This is a devotional I presented at the 2013 Kansas City Regional FCM (Fellowship of Christian Magicians) Training Conference.
When I was growing up, one of my favorite television shows was the Carol Burnett Show. I loved her sense of humor, her physical comedy and the funny way she interacted with others on the show. Her comedy always made me laugh, and I’d reenact some of the skits I’d seen or imitate her characters to make others laugh as well. I admired her ability to make people laugh, and she always seemed to have so much fun doing it.
Laughter is a gift. It is not only a gift we receive, it is also a gift we give. For many of us – if not all of us – who are involved in some form of creative ministry, one of the main reasons we do what we do – in addition to sharing the gospel – is to bring laughter into the lives of others.
We know that there is all kind of evidence that tells us that laughter is good for us. We are told in Proverbs 17:22 that “a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
One scientific report I came across recently stated the following:
"Laughter is good for your health, and now scientists know why. Researchers at the University of Maryland found that when 20 healthy volunteers smiled and guffawed while watching the comedy “Kingpin,” their blood flow increased by 22 percent, about the same increase caused by aerobic exercise. But when volunteers watched tension-filled scenes from “Saving Private Ryan,” their blood flow decreased 35 percent. The researchers say that laughing apparently causes the endothelium, the tissue that lines blood vessels, to expand, which increases blood flow. Laughter may also improve arterial health by reducing mental stress, which constricts vessels and cuts blood flow. A healthy lifestyle would include 30 minutes of exercise three times a week, and 15 minutes of hearty laughter each day."
Michael Pritchard is quoted as saying: “You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.” It would seem to me that losing the gift of laughter in old age would be one of the worst losses of all. Author Randy Alcorn wrote, “Humor is our release, our safety valve. Laughter relieves tension and breaks down barriers. Laughter is therapeutic. It is medicinal. It heals. It gives hope.”
There is a special joy that we, as performers, experience when we are able to bring laughter into the lives of others. I believe that often motivates us to do what we do – whether it is comedy in magic, in clowning, in puppetry and storytelling. We can even bring laughter to others through face painting and other one-on-one creative arts. A famous and greatly talented pianist and humorist, Victor Borge, stated that “Laughter is the shortest distance between two people.” When we can make people laugh, we feel a connection, a sense of unity with them. Those of us who perform on stage can attest to the fact that we often feel more confident and are able to perform better when our audience is responding to what we do. Performing enthusiastically for an audience that is being unresponsive is probably one of the most difficult things to do.
There are many people who think that Jesus was a very stoic person, rarely laughing or even cracking a smile. Yes, we are told that He was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief,” but I believe that, as someone who, in addition to being fully God was also fully human, had to have had an incredible sense of humor. Don’t forget, He was involved in creation, and we know that there had to have been quite a bit of humor involved as some of the animals were being created! I can imagine Him as a child, bringing a smile to Mary’s face with His laughter that filled the air, playing with His half-brothers and sisters, teasing and sharing jokes as siblings will do.
Jesus had to have been a joyful person. In John 15:11, He explains to his disciples, "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." Jesus wanted His followers to be full of joy, to be happy and to laugh. Even during His “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5 as He presented what we call the Beatitudes… You remember…they start out by saying “Blessed are the…”. Did you know that the word “blessed” is more appropriately translated “happy”? It’s not difficult to find the humor in many of the parables He told. I can just imagine the laughter in His voice as He presented the image of a camel going through the eye of a needle. I’m sure that many evenings were spent by Jesus and the disciples sitting around the campfire telling stories of funny experiences they all had. I can imagine that Jesus laughed as much as the others when Peter recounted that day when his brother Andrew tripped over the fishing net and fell head over heels into the water. Or maybe that time when James spilled the secret of how John accidently broke one of his mother’s favorite pots and tried to blame it on the family pet.
And, of course, the children! Oh, how the children were drawn to Jesus! It had to have been the sparkle in Jesus’ eye, His warm, welcoming smile, and the laughter in His voice that drew them to Him. When was the last time you saw a group of kids run up to an old grouch, desiring to be near him and spend time with him? How quickly or easily are you drawn to be with someone who has a sour disposition? Jesus’ laughter had to have been infectious… and He knew how to draw laughter from the children.
We are called to be like Christ as we walk daily in our faith. Martin Luther said, “You have as much laughter as you have faith.” If we are followers of Christ, then our lives should reflect the joy that He gives. It should be easy to look around us and find those individuals who need that same kind of joy. As Christians, let’s not only make it a priority to share our faith with others, but let’s also make it a priority to share laughter with others. Look for opportunities to receive laughter as a gift, but also look for opportunities to use your God-given talents to gift laughter to others. Whether your talent involves being on a stage and performing for a crowd, or if it involves working with someone one-on-one, look for ways to bring God-honoring laughter into the lives of others.
Carol Burnett once said, “There’s laughter in everything.” And I believe that is how God designed it to be.
Friday, August 16, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Knowledge Verses Wisdom
In Psalm 51, David is confessing his sin before God and asking God to forgive him, to restore him back into fellowship. It is a beautiful Psalm, full of brokenness, praise and restoration. At one point (in verse 6) David prays, "Teach me wisdom in the inmost place." Beth Moore comments, "The inmost place is where experience turns to wisdom!"
