Author Archives: Rhonda J. Smith

Time Warped Satisfaction

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What Do You Think? Wednesday
“I feel like I’m in a time warp,” one of my high school classmates told me during one of our 25th reunion activities. She described her night out with a few other classmates, recalling, “It was just like high school.” Another classmate confessed that she wished she was back in high school or “at least life before children” so she wouldn’t have so much responsibility. Whether or not we are in a time warp—stuck and unable to get ahead or want to go back—stuck and wishing we hadn’t gone ahead, we can all relate to wanting to be in a different place. While I haven’t tried to live my high school years again or longed for them, I understand the desire for something comfortable, something familiar, something fun, something easy. I understand not wanting to grow up, to have to make the hard decisions that we may want to leave to someone else. I found myself here when I knew I had to take care of my mother for what I thought was three months; I found myself here again when she was still with me four months, then five months, then six months. I longed for truly carefree summers, coming and going as I pleased, fixing one family meal and not having to heed other unique demands. Yes, I know about longing for what we see as more pleasant times. When I think about my dwelling on my times of dissatisfaction with the here and now, I know my state comes from being disconnected from the Vine, Jesus:

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bear much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing (John 15:5—AMP).

I couldn’t serve my mother like I would serve Jesus because I was stuck on the past and not on Jesus. I couldn’t respond kindly to her barbs because I was focused on what I didn’t used to have to deal with and not on Jesus. I had the wrong outlook when all I could look at was the past and not on Jesus. When I asked Jesus to teach me what He wanted me to learn from my present serving and stopped dwelling on my past, I longed to love and live in the present in hope of a better me in the future. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose” (Romans 8:28—KJV).

Are you disconnected from the Vine? Have you thought, even for a few moments, a few issues, a project or two, your present life, that you could achieve anything without Jesus? Have you tried to be satisfied focusing on past lives and laurels and not tried to be satisfied being stayed on Jesus (Isaiah 26:3)? You may be longing for a life that is long past, one that you were never meant to reclaim, because you haven’t sought Jesus to show you how to claim this life. You may be dissatisfied because you have been trying to live life away from your Source and Jesus lets us know that when we don’t have that vital union with Him we can do nothing. And that nothing includes being strong enough to overcome any circumstances, including discontentment about your present life (Philippians 4:11-13). Jesus makes your life right.

How do you believe you need to prioritize your life where Jesus helps you excel in the present and you not dwell on the past? Please, tell me what you think.

How to Labor (When You Really Just Want to Rest)

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For the most part I planned to rest today, take a break from my labors, after all the government has designated this day in the United States as Labor Day. This is the day off from jobs in recognition of American workers. While I don’t work outside the home, I have a workload that is heavy: home education, writing, counseling, business development, and homemaking are just a few of my duties. I planned to do a little work on my curriculum and fold a few clothes and just spend time with my family. But I got a counseling request—an emergency—and I knew I had to take the request. This was God’s will for me on what I had declared my day of rest. I had been summoned to work on behalf of God in speaking biblical wisdom into this person’s life. I had a God assignment on my designated off day. To rest, the way I wanted to rest, was not God’s plan for me. I had to do what He told me to do on my day of rest.

Remember the woman who had a spirit of infirmity for 18 years and the man with the withered hand that Jesus healed on the Sabbath day, the Jewish day of rest (Luke 13:10-17, 6:6-10)? The ruler of the synagogue after the woman was healed said “with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day, . . .‘There are six days in which men ought to do work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” In this passage Jesus called the man a hypocrite, noting that he and others lead their animals to water on the Sabbath. And in the other passage Jesus said, “I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?” And with these words God sets them and us straight, tells us when we are to work: when you have the opportunity to do good and when you have the opportunity to save life. In other words, if someone is in need and you have the ability or capacity to give, then you work.

Every need is not our need to fill, but that doesn’t mean no need noticed on our day of rest is for us. We must seek God and He will tell us what He wants us to do (Jeremiah 33:3). If God tells us to work, then we work. If our working brings God glory, then we work (1 Corinthians 10:31). Whatever day of rest we choose, even this Labor Day holiday, remember that God is the Lord of the Sabbath, the day of rest, therefore He controls what that day looks like for us (Luke 6:5). And whatever He gives us to do will still feel like rest: “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.] Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart, and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet] for your souls (Matthew 11:28-29—AMP). Our true rest, the one we should always seek, is in Jesus.

My One Thousand Gifts List

#731-740
Flynn cooking lentils to supplement the meal
Justus going to sleep a second night in the row without being nursed
Reading with Nate under the dining room table with a flashlight
Amazing points to my message for LIFT
Missing sleep so I could hear from God in the morning quiet
An impromptu visit with Ruth, Hank and Rianna
The kids running, laughing and being carefree
My much needed chiropractic adjustment
A big branch falling in the backyard when we weren’t around
Justus climbing on my lap so I could kiss him

Friday Feature: The Wonders of Lemon

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Two weeks ago here on the blog I wrote about the body being pH balanced, noting the difference between an acidic and alkaline system. As I listed the various foods that will help the body become alkaline, which is the state we want our bodies in for good health, lemons stood out to me. Though this fruit is acidic, it has an alkalizing effect on the body and does so much more good for us. I decided today to share the ways I use lemons, including to alkaline my body. Please add to my list in the comments section.

For drinks—Lemon is one of my favorite ingredients for a refreshing fresh squeezed juice. I particularly like apple, lemon and ginger. I also squeeze the juice and pulp in my teas. Many people squeeze lemon in their water at restaurants, but why not try that at home? Just add its juice to cold or hot water and drink.

