In her later years, my mother-in-law enjoyed the calm activity of coloring pages. Many of the fill-in drawings were quite intricate and colorful, especially the Mandalas, but others were plainer. “It is well, with my soul” was a simple page, mostly the letters, but she had taped the finished art up on her kitchen wall. Last week, that transaction of her heart and soul was finalized when she passed from this earthly life. One’s soul isperfect when saving faith has been placed in the God of eternity, as hers was.
The phrase “It is well, with my soul” is not a Scripture; it is a line from Horatio Spafford’s famous hymn, “When Peace Like a River.” The truth of the lyrics is summed up plainly by Psalm 62:1 –
“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him.”
Last Tuesday I received the blue and green postcard shown in my feature photo. The state of Virginia sent it to our household offering services for anyone suffering emotionally or psychologically due to fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. Getting that mailer, realizing that the state formed a helpline, surprised me and yet it didn’t. Just within the past week I’ve had conversations and seen discussions or posts about depression among teenagers, demise and death among the elderly in quarantine, of suicide attempts, and concerns about children’s social development. Many talk half in jest, but with a note of truth, about the summer that wasn’t or about cancelling 2020. I have heard “Will I ever see them again?” or “Will I ever go there again?” Even Dunkin’ Donuts is jumpstarting Pumpkin Spice Latte season early this fall to boost public morale! We seem to be at a breaking point. What is wrong?
Although “stay home, stay safe” is positively promoted, long-term isolation is dangerous. For more than five months now, people have sheltered in place ordering food and supplies on-line, worked and learned from home, socialized virtually and watched streamed church services. With the internet and social media, it seemed that folks could live normally in a distance bubble, but the outcomes reveal differently. People aren’t healthy alone.
Yes, we have texting threads, phone calls by the hours, Facetime and Skype with video chats, ZOOM meetings and the like for interaction but it’s not the same as being together. God created us for community with Him and with humankind (Genesis 1:26-27, 1 John 1:3). Experiencing friends and family in person, not just through screenshots or phonelines, keeps us alive. Think about how God gave us five senses. You can remember the scent of your grandparents, the smells of dormitory life, and the odors of sweaty teammates. Flavors are memorable too: holiday dinners, romantic coffee dates, bitter medicine, childhood popsicles. Human touch is necessary as well, yet we have gone from being hug happy to physical aversion.
It is not easy to decipher the many messages about the Corona virus and its contagious nature. We do our best to stay informed, to choose reasonable precautions and to obey regulations. But if it is safely possible, choose to be with your friends and family. Make coffee dates with friends at outdoor cafes. Meet up with folks for picnics. Open your windows and doors and have company for dinner. Take long walks with neighbors. I do understand that some of you reading this cannot do these things because of restrictions at your residence, employment regulations, severe health risks or other restraints. We all must reach out in secondary ways when ‘in-person’ isn’t possible but I hope that you’ll have that chance to visit, to sit together, to share a meal, to see, smell, touch those to whom you are close. Virginia cares … and so do I!
I crisscrossed the roads of Norfolk and Virginia Beach quite a bit this winter when I stayed there to help my daughter with her new baby. One afternoon as I headed back to her house following the directions of a navigation system, I drove past some city services buildings and noticed an unusual display of t-shirts. It took me a second, but I soon realized that it was a memorial for the victims of the Virginia Beach shooting on May 31, 2019. The complex was just a couple of miles away from my daughter’s home. It was a sobering thought for me. She and her husband had also spent time in Pensacola, FL for Navy training a few months prior to the shooting at that Naval Base. Life nears the “shadow of death” more closely and more often than we realize.
Many near miss or divine intervention stories emerged from the events of 9/11. People overslept, missed the bus, or had traffic tie-ups that kept them from being at the office on time, resulting in escaping the horrific tragedies at the Pentagon and the Twin Towers in New York. Unplanned circumstances saved the lives of quite a few that day. They too narrowly passed by the “shadow of death.”
I faced the Corona dilemma early on when a new student from an affected region transferred into my school. At the time, school officials had no enforced policies in place. Our principal gave us only vague assurances from the school district. I contacted a friend who works in the international enrollment office and she confirmed that the county had no regulations for them to implement. Those of us who were to work closely with the new student had concern but we accepted the risk. We too were “in the shadow.”
I love Golden Books. We often read this depiction of the 23rd Psalm.
