Father to the Fatherless

A Father and a Mother forsaking their child? Impossible, right? Well, as we all know, it does happen…and more often than we’d like to imagine…the why and the how are hard to explain, but the pain is real. How do you ever recover from a blow like that? How do you ever … when those who are supposed to love you and protect you unconditionally, forget about you and abandon you…Why does God allow such a thing to happen?

This is just one of the many tough questions that we struggle to answer. I don’t think even the greatest minds could coherently produce a meaningful reply that would help anyone’s hurt to stop. In the meantime, the one who didn’t even ask to be born is left wondering a silent why for the rest of his or her life.

But Psalm 68 tells us that God is the Father to the Fatherless…

John 14: 18 says that He will not leave us as orphans, but that He will come to us.

The God of the universe, who commanded Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon to be cut in the rock, and the One who spoke and galaxies were formed, cares about us…cares about the fatherless…cares about you. I don’t understand it, but I believe it! I hang on this His Word. And He said that even though we will have trouble in this life, they will all be but momentary afflictions, and that we must trust Him for He has overcome the world with all its pain.

I do not fix my eyes on the things I see for they are deceiving. I try to focus on the unseen, for that is eternal! (2 Corinthians 4: 17-18) I life by faith and not by sight! (2 Corinthians 5: 7). Therefore, it doesn’t matter how hopeless things of this life look like, I will wait upon the Lord, and take heart. And perhaps, I will get to see His restoring power while I’m still in the land of the living, because…

Though my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will receive me. Psalm 27: 10

Unexpected Yes

Have you ever prayed for a yes and got a yes...just not exactly the one you where hoping for?

Life is never dull with God. He sure has a way to surprise us at every turn. Once we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and we finally learn to relax a bit and go with the flow of the Lord’s plan…we would discover that His flow could actually be a lot of fun!

We pray for blessings and for all the things we desire. We pray for life to turn out the way we want. Our Heavenly Father, however, shows us time and time again, that His plans are WAY better than our own, and that even though He might not always answer our prayers the way we expected or hoped for, He always answers them for the benefit of our character and for the brilliance of His glory.

Such was the case I experienced very recently. I have been praying for a particular “yes” as an answer to a prayer. The prayer was actually for a dear young woman I very much admire and have grown to love. This particular “yes” however, would also benefit me directly, so it definitively was a double whammy : ) After praying for a while, I gradually stopped being so selfish and I just began to pray for the right “yes/s” to come to this young lady’s life. And guess what? I’ve had the privilege to witness God’s very hand delivering His “yes” to this precious child right in front of my eyes…The “yes” that she got, however,--- you guessed it,--- was not the one that would directly benefit me.

Nonetheless, I was ecstatic to hear the news! God allowed me to be personally involved in this answer prayer in a selfless way which brought me the most joy possibly imaginable. It was like witnessing a miracle. And for that, I am most grateful. The miracle of seeing the power of prayer is worth more to me than any scheme that would end up benefiting my selfish purposes.

Of course I am not attributing this yes to my lowly prayer. I know the answer came as part of God’s Holy and perfect plan and will (besides, I also know for a fact that this girl has been prayed over by a multitude of Saints way before I got in the picture : ) What I’m saying is that I am so very thankful the Lord allowed me to be a part of it.

In the meantime, I’m still waiting for my own “yes.” However, while I wait, I know the Lord will take care of me, no matter what. My needs will be met regardless of the path He takes me into to fulfill them. I live by faith and not by sight, and no matter how hopeless things may look to the naked eye, I know He works all things together for good for those He loves and according to His perfect will…so I am not going to worry about myself for now. Instead, I am going to rejoice in a “yes” that even though it was rather unexpected, it ended up being so much better than anything I could have planned.

 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2: 3-4

Linking with Wisdom Wednesday, Whole Hearted Home

The Long Lost List...

The only reason I know I wrote this list around November, 2003 is because I wrote it on the back of an envelope that contains a letter my Dad sent me.  That letter was post marked "26 NOV 2003."  

I found this list a couple of days ago as I was looking for some "important paper" which I had carefully put in my "important paper drawer" for "safe-keeping." HA!  Needless to say, I never found the document I was looking for.  Instead, I found this long lost list.

God is Good, ALL the time...that's what the Spirit whispered to me when I finished reading the 6 items written on this wish list.  As I read them, I realized that one by one, the Lord, in His infinite provision, had allowed me to have them all.  From the 4 person Cabela's tent (even before we where 4) to the bathroom remodeling at our old house.  I got them all...

The funny thing is that I love lists!  The thing I love about them the most is checking things off of them.  This list, however, has no check marks...not even one...that's how I know it was lost.  There is no way I would not have checked off such important items like a tree swing for Grant if I'd had it in hand.  In fact, finding it was a total surprise!  I still don't remember ever writing it...

