Linda Roorda

I need to contact them again, I think, about somehow insulating my supposedly insulated overhead garage door better, tho the garage is never used because of the exhaust fumes that came into the house back when we moved in after our house was built in '82. Or should I just close it up but leave a door for lawnmower? Tough decisions...

There is no greater prayer than The Lord’s Prayer. Actually, it’s the perfect prayer… from Jesus Himself, given to His disciples as part of His great Sermon on the Mount. Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13) This prayer touches every aspect of our lives, from praising our heavenly Father for who He is, to confessing our sins and asking for forgiveness just as we forgive those who have wronged us, to bringing all our needs before God, even the smallest of these. The prayer of our Lord makes us stop and think about our relationship with Him, and then how we relate to everyone around us. Answered prayer may come as a Yes, No, or Wait on the Lord for His Will to be made known… because He may not answer in the way we expect. His answer may come in time as we learn to live through the difficulty for what God wants to teach us. And, in that learning, we are blessed in ways we would not have understood without having gone through some of the most difficult times of our life. As I pondered the words of Jesus in His prayer, my poem was a simple attempt to put into my own words a prayer to thank and praise God, to call to mind the many ways He blesses me and answers my simple prayers every day. May you be blessed as you consider our Lord’s words above, and as His words seep into your heart and life every day. May my words below touch your heart as we each contemplate and form our own prayers of thanksgiving and praise to our heavenly Father. A Prayer Linda A. Roorda (Based on The Lord’s Prayer) God, our Father, in heaven above Holy are You and Your name over all Your sacred word will guide me in truth And help me to seek Your kingdom first. ~ May Your will ever be first in my life O’er all that beckons and calls to my heart For in submission I surrender all As daily I seek Your will before mine. ~ Let me not stray beyond Your strong grasp But when I roam, Lord, call me back home Back to Your side with mercy and grace For in You is peace that calms my soul. ~ My needs You meet as daily You provide Nothing’s too small, You know what is best Then may I share rich blessings from You And praise Your name as You shower with love. ~ Yet I covet, I want, that which is not mine Deliver me Lord from temptation’s snare Break sin’s great chain, free me from its grip Keep drawing me close to Your precious side. ~ For who am I beneath Your just gaze Knowing You paid the debt I can’t pay Take my hand, Lord, lift me to my feet That I may be forgiven and free. ~ Just as Your spirit guides my footsteps Your merciful Gift now frees me from guilt That I may release the pains to my heart And not turn my back on pleas of others. ~ In gratitude then I share Your great love To bless those I meet on this path of life May I share gifts that brighten their day And meet their needs to lift up their soul. ~ For in You is power, glory and honor May Your kingdom dwell in my grateful heart To shine Your light and freely share love That I may bring praise to Your Holy name. ~ Linda Roorda writes from her home in Spencer.

I love this blog! Yes, it's a lost art, but not entirely 🙂 I wrote letters for years to my grandparents and friends after my family moved away from living near them, and send cards out when I can. And I was overjoyed when my 10-yr-old granddaughter mailed me a handwritten thank you note for the purse I made for her a few weeks ago 🙂

During the season of Lent, we tend to reflect a little more intently on Christ’s mission and sacrifice for us. Since He gave so much in giving His life to redeem us, it seems we could easily give up even a little for Him. Though the traditional idea of giving up something for Lent has not been something I have done, my friend and distant cousin, Carolyn, got me thinking more deeply about the season of Lent. A few years ago, as Carolyn read her “Catholic Weekly” magazine with its daily devotionals, she shared with me a Lenten focus on the Roman Catholic perspective of the “seven deadly sins.” These sins can lead us away from God… away from that close relationship we long for. Unfortunately, I/we often exhibit the pride of self or greed as we exclude others to serve ourselves first, jealousy in coveting that which is not ours, wrath or inappropriate anger, sloth or laziness when we could and should do something constructive, lust of a sinful nature, and gluttony or self-indulgence in so many ways. Yet, we know that each one of these sins is absolutely forgiven on confession and repentance to God; and, under His tender mercy and grace, our heart is renewed as we follow in His footsteps. In synchrony with the above, we also recall that Solomon wrote in Proverbs 6:16-19, “there are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.” Some also say there is an unpardonable sin, the blasphemy against God and His Holy Spirit. As Jesus was performing miracles and driving out demons, the religious leaders’ unpardonable sin was in claiming Jesus’ power came from the devil rather than acknowledging that He had the power because He truly was the Son of God. (Mark 3:28-30, Matthew 12:31-32) If we turn away from the Spirit’s convicting promptings that what we’ve done is wrong, we may harden our heart, turn our back on God and not repent, willfully continuing in sin. Perhaps even expressing that God loves us no matter what we do… a sense of pride allowing for willful sins wrongs. Instead, on conviction of our sin, confession and repentance, we can be assured of God’s welcoming arms and loving forgiveness… for nothing can separate us from the overwhelming love of God. (Romans 8:34-39) May I always be convicted of my sins, confess them, and ask for forgiveness from God and those I’ve offended. Pondering the above Lenten theme as mentioned by Carolyn, and the variety of themes from many churches for spiritual renewal each year, my own failings came to mind. Sadly, it can be said that I/we betray our Lord’s love in so many ways because we are far from perfect. Yet, as a reminder of Christ’s love for us, and living within us, there are familiar virtues we can strive for. As the Holy Spirit leads, guides and helps us live out our faith, we exude “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23) These fruits evidence the Holy Spirit’s work within us, as God transforms us to be more like His Son. (II Corinthians 3:18) Because He loved us first (I John 4:19), even in our sinfulness, we can live a grateful life of holiness, bringing honor and glory and praise to God for all that He has done… because to this we were created. (Revelation 4:11) We can demonstrate our love for God and those around us with our faith or reliance, hope or trust, and charity or love as shown in I Corinthians 13, the “love chapter”. We can share this joy and peace in living out our faith in God by showing such loving kindness in our interactions with others. With courage and wisdom from the Lord we can face those difficult trials. Just as God has granted mercy and grace to us, we can show the same to others, forgiving them as we’ve been forgiven, acting with moderation and self-control, with honesty and integrity in our dealings. Against these virtues there would be no complaint as we respect others, bring glory to God, and become a beacon to point others to Christ… not only during Lent, but always. As the familiar Golden Rule reminds us, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matthew 7:12) Though our Lord was mocked and betrayed as He walked this earth, may we never forget the depth of all He suffered in His great love for us despite knowing our wayward penchants. For it’s only through Jesus’ shed blood that we have forgiveness and reconciliation with God. As I prepare myself spiritually this Lenten season to focus more intently on Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection, Carolyn’s words echo the thoughts of my heart when she wrote that “these are the things we could all reflect on during the 40 days before Holy Easter, and maybe change our hearts and minds to reflect more of Christ’s love.” From Betrayal to Beacon Linda A. Roorda ~ There is One who felt the heavy hand The slap to the face, the mocking abuse The glib excuses, lies begetting lies Betrayal by friends, abandoned in need. ~ But there was a man who took this and more A man who never responded in wrath, The Son of God, who sought us in love Who lay down His life that we might live. ~ The Light of this world, a rejected man Scorned by His own and scoffed by scholars. Still there were those who pondered His words Words that were new and words that gave hope. ~ Bless those who misuse, pray for their soul Just as our Lord, the servant of all, Dwelt here in peace and drew us to His side To offer us hope with redemption’s gift. ~ Be that beacon to a world needing hope Bring peace and comfort with welcoming arms. Offer your love to the soul in pain Become a servant to meet the needs. ~~ Linda Roorda writes from her home in Spencer.

Wisdom... that value within our heart and soul which helps guide our steps on this path called life. An entity more precious than gold. Lady Wisdom’s knowledge often comes from experience, by learning and gaining insight the hard way… you know, those mistakes that can either break or make us. She brings a common sense, discernment, shrewdness… an innate understanding of what’s right and wrong. But this sound judgment can be lacking when we become distracted or enticed by what seems so right, yet in reality is so wrong when we heed the voice of Folly. “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.” (Proverbs 3:13-18) For the wise woman “is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.” (Proverbs 31:25) One of my favorite life verses is “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Wisdom is knowledge we apply to every-day life God’s way. But as I’ve said before, I often think I can take the reins and direct my own steps… only to realize that I erred, once again, and need to grasp God’s hand, allowing Him to guide and lead me as I learn from His infinite wisdom. With wisdom comes the ability to discern or judge right from wrong… to think and act appropriately, and to not become enmeshed in folly’s foibles. Again, at times in my life I have failed in this, too. Yet on understanding the “errors of my ways” and returning to our Lord’s side with admission of wrongs, He has covered me with forgiveness. We’re all familiar with the old adage “if only I knew then what I know now”. Because, if we knew then what we know now, we might’ve been spared a lot of grief from the turmoil. But isn’t betterment often found in the opposite by learning and growing in character and wisdom through the difficult times and from those mistakes and errors? As God searches the depth of our heart, His Spirit reaches out to us with a still small voice in our inner being. If we’ve embedded Lady Wisdom’s truth within our heart, we’ll know whose voice to trust and follow… while folly proceeds headlong toward a path of destruction. And as we humbly follow Lady Wisdom’s righteous ways, a calm and peaceful tranquility will envelope our soul. We’ll know we’ve chosen the right path when we’ve given time and consideration to acting in a way that would receive God’s blessing. I love the book of Proverbs for the depth of Godly wisdom gleaned as we “Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me… for whoever finds me finds life… but whoever fails to find me harms himself.” (Proverbs 8:33-36) Lady Wisdom… a personification of God’s attributes in the feminine form. She is not meant to take His holy place, but rather to give a human side to God’s omniscience… for “the fear [awe, respect] of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10 NIV) Lady Wisdom Linda A. Roorda Lady wisdom carries high her torch She lights the way with truth on her side. Her words bring strength to face life’s trials With comfort and peace when the winds blow fierce. ~ Listen and heed her still small voice Words to the soul that lead and protect, For like a lantern which brightens the way So is Wisdom in guiding your life. ~ When lured and tempted by desires for more Do not be swayed by enticements sweet. For trust is earned with truth and respect A higher calling than rebellious ways. ~ Seek out the Lord whose hand will uphold Stand firm on His word within your heart. Learn at His feet, discerning the right His knowledge gain with treasured insight. ~ Be wise in judgment, perceiving the darts Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not upon your own understanding But acknowledge Him, the giver of Wisdom. ~~ Linda Roorda writes from her home in Spencer.