The Corona virus pandemic brings a seemingly tangible danger to our world. Although there is a wide continuum in how folks perceive their personal risk, the virus and its potency are real. The daily stats, new policies and lifestyle changes indicate a threat. Risk has moved from the cloudy shadows into clear view and many are shaken by the fear that they could get sick or that loved ones could die.
The phrase “valley of the shadow of death” is taken from the Twenty-third Psalm. Verse 4 of the short chapter states, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” For centuries this passage has comforted its readers with promises of God’s protection and provision. Believing that God leads us results in calm and rest. David, the shepherdboy turned king who was inspired by God to write these words, explains a conditional peace. These promises are given to those who call the Lord their Shepherd, who are in God’s flock. Times of crisis remind us to check our status. Are you truly one of God’s sheep, living safely in the boundaries of His Fold? Now is the time to make sure that your life and soul belong to the Light of the world, Jesus (John 8:12).
Illustrator Tasha Tudor produced versions of both the 23rd Psalm and The Lord’s Prayer. She always included Corgis and floral borders in her artwork.
You might think this post features some paranormal experience. That’s the intent of my title and I hope you will continue reading even though there is nothing bizarre to tell.
Last week my friend’s mother passed away unexpectedly. As soon as I could, I got some flowers and visited her. A few days later as her family began to arrive in town for the funeral and burial, I assembled a food tray and took it over to her. We chatted on her front porch. She shared about her siblings, nieces and nephews who would be present and about her brother who would lead the service.
She told me that her mother had been cremated and her remains would be buried in a rural cemetery near the Shenandoah Mountains. Her father was buried there decades ago. We discussed the technicalities of cremation and burial. Until we face the situation, we don’t consider the logistics of these things. She felt the graveside service would be short and simple. I assured her that it would be very meaningful for family to gather and lay their parents to rest side by side. I expressed my sympathies and went home.
It was now late morning and I had not yet taken time to read the Bible, as I aim to do each day. I follow a simple Scripture reading plan*. I don’t choose a passage each time; I just go to the next one on the schedule. As I began my Bible reading, the day’s chapter detailed the deaths and burial of three people: three very significant figures in the Old Testament. In Joshua 24, Joshua dies and is buried, Eleazor (son of Aaron, who was a priest and Moses’ brother) dies and is buried, and the bones of Joseph are finally interred after being transported from Egypt more than 40 years prior! This connection to my conversation just minutes earlier is not coincidental but completely amazing! Scripture is ALIVE; the Bible teems with purpose and relevance.
Just landing on a topic that previously came up in a conversation may not seem applicable or practical to you. However, a deeper look into the passage and its context shed more light onto its relevance and value. The passage tells us that during Joshua’s lifetime and throughout the span of his leadership team, their nation, Israel, “served the Lord” (Joshua 24:31). What a lifetime legacy: Joshua’s leadership and influence inspired an entire nation to faithfully follow God. The conclusion of Joshua’s leadership era also displayed God’s character. Twice in the final chapters of the book of Joshua, Scripture states that God kept all his promises to His people (Joshua 21:45 and Joshua 23:14). God guided, protected and provided for His people under the hostile conditions of life in the desert and the conquest of new lands as He had promised to do at the outset (the accounts of this are told in the book of Numbers). We can aim to leave a legacy of faithfulness and my friend’s mother lived a full life, God having kept all of His promises to her.
Truly, “the Word of God is alive and active.” Hebrews 4:12a
*In my post “Speak Your Truth, Really? – A Plan, Part 2” January 2019, I shared about various Bible reading plans that are available.
I took this too-grainy photo of a large mulberry tree in the Shenandoah Mountains.
My niece departed from her wedding in epic fashion. Her reception took place at an old sailing club on one of North Carolina’s barrier islands. A ferocious tropical storm blew through the area the day before the wedding, nearly cutting off the island and jeopardizing the reception plans. But the day of the wedding dawned with sunny blue skies prevailing. After a chapel wedding, a beautiful nautical reception ensued and as the sun began to set, an antique fishing craft pulled up to the dock. The bride and her new husband literally sailed off into the sunset. Epic bests describes the perfect scene!
Billy Graham’s recent funeral was an epic departure too. After a famed life and his extraordinary reputation for genuineness, Billy Graham became one of only four non-statesman to “lie in honor” in the United States Capitol Rotunda. Crowds came to pay respects to a man who boldly yet plainly preached the Gospel, including my husband and me who took an afternoon to attend the Capitol viewing. Two former U.S. presidents paid their respects to Rev. Graham in repose at his North Carolina homestead and the President and Vice President, along with their wives, attended his funeral service. The worldwide attention to his death was remarkable.