We can gather knowledge all we want. Our heads can be filled until they seem to overflow with knowledge. But until we can take that knowledge and apply it in and through our hearts, it does not become wisdom. It has been said, "Wisdom is knowledge applied." Knowledge happens in the head -- wisdom happens in the heart.
But, then again, we are faced with another issue, and that is found in Jeremiah 17:9 where the prophet says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
So if the heart is where knowledge is applied, resulting in wisdom, and yet the heart is wicked, how can one be able to live a life that honors God and draws others towards Him?
When we repent and ask forgiveness of our sins, God is able to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us (Psalm 51:10). Instead of our knowledge running through the filter of a wicked and depraved heart, it can now flow through the filter of God's Spirit, helping us to draw on His Word and guidance for our wisdom.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV): "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.
We can gather knowledge all we want. Our heads can be filled until they seem to overflow with knowledge. But until we can take that knowledge and apply it in and through our hearts, it does not become wisdom. It has been said, "Wisdom is knowledge applied." Knowledge happens in the head -- wisdom happens in the heart.
But, then again, we are faced with another issue, and that is found in Jeremiah 17:9 where the prophet says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
So if the heart is where knowledge is applied, resulting in wisdom, and yet the heart is wicked, how can one be able to live a life that honors God and draws others towards Him?
When we repent and ask forgiveness of our sins, God is able to create in us a clean heart and renew a right spirit within us (Psalm 51:10). Instead of our knowledge running through the filter of a wicked and depraved heart, it can now flow through the filter of God's Spirit, helping us to draw on His Word and guidance for our wisdom.
Psalm 1:1-3 (NIV): "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Be a Berean
In Paul's second book to Timothy, the pastor of the church at Epheses, he says, "For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will accumulate teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. But as for you, keep a clear head about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:3-5)
Even though Christianity was still relatively young at that time, the danger already existed of those who resisted true doctine. There were people who wanted teachers/preachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear and to make them feel good. They wanted to avoid being challenged to acknowledge their own sin and submit themselves fully to Jesus Christ.
This danger continues to be as real today as it was back in Paul's time. The advantage we have now over the young believers back then is that we have easy access to God's Word and can quickly search the Scriptures ourselves to test what is being said to ensure its biblical accuracy. Paul commended the Bereans for doing just that about what he taught (Acts 17:11).
It really is not all that difficult today to find teachers and preachers who stand under the umbrella of Christianity who talk a good talk but in reality are just far enough off the truth that they can easily lead the unsuspecting astray.
The hot topic these days is Rob Bell and his "Love Wins" book that recently came out. While on the surface, one could surmise that this would be an incredibly positive book, one that points people towards God and reveals God as loving and compassionate. And that's not a bad thing, because I want people to know what a loving God our Creator is...how each of us are fearfully and wonderfully made, precious in His thoughts (Psalm 139). God's love extends to the fact that He knew we would need a Savior - even from the beginning of time. God loves us because God is love.
However, God's love is not something that we can mold and shape to fit into our own little box of "comfortable-ness." God's love is sweet - just ask the new believer experiencing freedom from the penalty of sin for the first time, or the mature believer who is once again brought to his feet after strumbling. But God's love also extends to justice and rightousness.
Now I will admit that I have not read Mr. Bell's book, but I have read the FAQ page on the Mars Hill website about this book and I've heard other people talk about this book - both for and against. My husband spoke with one young man who was reading Mr. Bell's book and he said that he could barely get through the first chapter without already filling ill at ease about the theology being taught.
In reading the FAQ page about the book, I felt I could agree with many of the theological points Mr. Bell addressed, however, when it came to addressing what happens in the afterlife, I felt my spirit within grow greatly distressed. Quoting from that page, "Rob isn't suggesting Universalism...He is proposing that God's love is so big that the invitation to God's grace may extend into the next life so that all could be saved."
And then there is the quote from Chad Holtz, the pastor who lost his job for supporting Rob Bell: "So long as we believe there is a dividing point in eternity, we're going to think in terms of us and them. But when you believe that God has saved everyone, the point is you're saved. Live like it."
First, my comment about the statement by Mr. Holtz is that God has NOT saved everyone. But God has provided a way for everyone to be saved - and that is through Jesus Christ alone. Yes, John 3:16 says that God so love the WORLD, but it also says that what we must make the decision to believe in Jesus Christ in order to have eternal life. It's not a given that every person will go to heaven. It's not a situation where everyone is saved, and you have the option to "opt out" if you choose NOT to believe in Jesus Christ (as someone once told me their belief was). Yes, God loves us, but He is not going to force those who chose not to believe to live in eternity with Him.
Second, I want to share my comments about Mr. Bell's statement regarding the opportunity for salvation after death. I want to start off by stating emphatically that I am not a great biblical scholar...I don't know all there is to know about every doctrine the Bible teaches. But I do study God's Word on a regular basis, and I do feel relatively confident to speak what God has laid on my heart regarding this issue. I believe that every person is given a clear and fair opportunity to make a decision about who God is and how they will honor Him. I believe that God is a rightous and merciful God who does not punish anyone unjustly. I also believe that we have barely begun to scratch the surface of understanding exactly Who God truly is. We have what the Bible has told us, and I think that if God had disclosed any more of His infinite self to His finite creation, we would not have been able to stand it.
