support gays for learning how to experience
Christ for healing and salvation. Once, when Georgia showed up at one of our
camps as George, I told her that I was going to have a few of the guys on our
camp staff take her behind the cabin and depants her. She quickly changed
back to Georgia
and, best I remember, had a good week.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 20E02
April 2020
Recently, Carole and I drove into
a new retirement community, just the kind of place we would like to live. We
learned that the entrance fee for living there was as much as a half-million
dollars, and then about five thousand a month. Upon leaving the place, and
given our modest income, Carole and I decided our current older home, friendly
neighbors, and quiet community will do just fine after all, and where we can
practice living a little bit of Heaven on Earth until we get there.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 20D04
March 2020
On a day trip out of town this
week, Carole and I stopped at an exceptionally friendly WalMart. It was
refreshing because, at our local WalMart, we are often saddened by the unhappy
faces of employees. It may be the result of unmet management needs, or it may
be that workers are so broken and unhappy that a good job doesn’t make the
difference. Recently, during a disappointing experience, we came upon a
extraordinarily gracious and helpful employee. Surprised, I said to her, “Now
wait a minute! You work for WalMart. You are not supposed to be friendly!” She
laughed and then whispered that she was being insubordinate.
Don
(Carole) Whisnant / Journey Notes 20CO7
February 2020
Recently, a young man walking
with two girls through J. C. Penny, and after looking at my wife and me, shouted
out loud to the girls for everyone to hear, "(Vulgar Expletive) NO, I DON’T WANT THAT (Vulgar Expletive)"
I am 71, I worked for Sears and Penny for 7 years while in college and
seminary, and have enjoyed for many years going to malls to shop and also to
walk, but have never heard such an outburst of vulgarity in a mall or any other
family-friendly, privately-owned venue. Not too long ago, I asked two security
officers if parading around the mall wearing a t-shirt with a vulgar term
emblazoned on it violated the mall’s code of conduct. They didn’t seem to think
it was a big deal. I asked if they thought it contributed to diminish community
and public values. They agreed but weren’t motivated enough to confront the
violator. So my dilemma became what can I do. Do I confront offenders with a
frown, or verbally chastise them? That’s what I want to do! But I am seeking to
be increased with the Heart of Christ so that I can minister to their
brokenness – which I am sometimes enabled to do. At other times – for example,
at a restaurant recently, a party of four was so loud that everyone in the
restaurant seemed disturbed. I thought maybe it would help if I stepped over to
the table and kindly ask if they would tone it down a bit. But, instead, I
looked at them from across the room and stuck my fingers in my ear. When they
finally saw me, they got up and left.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 20B01
January 2020
I am disappointed when conservative
talk show guys resort to name-calling when they argue for their point of view. Some
name-calling may be okay. I’ve called people nuts, boneheads, butt-heads, idiots,
etc.. Even so, through the years, I have begun to experience a little more of
the heart of Christ for people – even those I don’t like. While watching the
House Managers make their case against President Trump recently, Carole and I
just shook our head in disappointment. At one point, Carole got really upset,
and I knew exactly what she wanted to say about one accuser; but instead of
saying it, and after pausing to take a deep breath, she said he was “mixed up!”
I managed to say he was “obtuse.”
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 20A04
donloyw's Journey Notes
Volume 19
December 2019
When I saw that the name of the
new store at the mall was a vulgar acrostic that violated the mall code of
conduct, I first spoke to the store manager, then went to see the mall general
manager. In a few weeks, the store closed. Also, recently, when an open mall
kiosk displayed a vulgar t-shirt, I asked the owner to remove the shirt. She
said she didn’t see anything wrong with it. So, I went back to the general
manager who said she would instruct the owner to remove the shirt. When I
returned several days later, the display was gone. Darkness prevails when good
men do nothing.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19L28
Times were different many years
ago when I was a young minister: Pastors were revered and the church house was respected.
I was different too, more like an Old Testament prophet. I was influenced by J.
Frank Norris, pastor of the largest church in the world at one time, who shot
and killed a man that burst into his office to make good a threat he had made.
In my early ministry, I too would not have been an easy target for an angry
someone who wanted to cause me harm. The word was out not to mess with me. And no
one did. Except maybe for the time a belligerent man resisted me when I asked
him to leave the building. So I had to grab him and throw him out the door. On
the parking lot, he had an epileptic seizure - so I ended up assisting him with
pastoral care, which a more mature pastor would have done in the first place.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19L21
I dreamed one night this week
that the world had been shaken - that the only thing left standing was what
could not be shaken (our experience of Christ). In my dream, a group of maybe a
hundred people was gathered in a gutted out cinderblock building to hear me
talk about the power of Christ to produce in us the Life of God. They listened
carefully (as I have experienced hundreds of times through the years). When I
was done speaking, no one left but remained (as the 120 did in Acts 1:14-15) in
a spirit of fellowship (koinonia: mutual hunger to experience Christ). When I
awoke, I understood the dream was of a time during the coming Kingdom Age when
Satan will be bound, Christ will govern the nations in peace and righteousness,
evil will not be tolerated, and we (the lowly in this life) will reign with
Christ to preach and provide support ministry throughout the world.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19L14
I was told in my early life that
credit buying was the American way for us to obtain our needs. But during the
last thirty years I have learned that credit buying is not God’s way. Today,
Carole and I owe nothing – not for our home or vehicles or anything else. And
it is not because we have large incomes or wealth – because we don’t. We have
modest savings equal to the average middle class salary and live mostly on SSI.
I have never taken a salary from our ministry or accepted payment for our
counseling - except for small amounts that showed up occasionally in an
envelope (which were always used to buy gasoline or pay utilities, or re-gifted
to help others). My first life’s verse was Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God (his Redemptive Purpose for my
life), and everything you need will be added unto you.” I have a Bible packed
away somewhere that misprinted the verse, “Godliness with contentment is great
gain” to read “Godliness with contentment is great pain.” I have thought about
that misprint when I walked to my destination because I did not want to charge
the cost of gasoline, driven old cars when I did not want to finance a new one,
and ate cabbage for a week or peanut butter sandwiches because I did not want
to charge a meal. Today, when I am asked what I need, I can’t think of anything
to say except that, at the core of my being, “Christ (God’s Provisions of Grace
which flow to us through him) is really all I need.”
