Recently I spoke to an amazing group of ladies in Ten Mile, Tennessee. Most of their ages ranged from 70 to 90 I would guess.  I was impressed as they started out the meeting with the pledge of allegiance with their hands over their hearts.  It certainly warmed my heart as they showed respect to our nation and our flag!

 

As I let the audience know a little bit about myself I explained that I had been a "southerner" for almost 58 years!  I continued, "'I've lived in Tennessee now for close to 18 years but had lived in "Southern California" for 40 years, since I was a teen!  That should count too!"  I received a chuckle then shared how I loved the South though I had to get used to cooking southern food as a young bride.  "When I got married, at 18 years old, to my "southern gentleman", my husband wanted cornbread and pinto beans.  I had tasted cornbread but had never heard of pinto beans!  I didn't know I was supposed to rinse the dry beans well and remove the rocks!"  I knew these ladies were well seasoned with pinto beans as they responded to my story with the looks on their faces that said, "Oh no"!! Others had disbelief that I had never heard of pinto beans in my early days! "I cooked the beans for 20 minutes and thought that would be enough.  The beans were as hard as the rocks they were cooked with!" I was informed that I was to cook them all day.  So, in my next attempt, I rinsed the beans, took the rocks out and put them in a pan of water to cook all day. The problem was that I left for the day!  I came home to a house full of smoke, and I was fortunate that I hadn't burnt the house down!!!  Thankfully, Sonny's mother, who was a wonderful cook, taught me her secrets on her visits out to California. I was thankful to her because now my family could enjoy their meals!

 

What can we receive from each other?  We have been learning this month about the dynamic duo of Mary and Martha from Luke 10:38-42.  Though both widows, (in the Hebrew and Greek sense as being "without a husband") they had different personalities.  History explains that Martha was older and the home belonged to her as well as the responsibility that went with that.  Mary was the younger sister and possibly the baby of the family!  We don't hear about their parents, but for Lazarus and Mary to live with Martha most likely they had passed away. It was customary for the women of the house to take care of the guests and prepare the meals.  I am positive that this was not the first time this had happened, where Mary disappeared when things needed to be done.  Her attitude was, "don't worry, be happy!"  (In my teen years Mary may have been the hippie that was going around with "peace and love" signs on her van.)  Mary learned how to enjoy the moment without getting uptight!  Martha needed to tap into that and learn how to do things from a place of peace.  Jesus even addressed her anxiety when He said, "only one thing was needful" and that Mary had chosen the good part that would not be taken away from her!  Moving in peace in what we do is "needful"!  Martha could learn that from her sister.  But Martha's faithfulness, and that she could be counted on to handle much for the kingdom, was important too.  It just needed to be done out of peace, not anxiety and stress!   The rocks needed to be taken out of her beans!

 

Mary could learn from her sister as well.  If it was up to her nothing would have been ready for the Master!  There would not have been any beans in the pot to serve!  I needed to humble myself, recognize I needed help and learn from my special mother-in-law how to cook pinto beans!  It ended up being a precious time for me to understand Sonny's background and what pleased him.  Mom had a strength I needed and Mom needed to feel appreciated by her new daughter!

 

I knew I was supposed to go to a little town of Ten Mile to a small group of precious ladies. (I pray about each place I am invited and if I get the leading to go, I look for the "real reason" I am there. There is always someone or a purpose that stands out above the others that shows me the main "why" He sent me there.)  In this precious group I met a widow who had experienced multiple losses and who was caring for a grandson who had many loses as well.  As I listened to her and could speak into her life, I knew my "why".  We all need each other!  Because someone had helped me remove my rocks, I was able to help her!

 

Please send us your prayer request concerning the "rock" in your life you would like us to pray about!  ( [email protected])  We care about you!

 

Please pray for the widows in Israel we will be ministering to in November!  We will be having several meetings across the land to encourage and love on them.  Peggy Powers will also be teaching Anna's Gate widow harpists how to release the sounds of Heaven on the strings to bring peace.  Pray about what you can give to sow into their lives!  If you are in the area, join us on October 20th for our Quarterly Shabbat at Anna's Gate where we will be taking a special offering for our work in Israel.   It will start with a potluck at 6PM with worship following at 7pm.  You never know, someone might bring pinto beans!