Rock Me, Mama!

Though I have never mentioned this before, it may interest you to know that, at 59 years of age, I am caring for a child in my home. Last year I began watching a baby while his mom was at work (it has been a necessity for her to work at this time). Riley was just under one year old when God blessed me with him. He is now just under two years of age.

He comes to my home at 5:30 in the morning, five days a week and stays till about 3:15 in the afternoon. Riley is a very happy and well behaved little boy and loves to come to stay with "Granny" and "Poppy". Though he is not a grandchild, he thinks he is and we love him like he is.

I said that to say the following. Yesterday I came across a post on another website that I thought was interesting. It was about the pros and cons of allowing children to sleep with their parents in the parent's bed.

This idea of mom and dad and baby being in the same bed leaves me with a question: "Whatever happened to the age-old, tried and true rocking chair? Do mothers of young children ever use the rocking chair any more? I now hear and read so much about this practice of having the baby in bed with the parents. I just don't get it for several reasons which I will express in the following questions:

1. How do mom and dad get adequate sleep with baby in the same bed?

2. Isn't there concern that the baby could be smothered by mom or dad if they actually do sleep soundly?

3. Whatever happened to the truth that the bed is a marriage bed, not a family bed (even as far as an infant sleeping in their bed for 3 months goes)?

4. And lastly, with baby in bed with mom and dad, will this not put dad at a disadvantage since he has to go to work and earn a living? Will not his performance levels at work be affected by interrupted or inadequate sleep?

Now may I offer an alternative that may be superior to the family bed option?

From the time my children were infants till they were toddlers I rocked them. My parents rocked me to sleep. Rocking my children provided a structured time for me to cuddle with them and to sing and read to them (in other words, to teach them). This also gave me much-needed down-time to relax, though it still served as quality time with my children.

Enter Riley on the scene - I now rock him. At first, he didn't like it. But I did not give up. It wasn't long before he began to love our 15-20 minutes together before his nap. I sing simple children's songs to him and he has actually learned to carry a tune and sing the words. His favorite song is Old McDonald Had a Farm which he sings as "Ol McGonnel" (so cute!!!).

We also discuss all the topics relevant and important to a toddler, such as the sounds that animals make and where his and my eyes, nose, cheeks, mouth, tongue, etc. are. Of course, I also read to him - small-sized board books. And he loves to have his "blankey" during this time. (It is the only time he has it other than to sleep with.) When Riley finally falls asleep I put him in his bed. If he wakes up when I lay him down, he knows he must stay put and go back to sleep. His nap lasts about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

Now lest you think that this trains a child to depend upon the rocking chair to fall asleep, you need to know that when this little guy comes in the morning (at 5:30), I put him to bed without rocking him. He does not fuss at all. In fact, he smiles sweetly, kisses me and says, "Night, night, Granny." That's it! He goes right down and sleeps till at least 7 and sometimes till 7:30, which gives me time with the Lord before making breakfast. Riley has learned to adjust to my agenda and time schedule.

Rocking my children, grandchildren (and now Riley) has proven to be only beneficial. All of my little ones loved their rocking time and consistently went to bed willingly for their naps. I never had to wean them off or break them from the habit of the rocking chair. They eventually just outgrew the chair and my lap - literally. They got too big to rock. As it was uncomfortable at that point, they no longer desired to be on Mommy's lap and the feeling was mutual.

Another benefit was that when the children were too big to rock anymore, rocking time just naturally graduated into a reading time with them. Since the time was already set aside, I just moved the children into their beds and sat at the bedside and read (at night and nap time also). Thus they learned to love books and reading.

Rocking time was also advantageous in that my husband and I slept soundly at night. However, I always woke when any of my infants were hungry. I got out of bed and rocked them during their feedings. Then I was able to return to bed where I knew I could stretch out however I wanted. My husband did not have to worry about rolling over on the baby nor was he disturbed and kept awake when it was time to feed and change her. This was obviously helpful for him (we are to be helping our husbands in ways like this, are we not?) since he had to get up and go to work in the morning.

It seems to me that the rocking chair is a win-win way of nurturing babies and young children, but it seems to be a lost grace. I would be interested to know if anyone out there still rocks their children. Reiterating, I hear and read much about the bed thing, but never anything about the good old fashioned rocking chair. What a shame for this is how I remember it:

The Rock of Love

My mama rocked me in her chair.

