THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

by Danna Shirley
My husband, Ron, did not die in the line of duty but he served active duty in the Navy for twelve years and worked on Navy contracts in our Weapons Defense Program for another twenty-three years. He died of pneumonia in 2003 right before our invasion into Iraq.

As usual, on every Memorial Day or Veterans Day, it is asked at church for our Veterans to please stand and be recognized as we give them our great gratitude and appreciation for their service and sacrifice to keep America free.

It's all I can do not to stand up in Ron's place because he is no longer here to stand and be recognized for himself.

As a Navy wife who served alongside my husband with every move (MS, MD, CA, FL, NJ, WA, Bermuda, Philippines, Japan) and every tour of duty (three to Viet Nam), I feel the Veteran's family should also be recognized for their service and sacrifice. Without their parents, their wives, their children's support on the home front, where would our men and women be?

Memorial Day is to remember all of us who live and breathe in this land of freedom . . . those who died and those who live to remember them!

Freedom in America Parallels Freedom in Christ

by Danna Shirley
It occurred to me recently that those who seek to escape terrorist and poverty-stricken countries to come to FREEDOM in America
. . . can be seen as a parallel to those who seek to escape false religions to come to FREEDOM in Christ.

Terrorist activity creates death, destruction, and poverty.
False religions create hope, trust, and faith in the wrong god.

Terrorists believe they are right and all others should succumb to their pressure of conviction; even if resulting in imprisonment, torture, and/or death.
False religions present a narrative through distorted teachings, fear, or the threat of reprisal or excommunication.

In either case, both take free choice away from their followers . . .

BUT . . . God's true words for FREEDOM are:
"I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days . . ." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

GOD IS LOVE

by Danna Shirley

Writing assignment: use the following words or a form thereof in a story...

sickness     heritage     charity     prayer     love    faith     hope     different     death

First John 4:8 tells us that “God is Love” and if  we believe nothing else, we can hang our hat securely on that scripture. And if we know “God is Love” then we also have “Hope in God” because where our faith is, there is hope.

It is no different to have faith in God than to have faith in the chair you sit upon. You know that chair will hold your weight and you sit down confidently that you won’t fall on the floor. When you come to God in faith, you can confidently rest in His care, knowing He will work everything out for your good and His glory.

We can confidently pray for the sick and we hope for their healing; but even if it is their time to go home and be with the Lord in death, they are healed for all eternity. It is a win-win situation and God does work things out for good.

I claimed my inheritance as a child of the Most High God when my mother-in-law fell to her knees and started praying for her heathen daughter-in-law. It took twelve years after I entered the Shirley family before I entered the Kingdom of God but I am so thankful she prayed me in.

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1Cor 13:13) The original Greek word for charity is agape, which means affection, good will, benevolence, and brotherly love. God wants us to abide in His love.

CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT

by Danna Shirley
Writing assignment
I knew my neighbor, Johnson, didn’t like my cat,

            but did he have to kill her?

Peaches was a Persian with just a slight peach color down her back

but she was the cleanest, softest, most beautiful feline I’d ever seen.

Johnson had threatened to poison her if she did her business in his garden again,

but how do you control a cat?

She had been declawed before coming to me so she couldn’t protect herself,

but I lived out in the country so I thought it was safe enough to let her roam free.

It never occurred to me that country living included stray dogs, deer, raccoons, etc.

but they were a danger to a declawed cat.

Oh, how could I have been so unaware of the threats to my sweet Peaches,

but where was she?

I searched the barn where she would chase her mice appetizers,

but no Peaches.

Then proceeded to the greenhouse where she would lay sunning herself in the corner,

but no Peaches.

I checked the cellar, another good hiding place,

but there were only corncobs and cobwebs.

I dreaded my next option of having to allege Johnson of foul play,

but it had to be done.

I rode my four-wheeler across the back forty to our adjoining properties,

but approaching his home brought much dismay.

I guess Johnson and I got off on the wrong foot when Peaches invaded his domain,

but I had to ask him about my sweet pet regardless of our poor beginning.

He wasn’t very cordial at the door,

but when he saw my distress, he softened and agreed to help me find her.

We searched his property as I had my own; barn, greenhouse, shed, stockyard,

but she was nowhere to be found.

We walked back to the house and my four-wheeler,

but we both stopped short when we heard a faint meow under his porch.

He broke off one of the rails over the crawl space and shone a light under the house,

but nothing could be seen, only heard.

We whistled and coaxed Peaches out of the darkness,

but she did not come alone.

She must have been cattin’ around with the Dark Knight,

because along with her came a mixture of white, black, tan, and gray kittens.

Curiosity didn’t kill the cat . . . it got her pregnant!

NEW JERUSALEM

by Danna Shirley
            As a passenger on a flight one New Year’s Eve day, I glanced out of the airplane’s cabin window and noticed the brightness of the clouds. It was as if I was looking at a scene on earth with the clouds having their own range of peaks and valleys.  It seemed I could literally walk across heaven. They were white and billowing; some looked mountainous and some looked desert-like; some looked like the tide rolling into shore. Off on the horizon (if clouds can have a horizon), I saw what looked like the skyline of a beautiful city—and I thought of New Jerusalem.

            As we flew on, the clouds parted and I could peer down to see that it was dusk on the earth below—even though we were still in the daylight above. Then, as dusk crept in upon us in the clouds, a ruby glow appeared on the far side of the sky and then it was dark.

            I saw a glimpse of God’s creation never seen before the advent of flight. It stirred something in me; a special gift from God.  I felt very blessed to have been there.

