Across the pond....

I'm baaack!  Left 9/16, back 10/9.  What a lot of stories to tell.  That comes later, after I have my thoughts together about the trip.
I'm catching up with DVR programs and the news:
EBOLA, the dreaded disease has hit America.  I wouldn't ever apply for the job of caring for or cleaning up the elusive germs...

but, I'm glad there are people willing to risk doing that.

We have no idea how this plague will explode or where, but this we do know:

 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Heb. 4:15,16

A missionary speaker in my church this morning said,
"There are many more deaths from malaria in Uganda than from AIDS or ebola.
We watch the television reports and media, making us anxious.  I need to draw near to Him on the throne, as revealed in the above verse.
Watch for another post soon...

Good intentions

I apologize for neglecting to make new posts for so long.  I have a good reason.

I'm planning for a trip to Romania, leaving in 4 days!  Will go over with my missionary daughter to Bucharest, serve with her 2 weeks, possibly longer,  then come back ALONE (yikes!), on the way to Minneapolis, From there to visit N. Iowa sister, then back to Mpls., and home to Raleigh nine days later.
I'm very thankful my back pain has lessened SO MUCH.  A year ago I wouldn't have been physically been able to do this.  This is the time God has chosen for me to go and He provides. 
Daughter #1, Bambi, has been serving there several years; I'll be helping her in various work she does as my energy allows.
below is her recent photo with me (I'm on the left):

Looking at my garden that's waiting for me to clean up, is sad.  I will try to get it done today or tomorrow when there's a strong person available to help me.  But this was a good season of plant/harvest.  I've frozen peaches, strawberries from another's garden, lots of tomatoes from mine.
                                                             BEFORE

                                                                 AFTER (today)

                                                          SOME CANNING

That's it for today.  I'll leave some words for the next time...lots to do today!
A verse that's been on my mind recently:
"I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto your testimonies."  Ps 119:59

The enemy has teeth!

Isn't this a beautiful time of year?  I've thought lately, it's the ONLY July, 2014 I'll ever live through...do I enjoy it enough?  Give thanks to God enough for it?
Tomatoes and cucumbers to pick each day...

Bitten by the enemy lately?

Blessed be the LORD, who has not given us as prey
to their teeth!
  Psalm 124:6

A new wind blowing...

knocked the wind out of my sails.
On 6/14 I flew to Kansas City to celebrate my eldest granddaughter's wedding.  The next day several of us drove up to North Iowa; I was to spend 2 weeks with my sister there.  On the second evening a Tornado struck the area.  Homes were lifted, shifted, smashed...a cow ended up a mile away calmly eating in a pasture.  Power was lost for a day or so...destruction I've seen before but never actually owned.  Every year we lived there (20 years until 1994) we watched tornadoes all around, narrowly missing us.
We enjoyed a great day on 6/16, and then the wind began as we sat at supper, joking about the meager shelter they'd never had to use until that night: a 6' sq. well pit.  I feel it literally saved our lives (3 of us).  Strange how the plan played out:

1.  God knew exactly when and how the storm would occur.
2.  God made sure we had that safe pit.  (I relate to Joseph and the pit in Genesis)
3.  Knowing we were in the Father's care but shaking with weakened faith during the
      storm.
4.  Living with seeing the destruction and dealing with it.  It doesn't all 'sink in'
         immediately.
5.  It's 8 days after and I still feel shaken.

My sister and husband lost much of their house, barn, and out-buildings...they're not able to restore enough of it.  My heart breaks for them.  But through it all we're absolutely confident God loves and cares for us.  Satan has been causing destruction of all kinds since Eden...and causes it still.
Photos of the well-pit....

 

 

A day or two after, I sent her this email:

In indicting and disciplining the wicked, do His children sometimes feel it?  I thought of “the rain falls on the just and the unjust”…occurred to me He may have sent that storm for the wicked in N. Iowa; some of the just were in the path.  When I think of His great love for His own I think He will replace, reward, renew for them.

I found another verse that says (or implies) His angels go ahead of Him when He is in the storm.  He was there with us that night.  We were spared. Your mobile is His.  He can replace it or renew it as He sees fit.  I praise Him that you and Frank chose that spot and that home for you to enjoy all these years.  I think of so many in the Bible that were ‘uprooted’ and moved about, of saints and missionaries that have given up and moved about.

I love you so, and still not near as much as He does.

 

Do you want to be healed?

John 5:6  The account of the man by the pool.

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?"
 