My papa also tried,

Though on his shoulder still I laid,

My eyes were opened wide.

What tender words I heard from them,

And songs so dear and sweet.

They nestled me and whispered love,

Then rocked me fast asleep.

With fond affection I recall

The stories that they shared.

But precious more, their kind caress

In that old rocking chair.

It made for such sweet sleep and dreams,

For Christ's love was displayed.

"Now let the little children come."

It seems I heard Him say.

This habit carried on until

My feet - they reached the floor.

Though too big now for mama's lap,

She loved me like before.

I too have rocked my precious ones,

And tender words I spoke.

Yes, that old rocker, though it creaks

Still nurtures little folks.

SKK

Posted by Sharon Kaufman

Rock Me, Mama!

on October 13, 2008 2 comments

Woman is Helper - Three Facets of the Woman's Role as Helper

Aiding by Complementing Godly Male Leadership - Part 2

The following is a series on Biblical womanhood that I have taught both here in the states and abroad. It is universal because it is the Biblical model of the helper role and therefore applies to Christian women the world over. It will be delivered in bite-sized pieces in the following weeks. I pray that you will be encouraged as you read. (Please find Part 1 of this series here.)

Whether you are married or unmarried, as a woman you are "helper" to godly male leadership. That would translate into being a helpmeet for your husband or, if you are not married, into being a helper for church leadership. As a helper you will basically fulfill your role in three specific ways. God has designed us, as women with distinct inclinations. Women are endowed by their Creator with specific characteristics that enable them to function as God intended when He first created woman. First of all I want to state what those three characteristics or facets are and then I will define and elaborate on each one throughout the coming weeks:

Facet 1. As helper to male leadership, woman is an aid or supporter: 

A) As an aid woman completes godly male leadership 

B) As an aid woman complements godly male leadership (this post will address this aspect - complementing - being an aid/supporter to godly male leadership) 

C) As an aid woman submits to godly male leadership

Facet 2. As helper to male leadership, woman is a keeper in the home.

Facet 3. As helper to male leadership, woman is a nurturer of life.

In this post, I will cover what it means for woman as helper to aid godly male leadership by complementing that leadership (Facet 1, B).

Though man and woman are equal in that each is an image bearer of their Creator, they are also different, are they not? We can see the obvious physical differences, but women are also different emotionally. For instance, women enjoy the intricate details of whatever it is they are involved in, while men tend to be bottom-line creatures. We, women, know that the real story is in the particulars and their implications and we happily get lost in the finer points.

So when I am relating an important incident to my husband, sharing the details is just second nature to me. Robert then, typically gets a little impatient with all the minutiae (that's how he sees it) and says something like, "Just give me the bottom line, Honey. I don't need to know all the small stuff." Though I don't understand that, I have given up trying to convince him otherwise. He's a man and I just need to accept the fact that God created him to be different than me. And when God finished His creation (man and woman in particular), He pronounced that His design was good, in fact, it was "very good" - even this difference between us. 

The Beauty of Man and Woman as God's Ultimate Creation is Seen in Your Hands

God created the genders, as different as they are, to complement each other. Again we can see this illustrated with the helping hand. My left hand always complements my right hand. It never has an agenda all its own, but always identifies itself with my right hand and what it is doing and supports it. My left-hand makes things easier, not harder for my right hand. It complements its counterpart, and never competes with it.

The appendages on my right and left arms are equal yet different, illustrating the same thing with man and woman. Both are hands, but they are different in significant ways. The physical design of my left hand is exactly and equally the opposite of my right hand. That's equality with diversity, just as woman is equal in her humanity with man, both genders having been created in God’s image, yet woman is exactly the opposite of man in physical and emotional characteristics and in function. Though my hands are exact opposites of each other they fit together perfectly. And the only reason they fit together so perfectly is precisely because they are exact opposites. If I had two right hands or two left hands nothing much would be accomplished and the two certainly could not become one.

Feminists tell us that women must compete to become equal in all ways with men. But God designed the differences between man and woman for the purpose of complementing one another – just like the right and left hand complement each other.

