It Is Well With My Soul

Recently, I've heard the hymn "It is Well With My Soul" in several different places. The words have given me something to mull over, in that our family is walking through a challenging time right now. I found myself wondering what I was really saying when I sang the words, "Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well, it is well with my soul.'" Doesn't that just sound like I'm being a superficial Christian? Like I'm just living on the surface of life and not letting the magnitude of our current situation sink in? I could see how it could very easily come across in the same way that you're just expected to say, "I'm good," when you pass someone and they say, "Hi, how are you?"

But then, I tried to really think about these words in the context of our faith. I've been learning a ton recently about how suffering, thanksgiving, and the process of sanctification all fit together (currently working through 1000 Gifts, by Ann Voskamp and A Beautiful Disaster, by Marlena Graves...it's amazing how well these books complement each other!). I'm learning how when we stop to recognize the tiny gifts God gives us every day, we can read back over those lists to be strengthened for the present and an unknown future. I'm learning how living a life of gratitude, where no small gift goes unappreciated, can truly fill your soul with peace and joy; that joy is not a concept that excludes our difficult emotions, but one that transcends them. I've found myself questioning over and over again why my heart is so full when by all means, I should be worried, frustrated, and hopeless. My temptation earlier in life had been to skim the surface of trials to avoid falling into the mire and getting stuck, so at first, I was worried that I was doing the same thing now. But I don't think so.

When you believe beyond the shadow of a doubt that God is good, that He is in control, and that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and seek His will, there is no room left to be worried and stressed. You can choose to believe in the reliability of God or the unreliability of God, but faith reminds us that only one of those is True. And the Truth is that our God loves us infinitely, and has been, is, and will be unchanging forever. When I consider that, I can sing this hymn with renewed fervor, choosing to believe that life and circumstances are firmly in His grasp. Rather than a weak and superficial statement, it becomes a battle cry. I stand in church listening to the words and imagine myself as part of the ancient Israelite army, marching around Jericho with no weapons but their shouts of praise, finding the entire city handed over to them. They met their formidable foe head on, but looked to God rather than the magnitude of what they were up against. And when they chose to be obedient and offer their praise heavenward, He did the impossible.

So too, my call for right now is not to worry about the future, but to look to God, praise Him for his daily gifts given me in love and grace, and to trust that He knows where He is leading, and that that is the best possible route. When this is my focus, I can say in all honesty, and with great depth, that it truly is well with my soul. I wish with all my heart I could put this into words that would help you understand this peace and joy if you are not a believer, but the fact of the matter is, it will probably sound like complete gibberish to you until you have a saving knowledge of God. For now, please take my word for it, that you will not regret for one moment handing your life into His able hands and ditching the burden you've been trying to shoulder for so long. Consider it, wouldn't you? Consider what it would be like to choose unshakable peace, joy, and freedom.