God clearly outlines within His word how a person can be reconciled to Him -- and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. I believe that once death on this earth occurs, then the spirit goes to the place God has prepared for it based upon the decision made on earth regarding Jesus. Nowhere in the Bible (that I am aware of) does it say that after death there is another opportunity to make that decsion. In Hebrews 9:12 we are told that we are destined to die and after death comes judgment. Jesus' brutal but voluntary death on the cross was in payment of our sins. If, in life, we do not accept that payment, then eternal death and separation from God is our penalty (Romans 6:23). There is no second chance after that.
Let me approach this another way...What if there was a second chance for salvation after death? Why bother making a decision for Christ now? Why not just live life the way I want to ("eat, drink and be merry"), and then when I die, find out what's going to happen? If what Rob Bell says is correct, and I don't like being in hell, then I can simply say that I believe in Jesus and end up in heaven after all. Is that really a risk work taking? Not for me. But, unfortunately, there are going to be many who do decide to go that route, choose not to live for Christ and die to eternal damnation.
Jesus promised life abundant if we live for Him here on earth and after that an eternity with Him in heaven. That's the promise I want to hang my hat on.
If you are someone who thinks that this theology that Rob Bell is promoting in his book is correct, please be a Berean and check it against God's word. Do your own study... seek God's wisdom in this. Don't take my word for it, don't take anyone else's word for it. Take God's Word for it.
Don't go "according to your own desires, accumulating teachers for yourselves because you have an itch to hear something new." As Paul admonished Timothy..."keep a clear head about everything..." Be a Berean.
Even though Christianity was still relatively young at that time, the danger already existed of those who resisted true doctine. There were people who wanted teachers/preachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear and to make them feel good. They wanted to avoid being challenged to acknowledge their own sin and submit themselves fully to Jesus Christ.
This danger continues to be as real today as it was back in Paul's time. The advantage we have now over the young believers back then is that we have easy access to God's Word and can quickly search the Scriptures ourselves to test what is being said to ensure its biblical accuracy. Paul commended the Bereans for doing just that about what he taught (Acts 17:11).
It really is not all that difficult today to find teachers and preachers who stand under the umbrella of Christianity who talk a good talk but in reality are just far enough off the truth that they can easily lead the unsuspecting astray.
The hot topic these days is Rob Bell and his "Love Wins" book that recently came out. While on the surface, one could surmise that this would be an incredibly positive book, one that points people towards God and reveals God as loving and compassionate. And that's not a bad thing, because I want people to know what a loving God our Creator is...how each of us are fearfully and wonderfully made, precious in His thoughts (Psalm 139). God's love extends to the fact that He knew we would need a Savior - even from the beginning of time. God loves us because God is love.
However, God's love is not something that we can mold and shape to fit into our own little box of "comfortable-ness." God's love is sweet - just ask the new believer experiencing freedom from the penalty of sin for the first time, or the mature believer who is once again brought to his feet after strumbling. But God's love also extends to justice and rightousness.
Now I will admit that I have not read Mr. Bell's book, but I have read the FAQ page on the Mars Hill website about this book and I've heard other people talk about this book - both for and against. My husband spoke with one young man who was reading Mr. Bell's book and he said that he could barely get through the first chapter without already filling ill at ease about the theology being taught.
In reading the FAQ page about the book, I felt I could agree with many of the theological points Mr. Bell addressed, however, when it came to addressing what happens in the afterlife, I felt my spirit within grow greatly distressed. Quoting from that page, "Rob isn't suggesting Universalism...He is proposing that God's love is so big that the invitation to God's grace may extend into the next life so that all could be saved."
And then there is the quote from Chad Holtz, the pastor who lost his job for supporting Rob Bell: "So long as we believe there is a dividing point in eternity, we're going to think in terms of us and them. But when you believe that God has saved everyone, the point is you're saved. Live like it."
First, my comment about the statement by Mr. Holtz is that God has NOT saved everyone. But God has provided a way for everyone to be saved - and that is through Jesus Christ alone. Yes, John 3:16 says that God so love the WORLD, but it also says that what we must make the decision to believe in Jesus Christ in order to have eternal life. It's not a given that every person will go to heaven. It's not a situation where everyone is saved, and you have the option to "opt out" if you choose NOT to believe in Jesus Christ (as someone once told me their belief was). Yes, God loves us, but He is not going to force those who chose not to believe to live in eternity with Him.
Second, I want to share my comments about Mr. Bell's statement regarding the opportunity for salvation after death. I want to start off by stating emphatically that I am not a great biblical scholar...I don't know all there is to know about every doctrine the Bible teaches. But I do study God's Word on a regular basis, and I do feel relatively confident to speak what God has laid on my heart regarding this issue. I believe that every person is given a clear and fair opportunity to make a decision about who God is and how they will honor Him. I believe that God is a rightous and merciful God who does not punish anyone unjustly. I also believe that we have barely begun to scratch the surface of understanding exactly Who God truly is. We have what the Bible has told us, and I think that if God had disclosed any more of His infinite self to His finite creation, we would not have been able to stand it.
God clearly outlines within His word how a person can be reconciled to Him -- and that is through faith in Jesus Christ. I believe that once death on this earth occurs, then the spirit goes to the place God has prepared for it based upon the decision made on earth regarding Jesus. Nowhere in the Bible (that I am aware of) does it say that after death there is another opportunity to make that decsion. In Hebrews 9:12 we are told that we are destined to die and after death comes judgment. Jesus' brutal but voluntary death on the cross was in payment of our sins. If, in life, we do not accept that payment, then eternal death and separation from God is our penalty (Romans 6:23). There is no second chance after that.
