Inexpressible: On Rainbows, Babies, and God's Forever-Faithful Love

(If you're an Instagram follower, I'm afraid you'll find this a bit of a repeat from a few weeks ago! But I had more thoughts than I could fit in a caption, and I finished the book I was reading at the time. So here we are.)

This tiny necklace represents so much waiting, so much prayer, so many times of clinging to my heavenly Father in the midst of storms that threatened to sweep away my faltering faith. As I dreamed of a "rainbow baby" for over three years, I wistfully browsed rainbow necklaces and hoped I'd have a reason to buy one. I imagined the word "mama" engraved underneath, an exhale of relief and gratitude after our exhausting journey through the valley of the shadow of death. While Laddie is a rainbow baby, I didn't really discover the term until after his birth; it seemed odd to buy such a thing in retrospect. 

But every time I thought the sun was breaking through and our rainbow was finally coming, the storm clouds gathered darker and fiercer than before. The months dragged on, then years. Five would-have-been "rainbow" pregnancies, five more losses. With each loss, my faith was tested yet again, as if God were asking, "Do you still trust Me? Do you still believe I'm good?"

I waited until 12 weeks with my current pregnancy to order this necklace, and even then my sudden burst of "courage" was prompted by a sale! What if we were to lose the baby this necklace represented? How could I bring myself to wear it? While every passing week gives me more hope and we're quickly approaching the 24-week "viability" milestone, I don't yet know if this baby in my womb is my long-awaited rainbow. 

In the end, I didn't engrave the word "mama" -- but not out of a sense of caution. Rather, because there is something more important to me than being the mama of a rainbow baby (even as I long for that very thing).  You can bet there will be lots of rainbow accessories for this little one if our prayers are answered, but my feelings toward the term "rainbow baby" are a bit complex. A rainbow is the beautiful denouement to a storm, and in that sense a rainbow baby is the joy that comes after the intense storm of loss-induced grief. I've seen others who dislike the term, because they don't see their miscarried babies as a "storm," and I can certainly understand that -- but I see the loss of my precious babies (not the babies themselves) as the darkest storm of my life, and thus the term doesn't bother me on that score. 

But I've also seen the phrase "after every storm comes a rainbow" used to refer to babies born after loss, and that does rub me the wrong way. It's almost as if there's an expectation that if you miscarry, you will get a rainbow baby. Even worse, I've seen Isaiah 66:9 applied to rainbow babies, and often featured in pregnancy announcements: "'I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born,” says the Lord." (New Century Version) Not only is this a very questionable translation of this verse (even when compared to other "loose" translations of the Bible), but it's being taken wildly out of context. The verse has nothing to do with miscarriage and rainbow babies, but rather God's plan for Jerusalem/Zion. And its misuse again implies that if you have a miscarriage, God will give you a "rainbow baby." There are many, many couples who have not been blessed with a rainbow baby, either biological or adopted -- was God not faithful to keep His promise to them? 

Which begs the question, what does a rainbow really represent? God appointed the rainbow as a covenant -- never again would He destroy the earth with a worldwide flood in (much-deserved) judgment for sin. It was His oath of steadfast love and mercy to humans who deserved no such grace. It was not a promise that I'd have a baby after loss. God's faithfulness is not determined by His providing "rainbow babies" (though He often graciously does just that, as I am personally and gratefully aware). Is there always a rainbow after the storm? Yes, in the sense that God never wastes pain in the life of a believer, and that He will one day redeem all of our suffering in eternity. As Elisabeth Elliot said, "Suffering is never for nothing." But that 'rainbow' may not take the shape of a baby, and it would be foolish, even dangerous, to pin one's hopes on such a thought.

That is why I engraved my necklace with the word "hesed." It is the Hebrew word found 248 times in the Old Testament, and most often translated as "mercy," "steadfast love," "lovingkindness," and "covenant faithfulness." I recently finished Michael Card's wonderful book on hesed, Inexpressible -- perhaps the title gives you some idea of how complex and beautiful this word is. He mentions in the introduction that translators often use two words to try to capture the essence of hesed, because a single word is rarely enough to express its meaning.

