A Soul Faces Eternity

For a little over a month now, I have had a little "job" which was to visit an elderly lady in a home. Basically, I was to try to provide a bit of stimulation for her... I'd take her for a walk in her wheelchair or read to her in bed. I'd dust her shelves and water her plant. Sometimes I'd wait while she ate lunch and then I'd have to do my best to convince her that fresh air would be good for her. She always wanted to head back for a nap.

She was 85 years old, and was obviously frail. She was losing her memory and from week to week she would never remember who I was. Every week she would comment "You're a tall kid" to which I would always just smile and say "yup, I am". Every week on my walk I'd take her by the same pots of flowers and we'd stop to admire them. Every week I'd point out the lake to her in the distance. Every week after only about 10 minutes into our walk she would say "Okay, you can take me back now." Every week I'd leave her tucked into her bed all ready for her next nap.

Today she passed from this world, and her soul went from this temporal place to an eternal one. At first my human response thought more of the temporal.

Wow, I was just with her last Tuesday and she's not going to be there tomorrow as usual. She's gone from this life.

But not too much later, my thoughts moved to eternity. While this dear old lady had little will to keep on living in this life, today there is nothing dead about her soul. In fact, her thinking and understanding now is no doubt more clear than it has ever been. I don't know if she ever recognized the King of the Universe in this life, but she recognizes Him now. I am sad... not really because I miss her, but because I don't know where her soul is now and what she faced beyond this life. I don't know if today she met the Eternal Judge or her only possible Savior. It's a sobering thought. I am quick to get caught up in the here and now, but the only thing that matters in the here and now is living and investing for then... for eternity.

108 1/2 years old and still like-minded

I am sorry for the lack of posts or emails. It has been a very busy summer. I am currently visiting relatives in the Mid West and internet connections have not been readily accessible.
Today I had the wonderful opportunity of meeting and visiting a with woman who is 108 1/2 years old (She always makes sure to add that 1/2 year). Her name is Claudia Ketchum. She is a long time friend of my mom's family.
Claudia is amazing. She is so full of life, joy, love, humor, and thanksgiving. She loves the Lord and she makes that known in her speech. I listened as she frequently brought up Jesus and praised His name. I listened as she expressed thanks for so many things in her life dispite the excrutiating pain. I listened as she counselled herself through disappointments and things she was having a hard time being thankful for. There is much to learn from those who have lived longer than us, especially those who are believers.
There are so many things I could share with you about our visit. I wanted to share one quote here. She has said this as long as my mom remembers whenever she would cry easily because of her love for others, especially as she would say goodbye.

"My bladder is too close to my eyes. I was born that way."

I liked it because it showed her sense of humor and it shows how much she values and loves people. She knows how to hug, smile, and welcome as very few do.
I was so blessed to meet her and spend time with her. To be honest, I did not want to go and I had no desire to meet some random lady even if she was 108 1/2. Now I am wondering when I can go back.
One of my resolutions and prayers today is that I would be a sincere individual. I do not love others and prefer others as I should. I would rather not converse with people I don't know. I am praying that God would work in my heart to give me a sincere love for others. I want to love believers and unbelievers, those I know and those I don't, young and old. I don't want to be fake in meeting new people and I don't want to be a flatterer. I want to love them as Christ would. I would greatly appreciate your prayer for this as well.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to our dear friend Jenn... someone who has graced our lives with her presence, encouragement, friendship, creativity, service, diligence, and love...

Happy Birthday to someone who has a zest for life, who does everything to the best of her abiity, who continually gives 110% in effort, who desires to please God with all she does...

Happy Birthday to someone who has flourished and grown mightily in just a few short years since her salvation... someone who loves God and wants to obey Him...

Happy Birthday to someone who has been an RA, served on ASB, who has gone on missions trips, who has studied in IBEX, who teaches school to kids, who loves politics (and even likes Election Day almost better than Christmas), who has studied Hebrew and Greek, and who has a deep passion about all of the above...

Happy Birthday to the 2006 Master's graduate, to the next IBEX volunteer, and to someone who will Lord willing be a great vessel that God will use incredibly for His Kingdom all the way until her last birthday here on earth...

Happy Birthday to a very special friend...

