Saturday night I was honored to emcee the fundraising dinner for the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi at the Jackson Country Club. I sat at the table with several doctors and speech therapists who specialize in brain injuries. All of the guests at my table were from out of state. They all knew each other, but they didn't know me. They asked questions about what I do and so forth. Shortly after, someone read my bio to the audience and called me to the platform to begin the evening. After my part was through and I returned to my table, one of the guests leaned over and said, "I didn't know I was sitting next to someone who is such a celebrity! I would've acted better!"
How do you act when you are around others? Are you kind, gracious, friendly, hospitable, and a witness for Christ? Can others around you see the light of Christ in you? In Hebrews 13:2 says, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." The Bible is referring to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18:1-15 and Lot in Genesis 19:1-13.
There are strangers who sit at your life's table every day. Treat them as though they were angels.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
A Rainy Night
It seemed like the flood gates opened yesterday when the remnants of Hurricane Humberto moved over the state. Take a look at some of these rainfall amounts:
Vicksburg 2.33"
Greenville 3.04"
Greenwood 3.62"
Yazoo City 2.45"
Carthage 1.78"
Natchez 1.68"
Bude 1.80"
Jackson 2.79"
At times, I found myself looking for animals lining up 2 by 2! The rain was desperately needed and now we can dry out for the weekend. Look for a pleasant weekend with plenty of sunshine. Enjoy!
Vicksburg 2.33"
Greenville 3.04"
Greenwood 3.62"
Yazoo City 2.45"
Carthage 1.78"
Natchez 1.68"
Bude 1.80"
Jackson 2.79"
At times, I found myself looking for animals lining up 2 by 2! The rain was desperately needed and now we can dry out for the weekend. Look for a pleasant weekend with plenty of sunshine. Enjoy!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Praying About Everything
When I can't sleep at night, I find myself lying in bed trying to solve the world's problems. Do you do that? I think about the things I need to do, the issues I'm facing, challenges going on in my life and then I really can't sleep! Then a quiet voice will say, "Why do you just pray about it?"
Prayers aren't answered if we do not pray. James 4:2 says, "You do not have because you do not ask." We have to ask for what we want and need. Sometimes we work on situations in our minds or talk about them with our friends or wish and hope, but we do not pray. Thinking, wishing, hoping and talking is not prayer; only prayer is prayer. When we have a need or concern, we are only praying when we talk to God about it. God is waiting for us to make requests of Him. Matthew 7:7 and Isaiah 65:1-2 tells us He is ready to act for us if we will only pray.
Solving the world's problems (or my own) is not my responsibility. Don't let the lack of prayer hinder God from working in your life and the lives of your loved ones.
Prayers aren't answered if we do not pray. James 4:2 says, "You do not have because you do not ask." We have to ask for what we want and need. Sometimes we work on situations in our minds or talk about them with our friends or wish and hope, but we do not pray. Thinking, wishing, hoping and talking is not prayer; only prayer is prayer. When we have a need or concern, we are only praying when we talk to God about it. God is waiting for us to make requests of Him. Matthew 7:7 and Isaiah 65:1-2 tells us He is ready to act for us if we will only pray.
Solving the world's problems (or my own) is not my responsibility. Don't let the lack of prayer hinder God from working in your life and the lives of your loved ones.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Blessing Your Enemies
One of the things I most admire about my mother is her willingness to pray for her enemies. I think the most powerful prayer we can pray is for those who like to hate us and make our lives miserable. If you want to see someone who is mighty in prayer, look for someone who will intercede for those people. God blesses us tremendously when we pray for those who have offended or betrayed us.
Job chose to pray for his friends after they had really hurt and disappointed him and immediately after he prayed, the Bible says God began to restore Job's life. In Job 42:10, the Bible says God gave him back twice as much as he had lost! Praying for someone who has hurt us is powerful because we are obeying the Word of God.
Matthew 5:44 says, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." When you think about people who have used, abused and harassed you, pray for them. God knows blessing your enemies isn't easy and you may not feel like doing it. But you don't do it because you feel like it--you do it as unto the Lord. God will do great things in our life as a result of it!