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19L07
November 2019
The only slang word I ever heard
my dad say (one time) was “pishaw!” But my mother got upset once and said she
felt like saying “shoot!” So I did not grow up at home or with friends hearing
curse words or vulgarity, which meant I was left with the need to learn better
words to express myself. As a grade school kid, I remember venting my need to
say a bad word by repeatedly calling a neighborhood kid DARNnell. Today, I
don’t have the need to say DG words, (doggone, gosh darn, etc., or even
dagnabit – substitutes for goddamn). That kind of language won’t be heard in
Heaven. I know that because I have found the more I am filled with Christ, the
less I have a thought to say anything except yea and nea as Christ instructed.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19K30
I told the service person at a
local business that I remembered her from my first visit months ago, that her
service was perfect and absolutely set the standard for excellence, and that I
had told her manager how impressed I was. “Thank you so much” she said teary
eyed. She asked if I was sure it was her. I said absolutely, that I even
remembered her name was Theresa. She said her name was Christy. I apologized
and said yes, of course. She said it was okay, that the names were close.
Usually, I am good to remember names, but do recall many years ago renaming
people. After knowing Diane for a year or so, she told me one day that her name
was not Diane. I asked what it was. She said it was Ruth. I asked where I got
the name Diane. She said she had no idea. I also remember asking the name of a
young lady who I was meeting for the first time. She said Melva. I thought she
said Nova, so I nicknamed her Scotty, short for Nova Scotia. She is still called that by her
friends today. One of my favorite stories is about the little girl who said the
park in her little town was named after Hall of Fame football player, Sam Huff.
I said the name of the park was spelled Hough. She said it was misspelled.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19K23
At a fast food restaurant this
week, I observed a new employee working with a lot of energy and commitment. As
I was getting out of my car, he was sweeping the parking lot, but looked up to
say “thank you for dining with us today.” Inside, he cleaned tables, swept the
floor, washed the entrance windows, and welcomed diners – all with a broad,
non-stop smile (either amusing or irritating his coworkers). He asked each
customer how they were doing. If they responded to say they were doing fine, he
would smile, say he was doing fine also, and then thank them for asking. Or, if
a customer did not respond, he would do the same – smile, tell them he was
doing fine also, and say thank you. Years ago, I remember a famous evangelist
and former Hall of Fame football player coming to our church. When he drove
onto the parking lot in a big motorhome on the afternoon before the evening
event, I and several other staff members looked on star-dazed. When he emerged,
he greeted each of us with an enthusiastic handshake and said, “You are glad
for me to be here, I know you are, I am sure!” (I think a hundred or so youth
trusted Christ for salvation during that week of meetings.)
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19K16
My new favorite tv program is
Caught in Providence.
It’s a courtroom tv program with a compassionate judge who gives breaks to
struggling people for traffic violations, sometimes to offenders who give
teary-eyed excuses that seem a little phony. I have really never had a judge
who gave me much of a break, even when I gave explanations that were
exaggerated – like the time I told the judge I was speeding because a little
yellow sports car was chasing me. He laughed. So did the courtroom. This week I
dreamed I was in the house of a neighbor who was not at home. When he arrived,
he caught me going through a drawer. I explained that the door was not shut
when I dropped by, so I thought thieves may have broken in. When he asked why I
was looking in the drawer, I said I was checking to see if they had taken anything.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19K09
October 2019
Wife, Carole, likes to ask my
opinion on things political and especially Scriptural. She says God has
identified me as a Resource for her. I welcome that, but tell her that nothing
any of us has to say is Truth unless it comes from God. So sometimes I have to
say I don’t know; other times I say I need to think about it. But I try to be
careful that I don’t give her an answer just so she thinks I’m smart. I have
learned that the smartest people among us know what they don’t know. The least
smart have not learned that yet. (I told my know-it-all friend one day that he
did not know everything, that everyone is smart, but only in different areas.
He said he didn’t know about that.) I also sometimes don’t understand what I
know. For example, I don’t really understand how a phone can transmit the
likeness of my voice to a receiver hundreds of miles away so that someone can
comprehend what I am saying. (My dad use to say he did not understand how a
brown cow could eat green grass and give white milk!) But I do understand the
dynamic that makes possible me hearing God and understanding Truth – that it is
the work of the Holy Spirit producing the Mind of God in me per John 16:13,
Ephesians 1:18, and Psalms 119:30. Otherwise (as my uncle liked to say), I
don’t guarantee anything I say or think I know.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19K02
Carole and I drive slow. We
learned years ago in our travels to make the journey a part of the experience –
rather than to hurry to our destination in order to begin whatever. We did not
always do that. Earlier in life, Carole was always in “get there” mode. So was
I, and I have a lot of fast driving awards to prove it, losing my license at
least once. Now, we rarely pass anyone, but mosey along in the right lane. I
have enjoyed how stress free traveling can be. The only problem has been
misjudging traffic lights when they turn yellow. In our fast driving days, we
could get through the light before it turned red. But when driving slow, the
light can turn red before we get passed it. So we have decided we are okay as
long as we do not see the red. Which is a good plan - if we don’t cheat. This
week, I came upon a traffic light that turned yellow. When I continued through
the intersection, Carole asked me if the light turned red. I told her I didn’t
know because I didn’t look. When she asked why not, I said, “If a tree falls in
the forest when no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” Or the new
version, “If a wife is fussing, is her husband listening?”
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19J26
I asked the park ranger to identify the big white bird I saw on the lake. He said it was a swan and that its name was Ron Swanson. I asked the young lady at the check out to pronounce her name. It was a pretty name but different. She said she named her little girl Amour, which means “love” - because she wanted her to know that she was loved. I asked Carole if her name meant “awesome” because I thought she was awesome. She asked if my name meant “awesome.” I said it did (it doesn’t), and that we must be the Awesomes.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19J19
I’m a confessed germaholic. I don’t like to stay in
hotels or buy used vehicles, don’t kiss dogs or let them lick me (their
saliva may not hurt me but worry the poop and vomit I've seen them eat
will). I also wash my hands with soap and hot water before meals, although
I have been told that exposing myself to germs will increase my immunity.
