War Cry

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Does it feel like things are spiraling out of control? 

Not only are we seeing a rise in personal and family issues, but our world, at large, (wars, natural disasters, health concerns, social, educational, financial, religious, governments, etc.) seems to be on a trajectory of disaster. While most Christians understand that this is all part of the fulfillment of prophesy, we still battle fear, anger, and other emotions, as we witness the avalanche of destruction.

What do we do?

The simple answer is to pray. However, the kind of prayer I’m talking about is anything but simple. It's NOT the … "Lord, I need a parking space.” or “Let this new hair color work.”  or “Please let there be some chocolate left.” kind of praying. Goodness knows, chocolate is important, so those prayers have their place.

The kind of praying I’m talking about is much more intense. It looks like Elijah stretching himself across the body of a dead boy and crying out to the Lord (1Kings17:19-21). It’s the kind of praying that sounds like the “sons of Israel” as they groaned so loud over their bondage that their cries reached the ears of God (Ex.2:23-25). It’s Hannah, willing to be misunderstood for a drunk woman because of the intensity and volume of her desperate pleas. 

This kind of praying postures kings, like Asa, on their faces as they cry out, “Lord, there is no one besides You to help in the battle between the powerful and those who have no strength; so help us, O Lord our God, for we trust in You, and in Your name have come against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; let not man prevail against You.” (2Chron.14:11)

Can you hear it?

“Let the horn be sounded in Zion, and a war-cry in my holy mountain; let all the people of the land be troubled: for the day of the Lord is coming.” (Joel2:1)

“Rak Chazak Amats!” (“Be strong and courageous.”) Throughout history, this has been the Hebrew war cry. 

Rak = tender, delicate, soft (A reflection of our humble heart toward God and our gentle spirit toward others.)

Chazak = strength, courage (“Possessing a resolute and growling resolve for the glory of God. A flush of spiritual fervor.” (Erik Ludy))

Amats = strong, alert, brave, bold (“Rushing headlong into the most hazardous and impossible battles without pausing to consider the impossibilities.” (E.L.))

Before he dies, Moses commissioned Joshua and the Israelites to cross over the Jordan and take the Promised Land, “Be strong and of good courage” (Deut.31:6). Then God reminds Joshua to “be strong and courageous” three times in Joshua 1. Understandable when you consider he was facing 31 hostile empires. But, when the God of all creation goes before you and assures you of the victory, your heart beats to the cadence and your voice trumpets the war cry of the King. 

Will you take action?

Jesus invited His disciples to join Him in a Rak Chazak Amats time of prayer, the night before His crucifixion. They heard the cry, but they opted to sleep through the blood sweating battle before the battle. 

May it not be said of us. 

Have you seen the commercial where the athlete says, “Train what’s under the armor”? The first time I heard it I immediately thought of Paul’s description of our spiritual armor.  He sounds an alarm in Ephesians 6, when he tells believers to armor up and prepare to wrestle with principalities that have neither flesh nor blood. And before he describes each piece of our King’s armor, he tells us to “be strong” (Chazak). At the end of his description he reminds us of the importance of bold prayers - prayers that hold nothing back. 

Prayer is the skeleton under the armor. What good is it for us to put on our spiritual armor if we’re not prepared to support it? “Train what’s under the armor” so that when we hear the war cry of our King we are armed and ready to fight the battle.

If we live in the danger zone, why do we prefer to pray it safe?

Only the brave (Amats) will venture into the danger zone, and only the courageous (Chazak) will remain until the task is complete.

Wake up, Church! We are the redeemed. Hostile empires may outnumber us, but the same God who went before Joshua goes before us. The same God that filled the disciples with His Spirit at Pentecost fills us to do the same thing they did - take back what the enemy has stolen.

Rak Chazak Amats!

Reborn There

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Most of us have a birth certificate. It verifies who we are and is needed for things like a passport and a driver’s license. It includes our name, gender, time and date of birth, parent’s information, and birthplace.

