Look Beyond the World You See

  • The Great Final Secret of all Life

    The Great Final Secret of all Life

    His father went to debtor’s prison when he was only 12.  What an idea.  Put someone in prison until they repay their debt, but don’t give them an opportunity to work and earn money to repay that debt.  It must be why young Charles was so influenced by it.

    Play in an Old Castle

    Early life, before his father went to prison, was good.  Charles had the freedom to wander the countryside and even play in an old castle.  I imagine this is the point in his life where he saw the beauty of family, being the second oldest of 8 siblings.  He would go on to father 9 of his own children and it was said of him that family and domestic life were important to him.

    When his father went to prison, Charles stopped going to school to work in a boot-blacking factory.  Working long days, Charles earned 6 shillings a week which is roughly $1.50 a week in 1824.  Calculating currency from the 1800’s and converting it in today’s numbers that we can understand is imprecise, but either way, $1.50 a week was not much money for a family to pay off debt and live on, so I’m sure Charles learned first-hand what poverty truly was.

    When his father received an inheritance and was released from prison, Charles went back to school, but by age 15, he was forced to quit school once more to work and help the family.

    The World May Have Never Known

    It is quite astonishing that a young man with so little schooling would go on to become a journalist and world-renown writer.  The job that Charles took after leaving school the second time would be pivotal in guiding him to that career in writing.  It is possible that had he never been forced to quit school a second time, the world may have never known the name, Charles Dickens.

    Dickens was very much influenced by the world around him.  Upon a simple internet search, you will find a plethora of information on his life, writings and how his writings were influenced.  It is not my goal to add another essay about his general life.  Instead, I want to look at one genre of his writings.

    My Glimpse of the Spirit Life

    My first introduction to Charles Dickens, was reading “A Christmas Carol” when I was a boy.  At first, I didn’t want to read it because it wasn’t science fiction or fantasy, two of my favorite genres, but it didn’t take long to fall in love with this small book.  I was moved by my glimpse of the spirit life as shared in this Dickens classic.

    Dickens’ work in “A Christmas Carol” reflects the unseen world.  The unseen world is what we will see when this life is over.  It is a world that is living and vibrantly active.  We don’t see that world now, but there are evidences of it in the lives and world around us.  “A Christmas Carol” brings that unseen world to light in a beautiful way.

    More to Our Existence

    The idea that a hard-hearted and unrepentant man could be shown his faults in a loving but firm manner is an idea worth sharing.  If only we could all have the opportunity to see how we impact the world around us, we might be more concerned with how we present ourselves.

    But it is more than how we act toward our fellow traveler’s because there is so much more to our existence than just what meets the eye.

    What Point does a Coincidence Become a Miracle

    The unseen world exists, but so few are aware of it.  I understand that seeing is believing, but have you never seen a miracle?  Miracles themselves are proof of a world we do not see.  How can a miracle be special or supernatural unless it comes from a higher power?  And if there is a higher power, then it must be God.  And if it is God, then why don’t we believe His word in the bible?

    At the very least, have you ever had a coincidence so wild and crazy that it made you wonder if there was more to life than this?

    Some call miracles a coincidence.  If you are prone to call miracles a coincidence, then at what point does a coincidence become a miracle?

    And what about everyone who passes through the veil of this life before us?  Have you never been to a funeral and wondered if this is all there is?

    The Great Final Secret of all Life

    Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” in 6 weeks and created a new literature genre in the process.  Christmas stories are now a vibrant part of our life and they had their origin in a 31-year-old-man’s process of understanding and communicating life.  After publishing “A Christmas Carol” in 1843, Dickens wrote a Christmas book every year (except 1847) until 1867.  There is a reference that when Charles Dickens died, it was asked, “Then will Father Christmas die too?”

    “The great final secret of all life” is a line from Dickens book “Little Dorrit,” which was written, reflecting on that time in his life when his father was imprisoned for debt.  What an astute way to refer to the grave and what lies beyond this physical life we all see.  Life after death is a great mystery and the last secret to be revealed, one which none of us will know until we take that final step through the curtain to the other side.

    There are evidences of the unseen world that can be found today.  If you want to know more, then a great place to start is by reading the bible.  If I may encourage you, start by reading the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  You will find the original Christmas story in there and a whole lot more.

    Resources

    https://www.biography.com/writer/charles-dickens
    https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Dickens-British-novelist
    https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Little-Dorrit/315262
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Dorrit

  • What Would the World Be Like Without You?

    What Would the World Be Like Without You?

    “Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.”

    Clarence the angel “It’s a Wonderful Life”, Frank Capra, based on the short story “The Greatest Gift”, Philip Van Doran Stern.

    One of my favorite Christmas stories is “It’s a Wonderful Life”, which features Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed plus an excellent cast.  It tells the story of a young man whose sacrifices epitomized his life.

    The story opens with George Bailey as a boy, playing with his brother and friends.  Winter weather turned an ordinary hill into a great place to sled and an opportunity for boys to expend their energy.

    When George’s younger brother, Harry, breaks through the ice on his sled run and falls into the freezing water, the boys make a chain to rescue him.  George fell in the water with his brother, but in the end, Harry was rescued and everyone was safe.  George lost his hearing in one ear from his effort, but that was a small consequence compared to saving Harry.

    Confronted Once Again

    Back at work as a soda jerk, George is confronted once again with a choice to step in and do what is right.  When his boss, Mr. Gower, the pharmacist, learns his son has been killed, he drinks heavily, numbing the pain, but continues filling prescriptions.

    In his distressed physical and emotional state, Mr. Gower, accidentally fills a prescription for a child with poison, instead of the medicine that was needed.  George catches the mistake but suffers the wrath of a drunken, Mr. Gower, until he is able to explain the problem.

    Life is What Happens While You Are Busy Making Plans

    You have heard that life is what happens while you are busy making plans?  I think George Bailey must have started that saying.  All through his life, George sacrifices his own plans to do what is right for others.

    George wanted to leave the little town he lived in, go to college and travel the world.  When his father, who owns and runs the Bailey Building and Loan, passes away unexpectedly, George postpones his dream of leaving.  Giving the money he had saved for college to his brother, Harry, George hopes to settle the business and leave when his brother graduates and comes home to take over.

    That plan too, is thwarted as Harry comes home with a new wife and amazing work opportunity from his father-in-law.

    Breaking Point

    The frustrated young man finally marries a childhood friend, but as they prepare to leave on their honeymoon, a financial collapse and run on the bank forces George to stay and take care of business which included using all of the money he had saved for his honeymoon.

    It isn’t until a substantial amount of the Building and Loan’s money is lost, that George hits his breaking point.  Certain that financial ruin, prison time and the ensuing scandal would ruin his family, George goes on a binge and begins to think that life is hopeless.

