"Special Shoes"

Lately, I've been thinking more about my parents' influence on my life story. And for their sacrifices for me over fifty-some years. The words "thank you" seem so inadequate at a time like this . . .

Yet, as inadequate as they appear, I want to express my appreciation to them, perhaps one memory at a time . . .
 
My mom has recently slipped under the umbrella of hospice. I drive up the hill to see her and my dad often these days. As I climb the familiar stairs and crack open the door, my hustle-bustle life slows to a quieter pace. I tip-toe over the mauve carpet to give a gentle hug to Mom's waning frame and predictable smile. My dad and I make up the beds, fold laundry, or finish up the dishes. Then the three of us sit and chat. I treasure every minute.

Today I'm thinking of their sacrifice as brand new parents. Their first baby girl, born with feet that turned in, needed corrective shoes, another expense to an already tight budget . . .

  

Special Shoes

Tossed on an attic shelf
Among unknown volumes and forgotten boxes
Lay, what my mother always called, "special shoes."
Tiny and toeless,
Scuffed and worn,
Shaped like the antennas of an insect.

Chubby baby feet,
Turned in and clubbed
Lovingly buckled in
All day and all night,
Sweaty,
In the long hot summer.

Gratefully,
I look down to see
Those same feet grown,
Straight and free.

They kept those shoes for years and passed them on to me. A love token to remember. Thank you, Dad and Mom, for taking care of me in this small yet significant way. Because of your sacrifice, I have pleasant memories of running, of hiking, of climbing all those steps inside the Statue of Liberty. Remember the miles we walked while touring Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.? Together we reminisce. Special shoes . . . special times . . . 
 
When it's time to go, I squeeze them both once more and softly close the door behind me . . .  down the familiar stairs, down the hill to the busy traffic below. Sometimes tears flow down my cheeks all the way home. I feel blessed.

Can we ever adequately thank those who have cared for us and made a difference in our life stories? Probably not. But perhaps we can appreciate them one memory at a time.

Trusting God to Write Your Story

A very special group of ladies converged on the campus of Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA this weekend. The occasion? The annual Ladies' LYFE (acronym for Living Your Faith Everyday) Conference, complete with four main sessions, twelve different workshops (choose four), a concert, a banquet and program, and some free time to relax and make some new friends. Oh! And a book table. There's always room for one more book in your bag. 

I had the privilege of leading a workshop titled "Trusting God to Write Your Story." Everyone has a life story, after all, a unique, one-of-a-kind story. During our time together, we laid our life stories alongside those of David, the apostle Paul, and Thomas. We studied Psalm 18:30-32 and 138:8 along with Philippians 1:6 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. I shared some of my story. Traci Thompson artfully performed an allegory based on my "conversations" with a loving Heavenly Father who writes our stories with purpose. We learned that God listens to our questions and often gives us glimpses of His much larger story from His Word. 

I have a few more book recommendations by authors who have helped me on my journey:

The Reflective Life: Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life by Ken Gire
The North Face of God: Hope for the Times When God Seems Indifferent by Ken Gire
When God Weeps: Why Our Sufferings Matter to the Almighty by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Estes
Hinds' Feet on High Places (Delightfully Illustrated and Arranged for Children) by Hannah Hurnard

I thought perhaps it would be helpful to include a list of the verses quoted in the allegory. I pray they will help you as you trust God to write your story.

Psalm 91:11

Jeremiah 31:3

Job 23:10

1 Peter 1:7

Isaiah 41:10

Philippians 4:7

Hebrews 12:2

Lamentations 3:22, 23

Romans 8:28

Isaiah 55:8, 9

Psalm 46:1

Deuteronomy 33:27

Philippians 4:19

2 Corinthians 9:8

Hebrews 13:16

Ephesians 3:20

Isaiah 43:1

Matthew 20:15

Romans 9:21

Isaiah 45:9

Isaiah 43:2

Book Review: Epic: The Story God is Telling by John Eldredge

"Here's something that's perfect for you." My friend, Leslee, slid a little book across the table. I picked it up, glanced at the title, and smiled. Epic: The Story God is Telling. "You have to read it. It reminds me of your book."

My book . . . On Story. On trusting God to write your story. I just finished rewriting all ten chapters. My writing group, Leslee among them, has hung with me as we've read chapter after chapter, all gathered around my dining room table. Multiple viewpoints and opinions have wonderfully converged and spilled over onto my pages. We critique each other's manuscripts line by line. We've grown in our writing--and in our friendship.

So, I tucked John Eldredge's 104 page volume into my reading pile. Because of Leslee's markings throughout its pages, I felt like I read right along with her. I like this part, too, Les. Hmmm. Great thought. I found myself thinking about what I read. Some of the ideas paralleled the focus in my writings while other themes brought a familiar yet different twist. I found plenty of  premises fresh and new.

Here's a brief summary from the back of the book:

Sure, good things happen, sometimes beautiful things. But tragic things happen too. What does it mean? We find ourselves in the middle of a story that is sometimes wonderful, sometimes awful, usually a confusing mixture of both, and we haven't a clue how to make sense of it all. No wonder we keep losing heart.

We need to know the rest of the story.

For when we were born, we were born into the midst of a great story begun before the dawn of time. A story of adventure, of risk and loss, heroism . . . and betrayal. A story where good is warring against evil, danger lurks around every corner, and glorious deeds wait to be done. Think of all those stories you've ever loved--there's a reason they stirred your heart. They've been trying to tell you about the true Epic ever since you were young.