However, if you’re doing any kind of genealogical research, they say that birth records are not the place to start. Why? Well, before 1946 it was not the state, but the local church that recorded the births (and deaths) in their communities. And for a variety of reasons, not every birth was registered. According to History.com, “If a child did not live to be baptized, was enslaved or moved from place to place, its birth might not be recorded at all—or its memory might live on only in a family Bible or its mother’s memory.”

Isn’t that sad? A human life. An eternal being. Erased from history because there was never a record of the fact that they were valued and born with a created purpose.

There are important genealogies in both the Old and New Testaments. The average reader may choose to skip over these sections, but they exist for more than simply challenging your pronunciation skills. (Can you say Mahershalalhashbaz?)

The begats are recorded for several important reasons: 1) They help to substantiate the historicity of the Bible. These were real people, and the records verify their existence. 2) They confirm prophecy; specifically, that the Messiah would come from the line of David. (Scripture records 4,000 years of Jesus’ ancestry.) 3) They speak of God’s divine purposes - like the fact that He used both the reputable and those with sketchy reps in Jesus lineage to communicate that everyone is redeemable, and that no human can thwart His plan of redemption for mankind.

“Modern genealogy is primarily reserved for hobbyists. In contrast, genealogies were a deeply integral part of Jewish society at the time of Jesus. Land was inherited based on family lines, and those who could not prove their ancestry in Israel were considered outsiders.” (Erik Lutz)

To think that most Americans cannot trace their lineage beyond their grandparents is lamentable for many reasons. The greatest melting pot in the world and not only have we lost some very interesting characters, but their stories have followed them into the great unknown.

I am thankful for the little I know of my heritage. I had the privilege of knowing all my grandparents, and most of my great-grandparents. I loved hearing their stories, especially the ones connected to another relative. But, it wasn’t until one of my sisters became interested in our ancestry that I learned much more. Thanks to her efforts I can link myself to some interesting people, like Henry VIII, Booker T. Washington, Jesse James, and Bonnie Parker. (I do hope she can unearth a few more good guys, but I want to know about all of them - the good, the bad, and the ugly - because it reveals the hand of God and His transformative work in my life.)

What have we lost as a result of not knowing who came before us? Might Hitler have thought differently if he knew he had both Jewish and African ancestors? Might Barrack Obama and George W. Bush find more common ground if they knew they were distant cousins? Might Meghan Markle be persuaded to return to Europe since her pedigree includes Winston Churchill and William Shakespeare? Who knows!

While many recorded births have regrettably been lost to the abyss of the unknown and are long forgotten, there is a book that records every person born into the Kingdom of God. Throughout the ages, this undeniable, undisputed record has carefully recorded all who have surrendered to the lordship of King Jesus.

Jesus said, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” (Rev.3:5)

Psalm 87 mentions the glories of God’s city to come. Verse six says, “The Lord will record, when He registers the peoples: ‘This one was born there.’”

In our world, searching for a birth certificate may not be the place to start, but in the Kingdom of God, a record of your re-birth is the first thing consulted.

Might your life look different if your name was recorded in His Book? Might your relationships look different if you were found to be related to the King of Kings?

I have two birth certificates. How many do you have?

Hold Fast In Confusion

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Confusion has saturated our culture, and biblical compromise is at the root of it.

I hear it in media reports, and in the disjointed lyrics and chaotic rhythms of modern “music.”

I see it in educational materials, and in political and social agendas that make no sense.

I smell death and decay as people are subject to a medical industry that cares more about money than people.

I taste it in the processed fake food being falsely marketed as both “healthy” and “nutritious.”

I feel it as I engage with people whose twisted psychology has caused great harm to themselves and others.

If this confusion sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The God who created us, with our five senses to aid in bearing His image, is hated by the “author of confusion.” It has always been Satan’s goal to destroy everything God established and called “good.” His modus operandi hasn't changed since the garden, but his destiny will.

