"The Steps You Took, I Take" - a Christmas Poem

               

Merry Christmas, Everyone!  Isn't this picture  touching?  Joseph wondering over the new Baby while his young wife rests after an exhausting labor and delivery...a much more realistic portrait than the typical Nativity scene!
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Now go back in Time with me...
         


                                 The Steps You Took, I Take 


                               How rich am I to have your Book!
                                that follows all the steps You took

                                to show your love and let us trace
                                the depth of your amazing Grace!

                                (Before the world, Time un-begun,
                                the Lamb was slain, Death left un-done.)

                                I hear the shout the angels raise
                                and run to hold the Babe they praise;

                                seek You with Magi, full-aware
                                that it's your Star that leads us there.

                                I listen in as You spellbind
                                the Temple teachers with your mind;

                                then join the Twelve You called apart
                                to learn the secrets of your heart.

                                I vow to own the One I know
                                and never fear the rooster's crow;

                                then stand with Mary, as hearts break,
                                and feel darkened Golgotha quake...

                                ...now spread the wonder - hope anew!
                                Your tomb's unsealed, your words come true!

                                Through your life, my new life's begun;
                                now You and I walk on as one.

                                And, though much to come is still un-penned,
                                You've told me how The Story ends!

                                                                                               (Becky Rhon)
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May you all have a wonderful, joy-filled Christmas, and be filled with strength and passion to continue into the New Year, as you "walk on as one" with The Child...our Teacher...our Savior...our Friend!
                                                                       
                                                                             

Limes, lemons and saints! (a kitchen tip, plus...)

All of the limes in the photo were bought at the same time. But the ones in my left hand, which were left out on the counter, are shriveled and brown, while the rest...are fresh and still bright green, after several weeks!  Why?

I found a great way to help lemons and limes have a much longer life!

All you need to do is put the dry limes or lemons in a dry glass jar and screw on the top...then stick it in the fridge.  When I first saw this tip, I wondered about it.  But, since I don't use a lot of limes, and my supermarket only sells them in mesh bags with 15 or so per bag, it was worth a try.  And it definitely worked!
                                         
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Looking at the jar of limes in the fridge the other day, I was struck by the "object lesson" it gave.  Jesus' disciples remained a part of this world, of society, visible to all...but He knew there were dangers, and asked his Father to protect them.

"I'm not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from Satan's power."  (John 17:15)

And the limes?  If I'd put them in the fridge unprotected, even in the crisper drawer,  they would have shriveled up and turned  brown more quickly (though maybe more slowly than out  on the counter).

When  I put them in a closed jar, they can still be in the fridge, (visible through the glass jar), part of the whole culinary scene, yet protected by the glass from the drying-out effect of the fridge, giving them a longer, more "fruitful" life, and delaying (by a lot) the decaying process.

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As long as we have to live here on Earth, we can take to heart the words Jesus prayed on our behalf, asking the Father to protect us from the Enemy who looks to "dry us out", cut short our productiveness and induce spiritual decay. The psalmist also weighed in:

"He will cover you with his feathers, He will shelter you with his wings.  His faithful promises are your armor and protection."  (Psalm 91:4)

 And here is one of those promises:

                                        "The Lord is faithful;
                                     and He will strengthen you
                                and protect you from the evil one."   (II Thessalonians 3:3)

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                                            Thank You, Father!

Is "Bibli-idolator" even a word?

I decided to check the Internet to see how a certain preacher is "rated", as far as sticking to the Bible is concerned.

Among other things, I found one of those forums, where people can leave their views and comments.  One fellow, obviously not a fan of this preacher, astonished me with his reasoning, on two points.
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Here's a synthesis of what he wrote:

1) This preacher is false because he believes in the Trinity...and the Trinity (according to the writer) is the heart of paganism!  Besides, it's satanic!  (He then sort of confuses things by saying that "it's not that anyone's going to Hell for believing in the Trinity, but it's the first step for going there."!)

2) This preacher is false because he is such an obvious "Bibli-idolator".  (That's the closest I can get to his term in Spanish.)  The writer "proves" it by pointing out that the preacher has "an excessive love of the Bible". After telling us the dangers of this, he adds "We must not give the Bible priority over common sense, since the latter is God's intelligence here and now."
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Wow!  He obviously doesn't know much about the Bible!  If  you ever come across someone with these off-base theories, here are some verses with which to counter, and in which to find comfort.

1) "For through Him {Jesus, the Son} we have access to the Father by the Holy Spirit."  (Ephesians 2:18) It's clear that there are three separate persons, each with his own part.

"For there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father,, the Word {Jesus, the Son}, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one."  (I John 5:7) It couldn't be clearer!
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2)  Was the psalmist a false believer?  Of course not!  He wrote:  "I have thoroughly tested your promises and that is why I love them so much."  (Psalm 119:140)

Psalm 1:2 says the person is blessed "whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on it day and night."

When God was beginning to compile the Scriptures, through Moses, He went into detail about how important His word was, issuing them these commands:

"Impress them on your children...Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road...when you lie down and when you get up...Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them to your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."  (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)  In other words, maintain the Word of God as closely intertwined with your lives as possible.
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Thank You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for the awesome job You did of letting us know so much about You and explaining what we need to know to follow and love You - in your Word, superior - by far!! - to our limited human thoughts and reasoning...and without which we would be lost!

