Returning gifts: DON'T do it to this Person!

Long lines of people in the stores, returning gift-after-gift, things that didn't fit, were the wrong color, or any of several excuses provided...simply because he/she didn't really want the gift, and plans to get something else with the refund money!

That's part of the commercialized holidays.  Returning gifts and getting cash or credit back to use as one likes.  OK, but don't try to do that with God!  "It was nice of You, God; I mean, it's the thought that counts, right?  But I really don't think this is something I can use...it doesn't fit my life.  But...thanks anyway!"

God gives us so many gifts, but we don't always appreciate them.  Yet they are the best things that He could ever let into our lives. Do you think He loves you so little or so carelessly that He'd give you something that didn't work or was of no use?

"It doesn't fit, Lord; it's the wrong size.  And I don't really like the way it looks one me."
GOD:  Don't worry.  Once you accept it, I can make all the parts mesh together so well that you'll find it was tailor-made for you.

"It's the wrong color, Lord.  This shade doesn't really show me to advantage.  Got it in another color?"
GOD: Don't worry  Once you accept it, I can sharpen your perception so that you can see it through my eyes and wonder why you ever though it wouldn't suit you.

"Um...I'm not sure if I'll ever need that...I mean, what use is it to me?"
GOD: How about asking to what use you can put it for others?  By the way, when you use the gift to help someone else, you'll find you are blessed, too.  (It's a pretty neat side-effect, if I say so Myself.)
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Here are a couple of reasons why I think we don't always appreciate God's gifts, and either ignore them or waste them...or even tell Him He must have made a mistake:

1) His gifts don't always coincide with OUR idea of what we need and want, we're wary and we tend to stick to the more familiar and "safe" side of things.  (As if being in God's hands weren't the safest place one could ever be!)

2) We don't always recognize his gifts when they come. Our human-ness makes it impossible to fully understand and perceive what God gives us and why.

When these doubts (and, yes, sometimes excuses) about what God does through, to and for us, clear up and our soul can see a little more into the heart of our loving God, then we realize that each gift is a perfect fit, is exactly the right color, and enriches our lives (and those of others) through its use.
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As we start a new year, may God help us all be more attentive to what He's doing, so we can appreciate how He makes everything "work together for good", and neither waste nor question his made-to-measure gifts. They come from a God who loves us more than we could ever imagine.

                                                   HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I Never Saw a Purple Cowry...

We were at the beach on Padre Island (Texas) and went into a gift shop.  I have always loved cowry shells, and was surprised to see some that were purple.  I've never seen a purple cowry before.  They fascinated me, so I bought a couple.

What I found out about them was most interesting.  I don't know if it is so in every species, but in the "tiger cowry", the outer shell has the typical pattern of brown and black spots. The purple layer is underneath, and in order to bring out the beautiful color of the lower layer, the shells are dipped in acid, stripping away part of the outer layer and reaching the purple.  The purple is there, and part of the shell, but it isn't visible on the surface.  An effort must be made so that the purple will show...where it can be seen and appreciated.
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Something like that happens when God wants to refine us and bring out the beauty that He is creating in each one of us. It can't always be seen on our imperfect surface - our imperfect "top layer" - so He uses testing and trials to strip away some of the top layer so that He can work on the inner layer, step-by-step revealing our "purple".

Here's another analogy to make the same point: "For You, God, tested us; You refined us like silver."  (Psalm 66:10)

I recently read of a woman who decided to talk to a silversmith and ask him about this process.  He told her he couldn't just leave the silver boiling, checking it every-once-in-a-while.  He had to keep a constant eye on the crucible, as too much heat could ruin the silver. When she asked him how he could tell that the purifying process was complete, he replied that he knew it was ready when he could see his image reflected in the silver.

We may dislike going through acid baths, so-to-speak, (or being melted in crucibles), but we must remember that when God's purifying process in us is complete, His image will be seen reflected in us. Here in this life, no one reflects His image perfectly - though some reflect more of it than others.  But that is the goal towards which God works, the goal we should all yearn for.

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."  (I Peter 5:10)

And then...your "purple" will show!

"I always put my underwear on backwards..." (Eli...who else?!)

Eli on my shoulders (Liliana on the couch and Miriam in the background).

One morning, I realized I had put my slacks on backwards.  At the dinner table, I mentioned it to the children, saying that adults sometimes get things turned around, too...not just kids.  At this, Eli (who just turned 5) exuberantly told us, with that impish, fun-loving grin of his,  "I always put my underwear on backwards...it happens every time!"  I guess that the desire to make Abuelita feel better was more important than being embarrassed himself.  Thanks, Eli!  You made us all laugh, and you did make me feel better!
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Maybe Eli's perspective should be emulated much more frequently than it is.  Even if we know that sharing something we did wrong or messed up on might make another person feel less discouraged and that someone understands, we're often too embarrassed to admit it!  (Commiserate with the other guy...but don't let on that you've done it, too!)

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 I love II Corinthians 1:4.  "He {God} comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."  It seems like some of the trials we go through have a special purpose of helping us to understand and sympathize with others...because we've been through the same thing as they.  We know how it hurts...or frustrates...or embarrasses...or makes one feel inadequate....and we know what will probably be the most helpful things to say to them or do for them.  We know how God comforted us...and we can "pass it on".

