Even if the sky is falling.... (In Spanish OR English!)

                

(If you don't speak Spanish...don't worry!  Just scroll down till you get to the part in English.)

Los estadounidenses están listos para celebrar el Día de Acción de Gracias, recordando las cosas por las cuales estamos agradecidos y cantando las bondades de nuestro Dios.

En la Biblia se nos insta muchas veces a cantar al Señor...pero cómo hacer cuando nos parece que el cielo se nos cae encima, y sentimos que la música del corazón se ha desvanecido?


                                                                  ALMA QUEBRANTADA

Yo vine a Ti con la copa vacía... no la podía llenar.
No sabía ni de qué, ni de quién dependía;
no tenía de qué cantar.
Y vine a Ti con ilusiones destruidas;
¡quien no sueña... no puede vivir!
 Me recogiste en la palma de tu fuerte Mano,
 y te oí decir:


                        --El corazón quebrantado danzará de gozo ante su Señor,
                        porque al corazón quebrantado abriré los misterios de mi Amor.
                        Y al alma quebrantada ungiré con el bálsamo del perdón.
                        ¡Al alma quebrantada le haré cantar una nueva canción!--

                                       Yo vine a Ti con las alas heridas...no podía volar.
                                       Y vine a Ti con sonrisa fingida,
                                       mas no podía dejar de llorar.
                                       Y vine a Ti con la esperanza perdida;
                                       ¡quien no sueña...no puede vivir!
                                       Me recogiste en la palma de tu fuerte Mano,
                                       y te oí decir:                                          

--El corazón quebrantado danzará de gozo ante su Señor,
porque al corazón quebrantado abriré los misterios de mi Amor.
Y al alma quebrantada ungiré con el bálsamo del perdón.
¡Al alma quebrantada le haré cantar una nueva canción!--

                                                                              ( canción por Becky de Rhon)
          ********************************************

 ¡Gracias a Dios por ese Amor tan inmenso que, en lugar de regañarnos por nuestras debilidades y momentos de desánimo, nos recoge en sus brazos, y nos arrulla con su cariñosa voz, tranquilizándonos y devolviéndonos la Música del alma y el sueño del corazón!  Y esta es una de las cosas más maravillosas por las cuales podemos ofrecerle a Dios nuestra gratitud en este Día de Acción de Gracias.

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I have been putting posts from my blog on Facebook (German-Becky Rhon), and since we have Spanish-speaking family and friends, I wanted to post one with something in that language for them.

Here's a loose translation for the lyrics to this song, entitled "Broken Heart" (or literally, "broken soul").

            I came to You with an empty cup that I couldn't fill.
            I didn't know what or who I could depend on;
            I had nothing to sing about.
            I came to You with my aspirations in tatters...
            one cannot live without a dream!
            You gathered me into the palm of your Hand
            and I heard You say:

            "The broken heart will dance before its Lord,
            for I will open to it the mysteries of my Love.
            And I'll anoint the broken soul with the balm of my forgiveness.
            I will make the broken soul sing a new Song!"

            I came to You with wounded wings, unable to fly.
            I came to You with a pretended smile...
            yet I couldn't stop weeping.
            I came to You with hopes that had vanished...
            one cannot live without a dream!
            You gathered me into the palm of your Hand
            and I heard You say:

           "The broken heart will dance before its Lord,
           for I will open to it the mysteries of my Love
           And I'll anoint the broken soul with the balm of my forgiveness.
           I will make the broken soul sing a new Song!"
                       *********************

Isn't it awesome that even when it seems like the sky is falling, our heart has nothing to sing about, and nothing's going right, God will draw us into his arms and soothe us, bringing back the Music of the soul and the dreams of the heart? This is one of the most awesome things we have for which to be grateful to God!

                                       

                                         HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!


      

Let ME come along, Singer!

Listen! 

                                                                    Singer, Teach Me the Song

The World's day begins with the harsh chords of sin,
 its disharmony jarring the land.
 Then into the crowd flows the sound, clear and loud,
  of a Music unknown yet to Man.

              Across human time, perfect rhythm and rhyme

              grace the Love Song that always has been.
              The Singer walks on, never ending his Song,
              ever willing all men to join in.

