It Is Well With My Soul

Horation G. Spafford, a 43 year old Chicago businessman, suffered financial disaster in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.  He and his wife were still grieving over the death of their son shortly before the fire, and he realized they needed to get away for a vacation.  Knowing that their friend Dwight L. Moody was going to be preaching in evangelistic campaigns in England that fall, Spafford decided to take the entire family to England.  His wife and four daughters went ahead on the SS Ville du Havre, and he planned to follow in a few days.

But on the Atlantic Ocean the ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel and sank within twelve minutes.  226 lives were lost---including the Spaffords' four daughters.  When the survivors were brought to shore at Cardiff, Wales, Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, "Saved alone."

Spafford booked passage on the next ship.  As they were crossing the Atlantic, the captain pointed out the place where he thought the Ville Du Havre had gone down.  That night, Spafford penned the words "When sorrows like sea billows roll...it is well, it is well with my soul."

Peter Rabbit

June 16, 2015 at 9:24 AM ·

Have you ever felt like your life is that of a child's storybook story? My favorite as I grew up was Peter Rabbit. In fact, to honor our first grandchild I had Peter R. tattooed on my ankle. Remember in the story, Peter is naughty and goes into Mr. McGregor's garden. In the end he frantically looks for the gate to escape. Well, in our life, Charlie is Mr. McGregor. But it isn't a garden in our story...it is the entire backyard. Bunnys are cute...but destructive! When they eat grass, they stay in one spot and eat until it is bare---no roots! So every day Charlie has walked the perimeter securing it with wire to keep the bunny out. Yesterday he found a breach and felt he had located the problem. Then last night, not only did he see "Peter" again, but Peter brought a friend! (to be continued)... June 16, 2019 So here we are, in my "to be continued story, 4 years later. Now, I am accompanied to the backyard by Jackson, our little dog. And, he finds the little piles of rabbit droppings that tell me, "yes, Peter Rabbit is still around". But, no matter about his friskiness. Peter Rabbit will always be my favorite bunny.

Remembering D Day

June 6, 2014 at 11:39 AM ·

Today is the 70th Anniversary of D Day...I'm 68. So obviously, I wasn't there and all I can glean of this day and event is through history. Only GOD knows where we as Americans and free people would be without the events of that day and the days and months that followed. One of my personal resolves is to work on my "take for granted" attitudes. So, I'm writing this little "tribute" to this day of history to say a feeble, yet deeply meant THANK YOU to those who fought for ALL the amazing freedoms I have. "Dear God, Have mercy on us...forgive our wayward ways. Inspire us to truly seek You, through your Redeemer Son, Jesus. Thank you for preserving our freedoms. Give us grateful hearts."

OH WOW! MORE GOD, less me

Romans 8:38-39   "For I am convinved that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present no future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Philippians 2:9-11 "Therefore God also has highly exalted HIM and given HIM a name which is above every name, that at the name of JESUS, every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that JESUS Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father."

etc. etc. etc x a zillion and more

Life on Planet Earth

One of my favorite TV stations is Animal Planet and I am particularly drawn to those stories that deal with people giving their lives to preserving the lives of animals endangered or just individual family pets under the care of vets.  It is particularly fascinating to me the efforts dedicated to conservation of species like rhinos, giant tortoises, gorillas, tigers and many more.  I can't imagine a world without them.  I hope as you read this it won't sound like preaching but simply me sharing my heart with you. I saw a story about the efforts to preserve the pregnancy of a rhino mama.  I was shocked to learn that the rhino horn is the most valuable thing on the planet - more than diamonds and gold.  Therefore, their future is fragile.  As I watched the human care over one expectant rhino it deepened my respect for female humans and animals who are honored to carry new life in their bodies.  Without them life would end - no more rhinos.  No more tigers. No more giant tortoises and the list goes on.  But of course the male is so critical and part of the future generation.  So, now, in my lifetime I see human conversation on a high alert to preserve our future.  We are the created beings above all that God created.  And yet, our story seems to be turning against that special place in creation.  Babies in the womb are sometimes and in some dark places referred to as parasites that do not deserve to live.  I do see extreme efforts to conserve the human life that God considers His greatest creation and HE, too, moved in history to conserve us.  Jesus gave His life to give us eternal life.  He, who created time and lived outside of time, stepped into time to redeem our time.