That may be, but to expose myself deliberately seems foolish, the same as
putting God to the test. Also, Paul wrote, “Don’t you know that, when you
expose yourself to evil, it will overtake and enslave you” (from Romans
6:15-16). The nastiest animals I know are Canada Geese. When I see them
anywhere near our neighborhood, I launch bright colored pieces of wood at
them that terrifies them so that they fly away and don’t come back. We
hear them hysterically honking occasionally when they fly over our house,
but I tell Carole they are warning each other, “Don’t go down there!” At the Sunday buffet this week, Carole said
she didn’t want me to eat any pork. But the ham looked so good that I took
a small serving. I told Carole I just wanted to taste it. When I ate the
whole piece, I explained that, as I thought about it, I decided I
shouldn’t waste food.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19J12
I remember a young seminary student many years ago who launched into a
long pious-sounding speech to God when he was asked to close a meeting with
prayer. He was high energy at the start but began to sputter when he exhausted
all the pious words he could remember, so could not think of an impressive way
to close his prayer. After a moment’s pause, he recovered to say, “And, dear
God, you pray for us and we’ll pray for you!” Carole came from the other side
of the house into my work office yesterday to tell me she heard me whisper to
her, but didn’t see me when she turned to look. I told her it was not me, that
it must have been the Lord. You think? she asked. Could be I said. I asked her
what he said. She said it was “Hello Darling!”
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19J05
September 2019
Carole and I renewed
our driver’s license this week at the DMV. I ask the lady given out numbers if
we could get the two for one special. She said she was not laughing today
because she did not feel well. But my assigned agent was a friendly guy. He
said the DMV had made a few changes in recent years, so I would need to take my
glasses off for my photo. I told him they were a part of my attire. He asked if
I had a different pair for each outfit. I told him real men did not wear
outfits. He glanced at me and asked if I wanted to fix my hair for the photo. I
said my barber moved, so I was letting it grow out, and that, anyway, real men
don’t fix their hair, they comb it. I told him that, years ago when I moved to
another state to work as an associate pastor, the DMV included my occupation on
my new license. When I saw it, I asked if they would add a “t” to their
abbreviation for associate, that I did not want to be an ass pastor in my new
position. As it turned out, identifying my occupation (the corrected one) was a
benefit. When I was pulled over later that year to receive a fast driving
award, the officer looked at my license, closed his tablet and told me I could
go, that he needed all the help from the Man Upstairs he could get.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19I28
A friend emailed to say he enjoys Journey Notes. Writing
about self is tricky. People who are being supported in their relationship to
Christ welcome to know a little more about the Resources they are connected to.
(Others may not have an interest.) This, in the same way children honor
parents, churches honor pastors, and wives honor husbands. A husband is blessed
to have a wife who honors him, especially to give him opportunity for influence.
No husband could be more blessed than I. Carole wants to know my opinion on
about almost everything, especially the Scripture. I had an old uncle to whom I
asked a lot of questions. He was good to give helpful answers but sometimes he added,
“But I don’t guarantee ANYTHING.” So this week when Carole was asking me
questions I couldn’t answer, I just said, “I don’t guarantee ANYTHING!” I got
on a roll saying that just to be funny. At first she laughed but finally told
me to stop saying it. So later, when she asked me another question, I said, “I
don’t humahum HUMAHUM!” I couldn’t help myself.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19I21
I enjoy engaging
with gracious people. I love their joy and happiness, their smiles and
humility. They cut up and laugh with both friends and strangers. The service
person at the tire store this week was especially friendly and helpful. Later,
at WalMart, the voice that called shoppers to attention was energetic and
engaging. After making her gregarious pitch to promote an item, she gushed her
appreciation for customers who chose to shop at “their wonderful store.” She
was fun to listen to. But she was soaring so high that I feared she was going
to have a hard time finding a way to land. But she did. After a brief pause,
she said, “So, again thank you SO MUCH for shopping with us today!” And then
with a final burst of energy, she said, “And thank you for … FOR HAVING A
WONDERFUL DAY!” I thought it was very funny, but, then, I am easy to entertain.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19I14
On our trip to the mountains recently, an elderly,
homeless-looking lady stood in the heat at an overlook parking lot offering her
paintings. But instead of selling them, she placed a little box for donations
on the trunk of her car. As I looked on, two Millennials walked up, selected a
painting, and then walked away thanking her. Disappointed, she kindly called
after them, “Absolutely, this is my hobby. I love to give my paintings away!”
But God has provided for us so that we do not need to be so broke that we can’t
give to help deserving others, or so that we need to panhandle. The financial
advisor on radio says that, before retiring, baby boomers should at the least have
their home and vehicles paid for, no credit card debt, enough cash flow to buy
food and pay utilities, and some savings for emergencies. Carole and I owe
nothing to anyone, have a small income and some savings so that, if we live
modestly, we will be okay. But living modestly means we don’t take cruises or
expensive vacations, and limit our time away to day trips. Carole said it would
be nice if we could live in a golf course community. I told her that maybe we could
think about a putt-putt community.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19I07
August 2019
I was grieved this week when I
heard a church lady harshly criticize her neighbor. Unkindness toward others
must surely be a stench that grieves God. I thought about that later in the day
when I walked into a small business shop. The person who greeted me suddenly
had an unfriendly look on his face and grunted at me. I also noticed the most
foul odor coming from somewhere in the shop. So I left. Outside, the odor
lingered in my nose as I walked to my vehicle. I looked back at the business
and shook my head with disappointment. Just then two men walked into the shop,
but then after only a few moments, they came out, pointed at the sidewalk, and
then across the parking lot at me. Looking at the ground where they were
pointing, I saw a trail of dog poop leading to where I was standing, which I
must have transported into the shop. I took my shoe off, banged it on the
ground, and placed it into a plastic bag. At home, I sprayed it with a water
hose, scrubbed it with soap, vinegar, and a stiff brush, then left it to bleach
in the sun. Stench is hard to get rid of. A floating molecule must have grabbed
onto the inside of my nose, because I think I still smell it. It may take
awhile. Worse, the shop may need to shut down for a day or two.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19H31
One day the Disciples were arguing about who
of them was number one. Jesus said to them, “The first in this life shall be
last in eternity and the last shall be first.” But my early mentors taught me
that I should strive to be number one in whatever I did - that, as a pastor, my
goal should be to build the largest or at least fastest growing church in the
world, and if not in the world, in America, and if not in America, in my state
(which I did in 1983), and if not in my state, in my town, and if not in my
town, on my street. So for 15 years, I set out to build large and fast growing
ministries, motivated by my need and desire to be number one (which as it
turned out was mostly a psychological need for validation missed during my childhood).
