Life Lessons for Marie ~ Humility

Dear Marie,

I am pretty sure that it’s because we live so far away from each other that made your growing up years seem like just moments to me. I remember first meeting you when you were a toddler, already full of personality matched with soft golden curls. Then I saw you in pictures and home videos my dad brought back from his visits while on his business trips. It wasn’t until you were going into middle school that I spent time with you again and I barely recognized the beautiful 5 foot you! At Tom and my wedding in 2003 you were even more grown up with cascading hair. It has been nice to be able to “see” you a lot more often now on myspace, but still difficult to grasp that you are graduating from high school! This is no small accomplishment you have made Marie!

But you see, God is just plain amazing, and everything worked out for the good. If you don’t believe me, check my list of pros and cons:

Con: I had the flu!

Pro: I would’ve had it anyway, even if I went to Colorado. It would’ve been worse if I had went, because then one of my poor parents would have to spend a good skiing day at the hotel with me while I was spewing chunks.

This is quoted from your February 6, 2007 blog when you got a concussion and the flu in the same day (apparently you go big or go home). Even in this dismal situation Tom and I caught your humility showing J. Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves.” Marie, you found more pro’s to falling on your head and blowing chunks than cons… wow. You were glad that you did not have to interrupt your parent’s day on the slopes; I do believe that you put others first in that situation. My prayer for you is to remember your outlook on that fun event when you go through bigger trials, because I’ve found God is good at continuously giving us opportunities to put others first.

We love you Marie! Blessings on you as you move into a brand new beautiful chapter in your life.

Love,
Tom, Sara & Lincoln

Life Lessons for Marie ~ Early Impressions

“Our God is an Awesome God” is the first song I heard Marie sing at age two. Music and drama have always been a part of Marie. Between Christmas and her third birthday, daily for months, she would grab a certain doll blanket and run to get a certain doll. Carefully wrapping the doll in the blanket she would drop it on a chair while she looked for and dressed herself in the other blankets—one over her shoulders and the other around her head.

Seating herself carefully on a chair she would sigh and pick up the wrapped doll. She was “Mary” and the doll was “Jesus.” Rocking slightly she would sing “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus...”

I was overjoyed that our grandchildren were learning to know and love music and acting, but even more, learning to know and love Jesus on her own age level.

As for advice, Marie, our Savior Jesus Christ meets us at every age level. And at every circumstance we can sing because He is our Lord and King.

Grandma H.

---

It is said that first impressions are lasting impressions. Each time I see Marie I think of how true that is.

When we greeted her parents in October 1990 at the airport in St. Louis, they were holding a large fluffy blanket. Inside it, like a Cheshire cat, all that was visible was Marie’s face with a large and immediate smile for her grandfather. It was surprising to me because I had not realized that babies that young could produce such a big smile.

Grandpa H.

Life Lessons for Marie ~ Frosting

Dear Marie,

In your first two years of life, I rocked you in my arms many, many times. I can still remember your little “baby face.” I watched you grow up and always felt a special connection to you. You and I alone know about the many conversations we had about how hard it was for you to be the “middle child.” (Of course, now you are the second oldest rather than the middle!)

To remind you of how precious, unique and altogether loved you were, I gave you the pet name “frosting girl.” Do you remember why? We were eating Oreo’s one day when we had one of our best conversations. You were hurt and angry because you felt that you were being overlooked after Emily was born. You were afraid that you were not special any more. So, to remind you of how much God loved you, and how much your family loved you, and how much I loved you, I named you after the sweet middle of the Oreo—that wonderful “frosting” right in the middle between two cookies—a brother and a sister. You giggled. For years you would run up to me, jump in my arms, and ask with a laugh, “Am I still your frosting girl?” Of course, yes! Then and always...

