Live And Become

I went to a touching movie last night “LIVE AND BECOME”.  This was a story of a nine-yr-old Ethiopian boy escaping to Israel. It is the story of how he survived leaving his mother behind and adapting to the Jewish culture as an adopted imagrant.  His conflict surfaced  for his convictions and pain of loss.  This really instilled in me a desire to look at matters of the heart.  What are my interpretations of my faith?  Who is my G-d?  How can I make my relationships connect with matters of the soul?

This made me realize the struggle we all are going thru to survive.  What will a mother do to save her child?  In this movie she gave him away so that he could LIVE.  He BECAME against all odds a surgeon and eventually went back and saw his birth mother as a field doctor.

 The relationship he had being raised Jewish and not understanding who he was. This became a constant inner conflict.  Who am I?  Why am a different than everyone who is "white"?  He still had human emotions.  He wanted to LOVE .  He was unsure how to LIVE.  He released  his pain by praying every night, by looking at the moon and somehow connecting with the soul of his distant mother.  Tragedy produces all types of defense mechanisms for survival.

We have to stay connected with the warm felt memories from lost love.  We are all looking for a semblance of love.  We all have a desire to know G-d.  We look to Him in our greatest need.

He expressed his pain so beautifully by saying it was as though he had been taken away and lost or stolen and dropped into a large thorn bush.  The stickers could not be removed the harder he tried the worse it got.  The pain was particularly cruel underneath his fingernails.  He could not remove the “STICKERS”.  Is not this the way broken dreams of the heart from lost love and earthly relationships affect us?.  We cannot see the “stickers” that are underneath our skin.  The Hurt is unbearable.

Pain only goes away when we can release and love again.  He had a new baby to encourage and show love.  His heart must be stretched to reach beyond its limits. The family he was forming needed emotional stability.  The future of his family depended on his emotional strength, not merely his surgical skills.

His history remembers pain, the isolation from his mother in Ethiopia, without food and water, seeing death at every turn.  He witnessed  his own siblings dying before his eyes and somehow feeling responsible for their death.

He Lived to become a lover.  He is a champion of triumphing over adversity and conquering pain thru continuing to live and LOVE again.

 As we are remembering the history of the Holocaust today on January 27 it is a good time to look at love and hold dearly those things that are close.   We learn how people  survive tragedy and those who helped become heroes.   

Conflict, like in the movie, produces new bonds where love can become evident.

The pastor at Le Chambon, André Trocmé(pictured left with his family) challenged his small flock with this very issue of who was their neighbour.

We must look for stories that portray how people care and love to rescue the perishing.  We can look for opportunities to help heal “hurts” when we read stories that inspire us to greatness.  This is one such story written below about a town in France.  I particularly loved it because my grandmother came from Marseilles France.  We  connect our heart to others in the hope that we will respond with such great LOVE.

On Holocaust Day: Remembering a French Village "Where the Most Remarkable Expressions of Love" Were Sacrificed in WWII

Teresa Neumann (January 27, 2010)

As Holocaust Day, January 27, is noted, an historian says: "A small community of Protestant Christians, descendants of Huguenots, were faced with a choice that would challenge the very essence of their faith. Would they live what they preached or would they put their own safety first?"

(France)—Somehow, stories of faith and heroism resonating from WWII continue to inspire us. Perhaps it is because we are still connected to the war by parents and grandparents who fought in it. Perhaps it is because in our times of tribulations there are more lessons to be learned from those who encountered similar trials before us. 

Case in point: Le Chambon sur Lignon, a small village in south central France set on a plateau high in the mountains. It is where, according to reporter Russel Bowles, one of the most remarkable expressions of love of the whole war occurred when the Christian inhabitants defied the Nazi occupation and provided a safe haven for thousands of Jewish people—many of them children. No Jew that requested shelter was turned away.

As reported in Inspire Magazine, it was the pastor at Le Chambon, André Trocmé, who challenged his small flock with the question of who their neighbors were in the Biblical context. Soon, the small flock—risking their lives to do so—began taking in Jews.

