What Was He Thinking?

Sometimes I wish I knew what God was thinking…
Sometimes I wonder why God allows things to happen like He does…

Yesterday one of my favorite southern gospel musicians, Anthony Burger, died suddenly, leaving his wife to raise their three small children alone. He had just finished playing “We Shall Behold Him” as a piano solo while on a Bill Gaither Homecoming cruise, when he collapsed on the stage. They figured it was a heart attack. He was only 44.

This past weekend the little two-year-old son of our security guard, Nhlanhla, died after only two days illness—with what they thought was the flu. Nhlanhla is a rare Swazi husband and father in that he truly cares for his family, working hard to take care of them and living his life as a true example of a Christian.

And my beautiful 15-year-old granddaughter, Tori, brings up yet another question. She has some sort of painful problem with her back that continues to be a puzzle to the doctors. Tori is a very lovely person, inside and out. She’s kind and helpful at home, caring for her four brothers without complaining (including 2-year-old twins).

Tori isn’t rebellious like a lot of kids her age, is obedient even when it may not seem like the right thing to her, and most importantly, she really loves Jesus (check out

Tori's blog

).

Why does she have to deal with this physical problem?

My own mother had a full life, living every day for Jesus. She died in her sleep just as she had always wanted, having suffered only the usual old age ailments. Yet last week my brother’s mother-in-law passed away after a long and painful illness. She had been a Christian most of her life.

So why are these people and others like them allowed to go through such trials?
Doesn’t God care?
What was He thinking?
I sure don’t have the answers.

Today I read the Acts account of Peter and John and the crippled guy at the temple gate. Peter just told him to be healed in the name of Jesus. And the next thing you know he’s running and jumping and leaping and praising the Lord, just going wild in front of everybody, fully healed.

Why can’t I pray for people and they are instantly healed like that?

I know when God directs, the plan is better than my human mind can understand. His events always have a better outcome than my shortsightedness can guess.

Like the guy at the temple gate, the plan for his healing began at his birth. What a huge disappointment it must have been to his parents for him to be born crippled. But God’s plan was for his story to be told for the next 2000 years, to encourage people like me to know that His plans have purpose.

And I do know this: I can trust Him. Anthony Burger’s wife and kids can trust Him. Nhlanhla and his family can trust Him. Tori can trust Him.

And I also know that my God can do anything. So I’ll just lean on Him as I pray for these dear ones. He’s the giver of life and health. He is the one who gives that very remarkable "joy unspeakable" and the precious "peace that passes all understanding."

And He does have the answers.

Grandmothers always show pictures...

(it's an unwritten rule)

While their parents are gone for a couple of weeks, Pop and Meemaw are watching the kids.

Is this a treat, or what! Here's a bragging photo of our Swaziland mks (missionary kids) l to r, Trinity 2, Kayla 8, Levi 5.

Off We Go...

Dave and I are heading out again for Swaziland tomorrow. To our "Other Life."

Please be praying for us to have a safe trip, to stay healthy, and to be effective workers in the field for Jesus.

Whatever God has planned for us, we want to do it with all our might. We want to do it right. We want to be effective for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We want to see little ones come to know the Lord, the One who can turn their lives around, bringing hope and joy and peace.

Thanks for you prayers.

Whine List #1

I think I’ll do an occasional whine list on my blog. That way poor hubby won’t get the brunt of my complaints. I’ll just cast my whines on the blog. So here’s the first one:

WORDS & PHRASES

When I was a kid in school, I had English teachers who demanded we speak and write correctly.

Now, I’m not the world’s best at this, but I do try. And with our ‘Cup publications going out to the world, we strive to do it right.

I know I do and say a lot of stuff wrong—including typing my emails in all lower case, simply because it’s easier to type that way. Probably drives some people crazy.

But there are some things being said and done nowadays (even on TV news reporting) that really get under my skin. And I’ll bet my English teacher, Mrs. McWhirter, would have plenty of red marks on THIS essay, but here goes.

“Going northbound”
This should be either “northbound” or “going north” –it’s redundant to say both.

“We are so happy to have he and his wife…”
The easy way to tell whether to use he or him is to drop the rest of the sentence. You wouldn’t say “We are so happy to have he.” You say, “We are happy to have HIM.” So to say it all correctly: “We are so happy to have him and his wife.”

“The gift was for my husband and I."
It’s still the same problem. I or me. Same rule as above applies. Drop the other person, “The gift was for I” or “The gift was for me.” Decide which sounds better, and then put the other person in without changing the rest of the sentence.

