LifeLog

How Valuable is Your Family to You?

2012-02-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

What Do You Think of Your Family?

When you think of Family who comes to mind? Are you a Parent? Do you think of your Partner or your Children? Or do you think of your own Parents; your siblings? Does your mind reach farther out, recalling generations of Ancestors? Is “Family” synonymous with “Joy” for you? Is this a painful subject for you? Sadly it is for a lot of people. Sometimes there’s reason for the feelings that our Families have failed us. Some Fathers and Mothers are not worthy of honor. Adult Children do, sometimes, have a case for the complaint that their life is a mess and their Family of Origin is largely to blame.

An Ancient Writer’s View

An ancient writer saw Family very differently. He wrote, “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along! It's like costly anointing oil flowing down head and beard, flowing down Aaron's beard, flowing down the collar of his priestly robes. It's like the dew on Mount Hermon flowing down the slopes of Zion. Yes, that's where God commands the blessing, ordains – establishes – eternal life.” (Psalm 133: 1 – 3 THE MESSAGE) To this Writer – King David of Israel – harmonious Families are “wonderful,” “beautiful.” But they’re more than that to him. And he describes the greater value of Family in religious terms. Families that are truly together are to one another like the “costly anointing oil” which symbolized the ancient Priest’s immersion in the power and presence of the Spirit of the Most High God. He sees the united Family as an extension of God’s beneficence. They are like the heavy dew of the great Mountain from which the waters of Jordan flowed, and the mist came, which made fertile the arid plains surrounding Jerusalem. Just as these favors are “blessings” commanded by God, the foundations of “eternal life,” so, in King David’s mind and heart, Families that “get along” are the foundation for good and lasting life; life which God intends for the “Human Family.”

Think about this.

Do you “get along” with your Brothers and Sisters – Parents or Children for that matter? Are you truly objective when you think about this?

Unfortunately we have a tendency to play the “blame game” when it comes to talk about Family. We remember hurtful or disappointing experiences. When things go wrong we often look back over our childhood to see how our Parents or other Family members “did us wrong.” The supposed experts are more than a little to blame for this. With “deterministic” assumptions guiding their analyses they often overstate their conclusions. And we follow along without thinking.

How be we try a little different approach?

1. First of all, let’s not be afraid to admit our own shortcomings.

2. Then let’s be just as courageous in overlooking so much that really does need to be forgotten. That teacup Mom gave you and Mary broke was not so valuable that your not speaking to her for 30 years is justifiable!

3. When something terrible, even criminal, has wedged its way between you and your Father, learn to forgive. If you need help with this very tough call, take a close look at Jesus. He’ll not only tell you what forgiveness is. He’ll demonstrate how it looks in practice.

4. Let’s then determine to look for the things about Family in our heritage that are “worthy of praise;” that endear us to one another and strengthen the bonds that hold us together.

Heritage Memories “Worthy of Praise!”

From earliest memories – and things I know about because others told me their stories – mine is a heritage woven within the Church and its Christian Community. For that I am doubly privileged! Then when I look outside of that most valuable, and fondly memorable aspect of my “growing up” years, there is so much to be proud of; to be thankful for. So much that has established and enriched my life.

The pioneer spirit shaped the lives of our Ancestors. Adventure compelled them to go beyond the familiar and seemingly safe. They paid a high price to live their dreams. Mothers had to leave the Home and work long hours to provide for their Children because tragedy left them without their Husband and provider. A firstborn Daughter had no choice but to step into the role of Homemaker vacated by the Mother/Provider. But the investment has proven to be the “seed” of our legacy.

Today, when I think of “Family,” I see mental snapshots of people whose stories I am proud to tell. I see courage. I see great pain, even tragedies, that call out that courage. I see a Dad who put his life on the line to serve as a Medic in the armed forces during World War 2, decorated for bravery, and injuries suffered in battle. His mental state would never be the same. But neither would his nobility be forgotten! I see entrepreneurs who tirelessly pursued “dreams,” undaunted by the disappointments, insisting that this Venture “will be different.” There are Grandparents raising Grandchildren because Daughters’ chronic illness or wrong choices will not cost their Grandchildren a nurturing Home and healthy upbringing “on their watch!” I see a Brother, limited by work injuries, using his time to help just about anyone who needs the help as often as he can despite his own challenges. I see a Pastor – as authentic a Pastor as any I know – serving the Master and his protégés faithfully, against formidable odds, leading a Church so diligently that Our Lord has been able to “establish” it as a dramatic demonstration of what happens when His people follow Him in the “unforced rhythms of Grace”! I see Dad’s drop everything to be by the bedside of a severely injured Child for as long as she needs him; or Senior Parents selling everything to move half way across the Continent to “be there” for a Daughter whose Husband has abandoned her and the Kids. I see Sons who, along with their lovely, gracious Wives, make me and their Mom proud! I see Grand-kids who’ve already broken virtually every curve on the Child Development Charts.

Shirley and I live far from most of our “Extended Family” today. Even all but one of our Sons and their Wives and Children are far away. But the bonds that hold us together are invaluable treasures and the things we share do indeed “bring Blessing that is true Life that will never end!”

You who are our Family! We are proud of you all and pray the Blessing of Shalom on you! Remembering what is noble in you all endears us to you. With the endearment the bonds that unite us are strengthened. And Our Lord is pleased. The floodgates are opened and His “Spirit” comes “within us” “commanding Blessing and establishing Life that never ends!” Making our “legacy” eternal …

What is your “Highest Potential”?

2012-01-29T15:37:00.000-08:00

What is your “Highest Potential”?

How can you know your potential?

Reading and underlining through Psalm 119 recently I came on this. It immediately got me thinking about our potential as God’s premier creative work. “I,” the writer pens, “have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.”

I’ve been musing over this ever since.

Eugene Peterson paraphrased, “a limit to all perfection,” to say “there are limits to everything human.” (THE MESSAGE) He relates “Your commandment is exceedingly broad,” with “the horizons can’t contain your commands.” (THE MESSAGE)

Are there “limits to everything human”?

Spend a week watching television sales pitches. Zero in on those that have to do with a person’s weight. Then ask yourself how we’re doing with this. What are the standards? Who decides what’s the best “body”? Do you have a shot at this year’s “sexiest photo shoot?” Are we better off because of what’s being offered as our hope for a “perfect” physique?

How about “the horizons can’t contain your commands”?

Actually I disagree with Peterson’s paraphrase here. He seems to be saying that God has issued “an infinite number of commands.” The NRSV – New Revised Standard Version – translation, “Your commandment is exceedingly broad,” on the other hand, suggests potential. God’s command is liberating. He’s created us to live a certain way and the limits are “far out!”

When we do so there’s no limit to what we’ll become!

Read Daniel Chapter 1. Four young men, trained in the ways of God, are Prisoners of War. They’re being considered for placement in the Country where they’re captives. The Emperor demands that they be fed, and trained according to his regimen. The young men insist that they cannot eat food that is not “Kosher.” They’ll not eat the Emperor’s meat. It’s from animals offered to false gods and those who presume to be god. They will, under these circumstances, eat only vegetables. And their knowledge will be restricted to the “wisdom” of the “Most High God,” the Lord; Israel’s God. When the Emperor, not knowing they’d secretly gotten permission to continue in the “ways” of “Jehovah,” examined them, “he found them far superior to all the other young men … so they took their place in the king’s service. Whenever the king consulted them on anything concerning books, or life he found them 10 times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom put together.”

