Dana's Christian Journey

musings of a thankful cancer survivor

Author: Dana

  • perfect

    —

    Dana

    parentsMy parents had an anniversary last week… 66 years after this wedding day picture was taken in 1956. They went to a favorite little restaurant called The Country Place just a mile from their house in Tennessee to celebrate.

    My dad shared the happy occasion with a waitress and she must have spread the word. As they were eating their meal, a man walked by and patted my father on the back and said: ‘Happy Anniversary.’ When they went to the counter to pay the bill, my parents were told: “No… someone has already covered it.” My mom found their waitress and asked who did the kind deed so she could thank them. The waitress said: “Actually ma’am, people were almost fighting over the privilege to pay.”

    Such surprises lift the spirits any day of the week, and such generosity brings a smile to our Heavenly Father. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit! Besides being a place of worship, the Temple of old was to be a place of prayer, healing, and compassion. Now God plans His children all over the world to reveal His Light to all through such means.

    When Jesus says: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” I think He is telling us to always act like the Father… towards friend or foe. ‘He is kind; you be kind. He is compassionate; you be compassionate. He is merciful; you be merciful.’ What change might there be in this world if the children of God spent less time vocalizing, posting, and arguing… and more time pouring out extravagant love?

    parents2The secret giver in The Country Place did not care to be known or to call any attention to self. He or she (as well as those who fought over the privilege) just wanted to do something nice for an older couple… and my parents were blessed.

    “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” I Corinthians 3:16

    “If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42

    “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” Luke 6:32-36

  • destiny

    —

    Dana

    As Frodo Baggins and his loyal companion Samwise Gamgee pressed on through their dangerous quest in J. R. R. Tolkien’s story, ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ they had this exchange:

    “I don’t like anything here at all,” said Frodo, “step or stone, breath or bone. Earth, air, and water all seem accursed. But so our path is laid.”

    “Yes, that’s so,” said Sam. “And we shouldn’t be here at all, if we’d known more about it before we started. But I suppose it’s often that way. The brave things in the old tales and songs, Mr. Frodo: adventures, as I used to call them. I used to think they were the things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for, because they wanted them, because they were exciting and life was a bit dull, a kind of a sport as you might say. But that is not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have just landed in them, usually — their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn’t…”

    Despite a lack of comprehension, Frodo the Ringbearer, knew he had a destiny and was compelled to reach it… though he wasn’t so sure he could. Sam, his faithful servant, understood even less, yet knew he would do his best to help his friend to the very end.

    Three times in the book of Revelation, Jesus refers to Himself as ‘the Alpha and the Omega,’ the Beginning and the End. He, too, walked this earth as a human, listening to a Spirit He could not see and trusting His Father completely. Jesus knew His destiny, but along the way there would be much misunderstanding, accusation, rejection, and sorrow. Thank God, He did not turn back.

    Our vision is often cloudy as we follow our Master. Oswald Chambers, born in Aberdeen Scotland in 1874 and dying in 1917 in Cairo, Egypt while serving as chaplain for WWI soldiers, often articulated the beauty of our Lord while examining challenges of the journey.

    From The Missionary’s Goal:

    In our natural life our ambitions change as we grow, but in the Christian life the goal is given at the very beginning, and the beginning and the end are the same, namely, our Lord Himself. We start with Christ and we end with Him – ‘… till we all come… to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…,’ not simply to our own idea of what the Christian life should be. The goal of the missionary is to do God’s will…

    From The Big Compelling of God:

    Jerusalem stands in the life of our Lord as the place where He reached the climax of His Father’s will. ‘I seek not Mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent Me.’ That was the one dominating interest all through our Lord’s life, and the things He met with on the way, joy or sorrow, success or failure, never deterred Him from His purpose. ‘He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.’ The great thing to remember is that we go up to Jerusalem to fulfil God’s purpose, not our own. Naturally, our ambitions are our own; in the Christian life we have no aim of our own. There is so much said today about our decisions for Christ, our determination to be Christians, our decisions for this and that, but in the New Testament it is the aspect of God’s compelling that is brought out. ‘Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.’