My left hand is physically weaker than my right hand and so is somewhat dependent upon it for its strength, but still my left hand assists my right and adds its own independent strength to my right hand. The strength and independence of my left hand is absolutely needed by my right hand, and visa versa. The two are interdependent upon each other. Together the two are stronger than if they were alone, though one is physically weaker. This is the true nature of a complementary relationship.

And so it is with man and woman. Though she is the weaker vessel, physically, she needs man and he needs her. She is to complement him in all he does rather than pursue her own independent course, that essentially competes with his calling and purpose.

This does not mean that she never seeks a ministry in which her husband is not involved if she is married. It does not mean that she gives up her personality to be glued to her husband's side as if she had no individuality herself. It simply means that whatever God-glorifying thing (this could be planting a garden) her husband pursues, she is available to help him achieve it. She does not make it hard for him. She does not compete.

Think again about how the left hand complements the right hand, never working against it - always there whenever the right-hand needs it, but it is so different and individual that it is called "left". It is situated on the opposite side of the body and if it had to, it could function without the right hand. I got along just fine when I had my right hand in a sling for several weeks. Though it was challenging, it was not impossible. Life went on.

The call to complement my husband has not always been something that I have embraced. There was a time when, if Robert asked for my help and wanted my undivided attention immediately if it was something that I thought could wait, I became perturbed. Perhaps he needed my point of view for a lesson he was preparing for the Sunday morning adult training time that he was scheduled to teach in two weeks. If I was absorbed in doing something for myself, I would expect him to wait until I was finished. Philippians 2:3-5 was not my mindset:

    

Looking out for my husband's interests or the interests of the leadership of the church is part of what it means to be a helper. This is the woman's assignment from her Creator. Helping godly male leadership by working alongside and complementing, never competing, is a high calling that glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reiterating, woman aids by complementing male leadership, whether that is her husband's leadership in the home or the leadership of the elders in her church. And again, woman aids in this way regardless of her marital status.

For the next post, we will continue to explore how woman aids godly male leadership, this time in regard to submission. And I don't want to hear any groans!

Posted by Sharon Kaufman

Woman is Helper - Three Facets of the Woman's Role as Helper

on October 07, 2008 0 comments

Woman is Helper - Three Facets of the Woman's Role as Helper

Part 1 - Aiding by Completing Godly Male Leadership

The following is a series on Biblical womanhood that I have taught both here in the states and abroad. It is universal because it is the Biblical model of the helper role and therefore applies to Christian women the world over. It will be delivered in bite-sized pieces in the following weeks. I pray that you will be encouraged as you read.

Whether you are married or unmarried, as a woman you are "helper" to godly male leadership. That might translate into being a helper to your husband or, if you are not married, to church leadership.

God has designed us, as women with distinct inclinations. Women are endowed by the Creator with specific characteristics that enable them to function as God intended when He first created woman. As a helper, you will basically fulfill your role in three specific ways. 

First of all I want to state what those three characteristics or aspects are and then I will define and elaborate on each one throughout the coming weeks:

Aspect 1. As helper to godly male leadership, woman is an aid or supporter

A.) As an aid woman completes godly male leadership (this is the topic for this post)

B.) As an aid woman complements godly male leadership

C.) As an aid woman complys with (or submits to) godly male leadership

Aspect 2. As helper to male leadership, woman is a keeper in the home.

Aspect 3. As helper to male leadership, woman is a nurturer of life.

Another way to express these three aspects is: 

1) In her aid to her husband and/or to the church, woman helps and supports man; 

2) In her cultivation of the home woman is helper to man; and 

3) In her nurturing of others, woman is helper to man. 

(Each one of these three aspects operates in several ways, as you will see further along in this post.)

These are the three main aspects of woman as helper, whether she is married or single. The man’s God-given purpose is different and he does not concentrate on these facets of life, though he participates in cultivating the home and in nurturing life also. But he is not driven to do these things as his calling. His calling from God is to lead by protecting, providing and sacrificially loving. These are the areas that he he specializes in and strives for. Woman generally is directed toward helping man by specializing in aiding him, keeping the home and nurturing life.

The first way a woman carries out her role as helper is to serve as an aid or supporter to her husband if she is married, and as an aid or supporter to the church regardless of her marital status. We see this because the same order that God created in marriage, He also created for the church – men lead and women help, including single women. However, single women are undivided (not involved in supporting a husband and/or children) in their service to the church (1 Corinthians 7).

