Sunday, March 18, 2018

A Beautiful Explanation of GOD

In a mother’s womb were two babies. One asked the other: “Do you believe in life after delivery?”The other replied, “Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.”

“Nonsense” said the first. “There is no life after delivery. What kind of life would that be?”

The second said, “I don’t know, but there will be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat from our mouths. Maybe we will have other senses that we can’t understand now.”

The first replied, “That is absurd. Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous! The umbilical cord supplies nutrition and everything we need. But the umbilical cord is so short. Life after delivery is to be logically excluded.”

The second insisted, “Well I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here. Maybe we won’t need this physical cord anymore.”

The first replied, “Nonsense. And moreover if there is life, then why has no one ever come back from there? Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery there is nothing but darkness and silence and oblivion. It takes us nowhere.”

“Well, I don’t know,” said the second, “but certainly we will meet Mother and she will take care of us.”

The first replied “Mother? You actually believe in Mother? That’s laughable. If Mother exists then where is She now?”

The second said, “She is all around us. We are surrounded by her. We are of Her. It is in Her that we live. Without Her this world would not and could not exist.”

Said the first: “Well I don’t see Her, so it is only logical that She doesn’t exist.”

To which the second replied, “Sometimes, when you’re in silence and you focus and listen, you can perceive Her presence, and you can hear Her loving voice, calling down from above.”



Sunday, March 4, 2018

God and Suffering
I joined the Sisterhood of Cancer Survivors back in December when I was diagnosed with cancer. This was definitely not a club I ever thought I would join!  But, one thing I've been very clear about is that I want to glorify God in all that I do....even if it means membership to this dreaded sisterhood!
So I did a search and found the following quote. "God can use suffering to cause us to: 1) mature and grow, 2) to lovingly use it for a higher good, 3) to display His work in me, & 4) as a way of chiseling me into the image of Christ."
I know many people would debate that an all powerful, loving God would allow pain and suffering!  God didn't create this world to have suffering. He wanted it to be perfect, but He is a gentleman and would not override man's choice. When Adam and Eve chose to disobey, sin (and all the other bad things) entered this world. 
The good news is that God is a good and perfect parent, and He can use our suffering for His purposes!  A good parent will see to it that their child grows to their full extent in every way possible. If a child is struggling with a lesson they need to learn, the parent won't rescue that child, but will be there loving, guiding, and teaching!  Even if the parent is watching through their own tears!
That's a picture of God. He is that good, loving parent! I can't fully know or understand the spiritual realms. But He does! Maybe he allowed this, and is using it to prepare me for what lies up ahead. 
Certainly, this trial has already caused me to grow spiritually, and to have deeper levels of love, compassion, appreciation, and gratitude.   I'm also learning what's helpful (and not so helpful) regarding how to comfort others who are suffering, and learning to witness to others more effectively.  And I know He's there every step of the way, loving, guiding, and teaching.  How can I be anything but thankful?