An Awesome Travelling Companion

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV). Thinking about this verse over the years, I have often wondered what it meant to “acknowledge Him.” The Hebrew word is yaw-dah, meaning to know or “ascertain by seeing.” The word has many implications, including close relationship as with a” familiar friend” or “kinsman” and “to know” and “make known.” The word “trust” in this verse is batach, meaning to be confident, secure, sure. To paraphrase it in my own words,” Be completely confident in the Lord. In all your plans, include Him as you would your dearest friend. Because He is included in everything you do, He will be your guide, even when you don’t understand the route.”

I’ve just returned from the trip of a lifetime. My husband and I travelled to Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand over the course of a month. Our daughter and three wonderful grandchildren are living in Melbourne for a year while my son-in-law completes a work opportunity there. To my husband, this seemed the perfect time to fulfill a life-long dream to visit these wonderful places, while spending cherished time with our grandchildren. I cannot think of the trip without thinking of Ephesians 3:20, because it exceeded our expectations in every way. The month was filled with adventure, including an ATV excursion on the island of Moorea, a helicopter ride over the Great Ocean Road of Australia, a walk-about in the Australian bush, a guided horseback tour in the wilderness of New Zealand, a cruise through the fjords of Milford Sound, a gondola ride to the top of Bob’s Peak overlooking Queenstown and beautiful Lake Wakatipu, a delightful visit to Hobbit town, a trek around the thermal mud pots and geysers of Rotorua…. All in all we covered nearly 24,000 miles, and spent nearly 48 hours in the air. What is particularly impressive to me about this remarkable trip is that I really wasn’t looking forward to travelling for a month, and the thought of flying such long distances made me anxious. Even short trips in the air made me apprehensive. Gratefully, I can state those things in the past tense. While planning the trip, I decided to take Proverbs 3:5-6 to heart, believe it and live it. As we worked on our itinerary, I spread it all out before the Lord in prayer. I talked to Him about what our plans and hopes were, and asked Him to be in every detail. I also asked Him to turn my fears into joyful anticipation (Psalm 34: 4-5). He kept His promise…..He directed our paths (on land and in the air!), and even the occasional glitch in our plans turned out to be for the best. And all the while, I felt I was sharing the adventure with my “Familiar Friend.” What an awesome travelling Companion!!

I recently had the opportunity to accompany three of our grandchildren to a local science museum. We had a great afternoon exploring exhibits of wild animals and sea creatures, experimenting with sound machines and building blocks, learning fascinating things about the human body and taking in a show at the planetarium. One exhibit had to do with light….my grandson and I sat across from each other with a large glass pane between us. Each of us had a dial to control the amount of light that shone upon us. The more light we allowed to shine, the more clearly we could see the person across from us. When we turned the dial to diminish the light, we saw less and less of the other person, until all we could see in the pane was ourselves. It struck me that God’s principles are everywhere evident…maybe especially in a science museum. I couldn’t ignore the lesson….I can go through a day where all I see is myself, my needs, my concerns. That’s when I am not allowing God (who is Light) to shine in my life. When I “turn the dial”(perhaps through prayer, Bible study, fellowship) I can begin to focus on others and less on myself. I was reminded of Paul’s words in I. Cor 13:12 (KJ), “for now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face….then shall I know even as also I am known.” I truly do see “through a glass darkly,” but I’m reaching for the dial….

With all the exuberance and energy of a fifteen-month old, our grandson, Lee, headed to the ocean as quickly as his little legs would take him. For some of our grandchildren, the first encounter with the foaming surf has been frightening. We would carry them to the edge of the breaking tides and hold them up so they could feel the sand and the water converge on their reluctant toes. It could take several attempts before they would not react fearfully, clamoring up into our arms. But not Lee! He was drawn to the ocean like a baby turtle, determined to make his way to those waves. I walked (jogged) beside him, holding his tiny hand when he would let me and trying to keep him in my shadow as the sun became more intense. Keeping him in my shadow was a constant challenge. It meant keeping him close to me, at my side, while he was blissfully unaware of my efforts to protect him. It occurred to me how often we are unaware, and unappreciative, of God’s protective presence. David understood, when he prayed “hide me under the shadow of your wings…” (Psalm 17:8), “the children of men put their trust under the shadow of your wings..(Psalm 36:7), “In the shadow of your wings I will make my refuge…” (Psalm 57:1), “In the shadow of your wings I will rejoice” (Psalm 63:7) (NKJ). With childlike dependence, David said “my soul follows close behind you, Your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:8). He knew that to be in God’s shadow, he had to stay as close to Him as he could. But sometimes, God moves to keep us close even when we are unaware or unable. I John 2:1 refers to Jesus Christ as our Advocate. The Greek word for “advocate” is “paraklesis” and refers to “coming to one’s side.” I know our grandchildren cannot possibly understand how much we love them and want to protect them. We pray as they grow older, and the waves of life become less gentle, that they each will hold tightly to the hand of their God and rejoice in His protective shadow.