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We have spent two lovely weeks in San Antonio with Dan, KC, Noe, Micah and Eli.  For one of those weeks, Debbie and her family were here and we had Thanksgiving,  a "pre-Christmas" and a lot of activities, laughs, fun and love. (Dan's kids were thrilled, since Debbie's girls are their only cousins.  So when "the cousins" arrive, it's a special event!)   Tomorrow we fly northwards, to spend 3 1/2 weeks with Debbie, Steve, Liliana and Miriam in northern Indiana.  (We're trying to pack things as economically as possible...can't get over having to pay for the first checked bag!)
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I hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving, and rejoice in all the preparations for the celebration of Jesus' coming to Earth as Christmas draws near!

Great-grandfather? "We had none...the line failing before it had reached so far back."

In a Mark Twain novel*, the protagonist is trying to gather data for forming armies, one of them specifically for the nobility (to keep them out of other people's hair.)  He asks each candidate about his forbears. "Father?"  Then "grandfather?"...then "great-grandfather?"  When he gets to that question with one guy, the fellow explains, "We had none...the line failing before it had reached so far back".  (The interviewer gave up!)
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It's interesting how genealogies can start at either end, depending on the situation and culture.  In the Bible, the "begats" always start with the founder of the clan or tribe and work downward.  The sequence of ancestors gets named and placed as they appeared on the vertical  family timeline.  It finally ends up with the person whose line is being reported.

Nowadays, when we want to explore our lineage, we begin with ourselves and work backwards.  It's close to impossible for us to do it the historic way, since there are few records that go back so far, and there are no bards around to recite the lengthy generation-after-generation records they had memorized.
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It's fun to know what kinds of ancestors we had and where they came from,  but there's something that's much  more important to me.  That is my spiritual lineage.  As long as I know who my Father is, I have an identity.  I am part of His history, I am a member of His family.

"But You are our Father...You, O Lord, are our Father..."  (Isaiah 62:16)

"Have we not all one Father?  Did not God create us all?"  (Malachi 2:10)

""For in Him we live and move and have our being.  As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring'.  There is one body and one Spirit...one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."  (Ephesians 4:4-6)
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Tomorrow I will travel with my husband to have a much-looked-forward-to visit with our descendants.  Our two children, their spouses and their offspring are precious to us.  They "belong".  We all "belong" to our family.  But even better, we all belong to God's family...we all call Him Father!
                                            
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*A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Things that leap...and some that should (but don't always!)

Melbourne, Australia, early 1974.  Yeah, wallabies and their cousin kangaroos just amble down the streets of the city...friendly guys...HA!  Actually, we took this picture at the Melbourne Zoo, where they DO walk around, but within the confines of the zoo - which still gives them a lot of room to ramble and mingle with the visitors. 

Wallabies and kangaroos leap and hop because that's how they get to wherever they're going.  They can't do it any other way...and there's no reason to try, since their mode of locomotion works to perfection.  They were made to leap...
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and so we were!  Not in the same way, of course, or for the same reason! We can do it literally, as the lame beggar who was healed in front of the temple. "He jumped to his feet, and began to walk.  Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God."  (Acts 3:8)

But we can also do it with our soul and spirit, our inner being. Don't you sometimes feel that your heart "leaps" inside you when you hear some good news or are given a wonderful surprise?  We were made that way!  We were made to express our happiness and joy. Even when things don't seem to be going so well, there is always the Good News of what we are and can and will be through our Savior Jesus.  It can counterbalance the difficulties and draw us to the truths that make our spirits soar.  Jesus said:

"Blessed are you who are poor,  for yours is the Kingdom of God.  Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.  Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.  Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.  Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven."  (Luke 6:20-23)

I imagine that when Jesus comes back, we will be so thrilled, so bursting with wonder and supreme happiness when we see Him, that we won't be able to keep ourselves from leaping for joy! And we may find that even that just isn't enough to fully express our gratitude and amazement!

"Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.  Then will the lame leap like deer, and the tongue of the dumb shout for joy."  (Isaiah 35:5-6)  It is going to be unfathomably awesome!
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             Let your heart leap for joy...let your soul turn somersaults in grateful praise!
                                              Let your spirit dance!

              "Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: rejoice!"  (Philippians 4:4)

"I WAS BORN MODEST; NOT ALL OVER, BUT IN SPOTS."

In his humorous, satirical novel A Connecticut Yankee in Sir Arthur's Court,  Mark Twain puts these words into the mouth of his protagonist.  I think that they might be true of everybody, to a greater or lesser extent!