I snapped this as we left the Capitol viewing.
Jesus Christ faced an epically gruesome departure from his human life. Crucifixion was a cruel Roman method of torture and execution. Jesus endured tremendous physical pain on the cross but Scripture informs us that his emotional anguish and spiritual pain were more crushing. Even the surroundings reacted to Jesus’ death. The sky turned dark for several hours during the day, there was an earthquake and a massive temple curtain ripped in half! It must have been terrifying.
Departures leave impressions but there is more to consider. Weddings evoke joy and celebration but a solid marriage means so much more. Funerals provide comfort and hope which remind us to live our own lives well. And Jesus is not so much remembered for his suffering and death but for his victory over it. He triumphed over that brutal execution and the burden of our guilt and returned to life, escaping death’s curse. This is the Resurrection; this is Easter. God’s promise to you is that your death too can be “swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54) by complete faith in Jesus’ death for you.
Contrasts. For me, the juxtaposition of opposite ideas, experiences or images ignites comprehension and awakens emotions. Sunsets display beautiful contrasts as fading light bounces off of the darkening horizon. Many foods pair contrasting flavors of sweet with salty or spicy. Home decorators prominently place accents of contrasting color, like the orange touches I’ve added to a bedroom of mauve. Contrasts cause me to contemplate.
Last month, I saw two friends in greatly contrasting situations. The one friend is quite young and has just had her first baby. We visited together and I watched her care for her newborn with mothering skill that was becoming more natural for her. We talked about her new life. She’s enjoyed a season of being at home. We discussed her marriage and the very great transition husbands and wives go through, from footloose couplehood to the parenting responsibilities of a threesome family. They ponder jobs, a home, more children and keeping their romance alive. New parenthood brings joy, wonder, adjustment and a changed reality.
Loved holding this precious new life.
The day after seeing my young friend and her baby, I attended a memorial service for the husband of a long-time acquaintance. Through social media, I was aware that her husband had been diagnosed with cancer but I had not spent any time with them in years. The couple was set up by friends because “they were from the same state, were both tall, and both liked to laugh.” It was a perfect match and love endured for 27 good years. With amazing composure, the widow shared fun and meaningful stories of those nearly three decades together. The couple came to understand that God’s timing for his life would be shorter than they had envisioned but their faith assured them of God’s plan in even this loss.
So life conflicted with loss; a baby’s arrival contrasting a husband’s passing; a cradle and a casket. But life and loss can be mastered by love. I don’t mean to say that loss is easy. Death, especially untimely bereavement, is tragic and devastating. Love isn’t replaced but it isn’t lost either. My widowed friend read this Scripture to summarize the faith and love she and her husband shared: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12: 9 – 11
Two summers ago, I witnessed a wide array of life experiences in my neighborhood. Within about a week, there was destruction and expansion, loss and celebration, among the two dozen or so homes on our street.
It began with an eviction of catastrophic proportions at the first home on the block. The entire contents of the house were thrown out onto the driveway and street. Furniture and personal belongings were broken and irretrievable on the pile. Eventually, a bulldozer loaded the ruins into a county garbage truck. I never knew if it was a rental gone bad or a disputed foreclosure.
But then a neighbor around the corner held an open house for their remodeled home. They did a beautiful job of updating the home’s exterior and adding new living areas that probably better suit the needs of their young family. Many cars lined the street throughout the afternoon and it was obvious that it was a happy housewarming.
About this same time we got word that a retired couple at the end of our road lost their three year old granddaughter; a case of sudden infant death syndrome. Although we usually chatted with them in passing, we made an intentional visit to their home. As we sat on their deck, they softly shared memories of a little girl they loved but who had lived far away from them on the west coast. They showed us her picture and thanked us for the card we sent, designed by a special artist.
Life goes on and two houses down from us, a family threw a barbeque and jamboree for a 50th birthday! We were forewarned that it would be loud but I won’t complain about kids, friends and family gathered outside to run, laugh, eat and sing in commemoration of five decades! I was delighted to watch the lawn lanterns glow and listen to the country music on a warm summer’s night.
Life is happening all around us all of the time. Sometimes we have the opportunity or obligation to join in and other times we just observe. I have written previously about “rejoicing with those who rejoice; mourning with those who mourn” Romans 12:15 (March 31, 2017). The Bible also reminds us that people, our neighbors, experience many life seasons: “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die . . . a time to tear down and a time to build” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 2 and 3). Wise King Solomon wrote more on God’s perspective on work, priorities, life and eternity in that passage. Take a look because it is always worth reading the words of the Author of Life.
