A Norvell Note – Page 12 – Thoughts and reflections on God, life, people, and living as a follower of Jesus.

Tom Mathis

A Norvell Note for June 13, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 23

Tom Mathis

I would prefer not to write these words. There is a void in the Chattanooga, Tennessee, community due to the passing of Tom Mathis, a very dear friend, brother in the faith, and a servant of the Lord. Tom has fought his fight, finished his race, has kept the faith, and received his crown of righteousness.

We moved to Chattanooga in September of 2000. I met three men and knew my life forever changed as soon as I met them. Tom was one of those men. To think of Tom not being there to call, text, visit, listen to, or read his writings is beyond my mind’s grasp.

When I first met Tom, it was hard for me to believe he was real. He seemed too good, too spiritual to be true. I observed him, listened to him intently, and searched for flaws. His wisdom was beyond his years. I admired his depth of understanding of the Scripture and his ability to communicate it to others. His compassion for people was beautiful to watch.

Through the years, Tom and I taught classes together, shared the stage in worship events, and grieved, comforted, and celebrated with each other. We enjoyed meals with our wives and friends and time in each other’s homes. We prayed for our children, prayed for our friends, prayed for our marriages, and prayed for our church. We sat and struggled through multitudes of meetings, encouraged each other, confronted each other, advised each other, and loved each other deeply.

Kim and I were blessed to watch up as Tom and Ginger found each other, fell in love and were there when they married. We were blessed to be with them on a chilly colorful fall evening when they exchanged their vows and declared their love for one another. I was the officiant. Kim was the witness, the photographer, and the designated crier for the event.

I share those memories, acknowledging that I am only one of the hundreds of people who have their memories. Tom Mathis was an extraordinary man who had a supernatural ability to communicate his love for the Creator and demonstrate his love for his family and friends.

I don’t know how to close this tribute to my friend except to say. Tom, I love you and miss you terribly, and share some of your words.

THE MOUNTAIN CALLS ME HOME

Psalm 61 Meditation for Day 61 (3/2/2021):

“The mountain calls me home. The rocks and ravines beckon me back to the security of my favorite hiding places. The cool springs invite me once again to quench my thirst and refresh my spirit with pure water.

“In my mind I know this to be true, but my heart—dulled by too frequent wanderings in the far-off plains of distraction and valleys of despair—has somehow drifted out of tune with the frequency and rhythm of God’s voice. And so I have projected my failure to hear onto Him—as if my Mighty Rock, my Strong Tower, is too weak to hear and understand my cries for help, too busy or disinterested to respond.

“If I promise (once again) (oh, how many times have I promised?) to listen to You, to be faithful to You, will You hear my prayerful pleas and draw me back, guide me back, carry me back to You?

“How I long to be close to You again, to rest safely in You and have You tabernacle in me. How I yearn for the Rock that is higher than I, the security of Your powerful presence and protection, the refreshment of Your mercy and grace manifested in patience, forgiveness, and sanctification.

“‘Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you. I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.’ (Psalms 61:1-4)”

Follow Junie’s Story: welovejunieblue

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

My Anxious Thoughts

A Norvell Note for June 6, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 22

My Anxious Thoughts

Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.^[i]

When You search my heart and test me, You will see that my anxious thoughts are many.

I have anxious thoughts due to the current circumstances in my life and the lives of those dearest to me. Almost all the events are beyond my control and are things I am trying to accept that I cannot change.

Some anxious thoughts are of my own making. Things I did that I should not have done, something I should have done that I did not do, things I said that I should not have said, and things that I should have said but did not. I am working on correcting and improving what I can.

Many of my anxious thoughts stem from actions and events far beyond my circle of influence. The instances of gun violence and mass shootings are alarming. The anger and divisive spirit among the political leaders spread into other areas of our society, and the divisions grow wider.

Yes, my anxious thoughts are many.

As I confess those anxious thoughts, I hear you saying, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.^[ii]

So, Father, I present all these anxious thoughts and request the peace that passes understanding to guard my heart and mind in You.

