Valley of Fog
The day dawned with a bright
sun in the sky. It was one of those on-a-clear-day-you-can-see-forever
spring day. My dear husband sat at the
breakfast table and peered outside, “The fog is really heavy today. It is rolling in. I can’t even see the buildings across the
road,” he commented. Despite the laser surgery, glaucoma has moved into his
eyes and made his sight less than optimal.
After 88 years, his brown eyes had almost lost the ability to see
pictures on TV, in print or on the Ipad.
Losing the sight to even see clearly the pictures of his grandchildren
and great grandchildren has been devastating to him although he quietly accepts
it.
The same is true of my dear
husband’s mind, for each day he wakes up deep in dementia. His mind falls
deeper into the ‘fog of memory’. He gropes for ‘knowing’ and awareness of the
world around him. He asks question after
question and quickly forgets the answers and asks again. He forgets faces and names of his beloved
grandchildren. He cannot remember the
plot of the television stories we watch.
His steps are unsure. He refuses and then forgets to use the walker or a wheel
chair. He holds my hand and I lead him,
ever more slowly, from the car to church on Sunday.
husband’s mind, for each day he wakes up deep in dementia. His mind falls
deeper into the ‘fog of memory’. He gropes for ‘knowing’ and awareness of the
world around him. He asks question after
question and quickly forgets the answers and asks again. He forgets faces and names of his beloved
grandchildren. He cannot remember the
plot of the television stories we watch.
His steps are unsure. He refuses and then forgets to use the walker or a wheel
chair. He holds my hand and I lead him,
ever more slowly, from the car to church on Sunday.
God has given us five senses
in which to make sense of our world.
When our children were small, we saw them ‘learning’ mainly through the
sense of taste. Which sense is the most
important? Is it sight, hearing, taste,
touch or smell? A great part of a
child’s charm is his or her ability to learn day by day about their world
through the five senses.
in which to make sense of our world.
When our children were small, we saw them ‘learning’ mainly through the
sense of taste. Which sense is the most
important? Is it sight, hearing, taste,
touch or smell? A great part of a
child’s charm is his or her ability to learn day by day about their world
through the five senses.
As a girl, I watched my
Uncle Jacob Siemens going through life as a blind man.
He became blind through a series of accidents in his childhood. One day he shared his book of
incomprehensible (to me) lines of pin-pricked pages. He moved his hand over the page and read to
us. When I moved my hand over his book
page, I felt illegible bumps. In awe, I
watched him eat, as his wife proclaimed the mashed potatoes were at 3 o’clock
and the meat was at 9 o’clock. There was
no bitterness in him, simply acceptance.
During family reunions he laughed with energy, perched on a white wooden
chair with his three brothers.
Uncle Jacob Siemens going through life as a blind man.
He became blind through a series of accidents in his childhood. One day he shared his book of
incomprehensible (to me) lines of pin-pricked pages. He moved his hand over the page and read to
us. When I moved my hand over his book
page, I felt illegible bumps. In awe, I
watched him eat, as his wife proclaimed the mashed potatoes were at 3 o’clock
and the meat was at 9 o’clock. There was
no bitterness in him, simply acceptance.
During family reunions he laughed with energy, perched on a white wooden
chair with his three brothers.
Uncle Jacob lived with
blindness, not as a curse, but a part of living. He sang, he praised God, he taught Bible
School and he lived in a world of light – spiritual light.
blindness, not as a curse, but a part of living. He sang, he praised God, he taught Bible
School and he lived in a world of light – spiritual light.
The loss of sight means not
catching the glow of lightening in the night sky; the loss of a beautiful and
color-filled Spring season; the reading of words on a printed page or the
nuances of body language. I never asked
Uncle Jacob, but I often wonder what he ‘saw’ when vision was denied. Did his imagination and mind-pictures
compensate?
catching the glow of lightening in the night sky; the loss of a beautiful and
color-filled Spring season; the reading of words on a printed page or the
nuances of body language. I never asked
Uncle Jacob, but I often wonder what he ‘saw’ when vision was denied. Did his imagination and mind-pictures
compensate?
When I read verses in the
Bible about the second coming of Jesus, the words create images in my
mind. What did the throne look like? Revelation
4:2-3 – And
instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone
sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was
as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald
circled his throne like a rainbow.
Bible about the second coming of Jesus, the words create images in my
mind. What did the throne look like? Revelation
4:2-3 – And
instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone
sitting on it. The one sitting on the throne was
as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald
circled his throne like a rainbow.
Or the sight of an angel in
Heaven – Revelation 10:1 – Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a
rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like
pillars of fire.
Heaven – Revelation 10:1 – Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a
rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like
pillars of fire.
The gates and streets in Heaven are not to be
equalled – Revelation 21:21 – The
twelve gates were made of
pearls—each gate from
a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.
equalled – Revelation 21:21 – The
twelve gates were made of
pearls—each gate from
a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.
No one in Hollywood could produce
the sights that the scripture describes to us that we will see one day through
the grace and great love of God.
the sights that the scripture describes to us that we will see one day through
the grace and great love of God.
There is physical sight and
there is spiritual sight. Those who see
the wisdom and the love of God, learn to see life through His Spirit. There is no shortcut on this earth to learn
this spiritual sight except by walking with Him. Even as a child learns to walk – step by
faltering step – we learn to walk in faith and trust. When the next step is not visible, we walk
with our hand in His…and He provides.
There are valleys of hurt that strengthen our faith. There are deep rushing rivers we must cross
and yet, our Lord is with us and carries us through the fog of doubt to the
other side.
there is spiritual sight. Those who see
the wisdom and the love of God, learn to see life through His Spirit. There is no shortcut on this earth to learn
this spiritual sight except by walking with Him. Even as a child learns to walk – step by
faltering step – we learn to walk in faith and trust. When the next step is not visible, we walk
with our hand in His…and He provides.
There are valleys of hurt that strengthen our faith. There are deep rushing rivers we must cross
and yet, our Lord is with us and carries us through the fog of doubt to the
other side.
How can we but praise our God? We share in joy the blessings that become
ours through Christ Jesus with others through encouragement. So encourage each
other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. I Thessalonians 5:
11
ours through Christ Jesus with others through encouragement. So encourage each
other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. I Thessalonians 5:
11
And we ever sing….
Our God is greater, our God is stronger
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God…
God You are higher than any other
Our God is Healer, awesome and power
Our God, Our God…
Into the darkness you shine
Out of the ashes we Rise
There’s no One like You
None like You. (Chris Tomlin)
• The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed
down. The Lord loves
the godly. Psalm 146:8
down. The Lord loves
the godly. Psalm 146:8
• At that very time, Jesus cured many people of
their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who
were blind. Luke 7:21
their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who
were blind. Luke 7:21
•
Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell
him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers
are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is
being preached to the poor. Matthew 11:5
Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell
him what you have heard and seen— the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers
are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is
being preached to the poor. Matthew 11:5
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