Now it may sound redundant for me to say that women carry out their helper role by being an aid or supporter. That may sound like the same thing to you, but as this is clarified, hopefully, you will see how it is accurate to classify this aspect of the helper role that way.

In this post, we will begin with the helper as an aid and support to her husband and/or to the church.

As an aid, woman supports godly male leadership in three ways. (Remember, there are the three aspects already mentioned - aiding, keeping the home and nurturing life - and each aspect operates in several ways.) The three ways a woman supports godly male leadership as an aid are: 1) she completes male leadership, 2) she complements male leadership, and 3) she submits to male leadership. This is how she aids male leadership. It is true in the home with her husband, if she is married, and in the church also. A woman, whether married or single, carries out this role in the church as she submits to the elders, compliments their leadership and helps to complete the work there.

Reiterating, in this post we will look at the helper as an aid to male leadership in completing godly male leadership; in the next two posts we will look at the helper's aid to male leadership through complementing (second post) and submitting (third post).

But first, let's understand what it means to be an aid. Here is an analogy:

An Analogy of an Aid – You are a Helping Hand

It always helps me to use an analogy when trying to grasp the meaning of a spiritual truth. To better understand the definition and function of an aid or supporter, the analogy of a “helping hand” came to my mind. As an aid we could say that woman is man’s “helping hand”. Please remember this analogy. It could transform the way you relate to male leadership. When I compare woman as aid to a helping hand, I think of how the left hand aid the right hand and how it completes, compliments and submits to it.

Aiding by Completing Male Leadership

My right hand by itself is not complete. It is never as efficient and useful alone as when my left helping hand is assisting. Together, the two hands are one in function and purpose. They are a complete set. Each is the counterpart of the other.

Woman completes man spiritually, physically, emotionally and intellectually: 

Spiritually, she completes him by filling up what is lacking in his ability to image God alone. I will get back to this. 

Physically, she completes him by helping him bear children for God’s glory, by meeting his physical need for intimacy, and by caring for his need for physical nourishment. 

Emotionally, she completes him by offering a softer side to humanity, a tenderness and sensitivity that he does not characteristically possess. This comes out in her passion to nurture people. 

Intellectually, she completes him by her focus to detail, which balances his bottom-line orientation. One way this is manifested is through her attention to the home, intelligently cultivating the place where he lives, looking well to her household and all the details of it.

Adam Recognizes His Incompleteness

Concerning woman completing man, God said during the creation week, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Once Adam had named the animals and observed that each one had its own particular counterpart - something Adam himself did not have - he came to know personally that he was incomplete. He was alone and he felt it for the first time.

As Adam named the animals, he recognized that each kind had an appropriate counterpart. They looked very similar, yet each species' counterpart was also different in some ways. There was a male and there was a female of every species that Adam named. I believe since the Lord commanded the animals to "be fruitful and multiply" (Genesis 1:22), that they were already carrying out that mandate quite naturally by the time Adam got around to naming them. And he couldn't help but notice his aloneness as he named each species. 

Adam realized that out of all that God had created, he was an exception because he was the only one of his kind. He was the only created being that there was not two of. He felt this deeply. So, the Lord caused him to sleep while He went about fashioning Adam's counterpart, one that would be like him, yet be different, and essentially one that completed him. 

No Longer Incomplete When God Provided a Wonderful Counterpart

When Eve was brought to Adam, he knew that he now had one that was just like him - she too was mankind. And she was his specific match. She was not created with fangs, feathers, fins or fur. She was made of flesh and bone just like Adam. He exclaimed with great delight, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh..." He was now complete. 

And so it has been ever since creation that woman has continued to complete man in specific ways: 

Getting back to the spiritual aspect, Adam was only half of the expression of God and half of God's intended function for mankind on the earth, like a right hand represents only half of the body’s ability to function with the upper appendages. Adam bore God’s image, but only part of it. There was another side of God that would be expressed through Eve’s personhood and function. Together they would bear His image completely. Together they would carry out God’s mandate to rule the earth.

