Life and death – A Writer's Daughter

Tragedy on the Potomac River, Again

I had in mind to post an end-of-January piece focused on a fun photo of me. With this week’s horrific air collision in Washington, DC I won’t write so lightheartedly. News of the deadly crash hit hard when I heard it late Wednesday night, not just because I don’t like flying but because it reminded me of a previous Potomac River air disaster.

Until my husband and I relocated to North Carolina four years ago, I had lived in the DC metro area my entire life, except for college. Over those decades, I recall several airplane tragedies. During my high school years, a passenger jet crashed into a small mountain in bad weather on approach to Dulles Airport. All 92 occupants died in the accident. Most recently, prior to this week, all are very familiar with American Airlines Flight 77, originating from Dulles Airport, which terrorist hijackers slammed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. The crash killed the 64 people on board and another 125 people in the Pentagon. It was an intense experience being in the Washington area during that time. My husband had occasional work meetings in the Pentagon, but he was not there that day; we knew folks who were. The next day schools were closed, and I remember driving to a meeting with my kids, seeing black smoke still spiraling from the crash site.

The more vivid memory I have, however, was the passenger airliner that crashed shortly after takeoff into the frozen Potomac River during a snowstorm on January 13, 1982. I was a young teacher living in the Maryland suburbs then. A family hired me to take care of their kids and home while they took a short winter getaway to Florida. There was news of a plane crash, so we turned on the TV. Live coverage showed a partially submerged airplane and heroic rescue attempts in blizzard conditions. In the end, five passengers survived but there were 74 fatalities, including four motorists who were killed on a bridge as the plane stalled out of the sky due to a deicing failure. Watching that disaster unfold in an area I was so familiar with left an indelible impression.

National Airport, as it was called then, was not far from the Arlington VA home where I grew up. My Dad’s journalist career required travel not infrequently. Usually, we dropped Dad off or picked him up from the airport as it was so close. A scenic parkway parallels the Potomac River and goes directly to the airport. Across the river is the iconic Washington DC skyline including the Washington Monument and the US Capitol. At the end of the airport runway is a riverfront park where folks gather to watch planes takeoff and land right overhead! I went many times as a child, and we took our own kids there too.

But this week that beautiful spot became the site of a tragedy again. We hear the stories of those on board who were lost, and it is heartbreaking. We lost three active-duty military too. As in all such tragedies, there is the ‘why’question, even why did God let this happen? I have no easy answer. Where I must rest when the incomprehensible happens is in the sovereignty of God. In His providence, God provides goodness and blessing that are above expectation, but in God’s sovereignty there comes that which is tragic and unfair. I do not think we will understand all that God allows this side of eternity, but I try to view it as Job did, “Shall we indeed accept [only] good from God and not [also] accept adversity and disaster?” (Job 2 v 10, Amplified Bible). Jesus left us with this promise, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16 v 33

Gravelly Point is a riverfront park at the north end of the runway at Reagan National Airport. We enjoyed the amazing experience of planes landing or taking off overhead. This is my husband at that spot.

Our God Is A Consuming Fire

As footage of the devastating California wildfires filled our screens these last two weeks, these words of Scripture came to mind: “Our God is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4 v 24 and Hebrews 12 v 29). Thinking of those Biblical words, one might think that God is burning up California for some reason, possibly judgement. It is true throughout Scripture that God judges sin and disobedience, but we cannot confirm God’s intent in this natural disaster. The statement “Our God is a consuming fire” must be considered with the entire text of the Bible, Scripture’s whole counsel.

The Bible is a long book, a collection of sixty-six books actually, written over a lengthy period of time by men inspired and directed by God to encode His Word. One (or two) verses isolated without context and without the study of related Scriptures can lead to erroneous conclusions. It is equally important not to dismiss a Scripture, tossing a truth out as irrelevant when it seems misplaced. Both are dangerous extremes. So how does a reader of the Bible understand its right meaning? See my blog Pages tab, How to Read the Bible, for suggestions.

So, what about God and fire? Fire can be, as I mentioned earlier, God’s judgment of sin. God also used fire as a protection against cold and danger (Haynes). God’s powerful glory sometimes manifests itself in a blaze. Eternal separation from God, hell, is a “lake of fire.” Burning is also a cruel form of persecution, from New Testament times continuing even today. God’s word promises “when you walk through the fire, you will not be burned” (Isaiah 43 v 2) but Christians were torched in Roman times, burned at the stake in more recent centuries, and today are burned out of their homes or bombed during worship services. Martyrs lose their earthly lives but gain eternal glory in Jesus’ presence. It is a reality I struggle with, but we should be aware as Scripture warns: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you” (1 Peter 4 v 12).

