God is Heavenly-Minded

My niece, Lesli, once wrote a blog about sisters and said "My Mom was 14 when her only sister was born, but they were so close. She adored her baby sister in the end - and at the end of her life, she was the one my Mom asked for. They never had to stand before a judge and say 'For better or worse, till everything else we do part...' It was just the way it was."

My sister, Bonnie Jean, died almost four years ago in the summer of 2007.  She was the oldest of seven children, and I am the youngest.  Even though we were at "opposite ends of the birth order" of the Leavitt children, we loved each other deeply.


Bonnie Jean Leavitt - 16 1/2
Susan Brigham Leavitt - 2 1/2
Portchester, NY

My very first airplane ride, actually, was at the age of 14, when I flew from our home in Denver, Colorado, to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Jean lived with her husband and three children.  The next summer introduced the second "annual visit" where I was met Jean's newest child, Mal, who had been born that spring. Yearly trips became a tradition, where I would reconnect with my sister and her family and they with me. 

My mind floods with precious memories now, as I recall glimpses of many visits and vacations we shared together.  Jean and I remained close over the years, as life circumstances happened - marriages, births of my two precious sons Eric and Nathan, family moves, our parents' deaths, cancer, separation, divorce, children's issues, adoption.  My sister established a Saturday tradition of calling long-distance, and during those calls we would chat about our weeks and family happenings.

Over the years, Jean and I would "analyze" our family of origin, playing the "armchair quarterback" role of diagnosing dilemmas or comparing opinions of "family" from our unique vantage points - Jean as the "firstborn" or me as the "baby of the family."  Jean and I were so different yet so alike in many ways.

We spoke at times about another sister who neither of us had been given the opportunity to know.  Twelve years after Jean's birth, and two years before my birth, another daughter had been born to Mom and Dad.  This little baby girl was given the name "Susan Baxter Leavitt" (I am Susan Brigham Leavitt) and she was born with severe spina bifida.  Within two weeks of her birth, Susan Baxter died and was carried in a shoebox-sized casket on my mother's lap to a cemetery for her funeral and burial.  Jean and I had melancholy moments where we talked about the sister we never knew.  I had told Jean about the conversation where our Mom confided all the details of Susan Baxter's birth and death, and the intense sorrow it had left upon Mom's life.


Bonnie Jean and Susie - Tampa, Florida - 1984

The years sped by as life marched on - and events came and went.  My sister and I enjoyed good times together with pleasant memories, and we had some very challenging times together that left us with painful memories.  Our bonds of sisterhood were stretched, rebounded, and stretched again. 

One day allmost four years ago, Jean called to announce that she had cancer and that it was untreatable, fast-growing, and terminal.  The words were short: The resulting shock was a shroud.  "I love you, Jean," I said through tears, with the decision to go visit her one last time.

Within two weeks, I travelled across the country with my three daughters (18 years old and 1-year-old twins).  On that emotional visit, Jean and I spoke about serious matters, laughed a bit, and cried a lot.
In keeping with the "prognosis," my sister, Jean, passed from this life within seven weeks of her cancer confirmation.  I travelled back again for her memorial service.  Many more tears - many more memories.

Engraved in my memory now is something that happened after returning home from Jean's memorial service.  One day while driving, a thought flashed into my mind.  It was as if this event were on a massive video screen before me.  I pictured Jean in Heaven - with no more pain of any kind - living the heavenly life we all long to live - peacefully and joy-filled.  Yet, followed by that, a second image came, and it took my breath away.  I exclaimed, "Jean's holding that baby! She's holding her sister!"  At that moment, not only was I sure that Jean was at peace - but there was also an added blessing to picture Jean holding her baby sister, Susan Baxter, who had long ago died.  My nurturing, "more-like-a-mother" sister, Jean, was getting to know a brand new sister.

Isn't this just like you, God, to show me this awesome picture of my sister, Bonnie Jean, cradling Susan Baxter in her arms, in your glorious Heaven! The sweet beauty of this picture soothes me.

But our citizenship is in heaven.

And we eagerly await a Savior from there,

the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him

to bring everything under his control,

and will transform our lowly bodies

so that they will be like his glorious body.  

Philippians 3:20-21

To my sisters - Bonnie Jean and Susan Baxter - with love and longing - until we meet again - forever -

Susie

God is Comforting

Watching the videos of the earthquake and the tsunami in Sendai, Japan, yesterday were shocking.  Literally, shocking.  To watch people (in or out of buildings and apartments) as their earth shook beneath them!  To watch a massive tsunami wash completely over farmlands, buildings, highways!  It was almost unbelievable to watch, and I cannot imagine the feelings of those who experienced it firsthand.

