Learning from History - Part IV

This spring Elsa and I enjoyed a second listen through "The Sisters of Sinai - How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels" by Janet Soskice. 

Have you ever noticed biblical text footnotes referencing the Syriac translations of the New Testament? Those little notes come to life when you know who discovered the ancient manuscripts and can picture how arduous and bold were their journeys and adventures. Even more interesting are the discoverers themselves... middle-aged, Scotch, widowed, twin sisters who from childhood had always learned a new language before they traveled to a new country.

Agnes and Margaret traveled 6 times to the remote monastery of St. Catharine's in Sinai, beginning in the late 1800s when women were "not supposed to" travel alone. This was no easy feat with 8 days on camels crossing the desert each way - with sometimes unscrupulous local guides. Then they had to deal with jealous Cambridge scholars trying to steal the credit of Agnes's important find of an ancient Syriac manuscript of the Gospels.

Even though Agnes and Margaret eventually became famous in the antiquarian/literary/biblical-scholarship/academic world of their day, being awarded multiple honorary doctorates, and even traveling the USA on a lecture tour - what we love was their relentless focus on doing all this to help demonstrate the reliability and historicity of the Scriptures. Their personal lives are also examples of trust in God's providence and seeing all of life through the lens of His word.

Continuing on the topic of history: another way I love to learn from history is through first-hand accounts such as journals. The above book inspired me to begin reading the sisters' own writings - including Margaret's book "How the Codex Was Found," filled with Agnes's journal entries. In fact, I am currently recording this as a free, LibriVox audiobook which will hopefully be released by the end of summer.

But I also highly recommend the in-depth biography by Janet Soskice, which pulls together information from all of the sisters' writings plus a wide variety of historical threads and contemporary characters to make it so interesting.

[photos are public domain or licensed for creative commons non-commercial use]

His Father said...

Here's an encouraging bit of Amy Carmichael in the little book from Dohnavur Fellowship called His Thoughts said... His Father said...

"His thoughts said, The way is rough.
     His Father said, But every step
     bringeth thee nearer to thy Home.

"His thoughts said, The fight is fierce.
     His Father said, He who is near to
     his Captain is sure to be a target
     for the archers.

"His thoughts said, The night is long.
     His Father said, But joy cometh
     in the morning."

     • Amy Carmichael

Read more excerpts in this earlier post.

The Way of All Wisdom

 

Two quotes for today from the book I just finished reading:

"[Letty] read her New Testament; and if she understood it only in a childish fashion, she obeyed it in a child-like one, whence the way of all wisdom lay open before her."

~ · ~

"Mary made no reply. She did not care to have the last word; nor did she fancy her cause lost when she had not at hand the answer that befitted folly."

"Mary Marston"

by George MacDonald

~ · ~

Find the free audiobook on Librivox.org and free e-book on Gutenberg.org

Learning from History - Part III

A great way to learn from history is to sit down with someone who lived through it and hear their story. Thanks to author Bill O'Byrne, we can do just that.

Have you ever heard of the "900-Day Seige" of Leningrad? This difficult time is well worth experiencing through the eyes of young Marina and her family.



From back of book:

"God was not absent or silent during the '900-Day Siege' or Blockade of Leningrad... The compelling story of little Marina Sergeyevna and her parents demonstrates the significant role that one family of Christians played in surviving the Blockade, and how [they] helped other people survive it with dignity and faith in God. ...Faith in God was the the secret of strength in weakness."

Learning from History - Part II

As we near American Independence Day, do you wish you knew more of the true stories from our past? Are you looking for some history that has not been re-written? For books that exemplify what I quoted in my Memorial Day post?




Then start here!



The Light and the Glory and From Sea to Shining Sea by Peter Marshall and David Manuel address America's history from 1492-1789 and 1787-1837.

Waiting Room Hymns

 

On my first visit to Dr. V. (see previous post) seven years ago, I was blessed to hear a hymn playing in the waiting room: "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus." Not that they were playing Christian music. Somehow, this one just ended up on the mixed album they were playing that day. Actually, I know how... a loving God was taking care of His hurting, scared child in the way He knew would touch her best.

