Still Testing the Waters

Still Very Much Under Construction.

Here I Go Again

Thinking about moving again. Pros? Cons? Not sure at this point. …………But, here I am.  I can’t get any posts from my old blog yet because that blog is down right now.  So I’m not sure what I can do right now except just fiddle around a little bit.

For Larissa

My heart is touched this week by a story that I found at this blog. It the the story of a young man and his family who are walking with their Savior through a difficult time of suffering. Almost 8 months ago a young man named Ian was in a car accident and suffered a brain injury. Though his family has brought him home, he has been in a coma since the accident. What many people don’t realize is that when a person is in a coma it doesn’t mean that they are on a ventilator and unconscious. They can seem very alert and you can expect that they are fully aware and seem like themselves even, but that is not always the case.

In the summer of 2001 I received a phone call from my brother saying that my other brother, Matt, had been in a car accident and had been helicoptered to a hospital. I immediately got in my car and went. They had my brother in a medically induced coma, on a ventilator, but I don’t remember the details of those first days.

He had a head injury and didn’t regain consciousness when they took him off the ventilator. As the days went by he eventually did wake up, but he really wasn’t there. He would just look around. Then came the feeding tube, which he was forever trying to remove. I would drive about an hour and a half to three times a week to see him. We would play music in his room and when we played a tape of bird songs he would turn his head toward the sound. I would hold his hand and and he would start jabbering at me almost like he was speaking in Martian or Russian. When I would try to speak gibberish back, he would laugh at me. I hated to leave when it was time to go.

Soon he was in a wheel chair and they took him to therapy. He had to learn how to talk, how to walk, and how to feed himself at 27 years of age. Matt was born when I was 14 and my mother went back to work so I was like a mother to him. After his accident he kept saying, “I want my Jen.”

Me and my brother, originally uploaded by jennifer.white.

 

About three weeks after the accident we thought he was out of the coma and his therapy began. But, three and a half weeks after that he changed and I realized that it was then that he really came out of the coma. We had done all of that therapy while he was still in the coma and comas are not what people think. He has about 5 months of his life prior to the accident that he cannot account for and his short term memory has been affected by the brain injury. We are just glad that the Father allowed him to stay here.

 

What did I learn through this? I learned that life has no guarantees. In the lonely hours of sitting and praying for my brother I just had to place him in the Father’s hands and trust that God knew what is best. I did not have a guarantee that God would heal him or take him home. But, I also learned that God is good and that whatever He does is good and that I can trust Him with whatever the outcome.

 

Now, Larissa, I am in awe of your love for Ian. You are showing the rest of the world how the church is to love Jesus by laying down your life for him. There is no greater love than that. One day, whether soon (and we pray for that) or after the resurrection, Ian and the Lord Jesus will look into your eyes and say, “Thank you, Larissa.” Because you have loved Ian in this way you have loved Jesus. Just keep seeing Jesus in Ian. He wants to walk through this with you. I am weeping for you. But, Jesus sees, He knows. He loves you and He loves Ian. This is not a mistake. Just trust Him.

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.” I Peter 4:12-13

For His Name’s Sake,

jenny

 

Of Solo and Ensemble and Cultural Festival

Well, you would think that after blogging for a year or so now that I would have all this technical stuff figured out, but alas, I do not. So I am sitting here juggling posts around to get several pictures that I took on Saturday into one decent post on what our day was like.

It was the state solo and ensemble competition at the university in our town and my son took his solo. So my mother joined us so that she could see him perform here are some pictures from that part of our day.

Hannah was Josh’s accompanist and in this picture we were all outside the room waiting Josh’s turn before the judge. I guess the children were trying to call my attention to Hannah’s knee in this picture for some reason, but I really don’t know why.

Here Josh introduces his Mozart piece.

I have no idea where this group was from. There were so many singing groups walking around with cool madrigal costumes on I just had to stop some and get a picture.

When Josh’s solo was finished we left the university and headed to the high school for the annual cultural festival.

I think that I heard yesterday that the cultural festival has been in existence for 15 years.
There are approximately 1,000 volunteers and 13 – 14, 000 people who attend. These are various things that you can expect to see at the festival: ethnic food, performers who dance in costume, crafts for sale and a children’s section where they have various performers just for the children and also crafts for the children to do.

