"accidents on purpose"? God was doing it long before Turner!

I recently read that the famous painter Turner often got his ideas in unusual ways.  For one picture, he created an "accident" on purpose, and then...

I'll start at the beginning of this story (whether anecdotal or not, I don't know).  Turner took a blank canvas, drew just a sketchy outline and then asked three children to participate.  He gave them dishes with red, blue and yellow paint and told them to splash and daub the paint any way they wanted over the canvas.  Naturally, the kids were thrilled!  What fun!!

Then they suddenly heard Turner's voice call, "Stop!".  They put down their paints...and then he took over.  There was a big mess of paint on the canvas; a disaster.  Turner took up his brush and transformed the "mess" into a beautiful landscape! 
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What an awesome picture of what God does; what He's been doing for years, centuries, millennia - long before Turner! He can take the splotched, mixed-up messes in our lives and turn them into wonderful works of art...works that highlight the incomparable creativity of the Supreme Artist.

"The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wasteland like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing."  (Isaiah 51:3)  The psalmist said, "You turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy." (Ps. 50:11)

It's true that often God rescues us from trials and problems.  But sometimes God permits these "accidents", allowing things to happen to us...(or allowing us, ourselves, to really mess things up!)...and then He says, "Stop!", takes up His brush, and begins to transform the image on the canvas.  The people of Israel often got themselves into hot (boiling!) water when they turned away from their God.  Then He would allow disasters to occur, not only as punishment, but also so that later He could use the situations as canvases on which to display the works of His mighty Hand. "You will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem, every disaster I have brought on it...for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord."  (Ezekiel 14: 22-23)
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Even when the splotches on the canvas aren't "our fault", we have to remember that "I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord."  So right now we're wondering, "What are you doing, Lord?"  The contractors for the extension on our house haven't shown up for ages, the church needs a new place to meet (which we have been hoping to help out with...precisely with said extension), we had to have our puppy Kimal euthanized because he contracted canine distemper, we've both had more problems with our health lately...etc., etc.  We have to remember what He's told us in his Word, and wait to see what marvelous artistic creation comes from His Hand, using all this!
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In Heaven, we'll be privileged to look eternally on the Supreme Artist's masterpiece and appreciate its finishing touch: "Your eyes will see the King in his beauty..."  (Isaiah 33:17)  I can't wait!

"She ain't heavy...(oof!! well, maybe a little)...she's my sister."

This is one of my favorite pictures of granddaughters Liliana and Miriam.  Liliana, smiling, seems to be proud of being able to hold her little sister...and at the same time making an effort to keep her upright! 

And Miriam seems to be oblivious to her big sister's heroic achievement!

Wouldn't it be awesome if we, as believers, made the same effort to "hold" our brothers and sisters in Christ? They may need someone to help keep them upright while walking a rough road. They may be struggling with a heavy load. They may need a shoulder to cry on.  And God may ask us to do this for Him. "Carry each others' burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  (Galatians 6:2)

If you happen to be the stronger one, put your arms and heart around your fellow believer and lift him up. Don't worry, you won't have to do it alone...because the strength you'll need comes from the One who said, "Come to Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke * upon you and learn from Me...and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew  11: 28-30)

Asa, an Israelite king, faced with a vast enemy army, would plead, "Help us, O Lord, for we rely on You..."  (II Chronicles 14:11)  Rely on Him to help you stand firm...and rely on Him for the strength and wisdom to help others stand firm.

When Jesus said, "learn from Me", He had every reason to use Himself as an example.  Isaiah wrote, "Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows...and He will bear their iniquities...For He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors." (53: 4, 11,12)

It's true that sometimes the person we want to help will appear oblivious to our "heroic efforts" on his behalf!  But that happened to Jesus, too...and it sure didn't stop Him!
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*This is my favorite way of imagining the yoke Jesus urges us to accept.  There are places for two...one beside the other...pulling together!  When I put myself into the one side, Jesus takes up His place on the other side.  And this is what makes His yoke easy and His burden light...the fact that He pulls with me, willing to take on Himself the brunt of the effort.  I don't have to pull alone. (And if I did, I'd never make it!)
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May God help us all to be attentive to the needs of those around us.  He may point us in the direction of  someone who needs to be "held", encouraged and lifted up.