                                                   Lord, You are amazing!

To sing in Tsáfiki again!

After five long months, we finally were able to return to the Tsachi church in Cóngoma.  One of the most important things we took was a new keyboard!  The Tsachi church leader's wife Tserere - in the picture with me and two grandkids - hasn't played for a long time, but was remembering bits and pieces as she ran her fingers over the keys.  (My mom had found a way to write the melody without using notes on staves, as usual.  I finally found another possible way, so we're working to see if that will do the trick; if it does, I'll prepare her a notebook with the choruses and their "music".)

They have been singing only in Spanish (I'm not sure why), as there is a "white" family that goes to help out, and they lead the singing.  We are hopeful that having a keyboard, with Tserere playing, they can enjoy praising God in their own language again.

We asked César, a believer from another Tsachi church, to come and play the keyboard and lead some choruses in Tsáfiki.  It was wonderful!!  I know you can't really see him up front in this photo, but you can get an idea of the church.  The blue writing on the front wall is its name: "Christ Jesus Lord".  Directly to its right you can faintly see a rectangle...that's the framed verse that I crafted for my Dad 46 years ago, that I donated.

César gave a lovely testimony that I'm sure encouraged the Cóngoma church to look forward to making singing in their own language an important part of their worship again.  He said he had awoken that morning feeling discouraged, but in church he entered into the singing and his spirits lifted.  He said singing to the Lord was medicine for his heart! When I thanked him for coming, he said he might come over to the Cóngoma church to help out with the music sometimes. Until Tserere gets the music down, that would be great!

Germán gave a really good message, and it was heartening to see the attention given to the teachings from God's Word!  After the service, we pushed all the chairs to the side, as usual, and prepared for the refreshments.  I like to take different flavored cakes on each visit - this time it was pumpkin!
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Thank you to all who were praying for this last weekend!  As you can see in the top photo, I was wearing a native skirt.  I had to do some adjusting, because they don't curve the same way we do!  But I think I ended up looking a bit old-fashioned!  Growing up, I was used to the ladies usually wearing their skirts below the knee.  Nowadays, as in Tserere's case, for example, they wear them shorter.  (Oh well!)

We are so grateful to God, knowing that our brothers and sisters in this indigenous church will be able to put this verse into action - in their own language:

             "...speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord."    (Ephesians 5:19)     

44 years ago...the final of three! And the beginning...

A gift from my husband's heart:

"Happy Anniversary to my wonderful, loving wife of 44 years.  It's been a great journey of ups and downs, in which God has blessed us and always been faithful, and filled our lives with a beautiful family."
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This photo captures the stirring moments when Germán's niece Alma (one of my bridesmaids) recited a compilation of Bible verses about love (put together by my mom). Alma's delivery of the poetical words was inspiring and arresting, to such a point that my grandparents Moore, who had flown down for the wedding, had tears in their eyes...and they didn't understand Spanish!
                                         Thank you once more, Almita!

In the photo above you can see my parents(just barely) to the left; Rosita, the young lady in red, was my "maid of love"  (equivalent to maid of honor); my brother Steve is to the far right; Germán's best man beside him...and the cute little three-year-old was our ring-bearer Leslie, one of Germán's nephews.  (My sister Carol was my other attendant.)

And in this other photo, you can just barely see the head of little seven-year-old Yuri, another of Germán's nieces.  (He has a LOT of them!), who carried my train. (My dress was made by my mom for HER wedding, 23 years earlier.)
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Now I'm going to switch to Spanish:

Mi esposo me regaló estas palabras, salidas de su corazón:

--Feliz Aniversario a mi admirable, amorosa esposa por 44 años.  Ha sido un viaje extraordinario de subidas y bajadas, en la que Dios nos ha bendecido siempre, y ha llenado nuestras vidas con una hermosa familia. --
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Mi mami hizo una compilación de versículos Bíblicos, en forma de poesía, y la sobrina de Germán, Alma (una de mis damas), nos bendijo recitándola con mucha emotividad.  Fíjense que a mis abuelos paternos, que llegaron de los EE.UU. para la boda, se les llenaron los ojos de lágrimas al escucharla...y ni siquiera entendían el español!  Les tocó la manera en que, con tanta inspiración, realizó la recitación.
                                   Nuevamente te agradecemos, Almita!

En la primera foto se puede ver a mis padres, mi hermano Steve, mi dama de amor (Rosita Burbano) y el pequeño adorable (de tres años) fue Leslie - otro sobrino de Germán, que portó los aros.  (Mi otra dama fue mi hermana Carola.)

En la segunda foto, también se puede divisar - apenas! - la carita de Yuri (otra sobrina!), que llevó la cola de mi vestido.  (Que fue hecho por mi madre para SU boda 23 años antes!)
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                               And so we arrived at the end of the ceremonies...
                                           and the beginning of our journey!

                                               Happy Anniversary, my love!
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                                                Thank You, Father, for these 44 years.

44 years ago...the second of three!