It was especially nice for my mother and I to be able to attend together because there were several booths that were marked with Czech-Slovak/Bohemian. My great-grandfather came from Bohemia. My mother was able to purchase a Bohemian cookbook and pick up a couple of flyers of Czech events which take place in Wisconsin. My family has a couple of letters written by my her grandfather in Bohemian which she is hoping to get translated.

Dancers and more dancers

Crafts

Carding wool
Slovak lace making
Hand painted eggs
My Favorite–Polish Ceramics

Let’s see, what do I show you next?

Food? Sweet and sour chicken from Cambodian booth

At a Polish booth
At the Jewish booth

A little girl painting water colors

You can see more photos of the Cultural festival here and you can see all of my flickr photos my clicking on the flickr bar at the right of my blog or by going to this link.

 

Riverside

The name of the camp we were at on Saturday is Riverside Bible Camp and this is a view of the back of the camp. I can’t wait to go back when all the trees are in bloom. I was actually baptized here when my daughter was small. (further down stream where there are less rocks and the water is calmer.)

Ladies’ Day of Encouragement

We had a ladies day of encouragement at a local camp that is run by a couple who is in my Bible study fellowship. I was recruited to take pictures of the day since Hannah had a previous commitment. It was a nice day, the weather was beautiful. The camp is small. We had just over 80 ladies.

In Which I Ramble on About Nothing in Particular

Well, since I have not written anything for a couple of weeks again I suppose I can just sit here an wax less than eloquently about some of the things that have been happening at this White house. Let’s see, what’s been happening here?

I’ve begun leading a Bible study on the Book of John for a group of elderly ladies. They are so sweet, I just love getting together with them each week. The Bible study only lasts for about 30 to 45 minutes, but they have to be sure to have their social time which can last almost as long with coffee and dessert. Gotta love it. I will also be leading a Bible study for the volunteers at the crises pregnancy center beginning in early June. This one will be on the Sermon on the Mount. This one will be more of a challenge as I deal with a much different end of the spectrum as far as age and thinking.  The interesting thing is that both studies may end up being on Mondays.   I am glad that I have the opportunity to present a Hebraic perspective to these women.

I found out recently that I have Adhesive Capsilitis (frozen shoulder) .  I have had it for several months and have been apprehensive about going to the doctor.  The doctor sent me to physical therapy and I now have exercises to try to improve the limited range of motion that I have in my shoulder.  But, it will take up to a year and a half for my shoulder to “unfreeze.”

Hannah is excitedly reaching a new phase in her life.  She will be moving into an apartment with another Christian girl in June.  This is a bittersweet time for her father and I, but we know this is right for her.   Everyone says, “Time goes so quickly.”  Well, it certainly does.   All too soon Buck and I will have this house to ourselves and what will we do then?   Hannah has also gotten a part in the community theater production of “The Crucible”.  She is so excited because she has wanted to be a part of the community theater for some time.  So in a couple of weeks she will be performing.  Hopefully, I can post some pictures.

Josh will be playing his baritone at the state solo and ensemble competition on Saturday.  Hannah will accompany him and my mother is coming to watch.   There is also a cultural festival at the high school that day so I am hoping that my mom will enjoy spending some time there.

I guess I won’t bore you with anymore rambling right now.  It’s finally spring here in Central Wisconsin; everything is beginning to turn such a beautiful shade of green.   I really need to write about something worthwhile.  It will come.

For His Name’s Sake

Friday Contemplations

I’ve been thinking a lot this week. I guess for me that is not unusual because I tend to be a pretty deep thinker. There have been some things going on in my family’s life that I cannot share in this venue. Perhaps one day I will be able to. I’m not sure right now if it is a matter of my not being vulnerable enough or if I’m trying to protect the innocent. I will say that our family has been working through a grieving process and a major change.

I have also been reading especially heather the last couple of days. I am riveted to this young mom’s blog as she walks though extremely difficult trials in the arms of her Redeemer.

Last year at this time I was listening to a woman who discovered that her unborn child had died just before her due date and the she described how the Savior held her hand as He called her to deliver that stillborn baby. This mom held the baby that she was already familiar with whom she had now lost…… but Jesus knew.

So, I have been thinking about suffering a lot this week. The world wants suffering to go away. And we as Christians sing about the day when we “fly away from this world” and there will be no more pain. I’ve been told that I must embrace my pain when I know that there are others all over the world that are in worse suffering than I.

There are those in the Persecuted Church who endure suffering upon suffering untold for the sake of Messiah. They have to leave their homes and children. They are tortured and starved for His Name’s Sake. I have so many luxuries and my suffering so small in comparison. When I am sick, I can get medical help. There are people to care for my children. I have food, I have a home. I can pick up the multiple copies of my Bible and read anytime I want. Yet, they often have more joy, less complaining, and more fire than I.

The apostle Peter wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls……Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation…. Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 1:3-9; 4:11-12,19)

Some will say, “But, just being sick or having cancer isn’t suffering for being a Christian.” I guess that maybe I perceive it a little differently. As a believer in Messiah we carry His Name. We are not immune from anything that anyone else suffers. Christians and non-Christians alike loose jobs, get teased, have abortions, get cancer, etc. God allows these things in the lives of the righteous and the wicked alike. But, how will we react as those who trust in His Name. His Name is a Strong Tower, the righteous run to it and are saved. And Peter tells us that we can rejoice in our suffering now because there is a glory to come when Messiah is revealed.

Not that the suffering won’t be hard. Jesus didn’t even want to go through His suffering and it was excruciating. But, Scripture says that for the joy set before Him He endured the pain (Heb. 2:12) I can’t even comprehend that.

On Resurrection Sunday a small group of believers gathered together to give glory to their risen Messiah. We sang a chorus that has been going through my head ever since. It is taken from the words of Job. Job, the guy we look to as the guy who really suffered. Job, the guy who was there before Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David and Messiah. And Job said, “I know that my Redeemer lives! And in the last He will take His stand upon the earth.” (Job 19:25)

Oh, how I just want to break forth in praise! We can trust him with whatever comes! I have walked through having to trust him when my brother was lying in a coma, when I thought I might loose my eyesight, when a teenaged homeschooler was killed in a car accident. We don’t have any guarantees! But, My Redeemer lives! And He is good! No matter what He chooses to do!

I know that my Redeemer lives and in the last He will stand upon the earth!

For His Name’s Sake.

These Numbers Bother Me

On the right column of my blog you will notice many little words and boxes.  Some are about this blog, some are about books I have read or am reading and some are about Israel and other things.  But, there is one box that I go to every time I come back and check on my blog.  The number on this box changes everyday.  As of this writing the number is at 5,231,038.  The box records the number of children killed by abortion since the beginning of the war in Iraq.

Having recently gone through training to work at the crisis pregnancy center that will be opening later this month in my town I have become more keenly aware of what abortion does to those involved.  It is not just the murder of a child, although it certainly is a horrific and unspeakable murder.  I have learned how devastating it is to the woman, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.  Abortion also affects the man involved, as well as, the extended family.   Immediately following the training session I wasn’t sure I was going to be involved in the ministry of the center.  It is overwhelming.   But, the Lord is putting a passion for these women on my heart.  As I read more and more about what abortion is and that the procedures of abortion have not really changed in 30 years, I want to help to save these women from the devastating price that is paid and to heal from the consequences of choices they felt they had to make.

I have just finished reading the book “Blood Money: Getting Rich Off a Woman’s Right to Choose” by Carol Everett This woman was involved in running several abortion clinics in the 1980’s.  A very eye opening book.  I am currently trying to get Bernard Nathanson’s “The Hand of God” and others.  I would encourage anyone to read these books.  I would have called myself pro-life before, but even if these books bring you to put your arm around the 1 in 4 women in your life who have had and abortion they are worth the read.

For His Name’s Sake.

I LOVE this!

originally uploaded by devotedmusiclady.

One little girl came to our seder last night dressed in a pretty blue princess dress with red high tops and miss matched socks. Hannah got some wonderful shots of her. You can see more pictures of the “princess” and more of Hannah’s photography by clicking on on the “devotedmusiclady” link below the picture.