I found this wristlet for my keys from Dear Heart back in November, 
just before the third anniversary of Baby J's homegoing --
"no season is ever wasted" was quite a timely reminder.
I added the rainbow a few months later, as we rejoiced over our twelfth pregnancy!

In his preface, Card explains hesed this way: "When the person from whom I have the right to expecting nothing gives me everything." 

What a thought! I deserve nothing from the God that I have rebelled against, and yet He offers me everything. He sent His own Son to die on a cross, so that I might have eternal life that I did nothing to deserve -- or more accurately, I did everything to not deserve!

"The Bible reveals the God of hesed, who has opened the door of his life to you and me. Though we are responsible for the death of his only Son and have, in effect, cursed him, he covered us with his body, his blood, and saved us long before we might have accepted him. We have no right to expect anything from him, the Holy One. Yet he has extended himself to us, has invited us to enter his world, has made our story a part of his story, has opened his life to the inevitable possibility of being hurt, disappointed, and wounded by you and me." (Chapter 1)

"The great surprise of the Hebrew Bible is not that God is awesome or holy. These characteristics we would expect from God. The great surprise is that he is kind, that he is a God of hesed. This is what fundamentally makes him unlike any other god, then or now." (Chapter 4)

I was excited to find how many beloved Bible verses contain the word hesed -- I had studied this word in the past, and knew some of the more common English translations (especially "steadfast love"), but because it is translated in different ways it can easily become, quite literally, lost in translation. Here are a few notable verses:

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love hesed,
and to walk humbly with your God?

Hosea 6:6
For I desire hesed and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

(note the poetic form in Hosea 6:6, where the 2nd line rephrases the first -- which means that hesed is linked to the knowledge of God. He is hesed!)

Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap hesed;
break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
that He may come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hesed is part of who God is, and His unaccountable expressions of love and mercy to us should prompt us to imitate Him. God's hesed toward us enables us to show hesed to one another. Loving the "unlovable" should be a distinguishing mark of God's people, because we realize that we were truly unlovable, yet loved by God.

I liked Card's summary from chapter 11: 

"In the Torah, we discovered the definitive experience of God's hesed: God telling us who he is. In the historical books we witnessed the heartbreak associated with the violation of the hope of hesed. In the Psalms we listened to the unique resonance of the hesed our hearts were created and tuned to sing to. In the Prophets we meet the One who is himself hesed (Jer 3:12). 

The Prophets provide a portrait of the One who relentlessly reaches out to his people, who sends prophets like Jeremiah who weep and warn and plead with the people for decades before finally allowing the consequences of their sin to come into effect."

While the New Testament was not written in Hebrew, hesed is far from absent. As Card notes in his conclusion, "In Jesus of Nazareth, the embodiment of hesed, God was perfectly just and perfectly merciful. Through Jesus he fulfilled the promise to not leave the guilty unpunished by placing that punishment on Jesus in an act of pure and perfect hesed. Jesus did justice by loving hesed. He gave himself so that we might be conquered by the kindness of God, a kindness that leads us to repentance, that draws us to the cross. That moment in time makes doubting the lovingkindness of God impossible... As Frederick Buechner says, instead of being too good to be true, it's 'too good not to be true.'"

If you couldn't already tell, I highly recommend Inexpressible*. I'd rank it with Gentle and Lowly as one of the books that has most influenced my understanding of who God is. It reminds me of Job's words in Job 42:5, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you." 

That is why I have the word hesed engraved on my necklace. While I hope and pray this baby will join us earthside this fall, our very own little "rainbow" after the darkest of storms, I will wear this necklace no matter what. I serve a faithful God Who always keeps His promises, Who has already done far more for me than I could ever ask or imagine, and Who never abandons me in the storms of life. 

