“To be a sacramental personality means that the elements of the natural life are presenced by God as they are broken providentially.” Oswald Chambers, quoted in “My Utmost for His Highest” (September 30)

I have been privileged to know a “sacramental personality”, one who experienced the breaking work of God in various ways and blossomed with quiet beauty, “presenced by God”, through each trial and joy.

Though we laid to rest the “earthly tent”, the body of my mother a few days ago, she is more alive today than ever she was living on this earth. I rejoice, by faith, with her! Hers now is the life we all long for and anticipate. Though we do not wish to leave this life, we at the same time earnestly desire to be “clothed” with the life which will never end. My mom has now this new wardrobe and the desire of her heart fulfilled: to be in the presence of her God and Savoir whom she loves with all her being, and join in worshipping Him with those she loves who preceded her.

At mom’s funeral my brother Daniel read a eulogy he wrote in her honor. I share it with you.

Kindness

In Memory of Luella Rickett

Memory is the genesis of one’s future.  It shapes the mind toward good or evil.  It rules the life by the character of its contents. 

The memory of a mother is perhaps the most formative of all memories. 

The memory of a godly mother is exceeded only by the memory of God. 

I want to share with you some memories of my mother, Luella Rickett, known affectionately as Peg. 

My memory of Mom is infused with the fragrance of Christ. 

She loved Jesus and that love framed her life. 

It is said that the measure of a woman is her prayer life. 

Who in her family or circle of friends can say she never prayed for them?  Not one.

She prayed for countless strangers too.

As for me, I am alive because she prayed for me. 

The Word of God and prayer was her daily bread. 

She didn’t always have sunny days, but she always gave thanks to God. 

Even in her dying, when disease stripped her memory and words came only in fragments, when asked what she would like to say in a letter to her friends, she said, “I want to say what I’m thankful for.” 

Every memory of my mother glows with kindness.

Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, my mother reflected the kindness of God. 

The beauty of her kindness shines in the love of her children, the admiration of her friends, and the respect of strangers. 

She was gentle and compassionate toward all. 

She wasn't one to chide or hold a grudge.

She was patient with my waywardness though uncompromising in her devotion to Jesus. 

She forgave my wildness and endured my absence without complaint.

It was Mom’s unconditional love that led a young troubled woman to Christ who later became my wife.

Mom wore modesty like a ball gown, elegant and plain. 

And though I never saw her dance, forbearance moved her graciously through every injury, struggle, and loss.  

Anyone who knew her will understand why I define kindness by the memory of my mother.

And now dear family and friends I must tell you, Mom’s passing is a temporary loss.  For in the words of the Apostle Paul, “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:14, 16-17; NIV 1984).

This hope is the memory of the future and because of it we remember Luella Rickett not only for the godly woman she was but for the glorious woman she is today in the presence of the Lord. 

After the funeral Randy, who as a young pastor in Canada preached at many funerals, commented that he had never been at a person’s funeral where Jesus was so often spoken of as having been seen in the person’s life. 

A sacramental personality, one shaped by the hand of God through the hard times of life, into a thing of beauty, one in which God is pleased to dwell.

I love you, Mom. Thank you…for everything.

What’s In a name?

Have you seen the movie Avatar? Randy brought it home on DVD a month or two ago. I wasn’t that interested in seeing it, but I watched it with him. Now, as a follower of Christ and one who holds to the teachings of the Bible, I see the movie as fantasy and that is all; fantasy with cool computer graphics. I reject the overtones of the religious “stew” which apparently is behind the philosophy of the movie (similarly with Star Wars). I can enjoy it without being tricked by its false premises.

One of the things I liked from the movie is that the blue people (ok, Na’Vi; I had to look it up to get some facts straight) used a special greeting: “I see you”.  Though in the movie its meaning had to do with “the god in me sees the god in you”,  again, unlike some who are pantheistic or animistic or any other kind of “istic”, I reject the concept that you and I are “god” in the sense some religions believe we are (have I made enough disclaimers?).