Let me approach this another way...What if there was a second chance for salvation after death? Why bother making a decision for Christ now? Why not just live life the way I want to ("eat, drink and be merry"), and then when I die, find out what's going to happen? If what Rob Bell says is correct, and I don't like being in hell, then I can simply say that I believe in Jesus and end up in heaven after all. Is that really a risk work taking? Not for me. But, unfortunately, there are going to be many who do decide to go that route, choose not to live for Christ and die to eternal damnation.
Jesus promised life abundant if we live for Him here on earth and after that an eternity with Him in heaven. That's the promise I want to hang my hat on.
If you are someone who thinks that this theology that Rob Bell is promoting in his book is correct, please be a Berean and check it against God's word. Do your own study... seek God's wisdom in this. Don't take my word for it, don't take anyone else's word for it. Take God's Word for it.
Don't go "according to your own desires, accumulating teachers for yourselves because you have an itch to hear something new." As Paul admonished Timothy..."keep a clear head about everything..." Be a Berean.
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Approachable Throne of God
I have made it my goal for this year to concentrate on my prayer life and work towards making it what I think God wants it to be. Towards that end, I've been going through a devotional book entitled Love to Pray by Alvin Vander Griend.
The verse that opened this morning's devotional was Hebrews 4:16: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence (some translations use the word "boldly") so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Even before I got into the author's devotional, some thoughts came to my mind as I read this verse.
The first thought that struck me about this verse was that we don't already have to "clean" or "perfect" in order to approach God's throne in confidence in order to receive His mercy and grace. Yes, we do need to have already been washed in the blood of Christ, but we can approach boldy in order to receive the mercy and grace we need. It is God's work - not our own - that makes it happen. We just need to have the faith and confidence that it will.
My second thought was that we don't approach the throne anonymously. God knows who we are and why we are there. He welcomes us with open arms. This verse is His invitation. He says that He is simply awaiting our attention to Him so that He can lavish upon us - His adopted sons and daughters - all that He has for us. The greatest of these gifts are His mercy and His grace.
We don't have to wait until we are "worthy" enough to approach His throne. He is the One who makes us worthy in His presence.
What freedom and confidence this is for us who believe - to be able to bring our praise, our concerns and wants, and our worship to our awesome heavenly Father!
The verse that opened this morning's devotional was Hebrews 4:16: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence (some translations use the word "boldly") so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Even before I got into the author's devotional, some thoughts came to my mind as I read this verse.
The first thought that struck me about this verse was that we don't already have to "clean" or "perfect" in order to approach God's throne in confidence in order to receive His mercy and grace. Yes, we do need to have already been washed in the blood of Christ, but we can approach boldy in order to receive the mercy and grace we need. It is God's work - not our own - that makes it happen. We just need to have the faith and confidence that it will.
My second thought was that we don't approach the throne anonymously. God knows who we are and why we are there. He welcomes us with open arms. This verse is His invitation. He says that He is simply awaiting our attention to Him so that He can lavish upon us - His adopted sons and daughters - all that He has for us. The greatest of these gifts are His mercy and His grace.
We don't have to wait until we are "worthy" enough to approach His throne. He is the One who makes us worthy in His presence.
What freedom and confidence this is for us who believe - to be able to bring our praise, our concerns and wants, and our worship to our awesome heavenly Father!
Friday, February 12, 2010
I'm Worth HOW Much?
Have you ever heard the saying that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it? You may have a house that is appraised at $200,000, but if you can’t find someone who is willing to pay that amount for it, is it really worth that much? Or maybe you have a piece of antique furniture that you think is worth $500, but you can’t find someone willing to pay that much for it. Same thing with jewelry, art, etc. An item’s true value is based upon what someone else is willing to pay for it.
Have you ever considered how much you are worth? I’m sure there are some who could put a monetary value to it… they earn so much money a year, they have assets of “X” number of dollars, they have cars, homes, businesses, etc. And that’s all well and good, I guess. But if we go back to my original thought and rephrase the question, what would your response be? What are YOU worth? What would someone be willing to pay for YOU in order for you to belong to them?
Sometimes people who are kidnapped and have a ransom requested for their return can have some sort of idea of what their value might be, but, again, that only reflects what someone else was willing to pay.
So do you have any idea of how much you are worth? How much would someone be willing to pay for you?
I have great news for you! Someone knows your worth, and someone has already paid an extreme cost for you!
In 1 Timothy 2:5-6, we read, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time.” (NIV)
Jesus Christ paid the ultimate ransom for each of us – His own life. His payment came in the form of cruel mocking, vicious beating, and merciless crucifixion. He did it for me and He did it for you. He paid the ultimate price for OUR sin – not because He did anything wrong. He did it so that we could be reconciled with God and live with Him forever in eternity.
So what are you worth? You are worth all the love that God has for you (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). You are worth the great price of His own Son.
If you have never acknowledged Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf, take time to think about it. Read the Gospel of John in the New Testament and consider who Jesus is and what it was He did for you.