Our Mighty Substitute

It seems strange to celebrate the worst day in history. Truly, the day that Jews and Gentiles colluded to murder the Son of God eclipses (by far) every other horror in our broken, fallen world. And yet, it seems inadequate to call this Friday merely "Good," because (thus far in history) the only day greater than this was the day that Jesus emerged from the tomb, alive -- the day when Satan's greatest triumph proved to be his utter downfall. 

I love these words from Peter's sermon in Acts 2:

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it."

It was not possible for death to hold Jesus in the tomb! His resurrection was not so much a miracle as an inevitability (though it was, indeed, miraculous!). When God loosed the pangs of death for Jesus, He loosed them for all who would trust in Him as Savior. 

Instead of death, life.
Instead of despair, hope.
Instead of defeat, victory.  

Over the past few weeks, I've been reading Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, a collection of essays written by theologians throughout history. Its bite-sized meditations have been good for the soul, so I'll include an excerpt from J.C. Ryle below:

 

Was He flogged? 

It was done so that 'by His wounds we are healed' (Isa. 53:5). 

Was He condemned, though innocent? 

It was done so that we might be acquitted, though guilty.

Did He wear a crown of thorns?

It was done so that we might wear the crown of glory.

Was He stripped of His clothes?

It was done so that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness.

Was He mocked and reviled?

It was done so that we might be honored and blessed.

Was He reckoned a criminal, and counted among those who have done wrong?

It was done so that we might be reckoned innocent, and declared free from all sin.

Was He declared unable to save Himself?

It was so that He might be able to save others to the uttermost.

Did He die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful death?

It was done so that we might live forevermore, and be exalted to the highest glory.

-- Excerpt from J.C. Ryle's commentary on Matthew, quoted in Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Do Not Withhold Good: Pursuing Alternatives to Fast Fashion

If you saw my last post, I reviewed a new novel written by my friend, Peyton Roberts. Beneath the Seams explores the issues with the fast fashion industry, as seen through the eyes of its protagonist, Shelby. New to the fashion industry, Shelby begins to realize that her success as a designer may come at a high cost to the women who are actually constructing her dresses.

"Ethical fashion" is honestly a really tricky topic. For one thing, what is ethical fashion? If you do an internet search, you'll come up with a variety of definitions. To some, it means minimal ecological impact. To others, it means no animal products were used. To most, it means that workers in the production process were paid fairly and treated well. 

There's another issue to consider. Garment factories can treat their employees badly because workers lack leverage. Why? Jobs are in high demand, and workers who complain can be easily replaced. I remember reading an article exposing the horrendous conditions in Cambodian factories. What caught my attention was their mention that these jobs are highly sought after, because as bad as they are, they are considered better than working in the rice fields. While slave labor is sadly a reality in the fashion industry, in many cases there are people who desperately want these jobs! That's a sad commentary on general living conditions in those countries, and it illustrates the complexity of this issue. There are no simple answers.

I'm coming at this topic from a Christian perspective, so my interest is in good stewardship and just treatment -- I do not support those who use environmental/social issues for political leverage (and ultimately personal gain). I define ethical fashion as clothing my family in a way that fairly compensates those who made the garments (fair trade, living wage, etc.) and stewards our God-given natural resources well. I also try to steward our financial resources, so that clothing expenditure does not trump wise financial management or sharing with the needy. 

And as a disclaimer, I am not writing this post because I am a paragon of ethical fashion. On the contrary, it's been a long and continuing journey. I don't have all the answers, and I find myself frequently conflicted about where to draw the line, or how ethical is "ethical enough." Nor is it my desire to burden others with legalistic requirements (and judging others for their purchasing decisions is neither helpful nor holy). We are all doing the best we can with the knowledge and resources we have! But I do believe the Bible teaches that workers should be treated fairly (Luke 6:31; James 5:1-6; Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Malachi 3:5; Jeremiah 22:13), and it's my hope that my experience may prove helpful to other who feel the same.

