Hark! the Herald Angels Sing

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new born King;

Peace on earth, and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled!"

Joyful, all ye nations, rise;

Join the triumph of the skies;

With angelic hosts proclaim,

Christ is born in Bethlehem!

Hark! the herald angels sing,

"Glory to the new born King!"

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Christ, by highest heav'n adored;

Christ the everlasting Lord;

Come, Desire of Nations come,

Fix in us Thy humble home.

Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;

Hail th'Incarnate Deity;

Pleased as man with men to dwell,

Jesus our Immanuel!

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

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Hail the heav'n born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Sun of Righteousness!

Light and life to all He brings,

Ris'n with healing in His wings:

Mild He lays His glory by,

Born that man no more may die:

Born to raise the sons of earth,

Born to give them second birth!

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

by Charles Wesley

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This is one of my favorite Christmas Carols, expressing all that God has done through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour and calling us to join in the triumph of praise in the skies. May we do so this Christmas and each day of our lives!

Gardening

One pot became four! I was at Dinuba Raisin Day's Women Luncheon in September and was one of the recipients of a door price -- a pot of plants! After a week of enjoying it inside I decided it was time to transplant (before the plants die from clastrophobia). And this is what I now have -- four growing plants. The ivy is really extending its vines and might need to be transplanted again --in the spring. The orange flowered suculant is fading.

I must admit that when they started to draw the names for the prizes I was praying "please Lord, could I win a price". God was very kind & gracious in hearing and answering my prayer (that had underlying tones of self-pity.)

Besides these plants I have some outside my bedroom window that I keep nurturing. We'll see what winter does to them. I'm also learning how to care for the six roses bushes we have. There's one long stem red rose bush that has the best fragrance. Those I'm quick to clip and put in a vase inside.

Twenty One Questions by John Wesley

Awhile back I came across these questions. Thought provoking.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I am a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me every day?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. How do I spend my spare time?
17. Am I proud?
18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people?
19. Is there anyone I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so what am I doing about It?
20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
21. Is Christ Real to me?

Thoughts from My Utmost for His Highest.

I continue to read My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers most days. Recently there seemed to be a common theme and a good reminder coming through –being rightly related to God. Here are some of those thoughts:

Aug 4: The main thing about Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain and the atmosphere produced by that relationship. That is all God asks us to look after, and it is the one thing that is being continually assailed.

Aug 30: Don’t rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to Me. The snare in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service, to rejoice in the fact that God has used you. You never can measure what God will do through you if you are rightly related to Jesus Christ. Keep your relationship right with Him, then whatever circumstances you are in, and whoever you meet day by day, He is pouring rivers of living water through you and it is of His mercy that He does not let you know it. When once you are rightly related to God by salvation and sanctification, remember that wherever you are, you are put there by God; and by the reaction of your life on the circumstances around you, you will fulfill God’s purpose, as long as you keep in the light as God is in the light.

Aug 31: “That My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:11 The joy of Jesus was the absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice of Himself to His Father, the joy of doing that which the Father sent Him to do. “I delight to do Thy will.” . . . Be rightly related to God, find your joy there, and out of you will flow rivers of living water. Be a centre for Jesus Christ to pour living water through.

Sept 1: “You shall be holy; for I am holy.” I Peter 1:16 Continually restate to yourself what the purpose of your life is. The destined end of man/woman is not happiness, nor health, but holiness. Nowadays we have far too many affinities, we are dissipated with them; right, good, noble affinities which will yet have their fulfillment, but in the meantime God has to atrophy them. The one thing that matters is whether a man/woman will accept the God who will make him/her holy. At all costs a woman/man must be rightly related to God.

PS

Mom informs me that the poem I read at Chris & Jeff's wedding was read at Mom & Dad's wedding by Chris. Not certain if we can find the actual poem.

My Aunt Chris

In February, when I was beginning to recover from my hepatitis, my aunt Chris was struggling with jaundice. I recovered. My Aunt Chris recovered too. On August 5 she entered into the presence of Jesus Christ, our Lord & Savior. She has been made whole. How beautiful!

I have thought a lot about her during these last few months and the memories she gave me. My first memory is when I was probably 6 years old on Christmas Day. My family went to grandma’s house. They all went inside. I stayed in the car with dad as he was taking me to the doctor’s. I was sick. But Aunt Chris came out to the car to say hello and wish me a Merry Christmas. I was touched by her kindness to come out to see me. I even had tears in my eyes. One never knows the impact they have on another person, especially a child, by the simple things that can be done.

Five years later she got married to Uncle Jeff. At their reception I got to recite a little poem. I have no idea what it was. I felt very special to be given that honor.

Sometime in high school she gave me a gift, maybe it was for my birthday. It was a New Topical Memory kit. Sixty key verses to be memorized. I did it. And I kept memorizing other verses, even chapters and reviewing them. Having those verses hidden in my heart has built an incredible foundation to my faith. I continue to review the verses (don’t ask me to quote any though). I have slowed way down on memorizing . . . But the verses remain a great source of encouragement in the journey of life.

