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Today, I am remembering a great lady.

Trudy Seymour
June 23, 1925 – June 6, 2006

She was a blessing to all who knew her. I was blessed and honored to have her as my mom.

My mother lived the words of this verse: “Be kind and compassionate to one another…” (Ephesians 4:32 niv)

She was a kind, gracious, compassionate woman.

When I was 7 years old, I spent 6 months off and on in Jefferson Hospital. My mom would come at 8 AM, and stay till visiting hours were over in the evening, taking the subway and the bus through the streets of Philadelphia to a friend’s house where she was staying. Barbie dolls and Crazy Eights occupied our time while she waited each day for news from the doctors. When I was finally released from the hospital, she took care of me at home, in addition to serving in the roles of wife, homemaker, and mother.

My mom loved children. She exemplified the words of Jesus when He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:3-5 niv)

And also when He said: “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14 niv)

Each year, one of the highlights of Mom’s summer was Vacation Bible School. When I was young, she took us to VBS at Green Ridge Primitive Methodist Church. Later, she was a faithful worker at Country Alliance Church’s VBS. One VBS co-worker recently wrote: “Oh, I remember the years Trudy would be there every day of VBS servin’ up the cookies and juice! She would talk to every kid there…” When my children were younger, they would sometimes spend the week with their grandma, because she wanted to take them to VBS with her.

One song that I remember my mom singing is:

Jesus bids us shine with a clear, pure light,
Like a little candle burning in the night;
In this world of darkness, we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.

Jesus bids us shine, first of all for Him;
Well He sees and knows it if our light is dim;
He looks down from heaven, sees us shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.

Jesus bids us shine, then, for all around,
Many kinds of darkness in this world abound:
Sin, and want, and sorrow—we must shine,
You in your small corner, and I in mine.

–Susan B. Warner

May we all be comforted and blessed as we remember fondly this humble, compassionate servant, and grateful to God for His gift to us.

“Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” (Isaiah 40:1 nkj)

This article first appeared in Christianity Today in September, 1982. Good for me to be reminded, again.

“It was December 1958. The tragic parochial school fire in Chicago was being reported on the evening news. One of the teachers was being interviewed. She told of the panic, the suffocating heat, the smoke that blackened out the room in daylight, and of herding the children out the window and down the ladders, assisted by the firemen.

“Struggling for control, the sister described how she climbed through the window and down the ladder, across the roof, then down another ladder to the ground. ‘I looked up at the windows billowing black smoke. It was then,’ she said simply, tears streaming down her face, ‘that I saw the one I missed.’

“Amid the pressures of today, the increasing global turmoil—the smoke that blackens the room in daylight—we who are Christians must be alert. Is there a letter we need to write? Some simple deed of kindness we should do? An encouraging word to give to someone who is desperate to hear? Time we ought to take to listen? Is there someone we should invite for a meal or a cup of tea?

“We need concern. We need compassion. This is not the same as sharing the gospel. Opportunities like these simply allow us to show genuine love, to earn the right to be heard.

“God forbid that the time should ever come when we will have to look back and see ‘the one we missed.’”

(Ruth Graham, Christianity Today, September 3, 1982)

In late April, 1991, we were expecting our seventh child. By the end of the month, we knew that the time was near.

On April 30, my friend Lisa N. came for lunch. She offered to stay with our six children while Tom and I went to my obstetrician appointment. I sat in the doctor’s office, and timed contractions. They occurred about every 10 minutes.

Dr. B’s office was packed. He had been away the week before. When he saw me, he said, “Oh, you waited, that’s good!”

When the doctor examined me, he said that I was 3 to 4 centimeters dilated. He said that I could go to the hospital, or I could go home and “let nature take it’s course.” The nurse at the doctor’s office said that I should go to the hospital. “You don’t want Tom to deliver this baby,” she said.

