Abundant Living

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Christmas morning has to be one of my favorite childhood memories. My father developed quite a detailed plan for Christmas mornings. I often heard my friends tell how they would jump out of bed at daybreak, run to the living room and start tearing into the multitude of presents there. No such luck for my brothers and me! At our house things were done in a much more dignified and orderly way!

Each Christmas my parents filled a stocking for each of their three children. It usually contained some candy, a big navel orange and a red delicious apple. Some years we received a tangerine too which was an extra special treat. Besides the stocking they purchased one main gift for each child. This was typically a toy or gadget that we had particularly asked for. They never wrapped this item, but propped it in plain sight right under the Christmas tree.

However this presented a problem… my older brothers and I had our bedrooms on the second floor of our little house. The staircase descended directly into the living room. And my parents wanted us to eat breakfast in the kitchen before gift-opening. So my dad got the bright idea of blind-folding us to lead us down the steps, through the living room and into the kitchen. Most years he just plunked a brown paper bag over our heads and led us down one by one. Oh the excitement, knowing we were so close to our special gift, but not yet allowed to see it!

We ate breakfast, washed and dried the dishes (of course we had no dishwasher!) and then waited in our den while my father went to pick up my grandparents who would join us for the morning. This caused about a half hour delay. We thought he’d never return!

When he arrived home with Grandpa and Grandma, they joined us in that tiny room for the traditional reading of the Christmas story. Then all the grown-ups would require us kids to wait in the den, while they settled themselves comfortably in the living room.

FINALLY… they’d call to us, giving permission to enter the room! What a thrill as we would fly into that room and see immediately the gift that had been purchased just for us!

Funny…as I think back, I remember only a few of those presents. What I remember with greatest fondness is the joy of holding my father’s hand and just letting him lead me… knowing that in his own good time, all the wonderful gifts would be revealed!

I Corinthians 2:9& 10 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.” I know my heavenly Father has glorious surprises in store for me: incredible answers to prayer, amazing lessons to be learned, fantastic experiences still ahead. Some are just around the corner. Some are farther along in this waiting game called life. But I know He’ll reveal them at just the right time! After all, that’s what faith is: believing what you don’t see yet. For now, it’s as though He gently leads me from one wonderful blessing to the next with a brown paper bag over my head. But that’s okay… because I think maybe the best part after all, is just holding His hand!

Posted in General

Friday, November 7, 2008

In the last few weeks our nation has faced a serious financial crisis and an emotion-packed presidential election. When I was shopping today I heard two women commiserating about the “hard times” we’re living in. I too could be tempted to fear (an emotion I’ve often had to work hard to conquer). Then one of my grandchildren runs to me, “Grandma, Grandma, would you read me a story?” “Grandma, Grandma, play the piano please!” “Grandma, Grandma, sing me a song!” Suddenly my perspective changes.

Our daughter Monica, her husband Madhav and their three children, Josiah, Micah & Mercy recently moved in with us. They will occupy the third floor of our old house while they wait for their Maryland home to be sold and a new home purchased here in Pennsylvania. It’s lively having a 4 yr. old, 3 yr. old and 2 yr. old in the house again (oh, and they are also expecting another baby in January!), but the simple trust of the children reminds me daily of the unwavering confidence that should characterize children of God.

My grandchildren do not fret about money or politics. They believe that their parents will watch over and protect them. And that is precisely what their parents do… they love their three so much. The children’s physical, emotional and spiritual well-being is paramount to their dad and mom.

How much more then must our heavenly Father care about us, His children that He adopted into His very own family? As fiercely as Josiah, Micah & Mercy are loved by their parents and grandparents… that must be just a tiny fraction compared to the amount of love our Lord feels toward His kids… you and me!

Ahhhh… how good to rest in the peaceful assurance that the God of the universe is looking out for us! And in light of what we know He is preparing for us, how can we get too upset about the temporary problems of the here and now?

I ran across a couple of interesting quotes from Saint Cyprian who was a Christian bishop living in North Africa in the second century A.D. He lived in tumultuous, uncertain times, similar to today…
“It is a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and good people who have learned the great secret of life. They have found a joy and a wisdom which is a thousand times better than any of the pleasures of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians … and I am one of them.” (St. Cyprian, 200-258).
He also wrote, “The Kingdom of God is drawing nigh, my beloved brethren. The reward of life, the eternal joy of salvation, perpetual gladness, the lost paradise – this is what we shall inherit when this earthly life passes away. A heavenly, eternal glory will replace vain, worldly pleasures. Is this any time to be despondent or fearful? What room is there here for anxiety and solicitude? Who, in the midst of these things is trembling and sad, except he who is without hope and faith?”(excerpt from his treatise, “On Mortality”)

So, I read a book, or play the piano with my grandchildren. And as I do, I remember that “Papa” God is watching over me too! And if I listen real hard I think I can almost hear Him singing me a song!

