A Visit to Russia

I thought I was watching a skit from Saturday Night Live, but no, it was real. I slipped my passport to the Russian agent behind the plexiglass window. I was trying to get through Passport Control after an hour-long wait in a crowded terminal in St. Petersburg.

I said "hello" to the uniformed employee, but there was no response and no smile. When she processed my documents, she snapped her head sideways, indicating I was free to pass through Customs. I would go through this ordeal five more times in my two-day visit to this fascinating city.

Other workers, stoic uniformed soldiers, paced the area, for what reason? I have no idea. I saw three official-looking men take a young man with a briefcase into a separate room. In fifteen minutes they returned him to the line waiting to enter the city. Straight out of an old KGB movie, I thought.

To be honest, St. Petersburg is a lovely city, built by none other than Peter the Great (who was nearly seven feet tall). He built canals that allow residents from both the past and the present to traverse the city. It is called the Venice of the North. Peter was greatly influenced by the canal system in Amsterdam and wanted to reproduce it in his fair city that was built to impress other nations with his wealth and power.

St. Petersburg is home to beautiful Russian Orthodox churches, their onion-dome spires reaching to the sky. It is home to a fabulous collection of art in the famous Hermitage, rivaling that in the Louvre in Paris.

In spite of its beauty and grandeur, I couldn't help feeling a little on edge in Russia. Gray is the dominant color and the residents look like they've endured a harsh existence. And, yes, there are babushkas (grandmothers) walking along the city streets with their shopping bags full of the day's purchases. They were clad in gray overcoats, woolen scarves wrapped around their heads, black hose, and orthopedic shoes--a caricature of elderly Russian women.

What redeemed St. Petersburg (all of Russia, in fact) were two things:

An authentic performance of Russian folk dancing, held in an old palace turned into a theater. We walked up three flights of creaky wooden stairs to get to this ancient, ornate theater. The dancers were fantastic--very acrobatic and graceful. And, they were the first smiles I saw since entering the city! Their performance mesmerized me and gave color to the drabness I'd been seeing all day.

So refreshing to see lovely smiles.

Traditional Folkloric Costume

I'll write about the second redeeming event in the next blog post. Meanwhile, I'm working at keeping the positive images of this vast country in the forefront of my mind. Historically, the Russian people have endured difficult circumstances. I'm trusting there is warmth and kindness, and even a few smiles, beneath the rough exteriors.

That's Settled!

What does it mean to be settled?

• establishing your own home or space
• the moving boxes are emptied
• your physical surroundings are intact and perhaps even organized
• you declare "no more moves"
• life is calm
• a decision is made
• a major problem in your life is resolved
• there is harmony among your loved ones
• you have accepted an outcome
• your heart is at rest

The list could go on and on. Each person could add their own items to the definition of what it means to "be settled."

Recently, I came across this verse from 1 Peter 5: 10-11:

"But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (NKJV)

 

"May God...settle you."

The word "settled" jumped out at me because that's often what I look for in life. It means feeling relaxed, at home, happy, and at peace. When I experience inner peace--total inner peace--I feel settled even when life is chaotic.

Peter writes this letter to believers experiencing persecution for their choices to follow Jesus Christ. Their lives are in turmoil but the apostle assures them, peace is possible. Even Peter himself faces imminent death, as this was written shortly before his own crucifixion.

Peace and settled-ness amid that? It seems impossible but that is what belief in Jesus means. We know he is the way to eternal peace and fellowship with God. All we have to do is truly believe and then seek the peace he offers. It is available for the asking.

My prayer for each of us is that we know the day-to-day feeling of being settled--at one with God through belief in his son, Jesus Christ.


(If you know someone who needs to be reminded of the peace God offers, share this post with them using the social media icons below.)

Support Personnel

The movie just ended and people are filing out of the theater. If you see someone walking backwards up the aisle reading the credits on the screen, that would be me.

I am an obsessive reader, especially when it comes to acknowledging the support team that produces a movie. A friend who knows the industry, once said if a person gets their name on the credits, that means they've worked long and hard to get there. Someone other than their parents should read the names of these diligent workers so I feel obligated.

Let's face it, support personnel often don't get the credit they deserve in most endeavors. That's why I'm fascinated by the story of an obscure woman named Biddy Chambers. Her real name is Gertrude Hobbs Chambers and she was the wife of the famous pastor/teacher/author, Oswald Chambers. He authored over 30 books, his most notable being My Utmost for His Highest. It is a devotional that has been continuously in print in the United States since 1935 and often is on the top ten titles of religious book best-seller lists. 

Biddy?