Words to build a Life on …

Jesus said, “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.” (Matthew 4: 24 & 25 THE MESSAGE) These are “foundational words.” They describe a way of life that knows no limits. The potential of such a life is far-reaching. Challenged? Yes! Torrential “rains” do come. There will be floods. Even tornadoes will ravage the surrounding regions. This house will stand undamaged. Such lives prevail! The potential is unlimited!

Marshalling and Directing your Energies Wisely

We live in a mountainous region. I am delighted to have access to the recreational options the mountains offer; hiking; mountain-biking; occasional hunting and fishing. When Friends and Family visit some of them want to join me “up there.” Interestingly they often aren’t able to sustain even a very low tempo pace. And this doesn’t just apply to older folks. I’ve had to settle for a walk/wait gait to accommodate people less than half my age. They’re simply not fit. They’ve not trained for such rigorous activity for any length of time.

Years ago I learned that our bodies are the actual “dwelling place” of God. And I determined that I would make it a high priority to keep it as fit as one would expect the “Palace” of the Supreme Being to be. With that I adopted a regimen to do so. I ran, worked out, and rode a bike regularly. As this went along another aspect of a “fitness” regimen came into play. The stronger I became the stronger I wanted to be. I got faster and more competitive. The demands on my time; particularly time with my Family, increased. I had to make a choice. I’d have to choose a balanced, moderate discipline of my body before the “hunk” I thought I was seeing in the mirror became an idol. I discovered that God commands “moderation,” also. Today, while still fit, there are a lot of Women who can out run, out ride, out swim me. I hate to have to admit that. But I can, actually, accept it more readily than to wake up one morning to the shocking realization that I made something, other than Christ’s blueprint for my highest potential, too important. “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone – least of all yourself – put a harness of slavery on you. … (F)ind yourself … not needing to force your way in life …able to marshal and direct your energies wisely.”(Galatians 5: 1 & 23 THE MESSAGE)

What becomes of such a person?

They get the nickname – “Christian.” … People say they’re like “Christ.” … Others say, of them, “they have been with Jesus.”

How’s that for potential?

How Well We Have It!

2012-01-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

Reading Psalm 114 this morning; particularly verse 8, I was reminded of our favored state; how pervasive Our Father’s Grace is in our existence!

“You turn the rock into a pool of water,” the writer says, remembering God’s miraculous provision of water for the desert travelers when Moses hit the rock with his staff. It occurred to me, as I thought about this, that Our Father did not have to create water out of stone in that instant. There could, very well, have been a spring, maybe an Artesian, flowing just below the rock’s surface which broke free and flooded the region when Moses hammered the rock.

In my way of thinking that ruins the story. I like the miraculous. The phenomenal appeals to the human audience. But after more thought I see something just as miraculous, in the presence of an Artesian, at the precise moment a million or more people desperately need it.

Moreover, to recognize this is to be reminded of a grander miracle. We live in a Universe which is, largely, unfriendly. Human life, most life for that matter, does not fare well in black holes or fields of careening meteorites, and cascading comets. Yet this planet on which we live, and the conditions surrounding it, are completely friendly to our existence. Its atmosphere, its orbit in relationship to the sun and other planets, the gravitational forces and how they are maintained have been so since time began. Friendly to our existence and actually sustaining it robustly, this is a “wonder” beyond wonders! Not randomly but by design, as an essential condition of our “being,” all that is necessary is there, always there, and, consequently, there when we need it!

WE ARE! ALL THAT IS! HAS BEEN … ALWAYS IS … WONDERFULLY MADE!

Bad Hair Day?

2012-01-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

Bad hair Day?

What is all this fuss about hair anyway?

I guess, in this cosmetic culture, it’s just another way of asking if you’re having a bad day.

But there might be more to it.

Did you know that Jesus said, “the hairs of your head are numbered.”?

I can hear someone saying it now. “Yah! Right! Like God’s got nothing more important to do than count people’s hair!”

Actually, I believe that if this is information which might be necessary sometime it will be available. But there is something about this statement that is of great importance.

This is information you’ll not likely permit just anyone to have. It’s very intimate, and personal. Something you’d rarely want anyone to know other than a close Friend or at least someone with whom you’re familiar, or confident you can trust. And it’s intricate. An aspect of our personal makeup that only intense attention to the complex, interrelated facets of ourselves can know. The point Jesus is really trying to make is that God’s profoundly attentive to the finest details of our lives and loves us intimately.

There’s a story out of the life of Abraham which reveals just how intimately; how intricately Our Father, the Lord, looks out for us.

God promised Abraham that he’d one day be the Father of a great Nation; a people more numerous than all the grains of sand on every seaside beach. In time his Wife came to him and said, “I cannot conceive! … If you’re going to Father even one Child you’re going to need a surrogate.” With that she urged her Husband to take her Egyptian slave-girl as his Wife. He did so. And the slave-girl conceived. Immediately turmoil entered the tents of Abraham. Wife and Servant were alienated. Distraught by her Mistress’s abuse the slave ran away.

In despair and deprivation she sat hopelessly by a stream in the desert. An Angel found her there. The words he brought her were from the Lord. They immediately dismissed her hopelessness. She would be the Mother of another vast Nation. Though her Son would be wild, and troublesome he’d become a powerful Man and the Father of a significant Nation. The angel told her to return to her Mistress and serve her loyally.

Moved by the attention and care the Angel had shown her the Slave-girl gave God a Name. “El Roi” … “the one who sees me.”

As far as I know this name was never used of God again. But the stream came to be known as, “the well of the Living One who sees me.”

Bad day, or good, “He sees us.” He “sees us” so intimately, so intricately, that He knows everything He needs to know to make something beautiful even out of “messy hair,” and the more serious messes we make of our lives.

A Granddaughter's Smile ... Her Playfulness

2012-01-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

“Beauty,” Lewis writes “descends from God into nature … Man appreciates it with worship and sends it back to God ... .”

Few of us cannot understand how God’s “beauty descends … into nature.” It’s visible everywhere in nature. Whether in the majestic mountain, or the translucent wing of a hummingbird, the diverse loveliness of our Creator surrounds us.

How, though, do we appreciate such magnificence in our Worship? How do worshiping creatures send beauty “back” to their Creator?

This Christmas I experienced something which gave me insight into how this happens. Shirley and I were able to visit our Kids in England and Maine. This meant we would meet 2 Granddaughters we’d never met. Sophia Rose, Jim’s and Korenne’s daughter was the first little Lady we met. Oh how lovely she is! My first words, on seeing her were, “You are beautiful!” Her initial response was expressionless. I tried to not overwhelm her. Gradually Shirley and I sensed her warming to us. I will never forget her first smile! Her lovely face radiated with an expression of delight that warmed my heart as few have! I knew I was being accepted, … as if she was returning to me the admiration I felt for her!

Fast forward a Week to Cape Elizabeth Maine where our Son Jonathan and his Wife Larina live. Shirley had already met their Daughter Sara Joy. I had not. She’s their third Child, Sister to two Brothers, Jonah, and Luke. She is younger than Sophia. My expectations of our meeting were uncertain. She too is very beautiful! Because of the miracle of her birth I held her as soon as her Mother passed her to me. She looked at me with a quiet serenity that instantly put me at ease. I walked with her; played with her; watched her trying to crawl and making progress beyond her months; she danced, chattered, and laughed in her jumper. She was comfortable with us and showed it in her playful delight with what was her life.

