Hertzler Doings~Jan. 23-29, 2012

Mon.~Woke up with this snippet of verse in my mind repeating itself,"Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times." Found it in Is. 33:6. I'm writing this a week and a half after this date so I will write it as Thank you's.

#591-Phil sent blog on intimidation to Nolte.
#592-a catch up phone call with a friend.
#593-MM's severe mercy answer of a prayer
#594-Set up the mini trampoline-5 min. of jumping=1 hour of aerobics
#595-Dutch Blitz games at noon break
#596-Susan's 'You should assign me an essay to write.' "OK. Write an essay." 'What on?' "Health." 'How long?' "10 paragraphs, and include your own personal goals." A few hours later, she emerged from her room with a well-written essay that only needs a bit of editing.
#597-Phil here today.
#598-Susan and I make up face book statuses daily that we wouldn't dare to print, but they serve their purpose by leaving us in hysterics.
#599-"Great Expectations" and the warning it holds for me.
#600-The red cardinal outside my window. My mother often reminds me of the red cardinal that was singing outside her window the day I was born.

Tues.-Ps. 95:4-"In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also."

601-Thank you for Lindsay's kind words and friendship and that she had me write on her blog as a guest.
602-Susan's casual classy hair-do
603-Susan went into the health food store in Farmville. "No school today?" they asked. "I'm homeschooled," she replied. "That's beautiful," said the sweet wife of the sweet man. "Yes, I get to go horseback riding, etc. etc." said Susan. (If you need a healthy dose of sugar, go see this kind man and his kind wife. Nicest people you'll ever want to meet.)
604-Susan made an 8 photo framed gift of her own pictures for Grandpa H. for his 82nd birthday? I think that's right.

Wed.-Deut. 20:3,4,14c-"...Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you...and you shall eat the enemies' plunder which the LORD your God gives you."

Susan and I went to Lynchburg to get the car worked on-heater blower and cruise control. It was going to be a long wait so they offered to drive us around. First they took us to the mall. Shopped and got Susan's nails done. Then we called and they took us to Goodwill where we made out like bandits. Car finally done at 3:10. Good thing we didn't have to sit there from 9:30-3:00.
Came home, washed clothes, packed, Susan and Philip went to Calvary. She likes telling me about their get acquainted games, Bible Study, and group discussions.

Thurs.-Phil made breakfast for Freeman, Philip, Susan, and I. Susan and I left around 6:30 for Pa. Got to Mother's around 1:30. After a visit with Mother, I took Susan to Morgantown where we made a quick stop at Re-uzit and a moderate stop at BB's and then we looked around for boxer puppy for sale signs. Took Susan to Grandma and Grandpa H's for the next few days. Grandpa liked her gift and hung it above their kitchen table. He always took good pictures. I have two that he took in Germany blown up poster size and hanging down at my cottage. My grandmother had a little brownie camera. She took photos of my mother that would win prizes. My brother blew them up to 8x10's and framed them in black frames and made his own little gallery of them. That was the plan anyway. I came back to M's and watched TV-Jeopardy and religious programs. Got to bed around 9.

Fri.-Studying James with Beth Moore. She said to think about your hardships and list three responses you could have towards them, one being to 'count it all joy.' Consider the end of all those responses. The end of counting it all joy is perfection and completeness, nothing lacking. Thinking about what my chiro./nutritionalist said about my foot problem. She said that people with feet problems are afraid to take a step forward. She got in my face and said, "What are you afraid of?" and I said, "Well, you're pretty scary right now." We laughed and I said, "Can I get back to you on that?" So I'm thinking about what I am afraid of. Why am I afraid to take the next step. I think I have it figured out. I wrote it down in my blog book and there it will most likely stay. Busy day with Mother. Three people in for 'at home' care and 3 others in for other duties, including the nurse and the physical therapist. When I grow up, I want to be a physical therapist. I was so impressed with this woman. PT's help give a person confidence and hope. Hey-maybe I can be a spiritual 'physical therapist.' Watched World Revival Church on Daystore from 9-10. Interesting to see the people my friend had talked to about YWtheJ.

Sat.-Went to LBC to watch "The Sound of Music" with Karen and Susan. Katrina, my niece, did a top-notch job at playing Baronness Schrader. The singing and acting was so professional. I had to cry I was so stinkin' proud of her. Karen gave Katrina flowers. Katrina dedicated the play to her brother, Abie, who had played one of the boys in a local theatre group. My brother, Abe, stayed with my mother while I was gone. I brought Susan back to Mother's for a quick visit and she kept calling Susan, "Sweetie." Took Susan back to Hertzler's. Stopped at Yoder's market for her to get supper at the salad bar. Watched Gaither Revival in the eve.

Sun.-Watched GS's church service on TV. Asked Mother if she could quote Colossians for me. Years ago she had memorized it. She wrote it out on an index flip chart in her own translation by taking favorite segments from her favorite translations. She did rattle off quite a bit of it for me. I slept off and on on the sofa. Buffy kept me company and wanted me to pet her. She'd jump up on the sofa beside me. I was so flattered because I think she only behaves this way with Mother. Others can pet her but they have to pet her on her terms. But she came to me when I called. Uncle Paul and Aunt Ann came to visit in the afternoon. I always enjoy talking with them. I am going to blog one of his stories about his meeting with Martin Luther King Jr. Jim and Rosalee came in the eve. and watched some of the political news. Last night here for awhile...