As you forever leave your childhood behind, I hope you will never forget how truly remarkable and amazing you are. God loves you so very much. May you always love him and others in an abounding way. (Philippians 1:9-11)

Your friend,
Judy

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
~ Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)

Life Lessons for Marie ~ Gratitude

Dear Marie,

First, let me congratulate you on your graduation from High School and for all of your accomplishments. I am grateful to God for the gifts and talents He has given you. You are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that you should walk in them (from Eph. 2:10). You have a destiny woven by the hand of God.

One of my first memories of you… is that of a toddler. We spent some time together on the Oregon Coast. Even then, you had quite a voice! Your Uncle Dale would always “catch me up” with you and your family after his visits with you guys when he was back there on business trips. He would even have photos (so would Grandma and Grandpa M!).

I see a lot of your Uncle Dale in you… he also used his talents for the Lord. You and he share musical abilities. Dale was always so grateful for the opportunities he had to worship through his music.

Gratitude means having an attitude of thankfulness: being appreciative for blessings received. Please allow me to share some truths about gratitude with you.

The Bible has quite a bit to say about gratitude. Gratitude and thanksgiving go hand in hand. The Old Testament is an expression of gratitude because the whole Old Testament is the account of the Lord’s wondrous deeds for His people. In the New Testament the primary model of giving thanks is Jesus Himself. Paul also has a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving. He begins at least nine of his letters with thanks to God for those to whom he is writing… “I thank my God whenever I think of you.” ~ Phil. 1:3

My prayer for you is that you will always have a heart of gratitude and thanksgiving towards God. “Therefore since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.” ~ Heb. 12:28

Your Uncle Dale was a good role model for gratitude and thanksgiving towards God… whether he was in a good situation or a very difficult time. Following is a prayer he wrote in His journal. I believe he wrote it in November of 2004… in the middle of his cancer ordeal…

Thank you, Lord for another year of life.

I’m thankful to have seen my precious daughter happily married to the man she loves.

I’m thankful to have seen my son mature into the respectable young man I knew him to be. He is faithful to his wife, and is pursuing a career through education.

I’m thankful for a loving and devoted wife, whom You gave me. She continues to be a faithful companion who cares for me in sickness and teaches me Your ways in humility and love. You truly know how to give good gifts.

I’m thankful for the friends and loved ones you have placed in my life. Thank you for our friends Dan and Deb Lute and for the Calvary Temple family.

I’m thankful to You Lord, for using this trial to refine me. I love You more than ever and want to serve You without reserve so that You are honored in all things. Be glorified and may Your Kingdom come!

Thank you, Lord, thank You for another year. Your lovingkindness is everlasting!

Marie, you are a beautiful young woman who is full of life. I encourage you to live your life to the fullest with all the passion and zeal God has given you. I encourage you to have a spirit of gratitude to God at all times. Like your Uncle Dale did… take time to remember and be grateful for all the wonderful things God has done in your life… the good… and even the things that seem bad… because God uses everything in our lives for our good… ultimately… because He loves us like no other.

Much Love,
Aunt Kim

Life Lessons for Marie ~ Intro

On April 27th our daughter Marie graduated from high school. As a special gift to her, we decided to ask our adult friends and family members to help us put together a keepsake book entitled Life Lessons filled with notes and letters from them. We had two purposes for this book: (1) to affirm qualities we have observed in Marie's life and (2) to provide positive exhortation from our own experiences in specific areas. For example, someone wrote about the importance of prayer, and another on the need to manage time wisely.

At her graduation reception we gave Marie the finished book, with 20 letters filled with words of wisdom and encouragement. We pray this will make a big impact on Marie for many years to come. For sure it has given her something special to remember.

I am publishing these letters here for those who are interested in reading them, one at a time over the next several weeks. Thank you to everyone who contributed.

Corporate Prayer

Several years ago I was at a place in my spiritual walk that caused me to reflect on where I had been and where I was going. I had a yearning for a deeper intimacy with God, but did not know how to go about achieving this intimacy.

It was very helpful to meet with two dear brothers, Dave and Tom, on separate occasions to talk this over and ask for their prayers. Dave recommended a couple of good books, which were very helpful. One of these books, Enjoying Intimacy with God by J. Oswald Sanders, introduced me to a very simple idea: “It is we, not God, who determine the degree of intimacy with Him that we enjoy. We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be.” From that time on, I have attempted to persevere in choosing to be close to God.

