Author: lbuth0511de28fc
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We see the images and wonder how anyone could survive this.
And yet…people did. You've heard the unbelievable stories. Here are two that especially touched my heart. I think these two people have much to teach you and me.
One is Romel Joesph, a Haitian-born music teacher…who was born blind, or so sight-impaired that he is legally blind.
Imagine yourself pinned beneath rubble for eighteen hours, unable to move, not able even to see. Imagine knowing all along that while you were on the third floor when the earthquake struck, your pregnant wife had been on the first floor and you could not know whether she was alive or dead. (She did not survive.)
Romel Joseph told interviewers how he got through that wrenching time. I caught his story while driving and later looked it up in the N.P.R. archives. Here's the gist of how he survived the horror.
"I knew I could not allow my mind to wander and to keep thinking only about rescue. So I decided to keep a strict schedule, hour by hour. I set aside the first twenty minutes for prayer and meditation," Joseph says. "After that I focused my mind on favorite pieces of music I knew, one at a time. I forced myself to concentrate, note by note, as precisely as if I were directing an orchestra. In effect, that took me to another place in my mind. For that time I did not feel my pain, did not allow myself to wonder whether help would arrive.
"Hour by hour, that's what I did. First the prayer and meditation, then the music. So I not only killed time, but I reminded myself I was not alone. I told myself I was brushing up on my directing skills and I mentally escaped the space where I was."
Romel Joseph is no stranger to tragedy. He founded the New Victorian School in 1991, in Port-au-Prince, to teach music to Haitian children. That school burned to the ground exactly ten years to the day before this earthquake once again leveled the school.
Friends dug him out after eighteen hours lying there with his leg pinned and crushed under concrete. Surgeons also repaired his severely fractured left hand, but they cannot say whether he'll regain full function…and what is a violinist without a left hand that works?
But Joseph plans to rebuild as soon as he can. As he puts it, "I need more than an earthquake to make me stop my work in Haiti!"
I think this man shows us how in the midst of fears and troubles we can deliberately turn our thoughts to other things, to people we love, to happier times and, yes, to God. Our situation may not change, but our ability to cope will.
Another rescued woman in a television interview (couldn't find her story in print) told what enabled her to hang on. She said something like this. "I lost everything except what matters most," she said, holding up her Bible. "I could not move, there in the dark, so I searched my memory and remembered some Psalms. I kept repeating them over and over, especially Psalm 46. God brought me through this, praise be, and here I am."
For thousands in Haiti, this was–and is–the worst of times. Thank God most of us will not be caught in anything like that earthquake. Yet I think these two accounts teach us a lot about surviving our own fears and sorrows without crumbling under the load.
Perhaps you love Psalm 46, too. I often find myself going back to my old, dog-eared Bible, to reread sections I've underlined in the past. Always, that includes these favorite verses of Psalm 46.
Psalm 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging…5 God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day…
10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
SelahGod's peace and blessings,
Lenore
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Once in awhile we all need a word to lift our hearts. Maybe we get stuck in the past…all the times we coulda', shoulda', woulda', but didn't. Maybe we feel overwhelmed with the present. And then there's the future, full of "what ifs?"
Take heart. Others have been here before us–and lived through it. Sometimes it's good to hear from them…
The Good Old Days were neither better nor worse than the ones we're living through right now.
—Artie Shaw
One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magic rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. –Dale Carnegie
Two men looked out through prison bars, One saw mud, the other saw stars.
When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider:
God has made the one as well as the other.
Ecclesiastes 7:14God has been so good to me! He never left me alone for a minute.
–My grandmother at age 99
Jesus, please teach me to appreciate what I havebefore time forces me to appreciate what I had.
–Susan L. Lenzkes
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
–Psalm 118:24
Here's to making this day–and every day–a good day!
Blessings,
Lenore
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It's time to put up those new calendars. If you're like me, you're thinking about the year ahead and asking yourself some questions.
How will I fill my time? What will I read? What will I look at?
Who will I hang around with?That matters. I can't recall who said this, but it's good.
The person you will be five years from now will be determined by the books you read, the television you watch and the people you spend your time with.A friend loved to remind anyone within hearing, "You gotta put the good stuff in if you want to get the good stuff out."
He thought that saying applied to all of life…and he was right.
You probably know this well-loved summary of how you and I can "put the good stuff in."