Little lambs are so soft, cuddly and cute! In my mid-teens, my siblings and I were given a lamb which I promptly named “Lambie.” Very original, huh?! It was only intended until something better came to mind, but nothing ever did. She was a twin, abandoned by her mother and given to us by our cousin, Robert, from his flock. I didn’t know the breed, but she had light gray wool with a black face and black legs. Recently, one of my students who absolutely loves goats and sheep, and knows all the breeds, said Lambie looked like a Suffolk, and I agree with him from further research. As Lambie’s main caretaker, I took responsibility to make sure she was fed. Following my Dad’s directions, I made a gruel with oatmeal, water and evaporated milk, feeding it to her in a glass bottle which had one of my brother’s bottle nipples attached – we were good at making do. And I loved to watch her little tail go “ninety miles an hour” while she drank! Lambie was small, not very old, so we kept her in a box near the old-fashioned wood-burning kitchen stove to keep her warm. It was too cold to put her out in the barn all by herself without a mama. Even our mutt, Pepsi, of terrier and other unknown parentage, liked nothing better than to jump into Lambie’s box to check out this new arrival to our menagerie. And I’m sure Pepsi wondered why this little one said “baaaa” and didn’t whimper like a puppy, but she contentedly mothered her adopted baby anyway! In warm weather, Lambie went to her pen in the barn, following me wherever I went. It was fun to watch her spring up and down as she played and ran about the yard and nibbled on the grass. Occasionally, she tried to wander beyond her guardian’s protection until she was called back to my side. Though I never considered myself her “shepherd,” in reality, I was. I provided food and water for her, protected her and kept her from harm… until the vet diagnosed her with Listeriosis, or circling disease. Nothing could be done for her and we had to put her down. Crying so hard I could barely see, I insisted to my Dad that I would dig her grave at the edge of the raspberry patch and bury little Lambie by myself. I loved that lamb more than I’d ever realized. And Dad kindly gave me time and space to process my grief. Such were the thoughts that came to mind after writing the poem below which is based on Jesus’ parable found in John 10:1-21 Here, we read that the Good Shepherd knows each one of his sheep and calls them by name. But the sheep also know their shepherd, recognize his voice, and follow wherever he leads them. Should a stranger enter the fold, the sheep will not follow him… instead, they will run around wildly or just run away en masse, simply because they aren’t familiar with the stranger’s voice. Perhaps, under cover, a thief may come near the flock, pretending to be their shepherd. He may disguise himself and draw a few young, inexperienced sheep away who think they’re following their shepherd. Or perhaps a predator might sneak up on an unsuspecting lamb and lead it astray. Disoriented and lost, the lamb follows the predator to supposed safety. Soon it becomes obvious that the predator is not its shepherd… but by then it’s too late. Except, the true shepherd with his trained eye realizes what’s happened. Like another of Jesus’ parables in Luke 15:3-6, He seeks out His precious lamb and brings it back, or willingly fights off the predator to rescue his little lost lamb. Listening to its Master’s voice, the lamb turns around and joyfully runs back to the safety of the flock… and there it stays, feeling content and peaceful under the watchful eye of its protective shepherd. And I thought, how like those sheep I am… we are… As Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” We have a tendency at times to follow what sounds and looks so good, what seems so right… only to realize later that we’ve been duped… we were on the wrong track… and we need someone to save us. That special someone, the Master, the Good Shepherd, would do anything for us, His sheep… especially those who have wandered off or been drawn away by a predator. Not so the hireling who doesn’t care much about someone else’s sheep. With only a little provocation, he’d as soon run away than fight for the lives of the sheep under his watch. Just as my heart ached and cried for the loss of my lamb, so the Good Shepherd of our story aches for the lost, and would lay down His own life to protect and save His precious sheep from harm. And isn’t that what our Lord, our Good Shepherd, our Master, has done for us? I know He has for me. How comforting it is to know our Lord and Savior, Jesus, draws us back to His side. May we always hear the love in our Master’s voice within our heart and follow His leading… The Master’s Voice Linda A. Roorda ~ Like gentle sheep we’re prone to wander Easily enticed by things of this world But at the sound of our Master’s voice Will we then heed or continue headstrong? ~ The Master’s words will not lead astray Seeking the ones who meander off Softly calling each one by name With tender words of comfort and peace. ~ When storms arrive and release their fury The shepherd guides his flock to safety. How like our Master who longs to embrace And bring us home to rest in His arms. ~ When wolves appear like gentle sheep clothed With flattery smooth they strike unannounced Their intention dark, the naïve to deceive Serving their needs, the meek to destroy. ~ Then words of wisdom are soon directed At wandering lambs who have left the fold Calling them back to a sheltered life Protected under the Master’s great love. ~ Unlike the hireling, He lays down His life Whatever it takes to gather His own Take heed to His call and flee from the foe Lean into His arms of mercy and grace. ~ Like a good Shepherd is our Savior Lord With care He protects each sheep in His fold It matters to Him whose words we follow The call of folly or the Master’s voice. ~~ Linda Roorda writes from her home in Spencer.

Sometimes our best inspiration comes from the most unlikely place! With the admonition to be “in the world, but not of it,” we find ourselves living out our faith foundation among the world around us (Romans 12:2). After 6th grade graduation from Passaic (Pine Street) Christian School in New Jersey, my Dad felt it was time to live out my faith by attending public junior high. Despite the culture shock, I learned invaluable lessons. Yet, I think we tend to compartmentalize “church/faith” versus every-day worldly life. So yes, sometimes our best faith inspiration comes from the most unlikely places! Ed and I used to enjoy relaxing in the evenings watching reruns of M*A*S*H. Though not overly fond of some of the show’s early escapades, I especially liked Corporal Walter (Radar) O’Reilly and the latter years with Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce’s new surgical partners, Captain B.J. Hunnicutt and Major Charles Emerson Winchester, III, as well as their commanding officer, Colonel Sherman T. Potter, and Major Margaret Houlihan. The show and its characters seemed to evolve from a certain nonsense to one of moving and memorable themes. As the various characters offered a wide array of human egos and emotions, I found some of the best wisdom expressed so well in many of the shows. There’s an episode that has always held a special place in my heart, one that I consider the arrogant Major Winchester’s best. After operating on a wounded soldier, able to save the young man’s leg with surgical expertise, Winchester tries to encourage his patient further. Explaining that, though he’ll have permanent nerve damage to three fingers of his right hand, it won’t be too noticeable. Angry, the soldier is reduced to tears and despondency, telling Winchester that his surgical efforts weren’t good enough. His hands were his life… he was a concert pianist! Feeling the pain of failure, Winchester turns away despondent. With determination, Major Winchester approaches the 4077th’s company clerk, Corporal Max Klinger, handing him a list of sheet music to pick up in Seoul. Later, with music in hand, Winchester wheels Private David Sheridan into the Officers’ Club and positions him in front of the piano. Despite his patient’s disgust, Winchester attempts to encourage the young man with his gift to make music. Angry and resentful, Sheridan wants none of it. Unshaken, Winchester shares the story of a pianist from another era who’d lost the use of one hand. Placing sheet music for a one-handed pianist in front of Sheridan, he asks, “Don't you see? Your hand may be stilled, but your gift cannot be silenced if you refuse to let it be.” Private Sheridan scoffs at his surgeon: “Gift? You keep talking about this damn gift. I had a gift, and I exchanged it for some mortar fragments, remember?” With great feeling, Winchester responds: “Wrong! Because the gift does not lie in your hands. I have hands, David. Hands that can make a scalpel sing. More than anything in my life I wanted to play, but I do not have the gift. I can play the notes, but I cannot make the music. You've performed Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Chopin. Even if you never do so again, you've already known a joy that I will never know as long as I live. Because the true gift is in your head and in your heart and in your soul. You can shut it off forever, or you can find new ways to share your gift with the world - through the baton, the classroom, or the pen. As to these works, they're for you, because you and the piano will always be as one.” Slowly and hesitantly, Sheridan begins playing, gradually finding himself taken over by the emotion as the music in his soul finds its voice. (from the TV series M*A*S*H, "Morale Victory", 1980) Just as Maj. Winchester tried to help Pvt. Sheridan understand, we’ve each been blessed with a special gift, a talent. We can hide it, misuse it, or use it to benefit others... we have a choice. Though we may not see our gift as the blessing it is, Jesus’ brother James acknowledged that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father…” (James 1:17a) Even the Apostle Peter encouraged us by writing that “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (I Peter 4:10 NIV) We can encourage a friend with our words or any of our unique special gifts, like teaching, serving, leadership skills, mercy and compassion, or even simply giving the gift of our time (Romans 12:6-8). When we make wise use of our talents and training, we truly are blessing the recipients of our gifts. In faithfully serving others, may we one day hear our Lord say to us, just as he told the young man who grew his financial gift: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21 NIV) You’ve A Gift Within Linda A. Roorda You’ve a gift within your heart to be shared To love your neighbor as you do yourself, But much more than this is humble service Sharing devotion from depths of true love. ~ Seek out the hurting, the ones bewildered In a world of turmoil, in the midst of grief, At a loss for words, not knowing where to turn, Be an anchor bringing peace to their soul. ~ Be generous with praise, speak truth with wisdom, Carry the burden to lift the heavy heart. Encourage and esteem, strengthen with hope Humbly meeting each need on your path. ~ Lift up the oppressed, release from restraints Enfold in your arms those wounded by life. Show mercy and grace, forgive the offense Come alongside to guide wavering feet. ~ For out of confusion and cries of the soul In walking a line tween query and quest, Comes peace that calms and joy that rebuilds From the gift within your heart that was shared. ~~

Blessed Are You… The Beatitudes, Jesus’ words of blessings to all who seek Him. They give us guidance on qualities of spiritual life that we should strive to live out daily. In effect, they are the reverse of what the world might consider valuable assets. In Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He told the crowds who were listening that they should “watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them… A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit… Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15-20 NIV) The Apostle Paul explains that “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV) In aiming to follow our Lord’s guiding wisdom, we seek an intimate relationship with God in reverence. Sharing love generously like Jesus, we don’t compromise values or morals, maintaining a listening ear to the Holy Spirit’s guidance within us. And we remember Jesus’ words to “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than this.” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV) But left to my own devices, I indeed fail. I need to follow wisdom far greater than my finite mind. In writing my poem below, my hope was to rephrase Jesus’ words of perfect love for us into thoughts from my own understanding... not to take anything away from what our Lord said, but simply to add contemporary meaning and dimension as I focused on His guiding words. Continuing to read Matthew chapters 5 through 7, more paraphrasing into poetic verse came to mind. From there, further rephrasing of Scripture from Philippians 4 seemed to fit the context of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Contemplating Jesus’ teaching through the “Beatitudes” to His disciples and the crowds of followers, how might we relate His great words of wisdom as we go about our day… among family and friends, and at work or in school? Again, it is not my intent to take anything away from God’s Holy Word, but to add dimension for our hearts to contemplate as we bring His words into our daily life… an exercise illuminating how great His love is for each of us. Blessed Are You Linda A. Roorda (Based on Matthew 5-7 and Philippians 4) ~ Blessed are you with no hope left but God For you will know acceptance by Him. ~ Blessed are you whose heart has been broken For you will find your comfort in Him. ~ Blessed are you with humility mild For you will show His love from your heart. ~ Blessed are you whose heart seeks His will For you will share the wisdom of God. ~ Blessed are you when hurting and stressed For you will have a life filled with mercy. ~ Blessed are you untainted by vice For you will have a pure heart before God. ~ Blessed are you who humbly seek peace For you will be a true child of God. ~ Blessed are you when mocked for your faith For you will stand firm with the Lord at your side. ~ Rejoice and be glad as salt of the earth For you shine forth His light from your heart. Then be reconciled to those you offend That peace may abound in the hearts of all men. ~ Love your enemy as your neighbor dear That you may be called a child of our God. And blessed are you on forgiving those When they have sinned against you and our Lord. ~ And worry not what the future holds For your Father knows the needs of your life. Ask, seek and find, knock to open doors For our Father waits to bless through His will. ~ Broad is the path to destruction goes But narrow the gate that leads us to Life. For as the good tree will bear its best fruit So we shall see the fruit of our deeds. ~ Thus, he who hears must show in his life The wisdom found in the house which he builds. For that upon sand cannot withstand storms While that built on rock stands firm in the Truth. ~ Do not be anxious, but think on these things And with thanksgiving send prayers to our God That content you’ll be regardless the task Knowing you can work through His strength alone. ~ Stand firm in the Lord, press on to the goal Guard well your heart and mind in the Lord For He gives peace beyond understanding Rejoicing always in His gentle spirit. ~ For whatever is true, whatever is honest, Whatever is right, whatever is pure, Whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, Whatever is excellent, whatever worth praise… Think on these things and blessed you shall be. ~~