What I like about the greeting “I see you” is the idea that one can know another intimately. “I see you” indicates the one seeing has an intimate knowledge of the person seen. We know God can say of us “I see you” and mean He truly sees us, for He is All Knowing and sees into our very heart (Jeremiah 17:9, 10).  We cannot see into another’s heart as God can, but we can grow in our understanding of who another person is. And we can grow in our understanding of who God is. We can learn His heart by immersing ourselves in His Word, the Bible, putting its truths into practice in our lives, and tuning our ear to obey the voice of the Spirit of God. This is what Peter meant by “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18). We can become intimate friends with Jesus; we “see” Him. And seeing Him, we see God (John 14:9).

Oswald Chambers said, “To be born again means I see Jesus....All spiritual history must have a personal knowledge for its bedrock” (My Utmost for His Highest, August 15). The new birth is necessary to perceive God’s rule, to “see” Jesus, to perceive His rule in the universe and in our lives. Chambers says that in the new birth we are given God’s nature and then we can recognize, “see”, God’s rule in the world. Once we begin to see Jesus with these new eyes, we begin to hear with ‘ears that hear’, that is, with a will that obeys what He says.

So anyway, I was thinking about a title, a name, for a book I am writing. This book will be a compilation of short articles I’ve written for Mustard Seeds over the past …hmm, many, many years. (This is a different book from the one I am writing on cancer and suffering.) I am in the process of rewriting these articles now. I have most of them on my computer, but found an inch thick stack of paper copies I hope to scan into my computer. Otherwise I will be typing them in one by one (sigh, says the world’s worst typist).

I’ve been referring generally to this book-to-be as a devotional, but I am not sure if that is the best way to consider it. Then again, it may be just that. I think it fits more with writings which challenge than comfort. I personally prefer the type of writer who says things based in scripture which tend to make me think, that challenge my complacencies, rather than those which pet and pamper.

I See You: Living face to face with Jesus

A possible title for a devotional type book, grounded in scripture, one which challenges the readers to a more intimate relationship with Jesus, one in which they really “see” Jesus.

When we start to really see Jesus, growing in our knowledge of Him, we begin to see the world differently. We begin to live our lives differently, more in line with what He teaches in the Word.

A book title will go through numerous changes before it is ever put on the cover of a book. This is just one thought…and my thoughts behind it.

What do you think?

Finished reading through Psalms again. Had a fun time imagining working with the grandkids to put Psalm 148 to song--or more likely shouting--and action! I couldn’t help smile to myself as in my mind’s eye I could see them reciting and acting out motions:

“Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights (with some motions to indicate ‘way up there’ heavens and heights)!

Praise Him, all His angels (wings and halos);

Praise Him sun and moon; Praise Him all stars of light (some hold up placards with pictures of moon and stars in the night sky)!

Praise Him highest heavens, and the waters that are above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the LORD, for He commanded and they were created. He has also established them forever and ever; He has made a decree which will not pass away.

Praise the LORD from the earth, sea monsters (what fun we could have with this one!) and all deeps;

Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word (more pictures and a lot of blowing!);

Mountains and all hills; fruit trees and all cedars;

(And here comes some fun ones) Beasts and all cattle; creeping things and winged fowl (I see them happily crawling on the ground for “creeping things” and animals, flapping their arms for birds; they’d love that);

Kings of the earth (gold crowns on heads) and all peoples;

Princes and all judges of the earth;

Both young men and virgins (have 5 of those in the cast, bowing and curtsying); old men and children (I can see my 6 year old grandsons mimicking old men, the 2 year olds jumping forward as the children).

Let them praise the name of the LORD, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven (the kids shouting the words at the top of their lungs!).

And He has lifted up a horn for His people, praise for all His godly ones; even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.

Praise the LORD!”

What a great time we could have!

And the best part is, they would be learning the Truth. They would be putting the Word of God into their minds where it can work down into their hearts. And they’d have fun doing it!