We visited the Martyrs’ Memorial in Oxford, England honoring three ministers burned at the stake in 1555.

The loss of life and property in California saddens us, as did Hurricane Helene’s destruction in the eastern US last fall. We know the winds “obey” God as they did for Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. Therefore, we lean into His Sovereignty in disasters with compassion and generosity.

Haynes, Clarence L. “Why God is a “Consuming Fire”? The Meaning of Hebrews 12:29.” BibleStudyTools.com October 13, 2023.

Open Doors (opendoorsus.org) and Voice of the Martyrs (www.persecution.com) are excellent Christian resources to keep abreast of current persecution.

Tetelestai

Blurry, gothic lettering on a dark t-shirt in front of me stole my attention. I couldn’t avoid the sight as the young man wearing it sat in the church row directly ahead of me. Eventually, I deciphered “Suicide Boys” and beneath that, “Your soul is about to be rec …” on his back. The rest faded too dark to read. Not such a great prelude to worship! Ironically, the congregation sang, “Death was once my great opponent, fear once had a hold on me,” as the service progressed.

Suicide is a grim reality in our fallen world. I question that musicians take such a name, possibly promoting that which is sick and sinful. God alone commands life … and death. The upside of the young man in the swag shirt is that he was in church! Suicide Boys may falsely depict life and death issues, but good Bible teaching rightly informs. And he sat with a wonderful family who will disciple him well.

After the service, I searched online for the t-shirt’s missing word. The full word is ‘recycled’: “ Your soul is about to be recycled.” How odd that Suicide Boys misses the mark again. Not only is suicide not God’s plan, but there is no recycling of the soul, no reincarnation.

Reincarnation is still a belief of some. On a recent trip through central Ontario, I noticed many miles (they’d say kilometers) of new fencing. I asked our host about it and the purpose is to keep the deer and moose off the highway. But the local resident added that the bottom portion of the fence is a different material and gauge. A smaller screening is used to keep turtles and snakes off the road. The Indigenous peoples of the area hold to a belief in reincarnation; this reptile protection honors their ancestors or descendants. Reincarnation cost the Ontario highway department a lot!

The beautiful Muskoka lake region makes a great vacation spot and is home to deer, moose, turtles and snakes.

As I mentioned, one of the songs in our worship service addressed death. A lilting tune carries a story of transformation from fear of finality to victory and joyful confidence in the end. Why? The lyrics continue:

“Death was once my great opponent

Fear once had a hold on me

But the Son who died to save us

Rose that we would be free indeed.” *

Our freedom flows from the work on the cross. Jesus finally and forever finished that work of salvation for us! “Tetelestai – It is finished,” Jesus declared with his last breath (John 19 v 30).

*“It Is Finished Upon That Cross” Words and Music by Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, and Nigel Hendroff. 2021 CityAlight Music

It Was Finished Upon That Cross

Refreshment in July: Thankful for Waiting Rooms

It’s an odd thing to be grateful for, waiting rooms. Specifically, waiting rooms in a doctor’s office or clinic. Though some doctors offer plush lobbies with a stack of great magazines, that’s not the ones I have in mind. I am referring to ones with sterile styling and plasticized upholstered chairs. Though there may be light chatter, more often there is a serious quietude. In these anterooms, one observes unfiltered humanity. It’s like people watching at an airport but with far more pathos. So why would I be grateful for waiting rooms? It’s not the patience factor.

I featured this waiting area photo in a previous blog Hindsight Is 20/20 Pt 2

Experiencing waiting rooms evokes gratitude in me first because I usually see folks who are going through so much more than me. Whatever I may be dealing with that brought me to this place, it is clear that others are suffering and facing more serious, even life-threatening illnesses. It is hard and humbling to see sick people or those going through extreme treatment.

During one wait, my husband noticed a frail, elderly woman come in alone. She checked in and was handed a clipboard of forms that appeared to overwhelm and confuse her. He asked if she wanted help, and he was able to read and write for her until she was called back for her appointment. Another time we ran into a friend of mine and her husband. We greeted each other but didn’t ask any questions; later I found out her husband had advanced cancer. I thank God for the reminder, the wakeup call, about my many blessings, including my health.

I also welcome the opportunity to witness the goodness of mankind in medical lobbies. In the waiting and watching I observe care and concern between families, between friends. I have noticed elderly sisters; husbands and wives, young and old; adult children with a parent; paid caregivers; and other companions accompanying patients. There’s so much to admire and appreciate in the compassion and sacrifice of one to another. One young woman, clearly experiencing difficult illness and treatment, came in with her uncle who lived several states away because her husband had to be out of town on business – heartwarming and heart wrenching all at once. But it is good to see goodness.