A Special Kind of Love, a Tribute

The side door of the van had not even fully opened when, to our delight, three joyful children clamored out and ran towards us. I’ll never forget the moment my oldest grandson, Owen, lept into my arms. His hug was so full of love that it filled my heart to overflowing. It was one of those “I don’t ever want to let go” kind of hugs. The feeling was mutual. We had not seen our grandchildren, except by Skype, for nearly nine months. Our daughter and son-in-law had taken advantage of a great job opportunity as a way to let their children experience the rich culture of India for six months. But, as often happens in such situations, the six months was extended to a year, and they were visiting us for the holidays. We had a wonderful visit, catching up and learning everything we could about their amazing adventure ….especially fascinating when seen through the eyes of the children. We treasure the memory of hugs and cuddles on the couch, watching movies or looking at photo albums. I have to admit, it was harder to say good-by this time than when they first left. We know God is holding them in His arms and directing their lives, and we praise Him for that. Our time apart has reminded us that family is a gift so precious only God could have thought it up. And nothing brings joy like the love of grandchildren!
Now, three of our precious grandchildren are back in India. And, once again, we are grateful for Skype! Another grandson lives in Atlanta and, although we prefer that to India, it’s hard to spend the time with him that we would like. Still, we have gotten to watch him grow from the day of his birth, to sitting, crawling and preparing to take that first step. I’ve had the joy of being chased on my knees around the playroom, reading stories, and stacking blocks just for the fun of watching him knock them down. He smiles with his whole face, as if the joy of life can hardly be contained. I love to be asked to come for a visit and spend time with Lee. I marvel that his parents worry about me “giving up the time” to come, when time with him (them) is a gift.
God is good….and four of our grandchildren are only twenty minutes away! Ages four, three, two and four months, they are totally and completely amazing. At this point, their parents are more tired than amazed, so I am glad I am close enough to give them a little break now and then. I love going through the front door, and hearing the playful clamor coming from their upstairs rooms. I especially love when they realize I’m there and the clamor stops to the cry of “MiMi!” I’m old (39 plus shipping and handling), but to this day I cannot think of a better compliment than Sean telling me, “MiMi, you are so fun!”
Proverbs 17, verse 6 says, “children’s children are the crown of old men (and women!), and the glory of children is their father,” and, I could add, their grandfather. We are so thankful to be grandparents. Of all the titles the world could offer, none compares to “MiMi and PaPa!” Our continual prayer is that we might be a Godly influence in the lives of all of our grandchildren. I am writing as a tribute to my mother and father in law, who have always been spiritual pillars in our family. Our children have always had the blessing of Godly grandparents, who have treasured being a part of their lives. Now, as we witness the faithfulness and dedication of our children, and their efforts to be Godly parents, we realize that the example of their grandparents has impacted the lives of every child, grandchild and great-grandchild they have. I hope they know how much they are loved, and what a rich spiritual heritage they have given their family. God is faithful and He promises in Psalms 102, verse 28, “The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.” Can there be a more awesome promise? Nothing brings joy like the love of grandchildren….living in God’s presence, established before Him!”

Waiting is so hard!