Let me come along.  Singer, teach me the Song
that You sang to make Earth come to life;
the deep melody that You sang as You freed
us from death, when You laid down to die.

                                      


                        Let me come along!  Singer, teach me the Song
                        that You sang to turn darkness to light.
                        I'll sing your Song or die.  Every other's a lie
                        that will soon fade away in the night.

                        Let me come along, Singer! Teach me your Song.
                        Let me sing with You always, sing with You always;
                        I'll sing your Song all of my life!
                                                                                   (song lyrics by Becky Rhon)
              *********************************************************************

Our singing to God should be a reflection of his Song, an echo of the divine Music that spills out in splendor from his Heart, creating...bringing together...wooing...letting us see Him.  He sings his Life and Love to us, and in response, our hearts sing back...

"He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."  (Psalm 40:3)

Then...as WE join his Song,  others may listen, too...and soon each soul can become one of the voices that...

"Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."  (Isaiah 12:6)
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There's something awesome about this next verse... 

"I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live."  (Psalm 104:33)

...because "all my life" and "as long as I live" will go on forever!   
            **************************************************************************

Listen!  Do you hear the Music?

A tribute to my friend Kathy Jo...and a whimsical (very!) and ironic furlough poem I wrote for her years ago (so we can smile through our tears)

I first really started to get to know Kathy Jo about 34 years ago, when I ended up at her house on my way to the English-speaking ladies' Bible study we both attended.  I hadn't realized it was a Christmas celebration to which everyone was supposed to take a small gift.  Kathy whipped out some homemade blueberry muffins, wrapped them on a paper plate and said, "Here, you can take these!"

We only saw each other at these meetings.  Then I left for Shell with my family.  But a little over a year later, the Esteses were assigned to Shell!  Kathy Jo told me later that she had been nervous about going, not being familiar with the missionaries there...but it was a comfort to think, "At least I know Becky!"

For six years in Shell (with a furlough for her in there somewhere) we reared our kids together, cried in each other's tea, laughed together...and learned more and more about life and our Father.  Then they were re-assigned to Quito, but we always kept in touch.

Kathy Jo had a knack for encouraging others to do things that she was sure they could do...whether they thought they could or not.  She's a great seamstress, and I learned from her.  One day she came over with a pattern and instructions for smocking.  "You can do this!", she told me...and I found I could!  I wouldn't have even tried if she hadn't made me feel I could do it.

Another time, as I was coming back from the school, she met me at my front door and told me that she'd heard on the radio that the Ecuadorian missionary society was asking for entries to their contest for a theme song for their up-coming convention.  I had been composing songs, but...enter a national contest?  But Kathy Jo thought I could do it.  So I did...and I won the contest! It's likely that I wouldn't have even tried if she hadn't made me feel I could do it.

Kathy Jo had quite an impact on some of the young people in Shell, even some who were "difficult" and full of problems...they knew that they were always welcome in her kitchen to talk and be listened to while she worked. They grew to trust her, and over time it's been obvious that her influence made a definite difference in their lives.  One girl in particular, who was pretty wild, ended up going to a Christian Bible institute in Argentina, then came back and married a classmate, with whom she now serves the Lord full-time.

Two couples that I can think of asked Kathy Jo and Jim to be their "padrinos" for their weddings...and Kathy Jo went one step farther and made their wedding dresses! 

Our children became sort of like siblings or cousins, and when we were in the same place at the same time, we celebrated Christmas and Thanksgiving together.  Our kids still call them "Aunt" and "Uncle"...and I think they probably always will!

For several years, Kathy was one of the school nurses at the Alliance Academy, and our daughter Debbie was at one time their assistant.  She has told us that "Aunt Kathy" (and "Aunt" Cookie) definitely inspired her in her decision to become a nurse.


I'm just scratching the surface here,  trying to show a brief glimpse of my dear friend's encouraging and nurturing spirit, that has caused so many people to love, esteem and respect her...and rightly so.  She and Jim have been true ambassadors of Jesus' love, and they will be sorely missed. I imagine there are few dry eyes among all their friends down here.
                                 *****************************************

When we still lived in Shell, the Esteses had to leave for a furlough.  It was such a hectic time!  Packing up all their stuff, traveling with four little children.  We had never been on a furlough as a family, since we were employees at that time, not yet career missionaries...but I'm an MK, and I remember furloughs my family took. 

