The World’s Unluckiest Traveler?
Recently we traveled to Ukraine again. This time, after the adventure we had last time, we decided to get traveler’s insurance just in case… This traveler’s insurance would cover interruptions in our travel and unexpected costs associated with changes in our itinerary besides medical benefits. Little did we know how we would need it this time.
We made all our connections through Chicago (just barely) and on through to Ukraine this time. When we checked in at Omaha, the gal at the counter had the wise foresight to schedule us on two flights out of Chicago just in case we would miss the first one. Well, we did miss the first one and were so thankful for the second reservation. We hadn’t looked at our tickets carefully enough though and when we went to board the plane, we found out our tickets were for Business Class! WOW! We didn’t expect that, but we enjoyed it.
After a good two weeks in Ukraine, we spent the weekend in Vienna. Since it was a holiday weekend we decided to stay an extra day. On that last day we were able to hear the Vienna Boys’ Choir – what a wonderful experience. From there, we decided to buy tickets for the Hop-on/Hop-off bus that goes around the city. Our first stop was Prater Amusement Park where we had hoped to ride the world’s largest ferris wheel.
Just as we stepped into the park, some guy on a bicycle came barreling through not looking where he was going and knocked me to the ground. I hit my head on the pavement and was quite dazed. He stopped to ask if I was all right but then raced off again. I figured I was o.k. – I was conscious and aware of my surroundings, but my wrist hurt awfully bad. My husband helped me up and we looked for the nearest bench for me to sit on. The closest one was right in front of the bumper cars – oooh, ouch! Every time those cars bumped, I felt it.
My husband went to look for help and a young man working at the bumper cars realized I wasn’t feeling very well, so he offered my a glass of water. I accepted thankfully. When he found out what happened, he called the police and the ambulence for me. My husband was not able to find any other help. So, as my husband was giving a statement to the police, I was ushered into the ambulence for a checking over. During that time, it began to rain. It poured and my poor husband got soaked.
Finally the paramedics decided to take me to the hospital for x-rays. That was a new experience for me. First you sit on the blue chairs to wait for the x-rays. Then you sit on the red chairs to wait to talk to a doctor (my wrist was fractured and if it would have been any worse I would have needed surgery). Then you go to the orange chairs to get a cast on. Then you go sit on the blue chairs to get another x-ray to make sure the case was holding it in place. Then you go to the orange chairs again to get the readings from the x-rays. This was a completely different experience than emergency room procedures in America. Finally we were able to go find a taxi to take us back to the hotel – I have no idea where in Vienna we were so I was thankful for taxis.
I thank God that we took out traveler’s insurance before we left on this trip. Our insurance paid for all the medical expenses that occured on the trip. After we got back to the States, I noticed that our traveler’s insurance company was running this contest for The Unluckiest Traveler story. I thought about sending my story in, but then I had to stop to think. God had His hand in this. This could have happened on the first day of our trip instead of the last day. It could have happened where we would not have gotten such good medical treatment – it was different but it was good. It could have been my leg instead of my wrist (I couldn’t imagine trying to maneuver through the airports on the way home with a broken leg). There are so many things that could have happened that didn’t, I know God’s hand was on me the whole time. I could not say I was the Unluckiest Traveler – I wasn’t even the Luckiest Traveler – I was the Most Blessed Traveler, because I was in God’s hands the whole time.
The Happy Wanderers
We sat in Omaha for four hours before we could even take off because of the weather in Chicago. Then the pilot finally said we were going to get up in the air and then Chicago can’t tell us to turn back – they have to let us land there. That should have been a clue to me that this wasn’t going to be an ordinary journey. When we finally got to Chicago, we, of course, had missed our plane to Vienna and we got to the ticket counter just before they closed for the night. Austrian Airlines rerouted us on Swiss Airlines headed for Zurich then on to Moscow and then Ukraine, but we had to hurry, the plane was “scheduled” to leave in 30 minutes.
So, we ran through O’Hare, through security again where I had to have them dump the water out of my bottle because I wasn’t expecting to go through security again, to Swiss’ gate where they told us to hurry up because they were “waiting for us”. BUT, first they had to stop me and tell me my carry-on bag was too big and had to be checked – my bag with all my class notes and materials needed for my first day of classes – the things the school told us to carry with us so it wouldn’t get lost. After shuffling through the bag to retrieve my notebook and a few other things I would have to carry by hand, and after telling the flight attendant, he better guard it with his life, we got on the plane only to sit and wait two hours for the de-icing machine to get fixed and to come de-ice the plane.
When we finally got to Zurich the next day, we had missed our flight to Moscow. They wanted us to take the next plane to Moscow that was leaving that evening, but there was no guarantee we would be able to fly out of Moscow any time soon and we did not have visas for Russia. It took what seemed like hours to explain to the ticket agent we were not originally planning on going to Moscow and did not want to get stuck there without visas, BUT we had to get to Ukraine before Monday. He kept saying, “It can’t be done, it can’t be done.” I kept saying, “It has to be done. I have to start teaching on Monday.”