Instead of going to the hospital, we went to the mall. It gave me an opportunity to walk around. We had dinner at Arby’s. Then we drove down to the hospital. The contractions were pretty hard, but still 10 to 20 minutes apart. “Let’s go home,” I said. We went into the hospital, and told them that we were not coming in just yet.

We arrived home around 7 PM. I smelled pine cleaner, and heard children in the bathroom. Really clean kids, huh?

Lisa had bathed the children, and had also cleaned the kitchen floor.

“I am not sure what we are doing,” I said.

“Do you want me to stay over night?” she asked.

Lisa went to her weekly Bible Study. Another friend stopped by, and together we timed my contractions. By 9:44 PM, the contractions were closer together, Lisa came back to stay overnight, and Tom and I left for the hospital.

When they checked me, I was about 5 centimeters dilated. They put me on heartbeat/contraction monitors. Not very comfortable; but I’m glad they did. The baby’s heartbeat began to go down with each contraction. The nurse came in and gave me an oxygen mask, and tried to give me an I.V. Ouch! She couldn’t get it in. Dr. B. came in shortly thereafter. He said, “We have to get this one out quick.” Push—Push—Push. He’s out. The baby had had a prolapsed cord. With each contraction, he was squishing the umbilical cord.

Tom held him. I held him. I tried to nurse him, but he wasn’t ready. I thought, “That’s OK.” We oogled over him for quite a while. The obstetrician left.

The nurse then asked us if we were ready to have him cleaned and weighed. “OK,” I said.

When she came back, she stated: “You are not going to believe this – he weighs 3 pounds, 14 ounces.” Since he was so small, they put him in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Tom stayed with me till I got settled into a room. It was about 2 AM. We both cried. How frightened and worried I was!

At about 4 AM, the pediatrician came by my room to see me. “What can I do you to help you sleep,” she asked. I told her that I thought it would help if I saw him again. She arranged for a wheel chair for me to ride down to see Peter. She patiently answered my questions and addressed my fears.

I was released from the hospital on Friday, May 3, 1991. Peter was still in the NICU.

For the next two weeks, friends provided meals and helped with the children. Our family continued with homeschooling responsibilities. I visited Peter every day.

One day, as I stood and looked at Peter in the isolet, I remembered words from a children’s CD: “Kids,” the character Psalty says, “You don’t have to trust God to get you to the top of the mountain. You only have to trust God to get you to the next step.” “Oh,” I thought, “I can do that!”

God writes in His Word: “Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6)

My thought: Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow. Trust God for today.

On Wednesday, May 8, my mom and dad visited. They stayed at our house with the other children; I went to the hospital. Later, my mom and dad brought the other children to the hospital. Tom came from work and met us there. The “peanut gallery” were able to view Peter through the window observation post.

On May 17, Peter was discharged from the hospital. He weighed 4 pounds, 8 ounces. He was able to nurse; he was gaining weight; and his body temperature was stabilized.

Today, May 1, 2009, our Peter turned 18.

Last year, the night before his 17th birthday, I hugged him, and I wiped a tear.

“It was a long time ago, Mom,” he said tenderly; perceptively.

“I know,” I said, “but I remember… and I am continually grateful to God for His faithfulness.”

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.” (Matthew 6:33-34 nasb)

A recently headline on CNN.com reads: “Recession fears. Mortgage crisis. Jobs at risk.”

A reminder from God’s Word; imperatives that never go out of style:

“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs….

“Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.”

(Deuteronomy 15:7-11 niv)

May God continue to bless us with His grace and His compassion.

For those of you whose children are young, there is good news and bad news.

The good news is: “They won’t always be this little.”

The bad news is: “They won’t always be this little.”

When my children were little, I had a plaque on the wall to remind me of this important fact.

Here is the poem:

Babies Don’t Keep
by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due,
Lullabye, rockaby, lullabye loo.
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo,
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo,
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs;
Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

Remembering with you that the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.

Thank you to Mrs. Hamilton for reminding us.

Our words should:

(1)    Build others up.