Job chose to pray for his friends after they had really hurt and disappointed him and immediately after he prayed, the Bible says God began to restore Job's life. In Job 42:10, the Bible says God gave him back twice as much as he had lost! Praying for someone who has hurt us is powerful because we are obeying the Word of God.
Matthew 5:44 says, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." When you think about people who have used, abused and harassed you, pray for them. God knows blessing your enemies isn't easy and you may not feel like doing it. But you don't do it because you feel like it--you do it as unto the Lord. God will do great things in our life as a result of it!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
The Secret Is Out...Literally
If you were able to tune in last night at 6pm, you know the secret is out--and so is my belly. We are expecting our third child in April 2008. And this one has been a tough one to keep. Several weeks ago when we went to the doctor for confirmation (at 6 weeks), my husband and I sat in the waiting room reading magazines waiting until our name was called. Two older ladies were sitting across from us.
"Is that Barbie Bassett?"
"No, it can't be."
"Yes, it is. Look again!"
"You're right. It IS her! Who is that with her?"
"Must be her husband. Wonder why she's here?"
"I bet she's pregnant. She looks like it. Look at her stomach."
"You know she already has 2 children. I can't wait to tell my husband I saw her here."
We kept our head in the magazines and acted like we were reading. I was relieved to get in the exam room and knew it would be a matter of minutes before the secret would be out all over Jackson. I was not aware of this, but the television station has been inundated with calls every day as to whether or not I was expecting. Our sweet receptionist and several producers had been keeping this to themselves and didn't share it with me until last night after the announcement. I must have hid it pretty good at work because everyone was shocked. Only the public "knew" about it before my co-workers.
So now I must go ahead and apologize to the gentleman who has called me over the last two pregnancies and complained, "You need to go home. Your belly is covering up Texas and Louisiana and I can't see where the weather is coming from!"
Get ready to miss seeing Texas, Louisiana and possibly even the whole western half of the country....
"Is that Barbie Bassett?"
"No, it can't be."
"Yes, it is. Look again!"
"You're right. It IS her! Who is that with her?"
"Must be her husband. Wonder why she's here?"
"I bet she's pregnant. She looks like it. Look at her stomach."
"You know she already has 2 children. I can't wait to tell my husband I saw her here."
We kept our head in the magazines and acted like we were reading. I was relieved to get in the exam room and knew it would be a matter of minutes before the secret would be out all over Jackson. I was not aware of this, but the television station has been inundated with calls every day as to whether or not I was expecting. Our sweet receptionist and several producers had been keeping this to themselves and didn't share it with me until last night after the announcement. I must have hid it pretty good at work because everyone was shocked. Only the public "knew" about it before my co-workers.
So now I must go ahead and apologize to the gentleman who has called me over the last two pregnancies and complained, "You need to go home. Your belly is covering up Texas and Louisiana and I can't see where the weather is coming from!"
Get ready to miss seeing Texas, Louisiana and possibly even the whole western half of the country....
Monday, September 10, 2007
Update on My Brother
The blog entry I wrote on August 10 ("Address in Heaven") has made its way literally around the world. Blog readers copied and pasted the email and it has seen its share of readers. Almost every day, I receive several emails asking if my brothers near death experience is really true. Many have replied as to how much peace this has brought them in knowing more about what their loved ones are experiencing now in heaven and what we have to look forward to one day. So with that said, I thought I'd give you an update on Doug's progress.
Doug is still prohibited from driving on the highways until six months have passed because of his defibrillator. However, last week the doctors gave him permission to drive the back roads (if you know the Mississippi Delta well enough, you know there are plenty of back roads!). Doug has been able to farm several hours a day, which the doctors said he would never do again. He must rest frequently until his strength is back up to speed. Otherwise, he is walking one hour a day for exercise and enjoying life.
A few days before his heart attack in July, Doug found himself sitting on the tractor in the middle of the field. While sitting there waiting on a tractor part to be delivered, he noticed a couple of small birds pecking around in his field. He thought to himself, "You poor little things. There is nothing out here for you. The ground in dry, its hot and its all you can do to survive." After thinking that, he noticed a pile of seed that had fallen out of the planter. The birds immediately made a feast of the seed. Doug said he heard God tell him, "See, I take care of the birds. I'll take care of you, too." Within a couple of day, Doug had his heart attack. We have all witnessed how God has provided for him. When the doctors told us 99% of the patients they see in Doug's condition never make it, we knew it would be a blessing if he lived.