This photo of me (in late 1972) was taken in the house of my Aunt Marcia, Uncle Bob and six Gould cousins, down in their basement.  You might think that I was a great pool player, but...alas, the photograph gives a false impression!  You only see  what the picture seems to convey...and I could take advantage of that and let people think I was a pro...until they actually played with me, of course!  Then my lack of expertise would become obvious!  So why even try to make people think I'm something I'm not?  Yet, we all do it...maybe not "all over", but "in spots"!
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The reason is that we're all human beings.  We may not actively strive for compliments, but when they come, we certainly don't complain, do we?  Human beings like to be admired and considered "good" at what we do or are.  But at times, our lives (like this picture) give a wrong impression. As someone said, "Some people think they've hit a triple when actually they were born on third base."  It's not at all bad to be valued and admired, but we need to keep modesty as a measuring stick, and not overdo things - either way. Romans 12:3 says, "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment with the measure of faith God has given you."  Be realistic.  Thank God for the talents and gifts He has given you, for the things He's helped you accomplish...but remember from Whom they came and Who's behind them!

A story was told of King George III of England, who prohibited the clergy to compliment him in their preaching when he was present.  When one of them went against this injunction, the king reprimanded him, saying that he came to the chapel to hear the praise of God, and not his own.

The psalmist said something similar:  "Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness."  (Psalm 115:1)

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It is amazing to see the variety of talents and abilities, innate and acquired, that God has distributed among all his creatures.  But He didn't give them to us for the purpose of gaining us fame and renown! We should use them for  encouraging others, giving enjoyment, entertaining, helping those who need our particular gift...etc.  And, as we do so, let's try to "think of ourselves with sober judgment", knowing that when we put ourselves and our abilities in God's hands, He has the expertise needed to bring the most good from them, and wring the most mileage out of them!

I don't always find this easy.  Being restricted in my activities, due to my illnesses, at times it seems like I'm stuck in a corner, having to watch others go by (without me) with all their impressive doings!  I should, instead, thank God for those "impressive doings" when He uses them for His glory...and for the chance to watch Him as He weaves His tapestry of blessings.  (But I'm working on it!)

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Lord, thank You for channeling your creativity through us all...yes, ALL,  for You have given every single one of us something of value to contribute!  May we use it wisely, modestly and gratefully.





   

THE Most Prodigious Punctuator!

At 11, my sister could have been called a "prodigious punctuator"...although her specialty was commas.  She sprinkled all her writings quite lavishly with commas.  It's the first thing I think of when I see this old picture.

I had just graduated from high school, having recently turned 17, and worked for a year home-schooling (in Santo Domingo).  My sister Carol was my 6th-grade student.  (I had a 7th, and two 1sts.)  As her teacher, I was the one who corrected her homework, and was treated to the sight of all her beloved commas.  (Funny...I can't remember anything about the REST of her punctuation!)
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Can we draw an analogy from "punctuation" in our lives?  Yes...at least I think so!  There are two main applications to think about. (The first can seem a challenging responsibility, the second is an exciting and mind-boggling reality!)

 1) As believers, we are called to be careful how our words come across. Speaking like a metronome, with no pauses or expression, isn't very interesting, is it? The same is true of how our words and lives speak to others.  Are they interesting, well-timed, and "punctuated" positively?

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  (Colossians 4:6)

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."  (Ephesians 4:29)

Jesus used different things to "punctuate" His messages and ministry; for example, parables and miracles. And the disciples,  following in His footsteps and obeying His commission, "... went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them, and confirmed His Word by the signs that accompanied it."  (Mark 16:30)   We "punctuate" with our actions, too, not only our words and attitudes. 
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2)  This second facet is the most awesome and glorious.  God is THE "prodigious punctuator" extraordinaire!  He writes on our hearts: "I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people."  (quoted in Hebrews 8:10)

Even more incredibly,  it is He who writes your story and mine! When God writes your story, planning all its details, He knows exactly where to put each "comma", each "period", each "semi-colon", each "colon", each "exclamation mark"...even each "question mark"!  He knows when you need a brief pause, when you need to stop, where you need to make a slightly longer pause before continuing, where you need to take stock of  things, where you need to be amazed by Him in a special way in order to be encouraged, when you need to wonder about things...

God writes our stories from His unique, omniscient viewpoint, using His unsurpassed wisdom, crafting a story that is lavish in its use of "divine punctuation" and unparalleled creativity!  The stories reflect His immense love.  No one could ever hope to write his/her story better than the way He writes it.  (We act as though we could sometimes, don't we?  Or we try to "correct" His punctuation, arguing about where He has placed the starts and stops and pauses!)
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"For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..."  (Psalm 139:13-14)

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  (Psalm 139:16)
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Let's be thankful that our Creator is such an unimaginably clever Wordsmith, writing our stories with such skill, and punctuating them with such love, precision and assurance!            

            

Father...where are Your sons?

The needy people described in this song are all around us.

Do we see them?...and through whose eyes?

        THESE ARE THE ONES

Why do some people cry
                 way down deep inside,
in their lonely hearts,
                  in their restless minds?
In confusion they look to the "lords of the earth",
and "the blind lead the blind".

How they grope for a hand that will reach out in love,
just hoping there might be Someone above;
but their inner ear isn't tuned to hear
the gentle white Dove.

                              Father, these are the ones
                              You are longing to pick up and place in the palm of Your hand.                                                  Father, where are Your sons
                              that You're longing to send to the blind and the deaf of this land?
                              They need to know to Whom they should look,
                               to Whom they can go.