During his ministry on earth Jesus was not first, especially among religious
rulers and even family members. Instead, he suffered intense opposition, and
then was crucified, dying alone except for his mother, two women, and one
disciple. But he is now positioned in Heaven at the right hand of the Father
“far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can
be given” (Ephesians 1:21-23). He will also reign during the Kingdom Age as
King over all the earth for a thousand years, during which also we who are last
in this life (according to religious and worldly standards) will preach the
message of grace to millions who will welcome and rejoice to hear it. Scripturally,
a home is established by two persons, a man and a woman, who covenant together
for the purpose of being fruitful, producing few or many children. (Old joke:
Adam lamented that the only problem with Eve and him being the only two people
on Earth was that, whatever he told his wife, the whole world knew about it.) A
local church is also established (according to Matthew 18:20) by at least two
persons who covenant together for the purpose of pursuing and living out God’s
Calling for their lives in the world. This means, a church can be the world’s
largest with thousands of members or the world’s smallest with two members.
DonLoy Whisnant/The
Grace Perspective 19H24
On Saturday, Carole asked me to
wash her car before our day trip. I washed the car, but since it was hot and humid,
and since she was driving, I asked her if I could detail only the driver’s
side. Out of state, we found gas prices 30 cents cheaper, but we were already
3/4‘s full. I said we should leave the engine running when we stopped to eat so
that we could buy more gas. I like to save money, so when I found a pair of
work pants on sale at Roses, I asked the checkout lady if I could get a second
pair for the same price. She laughed and said I could. Carole doesn’t think
everything I say or do is as funny as I do. I tell her I am just having fun.
She said she may have me committed to a funny farm.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19H17
We sold our 2000 Nissan van for
money to help buy new tires, brakes, and paint for our ’86 Toyota, then went to the DMV to turn in the
old license plate. Carole took a number and we sat down to wait. The first
number called was 78. Carole said our number was 86. I turned the number around
and told her it was 98. She said I was being bad because she trusted me and
sometimes did not know when I was teasing. Leaving the DMV, Carole said she
needed to pee bad. I told her to be good, not bad. I asked her if she knew
where bees went to pee. She said she didn’t. I said it was to the BP station.
At home, I edged my neighbor’s yard in 90 degree heat. Carole said I was being
good. I told her I drank a lot of water.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19H10
Once I
lost track of time, so was running late for an appointment. (It was not because
I didn’t drive fast enough.) Coming up on a red light, I “prayed” for God to
turn the light green so I would not need to stop. The light stayed red. When my
“check engine light” came on, I “asked” God to heal the engine. The light
stayed on. When my tire went flat, I “asked” God to re-inflate it. I ended up
changing the tire. So, I am re-thinking my plan to promote a “miracle” healing
service, although I know a large crowd would attend. Instead, I may promote a
meeting to pass out bottles of water, which is the number one health need
people have (besides oxygen). In my early ministry, I hyped church attendance –
once by promising to show something that had never been seen before and that,
after I showed it, it would never be seen again. It was a peanut that I shelled
and ate. When I stopped doing that sort of thing and began announcing instead
that I would teach hurting people how to experience Christ, the Water of Life,
the crowds stopped coming. As a result, I had to give up my gig as a church
growth consultant. But I am still available to churches who want to downsize.
Recently I helped a church downsize into their broom closet.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19H03
July 2019
On my runs through communities, I notice new homeowners sometimes have a
good start with maintenance. The house and lawn look nice when they move in but
they don’t follow through to meet the demands of regular maintenance, so the
place gradually gets run down. Others buy an older home but invest time and
care so that it is more beautiful every year. There is a lot to say about
people who fail in early life but are renewed to make wise choices so that they
end well in their later years. (“God’s Provisions will keep you strong to the
end.” – 1 Corinthians 1:8) Maintaining old cars has become my hobby, especially
my ’86 Toyota Camry (Grandpa) with 97K miles and ’93 Buick Century (Grandma)
with 130K miles. I have two other old vehicles, both about 20 years old with
low mileage. My new neighbor has a ’95 Ford Ranger with over 200K miles. He
said his ’94 Ranger had 400K miles when he sold it for a $1000. So we have a
lot in common to talk about. I remember the young guy who thought he could increase
his gas mileage by driving fast because he would get to his destination faster.
I told him that a conditioned runner could run a marathon faster than a race
horse. I also told him about the famous long distance runner who died young,
and said that God created us so that, if we make wise choices for health
consistent with his law of cause and effect, we increase our prospect of living
longer. Billy Graham lived to age 99. Earlier in life he said he walked a lot
where he lived and that his wife was committed to preparing healthy meals.
