El-roi...Jehovah raffa...Emmanuel

Once the most holy Child of salvation; Gently and lowly lived below; Now as our glorious Mighty Redeemer, see Him victorious o'er each foe.

A friend reminded me a few weeks ago about the very real truth for Christians. When we celebrate the birth of Christ, we must also celebrate His death. Our Mighty Redeemer, who lived among men, came with a plan to fulfill. I still cannot fully comprehend why that plan included me, yet the Child of salvation looked upon all of us with such love and compassion that He obeyed His father and offered redemption to this wandering soul.

I have always enjoyed the hymn "Child in a Manger." I rarely heard it sung at church, but I often played it at home. This morning, after I rocked my sweet Elizabeth to sleep, I sat down and played the hymn on the piano, taking in the words anew. The recording I have here has a few differences, but in the hymn book the words are as follows:

Child in a manger, infant of Mary; Outcast and stranger, Lord of all.
Child who inherits, all our transgressions, all our demerits on Him fall.

Once the most holy Child of salvation; Gently and lowly lived below; Now as our glorious Mighty Redeemer, see Him victorious o'er each foe.

Prophets foretold Him, infant of wonder; Angels behold Him on His throne. Worthy our Savior of all our praises, happy forever are His own.

I've been thinking about Mary a lot this week. As a new mother, I find myself wondering how she felt, knowing that she had been chosen to carry the Savior of the world? She surely felt the same kinds of feelings I felt as I awaited my child's birth, but oh, what her obedience meant! Her child, her precious firstborn, would not truly be her own, but would offer His life--His body as a living sacrifice--for all, including her! Her own child, victorious in His death. Surely she experienced the same joy of the Salvation He offered, yet in a way unknown to the rest of us. I am in awe of her obedience, and grateful for the obedience of her son.

El-roi: the Strong One who sees

Jehovah raffa: He is our Healer

Emmanuel: God with us

Our glorious, Mighty Redeemer is victorious over each foe! No other Christmas hymn touches me like this one! This year God has shown so many sides of His being. El-roi, the one who sees never took His eyes off of me. Angel and I married in 2005. Having married later in life, we immediately began to pray for children. A year passed. Two years passed. Many health problems surfaced and the hope started to fade. Oh, we prayed. Each time the test produced a negative, my anguish grew deeper. Why, Lord? Have you forgotten me? What about Hannah? I have prayed as she prayed, and you gave Samuel to her! He saw my tears. I faltered, but He kept His focus on me.

Jehovah raffa, He is our Healer. Christmas will always remind me of God's healing hand. At this time last year, we were traveling to my parents house in Virginia. During that journey, I tearfully accepted the fact that I probably would never be pregnant. He healed those emotional wounds that ran deep! Glory to God in the Highest--He healed my physical wounds, as well! December 31 brought the amazing news that all along, as I surrended to Him that desire to physically have a child, my little gift was already there! Jehovah raffa...how He healed me!

Emmanuel, God with us. Prophets foretold Him, infant of wonder; Angels behold Him on His throne. This Christmas I celebrate in a new way. So deeply aware of His marvelous birth, and so profoundly touched by His unselfish death. So amazingly indebted to His miraculous life!

Fit for A King?

As I began rereading the book of Esther this week, the opening verses struck me in a new way. Since I have contemplated barns and barn smells throughout the week, reading about King Ahasuerus' festive banquet prompted me to think about how Christ could have come. Chapter 1 verse 6 reads:

There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings caught up with cords of fine marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother of pearl and precious stones.

A banquet set up fit for a king! I have never attended such a grand and festive banquet. Wow! I really have a hard time getting past the image painted in that verse. It almost puts me in a dreamy mood. There I am in a fancy dress with my hair just so as I sip some coffee in what surely must be an elegant china cup, all while enjoying a gorgeous silver couch as my heels rest on precious stones. All of this to celebrate the king!

But, oh, my meditations bring me back to another King. THE KING. The birth of the long awaited Messiah did not assume such beauty, not to the naked eye, anyway. Look closer, though.

