Shasta

Do you know the character Shasta, in the Chronicles of Narnia? He is the main person in "The Horse and His Boy." For whatever reason this book was always my favorite in the Chronicles. Romance? Talking horses? A black cat?

The other night I was awake, (probably around 3 am) and ruminating about our lives, our current situation of Not Knowing, of plans to be made for cutting back. I tend to fight fear during these mid-darkness thinking sessions, even though I know better.

In my wakefulness my black cat landed softly on the bed, padded his way up to my back and curled up against me.

And I was reminded of Shasta.

In Shasta's night of terror, among the tombs outside Tashban, a black cat came to him. It curled up against his back and its warmth spread to his whole body. It purred and communed with him, offering comfort only a beast can give, but something more. Reassurance.

Those who have read the books know Who that cat was, the God of Narnia in a lowly disguise. Aslan, the great Lion, had come to comfort Shasta in a way that reassured him instead of terrifying him!

And I am reassured that God uses old favorite tales to remind me that He has everything worked out just fine.

elise: My grandma Nita just sent this photo of my aunt, ...

elise:
My grandma Nita just sent this photo of my aunt, ... My grandma Nita just sent this photo of my aunt, uncle, brother, and me circa 1986. Really makes me smile.

Felt I had to share this blog post from my niece. I remember the fun days when my brother (the motorcycle driver) and his new bride lived in an apartment in our family home. My mom is a great photographer---(her genes have come through on at least a few of her grandchildren!) and she routinely brings out old photos to show us. It does make you smile!

How are We Feeling?

What a crazy time. My mother is recovering from her close call last week. I am very thankful that the procedure (ablation) had successful results in correcting her fibrillation.

I am looking upwards. It seems that the Lord has many, many people praying for us, and I can sense the Presence of His Spirit in comforting and helping us to see beyond our circumstances and trusting God to work a mighty thing.

Don't ask me what it is! I can't wait to find out either.

I can only report that God is good. We hear His voice in so many ways: Scripture, teaching, a simple phrase brought to mind.

"Fear not, for I am with you!"

I see Him working in the lives of those around me and I simply rejoice. It befits me to do so, to glory in God, to be reminded that God gets the glory!

God bless you, abundantly!

Digital Dead Sea Scrolls

Digital Dead Sea Scrolls

This is exciting to see such a complete version online!

Hillsong - Days of Elijah (lyrics)

These are the days of Elijah!

Can Israel Survive? - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online

Can Israel Survive? - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online

Biblical Impications of a Palestinian State

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2011/September/Biblical-Implications-of-a-Palestinian-State/

Hard Day

My mother, who is really a health nut, ended up in the ICU today. She was to have a "routine" procedure on her heart, but due to internal bleeding things didn't work out as planned.

Spending time at the hospital will be on the list tomorrow. Hope she can get well QUICK!

A Time to...

Ecclesiastes 3 has 14 "times to" listed. It says we need to give time to balances in our lives.

It even mentions "a time to sew," and that is what has been on my list of things to do for awhile. I have about 4 projects waiting for completion on my sewing table.

Sun shining today, school started, plans for supper done. Guess it's time for sewing.

Stiff Upper Lip

When you have read "These Happy Golden Years," by Laura Ingalls Wilder *like* fifty times you sometimes think of things in her terminology.

While teaching a small school under difficult circumstances Pa told Laura to keep a stiff upper lip. What in the world does that mean?

Well, to me it means to set in firmly on what you already know, to hold fast to the solid things of your life, even if they are abstract.

These last weeks haven't been easy for this family. Crazy schedules and unfinished dreams, health issues and an over-arching sense of doom.

I had a nice chat with a dear friend today, and we talked about the two realities of our lives. Read the headlines and your datebook and you may get pretty blue.  That certainly is one reality.

There is then the one who trusts that an awesome God cares about even the littlest of matters. Maybe 10 or 100 thousand people are filing for unemployment each month. God knows each story. God is waiting for each one to call upon Him to provide. Will He? You know the answer!

Though 10,000 fall to my right and 10,000 fall to my left the Lord will sustain ME. That is the reality that sustains me in the gloom of this dark world.

