La Dolce Vita

"How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth" (Psalm 119:103)!

Awaken from my slumber by a lawnmower's motor I mistook for a speedboat, I draw back the curtains and find no water in sight. I'm home this Labor Day weekend vacationing in my heart while my body recovers from a grueling work week. My husband sleeps peacefully beside me after his 13-hour night shift duty. As the warm sun streams in turning the night into day, I gaze out on our backyard gardens realizing there's no where else I'd rather be. Who needs a vacation when I'm already living what Italians call "la dolce vita", the sweet life?!

Reading God's Word and relishing my morning tea I'm filled with peace and contentment in the Scriptures. I have more than I need in this earthly life as I take inventory of my possessions. My cupboard is full and food is easy to grasp which humbles me in remembrance of those less fortunate. The Father has provided many human blessings for us to share with others, but the greatest treasure we have is our life in Christ. The Gospel is worth more than our bank account; it's the gift of eternal life for those who possess new life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Culinary delights are wonderful, we need to eat to sustain our bodies. But all that I have in this life would ring hollow if not enjoyed with a loving heart transformed by the Holy Spirit. In all seasons of life it is God's Word that binds me to Him, and the reality that all I see before me on earth will one day perish. How do you deal with the certainty of death with an attitude of hopeful anticipation of eternity? By resting in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and not on the inadequacies of your on rituals and deeds.

While time will erode the lovely gardens surrounding my house God's Word stands forever. It is the only thing that will last! Holding the Scriptures in my mind and my heart I am filled in my soul; more satisfied than anything I could put in my mouth. "I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food" (Job 23:12).

As you enjoy a respite from work with family and friends this Labor Day, may you feast on the words of the only Living God and find your joy complete. "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth" (Psalm 119:103)!

Your fellow herald for Jesus,

Mary  

A Really Big House

“In my Father’s house are many room; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).

“Pack your bags; be ready to go when I return for you and help your mother take care of the family farm. I’m going to find a new home in a new world for all of us.” Parting words my great-great-grandfather uttered as he set sail from Italy for America. Leaving behind a scared family with no guarantee of his safe passage, he must have thought it was worth the risk. Longing to escape the poverty they would inherit if he stayed on familiar turf, he followed the message of hope a trusted friend had shared about America; changing the course of his family’s history.

After establishing himself as a farmer in America, he bought a large house on several acres of land. Beginning in 1902, he traveled back to Italy each time escorting another family member safely to America. After arriving with the last of his children in 1913 they never set foot in their homeland again. They eagerly embraced their new dwelling and thanked their loving father who, by God’s grace, had fulfilled his promise. At last they were all together in a place prepared especially for them!

As Jesus prepared His disciples for His earthly departure to His heavenly home, He encouraged them with words of assurance. He promised He would make ready their room in His Father’s house, He would come back to get them, and with Him they would live. These blessed words of truth continue to give hope to all Christ’s followers. The master carpenter loves us so much that He’s custom designing our new dwelling with Him.

Is your faith in Christ’s purchase of your safe passage home? God has many rooms in His really big house. Is your name on one of them? Change your family history. Ask Jesus to live in your heart today so you can live with Him forever. Then invite others to join God’s family of believers who trust in the sacrifice of His Son. He loves new additions. “In my Father’s house are many room; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

La Famiglia (The Family)

“…Though she may forget you, I will not forget. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16).

They stood on the same shoreline 100 years apart. Hardly noticeable these two women were both small in stature; but big on dreams. One bound for the oldest resort on earth a short boat ride away; the other sailing to the New World on a month-long voyage. The woman in 2010 departs from Naples, accompanied by her husband, for Capri from the dock where, in 1910, a mere teenager traveled solo to meet her future mate. One is seeking to connect with her past while the other is leaving hers behind. She was a fragile, sweet, thirteen-year-old Italian immigrant in 1910 whose story time almost forgot. As of late, my questioning is bringing her back to life for she was my great-grandmother.

Returning from Italy seven weeks ago has caused a surge in my family history research. While Jon and I were traveling visions of my mother’s family danced in my imagination. Everyone knew my great-grandmother came from Italy; her broken English accent was a sure giveaway. She never spoke of what her life was like there, and I can’t ask her now. She passed away in 1987. So my ancestral excavation takes place through other living family members who share bits and pieces of her saga. Learning how my family lived and what they sacrificed has changed me. Our Italian vacation has transformed me profoundly; it’s become a spiritual journey.

