Reality Check with Ann Downing...

My best friend is suffering from that dreaded disease called Alzheimers. Unless God performs a miracle, Dolly will not be here on earth a lot longer, and without a miracle, during her final days, weeks, months (or however long the Lord chooses to let her remain here) she won't be the Dolly I've always known. I have memories of such beautiful moments with Dolly.  A lot of them, actually, took place during the most painful times of my life.  When my Paul was dying in a Kentucky hospital (for 56 days and nights), Dolly stayed with me in the critical care waiting room every night.  This was after teaching 3rd grade kiddos all day. I also have fun memories.  We traveled through Europe together two summers in a row.  One time an airline didn't get my product box on the flight with us.  When we landed in Florida and discovered it had gone on its own adventure, Dolly referred to it as "exciting" while I was huffin' and puffin' about what I was gonna do! ...

When talking to people, do you ever say something and the other person has to ask more than once what you've said?  As far as you know, they aren't hard of hearing, and you speak rather clearly.  What's up with that? Could it be that we simply aren't very good at listening?  Maybe we mumble too much and people start to tune us out?  I honestly think we try to hear too many things; we are afraid to focus on any one voice at the risk of not being "in the know" about EVERY VOICE around us. Sadly, I'm afraid I try to "stay tuned" to every sound around me, even when praying.  I know I can't hear ALL He tries to say to me, but not because He's speaking too softly.  My ears just aren't always in tune with the right voice... His voice. He is the only one able to hear it all... all at once.  So, what should we do?  I believe I'm going to work harder on blocking out the mumbled clutter and ask Him for a spiritual hearing aid.  What wi...

One of my favorite authors is Patrick Morley.  I really do like his book, "Waiting with Christ in the Details of Life." I recently read this prayer of surrender from that great book:  "Lord, I must confess that my way has been "plan, then pray."  I have wanted to do good things for You; my movies have been to please You.  But I realize that I have built shelters You didn't need and never used.  I have wasted so much valuable time on matters that don't matter.  I surrender all my plans to You, Lord.  I will forget them.  I will pray, then plan.  I will pray and wait for You to come and touch me and say, 'Get up.  Don't be afraid.'  I am listening now, Lord.  Instruct me with Your plan.  Amen." I have to confess; I've been guilty.  Far too many times I plan, and then pray for God to bless my plan when I should be praying and then planning as I sense God beginning to work...listening for His "go" and His "stop."...

I'm so appreciative of all the things others have shared in books, in messages, on Facebook, and a myriad of other means of communication.  If I'm really paying attention, I can learn something from most anything I read or hear, and I do still want to learn.  I want to be like my Mama who never gave up on learning... right up until she went to Heaven at age 94. Are we good at listening these days?  I'm not sure we are.  I mean, there are scads of voices vying for our attention.  I'm not sure I know how to help us make decisions as to what we listen to, but I do know this; we have to slow down and weed out some of those voices.  Maybe it's not always an accident when computers lock up, phones go down, or a power outage interrupts our day.  Maybe we're to do something as "old-fashioned" as picking up a book with a title such as "How to Hear the Voice of God," or some similar theme. I am certain that if we begin to choose more carefully who ...

Back in the day, I had the great pleasure of working with Bob Benson, especially in retreats and conferences.  In my opinion, he was just about the BEST speaker for those settings. I still remember so many of the things he had to say, not just on the platform, but also around the lunch table, in his office at the Benson Company, and many other places.  Today, when times are rapidly changing, I'm glad I knew Bob and have his "sayings" to encourage me. One of the best Bob quotes I remember is one that brings me to a better understanding of God's nature.  "I've had good days, and I've had bad days.  To tell you truth, the older I get, the hard it is to tell the difference." I think I know what Bob meant. There are days when I scratch my head and say, "God, are you sure?" Then, I get on down the road where I can look back and realize those harder days were days that became some of the best days because I learned a lot more about a the fai...

This week, Karissa, who most of you know works with me, and Hannah, a great young friend, decided I was to have a day of "birthday celebration"... a WHOLE DAY! I knew I was to be picked up at my house and taken "somewhere" for the day.  What I didn't know was that I would wake up, walk out of my bedroom door to a sea of all colors of balloons all the way from my bedroom door to the kitchen where there was a red carpet with additional mylar balloons identifying my 70th.  Those balloons were weighted down with little glass (acrylic) slippers... some even having little stones on the toe.  AND, my desk chair was stationed at the end of the red carpet with a "queen's crown" balloon attached. We left the house with Karissa driving.  I only knew we were picking up Hannah and driving somewhere!  We collected Hannah; she had created a movie for me on her laptop...hilarious and sweet!!!!  Then, off to Opryland Hotel for what I was to learn would be my ...

I have a chatroom on my website.  Each evening, those who wish to come for about 45 minutes of visiting and praying show up as they can.  I'm grateful that I can be there most evenings. There's nothing magical about a chatroom full of people who pray together, but then, maybe there is. I'd like to think of it as "memorable" rather than "magical," memorable because, once again, it proves that those who pray together stay together.  Lifetime friendships have formed in that chatroom...some while praying, some while sharing a silly story of the day's happenings, some asking for info, some just "small talking" about the weather, our favorite football team, etc., or perhaps admitting to something ridiculous that we, in our humanity, did that day. Praying is always good, but I'm of the persuasion that praying with those you know, have shared a load of "life stuff" with, and listened to as they shared a special testimony of answer...