Sophia and Sara taught us how worship “gives back” to God the pleasures He gives to us. I couldn’t help but admire Sophia Rose. I felt her admiration in the unforgettable first smile she gave me. Our admiration for God, expressed in those private moments we share, and our Worship as His people together; admiration like that of a Child’s smile, sends back to God the adoration He shows us in the wonders surrounding us. Sara Joy, with her easily playful enjoyment of life, despite our strange presence, demonstrated a heartfelt trust as precious to us as any gift she could give us. When our trust in God puts us at ease with life despite his formidable, and sometimes unfamiliar presence; serene, joy-filled acceptance of life as He gives it to us, He is pleased; as pleased as when we formally proclaim that trust in the forms and rituals of our collective Worship.

C. S. Lewis on Worship ...

2012-01-13T16:34:00.000-08:00

Beauty descends from God into nature: but
there it would perish and does except when a
Man appreciates it with worship and thus, as it were,
sends it back to God: so that through his
consciousness what descended ascends
again and the perfect circle is made.

The Man and the Birds by Paul Harvey

2011-12-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

The man to whom I'm going to introduce you was not a scrooge He was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn't believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn't make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn't swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

"I'm truly sorry to distress you," he told his wife, "but I'm not going with you to church this Christmas Eve." He said he'd feel like a hypocrite. That he'd much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound. Then another, and then another.

Sort of a thump or a thud. At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow.

They'd been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn't let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it.

Quickly he put on a coat and galoshes, and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light. But the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the wide open, yellow-lighted doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms. Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me. That I am not trying to hurt them, but help them. But how? Any move he made tended to frighten, or confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

"If only I could be a bird," he thought to himself, "and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand."

At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the deafening winds. And he stood there listening to the carol - Adeste Fidelis - listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas.

And he sank to his knees in the snow.

destiny: Life ... Sabbatical Year

2011-11-27T18:48:00.000-08:00

Truth is this has been a year full of reasons for Thanksgiving!

It began with the release of I Don’t Look Broke but You Can’t See the Cracks on the 1^st Sunday at Journey Community Church in La Mesa, California. Nearly all of the Audiobooks produced were distributed in return for contributions to the destiny: Life! Venture.

How can I revel in that achievement without thanks to Our Father for His inspiration and guidance, as well as unquestionable empowerment at every turn in the road over the past 7+ years? Then there are the numerous supporters and Team Members of destiny: Life! who have stood by us without hesitation. Much thanks must be given to Merlette Schnell for her work as the Editor of all three of our books. And that Pro Bono! Sue Krawchuk, also Pro Bono, created the cover for I Don’t Look Broke … and formatted it for the Publisher. Merlette has our third book now –Life Prayer: a Conversation that Transforms – and will have the final edit complete for release on the web soon.

Shirley and I have served over 5000 people this year, Mentoring, Teaching, Caring for, bringing Inspiration through Speaking, Encouraging face-to-face, by Phone, Online, and through countless e-mails, letters, and Blog entries.

We, at destiny: Life!, have reached a Special Milestone. In June of this Year we reached our 7^th Anniversary. For the Ancient Israelis “Every 7^th Year,” was the “Year of Cancelling debts.” The Lord’s purpose for this recurring Milestone was to insure that His people would “Give liberally,” and be “ungrudging,” in doing so. He was determined that, “Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth,” His people would “open their hand to the poor and needy neighbor in their land.” For us, at destiny: Life! this is vindication. We have determined, since this Venture was established, that we would never turn anyone away because they could not afford to pay for our Services. Especially, during recent economically depressed times, we’ve served many who are facing financial difficulties. And we will continue to do this.

Our resolve to do so is being tested. Several of our Benefactors, whose generosity has made it possible for us to provide Pro Bono Services, have lost their ability to give. Other donors are having to cut back. We are facing year-end shortfalls. Still our hope is in the Lord who assures us that in our “liberality,” on “account of it,” He, “the Lord Our God will bless (us) in all that we undertake.”

Convinced of this we will not “fret or worry.” Instead of “worrying” we will “pray,” letting “petitions and praises turn our worries into prayers, letting God know our concerns,” believing as we do so that, “before we know it a sense of God’s wholeness, of everything coming together for good, will come and settle us down … that it is wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of our lives.” (Philippians 4: 6 & 7 THE MESSAGE)

Cycling in the Mountains ...

2011-11-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

One of the enjoyable gifts Our Lord has given me is the freedom to run and bike regularly. The physical fitness it provides is only one of its benefits. It gives me solitude. And, invariably, that time alone becomes a valuable opportunity to be with Our Lord. If ever there were doubts that He is “always” near these hours on the road have removed them!

Just this morning I ran. I took one of my favorite loops through neighborhoods of Estates and the beautiful gardens that surround the Huntington Library. The great trees and luscious Gardens are beautiful. They were especially gorgeous this morning. The sky was clear blue. The rising sun gave depth and rich hue to the myriad colors. And the majestic mountains on the Northern perimeter of our Valley were as vividly detailed as the sun can make them. Noticing canyons and ravines meandering through the rocky slopes and over ridges and tree ridged plateaus not often visible here in the Valley I was taken back to a memorable Thanksgiving group ride into those magnificent Mountains.

The roadways that crisscross through these Mountains are numerous. This ride included several dozen riders. The course was rigorous. We climbed continuously to over 3000 feet. It was cold but sunny. The alpine scenery is always breathtaking. But it seemed more so that morning; even more so as we turned and pushed the pace along a stretch of road that appeared to be flat but turned out to be a real optical illusion. Our pace was daunting until we came on a stretch where there'd been recent rainfall. Safety demanded that we slow down. As we did I became more aware of the scenery in this plain like setting. Purple sage glistened with raindrops. A fragrance I had never experienced filled the air. The rain on these gorgeous wildflowers had somehow given rise to a most pungent exhilarating aroma. I was so enthralled with the stimulus of such beauty surrounding me on every side and arousing virtually every sense that I couldn’t help but release the handlebars and raise my hands in praise to the Great Creator who’d given me that moment of sensation. I saw a deep blue dome over my head and a sun so bright I couldn’t look into it even through my dark racing glasses. The slopes shimmered with the purple and green of sage. Trees framing glimpses of ridges and cliffs in the distance glistened with droplets of freshly fallen rain. The damp soil and pungent vegetation filled my nostrils with their scintillation. I felt the refreshment of the cool air after the rigor of the high-paced climb. I was “tasting” and “seeing” the glory of Our Lord.

In this blissful moment it struck me that I had just come close to Heaven itself! And it occurred to me that I’d have never experienced it in quite this way if I hadn’t been free to ride into such heights and mountainous regions. Our Lord had given me both the well-being to “ride with the pack,” and these inimitably splendid surroundings, as a sensational reminder that, no matter where we may be, or what we might be doing, He is “beautiful beyond description; too marvelous for words!”

And I stood on the pedals in “awe” of Him and “worshiped him.”

It's Thanksgiving: God Signs ...

