WWJD

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Lynn

My daughter had borrowed my car while hers was having some brake work done. While transferring car seats from her vehicle into mine, my two year old granddaughter caught sight of my little teddy bear in the back seat. Demanding to play with it, my daughter said, “No, that’s Grandma’s “swear bear”. It has to stay in the car!”

I was mortified when she told me about their conversation when she dropped off my car later in the week. “It’s not a swear bear!” I squeaked with embarrassment. “It’s my ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ Bear!”

Her husband raised an eyebrow, his expression begging to know the story behind my little teddy bear. My daughter giggled with mirth, and said, “This is a good one!”

When my first child was a toddler, her favourite movie was “Alice in Wonderland”. It was a VHS tape of an animated, musical adaptation of the story. I wasn’t even sure she actually watched it, because she would happily play with her other toys while the movie played in the background, but she demanded to have it on regardless.

One day as we were driving around town doing a variety of errands, she was strapped into her car seat almost asleep. I was merging onto a major thoroughfare, when a woman driving a small compact car zigzagged around me completely cutting me off in the process. She looked entirely too smug with her aggressive driving style so I loudly voiced my honest opinion of her as she zoomed by, “Stupid woman!”

From the back of the car a little voice squeaked out with gleeful delight, “Off with her head!”

I realized that day that I couldn’t vocalize my road rage with her in the car…

…and we obviously watched way too much T.V.

It wasn’t long after that incident, I went to a Christian book store and I bought a book that came with a promotional little teddy bear wearing a sweater with the letters WWJD knitted on the front. Charles Monroe Sheldon, published the book, “In His Steps” in 1896, and introduced the principle, “What Would Jesus Do?” which spawned the “WWJD” movement. To this day those initials are still found on Christian clothing, and jewelry. In my first book, “Shoot the Wounded”, I purposely had Jake, one of the main characters, wear a “WWJD” ring.

On the way home from the book store, as an afterthought, I tossed the teddy bear on the dashboard of my car. Instead of giving it to my daughter to play with at home, I decided to keep it in the car. It became a dashboard ornament with a purpose. It was a constant visual reminder that every time I was driving anywhere, someone was always watching me. Jesus was with me when I drove alone or with my children. He was watching over me, and monitoring my actions at all times. If I got into situations that triggered reactive behaviours (road rage 😡), I looked at the teddy and remembered to not say or do anything that might hinder my Christian witness in front of my children or others.

As the children got older, there may have been a few times they had to remind me to “look at the bear” when I was driving. I don’t swear, but I do on occasion voice my displeasure.

Four way stops are the bane of my existence.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and and slow to become angry.” James 1:19

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Lady Aurora

Posted on October 11, 2024 by Lynn 
She Walks in Beauty
by: Lord Byron (George Gordon)-1814

She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies. 

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling place. 

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent, 
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

It is said Lord Byron wrote these words after meeting the wife of his first cousin at a party in London. Byron was so struck by the woman’s beauty that the next morning he penned the poem. Anne Beatrix Wilmot-Horton, the “beauty”, was dressed in mourning clothes, and yet Byron saw her peaceful radiance to be in sharp contrast to the dark and somber dress she wore.

When in university, as an English major, I studied classic literature and romantic poetry. I memorized Byron’s poem and analyzed it thoroughly. When Mrs. Wilmot-Horton’s portrait was shown to our class, I laughed when my professor remarked that “beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder”, since it was obvious that what Byron was enamored by was not the woman’s outward beauty per se, but her inward beauty. There must have been an ethereal quality to her that he found captivating. Personally, I couldn’t see it myself.

However, as I gazed heavenward last night, I suddenly understood Byron’s poem in new light (so to speak). I silently, mouthed the words, “She walks in beauty, like the night…” awestruck by Lady Aurora pirouetting magnificently across the sky.

We have been blessed with a spectacular display of the Aurora Borealis for several nights here in Southern Alberta. Last night, I was absolutely mesmerized by the colours and the constant movement illuminating the darkness.

As a writer, I don’t focus on the impersonal science behind the phenomenon. Physicists may marvel that solar explosions produce huge quantities of particles thrown into deep space causing the electrically charged Aurora, but my mind is excited by the myths and legends that spark the imagination. Is it any wonder I choose to call the display, “Lady Aurora”, and I give her an ethereal quality with a perplexing form when she cavorts in regal beauty amongst the stars?