If you already know Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, are you living your life in a way that is worthy of the great price that was paid for you? Can people look at you and see something different? Something unique that they are drawn to? Or is your life being lived as though your worth is based upon worldly standards?
Take time today to think about it: Is your value based upon the things of this earth which are perishable, or is your value based upon what God was willing to pay for your redemption? If it is the latter, then live like it!
Have you ever considered how much you are worth? I’m sure there are some who could put a monetary value to it… they earn so much money a year, they have assets of “X” number of dollars, they have cars, homes, businesses, etc. And that’s all well and good, I guess. But if we go back to my original thought and rephrase the question, what would your response be? What are YOU worth? What would someone be willing to pay for YOU in order for you to belong to them?
Sometimes people who are kidnapped and have a ransom requested for their return can have some sort of idea of what their value might be, but, again, that only reflects what someone else was willing to pay.
So do you have any idea of how much you are worth? How much would someone be willing to pay for you?
I have great news for you! Someone knows your worth, and someone has already paid an extreme cost for you!
In 1 Timothy 2:5-6, we read, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men — the testimony given in its proper time.” (NIV)
Jesus Christ paid the ultimate ransom for each of us – His own life. His payment came in the form of cruel mocking, vicious beating, and merciless crucifixion. He did it for me and He did it for you. He paid the ultimate price for OUR sin – not because He did anything wrong. He did it so that we could be reconciled with God and live with Him forever in eternity.
So what are you worth? You are worth all the love that God has for you (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). You are worth the great price of His own Son.
If you have never acknowledged Jesus’ sacrifice on your behalf, take time to think about it. Read the Gospel of John in the New Testament and consider who Jesus is and what it was He did for you.
If you already know Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, are you living your life in a way that is worthy of the great price that was paid for you? Can people look at you and see something different? Something unique that they are drawn to? Or is your life being lived as though your worth is based upon worldly standards?
Take time today to think about it: Is your value based upon the things of this earth which are perishable, or is your value based upon what God was willing to pay for your redemption? If it is the latter, then live like it!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Remembrance...
What follows are journal entries written approximately three years ago. These entries have helped me go through the grieving process and recall precious memories.
January 10, 2007
My dad will die some time this week. He has come to the decision to discontinue his dialysis. He has accepted that he is dying and is ready to go Home. The family spent several hours with him the night before last after Mom called us over. (Aside: It was late at night, and Mom had called my brothers Chuck and Bob and their wives and David and me to come over to their apartment. We spent time talking, in prayer and singing together.) It was very difficult but very special. God was truly present, offering His peace and comfort.
The unsurity of the next few days is unsettling. Hospice is on call and readily available to assist Mom and Dad in any way they can.
God's words of comfort - songs and scripture - swirl around in my mind. I know that God is here and in this situation. I know He will comfort and meet our needs. I know that in the midst of God's comfort and peace there will be sadness and grief. I just pray that in it all and through it all God's will and purpose are being worked out and that He receives the honor and glory.
January 11, 2007
Life is becoming surreal right now. We visit Dad and he is coherent, able to carry on a conversation, eat meals - and yet we know within a matter of days he'll be gone. We talk to Dad about funeral plans and he tells us what he would like. But God's peace and grace continue to surround and overwhelm us.
I think I am going to go ahead and call my brothers (Bill and Jim) and tell them to just come. The weather this weekend is supposted to get bad, and they just need to be here with the rest of the family.
January 18, 2007
Dad passed away Saturday morning, January 13, 2007, at approximately 6 AM. Bill and Jim arrived during the night and were there Friday with Dad all day. I took Friday off and spent it over at Mom and Dad's as well. Willard and Arlene were visiting but headed back home Friday afternoon. Dad went to bed after lunch on Friday and never got back up.
The hospice nurse, Terri, came by and gave Mom some medications for Dad to help keep him comfortable. Bob and Chuck were there as well, so we were all able to hear what she had to say. We all had dinner together that evening in the "mail room" down the hall from the apartment. As Dad would have wanted, we shared stories and laughed and enjoyed being together as a family.
David and I went home somewhat early that evening, but then we did get the phone call the next morning that Dad had gone to be with the Lord. Dad had gone downhill so much on Friday, I think we were all praying that God would be merciful and take him home, so I honestly don't think we were surprised or even regretful when we got the news.
Debbie (Chuck's wife) had spent the night with Mom and Dad, and she was helping to make sure that Dad was getting his medication. Bill was staying in one of the apartments in the Community Center across the parking lot. Mom said that they had checked on Dad several times during the night, and while his breathing was getting labored, he was still alive. They checked on him at 4 AM, and he was breathing, but when Mom checked on him at 6, he was gone.
He did not suffer. He did not struggle. He passed from this life into eternity quietly and peacefully as we all prayed he would.
Mom called hospice and the funeral home right away. Of course, she called all of us as well. Dad was laying on his side, so still and quiet. He looked so tired and weak. His poor body was so spent in trying to keep him alive. Barney (Mom and Dad's dog) was snuggled up tight next to Dad, and he never left his side until the funeral home came and picked up the body.
I remember sobbing over Dad's body for a while and yet in my heart rejoicing knowing that Dad was now with Jesus.
The funeral home in Orange City had an arrangement with a local funeral home here in Des Moines to come and pick up Dad's body. They came approximately 8 AM to get Dad. All of my brothers except Bob had gotten there by the time the funeral home came. Bob arrived shortly after and was able to spend a few minutes with Dad. We all stood together hugging and praying and crying. Then they took Dad's body away.