2011-11-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

* The rain washed, sparkling, radiant land; mist rising from the ground and vegetation, drifting into the canyons and over the ridges of mountains, splendidly blanketed in snow, etched against the azure sky

* A beautiful Baby Girl who, 14 months ago, almost certainly would not survive the ravages of a major stroke that crippled the entire left side of the Mother in whose womb she was growing …

* A lovely, loving Mother crippled by a vicious stroke now all but fully recovered and providing care for a 5 mo. old Daughter, a 7 yr. old Son, a 4yr. old Son, a lovely Home, and a Man, our Son, who has become to her as special as he is to us!

* 3 Young Men – genuinely noble men – whom God has given us as Sons! Each of them living influential lives as Christ-followers, who are finding fulfillment in a life of service. Two are Pastors to Christ’s Church. The other serves in the world of Adventure Sports. For all 3 of them the people they serve are most important!

* 3 lovely women, exemplary Wives and Mothers, each of them skilled in Professions where they’ve excelled, who love our Sons deeply and devotedly. They too are genuinely noble and live their lives first for the people they care for. Together they have borne 10 Children – 6 boys and 4 girls – who are the finest, most intelligent, delightful noble young men and women ever to be born! Why I can’t remember ever having to change even one of any of their diapers …

* A venerable man of 87 now completely dependent. Once strong and a compulsive walker he can now barely shuffle from his recliner to the bathroom. He’s incontinent. Dementia has reduced him to virtual oblivion. He’s pleasant but doesn’t know it’s you he’s giving a smile.

Admirable in his Prime with a record of achievements as a pilot for Academic, Medical, and Religious Service agencies in the Nation of Paraguay, he literally blazed trails and made possible developments that gave access and hope to many in the remote regions of that Nation who’d had little of either. A Nation which had become Home for him and his Family for over 25 years.

Today this great Man is no longer the cavalier, resourceful, caring “flyer” who brought help and hope to thousands. His dignity is all but gone.

Yet, in the shadows, marginalized by his growing incapacity, a subtle light reveals the true Man that cannot be denied. A small group of Torchbearers, convinced that no person is a cipher, regardless of their age, have committed to caring for him; a man of undeniable dignity.

They attend to him as they would a King. Every aspect of his life, even the most intimate, is seen as of highest importance. And they do what they do with such skill and kindness that he is never humiliated or demeaned.

Caring for “Ernie” in this way they not only affirm his worth. They demonstrate the dignity of our race supremely!

Jesus of Nazareth said, of Heaven’s Citizens, “Those who are greatest among you are those who serve one another.”

THANK YOU! LORD JESUS THAT IN YOUR SACRIFICIAL LOVE YOU DEMONSTRATED HOW THIS LOVE WHICH SERVES NO MATTER THE COST IS WHAT MAKES US TRULY HUMAN … THE NOBLE BEINGS YOU’VE DESIGNED AND CREATED TO BE LIKE YOURSELF!

A Patch of Sunlight in the Woods

2011-11-20T12:55:00.000-08:00

When Lewis writes about a “patch of sunlight in a wood,” memories of time “in the woods” flood my mind.

The most pleasantly memorable times of my growing up years were lived on a small island in the Great Lakes region of Northern Ontario, Canada. I enjoyed the forest. We’d hunt and fish. We regularly set snares and traps for food, and in some instances, marketable furs. But the times I treasured most were those in solitude.

I remember spending an afternoon watching Beaver build lodges and a dam. I marveled at their skills. They literally chewed through the 12 inch thick trunk of a tree with such precision that it fell into the stream. Then they just left it there lying in the water. “Why?” I wondered, “would they go to all that effort and then just walk and swim away?” So I made a point of revisiting that spot periodically. Some time later, when Fall had settled in and signs of Winter were stealing into the “Indian Summer,” I went back. The Beaver had obviously returned. A lot of the branches that were submerged had been chewed off and taken away. Sitting on a log nearby I thought about what had happened with those branches. My musings were interrupted by the appearance of two of those industrious critters. Each of them chewed away at a submerged branch and removed it. I watched intently. When they’d detached their branch they swam downstream to the dam with it. When they reached this now substantial levy they dove to the bottom of the pond their labors had created, pushing the larger end of the branch into the base of the structure.

It was then that it hit me. These phenomenal creatures instinctively knew that tree branches float on water. They had built lodges that stood mostly above the water. These edifices were havens for them and their offspring. In order to make them safe, and preserve underwater/ice access, they’d need to be submerged keeping out predators, and the cold winds of winter. They had to dam the stream until it became a pond or lake deep enough to provide that cover. Of course, if you’re going to build a dam out of wood you can’t have the timber floating downstream. It must stay where you put it alongside the other logs and branches. So, what do you do? You drop a tree in the stream and leave it there until most of it is completely soaked – water-logged – and take that “heavy” wood to places in the dam where it will have to remain submerged.

I stood amazed!

I had just seen “a patch of sunlight in a wood!”

Nature’s Engineers had demonstrated, for me, a young student, that a very wise Creator has shared His intelligence with all of Creation and there is no end to the wonders of His ingenuity!

It's Thanksgiving!

2011-11-20T12:49:00.000-08:00

IT’S THANKSGIVING 2011!

And I am deeply grateful. Most of all for the “Gift of Life!”

I am!

However the Pseudo Sophisticates -- the alleged “wise,” -- choose to analyze, or “demythologize, or discredit the idea, I am experiencing something real even as I think and write this very moment.

Some time ago – I don’t remember when – I wakened in the night. There was nothing but darkness and frantic terror! Then it was gone! I was wide awake and shaken!

The rest of the night I contemplated the prospect of dwelling in darkness. I struggled with the thought of “not being.” But, with that thought came the realization that even an existence without light would, still, “an existence be.” A “dagger of the mind,” “proceeding from the heat oppressed brain,” or not, would still be a “dagger” to the person who sees it. My “contemplation,” all by itself, was, for me, a form of being. In that moment a very reassuring semblance of existence! To imagine “not being” was impossible because to “not be” would expunge the imagining itself. Without the “Gift of Life” there would be no consciousness at all!

That night I learned to value “thinking” and what an important role our thoughts play in our existence. Then and there I resolved to take an Ancestor’s advice seriously; to “think about” things that are “true and noble; right and pure; lovely and admirable; virtuous; deserving praise and honor; the kinds of things great yet humble minds contemplate.” I remembered God’s word to Asaph. “Those who bring thanksgiving as a sacrifice honor me!” (Ps. 50: 23 NRSV)

Since then I have determined to think thankfully, routinely. How amazing this “Gift of Life” becomes when we see our “being” as the “bountiful care,” of an extravagant Benefactor! Life’s pure and spontaneous pleasures,” writes C. S. Lewis, “are ‘patches of Godlight’ in the woods of our existence.”

This “Thanksgiving Week” I’ve decided to share, with anyone who reads these “Weekly Life Words,” daily “patches of Godlight.” Tasty delights along the “Way of Life.”

PARTY HEARTY!!

2011-11-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

“Don’t get your stimulus from wine (for there is always the danger of excessive drinking), but let the Spirit stimulate your souls. Express your joy in singing among yourselves psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making music in your hearts for the ears of God! Thank God at all times for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5: 17 – 20 J. B. Phillips New Testament)

Hmmmh!

For many people the passionate Preacher is meddling here. He’s comparing apples and oranges or something even more extreme like “Ding-dongs” and Hockey Pucks.