What is love? We say “I love you!” to our family and friends … but we also say we love a book, a movie, a car, a new outfit, our pets. Is love found in endless glowing words of romantic emotion or selfless acts to please another? What makes love tick? It’s the minutes between the anniversaries that make the memories special. Writing for our 44th anniversary in 2018, I thought this poem and reflection would be fitting for Valentine’s Day this Friday. My husband used to write me special letters to express his deepest feelings. Not able to buy cards unless someone took him to the store, many were the times he listened repeatedly to a specific song on record, tape or CD and painstakingly wrote it out, phrase by phrase... just to express what was in his heart. That effort on his part meant more to me than the world’s most beautiful romantic manufactured card. He also showed his love in a myriad of ways… like willingly helping with our babies after he came in from 14-16 hour days of farm chores just because he wanted to. He learned to diaper them, lovingly rocked and burped our little ones, and even read bedtime stories to them before his own dinner. Seeing my big 6’7” guy hold our tiny babies in his calloused farm-worn hands clearly evoked an image of tender love. He was committed to his family, always there for me and our children, helping guide them as they grew, or enveloping us in his arms when we needed a warm snuggle. He helped with household chores despite vision and physical limitations – just because it was his way of showing love... trying to ease the load I carried after working a full shift, taking him to medical appointments, and handling more and more of what he could no longer do. Years ago, I attended an annual women’s faith retreat. In one of the classes, we were asked to share how we express love to our spouse in a unique way as the leader wrote 10 ways on the board. A few said they’d write “I love you” with shaving cream on the bathroom mirror or add a special note when packing lunch for their husband, etc. My simply saying “I love you” to my husband was laughed at when shared with the woman next to me, a pastor’s wife. I felt so humiliated. What I wanted to explain (and should have said but was afraid to) was that my husband was blind and my saying those three simple words had always been special to him, and that everyone’s examples were only good for those with vision. Baking scrumptious meals and desserts, and not treating him as incapable of doing things just because he was blind, seeking his advice when I had a problem, or even waiting for him to ask for help before offering or giving my assistance… these also showed my love in tangible ways that he appreciated. My husband meant what he said. His words were not empty, hollow flattery. When he said something, listen close because there was a depth of truth and wisdom from his innate ability to understand life and how people operate. He was a man of few words. I used to wish he’d talk more, like me! But I came to understand and appreciate the meaning behind his few words chosen well, his sense of humor, his devotion to me and his family, his strong faith in God in the midst of blindness and multiple health issues, and his ability to share Godly wisdom. Giving flowers was never his thing, though I tend to long for beautiful bouquets. On the other hand, he knew the value of our hard-earned dollars. He didn’t frivolously throw it away on something that would be tossed aside in just a few days… like flowers. He preferred to spend his money on something to be enjoyed long term. And I admired him for that. As a widow, I treasure my husband who respected me and appreciated all that I did. Maybe he didn’t tell me every day; but, when he did, it was worth the wait to hear those words because he meant them. It was a hard life for him, yet he didn’t feel sorry for himself. Being legally blind since he was a premature infant, and though he could drive a tractor on the farm or along the roadside, he could not hop in the car or truck and go whenever and wherever he wanted. He was stuck at home, unless someone drove him to his destination. How frustrating that was for him at times! I appreciated his attitude of acceptance as, in his later years, totally blind and with health issues that limited his mobility, he accepted the path God allowed his life to take. He was able to express wisdom and insight we both would not have understood had we not gone through these various difficulties. My husband loved me despite the immaturity I came into our marriage with at 19. He loved me enough to help me grow, to become the best wife and mother I could be, and to use the hidden talents God blessed me with in ways I could never have imagined. In turn, I loved him for being there for me, listening and talking through issues we faced. He’d been gifted with a sense of humor that cropped up when needed most. I loved working by his side in the past in the barn, doing yard work, or in the house. He used to tease me, saying I followed him around like a shadow in the barn, and when he’d stop short to take care of something, I’d “crash” into him and we’d burst into laughter with hugs! I miss those times working closely together… a lot. Yet, no marriage is perfect. We had our share of problems and arguments when our wants got the upper hand. But we made it work and kept our vows to each other rather than running away when times got tough. Love comes in admitting our wrongs, asking forgiveness, and understanding the unique and different strengths we each bring as gifts to be shared for personal growth. In contemplating love, the depth of a heart is revealed in the willing ability to stand by a loved one no matter the cost, except in the case of abuse. Yet, even then, if the abuser is willing to admit their wrongs and truly change from within, the path of regeneration, or reconciliation, is well worth the effort. But, if the abuser refuses to see or admit their wrongs, and perpetuates such behavior, even if others may not see it, then it’s time to walk away for one’s physical and/or emotional preservation, whether in a marriage or a friendship. Love is not about what someone else can give you; it’s all about what you can give the other, in building them up, without looking for praise. And in that, I’m reminded of Jesus’ words, words rephrased in our marriage vows, that “greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.” (John 15:13) Though I may not have been married to the most romantic guy in the world, God truly blessed me with Ed’s love and practicality. Perhaps the complement to my emotional heart and creativity, he brought a balance to keep me grounded and contented, sharing laughter with his great sense of humor that helped bring many smiles to our faces. He had an innate ability to understand people… like the depths of my heart, our children’s needs as they grew up, sharing wise words when they came to him with problems, or taking seriously his former role as a church Elder/Deacon… knowing how to balance his role as leader of our family with the Lord as guide. We were far from perfect, but it’s knowing how to pick our battles, and how to pick ourselves up again in the storm, with “promises to keep and miles to go” to quote another poet.* Therein lies the secret of true love as we seek the wisdom of God above… letting His love permeate our hearts and souls to become a better person. Because I firmly believe God put us together, allowing us to face various difficult trials to draw us closer to Him as we grow in faith and love. And, if Christ loved each of us so much that He willingly lay down His life for us, for our sins, then we can surely share that love with others around us. For as Colossians 3:12-14 reminds us, we are to “…clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” This is the love I saw in my husband. This is Love Linda A. Roorda This is love beyond a feeling in the depths of the heart a commitment to keep. ~ This is love exhilarating joy that flows through the soul with a gentle tenderness. ~ This is love in the place of self a sacrificial gift bringing joy to another. ~ This is love a blending of hearts to become as one in sharing life’s journey. ~ This is love a tear that is shared the hand tenderly held the comfort in silence felt. ~ This is love a listening ear with honest confession as mercy and grace pour out. ~ This is love to take life’s pain and wash it away in selfless gifts with joy. ~ This is love that One above would give His life to show us the path of love. ~~

Yes, go! I took my Grands and their parents there last summer (first time for me, too) - I was impressed in what they had on display, and my Grands found every bit of it fascinating and educational!

What our thoughts focus on tends to tell us where our heart resides. We may focus on our loved ones, our hobbies, fun and games with friends, climbing the corporate ladder, earning a vast estate, and collecting things… reminding me of the popular saying, “The one with the most toys wins.” Don’t get me wrong. These are not, in and of themselves, inherently wrong. Instead, it’s the how and why behind that which we focus on. I’m no different than anyone else. I like my “things” – especially my collection of reproduction Delft, particularly the tiles hung in my kitchen which remind me of our Dutch heritage. My grandfather had remodeled their outdated kitchen, putting Delft tiles into the wall design, something I had always admired. But these things mean nothing to my spiritual and eternal well-being. Instead, it’s who I heed in my heart, whose word I focus on to direct my life. And I willingly admit, it’s not always easy to stay focused… for this life calls in all its many splendored ways. So I especially appreciate my favorite Psalm 139:1-18, 23-24 (NIV): “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand - when I awake, I am still with you… 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting with you.” Years ago on the farm, a gate was accidentally left open. Later that evening, Ed’s dad got a phone call. Cows were in the fields of another farmer about a mile or so up the main road, and the caller was trying to determine to whom they belonged. Ed and his dad went up to see if they were their cows, and, sure ‘nuff, they were. But they were scattered all over! The neighbors wondered how Ed and his dad could possibly gather the whole herd and get them back to our farm. “No problem,’ said Ed’s dad. My Ed simply started clapping his hands and began walking up the road as his father followed. And to the stunned amazement of neighbors and farmers, every one of those cows calmly and peacefully gathered behind their leader and followed him home… back to the safety of their own barn with food awaiting their arrival. For you see, those cows had been trained since they were little calves to come to clapping – it meant food and a clean stall in the barn. As they grew older and became part of the milking herd, they continued to respond to their master’s call… for clapping still meant food and a clean stall in the barn at milking time! And isn’t this how we respond to our master, our shepherd… our Lord? If our heart has been trained to listen to His words of wisdom, we will respond and heed His call. When we find ourselves in time of need, we’ll seek Him and follow His leading along His path. As Jesus said in John 10:14: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…” God knows my every thought, establishes my path and guides my way. And when I start to wander, He calls me back to His side. What peace and comfort are found in His words. And may it always be His voice that I hear and pay attention to. Your Voice I Hear Linda A. Roorda On You above my thoughts do focus You see my heart and the depths thereof, The secrets hidden away from the world For You know the thoughts that reside within. ~ Yet I freely admit I wander away What You expect is beyond my grasp. Though I stumble, and now and then fall You pick me up to try once again. ~ As Your tender voice calls gently to me In the midst of life and trials of pain, What shall I fear though my frets alarm When your face I seek and You are my guide. ~ May I ever hear Your voice in my ear But more important may I heed the nudge Of a still small voice down deep in my heart A voice whose wisdom guides my every step. ~ It’s a voice that brings singing to my soul With a joy that fills my heart with peace. For I cannot fail to see You around You’re always there to hear my heart’s song. ~ How great is Your love that You’d call me near Close to Your side from out of this world, A world of cares, a world of troubles Gently enfolding, Your love touches me. ~ For You called my name before time began You cared for me with a tender joy. You carried my heart gently in Your hands And stretched out Your arms to wrap me in peace. ~ You gave away Love, the depth of Your heart To make my heart sing with joy each new day. You lift up my soul and fill me with praise As Your love for me encompasses all. ~~

A few years ago, I subbed for a high school English teacher, and decided to read to "my" students from the book they were to start. Of two sets of copies, one updated version held a new intro by the author of "Night", Elie Wiesel, who entered Auschwitz at age 15, their age. I let my emotions flow, i.e. the sadness and tears. The students were so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. In the hall later, one young man thanked me for what I had done for them. Here is a small part of that intro as we remember the Nazi's Auschwitz and its liberation 80 years later, one of many concentration camps holding the Jews and their sympathizers. "Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into one long night seven times sealed. Never shall I forget that smoke. Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a silent sky. Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever. Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live. Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes. Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never… Afraid of the blows. That was why I remained deaf to his cries. Instead of sacrificing my miserable life and rushing to his side, taking his hand, reassuring him, showing him that he was not abandoned, that I was near him, that I felt his sorrow, instead of all that, I remained flat on my back, asking God to make my father stop calling my name, to make him stop crying. So afraid was I to incur the wrath of the SS. In fact, my father was no longer conscious. Yet his plaintive, harrowing voice went on piercing the silence and calling me, nobody but me… I remember that night, the most horrendous of my life: …Eliezer, my son, come here… I want to tell you something…Only to you…Come, don't leave me alone…Eliezer… I heard his voice, grasped the meaning of his words and the tragic dimension of the moment, yet I did not move… yet I did not let him have his wish. I was afraid. My father no longer felt the club's blows; I did. And yet I did not react. I let the SS beat my father, I left him alone in the clutches of death. Worse: I was angry with him for having been noisy, for having cried, for provoking the wrath of the SS… But I had not moved. I shall never forgive myself. Nor shall I ever forgive the world for having pushed me against the wall, for having turned me into a stranger, for having awakened in me the basest, most primitive instincts. His last word had been my name. A summons. And I had not responded. Sometimes I am asked if I know "the response to Auschwitz"; I answer that not only do I not know it, but that I don't even know if a tragedy of this magnitude has a response. What I do know is that there is "response" in responsibility. When we speak of this era of evil and darkness, so close and yet so distant, "responsibility" is the key word. The witness has forced himself to testify. For the youth of today, for the children who will be born tomorrow. He does not want his past to become their future."

