Pulverized Japan

“He said local authorities were also running out of body bags and coffins.”We have requested funeral homes across the nation to send us many body bags and coffins. But we simply don't have enough. We just did not expect such a thing to happen. It's just overwhelming." Hajime Sato said local authorities may ask foreign funeral homes to send supplies.

The pulverized coast has been hit by more than 150 aftershocks since Friday, the latest one a 6.2 magnitude quake that was followed by a new tsunami scare Monday. Abandoning their search operations, soldiers told residents of the devastated shoreline in Soma, the worst hit town in Fukushima prefecture, to run to higher ground.

Hajime Sato, a government official in Iwate prefecture, one of the three hardest hit as told to The Associated Press on March 12, 2011.

The events of a near 9 point earthquake and a tsunami which hit Japan last Friday are the worst since World War II. The wealthiest nation in Asia has devastation described by the words ‘pulverized coastline’. The after events seem to be unending and the clean-up efforts following this catastrophe have become overwhelming. Thousands and thousands of bodies are washing ashore. The work involved requires huge amounts of physical energy. In the midst of their own trauma, the inability to obtain sufficient food and water is staggering. It is a miracle these people are coping and able to do anything. Those who are able, do so with a supply of adrenalin that will run out at some point and cause them to crash emotionally and physically. The need is huge – overwhelming is the best word to describe it.

Possibly the most powerful and descriptive words are, “We just did not expect such a thing to happen.” Of course they didn’t. None of us expects the unexpected. Whether it is a major calamity to a huge group of people or a family or even a personal one, these events come suddenly – in a moment and none of us is able to plan it. They come in the twinkling of an eye.

Reality has delivered a sudden drastic change of lifestyle – little food, water, and a daily fear of nuclear leakage into the environment. One’s ability or inability to manage the circumstances and cope with such a sudden change in life sends one into a place that is devastating personally. It is at this point that any one of us is desperate for God. The people of Japan are in great need, as they have experienced trauma – physical and psychological trauma. Trauma means to be wounded or injured. Even those who were not physically injured have been traumatized by the events of a sudden change in their lives.

This is the time to help in any way possible. Having experienced my own trauma my heart goes out to them. I long to be able to help, but how? At this point, I am praying - praying that God will surround the children and elderly with his comfort – those unable to care for themselves. Praying that the people will run to God for help. Unable to sleep I am grieving with them as I continue to pray for God to send in reinforcements to help. This is the time for Christians to help. The need is staggering for physical, psychological and spiritual care.

“Oh Lord, please raise up an army of caring people who will go to Japan and help the helpless. It is overwhelming to think of all the need. You, O Lord alone are able to take small amounts of anything and increase it to fill the need, just as you did long ago with fish and bread. Thank you in advance for your sovereignty in this situation Lord. Please pour out your mercy and grace and enable the Japanese people to run to you for help, that many would come to faith in your Son Jesus Christ. Lord, please have mercy on any of us who would rather judge the Japanese people than take the time to pray or minister to them. May you be glorified. Amen.”

SPRING CLEANING

I would rather cook than clean – most of the time. I love to cook. To cook is to be creative. It requires an accounting of what my pantry possesses and what it does not, and usually a trip to the grocery store. I take a pinch of this and a cup of that and make something delicious, and nourishing. To clean is to do the same mundane tasks over and over. Dirt is ever present, so I clean and clean again next week, and in all the same places. I make the same lists over and over, checking off tasks as they are finished. Spring cleaning is different. It is much more intensive, turning everything upside down, searching to destroy every particle of dirt.

To do a spring cleaning of my life or of my heart is to allow God’s Word to scrutinize and cleanse, to take account of where I am and where I want to be. Many people love to make a list of resolutions on New Year’s Day. I don’t do that. The failure list in my brain doesn’t need more company, and so, I avoid those. To take stock of myself, it’s necessary to take some time to simply be.

Last year was a hard year, perhaps the hardest of my life. For those of you who know me well, you know that in the past, I have survived a multitude of trials. For those who don’t know me well, I’ve survived a fall down my stairs resulting in a serious injury, a couple of serious car accidents, serious tennis injury, a move across the world and orchestrating a move back again without the help of a mate, living in Russia for a few years, abandonment, divorce, raising a teenage son alone, the pressure of being in ministry, six pregnancies with three resulting in miscarriages, and working in several pressure filled jobs. I will spare all of us any further descriptions of broken body parts, surgeries, etc. Therefore, when I say that last year was the hardest year of my life that is saying something.

The year began with the passing of my mother in January. It ended with the passing of a stepdaughter around Thanksgiving. In between was sprinkled with four other funerals and various other trials . . . one involved an extended family member who I cannot trust, and when you are dealing with estate type issues this can be pressure filled to the max. Another trial involved a person who slandered me, another who lied about me, and another who lambasted me. Someone once said "I could get along with people if people would simply leave me alone.” How ridiculous is that? We all need people. I love them. I really do, but this year I have wondered what in the world was going on. It felt that my integrity had been questioned, my life accused, questioned, and attacked. It struck like an arrow into the center of my heart. I was wounded and bleeding badly. I was crushed, stomped on and smashed face down to the ground suffering the most hurtful of my whole life. I am so thankful that I have a loving faithful Heavenly Father who knows me, loves me, and comforts me. This is not the kind of thing you can go through alone. It helps to have a loving, faithful husband and I am thankful for him too!