“I saw the Holy City, the NEW JERUSALEM,

coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”  
(Revelation 21:2 NIV)

MY CIRCUS DREAM

By Danna Shirley

Writing assignment was to use the below words in a story: 

Elephant     Tent     Secret     Music     Mysterious     Old Man     Megaphone     Vanity

My local newspaper had a one-page, color ad that a circus was coming to town in two weeks. Since I loved being under The Big Tent and seeing all the animals, I put the date on my calendar. It was no secret that I was in awe of the lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my.

I had not only dreamed of seeing the circus but of being IN the circus. I was the Ring Master announcing all the performers through the megaphone; I was the high wire act, bouncing and swaying above the crowd; I was one of the clowns in the little car honking my horn and spitting sprays of water through my lapel flower keeping time to the music; I was even the lowliest of the low scooping up elephant droppings. I didn’t care. My vanity was on high-drive believing I could do anything in this strange and mysterious profession.

Alas, time goes on…way too fast…and my childhood dreams faded into the background as I matured into a more acceptable profession. The patriarch of the family, my old man as I called him behind his back, kept a close watch while waiting for me to find myself. Well, I was close, but still had faint wanderings of circus life, especially when I learned The Greatest Show on Earth was going by the wayside after 146 years.

The day arrived and I drove the three hours to enjoy the Final Hurrah of my childhood fantasy. Even though I sat alone, I was not alone. The lights were bright and gleeful. The costumes sparkly. The room was electric with excitement, everyone realizing they were part of the last audience to experience this last, great performance. It was a sad day but for me, one I will cherish forever.  

A Message from Kenneth Feld

https://www.ringling.com/

On Sunday, May 21 [2017] Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® said its final farewell to a sold-out crowd of incredibly enthusiastic fans. The response they gave to everyone who made the show possible – performers, staff and crew – was heartwarming. Though it was difficult to say goodbye, my family and I were heartened to send off The Greatest Show On Earth^® in the celebratory and positive fashion that this American treasure deserves.

We want to thank all of our fans for supporting Ringling Bros. over the years. In the fifty years that my family has been producing Ringling Bros., more than one quarter of a billion people have come to see the show, and we’ve been privileged to have been able to share the joy of Ringling Bros. with you.

AARON'S DOUBLE PLAY

by Danna Shirley

We moved to Vancleave, MS in 1986 when Aaron was six years old. It was a lovely, family-oriented, church-going community. When T-ball was advertised, we signed him up and bought his first glove. Practices kept us at the field a few nights a week and games were well-attended with everyone rooting and encouraging ALL the children on both teams. Of special mention was the fact that nothing was scheduled on Wednesday nights because it was a church night; no practices, no games, no homework by the teachers.

As Aaron began to play baseball, it was obvious he had a knack for the game. He had a good arm for throwing and an eye for catching the ball. Although there was a pitcher in position at this age, the children batted off of a T stand that held the ball.

The coach rotated the children in the field so everyone had a chance to experience each position. Aaron still didn’t quite have total understanding of the game but he knew how to hit the ball, drop the bat, and run the bases.

In one of the earlier games of his career 😊, he was in the pitcher’s box when a player hit a fly ball and Aaron caught it. There was a runner on third base going for home. As sweet as you please, he ran over and tagged him out on the baseline and made a double play. The crowd went wild and his coach, as only a female can do in the excitement of the moment, ran out, grabbed him up in her arms, and started jumping up and down and turning in a circle. Aaron was clueless. He didn’t even realize what he had done.

With each new season, his skill increased and he made All-Stars every year. T-Ball graduated into pitch ball and he rotated positions from shortstop to pitcher. There were a few injuries along the way, like the line drive that broke his nose. Ouch! He was fast and accurate with his pitching and was well on his way to becoming a great player. And then…

We moved to Japan in 1992 when Aaron was eleven. Although baseball is very popular in Japan, we didn’t realize there would be no baseball team in the DOD school in Sasebo. Why? Because land is a premium in Japan and the school was landlocked by buildings. There was a gym for basketball but no baseball field. The Japanese didn’t allow Gaijins (foreigners) on their teams either. What a disappointment.

The housing area for the Navy families had a baseball field but nothing was organized and there were not enough kids to make up two teams for a real game. Aaron made friends quickly and just as quickly learned that most of them had never played ball because they had grown up in the cycle of moving from place to place, usually on foreign soil, and did not have an opportunity to play the game or develop any skill at it. The kids would get out on the field and play at batting and throwing the ball around but there were no serious players to give Aaron competition to keep up his skill or develop beyond what he already knew.

He came home one afternoon very disappointed that he couldn’t get anyone to stand in front of his pitched ball because they were afraid of being hit. His ball was too fast and too hard. That was the end of trying to keep going with baseball.

We returned to Vancleave in 1997 when he was seventeen. After being dormant with this sport for five years, all of his teammates had advanced forward and developed beyond where he had been at age eleven. He never went back to baseball again.

Hindsight is 20/20 but I don’t know how we could have changed anything because my husband’s job took us where he could earn a living. Five years in Japan paid for college for our children and a house when we returned.

There is one positive in this story; Aaron’s daughter, Mackenzie, has picked up the gauntlet/ bat 😊 and has carried on with the great talent passed on through Aaron’s genes. She plays softball and has made All-Stars every year playing for Vancleave Middle School and then Vancleave High School. She is also a good soccer player and runs cross country. Everything she sets her hand to, she’s good at and has a sportsman’s heart…just like her dad.  

Even though Aaron did not follow through with his baseball, his future has been in God’s hands and God has set his feet on a lighted path for a good future.