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Brevity of Life

Carolyn

Last May, it seemed like everywhere I turned, I was running across passages on the brevity of life:

Psalm 103:15-16 “As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.”

I Peter 1:24 “For, ‘all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off.'”

Psalm 144:4 “Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a passing shadow.”

There were others, but you get the idea. As these passages kept coming before me during my time in the Word, I couldn’t help but wonder if the Lord was preparing me for something, and I didn’t like the thought of what that might be, so I kept pushing the thoughts from my mind.

This summer, when I started some Scripture memory, I was randomly selecting passages and some of the first ones I memorized, without remembering their content, were James 1, I Peter 1, and Psalm 103. As I memorized these passages, all containing verses on the brevity of life, I came to see that the last year has been filled with lessons in this truth:

  • My father-in-law retired last May.
  • My step-father died last July.
  • Our very close friend was diagnosed with the most aggressive form of brain cancer in the prime of his life.
  • I left a job I had loved and was called to in 2005, one that had brought me great joy and close friendships.

Retirement, death, sickness, job change, loss.

This phrase from Psalm 103: “Its place remembers it no more.” I drop my kids at school and watch the others who are now doing my former work. I’m glad for such great new additions to the school. It is, though, as I knew it would be — once you are gone, new folks take your place, and “its place remembers it no more.” That’s just life. I’m not even bemoaning these facts or sad about them, but merely acknowledging them.

What it has done for me is have me ask the question: What counts? What matters? What is my purpose? Is there any purpose in what I am doing? I pour myself into something for 5 1/2 years, and in an instant, it’s over. Whom did I do it for? Did I do it well? Was it worth the sacrifices? Did it bring God glory?

Now theoretically and intellectually maybe I know the answers. But I really want them rooted in my heart. If I’m not doing everything for the glory of God, does any of it matter? Probably not. But there is a resounding “yes” that there IS purpose in this life and that we find it in Christ, but what does it look like? What is it like to live in that truth daily?

Last week, as I began putting all of these thoughts finally together in my mind, the Lord took me to Psalm 90. It is on the transitoriness of man and the eternality of God. It began to give me some answers:

“So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
* * *
O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
* *
Let Your work appear to Your servants
And Your majesty to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, confirm the work of our hands.”

I also see that in Psalm 103 and I Peter I, after talking about the grass withering and the flower fading, they immediately tell though what lasts — the Word of the Lord (I Peter) and His mercy that is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him (Psalm 103).

I feel a bit like the Lord has had to undo some things in and around me to open me up to see things more clearly, to be filled more with His purpose. I feel like He’s beginning to teach me anew now that I am ready.

In the midst of my thoughts these last couple of weeks, our pastor began a 7-week series on revitalizing your life. It began with “Purpose” and then “Challenge” the first two weeks. Jesus asks us to “follow Him.” Will I follow Him wherever He leads? Do I find Him worthy of giving him ALL that I am?

I am so grateful for what God has done for me, how He has led me this last year as my Shepherd, for how He has positioned me in something new and unexpected, and no doubt right and good. I wouldn’t change a thing. I am processing it all now, but so excited to see what He will show me, as well as where He will lead and what He will do as I seek to follow Him and live life with His purpose.

I hope this post won’t be seen as depressing, because for me, it is actually full of hope. It’s not the mid-life crisis that it appears to be! It’s wrestling with biblical truth, but it’s a good thing. I am thankful.

Resurrection Day!

Carolyn

Our Easter weekend began on Friday with the Good Friday services at church. We followed Jesus to the cross through reading the gospel account in Mark, had communion, then left quietly in the dark.

We attended an Easter service on Saturday night at an area church that our friends attend. They invited us because the pastor was using some video from our friend who is now in heaven. She bravely fought cancer, but went to be with the Lord exactly two years prior to the service on April 23, 2009. I had met her exactly a year prior to that on April 24, 2008, when she visited our school to see about enrolling her boys.