It’s all in my imagination right now, but one of these days hopefully we can carry out some of these kinds of activities with our grandchildren. Not only do we enjoy having fun with our grandkids, but we take seriously our responsibility to do things with our children, and now our grandchildren, teaching them the Word of God and leading by example with love.

We’ve been admonished, as parents and even grandparents:

I have taught you statutes and judgments just as the LORD my God commanded me…Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. (Moses, in Deuteronomy 4: 5, 9)

We will not conceal them from their children, but tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. (Asaph, in Psalm 78: 4)

There are a variety of ways to pass on truth to our children and grandchildren. Reading the Bible and missionary stories with them; including them in prayer times and rejoicing with them when God answers those prayers; accompanying them on service projects in the community or further afield, studying the Bible with them, talking about all kinds of life situations, helping them make applications of truth to their lives; all these and more we can do as we are given the opportunity, first as parents and then as grandparents. And we can always pray for them whether we are near or far away.

Then we will be doing exactly what Moses, Asaph and other writers of scripture said to do, for they were inspired by God’s Holy Spirit to write down for us what God wants us to do.

“Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.”  Psalm 142: 7 NIV

Today in my regular daily reading of the Psalms I came to Psalm 142. Though I have other margin notes next to verse 7 dating back to 1992, I remember this verse mostly for a different reason. But days before I read that verse, I had come to this verse in Psalm 111:1.  Here is my response:

             Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart…(Psalm111:1a) NASB

            No, I don’t feel like praising God today. I just got this diagnosis of cancer. Cancer! It can kill me! God, I’m not happy about this and I don’t feel like praising You….

            …but I know I have to. I won’t survive unless I change my mind. Oh God my Father, help me!

            I will praise the LORD…I don’t feel like it, but I choose to praise Him…in the company of the upright and in the assembly.

           Great are the works of the LORD… (Psalm 111: 1b, 2a).

My margin note next to verse 1: “Verse after my breast cancer diagnosis Dec 2007. A choice to praise” (I underlined the word “choice”).

From my darkness of soul I came face to face with Light… and Life. I had a choice to make, right then, not the next day; this choice could not be put off. To not choose was to choose. If I chose not to choose to praise God in that moment, I was choosing not to praise God at all. The choice wouldn’t be easier the next day.

In a nano second I knew all this. My emotions were not a part of the equation here. Emotions must never be considered at such times! My Will had to decide. It is always a matter of the Will. Emotions will follow where the Will chooses to go.

I had learned enough through the years about the Lord I was supposed to praise that I recognized Who He is and in that Light, based on what I knew of this God, I made my decision.

            I will praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart. (v.1)

            I am going to publicly praise Him. I will praise Him before His people, “in the company of the upright and in the assembly”.

            Great are the works of the LORD….the LORD is gracious and compassionate (verses 2, 4).

Knowing this, I chose life, I chose to praise this gracious and compassionate and wonder working God. I chose hope for there is hope in no one and in nothing else.

Scrolling forward a few days, in my reading I came to Psalm 142:7. “Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.” 

This verse resonated within me. Cancer and its threat on my life and the muscle weakness (MG) which I’d had since 13 years of age, felt like “prison”. I asked God to free me from that prison so I could praise His name. Then the outcome of Him setting me free would be that His people, the righteous ones, “will gather about me because of your goodness to me.”

In that moment I made verse 7 my prayer. The outcome would be glory to God for His amazing work in this poor body. Because every chance I got, I would point out His goodness and mercy and works of might on my behalf.

Scroll forward again about 4 years to today when I read that verse again but now see some of the answers to my prayer. For almost 4 years I have been cancer free. For that long I have been stronger than ever I’ve been since 13 years old, when the muscle weakness (MG) began to manifest itself. Hundreds of people have learned of God’s goodness to me and praise Him for it.

Is this God I chose to praise in the fire truly a God of goodness, a God gracious and compassionate?