Fill vs. feel
I know this one is more of a southern pronunciation thing. It just sounds funny when I’m asked to “feel the cup” when it was really meant to be “fill the cup.” On the other hand, when I’m asked, “How do you fill?” I’m tempted to say, “With my fingers."

Alright vs all right
I was taught it was two words: all right. But I guess enough people misspelled it and now it is accepted as a proper spelling. (I wonder what Mrs. McWhirter would think of this.)

AM / PM
When you say “It starts at 3pm in the afternoon” you are being redundant. Again. You need only say PM or afternoon since both mean the same thing. Perhaps it would be better said, “It starts at 3 o’clock in the afternoon” or “It starts at 3PM.” Same goes for AM…it means morning. Actually 12 midnight to 12 noon is AM; 12 noon to 12 midnight is PM.

Bring vs take
When to say which one…my daughter is totally confused over this one, along with thousands of other folks. It's simple: You bring it here and take it there. “Take your umbrella with you today, it looks like rain.” (Not bring.) “Bring your whole family!” means I’m inviting you to come from where you are to where I am. Why does everyone use “bring” in all those situations?

I’m sure there are more words and phrases I could list here, but I am getting too whiny.

What are your words and phrases complaints? Let's share and whine together!

End of the Spear

Hubby took me to see a GREAT movie Saturday.

A missionary movie, called "End of the Spear."

About Nate Saint and his martyrdom along with four other missionaries...but how it didn't end there. It was actually the beginning.

Please go see the movie. It's well worth your investment of money and time.

And it's a true happening.

By the way, stay for the credits. The video played along there is really the topper of the story.

I left the place convinced that being a missionary is the best thing in the world. I'm so glad God lets me be one.

about getting older...

getting old has a price.

my most recent payment was my back. almost anything can throw it out of kelter. so i've been whimpering around for the last few days.

when your back is out of whack, everything takes great planning.

for instance, listening to the early warning of the bladder. two items are of utmost importance at this point. one, the warnings of the bladder come on suddenly and urgently, leaving little time to accomplish the trip to the bathroom. but, ah, the trip to the bathroom takes longer when the back isn't functioning properly. that's the second item. it took me about 5 minutes to get from point a (at rest) to point b (bathroom).

i had to carefully, prayerfully, inch my way, step by itsy-bitsy step, down the hallway to the bathroom. holding on to the walls either side of the passageway proved helpful. when i would finally reach the goal, my bladder would be so excited to finally get to empty itself that i had to be extremely careful to use the muscles to control it and yet neither tense-up nor disturb the muscles that allow me to seat myself comfortably (which were also the muscles that were in a tight little ball, daring me to move the wrong way) before freeing the bladder to empty. timing was so important.

after a couple of days the meds prescribed by the doc began to take effect, and i could finally move about a bit more. by this time the laundry was beginning to look like mount saint helen's. (i was hoping it wouldn't explode like msh.) so i decided to tackle the laundry. as it was impossible for me to bend over and pick up anything, i had to invent something to assist me.

using my great wisdom, i took one of those nasty coathangers you get at the cleaners, and devised a tool with which i could hook an item and bring it to my hands without having to bend over. i sorted those dirty clothes into three, nay four, piles: the whites, the lights, the darks and the towels. after chosing which pile needed washing first, i used my handy dandy hook to pick up the items and place them into the washer.

when the cycle was finished, using the device ever so adeptly, i removed items from the washer and put them into the dryer. after they were nice and dry, i used my tool to pull the clean and dry items from the dryer and into my talented hands and folded them beautifully.

my wonderful husband came home and put things away, bless his heart.

we may find them all one day. (just kidding!)

my coat hanger invention does have its limits, however. sayong, i cannot pick up my dropped cell phone, book, or peanut shells. kleenex will cooperate if handled properly and patiently.

i got showered and dressed this morning without needing to use my new tool to pull a clean towel from the shelf. However, i was made aware once again of my age with the old inability to put my socks on without being able to breathe properly--or to hear clearly--because i was bent over.

and now i'm back at the office, working at my computer.

beautiful day today. too bad i can't go out and play. i have to fold letters. i wonder if i can figure out how to do this with my coat hanger...???

Check out my brother Tom

My youngest brother, Tom, just started his blog...

You'll want to read his tribute to our mom.

And thanks to all of you for your wonderful and kind words. Such an outpouring of love and support is amazing.