There is a Larger Story. And you have a crucial role to play.

I couldn't read Epic and then just pass it back to my friend. A few cliques on the Amazon website brought this story-book right to my front door. And now, I'm sliding the same little book across the table to you. Let me know how you enjoy it!

Life is a Journey

This morning, I had the privilege of speaking at a Mother/Daughter Brunch at Faith Baptist Church in Peckville, PA. What a wonderful group of ladies and girls. The theme for the morning? Life is a journey. It is, isn't it? Whenever I think of a journey, I think of a road trip. We pack our map or GPS. We make sure we have snacks, water, sunglasses, phone, a credit card, some cash. We fill the tank with gas, and off we go . . .

Sometimes we enjoy our trips. This time of year we see trees and flowers in full bloom. The grass boasts its greenest green. We pass through quaint villages full of history and stories. Majestic mountains rise up in the distance. The sun warms our souls as we go along.

On our life journeys, we can also find ourselves traveling through God's blessings on every side. We find our relationships blooming. Our jobs adequately meet our needs. We're on the right road leading to a bright future. God gifts us with periods of abundance. "Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above . . ." (James 1:17).

At other times, though, we suddenly find our road trips a bit more challenging. Thunder rumbles in the distance, the wind kicks up, lightning strikes. Before we know it, we encounter a full-blown storm. Or we meet up with a detour sign, taking us miles out of the way. Or we find ourselves stalled at the side of the road with engine trouble while others zoom by. And then there's all that traffic.

Life journeys include similar "bumps in the road." Our relationships bring stormy conflicts. Much to our dismay, we find ourselves on a detour far from our intended plan. Our bodies break down or our finances go south. We face unexpected limitations. We grieve our losses. 

Jesus said, "In this world you will have tribulations and trials and distress and frustration, but be of good cheer, take courage. I have overcome the world. In me you may have peace and confidence" (John 16:33, The Amplified Bible). 

We’re headed for a glorious destination on this journey called life. 

Every year our family drives fourteen hours to a family reunion in Frankfort, Michigan. It’s long. We get tired and cranky. There are detours, traffic, all the rest. But when we finally arrive and we see the welcoming faces of those we love, and we feel the Lake Michigan breeze, see the sand and the lighthouse, I always think, "The long journey was worth it."

  
Our life journeys include both blessings and trials. We find bumps in the road every day. But someday we will finally see the welcoming face of the Lord Jesus. We can have courage on our life journeys, in our life stories, because . . .

It will be worth it all when we see Jesus….. 

Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ; 

One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase, 

So bravely run the race till we see Christ.

(Esther Kerr Rusthoi, 1909 – 1962)

A Springtime Remembrance

Springtime memories. Do you have some? I do.
  

Today, as I took a walk, I did a little remembering. The new grass, the trees loaded with blossoms, and the warmth of the sun reminded me of a similar day sixteen years ago. But that day, I didn't walk.

It had been six weeks. Six long weeks. Six weeks of complete bedrest. Six weeks to save a baby girl, still unnamed. Day after day, from my station on the couch, I could see only the lilac bush through the dining room window. Every day, hopeful leaves pushed out a little bit more. Every day, I prayed for the little life growing inside me. Psalm 139 became my constant companion. It seemed our baby said, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made . . . "

Finally, the day came for me to get up, to have another ultrasound, to see the doctor. I gingerly found my way into the car. All the way there and all the way back, I could hardly believe the transformation that had taken place since that bleak day in March when doctor's orders took me off my feet. Trees in bloom boasted a myriad of color. Tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils nodded their pretty heads in the warm breeze. Forsythia and azaleas lit up the landscape. The air smelled fragrant and sweet. The grass . . . could it grow any greener? The sun sent its healing rays deep into my soul. I couldn't get enough of spring's fashion statement. On the way home, my husband drove me up and down the side streets. Tears slipped down my cheeks. After the drama of a surprise baby almost lost, the beauty of new life gave me hope.

All these years later, I still remember that day. I also remember the midnight feedings, the times I rocked her and sang, the coloring pages, the play dough, the first and last days of school, the books we've read together, the piano recitals, the track events, the funny things, the tears, the vacations at the beach, the hugs, the long talks, the shopping . .  and the countless blessings that little girl, now fifteen, has brought to our family.

Precious memories. All of them.

Perhaps it's time to take a walk. To think back. Any springtime memories come to mind?

Spring: Moment of Wonder

a bit of bulb

dropped unnoticed

from my hand

late last fall

yields one tiny

blossomed jewel

cradled

in the hand

of a squatting child

on a sunny day

*Photo: Sharon at 2 1/2 years old.

Amazed by Grace

I

Guilty I stand,

Hands shackled behind me.

Guilty I stand, head bowed, alone.

The sentence echoes

against the walls of my heart:

"Condemned to die!"

Guilty . . . Condemned . . . Without hope.

II

Righteous He stands,

Hands scarred, perfect as God Himself.

Righteous He stands,

Raised up from dying

condemned--instead of me.

Unshackled from mortality like a prisoner freed,

He breaks away the rusted handcuffs of my sin.

Amazed by grace, I go free.

 For He made Him who knew no sin

to be sin for us,

That we might become

the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21