    Worth More Dead Than Alive

    Seeking out his nemesis, the miserly Mr. Potter, magnificently played by Lionel Barrymore, his plea for help is rejected, then observed that George is worth more dead than alive.  That thought drives troubled George Bailey, to the bridge overlooking the icy water below, pondering the thought of jumping to his death and throwing his life away.

    It is at this point that Clarence the angel, arrives to rescue George.  He jumps in the water before George can.  You see, Clarence knew that George cared too much for other people.  He had watched George’s life unfold and knew that if George saw a person in trouble, he would do everything in his power to help.  So, Clarence jumped in the water first, to give George a reason to live.

    Once both men were out of the water, it was clear that despair had a hold on George.  The kindly angel, Clarence, ponders what solution might benefit the troubled young man.

    Clarence’s Hope

    His solution?  Give George a chance to see what the world would be like as if he had never been born.  It was Clarence’s hope that George would begin to see how important he was to the people around him.

    At first, George was slow to believe that what was happening to him was real, but one by one, the changes could not be denied.  When all of his family and friends deny knowing him, it is too much for George.  He is ready to go back to his life no matter the consequences.

    Fortunately for George, everything works out.  He returns to his family and faces the crisis, but the community and his friends come to aid George in his trial and raise enough money to save him from being arrested.

    A Question That Each of Us can Ponder

    “It’s a Wonderful Life” is just a story, but it is a good story.  And it poses a question that each of us can ponder.  What would the world be like without you?

    The voice of the world and the enemy of all mankind might tell you that you are worth more dead than alive.  It might also tell you that the world would be better off without you.  You might hear that you aren’t valuable.  But that just wouldn’t be true.

    Each person inherently has the ability to make a difference.  Think about it.  Have you ever made someone smile or laugh or just feel good?  Have you ever helped someone in a tight spot?  How about simply taking the time to listen to another?

    A Deep Need to Connect With Other Human Beings

    Years ago, I worked as a volunteer in children’s ministry and I learned that kids spell the world, love, T-I-M-E.  Even as adults, we still value the time people spend with us.  It is the sacrifice of time we make that fills the need for relational connection.  Each of us has been created with a deep need to connect with other human beings.

    Of course, we will never know the real impact we have had on the world around us.  But, if I use the story of George Bailey as a guide, then I begin to understand that the impact each person makes is greater than we could ever realize.

    To bring my point home, it’s not about making a tally of all of your accomplishments with your fellow human beings, but it is a reminder that you are unique and irreplaceable.  There is no one like you and your fellow eternal travelers would be worse off without you.

  • One Nice Thing

    One Nice Thing

    “I have always thought of Christmas Time, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.”

    Fred Holywell “A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

    It has been said that the older we get, the faster life moves.  For my part, I have found that to be true.  In fact, life is so busy, I am very often forced to focus on what is before me.  It is the only way I am able to get everything taken care of.

    The problem with our fast-paced lives is that we forget the lives around us.  Others become a pool of faces we either recognize or not, but take for granted that they are important and valuable people.  Let me be blunt.  In the search to care for ourselves, it is too easy to quit caring about others.

    The holidays are a great time to stop and remember how special the people in your life are to you.  The following activity is a great way to connect with family and friends and let them know they mean something to you.

    Your goal is for everyone in your group to write one nice thing about each of the others in your group.  The comments are anonymous and can be presented in any form that suits your event.

    For my family’s event, I started over a month before Christmas.  I gave each person a list of names and asked them to write one nice thing about everyone listed, except themselves of course.  Then I took all of the lists and grouped the comments by name.  For each person, I found a beautiful font and printed their name at the top of the paper.  Below their name I put the meaning of their name and the comments were listed below.

    When the sheets were passed out on Christmas Day, it was a simple but beautiful gift.

    Below are some samples of what you can do.

    Judy

    A Hebrew name meaning Woman Worthy of Praise and is short for Judith.

    Judy is very sensitive and loving. She is also very crafty and talented. She is always true to her feelings, no matter what they are.

    Grammy lets me help her bake cookies, muffins, and cupcakes. Grammy lets me have some stuff from Great Grandma.

    She is bold and beautiful. She can speak her mind. Her confidence is strength. She is someone you can trust.

    Grammy always makes macaroni and cheese and lets me play on the computer. She makes funny faces.

    She makes me laugh with her adult humor and is very loving and sensitive.

    She is very organized.

    Judy is a very caring person. She is always putting others first. She’s a giver!

    Judy is the perfect home maker, she keeps an immaculate home and she’s also a very creative and artistic person, but most important, she took such great care of our mom after Dad was gone, and for that I will always be grateful.

    Kelly

    An Irish name meaning Warrior Defender.

    Kelly is a very dedicated and wonderful mother to her children.  She not only takes very good care of their physical needs, but shows them unconditional love and tries her best to be a Godly example to them.

    My Mom comforts me when I don’t feel good.  My Mom makes me feel safe when I am scared.  She likes to color with me.

    She pays attention to detail and follows through with her obligations and the activities she undertakes.  She has a big heart and is generous to a fault.  She is a dedicated wife and mother.

    My Mom is cuddly and she likes to play board games.  My Mom keeps us healthy.  My Mom makes me feel safe.

    She is fun, sensitive, sweet and goes the distance for the family.  She is very passionate about things.

    She is a good homemaker and very organized.  She loves her home.

    Kelly always says kind things.  She is an amazing mother but most of all she is like the sister I always wanted.  She is always easy to get along with.  She keeps me laughing.

    She is a nice person and always loads of fun to be around!  An amazing mother!

    Kelly always seems very happy and friendly, has a great attitude and is also very sincere.  She’s raising two of the best-behaved children I’ve ever seen and makes it look so easy.  She’s a great mother and wife, and she’s always comfortable to be around.

    Jonathan

    A Hebrew name meaning Gracious.

    Jonathan is a very responsible, dedicated and loving father, husband and provider for his family.  He has always taken these roles with utmost dedication.

    He has a great sense of humor.  He also has a tremendous amount of love for his family.  He is a hard worker and a committed husband.

    My Dad plays with me and flies me in the air on his feet.  My Dad is the goofiest person I know.  I like my dad’s mustache.

    Jonathan is a man who is sure of himself and can lead his family confidently and securely.  He makes decisions wisely and has a clear sense of the “right” path.

    My dad and I have a lot of hobbies together.  I like to spend time outside with my dad.  I also think my dad is funny.

    Nice mustache.

    He makes good decisions and choices and sticks with them.  He takes good care of his property.

    Jonathan is such a goofball, never a dull moment with him.  He makes me feel a part of the family!

