Saturday Musings about the day before

 

This was the sunrise on 9/11/2026. A little bit foggy, but that just seems appropriate for the remembrance of this particular day.

Yesterday was September 11, "9-11", and I shared a post that I've been adding to over the past 15 years. I intentionally turned off the comments for yesterday, so I don't know if you read it or not, but that's okay. I mainly want to keep a record of current events each year at this time so see where we've been and how much has changed with each passing year of remembrance of that horrific event.  For me, it is a solemn day and one that cannot be ignored or glossed over.  We need to make sure our future generations are taught about what happened on that day, and we ourselves must never forget.  

With that being said, I will tell you that I am not able to sit and watch the coverage of that event each year. It brings such overwhelming grief to my heart, and my emotions are just not able to bear it. So we usually try to take a ride and go someplace peaceful to help find some comfort and release of the pent up emotions.  It seems our favorite go-to place is the Christian camp about 20 miles from us known as "Lake Swan Camp".  If you don't remember me sharing our history with this camp before, HERE is a link to a time that we went there before and I shared the story of why it is so significant to us. Please take a moment to go back and read the whole story when you can, and you will understand more of why I love this place so much.   

This is the main view that you see when you get into the grounds of the camp...this beautiful cross down by the water...

I always find myself heading straight to this spot first of all. There's just something about the cross that gives me peace, especially on a day like 9/11.  

Maybe because it reminds me of this cross that was discovered in the rubble of the Twin Towers after they fell on that fateful day...

A Cross in the rubble at Ground Zero
made from the steel beams

A poignant reminder that even in the midst of such horror and sorrow, Jesus Christ was there in the midst...bringing comfort and peace to others as they were reminded of His great love for us...a love so great that 

"Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

Here's the whole passage...

Hebrews 12:1-3 NKJV

"1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls."

It truly was a lovely day here yesterday...such blue skies and smooth waters...

A perfect day to just enjoy the beauty of God's creation and reflect on the good things that He has done for us, even mixed with the sorrows of this world.

This LINK tells more of the history of why we love this place so much.

Actually, HERE is another link to another time we went there that shows even more of the whole campground. Such a beautiful and peaceful place.

Here's another link. You don't have to read them all. I just like to add them to these posts so I can find them again someday.

Of course we had to play a game of Miniature golf, which ended in a tie. We didn't make it all the way through to the end of the course, but we still had fun.

Some of these signs are a little worse for wear after the long summer. I think they are still in the process of repairing and cleaning up now that the summer camps are over.

We had fun, but then it was time to get going back home.

Oh, but first I wanted to see this newly renovated old chapel building, which was the original chapel for the camp years ago, and more recently has been used more as a recreational building because they have a much newer modern chapel for their regular services.  Through a LOT of hard work by many volunteers, they have completely renovated this old building and made it now available for multi-purposes...

I would love it just for porch sitting and relaxing

Inside is so beautifully done...it still retains its rustic charm and old bead board ceilings, but it is very lovely and functional...

I love the doors with the crosses on them. 

They've even added a commercial kitchen and dining area for smaller groups when they don't want to use the much larger dining hall for large groups.

This beautiful quilted cross really captured my attention:

I'm sure there are some quilters out there in blogland who may have made one like this, but I find it really really special and meaninful in this location...the blue waters of the lake behind the cross. I love it.

Well, that was our day and it was very comforting and soothing. We ended the day with a beautiful sunset...here's what I managed to capture before the sun totally sank down behind the trees around Still Waters Pond...

This song is fitting after such a day of difficult memories and emotions...

1 Day is dying in the west;

Heav'n is touching earth with rest;

Wait and worship while the night

Sets her evening lamps alight

Through all the sky.

Refrain:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts!

Heav'n and earth are full of Thee;

Heav'en and earth are praising Thee,

O Lord most high!

2 Lord of life, beneath the dome

Of the universe, Thy home,

Gather us who seek Thy face

To the fold of Thy embrace,

For Thou art nigh. [Refrain]

3 While the deep'ning shadows fall,

Heart of Love, enfolding all,

Through the glory and the grace

Of the stars that veil Thy face,

Our hearts ascend. [Refrain]

4 When forever from our sight

Pass the stars, the day, the night,

Lord of angels, on our eyes

Let eternal morning rise,

And shadows end. [Refrain]

Amen.