I just don't think someone on the other side of the globe should suffer -- or even die -- so that my child can wear a cheap t-shirt. Can I change the fashion industry with my purchases? Of course not -- I'm only a tiny drop in a very big bucket. But if I can make a difference in a few people's lives, it's worth it.

Peyton included this verse from Proverbs 3:27 in her e-mails, and I think it sums up the issue well:

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it."

My Background

I learned early on that charity and consignment shops were a treasure trove for the frugal (thanks, Mom!). I wanted a Jane Austen dress for a birthday party, so I learned to sew (also thanks, Mom!). As a teenager, my closet was bursting with me-made and thrifted finds, most of which were rarely worn -- until I realized that less is more, and curbed my "thrifty" excesses in my mid-twenties. But I had no qualms about purchasing new clothes at various retailers, and would immediately head for the clearance rack at local retailers. Motherhood brought new challenges. My sewing time was limited and I had more people to clothe. Online shopping was more convenient than herding a gaggle of children through a thrift store.

But as I learned more about the issues surrounding the fashion industry, I became more convicted about these purchases and resolved to find better alternatives.

The difficulty is that better alternatives typically come with a much higher price tag! Companies that care enough to pay their employees fairly are also usually interested in sustainability and quality. I appreciate all of those attributes, but they do mean higher costs. There's a reason our ancestors possessed far fewer clothes and wore them as long as possible! I wonder if we'd be shocked at how much their clothing cost when adjusted for income/inflation?

I absolutely believe that a more expensive quality garment is far better than a cheap, "disposable" fashion piece. But with six people to dress -- four of whom are growing at an alarming pace -- I just can't spend a small fortune on clothing every season. And these days, higher cost does not always equate to higher quality or ethical manufacturing, making purchasing decisions even harder.

My solution? Thinking outside the consumer box.

1) Worn Again

By shopping at thrift and consignment stores, I can rescue existing garments from landfills, support local charities and businesses, and sometimes find high-quality clothing that I couldn't afford otherwise. I will often come home with a bag full of garments that cost less than one of those single items would have cost new. I do have to look a little harder, but I enjoy the hunt! The clothing has already been manufactured and purchased at retail, so at this point the best thing is for the garment to be worn as much as possible before it is discarded or recycled. 

Currently, I buy almost exclusively from charity shops -- I've purchased from consignment stores, sites like Swap (before they changed their sales model. Grr.), and I've tried Poshmark a time or two. But I find I just can't beat thrift store prices! My one exception is our local Once Upon a Child, which is usually economical, runs $1 clearance sales, and is a good source for otherwise-pricey-and-hard-to-find shoes and coats.

In the picture above, all seven tops cost me less than $10 total. If purchased new (not on sale), they would retail for over $500. That's a 98% cost difference! Here's the breakdown, working top to bottom, left to right:

• Green cashmere sweater, Old Navy ($1 thrifted, ~$50-$60 new)
• Tan cashmere sweater, Lilly Pulitzer ($2.50 thrifted, $300 new)
• White lace-work sweater, American Eagle ($0.33 thrifted, ~$45 new)
• Purple lace sweater, Sonoma ($5 thrifted new-with-tags, ~$30 new)
• Black-and-white stripe tee, Boden ($0.33 thrifted, $38 new)
• Mustard-and-white stripe 3/4 sleeve tee, Old Navy ($0.33 thrifted, ~$25 new)
• Black gingham blouse, H&M ($0.33 thrifted, ~$25 new)

My local charity shop has a regular "basket day" -- all the clothes you can fit in a shopping basket (with a few exclusions) are $6. I usually fit about 15-20 pieces in my basket, so the cost per item averages $0.33. The gingham H&M blouse was long sleeve, but I altered it because it pulled across the shoulders. The tan Lilly Pulitzer cashmere sweater is from a charity shop further afield; somehow it escaped their boutique section (where I found the $5 purple sweater, which I liked enough to "splurge" on). The mustard stripe shirt has already been worn at least twenty times, so I'm nearing 1 cent per wear on that one!