You can have the most beautiful "church" wedding, with all the emotional and religious solemnity...but if you haven't gone to the Civil Registry first for the civil ceremony, you won't be legally married!

  Here in Ecuador, only the civil (secular, no-frills) ceremony confers legality to the marriage.  For this reason, couples must plan for this...hopefully in advance!  Many plan their church wedding for Saturday afternoon, and then hop down to the Civil Registry that morning...and if there are problems with paperwork or anything else, they lag way behind, and the guests in the church may end up waiting...and waiting...and waiting!

We went three days before the religious ceremony...just in case! There was a slight problem with some document I should have had but didn't, but it was worked out, and we proceeded to what you see in the photo above, in front of the officiator, with our witnesses at either side. This ceremony also has the basic vows and "do you take this man/woman", etc.  With  the filling out of all the forms, the requisite stamps and seals, etc., our names were inscribed in the official archives...and we walked out completely married!

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In a way, it's sort of like becoming a believer in Christ.  You can go to church and go through all the beautiful rites and participate in the worship and fellowship...but if you haven't  personally decided to give your heart and life to God and accept the grace of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross for your salvation, you can't call yourself a true Christian.  It is the legal transaction between you and God - not the "ceremonialness" of "religion" - that guarantees that your name will be inscribed in the official archives of the Book of Life!

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"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."  (Ephesians 1:13)  

In case you missed my poem on "Septermber 11, 2001" ("WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?)

Wild winds, destructive floods, unrelenting rains...hurricane after hurricane...but the heart and soul of the people living through them, though battered, will not give up.  They will reach out to each other, pull each other up, instill hope, and rebuild.

I have seen this already, watching the news - about the storms, but also about the ways people are holding up, helping, encouraging...pressing on in the determination to not allow this disaster to take heart and soul from them.

In the midst of the attacks of Nature,  the U.S. , along with other countries, remember the greatest man-made attack of its history, when terrorists tried to destroy our hearts and souls...September 11, 2001.  They tried to take heart and soul...but couldn't do it.  I pray to God they never will!

I wrote this poem in the days after the event, and included it in a blog post several years ago.  Since some of you may never have seen it, or read it so long ago that you don't remember it, here's the link to that post.  (Note: when you open it, just scroll down a ways til you come to the poem.)


"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"...MY 9-11 POEM


Whatever calamities threaten, those who have learned to trust in the Almighty God and have given themselves to his keeping, can echo the psalmist's prayer of confidence in his power and kindness.

"Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in You I take refuge.  I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed."     (Psalm 57:1)

Meditations of a sort-of-Cyclops (sigh!)

As I woke up Wednesday morning, my left eye

signaled its great unhappiness.  It didn't like the feeling of a "foreign object" encroaching on its delicate cornea!  Since I agreed with the sentiment, I carefully opened the lids, trying to dislodge said object.  Didn't work.  So I waited impatiently till Germán woke up and enlisted him in my endeavor.  He didn't find anything.  So we went to his lovely niece Alma, an ophthalmologist.
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Apparently, whatever got into my eye did its damage and then high-tailed it out before we could catch it. It was only a tiny cut, so she put a patch over my eye (see picture) so it would rest and heal, AND so I could still see out of the other eye without discomfort.  Supposedly. It wasn't all that easy.

Not accustomed to being one-eyed, I couldn't see too well even then.  Depth perception was impaired.  (The next  morning, I managed to get the toothpaste to drip down the side of the toothbrush...instead of onto the floor!)    

I couldn't read, as my reading glasses didn't fit properly over the patch, whose tape tentacles reached up over part of my nose.  So I mainly lay on the couch and listened to the news...and thought...
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I thought of the eyes of our heart and soul. I thought of I Cor. 13:12: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then we shall see face to face."  Even with two good spiritual eyes, we can't see everything about our Father...yet.

In the O.T. we often see verses like Judges 21:15: "All the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes." And that always boded ill!  It didn't work then and it doesn't work now...

...because: "The LORD sees not as a man sees...the LORD  looks at the heart."  (I Sam. 16:7)

The psalmist said, "The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes."  (Ps. 19:8)  So the best thing we can do is adopt his pleas as our own:
--"Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."  (Ps. 119:18)
--"Turn my eyes away from worthless things..."  (Ps. 119:37)
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   Paul wrote these beautiful words to his readers...and that includes you and me!

                      "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened 
                                          in order that you may know 
                                   the hope to which He has called you."
                                                   (Ephesians 1:18)               
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44 years ago...the first of three!

"Let this be a sign among you..." Those were the words of Joshua, when he told twelve Israelites to gather stones to memorialize what God had done.  (Joshua 4:4-7)

In giving Moses instructions for the high priest's vestments, God said, "As a jeweler engraves a signet, you shall engrave the two stones..." These were to be a memorial. (Exodus 28:11-12)
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This is a picture of our "ring exchange",  a custom prevalent 44 years ago, in the small-town area where I lived (in Ecuador), to "announce" an engagement...to "be a sign among you", so to speak.

The engaged couple would buy the wedding bands, then wear them on the right hand.  (They were taken off before the wedding ceremony, during which they were placed, as usual, on the left hand.)