If Jesus had stood at Keith's bedside and asked him that, I think he would have said, "No."
He had lived in pain and increasing disablement for 30 years.  He wanted to be rid of it, an end to it.  I can't imagine what healed for him was; I doubt he could either.
 
The man in the John account had lain alongside the 'healing' pool for 38 years.  How could one have any hope after that long?  Notice he didn't answer Jesus' question, but instead replied, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going, another steps down before me.”
This had been how his days had gone for his life.

Did someone ever carry him away for a time?  Did a physician ever attend to him there?  Was medicine brought to him?  Who helped him with bathing, feeding, deficating?
Was his hair and beard ever cut in those years?  How did he deal with stray animals?
He may have outlived his parents, probably had no wife or children to care for him.
Were there other invalids laying alongside the pool?  Who covered him in winter?
 
Even though the man didn't answer Jesus' question there's a hopeful ending.

Jesus said to him, v8 “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” v9 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked."
 
How much life did he have left...what did he do with his life from that hour on?
As always, I have more questions than answers.

 

sweaty, stinky kid

I'm continuing on with the last blog entry...

1 Samuel 16:
The priest asked the father, Jesse, to send for the last (8th) son.  He came running in and was described as being, "ruddy, had beautiful eyes and was handsome."  ruddy: red complexion...of course, duh!  He worked out in the sun every day tending Dad's sheep.  And, I bet he was dirty, sweaty, hot, stinky, hungry, etc.  Not 'kingly' material.
And the LORD said, "Get up, stand at attention...your king is present!"
(have you noticed I changed the words a bit?)
God instructed Samuel to do what he was sent here for...anoint the boy.  There's no timeline here;  did they let David wash up and get a drink?  did he have to go right back out to the sheep?  were his many brothers jealous?  did the family have to serve him now?  I mean, he's the new king after all.
My son had 4 elder sisters; I'm pictured with him at the right.  How would they have felt living with a king?  would they honor him?  Nah!
Down a few verses in chapter 16, it says after this event at home, David went right back to the sheep.  (see what a responsible kid he is?  his folks did a good job.) 

Saul, the present king, said to his servants, "Find a good musician and bring him here.” vs.18  One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” 19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer.

Before long the reigning king sent the 'kid' to the front of the battle.  That's in the next chapter, 1 Sam. 17.  That's where it really gets exciting.  Even if you don't like war stories, you'll love this!  I'd like to blog about that next time.

Our God is so good.  He wrote a book of thrilling bedtime stories for us, but they're all true.  I love sharing about it with you.

I miss blogging.

Yup, you're right...it's been too long.  My imagination played overtime in the following:

Imagine what it must have been like when Samuel found David:
1 Sam. 16, God commanded Samuel, the high priest of Israel, to find another to replace the poor choice of the people, King Saul.  The first king ever; the many the people chose, a poor choice at that.  He's done enough damage and God told Samuel to go find the man...er, er, teen of God's choice.
He said, "start walking, I'll show you where.  Take with you a small portion of oil for anointing, walk to Bethlehem (a few miles) and look for a father named Jesse."
Samuel said, "If King Saul learns of it, he will kill me." (he said with shaking knees)
God said, "Take a cow and if questioned say you're on your way to sacrifice.  Invite Jesse to the sacrifice and I'll show you what to do."
That's like Billy Graham or the Pope coming into town, holding onto a container in one hand and in the other hand, a rope with a pretty cow attached.  Smaller town, different time and culture, but still strange.  That's sure to draw some attention.
The city elders (mayor and town council?) met him at the city gate and appear to be pretty nervous about this official.  They were doing their job, he was doing his.
Samuel noted their apprehension and said, "I come in peace!  I will be sacrificing this animal to our God, Jehovah.  By the way, wanna come to the sacrificial dinner?"
Then he apparently found Jesse and his sons (most of them) and invited them also.
When all was prepared, Samuel began to interview each of the sons while listening to God whisper in his ear about each.  "Nope!"  "Not this one!"  "Look for another!"  "Nope!"
Soon Samuel said to Jesse, "The LORD hasn't chosen any of these...got any more?"
Jesse replied, maybe off-handedly, "Well, just the young guy out with the sheep."

Just another day, just another area of service for our God.  I've had days when it began as ordinary, but God led me to a particular person to share with or a certain act of service for Him that I didn't plan.  I love those events, those un-planned encounters, of being sent out by the King to do His bidding.
I'll continue with this encounter of Samuel/David next time...you won't have to wait as long next time.

I've taken some liberties here.