Theologians call this goodness “common grace.” It’s the capacity God gives His human creation to do good, as He Himself is good. Doing good is not to be equated with salvation however: salvation comes through faith in Jesus, God’s grace-filled gift to us. The Scriptures say, “ … He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy …” Titus 3 v 5 But our disposition for goodness, despite our sinful selves, uplifts us and ultimately lifts us to acknowledge God, the provider of goodness, compassion, and salvation.

We are grateful for God’s encouraging presence during a recent medical journey.

References on gratitude: Psalm 136, 1 Thessalonians 5 v15 & v18. If you receive my blog via email, thank you. The posts are best viewed at “A Writer’s Daughter”

January Sundays

On a local errand this fall, I noticed several large birds perched on the roof of a house. I can often identify birds, but I wasn’t sure about these. They weren’t black enough to be vultures. They weren’t shore birds either. My guess was turkeys, but the rooftop landing seemed odd. Shortly thereafter, I came across an article on turkeys in the December issue of my favorite local publication, Wrightsville Beach magazine.

The article confirmed that turkeys live in the wild in this area. It described their social construct of small flocks and their roosting habits, as well as showing photographs that matched the color and shape of the birds I saw. And just last Sunday we saw two more flocks of turkeys grazing alongside a highway. Yes, as the piece noted, turkeys are “frequently observed” in our wooded, coastal area!

The article, “And Then There Were Some,” mostly focused on the resurgence of the turkey population in North Carolina. Apparently, wild turkeys were becoming scarce in the state in the early 20^th century. Conservation efforts were made to protect and promote turkey life. These were successful and a flourishing turkey population has been restored. I enjoy hearing that native species thrive in their natural habitat and I will look forward to recognizing wild turkeys roadside and on rooftops.

Today is designated as Sanctity of Life Sunday and sadly, America’s human population is not protected and fully valued. Not every little person is promised the opportunity to thrive in our country. Instead, parents may opt to extinguish the life of their unborn baby. It’s a glaring contradiction to think that our society values the whales and the wolves and the wild turkeys yet wavers when it comes to human beings. Yes, there are rights but there are also undeniable responsibilities: to manage sexual behavior, to commit to family relationships, to honor human life. Regardless of what our laws permit or do not permit, our hearts must yearn for the dignity of all life, celebrating the creation of new life, and grieving the destruction of the same.

We are celebrating new life in our family!

Following a calamity that took all his possessions and children, the Biblical ancient, Job, rightly acknowledged the sole sovereignty of God over life and death, saying, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.” (See full context of Job 1 v 21 and also Job 12 v 10 and Job 31 v 15)

If you subscribe to my blog via email, thank you. My posts are best viewed at www.brendaproulx.com

A Friend Remembered

Two years ago, one of my several Susan friends texted me this photo of her garden bouquet. She and I regularly sent texts, and shared visits and calls over decades of friendship. This past Saturday, I attended her funeral. To quote her published obituary: “Many will know Susan for her love of Jesus, people and conversation … She loved the Lord Jesus Christ… She never hesitated to genuinely ask… how she could be praying for (you).” She and I often exchanged personal prayer needs and that is probably what I will miss the most. Deeply loved by many, we gathered to remember her life, celebrate in Christian faith, and lay her to rest. Her healed lungs now inhale the glorious airs of heaven!

Because of her saving faith in Jesus, Susan lived and died as Ephesians 6 v 13 commends: “that you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” The Scripture words prove relevant for our nation too.

We were invited to wear an accessory of yellow, her favorite color. I found the pictured earrings for the occasion and carried this ‘wrap’ given to me by another Susan friend.

Dr. Timothy Keller: My Personal Legacy

The Christian community lost a giant yesterday. Tim Keller, preacher and author, died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 72 – we would have wished for another decade or two of his unparalleled contributions to The Church. He pastored a church in New York City for 28 years and wrote over thirty books.

Dr. Keller significantly impacted me and three generations of my family. My parents, who lived in the suburbs of NYC, began attending evening church services to hear Keller preach in the 90’s. As different family members visited my parents, they joined in the late afternoon trip to the city and to Keller’s church. Once, while with my parents on that very outing, my husband and I ran into Dr. Keller, who was leaving the coffee shop we were entering, catching a meal between church services. The five of us had a brief chat and he was gracious in speaking to us though he had to continue on to preach again. We expressed our appreciation for his ministry. Dr. Keller’s intellectual giftedness and logic, his unbelievably wide scope of reading, and his keen understanding of culture and thought, brought an unmatched depth and applicability to his Biblical teaching. My father, an intelligent and widely read man who was selective with words and not prone to exaggeration, described Keller’s influence on his own life-long faith as profound.