As in Exodus, we had the jeweler engrave our initials and the date for our wedding, inside each ring.  (His initials on my ring, and mine on his.)  We also decided we wanted to have our little "ritual" in church, with the congregation as witness (and the news would spread via grapevine to those who hadn't attended that day - and hence to the whole town!) and, even more importantly, with a special prayer of blessing.  (It was explained to the congregation that this was NOT a wedding! Just in case...)
                 
This was the first of three ceremonies.  They were pretty close together.  We met in early July, had our ring exchange August 5, our civil (legal) wedding (at the civil registry) September 19, and the religious wedding September 22. Whew!!
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Imagine life without these memorials...special celebrations. Weddings, birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, graduations...even funerals! They all make life more interesting, to be sure, but they also enrich us,  make these occasions stand out in our memories, help us organize our inner "timeline" and, in some cases, hold us to promises made.

Did you catch that first item?  They enrich us. God knew what He was about when He instituted the  feasts and celebrations for the Israelites. They were a great tool for making important things stand out, for emphasizing essential truths about God, for helping them keep their hearts and minds oriented toward the One Who loved them and led them, and for reminding them to Whom they needed to keep their promises.
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Most feasts and celebrations were joyful...just like our weddings and birthday parties and anniversaries today!  And they serve a further purpose:  to fill our hearts with gratitude to God for his blessings!  We are thankful year-round, but on those special days, we take the time to honor, to reminisce, to evaluate...

And so, today, as we think back to when my husband and I began our journey together, I thank God for what He started in our lives 44 years ago.  We have gone through ups and downs, tough times and delightful days...and we are grateful!
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"The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts Him, and He helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him."  (Psalm 28:7)

Burdens: Samwise Gamgee...and Jesus (Part II)

Samwise offered to carry Frodo's load when he saw that his friend's exhaustion under it had left him unable to move. But it turned out to be impossible. Most of us rarely get that bad, but when we do...?

Others sometimes help us out...though not always. They may wish they could...but be unable to.  But we shouldn't get discouraged! There is always the One who walks at our side (if we let Him) and is ready to carry our burdens.

          His shoulders are broad enough to handle the heaviest load,
          his arms strong enough to secure the most crushing burden.

"Cast your burden on the LORD (release it) and He will sustain and uphold you..."  (Psalm 55:22)

"Yet it was our grief He bore, our sorrows that weighed Him down."  (Isaiah 53:4)

"Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."  (I Peter 5:7)
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Samwise couldn't carry Frodo's burden, but he could carry Frodo himself.  Few of those close to us can carry us.  But, again, we shouldn't get discouraged! The only One capable of lifting us up and carrying us as far as we need Him to is just as present and willing as He was millenia ago when He reminded his people:

"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself."  (Exodus 19:4)
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Where does He carry us?  "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart..."  (Isaiah 10:11)

For how long?  "There you saw how the LORD your God carried you...all the way you went." (Deuteronomy 1:31)
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Those of us who are "getting on" in age  can delight ourselves in this next verse...and you youngsters can hold the promise in your heart for the future!

                            "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, 
                                   and I am He who will sustain you. 
                                I have made you and I will carry you;                                                                          I  will sustain you and rescue you."   (Isaiah 46:4)

                                  Thank You, Father, for this promise!     
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(P.S. If you're wondering about Galatians 6:5, "For each one should carry his own load", the meaning is very different. It's saying that we are each responsible for our own conduct.  On the Bible Hub, it is well-explained thusly: Each one of us "must answer directly to God for his actions.  His responsibility cannot be shifted on to others." )

Burdens: Samwise Gamgee...and Jesus (Part I)

Poor beast!  (Have you ever felt like this?) The load he pulled was so heavy - and lopsided -  he ended up unable to move, unable to do anything to help himself.  There are burdens that can  virtually paralyze.

I am finally getting on my feet after almost two weeks of illness, most of the time spent laying either on my bed or on the sofa.  Since I couldn't do much of anything productive, I watched a number of movies. In the latter part of The Return of the King, I waited for one of my favorite parts.

Frodo and Samwise struggle up the rough, rocky mountainside, both of them exhausted.  Frodo carries a crushing, paralyzing burden  - the Ring -  and cannot keep going.  Samwise knows the ring must be thrown into the volcano, and offers to carry the ring for Frodo, who explains why that simply can't be. So Samwise musters all the strength he has left and says, "Come, Mr. Frodo! I can't carry it for you...but I can carry you!"  Lifting the smaller hobbit, he carries him to the completion of their mission.
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St. Paul wrote: "Carry one another's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ {that is, the law of Christian love}."  (Galatians 6:2, Amplified Bible)*

There are times when, though we would like to "carry another's burdens", we find it impossible...like Samwise did.  He was able to pick up the burden-bearer and continue. But there are times when we simply can't "carry" that person as he/she labors under a heavy burden. What can we do?

There is never "nothing I can do".  There are usually other ways in which we can help, but most importantly, we can always pray...and pray that this person will end up where this short poem ends up!

