ROSES & THORNS

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” ~ Abe Lincoln

 

"Without the thorns, the roses wouldn't last very long. So, you guessed it. The thorns on roses are a defense mechanism to keep them from being harmed." 

 

The Thorn

I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me.”
He said, “My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee.”
I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.

by Martha Snell Nicholson

  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  2 Corinthians 12:7-10

A Thorn Among Roses (Becky 3rd far rt.) 1973

 “He picked up one of Lorna's roses and set it in my lap. "Here." I picked it up and smelled it. He poked me in the shoulder. "See what I mean? Thorns don't stop you from sniffing. Or putting them in a vase on the kitchen table. You work around them.... Cause the rose is worth it... Think what you'd miss.” ~Charles Martin, Chasing Fireflies: A Novel of Discovery



 Another yet short fleeting immature relationship!  One of my mess-ups.
  I surprise myself in going over my journal at the amount of wasted time and youthful energy fantasizing and focusing on love relationships. How strong, the urge to marry in my 20 somethings. With all the other girls gone, the ratio was reversed.

"El Barrill"  (aka missionary barrel)

My future husband had busied himself with a college course in another state.  With him gone the pool was still strong.  We all had a blast, eating together, going to church together, working together, playing together, and looking together at possibilities.

Pressing Records

My future husband returned from his studies and the games began.

  I again pursued life with a renewed spirit, never expecting him to be my future husband and spend the next twenty three years of my life in some of the most exciting, the most financially lean, challenging, new experiences as home missionaries with Gospel Recordings.

My apt. on Witmer St.

Witmer St. from my apt. window

At Urbana (6mo. with child)

Life was not always rosy.  Lest you conclude that my husband is the thorn, I leave that for you to decide, however, it has been more than a thorny life but smelling and looking at the roses is well worth it.

At Urbana Conference with Joy Ridderhoff (Left blue coat)

THE JOY OF JOY RIDDERHOFF  Click here

MEMORIES, MESS-UPS, & FAILURES

My life journey continues: It contains my memories,my many experiences,my mess-ups, and my failures.

My better side

 Age tends to create a hightened awareness of change, both physically and spiritually. The places I go; the people I hang out with; different ways I see, think, and act!  However, "When it's all been said and done" what are the things I treasured the most?

As balanced as I want my life to be, sometimes I find myself off kilter.
   Life is."... rough and challenging and filled with tests and temptations. And this is what makes it beautiful, after all. Living a better life stems most of the time from making a lot of mistakes and learning from them, rather than from avoiding challenges. Better try and fail than isolate yourself in a sea of delusion and non-action." ~A Fellow Blogger

It is not beneficial to focus on what has happened to me whatever  negatives  that may be.  It is not beneficial to spend lots of time and energy thinking on things that are not there anymore such as relationships or health or youth..  It is not beneficial to focus on my past unless it will benefit someone with the lessons it has taught me.

My Wild Side

I find myself that by focusing on regrets of the past, I have the tendency of ignoring the present.  Regrets have a way of tying you down to things that don't matter anymore and you can't really do anything about them anyway.  So Becky accept and move on.

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.  Ephesians 4:29

Isn't it ironic though that we often have that propensity to talk about the past.  Not that there is anything wrong with it but we can balance the past as "possibilities for the future" to make the memories, mess-ups, and failures different in the present and future.
 

The Look of Love side

 

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Phil.3:13-14

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Cor.5:17

 

Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62

 

Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, Phil.3:13

 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal.2:20

 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

 

The Cultivating Joy Side

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 2 Cor. 5:17

DID I LIVE MY LIFE FOR YOU You can hear Robin Mark sing it HERE. 
Words and music by Jim Cowan:

When it's all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters
Did I do my best to live for truth
Did I live my life for You
When it's all been said and done
All my treasures will mean nothing
Only what I've done for love's reward
Will stand the test of time

Lord Your mercy is so great
That You look beyond our weakness
And find purest gold in miry clay
Making sinners into saints

I will always sing Your praise
Here on earth and ever after
For You've shown me Heaven's my
True home

When it's all been said and done
You're my life when life is gone
Lord I'll live my life for You.