Finally he came up with a solution. Swiss Air would put us up for the night in Zurich, they would give us meal tickets for three meals each and they would reroute us – again! So we spent a lovely day and a half walking through Zurich enjoying their wonderful hospitality. Saturday evening, the day after we were supposed to arrive in Ukraine, we left for Rome. We spent a whole 30 minutes in Rome in the airport trying to change flights and explain to the people of Aeroflot why we were doing what we were doing and trying to get on the plane.
We finally got on the plane, flew to Moscow for a “seven hour” layover which turned out to be more like twelve hours. During that time I walked the halls a million times while Doyle slept on one of the benches. We had arrived around 2:00 a.m. and finally around 9:00 a.m. they allowed us to wait in the office where they said, “You wait here” in the stereotypical monotone Soviet voice. A little later around 9:30 they said, “You come with me” and led us through a maze of back hallways and through locked doors to a bus waiting outside which took us (we were the only ones on the bus along with our “guide”) across the landing strip to what appeared to be a deserted airport. We were taken in through a back door and went through security to a deserted waiting area. There were no pictures on the walls, nobody behind the desk, just a few people coming and going occasionally. Another family came to wait for a little bit, but then they left. At one point the airline personnel said the plane was ready so “you come with me”. We took a shuttle out to the plane (again we were the only ones on the shuttle) where a flight attendant was standing at the bottom of the steps to the plane looking like the plane was ready for departure. Our “guide” got out and talked to her and disappeared inside the plane for a bit while we waited in the shuttle. He finally came out and told us we would have to wait in the terminal, the plane wasn’t ready yet. So we rode back to the deserted terminal, to the deserted waiting area and waited some more. A young woman came and started talking to us. She was quite pleasant and knew English quite well. She was on her way to Ukraine to visit her family. Finally, around 2:00 (twelve hours after arrive in Moscow), they came and got us, this time this other gal was with us, we were allowed to board the plane, but still we were the only ones on the plane. So, we sat and waited some more. Finally a busload of people came which filled the plane with many Russian speaking people. We finally got in the air and were on our final air leg of our journey.
When we landed in Ukraine, we went through customs with no problem at all because we had no luggage with us. Our luggage had not followed our trek through Europe. A man from ZBCS was there to meet us; he had been waiting since before noon and it was now about 4:00 p.m.. We had to file a claim for our luggage in an office of some airport official which was in the typical old Russian style décor – the bare necessities and equipment from the Dark Ages. There were many papers to fill out and many more questions to be answered explaining our crazy trip across Europe. I felt them wondering how this all could have happened.
We finally arrived in Zaporozhye only two days later than expected, and three days after we departed Omaha. The school staff kept constant communication with the airport to check on our luggage. We tried to contact United about the luggage but their only response was we had to fill out a claim and mail it in to a US address! By the time they would receive the claim, we would be home – two weeks later. When we finally got our son, Jeremy, and our travel agent on the problem from the States side, United finally tracked down our luggage still sitting in Chicago. They were able to get it to us the next day.
Anytime we pray and ask for God’s will to be done, we better be ready for the ride. Our experiences are nothing compared to the great adventures of the Bible. The next time we read about these patriarchs of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament, we need to consider how it is to really live those experiences and realize that God brought them through, and God will also bring us through. Some of the Christians died a horrible death, but God’s hand was in that too.
OUR ADVENTURESOME GOD
Reading Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge has changed my entire view of God and the circumstances we find ourselves in all the time. We know from Genesis that man was created in the image of God. An insight Eldredge gives of man is that man needs adventure and a challenge to overcome. God didn’t just put that in man because He thought it would be nice to prove his masculinity, but He made man in His image and therefore man received the conquering spirit because that is what God is like.
Just look at all the instances in the Bible where God steps in to save the day, or the things God calls on man to do. Abraham was asked to leave Ur to go to a land God would show him – God didn’t give him the destination first and give Abraham directions before he left on his journey. Abraham left, not knowing where he was going and when he would get there. It was kind of like that when Doyle and I went to the Ukraine in ’08. We knew our destination and thought we knew how we were going to get there. Little did we know God had an adventure for us on a completely different path than we had originally planned. We finally got to our destination, but we could see God’s hand in the whole adventure along the way.
Noah was asked to build a boat – nothing small about it (know any men who are always thinking BIG? Big tools, big projects – the bigger the better) – to prepare for a flood when the earth had not received any rain in the history of the world to date. When his family and the animals were safe in the ark, God sent a storm like the world had never seen and has never seen since. God had His hand on Noah during that adventure of historic proportions.
All through the Old Testament we see time after time God’s love of adventure and suspense – Gideon and his 300 men, David and Goliath, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, Daniel in the lions’ den, etc., etc., etc. Without stories like these, how would we tell our children about the greatness of God? God orchestrated each one of these events in the lives of His people to show His glory and greatness.
In the New Testament look at the way Jesus was born – in a lowly stable, among the animals. God allowed His Son to be put in a vulnerable position as a baby in human hands. The announcement came to shepherds on a quiet hillside in the dead of night when suddenly a multitude of angels suddenly appeared – what an announcement! Throughout Jesus’ life, He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, overturned money tables in the temple, confronted opposition, died a cruel death on the cross and CAME TO LIFE AGAIN! Talk about dramatic and adventuresome.
