Category: Faith Lived Out

    What do you remember of how the first Thanksgiving came to be?

    Let's step back in time to 1620. Probably we vaguely recall the Mayflower, the ship that brought those settlers from Plymouth, England, to North America. On a family vacation to the East Coast we visited Plymouth, MA. The Plimoth Plantation is a living history museum erected on the site of that original settlement. Anchored at the shore is the Mayflower II, a reproduction.

    How tiny that ship was! Yet 388 years ago people like you and me gathered their families and braved crossing the Atlantic on that ship. Once we stepped aboard, it seemed even smaller. Picture ceiling heights about 65 inches, with berths about 3 ft. by 6 ft. Costumed guides told us each passenger was allowed their berth, including space above and below it, for their trunks and chests. That small ship was crammed with food and supplies, household goods for their future homes, even goats.

    During their long, miserable voyage on the choppy Atlantic, two passengers died and many more sickened. They finally reached harbor on December 11, naming it New Plymouth.

     Imagine yourself one of that intrepid band, weary to the bone from the arduous journey, half-sick, undernourished on the diet of mostly oatmeal, turnips and dried ox tongues. Imagine your dismay at finally arriving at a typical Massachusetts December scene, probably much like this.

    William Bradford, the first governor of the Plymouth colony, wrote: "Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven … They had now no friends to welcome them, no inns to entertain or refresh their weatherbeaten bodies, no houses, or much less towns to repair to, to seek for succor … What could now sustain them but the spirit of God and his grace?"

    That first winter forty-four of the original colonists died. more would have died if not for the Mayflower captain's decision to remain anchored off-shore. With only one makeshift shelter on shore, that cramped ship remained "home" for many months. Once the weather warmed, the survivors finally could hunt the abundant game they had been unable to hunt when landing.

    An English-speaking native they named Squanto befriended them and helped arrange a peace treaty with the Wampanoags. Then Squanto showed them his people's ways of planting corn and other crops. Early summer brought drought, but by autumn these settlers harvested their crops. As they stored away food for the coming winter, they took stock. yes, they had survived, but they had made seven times more graves than huts. Only three families remained unbroken.

    Governor Bradford describes that time this way: The Lord sent them … seasonable showers, and through His blessing caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing. For which mercy, in time cconvenient, they also set apart a day of Thanksgiving."

    So the settlers invited their Wampanoag friends to join them and welcomed the food and game they brought along. Together, they feasted and rejoiced. Those early settlers, at least, thanked God, even while remembering their departed family members and friends.

    This scene strikes me as especially poignant this year, when financial losses seem to affect most of us, and we're anxious. I think those settlers we call Pilgrims have much to teach us about turning our eyes to what remains, rather than being fixed on what is lost.

    What if we added up what's good and right and meaningful in our own lives? Suppose we, like the Pilgrims, leave our accumulated pain with the Lord and thank Him for His presence with us. Could we, like them, simply trust our future to Him?

    A beloved Bible verse fits every day, but especially at Thanksgiving.

Give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good, his love endures forever.     –Psalm 107:1

    That hard year was not the end of the Pilgrims' story. It was the beginning of a new chapter. That's worth considering, no matter what our age or our situation.

    May you have a blessed Thanks-giving Day, and may you have family and friends to share it with!

    Lenore

    What blessings are you thankful for? Your comments welcomed!

Learning from those early settlers and that first Thanksgiving

November 26, 2008
    I grew up rich … but I didn't know it. Maybe you did, too.

    Money was tight at our house all through my growing-up years. Frills were scarce, but my friends had none, either, so I considered that normal. Besides, most people we knew shared a similar life situation. More than I knew then, my father and mother shook hands with struggle every day. Through it all, they coped, mostly with a smile. I only knew that our family life revolved around the church my dad pastored, and people loved my parents.

    Like every child of every time, I remained unimpressed.

    I knew my mom and dad loved each other, they loved us and they loved God. That was bedrock and never wavered, not even when my newborn brother died, or during my mom's illnesses.

    I knew I could count on what they said. They told it like it was, even when I didn't want to hear.

    By today's standards my parents and teachers were unenlightened. They never assured me my life would be wonderful. In fact, they said to expect life to be hard, because life was hard for everyone. But, they said, but … life always would be worth the effort, worth the stumbles and failings and the starting over, and God is faithful.