So I decided to write a poem for Kathy Jo,  whimsical, light-hearted, IRONIC verse to make her smile!  (It reflects furlough preparation of several decades ago...nowadays it's a lot different!) Here it is:

                                      Pre-Furlough Thoughts

                                    Furlough is a time of fun,
                                    greatly enjoyed by everyone;
                                    with restful, first-class airplane flights,
                                    (red eyes, sick kids and sleepless nights).
                                    Engaged in the "cross-airport run",
                                    the challenges are a delight.

                                    Waiting for you will be a crowd.
                                    They'll ooh-and-aah, exclaim aloud.
                                    They'll say, "The kids are growing up!"
                                    (Then the poor dears are throwing up...)
                                    You thought you'd be all smiles, so proud.
                                    Instead, you feel like blowing up.

                                    Then comes the driving miles and miles,
                                    with expectations running wild,
                                    as well as tempers, tears and noses;
                                    so by the time your journey closes
                                    you've quite forgotten how to smile.
                                    (Though it's not as bad as one supposes.)

                                    The meals you have will be so good!
                                    You drool just thinking of the food.
                                     In fact, you grin from ear-to-ear...
                                     marshmallows, cranberries, cold root beer...
                                    (the only thing to spoil the mood
                                     is fatter legs and wider rear).

                                     But all these things are still to come;
                                     right now you've a half-empty home,
                                     barrels and boxes left and right;
                                     never a day without a fight.
                                     You let imagination roam
                                     and dream you're going to travel light.

                                     If magic lamps were still the trend,
                                     you'd steal Aladdin's genie friend
                                     and leave the packing all to it -
                                     the cleaning, storing - the whole bit;
                                     and, cool and calm up to the end,
                                     you'd leave one-hundred-percent fit.

                                     If you're depressed and all run down,
                                     your feet can hardly leave the ground,
                                     decisions seem to fog your brain...
                                     don't think it's only you in pain:
                                     I've never seen a furlough-bound
                                     step on the plane completely sane!
                                                                                                  (Becky Rhon, May 1985)
                             ******************************************

Kathy Jo, you have been and are a special part of my heart!  God bless you richly!

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

(For those who don't know them, Jim and Kathy Jo Estes have served with HCJB
{now Reach Beyond} in Ecuador for about 36 years {I think}, and are leaving the country in preparation for retirement.  In the picture, Kathy's on the left, I'm on the right.)

But I DO know...please tell me YOU do, too!

   
                                                       BUT I DO KNOW

              I don't know all your story-lines, blueprints or plans,
              nor how all of infinity flows through your Hands.

              I can't grasp all your mysteries, your methods, your Mind,
              or your thoughts so impossibly higher than mine.

              I can't always perceive that "all things work for good";
              when in pain, it's not easy to think that they could.

              So I don't know why at some times I bask in your Grace,
              while at others it seems like You've hidden your Face;

           and I don't know why some days bring smiles, some days grief;
           some hold fears and delays, others grateful relief,

               but I DO know You love me - through smooth seas or rough.
               I know that YOU ARE...and that's more than enough!                           
               ************************(Becky Rhon)*****************        

This was something we had to remember when we heard that Dan was being deployed to Iraq. 

Let me back up a bit.  When Steve and Debbie were married in April, KC was three months pregnant. Our first grandchild! We were all so excited.  It was an occasion to "bask in His Grace" when Noemí Eliza was born in October.  We were able to fly up to El Paso to meet the lovely little baby who had joined the family.

But when she was only a couple of months old, Dan had to leave for the Middle East with the medical staff...for a whole year! It was a time when the emotions in this poem were in the fore.  Dan and KC prepared as best they could.  Dan installed a webcam so that he could watch his little girl from thousands of miles away.  Before he left, he taped a video of himself reading stories and talking to Noe (her nickname), and KC would play it daily.  Even when Noe was a little older and could choose which video she wanted to see, the one Daddy made for her was always a favorite!

Dan was allowed one trip home for a couple of weeks, when he could re-connect with his wife and daughter in person.  KC, completely in charge of the house and home now, learned to do many things she hadn't had to do before. Through this time of growth and stretching, God was their anchor.