Tim Keller’s congregation consisted of young NYC professionals, and he was able to connect with that age group. His preaching and writing resonated deeply with the third generation of my family. Our family rarely took a road trip that Tim Keller didn’t join us on, as we listened to his sermons either on CD or online while we drove. My kids have read more Keller books than I have! So yesterday was a day of shared sorrow in our family at the news of his death.

We grieve because we feel a loss and an end, but we also know well that this is a beginning and a victory for Tim Keller. Followers of Christ look forward to seeing and spending eternity with Jesus, the Savior they served. Dr. Keller said recently of his expected death, “There is no downside for me leaving, not in the slightest.” We shed tears but all is not lost. Thankfully, he left a legacy of sermons and writings that will continue to challenge and inform us. I trust that God will raise up others who will rightly continue to inspire His kingdom on earth … bearing the torch until Jesus returns! AMEN

Here is a link to one of Tim Keller’s sermons “Christ the Final Word.” It is classic Keller: his depth of Biblical insight, his humor, his connection to culture and the modern mindset, and landing on the Gospel! I hope you will listen to it through to the end (and it begins with a Scripture reading by someone else). If you get lost a little, hang on. You’ll catch up; he goes deep, but it is real! His website is http://gospelinlife.com

Rev. Keller’s memorial service took place on August 15, 2023 in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NY A Worship Service of Praise to God for the Life of Tim Keller

The Sanctity of Life

This year my birthday fell on Sanctity of Life Sunday. The irony was not lost on me: the day my birth is remembered, we remembered how important all life is and lamented the loss of millions whose lives were extinguished before the chance for a birth day. The Pro-Life stance has been maligned and labeled as oppressive, but God’s Truth completely ordains the infinite value of all life and qualifies God as sovereign over the beginning and end of all life.

The issue of life, or of abortion, has hit unparalleled rending in America. The elections of 2022 especially seemed to escalate the “right to life” divide, disregarding all other candidate credentials and capabilities. Likewise, it precipitated an unprecedented lawless leak in the highest court of our land. A sad moment for the integrity of the Supreme Court.

If I haven’t already lost you on this divisive topic, stay with me while I share something about the abortion argument that I only recently learned. A common talking point for those favoring abortion rights is the case of the life of the mother. To save a mother, the life of her baby should be taken, it is argued. In very rare instances, pregnancy might threaten a mother’s life. If a pregnant woman’s life is at risk, her doctor will attempt to save her life, not destroy the life of her baby. In other words, the necessary procedure is not at all an abortion but is a premature delivery. Her doctor will end the pregnancy by inducing labor or by performing a Caesarean section. The baby, depending on its gestational stage, will be treated and saved, or if it is too early, will not be viable and will die of natural causes. In both cases, parents of the baby can experience their baby’s birth or passing, demonstrating love for the precious little life. This is not a talking point that I had ever heard expressed in any secular discussion of the life issue.

Upon hearing this, it dawned on me that I had been familiar with a couple in this scenario. Their unborn baby was diagnosed with a serious prenatal condition. Even with advanced technology and specialist doctors, the condition rapidly worsened putting the mother and baby in danger. A C-section was performed but tragically, the baby was stillborn at birth. The consolation in the loss was the parents’ time of bonding and grieving, holding their tiny infant in their arms. The procedure did not result in a dismembered human body to be disposed of. It is important for all to know that the right to save a mother by medical procedures to deliver her baby is not outlawed in this country.

Just this week I again came across the familiar first five words of the Bible. Genesis 1 v 1 goes, “In the beginning God created.” Yes, He did. He created life. He determines the beginning and end of life. We cannot understand all the hard things some people experience; I have no easy answers for the myriad of difficult life stories out there. What I lean on is God’s sovereignty; He knows and I must leave it at that. I value life because God gives life, all life. And let us be warned that not valuing the life of a pre-born baby quickly spirals beyond: beyond to questioning the value of the aging, the diseased, the cognitively impaired, even a race or group that another race or group deems unwanted or disposable. In Jeremiah 17 v 9, God warns us of the endlessness of evil; so we “stand firm,” as God’s words through the Apostle Paul encourage us (2 Corinthians 15 v 58).

Here is the familiar opening verse of the Bible.