For years I had forgotten that special moment until I was just now recalling another special gift from just this week. At my final appointment with this amazing doctor (the day before she retired) I was brought to tears by once again hearing a hymn among the variety of modern and classical "background music." It was the perfect hymn for this day of saying goodbye to the doctor who was able to diagnose Elsa and me and help our bodies begin to dig out of a decade of damage, as well as who found my thyroid cancer when it was only stage one. As we moved into a future of more unknowns, I heard notes and harmonies that told me:

"Be still, my soul! the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;"

And then the lines that really got me...

"Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.

"Be still, my soul! thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end."

My doctor called me for a blood draw just then, so I had to explain the tears. As she entered her own season of changes and unknowns, she had to try to keep back the tears too.

P.S. - As a bonus, this last appointment also contained a second hymn: "Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross"

[Pictures from camping near our clinic this week.]

Seven Years our Doctor

 

Seven years ago, God used a cookbook from the library to lead Elsa and me to a doctor who could finally diagnose and help our bodies begin to heal and fight back after a decade of decline.

We are so thankful for Dr. V (whom I decided not to show in the photo without permission.) As Elsa says, she has been like "six doctors in one." So it took a bit to adjust to the news that she needed to retire.

Yesterday was our last appointment. God has brought us so far from the years when we could hardly sit up through the hour or two of in-depth consultation and would then be completely wiped out for days.

But as we are still far from healed, God has given peace that He will once again lead us to the next, right doctor for us.

~ ▪︎ ~

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Meanwhile, we enjoyed many gifts on this short medical trip, including:

• Camping in a new-to-us state park with beautiful river, amazing plants, friendly butterflies, and swarms of glittering fireflies
• Offline days with zero cell-phone reception among the bluffs
• A rare treat while stocking up on special-diet groceries at our nearest Whole Foods and Trader Joe's [4 hrs from home]
• Coming safely home again to Mom, roses, and cats

Roses and Orchids from a Friend

 

As I enjoy this beautiful rose bush, I remember the friend from whose plant the root came.

We first noticed our interim pastor having trouble speaking at a Christmas Eve service some years ago. We knew he was under a ton of stress and were concerned. But it turned out to be harder for him than we could imagine as ALS took over from the head down.

His last months were a testimony to the grace of God, as are the years of adjustment and loneliness since for his widow.

It just struck me again how many prayer-warriors, including this one, our family has lost. Several who prayed for my family daily, even while they walked through their own pain and illnesses, have left the tears of this world behind.

Will we leave this kind of grateful memory behind us one day as well?

Beauty and Gratitude

6.4.2021 - Took a picture of a bit of beauty to end the day.

Today I am thankful for:

▪︎ a good breeze to ease the evening of a 100° day

▪︎relaxing visits on the deck
▪︎lovely new shades of undyed wool yarn
▪︎dairy-free (coconut) ice-cream
▪︎being able to handle walnuts in small amounts every once in a while
▪︎lovely, hardy roses grown from a root that was being thrown out of a clean-up project in another garden
▪︎great progress made on paperwork to prepare for 6-month appointments - even when I sat down at my computer thinking I couldn't get a foggy brain to do anything today
▪︎window screens to keep out noisy June-bugs
▪︎the book of Ephesians

Log-Splitting and Loss

 

Strange how a log-splitter can trigger a fresh realization of loss. But seeing Dad clean up a couple trees that blew down in strong prairie winds this spring didn't look right. That used to be a family job with everyone hauling branches, rolling logs, and putting in many hours and days every fall and early winter on log-splitting.

When we heated the house from the basement wood stove, we borrowed the hefty log splitter from my uncles that attached to a tractor. One of us would sit in the cab running the direction of the wedge while watching carefully for hand signals and making instant safety decisions if we saw any knots that looked as if they would cause problems for the two hoisting logs outside. Heavy, satisfying work!

