Sign Post #3

Periodically, I like to point you to a great post or story. This one is espcially cool because it involves my friends and my pastor! So, if you want to know what an instance of selflessness for a stranger looks like hop over to my friend Jill's blog by clicking here.

I hope all of you had a wonderful 4th of July!

Declaration of Dependence -- Hope Chronicles 53

It is one of the most famous documents in American history -- the Declaration of Independence. It was approved by the original 13 colonies on July 4, 1776. At 232 years of age, the United States of America is still in it's adolescence when compared to countries like China, England, Russia, . . . .

I've never known anyone who can recite the whole thing. However, most people are taught or at least recognize this bit of it:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

It was a noble venture into founding a country. But even though our money clearly states, "In God we trust," at this point in our history the question is, "In which god do we trust?" Yes, we needed to declare our independence from England, but sometimes I wonder if we wouldn't have been better served declaring our dependence on God.

Here is my attempt at a Declaration of Dependence.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all people are created in the image of God. It is within their nature to crave, even unknowingly, a return to a right relationship with their creator and Lord.

Where upon sin entered the world, people are unable to attain their hearts' desire. No amount of work, intelligence, or trying can bring them back into a right relationship with God.

We hold this truth to be most wondrous, that God chose to became a man. He came and walked this earth, felt the sting of hunger, the cold of night, the joy of the sunrise, the hug of mother, the betrayal of a friend.

We hold this truth to be most magnificent, that "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) This love is for the world yet totally and inexplicably personal. Salvation was accomplished through Jesus death on the cross to pay for our sin.

We hold this truth most humbling, that the God -- who created the world and has the right to command anything He chooses from His creation -- gives us a choice to choose or reject him.

We recognize the fact that every breath, every heartbeat, and everything about our being is solely dependent on He who gave us life. We declare our utter dependence on the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We stand in awe of his majesty and eagerly await His return.

This is hope -- utter dependence on God.

If you want to "sign" this Declaration of Dependence, leave a comment below.

Old Letter

In my search for Ecuador (see yesterday's post), I unearthed some other treasures. One was a letter from my Grandma Brooke. Her given name was Clara Louise, but she always went by Louise. Though, my grandpa called her "Weezy." I am fortunate to have been named for her with my middle name being Louise.

Above is the back of the last letter I received from her. It was dated 4/29/1996. While the front is a bit about this or that cousin, the back is the piece I will cherish and stung my eyes with tears.

Seems as tho you are a busy girl. I feel like you are busy about all the time. I think of our days on the farm when you came down to visit. They were happy days for me & I am glad I have them to remember. Well I better close so I can mail this. Hard to tell where you will be but you'll get it someday. ha ha I think Amy is our Traveling Girl.

Well love to you
Think of you a lot
Love G-ma Brooke

In the midst of an abusive family situation, my dear grandmother was an oasis. We went to visit once or twice a month. At ten the abuse had escalated and I was sad and lonely and very, very quiet. You could barely get "Boo" out of me.

One day, I discovered that if I got up early and sat in the green chair outside her bedroom, she would look up and see me and get up. Together we would go into the kitchen. She would mix up a coffee cake and I would talk. It was as if all the words so carefully walled up in me just spilled out. While I never mentioned the abuse, she heard all of my childish dreams. I read quotes from books I was reading. I recited a poem. I told her about how Mrs. Richardson let us act out our fourth grade Ohio history lessons. I told her I liked Mrs. Richardson the best of all my teachers cause she reminded me of her.

For 15 or 20 minutes on those mornings, I had her undivided attention. It was a raft in a wild sea. Too soon I would hear my sisters' footsteps on the stairs and I would have to share my grandma.

Never underestimate the power of a few minutes undivided attention in the life of a child. It kept me afloat.

Yes, grandma, I remember those days too. You loved me well and I am a better person for it.

Lots of love,

The Search for Ecuador -- Compassion International

There was a theory out there years ago saying that we are all only separated by six degrees. I don't know if that was ever founded or unfounded. I find it hard to believe that at any given time I am six degrees removed from the President of the United States or the Queen of England.





Still, it is a nice theory to think that we are all so intimately connected.





While I may doubt the six degrees, I do believe that we are intimately connected on God's level. He helps people and things fall into place in ways that we could never plan!





Karrie was one of my roommates at She Speaks. As luck (or should I say God?) would have it, she is heading to Ecuador in a couple of weeks with her church. Like me, she sponsors a child in Ecuador. They are working on getting it set up so that she and her daughter can meet Gazella.





Of course, my thoughts started turning. What if they could meet my little girl, Delia? Could they take something to her?





Compassion International would love for us to be able to send things through the mail, but with things needing to go through customs, we are limited to small, flat, light items. So, I've been confined to sending a page of a coloring book, a few pictures, a bookmark, stickers, etc. These are all things that seem to delight Delia, but her birthday was June 1 and I so longed to send her so much more.





Compassion International does allow birthday gifts of a sort. You send a bit extra and the staff in the country appraise the needs and get the child something. I was happy to do this, but I longed for that personal touch.





So, I've been corresponding with someone from Compassion and talked to someone today. If I can get some things together and get them to Karrie, Karrie can hand them off to the staff that accompanies her child. Since it will already be in country, that staff will be able to eventually get the items to Delia.





I was on cloud nine thinking of it all afternoon. What could I send? It still must be light and easy to carry. As I talked about it with Julie, I decided that my first tactic would be to scout out my house. So, I've turned the place upside down and come up with several items for Delia as well as her family. As luck (and God) would have it, they are all very light and portable. I think the only things I might be picking up are a few pretties for her long hair and some hard candy that she can share with her friends.