Often, it’s in learning to accept the difficulties we face in life that we find healing peace. Yesterday being the second anniversary of Ed’s passing into eternal glory, I thought I’d repost this blog. We are not always healed of our illnesses or disabilities just because we pray for such. I treasure knowing Ed was made perfectly whole in his heavenly home… in God’s perfect will and timing. Early one morning several years ago, before heading to another of Ed’s many appts, I stood on the deck with the sun on my face, gazing at the garden beyond a beautiful tree that, 40-some years ago, was about 10 feet tall at most. Even Emily once said when visiting that she couldn’t get over how big it had grown. Hearing the drone of a plane in the bright blue sky overhead, until its sound slowly faded on its journey to far-away places, reminding me of my childhood… laying on the grass, staring at the clouds, listening to planes overhead, without a care in the world, especially not about bugs and ticks in the grass, deciding what the puffy clouds looked like in comparison to my sister’s thoughts… and sometimes, what I’d give for more days like that childhood fun… quiet, unperturbed, no worries or cares, and no fears of an unknown future… We spent nearly every day of every week, every month, and every year since October 2008 going to medical appointments. Ed was often hospitalized for new or recurrent medical flares with additional appointments. Though we were exhausted emotionally and physically, we were thankful he was still here with us for we came close to losing him at least half a dozen times… thankful for my hospital medical transcription job where my boss allowed me to work 3am to 11am so I could take care of him and his appointments in the afternoons over all those years… thankful for the elderly friend who wanted to visit Ed back then and who, on hearing I was sorry to tell him “no” for how exhausted Ed was from his extensive appointment calendar, graciously apologized and said he’d leave us alone till Ed felt better. For all who cared enough to ask how Ed was doing, I’d say “ok” or “stable.” We were grateful for their caring. Ed improved somewhat after two hospitalizations in July 2022. Life continued to be a daily struggle for him tho, like for anyone with worsening severe congestive heart failure and multiple other health issues, knowing CHF has no cure. He had a few drug changes, eliminating some nasty side effects while replacement meds brought new issues. For all those times I wanted to do things for him, Ed would say, “Let me do this as long as I can before the day comes when I can’t.” We also remembered to focus on God being here with us in the midst of what seemed like never-ending difficulties in health and other challenges, wondering if our prayers were heard, while knowing God does work all things for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28) … even when we feel so alone… because God has said He will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8). And sometimes I needed a little reminder when life became overwhelming… I wrote the following article in 2016, accepted for publication at the Christian Reformed Church Disability “Network” website in January 2017. Why do we have to deal with suffering? Why aren’t we miraculously healed when we pray for healing? Didn’t Jesus say, “Ask anything in my name and it shall be given you”? So, are we not healed due to a lack of faith or the right prayers? What Jesus did say was: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) He also said “… and I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (John 14:13-14) John later wrote, "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” (I John 5:14) And therein lies the key – asking in the context of God’s will. But that then begs the question… what is God’s will? Ed and I traveled a long road with his disabilities and medical diagnoses. We were told at church to pray and fast for healing, and trust that he will be healed. It sounds so easy, but healing did not come as they expected. I was told it was our fault that he had not been healed of his blindness because we did not pray right. Although I would never want to destroy a prayer of hope, the Bible does not teach that we can manipulate God into doing what we want just by saying the right words or having "enough" faith. With multiple long-term illnesses, disabilities with unrelenting pain and dizziness, we wondered what was wrong with us that healing had passed Ed by… though he did recover when the docs told us he was in a certain life-and-death situation. Intimations by well-meaning folks that healing is simply for the asking has devastating effects, including guilt. While the “well” person can walk away emotionally and physically intact, how do we handle the seemingly raw deal we’ve been dealt? Personally, I think it takes a deeper and stronger faith to move forward without obvious answers and healing. Just maybe there really is a purpose in our suffering. As we read in James, we are to “consider it pure joy…whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4). For “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial." (vs.12) Once upon a time I did not understand that concept and reacted poorly to adversity. Yet, even in that, I am not alone. Paralyzed from the neck down after a shallow dive not long after graduating from high school, Joni Eareckson Tada initially reacted negatively. She expected answers to prayers for miraculous healing. But healing never came. Disappointed, discouraged and despairing, she finally came to terms with accepting her disability. She has seen God work by changing her heart instead, and she praises God for the blessing her ministry has been in transforming the lives of others. Despite his multitudinous losses of family and personal property, Job did not sin in his quest for answers. Learning of his losses, he worshipped God saying, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21b) He did not blame or curse God. But in questioning God, and hearing the Almighty’s queries of him, Job acknowledged an understanding of where he fit in the overall scheme of life. . . that God was in control of the positives and the negatives… and God eventually blessed him even more than before. I am impressed with Job’s humility as he learned to fully trust our loving, all-knowing and all-powerful God. In unbelievable circumstances that I can’t comprehend, others have struggled to regain normalcy after devastating losses, knowing their life will never be the same. I’m sure they wish their life stories were different. But God knows why life has its rough roads. He knows our story from start to finish. (Psalm 139:13-16) He hears our cries and pleadings and rescues us. (Psalms 18 and 34) And, though God seems silent at times, I’m reassured by Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Then there’s the Apostle Paul, i.e. Saul who sought to kill Jews who had converted to Christianity before Christ appeared to him and he became a great witness for Christ. Whatever his troublesome thorn was, he wrote, “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (II Corinthians 12:7-10) As God drew us into a closer relationship with Him on a path we didn’t always like, Ed and I knew that He would never leave us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5b) During years of Ed’s unrelenting health issues and disabilities, we came to understand the redemptive quality and spiritual growth which pain and trials can bring to our lives. As Philip Yancey put it so well, “We’re concerned with how things turn out; God is more concerned with how we turn out.” (“The Question That Never Goes Away – Why?”, p.105) Therein lies the key to accepting and understanding life’s difficulties. When there are no answers to pleas for healing, may you, too, feel the Lord’s loving arms gently holding you with a comfort and peace only He can give. May you feel His strength enable you to finish well the path He’s allowed you to walk. And may you know His answer will yet be coming, in His time…though maybe not until you stand face to face with Him as it was for Ed’s ultimate perfect healing. And may we each be found worthy at the end of our journey. Answers Linda A. Roorda Sometimes we have no healing for pain And answers to prayers seem elusive at best, But in the silence the Lord whispers soft… I am still here; You are not alone. ~ When the way gets rough, I will guide your steps When the path is steep, your hand I will hold When the night is long, at your side I’ll be When you can’t go on, I will carry you. ~ Though sometimes My will is not what you want Plans I have made take time to work out Wending their way through trials you face With meaning found as your heart seeks mine. ~ There’s much I long to share from My word Coming together with trust placed in Me Finding comfort in My arms of peace When to Me you give control of your path. ~ Even though Faith is bright hope unseen It covers your soul, a protective shield And holds you tight when stormy winds blow To persevere when all else seems lost. ~ For though sometimes answers seem fleeting Your heart is held still gently secure That you may know My mercy and grace Hold your best interests in loving scarred hands. ~~

Today is National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. And this story is very close to my heart because someone I dearly loved would not have lived among us if the recommended abortion had taken place. With the 52nd anniversary of January 1973’s Roe v. Wade abortion decision, I again share the story of a mother-to-be who already had two healthy children, a girl and a boy. This time, she was very ill with her pregnancy. Vomiting frequently, not able to keep much food down, she steadily grew worse. Struggling to carry this new little life, her physician sought to obtain a “medically necessary” abortion. At that time, three doctors needed to sign documentation indicating the mother’s life was in jeopardy if the pregnancy continued. However, no third physician would put his name on the line to allow such an abortion. A Cesarean section was performed at 7 months’ gestation or risk losing both mother and baby. To the surprise of all, twin boys were born! After surgery, the mom nearly died from the effects of toxemia (now called pre-eclampsia), the result of high blood pressure and the demands on her body by not one but two precious little ones. With prayer and great medical care, she pulled through; but her little boys struggled. The largest twin at 5 lbs succumbed to an enlarged heart and died at two days of age, while the smallest little boy at 3-1/2 lbs was placed in an incubator for a month. This tiny preemie survived, albeit with health problems and extremely limited vision in only one viable eye. How do I know? The littlest twin was my husband, Edward. His blindness was caused by the incubator's pure oxygen and the abnormal growth of blood vessels in the retina. But we all praise God that no third physician was willing to sign papers to permit an abortion which would have taken the lives of these precious boys, against their mom’s wishes. Prior to 1952, major medical centers knew that high levels of oxygen in incubators led to infant retinal damage and blindness. But physicians at the tiny hospital in Goshen, NY, a small farming community, were not aware of those findings. As a toddler, Ed was taken to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. There, his parents were told he was among about 2000 children seen in their clinic, one of seven children who had some remnants of remaining vision! The optic nerve to his right eye was damaged, causing total blindness, while his left eye had limited vision, 20/200 with later correction. Ed got his first pair of glasses at age 2. Three years later, with a new pair of stronger lenses, he stared out the car watching the world go by. Suddenly, he shouted, “I see them!” Kids were sledding down a nearby hill; though blurry, it was something he’d never seen before. Whenever his mom told this story, it always brought tears to her eyes. That one sentence was worth every cent of his care, she’d say. As Ed grew up, he was determined to do nearly everything everyone else could do. It drove him forward. Totally blind since 1998, we considered it a blessing he had limited vision for as long as he did. The renowned musician, Stevie Wonder, has the same condition. Then called retrolental fibroplasia (RLF), it is caused by high levels of oxygen in the incubator which contributes to abnormal blood vessel growth, damaging the retina. Now termed retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), it still affects a small percentage of premature infants. At about 22 days, the pre-born infant’s heart begins beating. By 12 weeks, she is about 2 inches long, fully formed and recognizably human, able to feel pain. By 14-16 weeks, fully formed fingers and toes have fingerprints and nails; he sees and blinks, inhales and exhales amniotic fluid, kicks, sucks a thumb, sleeps regularly, and even has hiccups! At full-term, 39 weeks, your baby is ready for life outside the nurturing womb. Ed's retired dermatologist, a devout Catholic, always wore the tiny "Precious Feet" pin on her lapel as a testament to her beliefs, pleased we knew what it meant. Look up the pin name online for a physician's story behind this pin. Roe v. Wade was passed January 22, 1973, allowing for legal abortions in America. The numbers are staggering with an estimated 60.1 to 64.1 million pre-born children aborted since 1973. Some babies who survive saline or chemical abortions and left to die have often been given care by concerned medical staff. These survivors share their stories with a passion, promoting pro-life options as I listened to or read their stories online. One survivor, Gianna Jessen, was “bathed in a burning saline solution [which] she overcame to enter the world. Two months premature, weighing two and a half pounds, she spent her first couple of months in a hospital before entering the foster care system. The failed abortion also provided the “gift” of cerebral palsy, as Gianna says. “It allows me to really depend on Jesus for everything.” Sanctity of life issues reflect on each one of us because all life is sacred. I believe it extends to far more than the banner of the anti-abortion movement. It’s not a political issue, but one that affects our moral fiber. Today, churches around our nation will honor God’s gift of life, commemorate the thousands of lives lost to abortion, and commit to protecting human life at every stage. Yet, there are many difficult questions on both sides of the aisle. I’ve long pondered that, if we care so much for those in the animal world and carefully protect and preserve many other species from decimation, how much more precious is each and every human life – especially since we are made in the image of God? How can we destroy human life through abortion, i.e. murder in utero, because the pregnancy may be the result of rape, doesn’t fit our plan, or the pre-born baby is defective? Do we seek abortion because some pre-born infants are imperfect, and will become a supposed burden to society? Do we justify abortion because some parents are unprepared to care for their children, abuse them, or kill them? My cousin, Randy, intellectually challenged, grew up a kind and loving young man thanks to the love of his widowed mother. Despite his disabilities, he knew everything there was to know about his baseball team and the players! My step-sister’s late son, Cory, was born with DeGeorge syndrome due to a missing part of chromosome 22. Also having apraxia (an inability to perform certain purposeful actions due to brain damage) and diabetes, he developed cirrhosis a year before passing away Easter Sunday 2015. Like many with disabilities, Cory had an infectious joy for life and an unconditional love for everyone he met thanks to his mother, Janet. Life is sacred, and each pre-born child is a unique gift from God just waiting for us to open our arms and heart to this new little life. Even in our imperfect society, there is a viable alternative – adoption. However, with more stringent laws passed to prevent human trafficking, adoption has become an increasingly difficult option. As David wrote in Psalm 139:13-16: “…you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” What If… Linda A. Roorda What if… There was no God? Would we know how to love Or would hate rule our lives? Would we each decide What rules to live by Changing like the wind As our wants wrest control? ~ Would we violate The sanctity of life Simply because Life would not matter Except for the worth We each determine How best we can serve Our selfish ambition? ~ And yet, what if… Each life among us Was somehow meant To open the eyes Of our heart and soul To a higher purpose To show the value Inherent within No matter the wrapping? ~ And what if… We move toward each other And then extend Our outstretched hands? Would that not show Great caring and love From within the depths Of a heart overflowing? ~ For is that not like The hands of One Extended outward Nailed upon a beam To show us how We too should love And sacrifice self Our gift to each other? ~ Because… what if… There is a God Who really cares And Who truly loves Each for who we are For His life was a gift That we would know Just how we should love? ~~