Live in trust. Live in peaceful reality that God sustains and provides. This is the better thing.

And keep a stiff upper lip.

Keep A Stiff Upper Lip.

If hard luck your spirit is riling, Just face the old world all a-smiling         Keep a stiff upper lip. If your pocket is empty don't blow it, If your feelings are wounded don't show, it. If gloomy let nobody know it--         Keep a stiff upper lip.   If tears come pull out your bandanna, As you dry them just sing a hosanna         Keep a stiff upper lip. It your sky is all clouded with sorrow, There comes soon a brighter tomorrow, Just lend all your troubles, don't borrow         Keep a stiff upper lip.   If your clothing is tattered and torn, 'Tis a worse thing to look all forlorn         Keep a stiff upper lip. Let your spirits be happy and free, Then the people who meet you won't see. The old hat or the patch on your knee         Keep a stiff upper lip.   If at a swift gait you've been running To escape from a fellow that's dunning.         Keep a stiff upper lip. Let me tell you 'tis better to chase him, And coming up boldly to face him, Than cross o'er the street and thus pass hin         Keep a stiff upper lip.   If you have been pacing the floor O'er your debts till your feet are all         Keep a stiff upper lip. Lot the other man pace it awhile, Until he is ready to smile, And give you another fair trial         Keep a stiff upper lip.   It times become harder and harder, And there's only a crust in the larder         Keep a stiff upper lip. Tho the sheriff grabs hold of your collar, And threatens to take your last dollar. Don't whine like a baby and "holler"--         Keep a stiff upper lip.   If you're honest and faithful and true, Your friends will be faithful to you--         Keep a stiff upper lip. Don't cheat, don't be tricky, don't lie, And never, no, never say die, Keep heaven and hope in your eye--         Keep a stiff upper lip. __J. M. Cavaness.

Jayhawker Juleps
J. M. Cavaness
(Chanute: Tribune Pub. Co. 1913)

A Word from David Brog

The Death of Great Men

I find the analysis here riveting. I wonder what will transpire in the Middle East, and I can only guess that things will happen fast.

Hello World

Margaret is swamped with her college load, so I am announcing that her blogging is going to suffer for the next undetermined time frame! Really, she has an excuse, but I hate to see her camera sitting idle for TWO DAYS at a time! I have the joy of seeing her unedited, un-posted photos on my computer, and I freely help myself to them whenever I need an illustration!

Son number two is also swamped. He gets up at 4:30 am to drive to the Park and Ride to meet the first bus headed downtown, boarding at 5:00am. ROTC physical training starts at 6:00am, classes throughout the day. On Mondays and Wednesdays he has orchestra in the evening: then the hour bus ride home to his car, then finally home to get sleep before the daily grind begins again. We have been helping with some of the transportation, at least for his cello, which cannot be lugged around school all day. It has added up to a blast-off with school this year!

I did spend a peaceful evening on the Bohemian River Flats during his orchestra period tonight. The sun was setting through a smoky haze, (the Boundary Waters are burning tonight) and the University looked rosy and tranquil. The Mississippi was calm and many water craft were skimming by. I have no complaints!

On nights like this I hate to think of leaving Minnesota, but not my will...

The firm in Iowa informed my husband that no new plans for employment would be implemented until after next year's election.

Politics do affect us.

There was a "bite" from California today for him. His resume was duly sent off. Now the wait begins.

I read "When Life Comes Undone," by T.J. Addington the other evening. Click on it on the Books page if you want the information. I find more peace and hope reading people's hardship stories, hearing testimonies of God's work in lives, than ever before. God is faithful. Life doesn't last forever (thankfully!) and we have so much to look forward to, knowing Christ.

I cannot stress enough the need to get right with God, to repent, to trust Him for every thing! Rain falls on the righteous and the evil. We thank God for all He does, always, knowing His ways are not our ways. His ways are higher. The believer has a starkly different perspective on life.

And we get through each day. One day at a time. My children are learning this day by day. It's a very good lesson to add to their college load!

The weather is about to change. Cold coming! What a metaphor for our lives.

