Dana's Christian Journey

musings of a thankful cancer survivor

Author: Dana

  • Santa

    —

    Dana

    About this time in December seventeen years ago, I went to tuck our youngest daughter Karlyn into bed. “Dad,” she said seriously, “I want to ask you a question.” “Of course,” I replied. “Is Santa Claus real?” This caught me off guard and without Susan by my side, I wanted to be careful, so I ended up stammering around with some type of non-answer.

    Karlyn is just like her mother… brutally honest and quite perceptive. “Dad,” the five-year-old said firmly, “Tell me the truth; is Santa real?” I realized this was an important moment for my little girl. “Honey, your mom and I play the role of Santa Claus.” Karlyn stared at me a moment then said something I shall never forget: “Dad, don’t you ever lie to me again.”

    John Turner was a little older when he asked the same question. While John has lived with us most of his life, he still has an important relationship with his mom and her ex-husband, Roger, who loves John as a son. John spends most holidays with these extended families, so we have always wanted to respect traditions and we soon learned that Santa Claus was a very important part of Christmas.

    My answer to John’s question went something like this: “Do you remember the ‘Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe’ movie? (This is one of our favorites.) Do you believe Aslan is real?” John thought a minute and replied, “Well… I don’t think a lion can talk, so I don’t guess Aslan is real.” I disagreed: “Aslan is real, because in the movie and the book Aslan represents Jesus… and Jesus is real.”

    “But I asked about Santa Claus,” John reminded me. “Yes. Do you remember in the movie that Santa Claus (called Father Christmas by C S Lewis) appears and gives Peter, Susan, and Lucy gifts?” “I remember,” answered John. “Well, in the same way Aslan is real as he represents Jesus, so Santa Claus is real in the way he represents moms and dads and loved ones who give gifts and spread love at Christmas time.”

    Young John looked curiously into my eyes and summarized: “So… Santa Claus is real.” I thought a second and concluded: “Yes, I think Santa Claus is real.”

    santa1santa2Taylor and Emma will get to decide how to answer the tough questions of life for little Wilkes, but until then (and beyond) I pray wonder, joy, and a big smile will rule the day.

    Merry Christmas!!

    “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a Son, and will call Him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14
    “For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end.” Isaiah 9:6-7

  • pigs

    —

    Dana

    I stopped at a red light in the city of Atlanta recently and noticed a man about my age across the street. He was pacing the sidewalk in front of some small businesses talking to himself and occasionally shouting. No one walked close to the man and as I waited for the light to turn green, I wondered if the disturbed person had any place to go or anyone to take care of him. I also wondered what the owners of the small businesses thought about his presence.

    Citizens of a town in Jesus’ day tried to deal with a man with serious problems. At times people had tried to contain this man with shackles, but with supernatural strength, he would break the chains. He wandered around the tombs near the Sea of Galilee without clothes, cutting himself with stones and shouting in a loud voice. I imagine the townspeople just kept their distance and tried not to think of him.

    When Jesus and his disciples landed on the shore near the graveyard, the man encountered the One who has no fear and loves all people. He fell at the feet of Jesus and cried: “What do you want with me, Son of the Most High God?” Satan was the cause of the lonely man’s troubles. “What is your name?” Jesus asked. “The name is Legion, for we are many.” Begging not to be cast into the Abyss, the demons asked to enter another location and Jesus agreed. He cast Legion out of the man and the evil spirits entered a herd of about two thousand pigs. (See Mark 5 and Luke 8)

    Our son Taylor was talking to me about this story recently. “What about the owner of the pigs, Dad?” I had never thought about the owner of the pigs. The caretakers were surely upset because the whole herd ran straight into the Sea of Galilee and drowned. When the townspeople arrived and heard the story, they were afraid and asked Jesus to leave. But we’re not told about the owner. “What do you think?” I asked Taylor. “I think he had to make a big decision. He had to either focus on the pigs or focus on the person.”

    If the owner focused on the pigs, it was a dark day, possibly the worst of his career. But if he could look past personal loss, he would see a life rescued from evil and a man miraculously changed. Maybe we all face similar questions. Do we focus on the person or the pigs? Are people more important to us than possessions?