Then there were the disciples – Peter was freed from prison in the middle of the night and taken down a dark street to the very house where people were praying for his release! A touch of humor is evident when the very people who were praying for his release would not believe that he was at the door! And when Paul and Silas were in prison, God sent an earthquake to free them from their shackles. Then they were able to minister to the jailer so that the jailer and his family came to know this awesome Lord.
Time after time, God did the dramatic – something completely unexpected and many times completely dangerous. I think we have heard and read these stories so many times we don’t really even think about the adventure seriously. We almost take it for granted. Just think, what would you do if you were threatened to be burned alive if you didn’t fall down and worship some huge, gigantic statue? So many times when we face a problem, we wring our hands and say that God is testing our faith and we just need to trust God more as if our problem is the worst that ever happened and as if we just need to conger up the faith. But, if we would look at the situation as an adventure God is allowing us to be a part of, our outlook would be different. God is trying to get us to depend on Him more and to trust that He knows how and is able to rescue us from difficult situations. He is also trying to say to me, “Where is your sense of adventure, girl?”
Laid in a…manger!
“Boy, things are sure hopping out there tonight! Did you ever see so many people? Who would’ve ever thought the whole town of Bethlehem would be completely packed out?”
“Yeah. I heard that all the inns were full and even all the homes are full. There is not a spare bed anywhere!”
“Oh, that’s so sad. As my master was bringing me in here, I saw a young couple just getting into town. They looked so tired. He was leading the donkey she was riding. She looked like she could be having a baby any day. I hope they find a nice place to stay. Surely, someone will give up their room when they see her.”
“Well, I’m sure glad we have a warm place to stay. And, look, the manger is loaded with hay!”
“Oh, always thinking about your stomach, Trot.”
Just as the horse was talking, the stable door opened. A young man was bringing in his donkey. On the donkey’s back was a very tired looking young lady.
“At least it’s quiet in here.” The man said.
“And warm. Oh, I was getting so cold! Just think – nine months pregnant and feeling cold!” She chuckled a very tired chuckle. “This place will be just fine. Just let me off this donkey. I don’t know if I remember how to walk!!!”
“Be careful, Mary.” he said as he gently helped her down from the donkey and helped her steady herself on the ground.
“I think I need to walk around a little bit. We probably have the biggest room in town!” She laughed again as she stretched and walked slowly gazing into each stall where the animals were standing.
“Oh, Joseph,” she said timidly, “I think it’s almost time.”
“Come, let me help you to a soft pile of hay.” He led her to a corner of the stable. The animals looked on in awe. They had never seen a human baby being born. What an awesome miracle. Soon they heard the cry of the newborn baby – a boy. Somehow the animals knew this was no ordinary baby boy. The man she called Joseph, cleaned the baby up and handed him back to Mary. She handled him so carefully and lovingly as she wrapped him in some soft cloths. As she was starting to tire, Joseph looked around for a place to lay the baby down. The horse trotted up to him and nudged him toward the manger with their hay in it. Joseph saw the perfect bed – well, maybe not so perfect, but perfect solution to his dilemma. He laid the baby in the manger. What a place for a baby, but what could be done under the circumstances? The baby seemed to be completely unaware that anything was unusual about where he lay. He was sound asleep.
Meanwhile, outside of town, there were some sheep curled up like so many furry, wooly balls asleep. They knew they were safe and had nothing to worry about. Their shepherds were nearby some watching, some also sleeping.
Suddenly, a bright light shone in the sky! “What is it? ” they wondered.
Some of the baby sheep began to cry, “Baaaaaa, baaaaaaa!”
Then a human form appeared in the bright light! The shepherds were shielding their eyes from the light. They looked like they were very afraid!
Then the human form talked! “Don’t be afraid! I came to bring you good news! A baby has been born tonight in Bethlehem. A very special baby. This baby is the Savior, Christ the Lord – the one you have been waiting for! It won’t be hard to find this baby. This baby not only is in a stable, but they have laid him in a manger.”
Just as quickly as that bright heavenly being appeared, a whole bunch of beings just like him appeared! They all together were glorify God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
The next minute, everything was dark again! The shepherds and the sheep were blinking their eyes trying to adjust to the darkness again. The shepherds started talking among themselves. “Let’s go see if we can find this baby!”
When they got to town, all the stables seemed to be dark. All, except one. There not only was light in it, there also seemed to be a special glow around it! The shepherds knocked on the door quietly then opened the door. There, in the middle of the stable, was the baby the angels told them about. It had to be the one – this baby was lying right in the manger with all the hay for the animals as his bedding.
The animals were all looking on and humming softly in their own special way. It was so peaceful in the stable.
The shepherds walked in slowly and knelt down in quiet reverence. They knew this was the baby that would end all sacrifices. This baby would end the need to kill so many sheep for sacrifices. This was the Lamb of God!
When they left, they told everyone they saw about the extraordinary baby born in a stable and lying in a…manger.
HIDEAWAY IN THE TEMPLE
“Shh! Not a sound! Go down this corridor and out the back door. You’ll have to go through the servants’ quarters. There’ll be a horse and rider waiting in the woods behind the kitchen.” These instructions were repeated now even though Maglon and Zorah had gone over the details time and time again to make sure everything was perfect and everything was set up for this night.
