Wednesday, August 29, 2007

An Awesome God.

Post 299 - - - - - - Wednesday, 29th August, 2007.

Hello My Friends ~~ I hope you have had a great day with
lots of nice things happening for you. It has been a good
day for me as I had a perm put in my hair, after sitting at
the hairdressers for nearly 3 hours, as she was busy. So
my hair should look better for some time. It is so funny,
strange funny, one girl there was getting her lovely curly
hair straightened, and there was me getting curls. We are
a funny lot, we humans, always want something different.



Both photos tonight were taken by my nephew, Anthony are they are
scenes taken at Nathalia, where we all used to live. Nice trees !!


Tonight's story is called "An Awesome God. --- Author Unknown.


One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in
spite of all we could do she died leaving us with a tiny premature baby
and a crying two-year-old daughter.

We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive, as we had no incubator.
(We had no electricity to run an incubator.) We also had no special
feeding facilities.

Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with
treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we used for
such babies and the cotton wool the baby would be wrapped in.

Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came
back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst.
Rubber perishes easily in tropical climates.

"And it was our last hot water bottle." she exclaimed.

As in the West it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa
it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do
not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.

"All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and
sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your
job is to keep the baby warm."

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any
of the children from the orphanage, who chose to gather with me. I gave
the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about, and told
them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the
baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle. The baby could
so easily die if it got chills. I also told them about the two-year-old
sister, crying because her mother had died.

During the prayer time, one ten year old girl, Ruth, prayed with the
usual blunt conciseness of our African children. "Please God," she
prayed, send us a hot water bottle. It will be no good tomorrow, God,
as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon."

While gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, by way
of a corollary, "And while You are about it, would You please send a
solly for the little girl so she knows You really love her ?" As often
with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say
'Amen?" I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know
that He can do everything. The Bible says so. But there are limits,
aren't there ?

The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by
sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for
almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever received a parcel
from home.

Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water
bottle ?"

I lived on the equator ! Halfway through the afternoon, while I was
teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there
was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had
gone, but there on the veranda, was a large twenty-two pound parcel.

I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent
for the
orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully
undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it
unduly. Excitement was mounting.

Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard
box. From the top, I lifted out brightly colored knitted jerseys. Eyes
sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were knitted bandages for the
leprosy patients, and the children looked on a little bored. Then came
a box of mixed raisins and sultanas that would make a batch of buns for
the weekend. Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the . . could it really be?

I grasped it and pulled it out - yes a brand new rubber hot water bottle.
I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He
could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward,
crying out, "If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too !!"

Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small doll
beautifully dressed. Her eyes shone ! She had never doubted. Looking up
at me, she asked, "Can I go with you to give this dolly to the little girl, so she
will know that Jesus really loves her ?"

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months. Packed up by my
former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's
prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the
girls had put a dolly for an African child five months before - in answer to
the believing prayer of a ten year old to bring it "that afternoon."
<><>

Now for a few jokes - - - -

An old ladywas the owner of a small farm and prided herself on the neatness
of everything, although she only owned a few animals. She was a bit
concerned over her prize pig who looked a bit under the weather and she
thought perhaps what she needed was the attention of a male pig.

Passing the neighbor's farm on market day, the old lady decided to ask if he
would allow his male pig to do the necessary. The farmer agreed and told
her to bring her pig over the next day. Not owning any form of transport,
the old lady decided to sit her pig in the wheel-barrow and push it to er
neighbor's farm..

"Now just leave those pigs alone for half an hour whilst we go in for a cup
of tea and I'm sure the job will be done, by the time we return. But if your
pig still seems restless in another two days, bring her back and we'll give
them the afternoon together."

Two days passed and the pig began to look restless, so out came the
wheel-barrow and the pig was pushed again th the neighbor's farm.By
the end of the week, there were noticable tracks between the two farms.

"I'm sure that it must have taken by now," thought the farmer, so he
rang his neighbor and asked, "Does she still look restless?"

"I don't know," said the old lady. "I will go upstairs where I can see
the field she's in. A few minutes passed before she got back to the
phone. "Can you see her>" asked the farmer.

