Author: TomNorvell

A Norvell Note

November 28, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 38

The Moment That Could Not Last

From the soundtrack of A River Runs Through It, one 84-second excerpt always catches my ear and takes me to another place. The name of the piece is The Moment That Could Not Last. Every time it plays, I pause, time stands still, and reflect on moments that could not last. 

When my wife and I were dating and in the early days of marriage there were moments that I wanted to last. The first time we kissed. The first time we said I love you. Our first Christmas and anniversary. The birth of our children we held them for the first time. I wanted those moments to last forever. But those moments did not and could not last. As they have grown and become parents themselves there have been more moments than I can recall that could not last. 

There have been moments in ministry that no matter how much I wanted them to last, they could not. There were the Saturday night devotionals around the campfire when we sang and never got tired. There was the worship assembly where God’s Spirit was active. There were weddings that I officiated and saw the look on the groom’s face when his bride came into his view. There were the meals with friends when we cried because we did not know when or if we would see each other again. 

I could also include holidays and vacations with my family, coffee with a friend, standing by the ocean at sunset, golf on a beautiful day, time with our grandchildren, watching my kids play sports or perform on stage, and ordinary times with people I love. All were moments I wanted to last but could not.

Every time it plays, I pause, time stands still, and reflect on moments that could not last. Sometimes I weep. Sometimes I smile. Sometimes I play the song again and wish those moments could have lasted and thank God for those moments that could not last. 

I treasure those moments that could not last, and I long for more.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

November 14, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 36

Expressing Your Gratitude

For many, Thanksgiving is the most enjoyable time of the year. Unless we complicate it, it can be simple and calm. Family and friends gather to enjoy a delicious meal, renew friendships, and share memories as you make new memories. You love your life and have no trouble expressing your gratitude.

For all of us, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to count our blessings and express our gratitude to God, the people God has put into our lives, and all our physical blessings. Life is good for you, and you have no trouble expressing your gratitude.

For others, Thanksgiving is a difficult time of the year. The day marks the beginning of the holiday season shifting into high gear and we are reminded of those who are no longer with us. The pain of the empty chair at the table is too much for some. It is difficult but you do your best to express your gratitude. 

And for many others, Thanksgiving is a season of endurance. You are away from home, and your loved ones, and you realize they are making new memories without you. This is the first holiday you will spend without your mother, dad, brother, sister, son, or daughter, but they are on the other side of the world serving in the military, on the mission field, or providing for your family. Your life is hard; you are all alone and miserable. Someone you love with all your heart is sick and you try as hard as you can, but expressing your gratitude is not something you can do.

Regardless of where you are this Thanksgiving season, I offer this prayer. 

Father, please listen to my heart for I do not how to express the gratitude I feel in my heart. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

November 14, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 36

Thank you,

Dear Readers, 

Thank you for taking the time to read this Note, and for any other times, you have taken a few minutes out of your day to read my thoughts about Jesus, God’s love, observations about nature, people, places, and ponderings. 

Thank you for reading and tolerating the times when I have whined about my life. Most of the time I am aware of how blessed I am now and have been throughout my life. 

Thank you for the weeks when you could not make sense of my words, but you kept reading and came back the next week.

Thank you for your kind and gracious comments that mean more than you can imagine.

Thank you for sharing your stories and letting me know when my words touched your heart or struck a nerve.

Thank you for giving me grace when you disagreed with my thoughts, opinions, or views. 

Thank you, especially over the last eighteen months, for how you have expressed your concern for our family through your notes, emails, texts, and prayers. And thank you for the comfort I feel in knowing that you will continue to cover us with prayer.

Thank you for reading A Norvell Note.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

November 7, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 35

Moving Stories

By moving stories I’m not referring to stories about dogs being rescued from deplorable and abusive situations, or dogs running for help because their master is trapped in a mineshaft under a fallen tree. I’m not going to tell a story about a football player that had never played a down all year but gets in the game and makes the play that allows his team to win the championship. I have nothing against dogs or those tear-jerking stories, but those are not the moving stories I have in mind. 

I’m talking about real moving stories, stories that happen while moving from one house to another. 

For instance, have you ever noticed that your possessions seem to multiply when you start packing for a move? No matter how much you think you have downsized and discarded, you pack and load, load, and pack, then you look in a closet and see boxes and bags and clothes you do not recognize.

And what about, when you finally get everything out of storage and into your house and you look in your garage and wonder where did all this stuff come from, and what you are we going to do with it?

And then, when the new refrigerator is finally delivered, and you start removing the plastic protective coating, Styrofoam, and tape and you notice that there are little circular stickers on every tray and glass shelf. You struggle to pull one off and read what it says, “Please remove.” It is written in four languages. 