With the arrival of new snow to admire yesterday morning, I was reminded of this poem and reflection written several years ago during a big storm. Within this peaceful blanketing of snow lies the image to me of stillness before God, and contemplation of His goodness, grace and mercy, and blessings to each of us. And my prayer is that you are each blessed in pausing to contemplate the love of God toward each of us on this path called life. As we gaze out at those white flakes floating down, perhaps your eyes track one flake from high up until it settles on top of another, each one gradually adding to the depth. And then you stand transfixed at the shower of multitudinous beautiful and one-of-a-kind flakes fluttering down… gently, softly, quietly… It’s such a beautiful, peaceful scene, isn’t it? Contemplating the peace and quiet of a gentle snowfall reminds me of a Scripture verse I love, “Be still, and know that I am God...” (Psalm 46:10) In the stillness, we see the majesty of His creation expressed all around us – in people and in nature. We hear His still small voice speaking to our heart. From His heavenly Sanctuary, He hears our prayers, guiding us as He gives us His peace. In the stillness, we consider how He would want us to handle situations we may face. And as we take time to ponder, we begin to see how various aspects of life fit together to help us understand His will in the overall picture… for with our Lord Jesus, “all things work together for the good of those who love Him.” (Romans 8:28) Be still… and know that I am God. He has it all under control. He is our fortress, protector and Savior, the great I Am. He loves each of us deeply and has our best interests at heart… even when we go through storms of great difficulty and upheaval in our lives. (Psalm 18) Jesus hears our pleas, and reaches down to rescue us… just like He did for His disciples. After Jesus had taught the crowds in His “Sermon on the Mount,” He and the disciples went out in a boat on the Sea of Galilee to get away from the boisterous crowds looking for more. Suddenly, a storm came up, rocking their boat as waves washed over the sides, almost flooding them out. Despite hearing Jesus preach all day about faith and trusting God, His disciples promptly began to fret and worry in the midst of the storm… so like us, aren’t they?! On waking the sleeping Jesus, they asked, “Don’t you care if we drown?” Jesus simply got up and said, “Peace! Be still!” The winds backed off and the big waves shrank right down to gentle calm ripples. Wouldn’t you have liked to have been there? Just like that, there was peace from His simple command! (Luke 4:35-41 NIV) Undoubtedly, it’s a challenge for us to “be still…” I know it’s hard for me to make quiet time to contemplate God’s goodness toward me… toward each of us. Life is so busy, so hectic, filled with so many demands on our time and energy. We need time to be still… time to stop and reflect… time to pause amidst the rush… time to get away from the challenges… time to just be still and listen to what God has to say within our heart… and time to quiet the fear and anxiety which so often grips our heart. I know I need to take time to be still… to read His word and pray… to ask for His guidance and wisdom amidst all that I face in this busy hectic world. Be still… enjoy the peace and quiet… know that He is God… and let Him be your refuge. Be Still and Know Linda A. Roorda Be still and know that He is my God. He is my rock, my firm foundation. Upon His word I stand secure Trusting the wisdom found only in Him. ~ Be still and rest in mercy and grace. For humble Love from heaven above Dwelt among us to seek and to save Whose blood was shed for me on the cross. ~ Be still and know He embodies Love He bought my soul with His precious gift That I’d find hope in His selfless act As He redeems with mercy and grace. ~ Be still and pause to contemplate thanks With grateful heart as blessings abound Knowing their source of heavenly love As God above graciously bestows. ~ Be still my soul within life’s tempests For He is my refuge, a shelter indeed He calms the storms, I rest in His arms To find His peace envelopes my heart. ~ Be still and gaze with reverence and awe On One whose sovereign grandeur is revealed Bring joyful songs of worship and praise For He is God and He alone reigns. ~ Be still and hear serenity’s voice Within my heart, throughout creation For in His will others we gladly serve That we might honor and glorify Him. ~ Be still and know our God is faithful He changes not though fickle we be His truth remains profound and secure That we may humbly His wisdom reflect. ~~ Linda writes from her home in Spencer.

Watching snow come down Wednesday afternoon, it resembled slushy raindrops that evolved into large flat white flakes that turned into a beautiful white covering Friday morning… and it reminded me of an old familiar hymn from childhood. “Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole; I want Thee forever to live in my soul; break down every idol, cast out every foe; now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow, now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” (Psalm 51:7 and Isaiah 1:18) Which in turn reminded me of this blog from 2017. But it’s that time again… a time when we tend to make New Year’s resolutions! Every year, many of us contemplate where we’ve been and where we’re going, and what to do about it. We make our New Year’s resolutions with every best intention; but all too often, the determination fades when enthusiasm wanes. As we head into a future of unknowns, we like to exchange some of our old habits for the new, whether they be the simple mundane issues of life or more serious life-changing alterations. Yet, there’s one resolution that’s always in vogue. Not in the habit of making an annual list, I’ve been confronted in my soul over the years with seeking and extending forgiveness. Pressing on my heart were ways I had offended others. Regretting foolish words said in younger days, I set about attempting to make amends with heart-felt apologies. Though apprehensive at how my messages would be perceived, writing them brought tears in admitting my wrongs, with relief for doing the right thing by apologizing. And then came joy and gratitude with the blessing of generous forgiving responses. We’ve all been hurt and wounded by the words or actions of others. We can be so hard on each other in this world, intentionally or not. Once we’ve been hurt, it doesn’t take much to be wounded even deeper. And we hold onto those grudges. Been there… coming from a dysfunctional family, it’s a difficult thing to admit. Writing a poem for my Dad, removing all traces of negativity by wording it in positives, we were especially close with forgiving hearts during his last years. Forgiving my mother and making her a quilt after her stroke brought us a closeness we’d not had before. I even heard my parents echo my “I love you” at every encounter, words I’d not heard while growing up. In the long run, grudges don’t do anyone any good… including, and especially us. They erode our joy from the inside. They take away our ability to see the blessings in someone else’s life. Sometimes we want revenge because of the pain we’ve allowed to fester. But, carrying a grudge for any length of time damages us, not the person we hold it against. They might not even know what they’ve done! Go to the person, explain the problem, and attempt to make amends. We also feel a release as we forgive the offender even if they don’t apologize or realize that their actions were wrong and hurtful... even when no one else knows or understands what really happened. Releasing the hurt through prayer allows God to take care of the situation. Our forgiveness of the offender’s injustice sets us free to love more fully… just as God loves us, because we sure aren’t perfect. I appreciate what Desmond Tutu wrote about forgiveness. He understands that “Forgiveness does not relieve someone of responsibility for what they have done. Forgiveness does not erase accountability. It is not about turning a blind eye or even turning the other cheek. It is not about letting someone off the hook or saying it is okay to do something monstrous. Forgiveness is simply about understanding that every one of us is both inherently good and inherently flawed. Within every hopeless situation and every seemingly hopeless person lies the possibility of transformation.”* Tutu further explained that “Forgiving and being reconciled to our enemies or our loved ones is not about pretending that things are other than they are. It is not about patting one another on the back and turning a blind eye to the wrong. True reconciliation exposes the awfulness, the abuse, the hurt, the truth. It could even sometimes make things worse. It is a risky undertaking; but, in the end it is worthwhile, because in the end only an honest confrontation with reality can bring real healing.”** As the old saying goes, hope springs eternal, and there is always hope that, in time, restoration will happen between you and another. For there is a much better path found in forgiveness… that of peace and joy. It happens when we each admit our errors, our faults, our sins… and apologize and seek forgiveness from the one we’ve offended, and from our Lord, as we live out the change in our heart. In this is found true peace… a joy-filled contentment that no one can take away. Yet, it is not always appropriate to return to a harmful relationship. That is between you and God, and no one else has any right to force or expect a reconciliation… because forgiveness does not always mean restoration of a prior relationship that you know was abusive. Elizabeth Esther, author of “Girl at the End of the World”, herself a survivor of spiritual abuse, sums it up well: “Forgiveness means I carry no more resentment. It doesn’t mean I tolerate more abuse… There is a difference, after all, between an apology and repentance. An apology is an acknowledgment of wrong. Repentance is marked by a dramatic change in direction, a noticeable change in behavior.” We need to set appropriate boundaries of respect. Forgiving someone does not mean they are given an open door to resume their old ways by condoning or enabling wrongful behaviors, especially if they continue to lie, refuse to acknowledge they did anything wrong, or that you were hurt. When you have repeatedly forgiven, tried repeatedly to reconcile and discuss the situation, and no conciliatory effort is made to understand how they offended you, nor a willingness to repent of wrongful behavior, apologize and truly make amends… it is time to walk away. Trust and respect are earned. We can try to cover up guilt with a façade of innocence, hiding our wrongs from others, but God sees… He knows the truth. The disciple Peter asked our Lord how many times he should forgive his brother who had sinned against him. Jesus replied that he should forgive “seventy times seven” - in other words, endlessly. (Matthew 18:22) As C. S. Lewis wrote, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” So true! However, in Ephesians 5:11, the Apostle Paul admonishes us to "have nothing to do with fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” The Apostle Luke wrote that “if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3) Forgiveness does not mean that abuse should be excused, tolerated or silenced when true repentance is not evident. Forgiveness is a process when there has been consistent abuse in any form. And yes, it is appropriate to alert and warn others, even in churches. We should not shame the victim willing to come forward. An apology indicates an admission of a wrong to be corrected, with true repentance evidenced in genuine changed attitude and behavior. If the abuser is truly sorry for their actions, they will gladly give you time and space to process and observe them in action, allowing you to make the decision of whether to return to a former relationship or not. Otherwise, it is inappropriate to be forced by others into reconciling when they do not understand the extent of harm that was done, nor should the abuses be swept under the rug with a warning to never discuss them. The person who will not acknowledge their wrongs needs our Lord’s light just like the rest of us. The Apostle Paul reminds us that we are to “…clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love [and] let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12-14) Forgiveness… it may be the last thing we want to do for someone who hurt us deeply… but, when we forgive, it leaves us feeling washed clean and ready for a new start. And our heart is filled with a renewed sense of love to eagerly share with others. What a great resolution to start a new year with! Wishing you a very Happy and Blessed New Year! Forgiveness by Linda A. Roorda Hurts of the heart that abound in life The pain inflicted, the soul that’s wounded The careless words and endless strife Erode our spirit and remove our joy. ~ Raging battlefield within our mind Waging havoc amid destruction Erecting walls with blinded eyes That limit our world and destroy us inside. ~ Offender at times, tossing out darts Offended the next with indignation We each share blame for wrongs committed As we nurse our wounds or savor victory. ~ Then my soul pours out transgressions I’ve made For You know my heart, my thoughts and my deeds Nothing is hidden, repentant I am As humbly I pray with face turned to You. ~ Your wisdom alone has pierced my heart You’ve caused me to see the wrong of my ways For within Your Word are Truths that shed light As I walk this path that draws me to You. ~ To cleanse my soul, forgiveness I seek To redeem the gift You’ve given for me Your life on a cross that I might be free The depth of Your love I cannot repay. ~ Then go and seek the one you’ve offended Make right the path you both must walk Follow the lead of our Lord above Lay down your pride, release your burden. ~ Forgiveness like oil my soul You anoint In comforting peace with mercy and grace Your blessings of love now cover my heart Redeemed am I, Your praises to sing. ~ For there is no peace like to that above When forgiveness reigns in our tender hearts Compassion to share as blessings abound Bring heaven’s joy to shine brightly down. ~~ Linda writes from her home in Spencer *Quote taken from * Desmond Tutu, “The Book of Forgiving: The Fourfold Path for Healing Ourselves and Our World”