A Time for Calendars

Our son inherited his grandfather’s clock.

This past December, my husband and I were in an office supply store to buy a wall calendar. We like something big with large squares to write in appointments and events, and it hangs in the kitchen where we can see it daily. While checking out, a man (wearing a realtor nametag) commented to my husband that he hadn’t seen anyone use a paper calendar in years! The remark felt disrespectful and condescending to me. Of course, we are aware of digital calendars and on-line scheduling. We use technology options too but a calendar’s day-to-day visual reminder serves us well. Frankly, thanks to his comment, I won’t be calling the guy in the store for my real estate needs, but I suppose he’s right that wall calendars belong to the parent generation, the brunt of a series of recent insurance commercials.

I will be honest: I like calendars. Back in my classroom days, I kept several calendars up. The photos or art for each month aided conversation and content in my ESOL classroom. They added cheer and color to institutional walls and I find them cheerful now inside of closets, on the back of a door, and in a workspace. Some calendars remind me of a ministry with needs; others take me to a beautiful scene or share an artist’s work each month. My all-time favorite FREE calendar was the gorgeous photography and gardening news in the Merrifield Garden Center annual calendar but sadly I am not in Fairfax anymore to pick one up.

Calendars measure time, something precious and finite in the human experience. Belonging to the Author of Life, I thoughtfully consider time. I want to enjoy it, I don’t want to waste it and I know I am held accountable for it. I realize my earthly time will end one day. Already, I have attended two funerals in the new year. One life remembered was long, full and clearly dedicated to the Lord. The other memorial service also honored someone with a faithful legacy of serving the Savior, but the years were much short of the “span of seventy, maybe eighty years” described in Psalm 90 v 10.

We have quickly flipped over the first calendar page to February, torn off January, or digitally have swished or scrolled forward. We might still be in the mode of planning, goal setting, prioritizing or establishing better habits for the new year. That’s where I am too but I hope you are also considering how you will make your relationship to God a priority this year. How will you spend time with our very Author of Life, learn of Him in the Scriptures, and be encouraged by others who share faith in Jesus? David the Psalmist wrote that he “set the Lord always before” him (Psalm 16 v 8). The entirety of Psalm 16 describes the safety, value, goodness, joy, and LIFE in choosing Him as our priority. Blessings as you pursue Him fully in this unfolding new year.

Sweet generations remind us of the passage of time.

Poor Virginia

I originally posted this blog piece on November 27, 2022 through social media. At that time, my blog was down. I continue to work on my blog to restore it to full functionality. I believe there are still software and hacking issues. Sadly, this post is timely again after another rampage in California:

Poor Virginia! My heart aches for the Commonwealth I called home for most of my life, after two multiple murder rampages, and a senseless shooting in a Lynchburg restaurant between the two. But it’s not just Virginia. There was killing in a nightclub in Colorado and slaughter in a college town in Idaho. In an underreported update, fifty-five police officers have been shot and killed in 2022, as of October 31, according to the Fraternal Order of Police. Thanksgiving was upon us but impacted families and communities faced shock and grief.

Questions race through our minds. Who does this? Why is this happening? Answers don’t come easily but one factor stands out to me: our familiarity, even glamorization, of gunfire and violence in this culture. How can something to be played, a game, be called “Death Race” or “Bulletstorm?” Why is there a music group named “The Killers?” Songs and music videos, especially Rap and Heavy Metal, glorify all types of violent behavior. Movies, videos, and apps like Tic Toc stream disturbing, vulgar, and bully-inducing material that young children can access. I’ve noticed that even if you go to a cleaner movie in the theater, you will be subjected to violent and sexual content in the previews: the stuff you and your families wanted to avoid!

On the flip side, how many families regularly gather for togetherness and screen-free dinner hours or game night (the safe kind, for fun!)? Do young adults enjoy outdoor adventure and healthy indoor interaction over late hours at a bar or beer bash? Most importantly, who is in church on Sunday morning enjoying worship, community and sound preaching rather than sleeping off a Saturday night of binge-watching Netflix or scrolling through social media with morning coffee? According to statistics about American church attendance, the vast majority are the latter.

Services at my church this morning beautifully combined the gratitude of the season with clear teaching from Scripture, and ended on a note of doxology and praise ushering in the Advent season with “Behold Your God … Come let us adore Him.” (Jonathan Baird, Meghan Baird, Ryan Baird, Stephen Altrogge; Sovereign Grace Worship, see YouTube link for the song below) I pray for peace in our land, but know that ultimately it only comes as we commit to peace with God through Jesus’ work on the Cross.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx9-0v9m2Sg