It is part of Aurora‘s “charm” that she has multiple personalities; the Ancient Greeks naming her “Sunrise” and Boreas meaning “Wind”. The Romans claiming her sisters were Helios (the Sun) and Seline (the Moon) and that Aurora raced across the morning sky in her “multi-coloured chariot to alert her siblings to the dawning of a new day”. (The Aurora Zone)

Ancient peoples around the world tried to explain the unusual and rare Aurora lights by creating epic legendary battles between good and evil enacted in the heavens. As a writer, these stories capture my interest and fuel my imagination to explore further the brilliance of Aurora in all her forms.

Last night, as Lady Aurora walked in beauty, in starry skies above me, the poetic words of Byron could not adequately express how wonderstruck I was at the sight. Only the sublime words of the Psalmist directed my eyes away from the creation itself to focus entirely on the Creator. Science, myths, legends, or my wild imagination cannot explain, fathom or comprehend how our God brought the expanse of the Universe into being and then how He Masterfully painted Aurora in all her splendour in the firmament.

To God Be the Glory, Great Things He Hath Done!

Lady Aurora
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Close to the Heart

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Lynn

You may have noticed I did not blog or write during July and August this year. To be honest, I was very purposeful about taking this summer to just renew and relax. I wanted to spend quality time with my husband, children and grandchildren. I wanted to camp, enjoy lazy, long days and read.

I was delighted to learn that I was once again shortlisted for the Word Awards for my post “Peace in the Midst of Calamity” My “Journey Thoughts” blog also surpassed 16 million hits. My books were getting renewed attention after Shoot the Wounded went on a Canadian Tour with the band, Petra. Truly, I am humbled by the way God continues to use my writing for His purposes. Yet, this summer I needed a break from writing too. I journaled of course, in detail at times, about the goings on of God around me. I took picture after picture of my family, especially the Grands, and I captured sunrises and sunsets, soaking in the breathtaking scenes of God’s Creation. It was possibly the most peaceful summer I had ever experienced, and that is why when I woke up with chest pains on August 28th, while camping with my husband, I was incredulous!

I will spare all the details of my nine day stay in the cardiac care units, with cardiologists trying to figure out why I presented with chest pains. Echocardiograms, x-rays, countless blood tests, an angiogram, and MRI failed to determine the exact cause. Oh, they had several theories, but in the end it still remains a bit of a mystery. Prayer Warriors bathed me in prayer, and I felt held by God throughout the ordeal. My eighth grandbaby was born on September 1st, while I was in hospital. I wept tears of joy, and showed my nurses the pictures of Greyson, (my son and daughter-in-law’s fourth boy). I had been able to hold each one of my grandchildren on their BIRTH day, but I had to wait five whole days to hold Grey!

I will admit, I’m a bit beat up physically, and emotionally. I’m tired, and the doctors have prescribed some new medications to prevent this “mystery” cardiac event from happening again. Those meds have some other side effects I’m only starting to experience now, and they are not pleasant. There are no “free rides” I guess. So, I feel like I have to pull back a bit, and let my body recover and get used to another new normal for me.

While in hospital, I was asked by the organizer of our town’s Terry Fox Run if I would be a “starter” of this year’s run. It is a great honour to represent “Terry’s Team”, by starting the race this upcoming Sunday. I don’t know if I will physically be able to complete the five kilometre course, but I’m going to give it my best try for Terry #nomatterwhat!

So much for “pulling back”…LOL!

I am a firm believer that things happen for a reason, and although I don’t understand why things happen as they do, I just have to look for God to direct my steps in all my circumstances. I felt God’s “peace in the midst of MY calamity” to be sure.

I don’t much like hospitals, but I do try to be a patient who appreciates the nurses, doctors and technicians who care for the sick. They are my “angels of mercy”, and I told them that! When I was released from critical care and placed on the cardiac care ward, I no longer had my own room, but had to share a room with an eighty year old gentleman. With only a curtain separating us for privacy for four nights, I learned his story and he learned mine. Initially, I was uncomfortable with sharing a hospital room with a male roommate, but as I conversed with this man, I felt God was directing our conversations. I had the opportunity to pray with him, the morning I was discharged from hospital. He was facing the prospects of open heart surgery, and though he had a large family, he was a widower, and he was afraid. I may never see him again, this side of eternity, but I continue to pray the seed that was planted, God will now water.

Amen.

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