Finally, brothers, (and sisters,) whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. –Philippians 4:8
Lots of people make jokes about New Year's resolutions, because we usually fall short. It helps to remind ourselves that the only person who never fails is the one who never tries.
So I resolve to reread Phil. 4:8 frequently and: Think it. Speak it. Live it.
I hesitate to write down my other resolution. You see, I've been working on a book for moms for a very long time. For no good reason, I have delayed sending off queries. This year I will not rest until I find an editor or agent who believes in this book as much as I do and wants to publish it.
What's your resolution? Why not share it, so we can encourage each other? Just keep scrolling to the "Post a Comment" box below and follow directions.)
Friends, I wish you blessings and great JOY in every day of the year ahead!
Lenore
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I confess. I have Christmas cards and letters still waiting to
be mailed and gifts to be wrapped. (And please, could we not talk about my list of neglected everyday chores?) If you're sharing this uncomfortable boat with me, you may be thinking, "Now if I can just get through Christmas…"
That's a trap. As soon as we do that we rob our days of the joy that comes with reading letters from friends and thinking how to please the people we love. I think it's time for a vision adjustment and a transfusion. (Sorry, I can't produce an extra five or six days…)
Pause for breath and let's drink in some energy for our spirits:
Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don't quite know how to put our love into words. Harlan Miller
It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself. Charles DickensThis is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ. Frank McKibben
Take Christ out of Christmas, and December becomes the bleakest and most colorless month of the year. A. F. Wells
The Light that shines from the humble manger is strong enough to lighten our way to the end of our days. Vita-Rays
God rest you merry, lovely readers. Let us rejoice-in-the-midst of the rubble all around us. That same Light will power our personal "energy cells," one day after another.
Question for you: What's your biggest hurdle in this wonderful Christmas time?
Lenore
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I saw Santa yesterday, but this one didn't look like the pictures you see. First I saw his decked-out van. If I had the presence of mind to remember that my fancy-schmancy new cell phone has a camera, I could show you what I saw.
This will have to do. Imagine a nondescript old gray work van, elaborately decorated from stem to stern with roping of fresh evergreens. The roping extended down from the roof over the hood, too, plus battery-operated Christmas lights. Small stuffed animals adorned every door handle. On top stood a figure of Santa Claus, maybe eighteen inches tall. After I parked on the other side of the row of cars and faced this marvel, I sat staring in fascination, wondering what and who…
That's when the driver walked up.
As he stuffed papers in the back pocket of his well-worn blue jeans, he smiled, then rubbed his forehead. For that moment I got a good look at the grizzled, fifty-ish man with leathery skin. He stood tall and skinny and wore an old, plaid wool shirt, jeans, a red wool cap with ear-flaps drooping and battered work boots. Then he climbed into his van, slammed the door and threw the truck in reverse. Only then did I understand he was Santa.
That's when I could see that the back of the van was crammed with toys, from top to bottom. They even peeked out from the passenger window side of the van. All I saw through his rear window was packed-in toys. Clearly, this Santa was making a delivery and sooner or later, many kids would be whooping with delight.
Then this morning's Sacramento Bee ran the story of an 82-year old Santa, a woman who watched a television show about the homeless and started knitting. Because of her talking to friends, who talked to their friends, a network of older individuals picked up their needles. Now this Santa can deliver hundreds of hand-knitted caps, scarves and to our local Loaves & Fishes.
Christmas brings out the best in all of us, doesn't it? As individuals and through our churches, we collect food and pack baskets. We reach out through countless charity organizations that bring joy to children and families. Our sensitivity radar picks up and we glimpse needs we were blind to before.
There's a special joy, I think, when we give a gift and don't identify ourselves. Part of the fun is knowing a secret. Sometimes we even hear the recipient(s) speculate about who might have done this. That's when we get to practice keeping a straight face.
Here's the question: Do you know any Santas like this? Or have you ever played this part?go
Why not share that joy with the rest of us? (Just go to "Post a Comment" and follow directions.)
In the midst of the wonderful Christmas bustle, may you feel the Light of Christmas,
Lenore
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Probably you, like me, look at your December calendar and groan, wondering how you'll do all the things you want to do and go all the places you want to go. But hey, it's Christmas and miracles still happen. Somehow, amazingly, you and I will manage to do it all–or most of it–as we do every other year.
