Rhonda Bronte Brown is a National Board-Certified Teacher and retired teacher/counselor whose work has appeared in Better Than Starbucks, The Trouvaille Review, Meat for Tea, The Orchards Poetry Journal and The Best Haiku 2025 international anthology and several online journals. She holds both a BS and a Master’s degree and writes children’s literature and poetry exploring nature, SEL, and STEM.
In today’s world one’s voice can get caught up in many types of whirlwinds, instead of the stillness of God’s spirit. I am guilty of being politically stirred, seething over general and personal attacks over my Christian beliefs and taking offense at the vitriol of people who have a great disdain for the gospel. Jesus did say they hated him first.
I lived in a bubble where it’s okay to disagree as long as we were civil. But that bubble was a lie to lull me into a state of safety to think freedom to worship was intact, and a right to disagree was viable.
It is time for me to pop all bubble and breathe in the freshness of God’s Word. We are at war with this world but God said not to fret because of evildoers. Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass. Ps 37:1. This season seems long, I saw a need for change with Ross Perot. This verse is not a reason to step into another bubble but to gain a fresh perspective of the trouble times or season we live in. Intake the freshness of God’s Word daily to find rest for what troubles your soul. Be ready!
In the turmoil of the world’s wind, God says in Isaiah 30:15, “In repentance and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength. Is 30:15. (I’ll have to say this verse reminds me of Ben Carson.) I may not understand the turmoil of this world but I can gain a fresh new perspective daily with Jesus. Whatever type of season, it is God who prepares the heart for salvation.
An obvious point of view : It was never about President Trump. It was about a stolen election, a constantly and consistently lying press, vitriol against the Constitution, and the right to keep this country based on Judea-Christian values. Without this plumb line, this country steers without a rudder. Never once did these elected officials seek the truth, nor the media search for the root of corruption. You think turning hollywood back on is going to lull the minds of Americans, not for the woke. I turned off cable a long time ago, I work to find viable news sources. I put my trust in you, Tom Cotton to speak up for us. Don’t let us down! How many people this summer died and had their lives destroyed by antifa, marxist press refusing to cover the violence, silence from elected officials and now you speak out. We, the people, have never tolerated violence, we want the truth revealed against obvious fraud in the election process and those guilty prosecuted.
Post by Dave Ramsey “This morning, I realized that everything is about to change. No matter how I vote, no matter what I say, lives are never going to be the same. I have been confused by the hostility of family and friends. I look at people I have known all my life so hate-filled that they agree with opinions they would never express as their own. I think that I may well have entered the Twilight Zone. You can’t justify this insanity. We have become a nation that has lost its collective mind. We see other countries going Socialist and collapsing, but it seems like a great plan to us. Somehow it’s un-American for the census to count how many Americans are in America. People who say there is no such thing as a gender are demanding a female President. Universities that advocate equality, discriminate against Asian-Americans in favor of African-Americans. Some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, and other people are not held responsible for what they are doing right now. Criminals are caught-and-released to hurt more people, but stopping them is bad because it’s a violation of THEIR rights. People who have never owned slaves should pay slavery reparations to people who have never been slaves. After legislating gender, if a dude pretends to be a woman, you are required to pretend with him. It was cool for Joe Biden to “blackmail” the President of Ukraine, but it’s an impeachable offense if Donald Trump inquiries about it. People who have never been to college should pay the debts of college students who took out huge loans for their degrees. Immigrants with tuberculosis and polio are welcome, but you’d better be able to prove your dog is vaccinated. Irish doctors and German engineers who want to immigrate to the US must go through a rigorous vetting process, but any illiterate gang-bangers who jump the southern fence are welcomed.$5 billion for border security is too expensive, but $1.5 trillion for “free” health care is not. If you cheat to get into college you go to prison, but if you cheat to get into the country you go to college for free. And, pointing out all this hypocrisy somehow makes us “racists”! Nothing makes sense anymore, no values, no morals, no civility, and people are dying of a Chinese virus, but it is racist to refer to it as Chinese even though it began in China. We are clearly living in an upside-down world where right is wrong and wrong is right, where moral is immoral and immoral is moral, where good is evil and evil is good, where killing murderers is wrong, but killing innocent babies is right. Wake up America. The great unsinkable ship Titanic America has hit an iceberg is taking on water and sinking fast.”
Rhonda Brown: I will add in the 60’s and 70’s Christianity was attacked and dismissed on a scientific basis. Evolution Theory vs Creationism, just remember a theory is not fact. Today, we are told to throw science for non-genderism.
