Eternal Glories Gleam

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Barbara Harper

Our church was stunned and heartbroken yesterday to learn that our dear pastor has cancer of the liver and pancreas and is only expected to live 6 months to a year.

He had been losing weight over the past few months, had been really sick the past few weeks, went to the doctor – thankfully a member of our church and long time friend – last week for tests, where it discovered both his liver and pancreas are full of cancer. The pancreatic cancer is incurable and inoperable. He is having biopsies this week to confirm it, and there is a small chance that what they saw on the scans is not cancer, but everything else points to it. They are planning to start chemotherapy in hopes of slowing it down to some degree, but of course that carries its own set of problems.

He is in his early 50s with a wife and three daughters, two of whom are getting married this summer, and the youngest is schedule to go to college in the fall.

He has been preaching through the book of Romans, and providentially we were in the latter half of chapter 8 yesterday, which was so applicable to his situation. As he spoke to us yesterday, one of his concerns was that we think in a right way about his situation, that we not think God is mean or unfair or unkind. He had different men from the church read passages like Psalm 23 and II Corinthians 4:7-11:

^.But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

And II Corinthians 4:16-18:

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

And II Corinthians 12:9-10:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

We know and love and take comfort in those truths but sometimes we tuck them away for “some day…”

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” Not that there is anything inherently wrong with feasting or celebrations: God created some for the Israelites to enjoy, and Jesus attended a wedding. But when someone faces death, certain truths crystallize into sharp focus. All of a sudden the petty irritation that was bothering me that morning wasn’t important. I was reminded that death comes to us all, sooner to some than expected, but God’s grace so wonderfully provided that we can be forgiven; that heaven is real; that this life really is but a vapor; that however good it is, heaven is better. I was reminded that we weren’t promised a life free from suffering on this earth; in fact, the Bible gives us plenty of warning about it and promises God’s help for it and assures us that He really, truly is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Last night a line from a hymn kept coming to mind, “Eternal glories gleam afar.” I couldn’t remember what hymn it was from, so I looked it up this morning and was surprised to find it was from “I’ve Found a Friend,” a song I haven’t heard in ages. The stanza containing that phrase says:

I’ve found a Friend, O such a friend! All pow’r to Him is given,
To guard me on my onward course, and bring me safe to heaven.
The eternal glories gleam afar, to nerve my faint endeavor;
So now to watch, to work, to war, and then to rest forever.

In situations like this, those eternal glories aren’t quite so far off: they are up close and personal.

This is going to be a heart-wrenching journey, especially for this man and his family, but also for our church as a whole. I know you all have your own churches and issues and prayer lists, but if you feel led, I’m sure all involved would appreciate your prayers.

Friday’s Fave Five

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Barbara Harper

It’s Friday, time to look back over the blessings of the week with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and other friends. Here are a few of mine:

1. No “events” since Sunday – meaning baby Timothy hasn’t had any bradycardia episodes since then. The heart rate drops are the main thing that’s keeping him from coming home, and it is just a matter of his system maturing enough for them to stop, so hopefully he’ll be stable enough to come home soon.

2. An infant CPR class. I’ve never had a CPR class of any kind, but the NICU was offering this for free, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to take it. I hope I never have to actually use it, but hearing the instruction and actually practicing makes me feel a lot better than trying to figure it out from a book.

3. Rain. We finally got some good, soaking rain this week instead of the occasional short shower.

4. Good parking spaces. This may sound silly, but sometimes I pray that I’ll find a good parking space when I go up to see Timothy. I don’t mind walking when I have the time, but sometimes my available time to visit is short before I have to get back for Great-Grandma’s caregiver to leave, and I don’t want to be circling 5 levels of the parking garage or walking half a mile (seemingly) when my visiting time is limited. There is a small parking lot near the entrance I go in, but it is pretty busy in the daytime. It is neat to see God answer that prayer on those days with a space in that lot.

5. Back to normal. Both the weekend and weekday caregivers for Great-Grandma were on vacation last week, and we had a good substitute, but it is a relief to have the regulars back.

I almost skipped the FFF this week, partly because of busyness but partly because I could only come up with one item at first. It hasn’t been a bad week, but nothing really stood out initially. I’m glad God brought these things to mind.

Booking Through Thursday: Objectionable Elements

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Barbara Harper

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme which poses a question or a thought for participants to discuss centering on the subject of books or reading.

Today’s question is:

How do you feel about explicit detail in your reading? Whether language, sex, violence, situations and so on … does it bother you? Faze you at all? Or do you just read everything without it bothering you?

I do not like explicit detail in my reading and try to avoid it.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand there has to be a “bad guy” or something wrong in order to have a plot. I know there is adultery and violence in the real world. But we don’t need explicit detail.