(Ashes and Indians, Epilogue) Eagles soar...but they also rest their wings.

After the many days of activity surrounding the "Ashes and Indians" events, after numerous family adventures here, reminiscing about our childhood, seeing old places through nostalgic eyes...not recognizing some of them because so much time has passed...after all this, with spirit both dreamy and drained, both growing and groaning...

...I love hearing Jesus say to His disciples, "Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." (Mark 6:31)   It will take a while for body and spirit to recuperate.  Instead of considering it an inconvenience, since much less will be accomplished of daily tasks and planned projects, it should be looked forward to as an invitation by a loving Lord who Himself designed us with the need for rest.

   
                   Little Eagle

Come, rise up and gaze towards the heavens, amazed,
as God's workings and wonders are birthed.
Be awed as you must, little eagle, but just
don't forget to look back down to Earth.


             Go, aim for the sky, for the Son-light so high.
             Spread your wings out and up from the nest.
             Yes, soar as you must, little eagle, but just
             don't forget to come back down to rest.

                   You've dreams to fulfill.  Touch the stars if you will!

                    Keep your energies ready to spend.
                    Reach out as you must, little eagle, but just
                    don't forget to "be still" now and then.
               
          **************************-Becky Rhon******

Our time-driven society can make us feel pushed to "DO" things, to not waste time, to be "productive"...(until we burn out?).  I was impressed with the Tsáchila's evaluation of time.  During the ceremonies, time stood still.  Everyone who wanted to was allowed to talk...even encouraged to...with no looking at watches, no discreet coughs to speed things along...no pressure to hurry .  And it felt so free, so relaxing and so right. They knew that some things are more important than Time.

The Psalmist said, "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you."  (Ps. 116:7)  A fitting verse for the culmination of the Final Journey, with our parents' ashes and the Tsáchila believers.  He has indeed been good to us!  We can be at rest once more.
 

Ashes and Indians; a Final Journey, Part 3

Two things happened during the time we were in Cóngoma for the memorial for our parents that I want to tell you about. One was great.  One would have been if I had been able to finish it.

I thought of a young Tsachi woman who had married when we still lived there (so I was 10 or younger).  She was probably about 13 or 14 at the time.  All I could picture was her cute, sweet face as I had last seen it and her nickname (Pelá, which means "spider"). I wondered if she might be present, though knowing that I probably wouldn't recognize her. Then my sister called me over to talk to Carán (not sure of the spelling). This Tsachi sister remembered so much about us years ago, and we spent some time talking and reminiscing together.  I asked Germán to take a picture of us.

Here we're posing with my sister Carol (to my left), sister-in-law Princene and niece NaevEnya.

The building in the background is the church, where we held the service before going to the cemetery. There the first thing happened.

In the sharing-time of the service, I accompanied Germán up to the front and told a short story of something that had happened over 50 years ago, wondering if any of the Tsáchila there remembered.  But though the story was complete in itself, it didn't "gel" in my mind right then that I hadn't really finished it, and -maybe even more importantly - hadn't told them the beautiful allegory it made.

Here's what I told them:  when we lived there years ago, I was down by the river alone one day and saw, off in the underbrush, what I thought was a turtle. I stepped carefully towards it and started reaching my hand out to touch it.  Suddenly several little Tsachi boys arrived, then ran over and started yelling "piní! piní" which means "snake"! Coiled up. A venomous "equis" (fer-de-lance).  The boys had saved my life.

