Visions & Verses

Loving Memories

Love one another deeply, from the heart.  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.  ~1 Peter 1:22-23

Another three funerals this past week.  More saints gone to be with the Lord.  But in the midst of the funerals, we also had many chances to be together as a family and a church.

And during this time the Lord impressed upon me that it is critical to love the living.  Our time on this earth is limited.  And the ever-present reminders of it's fleeting nature are a reminder to us to share God's love and His Good News TODAY. 

But our mortality does not have to be a sentence of doom.  For Christians it is a source of great Hope.  As Peter teaches us, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ have been born again to eternal life.  If you don't have this 'blessed assurance', I strongly urge you to read the Book of John in the New Testament of the Bible.  If you do have this assurance, I urge you to overcome any fears and misgivings you may have, and share the Good News this week with someone you care about at home, work or school.  The clock is ticking.

And all of us need to be more intentional about loving those who are dear to us.  I was raised in a family that was not big on displays of affection.  But I have worked to actively overcome my hesitancy.  Hugs have been proven to be therapeutic, and I try to dole them out liberally now.  I also try to take every opportunity to show my gratitude and affection for friends and family.  I want them to know I love them, I'm thinking about them, and praying for them.  Of course, God's love is more than a 'warm, fuzzy feeling', so I try to go out of my way to be helpful or kind when I can.  I have a lot of work to do in this area.  While forgiveness comes pretty easy for me, selflessness sure doesn't.  Still, we only have NOW to send that 'Thinking of You' card, or take that casserole to a sick friend, or share our faith with a friend at work, or hug and kiss our kids and spouse, or tell your parents you love them.  Tomorrow may be too late.  Peter goes on to remind us that 'all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall...' so make those loving memories TODAY.

Dearest Lord, thank you for all of the people you have brought into my life.  Help me to put aside my own fears and selfishness to reach out to them with love and affection.  Let me not pass by an opportunity to share your Word with others, remembering that the chance may not come again.  And teach me to walk in Your ways, so that I might bring glory to You through your Son, Christ, Jesus.  Amen

Happy Easter!

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  ~Colossians 3:1

There is not enough gratitude in the universe to express how profoundly thankful I am to be a follower of Christ, saved by His free gift of grace, redeemed by His sacrifice on the cross, destined for everlasting life by His resurrection on Easter morning.  There is such joy in laying down my burdens of sin, of giving control of my life to God.  I was such a believer in "self-help", but those solutions always failed.  People will disappoint you, circumstances will disappoint you, science will let you down, but God is our rock and foundation, our strong fortress.  He will never let you down.  His promises are sure.  He will heal you in ways you didn't even realize you needed healing.

I suppose I'm not making much sense, but Jesus has given me so much, I just want to tell everyone.  If you don't know Jesus, or haven't given your life to him, please just check out the 'Steps to Peace with God' tab on the left sidebar.  Just give it a listen, and see for yourself.  The hardest thing for me was to lay down my pride, and it is a daily challenge, to be sure.  I implore you to lay down your pride and just listen with an open heart, that's all.

Easter is about so much more than chocolate bunnies and colored eggs!  He is risen - Hallelujah!  And by His wounds we are healed.  Praise the Lord!

No Ruz Mobarak! (Happy New Year)

I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.

~Song of Solomon 6:11

No Ruz mobarak to all my Iranian family and friends.  My haf sin table is set, the sabzi are grown and my hyacinth is blooming!

No, I'm not trying to be cryptic.  In Iran (formerly Persia) the first day of Spring is their New Year.  And to celebrate, they use many of the same symbols of Spring that we do here in America.  Dyed eggs symbolize new life, apples symbolize good health, as does garlic and wine, gold coins represent the wish for prosperity, the mirror doubles all the good fortune, the spring flowers and green plants are for new growth, and there's more, but I don't know it all.  All these things and more are arranged to set a 'Haf Sin' table, which means 7 'S'es.  Each of the 7 items start with the letter s, you see.  The rest is much like our new year, with a feast and perhaps fireworks.  Before No Ruz there is a kind of national 'spring cleaning' and 13 days afterward, everyone packs up and heads out for a picnic.  Personally, I've always thought that the first day of Spring makes a much better new year than January 1.  And by the way, in Iran the new year is 1387!

I'll end with some works of wisdom from my dear, wise father-in-law:

No one can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can

start from now and make a happy course.
Hope you will have a year that starts Right and ends Happy.

Dear Lord, let all the earth rejoice at Your creation, especially those approaching Springtime.  In these dangerous times of wars and rumors of war, help us to bridge cultures and customs with Your magnificent mercy, grace and love.  Help us all to shine Your light around this glorious world of Yours.  Amen.