Imagine you and I were not here, sleeping in our comfortable beds, warm and toasty as we enjoy extra times of celebration with family and friends. Suppose we were hunkered down in Afghanistan or Iraq, or some other far-off place, away from the people and the life we love. Cold. Lonely. Constantly on alert, not knowing who may be planning to blow you up when your back is turned. Can you feel the chill in your bones–and maybe your heart? Can you imagine how often you pray God will preserve
your life? That describes daily life right now for thousands of members of our Armed Forces. We pray for their safety and safe return, but I think most of us feel helpless to make even a small difference. So I have good news!
You may have heard of a wonderful project called "Let's Say Thanks." Because of the creativity and generosity of one of those "heartless" big businesses, you and I can send a greeting to a member of the military–and we don't even need to have a name and address. If you go to www.letssaythanks.com (or go to the green box at the side of this blog, which has a link) you will find a large assortment of charming postcard designs drawn by children across the United States.
First choose a design. If you don't know what to say, check the preprinted messages. Better still, write your own and add a personal touch. Your few lines of thanks and caring can mean the world to one alone and not sure what the next moment will bring. If you like, add a Bible verse and say that you pray for the recipient of your card and for our Armed Forces. Then one more click and the folks at Xerox will make sure your card is delivered to a member of the U.S. Armed Forces in locations around the world. If you need more information, click on "FAQ" at the top right corner of the website. You'll find the answers to most of your questions there. On the website you can read letters from some of the troop members who've received these cards and see whether these greetings mean anything to them.
As easy as that you and I can send a little bit of home and bring a smile. It costs us nothing but a few moments of our time–and let's not stop with just one.
My husband and I are the proud grandparents of eight terrific young people. Two of our granddaughters, sisters, are in the Navy. One is serving her second tour with Naval Intelligence and stationed here in the States. The other is in field support with the Marines. She served one stint in Kuwait and thank God, recently returned from duty just outside Baghdad. We applaud Xerox for providing what's needed to make it possible for these bits of cheer from home folks will be delivered to our troops. Let's hear it for Xerox!
By the way, you may not agree with having U.S. troops anywhere. As Americans each of us is entitled to our opinion. In fact, protecting that freedom is part of why our troops serve. The point is that these individuals, many of them married and with children, are far from home and alone. They are there because they believe in what the United States stands for and want to protect it…and us.
Most of us would agree that God's blessing has rested on this nation from the beginning. God works through people, both our troops and us. Here's one way you and I can bless the life of one or more members of our Armed Forces.
After all, how often do you and I get to be the sunshine in a dark place?
Happy Getting-ready-for Christmas and God bless you,
Lenore
Question: Do you have a loved one serving in the military? Please tell us about them and where they're stationed.
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What makes some people maintain that spunk and feisty spirit into old age? Is it a temperament they're born with or do they choose it?
I've wondered about that for years,. The other day I got an e-mail from a relative with a photo of my aunt, who lives in Minnesota. Aunt Elsie is my father's baby sister and the only one of those five siblings still living on earth.
![Copy of Aunt Elsie. 2009 at age 101. Burfeinds%2C%20Dad%20%26%20Elsie%2009%20002[1]](https://i0.wp.com/lenorebuth.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/mt_imported_image_1759197888.jpg?h=724 "Copy of Aunt Elsie. 2009 at age 101. Burfeinds%2C%20Dad%20%26%20Elsie%2009%20002[1]")
At age 101, she maintains the spirit and humor I always loved as a child. Now she lives in an assisted-living residence and walks with a walker. When someone commented she gets around very well, she said yes, she does. Then she smiled her old smile and said, "And I would dance, too, if I had a partner!"
That doesn't surprise me one bit. I haven't seen Aunt Elsie for years, but I always delighted in how she seemed to have fun wherever she was. I remember so well her laugh and her sparkling eyes.
Yet that didn't flow out of getting all the breaks in life. She and her husband worked hard running their own business. Childless for many years, they adopted a daughter and shortly thereafter had three kids of their own. At age four their oldest boy received a brain injury as the result of another driver hitting him while he crossed the street. He came out of the coma, but never was the same, never able to keep up with his siblings.
But life went on and so did Aunt Elsie and Uncle Earl and the rest of the family. That catastrophe took awhile for all of them to take in and get used to. Mostly they coped. They never doubted that God let their son live for a reason and they wouldn't look back. They suffered through all the usual emotions and grief, but they survived…and kept on believing, kept on loving.