Report

In the midst of a celebration it is unnerving to feel vulnerable, but I can't better describe the feeling of seeing a beloved first born son take an oath to serve his country in front of a thousand people at a football game during halftime.

Yes, he was awarded a four-year scholarship to a very nice private college. He has his next several years sort of locked in. Cause for celebration, surely, but also a little melancholy.

Tomorrow my next son starts his classes at the University. It will be an early day for him, and long. How different his life will be for now!

Margaret has survived her first full week of college. It had its moments of despair, but she seems to be ready to tackle this week.

I am ready for a productive school week as well, with some time logged in at Primerica and other fruitful activity.

Perhaps it has been said, but we are truly in a time of economic depression, and it affects ALL of us. Some of us feel the pain more acutely than others. Depressions have ends, but often not soon enough for significant damage to have its effect.

We are all vulnerable right now, and our world should be colored by that dusky presence of our economic woes.

When a brilliant mathematician, electrical engineer, English literature major, peer-reviewed writer, loyal husband and father cannot land decent employment WE ARE IN AN ECONOMIC DEPRESSION.

And we are all vulnerable. Thank the Lord that He is the provider, and not the Economy!

And I am remembering to be thankful in all things. 

Check out recommended books. I'm adding some.

Long Weekend

It's September. It's the month I used to dread as a child, (because of school starting) and long for as an adult---the commencement of my favorite season.

With life changes I may be not as felicitous to see it come to an end. Enough on that subject! We here at Corgi Hollows plan a visit from friends, a trip up to see our eldest son at college, church, and a quiet Labor Day.

The rest of our state will be back in class on Tuesday, and we will be back in our own groove...for now.

I'm still cooking up the next "chapter" of  the life story that left off with meeting my husband! Oh the joys of being an Army Wife!

Soon, perhaps.

Exhaustion

What can I say? Our bodies are worn out and our spirits are lagging, but we serve a mighty God, and He brought the rest I needed.

It was a very hectic two weeks with driving the hour round trip to the U every morning and evening, cooking nourishing meals, and washing dishes (mounds of dishes). I wasn't sleeping much with all the activity, and fall ragweed came into full bloom. For me it means misery! I suffer from seasonal hay fever.

Anyway, I ended up in bed yesterday to sleep off the effects of our frenzy, and I feel like I can face life again today, and catch up with the laundry.

It is beautiful outside. The light is golden, and the trees are ripening into September hues. Our little apple trees are heavy with fruit, and it is good tasting! Perhaps I can fix some apple butter.

Honey harvest must happen here before too long. The bees in the wall of the chapel up at the White Earth Indian Reservation yielded about 3 quarts of useable honey. It needs another straining before we can eat it.  It tastes good! We can't wait to try our own hives' product. I hope my husband can fit harvesting it into all that is happening here.

Another interview tomorrow. This one is for a position in Billings, MT. I can only wonder.

Being a person of faith colors my world. (See the video of Michelle Bachmann below, faith colors her world too). I KNOW that God provides. I am encouraged by people with like understanding and world view, because God has already provided so richly for all of us, and their stories just validate my own story.

It is a blessing to know that we can rest in Him. Our frustrations with not having a predictable day to day must be surrendered to Him constantly! We learn to live in the moment, each day looking up for God's provision.

God gave me two hours to make conversation with a very broken man the other night. I "witnessed" to him. I shared what God is doing in my life, what God is teaching me. I listened to him pour out his heart, his feelings of failure and loss. He is old now, and looking back on a bleak existence, but there is still time for him to catch the fire of God's love too.

It has been a blessing to be part of our Chinese students' lives this past week too, tiring as it was! I can only pray that they will find the love of Christ irresistible and they will believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation. 

Each day has a purpose. Each day is a gift from God.
We are approaching the "11th hour," when we anticipate God's hand clearly providing. He will get all the glory, because what happens will be clearly HIS work. No one else will be even slightly able to claim any part of that glory. We serve a jealous God, and He will be praised! His glory is what "it" is all about, and our day-to-day lives are only a mask for His generous power, holding our world in place.

In Him we live and move and have our being.

The Lady has Courage!

Michelle Bachmann