Finally, you are in your new home. You have time to sit, relax, and reflect on this latest move, and all the other moves you made through the years. The memories start flooding in. You remember the dreams you had with each move, you remember the laughter and the tears, you remember the meals you shared with each other and with guests, the conversations you had. Then, you look around your new place, take a deep sigh, and pray: “Lord, thank You for the blessing of this house, and help us fill this home with love, gentleness, kindness, and lots and lots of grace for each other and all who enter our door.” 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

October 24, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 34

Bob Gilbert (James Robert Gilbert)

Bob “the Rock” Gilbert was the devoted husband to my sister (My Big Sister) for more than fifty years. From my vantage point, he was a great father to their two children and a true servant of the Lord. He was a dedicated worker and well-respected in the community. Bob was a good, good man. I loved and respected him, and I will miss his booming voice, laugh, and presence.       

My first memory of Bob was when started dating my sister and began showing up at our house. He drove a truck for Richie Groceries. I remember thinking, he was so tall and had the biggest Adams Apple I have ever seen. Of course, at that age, I had not seen that many Adams Apples, but I was sure Bob’s was the biggest, and I wondered if mine would ever be that big. 

Later, and probably after they married, when we’d be visiting in their home or ours, he would occasionally pick up a volume from the set of encyclopedias and sit and read it. I remember thinking that he must be smart or bored. Maybe it was both, but I could not imagine why anyone would voluntarily read from an encyclopedia. Through the years I realized that he truly was an intelligent man. 

When I was old enough to ride my bike into town, I often stopped by their house to hang out for a while. I felt right at home. One day I parked my bike in the front yard and bounced up the steps on the porch and in the door. It just so happened that Bob sitting in the room cleaning a handgun. I froze, and in a booming voice that resembled James Earl Jones, I heard, “Boy! Don’t you ever do that again!” I always knocked after that.

With our parents gone, Genia and Bob’s home became the gathering place for a Christmas invasion for the families of the three brothers. People sleeping all over the house, making noise, and eating everything in sight, made the holidays anything but calm and quiet. I suspect there were times when he decided that going to work on cold icy mornings was a welcome respite. We all felt bad for him because of his hearing loss, but Bob may probably saw it as a blessing. 

The image that is indelibly planted in my heart came during a visit not long after Kim and I were married and early in my ministry. It was a quiet Saturday afternoon in their living room when a neighborhood child banged on their door in a panic. The children were playing in the front yard and one of them got hurt. The mother was at work and no adult was at home. Within seconds Genia and Bob down the street, took care of the injured child, bringing comfort and calm in a very tense and potentially dangerous situation. 

I sat in awe as I reflected on the words of a couple of mentors who were trying to guide me along the “right” approach to ministry that included believing and teaching that anyone outside of “our” fellowship had no chance of going to heaven. As I witnessed Genia and Bob being Jesus to those children, I thought, if they are not going to make it, what chance do I have? Gratefully my approach to ministry was different after that afternoon.

Thank you, Bob, for marrying my sister. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

October 17, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 33

You May Never Know

I am once again reminded of how important it is to understand that what we see on the surface may not be the complete picture of what is going on in a person’s life. You can assume that what you see is all there is. But you may never know.

A child’s grades drop, and her behavior takes a sudden and dramatic change. You wonder about the cause. You may never know what is going on in her home that might have caused the changes. 

One of your best employees starts showing up late, missing meetings, and becomes distant and apathetic. You may never know what he is facing when he goes home or what he tries but can’t leave behind when comes in from work. 

Your neighbors seemed like the perfect family, but something changed. They seldom spoke and stayed to themselves. You may never know the struggles they’ve been having or the tension that exists on the other side of their front door.  

Every week he comes in a little late and takes a seat on the back pew, then he leaves a little early. You wonder why he does that. You may never know.

We encounter people every day who may be suffering from an illness, going through a breakup or divorce, grieving the loss of a loved one, or living in a house filled with anger, violence, abuse, and sadness. Or maybe they go home to an empty house every night. And you may never know why they act the way they do in public. 

You may never know, that is unless you ask. 

If you ask, they may tell you to mind your own business. Or they may thank you for noticing and ask for your help. They may share the reason for sadness, being standoffish, or why their heart is breaking. They may. But you may never know unless you ask. 

Is there someone you are concerned about, but not sure what’s going on? They may act like they want to be left alone. Or they may be praying that God would send someone to help. You may never know unless you ask. So, maybe you should ask. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

October 10, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 32

Keep Silent

The Lord is in his holy temple;
    let all the earth be silent before him. 
Keep silence, keep silence, keep silence before him.

You may have sung those words as a reminder that it is time for a worship service to begin, so quit talking in the foyer and find a seat. There may be a deeper meaning.

If you read Habakkuk, you will find the verse at the end of chapter 2. The book of Habakkuk examines injustice from the experience of a righteous person crying out to God for a remedy. God responds to the prophet: Be patient, observant, and steady in your faith, for my judgment will happen at an appointed time. God’s response allows Habakkuk to rejoice in God’s saving power—even while struggling with a question that every generation asks: Why is evil allowed to thrive? The answer is profound yet dramatic: Trust God because He is both powerful and just. (Faithlife Study Bible)

Singing those words reminded me that we are asking the same question today, why is evil allowed to thrive? Among the responses God suggests to the prophet is to remember that God is in His holy temple and keep silent. There’s more to the warning than just being quiet. It means to be calm and remember the Lord is still in His place. You can trust Him.

