Dear fellow travelers,
Spring is here! and the trees and plants have sprung to life again. I trust you are taking a few moments, if not more, to enjoy this array of beauty.
But what if we are having some of those not so beautiful moments of enjoying the abundance of nature, and our thoughts are more centered on
" Why is this happening?, or What? what is this about?, those thoughts that take us away from the beauty that surrounds us.
When I have those moments, one thing I do is to go back to one of my favorite books "The Hiding Place"' (a must read), and remember several of my most special episodes from this remarkable true story.
A short recap: Corrie and her sister Betsy (who was the more spiritual and steadfast religious of the two) lived a very everyday, routine life in a small town in Holland
Then, their home became a halfway house for hiding Jews and Corrie became a large part of the Holland
They were captured and imprisoned in a concentration camp: in an urine and flea infested straw covered floor cell with fifty plus women.
Betsy insisted on holding religious meetings in their cell for all the women, a real NO against the rules of the camp, but their meetings became more and more open. Corrie was in awe of this blessing.
One night when Betsy and Corrie were saying their prayers. Betsy said, "Thank you God for the Fleas", Corrie said " WHAT??". and Betsy with her sweet voice, responded, "Yes, God, say be grateful for everything!!" and that includes the fleas, and Corrie reluctantly prayed, "Thank you God for the Fleas!"
A few days later one of the women from their cell told them she had overhead two of their guards talking, one said to the other, "Do you ever check that last cell?, I never do" the other guard said, " NO! I never go near it BECAUSE OF THE FLEAS!"
BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING
We may never know or see the larger view or higher meaning.
Betsy had died while in the camp, but after the war, Corrie spoke to many groups about her experiences during the War years and after. She was a radiant presences at these meetings and Forgiveness was high on her priority list on how to reestablish the many fractured war torn lives.
At one event she came face to face with one of the hostile, cruel guards from her camp.
It was now time for her to practice what she preached.
FORGIVENESS!!
It isn't always easy to practice what one preaches, but necessary, to embrace a peaceful and joyful life.
and to truly see the array of beauty that surrounds us.
My life is so blessed and you are one of the reasons.
What are you grateful for?
Is there still someone you need to forgive??
Just Pondering,
and enjoying the beauty of spring,
Linda Patton RScP, ENTC
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