605-Thankful for Grandparents who take care of their grand-daughter so their daughter-in-law can spend time with her mother.
606-Thankful for my sister-in-law, Debra, who took Susan to the thrift shop with her and then gave her what she picked out and said we could just treat her to lunch when she comes down.

Out of the Depths

I read a Psalm or two every day and this morning a verse in Psalm 95 slowed me down and asked me to stay awhile. Verse four sang, "In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also."

I began to think about the depths of God and looked up verses in my Strong's concordance under the words 'deep' and 'depths.' I like to read verses about the same theme all at one time. It refreshes me, like standing under a gentle waterfall on a hot summer's day.

Let these verses wash over your soul. I write them here in the order they appear in the Bible.
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Gen. 49:25~"...And the Almighty will bless you with blessings of heaven above, and blessings of the deep that lies beneath,..."

Job 12:22~"He uncovers deep things out of darkness, And brings the shadow of death to light."

Ps. 36:6~"...Your judgments are a great deep;.."

Ps. 42:7~"Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls; all Your waves and billows have gone over me."

Ps. 69:1~"Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink; Let me be delivered from those who hate me, And out of the deep waters."

Ps. 92:5~"...Your thoughts are very deep..."

Ps. 106:9~"..so He led them through the depths, as through the wilderness..."

Ps. 130:1,2~"Out of the depths I have cried to You, O LORD; Lord, hear my voice! "

Ps. 39:8-12~"...if I make my bed in hell, behold you are there..if I dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me," even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, but the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You."

Dan. 2:22~"He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him."

Luke 5:4~"...Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

Rom. 8:39~"...nor height nor depth...shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Rom. 11:33~"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"

1 Cor. 2:10~"...For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God."

Eph. 3:18,19~"..that you may be able to comprehend...what is the width and length and depth and height...of the love of Christ..."
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God is in our deep places.
He reveals Himself to us there.
So don't be afraid of the deep places,
for His love is everywhere.

"Ephphata"

Mark 7.

Some caring people brought to Jesus a deaf man with a speech impediment and begged Him to put His hand on him. Jesus pulled him away from the crowd, put His fingers in the man's ears, spat, and touched the man's tongue. Then He looked up to heaven, and sighed, and said to the man, "Ephphata," that is, "Be opened."

Immediately, his ears were opened and his tongue was set free and he could speak plainly. Everyone was astonished beyond measure and they said, "He has done all things well. He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."
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From the time I was twelve and on up into my early twenties, I attended a deaf church with my family. The pastor was hearing and he signed and spoke at the same time. He was a wonderful man and I have fond memories of that community of deaf and hearing believers. Above the pulpit on the wall were written beautiful words, "In that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book," from Isaiah's prophecy about the coming Savior.

My sister got her master's degree in deaf education and later married a man who was instrumental in rescuing deaf people from mental institutions and setting up homes for them to live in. He was their go-between; helping them acclimate themselves to a 'normal' world. Later, he and my sister adopted a 8 or 9 year old Korean deaf boy who has since grown up and married a deaf woman and they have two children-both deaf. My brother-in-law is finishing up his doctorate and it has something to do with deafness as well.

When I was in high school, I took sign language classes to better communicate with my deaf friends. Two of my close friends in high school were twin deaf boys who could speak and communicate without a great deal of sign language. I would help them when they didn't understand something that was going on. I also found that knowing how to read lips had its advantages.

I always thought that the deaf people I knew in church had good marriages because they could never turn their backs on one another if they wanted to communicate a message. Face to face, eyes reading eyes, lips reading lips, hands reading hands, in their own private world.

I say all this to say that the world of deafness is not foreign to me, but I only know it from the outside looking in. I can only imagine what it must have felt like to have Jesus' fingers in my ears, watch Him spit, feel His touch on my tongue and the warm breath of His heavenward sigh on my face, and watch His mouth say, "Ephphatha. Be opened."

I love that Jesus took that man away from the noise of the crowd so His voice would be the first voice he heard.

Perhaps we too, must be taken away from the crowd in order that we may first hear His voice.
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I like these verses about our ears and our tongue.

Isaiah 50:4,5~"The Lord God has given Me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD has opened My ear and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away."

These words were prophetic about Jesus' relationship with His Father
and His kind way with weary people,
but I think God would delight in giving us a learned tongue
to speak a word to the weary as well.
He would like to open our ears to hear as the learned.

John 10:3,4~"The sheep hear His voice...and they follow Him, for they know His voice."

The reason a child responds to its parent's voice in a crowd
is because it knows that voice from being alone with its parent at home.
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God is not deaf. Not only does He hear us; He heeds us.
The word 'heed' or 'hearken' means to give careful attention to;
to listen carefully.

Psalm 34:4 says, "I sought the LORD and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears."

Isaiah 65:24-"It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear."

God is eager to answer our prayers.
Sometimes He answers our thoughts
before they turn into words of prayer.

And Romans 8:26 says, "...for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

Too often we think that because God is Sovereign, God will do what God will do. But His Sovereignty gives Him the freedom to heed what we are saying and to change circumstances and hearts because of our words. Just look at what Moses did for the Children of Israel with his intervening words.

Sometimes, life strikes us dumb with its cruelty and pain. Our mouths are shut up and we have no idea what to say or how to pray. But God hears even our groanings which cannot be uttered. God does not have human ears. He hears the broken heart that cannot even make a sound,
and for this, I fall at His feet and love Him all the more.

Thank you
Dear Merciful Hearing God.