He had my vote then, He has it today.

Again with the beautiful West Virginia summer. The skies are gorgeous blue, almost as deep blue as in October, which almost throws me off as to which month of the year it is when I look up. It is definitely warmer than October!

One thing missing though (and if you’ve been here in the summer, perhaps on a mission trip, you know what I mean): it hasn’t been raining that much lately. This weather is great for painting houses and roofing (which our summer home repair teams do), but if you want green you have to have rain! We live in a northern “rain forest”; we have forests because we have rain. I think I can safely say I rarely grouse about the rain! (In fact, one of Randy’s and my favorite things to do is call to one another, if we hear thunder, to go sit on the porch together! We love thunder and lightning storms.)

It was also rainless in Tennessee when we were there last week. It had been 3 months since I’d last visited my mom so I really wanted to get down there and spend some time with her. I’d roll her outdoors in her wheelchair and we’d sit and enjoy the warmth and breezes. I read a chapter at a time to her from Hannah Whitall Smith’s classic, “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life” (Barbour Publishing, Inc.). It is a small book, 190 pages, and worth the time to read. It is a classic, as I said, first published in 1870; biblical truths that have stood the tests of time and culture.

Not only did we both enjoy the messages in the chapters I read, but I was amazed and thankful I could read aloud for a whole chapter’s worth of words! If you know me, you know what I mean. For most of my life I have not been strong enough to read aloud. Talking has been difficult, to say the least. I remember back in high school before I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, when I was called on to read in class, it was extremely difficult for me because of the weakness of my muscles and I had to ask to be allowed not to continue struggling to read out loud. It was embarrassing. I was a good reader! I loved reading. But I couldn’t easily form the words and say them clearly so others could understand me. My muscles just didn’t work.

When my sons were just little and we’d sit on the couch in our house in Pasadena to have a morning devotional time before school, as soon as Jeremy and Seth learned to read in kindergarten I had them reading the scriptures for us because it was so difficult for me. I put them to work! I guess it was good reading practice for them. Now, wonder of wonders, I can read to my mom a whole chapter in a book! I get choked up writing this because it is such a miracle to me that I am stronger than I’ve ever been since I was 13 years old.

I am continually amazed and awed by the Person of God. I (dare I say ‘we’?) are so impatient with things in our lives, especially the unpleasant things. We cry out to God to do something about it…and, of course, we mean “do it yesterday!” Oh what He puts up with from us! I have thought, I need to take a hard look at how patient God is with us (from examples in scripture and life around me) and learn from His example of patience, and long-suffering. Oh how He does ‘suffer long’ with us.

Is 40 years too long to wait for a prayer to be answered? Not when you are at the 40 year end of it. And all the prayers I’ve prayed for daily strength…why, God was answering those all along.

Are you on the “front end” of some prayers? Keep praying! Keep giving yourself and your concerns into the hands of God, sincerely asking for His will to be done. Believe me, you and I don’t want it any other way.

Keep on Writin’

Though I feel like a snail (not the same as a slug) in my writing progress, I am excited to announce Randy is almost ready to publish his second book! This will be an e-book. You’ll need a bookless-book to read it, like Kindle, Nook or iPad. It will be sold on Amazon and everyone will be able to afford it. The title has been chosen (From Here to Kingdom Living: Transitioning from short-term missions to a Kingdom lifestyle) and though it is going to be a paperless book, it still has to have a cover design, which is in the final stages of being decided on. Though his target audience is late teens to 20 and 30-somethings, it is one of those topics which every believer can profit from. Watch for further updates!

And as for my snails’ pace…well, I did get in some reading I need to do to learn to write well, publish, and so on. Now, just to get to the writing part…. I count my blog and prayer letters and receipt notes as “writing” to a certain degree, but there is a difference now for me when I talk about writing and “writing”. Because I am learning there is writing, and then there is writing. If I sound like the proverbial dog chasing its tail, I’m not really! I’ve just stepped into a new world and am learning the language and culture. I hope I can learn well and communicate better within this new world! (Prayers appreciated!)