“Don’t get your stimulus from wine,”?! People all over the world, droves of them, wouldn’t know what to do without their “wine.” A lot of folks equate it – lots of it – with pleasure. You haven’t really begun to “have fun” ‘til you’ve gotten a “buzz on.” And, of course anybody knows that there’s nothing like a “drink or two” to “loosen you up,” free you from your “inhibitions.” Ecstasy awaits just beyond a “pint or two.” Popular opinion tends to hold that self-restraint and pleasure are antithetical. “Christian fun” is an oxymoron!

Truthfully, when you first read it to, “Express your joy in singing among yourselves psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making music in your hearts for the ears of God,” could have a Monastic grayness to it. But, “there is always the danger of excessive drinking.” As Eugene Peterson puts it, in the MESSAGE, “Drunkenness cheapens your life.”

Alcoholism is rampant in modern Society and its ravages are felt across Cultural lines.

The alternative this Preacher offers actually enriches life. “Joy,” for him is a most winsome, “stimulating,” way of life. “Singing” is not an exclusively religious thing. In widely unique circles of Family, Friends, Colleagues, even adversaries “music is the language of the heart.” It involves far more than the “monastic” or “churchly.” The “Psalms” in Scripture are about life. God is seen, in these Ancient songs, and prayers as the “Cosmic Benefactor.” He’s the “Defender” of His people. He avenges those He loves. His discipline is celebrated as corrective; self-improvement. He is worshiped and celebrated as the source of all “goodness.” Life in these Ancient Communities of Faith was highly “festive.” Interestingly their songwriters saw clearly the connection between the religious and “Joy.” They were realists certainly. They knew and celebrated that living with God did not rule out hardship. But, they insisted, in His way of life, “Joy comes in the morning.”

People understand that today. I’ve actually had drunken Friends ask me to sing for them. They’ve specifically asked me to sing Hymns. Most often they’ve asked for “Amazing Grace,” or “The Old Rugged Cross.” Then they’d begin to lament the painful turns in their lives. They’d remember a “good” person and even weep as they recalled the ways in which that person brought light and hope to them. Later, these same men would tell me how comforting all of this was to them. They’d even say how much they longed for the depth of life they saw in me and other “Church” people. Longings they’d been medicating and anesthetizing with beverages and pills were, if only for a moment, satisfied by the stuff of hymns.

“Spiritual songs” are “heart” expressions. They inspire things such as love, joy, and peace. Singing them we experience genuinely heartfelt pleasure. We’re inspired. “Making music in your hearts for the ears of God,” is the “song in the shower” for some of us. It’s the audible expression of heartfelt delight with life. And it isn’t exclusively the sort of song we might think of as “Church” music. Josh Groban’s “You lift me up so I can stand on mountains,” is most inspiring. And those words are actually from the prophetic message of a Jewish Prophet named Habakkuk. Do these lyrics look familiar to you? “ I hope you never lose your sense of wonder … never take one single breath for granted . I hope you still feel small when you stand by the ocean. Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance. And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance I hope you dance.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance . Never settle for the path of least resistance. Living might mean taking chances, but they're worth taking. Lovin' might be a mistake, but it's worth making. Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter. When you come close to selling out, reconsider. Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance.” This Lee Ann Womack hit has rarely been listed among the top 10 “spiritual songs.” But it’s as much a song of faith and inspiration as I’ve ever heard. It is the voice of the “heart.” The language of the “Spirit,” for it embodies essential truths of our Faith. I’ve been stirred by what you call “secular music,” many times. Abba’s “I Have a Dream,” is one of them. This line, “If you see the wonder of the Fairy Tale, you can face the future even if you fail,” reassures me that “happy endings,” are more than mythical. Through Christ, the Lord of life and death, “glory” awaits all who trust that He can bring “Joy in the morning.” I still smile when I see the “Convent Chorus Line,” in the movie, “Chorus Line,” dancing and singing, “I will follow Him wherever He may lead. There isn’t an ocean too deep, a mountain so high it can keep me away … I will follow Him wherever He may lead … I love Him! I love Him!”

This Ancient Preacher is calling us to “Express our joy.” Since Our Lord is the one who has “given us life, and breath, and everything,” whatever brings genuine joy will be a part of our Celebrations; even wine in moderation. If it inspires you and those you’re with. If it affirms their worth and stimulates a sense of appreciation in all who participate. If gratitude grows as it goes on. If everyone there is saying they’re having a “good” time. If it seems a lot like what you imagine the Wedding Jesus made wine for. CARRY ON! This is a “HEARTY PARTY!”

LifeLog - Weekly Life Words - 11.06 - 11.13 ...

2011-11-06T17:28:00.000-08:00

WaddaYa Talkin’ About?

“The keynote of your conversation should not be nastiness, or silliness, or flippancy, but a sense of all that we owe God.” (Ephesians 5:4 Phillips)

What are we talking about these days? Do we realize that what we talk about reflects what we’re thinking about? What we think about, what’s in “our hearts,” reveals a lot about the sort of person we are. It also tells the listener what we think of them. Something this revealing really should be examined more carefully!

How much of what we say is complimentary? How much of it is demeaning to ourselves? Does it dishonor others? Do our words expose a kind of disdain for our race in general? Have our beliefs about life and people we share it with been reduced to, “I believe I’ll have another beer!”? Is, “Whatever!” and a flip of the wrist a serious response to someone we say is important to us?

Healthy conversation comes from a deep-seated belief in the beauty and wonder of everything God has made and the intrinsic nobility of all people. When we’re with a child we’re being given the privilege of not only contributing to the shaping of a Very Important Person. We’re being taught. We’re learning what “childlikeness” – a high virtue to Jesus – looks like. When we converse with someone of the opposite gender we’re seeing another dimension of the Creator who’s made us in His own image. We’re learning wonderful things about Our Creator; how Our God thinks; how Infinite Wisdom thinks; what matters most to the Supreme Sovereign. Entering the experience of a troubled person can reveal both the nature of evil and the ways in which Goodness works when we are powerless. We really have, never, met an “ordinary” person. Nor have we lived an “ordinary” moment.

Does our conversation confirm this?

Is there anything we know or experience in any given day that is not directly or indirectly from Our Father in the Heavens all around us? At this very moment I am alive. I am breathing and there’s “user friendly” air to insure this last breath will provide my respiratory system with precisely what it needs to sustain this life I’m living. I am well. I am strong. I am thinking and writing. I’m experiencing inspiration. I am comfortable. My Wife and I and lots of other people survived a low level earthquake a while back. I could go on! And, no matter how long the list may be, little or nothing on it is fundamentally “self-made.” None of it is coincidental.

How would you expect a child to respond to all of this? I imagine it would be something along the lines of, “My Daddy loves me!” “He said so!”

“I love you,” is everywhere in the Cosmos that surrounds us!

Conversation among Children of God celebrates the love of their Father. They say “Thank You!” a lot. Gratitude and praise are the keynote of just about everything they say. You walk away from a few minutes or an entire afternoon with such people believing that you’re loved and are, yourself, a Very Important Person.

The First Person in Our Lives ...

2011-11-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

“Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.” (Ephesians 4:30 THE MESSAGE)

Have you noticed how personal the God of the Bible is?

It’s the very premise on which the Bible is written. “This,” the writers say over and over, is the “Word of the Lord.” God is talking to you through what’s written on these pages. The greatest of all the commands in Scripture is, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

God wants to have a relationship with us. All we’re meant to be will never be without this relationship. We cannot, and must not, take “such a gift for granted.”

