Highlights of Life

I truly don’t have literary talent… but about 10 years ago, I was into making rhymes up at the top of my head (spur of the moment) just for fun.  It actually started to drive my friends up the wall after a while.  I can see now how annoying such a habit can be.

 But as I was going through my files, I found a few that I composed, and thought I would post… for prosperity.  It’s  a bit trite… but oh well. 

Sitting quiet, deep in thought
questions, wonders, sighs are caught…
As time ticks on to bring the morrow,
old things past, I no longer sorrow…
the present, now, the moment, here,
seize the moment and make it dear!
Carpe Diem… yes, use this moment
things we do, will make us, won’t it?
Things to do now fill my head,
as I yawn, and now go off to bed.
zzzz

God, how amazing you are…so faithful and just,
gentle and kind, you’re the one that I trust…
I wander and falter, and stumble at times,
yet you reach down and hold me, your hand over mine…
So awesome, so great, breathless I feel,
to grasp at your greatness…my heart starts to reel..
The piece that was missing…so empty.. so drear..
all this time it was you Lord, close and so near…
What I lacked was not fame, or love or success,
It was only you my dear Lord, your love and goodness!!
 

I was on the phone yesterday with a very good friend of mine, and we ended up briefly talking about stress.  Bottom line: stress is bad.  It wreaks havoc not only on your life, but also on your body, making it secrete all the bad hormones.  It’s also interesting how the Bible talks about worry…

Philippians 4:6-7
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew:
Who of you by worrying, can add another hour to his life?

I think that it’s clear that even from a biblical perspective that “worry” and “stress” is bad.  In terms of dealing with stress and worry in a biblical manner, I haven’t written the verses down here.  But prayer is one major component, as well as faith and trust in God. 

I have also known Christians who take this a little too far, and assume Christians should be irresponsible.  God simply becomes an excuse not to plan their lives, and use their time productively.  Instead, God will guide them and lead them, such that they have no work ethic or diligence in the daily lives.  They become lazy, and cease to work.  They literally squander away their time doing nothing, and being incredibly optimistic to the point of foolishness.  And for that, I think there is much to be said about work, and being lazy in the Bible as well. 

But how easy it is for many Christians (myself included), to pick and choose the parts of the book that we like to adhere to, and ignore the pieces that may pinch our consciences.  Anything that may sound remotely like rebuke, aren’t we the generation that quickly tunes it out?  Turning down the volume, cutting off the relationships, severing the ties, and ceasing communication?  In a generation that is incredibly self indulgent, and ipods, cell phones, and internet are part of the make-up of communication… we’ve learnt to apply application type behaviors towards human relationships and communication.

But I digress… the point is that worrying and being stressed is definitely a bad thing.  However the ultimate and true question is, what should the Christian response be to stressors in our lives (be it people or things, or events)?  One clear answer is that, walking away and ignoring it, and pretending it doesn’t exist is not the true solution.

A few nights ago, probably right before Good Friday and Easter Sunday, there was a documentary on TV.  Usually I tend not to watch documentaries, nor read biographies.  The only biographies I’ve read was on Churchill and Clinton, and only at the much urging of other influential people in my life (who are biography buffs).

Anyways what I saw on TV was not only horrific, but heart rending, and heart breaking, and it made me want to cry.  For there is a little girl in the US, who has been born without a face.  Her body is from her neckline and below is perfectly formed by appearance, but her face is completely missing.  It is apparently a genetic defect called Treacher Collins Syndrome.  In the olden days, I think she would have died after birth, for she had leakage of her CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) after birth, and that was repaired immediately post birth.  Technology… a double edged sword.

She can not speak (for she has no mouth), and they are teaching her sign language.  She can only hear with a device that is attached to her head… and she has constant 24 hour nursing care.  She doesn’t have a nose, and they have put tubes up her face where the nasal passage should be, such that the passages don’t close up. 

She has undergone multiple major surgeries in her young age, and apparently still faces a mountain full of surgeries in her lifetime.  Never-mind the ridicule and stares, whispering, pointing and gawking by insensitive people in this world.  I wanted to cry… for her.

And I then reflected on my life, and how lucky it is that we have been born with something we take for granted… a face… nasal cavity to breathe and filter our air, oral structure to eat from and speak from, and ears to hear from and eyes to see from.  There is a part in the bible that speaks of how wonderfully we are made… loved by God from the moment we are born… every part of us.  And truly it is incredible how wonderful the  human physiology and structures is, for each part has a purpose and a need.

There is also a part in the Bible that speaks of how God will not give us more than we can handle.  I believe this portion of the verse speaks of suffering and hardships that will come our way.  And then I thought how very special this child must be… as well as her parents.  To have such immense amount of hope, and faith and love… when faced with such hardship and sadness.

We take so many things for granted, and forget that sometimes… good health is an immense blessing in life.  And how easily we lose our hope, or our faith, or our love when something little makes us stumble.  Ultimately, to hope in God, I think… is what will help us overcome many of the hurdles that come our way.

Here is the link to her story.. and it also has a picture.

http://www.mymultiplesclerosis.co.uk/misc/juliannawetmore.html