THE BEST REUNION IS YET TO COME

 

Jeanne, Stina, Nancy, me

It was forty years later that the four of us were finally reunited. For many years I had been the "lost classmate" until Nancy M. discovered that my parents had been sending her parents Christmas cards every year for four decades. What a delightful surprise it was to reconnect with three dear classmates—Jeanne, Stina, and Nancy L.

Time, however, has a way of reminding us that life is precious. Since our reunion, Stina and then Jeanne have gone. When I spoke with Nancy L. on her 83rd birthday, she firmly informed me that I was not allowed to die. I laughed and assured her that I was "going strong." Not long afterward, though, I received a gentle reminder that perhaps I wasn't quite as invincible as I thought. I had a sudden head rush and, for the first time in my life, it resulted in a fall.

Experiences like that have caused me to think more intentionally about saying goodbye before the time comes. I believe it is a gift to leave our loved ones with words of hope rather than uncertainty. I want my family and friends to know that I am looking forward to a far better place and that my greatest desire is for them to join me there someday. The assurance of that hope rests on the words of Jesus in John 14: "I go to prepare a place for you... I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Life is uncertain, but our hope does not have to be. While we are here on earth, we can rely completely on Jesus. And when our earthly journey is over, we can continue to rely on Him. Those who place their trust in Him need not fear what lies ahead, for He has already prepared the way. That is the confidence I want to leave with those I love—and the hope I pray they will embrace for themselves.

 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

KEEPING ON THE OLD PATH

 

Me, Davy, Jay, Evy, Wayne.  Grandpa in the background -- Grandma and Grandpa's house 1962

I had four siblings. All five of us stayed on the old path. We were obedient to our parents, attended school and church faithfully, and graduated from college. As is often the case, however, life became more complicated after adulthood. It was after college that we didn't necessarily make our parents happy. I won't go into detail, but after we all married, our relationships became difficult at times. Even so, we worked hard to keep the lines of communication open and to care for our parents in their old age. The Lord sustained us through every challenge. Along the way we experienced heartbreaking losses. Evy died of cancer in the middle of those years, and Jay passed away from diabetic shock two years after Dad was gone. Through it all, God's faithfulness carried us.

That brings me to an important question: Why should we stay on the old path? According to Voddie Baucham, in his sermon Three Trees, the beauty of the gospel reveals truth, beauty, and goodness while demonstrating God's power to transform lives and cultures.

History provides powerful evidence of that truth. I have noticed that countries ruled by Communism eventually stop prospering and freedom begins to disappear. Right now in South Korea, former U.S. Ambassador Morse Tan has been unable to return to the United States and to his wife and four children after South Korea imposed a travel exit ban on him. To me, this is an indication that Communist influence is slowly creeping into South Korea.

We can also see changing ideas here at home. In recent primary elections, several Democratic Socialists won nominations and will run as Democratic candidates against Republicans in the general election. Their platform is lunacy:

Underlying many of these cultural changes is a deeper philosophical issue. University of Texas professor J. Budziszewski has spent decades writing about ethics, conscience, and natural law. A former atheist who converted to Catholicism more than two decades ago, he has written more than twenty books, including The Pandemic of Lunacy. In discussing what he calls thirty modern myths, he argues that at the root of many of them is the desire for God not to be God—and for us to take His place. In other words, we want to determine our own standards of right and wrong, redefine marriage to suit ourselves, and declare that reality is whatever we choose it to be.

Budziszewski points out that there have always been times in history when societies were steeped in immorality. The difference today, he says, is striking. In the past, people often admitted what they were doing was wrong but simply chose not to care. Today, vice often claims the moral high ground. It says, "You are evil for calling this vice." That is a very different—and very troubling—situation.

For all of these reasons, I believe the old path is still the best path. It is the path that honors God, strengthens families, preserves freedom, and provides a firm foundation for future generations. While the world constantly searches for something new, God's timeless truth has never needed improvement.

Jeremiah 6:16a Thus says the Lord:“Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.

THE BLESSING OF HAVING A DRESSER

 

I must be related to Jerry Seinfeld. See the above video. I've often had the very same thoughts about clothes. Why can't we all just wear the same uniform every day? We'd have six identical outfits for everyday wear and then one pure white one reserved for Sunday.

Fortunately, I've had someone to dress me all these years, so it has never been much of a problem. When I was growing up, my mom picked out my clothes. If I wanted something different, I'd borrow my sister's. In college, if my mom hadn't packed something I needed, I'd borrow clothes from anyone willing to loan them to me. (That ball gown was 2 sizes too small but I squeezed into it.  Thanks Phyllis.)After I got married, my husband became my fashion consultant. (Sorry about those mini skirts now.) I wore his  waist 36" pants with suspenders for maternity clothes. These days, my daughter has taken over the job, and she's doing a wonderful job of keeping me presentable.

Looking back, I suppose I've never really been interested in fashion—only in being appropriately dressed. Having someone else make those decisions has saved me countless hours of standing in front of a closet wondering what goes with what. Maybe Jerry Seinfeld is onto something. A simple uniform would eliminate one more unnecessary decision from our day and leave more time for the things that really matter.

As for me, I'm perfectly content to let my daughter keep me from becoming a fashion disaster.

Proverbs 31:22 — "She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple."