Footprints

Our culture, in the past few years, has been introduced to a new term, Carbon Footprint.  By definition, "A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our activities have on the environment, and in particular climate change"  ...meaning, what we do matters.  Randy understands this concept very well, especially in the context of stewardship of the land he has been entrusted to cultivate and produce crops on year after year.  Much of the success of crop production requires careful attention to how we deliberately tend to the great responsibility of environmentally prudent practices that 'pay it forward' to generations to come.

This past week, however, I considered another type of recent phenomenon...a digital footprint.  I would loosely describe this as our impact and presence in the databases worldwide, both virtual and actual.  Late last week two envelopes from our local community college arrived in the mail, addressed to Greg.  One envelope confirmed his enrollment in a workshop...the other contained an invoice for that class.

We have occasionally received mail addressed to Greg these past eight and a half years, however it has been mainly credit card applications or colleges and trade schools...junk mail.  These envelopes were different.  They were expecting a person to show up at class, and also to pay for the class.  It was emotional to receive the mail...wishing for a selfish minute that somehow it could be possible...that Greg were here to take a class once again.  Then my emotions changed to concern that maybe his identity had been stolen; one of the true disadvantages to a digital footprint.  A few phone calls later we were assured that Greg's digital footprint would not reappear in the active files, but would remain frozen in time with an ending date of January 17, 2003.

I remember the first time I actually saw Greg's footprint, the above ink impression on the back of the hospital birth certificate.  It does not seem so long ago that I held him and marveled at how tiny, yet perfect his feet were, and how sweet he smelled as I held him close.  And I remember the scripture that I read from my hospital bed shortly after the birth of Greg and Steve:

For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
 My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.             

Psalm 139:13-16

This passage of scripture that caused me to marvel at the beauty of our newborn sons later became scripture that provided comfort in the midst of the mystery of Greg's sudden death and Steve's ongoing journey through traumatic brain injury.  I know that God is ultimately sovereign and present in all the passages of life.  I am so very thankful that Greg's eternal footprint is what matters most.  He is at home with the Lord because of the redemptive plan of God and His great love and grace for His own.

How Can I Keep from Singing?

This was the view from our front porch Tuesday morning.  Ahhh...how can I keep from singing praises to God for the beauty of a sunrise over the ready to harvest corn standing golden brown in the field?  The Bible talks about worship as spontaneous response of our hearts to the Lord.  Even Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about one such spontaneous display of worship...the day He entered Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey:

...the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and  glory in the highest!"  And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples." He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."       Luke 19:37-40

When I step unto my front yard and experience a scene like above my heart wells up in spontaneous worship and praise to Jesus.  The beauty gives evidence of His delight in His creation.  It confirms within me His faithfulness and lovingkindness that is new every morning.  

Worship transforms my perspective.  Worship enlarges my grid to process the good and the bad of life.  Trials and pain become worthy experiences of growth because of His promise to sustain in the midst of even the very worst situations.   Because that truth is real to me...how can I keep from singing?

My life flows on in endless song:

Above earth's lamentation,

I hear the sweet, tho' far-off hymn

That hails a new creation.

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear the music ringing;

It finds an echo in my soul--

How can I keep from singing?

What tho' my joys and comfort die?

The Lord my Saviour liveth;

What tho' the darkness gather round?

Songs in the night he giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm,

While to that refuge clinging;

Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,

How can I keep from singing?

I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin;

I see the blue above it;

And day by day this pathway smooths,

Since first I learned to love it.

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,

A fountain ever springing;

All things are mine since I am his--

How can I keep from singing?

How Can I Keep From Singing by Robert Lowry

Day's End

Tonight I enjoyed a peaceful, contemplative walk on the farm in the quiet of the hushed late summer evening.  Equally as quiet as the still breeze was my companion, Lady, our newest member of the family (a sweet 'rescue' dog).  

The ordinary grass, corn, cattle barn that can seem boring in the daylight takes on a soothing, comforting luster in the fading shadows of the day.  Tonight, an added bonus was the herd of feeder cattle that were lazily grazing in the small pasture near the barn.  They chewed silently, slowly on the clover while watching Lady & I walk in the distance.

The sky was clear...and the glow of the moon rising was brilliant against the backdrop of the darkening deep blue, then violet sky.  The jets above glowed from the reflective setting sun.  It was...beautiful...peaceful.

The quiet and beauty focused my heart and stilled my mind.  The scene brought to my recollection an old hymn that was sung in the church of my youth.  As I child I was drawn to the melody and the imagery...as an adult I know the deep truth of the lyrics.  

1. Day is dying in the west,
   Heav'n is touching earth with rest,
   Wait and worship while the night
   Sets her evening lamps alight
     Through all the sky.

