VEILED

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part: but then shall I know even as also I am known."  ~I Corinthians 13:12~

      This morning was a good drive with clear roads and visibility until we crested the hill that climbs out of the Missouri River valley near Chamberlain, and we began to encounter fog and reduced visibility. We left the interstate at our exit, and we faced the northern buttes behind which Lower Brule lies tucked. The buttes were shrouded in fog and fine swirling snow. Where, oh, where did the sunshine go?

    Ray spoke a little this morning about the Mary at the tomb of Christ; and he examined some reasons that she did not recognize Jesus, as she thought He was the gardener. Ray mentioned that one of the reasons she might not have recognized Jesus was the fact that her eyes were filled with tears from weeping at the grave, and he stated that we sometimes might not recognize Jesus in our lives when we have been weeping. I thought of the veiled buttes, and the fact that I only recognized them because I knew they were there from other Sundays when we have driven that road. Sometimes I do not recognize the working of Christ when my eyes have been blinded by sorrow and pain, and I plead for mercy and revelation as did Mary at the garden tomb. The healing for my sorrow is there in the person of Jesus, but I blindly keep reaching and weeping. I will seek to recognize the working of Jesus Christ in my life, and to rest and trust when sorrow and pain come.

    We were so encouraged when a lady came to church this morning who has not come since we have been working at Lower Brule. She has had many physical struggles, and God has helped her numberless times when she has been at a low ebb. She seemed happy to be there, and her beautiful smile is infectious.

    Thank you for praying for the people of Lower Brule, and for the little church on the corner. May God bless you as you look beyond the veil of the tomb and see the Christ!

 

He washed my eyes with tears that I might see

The broken heart I had was good for me.

He tore it all apart and looked inside,

He found it full of fears and foolish pride.

He swept away the things that made me blind,

And then I saw the clouds were silver-lined!

And, now, I understand 'twas best for me

He washed my eyes with tears that I might see!

 

He washed my eyes with tears that I might see

The glory of Himself revealed to me.

I did not know that He had wounded hands

I saw the blood He spilt upon the sand.

I saw the marks of shame and wept and cried!

He was my substitute, for me He died!

And, now I understand 'twas best for me

He washed my eyes with tears

That I might see!

~gospel song~



  



Come, Come Spring!!

   Sometimes I am impatient. I just have trouble waiting.  I will confess to being anxious for spring to come to South Dakota. We needed the moisture that the snow brought to us, but I am ready to have rain now. One cloudy and snowy day, I decided to plant some bulbs that I had saved back when planting in the fall for this very moment. I stuck them in some soil and moisture, and... wala! Forced flowers!! They will not be as nice as the same variety when they bloom outside, but it surely will do for the time being! Come, Come Spring!
    We are happy that we were able to go over to Lower Brule this Sunday to hold Sunday morning church service and Sunday School in the afternoon. The weather has been holding us home from Sunday services every so often this winter, but it seems to be breaking a little. We ran into a little snow on our way back home, and more is coming. We sighed and said, "Well, we got to have Worship and Sunday School today!" :) We would appreciate prayer for one lady who is connected with the church who is struggling physically. The EMT's were at her house trying to help her today while we were having church.

   We love the children who come to Sunday School. They were very enthusiatic this afternoon when they came dashing in through the door of the church., bursting with excitement. They were so quiet and respectful while I gave them their Bible Story. They had a good time doing a little bead work in the basement after the story, and they went home with some very pretty creations.

   We took the bus back over and left it in the area so that we wouldn't have to be driving it back and forth every week. It takes lots of gas, and it is less than comfortable to ride in; so we were happy to leave it there with friends. With the weather warming a little, it shouldn't be so hard to start on Sunday mornings.

   Thank you for your prayer and encouragement to Ray and I. We love the people of Lower Brule and pray that God will use something we do or say to help them in their lives.

JOY IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together.

Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. ~Psalm 122:1-4

    This morning was good as we drove over to Lower Brule. The sun was warm and promising, though it hid behind some clouds and seemed a bit threatening later in the day. The drive sometimes feels a little longer when we drive the bus, but it is certainly worth the effort.

   The children were somewhat subdued and quieter than usual, and I left Sunday School feeling better than I sometimes feel on the drive back home. They seemed to enjoy the singing, the Bible story and the beading craft during the Sunday School hour. We certainly appreciate the families of the children who allow them to come, and sometimes they even bring them to church.