(2)    Be according to _their_ needs.

(3)    Benefit those who listen.

Immediately, I might think, “But no one _else_ talks like that! Why should I??”

A thought: the only person that I can control is myself.  Regardless of what others are doing, I can speak words of grace.  Also, rather than taking my cues from other people, I should remember that God is present with me wherever I am; I should take my cues from Him.

Another thought might be: “But there’s NO WAY that my words sound like this.  I don’t even think I could do it if I tried…”

The good news is that God already knew that.  If I admit that on my own, I cannot speak words of grace, or think more of others than I think of myself, then I am on the _right_ track.  This is what the incarnation is all about.  God entered history, lived the life of obedience that I could _never_ have lived, and died in my place.  It is because of the cross that I can have the power to speak words that build others up, are according to their needs, and benefit those who listen.

For more thoughts on the power of the cross, and the Gospel of Christ, click on “Pursuit of Wisdom” (above).

Best wishes for a peaceful holiday!

The late Fred Rogers, from PBS’s Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, once said:

“More and more I’ve come to understand that
listening is one of the most important things
we can do for one another.

“Whether the other is speaking or playing or dancing,
building or singing or painting,
if we care, we can listen.

“Listening is where caring begins.”

In the Bible, author James tells us: ”My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. (James 1:19-20)

Here are some more thoughts from God’s Word regarding listening:

“He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame.” (Proverbs 18:13)

”The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.” (Proverbs 12:15)

”Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.” (Proverbs 4:1)

The Bible also tells us that there are some things to which we should NOT listen:

”A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.” (Proverbs 17:4)

”A false witness will perish, and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever.” (Proverbs 21:28)

We are told that the lips of “an adulteress “drip honey,” and that her speech is “smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.” (Proverbs 5:1-4)

When wondering which voices to which we should listen, we can be like the Apostles, who said:
”We must obey God rather than men!” (Acts 5:29)

I will admit that on my own, I am not at all a good listener.
On my own, I care more about me than about listening to others.

Thankfully, through the power given me by Christ, I can be what I would otherwise not be.
[“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13]

Songwriter Keith Getty puts it this way: “This the power of the cross: Christ became sin for us. Took the blame, bore the wrath—We stand forgiven at the cross.” (www.gettymusic.com)

At the cross, we stand forgiven. Because of the work that Christ did on the cross, we are given the ability to do that which we could not otherwise do.

[Not sure about this? click on “Pursuit of Wisdom”/”Do You Know For Sure?” (above)]

When I remember who Christ is, and what He did for me, I can have this ability to become a better listener.

My prayer is that God, by His grace, will enable each of us to listen better to Him through His Word,
to be ‘clothed’ with the compassion that comes from Him (Colossians 3:12),
to become better listeners.

May God help each of us hear the “silent cries” of others in need
(family members, friends, neighbors, and even strangers.)

Because of Christ, each day I can grow to be more “quick to listen …”

There are two important questions that we can ask ourselves that may help as we serve Christ in His Kingdom.

It’s good to ask them seriously, honestly, continually.

Then, by God’s grace, in His strength, and with a lot of encouragement from our friends, we can act on what is learned.

The first question is: “Who is the only person whose opinion matters to me?”

The answer to this question is that God is the only person whose opinion of me ultimately matters.

Here are some thoughts for us from God’s Word:

“… there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. ” (Hebrews 4:13)

“[God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Corinthians 5:21)

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10)

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1)

The second question is: “Who is the only person I can control?”

The answer to this question is: “me.” *I* am the only person that I can control.

So, what CAN I do?