It’s the little things that have affected me the most. Like discovering my great, great-grandfather traveled in a horse-drawn cart from the south of Rome to the tip of the Austrian border selling his homegrown fruits, vegetables, and assorted meats and cheeses. Many were the same routes I traversed in an air conditioned bus with plenty of amenities. It baffles me that he rode through Italy’s mountainous terrain in all kinds of weather to support his family. Eventually, he saved up enough money to travel to Argentina, Brazil and America in search of a better life for them all. These were facts my mother never knew!

Perusing the notes I’m compiling on my Italian relatives, I am overcome with emotion at times. How different my life would have been had they stayed in Italy or if they settled in Brazil or Argentina as other family members did. But God’s grace and mercy carried them safely to America where a world of unlimited possibilities awaited. Their willingness to risk everything in a new land opened the door to so many blessings for the rest of us. As I contemplate their sacrifice and hardship I feel so spoiled; so undeserving of all that I have. It’s changed my heart forever. I am complaining less about how stressful my life is and speaking forth more grateful praises.

Discovering the intricacies of those who paved the way before me has drawn me closer to them. This, too, is how my relationship with Jesus has been growing. As I unearth the treasures buried in His Holy Word, I realize the price He paid for my freedom and the privilege of eternal life I’ve been given. He washed away my filthy sins and opened the door into heaven for me. I am welcomed into His family, one whose members are as precious to me as my own flesh and blood relatives. How tragic and hopeless my life would be if I had chosen to stay in my sinful state; refusing to leave it all behind.

The beauty of belonging to God’s household is that He never forgets us. Human relationships are wonderful, but time erodes their memory. Yet God is always faithful; forever longing to spend time with us and never too busy for those who love Him. Just as the choices my ancestors made directly impacted my life for good, my prayer is that my decision to follow Jesus will bring blessing to others in my circle. Hoping to meet you at the family reunion God’s planning for His children! “…Though she may forget you, I will not forget. See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary

Streets of Marble; Streets of Gold

“The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelations 21:21).

Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? The Bible tells us the streets will be paved with pure gold. The closest I’ve come to gold was walking streets of marble in Verona, Italy. Jon and spent 10 glorious days touring many regions of that wonderful country, and found ourselves in the opulent city of Verona while en route to Venice. All its richness made me realize earth is beautiful, but nothing compared to what God has planned for those who love His Son!

The most spiritual experiences Jon and I had in Italy were often found outside of the churches we toured. In the sacred ruins God spoke to us of people who lived long ago, and whose lives were altered by sudden tragedy. How do you explain how much more we were deeply moved by the Roman Colosseum versus the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica? Naturally, we admired the Vatican museum and Sistine Chapel for the magnificent structures they were. But with so many people shuffling through beside us it did not lend itself to quiet contemplation. In the Colosseum we reflected on all those who lost their lives there, many for their Christian faith.

Pompeii had the same sobering effect on us. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius on August 24 in 79 AD buried the city under 60 feet of volcanic ash by August 25. We were visiting it on August 25, 2010 and while we marveled at the engineering genius of the former residence of Pompeii, their preserved plaster bodies were a reminder that life can change very quickly. The people had ample warning to leave the area, but elected to stay because they did not understand the danger at hand. They believed the dark rain was a sign that the many gods they worshiped were with angry with them, so few fled Pompeii. Instead, they slowly and painfully perished and disappeared from view for over a thousand years.

Are people no different today than they were in Pompeii? Doesn’t God send many warnings that we are in danger of being cut off from Him forever apart from a relationship with Jesus? I shudder to think how long I ignored His message, but praise God He did not give up pursuing me until I responded to His invitation to fellowship with Him! Peace, joy and comfort are yours when you give your heart to Christ. You’ll never have to fear His abandonment in this world, or in eternity, when you’re sealed with the blood of His sacrifice for your sins. Heaven is secured when you believe in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and give Him your life.

Our Roman holiday was very special. The adventures we shared, and the new friends we met, will always cheer our souls when we reflect on those magical summer days. The places we visited are etched in our memory to draw upon at will: Capri’s rugged island landscape, Rome’s glorious fountains and ancient ruins, Venice’s romantic gondola ride, Assisi’s spectacular hillside decorated with olive streets illuminated under a full moon, Florence’s stunning artwork and statue of David, Lake Como’s deep blue water and view of the Alps, and Verona’s impressive marble streets that showcased the city’s wealth.

These were only a few of our experiences. With all the treasures we saw, I still couldn’t help but exclaim as I walked on Verona’s marble streets, “This is nice but it’s only a warm up for heaven’s streets of gold!” Our Father has great riches to lavish on His flock. Is He your Shepherd? I pray you are one of His sheep. Hope to walk beside you one day in the kingdom of God! It’ll be much better than Verona. “The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelations 21:21).

Your fellow sojourner,

Mary