As a note, local charity shops are almost always cheaper than chain thrift stores like Goodwill, and will often have sale days. It can take a bit of searching, but once you find a "goldmine" or two you're all set! 

And yes, I do realize the thrift store "industry" is ultimately dependent on fast fashion. All over the country there are stores filled with wearable clothing that people have discarded! I'm excited to find something new-with-tags, but what that means is that someone purchased something they didn't really need and never wore. But, things being as they are, at least the excesses of the fashion industry can be put to good use instead of trashed.

2) Every Last Wear

Once I buy a garment, I try to make sure we wear it out. I limit our wardrobe sizes to help with this -- if a child has fifteen t-shirts, they're probably not going to have the chance to wear them out before the season ends. I have some second-hand garments I've worn at least a hundred times, and some I've owned for a decade or more. One way to lengthen the life of children's clothes is to alter them when they go out of season or wear out. If pants have a wide enough leg, they can become shorts. When my daughter wears holes in the knees of her winter leggings, they become "shorties" to wear under summer dresses. Long-sleeve shirts can be hemmed into short-sleeve shirts. Granted, I'm likely to just save my older boys' clothing because it can be passed down, but for Rosa and Scout I try to eke every last wear out of a garment. For me, clothing that's near the end of its life is worn on "at home" days until it's no longer presentable. Anything that's still in good shape is sold or donated.

3) Changing it Up

I'll often buy garments from the thrift store to alter for myself (though I honestly hate alterations), upcycle into children's clothes, or even upcycle into *gasp* underwear! I never thought I'd be that seamstress, but after searching in vain for "ethical" underwear that fit my budget, I've resorted to making underwear for myself and my children. I purchased inexpensive patterns for theirs, but my pattern is a tracing of an old pair that fits well. I can often get two (or more) pairs of underwear out of a knit maxi skirt or a plus-size shirt (knit fabric scraps from my sewing projects are also fair game). It's not the type of sewing I really enjoy, but it's not difficult and I'm saving enough that I'm willing to spend the time.

$0.30 thrifted blouse turned into a
scarf/bandana/headband with 5 minutes
of cutting, ironing, and sewing.

I recently found a chambray skirt (probably from the 90's) in great shape at the thrift store, also for $0.30. It was too small -- no vanity sizing back then! -- but I was able to harvest the pockets to make a new waistband. It's now a very useful part of my wardrobe.

As a seamstress, I've obtained linen, leather, buttons, etc. from thrifted garments. Those materials might be expensive or difficult to source otherwise, and it's often the last hope for a garment that's hopelessly out of style or worn out in certain areas.

4) Making it My Own

Sewing is one of the most obvious ways to avoid the fast fashion industry altogether! It's not free of pitfalls, though, as fabric is still made in factories (which means workers are involved) and quality fabric can be pricey. I used to purchase bargain fabrics almost exclusively, but as the years have passed I've realized that I prefer to invest in better quality fabric -- the garments last much longer, and the materials feel better. I can occasionally find fabrics at thrift stores, or repurpose tablecloths and clothes for fabric, too. I find it very tricky to get information on where and how certain fabrics are made! Though I recently found this list that my proved helpful.

5) Considered Investments

Once in a while, I'll invest in a quality piece (or piece of fabric!) for my wardrobe. Because I save so much through charity shops, these purchases don't break the bank. Using some of my personal spending money, I recently purchased a leather tote from ABLE to replace my worn out "winter" bag. ABLE cares about sustainability and actually publishes the wages paid to employees, which is almost unheard of in the fashion industry. Even with 25% off, it was a hefty spend -- but  I can't find this type of bag second-hand (trust me, I checked... *wink*), and the quality is so good that I should be able to use it for many years. It's also my exclusive winter bag, as I only have two other handbags: a leather crossbody my husband bought in Greece while he was deployed (I use this when I'm not in "mom mode," because it's quite petite) and a fair-trade African basket (like this one but all tan) which I purchased at the Ark Encounter's Fair Trade shop and use as my summer bag. 