Carole helps watch out for my food choices. At Cracker Barrel on our day trip
this week, I spotted the Jordan Almonds at the check out. Carole knows I could
eat a ton of them, so asked me if I would just eat only a few. I said I would,
but if I failed, I’d keep trying.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19G27
I dreamed this week that I was a young minister living in the same house with one of my former employer-pastors. But I never saw him, except once when he told me I would need to run 90 miles an hour. I awoke thinking about what Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are overburdened, broken down, and wornout and I will recover you.” Working as a young minister to win God’s favor broke me. I remember the day I stopped doing his Work, and began trusting him to do his Work through me. Carole and I have had our needs met ever since, although we have had modest incomes. Our modest home is paid for, worth twice what we paid for it. We have five older cars (only one newer than 20 years old), all paid for. We owe nothing for anything, except the utility bill which is amazingly low every month. Our doctors and dentist tell us we are in excellent health and to keep doing whatever we are doing. Health, however, is not automatic, but is organic: That is, it must be renewed daily or it diminishes. That means, we must make wise lifestyle choices for diet, exercise, and supplementation and especially to be renewed in our experience of Christ (the Daily Bread) every day - or else our brokenness, like a weed, will begin to resurface. This week I told Carole’s hard of hearing 100-year-old friend that she looked more like a young 80. I said I liked George Burn’s song, “I wished I was 18 again.” She asked me why I wanted to be 80. I said I wished I was eighteen, not eighty. She said I didn't look 80.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19G20
I bragged to Carole that I had lost weight when I tried on new workpants
this week and was able to take them off without unzipping them. But when I checked
further, I found the size printed on the inside label was larger than the
information stapled to the outside. I was disappointed. I told Carole that I
got pranked. Carole said she thought I was wealthy when she first met me but then
found out I wasn’t. She said she also thought I was smart.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19G13
I don’t ever remember being
called a boy. But I do remember the first time I was called a man. I was a
young minister going house to house knocking on doors to introduce our church
and talk about Christ. A little girl answering the door at one home called back
to her family inside to say there was a man at the door. I was 18. Thus far, I
have not been called an old man, although I expect one day it will come. But I
think the sales associate at J. C. Penny this week may have come close. I was
standing at a distance away from the register where Carole was making a
purchase when a second sales associate arrived to ask if I needed to check out.
I said that I was with my wife but teased that she had instructed me to stand
ten feet away from her until I got my hair cut. The lady said, “OH NO! You look
so retro!” I forgot what retro meant so asked my smart phone. The best I could
understand, google said it meant vintage-inspired or imitative of an old-world
lifestyle. In other words, I think she was suggesting I was old fashion. I
recall being told as a 19 year old preaching church revivals that I was a prude
and did not act like a teenager. And I remember that I always liked to say that
the rest of the story was I hoped to stay that way.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19G06
June 2019
Carole’s friend Louise just
turned 100. She only recently stopped driving and sold her car, but still lives
alone with a caregiver visiting once a week to check on her, provide company,
and take her shopping and to get her hair done. Once or twice a week, Carole
visits with her for an hour or so. During a visit recently with seniors, Carole
asked a new friend her age. She said she was 84 but that, after she turned 80,
she started counting backwards, so said she was 76. I told Carole I liked that,
and that on my 71st birthday I would begin counting backwards so that I would
be 69. She said she did not like that idea. I asked why. She said because in 70
years when I got to zero I would be gone. But I do need to do something about
getting older! Carole says the older I get, the funnier I think I am. I asked
her if she minded me teasing her so much. She said she didn’t and would not
know what to think if I stopped, but that I really needed to stop teasing
strangers in public. She already had opportunity to say that to me earlier this
week when I saw my hair in the mirror at Rose’s Department Store and asked a
lady going into the fitting room if she had a comb I could borrow. The lady
laughed but Carole didn’t think it was funny.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19F29
A mentor once warned me that
giving too much time to reading the Scripture would result in me becoming so
heavenly-minded that I would be of no earthy good. But I found in the years
that followed that a worse danger was being so earthly-minded and
performance-driven that my work was not effectual and had no eternal value
(John 15:1-8). I dreamed recently that a famous pastor became deathly ill. I
was told I could save him, but that I would need to have holes drilled in my
hands. I said no, that Christ had nails driven through his hands and died on
the cross so that we could have health, and that God does not call us to give
up our health to save others.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19F22
There is a hole in my house where
things fall, never to be seen again. My favorite pair of work boots has
disappeared into that hole. So have my baseball glove and a new baseball hat. I
told Carole that at least I knew where they were. Years ago, I lost my cell
phone in a warehouse. I was horrified and pleaded with angst for God to help me
find the phone. I found it exactly where he told me to look. Recently, when I
drove too fast over a bumpy railroad track, my van almost shut off, but
corrected so that I made it home. I told my Pentecostal pastor friend who said
he once prayed for his old truck when the check engine light came on and
insisted the Lord healed his truck. But when I prayed for my van, the Lord told
me to look under the hood. When I did, I saw that a battery cable was loose,
apparently because of the bumpy ride over the railroad track. This week, I
could not find a business card. It reappeared when it fell out of my
undershorts before I got into the shower. So I still have hope for my boots,
glove, and cap.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective
19F15
I told Carole I thought pollen
was making my ears feel stopped up. She asked if my head was okay. I said maybe
not but that my heart was. She asked if my heart had anything to do with my
hearing. I said it did. God seems to allow just enough adversity in my life to
remind me of my temperament afflictions and need to be renewed by him each day.
I wished I had more of Carole’s temperament. Nothing much bothers her. I can’t
remember her being irritated with me except to roll her eyes and shake her head
in disbelief. A husband that gets the breaks from his wife that I do for stupid
behavior is blessed. I didn’t fare as well with the guy I was talking to
yesterday. When a spider landed on me, he nearly slapped me down trying to save
me.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19F08
Looking at fences on a day trip in
the country this week, I told Carole that my mom put up a fence at the side of
her house to block the view of her neighbor’s yard, but had it installed
backwards with the finished side facing her - so that it looked like it was her
neighbor’s fence and because she did not want to offend her neighbor. I said to
Carole, “There’s a right way to put up a fence, you know!” I showed her a rail
fence and said it was installed correctly. She asked how I knew that. I told
her the rails were facing the road. She asked if I was a fence expert.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19F01
May 2019
After my run today I told Carole
I ran like I was 60. She said I meant like I was 50. I said I ran like I was 50
when I was 60. She said I meant like when I was 40. I said I ran like I was 40
when I was 50. She said I meant like when I was 30. I said I ran like I was 30
when I was 40. She said I meant like when I was 20. I said I ran like I was 20
when I was 30. She said I meant like when I was 10. I said when I was 10, I ran
like a 70 year old. When I returned from my run yesterday, Carole said she was
tired. I told her to take a nap. She said she was laying down when I came home.