The Brilliance of Book Clubs

I was browsing around the "Girl Talk" web site (one of our links at the right). This site is authored by CJ Mahaney's wife and daughters. (By the way, it's a great site with lots of useful resources... so check it out.) But I found that they "copied" us and that they started a Book Club! Check it out here. Actually, it's dubious that they copied us at all, because they have probably never stepped foot in our site. But it's a good sign that others are doing the same thing... and not just any others, but pastor's wives and godly women who have a site that is probably visited by thousands of people... while we still have approximately 10 who view our site (including ourselves).
So, even though I don't always read my book on time, I am sold on the brilliance of Book Clubs among friends. It's a great way to learn together across the miles and to be a small part of each others' lives. I was reading today in the E. George book, and I am very thankful for it... she is very practical and wise, and I love all her tips. So, press on dear friends, and I will too. Sometimes that involves not majoring on the minors, as I still continue to learn. If you haven't read that part of E. George's book yet, check it out on page 45.
By the way, "Girl Talk" is reading Twelve Extraordinary Women as their first book. Maybe we should add it to our list. =)

Ten New Things

1. I am practicing soccer as often as possible. I am resolved to use every opportunity to practice to be better prepared for wherever the Lord may send me. I came to this conclusion after visiting Peru, the recent World Cup , and thinking about how most of the world plays soccer. I am horrible.

2. I just finished reading Jerry Bridges’ Trusting God and am very thankful for that book.

3. I am reading the book How to Speak, How to Listen by Adler. He also wrote How to Read a Book which comes highly recommended by many profs at TMC. I am really enjoying it. Maybe I will post on it later.

4. Maybe, I shouldn’t have included number 2 and 3 since I am very far behind in our book club reading and posting.

5. I finished my last paper of my undergraduate work. It feels good!

6. I leave in less than a week for the Midwest to see my extended family.

7.Count down for Israel: 28 days. I made a chain.

8.I’ll write this here even though it has already been written because I am so excited and have no one else left to tell: JODI’S GOING TO ISRAEL!!!!!!!!!!! I’m jumping for joy right now.

9.I just watched The Passion of Christ. It came out when I was in Israel my first time so I had never seen it. I appreciated thinking on Christ’s suffering and God’s grace to me but there were other things about it that I did not appreciate.

10.The weather in the Bay Area is finally warm. I am enjoying the hot weather and iced coffee.

Lessons Learned from Children 2

I like the questions children ask and how many opportunities are presented to teach them about God. You really can teach them while sitting, walking, lying down, or rising, as the Israelites were commanded in Deuteronomy 6. My nephew in the car the other day asked me, “Aunt Jenny, what will Heaven be like?” Another day, he asked me what a human was. This then led to a discussion of how humans differ from other creatures and things and how as humans we are created in God’s image. At the end of the discussion he drew the wrong conclusion that if we were created in God’s image then God was human too. This led to a whole other conversation to correct this wrong idea. At the end of this discussion I was led to proclaim that God was awesome and completely unlike us. After I stated this, Sean, my nephew, declared, “I think we should tell Him that He is awesome.” My nephew sings theology and of God’s love, grace, creative power, and salvation in the bathtub. Although he doesn’t do it in those exact words. I think it is much easier to teach children these things and they accept it more readily than adults. I am reminded of Matthew 18:3 which says that unless you become like little children you will not enter the kingdom of God.

Lessons Learned from Children

The thing that has struck me with the most force while spending time with kids this summer is that kids remind me of my own sinfulness and of the deceitfulness which dwells in my heart. While some may look at cute little kids and see the inherent goodness of man, I see mans wickedness and need for a Savior. The deception that a four year old is able to conceive of astounds me. Kids so naturally know how to harm one another and use their mouths to tear one another down. Their first inclination seems to be to fight against what they are told to do and desire to not be forced to submit. I see this in my one-year-old niece.

While working with the kids I also have considered my own actions as a child. In first grade I discovered a way to cheat on my Bible verse quizzes. For the rest of that year I never studied another Bible verse. Every P.E. day, the same year, at the age of six, I would consider new ways to willfully deceive my teacher so I could miss P.E. I was a good liar. There are many other examples in my life of my wicked heart. All of this just reminds me how thankful I am for the gospel. I thought I was very good growing up and most adults also would have said I was a good child. Appearing good on the outside was not enough. I was a white-washed tomb. My heart was dreadfully wicked. I thought I was just fine and that I didn’t need a Savior. I was so blind. I am so incredibly grateful that God called me and allowed me to see my sin and saved me when I despised Him and was in a state of denial of both my sin and my need for a savior.