    Jonathan is always full of laughter.  He keeps me on my toes.  I’m glad he married into the family so I wasn’t alone with all these girls!!  Lol

    Jonathan is very ambitious in his career.  He always seems to be taking a test or class to keep moving up the ladder and I’m very impressed with what he’s accomplished and continues to achieve.  He’s also a great husband and father.

    Caleb

    A Hebrew name meaning Faithful and Brave.

    Caleb is an extremely intelligent, caring, talented and honest young man.  He is also a very loving brother to his little sister.

    He has a kind heart, and truly cares about other people’s feelings.  He is sensitive, creative, and intelligent.  He has a desire to know Christ on a personal level.

    He lets me watch movies in his room.  He makes me laugh.  He is a good drummer.

    Caleb is quick to laugh and always ready with a joke.  He is sensitive (his heart is touched easily), sincere (he honestly cares about others), and passionate (he always “gets in to” the things he really likes.

    He likes to have fun outside with me and is very good-hearted.  He is a smart kid and good at everything he tries.

    He is a good imitator in playing characters, versatile and likes to play.  He is fun to be around.

    Caleb is such a smart and handsome young man.  He is very caring and thoughtful.  He is very patient with his little sister!

    Caleb is a well-behaved kid.  He has an awesome heart and will grow up to make his parents proud!

    Caleb is such a good boy it makes me want to corrupt him a little with a fart machine.  I’ve never seen Caleb do anything wrong, so I’m going to give him some ideas.  Seriously, Caleb is incredibly smart, he’s such a great kid, and his parents must be so proud.

    Kylee

    An Australian and Irish name meaning Pretty.

    Kylee is a gentle and loving young lady.  She is smart, brave, has good manners, and is nice to everyone.

    She is very strong-willed and knows just what she wants.  She has a very sweet and cuddly side to her that is irresistible.

    Kylee is gentle and sweet and full of the light of love.

    She has a funny laugh and says funny things.  She is really good at coloring.

    She is super silly, hot tempered and very cute.

    She likes to play dolls and play house.  She likes to be held.  She likes to dance.

    Kylee is an angel!  She is always full of love just like her mother!  She is an amazing young lady who will grow into an even more amazing woman!

    Kylee is a cute little munchkin!  I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful, thoughtful and delightful niece.

    Kylee is such a sweet girl; she’ll be your best friend in ten minutes.  She’s very smart, like her brother and she’s fun to talk to.  I always look forward to seeing her.

    Andy

    A Greek name meaning Masculine and is short for Andrew meaning Manly and Brave.

    Andy is a hard-working, caring, and honest young man with a good sense of responsibility.  He is well-liked by many people.

    He is funny and carefree at times, yet other times very serious and heartfelt.  Everywhere he goes, he makes people laugh.

    My Uncle Andy is funny.  He is really tall and handsome.

    He is sincere and thoughtful and has a heart so big he has yet to understand its depths.  He thinks of others and is a man who has taken responsibility for himself.

    Uncle Andy does crazy dances and says weird things that make me laugh so hard I can’t breathe.

    He is a funny character.

    He speaks his mind; he is outspoken in a good way.

    Besides the fact that I’m utterly in love with him, there isn’t a mean thing to say about him.  He treats me like a queen and more!  I couldn’t ask to be in love with someone that is more amazing than my Andrew!

    I’ve always liked Andy, but there was a time long ago when I wasn’t so sure how he’d do in the real world.  I have to say I’m very impressed with how Andy’s turned out.  He’s hard working, responsible and I’m very proud of him.  He’ll have to get back to the river with us.

    Caryn

    A Danish form of the name Karen meaning Loving.

    Caryn is a warm, likeable, beautiful and bright young lady who is extremely easy and fun to be around.

    Besides being mature and intelligent, Caryn is a dedicated and supportive person.  She is a young woman of real worth.

    She is very sweet and sensitive, yet strong and can hold her own.  She is also very pretty.  She can be funny as well.

    She is pretty and fun.  She tells me sweet things.  I think she should marry my Uncle Andy.

    She is nice and always gives me encouragement.  She is fun to play Wii with.  I like her dark hair.

    She is nice, easy going and likes to give Andy a hard time.

    Caryn is ambitious.  She is a very loving and all-around fun girl.

    I don’t know Caryn that well, but she seems ambitious with her hair styling business.  She always seems happy, friendly and she’s good to Andy.  We had a great time with her at the river, so we’re also looking forward for her to come back.

    Dave

    A Hebrew name meaning Loved is short for David meaning Beloved.

    Dave is a hard-working, sensitive, loving and generous man who deserves more time to enjoy life.  He has always had a great sense of humor, and although when we were kids it was a bit annoying, as we grew up, he was fun to be around.  He’s accomplished a lot in his life, but more than that he has a sincere heart.  I wouldn’t want anyone else for my brother.  I love him dearly.

    He is a hard worker with an easy going, sincere personality.  He is enjoyable company.  He’s always been more than generous with my family and we appreciate him probably more than he knows.

    He is really tall and drives cool cars.  He always says nice things to me.

    He makes peace easily.  He is kind and generous.  A real family man and a good business man like his father (He was proud of you and would be proud of you now.).

    Uncle Dave is cool and easy-going.  He is easy to talk to.  He is fun too!

    He is a cool guy that is easy to talk to and is hard-working.  He is good to my family.  I’ve always liked Dave.

    He always made me feel comfortable.  He is very ambitious in all that he does and I admire him!

    Dave does a lot of cool stuff.  He always makes sure people have a good time.  He is a good uncle and has done a lot of really nice things for me.  I always have a great time when I’m with him.

    Richard

    An English name meaning Wealthy Leader.

    Richard is a caring, sincere Christian man who has been a source of spiritual guidance and support to others.  He also has the gift of empathy.

    He always sees the good in everyone before anything else.  He shows much compassion and always gives grace to others.

    He taught me how to play baseball.  He does puzzles with me.  He is funny.

    He loves our Lord Jesus and is not afraid to let others know it.  He is easy to talk with and always a “warm” person.  I have never seen him upset or take offense at a wrong done to him.  He is a true witness of Christ.

    Grandpa Richard has a lot of fun stuff for me to play with at his house.  He likes to tell funny stories.  He is goofy.

    He looks for the best in everyone and everything.  He is fun and outgoing and goes all-out.  He loves to talk about Jesus.

    Richard is such an amazing person.  He always has a wonderful story to tell me and I always look forward to them!  I love that he always has something new and exciting to tell me.

    He always has something nice to say!  He is full of amazing stories!

    Richard has always been friendly to me and he frequently visited my mom which I thought was very nice.  I don’t know Richard that well, but just knowing that about him makes me think he’s a great guy with a big heart.