   During the quiet time before church, I often like to play the old hymns that I learned as a child. Those old hymns speak to me-both in my memory and in my daily life. I have discovered that some of those old hymns are no longer in the song books that we use today; and this saddens me. I especially love to hear those hymns on the organ, as an organ seems to 'feel' the message of them. Some of the hymns that were especially in my mind this morning were those that spoke of God as being our Heavenly Father, and His loving care of us as His children. One that has been speaking to me for several weeks is  the following:

 

Zion StandsWith Hills Surrounded

Zion stands with hills surrounded, Zion kept by power divine;

All her foes shall be confounded,

Tho' the world in arms combine:

Happy Zion, What a favored lot is thine!

 

Every human tie may perish: Friend to friend unfaithful prove;

Mothers cease their own to cherish;

Heav'n and earth at last remove--

But no changes Can attend Jehovah's love.

 

In the furnace God may prove thee, Thence to bring thee forth more bright,

But can never cease to love thee;

Thou art precious in his sight:

God is with thee, God, thine everlasting light.

 

May God, thine everlasting light, be with you this week!

 

 

   

  

COMMONPLACE

"A commonplace life," we say, and we sigh,

But why should we sigh as we say?

The commonplace sun in the commonplace sky

Makes up the commonplace day;

The moon and the stars are commonplace things

And the flower that blooms, and the bird that sings,

But dark were the world, and sad our lot,

If the flowers failed, and the sun shone not;

And God, who studies each separate soul,

Out of commonplace lives makes His beautiful whole.

~Susan Coolidge

  This day has been 'commonplace' up to this point, and it will probably stay comfortably that way. We made the trip to Lower Brule, and worshiped with those who came to church to worship with us. We ate our sandwich, chips, and strawberries up on the hill overlooking the town; and we returned for Sunday School. It was nice to get back to Lower Brule today, as the weather was too vicious for us to go over last Sunday, and the interstate was closed all across the state. Today, however, everyone at Lower Brule seemed to be enjoying the relatively mild day, and they were out walking and driving around. It felt like a busy little village. We returned home and enjoyed a quiet afternoon.                      

 

    Some things seem 'commonplace' to others, but they are important to us or bring us happiness. For instance, I enjoyed the beautiful snowfall that we had last week, and I like that it is soaking into the thirsty ground.

Ray brought me happiness when he had a dozen beautiful red roses waiting in the middle of the table one morning this week when I came down for breakfast.

I also had a few private moments of special parental pride and joy when I watched online our two daughters play a duet on the piano and violin in Florida. It was a beautiful piece, and well done. I can give you a link if you ask. :)

    The commonplace things I have enjoyed in my commonplace life in the last week are too many to list here, and they would bore you; but I'm sure you can remember many of your own commonplace things, and they would be much the same. All the same, they have made "His beautiful whole." God is our Father, and He watches us as a father watches his own children. He delights to give us precious things so often they become 'commonplace.'

    I pray that you will have a week in which you can see plainly God's 'beautiful whole.' May God bless you!



 





"HIS OWN"

   This weekend was a far-overdue time of rest and renewal for Ray and I.  We left town with a goal in mind to get away from our Mitchell responsibilities for a little bit, and to meet with our friends of the Spring Creek Indian Camp on Saturday. Our family has been blessed and enriched by this camp group for twenty years. We have never come away from attending one of their rallies without feeling uplifted and helped in our daily lives, and this weekend was not an exception. Rev. Brent Woodard from Rapid City spoke in both services; and his practical messages were challenging and directional. In the morning meeting, he spoke to us about being one of "God's Own Children," and he reminded us of the awesome fact that God claims us as one of His own when we give ourselves completely to Him. He also talked to us about our responsiblities when are one of God's children. We are special to God, and we are required to keep ourselves apart from the evil in the world; but it is also our responsibility to contribute good to the world.  It is a comfort to know that God will keep us as His Own.

 

 

    I also enjoy time alone with 'my own' hubby. Sometimes we get so busy, we pass each other 'as a ship in the night.' I'm so glad that we enjoy the same activities, and we are 'as one' in most of our opinions and thoughts. We stayed at a quiet and comfortable inn near Chamberlain both nights, and we just relaxed. The motel served a nice breakfast, and we ate in the little breakfast room and made acquaintance with some friendly people who were traveling through.

   A Gideon Bible speaker comes to the church at Lower Brule periodically, and this morning was his time to come and talk to us about their ministry. We were happy to hear from him, and the men who came to worship with us listened respectfully.