    When my husband and I met, we two advantaged kids fell hard. We married, reared our daughters, and coped with … whatever. Through the predicted stumbles and starting overs, we held hands. As promised, God was faithful. Life was–and is–good.

    These days who can escape the bad news? Like everyone else we track the financial ups and downs and like most people, do some quaking and a lot of praying. Then we smile at each other, grateful for life itself and each day we share. We remind each other of what's important: We are rich … in all the ways that matter. God is good.

    How about you? How rich are you–in all the ways that matter?

    Take a few moments to inventory your fortune. Maybe your childhood memories hurt. Then leave it behind and concentrate on providing your own children with a legacy. May you be rich!

    Lenore

    Your comments welcomed!!











Maybe you’re richer than you think

November 23, 2008
    We're living in a time when it seems all the news is bad, not to mention scary. Most people I know feel poorer, a lot or a little, and less sure of what their future holds. Some judge there's less to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

    So here's a reality check for all of us, a gentle reminder to re-evaluate our thinking.

    Yesterday I crossed paths with a casual friend whom I hadn't talked with for months. His face revealed the anguish in his heart as he told about his granddaughter, who m he always described as a talented teenage dancer and athlete. This girl, while playing the "safe sport" soccer, experienced a freak accident. Great doctors, top-notch treatment, a loving and supportive family. Now the photo he shows pictures this beautiful young woman wearing leg braces, seated in a wheelchair. By definition she is a "quadriplegic incomplete," because she retains limited movement of her arms. That's her life … for life, at least by medical predictions.

    My heart went out to him, of course. Maybe you know what else I was thinking: That could be one of ours! Oh, Lord, thank you that it wasn't! (Perhaps you just had the same thought.)

    That encounter was like the proverbial plank to the donkey's head, remindingng me what I truly value most in life: the people I love. So let's turn away from the haranguing and fear-talk that clamors all around. When we add up the totals, let's make another list. Instead of centering on what's missing in our lives, real or perceived, let's open our eyes to what is … and give thanks.

    For a refresher course, read Psalm 103. I just did and was reminded how rich I really am.

    Lenore

    How about you? Your comments welcomed!

Before thinking too much is lost, take another look at your life

November 20, 2008
    That's a question that never loses its relevance. Regardless of our age or stage in life, how much money we have or don't have, or whether or not we have children, that question fits.

    More than anything else, our answer determines whether we describe ourselves as "happy" or "unhappy." Our answer sets the criteria for whether–in our own eyes–we're rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, liked or disliked, blessed or cursed.

    I once met an old woman who lived in one room in a rundown building and ate a meager diet. She invited me to look around her "lovely home," all the while describing herself as "rich" and "blessed." This vibrant, glowing woman of faith oozed contentment and joy out of every pore. Was she rich, or was she poor? You decide.

   No, she didn't live in a Third World country. She lived in metro Los Angeles, in a changing neighborhood that once was grand.

    I came away from that encounter vowing never to complain again or wish for "more."

    Have I? Of course. But when I'm wise enough to remember meeting Frieda, it brings me back to center. Then I realize that if I haven't liked my life lately, the problem is not my life. It's me.

   This much I've learned: At every moment of our life there's a positive side and a negative side. Every moment we decide which one we focus on.

   Here's to looking at what's good and right and true!

    Lenore

    Ever find this a struggle? Your comments welcomed!



How do you view your life?

November 13, 2008
    Perhaps like me, you're a bit weary of all the election day hoopla. It's hard to think of anything else, isn't it? But today's the day it ends. Within a few days we'll have the final count and then the new chapter begins. This morning Bob and I read Psalm 8, which seems to fit the day perfectly. Maybe you'll find that true, also. Right now we're reading from Eugene Peterson's The Message. Today his fresh, modern language led me to look at David's words with new eyes. Perhaps it will do the same for you:

God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.

Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you; toddlers shout the songs That drown out enemy talk, and silence atheist babble.

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewelry, Moon and stars mounted in their settings.

Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?

Yet we've so narrowly missed being gods, bright with Eden's dawn light.

You put us in charge of your handcrafted world, repeated to us your Genesis-charge, Made us lords of sheep and cattle, even animals out in the wild, Birds flying and fish swimming, whales singing in the ocean deep.

God, brilliant, Lord, your name echoes around the world.         (The Message)

    I had to go back to the Hubble site**, of course. It brims with glorious photographs that do, indeed, display those macro-skies, dark and enormous, with "sky jewelry" like that above. (See another eye-popper in my post of October 28, "Finding peace in the midst of … whatever.")