Any war story is going to have some degree of violence, but I don’t need details about eyes bulging out or blood spattering or whatever that are there just to titillate or disgust or increase the gore factor. Ditto for sexuality. As one friend once said, sex is not a spectator sport.

Since I am a Christian, I take my cues from the Bible. The story of David and Bathsheba tells us all we need to know of their tryst, but there is nothing in the description that would cause arousal in the reader.

Language is a bit harder. For the most part I avoid profanity or taking God’s name in my reading because I don’t want to fill my mind with it and increase the chances that those words are going to filter into my thoughts and possibly come out of my mouth in an unguarded moment. But if I were going to try to eliminate them completely, I’d have to unfriend some of my relatives on Facebook. 🙂 There are a few “damns” even in some of the classics (like The Brothers Karamazov, which I am reading, or rather listening to now). I think sometimes a story can transcend those elements (like Unbroken), but I’d still rather they weren’t there. A character can be shown to be a profane character without giving us the full brunt of his profane mouth.

In fact, I think it takes much more talented writing to show a profane character or a violent or sexual scene without explicit detail. In one of the most violent scenes I have seen on film, nothing was shown but the victim’s feet. A bit of restraint and leaving some details up to the reader’s imagination are far more effective.

To weigh in on this week’s question or read other responses, go here.

Repost: God Does So Much More Than Just “Show Up”

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Barbara Harper

(With different circumstances in my life right now, I am finding it a little difficult to have my brain working on all cylinders and be awake and alert when I have time to spend at the computer. I have a few posts percolating on the back burner that I hope to get a chance to work through soon. But I thought in the meantime maybe once a week or so I’d repost something from my archives here. I thought about making it a series and calling it “The Summer of Reruns.” 🙂 Seriously, though, sometimes going back over something God has taught or encouraged me with in the past makes for fresh blessings. I hope some of these will bless you as well, whether you saw them the first time or not.)

From October, 2009:

I have seen a particular phraseology going around recently that really bothers me:

“God really showed up.” “Pray that God shows up in a big way.” “I hope God shows up for this event.”

If you have said or written this, please don’t take offense or think I am fussing at you. I can’t remember for sure where all I have seen it. I’m speaking in generalities because I am starting to see this more and more and I want people to realize what it sounds like.

It bothers me for a few reasons.

1. God does not “show up.” He is omnipresent. (See Psalm 139:5-12, Jeremiah 23:23-24.)

2. Making our plans and then hoping God “shows up” is going about things backwardly. We should be seeking His guidance beforehand and all along the way.

3. The phrase “show up” seems to indicate the person wasn’t really expected, or at least his attendance was iffy. “I invited Tom, but I am not sure he’ll show up.”

4. The phrase also seems to indicate the person showing up took the invitation casually and just decided to “show up” — maybe on a whim, maybe because he couldn’t find any better options.

5. When I posted this the first time, someone commented that sometimes we say God “showed up” in a meeting when things got exciting. Sometimes we have more of a sense of His working or we’re touched in a special way, but that’s not to say He is not always meeting with us. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). We know He is present by faith, not when we “feel” it or when the bells and whistles go off.

I think I know what people mean when they want God to “show up”:

“I hope God really blesses this event/situation in such a way that people see it was something only He could do.”

“I want God’s presence to be manifested in a way that touches people’s hearts and draws them to Him.”

“I pray God’s power will be evident.”

Why not say it that way? It’s more accurate, more reverential, and more glorifying to God.

Here are some Scriptural examples of those desires:

“Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast done it.” Psalm 109:26-27.

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.” Psalm 63:1-2.

“This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” John 2:11.

“Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” John 9:3.

“And [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” Exodus 33:18.

“That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.” Joshua 4:24.

“And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.” I Kings 18:36-37.

Laudable Linkage

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Barbara Harper

Wow, I can’t believe it has been about a month since I’ve shared interesting links with you! Here’s some thought-provoking reading:

From my son’s blog: 4 things that have kept me sane in the NICU and Dealing with Disappointment in the NICU.

The Story. The importance of reading the Scriptures as a whole rather than isolated parts.

The Church Is a Body, Not a Body Part.

On parenting:

I’m Not Enough For My Kids.

Godly Feelings Flourish Behind Walls of Self-Control. The girltalk blog has been discussing teaching children self-control, and I especially appreciated this post about teaching a very emotional toddler to rein herself in.

Teaching Toddlers Emotional Self Control: A Few Practical Thoughts, another in the above series.

The Morning When My Mother Got Up Anyway.

I Want My Kids to Serve.

My Child….My Friend?

His Time, His Plan, His Way, a story of a premature birth.

Hospitality For Introverts.

What a child with food allergies would want you to know.

Why I Am Sick of Women’s Conferences. Though the title is maybe a little harsh, this is a good post about the wrong message being emphasized at some conferences.