                                             Falling

                                    I'm falling...falling...
                                    can't keep holding on.
                                    My grip is too weak
                                    and my strength almost gone;

                                    down through miasmas
                                    of fainting and fears;
                                    down through the sandstorms
                                    of turmoil and tears;

                                     grazing the claws
                                     of our Foe's deadly charms;
                                     falling...falling...
                                     right into Your arms!
                                                                                        ---Becky Rhon
                                      **********************

What a wonderful place to end up!  In fact, I think we could say that the troubles and difficulties that affect us can actually be "blessings in disguise" IF the outcome is to fall right into our loving Shepherd's arms!

Yes, He carries us!  The Word of God has many references to God carrying our burdens AND carrying us.  In next week's post, we'll look at some of these beautiful, heartening verses.  Please join me!
                                 
(Here's a "preview".)

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens."   (Psalm 68:19)
                                      *************************



(*Yes, there's a verse that says each person should shoulder his own load. That's not a contradiction.  We'll look at it next week, OK?)

Tyndale's prayer...Henry VIII's edict

Last night we watched "God's Outlaw"...and it left me thinking.  William Tyndale dedicated his life to translating the Bible into English, passionate to make it available to everyone in England. *

Tyndale was later executed (1536) for "heresy". His dying words were, "Lord, open the king of England's eyes." That prayer was answered.

Henry VIII had hounded Tyndale and others...but after "divorcing" England from the Catholic church, as the new "boss", he changed tactics.  In 1538 his royal edict ordered that "one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English" be allocated to every church in the country. Each was to be set up "in some convenient place whereas your parishioners may most commodiously resort to the same and read it".  Double-whammy for the Pope! The Bible in English, and everyone having the right to read it for himself.

I thought of the fact that many churches today have a stand or pedestal, usually at the front, with a large open Bible.  Does that custom derive from Henry's edict, a hold-over that continues into our times in some churches?  (I haven't been able to find any information.)
                                     **************************************

Now let's switch spaces.  Where is the Bible "displayed" in our lives? In a position of honor? Do we often "resort to the same and read it"? Do we allow it to be "the largest volume" that others can "read" in us as they observe what we do and say?

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work". (II Timothy 3:16-17)  The Word is given to us to be digested, used and lived...not just read and set aside, not just heard and then forgotten.
                                  ******************************************

Even when evil takes place around us, we can relish the beautiful images this passage from the Bible evokes and wrap them around our hearts.  Our God says,

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is the word that goes out of My mouth: It will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."  (Isaiah 55:10-12)
                                  *********************************************

              Father, help me to keep your Word in its proper position in my life. 
          Thank You for promising "you will go out in joy and be led forth in peace".  
                                               You are AWESOME!!



(*In case you wonder, Wycliffe translated into English from Latin, Tyndale from the original Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.)

The "Great Horse Manure Crisis" of 1894

In 1894 The Times made this prediction:  "In 50 years, every street in London will be buried under nine feet of manure."  Phew!

It's understandable, due to "equine nature".  I read that a horse produces 15 - 35 pounds (!) of manure a day. In London there were more than 11,000 hansom cabs on the streets; AND  thousands of horse-drawn buses - each using 12 horses a day; AND a slew of smaller "vehicles", like delivery carts...all using horses...all of which contributed to what became known as the Great Horse Manure Crisis.

I assume the "nine feet" would be the result if the manure were never shoveled. There must have been crews trying to clean the stuff and leave the streets...if not clean, at least less gross!  But I can't imagine how the people stood the stench of all those horse droppings.  Did they just get used to it?
                             ***************************************

After reading of this curious Crisis, I wondered if God, when He looks down on Earth and sees the streets of our lives "deep in the manure of sin"...with its attendant stink...wonders, "How can those people stand the stench of their sins?  Do they just get used to it?"

Manure is a perfectly healthy (for the horse, at least) by-product of "equine nature".  Sin is a perfectly unhealthy by-product of "human nature":

"But I was born a sinner, yes, from the moment my mother conceived me."  (Psalm 51:5)
                                 **************************************

Back in the Israelites' history, God at times got really fed-up with them:

"Woe to the sinful nation, a people whose guilt is great, a brood of evildoers, children given to corruption...."  (Isaiah 1:4)

Later in Isaiah, talking about the ones who were defiant and arrogant in their sin, "These people gag me.  I can't stand their stench."  (65:5)  Did the people just get used to the stink?
                                ******************************************

The solution to the Great Horse Manure Crisis was the arrival of the motor car.  There was now a way to avoid the stench and pervasiveness of the manure.  And the solution to Man's Sin crisis was the arrival of the Son of God who payed the humanly-incomprehensible price for our forgiveness.  There is now a way to avoid the stench and pervasiveness of Sin.

"He Himself bore our sins, in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed."  (I Peter 2:24)

(After motor cars arrived, one could still have used a horse if he wanted - but he would have to deal with all the manure.  And though Jesus provided the way to be free from sin, we can still decide to disobey if we want - but we will have to deal with the consequences.)
                                ********************************************

"But now that you have found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you...a whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way!..God's gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master."   (Romans 6:22-23,  The Message)
                                          ***************************
                   
                                                     Father, bless You!  
                                         You not only provided The Solution, 
                     You also gave us the incredible gift of eternal life at your side. 
                                           Help me to always listen to You!



                 
               

Oh dear...what have I gotten myself into??