Why do some people laugh at whatever they hear,
pretend they've no cares, make believe they've no tears,
while behind every mask there are eyes filled with pain,
there are eyes filled with fear?

Let Your look melt their hearts in the fire of Your love.
Let them long to be made again through Your firm healing touch.
Your love sets them free, so at last they can see
 Whom they've needed so much.

                                      
                          Father, these are the ones
                          You will call to make music ring out 'round the throne of Your Son.
                          Father, through all Your children
                           You add every day souls that join in the heavenly Song.
                           With notes strong and true, each heart learns the tune,
                            each life blends with You.                                               
                                                                                                                   -Becky Rhon
                           
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                                   "...a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb."              (Rev. 7:9)        

           

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What a glorious future we have in our Lord!!                  

"Train up a husband-to-be in the way he should go..."

...and when he is married he will not depart from it."  That's in Proverbs somewhere, isn't it?

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I haven't found a picture of our engagement "ceremony", but this picture was taken the evening of that day.  (As close as I could get!)  Following one of the local customs (now probably obsolete, after so many years!), our "official" engagement was marked by a "ring exchange" ( cambio de aros).  We decided to have ours in church, so that Sunday, during the service, we went forward and, after a few words of explanation by the leader (including the fact that this was NOT a wedding!), we put our wedding rings on each other's hands...but on the right hand, instead of the left.  This was a sign of betrothal.  Then there was a dedication prayer.  Short and sweet!

That evening, as we were washing up the dishes in the kitchen after enjoying a family supper, some wise-guy took this picture of us!  I hope you notice the apron on Germán!  And the skirt lengths of those days...the apron I wore was longer than my skirt!
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Over the years, especially as my health grew worse and worse, my husband has become ever more and more of a helper.  These days, you won't see him in an apron, but you'll find him most every day doing the dishes for me (sometimes singing praise choruses while he's at it!)...beside numerous other things, big and small, that make daily living easier for me...and us.  I don't know what I'd do without him!

The apostle Paul said, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifice God is pleased."  (Hebrews 13:16).  Isn't it true that sometimes (often!) helping another is a sacrifice...but we do it anyway?  Germán might not necessarily enjoy washing dishes, but he does that and so much more.  He knows I need his support...and gives it to me with his love.  Husbands, did you know that the way you love and support your wives can give them glimpses into what our heavenly Bridegroom is like?

" 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church." (Ephesians 5:31,32)

I am Germán's bride...the Church is in preparation for becoming Christ's bride.  From reading what God desires of his people, I should also learn to relate to my husband.
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One day that "mystery" will be fully understood. "Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory, for the wedding of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready."  (Revelation 19:7)

I CAN'T WAIT!

The cheese that wasn't a cheese

A man out walking noticed a nice round cheese in a window display, and entered the store.  Human beings are curious, and he was no exception, so he stuck out his walking cane and gently tapped the cheese.  If anything, it should have made a dull "thump", but instead it gave a little ring.

Investigating further, the man saw that the "cheese" was actually a fake.  The store owner, so as not to have to put out a fresh cheese in the window every day, made a ceramic model, then painted it over to look like the real thing.  It looked delicious...but not even a mouse would have wanted to actually eat it.
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Several things would help one to realize that the cheese was a fake:  appearance? smell? sound?  taste?  It looked all right, but it rang instead of thumping, it didn't smell like cheese and one couldn't really taste it, as it wasn't edible!

Sometimes people's faith is like that...even those who claim to be believers.  The outward appearance may not give it away...but that's no proof.  "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.""  (I Samuel 16:7)

Our faith in God should "smell right".  "For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one {the perishing} we are the smell of death , to the other {the believers}, the fragrance of life."  (II Corinthians 2:15)

As believers we can rely on the "sound" of our faith.  "Whether you turn to the right or to the left,  your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.  (Isaiah 30:21)  Do we share the Source of that "sound" with others? 

And what about "taste"?  "How sweet are your promises to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalm 119:103)  Do we share the "taste" with others?
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The fake and the real.  It comes down to what each one produces, it's "fruit"  The fake cheese was a false promise and produced disillusionment, disappointment and unsatisfied hunger.

And that of our faith?  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22)

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May God help us to be real, not fake...producing fruit that attracts others to Him and doesn't disappoint, but offers satisfaction for the soul. As Ephesians 5 :15 says, "Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise."

42 years later...We still do!

Our 42nd anniversary!  We were married on September 22, 1973, in Santo Domingo, Ecuador.  I had always wanted a "garden wedding"...and that's what we had.

I wore my mom's wedding dress, (which she made); also her tiara.  I had also always wanted to carry white roses, and I had them, too.




For the food part of the reception, everyone just got up and walked over to the tables in another part of the yard!  Then we walked back to the benches and continued with the fun and celebration.
                                                                                                                           

Do you see the little ribbons hanging out from under the bottom tier of the cake?  It's an Ecuadorian custom.  Each ribbon had a small "charm" (like for a bracelet) figure attached to the end that was under the cake.  Each of the single girls pulled one out, eager to see who would get the one-and-only gold ring at the end of hers...as (supposedly) she would  be the next to be married.