Maglon glanced around as if looking for something. “Do you have everything you need for the baby for a few days at least?”
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Zorah. “I’ve got plenty of clothes and blankets and food. He should be quite comfortable for at least a week. By then, we should be able to buy more things and stock up at the temple.”
“Make sure you don’t show yourself to anyone. Bozrah said he would go for supplies whenever you needed something. I will tell them here that you went back to live with your own people. No one will suspect anything.”
Maglon looked out the window, gave her head a slight nod and turned back to Zorah who was wearing a black cloak and holding what appeared to be a bakery basket. There were a few long loaves of bread sticking out from under a cloth. Just then the contents of the basket moved.
“You’ll have to hurry now before he wakes up and alerts the entire castle of his whereabouts! Good-bye and God’s blessings on you.” Maglon gave Zorah a quick hug and light kiss on the cheek. “Now, hurry!”
Zorah rushed out of the room and down the corridor. The corridor was dark except for the few candles on the wall. She followed the hallway which wound around past many closed doors to the back of the castle. When she got to the end, there was a staircase that took her to the servants’ quarters below. The staircase was narrow and winding. The baby in the basket moved again as Zorah tried to squeeze down the staircase with her bundle. When she got to the bottom, she thought she heard voices! She stepped back against the wall in the shadows and waited.
There were some voices coming from one of the rooms. Her heart was pounding so loud she thought it was echoing all the way down the corridor. “I thought everyone would be in bed and sound asleep by this time.” She wanted to scream!
The voices were coming from Hannah and Esau’s room. They are always the first one’s to bed and seemed to be the hardest to wake up. Why they were awake tonight of all nights, she couldn’t imagine! But, she couldn’t risk having them see her. They were two of the few servants left who were still loyal to the queen. So, Zorah waited.
She waited what seemed to be an eternity! She was sure the horse and rider would give up and leave before she could get out! But, still she waited. The baby moved again, a little more vigorously this time. Zorah was beginning to panic!
Finally, everything seemed quiet again so she began to cautiously move out into the corridor walking as quietly as she could. She held her breath as she crept silently passed Hannah and Esau’s door. She got past and finally to the end of the hallway.
At the end of the hall was a huge door that went into the kitchen. That evening as she was doing her regular evening duties cleaning up she made sure the hinges were oiled so they wouldn’t squeak. Carefully and slowly she pushed on the kitchen door. It moved smoothly and silently. She stepped inside the kitchen and gently eased the door back into place. The room was pitch dark, not even the moon shining in to give the slightest light for guidance. She’s glad she had looked around the room before she went to bed to remind herself where everything was and how far apart the tables were from the cookstove. She also made sure there were no buckets or stools in the walking area that she would accidently kick in the dark. Still, she slowly tiptoed around the big, massive table in the middle of the room, feeling the floor in front of her with her feet as she made her way across the kitchen.
Scenes kept flashing through her mind as she made her way to the outside door.
What if someone decided they couldn’t sleep and suddenly came into the kitchen carrying a bright light? This sure was a dumb idea to come this way. Surely there had to be a better way. What if someone sees her out on the lawn running toward the trees?
What if the baby suddenly woke up screaming? That was her worst fear! She just hoped and prayed he was completely satisfied and would be in a deep sleep all the way to the temple. But, all this moving around and jostling is bound to wake him up. How would she explain where they are going with this baby and what she is going to do with him?
She knew if she got caught it would mean her life AND the baby’s. She was only trying to save a life from the wicked queen who recently took the throne. She was killing off any and every rightful heir to the throne. She didn’t want the threat of anyone taking her place in power, not even her own son! So, once Zorah got the baby to safety, there would be no problem except to keep his existence a secret. The queen will think he’s dead as long as there was no evidence of him anywhere. Then, she will be happy.
But, for right now, Zorah had to figure out how to open the heavy kitchen door without a squeak or sound. This will be trickier than the last one. She could oil the hinges and take care of the squeak. This door also had a heavy bar across it to lock the door for the night. She had thought about moving the bar before she went to bed, but she knew there was always somebody who went around checking the doors after everyone else was in bed. She thought about having Jacob leave this door open – she knew she could trust him – but she felt the fewer people who knew of this escape, the better.
Now she had to put her basket down. Would that wake the baby? Would he cry? Carefully and gently she lowered the basket to the floor. She held her breath. He was still sleeping. Then, she began to move the bar on the door. She forgot how heavy it really was, and now when she was trying to be so quiet, it seemed like it weighed a ton. It hardly budged. She tried again using more force but being careful not to move it too quickly and noisily. Slowly it began to give way to her pressure. Inch by inch it began to move.
Again, scenes flashed in her mind. What if someone came into the kitchen right now and saw her trying to be so careful about opening the door? And, why was she unlatching the door? But, no one came. She finally got the bar moved so she could open the door. She picked up her basket and crept outside. She closed the door so when the servants started working about no one would know something mysterious happened during the night. They’ll just think someone forgot to lock the door.