Is there a verse in the Bible about "biting off more than one can chew"? ...'cuz I think I just did that!

Actually, "just" sounds like it was a few minutes ago, but it was a couple of weeks ago, when we were with the Tsachi church, joining them in their service - this time with my sister Carol.  It's been on my mind, and I'm still not sure how I'll carry it out.  But let me tell you about the eventful meeting first..
                                            **************************

Arriving at the church, we found that some guests from the Kichwa church were there, along with some Tsáchila from another area.  The picture above (taken after the activities were over and some had left) gives an example of the diversity of the people there that night.

You can see us, the 4th and 5th from the left - Germán slightly behind me - and beside me is Tserere, who is beside her husband Primitivo, the Tsachi leader of the church. My sister is the second from the right, and she is between the parents of a beautiful little baby whom we had the joy of dedicating to God.  (Holding  little Kleber Isaías in my arms while Germán prayed with the parents and the church was a joy!)  The others in the picture are a mixture of Tsachi and Kichwa and "white" leaders, including a foreign missionary.

Carol presented flash memories on which were stored pretty much all their literature in Tsáfiqui, including the Scriptures.  Then Germán gave the message, encouraging them to guide their lives by the Word of God, giving a bit more  history of the Scriptures becoming available - centuries ago - to different peoples in their own languages, and how vital it is to all believers.
                                          ********************************

For the after-service activities, chairs were taken from their rows and lined up along the walls, to give more room for people to circulate.  I started serving up the Pineapple Cake I had taken.  As usual, they asked for the recipe...and not as usual, I had forgotten to take it with me! During this time, we had the baby-dedication and just chatted and caught up with others.

Then...I "bit off more than I could chew".  We have wanted to get an electronic piano for Tserere to play in the meetings.  I talked to her and her husband before we left, to get some information...and was a little dismayed.  She told me that my mom had not written the music with normal notes on pentagrams.  Adapting to necessity, she had had to invent another method, something about the placement of fingers...BUT...the notebook in which they were all written had been lost!  I wanted so much for her to be able to play that I said, "If I write out the songs for you, do you think that would work?  She and her husband both agreed that it would.  So I told them we would procure a piano for them.

It wasn't until later that it really sank in: their explanation of Mom's method wasn't clear, and I had no true idea how she did it...and the originals were lost! How in the world was I going to do what I offered?  Well, now I have to think of how to do this so that she can follow the songs, without drawing notes on staves.   (Any ideas out there?)
                                          ***********************************

I didn't find a verse on "biting off more than one can chew", but this might be close:  "Enthusiasm without knowledge is no good; haste makes mistakes."  (Proverbs 19:2)  Oh well!!  I'll just cling to this verse:

"Don't worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6)
                                            *************************************

                        Father, sometimes our enthusiasm backs us into a corner!
             Thank You for being patient with us and for promising us your peace.

This meatloaf is really good!

I asked my husband what spiritual applications I could extract from meat loaf.  Neither of us could come up with anything!  Oh well...

Last week I had to decide what to make for lunch...for our church.  (We meet in homes, and the hostess usually prepares lunch for the rest.)  I like to vary the menu, and finally settled on meat loaf.  My husband said it was a good idea, but...make sure it's not too dry.  He was remembering meat loafs I had made ages ago with ground chicken, which is a very dry meat.  So I chose different meats...and a different recipe.  On Sunday, when my husband tasted it, he looked over at me, surprise on his face, and said, "This is good!"

I had made it with 3 parts ground pork to one part ground veal.  The combination was great.  I thought some of you might be interested in the recipe, so here it is.

Meat Loaf Florentine

Just mix all these ingredients together well - with your (clean) hands is best; squish them around together like you used to with Playdough or mud when you were little!

- 1 10-oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (or briefly cook, then chop, 4-6             cups of fresh spinach)
                 (or use half spinach, half kale)
- 2 beaten eggs (3 if small)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (approximately)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pounds ground meat (can be a mixture; I used pork and veal)

Put the mixture nicely into a greased pan (I prefer square or rectangular, but I'm sure a loaf pan would be fine), and squeeze some ketchup over the top (you can "doodle" designs - they'll get messed up as it cooks, but it's sort of fun!)  Bake at about 350 degrees, for approximately 1 1/2 hours. (A lot depends on what shape pan you use.  Also, electric stoves tend to cook faster than gas stoves, I've read, and things cook more quickly in glass than in metal.)  By the way, the photo isn't original.  It was just the only one I could find that looked similar!
                          *************************************************

I Corinthians 10:31 says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (Even making meat loaf!)  When those of us who are in charge of the kitchen look for nutritious, attractive, colorful meals, it is usually because we love our family members and want to do what we can to keep them un-bored and healthy, right?  We can do this "for the glory of God"!

Yes, food is important...but even more so is food for our spirits.  The Son of God, the "Bread of life",  said, "Just as the living Father sent Me and I am alive because of the Father...
                                         
                         "so the man who lives on Me will live because of Me..."
                                
                             "The man who eats this Bread will live forever." *
    
                                                                              --Jesus

(*John 6:57-58)

"Don't Leave Me!"...a poem with a promise

Jesus' disciples were heart-broken when He was killed. "What are we ever going to do without Him?"  They didn't understand until later, when they saw Him with their own eyes and remembered what He had said.

