From The Desk Of Rev. Joan Krempel

I had put on the gray knit dress I had not worn for a long time. Then, scanning the shoe bag hanging on my closet door, I retrieved the only pair of gray dress pumps I currently owned and put them on. The mirror was not kind. The shoes were about two shades lighter than the dress. "Oh, No!" If they had been two shades darker it would have been acceptable but not two shades lighter! I would have to wear something else. I made a mental note to purchase a pair of darker gray shoes. Suddenly, from deep within my being, a voice asked, "What is gray?" I smiled and answered, "It's a color." It's a blend of black and white." My attention had been sought and won as those words escaped my lips. There was a slight hesitation, then His profound and emphatic statement..."I don't  like gray."

This was a signal. Often the teaching Holy Spirit plays this game with me...asking me simple questions to get my attention. One second I am in the natural realm, the next...Boom! Plunged into the spiritual with a profound statement.

I grabbed the yellow legal pad and pencil on my nightstand, sat down on the edge of the bed and began to write, "SHADES OF GRAY."  The images and words came pouring forth and I wrote as fast as I could.

GRAY...the color of ashes, the color of sorrow, the color of fear, the color of death. Gray skies, gray dawn, gray tombstones, gray bunnies, gray foxes, gray mares, gray moods, gray elephants, 
gray clouds, gray thoughts. Gray...a mixture of black and white.

So Many Shades Of Gray:

Hurting yourself..........Pale gray

Hurting others.............Steel gray

Rebellion....................Battleship gray

Pride/Self Glory..........Slate gray

Faithlessness..............Somber gray

"It's just a little white lie!" No, it isn't! It is mingled with black and it is gray! 
"It's just this once, no one will know"........gray!

"I don't see anything wrong with it, I don't feel convicted." (the need for excuses)...Gray!

Gray is dingy!

Gray is doubt and temptation entertained. It is not a comfortable place. It promises nothing but one compromise after another. The Holy Spirit had made His point, "I DON'T LIKE GRAY!"

WHITE...the color of angel wings, white puffy clouds, stars, heavenly robes. WHITE...the color of love, purity, holiness, cleanliness, obedience, the sparkle of Clorox, the power of
20-muleteam Borax, the brightness of noonday, the beauty of the lily, the majesty of snow-capped mountains, the color of redemption, eternity, truth...

BLACK...the color of willful sin, impenetrable darkness, hardened hearts, closed minds, blasphemy, despair, unquenchable fear, rebellion, greed, damnation...

What color do you live in? If you are in the black, COME OUT! Come on over to the bright side.

If you are in the white, beware of the black paint drippers.

If you are in the gray, take a dip in the Jordan, a dip in the Blood, and shine, snowball, shine...

1997