TODAY’S CONSENSUS

Every couple of years Ligonier Ministries conducts a survey; in it, they ask Americans what they think about Jesus Christ, the Bible, truth, and ethics. Their 2020, pre-Covid19 findings are telling, but what I find most interesting is the trends that have emerged since they began compiling their data in 2014. (https://thestateoftheology.com)

“The most consistent and concerning trend is the increasing rejection of the literal truth of Scripture among the U.S. population.” (48%)

“Evangelicals, while exhibiting some hopeful movement in the direction of biblical fidelity, also seem to be influenced by the culture’s uncertainty about what truth is, who Jesus is, and how sinners are saved. These results reveal an urgent need for clear biblical teaching on the person of Christ, the gospel of grace, and the way that the truth of God informs our ethical decisions in everyday life. There is much work to be done in this age of confusion…”

Notice the correlation between our cultural confusion and the growing denial that God’s word is the standard for everything “good.”

HOLD FAST

A standard is a form of measurement. It’s “a repeatable, harmonised, agreed and documented way of doing something.” (IRENA)

When any culture compromises their standards, things become subjective… “I’ll do what seems right to me, and you do the same.” Without a standard to validate “good,” there is no objective measurement. How confusing is that?

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he encourages him to hold fast to the standard of God’s word amidst the obstacles he faces in a world where the persecution of Christians continues to escalate.

“Hold fast the pattern of sound words, which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” (2Tim.1:13-14)

The only way for Timothy (and us) to “hold fast” to the “pattern” (aka, standard), is with the help of the Holy Spirit. His indwelling presence acts as a Conservator of God’s word, both protecting and proclaiming its integrity. Through Him we are enabled to endure as we live out our faith - no matter what our condition.

In holding fast to God’s standard, I can use my five senses to glorify Him as an image-bearer. I can make sense of a crazy and confused culture by pointing others to the God who is sovereign over all (even this mess), and who promises that His kingdom to come will be void of all confusion because He has conquered its author.

GloryUsGate.blogspot.com

The Prison of Freedom

(by Lorie Codispoti)

A prison is a place of involuntary confinement.

I’ve often referred to the lift chair I sit in all day as a prison. It’s where I’ve spent the majority of my waking hours for the past two and a half years. Throughout the course of my sentence, I’ve tried everything within my power to escape, as well as exhausting every appeal process you can imagine. I’ve ridden the roller coaster of emotions and have prayers to match every unending series of twists and turns.

It's a love/hate relationship. There are days I’m grateful and days I curse the confinement. But, even on the worst days I end with a grateful heart for the God who is teaching me that the bars that confine me have been assigned the task of revealing true freedom.

EVERYONE IS A PRISONER

As much as we’d like to convince ourselves that we are free agents, with the ability to escape the limitations we don’t like, we aren’t.

Think about it. We don’t get to choose our birth day, gender, or age of death. Each of us lives in a temporary body (subject to all manner of pain and suffering), on a dying planet. We are bound by certain things we have no control over. Two examples: 1) I enjoy a good time travel movie, but the reality is that I can’t harness time. I have no power to stop, reverse, or push fast-forward on the universal clock. 2) I might have fanciful dreams of flying or breathing underwater, but I’m neither a bird or a mermaid, and it would be suicidal for me to test the laws of nature. We are not free agents with the power to will away our boundaries.

Adam’s sin exiled us from the freedom of God’s created confinement and His holy presence. On this side of Eden, we are all prisoners serving out a sentence of death.

But, that’s not the end of the story!

God became a man who willingly entered our exile. He incarcerated Himself in order to “set the captives free” (Luke 4:18). His finished work unlocked the prison doors and provided a way for us to re-enter into God’s presence.

YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME

When you are imprisoned by an inescapable circumstance, it can feel incredibly hopeless. Of all the biblical and post-biblical accounts I’ve read, the thing that determines whether a prisoner suffers with or without hope is completely dependent on who’s in charge. In this world we all serve time in circumstances we didn’t sign up for (financial, relational, health, persecution, etc.). We may not get to choose our prison, but we have the option of choosing between a warden who aims to destroy us and the One who uses our suffering to strengthen our hope and build our faith.

Did you hear that? If you feel hopelessly bound by your circumstance, YOU, Christian, have the power to change who’s in charge. You get to tell the devil, “You’re not the boss of me!”

HOPE RESTORES

In his great affliction, Job said, “My spirit is broken. My days are extinguished, the grave is ready for me.” (Job 17:1) In his despair he asks, “Where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?” (Job17:15)

I’m not sure you can be any more hopeless and broken than Job was. However, something happened in the prison of his suffering that changed everything. By the end of his story Job testifies, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you.” (42:5) (FYI, this was before God healed and restored him.)

What was it? What broke into the prison of his pain and changed everything?

Hope!

“Hope is a revolution, a powerful Presence that breaks in from the future and transforms today. Jesus’ arrival has brought God’s destiny for humanity crashing into now—an explosion of life into a world marked by death. It changes everything.” (InTouchMinistries)

PRISONER OF HOPE

Zechariah was a Babylonian captive who returned to Jerusalem when the exiles were released. God’s people had started rebuilding the temple, but for over 12 years they were on a self-imposed hiatus, leaving the temple in a half finished state. They needed to be motivated to get off their buns and get back to work. God commissioned Zechariah to encourage them. He reminded them of the importance of finishing the temple - the Messiah is coming and will inhabit and reign in this temple - and they needed to be prepared to receive Him. It was imperative that they heed his instructions, as their future blessing depended on their present obedience.

“Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope….” (Zech.9:12)

To be a “prisoner of hope” means the same thing for us as it did in Zechariah’s day.

The return of Christ is imminent. No matter how difficult our situation is, now is not the time to retreat and cower in the corner of our cell. It’s not the time to justify a self-imposed hiatus. Our greatest need during our most intense times of suffering, is to RETURN to the fortified place of Hope. Christ is our fortress of hope. It’s in Him, not outside of Him, that we “live and move and have our being.”

Do you want to survive? If so, “return.” Daily!

HOLD ON

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” (Heb.10:23)

I have the ability to “hold” on to Christ... to “return to the stronghold” in my daily affliction... not because I have a strong grip. (I can't even hold a cup without using both hands.) I can "hold" onto Him because Christ is holding on to me. And, because His “righteous right hand”(Isa.41:10) is very strong, I have no need to fear. I am safe and secure in the fortress of His presence.

I continue to lament the physical freedom I’ve lost as I serve time in this chair. There are days when it feels as if the bars are closing in on me, like a python slowly asphyxiating its prey. But, then I hear the Voice of Hope, calling me to return to the fortification of Christ. He reminds me that this is the place where His temple is being built. And if I surrender to His loving Oversight, He will crush the head of the snake, and the bars of confinement will give way to the greatest freedom I’ve ever known.

Rejoice

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Scripture reveals the way for us to rejoice, regardless of our circumstance.

“I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.” (Psalm 16:8-9)

The way to rejoice under any circumstance? “I have set the Lord always before me.”

The psalmist isn’t communicating a desire or a request. This is an absolute declaration, coming from a nonnegotiable position. “I have” (past tense) “set the Lord always” (not sometimes) “before me” (not beside or behind me). And because Christ is holding my “right hand,” and guiding me, “I will not be moved.” Do you hear the resolve in this proclamation?

The Hebrew word for “rejoice” in this passage means, “to spin round,” and carries with it the idea of making an abrupt, forceful turn - as if going against what you feel emotionally in favor of what you know to be true. This isn’t a sweet ballerina twirl while you’re doing a happy dance in your living room. This is a willful, militant, about-face in the middle of a dark and bloody battle, when everything in you wants to do anything but “rejoice.”