    Astronomy never was my passion of mine. In fact, I paid scant attention to news of the Hubble space project. But the Hubble website features awesome, entrancing images, free for the looking–or downloading. Try it, you might like it!

    Then give a thought to the One who set all that glory and wonder in place so long ago.

    Remember, election days come and election days go. He hasn't changed, hasn't moved, hasn't given up on this world … so let's rejoice!

    Lenore

    Your comments welcomed! Did you check out the Hubble site?

    *Image shown: Star-forming Region LH 95 in the largest Magellanic Cloud. www.hubblesite.org





Let’s broaden our view on this election day, 2008

November 4, 2008
    Maybe it's my imagination, but it seems the mood of people around me borders on tense. It's as if we all had gone on a Starbucks binge and now can't "come down" from all the caffeine. And it seems this is an equal-opportunity malady, affecting members of both parties equally.

    Whatever the final results of tomorrow's election, some of us will be disappointed. But think how blessed we are to live in a country where we actually get to vote on our leaders! In so much of the world people only get to vote with their feet, as they flee from power-hungry individuals and armed forces. Over-crowded refugee camps teem with desperate people who left their homelands to save their lives.

    Our founding fathers possessed wisdom beyond their own, I believe. They set up the United States as a nation where each citizen is free to get involved and free to vote for candidates of their choice. We can voice our opinions without fear of being carted off to prison. Each of us can help shape the community we live in, by volunteering for worthy causes, by supporting what we believe in, and even by the way we live our lives.

    Under the U. S. Constitution, that's our right. More accurately, that's our privilege. So if you haven't voted yet, be sure to cast your ballot at your local election site tomorrow!

    If history proves anything, it's that this nation is bigger than any one man who ends up being elected President. By the way, it's worth remembering that those Presidents labeled "good" when elected didn't always turn out to be that. Several Presidents who were trashed throughout their administrations later were described as "great" by historians. Even Abraham Lincoln faced constant ridicule, name-calling and criticism during his Presidency.

    Who can predict what lies ahead, whether for this nation or in our own lives? None of us. Maybe right now you're traveling a hard path and hope seems a foreign concept. Even then, in every situation, we can be at peace. I love Billy Graham's well-known illustration.

"The storm was raging. The sea was beating against the rocks in huge, dashing waves. The lightning was flashing, the thunder was roaring, the wind was blowing; but the little bird was sound asleep in the crevice of the rock, its head tucked serenely under its wing.

That is peace: to be able to sleep in the storm! In Christ we are relaxed and at peace in the midst of the confusions, bewilderments and perplexities of this life. The storm rages, but our hearts are at rest. We have found peace–at last!

    The lesson for us all: Peace does not depend on externals.

    I wish you peace, every day!

    Lenore

    Your comments welcomed!

Feeling uptight about tomorrow’s election?

November 3, 2008
    Today's the day to flip over calendar pages. On one of ours, the November quote repeats that principle so often presented and hashed over on television shows. It goes something like this. If we send out positive thoughts we'll have an effect on the world around us. Then somehow positive results will flow back to us.

   It made me think of times when I've faced a challenge and a friend would say, "Well, I'll be thinking positive thoughts for you," or, "I'm sending positive energy your way."

    Every time I truly am glad they care about me and wish me well. It's good to be loved.

    Still, that calendar quote set me to wondering whether the theory makes sense. Do any of us possess the power to "activate the world" around us?"

    Well, yes … and no. Maybe like me, you grew up hearing your mother say, "If you're nice to them, they'll be nice to you."

    Sometimes it seemed the other kids hadn't grasped that wisdom, but usually Mom's wisdom worked. Or at least, it helped. We moved several times during my growing-up years, so I'd find myself the "new kid" once again. There was nothing to do but grit my teeth and quiet my knocking knees, then paste on a shaky smile and trudge off to school.

    Positive thinking isn't a new concept. Books presenting that same theory have been around for years. Way back in 1938, Napoleon Hill wrote the book, Think and Grow Rich, which is about the "law of attraction." Ever since, writers and speakers keep finding inventive ways to say it. (Then they get interviewed on talk shows, like "Oprah!")

    That agrees with old sayings we've all heard, like, "Good neighbors make good eighbors." "Treat others with respect and you'll be respected." "What you give out, you'll get back." Etc.