Follow Junie’s Story: welovejunieblue

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

^[i] Psalm 139:23

^[ii] Philippians 4:6-7

Life in a Whirlwind

A Norvell Note for May 28, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 21

Life in a Whirlwind

Our daughter-in-law was inside the school our two older granddaughters attend while we waited outside, doing our best to entertain the two little girls. It was a windy day in Brooklyn. A small whirlwind began to form in a cove just outside the school’s door. I stood there gently rocking the stroller back and forth, watching the whirlwind.

The wind picked pieces of debris that had collected in the area. Leaves, bits of grass, candy wrappers, and a plastic bag spun them in the air. Occasionally the wind would calm, the trash would float to the ground, then it would start up again, adding a few and dropping others. I stood there watching the cycle repeat itself and thought, this is life right now.

Life in a whirlwind is real. We stand in the middle as the events of life fly around us. Jobs, friends, children, grandchildren, sickness, church, health, vacations, life, death, weddings, funerals, failures, victories, and some things we do not recognize spin around us faster than we can comprehend and manage. But somehow, we survive.

Life in a whirlwind surprises us. I’m not sure why it’s surprising, but it is. Should we expect it? Shouldn’t we know by now that things will change, and life will batter us from all directions? Maybe we should, but we are shocked when the winds pick up, and the debris starts whirling around us.

There can be peace in the middle of a whirlwind. We hear meteorologists talk about the calm that exists in the eye of a storm. If I were somehow to stand in the middle of the small whirlwind, I suppose it would be a relatively peaceful place. Maybe this is what Paul had in mind when he talked about the “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)

It doesn’t make sense, but somehow God assures us that we can have peace during the storm. “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.” (Mark 4:39). “While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (Mark 24:36)

I don’t understand it, but life in a whirlwind can be peaceful. I see it in others. I experience it myself.

You give us peace even in the whirlwind. Thank You.

Follow Junie’s Story: welovejunieblue

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

Everything Changed — Again

A Norvell Note for May 23, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 20

Everything Changed – Again

Another child with a brain tumor does not make sense. The news came two weeks ago, but it still doesn’t make sense. We’re all still reeling from what has happened during the last twelve months. How are we supposed to deal with this? Again, it does not make sense, it hurts beyond description, and it has changed everything – again.

So, what do we do? What can we do?

We wake up in the morning, hope it was only a horrible dream, then face reality. Take several deep breaths and move into the activities of the day.

We watch as those under the most pressure trudge through the demands that cannot wait. We watch, and we listen for ways to help.

We pray, or we try to pray, for wisdom, understanding, and strength to get through the next hour. We pray for signs that things are improving, and we watch for signs of answered prayers.

We do what we can, hoping that doing what we can is enough. Then, finally, we reach the end of the day, reflect on what we have done, and try to accept that we have done all we can for one day.

We try to rest. The nights are short, the days are long, and another day begins before we are ready. We start with the same realization that everything has just changed – again.

Follow Junie’s Story: welovejunieblue

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

In the Morning

A Norvell Note for May 9, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 19

In the Morning

Listen to my words, Lord,
    consider my lament.
Hear my cry for help,
    my King and my God,
    for to you I pray.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly. (Psalm 5:1-3)

In the morning, I usually feel strong. It may take a coffee or two to get me going, but I feel strong and ready for the day.

In the morning, optimism does not come easily, but I can usually face the day with more hope after a few moments of quiet meditation, confession, prayer, writing in my journal, and spending time in the Word.

In the morning, I pray that I will be a better man than yesterday. I lament the actions, the words, and the failures of the previous day. I lament the things that did not go the way I wanted.

In the morning, I ask (sometimes cry) for God to help me be that better man and do good things during the day.

In the morning, I am confident that He hears my voice, and I find comfort knowing that He listens and hears my voice.

In the morning I lay out my requests before Him. Somedays, my list is short. Somedays, my list is long. Yet, I find comfort in knowing that He never tires of my asking.

