Six Letters

I love brain teasers. I like word mysteries, puzzles and 3-D and other optical illusions. More likely than not, I have to read the cheat sheet to be able to solve them, but I still enjoy the challenge. Here are a couple of my favorites.

“A cab driver is going the wrong way down a one way street. Two policemen see him but don’t stop him. Why?  Or: “In the following line of letters, cross out six letters so that the remaining letters, without altering their sequence, will spell a familiar English word.”

Believe it or not there is reason to my seemingly unrelated thought processes. I was cleaning off my desk when I found my folder of icebreakers. The cross out six letters brain teaser was on top and it made me think about crossing Christ out of Christmas, therefore shortening it to Xmas. It just so happened that on the same day, yahoo.com ran a story about the origins of using “X” to replace Christ in Christmas -- therefore the jump from brain teasers to Christmas.

Admittedly I am one of those who cringe when I see “Xmas.” Not ever having taken Greek, I had not, until after reading the article, made the connection that our “X” is the Greek ‘chi’ which, when combined with ‘rho’ symbolizes Christ. Below is the article from connectamarillo.com.

“In the first story, we look at the abbreviation commonly referred to as Xmas. How did the word Christ come to be replaced by the letter “X”? Turns out it goes back to the very beginnings of Christianity. “Using the symbol “X” for Christ is a tradition that dates far back into the history of Christianity and into the first few centuries. That’s because our letter “X” is identical to the Greek letter ‘chi,” which is the first letter for Christos in Greek, and so early Christians many times would see the letter “X” or combine that with the letter ‘rho’ in Greek to symbolize Christ,” says Father Robert Busch, PhD, Amarillo Diocese Schools Director. Xmas therefore means, “Christ’s Mass,” so in many ways, the “X” stands for Christ. But some people unaware of the Greek origin of this “X” often mistakenly interpret the Xmas as an informal shortening pronounced (eks-mas). Many therefore frown upon the term Xmas because it seems to them a commercial convenience that omits Christ from Christmas. It’s also important to note that it is a written abbreviation, and should not be pronounced “X”mas, but instead as “Christmas.” Another interesting fact, in olden times when paper and ink were precious commodities, the “X” was used to save space when printing.” (connectamarillo.com))

A little Greek goes a long way but I suspect that most of us, even after a brief lesson in word origin, still prefer to see Christ in Christmas; after all, He is the reason for the season.

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell

P.S. Let me know if you can’t figure out why the cabbie wasn’t stopped.

Evil Momma

They finally did it! They pushed me too far. They have to learn that “every choice has a consequence.” They of course are those young men living in my house.


I’ve been on a tear for the last two weeks. It all started with a sink full of dirty dishes. I thought I could wait them out. I was wrong. The same dishes sat in the sink Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I was patient. I asked repeatedly who left the dishes in the sink only to learn that a fourth person going by the name, “I don’t know”, had moved in without me knowing about it.

I didn’t get mad. I didn’t threaten certain death if they weren’t washed and put away. I did decide there were consequences. Friday morning I got up, cleaned out the gun closet and outside freezer and put all the dishes, glasses, pots, pans, forks, spoons, bowls, knives and cooking utensils in one or the other. I locked the doors and hid the keys. I left paper plates, plastic cups, plastic forks and spoons, one cookie sheet, one small pot, one small pan, a wooden spoon and a spatula. I figured they had everything they needed to survive. Yup, every choice has a consequence.

Needless to say they are not very happy right now. Lee got mad and wouldn’t talk to me. David asked if he had to wash the paper plates. Reid left challenging messages on yellow sticky notes in the cabinet and refrigerator. The one in the cabinet read “Bring it on big dawg” and the one in the refrigerator read “Evil momma is back.”

Of all the notes that he left, the most meaningful was “Evil momma is back.” During their elementary years, while other mom’s were referred to as Ryan’s mom or Mrs. Dee Dee, Reid and all of his friends called me “Evil Momma.” Evil Momma was special; it set me apart from the other moms; and let me say, that was a name I wore with honor. There was something about that label that let me know that somewhere along the way I had done what I was supposed to do. It set me apart from the other moms.

The name Evil Momma means something and so does Christmas; “…She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God is with us.” (Matthew 1:23)

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell

Back in the Manger

Christmas always takes us back to the manager; to the night when Christ was born.


