Remembering

It was good to be away, and it's good to be back. Yesterday's blood draw went smoothly, and we should have the result in a few hours. I'll post the report here as soon as I get it. Thanks to all who keep praying for the CA 125 numbers to drop. I appreciate you so much.

Even though my parents moved to Cat Island after all of us children were grown, returning there was a retrospective journey for all of us. We remember them, and we honor them for their faithful obedience to God. Sure, like us they had flaws and made mistakes, but they were driven by desire to spread the knowledge of God and to relieve human suffering--and they did a lot! It is good to remember.

God's Word often exhorts us to remember. The Hebrew words translated memory or remember all relate to the root verb zakar. It always means more than simply holding a fact about the past in mind. It also includes reflecting on it, and acting in a way that's appropriate to the memory. In other words, biblical remembering is to think, to reflect, and to act. You know, most of us keep too busy for reflection. That's too bad.

I received an amazing phone call last evening. A friend from college wanted to thank me for helping her become a follower of Jesus. I said, "I don't think I was the one," and she interrupted to insist, "Yes, it was you." I do remember wanting to help her, studying the Bible with her a few times, and doing some fun things together as students. But after graduation and marriage she moved away, I got busy with motherhood and everything else, and we became "Christmas card friends." Yet here she is, a believer, and marking the beginning of her Christian life to the very little I was able to do. (I've always felt that I let her and many other people down.) It makes me see that when God has a plan for someone's life, He will accomplish it, and it takes very little outside input sometimes. I want to encourage you, my Christian friends, to keep on "letting your light shine," trusting God to touch other people's lives through you.

Yesterday on my lunch hour I uploaded a few photos from our week on the island. (My connection at work is far better than at home.) If you're interested, you may scroll on down.

Love,
Carol