As this year draws to its conclusion, I began pondering all that I’m thankful for… among the many blessings God has showered on each of us. It’s been a good year of making new friends and appreciating friends from the past, of joining a new-to-me Reformed church group and their band, able to use my aging voice to share a love of singing praise to our Lord, of treasured memories of loved ones who were a special part of our lives for a time, of family who grace our lives with their love and presence, of the students I sub for and care about, and so much more. But sometimes our blessings are taken for granted, because I, for one, forget to focus on the gift of those blessings while some days our hearts fill to overflowing with praise and thanksgiving for even the least of these. Those are the days we remember all that God has given each of us with love. And then we wonder how we can ever thank our great God enough for all He’s done for us, especially in the life of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, whose birth we just celebrated, who came to this earth with a purpose, ultimately going to the cross for our eternal salvation. (John 3:16) And that’s a blessing to forever be thankful for! My previously unpublished poem below was written several years ago as two separate poems during a particularly difficult year of Ed’s continued worsening health and my cancer diagnosis and treatments. Yet their poetic themes were similar enough that they seemed to flow as one entity of praise in alternating verses, fitting to end this year with and to welcome a new year. I also find it easier to write in the first person. From my own life experiences and feelings of my heart, words flow onto the page. Ed always said I wore my feelings on my face. But it’s also been said I’m too emotional, by someone in a leadership position who should know better. It’s true, but that’s the way God created my caring heart. And often when a poem is finished, re-reading it in its entirety brings tears to my eyes. For I know God has blessed me with words that often seem to come from somewhere deep in my soul… from someplace with which my consciousness is not always in touch… with words that have touched the hearts of others and brought healing to mine. Because yes, it’s my heart that rejoices, my heart that is saddened, my heart that gets angry at times, my heart that despairs, my heart that apologizes and seeks forgiveness for my wrongs and desires peace, my heart that looks up to the Lord for His loving forgiveness, asking for His hand to guide my path, and it’s even my heart that these poetic words lift up. For it’s also my heart that praises the Lord for all the blessings He’s given while allowing me to face hardships and pain, as He brings healing and peace, and joy amid tears from His loving mercy and grace. In all of life’s ups and downs, He knows best how to guide my heart and my steps… and may He use these words to touch your heart in turn… as I thank each of you for being a blessing to me. You’ve Blessed Me Linda A. Roorda Oh Lord, you’ve blessed me in ways beyond count At each new dawning to greet a new day With words of praise from depths of my heart Like birds taking flight are songs in my soul. ~ How do I begin my Creator to thank? For where life began barely touches the sum. But were I to try my heart could not name All the blessings of love and joy in my soul. ~ Your hand is my guide unaware at times Taking for granted simple joys of life, So may I pause and contemplate The myriad ways Your love covers me. ~ Through seasons of need joy and praise burst forth In testing and trial with hope I reach up For You always guide each faltering step To carry when I fall and ease heavy burdens. ~ Look upward my soul as life and stress deep Overwhelm to the core and deprive of peace. With hope the key to renew my heart I walk not by sight but by Faith alone. ~ Within this world You allow my struggles For an easy path was never promised. Yet You have vowed at my side to be Guiding me over life’s treacherous shoals. ~ For it’s You my Lord, to whom I will run Whose voice I hear, whose Word is my guide Directing my path, gently leading me on Guiding with light, Your Son in my heart. ~ You promised more if I will just seek Your grace and mercy since Your child I am, With a love and joy that knows no bounds And peace that passes all understanding. ~ And oh! the joy that blesses my soul! For since time began You’ve called me by name. And with thankful heart I praise You my God For blessings given in ways beyond count. ~~ Linda writes from her home in Spencer.

Thank you so much, Ann! Merry Christmas to you and Hal!

Christmas… the most wonderful time of the year! We all have special memories wrapped up like treasures from holidays past - the smell of fresh pine when just the right tree is brought in and set up, strands of beautiful colored or pure white lights, decorations from gorgeous and fancy to simple and elegant in an array of colors and styles, scrumptious cookies and candy being made with their aromas wafting through the house, busy days of shopping and either making or looking for just the right gift for each loved one on our list, the stores beautifully decorated like no other time of the year, gifts wrapped and topped with beautiful bows and placed gently beneath the tree, Christmas music filling the air as we sing favorite carols, a fresh layer of snow to reward us with the white Christmas we’ve been dreaming of, as children (and adults) wait in eager anticipation of Santa’s arrival… Ahh... memories! Aren’t they wonderful? But in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I long for quiet time to pause and reflect on why we celebrate Christmas. It’s too cold to sit out in one of my gardens to contemplate, so thoughts run through my mind as I sit in an old rocking chair. My antique wooden rocker reminds me of when my dad brought it home from one of his cousin Howard’s auctions in Nichols 50-some years ago. It was broken. Needed one of its rockers replaced. So, he fashioned a new rocker to make the chair whole again. Then, my mom lovingly restored the dark mahogany wood to its natural shining luster. There’s a second rocking chair I often sit in to be near my husband in his recliner. Outwardly, it looks new; nothing’s broken - but it squeaks if I rock too slowly. My in-laws knew how much I liked to sit in it over the years while visiting, so they blessed me with it. But why am I talking about rocking chairs, and a broken one at that? And at Christmas time no less! Because they remind me that that’s why Jesus left His heavenly home and came to this earth as a wee tiny precious baby to live among us. Our lives are broken… though perhaps not outwardly evident. We need someone to lovingly restore us… back to the luster and shine that we were intended to have, a broken beauty like that old rocking chair. Yet, there is Someone willing to come alongside us, to forgive us on our repentance, to walk with us… gently calling us to Himself… our Savior, ready to tenderly restore us with His gift of love… Jesus, the baby whose birth we celebrate at Christmas. I’ve often wondered what it was like to have been Mary and Joseph, having to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem with their first baby due soon. Caesar Augustus had decreed that every citizen should be counted in the entire Roman world, and Bethlehem was Joseph’s ancestral hometown since he was a descendant of King David. And so off they went. I cannot imagine Mary walking all that distance from Nazareth being heavy with child only to learn that they had arrived too late to find a clean, warm room. We tend to think Mary rode the distance on a donkey… after all, our Christmas cards often feature that image. But nowhere in Scripture is that ever mentioned. In fact, as I recently learned, Joseph and Mary were rather poor, while only the wealthy could have afforded donkey. So, when Joseph was turned away from the inn in Bethlehem because there was no room for them, he must have felt so frustrated. He couldn’t even provide a warm, clean room for his exhausted wife. Yet, the innkeeper took compassion on the couple and told them they could find shelter in his stable. Oh great! This was not exactly what they had hoped for; still, it was warm, dry and quiet. Well, sort of… There were all those animals they’d have to share the smelly stable with – perhaps donkeys, sheep, oxen, a few cats chasing mice hither and yon, maybe even a few roosting chickens – and animals at night are not exactly quiet. But at least it was warm and dry! And they didn’t have to deal with hordes of people rushing around, talking loudly and keeping everyone up all night. Yes, a simple stable would be good enough. Now, they could finally get some rest and a little peace and quiet… And there, in the dark of night, with perhaps a small torch for light, Mary gave birth to her first-born son. She wrapped him in swaddling cloths and must have snuggled him close. As he fell asleep, I imagine she kissed his precious little face while laying him gently on the hay in a manger. (Luke 2:1-7) And then came visitors, some local shepherds, who told them how they’d heard about their baby’s birth. The shepherds told Mary and Joseph that while they were out in the fields, watching over their flocks for the night, they saw the Angel of the Lord in all His glory. He shone so brightly that he lit up the world all around them! And they even admitted to Joseph and Mary how afraid they had been. Nothing like this had ever happened out on the hills before! What could it mean? But they also shared how the angel had spoken gently to them saying, “Fear not! For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in the manger.’” Then suddenly, a multitude of bright angels appeared in the heavens, surrounding them, praising God and saying, “‘Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.’” [Luke 2:8-14] Mary pondered all that had happened in her heart and soul during the days and years ahead. If we could only know what she was thinking as she watched her precious baby boy grow up, as she wondered about the life her Son would live… and ultimately give… for her… for us… just to make us whole again. ONE HOLY AND SILENT NIGHT Linda A. Roorda One bustling and boist’rous night A man sought a room, A special room for his wife About to give birth. ~ No room! No room at the inn! Joseph had heard, But go look for your shelter With cattle o’er yon. ~ A warm and pungent stable Mangers filled with hay, Peaceful, serene, inviting, Cattle mooing low. ~ A cry pierces the darkness Mary tenderly smiles, A precious babe is born Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us. ~ Shepherds gaze up astonished As angels descend Amid dazzling-lit heavens Singing, Peace on earth! ~ To Bethlehem town they run Lowly stable to find, Promised Messiah to see, Savior of the world. ~ Would I have recognized Him, This new baby boy? Would I have known His purpose, My Savior, My Lord? ~ One holy and silent night God came down to man. In humility He served, His grace-filled plan to redeem. ~ Merry Christmas! God bless you all! ~~

During this holiday season, so many among us struggle with difficulties and losses. They seem to make the holidays harder to face as we perhaps miss the joy once shared with loved ones, struggle with losses from devastating storms, or were given a difficult health diagnosis. Yet, we don’t have to face life’s turmoil alone. There is one who will be at our side - Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He’s the very reason we celebrate Christmas. He brings love to our heart, guides our path, and gives us His peace and comfort to face those difficult days. Maybe you feel as though you're broken and scattered... like pieces of shattered glass. You're so overwhelmed by life, torn apart by one situation after another, perhaps in rapid succession. And you begin to feel like you want to run away from all the stress and responsibility. I have... and know I'm not alone... My poem below was actually written only days before another very difficult year for me and Ed... words God gave me to show me He was truly with us, that He had a purpose, and that He would be there in those hard days. We all get hit hard by life at times, like the disruptive years during the coronavirus pandemic. We all face losses. We all stumble and fall. We’re all broken… broken by our mistakes, sins, fears, pain, ongoing chronic illness, loss of precious loved ones, financial stress, or simply by the weight of life’s never-ending demands. But are we willing to admit we’re broken people? Do we think we’ve got it so together that we would never admit a failing? Do we lash out at others around us out of anger, hurt and resentment? Do we perhaps look down on those who might stumble in a moment of weakness? Or do we humbly apologize and ask forgiveness from those we might have offended? The damage from any trauma or abuse can be devastating, leaving us feeling raw and exposed, torn apart. Just the simplest things can take a toll when we’re overwhelmed by stress without relief. Long-term illness or disability can have the same effect. We keep hoping that one day… somehow… things will get better… but they don’t seem to. Reminds me of what it might be like sitting in a boat in the middle of a lake without oars, rudder or motor when the storm hits. We won’t get very far. In fact, the storm will toss us about unceasingly or capsize us without that rudder to steer and stabilize the boat, or the oars to row our boat to shore. And it’s so true that life’s challenges can blindside us when we least expect them and catch us totally unprepared, leaving us feeling like we’re unable to handle what comes our way. Certainly, we don’t feel like our brokenness is beautiful! God never promised us a life without problems and pain: “…in me you may have peace [for] in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”. (John 16:33) He promised to give us what we ask for when we ask in His will, and that He will always be with us. We just need to ask and trust Him as He “works all things for the good of those who love Him…” (Romans 8:28) He intends for our journey of difficulty to strengthen our faith. For James 1:2-3 reminds us to “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance…” Yet each trial, or broken road, can sure seem long and tedious, and not something we readily rejoice in! Still, as we draw closer to our Lord in the difficulties, we realize He’s been drawing us closer to Himself. He’s at work putting our broken pieces back together to make us complete… to restore us… to give us a purpose. How often haven’t we felt His love surround us when the path is hard and long, and we seemed so alone? Haven’t we looked back to see He’s carried us at times when we’ve done all we could and felt as though we couldn’t take one more step? And isn’t He the one who sent someone to wrap their arms around us, with an ear to listen to our heart, words to heal, and arms to hold us up and help us stand… until we felt stronger and able to function again? Just like Paul wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13) Recently I read about the Japanese artform of Kintsugi (golden joinery), or Kintsukuroi (golden repair). These are terms for a special type of repair to broken pottery which began in about the 15th century. Artisans take gold, silver or platinum dust, mix it with a special lacquer or resin, and apply it to the broken pieces. As they fit the broken pieces together, the shattered pottery is made whole again. Typically, the broken vessel becomes even more beautiful in its new state of repair – broken beauty, in other words! No matter what we go through, God will bring comfort and peace to our heart when we look to Him for strength to face each trial. He is our salvation for eternity. We are why He came to this broken world as a tiny newborn infant. He has it all under control and even has a reason for taking us through the storms, allowing us to grow and heal through the difficult journey. He welcomes us as broken people, making something beautiful from our shattered pieces of life! Then comes the day when we realize we're healed... maybe not exactly as we'd wanted... but the pain no longer has a grip on us... for our brokenness has been used to heal a weakness. The difficult journey was worth every step from brokenness to a new wholeness... because it has given us a better understanding of life with a greater empathy for others, with peace like a comforting blanket... enabling us to come alongside someone else who is struggling and overwhelmed as we "encourage the disheartened [and] help the weak..." (I Thessalonians 5:14) For we know that God has used our trial in such a way that we now shine a light from within that we never knew we had... as we've gone from broken to beautiful in God's restorative eyes! Broken Beauty By Linda A. Roorda ~ Sometimes… Like a beautiful vase Our life is shattered Like so many shards Of broken glass Where once there was A vessel whole… And unbroken. ~ Because… Trials of life Came crashing down To take their toll Inflicting damage Leaving emotions raw Trying to destroy The joy from within. ~ But… There comes a day When it’s time To pick up the pieces And one by one To then reclaim The former beauty Of the vessel treasured. ~ So… An effort ensues To fit the pieces Back together In such a way That there will shine Illuminating brilliance Never before seen. ~ For… An inner strength Has taken hold So that the pieces Broken and scattered In coming together Now give the vessel A broken beauty! ~~ February 2014