The rest of the castle was still asleep as she quietly hurried across the lawn. She couldn’t see a horse and rider anywhere among the trees. Had he given up because it took her so long? Had someone found him and arrested him? She walked closer to the trees and strained to see into the forest. Still no sign of him. She stepped into the clump of trees closest to the kitchen door so she would be hidden from anyone in the castle. As she walked deeper into the forest, suddenly she heard, “Psst!” She looked around and just barely made out a man with two horses! What a godsend! She had been wondering how the man and her and the baby would ride one horse.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
Maglon looked around the room after Zorah was gone. Suddenly it felt so empty, so quiet. Things will surely be different with baby Joash gone. She will miss him tremendously. But, it had to be done.
When Joash’s uncle, Amaziah, had died, Joash’s grandmother, Athalia, went beserk! She suddenly became power hungry. So power hungry, in fact, to the point of having every family member killed and any one else who might by some long chance have some kind of claim to the throne. She killed, Joash’s father and mother, aunts and uncles and cousins. There was not one person left of his family. If Maglon had not hidden Joash, he would’ve been killed too.
Maglon could not imagine what would cause a woman to kill her own family! But, regardless of what motivated the queen to act so cruelly, baby Joash would be safe for the time being. The plan was to have Zorah and the baby stay in one of the back rooms of the temple where very few people ever go. He would definitely be safe from the queen since she would never find herself in the temple, of all places. And, her henchmen were not any better about attending services in the temple.
It was all worked out. Bozrah, one of the temple workers, would go to the market to fetch supplies that would be needed from time to time. Bozrah would have to be careful to make his list so no one would suspect a baby anywhere near. It would take some thinking and extra trips but he could do it.
Bozrah had sent Joab to get Zorah and the baby. He couldn’t afford to let anyone near the castle see him in the middle of the night. Joab was younger and was more in the habit of being out late at night. He sent Joab with 2 horses instead of the one that Maglon had talked about. He had the good sense to realize that 2 adults and one baby basket on a horse could get rather uncomfortable and cause the baby to wake up. The more comfortable the ride for the baby, the better.
THE OTHER SIDE OF PRAYER
Crossing the time zones
Going through barriers
Into a land that
Is covered by prayer.
Into the battle
Joining the action
Into the place that
Was kept from the Son.
Battle lines are drawn.
The Spirit can’t let down.
This is where we see
The other side of prayer.
(Chorus)
The other side of prayer
A battle is raging.
The other side of prayer
Victories are won.
The other side of prayer
Hearts are changing.
The other side of prayer
Is where the work gets done.
On the other side of prayer.
But, coming back home
Hiding deep inside
Turmoil is churning,
Smashing all pride.
A family is breaking,
Alienating a son
A daughter mocking,
A child on the run.
Warriors are on their knees
Prayers are going up
The Spirit is fighting
And He won’t give up.
(Chorus)
The other side of prayer
A battle is raging.
The other side of prayer
Victories are won.
The other side of prayer
Hearts are changing.
The other side of prayer
Is where the work gets done.
On the other side of prayer.
(Bridge)
We can’t see what our prayers can do.
We must have faith
God’s promises are true.
(Chorus)
The other side of prayer
A battle is raging.
The other side of prayer
Victories are won.
The other side of prayer
Hearts are changing.
The other side of prayer
Is where faith’s work gets done.
On the other side of prayer.
Questions?
Do you like my new page? After sweating in the heat and humidity of Arkansas, I thought the mountains would be a nice change of pace.
To Love or Not to Love
But, hear me out. God doesn’t want us to try to be good, loving or kind. Here’s the catch – are you ready for this? He wants to do it for us!!! How in the world is God going to do it for us? God is love, He is kind, He is good. And we are to be holy as God is holy, right? But not by trying.
I finally learned what it means to be filled with the Spirit. In Ephesians Pauls tells us to be filled with the Spirit. But how do we do that and how do we know we are filled with the Spirit. As close as I can tell, all we have to do is ask for the filling. THEN, if we are filled with the Spirit and we are allowing the Spirit to live freely through us, we will be overflowing with the characteristics of the Spirit (the fruit of the Spirit). Then, the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control will be overflowing in our lives. When a cup is full, it’s hard to keep the contents in without splashing over. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the joy just overflows in our life and it splashes over and touches those around us.
During this past school year, I had twenty-two 4&5-year-olds in one class. Very early on, I knew I was going to need help – more than just more assistants. I needed help to be gentle and kind when the little ones were still learning the ropes of what a classroom is all about. So, every morning I prayed that the Holy Spirit would fill me so that I would be overflowing with all these characteristics of the Holy Spirit. And, you know what? He did. It made life so much easier for me (and for the children), and I could quit trying and quit feeling stressed. The Holy Spirit was doing it for me.
The truth shall set you free! The truth about the Holy Spirit will set you free from all the “shoulds” that people have imposed. There is a new freedom to know I don’t have to try anymore!
From the blog
The World’s Unluckiest Traveler?
Mar. 7, 2011 No Comments
Recently we traveled to Ukraine again. This time, after the adventure we had last time, we decided to get traveler’s insurance just in case… This traveler’s insurance would cover interruptions in our travel and unexpected costs associated with changes in our itinerary besides medical benefits. Little did we know how we would need it this [...]
More »The Happy Wanderers
Oct. 14, 2009 23 Comments
We sat in Omaha for four hours before we could even take off because of the weather in Chicago. Then the pilot finally said we were going to get up in the air and then Chicago can’t tell us to turn back – they have to let us land there. That should have been a [...]