Then a few months after Dan got back, WE got a special treat: Dan, KC and Noe were coming down to Quito for a visit! The day Germán went to pick them up from the airport, I got up from my afternoon rest and walked into the living room...and couldn't believe my eyes.  Debbie was sitting there!  What a wonderful surprise.  (Steve hadn't been able to make it.  They had moved to California, and he was just starting a new job.)  What a joy to be together again!
                   *********************************************************** 

"God said to Moses, 'I am who I am.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites:  "I AM has sent me to you."'"  (Ex. 3:14)

God tells us that His thoughts "are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways."  (Isaiah 55:8)  In a way, that can sound sort of scary!! But I AM's "story-lines and blueprints, mysteries and methods" are not to be feared.  He also says "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  (Jeremiah 29:11)
                       ************************************************************

Let's rest in this promise:  "But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear Him, and his righteousness with their children's children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts."  (Psalm 103:17)


 
                                      

"more than we ask or imagine!"

El Paso proved to be much more than just a little corner of the country!  God treated us to more than one special showing of grace...provision...and love.

His GRACE: having all our family in the same city; finding a Spanish-speaking church in which we could help out; new friends; making great headway in obtaining U.S. citizenship for Germán (after years of struggle!)...

His PROVISION:  a doctor who never charged me for my visits, a car donated to us just when the one we had was coming apart, and a "too precise to be a coincidence" move on His part: when we had been there a year, we saw that we'd need to extend the lease on the place we rented for another few months.  That meant another big chunk of money.  Not knowing of our need,  a dear friend and her husband (supporters of ours) sent us an "extra" check, which covered the rent completely...plus a little left over!

And...ahhh, LOVE!  Friends of Dan and KC thought that Debbie would be a good match for another friend of theirs!  They made sure Debbie and Steve met, (and when they got married, their wedding bulletin included "Matchmakers of the bride and groom"!)

Germán and I both felt peace as we watched their romance develop. Rather than  go into details, I'll just suggest you visit (or re-visit) the post I wrote about one-and-a-half years ago, where I give a few more interesting details...AND you can read (or re-read) the wedding poem I wrote for them.  Here's the link:

we-doand-they-did.html

We had already returned to Quito towards the end of 2004, but in April of 2005 we were happy to fly back up to El Paso for two special events:  Debbie and Steve's wedding, and...at long last!...the formal naturalization ceremony for Germán as a U.S. citizen.

El Paso still holds many sweet memories, and we look back on our time with gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His kindness in arranging things so that we could be with our children, and  for all His blessings, that came one-after-another.  He is amazing!
      **********************************************
Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever."
                                                 ************************          
Seeing our children grow up to marry believers and rear their children with a knowledge of Jesus, thus continuing the "throughout all generations" of our family, is one of the greatest blessings we know!

If you haven't experienced this yet in your family, please don't ever give up! Our children went through their own uncertainties and difficult times, just like yours may be doing.  (If you've followed my blog, or at least read some of the posts, you will have noticed that we've had an abundance of trials, too, separately and as a family!)

So don't think that this blessing of having all your kids following the Lord is not going to happen!  Never stop praying for them, never stop loving them, never stop trusting in what it says in Isaiah 54:13:  "All your sons (children) will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children's peace."  (If you'd like to share with me, let me know, and  I'll pray along with you!)
 
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Have a great week!  May you feel God's peace and joy, no matter what your circumstances are.  He loves you!

The little girl whose healing hurt

In the last post I offered to tell you a story. Here it is. I heard it years ago, and it has stayed with me.  You could call it a parable.

A small town was struck with a disease that left its victims crippled.  Among the affected were two little girls.  Susie came from a wealthy family; Betsy lived with her grandmother, who was quite poor.  Both the girls were devastated by this affliction, and their families tried to find the best way to help them.
                                                      

Susie's parents took her to a doctor who fitted her with leg braces.  With the braces, she could walk again!

  
Whenever Betsy saw Susie, she felt jealous, and asked her grandmother to buy her braces, too. But there wasn't enough money.
                                   