So, what was my part in all of this? Wasn’t I perfect in all of this? Well . . . No! But, I didn’t deserve any of it, right? Well . . . No, I mean Yes! Did I do what the slanderer said I did? Absolutely not! Did I do what the liar said I did? No, but the person tweaked the truth enough to make the truth disappear and the story appear believable. Did I do what the angry person said I did and did I deserve such an angry response? Not at all! This person had a responsibility to remain calm, stable and reasonable in the midst of accusation. They failed in that department. Well, then I didn’t deserve any of the suffering, right? Well . . . it is not that simple.

In the Bible, the book of James, Chapter 1 and verse 2, James writes: “COUNT IT all joy when you fall into divers (diverse) temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” King James Version, James 1: 2

The word ‘count’ is used in the Bible many times. To count or add rather than to subtract is a familiar idea, but oh so true when it comes to trials. To count it all joy means that trials are for our good and His glory. To subtract would mean that the trial had no meaning, no good purpose. It doesn’t mean that I deserved the trial or that I deserved even more suffering, which is always true, but it does mean that God will work it out for good to produce a perfect work using patience. It was a year of intense personal suffering but also a year full of benefits. When I look back over 2010, it was a year that I can count as an asset to my life. I will count it as a joy year.

“Dear Lord, It’s just that sometimes I get tired . . . and do I want to have that much patience anyway? So what if I don’t want to add this trial as an asset in my life? Sometimes, I just want to put a trial on the minus side of my life, so I can moan by suffering aloud and have my own anger issues for awhile. Oh no Lord! When I do that I am acting like the one who slandered, the one who lied or the one who was full of anger toward me. I don’t want to become like those who don’t deal with the truth Lord. I want to bless and be a blessing, and I always want the truth to prevail in my dealings with people. Would you please help me Lord? I can’t do this without your strength, your grace and your mercy. I will obey. I will count it all joy!”

There you have it! Last year’s trials were not wasted! My heart choice was to ‘count it all joy’. The invaluable blessing added to my life by the trial of my faith is that my faith is tried and proved. Just like the birthday present that isn’t wrapped in nice paper and has no pretty bow, trials come wrapped in ways we do not choose. They come when least expected through people we least expect, and are most often undeserved. Treasure in heaven comes disguised as trials.

I have to tie up a few things for my spring cleaning to be complete. In addition to counting it all joy, it's necessary to fully forgive, to release it all to the Father's courtroom. He alone sees all and knows the whole story. He doesn't waste anything. He uses the trial on the other side too.

Oh, and by the way, God blessed in a couple of unexpected ways. I was invited to speak on 'Integrity', so someone thinks I have some. For Christmas God gave us ‘hope’. Friends came when they were needed most. Some cleaned. Some decorated our home for Christmas. Many brought all kinds of cooked food for our family to enjoy during the holidays. Loren and I had been processing grief and knew that we didn’t have the energy to clean, decorate or prepare food for a Christmas celebration. We were expecting 16 to pass through our home at some point with most of them traveling from out of state. Wasn't God good to our family to bless us with such great friends! I wonder what God has prepared for this year? I wonder . . .

Blessings and peace to you!

“Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing!” KJV James 1:2-4

The Wonder Woman Award

It’s been 15 years since one of my daughters (who will remain anonymous – if possible) put on her invisible Wonder Woman costume and came to Russia. She will seriously not appreciate me writing publicly about this, but I’m doing it anyway.

I say she wore her invisible Wonder Woman costume, because when she was a young child she loved playing Wonder Woman. She made aluminum foil wristbands to look more authentic, and of course carried a whip. She delighted herself and all of us as she would leap from ottoman to chair flying through the air with her whip and those wristbands. She would thrust out her wrists in a successful effort to shield herself from imaginary bullets. She was one active child always interested in anything physical. She’s my child who was constantly climbing – out of her baby bed before the age of one – onto the kitchen cabinet to get into the sugar bowl, and again to actually eat her birthday cake before anyone else had a chance – and later climbing up into the garage cabinet to get sugar cubes for her pony.

She came to Russia to help her 14 year old brother and me move back to the states. Her dad had disappeared two times, and later refused to leave Russia. The three of us returned without him. She did rescue us even though no Wonder Woman costume was in reality necessary. She gave up her schedule to fly around the world alone, help us pack up an apartment, perform a multitude of other tasks and help us get home. In addition, she put her own life on hold for almost two years to move back home with us. She deserves a hero award, and this is the best I can do – award her the belated “Wonder Woman Award” for bravery as a then 22 year old single woman flying alone and walking into a cold, dark snowy Communist country to help get her mom and brother home. What a fantastic young woman!

Much has changed in these 15 years – my daughter married, received a master’s degree in counseling, gave birth to two sons, my son graduated from high school, college, medical school, and is now three years into his residency. Another daughter added two more grandsons to the mix, making it a total of six. Five and a half years ago, I married a wonderful man who loves God, with three delightful daughters of his own, thus increasing the family total to 16. God is good! Life here on earth is not perfect, nor will it ever be. Sometimes I think we forget that. We are being prepared for the next world where perfection resides. God is good - all the time!

Some things never change. Today my daughter’s seven year old son took a flying leap out of a swing and bumped his head – sort of reminds me of his mother. I guess genes do play a large part of who we turn out to be. He is one adventuresome boy – that is for sure and into anything he thinks his body can do.

Thank you for your help sweet daughter of mine. I applaud you 15 years after rescuing us. I know God rescued us, but He used you to do it. It warms my heart to know you came. Bless you. I love you! Mom

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, "For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we were considered as sheep to be slaughtered”, But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 31-39 NAS