Light Within Cobblestones is just about ready for market. This has been a long and arduous journey but it has also been a joy to be the driver in this writing space. I have been blessed with some mighty great professionals. Dr. Terri Pixlee, Tina Bjorklund as well and my husband and some serious techno wizardry by Ray Boston. I think of all the things I have learned in the last years and finally I am about to be able to say, I have done a good thing for God, through God's leading. Just about a week from now the book will be available for purchase. I am actually getting a tiny bit excited.
Slow but steady wins the race, we are waiting for one and a half more pages.
~~~~~Life Before The Woods~~~~~
Life With Cecile
Picasso Pumpkin
We used to own a lovely gallery. We
were not in the habit of conforming to a ton of holiday decorations, it
deterred from the art so we limited ourselves to a small statement. Each year we would in a minimalistic way put
something on the front counter that indicated the season that was being
celebrated. The only big celebration we made was at Christmas and that was
confined to the window. Some people thought we were being PC but we weren’t.
All we were doing was keeping the focus on the art and the artists in the
gallery.
One year I sent my husband out to
get a tiny little pumpkin. I drew a Picasso style stick face on it and propped
it on the counter for Halloween. Amazingly enough we got requests for drawing
other faces on customer’s tiny pumpkins brought in just because they too wanted
an artsy pumpkin. We were drawing (Ooo
pun) so much attention we dubbed the pumpkin Picasso Pumpkin.
This went on for several weeks. We
would refer to Picasso Pumpkin for treats in the nature of small percentages
off on sales. We would ask Picasso Pumpkin if he liked the customer. It was
good fun, it was funny and we got used to referring to the pumpkin when we
invited people to come down to the gallery and visit.
This is where things went a bit
awry with my husband. Unbeknownst to me; I had not hear him say it when I was
in the gallery, my husband had begun to refer to the pumpkin with a different
name. He got into this habit very quickly. No one had pointed out its possible
offence. I was oblivious that it was a potential problem and could not warn
him. So merrily my dear husband continued to refer to Picasso Pumpkin with this
other nick name. My husband had not been on his day job very long and he was
always bringing home interesting stories about his day.
The day came when my husband came
to the gallery after he got off work. He had a very sheepish look on his face
when he announced he had invited the head of human relations down to the
gallery. He had been in her office and the subject of my job had come up and he
had explained to her we owned a gallery and it was my job to run the business.
I was very pleased with his
invitation to his co-worker but curious about why he seemed so
embarrassed.
“Well” he said, when I was in her
office without thinking about what I was saying I invited her to come down to
the gallery and meet Mr. P.P.
My mouth fell open.
He continued to explain to me. She
of course blurted out, “Michael!?! “I had to explain who Mr. P.P was.”
Of course, the laughter welled up
inside starting from deep in my belly.
My husband would never on purpose
go out of his way to offend someone. However, he does stick his foot in his
mouth once in a blue moon.
I laughed and laughed, and then
laughed some more.
Now every Halloween when we wander
through a store that carries these tiny pumpkins for sale we laugh
uproariously.
Whenever I remember this, it also
reminds me that we do things and say things often in an innocent manner that
offend others. As much as this story is funny, it also is important to remember
who we are standing in front of. Are our words equal to our hearts?
I stay stuff, I say all kinds of
stuff. The way my brain works gives me the ability to see a different side of
just about everything, most often I can see the funny side of any situation.
Sometimes I should not open my mouth and repeat the things I think, and yet I
do because I love to laugh and make other people laugh as well. I forget often that the things I say might not
give the same impression as my heart.
I was reminded of this when recently
I mentioned Light Within Cobblestones to
someone who had only heard me say stuff. They were actually shocked that I
write Christian material. It was a serious aide-mémoire to my watching my
mouth. We don’t know who is listening or reading, if we did we would consider
what we are saying and writing each time we open our mouths. People hear what
they want to hear, even if what you say is said in innocence.
This last Sunday at the little
church I have returned to after so many years, Pastor Brian Handcock’s theme
was based on this question, Are You A
Christian? The sermon based in the verses in James in the Bible. (Go ahead, look it up, tactile searching brings
good learning) The sermon was about how we reflect the Christian condition of
our hearts and lives.
Each time I walk through the door
of the sanctuary it seems God has provided a message intended to speak to me
through the Pastor. His message brought through this particular Pastor, always
pokes me in the heart. That is a good thing in a pastor, the delivery system. If
you need some down to earth preaching, consider this church if you live in
Spokane.
Oh, but don’t tell anyone, Pastor
Brian gives good raspberries on the foolish nonsense going on in this world.
I told you I say stuff.
4213 W Garden Springs Rd
Spokane WA 99219
(509)723-1123
LSPastorbrian@gmail.com
I am a Christian, but obviously I
still need some work. So it is back to the practicing.
Cecile Grace Charles, author.
Light Within Cobblestones
Dinner With Cecile And William, a
cookbook
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