According to the report, eventually the pastor and his assistant Edouard Théis were arrested. "However, amazingly, they were released before they were due to be deported to the east. The Gestapo also arrested the Pastor's cousin, Daniel Trocmé, and he died in Majdanek extermination camp."

"Bad as these events were," writes Bowles, "it seemed that the Almighty had His hand of protection on the village, for in all about 5,000 Jews were sheltered when the Nazis were leaving no stone unturned elsewhere in their pursuit."

What is your House Built on ?

     This story from NBC news(see article below) really hit home. My occupation as an Interior Designer affects the way people live and how their homes reflect their family “likes and dislikes”. 

      It is so much more than taste. It is about quality of life. What picture do we portray?
We work so hard to get our rooms looking “just right” and a child has a friend over and everything is askew! Family ties and relationships we share with each other are so much more lasting than the “perfect room”.  Do we really care about the people who sit in the linen chairs putting the puzzle together?
     It is so true what it says in the Psalms about how we build a home. It refers to the fact that “unless the LORD build the house we labor in vain”. The “things “ we acquire to take up “space” in the rooms we live in are not nearly as important as the people we TREASURE who occupy and congregate in the ROOMS.
     This dad in the story built family time that will last when all the ROOMS TUMBLE.
Underneath the rubble he had built a lasting foundation with his kids that will last far longer than the “latest home DECORE”.
      May we all take a closer look as situations crumble and fabrics “wear out” and get up close to the “ones we love”. If we were inside your FAMILY ROOM what would we VIEW?



Buried in Haiti rubble, U.S. dad wrote goodbyes
But with iPhone info, he treated his injuries and was rescued after 65 hours


The words on the pages of the plain black notebook are written in a semi-scrawl, punctuated by smears of blood — stark evidence of the desperation in which they were written.

Sitting with his wife, Christina, in Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital, Dan Woolley showed the notebook to TODAY’s Meredith Vieira via satellite hookup Tuesday. Trapped for 65 hours under tons of wreckage in the lobby of his hotel by Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake and knowing he could die, Woolley had written notes to his two young boys and his wife.

“I always wanted to survive, but I knew that was something that I couldn’t control. So I decided if I had to go, I wanted to leave some last notes for them,” Woolley said. Opening the book and fighting his emotions, he read an entry he addressed to his sons, Josh, 6, and Nathan, 3:

“I was in a big accident. Don’t be upset at God. He always provides for his children, even in hard times. I’m still praying that God will get me out, but He may not. But He will always take care of you.”

‘Boy, I cried’
Woolley had taken refuge in an elevator shaft, where he used an iPhone first-aid app to treat a compound fracture of his leg and a cut on his head. He had already used his digital SLR camera’s focusing light to illuminate his surroundings, and taken pictures of the wreckage to help find a safe place to wait to be rescued — or to die.

Writing the notes to his wife and children wasn’t easy, the deeply religious man said.

“Boy, I cried,” he admitted. “Obviously, no one wants to come to that point. I also didn’t want to just get found after having some time — God gave me some time — to think and to pray and to come to grips with the reality. I wanted to use that time to do everything I could for my family. If that could be surviving, get out, then I would. If it could be just to leave some notes that would help them in life, I would do that.”

Woolley had been working for Compassion International, a mission organization, making a film about the impact of poverty on the people of Haiti. He and a colleague, David Hames, had just returned to the Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince from a day of filming when the earthquake struck.......
finish reading -- http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34933053/ns/today-today_people/

Ready, Set, Go!

 

This has been an interesting week. I have learned a lot about interpersonal relationships.

I manage a crew of around 5 on a given day for a design installation.  The challenge comes when one of the people does not carry their weight.   My husband gave me a wonderful sense of encouragement on Monday morning as he read from the Message Bible “Don’t fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.”  It went on to say “let G-d know all your concerns.  Before you know it, it is a sense of wholeness, everything coming together for good,  will come and settle you down.”