One of the most familiar reminders of that night is the nativity. Nativity scenes have served as a reminder of Christ’s humble birth since the Dark Ages. However, it‘s Saint Francis Assisi that gets the credit for popularizing the most treasured display of Christmas. Though it was undoubtedly rustic in design and construction, scholars believe that it was a live nativity and most likely biblically correct, portraying on those that were present in Luke’s telling of the birth. Luke’s account is vague, giving no specific details about the setting of Christ’s birth, other than it was a structure used for stabling animals and that only Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and the shepherds were present. The details weren’t important to Luke because the focus was totally on the birth of Jesus.

I have several nativities, but my favorite is a very simple wooden scene of the first Christmas. The last three years the set has been missing a piece because three years ago Lucy, the Airedale puppy from the dark side, ate baby Jesus. One night the baby was lying in the manger and the next morning it was nothing but splintered pieces of wood.

It has taken three years, but my Dad has finally managed to craft a replacement; baby Jesus is back in the manger! I felt a sense of completeness this year as I removed the cherished pieces from the box and placed them on the table. As I put the baby in the manger I was reminded, as I am each year, that Christmas is a time of preparation and anticipation. It is a time to purposefully prepare our hearts to receive God’s perfect gift of love.

Nativities have undergone drastic changes since 1223. Regardless of how extravagantly or garishly crafted today’s nativities are, they serve to remind us that the focus of Christmas remains on the baby lying in the manger.

Tonight as I look across the room I see a complete nativity. The scene is complete. The splintered pieces have been replaced and baby Jesus is back in the manger.

“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snuggly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:11-12)

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell

Not Enough Stars

Between 1840 and the mid 1950s, polio was a worldwide epidemic. At the height of the polio epidemic in 1952, there were nearly 60,000 cases with more than 3,000 deaths reported in the United States alone. Polio often resulted in partial or full paralysis and common treatments included the use of body casts and other supportive devices.


In his Thanksgiving sermon, entitled Deep Thanks, Dr. Don Webb recounted a story told to him as a young man beginning his first pastorate in Ohio. The pastor had spent time visiting a young girl hospitalized with polio. She spent her days and nights in bed, strapped to a board with little else to do but to gaze out the window. When the pastor asked her what she did to pass the time, the girl replied, “I play with the stars.” She went on to tell about how she picked out a star and then said what she was thankful for; she picked the brightest star for her mother and the twinkliest star for her brother. She also thanked the stars for the flowers, the trees, family and so on. When she finished listing what she was thankful for, she looked at the pastor and said, “God didn’t make enough stars.” Considering there are over 30 billion trillion stars in the observable universe; that is deep thanks.

I have much for which to be thankful; family, health, work, friends, and quality of life. If I were to stand outside tonight and begin labeling stars, those would easily be the brightest and easiest stars to point out and whisper a silent prayer of gratitude. However, as I go through my list, I am reminded of Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians; “…be thankful in all circumstances.” The part about “in all circumstances” makes the task of thankfulness somewhat more difficult. Yet, a thankful spirit is what I am called to offer unto the Lord.

Tonight I plan to take some time, stand in my front yard and play with the stars. I plan on thanking God for the times I’ve laughed until I’ve cried. I plan on thanking God for the time I’ve spent with loved ones. I plan on thanking God for the long line at the grocery store that made me slow down, take a deep breath and realize that there was no need to rush. I plan on thanking God for the challenging week that I’ve had and that I’ve been able to move through it without a complete emotional breakdown.

And finally, and perhaps most importantly, I plan on thanking God.

Psalm 100

A Psalm for grateful praise

Shout to the Lord, all the earth

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

*Story written with permission of Dr. Don Webb


Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell

God's Canvas

Opening the text message with the attached photo was one of those “take your breath away moments.” I immediately sent back the reply; “Beautiful! It is now my new screen saver.” My immediate thought was “God’s canvas.”

My next thought was that of a preschool classroom. One of my fondest memories of being a preschool teacher is that of watching two- and three-year-olds stand at an easel with paint brush in hand. They always approach the blank piece of paper the same way; wet paint brush palmed and held at one of the top corners of the easel. When they are ready to make the first colorful stroke, they use their entire body as the paint brush; making broad, slashing strokes as they fill the paper with color. Their enthusiasm for creating is contagious. If I close my eyes and let my imagination go, I can picture God, the Creator, dipping His brush into the majestic colors of the universe and using the sky as His canvas, and using broad, slashing strokes to fill the sky with color.

I went searching for Scripture that captured the essence of the sunset and found Psalm 19 verses 1-6 -

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end.” (Psalm 19: 1-6)

The photo and the words of David reminded me of three very important things.

1. At the end of the day, regardless of what happens, God is going to be there.
2. God has made my life a canvas and it is my responsibility to create something.
3. God has a plan for me and all I have to do is follow the course.