    Actually, the thinking goes back even further than the Thirties. Some wise person said everything we label "new wisdom" can be found in the Bible. Consider these:

    Whatever one sows, that will he also reap. –Galatians 6:7

    So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. –Matthew 7:12

    I think I'll stick with the wisdom of Scripture, because frankly, I'm not sure I want to rely on myself and my own power. I don't trust my ability to "send out positive thoughts," so as to "activate the world around" me. I need something–someone–bigger than me. Maybe that's why one of my favorite verses comes from Matthew 19:26: With God all things are possible.

    That reassures me far more than counting on myself. How about you?

    Here's to sorting it out and knowing what to believe in,

    Lenore

    Your comments welcomed!





Thinking about positive thinking

November 1, 2008
    Have you noticed the stunningly beautiful full moon the past several nights–and early mornings? Astronomers could tell us why the moon seems closer and fuller this time of year, but not me. I remember Midwestern October moons glowing yellow or orange. I used to think they looked almost close enough to touch. Here in the Sacramento area, at least this year, it's knock-your-eye-out- white. I love full moons, and I'm always a bit sad to see them wane.

   I stood and marveled at it the other night. Not for the first time I thanked God for the orderliness of the moon and the sun. Every morning the sun comes up–and sets every evening. Every night the moon rises, even when we can't see it. No matter how crazy everything seems to be in the world, there they are, showing up on schedule. Somehow knowing that reminds me there's more going on in the world than the stuff that makes the news … or even in my life.

   I find it totally amazing that astronomers can predict the exact time of the rising and setting of the sun, the moon, and the planets–and the phases of the moon. Since the moon afffects the tides, they know the exact time when the tide will come in and when it will go out. Yes, I know it's science, but nevertheless, the absolute predictability of all this blows me away.

    My mind always goes to the first chapter of Genesis:

And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth. And it was so. God made two great lights–the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night.       He also made the stars … And God saw that it was good.              –Genesis 1:14-16

   Ever since, in every continent on earth, people have been looking up into the expanse of the sky. They stare at those two great lights–and at the stars–and say some variation of what I've been saying, "Wow! Look at that!"

    Don't miss the sky show. Take it as reassurance that no matter how bad the predictions on all sides, the world will go on. How do I know? We have the sun in the morning and the moon at night, that's how.

    And behold, it is very good!

    Lenore

    Your comments welcomed!



It’s a free show … overhead!

October 17, 2008
    I found out today that my dear friend's husband died last night, after a long battle with that dreaded enemy, cancer. My heart aches for her. These two forged the kind of marriage everyone wants, where love shone from their eyes and sparkled their personalities. A love that infused every day of their forty-four years together with certainty and strength, and brimmed over into the lives of their children and grandchildren, as well as all who know them.

    We've been friends for years, even though separated by hundreds of miles. Our get-togethers have been infrequent, but we never need to get reacquainted. We pick up as if we just saw each other last week. Now these last months I've been reading the blog of their "journey" since his diagnosis. Her open, honest accounts have moved my heart and enriched my life, broadened my understanding.

    These two shared a bedrock, joyful, living faith in Jesus, too. All along this has glued them together and empowered their days, but especially these last months. They've treasured each moment together and simply lived with gusto, making memories at every opportunity. They've prayed for strength and peace, of course. But they've also prayed that somehow they could be a blessing to the people around them. That included their family and friends who came from far and near, caring Hospice nurses, and former co-workers, friends and fellow Christians who've been bringing them meals for months. In more recent times, a faithful group of male friends have rotated staying overnight, keeping watch, so my friend and their family could sleep without need for watchfulness.

    This good, loving man died at home, surrounded by his dear ones, as he wished and they wished. As they had prayed, he had a peaceful going home to Jesus. Their young grandchildren had been told that their adored grandfather soon would be leaving earth. A few nights ago one of their beautiful preschooler granddaughters prayed that her "Papa" soon would have fun playing with Jesus and that her "Nana" wouldn't be too sad without him.

    So this day is sad for me, but it's also glad. I think how differently this would have played out if this family had only their own strength to draw on through this heart-wrenching journey. And how much more devastating it would be for them to think of this much-loved man's life as simply … "over."