The next few hours were a blur of phone calls and making plans. Pastor Gary Clark (our pastor from Olivet Baptist Church) came over on his way to conduct another funeral at church and offered us some comfort and prayer.
David decided to stay in Des Moines until after church on Sunday. Mom, Bill and I decided to go ahead and head on up to Orange City, and we left about 11:30. The rest of the boys and grandkids were coming up on Sunday also. There was a forecast of bad weather so we were all a little anxious for those who were going to be traveling on Sunday.
Mom, Bill and I dropped Barney off at Willard and Arlene's (in Sanborn, Iowa) and finally got to the hotel (in Orange City, Iowa) around 5:30 PM. We went and got some dinner and then headed back to the hotel.
Everyone began arriving around noon. We had an appointment to meet with the undertaker at 1 PM that day. We went over details of Dad's life and the funeral service. We picked out a casket and vault.
We then all headed over to Sioux Center where Lena's girls (Lena was our aunt. She went to be with the Lord not long after Dad did.) had prepared a meal for us. Most of the grandkids had arrived. The weather was pretty bad - lots of snow - so it was good to be able to get back to the hotel safely.
Monday morning, Mom met with her financial planner and got a lot of her legal documentation taken care of. My brothers and I went over to the funeral home to rehearse the songs we were going to sing at the funeral. David came along so we could finalize the service plan (Dad had asked David to officiate the funeral).
The immediate family viewing was at 2 and the grandkids then came at 2:30. The visitation then ran from 3 until 6. I felt like once I got through the inital viewing I was going to be able to handle things pretty well. I helped greet people as they approached Dad's casket. Dad looked so good. He didn't look exactly like himself, but he didn't have that gray, gaunt appearance either. He looked almost healthy again. There were many people who didn't know Dad had been so ill. It really was a celebration of Dad's life.
We left to have dinner at Pizza Ranch and then went back for the funeral at 7. The service itself was so good. David officiated and he did a tremendous job. He really caught Dad's spirit. My brothers and I sang two songs: "Living by Faith" and "It is Well." God gave us such strength and composure to be able to get through it all. I know it was totally a "God-thing."
Each of us kids then got up and shared about Dad. It was awesome. Each of us had something different to say, but it all worked together awesomely.
The Gideons then had a prayer circle. (Dad had been an active Gideon for most of his adult life.) They presented Mom with a memorial Bible and sang "Blest Be the Tie that Binds." Then the American Legion came and presented Mom with an American flag in honor of Dad's service in the Korean War. We then finished the funeral with the singing of Dad's favorite hymn "Amazing Grace." I know that this service was exactly as Dad would have wanted it.
January 19, 2007
After Dad's funeral, there was a time of fellowship - coffee and cookies - at the funeral home. It seemed like people stayed for quite a while. I honestly don't remember what time it was when we finally left the funeral home to head back to the hotel. Everyone - especially Mom - was pretty tired and relieved that the day was over.
The next morning Mom decided that we should dress for warmth, not style, for the graveside service. It was so bitter cold out, but the sky was bright at clear.
We all met at the funeral home at approximately 9:15 AM and lined our cars up for the processional. David conducted a portion of the graveside service in the chapel. I wept hard as the grandsons carried Dad's casket to the hearse. My cousins Jodi, Heidi and Hope gathered around me to comfort me - they know how it feels to lose their dad.
We followed the hearse to Doon Cemetary. Mom pointed out to David and me Grandpa and Grandma Boscaljon's farm in the distance near Doon.
There was a tent set up as shelter against the cold by the graveside. Dad's grandsons carried the casket to the position over the vault in the grave. David again presented a few words and some scripture and then committed Dad's body to the earth.
We stood around the casket for quite some time - crying, hugging, sharing - in spite of the cold. Dad truly was deeply loved, admired and respectd.
After the graveside service, we drove back to Sioux Center to the Pizza Ranch there and had lunch. After that, everyone headed on home. David and I had to pick up our car at the dealership in Sioux Center because it had broken down when David arrived in Orange City on Sunday. It wasn't anything serious and we were able to head on home.
Tomorrow will mark one week since Dad died. It just seems like so long already. So much has happened that that week's time. We've had to work through so many emotions - grief, sadness, peace, joy, laughter and crying, hope and comfort. And I know there will be some more of that, maybe not as intensely as we felt it this first week, but I know they'll still be there.
My dad's faith in God never waivered all through his illness - at least we never saw any evidence of waivering. He trusted God in every aspect of his life. I'm sure there were times when he wished things were different, that he could have more quality time with his family, but he knew that God was ultimately in control of his life. He rested in God's hands.
January 10, 2007
My dad will die some time this week. He has come to the decision to discontinue his dialysis. He has accepted that he is dying and is ready to go Home. The family spent several hours with him the night before last after Mom called us over. (Aside: It was late at night, and Mom had called my brothers Chuck and Bob and their wives and David and me to come over to their apartment. We spent time talking, in prayer and singing together.) It was very difficult but very special. God was truly present, offering His peace and comfort.
The unsurity of the next few days is unsettling. Hospice is on call and readily available to assist Mom and Dad in any way they can.
