Walk in Paradise

This week marks three years since my dad was called home to be with the Lord.

The bright spot in the middle of the week is that my nephew, my parents' first grandchild, was baptized two years ago today.

But I still miss my dad.

A few nights ago I was singing to one of my twin girls while she tried valiantly to fall asleep in my arms. Out of the blue, I started singing a Hawaiian hymn that my father used to sing to us when we were young. When I forgot the words, I simply hummed the beautiful melody, hoping my baby would find it as soothing as I did so many years ago. Inside, I was saddened to realize that I had forgotten many of the words.

The next day, as I was going through a box of my father's things, I came across a copy of the Hawaiian lyrics that he had prepared for me. What are the odds? The Lord is merciful, even in the smallest matters.

Rather than relay the written lyrics, I found this video on YouTube, where you can also read a short explanation of the song. I only remember my dad singing the second verse in English, which began, "Let me walk in Paradise with you, Lord."

And now he is walking in Paradise. His prayer has been answered.

They Just Don't Make 'em Like They Used To

Chico and Harpo. Delightful.

Un-Annoying Things

(Just to show that I am actually capable of enjoying the little things in life...)

1. The morning sun peeking through my front window blinds.

2. A freshly mopped kitchen floor.

3. Baby toots.

4. Snuggling with my husband at the end of a long day.

5. My tv-less living room.

6. Planning do-it-yourself updates to our home.

7. Interesting conversations over tasty dinners.

8. Watching my 6-month-old twins hold hands (or arm wrestle, depending on your perspective) on the living room floor.

9. Fresh flowers on the kitchen table.

10. Singing a mix of good hymns, lullabies, and silly songs to sleepy babies.

Annoying Things

In no particular order:

1. Slow cart pushers in Wal-Mart.

2. Forgetting whether or not I put on deodorant.

3. Conversational narcissists.

4. The way my laundry is always one step ahead of me.

5. People who think they know best how to bring up my children.

6. The automated greetings at the McDonald's drive-thru.

7. Humidity.

8. Food that sits uneaten in the cupboard for months.

9. People who think they know best how to bring up my children. (Did I already mention that one?)

10. Drama queens.

Father's Day

This Father's Day afternoon was spent going through quite a few things that belonged to my late father. Some of that stuff has been sitting in our basement for 2 1/2 years. My husband did not force me to face all those memories before I was ready. I needed time and healing to be able to endure such a task. I was amazed that I could get rid of so much. Almost everything, in fact.

Oh sure, there are some things I won't be giving up, like the cross he wore that was made out of 5 nails to symbolize the 5 wounds of Christ on the cross; or dozens of sermon tapes that I hope to digitize and share with my family; or his library books (many of them, anyway); or the guitar he played when singing us to sleep; or his favorite pair of cowboy boots. Yes, I wanted to keep the cowboy boots. Surely anyone who knew him can understand that.

With the passage of time, the memory of my father is still vivid, and letting "things" go, I now realize, does not threaten those memories. If anything, the burden of mere "stuff" clouds the legacy of the man who is no longer here to use it, but is rather enjoying the treasures he stored up in Heaven. I miss my earthly father every day, but he is in the presence of my Heavenly Father.

And with a hope like that, I have much to be thankful for this Father's Day.

Invisible Fruit

Is it appropriate to ask someone how their faith is doing? Or to ask someone how someone else's faith is doing? I'm not even sure how to answer when I am asked these questions; "Well, on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd put young Sally at about a 2 1/2, while Fred over there is a solid 7."

I'm not sure if I really get it. I was brought up to believe that only God can see a man's heart, so we must go by what a he confesses. After all, no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3b). Faith is to bear fruit. I think fruit includes confession. We discern from what is spoken (see Matt. 15:18-19) or confessed, and what is done (see James 2). If a person claims to be a Christian but insists on speaking and living in a way that brings shame to himself and the Church, aren't we right to question the state of that person's faith? After all, how could church discipline be practiced if such judgements could not be made?

And yet it can be a very dangerous thing to judge another sinner with our imperfect judgement (see Matt. 7:1-5). Keep in mind that one does not go from being a babe to a mighty warrior in the Faith overnight. And even mighty warriors are capable of terrible sins.

But look at it from the flip side; haven't we all known Christians whom we admired for their bold and steadfast faith? What was it that triggered that admiration? Perhaps it was something they said or how they behaved (i.e., their works) during a particular situation or trial. Or perhaps their faith became apparent to you over time as you witnessed how they lived their lives in humble service to Christ and His Church. However it happened, I'm quite certain you didn't just sense a vibe. Their faith was shown to you in some way.

I don't think that asking someone how their faith or the faith of someone close to them is will be a part of my regular conversation starters any time soon. But encountering people who do make such queries has made me consider the role of works in the Christian life. Deep down, I do expect more from someone who calls himself a Christian. It has no bearing on their justification; that's not the issue here. But if one can't, or even shouldn't, take note of the works in a Christian's life, then we might as well grow trees that bear invisible fruit (cf. Matt. 7:15-20).

Answered Prayer

I've been out of the hospital for nearly 2 full months now. That's almost as long as I was in the hospital. I have come a long way physically, but I still have a long way to go. Few, if any, can comprehend the ordeal my husband and I have been through. There were times when we despaired for our children's lives. We even discussed what we planned to do in case the worst happened...

But the worst didn't happen. The Lord has been merciful to us.

So often we turned to the Psalms for comfort. Early on I hoped and prayed that I could celebrate with the Psalmist in what my Bible calls "Praise for Answered Prayer":

I love the LORD, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
"O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!"

Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
I will walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
I believed, therefore I spoke,
"I am greatly afflicted."
I said in my haste,
"All men are liars."

What shall I render to the LORD
For all His benefits toward me?
I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people.

Precious in the sight of the LORD
Is the death of His saints.

O LORD, truly I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant;
You have loosed my bonds.
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the LORD.

I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people.
In the courts of the LORD's house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

--Psalm 116