I asked if she meant she was lying down. I said builders lay bricks and hens
lay eggs. She said no wonder she was tired.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19E25
On date nights, Carole and I
watch old black-and-white reruns on a 9-inch iPad. Our favorites are Restless
Gun, The Range Riders, Gene Autry movies, and especially, Tales of Wells Fargo.
There is always a lot of shooting and fighting, but the good guys always win.
In the early years of tv, our grandparents had a hard time separating tv
entertainment from reality. I remember many year ago an elderly man fussing
because his favorite cowboy was not fighting very well and was getting beat up.
I told him it was just tv. He said I was right, that he forgot.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19E18
I told a teenage runner at the
track that I was 70 and could beat him in a 20 yard sprint. That is, if he
didn’t cheat, I said. He didn’t believe me, so we marked off 20 yards and lined
up. I told him we would start on the count of three. When I said “one,” I took
off. So did he and easily beat me. I told him I would have beaten him if he had
not cheated.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19E11
Behavior can break out in brokenness
in every relationship - at home with the family, in the community with
neighbors, in the workplace with employees, and sometimes even on Sunday with
members of the Church. The brokenness can manifest as ugly behavior but also as
coldness to care about the needs of others. At the cafeteria on Sunday, the
line servers were wonderfully friendly. I told everyone I could how much I
appreciated them (although the dining area attendant needed some extra
training: He asked a couple of times about us and our meal, but it was always
as he zoomed by, not pausing long enough for us to appreciate that he was there.)
The checkout lady greeted every guest with a big smile and lots of friendliness.
I sure liked her. She said have a blessed day to the couple paying ahead of us.
I hoped she would say that to us. And when she did, I was ready. “Christ will
do that for us, you know!” I said.
“AMEN!” she said.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19E04
April 2019
I asked the checkout lady if I
could pay for my two-dollar-something purchase with cash. I told her I had ID.
She laughed. I said the older I got the funnier I thought I was. I said my wife
was trying to get me to stop trying to be funny. The checkout lady said no, no,
don’t do that, that I made her day. Later, going into the gym after eating a
big lunch, I asked the desk person if he had a cot in the back where I could
lie down. He said no, that I needed to go ahead and workout. Forty-five minutes
later on the way out, I told him “My fine now!” explaining that was what my
grandson had said after he burped. He said I was funny.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19D27
At Walmart this week, I waited at
the intersection of two main aisles watching for Carole to reappear. I see a
lot of people that way - some very friendly. From my right, an older man with a
hitch in his stride threw his hand up and nodded his head as he approached
where I was standing. I nodded, smiled, and threw my hand up at him. As he
neared, he threw his hand up and nodded again, so I threw my hand up and nodded
at him again. After he passed by, I noticed he had an impairment that caused
him to throw his arm out and bob his head like Grandpa McCoy when he walked.
Carole said I should tone it down and just smile.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19D20
On Monday, I called to make an
early morning appointment for Friday with a service company to give us a quote
on some needed work. So on Wednesday, I got dressed early in advance of the
appointment. When no one showed by 8:30, I called the company to ask if they
had us scheduled for 8:00. The office lady assured me that, yes, we were
scheduled for 8:00. I asked if I could expect the service guy to be on time.
Yes, she said. But it’s already 8:30, I said semi-snarky. But it won’t be
Friday until the day after tomorrow, she said kindly.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19D13
When I practice playing our
Yamaha piano, I use earphones. Carole and I knew a minister who had perfect
pitch when he whistled. He never needed to warm up or practice. The server at
lunch this week whistled while she worked. I had never heard a server do that
before. She also smiled beautifully at guests. I can’t whistle but told Carole
I had been practicing and asked her if I could whistle a tune for her. She said
no. She said I could hum if I wanted to. I asked her if I could whistle for her
if I practiced more. She said I could if I used earphones.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19D06
March 2019
On a long walk recently while passing by an elementary school, I noticed teachers
were dismissing students with strict security measures in order to ensure their
safety - precautions not even thought of or needed not too many years ago. In
recent years, I have also begun taking extra precautions for safety, although I
have great confidence that we are safe doing God’s work in the place he uses
us. Still, I had an experience this week that was pretty scary. While driving a
20-year-old vehicle I just bought, I heard a ticking. I turned off the radio,
then the heater fan, and then pounded on the dashboard, but the ticking
continued. It sure sounded like a ticking bomb to me. I was within a serious
moment of stopping and getting out of the car to run for my life when I noticed
my turn signal was on. I turned it off and lived to see another day.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19C30
I looked over in a place of
business this week and saw the politician who represents my district. When I
called out his name he looked up and smiled. He remembered me, not by name, but
because of the issue he helped our community with. I don’t have a relationship
with any other politician, but I have had the privilege of knowing and working
on staff with some well-known names in ministry, including two national radio
ministries and also pastors of several of the largest churches in America. But
I have also had encounters with other influential people who I doubt today know
I exist, including a missionary couple who I spent some time with as a kid
preacher. When I saw them several decades later, I had such appreciation for
them that I wanted to give them a hug. They had to think a minute or two to
remember who I might be. I was disappointed. But I have always taken delight in
knowing that God knows me intimately. He is absolutely my best friend, and assures
me of it every morning during my quiet time. My relationship with Christ is
intimate and meets to the depths of my soul the intense health need I have for
validation, affection, and significance – and supports me to stop short of
throwing things at providers who disappoint me.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19C23
Things get old and wear out, including roofs, sump pumps, appliances,
vehicles, lawn equipment, and office equipment, even though we take care to
maintain them. I am trying to get the very last bit of use out of my 11 year-old
laptop even though a half dozen keys are falling off. Parts of us wear out
before others do. A 90-year-old family member suffers advanced dementia. He hardly
remembers anything about anything. But when time comes to pray, everything
makes sense to him. He talks to God clearly and passionately. When I reach his
age, I fully expect to be experiencing Christ the same as ever – although other
areas of my well-being may be challenged. This week, after getting a few items
at Walmart, Carole asked me to find her a cart. I asked if she meant an empty
one. She said yes. The first empty cart I saw was being pushed by a woman with
her young son. Walking up from behind her I told her my wife asked me to find
her a cart and asked if I could have hers. She didn’t get my friendly humor and
looked at me like I was a derelict. When I told Carole, she shook her head and
said I really needed to stop doing that.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19C16
Carole and I schedule our sleep,
meals, and work (the same as we budget our spending). We also schedule our
entertainment. On date nights, we like to watch old black and white movies on
tv. Tales of Wells Fargo has been a
favorite. Agent Jim Hardie rides hard, draws fast, and shoots straight, so
usually catches the bad guys in a hurry, leaving us time enough to watch
another episode before bedtime. But this week Hardie faced a whole gang of
outlaws in a gun fight. The sheriff’s posse with him was not much help, so the
fight seemed to go on and on. In mock exasperation, Carole looked at me and
said, if the good guys don’t do any better than that, we’ll be up all
night.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19C09
In my early ministry some thought
I was quite the success. So did I – that is, if the measure of success for
ministry is rapid growth in church attendance. But my ministry was motivated in
those days in large part by my need to be a “Champion for Christ” and by the
notion I needed to win God’s favor. But about 30 years ago I began learning how
to experience Christ to enable me for Christian living and ministry. Still, I
have plenty of opportunities to feel sadness for elements of my past. For example,
at a restaurant with Carole recently, our server called her husband her “old
man” and confessed a lot of disappointment with him. Carole saw the sadness
that came on my face. After we finished our meal, she took my hand, looked
straight in my face, and said, “Honey, you are my teacher, my pastor, my best
friend, my husband, and my resource, and I thank God every day for you.