    I may not know you, but I do know that you are unique and special because God created you.

    Have a beautiful and amazing holiday season!  May the Lord bless you and fill you with good things. 

  • You Were Saved for a Purpose

    You Were Saved for a Purpose

    Anna’s Story

    If ever there were daily habits, Anna’s days must have been filled with them.  Being the mother of five children and wife of a successful lawyer and businessman, Anna’s days were filled with the tasks of life.  Undoubtedly, she focused on her rituals to get her family through the day.  But even the strictest routines could not prevent the death of her youngest and only son.

    Grief Never Takes a Holiday

    He was four when Scarlett Fever took his life.  If you have suffered the loss of a child then you can understand the grief this mother suffered.  Yes, she also had four daughters but that is no consolation.  One child cannot replace the loss of another.

    Was Anna able to get back into her routines?  She must have, even if it was only by the necessity of continuing to care for her daughters and husband.  Since grief never takes a holiday, Anna certainly carried it with her as she labored to care for her family.

    It was a year later when fire broke out in the city.  It would be called “The Great Chicago Fire” and it devastated the city.  Her friends, Dwight and Emma, lost their home in the fire so Anna gladly took in their children to give her friends time to find a new place to live.  Now Anna had six children to care for in addition to coping with the substantial loss of the property she and her husband owned.

    Two years passed.  Life was settling down.  It had been three years since the death of her son and two years since the fire.  Dwight and Emma’s kids had gone back with their parents.  Now it was time for a holiday.

    12 Minutes

    Anna’s husband arranged a trip to England for the family.  A vacation would do them all good.  Their friends, Dwight and Emma, would be there and that just added to the anticipation of getting away.

    The trip was set.  They would travel by ship and be gone for almost a month.  As their departure date approached, everything seemed to be coming together, but at the last minute, problems arose with her husband’s business which forced him to stay behind.

    Anna boarded the ship with their four daughters and the promise that her husband would follow as soon as he was able.  The daily routines for Anna and her daughters continued although altered by the life of the ship.

    On November 22, 1873, all routines were irrevocably altered when the vessel Anna and her daughters occupied was broadsided by another ship.  12 minutes is not much time to get to safety but that was all the time Anna had to save her children.  Sadly, it was not enough.  When rescue came, Anna was found unconscious on a plank of wood, without her daughters.

    Saved for a Purpose

    Anna’s message to her husband said, “All is lost.  I alone am saved.”  Devastated at the loss of her children, Anna could not deny that in her grief she heard the quiet voice of the Lord say, “You were saved for a purpose.”

    Dropping everything, Anna’s husband rushed to be with her.  There were no airplanes and the journey by ship took days.  As the ship passed the spot where his daughters died, he was moved to put the thoughts of his heart on paper.

    Once Anna was reunited with her husband, the two grieved the loss of their children.  One can only imagine the depth of their pain and the words they shared behind closed doors.

    In time, Anna and her husband had three more children.  Would you think that tragedy would be behind them?  Surely, they had suffered enough.  But once again, their only son died at the age of four, like his brother.

    In August, 1881, Anna and her husband, moved to Jerusalem where they helped homeless children and all who were in need.

    In October, 1888, Anna’s husband died from Malaria.  Anna stayed in Jerusalem continuing the work she and her husband started until her own death in 1923.

    Journey Through this Life

    History doesn’t record much about Anna Spafford.  Her husband, Horatio, wrote the beloved hymn “It Is well with my soul” after passing the location of the loss of his daughters.  History does record that during the loss of her children in the sinking of the ship, Anna once said, “God gave me four daughters.  Now they have been taken from me.  Someday I will understand why.”

    Anna knew that sometimes life cannot be understood in the moment and often it is not until we look back over our life that we begin to understand the events of our life.  Indeed, some of the darkest valleys we may not understand until we reach the green, Son-lit fields of Heaven.

    As for the purpose Anna was saved for, who can tell?  We know that she served people in all their deep need, even as she carried the weight of her own substantial loss.  Perhaps Anna’s purpose was not in great events like writing a beloved hymn, as her husband wrote, or preaching to great audiences like her friend D.L. Moody.  Maybe Anna’s purpose was in the quiet and selfless love she expressed daily in a life of service to Jesus Christ as she ministered to her fellow travelers on their journey through this life.

    Story from bethelripon.com

    1. Horatio Gates Spafford – The story behind the hymn “It is well with my soul” — Bethel (bethelripon.com)

  • The Sign of the Cross

    The Sign of the Cross

    It said, Ride On, Rest in Peace.  A simple wooden cross, stuck in the dirt on the side of the road marked the passing of a life from this world to the next.  What a modest way to say this person has taken the next step in their journey through eternity.  It is a journey so many have taken but so few are willing to consider.

    The Passing of Life is Holy Ground

    We look at a cross and see it as a symbol of death. The cemetery is a grim reminder of our view of the cross.  It is a sign that someone’s life is over.  Our immediate thought is about how they died and the family and friends they left behind.  It doesn’t take long to start thinking about our own mortality and what we would leave behind.  If you are like me, you may even wonder about the life to death process.

    Almost 150,000 people die per day worldwide.  The impact of a loss reflects the depth of our relationship.  You may read the obituaries and not be moved at all by a person’s passing.  You didn’t know them, so why should you be touched?  But what if you see the obituary of a friend on the paper before you?  How would that make you feel?  It is generally accepted that our parents will die before us, so composing their obituary may be very moving.  And God forbid, what if your child passes before you?  Then you would know the depth of pain that is shared by those who live outside the normal order of things.  The pain of death connects those who have shared it.

    When death touches us, we are reminded that the passing of a loved one is a special event.  Relationships captured in photos, videos and untold memories of days gone by flood our minds and fill our hearts.  It is a time to reflect on the best of our relationship and sometimes the worst of the one we lost.  It is a time to consider whether the worst was really that bad.

    Death is one of the few times we are closest to seeing past the veil of this life.  The closer you get to death, the more you realize what is important.

    Just as the well of love that God has given us has no earthly bottom, so too can our grief be.  A child mourns the passing of a parent for years.  A man marks the death of a best friend on each anniversary of his death and on his birthday.  A parent suffers the pain of losing a child and carries that wound like they are holding their baby child.  The passing of life is holy ground.

    Symbol of Life

    While we see a cross as a symbol of death, God sees it as a symbol of life.  We cling to life as if there is no tomorrow, but God has made a way for us to live forever with Him.  God has a way of turning our perspective of death around and forcing us to see it from a different angle.  He took our symbol of death and made it a symbol of life.

