Before sleep overtook my wandering thoughts, as I lay in bed last night, Christopher Columbus came into my mind. Yes, I agree, it was a random thought, generated by, who knows what. It isn't even October 12, the day that the USA celebrates his life . But after he visited my thoughts, I pondered what I knew about him.
I have always been so grateful for the tenacity of Christopher Columbus in striving to take on such a perilous and un-popular 'journey'.
The journey that Christopher Columbus undertook was not only to discover another passage to the West Indies, but it could be said, more importantly to Columbus, to discover a place for freedom from the oppression of Chirstians by radical spreading, Moslem dominance. He left his home country of Italy for Spain, where he waited for the favor of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, who would soon evict the Moors from Granada; the last stronghold of the Islamic invaders. When they were freed from that conflict, they provided Columbus with the means to make his journey.
I thought back to the time when Craig and I were blessed to be able to travel to Spain. We walked the grounds of Granada, where the throne was. I remember the beautiful gardens, and wood carved ceilings and walls. While standing there, I imagined Christopher Columbus coming into the very room where I was standing, deeply humble, yet strong in his passion and belief in his idea.
Where did that stong conviction and belief come from you might ask. In Christopher Columbus own words......."At this time I have seen and put in study to look into all the Scriptures ...which our Lord opened to my understanding – I could sense His hand upon me – so that it became clear to me that it was feasible to navigate from here to the Indies, and He gave me the will to execute the idea ..."
Columbus studied the scriputres. In doing that, the "Lord opened to his understanding - I could sense His hand upon me......." Here lies one of the most important factors in finding guidance in our lives. We must be willing to go to the Lord, and find Him in His scriputres. And just as happened with Columbus and myriads of other Christians, when we do that, we too will 'sense His hand upon us......." and it will be clear to us what we should do and how to do it.
Christopher Columbus had a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. He wrote and testified of that faith often. And we too must testify of our deep and abiding faith in the Savior.
Although our oceans are different, we each will have the strength and will to stand , as we nurture our faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ. As Christopher Columbus said, the Lord will make our way clear and give us the will to navigate the rough waters if we put our faith in Him. He is the Rock, He is the Way and He is the Light.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
THE GIFT
A few nights ago I had an interesting experience. Our washing machine discontinued working and no matter how I coaxed it, the agitator just would not agitate. (Although I found myself becoming more and more agitated!)
I decided that the clothes really weren't clean, as they had just sat in soapy water and then spun. I filled the washer with soapy water again, but when the agitator did not 'wash' the clothes, I took a clean 'toilet plunger' and for 10 minutes 'plunged' the clothes for the wash cycle. Then at the rinse cycle I did the same again.
The interesting part of this experience were the thoughts that came to my mind as I manually 'washed' the clothes.
I thought of all the people in all the world's history that have had to haul clothes to a stream and beat them on the rocks to get them clean. I thought of the women mostly, who's entire days were spent washing and cleaning and cooking.
I marvled at how simple, even this action of 'plunging' my clothes, was for me as compared to the myriad of women who toiled and labored to do just what I was doing. And, I thought about the great blessings brought about by the industrial revolution and the conveniences of our modern homes.
With each downward plunge, I counted the blessings that I enjoy each and everyday of my life.
I wondered if I am taking advantage of all the time I have been given, as opposed to other women throughout the world's history who had literally no time for themselves.
And that led me to my favorite poem, written by Alma Deane Feller in April 1989 called, The Gift. I share it here with you.
It's time.
It's time again,
For evening chores.
My hands are cracked,
And red and sore.
But there is milking
To be done.
My body is tired.
My spirit is tired.
I am weary.
I have not heart to see
The glory of the sky
As sunset sits
Outside my cabin door.
Because -
Because -
I want so to paint it.
And I have only time
For crying children
And unweeded gardens
And unbaked bread
And tears for my child
Lying so quietly
Just beyond the outer fence.