Not long after that, they were about to lose Him again!  Their best friend!  Did they once again think "What are we ever going to do without Him"?  He had promised them the Spirit, the Comforter, but I wonder if there was a part of the disciples' heart that knew they would miss Jesus as a person, as the Friend who had eaten, worked, prayed, wept and laughed with them.                                                                                                   ***************************

They may have remembered that God said to Joshua, "Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  (Joshua 1:9)   God told Moses He would be with him, and it was so important that Moses replied, "If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here." (Exodus 33:15)  But those words were said centuries before...and not by this Man who was their Teacher!  They needed to hear those words NOW...from Him.

What did He say personally to his disciples...his friends?  Let's read this poem, and see that what He said to his disciples He also says to us today...no matter what, no matter when, no matter where.


                                      DON'T LEAVE ME!

                    Sly hunter-eyes glowed, and I was their prey.
                    They saw me alone, saw me weaker than they;

                    seeking to siphon off all of my peace,
                    to gloat if they managed to make my joy cease;

                    stalking me, taunting, and circling 'round,
                    awaiting the moment for pulling me down.

                    Then, on heavenly steed, He raced up to my side:
                    royal Rider, his Name and his banner flown high!

                    The beasts froze...then uneasily snarled at the One
                    who with only his look left each creature undone.

                    They spun 'round then and scattered, unable to stay.
                    "Why?  Lion of Judah, why did they run away?"

                    "They take pride in their prowess and relish their game,
                    but when I appear, they all cringe at my Name.

                    "When they feel my Power, their bravado grows thin.
                    They know they can't have you; they know they can't win."

                     I hungrily grasped at the promise implied:
                     His Presence my refuge!  "Don't leave me!" I cried.

                      "Please stay with me, Lord; keep your banner unfurled!"
                      He said, "I'm with you always...to the end of the world!"
            
                                             ********************                                  -Becky Rhon

That's what He said to his disciples.  I suspect He also, on a human level, felt a little sadness at leaving these men who had been his closest friends and allies. He knew how they felt...it would be a challenge to continue the spreading of the Kingdom of God without his physical presence, but He promised them what He promises every person who claims Him as Savior and Lord:

     "And be sure of this - that I am with you always, even to the end of the world." *    
                                                     AMEN!
                                             ***********************
*Matthew 28:20) 

"Ambisinistrous": what Garfield wasn't (the president, not the cat).

The picture at the left can portray either an ambidextrous man or an ambisinistrous one...which means that they are opposites. An ambisinistrous person is clumsy with both hands!  (When referring to the lower extremities, it's known as "having two left feet"!)
                          ********************
                             

The 20th U.S. president, James Garfield, was the first ambidextrous man to fill the position.  (So he was not ambisinistrous.)  In fact, I read that he was able to write in Greek with one hand and in Latin with the other hand - at the same time. (I couldn't write in Greek no matter which hand I used!)                             ********************

This made me think of Someone else's hands.  Someone who is never ambisinistrous, and is ambidextrous (so to speak) to an exponential degree. God's hand and his arm are:

STRONG:  "Ah, Sovereign LORD, You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for You."  (Jeremiah 32:17)

"In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all."  (I Chronicles 29:12)

FAITHFUL: "If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."  (Psalm 139:8-10)

"I will cling to You; your right hand upholds me."  (Psalm 63:8)

TENDER: "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young."  (Isaiah 40:11)

"For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear: I will help you."  (Isaiah 41:13)

PROTECTIVE:  In the words of Jesus: "I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."  (John 10:28)

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life.  You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand You save me."  (Psalm 138:7)
                           *******************************************

A few days after I had given birth to my firstborn, I was resting, exhausted, on the bed, and suddenly I felt two enormous, gentle, loving arms reach down and enfold me...just like I cradled my new baby, He cradled me.  If I had been able to see the palm of his hand, I would have seen my name. **

These verses are only "the tip of the iceberg".   Again and again God assures us that the very best possible place for us to be is in his arms.  His mighty hand is one of our greatest resources!

                                           Father, what better place to be?  
                                             Hold me close to your heart, 
                                    where I can feel the love that moved You 
                                 to write my name on the palms of your hands!
                                               **********************



**See, I have written your name on the palms of my hand."  (Isaiah 49:16)
                                                     

Driving took us almost as long as it used to on horseback!

Me...3 or 4 years old...a rest stop on the way home.*

Actually, that's an exaggeration. (And that's an understatement!) We were setting out for another visit to the Tsachi church.  From the house we stay at in Santo Domingo, it usually takes 5 to 10 minutes to reach the main highway.  This time it took an hour! We were part of a several-miles-long "caravan" snaking along at a snail's pace. We tried to relax and enjoy the lovely sunset splashed over the darkening sky.  We figured our Enemy wanted us to get all "hot and bothered"...so we just figured we wouldn't.  (Once we reach the highway, it's about a half-hour drive to the church.)

