More on Leaning Hard

November's Words of Encouragement was a poem called "Lean Hard." As I said at the time, it's a poem that was shared with me ten or more years ago by a very special friend. And it is a poem I have passed on to others many times. At the beginning of the month I posted it "Source Unknown," exactly as I have shared it so many times, because I didn't know who had penned it. I seem to recall that my friend read it to us from a book about a missionary - and that this missionary didn't seem to know who to ascribe it to either.

But one of life's mysteries has been solved. This very same friend who first shared this piece with me has discovered that it came from the pen of one Octavius Winslow.

And it turns out that it may not actually be a poem - although it reads like poetry - and that there is more to it than was first thought. A search on the internet has turned up a more complete text.

"Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain you."
Psalm 55:22

It is by an act of simple, prayerful faith we transfer our cares and anxieties, our sorrows and needs, to the Lord. Jesus invites you come and lean upon Him, and to lean with all your might upon that arm that balances the universe, and upon that bosom that bled for you upon the soldier's spear! But you doubtingly ask, "Is the Lord able to do this thing for me ?" And thus, while you are debating a matter about which there is not the shadow of a shade of doubt, the burden is crushing your gentle spirit to the dust. And all the while Jesus stands at your side and lovingly says, "Cast your burden upon Me and I will sustain you. I am God Almighty. I bore the load of your sin and condemnation up the steep of Calvary, and the same power of omnipotence, and the same strength of love that bore it all for you then, is prepared to bear your need and sorrow now. Roll it all upon Me! Child of My love! Lean hard! Let Me feel the pressure of your care. I know your burden, child! I shaped it—I poised it in My own hand and made no proportion of its weight to your unaided strength. For even as I laid it on, I said I shall be near, and while she leans on Me, this burden shall be Mine, not hers. So shall I keep My child within the encircling arms of My own love. Here lay it down! Do not fear to impose it on a shoulder which upholds the government of worlds! Yet closer come! You are not near enough! I would embrace your burden, so I might feel My child reposing on My breast. You love Me! I know it. Doubt not, then. But, loving me, lean hard!"

As found at Grace Gems here.

Finishing Well and Living Well in the Meantime

When my dad was dying, the last lucid conversation we shared was him reliving an event from the times of my childhood.

Just before my husband's dad died, his last utterance was in his native language, not English.

And it seems that in losing one's memory the short term memory is the first thing affected - the long term memory is stronger.

Why am I thinking about these things? Recently a dear man at church asked me if I would put together a file of verses from Scripture so that he could read them to his wife who is now in care with various conditions including dementia. It was a privilege and a huge responsibility. And it got me wondering...

What Scriptures do I want read to me when I move from independence back into the state of dependence that old age or serious ill health may bring?
Will my knowledge of the Bible and my love of God be strong enough that these things will stay with me when all else goes?
What will I default to when my life is drawing to a close?

In thinking about these things it seems to me that we have the opportunity to finish well. But it means work now - but good work - work that will feed and nurture us now as we prepare for the future. It means being steeped in the Word of God - reading the Bible, praying in its truths, memorising key portions. It means laying solid foundations for the future.

And it seems it IS possible to finish well. Be encouraged in reading this:

John Piper recently recounted his father’s unwavering faith, even in his closing years:
Even in his final years of dementia, he rejoiced. In the last month that he was able to keep a journal (April of 2004), he wrote,

“I’ll soon be 86 but I feel strong and my health is good. God has been exceedingly gracious and I am most unworthy of His matchless grace and patience. The Lord is more precious to me the older I get.”

Read that final line again, slowly. What an amazing sentence—even in the midst of dementia, he felt the increasing preciousness of the presence of Christ.*

It is another example of making use of the good times we have to prepare for the harder times that will surely come upon us. And we can do so with good courage. It says in Lamentations 3:22-27:

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself,'The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.'
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man to bear the yoke
while he is young."