If we’re to take God as seriously as the first person in our life ought to be taken we must be sure we see Him as a person who takes us seriously. We simply must be completely convinced that He has made arrangements to be an intimate part of our lives. “His Holy Spirit” is “moving and breathing in” us.

Think of it this way. At the core of us, in the secret regions of us, the most personal aspects of us are kept guarded, sometimes buried beyond the reach of our own consciousness. These “secrets” are “heart issues.” They determine the sort of person we are. When we decide to “put God first in our lives,” He immediately enters these “secret regions” personally; as the “Holy Spirit.”

Without hesitation the Spirit of God sets out to examine what is there “at the heart” of us. He actively exposes everything He finds there. With our co-operation He “restores” to life things that must be awakened and re-energized if we’re to be “fit” for the “New Life” which God has for us.

The first sign of this is a re-activated conscience. We find we’re becoming more sensitive. We might even think we’re getting too religious. We find we’re troubled by things we’ve said. We’ve said such things before. But this time we wonder where they came from. At first we brush them off. But, like static charged lint, it clings to our thoughts. Under the fiery light of the Spirit’s gaze we realize we’ve spoken out of jealousy. Our words were evil. We need forgiveness. We actually need a change of heart. That’s what Our Lord called “repentance” isn’t it? A change of mind and heart concerning the way we live. The Spirit presses the point. We can’t shake His conviction. We repent. We’re forgiven. The Spirit continues to press the issue. We realize we need to make amends with people our jealous heart has harmed. They need the healing touch of genuine sorrow and compassion. We need their forgiveness.

This is how God works in us to make us “fit for Himself.” Taking every stirring within us seriously frees the life-changing Spirit to actually “make us over.”

Never cause the Holy Spirit grief! He is in you because God is committed to your “full redemption and restoration." He will make you, step-by-step, like Jesus Himself,” the only human being who lived the life "fit for God Himself."

What's Your Story?

2011-10-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

Reality TV?

What do you think of it?

The Entertainment Industry is being rocked by the flood of low cost tabloid style shows that feature anything from 24/7 visits in crisis-ridden Homes, to endless tell-all glimpses into the troubled lives of the “rich and famous,” or overweight, often emotionally underdeveloped discontents, obsessed with the hope that reduced size and camera friendliness will fulfill them.

You know, I’m sure, that we don’t have this flood of “pulp” programming just to annoy us. It is, actually, the product of several decades of scholarly writing and lecturing in the Ethics Departments of Academia. It rises out of the insistence that “stories” are the only reliable realm in which answers to the question of what is “right and wrong” can be found. In the context of human living virtue is discovered and defined. Of course the more instances of this living we have to consider, the more likely we are to find truly ethical practices and the ability to ensconce them among the “Virtues.” So, how the Kardashians live becomes important because they have succeeded in life – if you accept the system of values that sees their lifestyle as successful. The more stories, the more examples, the greater the consensus.

Don’t get me wrong! There are things to gain from sharing life experiences with one another. People with weight issues have benefited from shows like “The Biggest Loser.” A Brit Nanny can train incompetent Parents. So the volume rises.

There are many “Narratives.” Some of them are greater than others – “Meta Narratives,” – because they embody multitudes of “stories.” Religions are among the “Meta Narratives,” available to those combing through these stories to assess truth and what is good and fair. Understandably so because they embody actual civilizations of people and their plethoric “stories.” Unfortunately these sources are treated with a high degree of suspicion because they are not seen as verifiable. The Judaeo/Christian “Narrative” is widely rejected in the Academy because of its alleged lack of historical substance and verifiability. It’s even more suspect among the supposed scholarly because of its claims of “Absolute Truth,” and “Exclusivity.”

Absolute “Truth” is anathema in the Modern Academy. Their interest in “stories” is simply veiled, stubborn insistence that all things ethical are “relative.” “Whatever!” is more than a “Valley-talk wave-of-the-hand.” It’s a belief. “Whatever works for ya man!” Nowhere is this more apparent than in day-to-day modern conversations. Just recently a man walked into a Beauty Salon in a Beach Community not far from Long Beach, California. He opened fire on the Patrons, one of whom was his estranged Wife. Before he was finished he’d killed her, other customers, and some employees. Brutal at best! And yet, in the aftermath, reporters and hand-wringing witnesses were asking, “What would make a man do such a thing?” He must have been “psychotic,” or “on drugs,” or “out-of-control.” In the end the popular understanding of such action does not account for the existence of “evil.” There are no categories for “evil” or “personal responsibility for one’s behavior.” We’ll need to hear his story. Then we’ll know how to treat him and how to prevent such violence in the future. Of course we’ll need lots more similar stories before we’ll really know. As for him: he’ll need to be isolated and treated by Behavioral Scientists so that he’ll no longer be a threat to Society.

“Absolute Truth,” on the other hand, says such behavior is unacceptable and those who opt for it must be held responsible. The Judaeo/Christian brand teaches this with the proviso that holding someone “responsible” is, in fact, more about correction than punishment. If the behavior requires relinquishing certain privileges so be it. But, in the process of removing someone from Society because they pose a threat to others, our belief in the worth of even the worst of us calls for a change of heart and mind which brings with it the development of “good character.” And among all the “stories” being told these days there are multitudes which tell of just such change. Why would supposedly thinking people reject such a view of life?

Well, they’re troubled by the insistence that this is the only “Way” such “character” development can be achieved. The exclusivity of “Biblical Stories” has no place in the Academy.

But are those stories “exclusive?”

A casual overview of a few of them reveals they’re not.

For example the origin of the Human Race is described in the first Bible Story as being God’s idea. Once He’s decided to create this “superlative” Creature, resembling Himself, He gives them full range to live in and enjoy the Earth and everything else He’s created. Even when this “Super Race” disappoints Him He does not abandon them. Page-after-page of the “story” shows Him working every imaginable process to bring them the highest quality of life.

He calls one man in particular and promises him, “unmatched prosperity and posterity more numerous than grains of sea sand.” But the promise is not exclusive. The God of the Bible says to this man, “in you will all the Families of the Earth be blessed.” – i.e. “enjoy a quality of well-being not unlike that of the gods.” How does a thinking person get “exclusivity” out of this? “All the Families of the Earth” will be benefiting from what is promised.

As if that weren’t enough, this man who’d been given such magnanimous promises, chose not to trust his God. His Wife, whom God said would bear the child he’d need if posterity of such numbers was to be, was too old. They both believed that. So they agreed he’d impregnate his Wife’s servant girl. When the servant’s baby was born her mistress was jealous and sent her out of the camp. But then the God of the Bible made an even more phenomenal promise.

Run-out-of-the-camp, heartbroken, with little to her name, weeping by a stream, God appeared to her. Then and there He made a promise to her. “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be numbered for multitude. … See now, you are with child and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard and paid attention to your affliction. And he, Ishmael, will be as a wild donkey among men; his hand will be against every man and every man's hand against him, and he will live to the east and on the borders of all his kinsmen.” This young woman who’d been marginalized by her Society was not excluded by the God of the Bible. And in honor of Him, the Bible’s story tells us, “she called the name of the Lord Who spoke to her, You are a God of seeing, for she said, ‘Have I not, even here in the wilderness, looked upon Him Who sees me and lived?’”

This child, Ishmael, is the Father of the Arab Nations. Isaac, the Father of Israel, was later borne by the woman thought to be too old to bear a child. Modern day Nations, known throughout the World as enemies, exist because of “promises” kept by the God of the Bible. Where’s the exclusivity in that?