    From The Discipline of Dismay:

    At the beginning we were sure we knew all about Jesus Christ, it was a delight to sell all and to fling ourselves out in hardihood of love; but now we are not quite so sure. Jesus is on in front and He looks strange. ‘Jesus went on before them and they were amazed.’ There is an aspect of Jesus that chills the heart of a disciple to the core and makes the whole spiritual life gasp for breath. This strange Being with His face set like flint and His striding determination strikes terror into me. He is no longer Counsellor and Comrade, He is taken up with a point of view I know nothing about, and I am amazed at Him. At first I was confident that I understood Him, but now I am not so sure… When the darkness of dismay comes, endure until it is over, because out of it will come the ability to follow Jesus truly, which brings inexpressibly wonderful joy.

    Give up control; fix your eyes on Jesus; run with perseverance; don’t turn back. Be victorious!

    “He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.’” Revelation 21:6-7

    “… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

    ‘The Two Towers’ by J. R. R. Tolkien, Houghton Mifflin Company, ©1954

    ‘My Utmost For His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers, Dodd, Mead & Company, ©1935

  • times

    —

    Dana

    Realizing the role he might have to play in saving Middle Earth in J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ story, the hobbit Frodo shared his true feelings with the wise Gandalf: “’I wish it need not have happened in my time,’ said Frodo. ‘So do I,’ said Gandalf, ‘and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.’”

    After many political defeats, Abraham Lincoln upset three candidates for his party’s nomination whom most considered more qualified and able. The New York Herald wrote on May 19, 1860: “The conduct of the republican party in this nomination is a remarkable indication of small intellect, growing smaller. They pass over… statesmen and able men, and they take up a fourth rate lecturer, who cannot speak good grammar.”

    Of course Lincoln became the 16th President of the United States and, like Frodo, found himself in perilous circumstances. He had to decide what to do with the time he had been given. I recently read Doris Kearns Goodwin’s “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” Three strengths of Lincoln stood out to me.

    First, he held to his core beliefs that his country was built on solid foundations. Kearns wrote: “An indomitable sense of purpose had sustained him through the disintegration of the Union and through the darkest moments of the war… His conviction that we are one nation, indivisible, ‘conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal,’ led to the rebirth of a nation free of slavery.”

    Such a ‘sense of purpose’ led to a second strength essential for anyone facing difficult times. Abraham Lincoln persevered. Many forget the personal tragedies the Lincolns endured which greatly impacted Abraham and Mary. Son Eddie died of tuberculosis when he was three years old in 1850. And while the Civil War was raging, eleven-year-old Willie died of illness in 1862. Though he often despaired, Lincoln did not give up. Though there were many moments it looked as if the nation could not be saved, he persevered.

    A third strength highlighted in Kearns’ book was Lincoln’s willingness to listen to the thoughts and advice of others. Instead of distancing himself from his political rivals, Lincoln chose to place several who opposed him in positions of leadership for the good of the nation. The three men he defeated in the primaries became members of his cabinet. William Henry Seward was named Secretary of State; Salmon Chase was Secretary of the Treasury; and Edward Bates became Attorney General. Many questioned Lincoln’s wisdom.

    But as it was proven, Lincoln was wise, perceptive, and decisive. He wanted to listen to others’ views. If there was a better way, Lincoln possessed the humility to change. Assistant Secretary of War Charles Dana concluded: “It was always plain that he was master and they were the subordinates. They constantly had to yield to his will, and if he ever yielded to them it was because they convinced him that the course they advised was judicious and appropriate.”

    Lincoln also respected the thoughts of the inexperienced. Two young men in their twenties, who happened to be good friends, became Lincoln’s assistants during his presidency. John Nicolay and John Hay helped with correspondence, set schedules, and served their leader any way they could. Amidst numerous critics, these were men he could trust. Lincoln considered them as sons. After Lincoln’s assassination, Nicolay and Hay teamed up to write a ten volume biography entitled: ‘Abraham Lincoln — A History.’ With little doubt, John Hay concluded, “the ‘hand of God’ had put the prairie lawyer in the White House.”

    In these times in which we live, a great leader’s example can help us. I want to hold fast to the core beliefs that are true and full of hope: God is love and He is in control; abundant life is in His Son; Jesus will never leave me. I want to learn to persevere; I should never give up. Finally, I must be humble; I can listen and learn from others.

    Happy New Year!