That long lost list was not written for 10 years ago.  It was definitively written for today.  It was written for me to find it at a time such as this, to remind me of God's Faithfulness and Love.  He has always been Faithful and He is not about to change now.  No matter what, He's got us by His Hand.  He's got this...whatever "this" may be.  Nothing is too big for His power.  He can handle it all.  And perhaps, if it is in His plan, we might even get to see it all come to pass in front of our eyes.

His promises are true!  Therefore, let's put our hope in Him, and we'll not be disappointed.  One day we may even get to see His own divine list...the one He carefully wrote for each one of us, all completely checked off.

I put the list back in the little drawer for "safe keeping."  The old fashion, air-mail envelope with its red and blue border will sit safely in the place it's been for the last 10 years.  Maybe it will resurface again another day I might need a reminder that there is Someone Mighty near me who takes care of my every need and even my wants.  Praised be His Name!

As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD's word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him.  Psalm 18: 30

The List

Well, this is it...summer is officially over, and with it, my favorite season of the year bids me farewell. Looking back, it was a rather difficult summer.  It was filled with ups and downs.  On the one hand, I had lots of unexpected and not so delightful surprises.  On the other, the Lord blessed me with new beginnings that have proven very enjoyable so far.  

One thing I can say, through it all, I was able to gain a more special appreciation for the Hand of God at work in me.  The intimacy between me and my Lord moved to a much deeper level during these past months and for that I am thankful.  I wouldn't change it for the world! Finding contentment in my situation showed me the beauty hidden behind the simple things.  

For instance, we didn't have much money to spend on fun vacations; but we discovered  that we don't need to spend a lot to have a good time.  We found a nice lake pretty close to our new house where we had many afternoons of care-free FREE entertainment.  We explored hiking paths and biking trails.  We visited Grandma's campground and began a walking routine.  We re-discover the joy of grilling and the bliss of bargain grocery shopping.  All in all, in the midst of doctors' appointments, surgeries and nervousness, The Most High held me closely by His side and allowed me to have a good time!

I am truly sad to see summer go...it is like I woke up today and fall impatiently pushed it aside.  But one more thing I learned this season was that there's always room for delight as long as we are willing to see it. As long as we trust Him whose glory is revealed in each season of the year, we will be able to see the love of the One who spoke it all into being just for our enjoyment, whether in the sun or the snow, the spring or the fall.

So for now I say:  So long summer!  Miss you already! Hurry back...hope to see you soon.  But I won't regret the passing of time.  I will receive it as a necessary step in the unfolding of my destiny.  And I will try to look hard for the beauty hidden behind every colorful leave and every flake of snow until spring blooms again leaving the door open for summer to walk right back in one more time.

And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." Isaiah 6: 3

As we were coming back to our Department Offices after a work meeting at another building, my colleagues and I were congratulating ourselves on how well the meeting went and how much we were able to control our emotions while discussing controversial issues with the other team. Our Dean, who is married to one of the professors in the group made an interesting comment: “it’s funny how we are able to be patient, remain calm and be gracious to people we are not attached to, but we have no problem being hurtful to those who are closest to us.”

The comment hit a cord in my heart since I’ve been thinking about my own experience and how stingy I am with grace. I have no problem basking in God’s grace which He extends to me in an unlimited supply on a daily basis. But when it comes to me extending even a meager measure of that same grace to my loved ones; I tighten up. And the areas where I’m the least generous are patience and forgiveness.

I praise God over and over again for the immeasurable amount of patience He lavishes onto me constantly. I am also eternally grateful for the forgiveness that He has so lovingly granted me thanks to the payment in full of my debt, cancelled by Jesus on the cross. But then, when the tables turn, and it is my time to be patient and/or forgive those closest to me, I just become a hoarder. The smallest offense, the slightest perception of the tiniest hint of dissent sets me off and not only sparks, but full blown flames and other things ignite out of control.

Although I know the Holy Spirit is hard at work in me, I have yet to learn the art of self-control around the ones I love most. So today I decided to think about one thing, just one for now, that I can do when I feel impatience and anger lighting up inside of me. What is the one thing I can do, with the help of the Spirit who strengthens me, to avoid falling into the vortex of over-reaction while dealing with my beloved? What I came up with is not original. It is actually something my husband keeps repeating to me over and over and over again every time I fall out of control. What I can do is to immediately remember that the person (man or child as it often is the case in my life) on the other end of the “discussion” does not have bad will against me.

I know that for a fact! Neither my husband nor my sons have bad will against me. They love me. They don’t plot evil ways to exasperate me every day. They actually have good will and they want us to be in happy harmony. So if I know that, then I just need to remember it every time they unintentionally do something that bothers me…-granted the fact that once in a while they DO do stuff purposely to annoy me-…but in all other cases, it is not their intention to make me mad. Far from it, they really don’t like it when I am angry, since I have the Hulk complex and they get very afraid when I turn green!

At any rate, this is the one thing I will attempt next time. When I sense myself getting impatient and about to begin to boil off the top, I will try to remember that my boys do have good will toward me, and so do I. I hope this helps me to at least contemplate the possibility to stop the anger right on its tracks and back off the issue until I calm down.