    You know Jesus Christ and His story.  It is the story that rises above the rest.  It is the story of His birth, life, death and resurrection.  Every December 25th, you celebrate His birth and every Easter you celebrate His resurrection.  His is the story of true life.  It is a reminder of the love that God has for you and the life He has waiting for you by simply believing in Him.

    The apostle, Paul, was a sinner and violent aggressor, yet the Lord used him to demonstrate His perfect patience towards sinners so that they might be saved.  Taken from 1 Timothy 13-16.   In the same way, the Lord uses each one of us to demonstrate His patience towards sinners, because He desires ALL Men to be Saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth.  He wants to save everyone from eternal destruction and separation from Him.  In Heaven, He will wipe away every tear.  There will be no more sorrow and no more pain because the former things will have passed away.  We will live forever in joy, peace and inexpressible happiness on the day our veil is removed, if we have made a choice to believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is.  He is, the Great Redeemer, Wonderful Counselor and Prince of Peace.  Don’t let disbelief cloud your choice.

    We are the Family of Man

    This life connects us and weaves our stories together.  Death finalizes our story and passes it on to the next generation, but death does not need to end that connection.  God made us Eternal Beings and meant for us to keep our relationships forever.  And we can, in Heaven.  We will know each other forever, but in that place those relationships will be drenched in peace and harmony.  It will be the best of times.

    Are there people that have made a difference in your life?  Perhaps someone in your childhood who shared a special bond with you?  If their journey took them from this world before you, then know that they aren’t gone forever.  They are simply waiting on the other side for you.

    There is an hour for each of us to die.  Do not be afraid of that hour, because it is what you have been created for.  Not to dwell here on this world forever, but to learn, to grow, to build family, friendships and earthly connections that will continue into eternity.  You were born to be eternal.  You were made an eternal being.  You are eternal.  The sign of the Cross says it is so.

  • Greater Love Has No One Than This

    Greater Love Has No One Than This

    He was born in the summer of 1838.  The timber of the simple log cabin his parents called home helped welcome Philip into this world.

    At 10 years old, he heard the piano for the first time.  Philip was so captivated by the sound of it that he walked right into a stranger’s home to hear more.  Sitting down, Philip listened while the woman played.  When she stopped he cried for more, only to be shown the door out!  No matter what else happened that day, his love of music was kindled.

    In the Lumber Camps

    At the tender age of 11, Philip left home to work in the lumber camps.  The days were hard, but the evenings afforded him the opportunity to attend a “singing school” led by hymn writer, William Bradbury.

    In 1850, Philip Bliss made his first public confession of faith in Jesus Christ.  He was 12.

    In 1858, while boarding with the family of O. F. Young, he met and fell in love with their daughter, Lucy.  Philip and Lucy married the following year.

    During the winter of 1859, Philip worked as a traveling music teacher.  A folding organ accompanied him in his travels.

    Gospel Singer & Composer

    In the summer of 1860, he became a student at the Normal Academy of Music in Geneseo, New York.  Philip worked hard and eventually became a gospel singer and composer.

    By 1869, Philip had met Dwight Lyman Moody, who history would record as a famed evangelist.  The two worked together, off and on, for the next 8 years.

    In September, 1876, Philip and Lucy helped D.L. Moody with 11 meetings in one week.  As the end of the year approached, Philip and Moody received requests to go to Europe.  They planned a meeting in Chicago then intended to go to Europe.

    With Christmas approaching, Philip went home to spend the holidays with his family.  On December 29, 1876, Philip and his wife Lucy, traveled to rejoin Moody.  Nearing Ashtabula, Ohio, no one realized until too late that the bridge ahead was collapsed.  The train Philip and his wife were traveling on plunged to the icy riverbed below.

    Greater Love Has No One Than This

    The train was a mangled mess of wood and metal.  Broken stoves ignited a fire that would sweep through and consume the train.  Philip escaped by crawling out an open window.  Who knows how long it took, searching the survivors, to discover his wife was still in the wreckage?

    The Bible says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13. Did Philip consider this scripture when he crawled back into the burning wreckage to look for Lucy?  During those minutes of great stress, it is unlikely that he thought of anything other than finding his wife.  In a search that must have been filled with apprehension, desperation and fear, history cannot tell us if Philip found his beloved wife since none of their remains were found.  Although history does not record the intimacy of their final moments, we can hope they shared them together.

    A monument was erected for Philip and Lucy in Rome, Pennsylvania.  Their memorial reads, “Lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided.” 2 Samuel 1:23

    By the time he died at age, 38, Philip Bliss wrote more than one hundred hymns.  His trunk, salvaged from the wreckage, held several of his compositions.  In his life, he earned more than $30,000 in royalties alone.  That would be a small fortune today.  Keeping only enough for a modest living, Philip, remembering the poverty of his childhood, donated the rest to worthy causes.

    Inspired by Jesus Christ

    Philip willingly gave up his life to find and try to save the life of his wife.  His effort was not in vain even though they both died in the flames of this life.  Philip and Lucy believed in the life and resurrecting power of Jesus Christ and as a result, they now live in the wholeness, vigor and peace of the next life.  I am sure that, whether they found each other in the wreckage or not, they did find each other at the gates of Heaven.

    Philip’s sacrifice was an act inspired by Jesus Christ Himself.  Jesus chose to give up His life willingly so that you and I could have eternal life with Him.  Imagine, the God who created the Heavens and the Earth, leaving Heaven and all it contains, to dwell with a people who are often stubborn and angry.  Why would He do such a thing?  Why would God come to earth knowing He would be rejected and suffer a barbaric death?  When He hung on the cross, why did He say, “It is finished!”?  Did Jesus Christ come to earth to simply feel what it was like to die physically?  Or, did He come to taste death for all human life, which are His creation?

    A Roman Jailer

    God believed we were worth saving.  He made us with the ability to love, cherish, protect, encourage, sympathize, heal and so much more.  In His wisdom, He knew that mankind would make foolish choices resulting in their separation from His plan for them to live in Heaven forever.  He knew that you and I would need saving and so He sent His son to save us.

    You may wonder how you can have eternal life?  You may be asking the same question a Roman jailer asked the apostle Paul and his friend, Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  Acts 16:30. Their response?  “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”  Acts 16:31. Story from Acts 16:16-34.

    Where is your journey taking you?  Can you see beyond this life?  The act of salvation in Jesus Christ is so simple, but its implications are so profound.  It is salvation and eternal life in Jesus Christ that can and will give you eyes to perceive what lies beyond the world we see.

    Eventually, history will record your journey here on earth as death finalizes your story and passes it on to the next generation.  What will that story say to the ones that follow?

    Reference

    “How Sweet the Sound” George Beverly Shea, pages 228-231

  • A Well With No Bottom

    A Well With No Bottom

    Solomon and the two harlots.

