Thoughts on Dying Part I

With the tragedy unfolding in Haiti, anyone who follows the news has to be thinking about death and dying. In addition, we have just experienced the loss of a very dear uncle this week, bringing the proximity of eternity into personal focus for us.

My thoughts on the matter:
Many people want to believe that at death, we merely cease to exist--move into a non-condition; the end is the end; eternal sleep; nothing more. Or, some want to believe that our soul will be embodied in another creature and the next life will be spent living out the consequences of the former life. (There are many variations on this theme). Others want to think that if their good deeds weigh more than their bad deeds, then a loving God will surely let them live forever in a pleasant place when they die.

Unfortunately, most of the time, these thoughts are completely self-generated and self-centered. We either deny that death is a significant ending to what we experience as life, or we attempt to create our own version of a heaven, or a paradise, where all the troubles of this life go away and we can live the way we want to live and be forever happy and comfortable. I'm sure there are many other versions of life (or non-life) after death, but these are the ones I most often encounter.

Well, all these ideas might be credible if we, as humans, were completely able to determine our own destiny. Some might say that "Fate" or "Chance" is the determiner of our lives, but I'm more inclined to accept the traditional belief that the Bible has the answers to these deep questions about life and death--not because I'm a traditionalist, but because those answers, when compared to all the others, make the most sense.

Have you read the Bible at all? and thought about the ideas there about death? I'd encourage you to begin reading in the book of John--the gospel (good news). Read with an open mind, set aside your personal opinions for awhile, and just read. I'd like to write about this subject even more next time. But for now, this must suffice.

Tropical Christmas

Since living here on the island of Saipan, we have met many people who would hate to live anywhere else. For them, Christmas is Christmas--another holiday. Hang up the lights, buy some presents, cook lots of food, eat lots of food, have a party or two, great weather, great beaches--what more could one desire. This isn't the first time we've lived away from "home" during Christmas. We have spent Christmases in Brasil, Portugal, and Guyana.

And to be honest, I have a difficult time thinking it's Christmas when it's 86 degrees and 86% humidity. It's hard to be away from the ones who have always been a part of my Christmas past. And the romantic that I am, I miss the Currier and Ives surroundings that were dear to me in my dad's picture book as a child growing up in Southern California which later became part of my daily landscape when we lived in Wisconsin and Indiana. So I must confess that Christmas to me is very much connected with family, friends, and familiar places.

But what is Christmas anyway? Why do we long for the closeness of family and loved ones at this particular time of the year? I'd like to suggest that it's because of a deeper longing that has been dulled and covered over by years of secular thought and cultural traditions--the longing to know and be known by our Creator, God.

It's this time of year that we are reminded that the "hopes and fears of all the years" are met in the form of the Christ-child, who became a man, and gave His perfect life as a sacrifice for our fallen, human nature. "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us--and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."

What is this truth? That we are lost without God; we don't know which way to go. But in this Christ-child who grew to be called the Son of Man, we find grace to love our enemies, to live in peace with ourselves, our God, and others, and to look forward to that better day coming when every Christmas wish we've ever felt will seem irrelevant and petty in the glorious new life we will realize in Christ's presence. He promised to come again and take us to be with Him. I think it will be soon.

Tropical Christmas? Not what I'm used to, not what I really like. But that's OK, because Christmas reminds me of the better life awaiting me in my heavenly home--and the longer I live, the more family and friends there are waiting for me in that special place. Hope to see you there.*

Jan

*Read the Book of John in the Bible to learn more about Jesus Christ and the eternal life He offers.

I'm Back!

Sounds like a line from Narnia. But having the excuse of being on the more elderly side of life, I'm able to confess that I "lost" my blog between Indiana and Saipan back in August. Truly, life has been exceptionally crazy busy and just the thought of more output becomes overwhelming. (Just ask my Facebook friends--who have to put up with ancient status posts).

Nevertheless, we shall try again.

I think I can say that beginning a masters program through Biola University is sufficient cause for one's disappearance. Just as our new semester began here at Eucon, I began my first course towards an MA in TESOL. It was a grueling semester to put it mildly. The course was amazing--I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to teach English as a second language. In fact, I'm suffering from "discussion board" withdrawal after 15 weeks of interaction with 3 other distance-learning classmates and an amazing professor, Dr. Kitty Purgason. However, be prepared to work very hard. Practical, useful, immediate application studies made all the work worthwhile. And of course, I have a very understanding husband and son who picked up the slack when they could to keep our little apartment livable.

So that's where I've been. Four college ESL grammar classes, an ESL pull-out group of 4th-6th graders for reading, and a graduate course have been my life since the end of July 09.

Next time. . . tropical Christmas.

Welcome Home

Back home in Indiana, we are breathing some lighter air (sort of), and spending time with our wonderful family and friends. We are being accused of bringing the Saipan weather with us, because since our return the weather has been very hot and humid--the only thing missing is the beautiful ocean, the coconut palms, and the breezes that would bring some relief from the oppressive humidity. Well, our students and friends in Saipan are missing--we look forward to seeing them again.

Our friends from Canada, John and Joan, were here for the weekend. They came to help us celebrate our 2nd daughter's completion of her music course: the ABRSM, Licentiate in Harp Performance and Pedagogy. We had a beautiful reception at Garfield Park, thanks to Karis and Sarah who organized and executed the entire party.

Back at the homestead, the living room looks like a major walk-in closet as we try to pack up the things we left behind last year: what do we take? what do we leave? Our daughter Abigail would prefer we take it ALL so she doesn't have to deal with it.

In the meantime, we enjoy lasagna dinner with son and daughter-in-law, help them rearrange their condo (what every couple loves--mom and dad trying to help them arrange their lives), and learn how to blog.

And where is Josh in all of this? Playing around in Wisconsin with his nephews between quizzes and tests he's supposed to be doing for summer school. (I just love homeschooling)! He is enjoying the water park at the Dells today.

Well, so much for installment one of "Jan from Saipan". I look forward to meeting you here again soon.