The stable. Perfectly prepared. Mary probably didn't expect to bring her son into the world in a place that smelled like dirt, manure, animals and hay. Yet, there is something quite comforting about a warm, cozy barn. Among the first visitors to see the newborn baby were shepherds. Would they have dared enter the banquet described above? Would I? Imagine, a King who could have chosen where He wanted to be born humbling Himself and entering the world in an environment that welcomed unclean outcasts. How beautiful!


The manger. Animals dropped their tired heads and slurped away at the precious liquid found there. I imagine some weary shepherds here and there stooped to the animals' level and splashed some cool refreshing water on their weathered faces. A King set in a rough box meant to hold murky water? Ah, the beauty of the contradiction. This baby, lying in a manger was himself the only true keeper of Living Water. Offered to me not in a fragile china coffee cup, but in a humble, approachable vessel. The dirty, the exhausted, the ones who simply had no where else to go could approach this vessel and refresh themselves. Who was I when I approached the King, but one of those same dirty, exhausted beings? Precious water!

King Ahasuerus' banquet or a lowly stable filled with hay? I choose the stable...fit for a King.

Sweet Moment

I am typing an entry on my blog! For those seasoned moms out there who have gone through this all before, nothing I write will thrill you. For me, however, this moment is amazing! I thought that my little sweet Elizabeth was awfully quiet, and there she was fast asleep on the blanket I had spread out for her on the floor. Mind you, babies do this all the time, but for my baby this was the first time she just zonked out all on her own while playing with her socks. What a sweet moment.

Why blog about that? I simply don't want to forget how sweet she looked lying on her side fast asleep. :)

I will hopefully blog about once a week as I attempt to join in on Erin's invitation to SoulPerSuit. I need a creative outlet!

A Cheerful Heart...

is like good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22).

I think the first time I really took that verse to heart was in 2004 when I had surgery. I remember my friend, Anne, sharing it with me on the morning we went to the hospital. My dear friend has much more experience with hospitals than I do, and while she has had moments of much pain and sometimes discouragement, her countenance has always reflected her cheerful heart. Her wisdom in sharing that verse with me certainly helped me through my surgery and the recovery process. I must be the most squeamish person I know, but that verse kept me strong!

Now, I am preparing to give birth. Yes, we're near the home stretch here. I have some idea of what to expect, but, obviously, I've never done this before! So, the anticipation is great and the excitement has begun to brew...but some of those fears have begun to crop up as well. Will I really be able to do it? (I think I have to be able to do it!) Can I really make it without any intervention? What if I faint? (Remember, I'm squeamish!) Oh...there are many questions. Over the past few days, however, I keep remembering, "A cheerful heart is like good medicine..." So, I'm trying to remain cheerful and think about the outcome. Another verse has become a keeper during this time, as well. I have been memorizing this:

A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
John 16:21

I keep telling my husband that I'm going to repeat that verse over and over...and over! I know that whatever happens, God will sustain me with His mighty strength. Until then, I'm going to do all that I can to keep my heart cheerful.

Dusting off my thoughts a bit...

Yes, it has been quite a long while since I have written anything here. I'm making an attempt to come back...there's so much to tell and so much to share! Plus, sometimes I just have these thoughts that really just need expressing and there's nowhere else to express them!

We'll see how I do.

The other pages that are linked to me need some updating, too. We'll get there...slowly...but surely.

Wanting...

to rest.

Sit still seek solace

in Him.

Pray powerfully, pleasingly, pleading

to Him.

Rest.

Solace.

Power.

Him.

The Details

No, this will not turn into a philosophical discussion. I haven't the time nor the desire to go in that direction at present. I simply started to think about where the Lord has led me over the course of life and I realize that He has given me such wonderful adventures and incredible experiences that any ounce of complaining just seems rather disrespectful and quite misplaced.