And in being busy about laying good, Biblical foundations,we will surely benefit in the meantime. As we grow in years we become set in our ways. Yes, you young things who read blogs...it is true!!! Alas, it is true. Speaking from my position here in the early forties, one does become set in one's ways. I am, after all, the one who took her own nice mug on holidays for those holiday cups of tea! It's a trivial example, but wouldn't it be good, as we become increasingly set in our ways, to become set in Biblical ways. Just as we have the opportunity to finish well, we also have the opportunity to make our default position one that is Biblical.

A friend's mother put it more plainly. She said, "If I lose my mind, the thing I want to stick is Scripture." Me too.

There is work to do...and it will be a joy.

* Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints, edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor, p. 11 as found on John Piper's Desiring God site.

Sunday Morning

Here is a door.

This is where we go to church.

And on the door is a frame that displays a treasure.

One of the things it says is,

"Whosoever thou art that enterest this church, leave it not without one prayer to God for thyself, for those who minister and those who worship here. Pray for one another."

Most Sunday mornings I don't even notice the treasure on the door. I can be into my second or third conversation with someone before I even reach the threshold. Or else I am in hot pursuit of the advanced guard - R and N - to make sure they aren't persuading too many kind souls to share lollies with them or bothering (in well intentioned ways) those trying to get ready for the service.

I can go many Sundays without noticing this treasure. But when I am at church mid-week dropping something off, collecting something or doing some chore and I am at the door on my own, I read it. I read it every time because it is worth reading many times and being reminded.

This too inspires me.

It belongs to this building.

Saturday Night

When I look at a work of art the first thing I notice is the overall picture rather than particular details. When I think back on books I've read, both because I am a big picture sort of person and also because of my hazy memory, I tend to recall an overall impression rather than specific details.

Interestingly though, there is a book that I read maybe ten years ago and from it I often remember one specific sentence. In his autobiography Just as I Am, Christian evangelist Billy Graham quotes his now late wife Ruth as declaring in the early days of their courtship,

"Saturday nights I dedicate to prayer and study, in preparation for the Lord's day."

Billy Graham then writes,

"What kind of a romance could a college man have with a woman who said a thing like that? Dating Ruth Bell had to creative. And I did my best."*

Ruth Bell Graham's declaration that she set aside Saturday evenings to pray and read the Bible in preparation for Sunday sunk into my heart when I read it and it has always stayed with me. It's never raised guilt in me, even though I have only rarely used a Saturday evening like this.

Somehow though it inspires me.

* "Just as I Am" by Billy Graham p. 71

Lean Hard

Child of My love, lean hard,
And let Me feel the pressure of thy care,
I know thy burden, child; I shaped it,
Poised in Mine own hand, made no proportion
In its weight to thine unaided strength;
For even as I laid it on I said,
"I shall be near, and while she leans on Me,
This burden shall be Mine, not hers;
So shall I keep My child within the circling arms,
Of Mine own love." Here lay it down, nor fear
To impose it on a shoulder which upholds
The government of worlds. Yet closer come,
Thou art not near enough; I would embrace thy care,
So I might feel My child reposing on My breast.
Thou lovest me? I know it. Doubt not, then,
But, loving Me, lean hard.
by Octavius Winslow

A Good First Impression - The Visual

I'm not the most visually aware person in the world. If something is not right, I am more likely to pick it up by the tone of your voice rather than your appearance - by the dynamics between the people in your home rather than the state of your home. I'm quite a perceptive person, but making use of visual cues is not dominant in my armoury of perception.

However I have learned that this is not so for all people. I have a friend named Helen who is very visually aware. One peek at her blog and you will see why. Helen's world is all about colour and form and balance and beauty. Where my table has battered old placemats and this morning's crumbs from the toast, Helen's table has a quilted table runner and a scented candle burning. Helen is a very grounded, practical person. But the visual impression is important.

