He Places the Fatherless in Families

I was catching up on one of my favorite blogs tonight, and came across this post.  Another young orphan out there is in need of your prayer!  Will you join me in praying that a loving family will step up for Chad?

He will turn 16 in eight months, at which point he'll age out of the system and become unadoptable.  :-(  A complete post about him can be found here: http://1blessing2another.blogspot.com/2012/08/chad.html 

The Eloquence of Faithfulness

I've been devoting some time lately to the study and contemplation on the reasons for the American Civil War.  While that could be a fascinating discussion, what I want to share is something else that I came across while watching a documentary on the subject.

It's a letter written by a soldier to his wife before entering a battle, from which he had no assurance of return.  What struck me most about this letter is how much he loved her, his steadfast spirit, and his trust that God's will would be done. 

I wish we still communicated this way.  It is something beautiful.  Something so much more meaningful, more thoughtful, more careful than our words often are now...  There is something wonderful about a real, handwritten letter. 

July the 14th, 1861

Washington DC

My very dear Sarah,

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days - perhaps tomorrow.  Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.

Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure - and it may be one of severe conflict and death to me.  Not my will, but thine O God, be done.  If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready.  I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter.  I know how strongly American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution.  And I am willing - perfectly willing - to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt.

But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows - when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little children - is it weak or dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country?

I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death -- and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country, and thee.

I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of those I loved and I could not find one.  A pure love of my country and of the principles have often advocated before the people and "the name of honor that I love more than I fear death" have called upon me, and I have obeyed.

Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.

The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them so long.  And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when God willing, we might still have lived and loved together and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us.  I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me - perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar -- that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed.  If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.

Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you.  How thoughtless and foolish I have oftentimes been!  How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm.  But I cannot.  I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.

But, O Sarah!  If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night -- amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours - always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again.

As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father's love and care.  Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood.  Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care and your development of their characters.  Tell my two mothers his and hers I call God's blessing upon them.  O Sarah, I wait for you there!  Come to me, and lead thither my children.

Sullivan

Sullivan Ballou was killed a week later in the first Battle of Bull Run.  His wife of nearly six years, never married again.  She lived to be 80 years old, and was buried next to Sullivan when she died in 1917.

I wonder, has our character changed?  Is that why we don't communicate like this?  Is that why so few love like this?  I know brokenness and sin have existed since the fall, and there is nothing new under the sun.  But I wonder...have we become too caught up in the unimportant?  Too rushed?  Too absorbed in things that aren't lasting?  Are we in a hurry, but not really getting anywhere worth going?

I'm speaking to myself when I say that I think perhaps we need to slow down...learn to savor the people God has placed in our way.  Get outside of our little self-absorbed worlds, open our hearts, and love.  Love people.  Those souls we come in contact with every day are what will last in this world, that's where our investment should be.  

Maybe we should take time today to write a letter....

He Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart

All things work together for good to them that love God.

He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.

This week I found myself having to choose.  Choose between what I want, and what God wants.  Between taking things into my own hands and leaving them in His.  Oh, that's hard sometimes!  Who am I kidding....it's hard all the time! 

I like to have a plan for everything, all laid out nice and neat.  I like to have something definite to do.  I like to know exactly what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and why I'm doing it.  I like knowing what to expect.  I like knowing exactly what will happen, when, and how.  It feels safe, secure, comfortable.  I don't like not knowing.  Which is really quite a challenge, since life is full of not knowing!

As the Lord continually nudges me outside of my little comfort bubble, I can look back and see how far He has brought me in this area - yippee, I'm more flexible and relaxed than I used to be!!!  :-D  And then I look forward at how far I have left to go - yeah, about that...could we just hit fast-forward, pretty please? 

Whenever I reach a place of assurance or conviction, I can be pretty certain that it will be tested.  Sometimes I'm ready, and sometimes, I forget to steel myself... 

A desire I think has been mastered sneaks up and takes me by surprise.  In a battle, the element of surprise is everything.  I'm walking along one day, minding my own business, when whammo!  It hits me, and sends me reeling.  Some attacks take longer to recover from than others, and many are a day to day, conscious and continual giving over of my desires, my plans, my dreams, to the One who gave them in the first place.

Surrender.  It sounds easy.  It sounds like giving up.  Waving the white flag and saying, 'I'm done, I give up, it's over.'  But shockingly, holding one's hand open, letting everything that comprises my life rest lightly on my open palm to either continue resting there, or be blown away by the winds of God's will, takes an incredible amount of work and will-power.  It goes against everything in me!  I want to hold on for dear life!  I don't like feeling out of control!  I don't like the free-fall of letting go and trusting that something I can't see will safely catch me!

But I think that's part of the point.  When I hang on, when I take control, and try to force things to go my way, I end up in a lonely, miserable place.  Because anything that is not done in God's way is unsatisfying. 

I constantly have to remind myself that if I knew everything that God knows, I would choose what He chooses for me.  Sometimes, He takes away something good because he wants to give me something better. 

Many of my desires are for good things.  But should I be aiming for something good?  Or, in surrender, allowing God to bring me His best in His time, and in His own way?  I think the answer is obvious.

I was mulling these things over today and realized that every desire that arises in me, is an opportunity to give it back to the Lord.  It is the opportunity to recognize Christ's Sovereign control over my life, and praise Him for it. 

At that moment I let go, it is then that I realize all my fear was for nothing, because this, this is freedom.  This surrender, this loss of control, this is where joy and peace and rest are found.  In the bliss of knowing all rests in His capable hands, and He never, ever fails.

Foiled plans, disappointed desires, hopes with no result in sight...  These are the Lord's proving grounds.  Do I love Him, or do I not?  How much am I willing to give up?  How much am I willing to let Him handle, instead of trying to orchestrate things myself?  Is what I think I want more to me than everything that Christ is and desires for me?

Oh, Heaven, help me.  Psalm 37:4-5 says:

"Delight yourself also in the LORD; and He shall give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in Him; and He will bring it to pass." 

The word 'delight' used here means to be soft and pliable.  In other words, as I allow myself to be molded and shaped into the image of Christ, His desires will become mine.  He will fulfill my desires, because I will desire what He desires. 

And it will be worth every moment of struggle. 

The journey really is amazing.  It really is worth savoring each moment, praising Jesus for them, and for what He is accomplishing through them. 

Lord, help me to let go, and let You.

One Less Orphan

Do you remember reading about Jonathan, an orphan in Ukraine who was just about to age out of the system and become 'unadoptable'?  I blogged about him here and here. 
Well, the fun and incredibly awesome thing is that he's home with his very own family now!!!!  :-D  Praise the Lord, there is one less orphan in the world and one more child who has made it home!

You can follow his journey on his family's (yay!) blog here:  http://1blessing2another.blogspot.com/

Beauty

I'm reading a book right now called 'The Lost Art of True Beauty' written by Leslie Ludy.  I've only reached the second chapter, but a quote a few pages in captured my attention.  It reads:

'They say there is a young lady in New Haven who is beloved of that Great Being who made and rules the world.  They say that He fills her mind with exceeding sweet delight, and that she hardly cares for anything except to meditate on Him. 

If you present all the world to her, with the riches of its treasures, she disregards it.  She is unmindful of any pain or affliction.  She has a singular purity in her affections. 

You could not persuade her to compromise her true Love even if you would give her all the world.  She possesses a wonderful sweetness, calmness, and kindness to those around her.  She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly. 

She seems to be always full of joy and pleasure, and no one knows exactly why.  She loves to be alone, walking in the fields and groves, and seems to have Someone invisible always conversing with her.'

~ Written about Sarah Edwards, by her future husband, Jonathan Edwards.

Oh, let us aspire to this, fellow sisters in Christ!  To be completely and utterly His...to live always in sweet fellowship with Him, so that everything we do is the outpouring of our love for Him, the window through which the world sees who our Jesus truly is.