A Easter Anniversary*

This weekend, Easter weekend, is the anniversary of my “salvation”. It was the Easter of my Jr. year in High School at a Lay Witness Mission at our church that the culmination of years of spiritual experiences came together for me to understand how much God loved me, and how much I loved him back, and that I wanted Him to change my life.
You see, my daddy died when I was only 7 years old. When I meet little 7 year old girls these days I am struck by how small they are, and how MUCH they love, depend on and idolize their dad’s. I’m sure I was no different.
I do remember when Daddy died that the people who came to our home to help with food, and anything else during those days immediately following his death were friends from church, neighbors and family. One of the things I heard repeatedly was “Your Daddy is in Heaven with Jesus”. He had gone somewhere else, oh yes, his body was in that box, but the part that made him my daddy was now in heaven, it had gone on ahead of me to heaven, somewhere that I was assured over and over that I could go too. Being seven years old, I believed every word of it. I began listening more intently when people talked about heaven, God and Jesus. I wanted to know more about where my Dad had gone, and who he was with, and what all that entailed.
As I grew and continued to be raised in the church, learning Bible stories in Sunday school class and participating in Christmas programs and Easter Cantata’s the true meaning of “life after death” began to solidify in my mind.
I remember at my baptism and subsequent membership into the Methodist church when I was 12 years on another Palm Sunday, I cried as I knelt at the altar and the preacher baptized me out of the baptismal fount that had a plaque on it in memory of my Dad. I understood the concept of washing and cleansing from the sins we commit, and what Jesus had done on the cross for me. The reality of a relationship with Him was beginning to make sense. By the time the Lay Witness Mission was planned for Palm Sunday of my Jr. Year of high school, and I had reached that age of impatience and growing tired of waiting on God to show me if all this “religious stuff” was really true, God knew I was ripe for the picking.
Joy unspeakable and full of glory, as the old hymn says, was mine. I hadn’t known anything like it, and I told everyone I knew; I still do when I get the chance.
So you see I view life as other followers and believers in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, with the assurances and promises that were given to me as a small child. Heaven is a place, Jesus is there, the ones I love who have died before me are there, and someday, I will be there too.
Very similar to the early Christians, the hope in life after death became a reality with the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The assurance that they would be reunited with him in heaven, the teacher they loved and adored, plus their brothers and sisters in that belief, was a reality for them.
Celebrating Easter every year is the marking of not only the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but my birth as one of His followers. It’s a duel celebration, twice the “Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory!”

REJOICE! HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!!

*from the archives

Culture Shock or Technologically Challenged?

“Technologically challenged” is a term my children use to describe their father. It is the only area that I can think of right off hand where Roger IS challenged. He is adept and quick to pick up almost any and everything he tries to do, but even I have to admit that when it comes to technology, Rog is challenged……but only because he chooses to be.

He sees no need for most of the technology that we use these days. He HAS a cell phone, but has no numbers stored in it—they are recorded in his own memory. He is not embarrassed by this either; in fact he prefers it this way.

He realizes that the internet (via the computer) has it’s perks to look for equipment and material information he might need, but as long as he has me to actually sit down in front of the machine, punch the keys, move the mouse, and print off anything he finds pertinent, he is satisfied with the relevance of it. In actuality, he prefers just picking up the phone, and asking questions.

This is why when our children were considering what to get Dad for Christmas, and a Kindle was mentioned, we all shuddered at the possibility of what that would entail—in training.

Roger is a voracious reader. He wants a stack of books on his bedside table as much as he wants baked goods on the counter in the kitchen—trust me THAT is a MUST. Audrey and Nic were right in knowing that a Kindle would be perfect for a reader such as Roger.

The purchase was made, and it was presented. All eyes were on him when he opened the box. He grinned, and reacted just like his mother did when we presented her with her first microwave oven for she and Dicks 40th wedding anniversary—she grinned and looked at me and said, “I guess I will have to learn how to use one of these.”; which she did, every single day.

Audrey sat with Dad and showed him the buttons, explaining it in a language she hoped he would understand. That week while she was home, she helped, and explained, and we were sure he had it.

He is currently reading the three books I bought him for Christmas before I knew what the kids’ gift would be. The Kindle is on the bed side table. Don’t think he doesn’t like it, but Rog just simply doesn’t understand this “technology thing” enough yet to see all the pluses this can bring into his realm of entertainment; he hasn’t realized all the perks of the Kindle yet. He doesn’t realize that he can carry several books with him at once. He can play games, and do puzzles. We are talking a whole different culture for him.

This whole thing has made me realize that you don’t have to go to another county to experience another culture. There are lots of different cultures out there to be experienced right from your own armchair; some of them not the best. We extol the virtues of other cultures so much sometimes that we forget to extol the virtues of our own.