Of course, not everyone would want to splurge on a handbag. My mom has scored great deals on second-hand bags (including my leather Fossil wallet, which I've used for years and is still going strong). Leather totes are just my "thing," and I'm happy my money will actually help another human earn a living wage.

Some online fair trade shops that I support include:

Eternal Threads

Ten Thousand Villages

Baskets of Africa (you can find these baskets in many other online/retail shops, too)

A Google search will come up with many more! 

How Ethical is Ethical Enough?

The more I learned about fashion industry, the more I struggled with guilt and frustration. I felt like I had been sucked into this greedy, abusive system without my consent or knowledge. While the ignorant consumer is  the tip of the iceberg (versus those who actually run abysmal factories and mistreat their employees), the industry is funded by the people who purchase the clothes. Once I became aware of this, I wanted to change -- but finding alternatives wasn't easy.

Sadly, it's really difficult to source budget-friendly ethical garments. Most companies are not transparent about their supply chains, others have great "ideals" but don't actually follow through, and inquiries about labor practices don't always get responses. It's not so bad for me and the children (charity shops and homemade garments usually suffice), but almost none of my husband's clothing is second-hand and it can be hard to find brands that even fit him properly. 

And then there's shoes! I rarely find them second-hand, and I'm particular about style because we prefer minimalist/barefoot whenever possible. 

What about the fabric that I purchase to make my own garments? Fabric is made in a factory, too.

What about household goods? It's not only garment workers who deal with unjust labor practices.

It's easy for me to feel overwhelmed, and guilty about past or future purchases. But guilt is not the answer. Perfection is not attainable, and I've already mentioned that "ethical" is a nebulous concept at best. But there are so many steps consumers can take to help:

• Wear clothes more before getting rid of them (I'll sometimes set a goal, like five more "wears"). 
• Shop secondhand. 
• Buy fewer clothes, period (better for the wallet, no matter your budget). 
• Learn to sew/alter, or find a friend or local seamstress who can. 
• Shop sustainably when possible.
• Ask companies that you support what their labor practices are.
• Donate unwanted clothing in good condition
• Try to recycle or reuse worn out textiles.

I realize this topic can be  polarizing, so I truly hope this post is helpful rather than hurtful. I would love to hear your tips and resources for frugal, ethical clothing! 

Timeless

Shortly after we moved out West, we stopped at a local Salvation Army for a browse. On a shelf cluttered with knick-knacks, I found a battered frame. Beneath the scratched plexiglass was a page from a 16th century Geneva Bible. The Geneva Bible holds a special place in my heart (and in history!), and I was smitten at once. I resisted the impulse to buy it then and there -- but as time passed, I still thought about that page. My patience was rewarded; by the time I returned, it was still waiting for me and was marked down 20%. 

Taking pictures of glass is hard! *wink*

The frame was a disaster and even the matting was faded, but that could be remedied. I procrastinated in my usual fashion, but I finally found a frame that suited and had a mat made at a local frame shop. 

Of all the pages it could have been, the passage on this page was Psalm 118 and the beginning of Psalm 119. The former has been such a comfort to me over the past two years (especially verse 14), and Psalm 119 -- well, it's in a league of its own!

I've flanked the page with two images -- both cut from the companion booklet that came with my Reformation Study Bible. On the right is Westminster Abbey, and on the left is a map of Geneva.

My little "Reformation" collection now graces a formerly-barren wall in our living room (our home here has so many blank, white walls!), and I see it regularly throughout the day -- a reminder of God's timeless, steadfast love and His providential care of His church through history. 

 

The In-between

The day between Good Friday and Resurrection Day: Jesus was dead, and hope had died with Him. It must have been excruciating for Mary, as the shock of her firstborn's brutal murder wore off and the reality of his death set in. All of the prophecies, all of the moments she had treasured up were now cold and lifeless, entombed behind a stone as heavy as her grieving heart. Jesus' disciples had lost not only their beloved friend and teacher, but also their hope that Israel's long-awaited Messiah had finally come. One of them had betrayed Him, one had denied Him, all had fled in terror. It was over.