And time spent with Helen is rubbing off on me. I realise that even though the visual aspect is not going to feature strongly for me as I form first impressions, this is not so for all people! So maybe we are not creating a good first impression at my place given that when we open the door to you, this is the first thing you will see.

Yep! Three new loos!*

And as you enter and your eyes are averted to the right (having recovered from the initial shock of our indoor water feature) you notice this disaster area...

What a mess! And actually, you don't have to come inside to have your eyes assaulted. Take a look at this "garden bed" right next to our letterbox.

So to show that I am committed to working on this creating a good first impression thing, I am launching a new list in my sidebar...The "Creating a Good Visual First Impression" TO DO List. You can keep an eye on it and see how we are progressing. Mind you, it is lurking quite low on my sidebar at this point, which could cause some to question my commitment to this task...

* Even though the sight of three toilets in our entrance hall is shocking, it does create rather good talking point and it has certainly proved to be a fantastic icebreaker when new people come to visit.

A Good First Impression - The Relational

Remember the days before computers? Maybe you don't! (If you don't, please don't tell me because that will just make me feel old!) In those days if you were at university you'd work hard at writing out assignments and essays VERY neatly because a good clean assignment created a good first impression on the marker. No, they weren't supposed to mark papers based on presentation - but a marker would be happier about looking at an essay if it didn't look like chicken scrawl. This is the silent power of a good first impression.

We all know about the importance of creating a good first impression. It is widely known that interviewers have often made up their minds about whether or not we will get the job within the first five minutes of the interview. If we get the job then there's that moment we step foot into our new workplace and meet our new colleagues for the first time. And how about the moment when we meet those two particular people...the folk we hope one day will be our parents-in-law? These are the moments in life when we choose our clothes, words and demeanour very carefully.

Those big moments of creating a good first impression fortunately don't come along too often. Just as well - I don't think I could cope with the stress! But there are good first impression moments to be seized upon in every day life too. And making use of them can make a big difference in our relationships.

Here are some daily "first impression" moments that come to mind...

* Greeting my family first thing in the morning.
* Greeting someone who knocks on my door.
* Walking into church on Sunday.
* Entering a room to join a group of friends.
* Answering the telephone. (My dear sister thinks the manner in which I answer the phone is way too officious!)
* Smiling and saying a warm hello to the person who is about to serve you in a shop.
* Greeting my husband when he comes home from work.

There is a bit of theme here - greetings. We set the tone for time spent relating with people in the way we greet them. A greeting marks a fresh start in a new round of interactions. It is a small but significant opportunity to create a new first impression.

At one time I worked with a teacher whose husband frequently collected her from work. I noticed that she always greeted him with a warm, "I'm really pleased to see you" smile. Always. It didn't matter what sort of day it had been. I observed that she would actually prepare herself for this daily after-work greeting. She would see him approach, pause, take a deep breath (especially if it had been a bad day) and prepare her demeanour to ensure that the first contact with her beloved was warm, genuine and loving.

I am not suggesting that we walk about the place with false, plastic smiles on our faces all the time. If things are bad then things are bad. But except for the really patient souls amongst us, don't we weary of the one who greets us with a downcast expression every time or who answers the phone with a sigh every time? We are worn down before we even start.

Back to that teacher. I am sure it wouldn't have been too long into the journey home and she would have been telling her husband about the good, the bad and the ugly of her day. But I am also sure that he would have been ready to listen to her, no matter what she had to say, because she had created a good first impression - a warmth and respect - that invited relationship.

The quality and mutuality of our communications can be greatly enhanced when we start on the right foot...if we create a good first impression...an impression that says something about valuing the relationship. All it takes is pausing to think, taking a deep breath if necessary, smiling and saying hello with some warmth. Just as an interview can go so much better for putting in the preparation to create a good first impression.

By the way, in my final year of university I invested in a Canon portable electric typewriter. It cost me a fortune in the one-use-only disposable ribbon cartridges and as I couldn't touch type at the time, a 3000 word essay took FOREVER to type up. But I'd say there was a good 10% increase in my marks. Nothing like a good first impression, even for an essay!