More »OUR ADVENTURESOME GOD
Oct. 14, 2009 31 Comments
Reading Wild at Heart, by John Eldredge has changed my entire view of God and the circumstances we find ourselves in all the time. We know from Genesis that man was created in the image of God. An insight Eldredge gives of man is that man needs adventure and a challenge to overcome. [...]
More »Sep. 20, 2008 No Comments
Laid in a…manger!
“Boy, things are sure hopping out there tonight! Did you ever see so many people? Who would’ve ever thought the whole town of Bethlehem would be completely packed out?”
“Yeah. I heard that all the inns were full and even all the homes are full. There is not a spare bed anywhere!”
“Oh, that’s so sad. As my master was bringing me in here, I saw a young couple just getting into town. They looked so tired. He was leading the donkey she was riding. She looked like she could be having a baby any day. I hope they find a nice place to stay. Surely, someone will give up their room when they see her.”
“Well, I’m sure glad we have a warm place to stay. And, look, the manger is loaded with hay!”
“Oh, always thinking about your stomach, Trot.”
Just as the horse was talking, the stable door opened. A young man was bringing in his donkey. On the donkey’s back was a very tired looking young lady.
“At least it’s quiet in here.” The man said.
“And warm. Oh, I was getting so cold! Just think – nine months pregnant and feeling cold!” She chuckled a very tired chuckle. “This place will be just fine. Just let me off this donkey. I don’t know if I remember how to walk!!!”
“Be careful, Mary.” he said as he gently helped her down from the donkey and helped her steady herself on the ground.
“I think I need to walk around a little bit. We probably have the biggest room in town!” She laughed again as she stretched and walked slowly gazing into each stall where the animals were standing.
“Oh, Joseph,” she said timidly, “I think it’s almost time.”
“Come, let me help you to a soft pile of hay.” He led her to a corner of the stable. The animals looked on in awe. They had never seen a human baby being born. What an awesome miracle. Soon they heard the cry of the newborn baby – a boy. Somehow the animals knew this was no ordinary baby boy. The man she called Joseph, cleaned the baby up and handed him back to Mary. She handled him so carefully and lovingly as she wrapped him in some soft cloths. As she was starting to tire, Joseph looked around for a place to lay the baby down. The horse trotted up to him and nudged him toward the manger with their hay in it. Joseph saw the perfect bed – well, maybe not so perfect, but perfect solution to his dilemma. He laid the baby in the manger. What a place for a baby, but what could be done under the circumstances? The baby seemed to be completely unaware that anything was unusual about where he lay. He was sound asleep.
Meanwhile, outside of town, there were some sheep curled up like so many furry, wooly balls asleep. They knew they were safe and had nothing to worry about. Their shepherds were nearby some watching, some also sleeping.
Suddenly, a bright light shone in the sky! “What is it? ” they wondered.
Some of the baby sheep began to cry, “Baaaaaa, baaaaaaa!”
Then a human form appeared in the bright light! The shepherds were shielding their eyes from the light. They looked like they were very afraid!
Then the human form talked! “Don’t be afraid! I came to bring you good news! A baby has been born tonight in Bethlehem. A very special baby. This baby is the Savior, Christ the Lord – the one you have been waiting for! It won’t be hard to find this baby. This baby not only is in a stable, but they have laid him in a manger.”
Just as quickly as that bright heavenly being appeared, a whole bunch of beings just like him appeared! They all together were glorify God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
The next minute, everything was dark again! The shepherds and the sheep were blinking their eyes trying to adjust to the darkness again. The shepherds started talking among themselves. “Let’s go see if we can find this baby!”
When they got to town, all the stables seemed to be dark. All, except one. There not only was light in it, there also seemed to be a special glow around it! The shepherds knocked on the door quietly then opened the door. There, in the middle of the stable, was the baby the angels told them about. It had to be the one – this baby was lying right in the manger with all the hay for the animals as his bedding.
The animals were all looking on and humming softly in their own special way. It was so peaceful in the stable.
The shepherds walked in slowly and knelt down in quiet reverence. They knew this was the baby that would end all sacrifices. This baby would end the need to kill so many sheep for sacrifices. This was the Lamb of God!
When they left, they told everyone they saw about the extraordinary baby born in a stable and lying in a…manger.
More »Sep. 20, 2008 No Comments
HIDEAWAY IN THE TEMPLE
“Shh! Not a sound! Go down this corridor and out the back door. You’ll have to go through the servants’ quarters. There’ll be a horse and rider waiting in the woods behind the kitchen.” These instructions were repeated now even though Maglon and Zorah had gone over the details time and time again to make sure everything was perfect and everything was set up for this night.
Maglon glanced around as if looking for something. “Do you have everything you need for the baby for a few days at least?”
“Yes, ma’am,” replied Zorah. “I’ve got plenty of clothes and blankets and food. He should be quite comfortable for at least a week. By then, we should be able to buy more things and stock up at the temple.”
“Make sure you don’t show yourself to anyone. Bozrah said he would go for supplies whenever you needed something. I will tell them here that you went back to live with your own people. No one will suspect anything.”
