Dear Ms. Francis,
Yes it is true that we only met today, and at the nursing home no less...and yet something about you has struck a chord deep within my heart. I mean, no one else has such piercing blue eyes, especially not the kind that can freeze your soul one moment and melt your heart the next. So what if you yelled at the nurses and told them you would never let the "ugly couple" by your wheelchair which obstructed our path to Miss Ann...so what if you attempted to hit me when I smiled and asked you pleasantly how your day was...so what if you snapped at me when I asked you name and replied, "none of your d%mn business"...afterall, you are 90 years old with "too many grandchildren and great granchildren to be bothered counting".
After our sloppy hellos, you did inform me that you "knew Jesus way before (I) was ever around to scream and whine". You also allowed me to hold your hand (and yelled at Jonah to get his "stinking foot out of the way") and pray for you. You also told me that I pray beautifully.
Most of all, I remember the forlorn look on your face as Jonah and I walked down the corridor to the locked exit....I remember your words echoing behind us "I am their f^c%ing prisoner! They are holding me captive in this place!" The fear and torment in your voice and the confused anguish on your face reminded me why I do not beleive in locking away the elderly. Thank you Ms. Francis for finally letting it be "my business" to know your name (since at first you explicitly informed me it was not my business at all). When I said that I would pray for you I meant it. But even moreso I pray for me, and for my generation, and for our nation. I pray that we would not view our elders as burdens, but instead as wise people with great persepctive and experience and wisdom to offer. Without the elderly in our communities we will lack so much, we will lose so much wisdom and counsel.
Jesus, teach us to love those we so often overlook. Teach us to stop in the hallways of nursing homes and ask angry widows their name....teach us to look at them with love and respect, humility and admiration. Ms. Francis has had children, raised them and now had many descendants. Dear God, forgive us for our pride and the injustice we committ to those who would offer us nothing but great courage and knowledge for the future.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Loving Fiercely
As I lay awake after work each night (or morning, whichever you prefer), I find myself contemplating, philosophizing, mulling, thinking, soaking, looking, figuring, and reminiscing. This life is far too short for all of the above really. I mean, who has time to lie around and think? Not me. Maybe all of this thinking is why I am so tired at work even though I am done with classes until the middle of this month!
Regardless, my mind wanders and I find that I can go anywhere. Almost as though I am a child again. I was an avid reader as a child. I read anything I could get my hands on. Libraries were places I longed to visit on a daily basis. I loved the smell of dusty books and pine shelves. I longed to hide away in one of the long corridors formed by the rows and rows of perfectly organized books. Who knows how or why my affection for books began, all I know is that I poured over books every day. I lived in Avonlea with Anne, I had found the key to the Secret Garden, and was definitely President of The Babysitter's Club. My mind easily escaped to these fantasy worlds, I had vivid imagery of the towns, people, colors, accents, everything, tucked away in my mind and ready to be drawn upon whenever I pleased.
I say all this to provide you with an understanding of my late night/early morning meanderings. Lately, Jesus and I have tucked ourselves away in a different world. No kidding. I fall into my bed exhausted, prepared to melt away in the billowy goodness of my comforter, when He calls my name. It is as though He has written a book for me and I am dancing through the story each evening with Him. Away I go into my dreams, envisioning the future. Jesus takes me to worlds I have never known. He shows Himself to me in so many different ways. A couple nights ago I was staying at my parent's and decided to listen to a song before bed; I pulled out an old favorite: Jonah 33, and listened to a couple of tracks...then these words played:
Everything is trash compared to you!