Updates to follow!

The hardest part is time management. Most people struggle with it, whatever field of endeavor they undertake. I am finding it difficult to set aside time to write.

In May, while in California, I attended a Christian Writer’s Conference, the first of its kind for me. In fact, though I have to visit my California doctors for follow ups every 6 months, I scheduled those appointments around the Writer’s conference just so that I could attend it.

After years of waffling amid scores of requests, comments (and a lecture) and questions about when I was going to write a book, I have finally kicked into gear to do so. Certain people have been instrumental in the process, Randy most recently. Just after the New Year we sat down as a couple to list some priorities for this year (on a handout from church labeled “What I want God to do this year”) and one of the first priorities, on my side of the page Randy said I should write “my book published by next year”. Sort of pushy, don’t you think?!

Sometimes we need a firm push, like a boat from the dock, to get us moving. It was just what I needed to get me going. Thanks, honey. And thanks to you who have spurred me on one way or another over the past months and years.

Since January I have been working on a manuscript. I determined to go to the Christian Writer’s conference which was held in Newport Beach (no, I didn’t get to see the beach, sigh), just an hour by car from where my sons live in Southern California. I knew this was doable.

Boy, did I learn a lot. And it is the kind of experience where you begin to realize how much more you have to learn! I’m reading new material to learn the craft and how to market my product, whenever I have one (I doubt it will be by early next year). I will also be writing, well, let’s say, learning to write shorter articles for publication. I’m seriously considering writing devotionals. This is something new writers are encouraged to do while they write their first book. It is even something I had previously thought about too.

Are you picking up that I need your prayer backing for this new venture?! I certainly hope it is true one is never too old to learn….

I had a good time at the conference; met a new friend there, another woman who is an aspiring writer; and had a good time with my family over the 3 weeks I was in California. I had the good news from my oncologist that I am still cancer free, thank God. My neurologist is happy I am still strong and we agreed to maintain my current lowered dose of Prednisone for the next 6 months and will at that time consider cutting back on another immunosuppressant I am taking for the MG.  Unfortunately, my cardiologist reported that my heart function regressed slightly from 5 months ago, but she was not concerned. Apparently that happens. (My heart was damaged during chemotherapy for cancer. I have been under Dr’s care for the past 3 years for this reversible condition.) We look for improvement over the next 6 months.

So overall, can you tell, my time and experiences were “good”. Good is…well, good. And I am thankful to God.

So now, how to manage my time. Which really equates to managing myself. So many “little” things literally gobble up the time! But I think I am coming to a plan in my mind. I will be working at implementing a way of managing my time whereby I make the most of it to accomplish what I need to do.

Redeeming the time, making the most of every opportunity, working while it is day…words of wisdom for me… and everyone.

Now I have a request of you. If you read my blog and have liked what you read (at least at some point), will you drop me a line at jacquelinegwallace@gmail.com and tell me what it was/is you like about what I write? I didn’t make that up; we were encouraged to find out this information in a workshop at the writer’s conference. And besides, I’m curious about it too!

Here they come!

Our first teams of the summer arrived here in Northfork yesterday. I will go to the meeting this evening and get to meet people face to face I’ve been emailing with for months, setting up their mission trip. It is always nice to meet these folks, some youth and adult groups, some families, from all over the country. This year we have families and groups from states as far away as New Mexico and Iowa, Florida and Georgia, New York and New Jersey; Minnesota, Michigan and Indiana; and as near as Tennessee, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

We will be meeting new folks and old friends (that is, return teams!) through the second week of August. God has provided 3 interns to work with Lacy and one of Lacy’s daughters to work with the younger children when needed in weeks when families are here. We are thankful for these young people, as well as our regular staff, to carry out the demands of the summer home repair ministry.

