The Last Day

Some time ago, I had a routine interview scheduled at a nursing home for my Savvy Seniors column. The day before the interview, a major storm hit the area, leaving over a thousand without power in Butler County, damaging trees, homes and businesses and claiming one life. Storm coverage forced me to reschedule the interview for an hour later. I had seriously considered rescheduling for another day, considering the nursing home was without power, but decided to press on, and I'm glad I did.

The man's advice to young people was poignant: "They better enjoy life while they can. It seems like it goes so fast. The older you get, the quicker [the years] go." He died later that day.

Goodness and Mercy

Recently, I was reflecting on the challenge of maintaining a positive attitude in light of difficulties.   Sometimes all the struggles--and evil--of the world can wear on even the most devoted optimists. And sometimes, simple determination to be happy in itself cannot dispel the tenebrous foes of peace in one's soul.

Romans 12:21 came to mind, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  Generally, I have categorized this verse with verses about loving enemies and doing good to those who hate you--rather reactionary, defensive advice to avoid being overtaken by the attrition of evil.

Cedar Valley Botanical Gardens

Another place Yai and I visited in August is the Cedar Valley Botanical Gardens in Waterloo.  Admission was only $3 per person.  There were all sorts of gardens, goldfish ponds, and little waterfalls, and there was even a section for children. Everything seemed well-maintained.  

“My prayer for today is that we will feel God’s loving arms wrapped around us,
and we will know in our hearts that He will never forsake us as we trust in Him.” --Billy Graham

Answers: Faith

A few people asked questions about faith in response to my Your Turn post.  Victor Hugo once said, "The greatest happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves." 

And that's true.  God loved us so much even in our miserable human condition that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  I've found the greatest happiness in the world in the conviction that Jesus loves me.  I never deserved His love.  I never was good enough to earn it.  But he loved me in spite of myself.  He's changing me, so I can behold the beauty of Himself.  

Book Review: Hearts of Fire

Over seventy percent of Americans claim to be Christians, but what does being a Christian mean to us?  Would we still so eagerly claim our Christian faith if identifying as such meant being disowned by family, watching our towns burned, spending years in prison, facing torture, or seeing our family killed?

For the eight women whose stories this book tells, the answer was yes.  Originally published by the Voice of the Martyrs in 2003, the oldest story in Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith is the story of Sabina Wurmbrand (1945).  Other stories take us into the early twenty-first century.

The Power of God

"Wilt thou be made whole?" Jesus asked a man who had been ill for 38 years.  The man was at the pool of Bethesda...a very special pool.  An angel came to "trouble the waters" every so often, and the first one into the water afterward was cured.  The man replied, "Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool."

This man believed in miracles.  He had tried to get into the pool on his own, but someone else always beat him to it.  Jesus told him, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk."  He was immediately healed.

Will You Walk With Jesus?

Jesus promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."  Throughout the Bible Jesus tells us not to be afraid.  He is our refuge and fortress, and He's there to help us when we're in trouble and give us courage.

I wrote the song "Will You Walk With Jesus?" in 2010, and have included the lyrics, as well as an imperfect recording from one of our recent live performances, below.

His Love Will Never Fade

Is my smile so sweet

As on the first day I met my Savior?

Is the love so deep,

As on the day that Christ, His hand

Toward me did reach?

Does my face still shine

With the passion He gave

When He my pardon signed?

Christ Died

Jesus walked carrying a cross Through crowds of lost and dying;

Men who knew not their souls’ great loss, Throngs of poor men repining.

Always There for Me

As long as the mountains stand,
As the sun for ages has brilliantly shined,

I’ll go with you as to the end this trail does wind

I’ll always be there to hold your hand.

Boldness

The book of Second Kings tells us the prophet Elisha was visited on his deathbed by Joash, king of Israel. Elisha told Joash to smite the ground with his arrows to represent the Lord's upcoming deliverance of the Israelites from Syria.  Joash did as he was told three times and then stopped.  Elisha was very disappointed and told him he should have smitten five or six times.

Hummingbirds - 2015

" I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."  --Jeremiah 31:3

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.  The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands."  --Psalm 138:7-8

The Pearson House, Morality, and Legality

St. Louis Trip, Day 1 - Friday, July 24, 2015

Driving through Keosauqua, Iowa, we noticed a sign pointing out the Pearson House which was built between 1845 and 1847.  We hadn't planned on stopping, and it was not open while we were there, so we admired the buildings and the grounds, but didn't get to see the inside of the house.  Also on the property are the Ellis Schoolhouse and a log cabin.

Originally, the second floor of the house was used for Methodist church services.  But, what the Pearson House is most noted for is its place as a stop on the Underground Railroad, which helped fugitive slaves on their way to freedom in Canada before the Civil War.

Along the Iowa River

Last weekend my sister, mother, and I went thrifting in Iowa Falls, and enjoyed some time walking by the Iowa River.  The day was beautiful, and the trees were full of singing birds.  So, without further ado, I present the beautiful view.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  
He restoreth my soul:  he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."  --Psalm 23:3

Follow Jesus

Not long ago, I was evaluating my performance so far in life.  I'm a competitive person, but I usually have sense enough to compete against myself by topping past goals and checking off to-do lists.

  For a moment though, I started to think about where I stand compared with the rest of the world.  

Satisfaction

"The eyes of men are never satisfied."  --Proverbs 27:20

Satisfaction in life is elusive.  The more I learn, the more I want to learn. The more I travel, the more I realize how many places I have yet to explore.  I eat every day and eat again the next.  I check off to-do lists only to start new ones.

Is there any goal I can work toward, finally reach, and say, "Ah, this is it!  There is no way I can improve.  I have reached perfection, satisfaction, and the ultimate happiness"?  

Wake Me Up

It's lambing season, and one of our neighbors has a flock of sheep.  Not long ago, we asked him if we could come see his lambs and their mothers.  Some were tiny--only a day old--and others were already growing into sturdy little lambs.  He has to bottle feed any that are rejected by their mothers or whose mothers do not have sufficient milk.  

Bridges

"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.  

An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered."   --G.K. Chesterton

A bridge I saw before me; it's way I fain would take.

I strained my eyes to see, but the darkness made me quake.

If the bridge I do not cross, it will fore'er be my loss.

Courage whispers on, but will all be well at dawn?

Saying No to Okra

One vegetable that my family used to grow in our large gardens is okra.  My parents loved it, but to me and my siblings it was the epitome of a slimy, not-so-great-tasting, green vegetable.  Mama taught us to give everything a try, so we dutifully tried it...and our opinions remained steadfast.  My dearest papa has a policy that no one has to eat anything he or she doesn't like, so we were spared from eating okra and taught a life lesson I'll never forget.

Wiki Creative Commons

"Children," Papa said, "What if a neighbor walks up to your door with a big box full of okra and says, 'Hi, I have some extra okra from my garden, and I thought I'd bring some over for you!'  Would you respond, 'Oh, thank you so much!  I'll just love this!' and take it just to make your neighbor happy?  No!'"

Barns and Beasts

"The beast of the field shall honor me, the dragons and the owls:
because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise."  --Isaiah 43:19-20

The beasts of the field honor God by being exactly what He made them to be: examples of His great handiwork and design.  We can honor and praise God too by acknowledging Him as our Creator and Savior and thanking Him.