In my last year of high school, she discipled me, doing a weekly Bible study together. When I graduated from BIOLA, Jeff & Chris gave me the devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. This too has been an invaluable tool in my journey of life. I have been reading it every since.

After nursing school, I moved up to Oregon and lived with them for six months. Once I got myself settled with a job and found a roommate I moved out. It was a hi-light of my life to live nearby, to be involved in each other’s lives. My uncle Jeff is really the one who pushed me into missions as he knew my keen interest. One day he asked me, “So what are you doing about this?” And I started to pursue missions.

One last story. Chris is my mom’s sister. Every year since who knows when, mom’s family has gone camping together in the summer. One year Chris joined us when she was on staff with the Navigators (a Christian Organization. And I thought she sat behind the pilots on airplanes directing them. I really truly did!). So in the evening we had gone out somewhere in an uncle’s pick-up, all piled in the bed of the truck. We passed the ranger at the entrance to the camp ground. He made some sort of comment to us. Aunt Chris’ response was, that’s okay, cause . . .then began singing:

Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before;

Every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more;

Jesus saves and keeps me, and He's the One I'm waiting for.

Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.

There’s no more waiting for Aunt Chris.

Fura, the National Drink

Here Rabi is making fura for me to serve to visitors. This is a very typical drink that you’ll find in any home at anytime. If there’s no fura, then something is wrong. Fura is made with millet or sometimes with sorghum. The grain is pounded to a flour and mixed with water to make a dough. The ball of dough is place in boiling water for 20 minutes then it’s taken out and placed in the large wooden mortar to knead. The next step is to put it in the calabash with water and buttermilk and some spices. A large metal ladle is used to work it out into a liquid. Then it is ready to drink right out of the calabash with a large ladle or just simple pick up the bowl and drink. More water is added as needed. It really is quite tasty!

With my impending departure I thought it would be fun to have fura on hand to serve to people who come to bid me farewell. People in the village have been so kind to me, always serving fura and other foods too. After the harvest when we visit they again show their kindness by giving us some of what they have harvested: millet, peanuts, beans, dried green leaves, & sesame seeds.

MEET MARTIN

I’m Martin. I belong to Gen who’s gone away for a year. Then another family was looking after me and they went away too. Now it’s Jeannie who’s my care taker. She does a pretty good job although she forgets I’m a puppy (even if I just turned ONE) and would like to have at least 2 meals a day. But she is generous with the peanut balls and sometimes even meat scraps. Jeannie hasn’t been well for the last month and has to rest lots, so Huang Di and I keep her company during the day, sleeping at her feet or next to the fridge or under the table or on the mat in the living room. We can sleep the day away from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (if she lets us) not needing to go out and find a tree or bush. I also like to get wrapped up in the computer cord, but better be careful when I get up.

Four Hours is Way too Long Alone.
Awhile back I was following her to the office as I often do. She finished work and went out, locking up for the morning. Normally she doesn’t come back in the afternoon. Well, guess who she forgot in the office? Yep, me. That was a bit much and I don’t like to be left alone in a building, especially locked in. So I barked and barked and barked. But do you think anyone heard me? Not at the far west end of the compound. Nobody is around there. So I thought I’m going to have to do this on my own. I went for the door and tried to open it, only to eventually chewing and tearing the wooden handle off. That didn’t work so I walked around, went to her desk, put my paw print on a letter, I thought it needed another signature, made a mess in the doorway and pee-ed on the floor. The other option was the window which is screened from the inside. So I went at it and finally got the screen door on the window open, actually off. But I couldn’t master the window itself. So I had to wait 4 hours and finally she returned for some unknown reason. Oh what a relief!! And boy did she apology up and down and down and up for locking me in. That’ll never happen again.

PDI OFFICE

I was trying to think what I should write in this blog and decided to look at my most recent pictures taken. Pictures of the PDI (Programme de Developpement Integre or Integrated Development Program) office. This is where the team meets each morning for devotions and prays together.

We share the previous day’s events and make suggestions or comments that will hopefully help for the next visit to that village and the health workers. We have also been going through a book on two religions, one asking the other questions. It’s quite an eye opener for me, actually for all of us, to see the inconsistencies and the untruths in the one. Yet these are things that are not talked about or challenged openly. Anyway. . .we are usually in the office from 8 to 11. Then we go out to the villages in the afternoon. Although recently, since people are available in the late morning and early afternoons, we have changed the times to going out at 10. This is a nice schedule as we get back around 4 p.m. instead of coming in at 7 p.m. (But in fact, I have not gone to the villages in the last 3-4 weeks, that’s another story).

This is my ‘office’ with my desk and the computer. Note the dust, it’s part of the décor at Galmi.