 

What her grandmother could and did do was massage Betsy's legs and feet every day, trying to strengthen the muscles.  How it hurt!  Betsy cried when she went through what was, for her, a daily torture.  She thought she'd never be able to walk...or run...or jump and play again.

Little by little, Betsy's legs grew stronger and straighter. Finally the day came when she could walk...then run...then jump and play outside with her friends!  With her grandmother's persistence, she had overcome the disease that had crippled her.  She was free!

  Then one day when she was walking through town, she caught sight of Susie. She saw that Susie still wore her leg braces. She could still walk, slowly and laboriously, but she couldn't run...or jump and play. Her muscles had atrophied because they hadn't been used for so long. What had seemed like such an immediate, easy and wonderful way to help Susie had turned into a prison for her.


Betsy's jealousy turned to pity, and she appreciated the pain her grandmother had put her through every day, realizing that, in the end, she was the one who had been blessed and restored.

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I have to admit that it's hard to be "patient in affliction" (Romans 12:12).  Like Betsy, our hindsight is much better than our foresight, isn't it?  After it's all over, we can see how much we learned, grew and developed through the trial.

It's also hard to "consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials of many kinds"...but the verses continue, "because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  (James 1:2-4)

Having come through the pain of difficulties, trials and challenges, like Betsy we can put aside any discouragement and jealousy, and realize that we, too, have been blessed and restored, and that the pain we've gone through has made us stronger.
                **********************************************************************

Since this post is long enough already, I'll continue sharing our Journey with you next time.  Until then, God bless you!!

Our little corner of the world

"All the days ordained for me were written in your book, before one of them came to be."  (Psalm 138:16)

We watch our lives unfold little-by-little, but God not only knows everything that's going to happen...He's the One who planned it all!  "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to give you hope and a future."  (Jer. 29:11)

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

In 2001, Dan graduated from college and prepared to continue his studies in physical therapy.  Therapy school is really expensive, so he found a great way to finance his future.  He joined the U.S. Army!  He joined as an officer, a second lieutenant, and the Army paid for his schooling, as well as his salary.  Towards the end of his first year, he married KC, a lovely girl whom we had met when she came down on one of the mission trips that Dan led.  We traveled to the States for the wedding...and if you'd like to read (or refresh your memory) about it, and read (or re-read) the poem I wrote for them, you can go to the post at this link: 
were-you-married-in-april.html

Then in 2001, two things happened.  Debbie graduated from college with her nursing degree,

and we traveled to the States for a long-delayed furlough.  We had over a year coming to us.  We settled in El Paso, Texas.  For about a year-and-a-half, we were all together again!  (A very special treat!)  How was that?

Dan had finished his master's degree, and had to tell the Army where he preferred to be stationed...first, second, and third choices.  He put El Paso for the first...and got it without any problem, because NOBODY else wanted to go live in that little far-off corner of the country!  (Besides, the military hospital there had asked for someone bilingual.)

Dan and KC bought a house, and Debbie moved in with us, in the small duplex we had rented, and got her certification to work as an RN.  Before finding a job, she went to Haiti for three months to volunteer at a hospital...and came home with hepatitis!

What did Germán and I do during our furlough?  He worked for a while in one of HCJB's U.S.-Mexican-border radio stations, and then helped out in a Hispanic church.  He occasionally preached, held Bible studies, did visitation, etc .  And I was able to contribute to that ministry with music and ...stories!  When we left, at the good-bye party, one of the ladies asked sadly, "Now who's going to make us cry?"  (When I sang, I tended to choke up and then they would!)...and "Now who's going to tell us stories?"

At home, I had a field day trying out new recipes!  I had taken my several hundred cookbooks out of storage, and being in a place where I could actually get all the ingredients (which doesn't always happen here!)  I tried out recipe-after-recipe...over 430, I think was the final count!

The second half of our time in El Paso was even more eventful, and I'll tell you about it very soon in another post. 


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

"They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing your righteousness...The Lord...has compassion on all He has made."  (Psalm 145:7,9)

Celebrate His kindness and love along with us, for all He has done for you, and all He IS and CAN BE for you.  

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Have a great week...meet me here again, and besides letting you know the really cool things God did for us while we were in "our little corner of the world", I'll tell you one of my stories.