 Following a local custom, I didn't throw my bouquet.  All the single girls gathered around, and I "raffled" it.  (The winner would be whoever guessed the number I was thinking of.)  The lucky girl in red, my "maid of love"  (equivalent of maid of honor), really WAS the next one to get married!

                                                                         

On that day, we said to each other, "I do"...42 years later, we say to each other, "I still do!"                    *****************************************************

We lift our hearts in gratitude to God for His love and grace, and for giving us to each other.  We like this passage of Scripture as a continual reminder and challenge...for the next 42 years!  It is appropriate for any relationship, not only husband-and-wife. Will you share it with us?

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have...as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."   (Colossians 3:12-17)

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If Esau had owned one of these cool things...he wouldn't have had to sell his birthright!

Esau could have left something cooking, gone out to hunt, and come home to a hot dinner!  Instead, he had to beg lentil stew from Jacob...and pay dearly for it..

My daughter and her family gave me this Wonderbag for Christmas, and I love it!  (My husband thinks it's great, too.)  You just let the food boil for 5 minutes on the stove, then place the pot in the Wonderbag, close it up...and hours later, there's a hot cooked meal ready.  It's a slow cooker, but it's not electric.  We had a power outage this afternoon, but that was no problem, since dinner was in the 'Bag.  (It would have been a problem if I had been using an electric crock pot.)  It's made of fabric and foam, and I think these are re-cycled.

The food comes out beautifully, too; ingredients don't mush together, moisture isn't lost, and when I open it up hours later, it's still very hot.  Another great reason to buy one of these (if you haven't already) is that for every one bought in the U.S. (and I assume other countries), one is donated to a woman from the African villages where cooking is done traditionally over open fires, which fill their homes with smoke and cause health problems.  With the Wonderbag, there is less deforestation, as they can use the fire only to bring the food to a boil 5 minutes, then put it into the 'Bag and forget about it while they're gone to the fields or jobs for the day.  They can come back to a smokeless house and a pot of hot food for their dinner.  It makes it easy to plan ahead.
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Of course, these weren't invented when Esau was around!  But at least he could have planned ahead and had something ready, right?  It's not as if he didn't know how to cook!  His father Isaac asked him to "..go out...and hunt some wild game for me.  prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat."  (Genesis 27: 3-4)  He must have known he'd come back from hunting all tired and hungry!
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I found this verse in Isaiah that I don't remember having read before.  Talking of what lies in store for those who oppose His people, he says "...as when a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and his hunger remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens faint, with his thirst unquenched.  So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion."  (29:8) So...they will find that their dreams of glory and conquest will remain just that: dreams.  Their hunger and thirst for these un-eternal things will always be unsatisfied.  These nations will think they have planned ahead, only to find that it was all in vain. They trust the wrong source.

It's a constant point of gratitude that we can depend on our God, our Source, to supply our needs.  "Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things."  (Psalm 107: 8-9)  And we know that it's not only physical hunger and thirst that He satisfies!

Opening our hearts to His love is like opening up the Wonderbag and breathing in the delicious aroma, the promise of a hot, tasty meal...ready to fill our souls with "good things"...ready to wrap us in His comfort and warmth!

Battles on the Bridge (a poem)

My husband and I are going through days in which we need the encouragement of this timely reminder.  It's not always easy.  But there's always HOPE when we hold His hand.   







                                      Battles on the Bridge
               
               Eternity's spotlight o'er Golgotha's ridge
               highlights Calvary's Carpenter's blood-carven bridge,

               one-and-only true access to God.  Mark it well.
              There's no other escape route from Lucifer's hell,

              so he hovers, and hassles and harries the one
              who determines to walk o'er the bridge toward the Son.

              On this bridge, oft my struggles keep feet from firm ground,
              but unbreakable guardrails protect all around.

              The path can get slippery and strewn with debris,
              but my sure-footed Savior says, "Hold on to Me."

              Should I still choose to to turn from the bridge and let go,
              I would lose by default, giving in to my foe,

              a foolishness born of discouragement's seed,
              of forgetting the victory Christ's blood guaranteed.

              For Eternity's spotlight o'er Golgotha's ridge
              highlights Calvary's Carpenter's blood-carven bridge,

              one-and-only true access to God's strength to cope.
              Why, then, quit?  My soul knows He's its sole source of hope.

              So long as my heart trusts the truth of His might,
              I've no reason to falter for fear of the fight.

              And as long as His hand heals the hurts I sustain,
              I've no reason to panic at pressure and pain.

              So, as far as the quitting before battles' done...
              don't even dare think it - God's already won!

           *************************************************************Becky Rhon

Your "fights" may differ from our (which are mainly health and ministry issues), but you, too can have HOPE when you hold His hand!

I bet God's refrigerator's never empty, Mom!

His expression says it all.  "Mom!  This is a disaster!  Where's all the food?  I'm hungry!"