Springtime renewal

Look, the winter is past, and the rains are over and gone. The flowers are springing up, the season of singing birds has come, and the cooing of turtledoves fills the air.   ~Song of Songs 2:11-12

The crocus are beginning to bloom in the front yard.  The onset of Spring always puts a song in my heart.  It is truly the renewal of life and the hope for the future that makes it so well suited to host Easter, the ultimate in Hope and Renewal.

The passage of time, marked by the seasons, is a great reminder of how diligently and faithfully our Heavenly Father cares for us.  It put me in mind of that great hymn we sung this past Sunday: "Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, sun, moon, and stars in their courses above join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love."  And I do see new mercies morning by morning.  Sometimes in the midst of issues and problems, I pray like crazy and feel frustrated that nothing is happening.  But more and more I realize that each prayer sets God in motion, arranging the universe to provide an answer.  As I am patient, those gears put in motion eventually bring a resolution to my crisis, and I can look back and see God's mercy and faithfulness in the answer.  Unlike many people, I am extremely patient to wait in a line or in traffic.  But I have great trouble waiting on the Lord.  It must be an issue of faith, for I know the lines and traffic will eventually move, but perhaps I question if God is listening or doing anything to answer my prayers.  I should know better by now, but I still doubt.  I've counseled my kids to keep a prayer journal to track their answered prayers, and I suppose I must now start my own...

This season of renewal is causing me to clean out some cobwebs in the house and in my mind, so that I can move forward with plans.  As a great procrastinator, I am just now starting to accomplish some of my New Year's goals.  One of those was to promote my business more, and as I result I have created my own website, www.visionsandverses.com.  I hope to be able to send card companies there to see my portfolio, and to sell some of my own handmade cards.  If you visit the site, let me know what you think.  On the home front, there have been a couple of trips to Goodwill, and a large dumpster will be parking in the front driveway soon to swallow up even more of the junk my dear father left behind.  Seriously, people, do the next generation a favor and throw out your junk once in a while -- it does the soul good to be free of clutter! (And the extra space makes room for new ideas.)

Dearest Lord, help me to clear out the clutter in my home, my mind and my heart, so that I will have room for You and Your work.  Let me not substitute 'love of stuff' for 'love of people'.  Renew my spirit and renew my mind in this wonderful season of Spring as I meditate on the life of Your marvelous Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

In Memoriam

William R. Fefel, 1931-2006

'The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed...then shall be brought to pass saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory."'   ~1 Corinthians 15:52-54

Two years ago today was the last time I saw my Dad alive.  His passing left many questions for me.  Had he truly accepted Christ before his passing?  If not, would there be any second chances?  Where is he now?  Will I see him again in Heaven, or on a new paradise earth?

I don't feel that I can get definitive answers on any of these questions now.  Perhaps when I transcend this plane of existence all my questions will be answered.  I'm certain I will know these things someday.

Having these questions, however, does not lessen my faith.  The Bible holds the answers, but we should not kid ourselves into thinking it is easy to comprehend.  Many reasonable, intelligent people have come to different conclusions regarding what the Bible means.  Certain passages have been interpreted in different ways by different groups, and at different times.  This should not trouble us too much.  The same is true in the law.  The US Constitution has had the same words in it (not counting more recent amendments) for more than 200 years.  And yet, we currently argue the meaning of the 2nd Amendment, the meaning of freedom of religion, free speech, and whether privacy rights are inferred.  The words have not changed, only our interpretation of those words based on our current thinking about the subjects.  These disagreements, brought before the Supreme Court every year, do not signal that we have lost faith in the Constitution.  Similarly, questions about what God really means in the Bible do not signal a loss of faith.

On the contrary, I have been immensely comforted by what I do know from God's word: He loves me, He loved my Dad, He is intimately involved in my life.  God sent his Son to be my savior so that I would not be condemned to death, but have eternal life.  God is a righteous judge, but He is also loving and merciful.  And God works all things to the good of those who love Him.

I miss my Dad.  He was very smart, and very talented, and I miss not being able to discuss things with him and get his insight.  I regret that my son was not able to learn more of his handyman skills.  I'm sorry that he is not around to delight in my daughter's dancing and singing.  But I trust that somehow, God's plans are being fulfilled.  I pray that I will see him on the other side of this life.  The lingering doubts make me more compelled to discuss salvation with my other family and friends, so that they will be assured of the resurrection and everlasting life.  And his absence makes me more aware that we only have a short time on this earth to let people know that we love them, and to treat them right.

Lord, thank you for the joys of human relationships: for families and friends, and the comforts they bring.  Thank you also for sending your Son as a savior for mankind.  Though we all deserve death as the result of our sin, in your mercy, you made your Son to be a sacrifice to pay our debt and reconcile us to You.  Use me as your servant to bring this Good News to as many people as possible.  Work in the hearts of those who hear your Word so that they may receive it with Joy.  In Jesus' name, Amen.