I’ve shared this essay previously, part of a speech given at a local women-of-faith retreat. Yet, there are times my heart is lifted up by re-reading words from another time and place… reminding me anew of God’s unfailing love in difficult circumstances. As I wrote in my Christmas letter a year ago, I have felt so blessed by God in so many ways since Ed’s passing. I’ve also been blessed over the years by visions, words or nudges from God, including after our daughter Jenn passed with a vision of her surrounded by children in her heavenly home, saying “Be strong,” those words all throughout Scripture. But a few days after Ed passed, I was woken up by seeing Ed leaning over as I slept, giving me a gentle loving kiss… God’s way of reminding me that His love is always with me. Ed was in the ER multiple times that year, admitted just after Christmas and again in January 2023 for worsening congestive heart failure with pulmonary issues. Then, multi-tasking, running in a gazillion directions at once, I walked nose first in the dark into an open door I’d forgotten to close. Thankfully it wasn’t broken, just wounded. Initially, Ed was “ok” but continued to struggle with activities of daily living as shortness of breath and weakness took over, while learning to accept more limitations with his many diagnoses affected us both… until it was clear he would not recover, and he passed from this life into his eternal reward. Knowing we are never alone like so many others facing various trials and tribulations, I re-read the words below taken from my larger essay written in 2014 which I shared with my Dad a few months before his passing in April 2015. Nothing can separate us from the love of God when we deal with the difficulties of life… and I need to be reminded, too. For God is still here, guiding me, and you, each step of the way. ~ I was asked to speak at a local women-of-faith retreat in December 2014 on their theme, “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” It was an honor to have been asked to share my life’s faith testimony, but it was also a humbling experience to open my heart in a “public” venue. It’s entirely different from writing poems and reflections “behind the scenes” for my blog, Poetic Devotions. While God has graciously given me more understanding and wisdom gained over a lifetime of spiritual growth, He has also continued to draw me into a deeper faith throughout life’s ups and downs. This may not seem like a Christmas-type message, but without the birth of our Savior, who would we seek when times get tough? My prayer is that God will use these words taken from my larger speech to bless your heart. I’m the oldest of six children, blessed to be born into a Christian family, albeit a somewhat dysfunctional and fractured family, with my father divorcing my mother not long after I married. There was never a time I did not know about Jesus from church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Christian elementary school. At 14, having moved 15 times, and to a new school district for the fifth time, saying I had no friends, my father reminded me that as a little girl I would say Jesus was my best friend. Ouch! I’d forgotten that! At 15, I recognized my need for Jesus as my Savior and asked Him into my heart. Still, I did not seek God and His will as I should have during my late teens. Yet, it’s in knowing that when I seek the Lord with my confession and repentance, He forgives me and wipes my slate clean for “…as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps.103:12 NIV) I married Edward at age 19 on October 26, 1974, waiting until the fall crops were in. Celebrating our 48th anniversary the fall of 2022, I look back and see how immature I was. But I also look back and see how faithful the Lord has been, always beside me, guiding and drawing me closer to Himself, giving me a husband whose love, insight, and wisdom have met my needs. Like other young couples, Ed and I thought we’d live happily ever after without problems. Instead, like many others, our life together seems to have been one struggle after another, though it’s how we react and what we learn that makes a difference. There was a time years ago when I did not understand that… when I felt lost, questioned whether I was truly saved, not knowing how to accept or learn from problems sent my way. But the Lord took the wounds and scars in my life and turned them into blessings as He helped me grow spiritually through those tough times. Admittedly, it’s been the journey of a lifetime learning to seek God, to listen to His still small voice and nudges within my heart. Sometimes His message is loud and clear. Sometimes God is quiet and doesn’t seem to hear my prayers, with no clear answers, no direction, no healings. But it’s in those times that I remind myself to keep moving forward in faith knowing that God is with each of us through the tears and difficulties, not just the best of times, for “…we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NIV) Despite my share of struggles and failures when I take the reins instead of allowing God to have control, I can honestly say, as I look back, that it’s also been through the toughest days that God has blessed me in many ways. Sometimes I long for a quiet simple life, one without any difficulties. But that is not the life given to me. I need to rest knowing that God is in control. He uses our struggles to teach us, to draw us closer to Himself, and to reach others through struggles we go through. He understands what we face and allows our difficulties in order to help mold us into the person He wants us to become. And I can’t help but wonder if I would have grown spiritually if I had never faced the various trials sent my way. For God does not heal us of our problems the way we want just because we pray for healing. Literally being told that Ed was not healed of his blindness because we were not praying right, or that we should pray certain ways for healing, set dangerous tones of self-centeredness, not seeking or accepting God’s will. As we read through Scripture, we find that Paul sought the Lord three times to be healed of his “thorn in the flesh.” Instead of healing, he heard the Lord say, “’My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…’” and Paul responded by saying “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness… for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (II Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV) Yet, Ed and I knew how hard it is to live out those words of faith when we had not seen the healing we prayed for. So, it’s the Lord’s wisdom I seek to guide my steps, to direct my path, to cover me with mercy when I am weak and fail yet again. And when I was so often stressed to the max by life and its busyness back then, I find He is still here, even in the mundane. He’s teaching me to seek Him… to lean on Him… giving me peace and contentment in the turbulence. In this, I can find satisfaction doing what He expects of me even when it’s not the easiest path nor the direction I want to go. For our walk of faith takes us to new dimensions with Christ that we would not have known without those difficulties. As the Lord drew me and Ed closer to Himself, He strengthened our faith, taught us forgiveness and patience under his grace and mercy, and carried us when we felt so overwhelmed. He has been with us through days when we wondered why it seemed He wasn’t answering our prayers… when we lost our two unborn babies, later giving birth to three beautiful children; when Ed, a premature twin who was legally blind from pure oxygen in the incubator, went to an eye doctor for vision issues, told to quit farming that day, had 9-hr retinal detachment surgery three days later, and I had to find a job; long-term effects of my undiagnosed PTSD from past abuse; my Tourette’s syndrome since age 10; when our son was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart condition needing an implanted defibrillator at age 16; when our oldest daughter died at age 25 from an undiagnosed heart abnormality; when Ed went to The Carroll Center for the Blind for training, then lost his job as customer service rep after 9/11, telling God he’d tried everything he could to find work, putting it in God’s hands to find him a job – and God answered him with a new job when the company’s owner knocked on our door to ask what Ed could do for them! When I had multiple neck fusions, back and hand surgeries, an autoimmune disorder (pulmonary sarcoidosis) with severe IBS necessitating a very restricted diet, and breast cancer. When Ed had permanent statin drug muscle damage needing multiple surgeries to repair torn cartilage in knees and shoulder from struggling to stand from sitting, neck fusion, a brain shunt causing major grand mal seizures with concern he may not recover, unrelenting pain since 2008, severe life-threatening pancreatitis (he did not drink), severe congestive heart failure, COPD on chronic asthma, presenting in a hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state (a life-threatening complication of diabetes), unrelenting and untreatable dizziness, a genetic blood clotting disorder causing extensive clots in limbs and lungs, and even more that I’m not going to list… while taking care of my mother's affairs after her paralyzing stroke Christmas Day 2011. And now, having retired as a hospital medical/radiology transcriptionist in 2020, I’ve been blessed with a sub position in our local school system, hoping to make a difference in the lives of local youngsters… as I enjoy a respite of peace and contentment, and the blessing of a Reformed church and many new friends. Through it all, God showered us with love in answering our prayers in ways that best fit His plan. As my friend Natalie wrote, “God does not always reward faith with blessings. He allows our faith to undergo challenges - to be tried through a fiery testing.” Job, Paul and James all speak of God knowing our path through trials as we persevere in faith and wait on God’s timing, as hard as that may be. Because love means being there during all those difficult days, not just the happy times… for that is how much God loves us as we seek Him. And in seeking Jesus this Christmas season, may we each find Him in the humblest of places within our heart… not in the rich and colorful embellishments and trappings which boldly confront us, earlier and earlier each year it seems. May we find Him in serving others with a heart of love, even the least among us… in caring for the hurting souls among the noisy din of humanity. Then, wherever love is needed, may we reach out to reveal Christ among us, and know the gift of His strength and comfort, and hope and peace in the midst of life’s turmoil. For with that peace comes the gift of inner joy because in Matthew 6:33 we are told to “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” In this joyous Christmas holiday season as we celebrate the birth of our dear Lord and Savior, may we all remember to wisely seek Him first… whatever comes our way. Seeking You Linda A. Roorda Seeking you Lord, Your will in my heart Giving all thanks and praise to Your name, As Your loving hand with mercy and grace Guides through rough seas to calm peaceful shores. ~ Seeking you Lord, in the dark of night When sleep won’t come and dreams bring on fears, As I arise to the morning dews And greet the sun for a bright new day. ~ I’m drawn to Your side when cares overwhelm Teach me Your ways from words filled with hope. Grant me Your peace when life darkens doors Guide every step, Your wisdom impart. ~ With riches great we travel secure Thinking we have control of our life, But when troubles come we turn quick to you Pleading for strength to carry us through. ~ This strength I seek from Your loving arms Moment by moment to face new demands With head bent low my prayers rise to You To humbly shine Your light from within. ~ May I ever know You walk alongside Guiding my steps and the path that I take May words expressed show love to others From a heart that seeks your wisdom and truth. ~ Then may I know Your mercy and grace Covers my soul with comforting peace Granting wisdom from within Your word As I praise Your name and seek Your will first. ~~

I agree with you, sadly and unfortunately. The districts are shaped for the liberal cities to outnumber conservative towns.