Why is this woman so interesting and how did she get that strange name? The name was his nickname for her, the daughter of a friend. Even before they married, he saw her as a partner in his ministry--one who could help him get his sermons and lessons into print. Why? Because she was a court stenographer who could write 250 words a minute in shorthand.

They served together in many posts but the last was in Cairo, Egypt, under the authority of the Y.M.C.A. He was sent there to provide a positive social life for Australian and New Zealand soldiers fighting in World War I. Basically, his job was to keep the men from visiting brothels.

He came under criticism from the Y.M.C.A. for giving away refreshments rather than charging the soldiers. When he cancelled the concerts and movies provided for their entertainment everyone told him he would lose his audience. The opposite occurred. Men flocked to his sermons--such was his personality and teaching and their need to learn about God before going into battle. And there sat Biddy, in the back of the room taking down every word her husband spoke.

How does Biddy fit into all this?

Sadly, Chambers died barely into his forties from a ruptured appendix. Though she was devastated, Biddy spent the rest of her life transcribing her notes of his lectures into publications. Today we have the classic My Utmost for His Highest because of the tedious work done by this humble woman, Biddy Chambers. She is so humble she signs her Foreword to the book, B.C. She doesn't even use her complete name.

What do I take away from her story?

• She lost the love of her life much too early but she channeled her grief into preserving his works, knowing how effective his words were in bringing people closer to God.
• She used her skills to keep his teachings alive and available to millions of readers throughout the years.
• She exhibited a spirit of humility. 

What Can We Learn?

• Life throws curve balls (like the early death of a loved one) and we can channel our energies to go beyond mere survival to service for God.

• If we know God, we must share him.

• We each have skills God can use to further his work on earth.

• God honors a humble heart. 

 If there were a blockbuster movie about Oswald Chambers, I believe Biddy Chambers' name would be emblazoned in gold lettering.

Let the Credits Roll! 

 

(Information from Introduction to My Utmost for His Highest, 1963 edition Discovery House Publishers, Grand Rapids, MI & Online Wikiepedia)

Short But Pithy

As you may have guessed, if you've followed my blogging efforts, I am influenced by the great Christian writer, Oswald Chambers. He was a Scottish pastor who served in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan in the early 1900s.

He founded the Bible training College in London in 1911, and served as principal and lecturer until the school was forced to close because of World War I. In 1915 he ministered as a YMCA chaplain to Australian and New Zealand troops preparing for action in the Middle East. He died in 1917, following surgery for a ruptured appendix, at the young age of forty-three.

His writing, though occasionally difficult to understand, is usually right on target in a no-nonsense way. Perhaps it is because most of his books were first sermons delivered to young men about to face battle and death.


From his May 7, entry in the devotional, My Utmost for His Highest:

"Faith is not a pathetic sentiment, but robust vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love." (I love the phrase, "...robust vigorous confidence...")

"Faith is the heroic effort of your life, you fling yourself in reckless confidence on God." (There it is again, "...reckless confidence...")

"The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we take this view, life becomes one great romance, a glorious opportunity for seeing marvelous things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power."

Wow. Life can be a great romance, a glorious opportunity...I want some of that!

Thank you, Oswald.

Spring Clean Your Bible!

Is spring cleaning a thing of the past? My mother’s spring ritual was a virtual killer of a time. Everything that didn’t move got washed, scrubbed, scraped, vacuumed, polished, and rearranged. It was a frenzy of activity repeated in every household on our street. Perhaps it was relief from the long Midwestern winters and anticipation of the temperate days of Spring. Perhaps it was just being able to see the sun and finally open up the windows…and they’d better be sparkling!

I wonder if that industriousness reflected the frustration the women felt being isolated stay-at-home moms, living in the country without the luxury of second cars. We had a large kitchen and my mom often would rearrange the contents of every cupboard. Can you imagine looking for a drinking glass in the usual place, only to find it’s been put somewhere else? The family complained and so, to quiet the grumbling, she labeled all the cupboards with their contents. We had one marked “large bowels” and one marked “small bowels”. The intent was good, the spelling not so much. You can imagine the teasing she endured.

Recently, I engaged in some spring cleaning—not my home but my Bible. Every so often, I go through and clean out some of the odds and ends I’ve slipped into the pages. It was an interesting activity and I made three different discoveries:

 

1. Treasures:  How comforting to read the verses I’ve highlighted through the years—verses that have meant much to me in my study of the Bible. They are words that whisper their inspiration to me over and over. Occasionally there is a comment written by a chapter or verse reflecting something I heard in a sermon or at a retreat. It’s always meaningful because I don’t write frivolously in my Bible and so, if I’ve noted it, it’s important. There are slips of paper torn from church bulletins with little nuggets of inspiration or statements of hope for me to hang on to. One of the most treasured items is a photo of a mom and her six-year old daughter I met while on a short-term mission trip. I don’t know why I took the picture but later I found out the little girl was seriously ill and most likely died soon after. My heart is moved every time I see that photo and remember the mom who grieves the loss of her sweet child.