Our English word for “rejoice” means, "To make joyful; to gladden; to animate with lively pleasurable sensations; to exhilarate." (Webster's 1828 Dictionary) And, the Latin prefix, "re," means “to go back.”

I am not a person who is easily angered, but we all have our triggers and I would be a fool to think that I am slow to anger if the right buttons are pushed. The fact that there have been times when I was caught off-guard, and reacted to anger in the wrong way, is enough of a reminder for me, that without “setting the Lord always before me” I will default to the kind of ungodly behavior that requires a supernatural intervention.

Because Jesus is the source of every believer’s joy, we have been given the opportunity to reset our hearts - to “spin around” and “go back” to the Source of our joy when we fall into a hard place.

Both the Hebrew and English words for “rejoice” point to the same thing… We must “set the Lord before us” and purpose to rejoice in every circumstance. It may mean spinning our hearts around and going back to remind ourselves of the truth of God's word, but it will always result in us testifying … “my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my flesh rests in hope.” (Vs.9)

He Is The Tree Of Life

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Adam and Eve went from a world where they were warned to stay away from the one tree whose fruit produced death, into a world now saturated with them.

Jesus Christ willingly entered into the darkness of this densely populated forest, having strategically placed within it a single, life giving tree. And rather than warning us to stay away from it, He points us to it and invites us to consume its fruit.

Do you feel lost in this dark forest of death? Ask for help. Jesus cleared the path to the tree where He defeated death once for all, and He has provides the only Light that will lead you through the darkness. Everyone who seeks finds their way to the Tree of life.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." (Mtt.7:7-8) 

When I Grow Up

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Throughout grade school I think this was every teacher’s favorite writing assignment.

Hmm, let’s see… maybe an artist, a teacher, a wife, a detective, a writer. I’m pretty sure there was an essay written for each of these occupations. But, the thing I most wanted to be never made it to any of my essays.

Perhaps I kept this unspoken desire safely tucked away because I didn’t want to be laughed out of the classroom. Maybe it was because I didn’t have the vocabulary to express it. It was most certainly those things, but I also knew that there was no rushing this vocation. Only the hands of time would bring this secret longing to pass.

A GODLY OLD WOMAN

I’m pretty sure the desire to be a godly old lady started with my grandmother’s influence, but as time marched on, the Lord added to the list. Some pursued me, and others I pursued. Some I never met, but they showed up to teach me through the radio and various Bible and book studies. Each one reflected God’s beauty in such a unique way that it fueled my desire to emulate what I saw.

The following are a few things on a long list of what was modeled for me...

RUN LIKE A… TURTLE?

Being a spectator is fine, if all you ever plan to do is watch those running the race. But, no one ever crosses the finish line as an observer. At some point, you have to lace up those running shoes and jump into the race.

Am I willing to run like a turtle in what appears to be a hare race? Am I willing to fall down, take wrong turns, and endure all kinds of weather to cross the finish line?

Yes, Lord, I’m willing!

Interestingly enough, after doing that “surrender your life to Christ” thing, I was surprised to learn that my encounter with Him had infused within me with a supernatural Helper who gave me abilities I was not born with.

It’s this Helper who lightens the weight of a turtle’s shell, and strengthens her weak resolve so that she doesn’t cower away inside when she becomes afraid. This Helper picks her up when she falls down, and cheers her to the finish line. And best yet, He put springs in her chubby, short legs. Have you ever seen a turtle hurdle? Makes for a bad hare day.

BORDERLESS BRAVERY

A person who exemplifies borderless bravery is someone with “chutzpah.” Considered audaciously rude by some, this person refuses to let what others think deter them from reaching their goal. They are determined and persistent, and they refuse to give up when they fix their eyes on the mark.

Two biblical examples stand out.

First: The leper who violates social protocol, and approaches Jesus for healing (Mark 1:40-45). Considered “unclean” by Jewish law, this man was an outcast, relegated to a life of isolation. He must have been hearing about this Healer, because it ignited desperation within him. This leper displayed unyielding chutzpah when he dared to show himself in public, risking everything to gain an audience with the Messiah.