The audience in the church reacted audibly as I acted out the story!  But the rest of it wouldn't shape itself in my mind, so I sat down and Germán spoke what was on his heart.  Later everything fell into place in my mind...but by then there wasn't an opportunity to continue the story.  How I regretted that!  I am praying that I can find the contact information for someone there to whom I can send the rest of my story so that they can share it with my Tsachi brothers and sisters.  (Will you pray, too?)

Here's what I will add:  Once I had backed out of range of the snake, we called my dad down, and  he killed it, killed the thing that could have killed his daughter.  God works like this often. We see something we think is wonderful and are attracted to it, and reach to check it out.  But as beautiful as it may seem, if it's harmful, God will send someone to warn us: what you admire is deadly!  He did that for me...literally!  But He does it in all areas of life.  Then,  just as my father came down and put himself between me and my danger, so our Father comes down and puts Himself between us and our danger, to shield and protect us.

This is exactly what God did for the Tsáchila, too. He loved them so much that, knowing that they didn't have His Word, and followed after things that were not good for them and would lead them to great harm, He sent someone to warn them...to give them the Word so that they could learn to listen to Him and distinguish between what is harmful and what is good.  He sent my parents...who also loved them so much that they persevered in translating His message to them.  Now the heavenly Father also shields and protects them.
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The other thing that happened?  This was a real treat. I had mentioned to my sister that Carán looked sort of like the friend I was looking for, so maybe she was a relative and could tell me about her. After the ceremony at the cemetery, I asked the Tsachi leader about the friend I remembered, telling him that I only knew her nickname, but that she had married...(I gave the name of her husband).  "Sure", said Primitivo, "I just saw her over here."  He looked around and called out, "Carán!"  Oh my goodness!  The lovely woman I had talked to and posed with!  No wonder she had looked familiar! She had been there with us the whole time, showing how pleased she was that we were there.
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God, You are more than awesome!  Thank You for caring so much for us that You warn us, shield us, protect us through life.  And for giving us little surprises like Carán to cheer us as we go!

Ashes and Indians: A Final Journey, Part 2

The memorial service for my parents took place in the Tsáchila's own church.  It was a moving, God-honoring occasion, and there were tears and testimonies, people getting up to speak in more than one language.  Most of them know at least some Spanish, but the reason my parents went to this area in the first place was to give them the Scriptures in their own language, the very best way for them to truly understand with heart and soul what God had done for them. 

After the service, and a little snack to keep everybody on their feet, we posed with all those who wanted their picture taken with Bruce and Joyce's children.  Many of the older ones remembered us well from the time, so many years ago, when as kids we lived among them.  Of course, we look very different now!  In the picture, left-to-right (back row) are my sister Carol, then my brother Steve, my other brother Paul, and I'm at the end. 

When we found out what the Indians had decided they wanted to do with my parents' ashes, we all thought it was a marvelous idea.  We had thought to scatter their ashes where we had lived.  But the Tsáchila's desire was for them to rest in their own cemetery! Isn't that awesome? 

They decided to bury the ashes between the grave of the man who had been Dad's first language helper, and that of his wife.  Their son was present, and was so pleased!  So we all watched as they dug a small hole, and then, with lovely simplicity and deep emotion, we took turns pouring the ashes in, inviting everyone who wanted to to come and participate.  Then we took turns again, each putting a shovelful of earth back in place over them.  The photo right below shows Primitivo, the spiritual leader of this branch; and then I'm in the bottom photo.

We were delighted with the concept of what the Tsáchila themselves had desired.  The couple who had gone to live with them so many years ago with the purpose of making God's Word accessible to them in their own language, who had learned to love them and were loved in return...now had a physical place in their land, besides the emtional and spiritual place they already had in their hearts.  Though knowing that they themselves are in Heaven now, having their ashes buried close by feels like...they finally came home! And it's a physical tribute to the fact that Mom anbd Dad loved them so much that their own wish was to "come home"...to complete the circle.
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I will be sharing some of the things that were said, stories that were told, and other touching details very soon.  But for now...I need to stop and dry my tears.