2. Documentary:  In addition to finding treasures both sweet and bitter, the annotations in my Bible serve as a documentary of my growing faith as a Christian. I see verses and comments that have upheld me through difficult times, helping me grow closer to the Lord. There’s even a paper with a diagram of my Walk of Faith, an assignment from a Bible study. As I look back I see how God has guided me, even during those sparse times when I was distant from him. A very special item is an index card with a list of specific ways God worked. The year 2008 was my year of answered prayer and I jotted down the many ways, both large and small, God’s plan for our family unfolded. It almost takes my breath away as I review the list of his working in our lives. He is in charge, his plan is good, and he cares. Reading this card is a faith-builder for me and encourages me not to lose hope.

3. Instruction:  I learned from my Biblical spring cleaning there are pages unmarked and not very wrinkled. The corners are all intact and the pages even seem to stick together—from lack of use, I’m sorry to say. Those are the obscure books of the Old Testament. Who reads Habakkuk or Lamentations or Nahum? Obviously, not I. The New Testament books in my Bible, especially the Gospels and Philippians, are fairly worn with use, as are the Psalms, Proverbs, and David’s exciting life story in the Samuels. Every part of this wonderful book is important and has words I need to hear. I must study even the little known books of the Old Testament.

Do you need to spring clean your Bible to discover some marvelous treasures or to trace the documentary of your faith or to learn some instruction about your time in this book? Try it and enjoy the process. Trip through your Bible and give it a good spring cleaning without tossing out treasures. Instead, tuck them deep into the recesses of your brain and let their encouragement wash over you anew.


And then, let’s hear it for Habakkuk! Scholars say this is one of the strongest affirmations of faith in all Scripture (comment from study notes of the NIV Bible, page 1391):  “…yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3: 18-19)
 

A Woman of Faith

Anyone who has tackled the job of sorting through the estate of a deceased loved one, knows what a daunting task that can be. It usually is done with a mixture of emotions: loss, sadness, regret, frustration, and even anger—especially if the person was a hoarder.

When my late mother-in-law, Marge Raatjes, passed away several years ago at the age of 92, the job of sorting through her personal items fell to my sister-in-law, Beverly, and me. Our husbands, Bob and Dennis, spent their efforts dealing with the business and financial aspects of closing up their mom's estate.

Beverly and I approached the task with apprehension and dread. Somehow, it didn’t feel right going through our mother-in-law’s dresser drawers, cupboards, and closets. But, it had to be done and we were the ones to do it.

Our fear vanished as we got into the task and realized Mom Raatjes had prepared for her death by paring down her possessions to a bare minimum. She left one banker’s box of photos—all labeled with names and dates. The items in the cupboards were only those needed to run a small household.

Her clothes closet is what amazed me. Seven or eight outfits hung there, taking up very little closet space. One outfit for each day with one to spare! We were able to finish this difficult job in record time and with minimal effort. Beverly kept saying, “Mom really left us a gift.”

In addition to making our work easy, she left us a message about living the simple life. She was a woman of deep faith. I believe that was partly demonstrated in her lack of materialism. Her faith sustained her, not her possessions.

Marge was a teenager when the Great Depression hit. It greatly affected her family and her lifestyle. Perhaps that’s where she first encountered the need, then the desire, to minimize the importance of things.

Whatever, the reason—Depression or faith—I’m grateful for the lesson. I think of that image of her semi-empty closet when I feel guilty about my own over-stuffed shelves.

At Mom Raatjes’ memorial service, we had opportunity to share with some of her friends her feelings about material possessions. Many of them already knew about that. Several women expressed concern about the half-knit sweaters and large stash of yarn left in her apartment. You see, she knit many sweaters for needy children through Guideposts and World Vision’s Knit for Kids program. The women knew how important those sweaters were to Marge. We assured them they would be completed and mailed to the organization.


Materialism for herself? No. A large stash of yarn for shivering children? Definitely yes. Thanks, Marge, for the gift of minimalist living.

More on Clutter, Or The Absence Of It!

Here's another book on de-cluttering your life. I haven't read it but it was reviewed by Nanci Hellmich, a USA Today reporter, in the Arizona Republic, April 19, 2015.