Dear Inaccessible Church.

Do You Know Your Missionaries? Eight Ideas to get to know them better.

Could Quitting Facebook Be A Mistake? HT to Bobbi.

Web Sites For Writers.

This just made me smile – a friend saw at a shop in Williamsburg Jane Austen Action Figures.

Happy Saturday!

Friday’s Fave Fives

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Barbara Harper

It’s Friday, time to look back over the blessings of the week with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story and other friends. Here are a few of mine:

1. Continued progress for my grandson Timothy. I had mentioned a bit of a setback last week, but he’s off the oxygen cannula and doing well this week. He’s almost 7 lbs. now and just having a few drops in heart rate and breathing a day. He’s at the stage where his system should be maturing enough that those will stop pretty soon, which means coming home is ever closer!

2. Getting to hold Timothy again, and he was awake for it this time! I love to watch his different expressions.

3. Visitors for great-grandma. A couple of ladies from church came over to visit her this week, and she really enjoyed it.

4. Able help. Both the weekend and weekday caregivers for Great-Grandma were on vacation this week and we were a little antsy about having someone new come in, but she worked out fine.

5. Flowers. My rose bushes are full of blooms and my two planters out front are filling out nicely.

Bonus faves: We got some much needed rain this week but not the predicted thunderstorms, and Jesse has received a couple of responses from places he has sent his resume to. One is out of state, and I am not quite sure I am ready for that yet! but we’re praying for the right job for him and will see how these work out.

Happy Friday!

How to Do the Job You Don’t Really Want To Do

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Barbara Harper

I was sorting through and organizing some quotes I have from Elisabeth Elliot this afternoon, and this one jumped out at me, so I thought I’d share it with you. This is from her book A Lamp For My Feet, but I think I originally saw it when her e-mail devotionals were sent out by Back to the Bible.

How to Do the Job You Don’t Really Want To Do

Certain aspects of the job the Lord has given me to do are very easy to postpone. I make excuses, find other things that take precedence, and, when I finally get down to business to do it, it is not always with much grace. A new perspective has helped me recently:

The job has been given to me to do.
Therefore it is a gift.
Therefore it is a privilege.
Therefore it is an offering I may make to God.
Therefore it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him.
Therefore it is the route to sanctity.

Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness. The discipline of this job is, in fact, the chisel God has chosen to shape me with–into the image of Christ.

Thank you, Lord, for the work You have assigned me. I take it as your gift; I offer it back to you. With your help I will do it gladly, faithfully, and I will trust You to make me holy.

Winner of The Tenth Plague

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Barbara Harper

Not an illness – a book. 🙂 Congratulations to Lou Ann, who won the giveaway I had for an e-version copy of Adam Blumer‘s book, The Tenth Plague.

Thanks to all who entered! I wish I could give one to each one. If you haven’t read it yet, you can find it for the Kindle, the Nook, or through iBooks.

Help! Questions about scrapbooking and photo albums

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Barbara Harper

One of my side projects I hope to at least make a dent in this year is to get shoe boxes full of photos (from pre-digital days) into photo albums and to redo my old photo albums which are those old sticky kinds that are supposed to be bad for your pictures. Whenever I make any efforts in this direction, questions come up about the best ways to do it, so I thought I’d share those questions with you all and get some advice.

Do you arrange your photo albums chronologically or by event or some combination? Do you do separate albums for vacations or other topics?
When you make a baby album for a child, how for do you go in it? Do you just cover the first year or so? I struggle with what photos to put there and what to put in the regular family album.
What do you do with photos like the ones of animals in the zoo from 20 years ago that no one is that interested in any more or the extra photos of an event that you’re not sure whether to throw away? Do you end up still keeping some photos in a box?
When you use a scrapbook, do you mat every single picture?
Do you use those little corner holders, or do you use glue and page protectors? Don’t the corner holders poke into photos on the opposite page?
What kind of glue do you use?
When you do digital scrapbooking, do you print it out or does it stay digital? How do other people see it?
What are your favorite tools?

I think that’s all for now.

For the record, I’ve made one photo album for each child up to maybe 1 1/2 to 2 years of age and then chronological albums (not one per year, but each one covers maybe 3-4 years). I’ve thought of making a “Friends and Family” album of those school and professional photos people have sent over the years. I’ve only made a couple of scrapbooks: one for Jason’s high school graduation of highlights of his life and one for Jesse’s graduation just of school and class pictures through the years. My scrapbooks are more about the pictures than the decorations – so far I haven’t gotten too decorative, both because of the time factor (both were made under a deadline) and also because I prefer to emphasize the photos rather than the layouts. But now that I’m doing this on my own timetable, I might try to be more creative with them.

I appreciate your feedback!