Random Journal Day: A Letter to a New Pastor's Wife

Here it is again...Random Journal Day...the day when the bravest among us open our old journals and share things that we wrote in the past...hopefully for your edification in some form or another...

In my perusal of old notebooks and journals, I came across a copy of a letter that I wrote to a young woman who was about to become a pastor's wife.  She was already married to her husband...and he was about to become a pastor for the first time.  They were members of the church in which my husband was the pastor, and thus I was "the pastor's wife".  So I felt somewhat qualified to share these thoughts with her as they prepared to begin this new adventure.  Look over my shoulder and read what I wrote way back in March of 1990:

Dear Julie,

This is just a personal note from me to you as you prepare to begin this exciting journey into "ministry".  It appears inevitable that you will someday soon join the ranks of those privileged women known as "Pastor's Wives".  It is truly a privilege and a high calling to be the wife of a man called of God into full time Christian service.  However, there are several things you should try to remember:

• First, you are the PASTOR'S wife, not the CHURCH'S wife...your first ministry should be in the home, as a wife, mother, counselor, helpmeet, lover, encourager, and perhaps even exhorter.  You will find this aspect of your "calling" to be the most challenging, most rewarding, most exciting, and most fulfilling.  If you neglect it for any other "ministry", no matter how important it may seem, not only will you suffer, but your husband and family will suffer also.  Always remember you are to be the "helpmeet" for your husband, the Pastor, and not the "helpmeet" for the church.  All other areas of ministry must come second to that of being the wife of the Pastor.

• Second, don't let the demands and needs of the ministry rob you of your joy in serving Christ.  There will be times when you will feel a real need to get away from the "maddening crowd", and find a place of refuge and retreat.  Don't wait too long to set aside that time.  Not just for yourself, but for your husband also.  Keep your relationship with Christ alive and exciting by spending time alone with Him daily, and then special times set apart for retreat and recuperation.

• Keep your relationship with your husband alive and exciting by spending time alone with him daily, and then special times set apart for retreat and recuperation.  Both relationships are equally important, and both relationships need equal time and care.  But I warn you, you will have to remind yourself from time to time that this is most important.  Your schedules will get so hectic and wild that you will feel like a stranger to Christ...and you will feel like a stranger to your husband. Guard against this, Julie, with all your heart, and plan ahead.  Try to always build into your schedules time for rest, recuperation, and recreation.  Don't allow the pressures of the masses close in on you.  God is able to take care of their needs with or without your help...and He can use your talents and gifts best when you are rested and happy.

Your life in serving Christ will be an adventure everyday.  He has wonderful plans for you. (Jeremiah 29:11).  Just keep your eyes on Jesus.  He will never let you down.  (Hebrews 12;1-3).

"Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us..." (Ephesians 3:20-21)...

Julie, I commit you into His loving, powerful, capable hands.  Please keep in touch with us, and know that we are praying for you both daily.


As I re-read this letter written so many years ago...now from the perspective of a "old pastor's wife"whose husband has since retired from active ministry, I find myself saying "Amen" to all that was written.  I wish that I had remembered to heed my own words throughout all of our years of service in the church...there were too many times that I let the needs of the church dictate my time and rob me of my energy and strength so that I was not able to be the "helpmeet" that my husband needed most.  Looking back, I know that we truly needed to take that time out as a couple to rest, recuperate and "recreate", and we didn't do it.  We allowed ourselves to burn out and thus became weary, sad and miserable in our calling.  We listened to the wrong voices and did not heed the VOICE of our Lord whispering to our hearts to come apart for awhile and be blessed in His presence.  If I had it to do over again, I know I would try harder to listen to what God was telling me to write to "Julie" almost 25 years ago. Things might have turned out differently.  Hindsight is always 20-20. Today I am just thankful that we survived and that we still have each other to enjoy...and we still have our love for the Lord.  We are just expressing it differently these days.  And that's okay too. God understands.

Now, go check out this link and see what others are writing.