Bursting with Thanksgiving

 

To be bursting with thanksgiving is a true witness of the Spirit within us. For the voice of thanksgiving speaks without ceasing of the goodness of God. It claims nothing. It sees no merit in man’s receiving but only in God’s giving. It marvels at his mercy. It is the language of joy because it need look no longer to its own resources.

The Christian rejoicing in this blessing of a thankful heart will have his eyes fixed upon the right person and the right place, Christ at God’s right hand. He cannot be taken up with himself without being immediately reminded that everything he possesses is the gift of God.

From R.C. Lucas, The Message of Colossians and Philemon (Downers Grove, Ill: IVP, 1980), 93-94

Computer and General Hardware Update

Well, my computer is dead. We won't be getting it repaired. It's just not an option. A new one has been ordered. I was a bit reluctant to do this - not an item we budgeted for this year - but it will be nice to have a new one all the same. It will be here in about three weeks time. Then there is setting up time. Blog life will be a bit random, as it has been this last couple of weeks, until then.

It has been quite a year for hardware...

The washing machine started leaking. I have worked out that it can still be used (without leaking) if I don't use it on FULL LOAD. That's OK.

The fridge started leaking too. That was repaired when a man came to fix the chest freezer which suddenly stopped working one day. (That was a problem given it was full of frozen casseroles, soups, pasta sauce and bargain priced meat and bread.) He tried to repair it by doing the usual sorts of things a repair man would do and when all was unsuccessful he said, "With this particular brand there is one other thing I can try, which has worked in the past. It is a bit unorthodox and it may break the motor but then the motor isn't working now so you probably have nothing to lose." And so he fixed it by kicking the motor. It is still working and the fridge still seems to be going along OK too.

Then today the microwave died. Just last night I was wondering if any households actually have TWO microwaves. I am sure I could use two microwaves simultaneously most evenings! But tonight I won't be using any. It just doesn't pay to think greedy thoughts.

It is Worse than I Originally Thought!

Not only is the hard drive on my computer failing, the motherboard is also failing. And the cost to replace both is almost as much as the cost to buy a new computer. So while I can keep blogging on my husband's computer when it is not in use (ie. not as frequently) I am otherwise off-air (ie. NO EMAILING!!!) until further notice (ie. until we work out what to do next.)

Computers - great when they are working, paralysing when they are not.

And this just illustrates rather shockingly to me once again the extent to which we live in a throw-away society. The dying laptop is maybe five years old and it is as good as dead. Mmmm...

Recipe Tag - Toblerone and Berry Cheesecake

Ally started a recipe meme with an amazing recipe for Pumpkin and Apple Risotto. Nicole tagged me with her Chicken Mikaela recipe and I am delighted both to be tagged and also that Nicole's recipe included cream.

The rules of this meme are:-
1. Choose one ingredient from my recipe and post a recipe using this ingredient on their blog, linking back to the previous blogs that have posted a recipe.
2. Then tag four new people, and we will see how it grows.
3. To keep it exciting please post within a week of receiving the tag.

When I first thought about which recipe to share, I was going to go for the obvious and piggyback on the chicken ingredient with the very delicious Pumpkin and Chicken stirfry. But the inclusion of cream in Nicole's recipe means that I cannot go past...

TOBLERONE AND BERRY CHEESECAKE

1 cup of plain biscuit crumbs
1/3 cup of melted butter
2 x 250gm blocks of philadelphia cheese
2 teaspoons of gelatine dissolved in 1/2 cup of boiling water
3/4 cup of caster sugar
200gm (or more) of melted toblerone
1/2 cup of cream
1 cup of frozen or fresh berries

Mix the biscuits and butter together and press into a 20cm spring form pan. Put in the fridge to set.
Beat the cream cheese until soft.
Add the dissolved gelatine, caster sugar, cream and most of the melted chocolate and blend until smooth.
Pour over the base. Squiggle the last bits of melted chocolate over the top for great effect.
Chill.
When serving, pile the berries on top. (I usually use frozen berries and I don't even bother to defrost them. They look nice coming to the table slightly frosted and have thawed by the time you have served up.)
To go right over the top, serve with cream.