God even helped me stumble on something I think is appropriate for her father. It's a very small pair of quality binoculars. When I was on staff with InterVarsity, there was a foundation that gave to my support. They always sent along birthday and Christmas gifts. Sometimes it was book. Other times it was this nifty little gadgety tool thing. Once, they sent binoculars. I had stowed them away, it seems, for just such a time as this.





Please pray that things continue to get worked out so that these small tokens can get to Delia. The are small tokens of my care for her and her family. More than anything I want her to know God's love.





Do you have a child with Compassion International? Please tell me about him or her!

Heaven is a Little Brighter

This weekend I heard some sad news. A mentor, of sorts. of mine has gone to be with Jesus. I'm sure heaven is brighter, it leaves those of us down here in a bit more darkness. But my bet is that, Jo Ann would say "Nope" to that. She spent her life spreading God's love and word and her memory will live on in those she disicipled.

Jo Ann and Don Fields were what we called "lifers" with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. They met and married in their 30's and raised two beautiful daughters. I always wondered at how the students rallied around her when she spoke. She was several generation away from them. But even if she didn't understand all of their lingo, she understood the struggles of the heart, she understood they needed Jesus. So, she faithfully presented the gospel year after year after year.

One talk I particularly remember her giving was on singleness. She spoke on how she was 30 and single and wanting to be married. Where I get sometimes down and out about my lack of a significant other, she looked at it a different way. I said, "What if God wants me to be single for the rest of my life?" She told God that she would let him worry about the rest of her life and she could be content for today with being single.

She was a lady who found her contentment in Jesus.

So, heavens are a bit brighter. I can imagine Jo sitting down with Jesus and soaking up everything he had to say.

Jo leaves behind Don, two daughters, and several grandchildren. Please pray for the.

But pray for all of us that like Jo, we can be content for the day for whatever our circumstances.

With Bells On -- Hope Chronicles 52

I invested in some trinkets yesterday. One is gold and silver. The other is black and white. They have dangles and make faint jingling sounds. The best part about them is that they are lovingly inscribed.



However, my cats are less than thrilled with said trinkets -- especially since they went around their necks. Yes, I've had my cats for awhile but they've never worn collars. My rationale has been that they are indoor cats so they really didn't need them. Still, there was that one time Mali darted out on the deck. It was the middle of winter and she stopped immediately -- surprised by the cold snow.



When I went to She Speaks, a friend of a friend kept an eye on them for me. I warned her that when Mali sees you coming she will perch on the edge of the couch right by the door. Generally, it is a greeting. She wants her chin rubbed and her ears scratched. But I'm still cautious -- in and out the door quickly.



Having given her that warning, I decided that it might be best to get them collars with their name and my number. They both have the invisible microchip, but it would take an x-ray to figure that out if anyone even thought to take a stray cat to the vet to have that checked.



So, now they have some outward identification.



Katy and Mali aren't sure what to make of it. For safety, the collars detach if they get caught on something. They also came with little bells. Add to that the id tag and there is a faint jingle where ever they go. They both spent much of yesterday making cautious movements because of the sound their movements suddenly made. And there was lots of unhappy tail swishing at this new development.



A year and a half or so ago, my sister came to visit. At that point, I only had Katy. My sister had no interest in the cat. Unfortunately, cats are typically most drawn to people who are not interested in them. Add to that the stealthiness of cats, and my poor sister was continuously on guard. Katy would suddenly jump up from behind the couch . . . . Well, it didn't go well and I was continuously told to, "GET THE CAT!"



So, now my dear ones will be announced by bells.



Just as I had those tiny pieces of metal engraved, God engraves His name on our hearts. Our hearts are sealed for Him.



So, what about the bells? Is there anything that announces to others that we belong to God? In 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (NIV) it says:

For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity like men sent from God.

We are the aroma of Christ. To those who have turned their back on God, it is the smell of death. But to those who are searching, it is the fragrance of life. Wow. Am I the fragrance of life? Do my actions, my words, my attitude ring true with that thought?



Maybe it is a look I give a coworker or a complaint I make. Maybe it is a snide remark. Maybe it is just set in my shoulders that says, "Stay out of my way." I know sometimes, I do not "announce the good news."



So, I am asking God to remind me that I am His. I am asking that I will hear faint bells or smell heavenly smells in all that I do and say to remind me that I am His ambassador. May it remind me that where ever I am I have "bells on." May I be consistent with whose I am!

Dozens of Uninvited Guests

It happened last night. When I got home from the bookstore, I grabbed some juice and went to rinse it in the sink. I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Was that speck moving? Wait, that one was moving as well. I flipped a brighter light on to confirm my suspicion that I had uninvited guests: ANTS.

There was no long line parading in to indicate the source. I looked all around the kitchen and they seemed to be located near the sink. I grabbed a paper towel and tried to smash them, but they are so tiny that they easily escaped.

Then I spied the duct tape on the table because that is where everyone keeps their duct tape. In a flash, I peeled off a piece and rolled it on top of those uninvited guests. It did the trick. For safety sake, I took it outside to the trashcan.

Sigh. I've had to do it a couple more times. And just now I spied one in the downstairs bathroom. I am not happy. They need to go! Before I drop a bundle on sprays and traps and such, does anyone know the best brand or way of taking care of these tiny pests? It has to be pet safe because keeping my cats out of harms way anywhere in the house would be next to impossible.

Pest solutions invited!