THE BEGINNING OF CULTIVATING JOY ~1973

I would like to believe that my life motto of CULTIVATING JOY perhaps began in early 1973.  After the devastating experience of a failed relationship and reeling from the shock, I again found myself searching for a place in life.  What I thought was God’s plan, was not His plan. darkest-days-of-my-life~click here

On A Recent Visit To Valhalla

After a summer internship at Gospel Recordings, I was drawn to the fact that perhaps this was my place for this time.
I have chosen to highlight my acquaintance with Joy Ridderhof as she highly influenced my life.  She had the ability to inspire one to be joyful and rejoice.  She was a constant reminder to rejoice and frequently asked:

"Are you practicing rejoicing? Remember, the hard things make good rejoicing practice."  
What made her special to me, was not just her spirit of joy but she impressed it upon my mind that God is familiar with our needs.
  She would periodically draw me aside and ask how I was doing and before I knew it the conversation evolved in prayer.  It was the uncanny illusion that she had one foot on earth and the other in Heaven as you never knew when she would just start including God in the conversation.  She took me on ride-a-longs, she stopped to play croquet with us young people.

 As someone described : “Joy never stopped praising God, no matter what the trouble was. She believed that when the Bible said to rejoice it meant just that, no matter what was happening at the time. Her life and faith is a testimony of what God can do with someone who is humble and willing to follow His guidance—wherever it takes them. Even when it means driving in the dark through a river, trusting that there will be a road on the other side.”

GLIMPSES OF EDIGER LIFE in 1955

Article from the MIM bulletin

1955

1955, Matching dresses

1955

RUNAWAY THOUGHTS

RUNAWAY THOUGHTS
"WE think many times faster than we can speak and write.  Our unwritten thoughts tend to whisk through the mind like a fleeting herd of wild stallions running toward the horizon, disappearing with hardly a trace.  Journaling (blogging) is the lasso with which we harness those runaway thoughts and tame them into useful vehicles of contemplative expression."
(I have no clue where I found that quote but I found it an insightful statement.)

In 2003, I continued my sporadic journaling with a new note book and titled it REMEMBRANCES OF GOD'S BENEFITS DISPLAYED TO REBECCA JOY.

Again I share another quote from THE LIFE AND LETTERS OF HENRY MARTYN:

"...my object in making this journal, is to accustom myself to self-examination, and to give experience a visible form, so as to leave a stronger impression on the memory, and thus improve my soul in holiness; for the review of such lasting testimony will serve the double purpose of conviction and consolation."   (And my comfort)

So my motivation and goals for beginning this journal and blogging is that I may CULTIVATE an attitude of joy and gratitude in what God is doing in my life no matter what others do or not do.
I want a permanent reminder of what God has done for me and in the event that my mind becomes foggy, I will want to be reminded of all that God has done for me.
Blogging also gives vent to a heart whose desire is to declare the benefits and gratefulness of God during my seasons of life.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
² Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
³ who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
⁵ who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

 Psalm 103:1-5

After I am gone and my children sift through all I've left behind, I want them to discover the clues and memories I've left behind and have with out a doubt the assurance of knowing that I loved the Lord and I loved the Scriptures, and am grateful for salvation.  I know that I am a child of God.  One regret I have is not spending more time with my mother and talking about life, her hopes, her dreams.  I can not go to her and ask her questions.  I hope to avoid the same by blogging so my daughters and grand children will KNOW my many slices of life.


Philip Hughs says:  "Under God, however, all things are without exception fully controlled-despite all appearances to the contrary."


I read somewhere that we should thank God in advance, because he is already making arrangements.  He already knows exactly what He is going to do and how He is going to help us.  The unknown things, the unforseen things are being taken care of.

 I am grateful for my physical and spiritual Heritage.

 Borrowing a  quote from Oswald Chambers:
"It is no use to pray for the old days; 
stand square where you are and make the present better than any past has been.
Base all on your relationship to God and go forward, and presently you will find 
that what is emerging is infinitely better than the past ever was."