This is a day that the Lord has made!

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell

The Spirit of Aggie Land

First things first; it is absolutely imperative that I include the following disclaimer: I’m writing this fearing exile from the Razorback nation; but please note - I’m not trading in my cardinal for maroon and white and while I love the fact that Texas A&M’s war hymn includes a verse about sawing varsity’s horns off; there is no way it beats thousands of Razorbacks calling the hogs!

Two Sundays ago, my fortune cookie read; “You will experience something different this weekend.” I laughed when I read that strip of paper because I knew, without a doubt that it was going to be true; I was College Station bound on Friday. For an Arkansas girl this was a major trip; cheering on the Aggies for the weekend was definitely different and I wondered if I was going to be able to pull it off.

Visiting Texas A&M is an experience. I say “experience” because there is no other way to describe it. Before I left for College Station, I looked up and memorized the words to the A&M fight song, I bought a maroon shirt and I swore that I wouldn’t talk about Arkansas’ win over the Aggies earlier this year. I did all of this because I wanted to fit in; to be accepted as part of the group. All of my prep work paid off. I had a great time, felt welcomed and no one held my Arkansas allegiance against me. I’m officially declaring myself impressed by the Aggies.

I’ve always known about the traditions of Texas A&M, including their total disdain of the Texas Longhorns, the Corp of Cadets, the 12th Man, dates kissing after each A&M score and the precision marching of the band. Entering the world of Texas A&M, particularly the quad, home of the Corp of Cadets, is like entering a different world. How does one explain to an outsider Fish Spurs, chants and shouts, tall boots, creased and non-creased hats and the “Howdy?” The world of Texas A&M is so unique that if you aren’t Texas A&M bred, there is no way for you to understand. They even have a saying about it; “From the outside looking in, you can't understand it. From the inside looking out, you can't explain it."

But, the problem is this; I want to explain it. There is something special about Aggies that needs to be teased out. There is something in Aggie Land that the rest of us need to know, experience and embrace.

The explanation is two fold. I believe that in part, the following line from the “Spirit of Aggie Land” explains most of what it is: “We are the Aggies - the Aggies are we; True to each other as Aggies can be.” That one line is the explanation - there is an unquestionable self and group identity. Aggies know who they are and what they stand for and they hold true to that identity and that pride is immeasurable. However, the rest of the answer is about experience. Aggies aren’t just Aggies because of their university; they are Aggies because of how they experience the it. Some refer to it as brainwashing; but it seems to me that Aggies choose to experience life in such a way that it culminates in the belief that life is bigger than self.

As I watched alumni gather and rejoin ranks, friends visit, cadets do whatever it was they were doing and the 84,000+ fans at Kyle Field saw varsity’s horns off, I couldn’t help but wonder what our world be like if each of us possessed the unquestionable identity as God’s children and held true to the spirit of God; allowing ourselves to truly experience His love.

Hullabaloo, Caneck, Caneck

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell

Get the Umbrella

The drought was relentless. They watched the skies; hoping for rain clouds, but none appeared. The ground was parched. The crops were dying. There wasn’t much they could do but wait for the rain to come. So, they waited and still no rain. Then someone suggested that they gather in the school house to pray; after all it wouldn’t hurt if the community gathered for a prayer vigil. The school house was full, adults and children alike. As the preacher greeted everyone and the group settled down to pray, a little girl ran from the school house. The startled adults called after her and asked where she was going. To which the little girl replied; “To get my umbrella.”


It is easy to live a faith-filled life when burdens are light and spirits are effervescent. Fear, worry and insecurity wear us down leading to the erosion of faith. Faith erosion drives most of us to the comforting words of scripture.

• Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about the things we cannot see.”

• Romans 5:1-4 “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us to develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment.

• Ephesians 2:8-9 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

• Mark 11:22-26 “…Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”

• 1 John 5:4 “For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.”

• John 14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust also in me.”

• Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Faith – a simple word that is influenced by the complexities of human nature. Webster defines faith as “firm belief in something for which there is no proof; complete trust.” But what does that really mean? Faith means different things to different people. Consider the following:

• To Oliver Wendell Holmes faith was, “When in doubt, do it.”
• Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
• John Burroughs writes, “Leap, and the net will appear.”
• Albert Camus offers this insight, “In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.”

For some faith and belief are transposable words. For me faith is more than belief; faith is knowing that deep down in your soul that all is well. Faith is running to get an umbrella because you know the awesome power of a steadfast God.

*Thanks to Billy Hance for telling the story that inspired this week’s reflection.

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell