The other day I went out on my deck and saw that my flower pots looked sad. The flowers were bent over and the greenery looked sick. I figured it was late in the season and I might just as well throw them out. I don’t know why but I decided to give them some water. The next day I went out on the deck again and I was surprised to see the green leaves were really green and the flowers were standing up. It seemed as if they were smiling. Isn’t it strange what a little water can do?

I believe we need to water our pots too. Have you noticed that it is much easier to miss the second worship service? It can easily turn into four or five before we realize it. It will feel nice to sleep a little longer or get something done that we have been putting off. When that happens we must water our pots by getting off the couch and heading off to church. We will find that we feel refreshed and will go the next time too.

We Americans need to water our pots at home too. Often, husbands and wives don’t even talk much together anymore. Too often they both come home from work too tired to do anything but lay down on the couch and put the television on. Then they send off for fast food somewhere. Boy! Do they need watering. It has rubbed off on the kids too.
They come home from school and head for their rooms where they flop on their beds and play Video games. But it only takes a little watering by one member of the family to get things going. She begins by meeting her husband at the door and asking him what kind of a day he had. She might also give him some kind of complement. She has dinner on the stove and the whole family joins her at the table. The family might be surprised but they will be happy and it would be easy to do that again tomorrow.

It would even be a great idea if the whole family plays a game or two after dinner. These kids have been hurt the worst by a lack of watering. Their little faces are downcast and their greenery sure looks sick. Any amount of watering will change these kids of yours!

I was thinking about another way to water yourself. Have you been neglecting reading some of God’s love letter to you lately? If you have, it might be a good thing to get out the watering can and your Bible. Read a Psalm or two or a chapter in the Gospel of John and you will feel the water refreshing you

I wrote a book.It is titled “He Leadeth Me, A grandmother’s story”. That name tells it all. God has led me through these 80 plus years. And I tell the whole story, from the depression years to the high tech time we have today. I hope all of you will read it when it comes out an e-book from Amazon.

However, it was difficult to write who the author was. Oh, it was me all right, but you see I have been married twice. Once I was E. Yvonne Thompson, and Edward Thompson died when he was still in his 30’s. Later, my name was E. Yvonne Hood when I married Frank Hood. He died five years ago. Now Eddie and I had five children and I had one with Frank. The early part of my book, when I was a little and big girl,I was Estelle Yvonne Redal. I figured I am still me and I might just as well use the name which I was given when I came into the world. I surely didn’t want to leave either of my husbands out and I surely didn’t in the pages of my book.

So, I wondered what’s in a name? Just think. A girl marries five times and is divorced all five times. She must have a tough time keeping track of her name! She is still the girl she was born to be and inside she hasn’t changed, has she? I still think more of my parents, sister and brother, grandparents and aunts and uncles than I do of either Eddie’s or Frank’s families even though I care a great deal for both. I truly am E. Yvonne Redal so my decision was made.

God is certainly one who used many names in the Bible. He calls himself Jehovah Yirei, my provider, Jehovah Rophi, my healer, Jehovah Nissi, My banner, Jehovah Shlomi, my peace, Jehovah Roi, my shepherd, and Jehovah Tsidkeini, my righteousness. But he is still God, isn’t he? The name he uses and I admit I don’t really understand is I Am what I Am but he has the right to use it and he certainly is what he is, the great God.

What’s in a name anyway? Our parents were proud when we were born and they gave us a name they loved. That person had the same talents, intelligence and physical appearance all throughout his or her life no matter what name is used.