How do we wrestle with God’s providence when we hear or see of something so horrific? Can God comfort those who are affected by this?  Let’s look at God’s Word, the Bible, to find answers;

1.    II Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.”

2.    II Corinthians 1:6 “If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.”

3.    Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

4.    Hebrews 4:15  “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

5.    Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”

6.    Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

7.    II Corinthians 1:4 "Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

8.   Psalm 34:18 "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

     

      
The answer to the question, “Can God comfort those who are devastated in Sendai, Japan?” is a resounding “Yes!”  God can offer comfort and help now.  How?  God offers comfort through the strength of search and rescue workers, through the tireless help of willing volunteers who band together to offer housing, food, shelter to those affected by the earthquake. God offers comfort by directly speaking to the hearts and minds of the suffering, saying, “I am with you now. I will help you now. Trust in Me.”

God longs for us to know Him and His ways. God longs to comfort people. God is already there.




 

In the midst of all the death and destruction left in the wake of the 30-foot wall of water that ravaged northern Japan Friday, there was at least one piece of good news. A boat swept away in the tsunami caused by the 8.9 magnitude quake and feared lost at sea has been found with all aboard alive, Jiji Press reported.

 Trusting in Him,
Susie

God is Fun

After a stressful amount of time, do you find yourself thinking, “Whew! I’m ready for a party!” and wonder when the fun can begin?

I imagine we all grow weary of the built-in, all-around-us, sometimes seemingly-relentless “pounding” that life can bring.  We long for times of happy laughter.  Regardless of our economic status, physical stature, age, family makeup, life experiences – we tire of the gloom and doom of life. 

Last night was a delightful evening of happy laughter and true camaraderie shared with a small group of dear friends.  We are all early-morning people, but last night we lingered until one in the morning - visiting, laughing, playing with skin care and glamour, and laughing more.  There were times of seriousness and times of absolute hilarity.  I can’t remember having that much fun in a long while!  No alcohol, no off-color humor, no humor-at-another’s-expense, just a delightful time of joy!

A joyful heart is good medicine.

Proverbs 17:22

Allow me to introduce you to (or remind you of) a concept:  God is a celebration.

“What?” you may exclaim. 

Oh, yes!  It’s true!  God L-O-V-E-S a celebration!  And – guess what – He has great joy!  God is all-out full of delight for His people who turn to His teaching in His Word – God is committed to showing His people a good time!

The LORD your God is with you,

He is mighty to save.

He will take great delight in you

He will quiet you with His love

He will rejoice over you with singing.

Zephaniah 3:14

Delighting in Him,

Susie

God is Well-Preserved

What? Did I say "well-preserved?" Yes - read on....   

        

I am currently reading a work of Christian fiction in which the world suddenly loses all forms of technology. Communication as people currently know it (phones, cell phones, internet, email, faxes, computer technology) is gone and only postal mail is available for communication. There are no automobiles that have computer technology, no hand-held video games, no texting, no cable, no satellite, and no electricity whatsoever.

This book is an interesting read, and - needless to say - quite thought-provoking. Can you imagine not having access to a computer, much less a cell phone, in these times?

This morning on my drive to work, my thoughts turned to God's Word - the Bible - and how miraculously the Bible was written.  Not only that, but how miraculously the Bible has been preserved over time.  No one brought their typewriter to type notes of Adam and Eve's experiences. There was no computer that cut and pasted sections of previous writings into a new document, and then hit the 'save' button.  No one sat by Jesus on a hillside and sent quick text messages to friends while Jesus spoke to the masses.  There was no one who captured the miracle of Lazarus coming forth from the grave - a dead man to life - with a cell phone photo shot. 

The Bible was written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit of God - and these faithful, diligent men carefully hand-wrote each word onto some sort of ancient paper.  Can you imagine?  Can you imagine how powerful it is to know that God's Word was written by hand, through men who heard about or saw God?  Faithful men passed down precious stories of what they had seen, heard, or experienced - and all these writings were compiled into a document we now know and accept as the Holy Bible. And God preserved every single Word – to remain the way He designed – to this very day.

God's Word remains today because God still inspires faithful people all over the world to hold it precious.  The Bible is a cherished document that holds cherished truths of a cherished God - the one true God.

Believers around the world today hold these sacred truths in their hands, their hearts, and their lives. Hallelujah! 

Ancient Words

Holy words long preserved

for our walk in this world.

They resound with God’s own heart

Oh, let the Ancient Words impart.

Words of Life, words of Hope

give us strength, help us cope.

In this world, where e’er we roam

Ancient Words will guide us home.

Music and lyrics: Lynn DeShazo and Michael W. Smith