Category Archives: Adult Children

Is ignorance bliss?

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Last night I wrote a blog about “staying green” through life’s changes, even into old age, being mindful that God wants us to “bear fruit” no matter how old we grow.

Green leaves

In hunting online for an illustrative photo of green leaves, I found a pretty one that struck my fancy and used it in the blog. Although quite a few comments were left, no one caught the fact that the picture I posted happened to be marijuana leaves.

I didn’t realize that, but it turns out the younger generation caught it (my kids) and asked if I was trying to send a secret message through my choice. After all, of the thousands of green-leaf-photos that popped up on Google, that was the one I picked.

Although medical marijuana is legal in Michigan, I can honestly say I’ve never tried it, not for medicinal purposes or any other. As for recognizing its leaves, I haven’t been to a marijuana farm, and didn’t know what the plants looked like. Ignorance ruled.

When I think of my limited knowledge of marijuana plants, I’m aware that there are more things in this world that I don’t know than I do. Among those topics are God the Father, Son, and Spirit. I may know some things about them, but these three Beings are so complicated and have such depth to them that what I do know is barely bare-minimum.

The Bible tells of a remarkable example of ignorance within an unusually godly man who thought he was knowledgeable about the Almighty. It was Job. He didn’t understand why God had allowed his successful life to take a sudden turn for the worse and had some questions for him. Since God had referred to him as “blameless,” maybe Job figured it would be ok to ask.

But the Lord stopped him cold: “Who is questioning my wisdom with such ignorance?”

Ignorance

Job answered, “It is I — and I was talking about things I knew nothing about, things far too wonderful for me.” (Job 42:3)

(I can relate.)

God follows that with a heated lecture detailing some of the unfathomable things he can do that Job not only can’t do but can’t even understand. And as we read through that long list, we nod in agreement with God. The Father, Son, and Spirit (and their ways) are, as Job says, “too wonderful” for us to understand. Next to them, we’re ignorant.

Yet despite that, the Trinity has chosen to share some of themselves with us, making a special effort to explain the intense love they feel for us. I may be ignorant, but “love” I understand. I also comprehend that this love makes all the difference in the world, both in this world and the next.

And ignorant or not, I know one thing: bliss is coming.

“No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27)

 

Who?

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Nate and I were privileged to have 7 children. These 4 sons and 3 daughters are second only to God in the ranking of blessings in our lives. We also lost one child to miscarriage at 11 weeks, but I think often of this 8th child, wondering who he or she was.

Three daughtersFour sons

 

 

 

 

I remember the day we announced to our then-six children that someone new was joining our family.

TreasureI wrote clues and taped them to the underside of each dinner plate in a mini-treasure hunt. After we’d eaten, they read them, oldest to youngest, ending with the news of baby-treasure.

I believe this tiny baby, less than 2” long at the time of his or her death, was already as fully a person as our other 7. The hair and eye color had been established, along with his or her personality and temperament. The DNA was complete, and by God’s breath, an eternal soul had, I believe, been placed within him or her.

Some people would find those statements ludicrous, but knowing God as I do and believing his Word to be an accurate representation of who he is, I know they’re true. One day I’ll receive answers to my questions about #8 and will, beyond that, get to have a vibrant relationship with him or her. It’s a lovely, satisfying thought.

I’ve always been impressed with how different each of our children is from the others, despite being members of the same family. They’re all Nymans, sharing a certain family resemblance, but as in every family, no two are alike, a credit to the Lord’s bottomless creativity. As each one came along, my question for God was always, “Who else might be coming?”

Whoever he wanted to send, we wanted to meet. And get to know.

10 week feet

Maybe that’s why my thoughts of #8 are sometimes frustrating. I know virtually nothing about this person other than that he or she was a Nyman due to be born in late October, 1989. I’ve missed him or her for 23 years. But God’s choice was that we not parent this one, and I trust him enough to know his reasons were good ones.

Besides, he hasn’t completely eliminated my relationship with #8, only postponed it for a while. For Nate that postponement has ended, and sometimes I picture Jesus introducing the two of them. Although God has told us our heavenly relationships won’t be parent-child or husband-wife, he has also let us know we’ll share a depth of relationship with one another that will be more meaningful than anything earthly life has to offer.

And now, as the next generation is coming forth, I’m thrilled to see God’s continuing handiwork as he creates one unique individual after another, each one a wonder.

“You, our Lord and God… created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

Keeping Secrets

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DeterminationBirgitta has been a most diligent mother during the last 5 months since Emerald came along. Adding university studies in January forced her to get organized in a way that stretched her limits, and a baby doesn’t sympathize with additional work loads. But Birgitta never once complained about any of it, including the evaporation of her pre-baby social life.

In addition to the many radical changes she’s experienced in the last few months, she also “lost” her sister Louisa to a 2 year commitment to Youth With A Mission. Six months would pass before they could be together again, which amounted to one more difficult adjustment for Birgitta.

But in Montana at the YWAM base, Louisa was feeling it, too, and began praying about a possible visit home during spring break. Nelson counseled her to “try to do it,” and when she unexpectedly walked in our door last night at midnight, Birgitta couldn’t have been more shocked… or delighted!

Klaus had retrieved Louisa from the airport, and since I’d been tipped off to the surprise, I worked to keep the exhausted Birgitta from heading to bed before the arrival. But finally she said, “I’m going to bed,” and I wasn’t sure what to do. Louisa had texted, “Ten more minutes!”

I tried to stall her. “Why don’t you stay up just a few more minutes?” I said.

“Why?”

“Because Klaus is on his way over with a surprise for you.”

“What?” she said. “Now? What is it?”

Stunned...

Unwilling to spoil things I said, “You won’t want to miss it!” And a few minutes later when she rounded the corner and saw her sister, she was dumbfounded.

Keeping a secret is difficult and requires a good deal of self-control. It’s exciting to reveal something only you are privileged to know, and the temptation is to let the news slip out prematurely. In my case I fully intended to keep the secret but came close to spilling the beans several times, by mistake. For 6 weeks I was nearly bursting with anticipation of how Birgitta was going to love the surprise and could hardly wait to have her know.

Maybe that’s how it is with the Lord. He’s got secrets galore about what’s ahead for his children. I envision him bursting with anticipation for us, knowing how delighted we’ll be when we finally see all he’s got waiting for us. And yet he’s a pro at self-control and won’t reveal too much too soon. All he’ll say is, “Just know it’s beyond your wildest imaginings!”

A thrill

Watching Birgitta experience Louisa’s big surprise last night was well worth the weeks of silence, and when I saw that, I was glad I hadn’t spoiled it by letting her know too soon. God doesn’t want to spoil it for us, either, and is surely anticipating our joy, knowing his “reveal” will make us deliriously happy.

“We declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.” (1 Corinthians 2:7)