I wish it was as easy as that—just choose to be close and I’m there. But in reality it has been mostly three steps forward, two steps back. Those two steps back have been agonizing. But the Lord is gracious and continues to motivate me and enable me to keep pursuing Him.

Hebrews 11:6 has come to mean a great deal to me. It says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” That verse contains an important promise: If you seek Him, He will reward you. That has done a lot to motivate me in the long-term to keep seeking Him. The Lord is faithful and keeps His promises. I have indeed enjoyed ever-deepening intimacy with God, by his grace and mercy.

Early this summer the Lord got my attention as I was reading in Acts chapter 7. In verse 51, in Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin, he infuriated them with the statement, “You are always resisting the Holy Spirit!” When I read that, I recognized that I had been resisting the Holy Spirit by neglecting Wednesday night prayer meeting. We are all taught by the Scriptures to pray together. As an elder, I recognized the importance even more personally, knowing that we elders are to devote ourselves specifically to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6). And yet I had not committed myself to corporate prayer.

I yielded on the spot. God at that moment put a hunger in me to be in His presence, along with my brothers and sisters, on Wednesday nights. This, in turn, has enriched the rest of my prayer life and personal worship time. I discovered the truth of this thought: “Those who neglect the consistent habit of praying in extended fashion with a community of believers are robbing themselves of great blessing and balance.”† I had been robbing myself of a great blessing!

If you are not in the habit of going to mid-week corporate prayer meeting, I would like to encourage you to go. Go to be spiritually refreshed. More importantly, go and pray, because God is worthy to be sought.



† Daniel Henderson, Fresh Encounters.

Finishing Well

I just turned 44 years old in November and I assume I am in mid-life. Of course, that is not a given. My brother, Dale, thought he was in mid-life at 44, but the Lord had other plans for him. He entered into the presence of Christ in March of this year at the age of 47. He suffered the last two years and four months with very aggressive brain tumors. During that time God demonstrated in Dale’s life His power to refine a man.

Dale and Kim

In the midst of this Dale wrote, “much of my adult life I’ve held a rather condescending, judgmental attitude about things and people; all the time not realizing that others could easily see this, lack of humility..., this un-Christlikeness in me. Through a mixture of God’s mercy, shown to me through humble people who truly love Him, and maturity (happens to everyone, eventually, I guess), and life’s experiences (including a very difficult time with our son), I began to see the sinful ways of my thoughts and words, and have since repented.”

The obvious diminishing of Dale’s pride and the increase in his Christlike love were a powerful testimony to everyone who knew him. It’s not that he was more proud or less loving than anyone else, but the change was remarkable because it made him different from most people. In a few short years God prepared Dale to finish well.

In his letter he went on to write, “I realized there are three things the Lord will say someday that cannot be surpassed by anything else. 1. ‘Well done.’ 2. ‘Enter My rest.’ 3. ‘Great is your reward.’ It almost makes me cry every time I say these out loud. I’ve committed myself to lay up treasure in heaven because there is no other thing of value worth spending our days in this life.”

On the recommendation of several others, I read a book titled “Connecting” by Stanley & Clinton. It’s a very good book on the subject of mentoring, and the final chapter on “Finishing Well” contains the following list.

Characteristics of Those Who Finish Well
1. They had perspective which enabled them to focus.
2. They enjoyed intimacy with Christ and experienced repeated times of inner renewal.
3. They were disciplined in important areas of life.
4. They maintained a positive learning attitude all their lives.
5. They had a network of meaningful relationships and several important mentors during their lifetime.

I observed all of these characteristics in my brother. Dale was an example to me of what it looks like to finish well. It inspires me to do likewise and I hope this little article will do the same for you. If you are not sure where to start, I suggest you begin with #5 and get into a meaningful relationship with a spiritually mature brother or sister.