Summer Blooms

This year we have had a true Spring in southern Ontario. Sunny, warm days, cool nights with spaced out gentle rain. My cedar trees, the ornamental grasses, and the hostas are thriving and loving it. I have an ivory lace lilac that has never bloomed like this year. The entire backyard is filled with an amazing perfume.

In the same way, the Christian is blessed by God's providential dealings, and He looks for fruit. Not flowers and perfume, but fruits of faith and repentance. Trials and afflictions are a part of God's providential work, and are meant to produce fruits of patience, submission, and trust in the Lord.

So bloom where you are planted, whatever the circumstances might be. Flowers give off a sweeter smell when they are crushed. God does what He has to in order to shape His people into what He wants them to be. He is the potter, we are the clay.

Jack.

We were a little late taking the picture; the blooms are starting to die already, but you get the idea :)

 

Grade 8 Graduation

This week, my oldest grandchild, Lena, graduates from grade 8 at RCS. It is a big day for Lena, her parents, and all of her family. The end of elementary school, and the beginning of high school is an important milestone in life. What a privilege it is that she could spend all of those years at a Christian school. Lena, I love you, and I am proud of your accomplishment.

In September, I will have 9 grandchildren attending the same Christian school where I used to be the Principal. I have officiated at many graduations, also of my own children, but never of my grandchildren. I would have liked to, but it was not meant to be.

It is getting more difficult for me to type these posts because my neck muscles are getting weaker. Thank you to my faithful blog readers for almost two years of blogging. God's blessings to you and be a blessing to others. 

ALS Walk 2013

On Saturday, June 8th, we were joined by over 80 people on team Westerink at Bayfront Park, in Hamilton, in the 2013 walk for ALS. Our team raised just over $10,000 for research and equipment for ALS. The weather was good, no rain, and I was pushed in my wheelchair for the 5 kilometre walk. Thank you to all of the participants and sponsors of my team. We had a great day.

The whole Team



The half way point

 

Jack and all his siblings

My dental surgery is healing nicely, and I am again enjoying the taste of food. It is however, becoming more of a challenge for me to swallow food. This will be the next hurdle in my journey with ALS. But God is going with me every step of the way, and underneath are His "everlasting arms".

Poem - Edit

My sister, Nellie, and her husband, Jim, recently came to visit Jack and I. She loves writing and after watching the CHCH news footage of Jack's birthday surprise, she wrote the following poem, while driving back home to Michigan.  - Lena

 
EDIT
 
The wife:

A birthday wish on our front lawn

How grand an undertaking!

And CHCH news may be there, too,

great memories in the making.

What can be said to point to God,

the giver of all blessings,

who showers us this day with rain,

and mercies never ceasing?

 

The teacher:

The seed of an idea has grown;
today comes to fruition.
More can be taught than just 3 R’s;
“Child, what will be your mission?”
Yes, we’ll go; go rain or shine.
Busses unload two hundred, three?
“The little ones should be in front.”
Be kind and then you all will see.

 The editor:

“Cut, cut!” they say, “Cut out the Word.”
Lord, Jesus, Bible, Holy, God.
Cut Bible verse, prayer and praise.
Generic. That will get the nod.
Drop, delete. Edit, eliminate.
Words, phrases, songs fall to the floor.
What’s left? Footage no one can hate.
Just tell the story, nothing more.

The blogger:

With words he taught young minds to think.
Taught sciences with phrases.
With songs to sing and glorify
the God whose love amazes.
Each day a joy to go to work
He’s fun and energetic!
“Hello!”  “What’s wrong?” “I see!”  “I’ll help.”
and, “Happy Birthday, Eric!”

 The Father:

With loving hands He edited
the life that was this man.
Some were surprised and others shocked,
but God knew; it was His plan.
Drop the job. Delete fishing.
Eliminate  all walking.
Edit out elder duties.
What else? Now no more talking.
More Lord? Subtracting from the whole?
“My child, I’m looking at the soul!”

You and Me:                                                                                                             

We watch, and pray, ask, and blog,
and try to understand.
“If it were me, could I endure
such trials from God’s hand?”
Each one of us has a job
To do what we must do.
In all to glorify His Name.                                                     
“My grace is sufficient for you.”

                                           --Nellie deVries

                                           June 7, 2013

 

Spurgeon - Morning and Evening

"Forsake me not, O Lord." — Psalms 38:21

Frequently we pray that God would not forsake us in the hour of trial and temptation, but we too much forget that we have need to use this prayer at all times. There is no moment of our life, however holy, in which we can do without his constant upholding. Whether in light or in darkness, in communion or in temptation, we alike need the prayer, "Forsake me not, O Lord." "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe."  A little child, while learning to walk, always needs the nurse's aid. The ship left by the pilot drifts at once from her course. We cannot do without continued aid from above; let it then be your prayer to-day, "Forsake me not. Father, forsake not thy child, lest he fall by the hand of the enemy. Shepherd, forsake not thy lamb, lest he wander from the safety of the fold. Great Husbandman, forsake not thy plant, lest it wither and die. 'Forsake me not, O Lord,' now; and forsake me not at any moment of my life. Forsake me not in my joys, lest they absorb my heart. Forsake me not in my sorrows, lest I murmur against thee. Forsake me not in the day of my repentance, lest I lose the hope of pardon, and fall into despair; and forsake me not in the day of my strongest faith, lest faith degenerate into presumption. Forsake me not, for without thee I am weak, but with thee I am strong. Forsake me not, for my path is dangerous, and full of snares, and I cannot do without thy guidance. The hen forsakes not her brood, do thou then evermore cover me with thy feathers, and permit me under thy wings to find my refuge. 'Be not far from me, O Lord, for trouble is near, for there is none to help.' 'Leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation!'" 

"O ever in our cleansed breast,
Bid thine Eternal Spirit rest;
And make our secret soul to be
A temple pure and worthy thee."

Dental Work Completed

Yesterday, I had two molars removed by a dental surgeon. He discovered the beginning of decay next to the one that I went in for. Rather than come back another time, we decided to do both at once. Two for one, Lena said. We still have some Dutch blood in our veins.

Well, I am very happy to report that the procedure went very well. I did not need any pain pills or antibiotics. I felt carried on the wings of prayers, and remained calm throughout the procedure. I recited Psalm 23 in my mind, over and over. It felt like that well known poem "Footprints in the Sand", when the author sees two sets of footprints become one set. At that point I was being carried by my heavenly Father. Thank you for your prayers, calls, and emails.

Jack