Back at our building, as I was walking toward my office by myself, I over-heard my boss and her husband lovingly teasing each other on how they should apply the lessons from work into their personal life and relationship. I pray I too can apply this lesson the Holy Spirit is trying to teach me next time I’m facing the opportunity to extend grace to those I love the most.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4: 10

Linking with Faithful Friday, Essential Thing Devotions

Walking With the One You Love

It is great to be able to walk with the one you love...

Since we moved to our new house, Dan and I had began a nice routine of late afternoon walks.  The weather has been decent enough still to allow us for our walk on most every evening.  I'm REALLY enjoying these, especially because that's the only time I have true, unadulterated, one-on-one time with Dan during the day.  With two young sons and two jobs, we don't get much of that at all.

We get to talk quite a bit, but we also have moments of silence, mainly while climbing a hill on the street behind our home...I am so out of shape that if I talk I faint : )  But even when we walk in silence, time spent on the path together is a precious gift.  There is a special comfort that comes when we walk silently side by side for it makes room to help us quiet our souls.

Walking last night made me think of a poem Dan shared with me not long ago.  Its poignant and wisdom-filled verses left me unable to do much more than to let out a deep sigh... I tried to quote it to a friend earlier, and I could not find the words, so I searched for it and here it goes:

I walked a mile with Pleasure;

She chatted all the way;
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,
And ne’er a word said she;
But, oh! The things I learned from her,
When sorrow walked with me.

-Robert Browning Hamilton

I know I am going off on a limb here...(some, probably our relatives, may jokingly tease us saying "yeah, walking with Dan equals sorrow for sure" : )...but for some reason, the poem made me think about closeness and intimacy. Never do we become more intimate with God and with the ones we love than when we walk into our trials together.  Sorrow is too one of such which teach us much, and make our relationships grow as we endure it with our Lord and the ones He gives us to love.

Sharing the burden of the long days silently, side-by-side, surely makes it bearable and doable.  And even in the midst of sorrow, there is a reason to keep on walking, for it is along the way that we'll meet our destiny as we get where we need to go.

So next time Dan and I go for our evening walk, I will remember to think of it as a symbol of our strength and as a reminder of the lessons that we still have to learn.  And even if it is just the sound of our shoes hitting the pavement what we hear, we must continue to listen for it is in the whispering of the quiet where most wisdom and maturity is found.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8: 18

First Fall

It was 1990, and even thought I was in my early twenties, I felt like a little girl. The reason…it was my very first fall. Growing up in a tropical country, I've never experienced the wonder of autumn before. So that year, my eyes opened wide to one of nature’s treats…the turning of the leaves.

Being tucked in at a small college in Western Pennsylvania helped; since it was surrounded by thick forests that became alive in early fall. I remember it as if it’d been just last year. It happened without me noticing. It seems as if one day I woke up and there it was…autumn in its splendor, surrounding my wondering eyes. The autumn sun shining through the branches as the leaves fell around my path...It was a magical environment known to me only in movies. I couldn’t believe it was real.

I was so thrilled to see it with my own eyes, I kept collecting leaves of all colors and shapes for I wanted to share it with my family back home. I made a rather rustic card with pressed leaves on it (I am NOT a gifted crafter, so for me to fold some construction paper and add glue to it was a huge step : ). I sent the home-made card to my parents and they were so excited with the idea of fall that they kept making plans to come around to see it some time. Though it was never possible, the images lived in their minds thanks to the description in my letters and the leaves on my card. I actually found that card last November while my sister and I went through my Dad’s things after his passing…he kept it for over twenty years…

In that first fall God began to teach me the lesson about the circle of life. The illustration from nature made it come alive in a way more vivid than any words can paint. The splendor of the leaves which show their true colors as they are about to be cut off from the source of life drew a clear point about the beauty that is brought forth through maturity. Then, they must fall to give way to the season of sterility and silence which is follow by renewed hope until we get to fully bloom again. And the cycle closes to yet begin one more time as a testimony of the needed endurance as we wait.

Summer is now coming quickly to an end, and I contemplate fall. It doesn’t have the same sense of wonder that it did years ago; but it still has a particular way to grasp at my soul. The crisp evenings, magnificent sunsets and radiance of the leaves still move my eyes toward the Lord in a special way. He still talks to me in the many shades of oranges, browns and reds, telling me tales of life, love, hope, pain, death, healing and faith.

His creation speaks to us as the seasons complete their circles until that glorious day when He’ll come back again. Then any loss will be gain, and every tear will be wiped away as the magnificence of nature is blurred by the presence of the One who commanded it into being. The sense of wonder will return for His radiance will finally be here as it was previously dimly foreshadowed by the colors of fall.

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Romans 1: 20

This is one of the pictures I sent to my parents that very first fall. 

I found it in a photo album my Mom had where she kept all the pictures I sent them from my college years in the USA.

Linking with: Marriage Monday, Cornerstone Confessions