• Holy, holy, holy,
    Lord God of Hosts!
  Heav'n and earth are full of Thee!
  Heav'n and earth are praising Thee,
      O Lord, most high!

2. Lord of life, beneath the dome
   Of the universe, Thy home,
   Gather us, who seek Thy face,
   To the fold of Thy embrace,
     For Thou art nigh.

3. While the deepening shadows fall,
   Heart of love, enfolding all,
   Through the glory and the grace
   Of the stars that veil Thy face,
     Our hearts ascend.

The Long Walk 2011, Part II

Yesterday was the continuation of Long Walk 2011.  Earlier in the week I received a visit from a friend at church.  He mapped for me several wildlife habitats that he has personally cultivated acres of native wildflowers and grasses.  That map became my destination goal as it sat on my desk the remainder of the workweek.

I was not disappointed with the site, but breathless with the splash of beauty among the fertile corn and bean fields that otherwise are so neatly and precisely planted and cultivated.

The path was rough…requiring a true decision to veer off the safe, smooth terrain of the paved highway.

 The habitats are in the shadow of our local windfarm.  I had to smile as I scanned the scenery.  How like God to tie together so many variables into one experience.

Some of the flowers are subtle in appearance

Others are rather bold...

Some perfectly formed…others ravished by prairie winds and insects

This year’s Long Walk did not have a path or even a trail to follow.  It was a trek into the wildness of the beauty.

God’s word to me was very personal and evident in the midst of the walk.  He is present in the beauty and wildness of life as it unfolds each day.  He leads and guides even when we may not clearly see the path.  His Spirit is powerful…breathing life into our weary, dry bones…and He cares…oh how He cares for all of His creation.    Most of all, the power of His Word remains.  It is only the truths of His Word that gives such perspective of His provision, His care, and His faithful lovingkindness. 

…"These people are nothing but grass,

their love fragile as wildflowers.

The grass withers, the wildflowers fade,

if God so much as puffs on them.

Aren't these people just so much grass?

True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade,

but our God's Word stands firm and forever."

Isaiah 40:6-8

The Message

The Long Walk 2011, Part I

 My Long Walk began with a ‘Long Drive’ to Plainfield, IL for a Chicago Daily Audio Bible Family Gathering.  The first gathering I was able to attend was in Plainfield, IN earlier this year in March.   Hmmm…something about that name, I guess!

Larry’s Diner was the spot where young and old met up with each other and Brian, Jill, China and Max.  While only a few of us had met previously, we all had one thing in common…that of traveling on the journey through the Bible in community by way of the Daily Audio Bible podcast each day.

The diversity of the DAB family and each one’s story makes the family gatherings so unique and special.  Lives have been and continue to be changed by the impact of scripture.  Marriages are strengthened.  Prayer requests are shared…answers are experienced.  Children are actively listening and growing in their understanding of the Bible…and what it means to be a follower of Jesus wholeheartedly.

My heart was warmed by the experiences of that evening and the discussions around the tables.   It is an awesome thing to see the impact of God’s Word on the lives of others.

God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what. 

Hebrews 4:12-13

The Message

Good...but not Safe

I woke early...it is the last morning of Captivating. So much has been spoken, experienced in the course of a weekend retreat. It was not a safe weekend but it has proven to be good, so very good, for those who would dare to walk as daughters of the King. My continued prayer over all who have shared this experience would be that we would cease to be about 'safe, managed existence' but instead seek to know and trust the heart of our King. To walk in Christ...knowing that He has a plan and purpose for each one in His larger story of restoration.

“Is he a man?” asked Lucy.

“Aslan a man!” said Mr Beaver sternly. Certainly not. I tell you he is King of the wood and the son of the great emperor-beyond- the-sea. Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great lion.”

“ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will, dearie, and no mistake” said Mrs Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Source: CS Lewis, The Lion, the Witch & The Wardrobe

Agreed! Good...King...but not 'safe'.

New Life

 

It was a long winter.  And Spring has been slow in coming.  However...the signs of life renewed, life emerging, are showing up more each day in the once gray and drear landscapes of East Central Illinois.

Today we celebrated Easter.  In so many ways, the parallels of Spring and Easter are inseparable. Death before Life restored. The renewal of life seen clearly in the changing seasons is a still only just a glimpse at the larger story of life restored in the context of Easter.

We sometimes forget that when Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross, his physical death was also a dying of hopes and dreams of those who loved him.  The dark winter of the soul surely defined each one who had only days before followed their Lord as he triumphantly  had entered Jerusalem.