Peter Walsh, professional organizer, wrote Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight. He claims his clients tend to lose weight once he helps them get their homes in order. The premise is, getting in control of your belongings translates to other areas of your life.

He claims he's done a mini-study on this with his clients. Some of what he says makes sense:

• When the kitchen is organized and healthy foods are readily available at the front of the fridge or pantry, it's easier to eat healthy foods.
• When you're organized, it's more likely you will plan ahead and eat healthy meals at home rather than buy fast food.
• Getting on top of clutter in your home often enables you to get on top of other issues in life, as well. (According to his un-scientific but probably correct study.)

His book capitalizes on that theory by presenting weekly tasks that speak to:

• a de-cluttering plan
• an exercise plan
• a nutritional plan
• a mindfulness program (Whatever is that?)

According to the reporter, Walsh divides clutter into 4 categories:

1. Lazy Clutter - stuff like mail or laundry that piles up because it doesn't seem important enough to deal with at the moment. 
2. Memory Clutter - things we hold onto because they speak to us of a person or event in the past. Some memory items should be saved but not if they overwhelm your life, says Walsh.
3. Malignant Clutter - stuff that reminds you of an unpleasant time in your life. It may be a failed relationship or career, or medical equipment from a past injury of procedure. He believes it has a toxic hold on people.
4. "I Might Need It One Day" Clutter - stuff we hold onto just in case we might need it someday. The author says give it to someone else. You'll feel good about helping another person and you'll enjoy the opened-up space in your home.

Kind of fun, isn't it, to identify what type of clutter we hang onto? I'm guilty of Number 4. Then Number 2 fits, also. Hmm....Number 3. I do have a boot from when I broke my ankle. And then there are two surgical shoes and all those ace bandages from my husband's sports injuries. Guess I have some housecleaning to do.

What about you? Do you fit any of those categories?

Next Blog:  I will tell you a story about a Christian woman who lived an abundant life without the snare of materialism.

De-clutter Your Life!

I recently read a book that's climbing up all the best-seller lists. It's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, The Japanese Art of De-cluttering by Marie Kondo.

I felt a little embarrassed when reading it and almost didn't finish. She is an organization expert from Japan and holds some strange philosophies that clash with my Christian beliefs. She suggests you greet your house when you come home at the end of the day, and she suggests things have energy.

I kept reading in spite of my discomfort with some of this. I wanted to get my dime's worth. I'm glad I finished it because there were some good suggestions. I just had to gloss over those things I disagree with.

Her premise is based on the Japanese philosophy of simplicity. Japan is a very crowded country and the homes and apartments are small, so minimalist living is important. Simplicity is reflected in Japanese art, poetry, and architecture.

I've always loved Japanese poetry for its beauty and simple ways of creating images with very few words. Remember studying Haiku in Junior High English?

Back to the book. The author has some sound suggestions for de-cluttering your home. At first, I rolled my eyes at some of it until she made the point that de-cluttering is not the point. She believes simple living frees you to do what is important in life. Now, that resonates with me. So I read on.

I like how she mentions you don't have to go out and buy expensive organizing containers to get your stuff in order. Whole stores are built around the expensive container concept. Instead, she emphasizes purging--keeping only the things you need and love--things that speak to your heart. Once purging is accomplished, organizing and storing becomes quite easy.

Kondo inspired me to tackle my closet, a task I've been putting off for a year. I got myself in a throw-away-mood and took a couple of days to complete the task. And, she was right. Getting ready is a snap when there are fewer decisions to make about what to wear and how to accessorize. I think I'm loving it!

She claims you can do your whole house in six weeks and then get on with living your life. I don't think I have the time or energy to do that but I can take things piece meal. My clothes closet is a good start.

The past few years I've been struggling with my accumulation of stuff. Probably my age puts me in reflective moods. Also, it's a lot of work taking care of things. And, leaving things in order ultimately is a gift to my children. How many horror stories have we heard of children shoveling through the estates of their deceased parents? Most of us don't want to dump that task on our kids.

I have the privilege of sorting through donations at a local transitional housing center. The donations are lovely blessings that help us furnish apartments for those needing help. Some of the items come to us with price tags still in tact. Does that speak to our American abundance? I'm preaching to myself here, folks. I am too often guilty of excess that sometimes gets used very little. A far cry from my Depression-era parents who used up every last bit of toothpaste in the tube! Get what I mean?

Anyway, if you want to read a book that gets you clearing out your closets, this is the one. You may have to ignore some of the Far Eastern thinking but it will inspire you to tackle those hot spots.

Note to friends: now that I've purged my clothes, you're going to see me in a lot of the same outfits. I might not look so good, but you should see my closet. It's a beaut!