Posted in General

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Heart-pounding, dramatic, appreciative, puzzling, amazing, impactful. What do these adjectives have in common? Don’t strain your brain. I’ll tell you.

Thursday evening, September 19 my husband, John, became deathly pale and short of breath. By midnight he could barely stand. This prompted a heart-pounding drive to the ER. John was rational enough to tell me a couple of times to slow down. He didn’t want me to be pulled over by a policeman and have to give a lengthy explanation for my speeding.

Next was the admission and suspected diagnosis of internal bleeding… but where? Around 11 a.m. Friday he was wheeled away for an endoscopy (tube with a camera threaded down the throat). The results? “Dramatic findings,” were the doctor’s exact words. For you medical lingo junkies, John had a dieulafoy lesion in his duodenum, causing blood to spurt into his digestive tract. The doctor located the site of the bleed and cauterized it. John remained in the hospital a few more days, received five units of blood (evidently he had lost a lot), and returned home Monday, September 22, feeling “like a million dollars.” To put it mildly, we were extremely appreciative to the doctors, medical staff, family and friends who cared and prayed, and of course the Lord for the good outcome.

Three days later John developed a puzzling bleed in his urinary tract and thus began over a week of more tests, procedures, doctor’s consults, etc. This “issue” seems to be resolved for now, although he may yet have to undergo a few further tests.

Through this anatomical adventure, John and I have frequently commented on how the human body is truly amazing! Of course we know it is that way, because it was designed by our amazing Creator! It is incredible what doctors can do, but even more miraculous that God made the body capable of healing after such damage.

Crises, particularly those that are life-threatening to myself or a loved one, strike me anew with the fragility of life. Such brushes with eternity are impactful to say the least.

As Francis of Assisi wrote in “Letters to Rulers of People”… Keep a clear eye toward life’s end. Do not forget your purpose and destiny as God’s creature. What you are in His sight is what you are and nothing more. Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received… but only what you have given; a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage. Paul similarly urges Timothy… Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (I Timothy 4:7,8)

So I thank the Lord for these unexpected “events” that remind me of what’s most important and even prompt much-needed spiritual tune-ups from time to time. Hopefully I won’t need another for quite awhile!

Posted in General

Thursday, August 14, 2008

As far back as I can remember I’ve had a love for words. Maybe it started when my father began paying me a quarter for every new word I learned and began using in everyday speech. “Idiosyncrasy” was one of his favorites. When I managed to incorporate that into a simple conversation, he was delighted. “Ah, that’s a great word! Don’t you just love it?” he asked.

      So it’s probably not surprising that I found spelling, grammar and vocabulary to be fun and interesting. Eventually these paved the way for me to enjoy speaking, writing and even learning foreign languages. My Dad simply said God had given me the gift of gab.

      I suppose it’s just natural to now find myself plunging headlong into the world of “blogging!” The enormous Webster’s on my shelf doesn’t even list “blog.” Yet it seems that almost everyone I talk to is either reading or writing blogs. And although there are undoubtedly those who use blogs in meaningless or even detrimental ways, they certainly can be used beneficially.

      When our daughter and son-in-law travelled to China last year to bring home their new little daughter, it was wonderful to follow the journey via their blog entries. And recently when the grandson of friends underwent serious surgery, a blog kept hundreds of people here and overseas updated on his progress along with specific prayer requests.

      So… here I am arranging on a screen a bunch of letters which I hope will:

1.      Provide a way for me to share my personal walk of faith with others who are also on this same journey. (It’s funny…somehow when I see my life staring back at me through my own words, I’m deeply challenged!)

2.      Be a source of encouragement, motivation, help, and information that is practical to the demands of daily life (and maybe throw in a little enjoyment as well?).

3.      Point people (you and me both!) to Jesus Christ. He is God’s perfect Word of choice…totally apropos for revealing God’s heart to mankind. He is God’s amazing “entry” into this tangled world-wide web in which we all live. Read Him and you read the best blog ever! John 1:1 & 14 … In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  

      As my father would say, “That’s a great Word! Don’t you just love it?”

Posted in General