Now what I am not saying here is that every man or woman must be married to be complete. Obviously, the apostle Paul did not believe that for he made it clear that it was his preference to remain single. Even though Paul preferred singleness for himself, God still used women, like Phoebe and Prisca, to help Paul (Romans 16:1-4). He was not himself independent of women aiding him with his work in the early church.

What I am saying is that in the larger scope of mankind bearing God’s image and functioning in creation, both male and female are necessary. The human race cannot even perpetuate without both. And without the softer side of femininity and woman's diverse function, the world cannot accurately image God or carry out His mandate.

Woman bears God’s image in many ways, different than man. God created her with unique attributes that are also part of His character – nurturing for example. She represents Him in this way to her children and others that she attends to in loving ways.

God’s nurturing side is seen in Scripture through the care He bestows on His children. Isaiah 49:15 says, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” And in Isaiah 66:13 we hear the Lord saying to Israel, "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you…” In the New Testament, we are familiar with Paul’s instruction when he tells fathers to bring up their children in the “nurture” and admonition of the Lord.

God fashioned Eve from Adam’s bone and flesh and she completed him. He was thrilled to have what had so obviously been missing from his life. He no longer felt alone and now had new motivation and momentum to be God’s agent on earth. Together they would rule the earth, and together they would bear God’s complete image. Just as my left hand completes my right hand, so woman completes man.

William Shakespeare wrote concerning man and woman completing one another:

      He is half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such a she; and        she a fair divided excellence, whose fullness of perfection lies in         him. 

In the next Woman is Helper post, we will explore how woman aids man by complimenting him in his leadership role.

Posted by Sharon Kaufman

Woman is Helper - Three Facets of the Woman's Role as Helper

on September 18, 2008 0 comments

The Imprint of God in Creation

The following videos are worth the time. You will worship your Creator-Redeemer as a result. Louie Giglio, in these two clips takes, us on a tour of the intricacies of creation. You will see that God has left His imprint everywhere. Not only do we see this openly and obviously in the creation, but His signature is also viewed in what, until recently, has been hidden from the human eye. Now, because God has gifted man with not only the intelligence to develop amazing technologies and tools, but also with the unquenchable desire to explore what the naked eye cannot see, many previously hidden aspects of creation are being revealed. These aspects, whether viewed from the lens of the microscope or that of the telescope reveal God's glorious imprint in creation. And His imprint is very specific.

Here is a microscopic peek:
Note: Before watching the video, turn off the music (player is at the bottom of the blog).



Even the way laminin is spelled fascinates me. Wikipedia describes its makeup: "There are four of beta-chains: LAMB1, LAMB2, LAMB3, LAMB4" Is this not amazing? In His Sovereignty, God even ordained that the beta-chains would be named "LAMB". I find this staggering to think of!

Now take time to watch the following telescopic view of God's imprint in the Whirlpool Galaxy:



Awesome! Rev 13:8 says, "All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast — all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world." God has seen His Son slaughtered from creation and His artistry in the heavens and in the cells of man himself declares it.

From the smallest cell, perceivable only with a microscope, to the vast unreachable galaxies now seen with the Hubble Telescope, God has put forth this testimony and we have discovered it exactly when He ordained it to be so. All men, saved or not, carry the emblem of God's great mercy and grace - the Cross - within themselves. Amazing! Men's mouths may not whisper His name in love, but his very molecular structure shouts that God not only created him but has given His Son to redeem Him. Amazing!

These discoveries point to the reality of what the Lord Jesus Christ has done on the cross. They bear witness to God's great heart of love for man. Laminin and the Whirlpool Galaxy are but God's "artwork" that bear witness of His great "heart-work" on the cross. This is so stunning and staggering to think on.

But there is an even more stupendous (who can come up with adequate words?) imprint to man from God. It is the imprint of the nails in the loving hands that were bound and fastened to the cross by wicked men and women - you and me. This imprint God placed on Himself, on He that is uncreated and this imprint is what all the other created imprints announce. This imprint manifests yet another truth about our powerful, sovereign, majestic and creative God. This is an imprint of His great love for His prodigal creation - man. And this imprint is way beyond description, explanation or comprehension, so this is where I will stop. Indescribable!!!

Posted by Sharon Kaufman

The Imprint of God in Creation

on July 23, 2008 0 comments

Theology Eight - Soul Food for the Hungry Heart

This is the last post in the series of theology for women. If you have not read the previous posts of Theology - Necessary Soul Food for the Good Woman, please find them here.