But then came Sunday!  Jesus conquered death Easter Morning.  Despair became hope...Faith was renewed.  And unlike the new life we see with the changing of the seasons...New Life in Christ  is a present and future promise.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

John 11:25-26

Easter is the source of Hope in my life.  Experiencing the death of those we love brings the promise of resurrection and restoration into sharp focus.  Joy which is experienced through tears here and now will be perfected someday.  

I thought especially about the implications of Easter as I drove by our High School last week.  There is a tree that was planted in memory of Greg in May of 2003.  This past week it was in full bloom.  I had to stop, take some pictures, and pray a prayer of thanksgiving for this tangible reminder of the promise of new life...all because of the love of God and the transformational power of the resurrection.

Amazing Love

Graham Kendrick

My Lord, what love is this that pays so dearly
That I the guilty one, may go free

Amazing love oh what sacrifice
The Son of God giv’n for me
My debt He pays and my death He dies
That I might live, that I might live

And so they watched Him die
Despised, rejected but
Oh the blood He shed flowed for me

And now this love of Christ
Shall flow like rivers
Come wash your guilt away, live again!

Retreat

The annual GCBC Women’s Retreat was this past weekend. It had been several years since I had attended the gathering that convenes at Camp Warren for one weekend (Friday eve - Sunday noon) a year.

The group of women, young and ‘seasoned’, spent time in worship and listening to challenging messages based around the theme of friendship. Wonderful meals and great table talk seasoned the time spent together.

A personal highlight of the weekend retreat was the time I spent alone late Saturday afternoon as I walked beside the peaceful lake at the camp ground. The sun was bright and the sky was clear blue. I listened as the birds are beginning to sing a more convincing Spring song...and I observed the branches of the bare trees that are also testifying to the change of season as they prepare to burst forth with full bloom of flower and leaf.

Retreat for me was in those moments of quiet, meditation, prayer, and God’s Word thanks to the Daily Audio Bible podcast. Retreat was basking in the warm, early Spring sunlight, embracing the moment. Laying flat on my back, looking up to the sky, these words, this song, inspired by Isaiah 40:8, went through my mind...

“I See You” by Rich Mullins

Lord, You’re leading me

With a cloud by day

And then in the night

The glow of a burning flame

And everywhere I go, I see You

And You take my hand

And You wash it clean

I know the promised land

Is light years ahead of me

And everywhere I go, I see You

Well, the eagle flies

And the rivers run

I look through the night

And I can see the rising sun

And everywhere I go, I see You

Well, the grass will die

And the flowers fall

But Your Word’s alive

And it will be after all

And everywhere I go, I see You

I am so thankful for the weekend away...surrounded by the raw beauty of life reawakening after a long, brutal winter. The power of Jesus’ resurrection from the grave and promise of restoration are so perfectly alluded to by Spring. Indeed, these days...everywhere I go I see Him!

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

Isaiah 40:8

Happy Birthday

March 25th was Randy's birthday. We were able to celebrate with a night out...meal at a new (to us) restaurant, and cake at home for dessert.

On the way home I thought about how much I loved Randy...and how I thanked God for him. I considered the joy his parents must have felt at his birth...their first son! I then pondered the awesome nature of God's grand plan...that Randy would end up in Kansas at a little college on the plains where we would meet, fall in love, and then later marry and settle back on the family farm.

How often do we live life moving from this moment to the next...but miss the story of our lives because of the focus only on the immediate. It is important to be in the moment, but to do so within the context of the larger twists and turns of the past to the present.

The Bible gives us so many examples of remaining mindful of our past...to REMEMBER.

Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you.

Deuteronomy 32:7

The larger story of God working in and through His people gives perspective to the present. We gain a deeper appreciation of His faithfulness and steadfast love and care demonstrated clearly in the past and unfolding in the present.

Randy’s birthday was a time for me to again bow the knee in gratitude and praise to God as I remembered...and celebrated.

The Go-To Place For Moms

March 11 & 12 were the dates of this year’s National Hearts At Home Conference which is held each year in Bloomington/Normal IL on the campus of ISU. The theme of this year’s event was “Mom Revolution”. “...Revolution is a very powerful word, but if you look closely, there is a key element to the word revolution...love. In all that we do for ourselves, our family, and our loved ones we must remember to keep love at the forefront of our Revolution.”

Over 4500 women in all the stages of motherhood attended. They heard powerful keynote messages by Jennifer Rothschild and Jill Savage. They laughed with Chonda Pierce and expanded their horizons through the many workshop options and presentations.

Every great conference has a resource center, and Hearts at Home provides that, too. Speaker tables were heavy with books early Friday morning, but by Saturday afternoon the loads of books had shifted to thousands of conference bags...just large enough to carry a few purchases.

