Lent Day 26: God's tender heart

Z is a dear friend of +25 years. She's also one of the best moms and grandmas I've ever met. Every second week, between long one-week work shifts, she  and her husband fly to another state. Not for fun. Not for relaxation. Not for sunshine.

Their daughter and her husband are doctors. So they go to watch their daughter's 3- and 7-year old kids. I'm staggered by the practical love that this couple demonstrates. They could send emails and letters. They could just talk on the phone. Instead, Z and S meet their children and grandkids face to face.

Isn't that just like God's love for us?

Our Father in heaven sent us letters (scriptures) and his emissaries (the prophets). And then, when the time was right, He came and lived among us.

I am astonished by Jesus. He became Immanuel, God with us. More than a political deliverer, he freed us from our broken humanity. He took our burdens and shame. He extended God's forgiveness, wholeness, and abundant life.

Do we care for others in the same way?

"See what [an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, 

that we should [be permitted to] be named 

and called and counted the children of God!

 And so we are!" 1 John 3:1 Amplified

What makes your heart sing when you think about God as Father? About Jesus as our Redeemer? About the Spirit who makes His home in us and guides us in all truth?

Read more:
*Those who mock the poor insult their Maker; those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished. Proverbs 17:5 NEV

*Jesus says, "When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you." Luke 14:13-14 NEV

*Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21   NIV

*[We are] looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 ESV

Moravian Prayer: God of all, we thank you that you have included all people into your embrace. Forgive us when we leave people out and inspire us to reach out to include everybody. Amen.

CS Lewis: The Great Divorce, on choosing the absence of God in hell over the presence of God

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell choose it. Without that self-choice, there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek, find. To those who knock, it is opened.”. . .

“Hell is a state of mind—ye never said a truer word. And every state of mind, left to itself, every shutting up of the creature within the dungeon of its own mind is, in the end, Hell. But Heaven is not a state of mind. Heaven is reality itself. All that is fully real is Heavenly.”. . .

“Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World. Look at yon butterfly. If it swallowed all Hell, Hell would not be big enough to do it any harm or to have any taste. . . .

“A damned soul is nearly nothing: it is shrunk, shut up in itself. Good beats upon the damned incessantly as sound waves beat on the ears of the deaf, but they cannot receive it. Their fists are clenched, their teeth are clenched, their eyes fast shut. First they will not, in the end they cannot, open their hands for gifts, or their mouths for food, or their eyes to see.”

“Then no one can ever reach them?”

“Only the Greatest of all can make Himself small enough to enter Hell. For the higher a thing is, the lower it can descend—a man can sympathise with a horse but a horse cannot sympathise with a rat. Only One has descended into Hell.”

Terrific two!

Our granddaughter and her parents moved into our place on Saturday. What a busy girl she is!

We're reading Make Way for Ducklings. I "read" it in German, of course. We're practicing coming when called: "Look at how the ducklings come right away when Mama Duck quacks! When Oma calls, Kinsey comes right away." Well, that works in theory.

Talk about a culture shift. In the 1941 book, the kids ride a swan barge in around a Boston lake with their extended families. The boat has no siderails, but no one falls in or drowns. The policemen are willing to drive over to stop traffic for ducklings, and no one seems aggravated by the delay. And people are allowed to feed the ducks, too. imagine!

Making sure Oma understands

We've been up to the nearby park a few times. Kinsey is resigned to walking up our hill and through the neighborhood.

"Oma, Up-We-GO! Up-We-GO!" she hollered at me the first two times. I'm thinking, hey, sweetie, let's both work on our leg muscles. She trots along, pauses to drag sticks from the side of the street, and tosses pebbles into the drains. "Plop!"

Since watching a caterpillar move dirt near the park, Kinsey's been scooping up dirt, mulch, and gravel. She tips it out of her hands with glee. "Look, Oma!"

We had a nice surprise for her today: a little dozer came down our driveway, moved a bunch of gravel, and made a ramp and landing pad for our basement suite.

We went outside to say hi to the guys and admire the dozer up close. Of course, she had to get her hands dirty by showing me how the shovel scoops mud. Happy girl!

Kinsey explaining Snuggle
Puppy glasses to Oma

Another treat has been reading Snuggle Puppy. We've put on glasses, held an umbrella, eaten cookies, and worn hats, just like Snuggle Puppy. It's all I can do not to giggle but we're trying to be serious about our imitations. HAHA

Though our lives are in full transition, the small things may bring the biggest joys. Ordinary moments pile up to create extraordinary memories and a memorable life.

Read more:
*The king said to Daniel, "Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings." Daniel 2:47 NLT

*I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 NLT

*Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. 2 Timothy 1:13-14 NIV

*All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV

Moravian Prayer: Our King and Master who reigns over all of creation, you have promised us that we are the ones who will not be separated from your love. We pray that we may spread your love to those who still need it. Amen.

Strange, wonderful aloneness

The last of our four children moved out yesterday. Our youngest son, who graduated university in December, packed up his room to live with two good friends.

Of course, the relocation wasn't without hiccups! The first two guys loaded their stuff into the UHaul and went to move it into the apartment. Then they learned they couldn't move in until the next day. So I came home to a UHaul parked at the top of the street - and three husky guys sitting on our LR sofa.

"Hi! I know Bob," I smiled at one of Jono's good friends. "But who are you guys?"