Theology, that is pursuing the all-satisfying knowledge of and relationship with the Triune God, has brought such balance and dignity to my life. As a woman, I find there are many voices in my culture vying for my allegiance, including the feminist who has openly had her say here.

But in many cultures women are suppressed. India has been one such place. A passage in the Puranas, one of the Hindu's sacred books, reads “Let a woman who wishes to perform sacred oblations wash the feet of her lord and drink the water, for her husband is her lord, her priest, her religion. Wherefore abandoning all else she ought chiefly to worship her husband."

Culture in India also practiced “suttee”, an observance whereby a widow was burned alive on the funeral pyre of her dead husband. Many other atrocities abounded in regard to India’s females before the early twentieth century, including infanticide for unwanted daughters and temple prostitution for small girls, some as young as three and four years of age.

Imagine then the wonder with which the women there received the teachings of Christianity. One Hindu woman was noted to say, “Surely your Bible was written by a woman.” When asked “why?” she replied, “Because it says so many kind things for women. Our pundits never refer to us but in reproach.”

Christ restores balance and dignity for women whatever their culture promotes. For the Christian woman in India, dignity is restored in the midst of a culture that dehumanizes her.

But looking at another imbalance, in America, feminists seek to glorify women beyond their God-given place. The goal is supremacy, not equality, and herein we see the opposite extreme. This woman, out of a motive of retaliation, would like to rule over man the way he has ruled over her since and as a result of the fall.

But reiterating, in Christ we find a true balance where “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)

It is a paradox that in Christ, woman finds her dignity, yet there is no distinction between male and female. In the pages of Scripture she discovers an ally who so understands her that she could easily mistake Him for a woman.

But this is the One who “…being found in appearance as a man…” personified the goodness of God (Philippinas. 2:8a).

This is the One who spoke to an immoral woman, considered a mongrel by the Jews (Samaritan), the epitome of human outcasts and gifted her a royal position when He made her a child of the King. When the rest of society shunned her, Jesus revealed God to her, in all His goodness, and she was changed forever in an instance. (John. 4:4-45)

Spurgeon said, “My beloved sisters, you owe much to the Gospel, for it is only by its agency that you are raised to your proper place. Jesus has lifted you up to your true place, side by side with man.” But really He has lifted us much higher than that -all the way to the third heaven where He reigns. We dwell with Him there even in the midst of the storm or in the mire of a fallen culture when we truly know Him.

Do women need theology? Can we rise above our circumstances to find peace in the midst of a storm-tossed life? Where is the balance in a culture which seeks to either denigrate or deify us? Perhaps Jesus can best answer these questions. To every nation and tribe, to every people of every tongue, to men and women the mandate is still set forth. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Theology is not only essential for the woman of God, it is a command from its Author that we must embrace.

May we, as women of God, look to the apostle Paul as an example of what theology is all about. May we take to heart his passion for knowing Jesus:

I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death... (Phil. 3:8-11) 

Oh, may we know Him! That is what theology is all about!

Posted by Sharon Kaufman

Theology Eight - Soul Food for the Hungry Heart

on July 13, 2008 0 comments

Franziska - Chapter Seven

Note: If you have not read Franciska's amazing story up to this point, you should do so now. Find chapters one through six here. Start at the bottom of the page with chapter one.

This long-time-in-coming seventh chapter of Franciska's story is devoted to Hermann's home going. I was delayed in writing this chapter because Hermann's obituary and a poem that he had written shortly before he died had to be translated from German to English. That is done now thanks to a friend from church. Thank you, Monica, for your kindness in translating the two pieces. So let us continue...

In 1932, on May 29th, Hermann and Franciska celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. An account of the celebration appeared in the local German paper. An excerpt reads:

"The evening of that day we reminisced...about the church and friends and relatives who had been there previously. At this testimonial, the representatives of the Meyer family, other relatives, and the congregation delivered their wishes for happiness and blessings to the celebrating pair. May the Lord we serve give us more such festivities."

