May Still Be Good for Others This is a photo of my wife and daughter leaving on a cross country trip. They are fine, but the car was wrecked and totalled less than 90 days after this picture was taken. My daughter, Rachel, was driving with her friends when she lost control of the car and it flipped over. No was was seriously hurt as they hung suspended upside-down. Rachel had made everyone put on their safety belts before starting, a iron rule in our family as she was growing up. She was buckled in almost daily for over 20 years before it made a difference.

(c) by Christy Ramsey some rights reserved

Recently, I learned that as the car was flipping over, Rachel's frightened friend looked to her figuring she would know what to do. Rachel had wrapped her arm around her face in case the windshield shattered. Her friend imitated her. The windshield held, but the passenger side window exploded all over her friend. But since her friend had her face covered, just her elbow was bloodied. Her arm had protected her face and eyes.

Rachel buckled her safety belt and made others do so for decades before it made a dfference. But she also protected her face and eyes for just seconds. This didn't make a difference for her, but might have saved the eyesight of her friend who looked to her for the right way to act.

When I think I might be okay for me to take a risk or that I could survive temptation...I think of the frightened friend that looked to Rachel and how what she saw in Rachel kept her from losing her sight.

A Good Imitation

Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. - 3 John 1:11

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Isaiah 9:1-4 & Matthew 4:12-23

How can Light be in Darkness?

Photo by WTL photos © Some Rights Reserved

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Pushing the Right Button I like reading control panels. Options appeal to me in general and I like to see how they are laid out and explained. I came across this elevator that is different than all the others I've checked. The Door Open button lacks its evil twin, Door Close. I like to think about the optimistic designer who wanted folks to be able to open doors for others; but didn't think there was a need for the antisocial close door option. I also chuckle imagining the person looking to stab the close door button when hurrying footsteps are heard only to find that openess is the only option. I think of this elevator when I am tempted to close doors because I'm rushed or "filled up" and remind myself that opening doors for others should be what we all push for.

(c) by Christy Ramsey some rights reserved

Jesus Wants In

But Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. - Revelation 3:20

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

The Ties That Bind My in-laws received a quilt in honor of their 60th Wedding Anniversary. (In the photo, my mother-in-law, Katheryn Speegle holds the quilt framing Karen Hadsel, the quilter.) My adult daughter has a quilt of all her camp, church, school, and sports t-shirts. Those memories and relationships warm her inside and out. My wife has a framed quilt hanging in our living room. Both of her grandmothers worked on it. (It's a Catherdal Window quilt) Their creation colors our lives every day.

(c) by Christy Ramsey some rights reserved

In the fall, a quilt covers our bed made by some church members and signed by church members, family, and visitors. Some are gone now, but their personal touch weaves a warm layer of protection over us as we sleep.

Quilting is the intentional tying together of many separate pieces into a warmth giving whole. Sounds like a good description of a family, tribe, church or community.

Hope a quilt of love covers you and you are a piece of quilts that cover others.

Knitted Together

But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love. - Ephesians 4:15-16

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

This work by J. Christy Ramsey is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

From flickr by Matt McGee Some Rights Reserved

Genesis 1:1-5 and John 1:1-5 (NRSV)

“Ask Her Out” from Gulliver's Travels



The difference between One Day in the future and Day one: starting right now is illustrated in this clip. How can you make One Day Today?