God's words of comfort - songs and scripture - swirl around in my mind. I know that God is here and in this situation. I know He will comfort and meet our needs. I know that in the midst of God's comfort and peace there will be sadness and grief. I just pray that in it all and through it all God's will and purpose are being worked out and that He receives the honor and glory.
January 11, 2007
Life is becoming surreal right now. We visit Dad and he is coherent, able to carry on a conversation, eat meals - and yet we know within a matter of days he'll be gone. We talk to Dad about funeral plans and he tells us what he would like. But God's peace and grace continue to surround and overwhelm us.
I think I am going to go ahead and call my brothers (Bill and Jim) and tell them to just come. The weather this weekend is supposted to get bad, and they just need to be here with the rest of the family.
January 18, 2007
Dad passed away Saturday morning, January 13, 2007, at approximately 6 AM. Bill and Jim arrived during the night and were there Friday with Dad all day. I took Friday off and spent it over at Mom and Dad's as well. Willard and Arlene were visiting but headed back home Friday afternoon. Dad went to bed after lunch on Friday and never got back up.
The hospice nurse, Terri, came by and gave Mom some medications for Dad to help keep him comfortable. Bob and Chuck were there as well, so we were all able to hear what she had to say. We all had dinner together that evening in the "mail room" down the hall from the apartment. As Dad would have wanted, we shared stories and laughed and enjoyed being together as a family.
David and I went home somewhat early that evening, but then we did get the phone call the next morning that Dad had gone to be with the Lord. Dad had gone downhill so much on Friday, I think we were all praying that God would be merciful and take him home, so I honestly don't think we were surprised or even regretful when we got the news.
Debbie (Chuck's wife) had spent the night with Mom and Dad, and she was helping to make sure that Dad was getting his medication. Bill was staying in one of the apartments in the Community Center across the parking lot. Mom said that they had checked on Dad several times during the night, and while his breathing was getting labored, he was still alive. They checked on him at 4 AM, and he was breathing, but when Mom checked on him at 6, he was gone.
He did not suffer. He did not struggle. He passed from this life into eternity quietly and peacefully as we all prayed he would.
Mom called hospice and the funeral home right away. Of course, she called all of us as well. Dad was laying on his side, so still and quiet. He looked so tired and weak. His poor body was so spent in trying to keep him alive. Barney (Mom and Dad's dog) was snuggled up tight next to Dad, and he never left his side until the funeral home came and picked up the body.
I remember sobbing over Dad's body for a while and yet in my heart rejoicing knowing that Dad was now with Jesus.
The funeral home in Orange City had an arrangement with a local funeral home here in Des Moines to come and pick up Dad's body. They came approximately 8 AM to get Dad. All of my brothers except Bob had gotten there by the time the funeral home came. Bob arrived shortly after and was able to spend a few minutes with Dad. We all stood together hugging and praying and crying. Then they took Dad's body away.
The next few hours were a blur of phone calls and making plans. Pastor Gary Clark (our pastor from Olivet Baptist Church) came over on his way to conduct another funeral at church and offered us some comfort and prayer.
David decided to stay in Des Moines until after church on Sunday. Mom, Bill and I decided to go ahead and head on up to Orange City, and we left about 11:30. The rest of the boys and grandkids were coming up on Sunday also. There was a forecast of bad weather so we were all a little anxious for those who were going to be traveling on Sunday.
Mom, Bill and I dropped Barney off at Willard and Arlene's (in Sanborn, Iowa) and finally got to the hotel (in Orange City, Iowa) around 5:30 PM. We went and got some dinner and then headed back to the hotel.
Everyone began arriving around noon. We had an appointment to meet with the undertaker at 1 PM that day. We went over details of Dad's life and the funeral service. We picked out a casket and vault.
We then all headed over to Sioux Center where Lena's girls (Lena was our aunt. She went to be with the Lord not long after Dad did.) had prepared a meal for us. Most of the grandkids had arrived. The weather was pretty bad - lots of snow - so it was good to be able to get back to the hotel safely.
Monday morning, Mom met with her financial planner and got a lot of her legal documentation taken care of. My brothers and I went over to the funeral home to rehearse the songs we were going to sing at the funeral. David came along so we could finalize the service plan (Dad had asked David to officiate the funeral).
The immediate family viewing was at 2 and the grandkids then came at 2:30. The visitation then ran from 3 until 6. I felt like once I got through the inital viewing I was going to be able to handle things pretty well. I helped greet people as they approached Dad's casket. Dad looked so good. He didn't look exactly like himself, but he didn't have that gray, gaunt appearance either. He looked almost healthy again. There were many people who didn't know Dad had been so ill. It really was a celebration of Dad's life.
We left to have dinner at Pizza Ranch and then went back for the funeral at 7. The service itself was so good. David officiated and he did a tremendous job. He really caught Dad's spirit. My brothers and I sang two songs: "Living by Faith" and "It is Well." God gave us such strength and composure to be able to get through it all. I know it was totally a "God-thing."
Each of us kids then got up and shared about Dad. It was awesome. Each of us had something different to say, but it all worked together awesomely.
The Gideons then had a prayer circle. (Dad had been an active Gideon for most of his adult life.) They presented Mom with a memorial Bible and sang "Blest Be the Tie that Binds." Then the American Legion came and presented Mom with an American flag in honor of Dad's service in the Korean War. We then finished the funeral with the singing of Dad's favorite hymn "Amazing Grace." I know that this service was exactly as Dad would have wanted it.