    “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.” Proverbs 11:14

    “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” James 1:12

    “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

    “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

    ‘Fellowship of the Ring’ by J. R. R. Tolkien, ©1954, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston

    ‘Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln’ by Doris Kearns Goodwin, ©2005 by Blithedale Productions, Inc., New York, NY 10020

  • futures

    —

    Dana

    I won’t write next week as school is out. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas! May the Light of Christ burn brightly in our lives as many remember the birth of our Savior.

    corrieOur daughter Kinsey and her husband Jordan named their newest daughter Corrie Mae Stanley. Having both recently read ‘The Hiding Place’ and ‘Tramp For the Lord,’ the baby was named for Corrie ten Boom, a single, short-of-stature Dutch lady who God used to spread His Light.

    image001Casper ten Boom was a man of God, a student of the Bible, and the town’s watchmaker. On April 19, 1892, as he and his wife Cornelia looked upon newborn Corrie, they could have never imagined the future.

    • As World War II raged, the ten Booms became a part of the Dutch resistance and helped hide and rescue over 800 Jews from capture. They welcomed ‘God’s chosen people’ into their home with open arms despite the danger.
    • On February 28, 1944, Casper, Corrie, and sister Betsie were betrayed, arrested, and sent to prison. Casper died ten days later; he was 84 years old.
    • While in two different concentration camps, Betsie and Corrie shared the love and hope of Jesus with many prisoners. Betsie always reminded her younger sister that ‘there is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.’
    • Due to a clerical error, Corrie was released from Ravensbrook on December 28, 1944, twelve days after Betsie died of sickness in the horrible conditions of the camp. She made her way back to the Netherlands and served the mentally handicapped.
    • On December 12, 1967, Corrie ten Boom was honored as one of the ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ by the Yad Vashem Remembrance Authority of Israel for saving Jews.
    • Until her death at age 91 on her birthday in 1983, God allowed Corrie to share the Light of the world with people of all backgrounds in over 60 countries on 6 continents.
    • Almost 130 years after Corrie’s birth in Haarlem, Netherlands, a couple in Marietta, Georgia named their baby girl after an imperfect, brave woman who listened to her Savior’s voice and shared His message.

    jesusThough miracles surrounded His conception and birth, as Mary and Joseph looked upon their newborn Child in a manger, they could not have totally imagined the future.

    • The Child would grow up to be the greatest Teacher of all time.
    • The carpenter’s Son would have a special place in His heart for children, for the broken, and for the poor.
    • He would be criticized for eating in the homes of sinners, touching and healing the sick, and giving sight to the blind.
    • The Rabbi from Nazareth would refer to Himself as the ‘Son of Man.’ He confronted hypocrisy and evil, and proved He had authority over Satan by casting out demons and setting captives free.
    • Jesus would also call Himself the Good Shepherd who came to seek and save the lost.
    • The Child born in Bethlehem would not only fulfill numerous prophecies from the Old Testament, He would fulfill the entire Law of God.
    • The Blood of the Baby in the manger would one day pay for all the sins of mankind.
    • After dying a cruel death on a Roman cross, Jesus would be buried in a borrowed tomb, then rise on the third day as the One who conquered death.
    • After 40 days, Christ ascended into the clouds as His disciples watched. Now He sits next to His Father waiting for the Day He returns to take God’s children home.

    Only our heavenly Father knows the future of every child. We are called to trust and obey as He fulfills His plans.

    “And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the mighty One has done great things for me — holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.’” Luke 1:46=55

  • students

    —

    Dana

    image001I asked my eighth grade students to read the suggestions educators made regarding what Jesus might say to schools in today’s world. I then asked how they would answer the same question. Some responses were similar, but most were different… reminding me how important it is to listen to the hearts of students.

    Here are statements thirteen and fourteen-year-olds suggested Jesus might give today:

    • “Remember, the Bible says: ‘Love one another.’”
    • “Have patience with your students; everyone learns in different ways.”
    • “Teach your students what is true and holy.”
    • “Care about kids’ mental health.”
    • “Act and live in the ways of God.”
    • “God sent Me to save you.”
    • “Tell others to open their hearts for Me.”
    • “Guide students to reach their goals.”
    • “Look deeper into the meaning of students’ words.”
    • “Believe in the potential of your students.”
    • “Refer to the Word of God when in need.”
    • “Have fun with your students!”
    • “No homework!! It makes people sad…”

    I think God loves (most of) these answers! He treasures the young people He has created and He wants parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors to guide them in His ways.

    “The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” Luke 6:40

    “And I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.” Jeremiah 3:15

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