Those words are a good reminder for us.

When we hear about the injustice and chaos in our world, remember that the Lord is in His holy temple. Keep silence.

When we are confused and afraid, remember the Lord is in His holy temple, and keep silent.

When we are overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, remember the Lord is in His holy temple, and keep silent.

When loss and disappointment sadden you, remember the Lord is in His holy temple; keep silent.

It was helpful instruction for the prophet and wise instruction for us. 

The Lord is in his holy temple;
    let all the earth be silent before him. 
Keep silence, keep silence, keep silence before him.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

October 3, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 31

I Just Want to Go Home

I’ve said those words many times. As a child, every time I tried to stay away from home overnight, about the time it started getting dark and I missed my Mama I’d say, “I just want to go home.” Usually, I followed that up with “I have a stomachache.” I said those words when I went to Boy State as a teenager. And I said those words on mission trips to Ukraine during the first forty-eight hours of our trip, and after we had completed most of our mission. 

I’ve heard those words a few times our children were small and one of their overnight guests would get homesick. I’ve heard it when college students were not doing well in their classes, had their hearts broken, or received bad news from home. “I just want to go home.”

I’ve heard from an elderly man who had lived a good life, worked hard, and lost use of most of his physical abilities and bodily functions. With tears in his eyes, he said, “I’m so tired. I don’t want to live like this anymore. I just want to go home.” I’ve heard it from the widow who lost her husband and best friend and now must face life alone. I hear it said when a person has reached the end of life and been told there is nothing left that can be done. “I just want to go home.” And I hear it in the voices of the caregivers who are exhausted from too many hours and too much sickness and death.

I think I read those words in my four-year-old granddaughter’s eyes as she lay in her hospital bed attached to tubes and monitors. I know I saw it in the eyes of my daughter and son-in-law as they prepared for another night in a hospital room. 

I still say it some days when it starts getting dark, I’m tired, feel helpless, and miss my Mama. I just want to go home. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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A Norvell Note

September 26, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 30

Living the Dream

As I entered the facility, I greeted the two ladies behind the desk and asked, “How are you ladies today?” With a less than enthusiastic response, one of them said, “Living the dream.” 

Later that day in a different facility I greeted another group of ladies who were taking a break with, “How are you all today?” One of them quickly answered back, “Just living the dream. Just living the dream.” The others in the group laughed. I told them about the other group, and they laughed again. 

I left wondering about their dream, is it a good dream, a nightmare, or maybe somewhere in between? Are they living their dream, or dreaming about a dream they wish they were living? As I reflected on their somewhat sarcastic response to my question, I appreciated the fact that they believe there is a dream to live. 

We all have a dream that we long to live. At least I hope we do. 

On any given night you can watch multiple talent competition shows where each contestant is hoping to live their dream of being a singer, a dancer, a chef, or a corporate executive power broker. Some dreams come true, and some do not. Every athlete lives the dream of becoming the best. Every team lives the dream of winning the championship. 

Sometimes we live to see our dreams to their happy ever after ending. Unfortunately, sometimes our dreams are cut short, and we are left with the agony of dreams that will never come true.  Then, we must search for another dream.

I’ve had some dreams that have come true, and I watched others fade and die. I’ve let go of some dreams and I’ve revived others. Some were big dreams, some were impossible dreams, and some I learned were not worth pursuing.

Here are a couple of dreams that I believe are still worth pursuing that I am trying to live. 

“…make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you. (1 Thessalonians 4:11)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)

When someone asks you how you are doing, I hope you say, “I’m living the dream” and mean it.  

Start living your dream and keep living it. 

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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September 19, 2022 – Vol. 26 No. 29

Some Things Do Not Fit Together

Those who know me well know that I tend to like things to be done a certain way. If something does not work or serves no purpose, I am ready to get rid of it. If you move something, put it back where it was. Furniture sometimes needs to be rearranged just to see if it works better in the new location. Recently I’ve noticed a few things that just do not seem to fit together. 

It is sad to see couples eating out and both looking at their cell phones the whole time. 

It is even sadder to see dads having breakfast with their children but being more focused on checking their messages than what their children are saying. 

It is my opinion that men with big bellies should not wear tight jeans.

I do not understand why some people have garages full of stuff and their cars sitting in the driveway. 

It seems strange to see people walking their dogs and yelling at them the whole time. 

I have learned that wearing contact lenses and shedding tears do not work well. 

Maybe the most puzzling and disappointing is when I see followers of Jesus (including me) acting with pride and pursuing power. 

Proverbs 16:18, Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Matthew 23:12, For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

James 4:6, But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

James 4:10, Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Some things just do not fit together. Most of the inconsistencies that I have mentioned are nothing more than my opinion or preferences. However, if we are trying to live like Jesus, pride, a haughty spirit, and the desire for control and power cannot co-exist. 

We can do better. Let’s do better.

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2022 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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