These two lived through the usual ups and downs of rearing children to adulthood–and much more, besides. Aunt Elsie dealt with illnesses and the death of two husbands. But she never gave up. She lives on and laughs and jokes.
All along the way, she had choices to make. Would she become a harpy? A bitter woman, angry at God, perpetually expecting disaster? And who would have blamed her if she had.
But she didn't. She chose to go on believing that God loves her and her family, and watches over all of them. I'm betting she has read Psalm 139 over and over, sometimes looking for answers to her whys and sometimes soaking up reassurance.
Since my mom died before she reached age 55, I look at older women for role models of how to do it. I look at Aunt Elsie and all the others who choose to go on living with gusto and faith every day of their lives.
To me they're shining examples of the truth of Psalm 92:12, 14-15:
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree…They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, "The LORD is upright' he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."
Let's choose to be ageless…fresh and green every day of our lives!
Here's wishing you JOY in your journey through life,
Lenore
Your comments welcomed!
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It was written long ago, but it still speaks to me. It reminds me other folks in other times have felt that way, too–and later on have seen what was hidden earlier.
I can't know what you're dealing with right now, but somehow it seems a good time to share it with you. Even if you've read it before, hope you find it worth another reading.
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve–
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for help, that I might do greater things–
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy–
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life–
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I had hoped for.
Despite myself, my prayers were answered.
I am, among all men, most richly blessed.
(–Attributed to an anonymous soldier of the Confederacy)
Hope this wisdom blesses your heart as much as it does mine.
Blessings,
Lenore
Your comments welcomed!
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It's only September and already I miss the early morning sun. Ever since I was a little a girl, something within me rebels against getting up in the dark. I remember saying, "But nobody should have to get up in the dark, it doesn't even feel like morning yet!"
Even then early morning sunlight gladdened my heart. It still does. As Grandma used to say, it "gets me going."
But hey, I'm a big girl now. I know the routine. So I'll get up in the dark like most people do and I'll "get going" on my own. Still, as shorter days and longer nights press in, I need pansies. We discovered them as winter bloomers when we lived in the Northwest, with its long fall and winter seasons of cool, cloudy and rainy. Pansies don't care about the weather. No wonder I got addicted in no time.
We're in (drier) northern California now, but we read the handwriting of the seasons all around. That signals it's time to plant our annual guarantee of dependable winter sunshine: pansies. For me, their smiling faces brighten the shortest, dreariest day. We always plant some at the front door and also the back, so we see them all day. The other day while I ran errands, that terrific guy I married bought a bunch of them, then planted window boxes for the front railing and a pot for the back deck.
Whatever the weather I look at these blooms and see a visible symbol of hope. Nothing keeps them down, not clouds nor rain. Not even snow, as we discovered while growing them in the Northwest, where we sometimes had snow that lasted a day or two. Pansies may hang their heads for awhile, but then they pop back up, smiling. During cold spells they sort of fold into themselves. But then the sun shines and there they are, still blooming and brightening their corner of the world.
I look at these bright blooms and feel joy, even in dim light and on dark days. Does that sound over-simplistic? Maybe it is. On the other hand, it makes sense to train ourselves to savor the joy in simple everyday things. Otherwise, if it takes, say, a huge diamond ring to make us happy, we probably will wait a long time.
My grandmother was good at finding joy in life. I thought she had a gift for it. Now I understand it's a habit she developed. Like you and me, Grandma had the choice whether to see the light or fasten on the dark. Every day we choose to take joy in what's in front of us–like pansies–or clump around feeling deprived because we want something "special."
Truth is, every day is special, a gift. Every morning arrives with a fresh supply of joy and hope…if we choose to see it. If we run out by day's end, tomorrow we begin again, with a fresh supply.
The question for you and me is, how observant are we? Besides, beyond surfacey things like pansies, in this messed-up world where can we look for joy and hope?
I found some suggestions…
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
–Psalm 90:14
For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.
–Psalm 92:4
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
–Psalm 62:5
Here's wishing you JOY and hope in the midst of life, a fresh supply every morning and may you know the Giver.
Lenore
Question for you: What brings you joy and hope? Your sharing can bless the rest of us. (Just click on the word "comments" in the small print below, then follow directions.)