I don't know why Doug wasn't one of those 99%. I believe God heard the prayers of everyone and responded to that. More importantly, I believe our faith has been a witness to those around us, hopefully giving others faith to face the obstacles in their life. Isaiah 40:29 says, "God gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength." All of our strength in God has been increased.
Speaking of blessings, I will make a personal announcement tonight at 6pm during my weather cast. I hope you'll join me in this special bit of news.
Doug is still prohibited from driving on the highways until six months have passed because of his defibrillator. However, last week the doctors gave him permission to drive the back roads (if you know the Mississippi Delta well enough, you know there are plenty of back roads!). Doug has been able to farm several hours a day, which the doctors said he would never do again. He must rest frequently until his strength is back up to speed. Otherwise, he is walking one hour a day for exercise and enjoying life.
A few days before his heart attack in July, Doug found himself sitting on the tractor in the middle of the field. While sitting there waiting on a tractor part to be delivered, he noticed a couple of small birds pecking around in his field. He thought to himself, "You poor little things. There is nothing out here for you. The ground in dry, its hot and its all you can do to survive." After thinking that, he noticed a pile of seed that had fallen out of the planter. The birds immediately made a feast of the seed. Doug said he heard God tell him, "See, I take care of the birds. I'll take care of you, too." Within a couple of day, Doug had his heart attack. We have all witnessed how God has provided for him. When the doctors told us 99% of the patients they see in Doug's condition never make it, we knew it would be a blessing if he lived.
I don't know why Doug wasn't one of those 99%. I believe God heard the prayers of everyone and responded to that. More importantly, I believe our faith has been a witness to those around us, hopefully giving others faith to face the obstacles in their life. Isaiah 40:29 says, "God gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength." All of our strength in God has been increased.
Speaking of blessings, I will make a personal announcement tonight at 6pm during my weather cast. I hope you'll join me in this special bit of news.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Viewer Emails
Every Friday during football season, I travel to a local game and do the weather on location. Its always fun to meet the students and see high school stadiums that I've never been to before. WLBT did a commercial with me and some football players promoting the football forecasts. The kicker is, I am wearing a cheerleader uniform in the commercial (yes, scary thought, I know). When we recorded the promo, I asked our crew to "not show too much". They did as I asked and let me keep the pom poms at my waist. (After all, my daddy always hated watching me wear the cheerleader outfit in high school. He still wanted us to wear the uniforms with the long skirts from the 50s & 60s.) So I wanted the commercial to be done in good taste so I wouldn't have to hear any complaints from daddy. Yesterday, I received this email:
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Hey Barbie, when will you all be coming to do your weather cast at a Provine game? I graduated from Provine 5 years ago but still go to all games. All of us think you are the hottest, hippest chick at WLBT and would enjoy seeing you at our game night, hoping you wear that hot cheerleader outfit and cheer the rams on! How bout it? Signed, Tyrone
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I don't know if that was a compliment or not. Then I received this email from a viewer:
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Barbie, my wife and I think you're terrific at your job. However, we both think you need to change your style. You have a great personality but you need an extreme makeover. We think you need an updated hairstyle and you would look super in some Ann Taylor tailored clothes. Please don't take this as criticism as we really enjoy watching you every day. Signed Bob & Kris in Madison
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"Extreme Makeover"? Maybe I can get a makeover while wearing my cheerleader outfit......
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Hey Barbie, when will you all be coming to do your weather cast at a Provine game? I graduated from Provine 5 years ago but still go to all games. All of us think you are the hottest, hippest chick at WLBT and would enjoy seeing you at our game night, hoping you wear that hot cheerleader outfit and cheer the rams on! How bout it? Signed, Tyrone
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I don't know if that was a compliment or not. Then I received this email from a viewer:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Barbie, my wife and I think you're terrific at your job. However, we both think you need to change your style. You have a great personality but you need an extreme makeover. We think you need an updated hairstyle and you would look super in some Ann Taylor tailored clothes. Please don't take this as criticism as we really enjoy watching you every day. Signed Bob & Kris in Madison
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"Extreme Makeover"? Maybe I can get a makeover while wearing my cheerleader outfit......
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