    Have you heard the story about the two harlots?  If you don’t know what the word, harlot, means, some synonyms for it are; prostitute, hooker, hustler, sex worker, streetwalker and more.  The term “harlot” is used in the Bible.  Our story comes from the Bible in 1 Kings 3:16-28.  Believe it or not, the story is about love.  Yes, prostitutes do love.  And no, I do not know this from personal experience.

    As King Solomon sat on his throne, two women were brought before him.  They needed his help to solve a problem.  Both women were prostitutes, both women had newborn babies and both lived in the same house with their infants.

    One night, one of the harlots accidentally laid on her infant and suffocated him.  Waking and seeing that she had killed her son, she quietly took her dead infant and put him in bed with the other woman, while taking the other woman’s live son for her own.

    In the morning, the other woman awoke to find her son dead, but after examining him, she realized it was not her son.  It was evident that this child belonged to her roommate and that her own child had been taken by the other woman.

    As they stood before the king, he considered their problem.  One child was alive and one child was dead.  The living child had been supposedly taken from his real mother by the mother who had the dead son.

    One Person’s Word Against Another

    How would you solve this problem?  There were no finger print records to check.  You could not do a DNA test.  It was one person’s word against another.

    King Solomon commanded that a sword be brought and the living child be divided in two and that one half should be given to each woman.  The woman whose son was the living child immediately begged the king that her child be given to the other woman and not be hurt.  The woman whose son had died said to divide him and that he would not be the son of either woman.

    King Solomon rightly concluded that the woman who was willing to give up her living son so that he could live, was the mother.  He could tell that her self-sacrifice was born out of love for her child.  Therefore, he gave the living child back to his real mother.

    An Expression of Love

    Have you felt love?  What does love look like to you?  In the story of the two harlots, love is exemplified by the sacrifice of the living child’s mother.  She was willing to give up her child forever so that he might live.

    Love has the capacity to give to the point of self-sacrifice.  Each time you deny yourself to allow someone else to be first, you are practicing self-sacrifice.  The result is an expression of love.

    Two Moms

    The sacrifice the harlot was willing to make before King Solomon is still happening today.  Standing before King Solomon, one mother loved her child so deeply that she was willing to let go of her baby forever so that her child could live and have a good life.  There are mothers today who face the same, heart-wrenching decision as that mother so long ago.

    There is a woman who chose to give up her child for adoption.  She loved her daughter and cherished her.  She waited for her daughter to be released from the NICU so that they could go home together.  In her heart though, the pain of poverty and struggles she faced as a drug addict were not the gifts, she wanted to give her beautiful girl.

    With an act of self-sacrifice that was reminiscent of that mother so long ago, this mother chose to give up her daughter in the hope that her child would live and have a better life.

    What this mother could not know was that her choice would touch the life of another woman who had dreamed of a third child for twelve years.  This woman longed for more children but never considered adoption to fulfill that desire.

    Unable to have another natural child of their own, this mother finally turned to adoption with her husband.  Her fear that she would not be able to love an adopted child as much as her own had prevented her from seriously considering adoption.

    Speaking God’s Language

    What are the characteristics of love?  The Bible says, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

    The expression of love from the heart is pure, even if your life has been defiled with the refuse of the world.  The world cannot take away the gift of your love.  It cannot say your love is meaningless.  There is nothing in your life or the world around you that can hide or diminish your acts of love.

    The Lord made the heart.  Each time you show an act of sincere love, you are speaking God’s language. He hears and sees a love that is pure and undefiled.  God is love and His love is found in us, in that one place in the heart that can’t be satisfied by the world.  It is the one place that only God and His love can satisfy because it is the source and fountain of life that God put there when He created us.  If you look close enough, it is where you will find Jesus Christ and His life.

    No Earthly Bottom

    When the path of these two mothers crossed, the first found the hope she was looking for in her daughter’s safety and welfare.  The second mother found the hope she was looking for in the opportunity to love another child.  Both mothers saw the hope of a better path for this little life.  Is it any wonder this beautiful girl was named, Hope?

    The second mother also found that she loved this child so deeply that she realized the well of her love was deep enough to drown in.  That’s because the well of love begins with Jesus Christ and there is no earthly bottom to it. Have you given up your child for adoption?  Is there a sacrifice you have made that cost you so dearly you felt as if your heart was torn from your very chest?  That same well of love is there for you.  God sees your sacrifice and He remembers the sacrifice His Son made 2000 years ago.  It is the sacrifice of denying yourself for the sake of someone else.  It is an expression of the deepest, most abiding love that is buried deep inside each of us.

  • A Servant of God Among Men

    A Servant of God Among Men

    He would be called the greatest evangelist of the 19th century.  Presidents would honor him.  A ship would even be named after him.  But as a boy, no one of his family, friends or acquaintances would have predicted a life that was accorded these honors.  In fact, there was nothing in his young life that could have revealed the impact he would have on the world.  Unless it was the struggles he would endure in those first years of life.

    Born February 5th, 1837, in Northfield, Massachusetts, Dwight was the 6th of 9 nine children.  His father passed away when he was four and his pregnant mother would deliver twins a month later.

    With the family heavily in debt, “creditors came and took everything, including the firewood and kindling”1.  Refusing to break up the family, Dwight’s mother told the kids to stay in bed until they went to school, so they could try to stay warm.  An uncle cut and split more firewood for the family.  A young Dwight would remember it as the “biggest pile of wood he had ever seen”2.

    Every Penny Counted

    Days after giving birth to her twins, the landlord would berate and curse Dwight’s mother for not having the mortgage payment ready.  With her husband’s recent death, she had not the money for it.  Although family members came to her aid and paid the mortgage for the year, she would “cry herself to sleep at night”3.

    In Dwight’s family, every penny counted and that is just what little Dwight earned.  Having to work before he was 10 years old, Dwight earned one cent a week tending cows.  At 10 years old, he walked 13 miles with his older brother to another town to work.  Dwight felt as if he had “walked around the world”4.  Supporting the family was a habit he kept into adulthood, regularly sending money home.

    Dwight did go to school but paid little attention.  As a result, he was barely literate and spelled words the way they sounded.  His atrocious spelling endured for more than half his life.

    Although Dwight was baptized at the same time as his siblings, he had little desire to pursue a faith in Christ.  He preferred instead to cause trouble and have fun at other people’s expense.

    Nothing is Wasted

    Is it ironic that God uses the circumstances of one life to reach others?  Nothing is wasted when God works. 

    After accepting the truth of a living and loving God, Dwight’s ministry began with the children on the streets of Chicago.  Precisely because of the circumstances of his own childhood, Dwight was able to speak with the children of Chicago’s streets.  Those children in turn, found someone they could trust.  Dwight understood them.

