Wisteriamelody

SDA Hymnal #419

Soon shall the trump of God

Give out the welcome sound,

That shakes death's silent chamber walls,

And breaks the turf-sealed ground

You dwellers in the dust, 

Awake, come forth, and sing;

Sharp has your frost of winter been,

But bright shall be your spring.

'Twas sown in weakness here;

'Twill then be raised in power;

That which was sown an earthly seed

Shall rise a heav'nly flower.

Quilt square I made for Caitlin

I can hardly wait to hear the beautiful sound of Caitlin's voice singing God's praises when He comes to wake her from her peaceful rest.

At Emily's Wedding, July 2012

Ampersand Mountain, Summer 2008

I could share many memories of Caitlin, as could many of her friends. She was beautiful inside and out and exuded joy. She used to like to talk about "God colors," as she called them. I remember her talking about how we are like prisms, and when God's light shines in and through us, we reflect the "God color" that He wishes to show to the world through our unique beauty. If anyone knew about reflecting God's love and beauty, it was Caitlin.

Playing for worship at Camp Cherokee

Caitlin also loved music; she played her violin with so much emotion, and she had the most melodious alto voice. She loved to harmonize. And she loved to sing lullabies. She would sing them to Christy, Christen, and me when we were all suitemates in college. My favorite was, "If I could, I would give you wings..." She also sang them to her cabins full of girls when she worked as a counselor at Camp Cherokee.

But by far, my favorite memories of Caitlin were our heart-to-heart talks. She was famous for them. She always, always made time for people-- to listen to them pour out their woes, to comfort them with soft words, prayers, and love. The day she flew up to Maine, she made time for Timothy and me to come visit her for a while. She sat in her recliner while I stroked her hair, and she listened with grace. She listened and she also took time to share from her heart; despite the fact that her voice was gone, she whispered words of encouragement and shared her own thoughts and cares.

With Shaila at Christy's wedding

Last night as Timothy and I were having worship together, we decided to sing "I Wanna Go to Heaven." But when we got to the line, "And when I get to Heaven, I'll cast my crown at Jesus' feet," I couldn't sing for the tears that choked my voice.

Christy's bridal shower

When Caitlin and I were suitemates, there was one Friday night that she and I sat out in the lobby of the second floor in the Girls' Dorm and talked. I was going through a very rough time emotionally, and we were talking of Heaven. We talked about Revelation 4:10, 11 and how it says that the 24 elders cast their crowns at Jesus' feet and praised His name. Caitlin and I talked about how when we got to Heaven we were going to lay our crowns at Jesus' feet because He is the one who is deserving of honor and glory. Our part as heirs with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven will not be won by our efforts, but by the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and to Him belong each of the crowns that we will wear in Heaven.

I can hardly wait to stand side by side with Caitlin and lay our crowns at Jesus' feet. I only pray that that day will come soon that we may all be forever with our God.

At Christy's Wedding, June 2010

At Martina's Wedding, May 2012

Autumn Leaves

Every time I look out my bedroom window I am reminded of the beauty that God instills into life on this earth. And every time I look out my bedroom window, I can't help but thank God for that beauty-- not just the beauty in the red and green leaves on the tree outside my window, but also the beauty that I see in the lives of those by whom I am surrounded.

Sunday afternoon as I looked out my window from my view at my desk, I saw the leaves and thought how incredible it is that God is able to infuse beauty even into death. The autumn leaves-- brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows, as well as the leaves that are changing, but still hanging on to bits of green-- are reminders to me that God can bring beauty out of pain, that even in the face of death people and nature can exude life and God's splendor.

Somehow seeing those autumn leaves gave me hope. Hope that all is not vain. They reminded me that somehow even in the ugliness of sin, even in death-- Satan's most powerful weapon-- God still triumphs; He still wins and brings about good and beauty.