Without a plumb line for truth, we sail a rudderless ship. “Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of my people. I will spare them no longer.” Amos 7:8
It was Christmas four years ago, and my mom came to live with me as she prepared for assisted living. She leaves her home of forty years, not wanting to be here. Soon, I realized she was not ready for assisted living. I spent Christmas Eve with her at the assisted living home. She has sundowners; the room is blazing hot and unfamiliar. We sleep, finally, I think. She’s up, and I’m startled; she falls. Nothing is broken, but she hurts. Off to the hospital, she is in pain, her COPD kicks in, and her rheumatic heart flutters, but she is stable. We had a wonderful Christmas dinner the next day. It was baked chicken, a warm roll, and creamed potatoes. It was her last meal, and we had it together. Three weeks later, she died with me there. She was ready.
It was Christmas three years ago; my husband and I enjoyed a Christmas with each other. My son moved to South Korea to teach English, and my daughter, grandson, and her new husband move to Denver.
It was Christmas a year ago, my husband broke both legs in October, and his mother is in the nursing home, dying. I spend my days taking care of him. When he is settled, I relieve his sister. I arrived around seven. It is quiet in the nursing home as nurses check on patience and give the last round of medicine. I help the nurse turn Nana. Nana had a mini-stroke a few days before Christmas. When it was still for the evening, I’d sing old church hymns. She is not improving. She dies with me there.
It is Christmas this year. Our pastor’s wife died with Covid related issues. Their daughter is still in the ICU. She is finally improving. My best friend’s father died two days ago. His graveside services are Sunday. I have lost family and friends this year over political issues. Because I stand against abortion, alternative lifestyles, and two genders only, and I am judged or seen as unfit. God’s word is true for everyone. Jesus is the plumb line. “Behold I am about to put a plumb line in the midst of My people…” Amos 7:8 God may be pruning the branches and removing the dead and chaff from my life. Sadness is a part of loss, but hope always springs eternal.
The New Year will start. My son and his new wife will visit us from South Korea. Their reception is in February. Hope, faith, and love will remain in every season, as will our memories. New beginnings intertwine in our life as some leave us and others join in.
A mind free to think will imagine, reason and then decide to act.
R L Brown
Photo by R. L. Brown Moss Mountain, AR
Welcome to my page!
Hi, I’m Rhonda a mom, grandmother, retired teacher, storyteller, and writer. Storytelling is a natural way to teach. Jesus often told parables as a way to get His message across to the most severe critics. My new passions include writing picture books, maintaining a blog, traveling, photography, DAR, and politics. Thanks for visiting!
About Me
Expertise
M.S. School Counseling UCA, Conway, AR
Bachelor of Science Family Life & Environment/ Social Work LSU, Baton Rouge, LA
National Board-Certified Teacher, 2007
FCCLA Master Advisor Award 2006-2007
The National Scholars Honor Society
“Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers”
What Did I DO
Certified in Vocational Family & Consumer Science and Career Orientation/Career Development and Guidance & Counseling/-Valid to 2023/26 years of teaching experience.
Plan and instruct each subject area using a variety of teaching aids and implementing motivational strategies to engage students in active learning.
Key Qualifications
Certified in 3 areas: FACS/Career Development, Guidance, and Counseling. Current AR Teaching Certificate, Highly Qualified Teacher
Job Experience
Elementary Counselor-4 years-Mount Vernon/Enola Elementary-K-6th grades, Enola, AR
Middle School Teacher- 11 years- 7th and 8th grade at Lakewood Middle School NLR, AR CTE/FACS
Monticello High School Teacher-11-years- 9th -12th grades-Monticello High School, Monticello, AR
As a teacher, I sought to teach my students skills such as independence, self-motivation, examining issues, separating facts from inferences, research, knowing the truth, contemplating, and then deciding how to proceed.
Gratefulness is a state of mind sometimes for me. By Jesus’s death on the cross and his resurrection, my salvation is secure. I’m totally accepted, approved of, and love by the heavenly Father. I’m grateful that God doesn’t give up on me even when I do. Faith even the size of a mustard seed can overcome mountains of self-doubt, loss of family, and associated pain. Faith breaks mountains and quietens the soul. The Father’s love provides light of understanding in the depth of darkness to help guide our way. To find significance and gratefulness, just the tiniest particle of faith is needed. Even though Thanksgiving was with just my husband, no kids or grandkids to visit, I’m grateful for my family, for my church family and friends that every day add value to my life. I’m new to blogging, new to setting up a blog site, new to creating a space inviting to visit. I will admit this site is not that inviting, yet. But to join the Five-minute Friday blog, I must have a site. This is my second attempt at creating a site. Hopefully, in the future, this site will reflect more of me. This is my first attempt at painting too! Gratefully for a talented instructor and a friend to encourage me to come along. This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up!
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