"Yes. Yes," he was told.
"And what is she doing ?" he wanted to know.
"She's sitting in the wheel-barrow !!"
<><>

A doctor and his wife were sitting in deck chairs on the beach, when
a beautiful young girl in a very brief bikine jogged towards them
As she came to the doctor, she waved at him and said in a huskily
sexy voice, " Hi there !" befor continuing on her way.

"Who was that?" demanded his wife.
"Oh just someone I met professionally," replied the doctor.
"Oh yes," snorted his wife "Whose profession ? Yours
or hers ?"
<><>

A landlord wrote to one of his tenants, asking him if he
wished to renew the lease
of the premises he was occupying.

He recived this brief answer, "Dear sir, I remain, Yours
faithfully.
<><>

"Darling, I'm afraid the florist made a mistake over my anniversary
order for you and they have given me these large Brazilian ferns
instead of your favorite anenomes."

"That's all right dear. They're beautiful. With fronds like these
who needs anenomes ?"
<><>

That's it for tonight, fighting the sand-man here tonight, so
take great care and tell your loved ones that you care.
Love and best wishes to you all. Cheers, Merle.

Post 299 - - - - - Wednesday, 29th August, 2007.
<><><>

12 comments:

Tammy said...

I loved the story of the African children! Makes you want to be a little more specific in your prayers doesn't it?
:)

Joy Des Jardins said...

Nathalia looks beautiful Merle. I just love those trees. Doesn't it feel good to get your hair done? Kind of gives you a little spark. Have a great day my friend....

JunieRose2005 said...

Hi Merle,


I loved that first story very much!

I bet your hair looks very pretty. You should send us a picture of it! :)


Junie

Pear tree cottage! said...

Good morning Merle ~ you know how the saying goes we are all just 6 degrees of separation away from each other well I think you and I just got that little bit closer here today because you see.......My husbands uncle married a Nathalia lady Auntie Grace after he went to Nathalia many, many years ago to work in the bank up there the manger I believe. Anyway he married into a Nathalia pioneer family the Schier's and they lived there and other places over their years until in the mid 1990's they went back to Nathalia to move into the very lovely nursing home up there and were they spent many happy years. Auntie Grace passed away a couple of years before Uncle Claude he lived till 101years old (must be the Nathalia water) and passed away last year, they are both resting at the Nathalia cemetery now.

Your blog always inspires me it truly does Merle.

Have a lovely spring Thursday - the frost was heavy today so the day will be a joy!

Lee-ann

Jeanette said...

Hi Dear Merle, Doesn't it make you feel good after getting your hair done. I know I always feel good comming out the hairdressers after getting it cut. I loved This very touching story on the African children.
great jokes had a good chuckle at the pig sitting in the barrow. Take care enjoy the sunshine love Jan.

mreddie said...

It would be a step ahead if I had any hair, straight or curly. :) Still like the photos. ec

HORIZON said...

Morning Merle. Just checking in with you before my day begins here or it will run away with me and gone will be another chance to stop by! Loved the first story- very uplifting and the child's trust in God makes me think that perhaps we should trust a little more.
As always stopping by here has set my mood for the day and made me smile (pig in the barrow)lol
That was a long wait in the hairdressers but l bet you look smashing. hugs and bests dear friend.
XXX

Puss-in-Boots said...

Lol...with fronds like these who needs anemones!

And the pig in the barrow...Merle have you been sleeping in the knife drawer??

So...you've been relaxing in the hairdressers, eh? I'm going to do that in the weekend...just for a cut and blowdry, though.

Hugs xoxo

Alice said...

Wonderful story, Merle, on the power of prayer, especially the power of a child's belief in that power.

Thank you, Merle.

audrey` said...

Dearest Merle

A perm... so beautiful =)

Unknown said...

I’ve heard of happenings similar to the “An Awesome God” story. In fact, they’ve happened in my presence. Some folks call them “miracles.” I don’t call them miracles; I do accept that God’s love has been uniquely present.

Lucy Stern said...

God Did send a miracle that day...and children do have so much faith, why can't we?