By Faith We Let Them Go

Friends and acquaintances have passed away this month, causing us to mourn and think about the brevity of life.  How we will miss them.  How they are rejoicing because they are with Jesus, their Savior.  These thoughts from writers of the past have brought comfort in these days of grief:

From Charles Spurgeon, March 22 devotional:

Evening

"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am."
John 17:24

O death! why dost thou touch the tree beneath whose spreading branches weariness hath rest? Why dost thou snatch away the excellent of the earth, in whom is all our delight? If thou must use thine axe, use it upon the trees which yield no fruit; thou mightest be thanked then. But why wilt thou fell the goodly cedars of Lebanon? O stay thine axe, and spare the righteous. But no, it must not be; death smites the goodliest of our friends; the most generous, the most prayerful, the most holy, the most devoted must die. And why? It is through Jesus' prevailing prayer--"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am." It is that which bears them on eagle's wings to heaven. Every time a believer mounts from this earth to paradise, it is an answer to Christ's prayer. A good old divine remarks, "Many times Jesus and his people pull against one another in prayer. You bend your knee in prayer and say Father, I will that thy saints be with me where I am;' Christ says, Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.'" Thus the disciple is at cross-purposes with his Lord. The soul cannot be in both places: the beloved one cannot be with Christ and with you too. Now, which pleader shall win the day? If you had your choice; if the King should step from his throne, and say, "Here are two supplicants praying in opposition to one another, which shall be answered?" Oh! I am sure, though it were agony, you would start from your feet, and say, "Jesus, not my will, but thine be done." You would give up your prayer for your loved one's life, if you could realize the thoughts that Christ is praying in the opposite direction--"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am." Lord, thou shalt have them. By faith we let them go.

From John Donne's Meditation XVII "Devotions on Emergent Occasions:"

...And when she buries a man, that action concerns me; all mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated; God employs several translators; some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice; but God's hand is in every translation, and his hand shall bind up all our scattered leaves again, for that library where every book shall lie open to one another; as therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come; so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness...

...No man is an island,  entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were;  any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. 

From John 11:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Hymn of the Week: The King of Love

Sometimes the only way to move my children from wakefulness to sleeping is singing hymns and Scripture songs.  I sang for about 30 minutes last night while folding laundry.  The girls stopped talking and arguing in bed while the older kids just did their thing.  It was peaceful and worshipful.  I thank God for the years I sang in the Concordia Choir, the years of worshipping in church, and the hundreds of songs, hymns, and spiritual songs that have been infused into my soul.  Here is one of them inspired by Psalm 23.

The King of Love My Shepherd Is
By: Henry W. Baker

The King of love my shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
And he is mine forever.

Where streams of living water flow,
My ransomed soul he leadeth
And, where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.

Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me

And on his shoulder gently laid
And home rejoicing brought me.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With thee, dear Lord, beside me,
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.

Thou spredst a table in my sight;
Thine unction grace bestoweth;
And, oh, what transport of delight
From thy pure chalice floweth!

And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never.
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
Within thy house forever.

Newletter Time!

Ethan is leaving this afternoon on a long airplane ride to Northern Romania.  He will begin a three year relationship with the pastors in that region teaching them and training them in Bible, theology and preaching.  As I am sitting down to write a newsletter, I realized there are several friends, relatives, and acquaintances who may not receive our email prayer requests.  We send these out every time Ethan travels and periodically throughout the year.

I invite you to sign up today with your most current email address  Please click this link and complete the simple form to sign up for our prayer newsletters.  Thank you!

Romania Monastery Building, 2015

Look at the Birds of the Air: A Prayer by Elysia

Ok, Jesus, I am looking!  This morning I asked you to send the birds back to our bird feeders.  I have been missing them.  The weather has been so dull and overcast recently.  The cold weather has never kept the birds away from our woodsy yard, but for some reason they have gone.  Maybe the reason was that this was for Your glory: in answer to a simple prayer.  

The weather is so cold today, but the sun is shining.  As I was eating lunch and looking out our bay windows, I saw my little friends, two chickadees--my favorite kind of bird!!!  Chickadees are wonderful because they chirp and play and eat, even during the cold of winter in Minnesota.  I was so happy that you answered my prayer that I ran to get a camera.  The chickadees had left already, but I saw another of my well-like birds, a nuthatch.  Thank you, Jesus! Amen.

Merry Christmas to You!

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. Luke 2:14-20

Norwegian Fruit Soup Recipe (Sut Suppe)

Becoming a working mom has been an adjustment in my life.  Since September, I have been teaching Title I Math and Reading, teaching a 3-4th grade Social Studies Class, and am now working on my artwork for sale.  This leaves much less time for the homemaking treats I enjoyed working on in my spare time.  Today Amy and I have the day off from school for Christmas Vacation!  After our shopping we decided to bake some more goodies for Christmas.  Amy mixed up a delicious Scandinavian Almond Cake recipe, and my project included boiling potatoes for lefse and mixing up some Christmas Sut Suppe (my husband's favorite Christmas treat).  I am recording the recipe for your enjoyment and for posterity's sake.

Cutting up Prunes for Sut Suppe recipe

Sut Suppe / Frukt Suppe Recipe
Dictated in the exact words of my father-in-law, Luther

1-2 lb. prunes
1 lb. raisins
dried fruit (apricots, apples, pears)
1.3 c. tapioca
red hots, opt.
red food coloring, opt.
cinnamon
nutmeg

"Cut dried fruit into smaller pieces and soak in water for a while before adding to the other stuff.  To the dried fruit mexture, add water enough to cover the fruit. Gradually heat so it comes to a boil (watch so it doesn't burn).  When it gets toward the boiling point add ⅓ cup tapioca.  This serves as a thickening agent.  Let it cook slowly for a while - perhaps 15 minutes.  Add some cinnamon and nutmeg to suit your taste.  If you have cinnamon candies, they can be used (provide red color and flavor).  Add red food coloring if you wish to give it a nicer color.  Keep stirring quite regularly as the tapioca will settle to bottom and burn if not watched.  The put in jars like for canning or otherwise store in fridge and enjoy!  A blob of true whipped cream on top is very becoming to this delectable dish that surely was developed in the kitchen of King Harold the Holy."

Hymn of the Week: All Your Works Are Good

All Your Works Are Good (Psalm 104) by Sandra McCracken

Here is a modern hymn for y'all:

All Your Works Are Good
Written by Sandra McCracken, Jill Phillips and Julie Lee

The moon it marks the seasons The sun knows when to go down The ocean holds its creatures The river knows its bounds
The birds, the trees, the cattle And all things great and small We find our place in creation Your hand sustains it all
Chorus
All your works are good
All your works are good
From everlasting, to everlasting All your works are good

He makes the clouds his chariot He wraps himself in light
He stretches out the heavens, like a tent across the sky
He knows our every burden When darkness veils our eyes He comes with spring returning, Bringing death to life (Chorus)
As we labor until evening There’s a message on the wind Be still and know your maker Be satisfied in Him (Chorus) 

© 2015 Drink Your Tea (ASCAP) / Sill House Road Music (SESAC) / The Gullahorns Music (ASCAP)