At 8 months, Dan had a healthy appetite and seemed dismayed to see an empty refrigerator!  The house we rented during our years in Australia was an old one, and the fridge supplied by the landlord was an old model that had to be de-frosted and cleaned out regularly...which is what I was doing when I took this picture. (I didn't mind...appliances were way too expensive for us to get a new one at the time.)

Several years later, Dan approached me one afternoon, bent over, with his little arms clutching his tummy, and groaned, "I'm dying of hunger!"  (Actually, he said, "¡Me muero de hambre!"  because he didn't speak English yet.)  I guess he thought that adding a touch of drama would ensure a rapid response!

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For the first few years of their lives, our kids look to us when they're hungry or thirsty, with total confidence in our ability to feed them.  (They might not get exactly what they were hoping for at the moment, but they will get food.)

I've been watching news reports on the refugees crossing the Mediterranean.  It's heart-breaking to see them suffering.  It must be one of the most difficult things ever for the parents when they have to watch their little children go hungry, and not have anything to give them.  (I'd be devastated!)

Physical hunger and thirst will persist for as long as this old worlds exists.  God is aware of every person who suffers.  We don't always understand how and why things happen as they do...but He does.   Sometimes He uses us to be his hands.  Jesus describes the final judgement, and how His followers will say, "'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to eat?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.'"  (Matthew 25:37,40)

On a much higher, eternal plane are spiritual hunger and thirst.  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled."  (Matthew 5:6)

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life.  He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.'"  (John 6:35)  Like little children, we can go to Him with total confidence in his ability - and desire - to feed our souls and spirits.  (No extra "touch of drama" necessary!)
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Isn't it wonderful to know that in Heaven we won't have to worry about these things anymore?  Because there  "They will neither hunger nor thirst."  (Isaiah 49:10)  The supply of all the kinds of nourishment we may need will be never-ending, and always available!

My dream...or Yours? (Part II)

 
    I like the cannibal story in the previous post, because it shows vividly how a man's own dream can come to an end...but then he can see God's dream, His plan, gleaming with unmistakable wisdom and glorious grace.
     Here's a poem that shows a heart going through the death of a dream...and then witnessing the birth of one so much better...so much safer...so much wiser...so perfect.


                              My Dream, Your Dream    

                  At times, a dream's brightest hour
                  shines little beyond the moment of conception,
                  for as I work towards my goal,
                  striving to bend and shape,
                  pushing circumstances and people to fit my perception,
                  the dream starts to crack...it splits...then bursts.
                  The brightness fades into a "broken dream".
                              Hope breaks with it.
                              Self is disconsolate.
                  I thought me so right!...and yet,
                  we didn't make it, my dream and I,
                  and it creeps away, licking its wounds,
                  to sulk...and then to die.

                             BUT this is the shining moment of Your dream, Lord:
                             the moment my dream fails.
                             Is it because then You can work,
                             unimpeded by my "bending and shaping",
                             by my puny, pale perception?
                             For in your hands I see a dream start to coalesce...
                             it pulls itself together...and bursts into brilliant perfection!
                             Your glory flares around your dream...fulfilled!
                                        And I marvel...How infinitely wiser than mine!
                                        And I wonder...How often my Self makes me blind!
                                        And I pray,
                                        (as your understanding seeps through to me, and assures),
                                        "Lord, let this ever be MY dream: to be a part of YOURS."
                   *********************************************************     ---Becky Rhon


The psalmist gives us a "mirror" showing what might go through our thoughts and heart...and I think it's an appropriate prayer for when I give up my own dream, and become a part of His.

        "I am laid low in the dust;
        renew my life according to your word.
        I recounted my ways and You answered me;
        teach me your decrees.
        Let me understand the teachings of your precepts;
        then I will meditate on your wonders.
        My soul is weary with sorrow;
        strengthen me according to your word.
        Keep me from deceitful ways;
        be gracious to me through your law.
        I have chosen the way of truth;
        I have set my heart on your laws.
        I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord;
        do not let me be put to shame.
        I run in the path of your commands,
        for You have set my heart free."
                                                           (Psalm 119: 25-32)

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Isaiah 32:8 says, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"  It may mean walking away from my dream, but "the way" will lead me to His dream. 

God is always ready to reach His arms out to us and pull us into His embrace...and into His dreams!
 

My favorite "cannibal story". (My dream...or Yours? Part I)

One of my favorite missionary/cannibal stories tells of a tribe which no outsiders had been able to reach out to, because anyone who tried to establish contact with the people ended up on the tribal menu for the day.  No one had survived.

Along came a young man who declared his intention of going to this group, with the same desire that the ones before him had cherished, to give them the Good News of God's love.  Would he end up in the same stew as the others had?  He was not to be dissuaded, so his family and friends saw him off with great trepidation.

He located the tribe...and the people immediately grabbed hold of him, with the obvious intention of taking him to the feast...as part of the entree.

But he managed to get their attention and indicate that maybe they should taste him first, to see if he was palatable or not.  It seemed a good idea, so tribesmen gathered around as the young man lifted his pant leg and gouged out a piece of his leg with a penknife.

He held out the chunk of his leg...the chief bit into it...and quickly spat it out. It tasted terrible!  The consensus was that it wasn't worth killing and eating this white man, as he would not make good eating at all.  Thus the man was able to stay in the tribe, and soon he had established friendships and little by little was able to introduce them to his Lord.