    The healed man wanted to get in the boat and join the disciples, but the Savior said, “No, I want you to go to your hometown and tell everyone what God has done for you.” Maybe the first person he visited was the owner of the pigs. Maybe he helped the owner recover his loss. Perhaps the owner of the pigs became a lover of Jesus too. Maybe one day in Heaven we’ll learn the rest of the story…

    “[Jesus] stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. Unrolling it, He found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’” Luke 4:16-19

  • questions

    —

    Dana

    “’Come, let us reason together,’ says the Lord…” (Isaiah 1:18)

    Our Father in Heaven is a God of reason and He hears our sincere questions. Jeremiah had a valid complaint: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease? You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit. You are always on their lips but far from their hearts. Yet You know me, Lord; You see me and test my thoughts about You.” (Jeremiah 12:1-3)

    God answered with His own questions that revealed a higher goal for his prophet: “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” (Jeremiah 12:5)

    If the athlete complains about tough practices, the coach tells him what it takes to be a champion. If a math student complains about fractions, the teacher explains that there are tougher things to come. If we get upset with others, God reminds us that the real struggle is “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12)

    John the Baptist sent a question to Jesus as he sat in prison: “Are You the One who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus did not criticize but rather sent back an answer of encouragement: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is being proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of Me.” (Matthew 11:2-6)

    I want to go to God with my questions today, rather than to a political candidate or talk show host. God not only sees what is happening on earth, He knows the reasons. I need to ask the Holy Spirit to help me think and speak and love like Jesus. I think He’s telling me to be dressed and alert and always praying.

    “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, and the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:13-18

  • laughter

    —

    Dana

    photoOn the Friday afternoon of the Mission India conference Susan and I attended a few weeks ago, I recognized Jeanne Robertson as she walked toward our place of lodging at the Billy Graham Center. Jeanne travels the country telling humorous stories and being friendly to people. She was Miss North Carolina in her younger days and has been six feet two inches tall since she was thirteen years old. Now she is seventy-two.

    As she approached, I said, “Hello, Jeanne. I just want you to know that my wife is your greatest fan.” Jeanne gave a friendly smile and asked, “What is your wife’s name and where are you from?” I answered and said we were looking forward to her show that evening.

    A couple of hours later, as we gathered in a large room outside the dining hall, I saw Jeanne speaking to two ladies. “Susan, come with me and I’ll introduce you to Jeanne Robertson.” My wife can be a little shy and she declined my invitation, but I kept inching closer and closer to the three ladies.

    Finally, Jeanne seemed to end her conversation and as the two ladies walked away I drew close. “Hey Jeanne, I want you to meet my wife.” Jeanne grabbed my arm and said, “No, first I want you to meet someone!” She then called out to the two ladies and said, “Here he is!” As you might guess, I was a little confused, so Jeanne explained.

    She had struck up a conversation with two new friends and asked where they lived. When they said “Atlanta,” Jeanne asked their names and one of them answered, “Susan.” Jeanne then replied, “Well, I met your husband out near the parking lot.” The woman replied firmly, “No ma’am, you couldn’t have… because I’ve never been married.” So after Jeanne Robertson introduced me to another Susan from Atlanta, I introduced my Susan to her favorite entertainer.

    Of course Susan and Jeanne struck up a great conversation and as we stood in the buffet line together, Jeanne asked if she could eat with us. We laughed a lot during her show, but we enjoyed even more sharing a meal together.

    I probably won’t write next week as the holiday approaches. I hope you get to share some enjoyable meals with ones you love over this Thanksgiving week. Let’s all give thanks with great joy.

    “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:2-3

  • people

    —

    Dana

    “Christ in you – the hope of glory.” This is the mystery Paul revealed in his letter to the Colossians. As Christ lives in you and me, in His Body, the Church, we realize that God intends that His grace flow through people.

    Almost twenty years ago, preceding and during the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta, our family and church community met many Christians from around the world as Youth With A Mission sent over 3,000 young people and veteran missionaries to serve our city and be a witness for Christ.

    Three of these, who still live abroad, are examples of how God’s grace operates through people to greatly influence others. “You must come visit us,” each said as the Olympics wrapped up and they left town. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it,” I answered with a smile. “No, we mean it, we mean it.”

    So, over the years, by God’s grace, all or some of our family have visited Harry and Dagmar in Jerusalem four times, John and Suzanne in Namibia seven or eight times, and Anna in Hawaii, Brazil, and Sweden five or six times. In their homes overseas and in our home when they visit, their impact cannot be measured. When I think that Taylor was ten years old, Kinsey was seven, and Karlyn was three in 1996, I realize the power of God’s seed that grows over time.

    God works through people… He works through you and me. The examples we set, the words we share, the good we do, and the prayers we pray have an impact. We may not see the result for years or we may not even know the result until heaven, but Jesus makes a difference in this world through His people.

    Paul wrote Titus, a younger follower of Christ, to encourage believers on the island of Crete: “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned…” (Titus 2:6-8)

    We are the people of God, created in Christ to do good on this earth.

    harry

    Harry (right)

    anna

    Anna (middle)

    john_and_suzanne

    Suzanne and John (front)

    “Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show His incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:4-10

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