Won’t you pray for us? Pray for safety in all travels, both for teams/families to and from WV and teams/families and staff within WV each week; and that all of us will have hearts to serve and learn from the Lord as we work together. Pray for Randy as he guides our staff and for the teaching of the Word with teams each week. And pray for the seeds of the Word of God to be planted deep in hearts… and bear fruit in the lives of children and adults here in WV and on the teams. It is our prayer that even seeds which have lain dormant for years will begin to grow and bear fruit to the glory of God.

And pray for Randy and me as we continue forward with the ministry of Mustard Seeds and Mountains, now 20 years and counting, moving at the directives of the Lord for the work He wants to do through us.

Because it is all about Him.

Sometimes I wonder about my plodding through passages of scripture, taking so long to mull over things said in scripture which I don’t understand. I feel this week I had some insight into some verses I’ve always puzzled over, not quite getting what lay under their meaning. Just taking time (days) to go back and ponder has brought a number of things to my mind. Here I share some thoughts with you again.
Jesus found Philip and called him to follow Him. Philip found Nathanael, saying, we’ve found the Messiah, Jesus from Nazareth!
Nathanael, knowing the bad reputation of Nazareth, was not so sure anyone good could come from there, and their promised Messiah had to be a good man. Nevertheless, he went with Philip to see this Jesus.
When “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, (He) said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!’”
Nathanael had a reputation too. He was probably known as one who scrupulously kept the Law of Moses; he was blameless. No one could point a finger of accusation at Nathanael as one who cheated on the keeping of the Law. On the contrary, I imagine that people would have said ‘no way’, if someone accused Nathanael of some wrong-doing; they wouldn’t believe it because they knew him; they knew he was above reproach.
And he also may have held others to that same high standard. Yet, I think he truly hungered after God; this motivated him to keep the Laws of God. I think his heart yearned for the true God, as we often pick up from the psalmist’s heart cries. He kept the Laws of God out of pure motives: to please God. But he still felt the inadequacy of it all. He still longed for the something more the Law couldn’t provide.
So when Nathanael asked Jesus how He knew him, incredulous that Jesus should know Nathanael’s reputation as a guileless man, I think he was blown away by an answer he never expected: “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
Here was Nathanael, a true hearted follower of God, who kept the Law scrupulously; he was known as a blameless man. In my sanctified imagination, for this is all conjecture, I see him as a man who sought out a quiet, private place to pray to the God he loved and served; his prayer “closet”, if you will; his place of meeting with God.
The fig tree was Nathanael’s Beth-el: the house of God (Genesis 28:11-16).  Like Jacob of old who was met by God, the angels of God climbing up and down the ladder which stood on the earth where he was, ascending up to heaven where God spoke to Jacob; Nathanael met with God at his own private Beth-el. I imagine he longed for a revelation of God, like Jacob had.
Unlike Jacob, who was a deceiver, and in fact, whose name meant usurper, thief; Nathanael was pure hearted. Deceit was not found in him. The fig tree was the place where Nathanael met with God and poured out his heart in worship, adoration and supplication.
Nathanael’s fig tree was his Beth-el; no one else knew about it…except Jesus. How could He know that? He must be God! Only God would know his secret place of prayer, where he poured out his heart to Him.
“Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” Nathanael’s doubts about who Jesus was were dissipated in a moment, like vapor in the sunlight. In that moment he was convinced Jesus was the Messiah promised for long centuries. He was ready to follow Him to the ends of the earth. His heart’s cries were being answered in the Person before him.
Nathanael, you haven’t seen anything yet. If you think knowing your deepest heart’s secrets is amazing, just wait. Remember Jacob’s ladder? The way to heaven, the way to God, the Way of God; I’m It, and you are going to be in for an amazing journey.
When we, too, seek after the Lord with all our hearts, listening hard for His voice, ready to do His will in a moment, as I believe Nathanael was, God will show us greater things than we have yet known…the very Presence of God working His works among us, through us. We will see “the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”