I had a big disappointment as a kid one Christmas, but kept it a secret for decades. I’ve never forgotten that Christmas when I was 5-1/2 years old. We’d left a favorite Marion, NY farm to live in Clifton, NJ, again, the city where I was born. I was a big girl though, walking all by myself several blocks to kindergarten - PS#15 overlooking scenic Weasel Brook Park. My sister and I with our toddler brother loved to visit Grammy and PopPop (our Dad’s parents), and that Christmas was especially exciting ‘cause we were going to meet Santa!! And I knew aaallll about him… You see, I had a book, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, and knew that little story by heart… like another favorite book, “The Three Little Kittens Who Lost Their Mittens”. Just ask my kids… they’ll tell you not to get me started – ‘cause I still know that favorite story by heart, too! But there we were at the Christmas party with a house full of relatives. And who arrives amidst a big fuss? Santa Claus!!! No, not down the chimney, silly! After all, my grandparents didn’t have a fireplace, only radiators in their city house. No, Santa simply came in the back door, all dressed in red with white trim. He had a white beard, and a wide black belt around his big tummy – just like in my book! So, it really was him!! Then, while PopPop took movies, we girls took turns sitting on Santa’s lap, telling him what we wanted for Christmas - me, my sister Carol, and our cousin Susan. I honestly don’t remember who went first. But I do know that I was scared despite being the oldest cousin and in kindergarten. I didn’t know what to say! But cousin Susan? She wasn’t afraid of Santa! She talked to him just like she knew who he was… and I was jealous. Why couldn’t I have talked with Santa like that? But we were very happy with the big stocking full of candy that he gave each of us! As Santa left, Grammy took us three little girls to a window upstairs that overlooked the snow-covered street out front, the street side banks piled high with plowed snow. “See those lights? There goes Santa!” Grammy said. But you know what? I knew those lights were just a car’s red taillights. Under city streetlights, I could see there was no Santa’s sleigh! Where were all the reindeer? And Rudolph with his nose so bright? He was supposed to lead the way! I knew every word of that story from my book, remember?! Right then and there, I was so disillusioned that I never believed in Santa again! And dear Grammy never knew about my big disappointment… Writing this story, I had to find out who played Santa. From my Aunt Hilda, I learned that Richard Andela was our Santa. Richie actually worked with her husband, Roy Oostdyk, at his Gulf gas station on Main Street in Clifton… where my father also worked on Saturdays over the years when we lived in Clifton. No wonder Susan was so comfortable talking with him! Oh, the precious memories of childhood that we hold onto! Yet, there is someone I can believe in without disappointment… for eternity. It’s the baby whose birth we welcome and celebrate at Christmas… Jesus, the Light of the world, our Lord and Savior. “For God [our heavenly Father] so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him, shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 KJV) With the busy holiday shopping extravaganza, commercialization, and our hectic schedules, I think we sometimes lose a little of the joy and wonder that must have been felt on that very first Christmas… and perhaps we, too, forget to make room amidst the holiday hustle and bustle for this precious little baby. Like us at times, another youngster was once trying to find the right things to help him celebrate, but nothing seemed to go right for him either. “It was finally Christmastime, the best time of the year. The houses were strung with tiny colored lights, their windows shining with a warm yellow glow only Christmas could bring. The scents of pine needles and hot cocoa mingled together, wafting through the air, and the sweet sounds of Christmas carols could be heard in the distance. Fluffy white snowflakes tumbled from the sky onto a group of joyful children as they sang and laughed, skating on the frozen pond in town. Everyone was happy and full of holiday cheer. That is, everyone except for Charlie Brown…” “Charlie (to Linus): ‘I think there must be something wrong with me. I just don’t understand Christmas, I guess. I might be getting presents and sending Christmas cards and decorating trees and all that, but I’m still not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel…’” “Later, after a day of frustrations, Charlie said: ‘I guess you were right Linus; I shouldn’t have picked this little tree. Everything I do turns into a disaster! I guess I don’t really know what Christmas is about. Isn’t there anyone who can tell me what Christmas is all about?’” “Linus quietly said: ‘Sure, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.’ [Walking to the center of the stage, Linus speaks.] ‘And there were in the same country Shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone ‘round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not! For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger.’ And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.’” [Luke 2:8-14, KJV] * Did you notice that Linus dropped his security blanket while saying “Fear not” in the film? He knew Who to trust and believe! Like Ed’s cousin Kevin once commented, “Praise the Lord we have a Savior who has given His life so that our ‘branches and lights’ are beautiful in God's eyes!” For that’s what Christmas is all about. No Room Linda A. Roorda Is there no room, no room in my heart? Midst all the trinkets this world can offer, What do I value and treasure the most… Things that decay or things of the heart? ~ It seems I’ve filled my heart with worry Frets and concerns of every-day life. My wants and wishes each clamor for time Leaving scant room for what matters more. ~ Like the innkeeper from long ago He with no room sent seekers away Little did he know, the love they carried Was in the babe about to be born. ~ This babe grew strong and embraced the weak An emissary of love sent to our world. How else could He know what this life was like Except to become like one of us? ~ Tempted and tried amidst the world’s cares Unrecognized, despised and rejected. No room in their hearts to welcome salvation No room for love and gifts eternal. ~ Still, we are drawn to this man unique… One who went seeking the hopeless and lost, Forgiving our pasts, making new from worn He who has room in His heart for us. ~ Is there no room, no room in my heart, Midst all the trinkets this world can offer? Yes, there is room for the One I treasure… The precious babe, my Savior and Lord! ~~

Thanks-Giving Day… a time of reflection, appreciation, gratitude… recalling blessings even among the difficulties of a most unusual year… and memories shared from years past as we recall what touched our hearts deeply… remembering our loved ones who are no longer here among us… recalling extended family gatherings with delicious food and lots of it… endless football games (sorry, not my favorite)… hunting (let’s go!), especially if there’s fresh snow for tracking… all felt with grateful hearts! We really do have so much to be thankful for… like starting each new day with a heart that simply appreciates the little things of life… because it’s so easy to fuss and fret about those little things that annoy me/us… yet it’s the grateful heart that brings out the best in each of us! And simply thinking about being thankful got me pondering deeper. How grateful I am for the love of family and friends, smiles, cards, and encouraging words! With love, we lift each other up, strengthen, bring comfort in difficult times, and see the good in each other… reminders of hope and renewal to cheer us on. As I began to write this reflection a few years back, it was a cool, dreary, cloudy, drippy, fall day… much like it is now while editing this blog to repost. It was the kind of day that reminds me warm summer days have passed and the cold snowy winter is coming, as evidenced by the snow many of us saw arrive this past week. But then I realized that we were blessed with a good summer and rains during a warmer-than-usual fall, helping to overcome recent droughts and forest fires. Though they might seem an irritant to sunny days, the rain and snow are so needed to renew and replenish the earth and our water supply, and so I am thankful. A grateful heart also shares much love and joy. From our own thankfulness, we reach out to others. I have often admired those who give their time to serve holiday dinners at local missions. Yet, I have not volunteered as I also felt it was important to spend holiday time with my husband who could not go out and about… a way to make his day special. Family time and making precious memories are also blessings from God to treasure with a heart of appreciation. I also like the idea of a thankfulness jar, but never implemented one in my home. Throughout the year, family members can write notes about what they’re especially thankful for and put the slips in the jar. On Thanksgiving Day, or perhaps several days in a row, slips are removed and read aloud, reminding everyone in the family of all the ways we appreciated and blessed each other. And I’m determined to start that project this year. A thankful heart is at the root of the joy and happiness we so often search for. With a thankful heart, we praise the Lord for His many blessings each and every day, even for every breath we take. With a grateful heart, we express love for each other in a myriad of ways, and are open to seeing the hidden beauty among us and around us. With a thankful heart, we are more apt to focus on the good that can come from trials we face. And with a grateful heart, we see that which we tend to overlook, or take for granted, as the genuine blessing it truly is. For with a thankful heart, we will readily say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His love endures forever…” (Psalm 107:1) Happy Thanks-Giving Day! Thanks Giving by Linda A. Roorda For the dawning of each new day For the sun which shines its brilliant rays For the birds who share their sweetest songs… We thank you, Lord, for blessings rich. ~ For desperate pleas You hear with love For all the ways you meet our needs For answers to our many prayers… ~ For all the friends who grace our lives For the ones who left our arms too soon For tears and peace that fill our hearts… ~ For those who fight for freedom’s sake For those who protect our streets from crime For those who gave all that we might live free… ~ For each new season in the cycle of time For spring’s rebirth and summer’s bright sun For autumn’s harvest and winter’s rest… ~ For the joy of life in a newborn’s cry For hope-filled days as our youth pursue dreams For resilient smiles that greet a harsh world… ~ For our great bounty midst a world in need For each new breath in a day not promised For all the ways we love each other… We thank you, Lord, for blessings rich. ~

I love to sing, always have, since I was a kidlet. In my childhood, it was the old Hymns of Faith whether in Christian elementary school, church, choirs, in the backseat of the car singing with my sister as our family went for a drive, or as she and I sang an occasional duet in church. As a teen, I sang along with old country/western and then rock songs of the early ‘70s on 99.1, the WAAL. Yet, I’ve always enjoyed the old hymns, simply for the truth of the words and the joy of singing, though I also appreciate the upbeat contemporary praise and worship songs on Family Life Network, 88.5-FM. As I age, I still love to sing though my voice is not always as crisp and clear, nor even as loud as it once was. With pulmonary sarcoidosis, I just don’t have the volume or depth of air in my lungs anymore. As a retired member/leader of a church Praise Team, it was an honor to select music for the worship service - hymns, country gospel songs, or contemporary praise songs. Each week we brought a different set of songs, usually chosen in an attempt to mesh with the Scripture readings. Our hearts were touched when we chose music not knowing the Scriptures to be read and the songs fit perfectly, knowing God worked through us! Occasionally, we felt moved to change a song, unexpectedly needing “Plan B” with a different option. Time after time, we saw what could be looked at as a failure of our plans, but instead was intended by God for His purpose… to touch someone’s heart in a way we could not have foreseen. Now, as a member of a praise band, The Dry Bones, led by Paul Estro, I again feel the importance of the music chosen to sing – that which Paul writes or selects from contemporary musicians. For there’s something about singing that lifts the heart up… from sadness… from a difficult day… from the trials and wounds of life… from pains and losses in life that scar... to the joys and blessings in each day... and the friendships and value of each person... like a cleansing of the soul, bringing a sense of purpose to our singing and peace to our emotions… for God takes our brokenness and makes something of beauty from it… Because singing lifts the heart up in praise to God for all the goodness He’s blessed us with… for taking us through those difficult times to easier peaceful days… for working through our wounds and scars to refine us and use us for His purpose, for His glory… so that, with praise and joy for all He has done for us, we might touch another life along the way. After I wrote the poem below, its message reminded me of the old hymn, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord” by Adelaide A. Pollard (1902), put to music by George C. Stebbins. This worshipful song has been a favorite since my childhood. “Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting yielded and still.” And the Scriptures from which both the above hymn and my poem’s messages are drawn reflect the Master Potter’s work in us: “So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.” (Jeremiah 18:3-4 NIV) Another prophet felt the same way as he praised our heavenly Father by writing, “Oh Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8 NIV) Our life is a continual process of growth and refinement through the years. As we stay focused on our God and His love, He refines our rough edges… our failures, mistakes, and sins… and works through them to bring out our best, just like the Potter, almost without our realizing it… Then, one day, we take a look back. As we ponder the path we’ve been on, we realize how our Lord took us through the difficult times to clear away the pain of wounds… to draw us closer to Him… to cleanse us from our sin… to refine and change our attitudes from within… to renew our life’s direction and purpose… and to bring joy to our heart… as we become a vessel of worth, more like Christ. And that’s something worth singing about! A Vessel of Worth Linda A. Roorda I’m like a clay pot, a plain earthen vessel Scarred and fragile, bruised and broken. What can I offer in this condition? What is my value, and what am I worth? ~ So I watched the Potter as he took raw clay Gray bland in color, an undefined block. Throwing the clay with fingers easing All the rough edges, the lump he refined. ~ Faster he pedaled, wheel turning smooth Humming a tune, his hands deftly worked. His vision emerged through design taking shape While gently he scraped imperfections aside. ~ Yet there in the clay for all to see clear Lay fissures and cracks now being exposed. Some faults ran deep, others lay shallow All marred perfection, casting doubt as to worth. ~ Swiftly he worked to shape and refine As beauty beneath was slowly brought forth. Heat up the furnace! the potter exclaimed. It’s only through fire refinement is made. ~ Purging the defects, molding and shaping Tempering through fire, perfection to find. For hidden from view in mind’s eye alone Lay His creation, a vessel of worth. ~ As I stood aside observing the skill Which molded and shaped a plain lump of clay, I thought of the One who had created me A vessel of value, made worthy by Him. ~~