The puppy next door loves learning her “sit” command!
And who can resist the cuteness and energy of a new puppy? That summer two years ago, the next door neighbors got a new puppy. He has grown up into strong, good-hearted woofer. This summer, he has a new ‘sister’: another adorable black lab puppy, so full of life!
I write this final episode of my series “Who Runs Across Your Path” with a sense of sadness. The story ends unexpectedly.
A couple of summers ago my husband and I were attending our church’s Independence Day and military appreciation service. We had a guest with us and the auditorium was packed. We were seated in a section different from our usual spot. Amid the patriotic music and special features, I noticed a woman sitting a few seats away. She was alone. Her attire suggested to me that she was not American-born. As the service progressed, the woman remained on my mind. I wondered if she had a family or any connections within our church. Maybe she was just visiting that Sunday. Towards the end of the hour, I realized my husband and I would be rushing out with the crowd; we were taking our guest to lunch. I got one of my teacher business cards out of my purse and jotted down my phone number and email. I added a note that went something like, “If you need any help, please give me a call.” As the postlude, “Stars and Stripes Forever” began, we hurried out and I handed the woman my note.
Two weeks later I had an email in my Inbox; subject line: My Angel. (See blog post “Once, Twice, Three Times an Angel” 09/29/16). It was the woman from church. She wrote that she had been praying for some help. My offer was divine intervention for her! Through email, we made plans to meet at church in a few Sundays. Our first visit went very well. She was easy to talk to and there was plenty for us to find out. I had offered to help and her ‘need’ was to embark on a jewelry creation she envisioned. I have no experience in jewelry-making so I knew I was not that answer for her. We did, however, chat over her ideas and how she might accomplish them.
Fatima’s daughter shared this picture of her with me.
We continued to meet on Sundays. Her name was Fatima. She worked as a nanny and had been living in the area for about 20 years. She had first come to the States with Indian diplomats providing childcare. Fatima had been widowed very young and diplomatic employment was a good way to support her young child. She left a little daughter in India with her mother to make a living for them. As the years went on, she nannied for different families. Now, her immigration status was undocumented but good work for her back in India was scarce. Nannying had allowed Fatima to provide well for her daughter, who was now grown and practicing law in India. There was a strange way in which I was getting to know Fatima’s daughter at this time too. When I would email Fatima to plan to meet or check in on her, I was actually emailing her daughter. Her daughter would read the email to her mom on the phone and Fatima would tell her how to reply to me!
Then a season of great difficulty beset Fatima. The children she cared for outgrew the need for a nanny. The family tried to assist her with finding a new job but in a changing world of more daycares and increased focus on immigrant status, nothing materialized. She had occasional babysitting jobs but little else. Local relatives did not give help. I connected Fatima with an immigration lawyer at church but there were few options. I still saw her at church where we talked and prayed. At one point she was hired as a live-in for a family but they were cruel and overworked her and refused to give her food. Fatima suffered again. How could I help this soul who just ‘ran across my path’? We offered to bring her to our home for a weekend. I gave her grocery money. Sitting with her, talking and listening did the most good I think. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity.” She was encouraged and not alone; she kept her faith.
Eventually a promising live-in nanny position came up. She moved in with a kind family. They treated her well and she loved caring for their young children. They began to teach her computer skills which she enjoyed. She had scheduled days off for rest, during which she told me she loved to read the Bible. My friend was now in a safe and hopeful place. Her new dream was to save up enough money to return to India and live with her adult daughter.
Things turned out unexpectedly. I got an email from Fatima’s daughter telling me she had died. Fatima became ill and her employing family took her for medical treatment but she passed away a short time later at their home. I think years of hardship had weakened her small frame and Fatima’s body could fight no longer. The daughter immediately filed paperwork for a visa to come to the US. About 10 days later she arrived in the States and stayed with local family. Fatima’s present and former employing families shared much information about Fatima’s life and work with her daughter. The daughter also visited church and met Fatima’s friends. She gathered her mother’s things, completed paperwork, and received her mother’s ashes.
I met Fatima’s daughter and her cousin for coffee. She looked like her mother and I recognized the smile and laugh. We talked lightly; I did not know how much her mother had divulged about her past hardships. I offered my condolences to a daughter who had barely been with her mother. But Fatima had greatly loved and sustained her only child from afar.