That morning we had read Psalm 90:16-17:  "Let your servants see what You're best at - the ways You rule and bless your children.  And let the loveliness of our Lord, our God, rest on us, confirming the work that we do. Oh, yes.  Affirm the work that we do." It helped to remember the words.
                              ***********************************

We were a little late, but we slipped into the comfortable atmosphere of the church...and time seemed to stand still. They don't worry about finishing at a set time, so we don't when we're there.

Speaking for a few minutes, I asked them about some of the wild animals that had been around when I was a little girl.  Are there still agoutis? armadillos? ocelots? monkeys? jaguars? parrots? snakes?  deer?...Snakes still live there, but there are no monkeys, deer  or jaguars anymore, and the other animals are only found every once-in-a-while.

How things have changed! Time and "civilization" encroach on their habitat...and encroach on our memories. But I reminded them that some things never change...like our God and his love and mercy.
                               *****************************************

My husband's message touched on Wycliffe, one of the first brave men God used to open people's eyes to the errors of the then-Catholic Church, helping to pave the way for believers to have God's Word in their own languages.  He spoke clearly and simply about the necessity we have, now that we can understand it in our own tongue, to obey what the Bible tell us - how God wants us to relate to Him.

Then on to the post-service "social hour":  eating Banana Bread, getting an impromptu massage, speaking for a little video - a theology student's assignment, being given some finger bananas and oranges to bring home...and talking. My friend Carán has bad arthritis in her hands, so I had taken with me a menthol-based pain-relief gel for her to try.  (I use it daily for some of my pains.)  Of course, other ladies came to see...and I ended up with "orders" for a number of tubes of the stuff!  (The company should give me a commission!) We left the church, encouraged and looking forward to the next visit.
                            *******************************************

                     Thank You, Lord, for being able to live the reality of this verse:

                            "Let your servants see what You're best at -
                              the ways You rule and bless your children."  (Psalm 90:16)            

                                               *******************


(*No, I didn't ride bareback.  My dad just sat me up there for a picture.  You can see his writing on the bottom part.  "In San Miguel" - which was where we would spend the night before starting the second day on horseback to reach home.)

"Two Prayers" (a 46-year-old poem)

The Pharisee and the publican...what kind of sheep is each one?  I know, that's a weird question, but it evolved as I was going off on a tangent this morning!

I had slept very badly, and awoke way too early. I went ahead and started the day and got a cup of coffee (which I don't like, but...it works.) I read my devotionals, then let God know how I felt.  Which was "lousy"!  I'm still sick, and I really need Him to help me figure things out. ("Please! This isn't easy!  I need You so much.")

After breakfast, I opened the daily devotional that we read aloud.  It started with this verse:

"I Myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.  I will search for the lost and bring back the strays.  I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice." (Ezekiel 34:15-16)  (Oh, my! Thanks, Lord!)

Two different kinds of sheep...illustrating two kinds of people...hmm...and I remembered this poem I wrote when I was 17 years old. ("Youth in Action" magazine had a creative writing contest, and I sent this in...and won second prize.)

Remember, I was only 17, so it may not seem so terribly profound and earth-shaking!  (Actually, the first prayer has a lot of whimsical satire!) But somehow it matched the verse I read this morning.  Here it is:

                                              TWO PRAYERS

                                       Here I am, Lord - in person!
                                       your servant so humble;
                                       I've not come to mumble
                                       a word to the air,
                                       but to lift up my voice,
                                       so choked with emotion;
                                       religious devotion
                                       resounds through my prayer.
                               
                                       I'm sure that You realize
                                       why it is I here stand,
                                       and with uplifted hand
                                       pour my heart out to Thee.
                                       My brothers must see
                                       of obedience a sample...
                                       What better example
                                       to follow than...me?

                                      See that man in the corner!
                                      He must be quite poor,
                                      kneeling down on the floor -
                                      why, he's praying!
                                       I thank You, oh Lord,
                                       that I'm not like that fellow,
                                       a big streak of yellow
                                      who hides what he's saying.

                                       And he's down by a pillar
                                       where no one can see him!
                                       Oh, Lord, should I free him
                                       from being so blind?
                                       So simple his thoughts are,
                                       no meaning his words bear.
                                       If You want a good prayer,
                                       just listen to mine!

                                       That's all for today, Lord;
                                       tomorrow's oration
                                       same time and same station
                                       I'll be here to give.
                                       Oh, please bless the Mrs.
                                       and all of our kin.
                                       By the way, thanks again
                                       for the good life I live.
                                               ________

                                   
                                        Oh, Lord, I deserve not
                                         thy presence to seek.
                                        You're strong and I'm weak.
                                         Show me mercy!
                                         I'm just a beginner,
                                         an unworthy sinner;
                                         but, Lord, to thy servant
                                         show mercy!
                                 **************************** - Becky Rhon

 The publican is the "injured" and "weak" sheep, who is promised personal care by his Shepherd, and the Pharisee is the "fat" and "strong" one.  Although "fatness" tends to mean prosperity, in the Bible it can, as it does here, refer to a prosperity that results in a hard heart and makes one forget God. (And if you have loved ones who are of the "lost" and "stray" sheep, take heart!  God will continue to search for them and "bring them back"!)                            
                                           *********************

                                   Jesus, thank You for being my Shepherd! 
                                            Thank You for tending me, 
                                      Thank You for showing me mercy.