Second: The lady who had the audacity to reach up and grab Jesus by the hem of His garment (Mark 5:25-34). Considered unclean, she too was sentenced to an isolated life. It was against the law for her to have any human contact whatsoever. Imagine 12 years of being with your family, but not being allowed to touch any of them. What kind of heartache would you experience if you couldn’t hug your husband, comb your daughter’s hair, or help your son get dressed?

She too must have heard of the Man who was performing miracles everywhere He went. It was a criminal act, but this woman was desperate. Concealed, she methodically made her way through the crowd, and when she was close enough she reached out and made the first human contact she had made in over a decade. The untouchable risked everything to touch the only One who could change her life.

Each of these encounters resulted in life-altering transformations, but none of it would have been possible if they weren’t willing to risk everything to get to Jesus.

WE BECOME WHAT WE BEHOLD

Who remembers what it’s like to stand in front of those funhouse mirrors at the state fair? The horizontally convex ones make you look taller, while the vertically convex ones make you look shorter. None of these mirrors is an accurate representation of your appearance, but if they were the only mirrors you ever looked into, your mind would convince you to believe what you see.

What would happen, though, if Someone were to come along and expose the distortion? What if they replaced the mirror with one that reflected an accurate representation? Our thinking would change, and we all know that when our thinking changes, so do we.

“Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor.3:16-18 NKJV)

Mary Madeline personifies this passage beautifully.

Satan had been successful in warping Mary’s identity. As a result of gazing into his mirror for so long, she believed and was enslaved by the distorted image she saw reflected in his lies. After Christ delivered her from the demonic spirits she was transformed, and free to live a new life in Him.

I’m drawn to Mary’s proclamation to the disciples, after she encounters the risen Christ... “I have seen the Lord!” (Jn.20:18) As a result, she will forever behold the One she was created to reflect.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who’s the fairest of them all?”

If your reflection does not resemble the risen Christ, then the enemy of your soul has stolen the Image you were saved to see.

Smash his mirror! If you peer into his distortion long enough you will become what you behold.

Let the word of God be your mirror. That way you will always reflect the Image of Beauty - the Fairest of them all.

READY

I’m ready to write that essay now.

Although I still want to be a godly old woman, my eyes are fixed on a greater goal.

Like Mary, “I have seen Jesus!” and He is what I want to be when I grow up.

Before Asserting Consider Kindness

 (by Lorie Codispoti)

After painstakingly going through my cabinets and packing up a few boxes for the second-hand store, I asked my husband if he would mind adding to his list of errands and dropping them off while he was in town. He graciously loaded the boxes and headed out.

When he returned home that day, I could see that he was totally frustrated. He reported that, without even checking the contents of our boxes, the sour faced man receiving our donation sharply chastised him by saying, “You know, it costs us a lot of money to haul away other people’s junk.”

WHAT? Are you kidding me?

The nerve of this guy!

My defenses were triggered and I wanted nothing more than to pay this thankless ingrate a visit. I needed to inform him (aka… set him straight) that I don’t give “junk.” I wanted him to know that it takes more time to wrap all the glass and package things neatly into a box than it would for me to simply throw them away. Not to mention the fact that we live thirty minutes from town and it takes time and effort to deliver this “junk” to them for resale... which, by the way, pays his and his co-worker's salaries. I was hot and he was about to be baked in the oven of my fury.

However, when my defense is triggered like this, I’ve learned that before I move forward with any intention, I need to take a few steps B.A.C.K. (Before Asserting Consider Kindness) and assess my heart.

My prayerful contemplation revealed two very unpleasant things about my motives.

1) I had expectations I shouldn’t have had.

While I may have been cheerfully contributing items that help to support the worthy cause of this organization, I was expecting an equal measure of gratitude as compensation. And when it wasn’t given, the ugly in me was pre-heated.

