Isaiah Robert's baptism

without guile

Guile ~ insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful in deception; duplicity.

Dallas willard says that children are incapable of "managing their face."  They are without guile.

That's a very good thing.  May we be the same.

Little Isaiah Robert is our teacher.  He is without guile.

Scripture references:

Ps. 32:2

Ps. 34:13

Matt 7:15

I Peter 2:1

I Peter 2:22

I Peter 3:10

Rev 14:5

In God we trust ~ in spite of our misgivings

The unthinkable happened when Ryan Wesley Arnold suffered heart failure on the transplant floor of the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Colorado.  The code blue alert sounded throughout the facility early morning on the third day after surgery.  Sunday, August 1, 2010.

The surgery progressed without a blip with on-track recovery following.  The intricate process of transferring 2/3 of Ryan's liver to his brother was going along without a hitch.  Then the unthinkable happened.

Ryan's high school days:  Robert thought the world of Ryan during his tenure with us in youth group, Watertown, SD.  Robert viewed his time with Ryan - shaping and training - as an investment that would pay high dividends.  Ryan was focused and intentional in his young walk with Jesus.  He knew where he was headed and never looked back.

"Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither."  C.S. Lewis

******

Those left behind struggle with swirling questions:  Why pray?  What is the good of leaving a young wife with three boys under age 6?  What sense does this make?  Why pray?

Rock Arnold likes to recount C.S. Lewis' insight that Christians are the most dangerous when they cannot see God in the midst of daunting circumstances; yet they still believe.  They still follow.

Peter the Feisty One said it best in scripture, "(Great honk,) where else do we have to go, Lord?!  Who else has the words of eternal life?"

This is default faith:  The first words out of the mouth of a Christ-follower is "Oh God!  Dear Jesus!"  My first words audibly spoken after the 2:52 am phone call that Ryan was code blue, were not, "God Almighty, you've failed us!  I am finished with following you!"  Or "Buddha save us!"  No, by default, I cried out in trust in the Living Lord who at that very moment was an enigma to me.  I knew that He could stop the heart failure but was not.  Yet I still cried out "God!  No God!"  

Kim0 uses the analogy of marriage and our hand-in-hand walk with the Savior:  Sometimes we do not 'feel' affection and devotion to our spouses but nevertheless, we continue with one another out of sheer commitment.  Commitment, spoken and sealed at the altar of marriage, is the tie that binds.  It is the same with our God-walk; we have given our stories to the Master Storyteller and we do not get to write the ending.  We wonder, we doubt, we shake our fist in anxious sorrow ~ but we go forward hand-in-hand.  It is the covenantal commitment that keeps us.  

The End of the Story is written already and we know that it ends well:  The Lamb wins.  


King David after foregoing food for a number of days while beseeching the Father to save the infant son of Bathsheba, went forward after his child died.  "He will not return to me," David said, "but I will go to him."  David knew that he would be reunited with his son.  


Until then, let us eat and drink and raise our children and grandchildren in the sometimes enigmatic wondrous ways of the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Elisabeth Elliot's "Difficulties are Proof Contexts:"  http://www.elisabethelliot.org/devotional.html

Back and forth email with Ryan Wesley Arnold

27 July 2010, two days before Ryan's surgery to give his brother, Chad, 2/3 of his liver

Dear Ryan ~ Saturday after a long ride, I peddled over to your place to greet you before your Colorado departure. The lights were on but could not rouse anyone.  I suspect that you were out for a walk together.  This morning I visited with your Mama at home before she and Janelle leave later today for Denver.

A few days ago I remembered a conversation your Mom and I had years ago when you were in high school.  You were such a responsible and focused young man.  One time after you rescued Becky Dearborn from a car situation on some lake back road, your Mother was telling me how much you enjoy rescuing folks. She said that you had always been quick to grab the 4-wheeler to pull a stuck snowmobile out of the lake or answer a dame in distress.  "Help is on the way" seems to be your motto, Ryan, and you respond out of the core of your character.  You seem to be wired to help. "Private Ryan Saving Chad" fits.  

Thank you for becoming the full man God intended when He shaped you from the beginning.  You fulfill His good intentions as a conduit of help for others.  Just like your Daddy, I might add.  

May the Lord be near ~ caren m

Ryan’s response:  

Thanks Caren for your encouraging words. It's great to hear from you again. 

It's at times like this I am reminded of the influences of my past. You and Robert were a huge part of that. I am excited to see what God has in store for my family in the future as well. 

Thanks for your prayers. 

my last email:

Bless you Buddy.  It will sure be good to see you tooling around the neighborhood with your family.  Hurry home!  We miss you already...

You know, Ryan, that Robert thought the world of you.  His confidence in you has not been misplaced.  

Love to all, especially your brave bride ~ care


You did hurry home, Ryan.  And we do miss you

Lessons learned around the lake

50% of the time you buck a head wind.   But keep peddling, the tail wind is comin'