For salad dressing—I use the juice of lemon in my oil- and tahini- based dressings. It provides the right amount of zing for an otherwise flat dressing.

For food—I use lemon juice in raw and cooked soups and, like many, I from time to time squeeze the juice on my fish to eliminate the seafood odor. I know of others who use lemon zest in baked goods.

To rid mouth of film—I don’t know about you, but when I eat spinach my teeth and jaws get a film on them and feel weird. The same thing happens when I eat beet greens, but when I squirt lemon juice on them after stir-frying them, I get no film or weird feeling. Something about the lemon juice prevents those reactions and I can enjoy the leafy greens that I love.

To take away nausea—When I get nauseous, during pregnancy or not, I can suck on a lemon and the nausea ceases.

For a freshener—1) I grind up lemon peels in the garbage disposal; 2) I let the peels sit on the counter; 3) I rub the juice on my hands after using onion or garlic to take away those pungent smells; 4) I have squeezed the juice in grease after frying fish to eliminate the smell; and 6) I have even squeezed the juice of a wedge and placed the wedge into a ceramic cup with a few drops of one or more essential oils and placed the cup on my mug warmer. The heated lemon juice, wedge and oils fragrant the room.

Those are my dozen-plus ways to use lemons. What are some ways you use the amazing lemon?

Transplanted to Thrive (Plus new single It Ain’t Over)

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What Do You Think? Wednesday

That is a plant that I had just about given up on. I noticed its bloom today, but its beginning earlier this summer looked nothing like this. It was one of four day lilies that were in my flower beds, droopy, and no amount of water or plant food seemed to make them thrive. I decided to dig them up and check out the roots to see if they were salvageable. Most of the roots were brown, dry, dead, but some were firm, moist and still alive. I transplanted them into three pots, and in the space they left I transplanted six tiger lilies from my backyard. For weeks, about five, all nine plants drooped and the water and plant food just didn’t help any of them. I was thinking about digging them back up but decided to keep them in place until the end of the season. Still looking hopeless, I again was about to change my mind and dig them up. In the few days that I waivered I noticed the leaves on all the plants were no longer brown and frail but bright green and standing tall, firmly rooted and thriving. I was so glad I hadn’t tried to transplant them again. I would never have seen that this indeed was their season to flourish and to bloom.

Sometimes as strong black women we see our situation, don’t like it and immediately seek to make moves, our moves, to get us out of the situation. We are like I was going to be with my plants. But if we know that God has transplanted us, we have to resolve to be with ourselves like I eventually was with my plants. Even if we are floundering, weak and limping, we have to know that if we remain in place, complete the season that we’re in, we will begin to get strong and blossom. This is a promise.

For this cause, my dear brothers, be strong in purpose and unmoved, ever giving yourselves to the work of the Lord, because you are certain that your work is not without effect in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58—BBE).

I want you to know that if God has transplanted you, things will get better. They have to. God is a keeper and never leaves us or forgets about us (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5). If you seek the Lord, digging into His word and allowing it to minister to you, you will be “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever (you do) prospers” (Psalm 1:2-3—NIV). To help you remember that, I share with you the new single, It Ain’t Over, by my dear friend and sister in Christ, the anointed and ultra-talented Dianna Hobbs. Listen, be blessed and as always please tell me what you think.

Download It Ain’t Over at DiannaHobbsMusic.com.

Responding to Homosexuality

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As you know, the wave of interviews for my son, the Lemonade Kid, have been many. Though I have been grateful to God for the chance to share Joshua’s story of how the power of prayer led him to the idea to raise money for the City of Detroit, the round of media interviews has been tiring. But I was reenergized by the potential of one: a guest appearance on Ellen. Find out in my latest EEW article, which begins below, why I was excited and how I believe we can use my moment to talk to our children about homosexuality.


When a reporter for a national black magazine asked Joshua what he thought about people around the world knowing about his popcorn and lemonade fundraiser for the City of Detroit, he matter-of-factly said, “I’m international.” For Josh, it wasn’t arrogance. He was just telling the reporter his current reality. He’s had pretty much the same nonchalant attitude when news outlets in Canada contacted us and even when he appeared on the biggies, like CNN and ABC World News Tonight and in Time Magazine. I was in awe of God’s move with these, but the one that really made me excited was when a producer from Ellen, as in Ellen DeGeneres, called. Though I don’t watch her show often, I LOVE Ellen.

After talking with us three times the producers decided not to go forward with having us on the show. (Maybe there was too much Jesus talk in the interviews. That would be my fault.) While we awaited their final decision I was excited about the possibility of going to meet Ellen, an incredibly generous, kind and hilarious woman, and to share with her the love of Jesus. Some of my friends thought we would turn down the invitation to appear on Ellen because she is a lesbian. Ellen’s character traits and her being a lesbian were the reasons I wanted to meet her. I may not be going on Ellen, but I think a kid-friendly version of what I planned to say is what we could use to help our children respond to the national and calculated move to normalize homosexuality. Read the rest here.

My One Thousand Gifts List

#721-730
The boys showered and in bed before 9:30
A warm shower with lavender soap and vanilla body wash
Clean pillowcases
The boys being dressed and fed before 11 a.m.
A call from Sharon for her and her kids to hang out with me and my boys
Taking the kids to the library
Boys on bean bags
Justus on the computer
Finishing my blog post a day early
The edited cooking video