Here are a few thoughts to get me started:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

“If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” (Romans 12:18)

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” (Romans 14:9)

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” (Hebrews 12:14-15)

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” (James 1:19)

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1)

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” (Titus 3:1-3)

“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

“To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” (I Peter 3:8-10)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29)

“…speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15)

“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.” (Galatians 6:1)

About Christ Himself, God’s Word tells us: “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (I Peter 2:23)

“So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (I Peter 4:19)

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13)

”’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Zechariah 4:6)

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (II Corinthians 12:9)

”…being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…” (Colossians 1:11)

Quite a challenge! But, remember that these thoughts are not studied “once and done.” Just like a compass gives us direction when traveling, these are thoughts to which I need to continually return in order to “take my cue from Christ,” and maintain my true bearings.

by God’s grace, in His strength… to His glory.

Wounds really hurt.

Wounds are sometimes physical, such as a broken bone or chronic joint pain.

Some wounds are wounds of the heart.

We may experience wounds of the heart because a loved one is far away (physically or emotionally), and is missed dearly, or because we have suffered great loss. We may also experience wounds of the heart when we are hurt by the actions or words of another.

The Bible reminds us that “Reckless words pierce like a sword…”
(Proverbs 12:18 niv)

The Bible also contains the poignant true story about friends, David and Jonathan. This story, found in the Old Testament book of I Samuel, tells of real hurt of the heart.

David was a faithful servant to King Saul. Saul’s son, Jonathan, and David became very close friends.

The Bible tells us: ”…Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself..”
(I Samuel 18:1 niv)

Sadly, it seemed to David that King Saul was becoming hostile toward him.

When David suspected King Saul’s antagonism and rejection of him, Jonathan made plans to find out if this were true, arranging for a signal between himself and David.

Jonathan said to David, “Tomorrow is the New Moon festival. You will be missed, because your seat will be empty. The day after tomorrow, toward evening, go to the place where you hid when this trouble began, and wait by the stone Ezel. I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I were shooting at a target. Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows.’ If I say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them here,’ then come, because, as surely as the LORD lives, you are safe; there is no danger. But if I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then you must go, because the LORD has sent you away.” (I Samuel 20:18-23 niv)

Jonathan discovered that the hostility of Saul was true.

We later read: ”Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the month he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David. In the morning Jonathan went out to the field for his meeting with David. He had a small boy with him, and he said to the boy, ‘Run and find the arrows I shoot.’ As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called out after him, ‘Isn’t the arrow beyond you?’” (I Samuel 20:34-36 niv)

This was the agreed upon signal between Jonathan and David.

”After the boy had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times, with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together—but David wept the most.” (I Samuel 20:41-42)

David and Jonathan each suffered great loss. Rejection and separation hurt intensely.

Denying the hurt will not make that hurt go away.

The writer of the Psalms seemed to know great pain when he wrote: ”I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” (Psalm 6:6 niv)

Author Elisabeth Elliot reminds us that each of us is given a choice of what to do when wounded, no matter the cause. She writes:

”Living in a world broken by sin, we suffer wounds of many kinds. Perhaps the most painful are not the physical ones but those of the heart. No one has power to hurt us more deeply than somebody we love, somebody we counted on to understand and support us. But there are two ways to receive wounds. One leads to larger life. The other leads straight to death, that is to destruction–of those we influence as well as of ourselves.

”By grace we can receive the wounds of our friends as our Master received them–in the strength and for the glory of our heavenly Father. Being sinners ourselves, however, we need to be brought low at the cross.

”Nothing will do this better than some piercing heart-wound, provided we seek Christ because of it and pray Him to purify us.

”There is another way–the world’s way. It is anger, resentment, retaliation, retreat into pride and self-justification. These are quite natural, and quite lethal. The choice is ours.”
(Gateway to Joy)

When choosing to receive the wounds “as our Master received them–in the strength and for the glory of our heavenly Father” some thoughts from God’s Word may be helpful as they remind us that there really is a God, that He knows our every heartache, and that He is the healer of our hurts:

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction…” (II Corinthians 1:3-4 nasb)

“He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried…” (Isaiah 53:3-4 nasb)

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3 niv)

”Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.” (Psalm 126:5 niv)

”…God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17 niv)

May you be comforted, and a comforter to others who are wounded.