Two Months

Can you guys believe that it's been two months since graduation and since we were all together for the last time? I miss you! The time has gone by so fast... summers always seem to fly by.

Just a few thoughts of reflection on things I have learned and observed since we left Master's:
- It's not easy to maintain a correct summer mentality.
- It's not always easy to get my books done on time for the Book Club! In fact I am still working on May and June's!... but catching up!
- I am surprised at times by my own wrongful and selfish responses to some of the people that I love most in the world. I shouldn't be surprised... Sin is evident in all areas, and is sometimes brought out at the strangest (or the most normal) of times.
- It is different to live with people who are one and two generations older than me after living with people all the same age at college. Good, but different. It is also different to go from being Head RA of Sweazy to being the youngest generation in the house. =)
- Sometimes it's harder to get things done when you're not on a busy schedule and under pressure.
- For two months I have been in limbo regarding next year. Today, two months after graduation, I found out for sure what I will be up to next year. The waiting time was a grace of God to me. He gave me these two months to trust Him, to bring me to a place of contentment regardless of the outcome. I am thankful for that. It's good to be able to leave the future in our Creator's hands.
- I am reminded of the continued need to fight to live for what's important and what's true and what is God-honoring. It's easy to be side-tracked. Victory tomorrow is gained by faithfulness today. Too often I forget that.

Well, those are just a few. I am continually thankful for you--my like-minded friends--for how your lives encourage my own.

Iron Sharpens Iron

(Also written in Peru but never posted)

I just wanted to tell ya'll how thankful I am for you. While reading in Proverbs 27 I was reminded of that. I'm so glad God chooses to work in people through people. I am very thankful to have you in my life and for your wise counsel and input.

Prov. 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

Prov. 27:9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad and the sweetness of a friend comes from His earnest counsel.

Prov. 27:17 Iron sharpens iron and one man sharpens another.

--POSTED BY JENN

The Power of Prayer

(This entry was written at the end of my trip to Peru I just never got a chance to type it up and post it online.)

As I have been reading through Mark one thing I have really noticed has been the power and authority of Jesus. It is a really short book, packed full of action. In the very first chapter I saw God's amazing power on display as Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law. She lay ill with a fever and He took her by the hand, and healed her, and she instantly started serving. It wasn't just a partial healing. She didn't start recovering and relax for a week. It was instantaneous and she immediately began serving them.

As I continued reading I couldn't help marveling at God's amazing power. He continues to heal. He cleanses a leper, He restores a withered hand, He grants hearing to deaf ears. His power is displayed as He walks on water. In chapter nine I found even more evidence of God's amazing power. Verse 3 referring to the transfiguration speaks of clothes so radiant and intensely white as no one on earth could bleach them (ESV). As silly as this may sound this stood out to me showing God’s awesome power to do that which on earth is humanly impossible.

After the transfiguration, Jesus then heals a boy who has an unclean spirit. He says to the spirit come out of him and never enter him again. He spoke with authority and tremendous power. Now the account tells us that the disciples had tried to cast out this demon but couldn’t. After Jesus healed the boy they privately asked why they had been powerless to do so. After being struck time and time again with God’s awesome power I was even more struck with Jesus’ response. He tells them in verse 29 “this kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” Prayer is so powerful and it is a means through which God chooses to work and display His power.

I have seen this power on display this week. I told you in a previous post about the little girl who got saved at Alta Routa, the Jr. High youth group. This Friday night I prayed again multiple times. I asked God about a specific youth, about opportunities to speak to him, and I asked Him to save one child there that night. God answered above and beyond what I ever expected or could even imagine. Four kids got saved that night and we found out that 2 others we had been seriously praying for had been saved earlier this week. The two kids saved earlier this week were actually brothers. We have been praying for the salvation of their entire family since the beginning of our trip here. Please pray with us for the Oliva family. God is so awesome and prayer is so powerful. We should be praying more than anything we are doing. We should bathe whatever we are doing in prayer.
--POSTED BY JENN