In the morning, I wait expectantly. But, as I said earlier, sometimes optimism and expectancy take a while. And, on some days, I feel that I’m asking too much – expecting too much. And, on some mornings, I don’t wait. Instead, I get impatient and try to force things to go the way I want.

In the mornings, when I ponder that He is listening for me and to me, when I cry out to Him and layout my requests and wait for Him to act, my day goes better. When I rush into the day thinking it’s all up to me, it’s a different story.

In the morning, I lay my requests before You and wait expectantly, wait expectantly, wait, and wonder.

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

A Water Bottle

A Norvell Note for May 2, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 18

A Water Bottle

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

The lady was standing on the median at a traffic light on a busy street on a sweltering day. She was holding a cardboard sign that read, “Lost my job. Need help! Please.” I sat at the light on my comfortable air-conditioned car, reached for a water bottle, rolled down the window, and offered it to her. “Oh, thank you. God bless you.” It was just a bottle of water.

He stopped by my office and shared his story. It was not a new story. I had heard many versions of the same story before. He needed money to get back home, and he wanted gas money, and he promised to send me the money when he got settled. I gave him $10. ($10 would buy more gas then than it will today.) The man thanked me “from the bottom of his heart” and promised to repay me. It was only $10.

I was a college student when my dad died. I went home for the weekend and the funeral. Several of my friends made the five-to-six-hour drive to be with me for the funeral. When I thanked them, they made it seem like no big deal. But, of course, it was a big deal! To me, it meant the world.

Earlier that same weekend, the preacher from the church came to our house to visit. With soft and gentle encouraging words, he shook my hand as he was leaving and in his hand was a generous check with a notation “for Thomas Norvell.”

Those are just a few stories of how a small action or gift – a cup of cold water – made a significant difference in the life of a single individual. Of course, none of these actions or gifts were substantial, nor did they get much attention. But they made a difference.

This week try to find something you can do for someone to make their day better. You may not change their whole world, but you can change it one day for one person. Pay for the customer’s order behind you at Starbucks. Donate to a fund to help someone. Take time to listen to someone. If nothing else, keep a bottle of water in your car. It will make a difference.

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

Communication

A Norvell Note for April 25, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 17

Communication

Do you ever get frustrated as you share directions to your location with a friend over the phone? You know what you are saying and know all the landmarks that stand out along the path, but the friend on the other end of the call is still lost. So you try again, talking slower and then louder, but they still don’t get it. Or maybe the roles are reversed, and you are trying to understand your co-worker’s instructions on how to complete a project. To them, the instructions make perfect sense. To you, it’s gibberish—the frustration increases.

There is a reason for the frustration. Clear and effective communication takes effort. Maybe that’s why Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Across the coffee shop from me, there is what appears to be a tutoring session taking place. The young lady tutoring another lady will occasionally pause, lean back in her chair, rub her eyes, and take a deep breath to say, “Why can’t you get this?” Then, a little later, she’ll smile and raise her hands in celebratory fashion, expressing, “That’s it! Good job!”

Tony Weston (college friend, fellow communications major, brother in Christ, and occasional musical partner) told this story many times during speech competitions.

An elderly gentleman and his wife were sitting on the front porch. He turned to her and said, “I’m PROUD of you, Maw!” She leaned toward him and said, “eeeehh?” He repeated, “I’m PROUD of you, Maw!” She leaned towards him again and said, “eeehh?” He repeated loudly, “I said I’m PROUD of you, Maw!” She spits on the floor and says, “I’m TIRED of you too, Paw!”

We laugh at the story, but the truth remains that clear and effective communication takes effort.

After decades of searching for words, illustrations, practices, and styles that help transfer my thoughts so that others can receive and understand, I have collected a few insights that seem to help.

Good intentions are not enough. “This is what I meant to say.” “I didn’t mean to say that.” Your message may be clear and concise to you, but the person sitting across from you may be hearing something different. That’s not a bad thing; it’s just reality.

Know and pay attention to your audience. If you know and understand the people you are communicating with, you should be able to adjust your message and style, which will help them know what you are saying.

Know what you want to say and say it. Have you ever been listening to a sermon only to realize halfway through the speaker had no idea what he was saying?