The first time I really paid attention to Jeremiah 1:5 was when a dear friend put it in a college graduation note to me. So many seemingly minute details of life all come together when I stop and map out the journey on which God has taken me. The verse reads like this:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

I'm quite certain my friend did not know that I would become a missionary. (I think I had only a hint at that point in life!) I'm sure that I didn't understand the enormity of the fact that God knew me before I even entered my mother's womb. Wow. I guess I still can't quite grasp that completely--how an eternal, all-powerful God would choose me that way. Thank you, Jesus!

When I start looking back, though, it gets a little clearer and it becomes a bit more tangible. Consider this...

October 1970: Born into an Air Force family. By the time I was 8 years old, I had lived in 6 different houses in 5 different states. Putting down roots was not something I had instilled in me. What an excellent preparation for living a missionary life!

Somewhere in the 70's: My big sisters started taking Spanish and I fell in love with the language! Sure, all I could say was "Ay de mi! Mi pierna esta rota!" (Oh my! My leg is broken!) Later I would understand that one would say "quebrada" instead of "rota," but I was hooked! By the time I started taking Spanish in 9th grade I had a passion for the language and Latin American culture.

November 1980: I began a love relationship with Christ.

Somewhere in the 80's and through most of them: I consistently struck out with the guys. No boyfriend in there for me. No, I was always the "smart girl" the "you're-a-sweet-girl-and-very-nice-I-hope-we-have-some-classes-together-next-year girl." I didn't go to the Senior Prom. I don't think I walked away scarred, but I did not learn (yet) to let my Lord fill that void. I just left it empty.

August 1989: I became an (official) Hokie! The Orange and Maroon blood started pumping in 1980, but that's another story. Anyway, I kept up with Spanish although I was an English major. I also began to enjoy Sociology and started working towards a minor.

The early 90's: Christ, who I had asked to sit in the back seat, finally said, "Move over girl, I'm driving. You're just not staying in the right lane here!" Thankfully, I joyfully handed over the wheel. My life renewed, my soul refreshed I started to travel with Him again. (The void finally filled...I no longer focused my attention on wanting a boyfriend.)

I also went to Mexico for the first time. Then the second time. (I was on my way to Moldova...I was signed up and ready to go but God just kept saying, "No, go here instead." I had to obey.)

I also graduated without a solid plan and no real prospects. It didn't make sense to me then, but it does now!

Grad school--and then on to post-Tech life.

Mid 90's to 1999: Summer camp--8 weeks each summer for 5 years. Seven of those weeks I had the wonderful opportunity to meet 2 new pairs of missionaries each week. I asked questions, I soaked in answers, and I started to say, "Yes, Lord, I'll go."

1999: I took the Spanish I had learned--which was always specifically more Mexican than Latin American or Spain Spanish--and headed off to Mexico.

There are many details in there that I have left out, but how amazing is it that God knew before I was formed in the womb that the moving around as a child would prepare me for moving all around as an adult? I have officially changed addresses 17 times since 1989. Sometimes it was in the same town or city, but I have definitely not put down roots!

Learning Spanish and loving it? I actually love this story. I mentioned how I grew to love it at an early age, but this is so cool. A few years ago I was rummaging through some old boxes at my parents' house and I found a project I had done in elementary school at church. I was in a GA (Girls in Action) missionary study group, and of all the papers I chose to store away, I found a storyboard biography of one of the missionary couples I would later meet as an adult while I worked at camp. They served in Latin America. AND, I found a song we had translated from English to Spanish--one of the first songs I learned on my first trip to Mexico. God's details amaze me.

I met Angel. This post isn't about how we met, but let me tell you that the finely orchestrated plan of God brought us together on a prayer walk in Ojo de Agua, Mexico.

Now we're here and I know He's still planning. I know that there are more details we've overlooked that will surface when He starts moving us on. When we're ready for what will be my address number 18, all of those nitty-gritty bits and pieces will make sense and we'll glorify Him.

How has He worked in your life? Have you stopped to look at all the little details? If not, take some time and look back--you might be amazed!