B.A.C.K lesson: Give without expecting others to reciprocate.

“When you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others…. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret...”(Mt.6:2-4)

I understand that Jesus’ illustration here is hyperbolic, but I also think there’s significance to his literal example. What if - because we have a tendency to give with one hand while expecting accolades placed in the other - the key to “giving in secret” involves spiritually putting our left hand behind our back in order to protect the anonymity of our right hand? What a great way to guard our hearts. Pretty cool way to give too.

2) I reacted just like he did.

My response to Sour Face may not have been in-person, but it was as crass and unkind as his response to my husband. I wanted to make him feel the same way his inappropriate comment made me feel. 



B.A.C.K. lesson: Compassion is stirred when one considers the plight of others.

I was angry with this man for impulsively speaking, without taking the time to investigate the contents of our boxes. Stepping B.A.C.K. enabled me to realize that my retort was just as impulsive, and taking time to consider what might be in his box changed my attitude.

This man is assigned to a portable container, stationed in the corner of a shopping center parking lot. He works in all kinds of weather with no heat or air. I’m sure he deals with all kinds of people and has to sort through plenty of “junk” contributions. When I ponder his condition and consider his predicament, all I want to do is bake the man some cookies, and let the oven of God’s kindness bake off all the ugly in my heart.

(I’m not excusing the man’s rude behavior. He is a representative of his organization. He’s the person every contributor encounters. He failed to examine the contents of our boxes before he spouted his distain, and that is inexcusable.)

The last part of the verses I quoted above says, “And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” No earthly compensation can compare to the reward of our Heavenly Father.

Like Jesus, not all of our good deeds are received with gratitude. So, be like Him and give without expectation. And when your generosity is met with unkind words, take a few steps B.A.C.K. Consider your words, as well as the circumstance of your offender.

Who knows, you might want to bake a batch of cookies. Serve them on a plate though; boxes don’t present well.

Interesting Food Origins

(by Lorie Codispoti)

For health reasons, I’ve had to make some radical changes to my diet over the last few years. I’ve learned more about food science than I ever cared to know.

There is something I’ve actually enjoyed learning about food, however, and that is the etymology of some of my favorites. The history behind some of these origins is quite entertaining. I mean, have you ever wondered who put the “marsh” in “mallow” and why there is no “ham” in your “burger”? The research has been fun so I thought I’d share some of my interesting discoveries with you. We all need a bit of comedy these days.

(Before I start, I thought I’d throw in this little, obscure fact about the Food and Drug Administration... Before 1920, the FDA was known as the Food, Drug and Insecticide Administration. Interesting, huh?)

Okay, here we go…

Hamburger - Why all the pigs are safe.

Hamburgers originate from the German city of Hamburg. It’s home to a cut of beef called the Hamburg steak. In 1940 an attempt was made to change the word to “beefburger,” to emphasize the main ingredient, but someone must not have liked the idea because obviously didn't take.

Pizza - Deep dish with lots of mushrooms, olives, and cheese, please.

Though pizza originated in Greece it was the Italian Queen Margherita who made it famous. In 1889, while out inspecting her kingdom she noticed peasants eating large pieces of flat bread. She became so curious that she tried one, and it quickly became one of her favorite foods. To honor his queen, a local chef created a pizza that he topped with tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil – the colors of the Italian flag.

Coconut - Can anything bad come from a coconut?

Interesting tale: During the 16th century Portuguese parents threatened their children with a bogey-man named Coco (derived from a Latin word that means skull). When Portuguese traders visited the Pacific islands and saw the large, brown fruit of the palm trees, with its three black “eyes,” they were reminded of their childhood horror, Coco. The jury is still out on whether Coco is a nut or a fruit, but “coconut” seems to roll off the tongue easier.

Chewing Gum - I always feel for the kids who wear braces and have to give up their gum for a couple years.