Who runs across your path? A lot of people do. We can’t touch them all but when God prompts you to reach out, do it! Through it, God uses you, He teaches you, and He blesses you. Amen.
This is a favorite photo of mine: my toddlers walking together.
This is the second story in my series about the random intersection of lives. Our paths intersect with other people’s paths and this sometimes leads to opportunity. My first story was a runner’s story but we cross ways with souls no matter how we’re moving.
The free Continental breakfast offered at many American motels is the modern version of Canterbury Tales. Chaucer’s characters were on a pilgrimage and their life stories and personalities met as they progressed toward their destination. At the hotel breakfast bar, travelers usually don’t have the same destination, but they do have being on the road in common. Fairly easily, I’ve observed, folks tend to talk over the cheap pastries and boxed cereal; stories emerge.
We were out of town overnight, taking advantage of the free breakfast in the lobby, when I began to catch on to a conversation near me. I much prefer people watching over the din of TV’s streaming network news. Two travelers struck up a conversation. The one, whom I will call a Listener, asked the other about her travels. She responded by saying that her son and his girlfriend had been in a motorcycle accident. The Mother’s son was transported to the nearby university hospital and she was staying at the motel in order to visit her son. The Listener took very serious interest in the Mother’s story. She dug up all the information about the crash and the injuries sustained. The Mother shared the involved story without hesitation. I imagine that being away from home, she hadn’t had anyone to talk to in person about the accident, except busy hospital staff.
Then the Listener’s husband showed up at breakfast. The Listener immediately began to recount the Mother’s saga to him. In great detail, she filled him in on the Mother’s situation staying at the hotel and explained the son’s injuries. At one point I saw her pointing to her leg, verifying with the Mother, the son’s condition. Repeating the story with such passion and detail validated the Mother’s distress and communicated tremendous empathy.
At this point, it was time for us to leave and continue our journey. I was left wondering why the Listener had stepped into the Mother’s story. The Listener, while clearly the personable type, did not strike me as nosy. Her chattiness seemed genuine and she really did focus on all that the Mother had been through. I did not get to see the end so I don’t know if the Listener got involved at a more material or spiritual level but I am sure that the Mother left the breakfast bar full, not just from breakfast, but satisfied because someone cared enough to hear her heart.
The Bible says we are to “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15) and that is just what the Listener did for the Mother. Tears often draw tears from others. We are sensitive to loss and we express sympathy. But that Scripture text begins with the words “Rejoice with those who rejoice” (Romans 12:15). It is not so easy to join in the happiness and success of others, especially if things aren’t going well for us. I recall my Pastor sharing about this difficulty. As an infant, his daughter developed a severe and life-threatening condition. He and his wife saw many specialist doctors and he told how in one waiting room, they conversed with another family. The other family had come for a follow-up appointment after their child had recovered. My pastor told how hard it was to rejoice with them when the outcome had not been the same for his suffering daughter.
As our paths cross with the lives and stories of others, we will encounter both their joys and sorrows. God asks us to join them in the moment. Be hopeful too, that God will send you sojourners to share your paths of joy or sorrow.
For another story where distressed travelers encountered Someone who cared, see Luke 24: 13-35.
When I first heard someone tell the story behind the song,
Each year I start paperwhite bulbs after Christmas (thank you Santa Sally). I love watching the awakening of the dry, brown bulbs into a glorious head of lush, fragrant white flowers.
I happened to be sitting beside a couple who are good friends of ours. They both had married the love of their lives as young adults. They had children and raised their families for decades. Then both lost their spouses to cancer; an unexpected, crushing end to their planned lifetimes. After a time of grief and adjustment, the widow and widower met each other. Their affection grew and eventually they married. It struck me that our friends also had allowed their hearts “to beat again.” For a time, I am sure it seemed to them that the world had stopped and there was no life ahead. Gradually the healing touch of God revived them.
Everyone faces challenges in life. Obviously, some difficulties are far more devastating than others. I don’t think I’ve encountered the depth of pain, loss, and collapse that some experience. I am grateful but there is more life ahead. When I think of “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again,” I think of persistence and not giving up. I think of expecting setbacks and realizing life isn’t perfect or easy. Psalm 90:15 says, “Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us.” We’ll have both kinds of days. So whatever sadness or failures come our way, God is there reminding us to go on, to check our pulse and get that heart going. Jesus put it bluntly yet hopefully when he said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take HEART! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