Then came the winters where one of us girls would split smaller logs in the shed while the other two did sheep chores. Over and over, we lifted and threw a weight against the wedge set on top of a log. Thankfully the weight slid along a vertical rod to keep everything safe and perfectly aimed.

And no matter the method of splitting, there were always 5-gallon buckets to fill with wood and haul to the basement.

All this kind of work came to an end for me when chronic pain set in 15 years ago.

If I let myself think too much, more than my body hurts. I can feel guilty for being unable to do the heavy outdoor work that used to be my specialty - especially because we don't want Dad overdoing it since his heart attack. I can fret watching Mom overwork in the perennial gardens. I can be tempted to mow the lawn (which was my job for years), though I know the zero-turn mower would mess up my brain even worse than a very difficult drive last week. It can feel like our family is drowning in weakness and pain with three in the house battling daily chronic illness.

OR...

I can choose to replace these discouraging facts with Truth.

As Dad is playing on his trumpet as I type:

Be still my soul!
the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still my soul!
thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

• K.A. von Schlegel, 1752

The First Pansy Book

Ready for a brand-new, free audio-book?

[My apologies if you already read this post a few weeks ago. I thought it was published but now found it in my drafts folder - along with several others that were automatically deleted based on false accusations but reinstated once reviewed.]

A pen-pal/friend (with whom I have worked on LibriVox since my first book) brought this children's book to my attention as one she had wished to personally record. While that was not possible for her at this time, she really wanted to get it into the hands of listeners - thinking it could be a special resource for families who are spending more time at home now. We were able to get it completed with the help of other volunteers - thanks to the typed version of this public domain text shared with us by isabellamacdonaldalden.com. 

Book summary:

Twelve year old Helen is determined to be a good girl, but the harder she tries, the worse her days go. Is there any hope? And what made such a change in the life of her grown-up brother in the seven years he was away from home? Little do the Lesters know what a pivotal year this will be in each of their lives.



The story behind the story:

"Pansy" is the pen-name of Isabella MacDonald Alden. (1841-1930)

When a friend urged her to submit the manuscript to a contest sponsored by the American Reform Tract and Book Society of Cincinnati, Ohio, her response was, "I'll do no such thing. If I can't write a better story than that, it proves that I ought never to write at all. Tear the thing into bits and throw it in the grate with the other rubbish. I'll set fire to them to-night."

Without her knowledge, this friend sent in the manuscript. Two months later, Isabella was stunned to learn her that first book was to be published. (1865)

[Does this remind anyone else of "Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea"?!]

"I like to recall the reason why it won the fifty dollar prize. Because, in the opinion of the committee of award it met the condition imposed by the grand old Christian gentleman who offered the prize. It was to be given for the manuscript that would best explain God's plan of salvation, so plainly that quite young readers would have no difficulty in following its teachings if they would, and so winsomely that some of them might be moved to take Jesus Christ for their Saviour and Friend."

(Click here for more of the story.)

Four-Hundred Fifty-Six Months

Yes, another birthday rolled around.

I lowered my treatment schedule for a couple of days to be able to feel better through the celebrations than last year.

Joseph was just as enthralled with candle-flames this year...

... and much more disappointed when they were blown out.

Since we celebrated at Maren's house, we got to use the special tea-set which was bought on one of her overseas birthdays.

We enjoyed a flower-bed tour with so many plants we don't grow. How many different kinds of hosta would you guess a hosta-lover/horticulturalist has around his little yard in town?!

And I've loved Lady's Slippers long before I came to raise orchids. They remind me of state parks in June.

Our little guy was nearly 19 months that day (437 months younger than I), so it was time for his first watercolor lesson!

He was so into it, and we love having his art join ours on the fridge!

Later, Auntie E got him interested in stickers. They could have engrossed him all night!

After that photo overload, what can I say but...

Out of all the amazing gifts my family gave me for my birthday, the family members themselves are still some of God's best gifts to me!