A Cherished Christmas Memory

Every now and again we stumble upon a symbol that brings back a memory so ingrained in our souls that it becomes inextricably combined with our holiday traditions and we can't imagine a year going by without its involvement. For me, one of these sacred things is a song from Amy Grant's "A Christmas to Remember." We first picked up the cassette tape when it came out in 1999, and once I got married, I just had to get a copy on CD for my own home. The song is called, "'Till the Season Comes 'Round Again," and it paints the picture of family and friends gathered for the holidays, putting differences aside and making every moment and memory count so that it will hold them through until they are reunited once again. Absolutely beautiful. I always loved it as a little one, since holidays have given me the warm fuzzies for as long as I can remember, but it took on a more special meaning after the Christmases of 2002 and 2003. In 2002, we were expecting a record-setting snow storm on Christmas Eve, and while we adored the thought of snow on Christmas morning, we were also worried that Grammy and Granddaddy wouldn't be able to make it down from Millersville to spend the day with us. That would have been a huge disappointment! At the last minute, we were thrilled to hear that they had decided to come down and spend Christmas Eve at our house. Not only would this give us more time with them, but it meant that they would get to come back for their first Christmas Eve at Chestnut Level (where Granddaddy used to preach)in years. When they got to our house though, they decided that they didn't want to go out in the weather anymore, so while we went to the service and party afterwards, they enjoyed a quiet evening at our house. When we got home, they told us about the wonderful time they had, and how Granddaddy in particular enjoyed sitting in our living room with just the tree lights and radio on, watching the snow fall softly out the window. Once we had them all tucked in for the night, Mommy and I went through all of the goodies we had stashed away for stockings, looking for the perfect things we could put together in an extra pair of socks to surprise them in the morning. Then we sneaked down to their bed and put out their presents. The next morning, we were not disappointed by the forecasts. We were completely snowed in, and what a cozy day it was! We took our time opening stockings and presents together, and Grammy and Granddaddy were so surprised to see that they had stockings too. The rest of the day was spent cuddled up watching Christmas movies and just enjoying our day together. They said it was the best Christmas they had ever experienced, and I believe it truly was that...the perfect Christmas. Fast-forward one year, and it was just 2 months after Grammy had died (complications from open heart surgery). Thanksgiving had been difficult with neither of them there. Granddaddy was in the hospital with some electrolyte imbalances, and after the meal, as many of us as could piled into the car to go visit him and take him a turkey dinner. Of course, this song was playing on the radio, and we were all reminded of how different our family gathering was this year. Granddaddy, always one of the most upbeat people I've ever known, truly lost his soul-mate the day that Grammy died, and he never really got over it. After he was released from the hospital, he moved into the nursing home in Quarryville. When we visited him on Christmas day, it was the most painful sight I had ever seen...he had his back turned to us, bent over the table where the nurses had worked so hard to create a more cheerful environment for him (tree, stocking, etc.). It just didn't work. Nothing could replace the joy he had lost with his sweetheart. He had labored for hours over my Christmas card, trying to find just the right words, but was lost without Grammy by his side. We treasured every moment of that Christmas that we got to spend with him, not realizing that in another 4 months, he would be gone as well. Despite all of this, the memories evoked by Amy's song are not at all negative. Yes, there are some parts to it that bring me to tears in an instant, no matter how many times I've listened to it. But the sadness that I feel over the loss of my grandparents only magnifies the joy I feel remembering our last Christmas together, when things could not have been more perfect if we had the whole world at our disposal. It reminds me to cherish each and every memory that we will continue to make as a family, and to store those deep in my mind so that I'll always be able to find my way back to them once my loved ones are gone. So with that being said, I wanted to share this song, and one of my most powerful and cherished memories with you all this holiday season, and wish you the very best of times with your family. May you remember it always, whether you'll see each other again in the next year or the next lifetime. Merry Christmas! :) P.S. ~ Sorry for the live recording. The only other versions I could find had montages of people I don't know. Just fast-forward to 0:32 to hear the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3KZrEn90ao

Welcome to the Solanco Fair!

This past week was fair time down here in the Southern End, and for those of you who don't know...it's the next best thing, only to Christmas for all of us! While a lot of fairs have gotten into the whole flashy midway and rides type deal, the Solanco Fair is holding fast to its roots as a true celebration of agriculture and community. Everything starts on Wednesday, with the parade. The whole fair lasts through Friday, and you can partake in all sorts of activities from watching the livestock judging and auction to admiring all of the pies, produce, crafts, and displays that local families and businesses have entered. It's widely regarded as "homecoming" for the community, and a chance to catch up with everyone that you don't see the rest of the year.

In addition to all the incredible food and fun, I'd have to say that one of my favorite parts is the livestock auction. Of course I like it for all of the adorable animals, but actually the main reason is that I have fun watching the families and friends of those who are showing their animals. In a way, it's one of the best means of getting a good picture of how strong family-to-family bonds are here. Behind the scenes, the kids showing send out letters notifying local businesses and families that they'll have an animal up for bid. When you see the turnout of people coming to bid on Friday night then, even if they don't have much use for a pig or a steer, it's a really cool thing. It's also neat to keep track of the families that will buy each other's animals every single year, as a further means of cementing their friendships. And of course, there's always the friendly rivalry between the two local grocers over who will get the grand champion steer.

All of these probably seem trivial to a lot of outsiders, but they're some of the stuff that keeps Southern Lancaster County going, year after year. It's what sets us apart and this strong community is what allows us to pass through the generations, seemingly untouched by the outside world. It's the heart of a small-town farming community, and I couldn't imagine being happier anywhere else in the world. :o)

How Can This Be?

After the Beth Moore simulcast at church on Saturday, I picked up a copy of "Jesus: 90 Days with the One and Only." It's a really neat book chronicling the life of Jesus and interspersed with places for you to write out your thoughts and prayers about what you are studying. Today's lesson was entitled "How Can This Be?" and took an in depth look at Mary's reaction to finding out that she was going to be the mother of Jesus.

When I read that passage (Luke 1:26-38) in my own Bible (ESV), I was struck by the wording of this question...not "How can this be?" but "How will this be?" To someone who always just assumed that Mary was asking if this miracle was, in fact, possible (a.k.a. me), it was a totally new concept to consider this adolescent girl realizing that God was going to do the impossible and not doubting it at all, but simply wondering how exactly He was planning on doing it.

