Where are you?

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Margaret

Although traveling has its perks, arriving home is best of all. But there’s one thing that trumps even that: greeting those we love when they’re coming home to us.

Recently I’ve had the joy of making several trips to the airport to collect Birgitta, Emerald, Nelson, Linnea, and baby Nelson (5 months) as they arrived from a variety of places on different days.

Each time while waiting, I scanned the mob of unfamiliar faces, squinting to find those special ones I knew and loved.

And each time, suddenly there they were, emerging from the crowd – my people.

I wonder if that’s how it’ll be when we travel from earth to heaven. None of us knows exactly what that will be like, but leaving familiarity and entering this new realm surely must include at least one nano-second of searching for the face of Jesus.

Scripture tells us that as soon as our souls leave our bodies, those of us who believe in him will be with him. But how will we know which one is him?

Long ago when I was 8 or 9 years old, I remember asking Mom that very question. It was bedtime, and she was kneeling next to me after having prayed. “What does Jesus look like?” I said, having tried to envision him as we talked to him.

“Well,” she said, “he was Jewish, and the Bible says he didn’t have any special look that made him stand out from the crowd. My guess is he had dark hair, brown eyes, and a beard as most men did then. And that’s about all I know.”

Later she read a verse to me from Isaiah: “He… had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.” (53:2)

As a child I found that fascinating, because others in the Bible had been given good looks. For instance, King Saul was “as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel.” (1 Samuel 9:2) But Jesus, who could have created his own body and face to be exceptional in every way, chose instead to make himself plain – nothing special to look at in either form or beauty. So, I wondered, how would I recognize him among the heavenly crowd?

Today I’m still wondering. The marks of crucifixion won’t identify him, because many others died that way and will have similar scars.

So I thought of all my recent trips to the airport. Maybe recognizing Jesus will be much like recognizing my loved ones in a crowd. I know them well enough to identify them anywhere. Maybe as I continue to know Jesus better, I’ll recognize him easily when the time comes.

But even if that doesn’t happen, 1 John 3:2 says, “We know that when Christ appears… we shall see him as he is.” So, just as when I spot my people at the airport, seeing them as they are, I might recognize Jesus the same way.

And if all else fails, I’m confident he knows what I look like, so maybe if he notices my confusion, he’ll simply call out my name and wave me over.

“I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” (1 Corinthians 13:12)

What’s new with Mary?

Posted on December 9, 2015 by Margaret

When last I blogged about my sister Mary and her pancreatic cancer (Mary: Good News, Bad News), the medical word was that the tumor in her liver had grown some, though the cancer in two other places had not. It was a good news/bad news report, but as always, Mary chose to dwell on the good and leave the bad up to God and his plans for her.

That last scan took place nearly six months ago, and since then not much has changed — good news indeed! This statement actually borders on the miraculous, since pancreatic cancer is usually rabid and fast-growing. But our Lord winks at the word “usually” and often steps around it to do something different. After all, he defied gravity by walking on water, dominated nature by piling a river into heaps, and foiled death by coming back to life. Things that are impossible for us are downright easy for Him. We aren’t sure what he’s doing within Mary, but we’re sure delighted she’s still with us!

Mary has decided not to undergo further scans until there’s reason to do so. Blood test numbers are moving slightly but not enough to be worrisome. And so she continues to live each day as the Lord sets them in front of her, one at a time, remaining active and feeling no pain. Right now she’s making plans to feed 45 guests on Christmas Eve.

Mary wants to pass along her thanks to any of you who still mention her in your prayers and is praying God’s blessing back on you. This blog will continue to keep you posted as the weeks and months unfold, and in the mean time, the statement we made last spring still holds: no news is good news!

The Lord said…” My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Mary: Good News, Bad News

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Margaret

Today was a day of waiting. Mary, with her husband Bervin and their firstborn, Luke, moved from one clinical waiting room to another for blood tests, scan prep, and then the full body scan itself. It was tempting to lose patience, but Mary testified to a heart and mind overflowing with peace through those many long hours. This, she believes, was the result of the prayers of people like you, Blog Reader. And Mary wants you to know she is filled with gratitude tonight!

First, the results of last November’s scan: a ¾” tumor in Mary’s liver, nodules in one lung, and lymph nodes in her abdomen that were also cancerous. Today’s results, nearly 7 months later, are these:

The lung nodules and lymph nodes are virtually unchanged. This was good news! But the liver tumor has grown to almost 2 inches. As Mary put it, “That’s not such good news.”

Even so, there are things to be thankful for. Mary’s doctor told them that the slow-growing nature of her cancer is not typical in pancreatic patients. That’s one more item in the “good” column. And another: all of Mary’s blood tests today came back normal! For example, though she has always leaned toward anemia, today’s hemoglobin count was up in normal range.

But the best news of all today (the #1 “good”) is that God is in the process of working all these things, both the good and the bad, together for good in Mary’s life and even in the lives of all those who love her. We may not be able to see the details yet, but we believe the promise because it was made by a trustworthy Person.

Over the course of many hours of waiting today, Mary said she was reminded of our Mom when she went through a painful medical procedure years ago. She began quietly singing a favorite old hymn, and as she did, she was able to disassociate from the misery of the moment and be transported to “things above:”

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”

Mary also mentioned being encouraged by the many word pictures of Psalm 91: the shelter of the Most High; the shadow of the Almighty; God as her Refuge and Fortress; being covered by His feathers; being protected under His wings; knowing angels were standing guard.