I have not heart to hear
The glory of the wind
Blowing gentle, savage,
Creating a cacophony
Or a symphony
Or a lullabye.
I cannot set to music
These celestial sounds
Echoing in
My heart and spirit.
I have only time, just now,
For survival.
Survival of body
And spirit
And faith
And testimony.
But you, my sister
Whom I see, so far away,
Hovering in the future.
You - you will have the time
And the canvas
And the pen
And the tools -
To you I give my gift
Of survival
And yearning.
You are the fruit
Of my spirit's garden.
My talent is in trust
To you.
And this, my gift
And testament to you
Will be, in time,
Your gift
To me.
God gave us all the same air to breathe and with it, I believe He also gave us something meaningful, for each of us to do with our lives. You and I have been given the gift of time and opportunity.
Today, I challenge each of us to set our sights to gathering the strength of all those women who have gone before, and entrusted their hope and testaments, to those of us who live in such a glorious time and place.
And with that strength, may we each be able to hold on a little longer, try a little harder, give a little more, and reach with more enthusiasm for our dreams. And in doing so, may that be our gift to those women who have suffered and stretched and given more than we can ever know just to serve their families.
I decided that the clothes really weren't clean, as they had just sat in soapy water and then spun. I filled the washer with soapy water again, but when the agitator did not 'wash' the clothes, I took a clean 'toilet plunger' and for 10 minutes 'plunged' the clothes for the wash cycle. Then at the rinse cycle I did the same again.
The interesting part of this experience were the thoughts that came to my mind as I manually 'washed' the clothes.
I thought of all the people in all the world's history that have had to haul clothes to a stream and beat them on the rocks to get them clean. I thought of the women mostly, who's entire days were spent washing and cleaning and cooking.
I marvled at how simple, even this action of 'plunging' my clothes, was for me as compared to the myriad of women who toiled and labored to do just what I was doing. And, I thought about the great blessings brought about by the industrial revolution and the conveniences of our modern homes.
With each downward plunge, I counted the blessings that I enjoy each and everyday of my life.
I wondered if I am taking advantage of all the time I have been given, as opposed to other women throughout the world's history who had literally no time for themselves.
And that led me to my favorite poem, written by Alma Deane Feller in April 1989 called, The Gift. I share it here with you.
It's time.
It's time again,
For evening chores.
My hands are cracked,
And red and sore.
But there is milking
To be done.
My body is tired.
My spirit is tired.
I am weary.
I have not heart to see
The glory of the sky
As sunset sits
Outside my cabin door.
Because -
Because -
I want so to paint it.
And I have only time
For crying children
And unweeded gardens
And unbaked bread
And tears for my child
Lying so quietly
Just beyond the outer fence.
I have not heart to hear
The glory of the wind
Blowing gentle, savage,
Creating a cacophony
Or a symphony
Or a lullabye.
I cannot set to music
These celestial sounds
Echoing in
My heart and spirit.
I have only time, just now,
For survival.
Survival of body
And spirit
And faith
And testimony.
But you, my sister
Whom I see, so far away,
Hovering in the future.
You - you will have the time
And the canvas
And the pen
And the tools -
To you I give my gift
Of survival
And yearning.
You are the fruit
Of my spirit's garden.
My talent is in trust
To you.
And this, my gift
And testament to you
Will be, in time,
Your gift
To me.
God gave us all the same air to breathe and with it, I believe He also gave us something meaningful, for each of us to do with our lives. You and I have been given the gift of time and opportunity.
Today, I challenge each of us to set our sights to gathering the strength of all those women who have gone before, and entrusted their hope and testaments, to those of us who live in such a glorious time and place.
And with that strength, may we each be able to hold on a little longer, try a little harder, give a little more, and reach with more enthusiasm for our dreams. And in doing so, may that be our gift to those women who have suffered and stretched and given more than we can ever know just to serve their families.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)