Whatever your past was or however different it could have been, nothing can
compare to the wonderful life and ministry God has given us for these past 30
years.”
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19C02
February 2019
I don’t want to lose my ability
to remember or process thoughts, so I take supplements to support brain health,
exercise to increase blood flow to my brain, and do memory work every day. I
also organize – that is, I put everything where I know it will be when I need
it, especially my keys and wallet, even tools and equipment, and including also my shoes and socks,
underwear, and other clothing. Singer Glen Campbell explained his dementia as
forgetting things he did not need to know. But I already don’t know much of
anything I don’t need to know. Still I can be forgetful, and when I am, it
concerns me. That’s why I was more than concerned this week when getting
dressed. Since my t-shirts don’t have a label, I always feel for the vertical
seam on the right side of the collar to know which is the right arm of the
shirt. That has worked successfully for me for many years. But, on this day
when I felt for the seam, found it on the right side of the collar where it
always is, then put my shirt on, I had it on backwards. So I pulled it off
(hate that), checked again for the seam, found it,
and then put it on again. Once again the shirt was on backwards. With sadness
and dismay, I reluctantly accepted that, after all these years, I had forgotten
which side of the shirt the seam was on, and that my mental well-being had
taken a sudden plunge. I was about to lament my fallen state of health to
Carole when I noticed (O could it be!) that I had my t-shirt on inside out.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19B23
Immature youth sometimes lack
appreciation for rules. But as we grow, law and order become more important to
us. Then as we age, some of us begin to mellow. But not so quickly for others
of us who have the Melancholy temperament. I may still be too much like the
elderly man in a favorite tv commercials who slowly hobbled past a red sports
car parked on his street. Stressed, he shouted at the parked car to “SLOW
DOWN!” I still have a strict protocol for drivers merging onto the highway, the
same as for walkers and runners who enter walkways and trails. (And it’s not
whoever gets there first!) Melancholies also have a strong sense of fairness.
At a favorite cafeteria a few years ago, their food was not its usual best. At
the checkout, I told the manager I did not want to pay for the entree. When he
argued, I shared my tension with him and then left. I also didn’t go back for a
year. Never mind it was my favorite cafeteria, I showed them.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19B16
During the coldest days of
winter, Carole and I usually go to the gym or to a closed mall to exercise or
walk. But a lifestyle commitment to daily exercise is demanding. That’s why we
fail to do it unless we are supported – by
- a sustaining motivation (desire for health),
- a safe, sensible regimen,
- a schedule, and
- someone who cares - for example, a family member,
friend, or coach, and
- especially Christ. (Our experience of Christ, renewed
in us daily, transforms our hearts to value our health.)
Participation sports like
softball, basketball, or golf can be good choices for exercise. The benefit is
not really in the participation itself, but in the preparation (conditioning)
so that we can participate without injury. George Foreman is one of my favorite
athletes because he boxed into his late forties. Tom Brady is another excellent
example of conditioning at an age when others have retired. I didn’t watch this
year’s Super Bowl, although I like the Patriots. Carole is not a football fan
but was curious to see what the big deal was about Brady, so she turned the tv
on to watch the start of the game. I came into the room later to check the
score and to ask what was happening. She said she didn’t understand much what
was going on - except that everyone was beating up on each other.