Even though He'd told them this would happen, even though they'd witnessed Him bring the dead back to life, they couldn't comprehend that the Messiah had to die so that death itself might die. Their joy was coming in the morning, but they couldn't see it yet.

They didn't know that dawn was coming.

Jesus said, "I have come into the world as a light, 

so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." 

John 12:46

Promises, Promises

While reading my Bible this morning, I re-discovered this passage in Corinthians. 

What a joy it is to have a God who has power even over death!

Not only that, but he can and will keep the promises he makes.

That last verse made it onto my "inspiration chalkboard," as a reminder that even the little household tasks I have to do today are important if they are done for God's glory.

This corruptible must put on incorruption, 

and this mortal must put on immortality. 

 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, 

and this mortal shall have put on immortality, 

then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 

Death is swallowed up in victory. 

 O death, where is thy sting? 

O grave, where is thy victory? 

 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 

 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, 

always abounding in the work of the Lord, 

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

~ I Corinthians 15:53-58 ~

The Reason For Hope

I am awed by the sacrifice Christ made on the cross for His sheep -- His wandering, straying sheep, who cannot even find their way to Him unless He leads them. Such suffering is imcomprehensible and humbling.

But it is Christ's resurrection from the dead, His triumph over the grave, that gives me hope. He is indeed the "firstfruits of the dead," the assurance that He can and will keep His promise to raise us even as He was raised. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory!

As we sang the the hymn "Ah, Holy Jesus" in church today, I reflected on the words in the second verse: "Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee!" Treason is a harsh word, and difficult to swallow. But what makes it worse is that it is not nearly harsh enough to describe our rebellion against God. Who would sacrifice themselves for a traitor? Only the Son of the Most High.

"Ah, Holy Jesus" (Herzliebster Jesu)

Written by Johann Heermann (1585-1647)
Music by Johann Cruger (1598-1662)
You can listen to a lovely version (sung in German) on Youtube.

Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended,
that we to judge thee have in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected,
O most afflicted!



Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee!
'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee;
I crucified thee.



Lo, the Good Shepherd for the sheep is offered;
the slave hath sinned, and the Son hath suffered.
For our atonement, while we nothing heeded,
God interceded.



For me, kind Jesus, was thy incarnation,
thy mortal sorrow, and thy life's oblation;
thy death of anguish and thy bitter passion,
for my salvation.



Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee,
I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving,
not my deserving.

I pray that the Lord has richly blessed you on this "Resurrection Sunday!"

Sabbath Meditation

~ Psalm 93 ~

"The Lord reigneth,

and is clothed with majesty:

the Lord is clothed,

and girded with power,

the world also shall be stablished,

that it cannot be moved.

Thy throne is established of old:

Thou art from everlasting.

The floods have lifted up, O Lord:

the floods have lifted up their voice:

the floods lift up their waves.

The waves of the sea are marvelous

through the noise of many waters,

yet the Lord on high is more mighty.

Thy testimonies are very sure:

holinesss becometh thine House, O Lord,

forever."

Goodness

"How great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee! and done to them that trust in Thee,
even before the sons of men!"

~ Psalm 31:19 ~



"Come, let us rejoice unto the Lord: let us sing aloud unto the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His face with praise: let us sing loud unto Him with Psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the deep places of the earth, and the heights of the mountains are his. to whom the Sea belongeth, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Come let us worship and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand."

~ Psalm 95:1-7 ~

Tiny Witness

How can I not marvel at the diversity and beauty of God's creation? This little fellow is just a tiny witness of our Father's creativity and power. A tiny, but very adorable witness!

"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!"