From the 1^st Chapters to the last, where we’re told, “the dwelling place of God’s choice is with the Human Race. He will live with them. He will be their God and they will be His people,” the message of the Bible’s Story is that He “favors” this perpetually recalcitrant Race and goes to any lengths to rescue, refine, and restore them to the original, noble resemblance of Himself. Such lengths, in fact, that His love becomes a “sacrificial love,” that gives up everything to carry out the salvage operation that will restore any and all who will agree to the “makeover.” “God,” Jesus said, “so loves the world – our Race – that He gave His only Son that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not die but live forever.”

This is the “Meta Narrative” we most need to hear. This God, who made us, and has “made sense of our existence” through a real, fully human “Son of Man,” will make us into noble, immortal beings who can actually make of ourselves and others the very sort of person “our stories” tell us we want so much to be.

Freaky Friday Wisdom

2011-10-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

Job 16: 19 – 21 “Even now my witness is in heaven.
My advocate is there on high.
My friends scorn me,
but I pour out my tears to God.
I need someone to mediate between God and me,
as a person mediates between friends”

1 John 2:1 “… we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.”

1 Timothy 2: 5 “… there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus …”

Galatians 6: 2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

How many times are enough times to watch a movie?

My Wife is one of those people who will watch a movie again and again. One of several that she watches repeatedly is “Freaky Friday.” It’s the story of a Mother and Daughter who are constantly “at war” with each other. Through a twist of the paranormal and a couple of enchanted “fortune cookies” they end up in each other's body. The outcome is really quite funny. Both of the actresses do well taking the part of the other.

In the end the enchantment of the cookies is vividly revealed in a quite touching way.

When each is able to enter not only the other's experiences but wholeheartedly share their true feelings and deepest needs the spell is lifted and they are genuinely reconciled.

It is just this sort of sharing the life of another – “walking a mile in someone else's shoes – that we who are Christ-followers are taught to practise. “Carry each other's burdens,” is the way Paul of Damascus Road fame describes it.

Without doubt the greatest example of this kind of “entering the experiences of someone else” is Christ’s choice to become one of us.

Centuries before Jesus was born a man named Job, caught in terrible trouble insists, “Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there, on high. … I need someone to mediate between God and me, as a person mediates between friends.” Little did this troubled man, conflicted over whether or not the God he trusts really “has his back,” realize that God would in a most mysterious way actually enter his experience and act on his behalf. But that is precisely what Jesus did when He came and lived here where we are. And, not only did he live with us, he entered our lives in every dimension to such an extent that, once reunited with the Father, He is our Advocate – our attorney – the “one who pleads our case” with the Father. He lived human life to such a complete degree that He – the “man Christ Jesus – now is the “one” – only – “Mediator between God and mankind …”

Think of it! There is a “man” -- the “Christ,” the “One,” the “Consummate Man,” -- now fully united with God Our Father, who is continually letting the Father know how it is for us and pleading with Him to treat us fairly, lovingly, in ways that will make us genuinely what they created us to be.

God really does “have your back,” He is your Vindicator, Defender, and Liberator!

Suzanne Christine Huston "Susi" Has Been Transformed

2011-10-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Suzanne Christine Huston

Jan. 31, 1960—Oct. 12, 2011

Suzanne Christine Huston, born January 31, 1960, Asunción, Paraguay to missionary parents Ernest and Lucy Huston, died on October 12, 2011. “Susi” lived most of her growing-up years in Paraguay, attending the Asunción Christian Academy, from which she graduated in 1977. She attended Greenville College, Illinois from 1977 to 1979, and graduated from Eastern Mennonite College in 1983 with a Bachelor’s degree in Camping, Recreation and Youth Activities. She moved to Southern California that same year and taught for five years. In 1987 Susi suffered an automobile accident that left her quadriplegic. She lived the rest of her life in Pasadena with her parents.

Susi spoke fluent Spanish. She loved sports and followed avidly the LA area teams. She enjoyed music. She learned to play the guitar and sing. Church was a big part of Susi’s life. She was a member of the Hermon Free Methodist Church

Susi’s favorite activity was cycling. Among her significant accomplishments, were two coast-to-coast bicycle trips, one with a group and one by herself. She also developed an interest in running and competed in the 1987 Los Angeles Marathon.Susi is survived by her father, her brothers David, Jim, Richard and Andrew, and 11 nieces and nephews.

Sue … What Truly Matters in Life

"Sue was a monster prayer warrior, a slight shift from the monster on a bike she was when she first started living with my family and I. She rode everywhere, including across America, kicking cars that crossed into her line along the way. Lots of huzbah in that girl! That's why it was quite an adjustment to see her laying in a bed unable to turn the television channel without some help. And yet, the paralysis didn't stop her. The focus of her wander lust simply shifted from roads to the depths of the reality of God. When I would visit Sue I often felt like I was going to visit someone not of this earth. It seemed like her meeting with me was only a brief pause from her perpetual conversation with the Father - a conversation that seemed to gradually consume her anger and despair over her personal tragedy. If anybody has ever truly tasted and seen that the Lord is good, Sue did. Over the years I saw her grow in peace and in faith neither of which diluted one bit her spunk. Thank God. I'm sure the spunk came in handy in more than one of her times of wrestling with God.

Ironically, Sue was getting in shape all those days in her bed. She was in training for another reality, another place where God's presence rights all the wrongs and the weight of life is exchanged for the glory of God. She was talking to the Creator on our behalf more than we'll ever know - a couple times I am sure her prayers were answered on my behalf. For that, I will miss her ministry here on earth. She carried many of us in ways we'll only be privy to once we too pass from this life to the next.

So today I celebrate with Sue that she has finally shed her limits. I can't wait to shed mine, but in the meantime, I toast and celebrate the life of Sue Huston that was lived by and under the presence of the living God. Sue is and will always be a reminder to me of what truly matters in life." Jason Denison

Susi

by Diana Moline Gruber on Wednesday, October 12, 2011 at 1:19pm

One of my lifetime best friends passed away this morning. Susi was only 51 years old. I guess I need to write about her - as a way to work through missing her. Don't feel like you have to read the whole thing... this is mostly for me.

I first heard about Susi at Greenville College, IL. I had just transferred in for my sophomore year, she was beginning her freshman year, 1977. It was during my time at Greenville that I realized I had a magnet like attraction for missionary kids (MK’s) and artists. But that first semester, all I could think about with this 'Suzanne Huston,' was that she was a whiny, over-spoiled student. Seems she just couldn't fit into the culture, having lived as an MK most of her life in Paraguay. Her devoted older brother, Dick, was always by her side, and if not him, then a cadre of people taking care of her. One day, some students even orchestrated a Paraguayan parade for her!

I found out later, that she had similarly unkind thoughts toward me. Who did this tanned, blond, skinny, California girl think she was? She was always yelling at friends across campus, thrilling at every season, and acting like everything was new and wonderful. The fact was, I was going through about as much culture - and weather - shock as she was. We were both figuring things out, and didn't approve of each other, and hoped to never make an acquaintance.

My second year there, I decided to add a Spanish minor, and so was asked if I would like to move to the "Spanish House" the second semester. "Only speak in Spanish" while in the house was the rule. I decided to take on this new challenge, and left a dear roommate, to launch into something new. I was assigned a beautiful, huge room, in a turn of the century home, with large, six foot windows, that had a seat built into them. There was, however, one major drawback - Suzanne Huston, my new roommate. Oh well, better make the best of it.

