Just Keeping It Real

By Claudia Harris

This book is a culmination of a lifetime of Christian experience (81 years).

The book is ad-lib and all over the place—symbolic of a hodgepodge
or a bowl of minestrone soup. It’s a little bit of everything. Hopefully,
you will get the essence of what is written. There are many different
beliefs and religions in the world. This book is written in respect
to all.

Everyone has a story!

I want to go to Heaven and rest.
Down here I’ve done my best.
Been through trials and stood my test;
I want to go to Heaven and rest!
Author: Unknown

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665559980

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© 2022 Claudia Harris. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/17/2022

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5999-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5998-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022909119

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 Ad-Libbing

Chapter 2 The Family of God

Chapter 3 The Sin Nature

Chapter 4 A Different Way

Chapter 5 The Bible

Chapter 6 The Temple of God

Chapter 7 Team Players

Chapter 8 Financial Blessings versus Spiritual Blessings

Chapter 9 Record Keepers

Chapter 10 Persecution

Chapter 11 Free Giveaway

About the Author

In memory of my loving parents,

Reverend and Mrs. Price Harris.

This book is written with respect to all, regardless to religion or faith. It is written with respect to believers, unbelievers, and atheist. It is not written to offend, influence, or teach.

All Bible quotations have been taken from the original King James Version.

INTRODUCTION

The book is ad-lib and all over the place—symbolic of a hodgepodge or a bowl of minestrone soup. It’s a little bit of everything. Hopefully, you will get the essence of what is written. There are many different beliefs and religions in the world, and this book is written in respect to all. The book is not written to offend, persuade, or teach.

My love and my calling have always leaned toward the homeless and those who have fallen by the wayside—the downtrodden. My heart is in street ministry. There are a lot of great people out there who have fallen, and I have heard many stories. It can happen to any of us, and it can happen overnight. My dad often said, Just keep living.

This book is a culmination of a lifetime of Christian experience.

Religion and the church have been my lifeline. My dad was a pastor, and from early childhood, religion was our way of life. The book is not my own; it is a work that God assigned to me!

It is titled, Keeping It Real. There is nothing fake or false about me. There are no facades. I am plainspoken—direct! I am making it plain in a humorous way. God has a sense of humor, and a little laugh is sometimes good for the soul! A merry heart doeth good like a medicine (Prov. 17:22).

The hymns used throughout the book are not my own. They are priceless treasures left behind by the old saints (testimonies), and if you take time to meditate on their messages, you will be uplifted. They are in the public domain and free to use, as are the two Robert Frost poems.

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns … and making melody in your Heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19).

I enjoy traveling and have been blessed to have traveled to several countries as well as many states here in America. God is good! My favorite modes of travel are bus and train. The bus is preferable but not as comfortable, especially in today’s world due to overcrowding. Also, the wait times between destinations can be rather long. I enjoy being around travelers. To me, it’s fun and enjoyable. I usually call my trips hobo trips because I always take along a bag of food (peanut butter and jelly) as well as a washcloth, soap, changes of clothes, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant—only the necessities of life, and that which keeps me odorless.

Not only do I travel like a hobo, I sometimes look like one. Some in my circle call me the bag lady because I always carry one. I don’t carry the long stick with the bag tied around it like you see in old hobo pictures, but I come close. I have never been into fashion. I believe in dressing the inner man or woman. All that I need for travel is a ticket. Have ticket; will travel!

Some in my circle also think that I am a little looney, and sometimes I talk to myself. (I’m OK.) Some even say that I am ignorant, but God knows my name. I have been grounded for some time, so I had been thinking to myself that it was about time for me to get on the road and take a hobo trip. I could have sworn on a stack of Bibles that I heard the Greyhound bus calling my name and saying, Hey, Claudia. You haven’t been to New Orleans yet, and we haven’t seen you around lately. I know that sounds a little looney.

I was trying to scrape up a little money so I could buy a ticket before responding; however, I heard another voice call to me. (It was a battle of the mind.) This time, the voice was different. It sounded like my heavenly Father calling my name. I said to myself, Oh, Lord, that sounds like you. Sometimes it is difficult distinguishing between the two voices. He knew that I was contemplating taking a hobo trip—after all, parents know their children.

He said: You ain’t going nowhere. You got work to do! I got an assignment for you. (The assignment was this book.)

My response was: "I thought that was Greyhound calling my name.

But he said: That wasn’t Greyhound calling you. That was me!

I responded by explaining that if I had to use my ticket money for this assignment by paying for self-publishing, he would be getting a free ride. You are using me! His response was—Do it! I will pay you when you get home. (He meant with a heavenly reward.)

I also mentioned the fact that some think I am ignorant, but he responded, Good. Now I will get the honor and the glory—all honor belongs to me! Just keep it real.

Sometimes I am a little hardheaded, so I kept my normal pace by going to the gym every day, which was also using up a lot of his time. He sent eleven inches of snow, which grounded me for practically a week, and I had no choice but to work on this book because I couldn’t go anywhere.

So here it is. Just keeping it real!

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark,

The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light."

— Socrates

A Child of the King

Hattie E. Buell (1877)

My father is rich in houses and land,

He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!

Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,

His coffers are full, He has riches untold.

My Father’s own Son, the Savior of men,

Once wandered on earth as the poorest of them.

But now He is reigning forever on high,

And will give me a home in heav’n by and by.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care?

They’re building a palace for me over there.

Though exiled from home, yet still may I sing:

All glory to God, I’m a child of the King. (Refrain)

CHAPTER 1

Ad-Libbing

The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

There has been much spiritual growth in my life, and I am in a new place. I was born and raised in a Christian home. Church and religion were (and still are) my life and lifeline. I was raised in a small rural community with limited exposure.

Through employment, I was removed from those familiar surroundings and given the opportunity to travel to other countries. It was a door that only God could open. The exposure to other cultures and the many people I have met along the way has given me a much broader perspective on life. As Mark Twain once said, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one corner of the earth all one’s lifetime."

A house or mansion viewed from the ground may appear large and beautiful, but when viewed from the sky, it would appear very, very small, if it were seen at all. Symbolically, what may be great or superb in a small setting may be of little significance in a larger one. There is a big world out there! For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself (Gal. 6:3).

Exposure is humbling. It teaches you how little you know. There are a lot of great minds, and no matter how smart you are, there is always someone smarter. To help people, you must be above them emotionally.

Two sick people are of no benefit to each other. Someone must be well to be of assistance. If someone hits you and you hit back, that fight could go on indefinitely. Someone must be the bigger person and walk away. That is spiritual maturity.

My view of