January 19, 2007
After Dad's funeral, there was a time of fellowship - coffee and cookies - at the funeral home. It seemed like people stayed for quite a while. I honestly don't remember what time it was when we finally left the funeral home to head back to the hotel. Everyone - especially Mom - was pretty tired and relieved that the day was over.
The next morning Mom decided that we should dress for warmth, not style, for the graveside service. It was so bitter cold out, but the sky was bright at clear.
We all met at the funeral home at approximately 9:15 AM and lined our cars up for the processional. David conducted a portion of the graveside service in the chapel. I wept hard as the grandsons carried Dad's casket to the hearse. My cousins Jodi, Heidi and Hope gathered around me to comfort me - they know how it feels to lose their dad.
We followed the hearse to Doon Cemetary. Mom pointed out to David and me Grandpa and Grandma Boscaljon's farm in the distance near Doon.
There was a tent set up as shelter against the cold by the graveside. Dad's grandsons carried the casket to the position over the vault in the grave. David again presented a few words and some scripture and then committed Dad's body to the earth.
We stood around the casket for quite some time - crying, hugging, sharing - in spite of the cold. Dad truly was deeply loved, admired and respectd.
After the graveside service, we drove back to Sioux Center to the Pizza Ranch there and had lunch. After that, everyone headed on home. David and I had to pick up our car at the dealership in Sioux Center because it had broken down when David arrived in Orange City on Sunday. It wasn't anything serious and we were able to head on home.
Tomorrow will mark one week since Dad died. It just seems like so long already. So much has happened that that week's time. We've had to work through so many emotions - grief, sadness, peace, joy, laughter and crying, hope and comfort. And I know there will be some more of that, maybe not as intensely as we felt it this first week, but I know they'll still be there.
My dad's faith in God never waivered all through his illness - at least we never saw any evidence of waivering. He trusted God in every aspect of his life. I'm sure there were times when he wished things were different, that he could have more quality time with his family, but he knew that God was ultimately in control of his life. He rested in God's hands.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Reflections on Christmas - Emmanuel: God With Us
This morning as I read through my quiet time devotional and reflected on the season, I began to think about that moment in time over 2,000 years ago when a single Baby was born in that stable. He was a unique Baby - definitely one of a kind. There was never anyone like Him before then and there will never be anyone like Him again. He was Emmanuel - God with us.
In my mind's eye, I imagined seeing that small Baby wrapped in those simple cloths, being watched over by Joseph and Mary, His mother. A fully human baby, and yet He was also fully God.
Just imagine! This God who created the earth (Gen. 1) and all the other planets, and numbered and named each of the stars (Psalm 147:4)...this God who is eternal (Isaiah 40:28), who is so far beyond what our limited minds can comprehend...this God chose a small moment in time at an insignificant location with a poor unknown family to come to earth to impact all of mankind for all eternity. Jesus Christ was the full embodiment of the diety of God within the full embodiment of flesh. I don't know about you, but it takes my breath away.
Sometimes it is easy to try to fit my concept of God into a nice, neat little bundle...one that doesn't upset my balance or interfere in my day-to-day activities. But the times that I sit and really contemplate who God is...and who am I to Him...it can become overwhelming. We are so finite in our ability to understand Him. God gives us simple glimpses of Who He is in His Word, and through the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to comprehend limited bits, but what we know now and can comprehend now is but the tiniest fraction of the whole truth of Who God is.
It's like that small moment in time when Emmanuel was born, so small is our understanding of God. But God did give us that small moment in time. He did give us Emmanuel...God with us...so that we could know Him better, more intimately, more uniquely than ever before.
I praise God for that small baby born in Bethlehem...for the God of all eternity to dwell here on earth as a man and then die to pay a penalty we could not pay...it is definitely the greatest gift ever given.
In my mind's eye, I imagined seeing that small Baby wrapped in those simple cloths, being watched over by Joseph and Mary, His mother. A fully human baby, and yet He was also fully God.
Just imagine! This God who created the earth (Gen. 1) and all the other planets, and numbered and named each of the stars (Psalm 147:4)...this God who is eternal (Isaiah 40:28), who is so far beyond what our limited minds can comprehend...this God chose a small moment in time at an insignificant location with a poor unknown family to come to earth to impact all of mankind for all eternity. Jesus Christ was the full embodiment of the diety of God within the full embodiment of flesh. I don't know about you, but it takes my breath away.
Sometimes it is easy to try to fit my concept of God into a nice, neat little bundle...one that doesn't upset my balance or interfere in my day-to-day activities. But the times that I sit and really contemplate who God is...and who am I to Him...it can become overwhelming. We are so finite in our ability to understand Him. God gives us simple glimpses of Who He is in His Word, and through the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to comprehend limited bits, but what we know now and can comprehend now is but the tiniest fraction of the whole truth of Who God is.
It's like that small moment in time when Emmanuel was born, so small is our understanding of God. But God did give us that small moment in time. He did give us Emmanuel...God with us...so that we could know Him better, more intimately, more uniquely than ever before.
I praise God for that small baby born in Bethlehem...for the God of all eternity to dwell here on earth as a man and then die to pay a penalty we could not pay...it is definitely the greatest gift ever given.
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