This makes a good sized cheesecake. If you want an ABUNDANT cheesecake then use three blocks of philly cheese and increase the other ingredients by about a half. This recipe is not an exact science so a little more or less of any of the ingredients works. Or double the quantities and use a bigger tin. It's fairly flexible.

Enjoy.

I'm going to tag Sharon, Helen, Mrs Edwards and Matt. Go to it!

Two Families - One Saviour

It was the funeral this morning for a man from our church. He had been ill and disabled for many years following a car accident and he'd been especially unwell this last year. His death was one that brings with it relief (for him and his family) but also great sorrow.

This morning I stood in the kitchen preparing Saturday morning breakfast dressed a little differently from most Saturday mornings. Instead of the usual Saturday morning attire of jeans and a windcheater, I was in a black skirt, black tights, black shoes, a white shirt, cream jumper and pearls. My husband came in wearing his black suit.

And yet I prepared our usual Saturday morning breakfast - toast with chocolate spread, corn flakes with honey drizzled over the top, meusli with lots of fresh fruit - things we don't necessarily eat during the week because it wouldn't constitute a good start to the day or because it is too slow to prepare or consume in the rush to get to school. And the boys came out of their rooms in their play clothes, excited because they were spending the morning with the family of R's best friend while we were at the funeral. They turned on some music and started to dance while they waited for breakfast.

This morning's choice of dance music? Colin Buchanan's CD Real Hope - track one - "Jesus My Lord" - played four times in a row. Here are the lyrics*.

Jesus my Lord, my God, my all,
Hear me my Saviour when I call.
Hear me and from Your dwelling place,
Pour down the riches of Your grace.

Jesus my Lord,
You I adore,
Oh make me love You more and more.

Jesus what did You find in me,
That you would deal so lovingly?
How great is the joy that You have brought,
So far exceeding hope or thought.

Jesus my Lord,
You I adore,
Oh make me love You more and more.

Jesus if You shall be my song,
To You my heart and soul belong.
All that I have, all that is Thine
And You are my Saviour, You are mine.

Jesus my Lord,
You I adore,
Oh make me love You more and more.

It is an amazingly happy and upbeat song. I love it when we start the day with that song. Even more, I love it when my children choose to start the day with that song.

Today one family started the day knowing they would be laying their their beloved husband and father to rest. Another danced. But both families started the day trusting in Jesus - both confident that Jesus is Lord and that today another saint is with Him in Paradise.

* Lyrics by Henry Collins

Justification

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
And this is what John Stott says about that wonderful verse in his commentary* from the "Bible Speaks Today" series.

We are 'justified in Christ.' That is, our justification takes place when we are united to Christ by faith. And someone who is united to Christ is never the same person again. Instead, he is changed. It is not just his standing before God which has changed; it is he himself – radically, permanently changed. To talk of his going back to the old life, and even sinning as he pleases, is frankly impossible. He has become a new creation and begun a new life...

...Once we have been united to Christ in His death, our old life is finished; it is ridiculous to suggest that we could ever go back to it. Besides, we have risen to a new life. In one sense, we live this new life through faith in Christ. In another sense, it is not we who live it at all, but Christ who lives it in us. And, living in us, He gives us new desires for holiness, for God, for heaven. It is not that we cannot sin again; we can. But we do not want to. The whole tenor of our life has changed. Everything is different now, because we ourselves are different. See how daringly personal Paul makes it; Christ 'gave himself for me.' 'Christ…lives in me.' No Christian who has grasped these truths could ever seriously contemplate reverting to the old life.
* "The Message of Galatians" by John R. W. Stott BST pp.65-66