We laughed later at the things that drove us nuts about each other that first week. I would lay in my bed eating carrot sticks while I studied. She hated the sound of my crunching. She would refuse to speak Spanish to me - because of my lack of skill.

But then it happened. We became friends. She played guitar and we loved to sing together - Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, worship songs. She decided to become my running partner, and we even went out for track together. She was not a runner, and I had to become her trainer. Each day I would stretch her to go another block. She would agonize and complain, but she would never give up. I think that was the last time I ever had to encourage her to try harder with anything. She seemed to never again look at hard things as insurmountable - she became the one to lead the way and be the encourager. One night, we'd been up late studying and needed to get to bed. We were agonizing over the fact that we still needed to wash our hair, and had not yet had our run. It just seemed too late to do both. Well, I had the brilliant idea that we could do both at once, since it was raining outside. So we put shampoo in our hair and went out to run. What is better for a shampoo than rain water? Within a few blocks, we had no suds, and had to quickly get home, half blinded with all the soap in our eyes.

We only broke a few rules while in college by going out dancing a few times, and sitting on the roof of our house drinking a glass of wine. (Though that last one was hardly worth it, since we both got called into the Dean's office afterwards. We had that "celebratory glass" over Easter break. No one had invited us home with them - so we felt we had the right. Oh, but how we panicked. As it ended up, we were both being encouraged not to miss so many chapels, no one knew of our glass of "red red wine" until today.)

After that spring semester 1979, Susi learned of a Mennonite ministry called Outspoken, that led long distance bike rides, and would work with them, and I, having been burned out from all my yearbook editing hours, decided to serve the summer in the Dominican Republic, and then take a year off in California to make some money, before returning to Greenville to graduate. So in May, I went with a few friends to take Susi and her guitar to the St. Louis airport. We thought it was "good-bye" forever. Those were the days that we were allowed to accompany friends onto the plane and give our last hugs. I still remember carrying her guitar, blinded by tears of grief, sobbing uncontrollably, knocking people over with the case, and trying to be apologetic. Susi too, was overwhelmed with emotion. Goodbye forever.

It just took a few letters back and forth from Pennsylvania, where Susi was living with her brother David, to the D.R. for us to figure in a rendezvous. I would join her at the end of the summer to ride with Outspoken, from Canada into Pennsylvania. How we laughed, just 3 months after our tearful forever, goodbye that we were together again. Letters continued back and forth. I visited her in Indiana - more fun times meeting all her riding cohorts and making new friends. I think she also worked with another bike touring organization.

I had graduated, finished my first year of teaching, had an apartment, and was taking summer classes at Cal State LA, in 1982, to get my CA teaching credential. Who should show up at my door - but Susi, on her bike. She had just ridden ALONE from Washington to my door in Pico Rivera, CA. Her job as a bike tour guide was completed with the ride from the East Coast to the West. Now she needed to ride her bike back to Virginia and finish her college career. She asked me to go with her. I talked to my profs at Cal State LA, they said they would give me one week off. I rode with Susi as far as Colorado Springs, then she finished the ride on her own. What an adventure! We were interviewed by a newspaper in Indio, CA. They were kind enough to forward us the article.

How amazing was God's care for us. The day of the interview we had been kicked off interstate 10 - the route Susi picked for us to get to Phoenix. We ran out of water - we wandered through the desert - who drives through the desert when there's the interstate? But there were miracles. God allowed us the most amazing experiences. I was at the depths of myself, physically, emotionally, and spiritually on that ride, but also the heights. Susi and I had epic fights, and incredible conversations. I heard of many stories of how God rescued her when death seemed certain. It was a 10 day ride that had a lifetime of experiences. How much more so, Susi's life thus far, with all the experiences she had already lived!

When she graduated from Eastern Mennonite College - EMC - in 1984 I think, she decided to live in California, with Jim and Shirley Denison in Pasadena, and I was able to get her a job at Light and Life Christian School as a P.E. teacher, until she could find something full time.

Adventure resumed! We hiked to the top of Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the 48 states. Her major had taught her all about back packing and using ice picks and those special strap-ons to hike through ice and snow. We only got one pair, not really thinking we'd need them. We should have had two. I began figuring out that Susi knew quite a bit, but she wasn't always actually prepared. She was a good "pull it off anyway" kinda girl. As we stood freezing on the summit, trying to get a picture, all I could think is "the picture is not worth it to me, let's get off this mountain." How I remember the words she spoke to me as we posed for the picture, "We are sweltering here on this sunshiny day, dripping sweat, how nice it would be to have some shade. Oh I am so hot! Now smile and look hot!" She spoke a smile onto my face as I stood in wind chill of about 40 below. That was Susi.

Our lives started growing apart. I would hear about her new teaching job, boyfriend problems, and helping with Hermon Free Methodist - but we didn't get together too often for a couple years. Then I received a call from my friend Jesus Sigala, on a summer day in 1988 I think. He asked if I had heard about Susi's accident. My mom and I drove, a couple days later, to Salt Lake City, so I could visit her. It was confirmed, she would never be able to walk. She was a quadriplegic. I learned that she ran the LA Marathon a couple days before the car accident. How would such a physically active person ever be able to survive the confining nature of this accident? I was afraid to face what I thought would be a very angry and depressed friend.

Well, she surprised me. She was happy to see me, we went for a drive in the mountains, she worked hard at her physical therapy, and she never spoke of remorse... never... not once in more than 20 years ... she took what happened as part of life. We did pray frequently for healing - but she never dwelt on the "what ifs" and "poor me" - I don't think I would have done so well.

Our adventures continued when she returned to CA. The classic "dropping her on the curb" while trying to do transfers from wheel chair to car, to spilling food and drink on her, as I never quite mastered feeding her. We took her on my "30th Birthday hike" - we made it half way to Henniger Flats, when we realized that we were jolting her a bit too much on the rocky trail; her dad, Ernie, taught me how to lock in her wheel chair to the modified van - so we could go out to eat, see movies, plays, concerts. We had lots of fun. Though, never enough. Seems my life - getting married, having 3 kids, working, would steal time away from Susi. But even then, she never complained, she always understood. I watched God meet her relational needs throughout the years. There was always a new friend. The friendship with her mom was the sweetest. She went from tolerating, and not wanting her parents to bother in the early days after the accident, to bonding, and having the closest of relationships with her parents. It was a beautiful thing.

On Tuesday, September 6, 2011, Susi suffered a stroke. Doctors don't know how she survived it, as it attacked the respiratory part of her brain. We had several conversations over these past weeks... mostly confused. Though she did admonish me for being concerned about Davita riding her bike on Washington highways. I was able to say goodbye to her before we left to take Davita to Washington. I thought I would be able to see her today. But just before leaving for the hospital, I got a call that she passed away earlier this morning, Wednesday, October 12.

She was always my prayer warrior. Her memory for detail amazed me. She kept track of my kids' lives, my husband's, my church's. We loved to share what we learned in the Word, and what God was always teaching us. I had a very rich friendship with Susi - and I will miss her. I am, however, glad for her - she is now walking, running, being with her most revered Savior. She is singing and worshiping Him - I am fully convinced. She always had a beautiful voice - and now! What glory for her!