    Beginning a Sunday school in an abandoned saloon, Dwight’s kids grew to 1500 strong.  The work among these children was becoming known.  President-elect, Abraham Lincoln, even visited the school.

    Dwight worked hard at serving.  He spent long hours every day doing what he thought God wanted.  It wasn’t until the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 that Dwight stopped working in his own power.

    After the fire, Dwight and his family were destitute.  Their home and belongings were gone.  They barely escaped with the clothes on their back and what little they could carry.

    His Inner Man Was Suffering

    For months, Dwight was lost.  While he helped where he could, he had no strength in him for ministry.  He went about his business but it was the ordeal his inner man was suffering that consumed him.  It was during this time that the Lord showed Dwight about himself.  He realized that he had been serving himself and not Jesus Christ.  Upon the realization that his heart had been in the wrong place, Dwight’s true anointing began.

    Dwight Lyman Moody, also known as, D.L. Moody, would go on to become a famed evangelist and leave a legacy that continues today.  He applied himself to be a servant of men, but instead became a servant of God.

    You May Be the Bolt of Lightening

    We could speak more of Dwight, but what about you?  While your own life may not resemble what Dwight endured, you have a story all your own.  You may think the circumstances of your life aren’t useful for anything, but God is the Master Artist.  He will take what you have and do miracles in others that you never thought possible.

    You may be the bolt of lightning that Jesus Christ uses to illuminate the darkness or penetrate another’s soul.  But as Dwight learned, it is God’s power, light, direction and penetration that so masterfully changes the lives around you.

    I would like to leave you with three verses that sum up what Dwight learned.

    • “’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6 NIV. 
    • As the apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 NKJV.
    • Jesus said it best.  “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 NKJV.

    Are you happy?  Are you living a fulfilled life?  Do you feel like you make a difference?  Or are you filled with regret at squandering so much of the life God has given?  Turn to Jesus Christ in prayer.  There is still time.  Even the ministry of Jesus Christ was only 3 years long and look what came of it; eternal life for all who believe in Him and what He did.

    References

    1.  Kevin Belmonte “D.L. Moody, A Life”, pg. 21.
    2. Ibid., 21-22.
    3. Ibid., 22.
    4. Ibid., 26.
    5. Ibid.

  • Not as the World, Do I Love You

    Not as the World, Do I Love You

    I almost always, only see men at the corner asking for money, so I was surprised to see a woman sitting there.  As she approached my open window and outstretched arm, I could see her makeup was applied too generously.  I wanted to scoff at her attempt to look pretty, until I spotted it.  The telltale sign of a black bruise under her right eye that the makeup couldn’t hide.

    The sadness in this young woman’s eyes wounded my heart.  As our eyes met and she took the bill from my hand, I felt empty.  I knew that would be the only interaction we would ever have.  I also knew that the pain of her struggle would not be so easily comforted by my contribution.

    When My Heart Cries Out

    As I drove on, I became angry.  I wanted to gather armies to deliver this unknown fellow traveler of life.  I wanted to charge into her life and rescue her from all who would abuse and harm her.  No one deserves that abuse under any circumstance.

    After our meeting, I couldn’t stop thinking about this roadside soul.  Part of me wanted to shut the thought of her off so that I could forget her pain and mine.  To have the knowledge of another’s suffering and be unable to heal it is devastating.  I was tormented by the circumstances of a person I interacted with for only a few minutes.  I wanted to heal this person’s hurt and comfort her affliction.  I wanted to give her hope for a better future.  I wanted her to have peace and joy.  The merciless truth is that I have no wand to magically transform her life and it makes me feel helpless.  Our brief exchange left me broken.

    In the end, when my heart cries out, all I have for her are tears.  And my prayers.  But the God I know is the One who has captured my tears in His bottle.  He treasures each one.  And I know that my prayers, shrouded in my heart for a storm-battered soul, will not be forgotten before Him.  He remembers and will not forget.

    He sees her shattered life and cares for her.  He knows how the world has risen against her.  This world is not what He intended, so He has made a new one.  It is a place of peace, love and friendship.  It is a world where each person cares for the other and no one will be harmed ever again.

    Not of This World

    You see, He is not of this world.  The world didn’t make Him.  He made the world.  You will stand in His presence and He will dry the tears from your eyes.  He will comfort you and give you hope.

    Do you not know Him?  He has many names.  Some are, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace and Jesus Christ.

    Have you suffered extreme pain?  It may be difficult to suffer and believe in a living and loving God.  Whatever path brought you to the point of suffering in your life, know that what you have suffered is a taste of the death of this world.  Every act of violence, every word that is designed to wound and every intention of the heart that purposely takes from another human soul are forms of death that we experience and endure in this world.  But it is not that way with Jesus Christ.

    Peace, Hope, Faith and Love

    Jesus Christ wants you to have peace, hope, faith and love.  He is waiting to lead you to still waters where you can be encouraged and rest in Him and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He is real and He has prepared, Forever, for you so that you will never again have to endure the pain of this world.

    Do you already believe in Jesus Christ?  Then may He rise up to scatter your enemies and strengthen you to endure so that you may stand before Him on the day He calls you home.

    Maybe you don’t know who Jesus Christ is.  Let me introduce you to Him.  He is the One who encourages you to care.  He is the One who has taught you to love.  I don’t mean giving yourself to another human being during the brevity of intimacy.  I mean, He is the One who has taught you to express love in the forms of caring and nurturing for all beings great and small.

    Have you ever held a little baby in your arms?  If so, know then, that holding an infant is one of the Universe’s greatest, beautiful things in life.  True love is made of beautiful things.  When you nurture and protect that eternal being in the form of a helpless baby, you are expressing true love.  That love, is God in you.  God is love and He created you with that love inside you.

    This world of death will try to steal that love from you.  It will lie to you and tell you that type of love isn’t real, but you were born to love.  The world can’t stop that love in you.  Love is always waiting to flow from your heart, to your lips and feet and arms.  It was put there by God.  No one and nothing can take it away from you.  You were hard-wired, so to speak, with love from the very beginning of your first spark of life.

    Be Not Unbelieving, but Believing

    You don’t believe me?  I find that hard to accept.  Perhaps you have expressed love and didn’t realize it.  Here are some examples.  As a child, did you ever make a drawing for your mother?  Did you ever kiss your father and tell him “I love you, daddy”?  Have you ever hugged your sister?  Did you ever forgive a friend?  How about lending a helping hand to someone in need?

    I believe you know these deeds because you have expressed them countless times throughout your life.  In fact, you have done these so often, they have become commonplace and almost forgotten that you do them or have done them in the past.  You were made to love.  You have simply forgotten who you are.