Maglon looked out the window, gave her head a slight nod and turned back to Zorah who was wearing a black cloak and holding what appeared to be a bakery basket. There were a few long loaves of bread sticking out from under a cloth. Just then the contents of the basket moved.
“You’ll have to hurry now before he wakes up and alerts the entire castle of his whereabouts! Good-bye and God’s blessings on you.” Maglon gave Zorah a quick hug and light kiss on the cheek. “Now, hurry!”
Zorah rushed out of the room and down the corridor. The corridor was dark except for the few candles on the wall. She followed the hallway which wound around past many closed doors to the back of the castle. When she got to the end, there was a staircase that took her to the servants’ quarters below. The staircase was narrow and winding. The baby in the basket moved again as Zorah tried to squeeze down the staircase with her bundle. When she got to the bottom, she thought she heard voices! She stepped back against the wall in the shadows and waited.
There were some voices coming from one of the rooms. Her heart was pounding so loud she thought it was echoing all the way down the corridor. “I thought everyone would be in bed and sound asleep by this time.” She wanted to scream!
The voices were coming from Hannah and Esau’s room. They are always the first one’s to bed and seemed to be the hardest to wake up. Why they were awake tonight of all nights, she couldn’t imagine! But, she couldn’t risk having them see her. They were two of the few servants left who were still loyal to the queen. So, Zorah waited.
She waited what seemed to be an eternity! She was sure the horse and rider would give up and leave before she could get out! But, still she waited. The baby moved again, a little more vigorously this time. Zorah was beginning to panic!
Finally, everything seemed quiet again so she began to cautiously move out into the corridor walking as quietly as she could. She held her breath as she crept silently passed Hannah and Esau’s door. She got past and finally to the end of the hallway.
At the end of the hall was a huge door that went into the kitchen. That evening as she was doing her regular evening duties cleaning up she made sure the hinges were oiled so they wouldn’t squeak. Carefully and slowly she pushed on the kitchen door. It moved smoothly and silently. She stepped inside the kitchen and gently eased the door back into place. The room was pitch dark, not even the moon shining in to give the slightest light for guidance. She’s glad she had looked around the room before she went to bed to remind herself where everything was and how far apart the tables were from the cookstove. She also made sure there were no buckets or stools in the walking area that she would accidently kick in the dark. Still, she slowly tiptoed around the big, massive table in the middle of the room, feeling the floor in front of her with her feet as she made her way across the kitchen.
Scenes kept flashing through her mind as she made her way to the outside door.
What if someone decided they couldn’t sleep and suddenly came into the kitchen carrying a bright light? This sure was a dumb idea to come this way. Surely there had to be a better way. What if someone sees her out on the lawn running toward the trees?
What if the baby suddenly woke up screaming? That was her worst fear! She just hoped and prayed he was completely satisfied and would be in a deep sleep all the way to the temple. But, all this moving around and jostling is bound to wake him up. How would she explain where they are going with this baby and what she is going to do with him?
She knew if she got caught it would mean her life AND the baby’s. She was only trying to save a life from the wicked queen who recently took the throne. She was killing off any and every rightful heir to the throne. She didn’t want the threat of anyone taking her place in power, not even her own son! So, once Zorah got the baby to safety, there would be no problem except to keep his existence a secret. The queen will think he’s dead as long as there was no evidence of him anywhere. Then, she will be happy.
But, for right now, Zorah had to figure out how to open the heavy kitchen door without a squeak or sound. This will be trickier than the last one. She could oil the hinges and take care of the squeak. This door also had a heavy bar across it to lock the door for the night. She had thought about moving the bar before she went to bed, but she knew there was always somebody who went around checking the doors after everyone else was in bed. She thought about having Jacob leave this door open – she knew she could trust him – but she felt the fewer people who knew of this escape, the better.
Now she had to put her basket down. Would that wake the baby? Would he cry? Carefully and gently she lowered the basket to the floor. She held her breath. He was still sleeping. Then, she began to move the bar on the door. She forgot how heavy it really was, and now when she was trying to be so quiet, it seemed like it weighed a ton. It hardly budged. She tried again using more force but being careful not to move it too quickly and noisily. Slowly it began to give way to her pressure. Inch by inch it began to move.
Again, scenes flashed in her mind. What if someone came into the kitchen right now and saw her trying to be so careful about opening the door? And, why was she unlatching the door? But, no one came. She finally got the bar moved so she could open the door. She picked up her basket and crept outside. She closed the door so when the servants started working about no one would know something mysterious happened during the night. They’ll just think someone forgot to lock the door.
The rest of the castle was still asleep as she quietly hurried across the lawn. She couldn’t see a horse and rider anywhere among the trees. Had he given up because it took her so long? Had someone found him and arrested him? She walked closer to the trees and strained to see into the forest. Still no sign of him. She stepped into the clump of trees closest to the kitchen door so she would be hidden from anyone in the castle. As she walked deeper into the forest, suddenly she heard, “Psst!” She looked around and just barely made out a man with two horses! What a godsend! She had been wondering how the man and her and the baby would ride one horse.
- – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
Maglon looked around the room after Zorah was gone. Suddenly it felt so empty, so quiet. Things will surely be different with baby Joash gone. She will miss him tremendously. But, it had to be done.