If we as believers all chose to (with God's help) dwell in this state of mind rather than wondering if God would choose to work in the world today or not, imagine the incredible power of our combined faith! I have to believe that this is the kind of faith that Jesus seeks to draw out of His followers, and the kind that will bring Him unprecedented amounts of glory. Join with me in praying to remember this as we go through our day-to-day lives!

Undefiled Beauty

I've been really studying the beginning of 1 Peter this week, because we're starting a new Bible study for the fall term of Sunday school. I'm not sure how all of the versions line up, but I was really struck by the triad of words in verse 4, I think, describing our eternal inheritance with Christ: imperishable, undefiled, and unfading (ESV).

Maybe it's because this time of year always catches me soaking up more than my fair share of the natural beauty surrounding our home, and it just seems so wonderful, so sacred, and yet...it's not undefiled. If such beautiful and breathtaking scenery here on our fallen Earth can be so captivating, can you even begin to imagine the magnitude of that which is completely and totally undefiled and fresh and new in Heaven? I could get lost for hours trying to wrap my mind around that picture!

It could be that, or maybe I'm still reflecting on my recent baptism. As I was sharing my testimony with the congregation, the thought completely overwhelmed me of what a beautiful redemption Jesus has already started (and is continuing to work) in my life! My past was so painfully ugly, and I don't say that because I still feel guilty (actually I feel quite forgiven!), but Jesus has taken away all of that filth and blossomed some of the most beautiful and cherished realities that any human could ever imagine (I use the word blossom as a verb, because every time I try to come up with a better description, all I can see in my mind is a big flower blooming in some sort of time-lapse sequence!). What I'm trying to say, is that I can hardly wrap my mind around a redeemed sort of beauty, but to imagine one that is completely pure and undefiled in the first place...wow!

So anyway, those are my current thoughts. If I blog more in the next couple of months, there's a good chance that my words will still have something to do with 1 and 2 Peter, but that's just a risk that comes with the adventure! :oD

His Faithfulness Continues!

God can be so good to provide tests for us quickly and faithfully so that we don't have time to wander away and think that we're being self-sufficient! This Monday marked the first day of Jesse's work as a full-time employee, rather than as an intern (which he has been all summer). With it came a significant raise, so we are more than a little excited...especially since student loans come due in November. Admittedly though, it was tempting to think we were taking care of ourselves and had the whole "life" thing well at hand.

Thankfully though, our God is faithful in not letting our feet slip. Within an hour of beginning to celebrate the raise we got the estimate for the body work on the car that wrecked in July (half our bank account) and the alternator died in the other car (another pricey repair). Originally, we thought it was just the battery, so my job was to drive it into town (about a 40 minute trip) yesterday for repair. There wasn't much gas in the tank, so I was really nervous the whole way...I couldn't stop for gas because the car wouldn't start back up again. Finally, I made it to Pep Boys, and the car just coasted into the parking lot and died right in front of their service entrance. So not only did He get me exactly as far as I needed, but He even parked the car where they could get to it easily! The people there were so friendly and helped me figure everything out (another concern, since I couldn't reach Jesse at work) and save quite a bit of money!

God has really blessed us over the past few months, and we'll still be more than able to make ends meet, but it sure is good to know that He's looking out for more than just our physical comforts. Our God loves us enough to look out for our spiritual well-being, day-in and day-out. Isn't that something worth praising Him over?! :o)

Cherished Connections

I happened to pick up this summer's "Our Daily Bread" while I was cleaning this morning and skimmed through it until I found today's date. It seemed to be worth posting on here, in honor of the many friends of this type that have come into my life so far, and for the ones who will in the future. I feel truly blessed to have been given so many cherished connections!

"When I heard that David was in the office for a board meeting, I was excited. He and I had a mutual friend, Sharon, who had died several years earlier. We had a few minutes to reminisce about her and her love for life and God. What a delight to connect with someone who has loved someone you have loved! There's a special bond because you love to talk about that cherished person.

"Those who know Jesus Christ as their Savior have even stronger ties. We are forever connected to Him and to one another. 'We, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another,' Paul says in Romans 12:5. We've been 'born of God,' and we love those who are 'begotten of Him' (1 John 5:1).

"When we get together with fellow believers, we have the opportunity to talk about the one we love -- Christ -- and of the love, forgiveness, and grace we have experienced in Him because of His death and resurrection (4:9-10). At such times, we can encourage each other to continue to trust Him and spur one another on to be faithful in our walk with Him.

"This coming Sunday and throughout the week, let's remind fellow believers of all that Jesus has done and of how truly wonderful He is." --Anne Cetas