DonLoy
Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19B09
Our actions and appearance sometimes reveal who we
are. For example, a modest person will behave modestly and a honest person
will have an open countenance. Shyness, humility, and happiness also have
a way of revealing who we are. But not always. That’s because we sometimes
learn how to mask our true selves. For example, we wear clothes and makeup
to make us look more attractive than we might otherwise be, or drive a
fancy car to appear rich and famous. Years ago, a small town in Georgia
mandated a building and landscape code for a new retail complex. But years
later when I went into some of those establishments, I was disappointed
how dirty they were on the inside. So while Carole and I take care to look
healthy, we also want to be healthy. That’s why I was happy when the eye
doctor said again this week that my 8-10 year old prescription has not
changed, that I do not need new glasses. But Carole thought new frames
might be nice, so I got new frames with my old prescription. “I like
them,” Carole smiled. I asked why. She said they made me look intelligent.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19B02
January 2019
Squirrels and raccoons, even
coyotes and bears, fine creatures I am sure in their own habitat, would like to
get into my house, and so I build barriers to keep them out. Canada Geese,
created by God and also fine creatures perhaps (surely in some way in their own
habitat), try to invade my community and destroy our lawns, but I found a way
to keep them out. When elements in the world are not willing to peacefully
coexist with me on a win-win basis but target the wellbeing of my home and
community, I build barriers to keep them out. When cyber enemies try to
download their images and messages onto my computer, I buy anti-malware
programs to protect against them. When
members of a religion knock on my door wanting to share information from a
different bible about a different god, I don’t let them in, per 2 John 1:10. When family and friends, and even
counselees, come to my home with no interest to receive support or to provide
support for learning how to experience Christ, I spend limited time with them. When immigrants want to come into my
country, but are not willing to embrace our Constitution and the values our
government was founded upon, I support policies to keep them out.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19A26
My pastor dad was a cut-up. I guess I get that
trait from him. Sometimes teasing people may be my way of releasing tension, or
maybe of getting attention, or maybe it’s because I am getting older, and the
older I get, the funnier I think I am, so want to spread the joy – which is sometimes
appreciated (“You made my day!”), but sometimes maybe not. On Friday this week
at Zaxby’s, I ordered the Tuesday special from the young, fearful-looking order
taker. She didn't know how to take my humor and seemed intimidated. I told her
I was just teasing, that I would just go ahead and take the Thursday special
instead. On Sunday mid-afternoon, Carole and I walked into a steakhouse when
the lobby was empty, so I said to the young greeter, “One more customer comes
flooding in!” But she didn’t get my stupid humor. She said, “So will that be
three dining with us today?” Earlier in the week, we entered a restaurant when
the young greeter was on her knees behind her desk doing something or other.
Seeing her on her knees, I asked her if she was taking prayer requests. She
didn’t know what to say. After a meal last week at a favorite restaurant, the young
checkout person asked if everything was okay. I said it was good, except that, every
time I came in, it always ended the same way. When she asked “How’s that?”, I
handed her my bill and credit card. She didn’t seem to get it and may still be
wondering what the bricka brackum I was “complaining” about! This week, I was
telling the managing owner of one of our favorite restaurants how impressed I
was with her young staff. She said today’s kids are so connected to their devices
that they don’t know how to engage with the public and that she had to go
through a lot of hires before finding young people who were socially healthy
enough to communicate with customers. Later, on the way home, Carole said I
interacted with almost everyone I met. I said especially when I am in ministry
mode. I offered further thoughts on the subject, but got too deep in the woods
for her to keep up while she concentrated on navigating the trip home in heavy
traffic. So I stopped by saying, “That’s what I think. So what do you think?”
She said she agreed. About what I asked. That what you said is what you think,
she said.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19A26
During the holiday months, I gain about a half-pound a week. That’s 6-8 pounds.
Carole may gain one or two. I hate the cold, so don’t run on the trail as much.
Instead, I use my exercycle at home and also walk 2-3 miles several days a week
with Carole at a converted mall. Yesterday, I told Carole that excessive
exercising to offset our overeating was not good. She agreed and said we were
walking fools. I said no, we are walking Whisnants. She said that’s what she
said.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19A26
The leadership God used most in my early years to
influence my life didn’t know I was alive, especially at the time God
called me to connect to them, and in some cases for a long time after. But,
even so, God used them wonderfully to support my growth in Grace. (Conversely,
relationships that fawned over me and were aggressive to recruit me were
interested, as it turned out, mostly in using me to develop programs that
would increase church attendances and offerings.) In 1992, when God called
me to Atlanta
to connect to the ministry of First Baptist, the church did not know I
existed. During the four years I was there, Dr. Stanley faithfully
provided pulpit ministry (preaching and teaching) to support my growth to
understand the message of grace. “I
passionately pressed on to take hold of that (sanctification) for which
Christ Jesus took hold of me (placed me there)” - Philippians 3:12.
Through the years since, God has called many hurting people, none of whom
I knew, to connect to our ministry, not for the purpose of giving support to
us, but for the purpose of receiving support, especially for learning how
to experience Christ. That’s why the only gift we receive from those who
come to us is of themselves (2 Corinthians 8:5), to open the door of their
hearts, to receive the support we offer. That principle is also the reason
we welcome the opportunity to be supported by the Resources God sends to
us – including elderly members of the family. This week, Carole and I met
for lunch with a dear, 88-year-old, family member who again came bearing
gifts. Smiling, I said to him not to offer me anything he did not want me
to take. He laughed and said he noticed that.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19A19
Carole and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary this
week. God knew what I needed when Carole came into my life over 30 years ago. I
was broken and she was patient to give God opportunity to recover my life so
that I could be in her life the way she needed me to be. During the 1990’s,
God began calling and preparing Carole and me to provide support counseling to
broken people who were suffering the same failing circumstances I had come out
of. Through the years since founding GracePoint Counseling in 2002, God has
brought hundreds of hurting people to our ministry whose hearts have been
fertile for the Message of Grace he has given us to sow. And it is my
confidence he will continue to do so to the end of this Age, also during the
1000-year Kingdom Age, and throughout eternity. I told Carole that eternity is
a long time. She said eternity will not seem long in Heaven, not long.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19A12
When running in a neighborhood years ago, a large, loud barking dog
charged across a yard at me as I passed by. When I turned to charge back at the
dog, its owner came running out to berate me. I told him I was disappointed he
had more concern for a dog than a human. He said anyone who would charge at his
dog was less than a human. So I realize I risk hurting feelings when I make
comments about the obsession our present culture has with pets. God has a place
for animals or he would not have created them. But they are not humans and
should not be treated or talked to the same as humans or invested in the same
as humans. And there is no such thing as a dog having a human sister or a human
mama or daddy. That’s why I winced this week when I saw frozen desserts for
dogs in the ice cream freezer at Harris Teeter. Also, animals don’t understand
English or speak it (although they can react to sounds). So, yesterday when a
dog charged at me on the running trail, I was amused when its owner hollered “et”
at the dog. “Et”? When had I heard that word before? O, yes, I remember! When a
childhood caregiver many years ago needed to stop me from darting off in the
wrong direction or doing something stupid, she would holler “et” at me.
Somehow, without any explanation from her, I understood that the word meant no, and that it did not mean to go
for it! Now that I have rediscovered the word, I have a use for it when I
see humans obsessing over their pets.
DonLoy Whisnant/The Grace Perspective 19A05