~ Psalm 8 ~

Train Up a Child

"Do we observe in [professed Christians] any remarkable care to instruct their children in the principles of the faith which they profess, and to furnish them with arguments for the defense of it? They would blush, on their child's coming out into the world, to think him defective in any branch of that knowledge, or of those accomplishments which belong to his station in life, and accordingly these are cultivated with becoming assiduity. But he is left to collect his religion as he may; the study of Christianity has formed no part of his education, and his attachment to it (where any attachment to it exists at all) is, too often, not the preference of sober reason, but merely the residue of early prejudice and groundless prepossession. He was born in a Christian country, of course he is a Christian; his father was a member of the church of England, so is he. When such is the hereditary religion handed down from generation to generation, it cannot surprise us to observe young men of sense and spirit beginning to doubt altogether of the truth of the system in which they have been brought up, and ready to abandon a station which they are unable to defend...

Let us beware before it be too late."

William Wilberforce, A Practical View of Christianity

"Train up a child in the way he should go,

and when he is old he will not depart from it."

~ Proverbs 22:6 ~

I Will Praise My God, While I Live

My soul, praise thou the Lord: O Lord my God, Thou art exceeding great, Thou art clothed with glory and honor.
Which covereth Himself with light, as with a garment, and spreadeth the heavens like a curtain.
Which layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters, and maketh the clouds His chariot, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.
Which maketh the spirits His messengers, and a flaming fire His minsters.
He set the earth upon her foundations, so that it shall never move.
Thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment: the waters would stand above the mountains.
O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches.
So is the sea great and wide: for therein are things creeping unnumerable, both small beasts and great.
Glory be to the Lord forever: let the Lord rejoice in His works.
I will sing unto the Lord all my life: I will praise my God, while I live.

~ Selections from Psalm 104

A Theological Disclaimer

Welcome to my blog! It is my hope and prayer that your visit here will be a blessing to you, and that the love of Christ will be evident in every post you read.

I usually confine my blog topics to sewing projects, tutorials, photographs, quotations, and little bits of everyday life. However, sometimes I do post on spiritual matters, and it is for that reason that I offer this "disclaimer."


1. It is not my intention to set myself up as any kind of spiritual teacher or guide. Titus 2 speaks of older women mentoring younger women -- currently I am in the position of one who needs mentoring, not one with the experience and maturity necessary to teach others!


2. The Internet offers no accountability. I choose what I post about myself -- therefore, any spiritual statements I make cannot be evaluated on the basis of my personal conduct. In "real life," you have opportunity to observe a person's conduct and character, and take that into account when listening to their advice. For instance, I would probably mistrust child-rearing advice from someone whose children are out of control! On the Internet, you do not have the luxury of seeing the outworking of a person's ideas and beliefs.


3. I seek to limit myself to personal application. Essentially, when I post about spiritual matters I try to share what the Lord has done in my life, rather than try to "convert" others to my specific doctrinal views. I share with the hope that my thoughts and experience may prove helpful or thought-provoking to those who may be reading, but not with the intention of bringing them around to my point of view.


4. "Internet theology" can be very dangerous. While I have personally benefited from many blogs and online resources, the Internet has also made it very easy for people to publish their religious ideas -- some of them are true, and some are quite dangerous. Scripture should be our guide for faith and practice, and the local church has also been ordained by God to minister the Word to believers. Every idea should be checked with Scripture, and it also wise to seek to the advice of Godly parents or mentors.


5. I do not intend to claim that my views are the only right interpretations of Scripture. I know there are many varying beliefs within the body of Christ, and I am not suggesting that my family's beliefs are somehow better than someone else's. While our family holds convictions based on what we believe the Bible to teach, I fully acknowledge that others will search the Scriptures and come to other conclusions. So please don't be offended if I present an idea contrary to yours, and please know that I am not seeking to condemn!


6. I believe in the Reformed Doctrines of Grace, perhaps best laid out in the Westminster Confession of Faith. This may be helpful to know when reading my posts, since this understanding of Scripture will naturally influence my writing.