    This afternoon's Sunday School was quiet, and the children made Valentines after the singing and the story. It was especially enjoyable to tell the Bible story today, as the children were so engrossed in it and helped me by adding little comments. They were so happy to take their Valentines home to those they love.

   Thank you for your interest in Lower Brule, and remember that you are one of His Own. :  )

"No Man Is An Island..."

No man is an island, entire of itself;

every man is a piece of the continent,

a part of the main;

...any man's death diminishes me, because

I am involved in mankind;

and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;

it tolls for thee.

~from Devotions XVII :John Donne~

   This very familiar portion of literature embodies a thought that we all will face eventually: We are all a small part of the greater whole of the earth and in God's Kingdom. We have an impact on the space we occupy in some way. How much impact we make is often determined by ourselves, as we decide how willing we are to allow ourselves to be involved in the lives of others. The world is filled with suffering, sorrow, pain, and loss. It does not take so much-sometimes just a moment of listening and a sympathetic word, and sometimes it takes more of our time and resources to help lift a load a tiny bit. It is important that we take a little time, as we are, in fact, a part of the world in which we live: "a part of the main."  It is a startling thought that every death diminishes me, and when the 'bell tolls' at a funeral, it is tolling for a part of my world that will no longer exist. I don't mean to be morbid, but I have been involved in many lives in the past few weeks who have lost, through death, someone important to them. I am not an island, and these losses have also affected me in some way.

   In a little lighter vein, we have felt a little like an 'island' since we have been held close to home for the last couple of weeks; and we were not able to make the trip to Lower Brule as we usually do. We do not enjoy these Sundays, but weather and responsibilities here in Mitchell sometimes make it impossible to go. This Sunday, though, proved to be a very busy and fulfilling day; as many people seemed to be anxious to 'make up for lost time.' We were happy to have several for church this morning, and an unusually large group of children and young people for Sunday School this afternoon. I realized after everyone left and the church was quiet that I had not had a chance to get any pictures, as I was very busy. :) I am thankful that Ray likes driving the van to transport the children to and from Sunday School, as I am usually 'washed up' at the end of a session.

   I am sharing a few winter pictures with you. I think that winter is a beautiful time of the year; however, I will freely admit that I am not handling the cold as gracefully as I did a few years ago. I like the warmth of firelight, candlelight, and warm lamps; and a good book in a comfy chair. (Hope that has nothing to do with age!)

   Thank you for praying for the people of Lower Brule, as well as for Ray and I. One of the men had an especially pressing prayer request this morning, and we would appreciate if you would remember his request this week. May God Bless You!!

     

    

THE BLUES OF THE SEASON

   Several years ago, an aged Native American lady informed me that January is the 'month of sore eyes.' The days have been so beautiful with so many gorgeous shades of blue, as the brightness of the sun reflects and sparkles on the white of the snow and frost that clings to the trees and the weeds along the roads. The beauty can almost be blinding.

   We appreciate our friends at Lower Brule and our other friends who help us to continue to work there each week. One of the regular attendees in the Sunday morning services gave us a very touching Christmas card this morning. He has been so thoughtful and appreciative of any little thing we do, and he has been very encouraging to us. We pray for God's blessing on him. We also thank our friends who sometimes send encouragement to us. This helps us to keep going on.
   Faith Missionary Church gave us money to buy Christmas treats for the children at Lower Brule. It was fun to go out and buy 'fun candy' and pack some little Christmas packages for each one of them. They were certainly happy to receive them! :) 

  

We have a large group of children who showed up for Sunday School today, and they were so open to learn about God and the Bible. They were an interested group in whatever we were talking about or doing. They sang well, listened to the story and added a few interest points :), and threw their energies into completing their craft projects. They don't like to leave, but all good things come to an end; and Ray took them home. It was nice to have Esther home, and they were excited to see her. She spent some time before Sunday School giving one of the girls a piano lesson. They are interested and talented students.

   The bus that we use to pick up the children has a diesel engine; and diesel engines do not like cold weather. It has refused to start the last couple of weeks; but we returned to the bus after Sunday School to try once more to start it. Happily, it started; and Ray drove it home this week. He hopes to check the 'glow plugs,' as he thinks that some of them might be burned out and causing difficulty in starting it.
   Thank you for your interest in Lower Brule. I pray for God's blessing to you this week.