Recently I have been reminded that death, or rather the threat of death, is no respecter of persons. Death can threaten the young or the old and the ones in-between, those with families and those who are alone, and it can threaten even the most beautiful and God-filled people on Earth. This is something I have been reminded of because several friends of mine, some who are close and some who are not as close, have been facing the reality that life on Earth does not last forever and could potentially end much sooner for them than for the average person.

However, I have seen in their words and actions a faith and a fearlessness that emanates vibrant life and beauty. Their trust in the goodness of God when life does not seem good and their unflinching defiance of the temporary power of death over their souls bears a great resemblance to those autumn leaves outside my window. As the autumn leaves in the face of their mortality, still they breathe beauty; for that is what they were created to do-- reflect the beauty of the Maker. And in spite of approaching winter they light up the world with a beautiful autumn blaze not so different from that of this Tennessee valley.

So I will continue to look out my window and smile at the turning leaves that bring to mind the hope we have in Christ. Because that hope of eternal life and glory, of Love and beauty is what reminds me that in the end Love wins, and that is all that truly matters.

Overblessed

I'm waxing a bit melancholy tonight-- but a good sort of melancholy.

I've been catching up on blogs, looking at pictures of my friends far away, and wishing and longing desperately to be near to each of my dear friends all at once.

I've also been realizing tonight that I am overblessed. Blessed beyond all measure. And my heart is overflowing with gratefulness and humble awe at the God I serve who has deemed it good to lavish His love on me in such a way.

God has placed in my path a great host of faith-inspiring friends who He has used to shape my life. And He continues to use them to refine me and point me ever and always to Him. These blessings of friendship with incredible people whose lives have been wholly committed to God and His cause have enriched my life here on this earth and have also given me even more reason to wish for God's soon return to come quickly-- that I may be continually in His Presence as well as in the presence of those who reflect His beauty and glory.

As I've been sitting here feeling enriched, there is a song that has been echoing in my mind, especially this part:

We're all homesick, 
Is love the reason? 
My hunger led me to your hope. 
Until the end of this colder season 
Keep us warm

Cause we are always Eden
The day after she fell.
We see good and evil
And choose which one to tell.

~Alli Rogers, "Eden"


Thank you to each of my wonderful friends who has chosen to tell Love.

The Waiting Place

Several many months ago, I read a book entitled The Waiting Place by Eileen Button. My friend, Beth-Anne had given it to me as a birthday present, and I enjoyed it immensely. It is a collection of personal stories intended to help each of us appreciate the "waiting place," wherever and whenever it might be for each of us. The author talks about how we always seem to be rushing ahead to the next stage in life, always wanting to get out of this chapter and into the next chapter in which we expect to find more joy and happiness than we have in the present moment. Her point in this book is that we can learn to find and appreciate the joy and happiness of the here and now, the day-to-day living that comes in between life's big events.

As I said, I enjoyed this book so much, and I could write about many different stories or ideas that the author presented that really resonated with me. However, I just want to share one quote that I felt captured the point of the entire book.

"We can wait all our lives for the next stage to come. Or we can choose to see the waiting place for what it often is: unexpectedly magical and holy."

God wants us to find joy and to see the holy beauty of each moment in our lives with which He has blessed us. And I'm learning that the best way to do that is to verbally thank Him each day for the blessing of life He has given and to walk in close company with Him each day.

I AM

Sometimes I wonder how God does it. How does He hold all the sorrow, all the joy, all the beauty, all the heartache in His heart and not shatter into a million pieces? And then I remember: I AM.


He is. He always was, He always will be. 


He is the inexplicable, all-loving God. His capacity for love and His capacity for pain are both greater than my finite human mind could ever hope to grasp. He can experience both at once and not break because He is the great I AM.


And right now, nothing in the universe is more comforting to me than the knowledge that the great I AM is Love and is present.


"At that time, declares the Lord, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the LORD: 'The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.' 

"For the Lord has ransomed Jacob and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him. 

"'I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow. I will feast the soul of the priests with abundance, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness,' declares the LORD."

Jeremiah 31: 1-3, 11, 13-14