Waiting is so hard, and I am not good at it! A few days ago, our family welcomed our newest granddaughter, Annabelle Rose. Seeing her for the first time filled us with awe. The birth of a child is such an incredible display of the power, glory and creativity of our God! But waiting for her arrival, I had been growing more and more tense, like a runner poised at the starting line waiting for the gun. This was child number four for my daughter, and each delivery had been a little quicker than the one before. I was concerned whether she would make it to the hospital on time, and whether her husband (whose job requires him to travel most weekends) would be there for her. She had never made it to her projected due dates before, and one child had arrived three weeks early! Now we were approaching week 39 (a new record!), and Braxton Hicks contractions (also known as “practice contractions”) were occurring more and more frequently. I kept my cell phone in my pocket, suitcases packed and in the car (which was full of gas!) and, sometimes I went to bed fully dressed. I had worked out the scenario in my head a dozen times. The call would come, I would jump in the car and race to her house to calmly (yeah, right!) take care of the other children while her husband drove her to the hospital. Knowing things rarely happen as they are planned, I leaned on prayer partners and tried every day to trust in God’s perfect timing.
Waiting is so hard, especially when we are waiting for something we really want. We had been so excited at the thought of having another grandchild. It never gets old! Like the saying goes, “if I’d known how much fun my grandkids would be, I would have had them first!” As Christians, we often have to struggle with waiting for God’s answer to our most heartfelt prayers. We don’t always understand His timing. Our deepest hope and greatest anticipation is for the return of Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Zechariah 14 tells us that He will stand on the Mount of Olives and inaugurate His promised kingdom, bringing peace and healing to the nations of the earth. Hopefully, we desire His kingdom above all else (Matt. 6:33). The Bible uses the analogy of birth on numerous occasions in reference to this time. “…creation itself will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ….the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now” (Romans 8:21-22). “Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she gave birth to her children…Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream….on her sides shall you be carried, and be dandled on her knees, as one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you…” (Isaiah: 66:8, 12-13).
Waiting is hard, especially when the wait seems to go on and on. Sometimes I got a little weary of being constantly ready and tried to convince myself there was plenty of time. The Apostle Paul warned “for when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman…..but you, brethren, are not in darkness so that this Day should overtake you as a thief….let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be self-controlled” (I Thessalonians 5:3-6). I am reminded of the parable of the virgins in Matthew 25. It is sobering to read that they all slept, but at least five of them slept with their clothes on, figuratively speaking, and their lamps full of oil, knowing the time of the Bridegroom’s coming was near. We are warned that there would be scoffers who would say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (II Peter 3:4). Judging by what they could see, nothing was any different than the day before. Jesus said we would not know the day or the hour when He would return (Matt. 24:42,) but He also said “…when you see all these things (referring to the signs mentioned earlier in the chapter) know that it is near, at the very doors…” (Matthew 24:33).
Waiting is hard when there is pain and discomfort. The hardest part of the waiting for me was seeing my daughter so uncomfortable. And I knew it was going to get worse before it got better. “A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come, but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for joy that a human being has been born into the world” (John 16:21). What a perfect analogy for the end time. We live in a world that is filled with pain and sorrow, with wars and natural disasters escalating. Scripture indicates it will get worse before it gets better. However, a time of refreshing, restoration and healing is promised at the return of Christ (Acts 3:20-21). And, ultimately, “according to His promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (I Cor. 2:9).
The waiting is over for our granddaughter. Every prayer was answered, God’s timing was perfect. It always is. May He grant us the grace to remain faithful while we wait on Him. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him….those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth” (Psalm 37:7,9).