Had he any idea that this would happen when, years before, he had unfortunately lost one of his legs?  At that moment, it must have been a crushing event, probably ruining his dreams of living a normal life.  A wooden leg!  It changed his life forever...but it also was instrumental in changing the lives of a tribe of cannibals.  The piece of leg he had handed the chief was taken from that wooden leg, so of course it tasted awful!  God knew exactly what He was doing in allowing what had seemed a tragedy at the time: the loss of the young man's leg.
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Jeremiah wrote: "I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps."  (10:23)  That doesn't mean that we're to have a fatalistic attitude, and shuffle zombie-like through life as if nothing we could do would make any difference anyway!  It does let us know that to try to manage our lives by our own criteria and plan our steps according to our own ideas is not the way that works best...it is not a trustworthy formula...it is not the ideal!  It's never worth it in the end.

We sure try, though, don't we?!  Managing our own lives, planning our own steps?  I think it's a very good thing that God sometimes overrides us!  We look back and think, "Thank you so much, Lord, for not letting me get away with that!" or  "Thank You for throwing a wrench into that particular plan of mine, because if You hadn't...I'd be in a mess!"

So our best bet, by far, is to make sure our lives belong to God and that He directs our steps.  (Quite a challenge, imperfect as we are!) His presence at our side is paramount.  The psalmist said, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere." (Psalm 84:10)  His way is always better...always!
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Next week, I will share a poem with you that describes what can happen when my dream dies...and His dream is born.    Join me for Part II!


 

On asking and receiving...or not. (Nice try, Eli!)

During Dan's visit with his family, our four-year-old grandson Eli found many occasions to make us laugh...sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. He often has a big grin on his face (like in this picture) and his joy can be contagious.
Riding around in the chartered vans could be tedious, but he (and all the kids) handled it well, and he didn't always let it hamper his humor.

One afternoon we headed for the "mini Otavalo", a little market with stalls offering the same native artisans' handiwork as the big one a couple of hours to the north. 

Dan needed to get some more cash, so we stopped near an ATM on the way.  Shortly after Dan got out of the car, Eli suddenly wailed, "I have to go to the ATM machine, too...I don't have any dollars!" When Dan got back, he told Eli, "I'll give you a dollar...I'll give you two dollars." Eli studied the offer for a moment, smartly reversed the lessons on bargaining they had received, and countered, How about...ten dollars?"
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Remembering it with a smile, I've been thinking on how God sees us when we ask for things.  I bet He'd be delighted if we upped and expanded our requests!  After all, "{He}...is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."  (Ephesians 3:20)

"...for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."  (Matthew 6:8)  I wonder if sometimes, although He already knows what our request is, He waits to see how we're going to ask Him for it.  With confidence in His power...with trust in His love for us...or with apologies...only the minimum, so as not to bother Him...with a sigh and an "I guess it can't hurt to ask" attitude...(or with a touch of "innocent" impertinence -  like Eli, who knew he might be pushing it!)?

God knows when we ask for things without fully understanding the implications. When a couple of His disciples asked for special positions in the Kingdom, Jesus replied, "You don't know what you are asking." (Mark 10:38)  Like the disciples, we aren't always aware of what the granting of our request could cost us...so God graciously doesn't give it to us!

Another factor:  "You do not have, because you do not ask God.  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:2,3)

So we should be eternally grateful to God for the wisdom He shows in granting...or not granting...our requests!  "This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him."  (I John 5:14,15)  But I don't always know if what I ask for is "according to his will"!  How about you?  Maybe we just need to present our requests, as honestly and sincerely as we can...then wait and see how He answers them.  In the very way He answers ("yes", "no", "later", etc.), we might  be able to discern whether or not what we asked for was, indeed, "according to his will."

But wait...look at what God assures us in Romans 8:26-27!  "We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Being finite and human, we don't always know...but the Spirit of God does! What a blessed relief!  What an awesome "safety net"!
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The way You put everything into perspective...the way You use your omniscience to safeguard us...the way You care about what You give us...reflect your awesome love for us. Thank You!

Weird, funny, illogical laws...and they're still on the books! (Check them out.)

The first night in Papallacta, we cozied up with kids and grandkids, watching "The Three Amigos".  Superbly funny!
The second night the kids and I cozied up again. Germán, in the bedroom below us, heard our hilarity.  Later, when I went down, he smiled and said, "You've been holding a circus up there!"  Noe, Micah, Eli and I had snuggled into the sofas for a laugh fest, while their parents listened in.

What were we doing that caused such mirth?  Well, I have a book* that lists a large number of "blue laws", laws from long ago that, although irrelevant now, are still on the books officially. So we decided to read parts of it. Some of them are just funny, some hilarious, some completely illogical!  On many, we wondered why in the world they needed a certain law; for example, "A horse is not allowed to eat a fire hydrant in ___."  (Had one tried to eat a hydrant before?  Or had they been made of oats?)  Some were amusing, but easy to understand, like "If you are riding through ___, your horse had better be wearing diapers."