It was 1869, and after many failed attempts at turning chicle into synthetic rubber products like boots, bicycle tires, toys, and masks, Thomas Adams decided to pop a piece of the natural gum from the Manilkara chicle tree into his mouth. After enjoying it and chewing for a while he thought of adding flavoring. It wasn’t long before Mr. Adams opened the world’s first chewing gum factory, and we’ve been chewing on his discovery ever since.

Popcorn - One legend talks of a summer so hot that the corn started popping right off the stalks. (I’d like to live next to that field.)

We all know that the Native Americans introduced corn to the colonists, but did you know that the Iroquois used a pottery vessel with heated sand to make popcorn soup, and that the colonial women mixed sugar and cream with popcorn and served the first “puffed” cereal?

During the Great Depression popcorn was one of the few luxuries one could afford, and the popcorn industry thrived while many others failed.

French Fries - No better way to serve potatoes, in my opinion.

The next time you visit your local fast food restaurant try ordering “potatoes fried in the French manner” and see what kind response you get.

Originally from Belgium, French fries gained popularity among American soldiers when they were stationed there during WWI. But, before that, Thomas Jefferson introduced them to the colonies in the late 1700’s. In one of his manuscripts, he talks about a French dish ,where thin, small slices of raw potato are deep-fried and served hot. Some historians have identified a French chef; maybe that’s how they came to be known as French fries.

In 1853 Cornelius Vanderbilt complained that his fries were too thick, so a chef decided to slice the potatoes paper thin and fry them. Hello, potato chips!

Marshmallow - How about a lovely bouquet of marsh mallows?

The marsh mallow is a hardy plant whose blooms are quite lovely. They were considered to be a weed until medieval herbalists made mallow syrup from the roots and used it as a cough suppressant. Gum Arabic was added and it became such a popular confection that it later evolved into the marshmallow. Hot chocolate and sweet potatoes have never been the same.

Avacado - I refuse to let this influence my love for guacamole.

Colorfully known as the fruit of the “Testicle Tree,” the Aztecs named the avocado after the male body part they felt it most resembled. Fully fruited, avacados hang from the trees in twos, and have a longstanding reputation as aphrodisiacs.

Whoopie Pies - Who doesn’t love cake with cream in the middle?

Though there is no proof, some claim that the name actually comes from the Gus Kahn song "Makin' Whoopee."

Nevertheless, these pillowy, cream-filled confections were created to make use of leftover cake batter. One theory links them to the Amish. Another legend describes children opening their lunchboxes, and upon discovering the treat they would shout, "Whoopie!"

Bubble Drink - Because I love the fizz.

(Technically not a food, but I had to include this favorite. My grandchildren call carbonated water, “bubble drink,” so I’m attributing the origin to them. I’ve become so used to calling it by this new name that I actually ordered it with my food one day. The waitress and I laughed after I explained myself. She remembered me on my next visit and asked, “Bubble drink”? I think it’s catching on.)

What about those foods with strange, or even gross stories? None of these would ever reach my pallet, but I thought their origins were interesting enough to include here.

Century Eggs - Uh, no thanks!

While they are not 100 years old, these eggs are aged for a few months in a brine that turns them black. Sound appetizing?

SPAM - A mystery meat for the brave explorer.

The name is said to have originated from “SPiced hAM,” but in 2019 advertisements turned it into the acronym, Sizzle Pork And Mmmm.

Witchetty Grub - Is this the “cream filled kind” that Pumba talked about in Lion King?

The indigenous Australians were the first to discover that the larva of a moth, that feeds on the Witchety Bush, could be tasty. It is eaten raw or cooked, and is said to taste like chicken. I’m thinking I’ll stick to my chocolate protein shake - I’m sure not to taste it twice.

Rocky Mountain Oysters - While from the Rockies, these are not oysters.

In an effort to keep this article disclaimer free, I’m going to let you research this one on your own. All I can say is GROSS.

Every food has an origin, and very likely an interesting story. If you were writing a family cookbook, which of your favorite culinary masterpieces would you include for future generations?