We loved being at this Easter service with her husband and boys and other families from our school who have walked through this with them. Her videos were such a powerful testimony to the hope of the believer when facing death and the meaning of the resurrection. In her video, Beth shared how at some point in the battle with cancer, it ceased to be important whether the report was good or bad, but all that mattered was the presence of the Lord with her.

Beth also shared the words of the apostle Paul in Philippians 1:21, “To live is Christ, to die is gain.” So she concluded in the days prior to her death, “I can’t lose.” Indeed, she did not lose, but gained heaven and the eternal presence of her Savior! And despite grief, her family and friends have the hope of eternal life with her one day and seeing her again. Thank you, Jesus!

Our children wanted to go to the Sunrise Service at church on Easter Sunday at 6:30 a.m.! So we made it, but realized it was an abbreviated service of only 30 minutes, which completely makes sense as I thought about it. I turned to my husband at the conclusion of the service and said, “I have to go to the next service.” I just couldn’t bear the thought of missing the Hallelujah Chorus on Easter — my favorite service of the year at our church. My husband replied, “I knew you were going to say that.”

He and the children stayed home, but I loved going to the 8:00 service, singing In Christ Alone and the Hallelujah Chorus. So beautiful! I listened to it all over again on the radio back at home during the 9:30 service. A very full Easter!

We celebrated Easter with my husband’s family at my in-laws house, then the cousins all played at our house until dinner, then we were all back together for a pizza dinner. A very full day. We enjoy having Easter Monday off at our school after a long weekend.

I loved reading the gospels again about Jesus going to the cross for our sins, taking our burdens and guilt, and rising again to give us new life in Him. His Word is true, and it offers hope, eternal hope. Yes, thank you, Jesus, for giving us new life, eternal hope, and the promise of heaven and life with you forever.

The Gift

Carolyn

My husband’s second book in the Chiveis trilogy has been released this month: The Gift.


I enjoyed reading The Gift even more than the first book (The Sword). Click on the links to learn more!

It’s been fun to watch the journey my husband has been on from professor/scholar and author of more academic books to writing fiction. It was one of those moments of being awakened in the night with lots of ideas and then seeing them put into stories and books. I’ve always known he was creative, but never could have pictured this! I think the Lord has given him the ideas to write, though, and I love seeing the biblical and theological themes flowing out of an adventurous story.

I’m also glad I have him to describe for me what everything means (from names chosen to locations) or I would miss a lot of interesting points that aren’t necessary to enjoy the story, but fascinate me nonetheless. If you like Christian fiction, you might enjoy this series!

Blackhawks Game

Carolyn

We went to our first Chicago Blackhawks game (ice hockey) last night with my husband’s family.


It was fun to watch, though they lost! I have to give thanks that when a hockey puck was shot forcefully over the glass barrier, it just missed my daughter! Sadly, it struck the woman right in front of her on the head (she had to leave because of her head injury), then it bounced over my daughter to the man behind her who hurt his hand. I think it would have knocked my daughter out!

We were seated by the penalty box. See the empty seat in front of us that the woman had to leave after being hurt?


Lots of fun wearing a new Blackhawks’ jersey:

Our spring break officially ended, and we started back to school today!

Spring Break

Carolyn

My husband gets 2 weeks for his spring break and the children and I get 1 week. The weeks never overlap, so the kids and I usually just end up going to Memphis. This year, though, we had been to Memphis earlier in March for my cousin’s wedding, so we just stayed home this year for spring break.

Here are a few pictures from our time in Memphis. My beautiful cousin and her handsome husband:

My husband with some of my other cousins:


Our family:


The trees were in bloom in Memphis, so that was pretty to see signs of spring, this at the zoo:


We were about one of only 10 people at the zoo. The weather was in the 50s, and that kept people away, I guess. It seemed really warm to us after spending the winter in Chicago.


We’ve enjoyed this week of rest at home during spring break. Each child spent a day with Grammy. We went into the city one day to meet my husband, go the “The Bean,” and have dinner at Giordano’s. We’re thankful to have had a slow week to just spend time together!