Over and over again the chorus played and suddenly, I could see Jesus running through the world, into businesses, homes, office buildings, government meetings, hostels, prisons, orphanages...and at each place He was shouting the words of the song: "Everything is trash compared to you!" His voice was so full of passion and love. Some people would stop whatever they were doing and bow down at Jesus's feet. Others completely ignored Him, some wept and fell into His arms, and some stared at Him as though He were an intruder. From place to place, country to country, the King addressed people everywhere the same, and the responses varied little. As I watched this scene play out I began to wonder, why is Jesus saying this to us? Is He calling the trees trash? The Earth He created garbage? Is Jesus saying the only good thing is in humanity? That is when I heard Him speak directly to me:
" No. All of these things are not what they were created to be without humanity. My Father and I worked with the Spirit to create these things for you. Had we merely created the trees, the waters, the Earth, and the animals, all of these things would have very limited value. Through the creation of man, we established worth and value for all of Creation. The existence of everything on Earth is for you. Therefore, if I have not your love, affection, adoration, then what I have created is not serving its purpose. Everything on Earth loses its value when man is unable to see it through its original purpose: Creation created for the pleasure of humanity, Our gift to you. Everything is trash compared to you, My finest, highest creation for which all else was created. This is why you must love one another above all else, and love Me. Fire is in My eyes for My bride because I love you with a fierce, unquenchable love. I will never be satisfied with just moments with you. I lived and died so I could have eternity with you. Seeing things as I see them is your great challenge while on Earth; now you see in part and know in part...love as I do, SarahRuth. Recognize that I view everything as trash compared to my favored ones, my beloved human creation. Love fiercely."
Regardless, my mind wanders and I find that I can go anywhere. Almost as though I am a child again. I was an avid reader as a child. I read anything I could get my hands on. Libraries were places I longed to visit on a daily basis. I loved the smell of dusty books and pine shelves. I longed to hide away in one of the long corridors formed by the rows and rows of perfectly organized books. Who knows how or why my affection for books began, all I know is that I poured over books every day. I lived in Avonlea with Anne, I had found the key to the Secret Garden, and was definitely President of The Babysitter's Club. My mind easily escaped to these fantasy worlds, I had vivid imagery of the towns, people, colors, accents, everything, tucked away in my mind and ready to be drawn upon whenever I pleased.
I say all this to provide you with an understanding of my late night/early morning meanderings. Lately, Jesus and I have tucked ourselves away in a different world. No kidding. I fall into my bed exhausted, prepared to melt away in the billowy goodness of my comforter, when He calls my name. It is as though He has written a book for me and I am dancing through the story each evening with Him. Away I go into my dreams, envisioning the future. Jesus takes me to worlds I have never known. He shows Himself to me in so many different ways. A couple nights ago I was staying at my parent's and decided to listen to a song before bed; I pulled out an old favorite: Jonah 33, and listened to a couple of tracks...then these words played:
Everything is trash compared to you!
Over and over again the chorus played and suddenly, I could see Jesus running through the world, into businesses, homes, office buildings, government meetings, hostels, prisons, orphanages...and at each place He was shouting the words of the song: "Everything is trash compared to you!" His voice was so full of passion and love. Some people would stop whatever they were doing and bow down at Jesus's feet. Others completely ignored Him, some wept and fell into His arms, and some stared at Him as though He were an intruder. From place to place, country to country, the King addressed people everywhere the same, and the responses varied little. As I watched this scene play out I began to wonder, why is Jesus saying this to us? Is He calling the trees trash? The Earth He created garbage? Is Jesus saying the only good thing is in humanity? That is when I heard Him speak directly to me:
" No. All of these things are not what they were created to be without humanity. My Father and I worked with the Spirit to create these things for you. Had we merely created the trees, the waters, the Earth, and the animals, all of these things would have very limited value. Through the creation of man, we established worth and value for all of Creation. The existence of everything on Earth is for you. Therefore, if I have not your love, affection, adoration, then what I have created is not serving its purpose. Everything on Earth loses its value when man is unable to see it through its original purpose: Creation created for the pleasure of humanity, Our gift to you. Everything is trash compared to you, My finest, highest creation for which all else was created. This is why you must love one another above all else, and love Me. Fire is in My eyes for My bride because I love you with a fierce, unquenchable love. I will never be satisfied with just moments with you. I lived and died so I could have eternity with you. Seeing things as I see them is your great challenge while on Earth; now you see in part and know in part...love as I do, SarahRuth. Recognize that I view everything as trash compared to my favored ones, my beloved human creation. Love fiercely."
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