Hearts At Home is truly the “Go To Place For Moms”. There is no other conference quite like it...with the focus so powerfully directed toward women and their role as ‘mom’. Motherhood and all the joys and sorrows that it encompasses, is universal. It is also very evident when you become a parent, that the task at hand is one that will bring you to your knees sooner or later. That is why I appreciate HAH most...the unapologetic Christian focus that is present throughout main sessions and workshops.

This video clip is a special moment from the closing Main Session. There is nothing quite like the sound of almost 3000 women lifting their hearts and voices in praise to God...the giver of life!

Community

The Daily Audio Bible has been an essential staple of my life since December 2007. January, 2011 marks the beginning of year four in listening to the daily podcast that brings the Bible to ipods, ipads, and computers in a new and engaging way. (Click on the link beside this post to find out more...)

While DAB is a wonderful podcast, and a great way to experience the entire Bible each year, it has yet another layer...that of Community. Saturday, March 5 I was honored to attend a DAB Community Gathering, in Indianapolis IN.

How amazing it was to walk into the restored depot and instantly connect with folks I have corresponded with for the past 3 years. Some of these dear brothers and sisters have shared prayer requests with the larger community through the podcasts and the forums...and I have prayed specifically for them. Some have prayed specifically for me.

Others were new DABbers...new to the podcast and new to the online community of the Daily Audio Bible. It made no difference. We were community in that we were deliberately walking through the Bible together, praying together about common requests and were experiencing the power of God’s Word impacting our lives. The beauty of the variety of ages (DAB has a podcast for children), races (DAB is podcast in five languages), and walks of life (students, parents, executives, educators, trades) was evident in the kaleidoscope of folks gathered.

Sunday worship at the Plainfield Baptist Church was yet another gathering of the DAB community within the larger community of the local church. Together we worshipped as Jill Parr (Brian’s wife) sang passionately from her heart and Brian spoke on Community. The message was one I needed to hear...a timely reminder and encouragement to seek to grow deeper in community (Biblical Community). Brian concluded his message with a reflective song by Sara Groves...Twice As Good

When I am down and need to cry till morning,
I know just where I am going.
When I'm in need of sweet commiseration
To speak out loud.
Raise a glass to friendship
And to knowing you don't have to go alone.
We'll raise out hearts to share each other's burdens
On this road.

Every burden I have carried,
Every joy--it's understood.
Life with you is half as hard,
And twice as good.

Plans

It is a good thing to schedule and plan. We count weeks then days until special events and vacations. Such was our exercise the past few weeks as we anticipated a brief trip to Arizona this week. Anticipation can either be thrilling or exhausting. But...it builds and grows until the realization of the event. Tuesday was a busy day, full of work and preparation for the next day’s departure. However, all our planning could not change what happened late in the afternoon.

Steve fell down a flight of stairs after a mid afternoon appointment. It was obvious that he had been hurt, and a trip to the Emergency room confirmed that he had a fractured left clavicle (collarbone). Wednesday, instead of boarding a jet, we were in the orthopedic surgeon’s examination room, looking at Steve’s x-rays. The doctor is hopeful that with a brace, sling, and time, the bones will heal without surgery. Steve is very sore and disappointed to miss the Barrett Jackson car auction. But, we are very thankful that his injuries were not more severe considering the distance of his fall.

We also were reminded that even the best laid out plans are subject to change. We are ultimately not in charge.

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.

James 4:13-16

We will trust in the God who sovereignly works in the midst of all circumstances. We pray for complete healing for Steve’s collar bone, and we give thanks that Steve was not hurt worse in his fall.

And...we hope that next January, Lord willing, we can travel to Arizona

For the New Year...

A new year has dawned, swiftly it seems. As time passes and the line between one year and another is crossed, one's thoughts can naturally tend toward either regret of things past (unaccomplished goals) or anticipation of what's to come.

Yesterday, while visiting with a friend over lunch, we were discussing the year past and our goals and dreams for the year 2011. In the midst of the conversation it was clear that she had a neat perspective of looking forward into the new year. Her phrase echos in my mind a day later..."the new year is a time to push the 'reset button'."

Truly, we do celebrate the year that has passed...the faithfulness of God that sometimes is best seen in the form of remembered blessings and clear evidences of His leading and providence. We give thanks for the love of family and friends that He has lavished upon us. And we realize in a deeper way how He is near to the brokenhearted...blessing even those who mourn...promising joy which comes in the morning.

I have found that the beginning of a new year is a grand opportunity to 'reset' and prayerfully wait upon the Lord to speak into my heart His will and vision for my life in the next 12 months. I am so thankful, too, to begin year 4 of going through the Bible with the Daily Audio Bible podcast. The story of scripture...and the journey that we are all a part of, is clarified more each day by time spent in His word. Below, my goals for 2011 are best articulated by scripture:

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12 NIV

Forever grateful for the 'reset' of each new year...