Looking back to when Hermann and Franciska met, an item of interest to me is the last entry in Franciska's "Poesie" book, that little autograph book that she kept from the age of 12 through the age of nineteen (mentioned in chapter one). The last entry was made in December 1881 in Bromberg, Germany by Hermann. My Aunt Francis still has this little book in her possession. She writes of it:

One of the treasured mementos of Franciska still in existence is a small autograph book called 'Poesie' (poetry). It made the journey to America, survived the homestead, traveled to South Dakota by wagon and ferry, and onto Colorado and Oklahoma. 

The pages are brown with age and the once bright gilt edges are spattered with fly specks, but within are pages filled with exquisite handwriting... The first three entries are written in Thorn, a town near Bromberg, the latest being in December of 1881...The last entry is undated and signed, 'Hermann Meyer'! They were married in May of 1882.

Though Hermann's entry is written in German and I do not know what it says, it is more of a curiosity to me, as to why after 6 years of entries, Hermann's was the last. Franciska pursued no more autographs after his. Was she was satisfied to leave it with her future husband's as the best and therefore the last? Did she regard his entry as the culmination of all that had been written there in Poesie? Perhaps the answer lies in what he wrote and if I were to get it translated, the secret would be had.

But for now, we must return to what is known. In late 1930 or early 1931, Hermann was diagnosed with cancer. He suffered for two years and then on January 4th, 1933, he went home to be with the Lord. His obituary reads:

Brother Hermann Gustave Meyer, born December 12, 1857, near Bromberg, in the province of Posen, Germany, died after a lengthy battle with cancer on January 4, 1933, at La Salle, Colorado at the age of 75 and 22 days. He was married with his now grieving widow on May 29th, 1882 and the Lord blessed him with 13 children, of which 6 died before him.

Last May Brother Meyer and his wife celebrated their Golden Anniversary with all their children by their side. 1886 was the year Brother Meyer and his family came to this country, where they settled in Nebraska, South Dakota and since 1903 near La Salle, Colorado.

Brother Meyer accepted the Lord as his Savior. He was baptized by Brother Currant in 1877...Just as in the old country, so in this country, Brother Meyer showed a deep commitment to the work of our Lord by holding Sunday School and Worship Services in his own home, and many have come to Christ through his initialed contacts. He was a devoted Christian and kept faithfully to those teachings of the Word of God.

Brother Meyer held many offices in his church, such as superintendent of Sunday School, secretary, treasurer and the last 20 years as a deacon. He consistently fulfilled his Christian duties, as he always wanted what was best for the Lord and His congregation.

He was especially pleased, that all his children came to the Lord Jesus Christ. One of his sons, Herbert Meyer, from Alva, Oklahoma followed the call and became a pastor himself. A few weeks before his death, Brother Meyer composed the following poem which was read at his funeral:

At the Edge of Eternity

by Hermann Gustave Meyer

Written in December 1932, a few weeks before his death.

I stand at the edge of eternity

And look back one more time

I see the God of Majesty

And am lifted to joy sublime.

I am so very happy

My Savior died for me.

He took my guilt

He took it all and now, by grace, I’m free.

Christ freed me from God's judgment,

“There’s no more fear” I cry.

He conquered death and gave me life

My soul shall never die.

Now Christ is my Protector.

He owns my life, my soul.

I’m clean by the blood of Jesus;

I’m free, I’m His, I’m whole!

Grieving is his wife, 5 sons, 2 daughters, 35 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, 2 sisters and many other relatives and friends. May the Lord bless all that are left behind and give them the assurance of seeing their departed loved ones at the Throne of God in good time. La Salle, Colorado.

As I read and reread my Great Grandfather's poem, I am struck with the peace, joy and anticipation he exhibited as he looked forward to his own death. For the Christan, this is the mindset concerning leaving this earthly realm. There is no fear because we know there is no judgment. Jesus Christ has experienced my judgment, my penalty and my punishment for sin. Now for me, there is only great anticipation as I move toward eternity. I will be with Jesus - face to face. No longer chained by sin, I will be able to worship Him just as Grandfather Hermann now worships, without a single hindrance, alongside my loved ones who have gone before me. Oh, what satisfaction and joy! Praise God who has so generously given us His Son!

Franciska's story is nearly complete. The final chapter will follow detailing her latter years after Hermann's death.

Posted by Sharon Kaufman

Franziska - Chapter Seven

on July 03, 2008 0 comments