  This was going to be a great Monday, as  a builder called me to have us “stage” 2 of his homes, one he took in on a trade and another of his $5million custom homes he had built, to help clear out his present inventory.  This seemed to be a “match made in heaven” I am trying to “let go” of  furniture from “previous relationships” -  a furniture affair!

      This “match” had a few added pieces to the puzzle.  Some of the furniture was already happily “arranged” in another home.  How would it be  “broken up” and split between 2 households?  Would it work and have the right sense of arrival? Rooms, like people, talk and make a statement. The timing of the day was essential.  We had 3 houses to do, one to undo , a warehouse pick up, and 2 new houses to stage.

  I am so glad I am only moving furniture and not people with emotions and children with broken hearts form one parent and home to the next.   My frustrations come from unheaded worry about how “things will work out” and nothing will be broken, missing, or not fit. Will my crew be  responsive to the day?

Are they READY to GO?

    I love and hate cell phone communication.  I love it when I get the call from my married son in San Franscico saying “I made the Presidents Club”.  I hate it when I get the call from the driver and he is LATE.  I am ready to go.  How many times have we made people wait?  I say no problem. I know the traffic is bad on Monday morning, so will you be there in 20 minutes?  “Sure”. I settle into a hassle free day knowing I can go to the warehouse and sort thru the necessary components for the “rooms”. 

      The next call: “I am here but I am LOST”.  This is over an HOUR LATE.  I say “did you get a map from the guard at the gate?”  “No”. he says. I say “where is the map with the lot numbers I gave you?”  At this point everything my husband has said to me has gone out the window. Worry changed to ANXIETY.  Now all I need is another “call” saying they have no room in the truck for all the furnishings.   Sure enough, the CALL came “we don’t think it will all fit”.  I was near breakdown but I knew that I had to reach into that place hidden inside and pull up those  BURRIED TREASURES… PEACE  JOY & FAITH.

     I had done these moves many times and they always worked out.  The furniture like relationships change and move but the lasting ones work and stay with you . 

    What else could go wrong with this wonderful blue- sky- filled Monday?  We were already LATE and LOST.   What next??

       I get the CALL they were leaving the gated golf community and I could meet them at the next house, the NEW HOUSE.  I must start being excited to see where all  the pieces from the “past relationships” would fit.  It is just like meeting people for the first time. You are not sure how they will like you and the other way around.  There is excitement mixed with apprension.  I had everything I needed for the first trip so I better go and MEET AND GREET my CREW.  The next truck could get anything I forgot. My nerves were calm, my heart was steady, SET to GO. 

        By this time I had prepared to take the crew cookies and chocolate for the explosive phone conversation…after I lost it, like when your husband brings you flowers when he comes home LATE!   I was really “settling into the words of Paul read from my husband to START my day,  I  like NIKE,  JUST WANTED TO DO IT!!

          I turned on the key to my car - not a sound,  not even an engine grind.  Oh my, the BATTERY is DEAD.  I must REJOICE IN ALL THINGS, but this was getting ridiculous!!  I truly had seen the CALM before the storm.  My warehouse is next to several people who could help me “jump” the car.    I needed a JUMP START TODAY!!

   I finally arrived at another beautiful European Villa, LATE but not LOST.   I  realized this day would turnaround.   I  turned it over to prayer.  IT  is like LOVE and MARRIAGE. They do stay together when we work on keeping our BATTERY CHARGED.

     I will write next week on how the houses turned out and perhaps include some pictures.  One thing for sure, the G-d that loves me watches over me.  He is NEVER LATE & LOST and always EVER READY TO HELP!!     

Box Office Hit

  Well. I will tell you something about a great night out.  Have you ever gone to something based solely on a recommendation from someone else.  Or better yet a movie review that made you believe it would be better than the “Titanic”, after all it was the same director & producers.  $200 million in one week - surely this would be a great pick for a Saturday night flick.