Moving into a new culture, learning the language, the customs, can be an exhausting thing, and not a little intimidating. But when it is necessary, and vital, we are able to do it. But it is nice to know that is some ways, we still have a choice as to wade in or not.

As we were watching “Lark Rise to Candleford“ last week, there was a line in the movie that struck a chord with me and I couldn’t help but look over at my husband. When our eyes met, we both grinned.

“It takes courage to move with the times, Alf.”

“What I’ve been taught sir, is that sometimes it takes courage to stand still.”

Roger and I are definitely modern and up to date in more ways than we would like sometimes, and we have never been ones to get too excited about “new and improved”. But the longer we tread the sod on this earth, we realize that sometimes there is a restfulness to letting the culture around us continue to develop while we stand still……..and rest.

So as I curl up with MY new Kindle I will rest in the knowledge that being culturally astute is a choice.

Lark Rise to Candleford

With the end of the year came a discovery, a new series that Roger and I have thoroughly enjoyed.

If you liked Anne of Green Gables, Pride and Prejudice, or Sense and Sensibility, you MUST try Lark Rise to Candleford.

"The series is set in the small Oxfordshire hamlet of Lark Rise and the wealthier neighbouring market town of Candleford towards the end of the 19th century. The series chronicles the daily lives of farm workers, craftsmen, and gentry, observing the characters in loving, boisterous, and competing communities of families, rivals, friends, and neighbours.

The narrative is seen through the eyes of a teenage girl, Laura Timmins as she leaves Lark Rise to start a new life under the wing of her cousin, the independent and effervescent Dorcas Lane, who is Post Mistress at the local Post Office in Candleford. Through these two characters, viewers experience the force of friendship as Laura and Dorcas see each other through the best and worst of times." (Wikpedia)

It is a period series put out by the BBC based on the books by Flora Thompson. It starts out reminiscent of the Green Gables series, but quickly reminds you of other English period pieces. You get to know each and every character in depth, and through circumstances that mirror so much of the world we live in today, only dealt with and handled with such grace and care that you find yourself sighing when it if over and anxious for the next in the series.

If you are finding it hard to imagine Roger enjoying what I have just described, (and I know he does because he has said so), trust me, he does. The conversational quality of the characters, the stress given to the importance of relationships and people, when times were economically hard for so many, and so people never even ventured to think about being wealthy because they knew they already were in friends and family, work and productivity. These are the things about this series that we have discussed as being soo refreshing.

When so much of what is referred to as entertainment is violent or irreverent, flippant and phoney, or “reality”—in the worst sense—these shows are a breath of fresh air. If you are not a fan of period pieces, and don’t like English accents, then close your eyes, and just listen. You will find yourself privy to conversations that you will want to be able to sit up and listen very carefully, and will be glad you did.

Lark Rise to Candleford……….take the trip, it is worth it.

Merry Christmas!

May you have

The Spirit of Christmas

Which is Peace,

The gladness of Christmas

Which is Hope,

And

The Heart of Christmas

Which is Love

“What do you want for Christmas?”

“What do you want for Christmas, Mom?” An inevitable question, that invariably gets asked this time of year.

Our answer last year when Audrey asked, was, “Nothing.” And we meant it. We had our health, a beautiful new grandson, and so much to be thankful for that as we looked around our beautiful home, and in our closet, and our pantry, there wasn’t a thing we wanted, or really even needed….let’s face it, we all know the things that we REALLY want; money can’t buy.

So Audrey did the only logical thing. She bought us a pair of goats, and eight chickens, and gave them to a family somewhere in Asia in her parent’s name. I don’t think Audrey has ever been so excited nor had so much fun, shopping and giving a Christmas gift. She almost bought a water buffalo, but decided against it.

The idea of giving a gift to someone that will help in their livelihood and future appeals to me. You know the old adage,

“Give a man a fish, feed him for a day

Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”

So when she and I discussed the idea we both felt it was the absolute best idea…and she couldn’t believe how cheaply she could help someone like that. When we received the card in the mail, Rog read it and said, “We got chickens and goats for Christmas!” We both laughed, but we were glad. And this year, who knows, we may get that water buffalo!

You can help put in a water well for $100.00 and if that seems a little rich for your blood, you can give $25.00 and give someone two chickens which will produce hundreds of eggs which they can eat or sell. One goat is $75.00. The possibilities are endless, shoot, you can buy an entire barnyard of 2 cows, 2 sheep, 2 pigs, 2 goats, + 20 chickens for $2000.00. You certainly couldn’t buy that much livestock in the U.S. for that price. Plus remember those animals multiply, and the offspring are sold, or help feed the family.

Here are just a couple of organizations that I know of who you can contribute to that do this sort of thing. They are reputable and the options are limitless. The organization that Audrey ordered from was Gospel for Asia, Gospel for Asia

Or there is World Vision . I’m sure there are many others, maybe you even know of some already, but I encourage you to look around you this Christmas and ask yourself.......

What do I really want for Christmas?