When Joash’s uncle, Amaziah, had died, Joash’s grandmother, Athalia, went beserk! She suddenly became power hungry. So power hungry, in fact, to the point of having every family member killed and any one else who might by some long chance have some kind of claim to the throne. She killed, Joash’s father and mother, aunts and uncles and cousins. There was not one person left of his family. If Maglon had not hidden Joash, he would’ve been killed too.
Maglon could not imagine what would cause a woman to kill her own family! But, regardless of what motivated the queen to act so cruelly, baby Joash would be safe for the time being. The plan was to have Zorah and the baby stay in one of the back rooms of the temple where very few people ever go. He would definitely be safe from the queen since she would never find herself in the temple, of all places. And, her henchmen were not any better about attending services in the temple.
It was all worked out. Bozrah, one of the temple workers, would go to the market to fetch supplies that would be needed from time to time. Bozrah would have to be careful to make his list so no one would suspect a baby anywhere near. It would take some thinking and extra trips but he could do it.
Bozrah had sent Joab to get Zorah and the baby. He couldn’t afford to let anyone near the castle see him in the middle of the night. Joab was younger and was more in the habit of being out late at night. He sent Joab with 2 horses instead of the one that Maglon had talked about. He had the good sense to realize that 2 adults and one baby basket on a horse could get rather uncomfortable and cause the baby to wake up. The more comfortable the ride for the baby, the better.
More »Sep. 20, 2008 No Comments
THE OTHER SIDE OF PRAYER
Crossing the time zones
Going through barriers
Into a land that
Is covered by prayer.
Into the battle
Joining the action
Into the place that
Was kept from the Son.
Battle lines are drawn.
The Spirit can’t let down.
This is where we see
The other side of prayer.
(Chorus)
The other side of prayer
A battle is raging.
The other side of prayer
Victories are won.
The other side of prayer
Hearts are changing.
The other side of prayer
Is where the work gets done.
On the other side of prayer.
But, coming back home
Hiding deep inside
Turmoil is churning,
Smashing all pride.
A family is breaking,
Alienating a son
A daughter mocking,
A child on the run.
Warriors are on their knees
Prayers are going up
The Spirit is fighting
And He won’t give up.
(Chorus)
The other side of prayer
A battle is raging.
The other side of prayer
Victories are won.
The other side of prayer
Hearts are changing.
The other side of prayer
Is where the work gets done.
On the other side of prayer.
(Bridge)
We can’t see what our prayers can do.
We must have faith
God’s promises are true.
(Chorus)
The other side of prayer
A battle is raging.
The other side of prayer
Victories are won.
The other side of prayer
Hearts are changing.
The other side of prayer
Is where faith’s work gets done.
On the other side of prayer.
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Questions?
Aug. 1, 2008 No Comments
Lately I’ve been reading in 1 Samuel at the end of David’s life. He writes a great psalm in praise to God, but I have a question – he says God has rewarded him because he has kept himself from sin. How can he say that? What about Bathsheba? What about Uriah? What about his 7 wives and all his concubines? I know God forgives and when he forgives He forgets, but we need to remember where we have been and what God has done for us. I can’t say I have kept myself from sin. I know David had remained faithful to God all his life, but that doesn’t mean that he has kept himself from sin. If anyone has any comments about this, let me know. I’m going to research this as soon as we get home from Arkansas.
Do you like my new page? After sweating in the heat and humidity of Arkansas, I thought the mountains would be a nice change of pace.
More »To Love or Not to Love
Jul. 24, 2008 No Comments
I have decided to quit trying to love. I am going to quit trying to be kind. I am going to quit trying to be gentle. I am going to quit trying to be good. I am going to quit trying – period. When I said this in a devotional when we in the Ukraine, I could see the director of the college just shaking his head. He was probably ready to throw me out.
But, hear me out. God doesn’t want us to try to be good, loving or kind. Here’s the catch – are you ready for this? He wants to do it for us!!! How in the world is God going to do it for us? God is love, He is kind, He is good. And we are to be holy as God is holy, right? But not by trying.
I finally learned what it means to be filled with the Spirit. In Ephesians Pauls tells us to be filled with the Spirit. But how do we do that and how do we know we are filled with the Spirit. As close as I can tell, all we have to do is ask for the filling. THEN, if we are filled with the Spirit and we are allowing the Spirit to live freely through us, we will be overflowing with the characteristics of the Spirit (the fruit of the Spirit). Then, the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control will be overflowing in our lives. When a cup is full, it’s hard to keep the contents in without splashing over. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, the joy just overflows in our life and it splashes over and touches those around us.
During this past school year, I had twenty-two 4&5-year-olds in one class. Very early on, I knew I was going to need help – more than just more assistants. I needed help to be gentle and kind when the little ones were still learning the ropes of what a classroom is all about. So, every morning I prayed that the Holy Spirit would fill me so that I would be overflowing with all these characteristics of the Holy Spirit. And, you know what? He did. It made life so much easier for me (and for the children), and I could quit trying and quit feeling stressed. The Holy Spirit was doing it for me.
The truth shall set you free! The truth about the Holy Spirit will set you free from all the “shoulds” that people have imposed. There is a new freedom to know I don’t have to try anymore!
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