  Since we live rather close to the theater  I thought a brisk walk would be fun to start our “date”.  This would give us time  to talk about what we were going to see.   Sometimes this is our only time to play catch up &  find each other.  Emotions tug and our hearts break when we don’t find each other.   Walking clears the air and opens communication.  Blue skies clear our cloudy days!

     There was a shift  in the barometric atmosphere as plans changed.  Alone I ran across the golf course to the mall where the theater is located.  I averted snow showers and ”freezing” heart conditions with warm thoughts of popcorn.  So much for a nice walk to start our date! 

      He hurried ahead to save 2 seats in the middle.  He was fearful they would “sell out” early, since this was such a box office hit.  I acquiesced and bought the bait.  It happened the other day when I let him take me out to dinner because of a coupon he had.  I should have remembered he never told me the menu.  I trusted his taste.  I walked into the movie to “will call” picked up my ticket not even sure of the name of the movie.  Was it Atomizer, or Aviation, oh, I know, Avant Guard.  He hands me the ticket it reads AVATAR.   I thought it would be a romantic love story that would make me tear up over the thoughts of seeing an actor like De Caprio.  This would be a great escape. 

   As I joined him center seat, like he said, I braced myself for romance and laughter, perhaps a step back in time.  I think that is why we are always decorating homes after a place we have so often never been.  We somehow get to dream we are in Provence or Tuscany instead of where we are.

      As the movie opened  I realized we were in some scientific lab with far out ideas about changing brains and places.  We were being thrust into the Future.  I wanted to be some place other than in the land of Pandora . Avatar got my attention all right. I never liked Jurassic Park - I shut my eyes the whole time!  Sci-fi I detest, give me a doctor like Dr. Zivago.  I am not drawn to GI Joe in some  techni-colored Vortex.   I know there will be after market dolls that my grandson will hug.  After all his mom had an ET doll.   Another movie not high on my favorite list.  These movies confuse spiritual issues making the reality of the ONE TRUE G-D a  myth.   See the movie review "Plugged In"  http://www.pluggedin.com/movies/intheaters/avatar.aspx and you can further decide if this is great food for a child’s soul. We all want to cuddle and embrace something thinking this will FIX our pain.

      People are looking for a justification for the messes we  and our world are in.  We want something to hold and value. We want the gods to come down and fix things!

 I looked up the meaning of the word Avatar in the Webster’s Dictionary to discover why I felt uncomfortable with the content.  It stated this fact of incarnation by the god’s.   The central theme of this movie was based on a Hindu concept where the god’s come down in bodily form to the earth.  The worship of the EARTH in the movie was mesmerizing.  A true departure from  worship of the LIVING G-D.

    We are always looking for an imaginary land to move to, a place where everything will be better.  I have embraced the one true G-d concept central in the Bible.  When you study the Pentateuch a warning is pronounced to have NO OTHER gods besides ADONAI.  As a child I discovered this and sought to know HIM,   He grew real BIG inside of me.  My world changes because He changes me. 

     Life teaches us lessons. The book of Proverbs talks about man planning his way but the LORD directs his steps.  We have wonderful building blocks if we will apply them in every area of our family life.  Our communication strengthens as we grow in HIS LOVE language.  

     So am I a romantic by not wanting to save the “trees”?  I want to save lives that are slipping and connect them to purposeful living and meaningful relationships.  I want to hold on to life and enjoy the pleasures that a precious baby bring. I want children to dream big because G-d is dreaming big in them.

    Live dreams thru loving life. Allow the G-d that holds the universe in place to complete His plans and purposes in you.

    Francis Bacon said, “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” 

    I am yet to uncover all the mysteries in this world.  Just like in the movie as they were discovering how to see their world thru the forest’s eyes, I too am so sensitive to my CREATOR.  I am beginning to have HIS EYES AND SEE AND FEEL LIKE HIM.   Am I really from another planet?