    Jesus Christ has not forgotten you or who you are.  He is calling you today.  He knows the path you have walked and He wants to guide you into a new path.  It is the path of life.  It is the path that leads home to Him. Can you honestly say the path you are on is filled with love, hope, faith and joy?  Does your path give you peace that surpasses all understanding?  I know, there are many great and difficult struggles in this life.  There is no way around them, but God wants to lead you through them.  You will see His hand at work in your life when you turn to Him.  When you give your life to Him, you will be able to hear the words He has been saying to you since you were born; “Not as the world, do I love you”.

  • Not Without My Family

    Not Without My Family

    Florita buried her daughter, her firstborn, when she was only 12 years old.  Lupus showed no mercy when her daughter contracted the disease and died from it.  By Flo’s own confession, she was devastated.  Who could console this mother’s loss?  Who was there to console her?  As a single mother without a husband to raise 4 children on her own, Flo was left to grapple with the devastating effects of the death of her only daughter.

    The loss of a child is not the normal order of life.  It is usually our children who bury us.  But there they were.  Flo’s three boys.  She had to go on for their sake.  Eventually, Flo enshrined the loss of her daughter in a special place in her heart so that she could move on.  She knew that her daughter would never come back to her.  This mother’s faith told her that one day she would go to her daughter.

    It was but scant years before death visited once more.  This mother of 4, and now 3, had barely learned to live again when she lost a son in a freak accident during boot camp.  A truck rolled over during a training exercise and her loss grew to two children.  Pride in her son’s courage to join the Army melted into her worst fear and the familiar grief of loss.  He was barely 18.

    Tell Me, is it True?

    They say that time heals all wounds.  Tell me, Flo, is it true?  I would trust you to know.

    Time brought this single mother a new and wonderful husband.  Life with her husband and two remaining boys who were now grown men with lives of their own was finally full.  Eventually, these boys brought young women for their mother to love as daughters-in-law.  Together, these 2 boys and their wives gave Florita grand-children to love.  It was time to truly heal.  Or was it?

    The unfathomable news that her third child had died could not be contained.  Circumstances of his death only shrouded her grief in misery and confusion.

    Flo’s grand-children and their mother were gathered together with her remaining son, to lower his brother into the ground.  This was the day I first met her.  Flo sat stoically as the eulogy was delivered for her beloved son.  I could not begin to imagine the depth of her pain.  It made me wonder, why is it that some must carry burdens so great?

    Almost 5 Years to the Day

    I won’t hide what happens next.  It was almost 5 years to the day.  Her last son.  Her only son left alive.  Her only child left who had been there for each passing of his siblings and the ceremonies that marked the next step in their eternal journeys. This son knew the loss his mother carried.   He cared for his mother so much that he chose to give up his love of riding motorcycles to be there for her in her old age.  Deciding to sell his motorcycle, he found a co-worker to buy it, just to make sure he would never be in a motorcycle accident that would take him away from his mother.  That fateful morning, on his way to work to deliver the bike to his friend, he was killed in an accident.  Her last son.  Her youngest.  Gone.  It defies all reason.

    Who Could Endure?

    Florita must be a strong woman.  Who could endure the loss of all of her children?  She continued when others would have surrendered.  Fortunately, Flo’s husband was there to comfort her.  Flo was alone in the beginning, but not now.  The years into retirement brought travel together with her husband.  There were good times as they toured the country in their motorhome.

    Eventually, as it is with all life, our youth passes.  We are left aged, even though we still feel young on the inside.  It is what is on the outside that drags us down.  Old bodies that creak and groan and grumble.  Flo and her husband were aging.  At the normal time of life that death would come calling, it would have been a mercy for Flo to be the one to go first.

    When we received the call that Flo’s husband had passed, I couldn’t stop thinking of her and her journey on this island called, earth.  I don’t know anyone else who has endured so much loss.  It makes me wonder about who Flo is and what type of person she is on the inside that could suffer so much and go on.

    Florita has had 5 family members walk through the veil before her.  Rarely must one person suffer so much loss.  All who hear Flo’s story will grieve with her at her immeasurable loss.  If I could give my life to bring even one of her family back, I would do it gladly.

    The only way I can come to grips with the loss Flo has endured is to think of our future self in heaven.  In time, each of us will walk the path Flo’s family has taken.  I wonder what it will be like to shed this mortal life for immortality; to leave the world we see for the world we don’t see.

    Through a Mirror Dimly

    Flo has lost everyone.  All four children and now her husband.  Seemingly, she is alone in this life, but Jesus Christ is still with her.  He will never leave Flo or abandon her.  Jesus Christ has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” Hebrews 13:5 partial, NASB.  He sees Flo’s loss and will restore all that she has lost.  Scripture says, “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.”  Joel 2:25. He will turn your mourning into praise and will cause you to rejoice.  “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.  LORD my God, I will praise you forever.” Psalms 30:11-12 NIV.

    We do not see it now because we see through a mirror dimly.  “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV.  Who can see through the veil?  It is always before us until we take that step in our journey into eternity.  But there are evidences of what lies beyond the veil.  Those proofs are found in the bible as well as all around us.

    We see them in the flowers, trees, mountains and oceans.  It is the perfection and symbiosis of all life and living things.  It is in the fact that the ocean goes no further than the beach.  The bible tells us that God put an everlasting ordinance on the ocean so that it would stop at the beach.  “I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.  The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.” Jeremiah 5:22 NIV, partial.

    We also see and hear these evidences in the stories we tell that remind us of deeds long past.  Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection are one example.

    If you are like Flo and have suffered loss, then let me encourage you.  I think that when we enter the veil, we will learn the story of those who have gone before us and we will discover that they entered through the veil with singing and dancing and music and joy and peace and inexpressible love.  It is what each of those who have made a choice for Jesus Christ, will experience when they take that next step in their journey.

    Are You Unsure?

    Are you unsure of a loved one who has gone before you?  Take heart.  No one knows who will be waiting for us, but with God, all things are possible.  God is the one who examines our heart.  “I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind.” Jeremiah 17:10 NIV, partial.  He is the judge and if there is anyone who you would want judging you, it is the God who is love.

    Love covers a multitude of sins.  Love endures when all else fails.  Love forgives the unforgiveable.  You don’t believe me?  See what the bible has to say about love.

    • “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8 NIV
    • “This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 NIV
    • “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” 1 John 4:12 NIV
    • “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8 NIV
    • “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

    Flo, isn’t alone.  The hosts of Heaven are with her.  They mourn as one with her and for her great loss.  God will restore her loss and give her time unending to enjoy the fruit she longs for, which is her family.