The two roommates introduced themselves. "We are essentially homeless until tomorrow, so Jono said we could sleep over. He's sleeping off his night shift in the guest room while we wait around." Of course, Jono's room had been disassembled. His bed and furniture, while not yet loaded into the truck, were packed up for a quick getaway.

I can't tell you the deep laughter inside this mother's heart. Oh, the resilience and flexibility of youth! We had a nice visit. Great guys. They made themselves coffee on W's espresso machine. (My coffee can be toxic since I'm not a coffee drinker.) I enjoyed my cup of tea.

Then I pointed to the sofa/futons, asked them to use sheets over the slipcovers, and bid them a fine stay before my husband and I headed out the door to an overnight event.

We came home last night to an empty house. The old bedroom is still chaotic. There are papers, a few bags of garbage, and some unsorted boxes left after their whirlwind of leaving. Hopefully Jono will clear it out this week. ("Ha ha, you optimist," I can hear my friends chortling.)

There's a strange wonder to this new season of parents-without-children as we become honeymooners. We're without kids for the first time in 32 years! Lots of people have come and gone at our house. More recently, Jono often had college friends sleep over.

I can tell I'm going to love the new privacy, of not running into young men headed up the stairs to the main bathroom's shower. We can wander into the kitchen in PJs and not find some stranger frying bacon or scrambling eggs at the stove. The sink and bathrooms will stay as clean as we make them. How cool is that!

My new mantra: "Empty nest is not a syndrome. It's a vacation!" Luckily our almost-2-year-old granddaughter disassembles the house one day a week, so I have toys and measuring cups to retrieve and replace in their cupboards.

I bet God loves the seasons of His children's maturity. He holds us when we're youngsters, disciplines us as spiritual "teens," and assigns us difficult and rigorous work as mature believers.

How did you feel, moving out of your childhood home? How about when your kids left?

Do you appreciate the seasons of spiritual maturity as God sees you through life?

Read more:
*In God's hand is the life of every living thing. Job 12:10 NLT

*My child, listen to me and do as I say, and you will have a long, good life. I will teach you wisdom's ways and lead you in straight paths. When you walk, you won't be held back; when you run, you won't stumble. Take hold of my instructions; don't let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. Proverbs 4:10–13 NLT

*The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11 NIV

*God is not far from each one of us. For “In him we live and move and have our being.” Acts 17:27-28 NLT

Moravian Prayer: Tending God, you give life and then you draw near to your creation. When we face difficulties, remind us that you are holding us all in your powerful hand and are by our side through it all. Amen. 

How did you feel when you left home? When your kids moved out?

Lent Day 9: Quick and to the point

Seeing herself on the IPad camera

This has to be quick. Little Miss is here today. She's already written on the door of my office, tossed the pewter cat on the floor, and is splashing in the dog water. Rescue needed. I'll be back!

It's fun to watch babies grow. Miss K is 19 months and beginning to express herself. She has the run of the house so we keep our eyes on her all the time.

Miss K hears Kirsten's dog barking
over the phone

I wonder if God built in us his own sense of wonder and delight as we grow in the faith.

We know he never takes his eyes off us. Any of you with children or grandchilden can understand why!

Read more:

*We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Psalm 124:7

*Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."Proverbs 3:13–15 NLT

*For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NLT
Moravian Prayer: Liberating Savior, there are so many ways in which we can be ensnared by things of this world. Give us discernment, that we may always choose the freedom of right relationship in you. Amen.

Quiet before the little storm

All's quiet. Our granddaughter is stirring in the next room. It's early morning and once she awakes, the day starts its run. The first thing is a warm bottle and a long walk with Oma and the dogs. We went 3.5 miles yesterday, long enough to tire Kinsey out and drain the excess energy from Oma's head.

Melissa, our daughter-in-love, is recovering from back surgery at our house while her husband serves as best man in MT for his best friend. Melissa can't hold Kinsey for 3-4 weeks. For now, I'm hoisting the toddler up to mom-height for hugs throughout the day.

Meanwhile, we have a designated drawer where Kinsey can haul out the dishcloths and tea towels. She's sifted and sorted plastic containers into bowls, taken apart Easter eggs, and walked the breadth and length of the house many times. 

Some women, especially those with selective amnesia, don't remember how much work it was to raise children. As grandmothers, they exclaim how busy and exhausted they are, watching their grandchildren. Personally, I shall never forget how many diapers and feedings a baby needs. Mothering our kids––from the first to the fourth child––was a constant parade of feeding, cleaning, laundry, and training that my husband escaped by working to support us. One or two kids were in diapers for 11 years, with a two years break somewhere near the end. I was happy for the little pause before the last one arrived!

I'm happy to have "outgrown" that stage of life, especially as I watch and thrill to Melissa's great care of their little darling. Now, the love of little hands reminds me that Oma is a good stage: I get to enjoy Kinsey for a few more days before her other grandma arrives to care for her daughter and granddaughter. 

God's attention to little ones, from the time their baby toenails start to grow, through this stage––learning to walk and explore––amazes me. Kinsey's high trust and love of people demonstrates Melissa's wonderful mothering and safe household she's growing in.

This morning, I'm grateful for "little storms" of activity that blow into our house, like sweet Kinsey. And I admit that I'm thankful for the pre-whirlwind hush, too!

Read more:

"The LORD is God, shining upon us." Psalm 118:27

*Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power;  praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.  Psalm 150    NIV