Some of the laws seemed to be rather biased, and unfair, like: "It is against the law to ride down the street on an ugly horse in ___." Or "If a frog's croaking keeps you awake at night in ___ you can have the frog arrested." (Poor frog!)  How about: "A husband cannot kick his wife out of bed in ____ , even if her feet are cold; however, a wife can kick her husband out of bed without provocation."  Then there's this one:  "A ___ law forbids housewives to break more than three dishes a day." (Some of us are, by nature, butterfingers.)  How about: "You may not sleep in a refrigerator if you are in __."  (Maybe it's a really hot night!)  And "The only game you are allowed to shoot from a moving car in Tennessee is whales."

A couple of laws regarding the justice system: "In the state of ___ it is illegal to require a dead person to serve on a jury."   This case is delightful: "A lawyer in ___ asked a criminal court judge for permission to call in a psychiatrist to examine a jury member in a robbery case.  The request was denied because there is no statutory requirement that a juror be sane." 


Then there are the illogical ones that make one question what the legislators had been drinking.  Try this: "When two trains approach each other at a crossing, both shall come to a full stop and neither shall start up again until the other has gone." Or "Residents in ___ are required to fill bathtubs and unplug them simultaneously."  And "Boarding a plane in ___ when it's in flight is illegal."

One of my favorites:  "___ passed a law in 1936 stating that a dogcatcher must notify dogs of impounding by posting a notice for three consecutive days on a tree in the city park and along a public road running through the park." ( Do they propose literacy programs for the dogs so they can read the notices?)

Just a couple of chicken laws:  "Hens in ___ cannot lay eggs before 8 a.m. or after 4 p.m."  And "In ___ , it's illegal for a chicken to cross the road."  (Sort of messes up the riddle...)

Finally, a couple that make one wonder:  "If you live in the state of ___ , you can grow as tall as you want."  (What a relief!)  And "It's against the law in ___ to do anything that's against the law."  (Duh!)                                   *****************************************

I've been thinking about God's laws, which are never biased, illogical, irrelevant or unfair. Man-made laws can be all of that, besides absolutely ludicrous at times.  (I wonder what God thinks of all those blue  laws?  Maybe He laughs right along with us!)  And He has a reason, a very good reason, for every single law that He's placed in the working of the universe, in our world and in our lives.  His make sense all of the time...maybe we don't always understand them, but that doesn't mean they aren't logical and fair...even beneficial!!

The psalmist said, "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.  The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart.  The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes."  (Psalm 119:7,8)

If His love so permeates His laws, I'd say our best response would be, "Open my eyes that I may see the wonderful things in your law."  (Psalm 119:18)  What do you think?

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*Wacky Laws, Weird Decisions and Strange Statutes (Sheryl Lindsell-Roberts, K.R. Hobbie, Ted LeValliant & Marcell Theroux)     (emphases mine)

Somebody tell Cinderella...

My husband and I used to go to one of the municipal parks every Saturday afternoon to walk through the forests, getting some exercise and having a chance to just be together and relax.  (We had to stop when my synovitis became too much to walk very far.)  At the entrance to where we would drive in, there is a lovely playground, full of marvelous things to climb, to fall off of, to run around on, to whirl on, to exercise on...all spread over a large hilly expanse. (This picture shows only a small part of it.) I would look at that every time we passed...and dream. "Our grandkids would love this! How I wish we could bring them here!"  It looked so empty to me, even when there were other children there.

So when Dan and KC and their kids, came down a little over a week ago, I was so happy when, the very next day, it was possible to bring them out to the park.

Noe (9), Micah (7) and Eli (4) loved it!  And so did I, because my dream had come true!  I sat and watched them expend tremendous amounts of energy, in spite of the high elevation of Quito, just in having so much fun.  On one thing (don't know what it's called), Micah had his mom climb up to the top with him, and told her that the idea was to "get to the top, then try not to fall off!"  A good plan, said KC!

We still have another week-and-a-half or so with them here, (I didn't have time to write a post last week), and are looking forward to enjoying more time together as we prepare to continue our travels around the country to one more special Ecuadorian town (Mindo).  Then we'll have some time here in Quito, before they return to the States, and Micah has already stated that he hopes they can go back to the park!  (Some friends of theirs have come for part of the trip, and he wants to take their kids there, to share the experience.)

But even after they return to the States, the park won't seem empty anymore. It will just be waiting for them, for the next time they come down...hopefully with their cousins (Debbie's children, Liliana and Miriam) to help them have fun!
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With a God like ours, we don't have to "fly over the rainbow", Cinderella!  We don't have to wonder about the "land that I heard of" where dreams can come true.  The psalmist, knowing the loving heart of God, wrote:
                           "All my longings lie open before You, O Lord..." (38:9)
                            "May He give you the desire of your heart..." (20:4)
                       
Our dreams can come true here on Earth, because God is awesome!  Aware of what we need, aware of what we want...aware of what's best for us.  Jesus said, "If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!"  (Matthew 7:11)
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THANK YOU, FATHER, FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS, FOR THOSE GOOD GIFTS!