    Christians cherish the sure knowledge that death is not the end, but simply one's last breath on earth. You'll find that truth many times in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. I don't know who coined the term "the Gospel in a nutshell," but here it is:

God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.                                                            –John 3:16

    Every death reminds us that life is fragile–and precious. Each morning we open our eyes provides ample reason to rejoice! Let's hold our loved ones close and speak the words in our hearts … while we can.

    Let's make every day count!

    Lenore

    Your comments truly are welcomed!

Remembering that Life is precious

October 4, 2008
      Here we are In this second week of U.S. political conventions. Some say it amounts to a collective national agony we must suffer through every four years. Others label it a celebration of what makes us the United States of America.

    Count me in with the latter group, especially this year. History is playing out before us. No matter what the final result, for the first time we'll have either a black man or a woman in one of the top slots in this nation.

    As is routine in the good old USA unless, God forbid, we witness another "first," all this will proceed with lots of noise, but no bloodshed. Nobody will mysteriously disappear.

    No matter how it comes out, some of us will grit our teeth and get on with life. Others will celebrate and get on with life. It's the American way … and it is good.

    Despite (or maybe because of) the headlines and massive TV coverage, the process often feels disconnected from real life. We all know, to quote a well-worn cliche, "that's where the rubber meets the road."  And that's where we live … in homes, in communities that make up the states, which together make up the Nation.

    The election will be resolved, the inauguration pomp and ceremony will pass. Then what? Will you and I stand up for what's right and good where we are? Or will we focus on what bothers us and lapse into apathy, meanwhile muttering, "Oh, well, what can you do? We're all victims of the system!"

    Not true. Each one of us can do something in the place where we are. No matter where we live, no matter our age, no matter our education, our income or occupation, that's where we start, and we lace it up with prayer.

    Each of us can vote and support elected officials and volunteers who are doing a good job. Those individuals mostly hear from persons with complaints. When we speak enouragement and thanks, our simple words will refresh tired spirits.

    Each of us can volunteer, maybe for some job that seems insignificent. Later, for one reason or another, we may wonder why we opened our mouths. At that point we can grumble and give grudging duty. Or we can remind ourselves that each little bit counts toward the whole and cheerfully go forth.

    Each of us can write letters … to school board and local council members, to public officals, to our senators and representatives, our Governor, our President.

    Maybe you think one letter doesn't make a difference. Wrong. Years ago I heard a speaker from a company that makes products we all use every day. He detailed how his company evaluates letters and E-mails they receive, whether kudos or complaints. I've never forgotten the gist of what he said: "We're not much impressed by petitions, even when they have hundreds of signers. We discount form letters all repeating the same words, too. They may be sent by different individuals, but we toss them on the pile marked 'pressure group.'

    "But when we get one–one–letter, maybe handwritten, maybe with mispellings, we know it comes straight from one individual who speaks out of personal experience or strong conviction. Those we designate 'high priority,' especially with letters. Our research indicates every letter represents anywhere from fifty to a couple of hundred individuals who didn't bother to take time and write. Such letters get a reading from company executives and are passed on to other departments. We think these writers help us keep a finger on the pulse of consumers."

    Come to think of it, we're all "consumers" and the same logic applies to everything from TV programming to the local school board. Just to be clear, I'm no shining example of perfection here. Too often I don't commend what I applaud. I don't write enough letters and try to avoid often-boring council meetings of one kind or another. Maybe you plead guilty, too.

    So let's take this time of national fervor as inspiration and make some changes. Each one of us can make a difference in our homes, in our churches, our communities, our Nation.

    The place to start is with the basics … with what we look for and what we say to each other and to our children, our friends, our neighbors. One well-educated, well-traveled writer expressed it up this way:

"Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious–the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse."

                                                                                    –Philippians 4:8, "The Message"

    Come to think of it, doesn't that describe the kind of person we'd like to have living next to us? Imagine kids growing up in families who live those principles, then going out as adults ready to support the good stuff.

    You and I can't change the world, but we can change ourselves. We can change the tone of conversations within our own homes. We can be the ones who speak a good word at meetings and at our own workplaces, at checkout counters and school board meetings and in our churches. Before and during whatever we do, we pray.

    It's our choice whether we will or not. Because this is the United States and each one of us gets to choose what we stand for. It's the American way … and it is good.

    Here's to giving thanks for what we so often take for granted. Let's celebrate it!

    Lenore

    Your comments welcomed.

What do we, the people, do with this great gift?

September 4, 2008