Listen and hear what is said. Listening is an essential element in the communication process that we overlook. Listen with the intent of understanding, not just waiting for the speaker to stop talking so you can say what you want to say. Listen.

After centuries of trying to communicate His love to the world, God eventually demonstrated it by sending His one and only Son into the world to live, die and rise from the tomb. Yet, even with that, we sometimes don’t get it. Clear and effective communication is difficult, but not impossible. It is possible. It’s worth the effort.

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

After the Resurrection

Please pray for A Norvell Note for April 18, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 16

After the Resurrection

As we move through the week after Resurrection Sunday, I pray that we will find great joy in knowing the grave was empty, and because the tomb was empty, our hope is accurate, and our victory is assured. Death has no sting. Death has no victory.

Peace be with you.

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

Tired But Not Done

Please pray for

A Norvell Note for April 11, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 15

Tired But Not Done

Maybe it is a sign that I watch too much television or am just irritated by what I consider ridiculous.

I’m tired of the green lizard.
I’m tired of the ads supposedly staged in front of the statue of liberty.
I’m tired of the ads with talking buttocks.
I’m tired of the dancing crabs.
I’m tired of the bears advertising toilet paper.
I’m tired of the ads where animals drive cars.

I’m not just tired of annoying television commercials.

I’m tired of rocks hitting my windshield when I drive down the interstate.
I’m tired of wearing masks and wondering if I should be wearing one when I’m not.
I’m tired of (to quote a colleague from a recent talk) acting like a victim.
I’m tired of being intimidated by and surrendering to fear.
I’m tired of spending so much energy on stuff, people, and proceedings that I cannot control or change.
I’m tired of allowing my will and desires to override God’s spirit.

Life can get wearisome. As you can tell from my list, there are times when trivial things get the best of me, and it wearies me when I allow that to happen. So, it’s the time for a change.

So, during this week of soul searching and reflection, I acknowledge that focusing on the things that irritate and annoy me accomplishes nothing.

I acknowledge that it prevents me from doing the good that God placed me here to do.

I acknowledge that the good happening around me is where my focus should be.

I further acknowledge that my issues are nothing compared to the pain and suffering of the Ukrainian people, the abuses taking place in our nation, and the sorrow of the people I love.

I’m tired of missing opportunities to do good.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9-10)

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

Please pray for

A Norvell Note for April 4, 2022

Vol. 26 No. 14

I Can’t Do It All

I can’t do it all. I try to do it all, and I try to convince myself that I can. Sometimes I even try to convince others that I can. It is frustrating when I admit that I can’t do it all.

I can’t work and rest at the same time.

I can’t be young and get older at the same time.

I can’t be at home and with my children and grandchildren simultaneously.

I can’t write an article while I watch a movie. I can, but it’s a mess.

I try to do all these things, but I can’t.

I can’t help everyone that needs or wants my help.

I can’t attend every friend’s funeral.

I can’t attend the wedding of all my friend’s children.

I can’t travel to all the places I would like to.

I can’t watch every basketball game. Almost but not quite.

The Scripture says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” But I realize that does not mean I can do all the things I want to do. I think it means that I can do all that He wants and needs me to.

So, what do I do about the needs I see?

Simple. I learn to accept that I can’t do everything. Ouch!

I can pray the Serenity Prayer.

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

I can pray this prayer: God, give me wisdom. Then, give me the wisdom to use the wisdom You give me.

I can pray this prayer: God, you have given me the ability to do many things, not everything, but many things. Thank You. Now help me look for opportunities to use the talents You have given me to do what You need me to do. Then, allow me to trust that You have equipped other people to do the other things that need to be done and be at peace.

I can’t do everything, but I can do some things. The things that I can do, I can do in a way that no one else can. So, I need to do the things I can and do them well.

Lord, remind me to pray these prayers and know that You will give me the opportunities, abilities, and strength to do the things I need to do.

I can’t do everything, but I can do what I can do.

You may read past articles at A Norvell Note.

Subscribe to A Norvell Note