Ok, I admit it…..sometimes I have a weird way of looking at things. A few years ago, after enduring the dreaded colonoscopy procedure, I shared some thoughts with close friends about a spiritual analogy that kept coming to my mind. They cautioned me not to blog about it for fear the point might be lost in the end (pun intended….). A few days ago, I had to undergo an endoscopy. Since this procedure dealt with the north end instead of the south end, I thought maybe my “insights” would be easier to swallow….
Laying on the prep bed, with a skimpy sheet inadequately covering my drafty hospital gown, I was feeling increasingly chilled and vulnerable. Maybe doctors find us easier to work with if we are completely humbled first, after all, there has to be some reason for the wait. All prepped, IV in my arm, anxious to get this over with…..I waited….and waited. It didn’t help that I was in a room full of patients recovering from the south end procedure, whose bodies were making humorous sounds to the delight of the staff. I tried to dismiss the comment my husband made before the nurse took me in….”gee, I hope they don’t use the same tube….” It didn’t fill me with confidence when the nurse paused and said, “oh, you’re getting an endoscopy….let me turn you around and wheel you in head first…”
The thought of having a camera sliding down my throat, taking pictures all the way to my small intestine, was unnerving and I welcomed the sedative. I had been having occasional debilitating pain in swallowing for a number of years, and I was looking forward to finding the cause and fixing the problem. I was fascinated by the pictures the doctor showed us afterward, and thought, truly, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made!” David spoke these words in Psalms 139. He concluded his psalm of praise with this passionate request, ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart…..see if there is any wicked way in me…..lead me in the way everlasting.” The Hebrew word for search in this passage is “chaqar,” and it means “to examine intimately, to penetrate.” I thought of the many passages that refer to God’s word as “light.” “The entrance of Your Words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple” (Psalms 119:130). Physically speaking, the penetrating light of that tiny camera revealed the cause of my difficulty and I was given a prescription to promote healing. Without that light, I would never have known what was causing the pain. Spiritually speaking, God alone “reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness and light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2:22). Going through this experience reminded me that I have a daily need to ask God to examine me, for “who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults, keep back your servant from presumptuous (arrogant) sins” Psalm 19:12-13. God will show us the things in our lives that are hurting us spiritually, if we really want to know. I think sometimes we feel vulnerable, as if we are wearing that skimpy hospital gown, afraid someone may see our backside. We would rather go through life sedated. But God alone offers complete healing, life everlasting, for “God is the Lord, and He has given us light” (Psalm 118:27).

I love trees! Towering oaks, with limbs that beckon for swings or tree houses…..lovely myrtles, alive with blossoms all summer long….maples, that so beautifully shade us in the summer heat, then thrill us with autumn hues of red and gold. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the desert southwest that I am so fascinated by trees. In West Texas, we joked that if anyone found a tree, he would put a fence around it and call it a park!
Recently, we had the pleasure of renewing relationships with members of our family, cousins Eve and Larry, that we had not seen in years. Sitting in the backyard of their lovely home near Orlando, Florida, I couldn’t help but notice an unusual tree. It stood tall and shapely, looking similar to a fir, but unlike any I had ever seen, so I asked what it was. Larry explained that it was a Norfolk Pine. He said there was one just like it on their porch in a pot. In fact, the two trees were purchased at the same time and looked identical when they were purchased. I went inside the porch to see the other tree. I was astounded! I could hardly believe this small potted plant was the same kind of tree that so beautifully graced their backyard!
I couldn’t quit thinking about those trees. One was simply a potted house plant, the other was a full-grown tree, haven for birds and delight to the eyes. I am in a transition period in my own life, retiring from a wonderful teaching career, and, as I thought about those trees, an analogy kept coming to my mind…..how many times have I been like that potted plant… safe in my comfort zone, sheltered from the heat of the day, safe, but not growing. I admire people with courage, who seem fearless, because I am a big chicken. But I know that the most rewarding times of my life have always been when I took a risk, ventured out of my comfort zone, and trusted God inspite of my fears. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding: In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). I have come to understand that “Acknowledging Him” includes the greater meaning of seeking Him and submitting to His will as He reveals it in any situation. “Acknowledging Him” means it’s not all about me….
The parable of the talents in Matthew 25 teaches a similar lesson. A man getting ready to travel to a far country called his servants together. He gave them talents, five, two or one, according to their individual ability, and charged them with the responsibility to care for his treasure until he returned. The servants with five and two talents invested them and doubled the value. The servant with one talent dug in the ground and buried it to keep it “safe” until his master returned. The response of the master upon his return was profound. He called the servant who had buried his talent “unprofitable.” Now, there’s a scary thought….we can be servants, but still be unprofitable for God’s kingdom work!
Now, facing a major transitional time in my life, the easiest thing for me to do would be to become like the potted plant. The thought scares me. I don't want to be an "unprofitable servant." But I know that means stepping out of my comfort zone, and trusting God. "Blessed is the man (or woman) who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord, for he shall be like a tree planted by the waters which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes....nor will cease from yielding fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8). I want to be a river oak "rooted and grounded in love," (Ephesians 3:17) thriving in the light of the Son! but, a Norfolk Pine would be nice, too...