In truth, none of us were ever handed a perfect heritage.  We have received a mix of good and bad, because our parents, learning by doing and limited by their own weaknesses, did not always offer what was needed.  In light of these thoughts, I do not want to be consumed with and harbor negative thoughts toward those in my family.

"PRAISE IS A POTENT DISINFECTANT"  ~Spurgeon


I am awed at the fact that God KNOWS all about me.  I can have joy and sense of well-being in the UNCHANGING  God rather than in my changing circumstances.

From Psalm 139
God knows my sitting down and my rising up,
He understands my thought afar off.
He comprehends my path and my lying down,
He is acquainted with all my ways.
He knows everything that I say. 

Yes, I have to keep reminding myself of these things as I pass through this season of life, as I confront my greatest physical challenges in my life.

THOUGHTS ON COLOR:
How grateful I am that when God created this world he chose to brighten it with so many hues and shades.  My favorite of these is blue and green, however, as I age, I find myself gravitating to louder colors.
I just cannot imagine a pale and dull world without the various colors and shades.  I enjoy green because it reminds me of growth and the need to CULTIVATE my spiritual life.  
I enjoy blue because as I look up into the sky, I am reminded of my Awesome God.  When ever I am depressed just sitting outside raises my spirits as I look to the heavens, I am reminded of a God who loves me personally.
I am also reminded to "BE STILL" and know that He is God, and gaining glimpses of His creation.
Again, I am thankful for the ability to see.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS and you'll see...

1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
   When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
   Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
   And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
   • Refrain:
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     Count your blessings, see what God has done!
     Count your blessings, name them one by one,
     *Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
     [*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
2. Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
   Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
   Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
   And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3. When you look at others with their lands and gold,
   Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
   Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy]
   Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
   Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
   Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
   Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

 And THAT folks is why I blog.

 

MY PLACE ON THE EARTH

From the first time I heard this song, I found it incredibly inspirational.  It has been a profound reminder that God has been with me through out my life journey.  He has never forsaken me.  He has not rejected me one second in my 67 years.  He has gone before me and has been the "guardian of my heart".  It often brings tears to my eyes.A PLACE ON THE EARTH click here.

Ninth Grade, US

Second grade

Eight Grade, last year in Mexico

First Grade in Tantoyuca

Second Grade

As a hen gathers her chicks so did Miss T

Class Picture, Necaxa, lake in the background

First Grade in Tantoyuca

Last day of school in Necaxa, Abraham Lincoln Play

 Find me a place on the earth
Where a weary man can rest
And listen for your voice
In the turning seasons

A quiet place in the world
Where I can bow
And confess that I fear
Where you have brought me,
Mysterious God

 Find me a place on the earth
Where a weary man can rest
And listen for your voice
In the turning seasons

A quiet place in the world
Where I can bow
And confess that I fear
Where you have brought me,
Mysterious God

All of my life
You have been with me
My comfort in loneliness
My hope in the dark
All of my life
Lord, please stay with me
Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

My days are passing by
Like falling stars
That blaze across the night sky
Then they are gone

But Father, at your side
I will never be afraid
For you have held all my days
In the palm of your hand

All of my life
You have been with me
My comfort in loneliness
My hope in the dark
All of my life
Lord, please stay with me
Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

All of my life
You have been with me
My comfort in loneliness
My hope in the dark
All of my life
Lord, please stay with me
Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

Be my sustaining breath
Be my sustaining breath
Be my sustaining breath

All of my life
You have been with me
My comfort in loneliness
My hope in the dark
All of my life
Lord, please stay with me
Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

My days are passing by
Like falling stars
That blaze across the night sky
Then they are gone

But Father, at your side
I will never be afraid
For you have held all my days
In the palm of your hand

All of my life
You have been with me
My comfort in loneliness
My hope in the dark
All of my life
Lord, please stay with me
Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

All of my life
You have been with me
My comfort in loneliness
My hope in the dark
All of my life
Lord, please stay with me
Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

Be my sustaining breath
Guardian of my heart

Be my sustaining breath
Be my sustaining breath
Be my sustaining breath

From the beginning, I am reminded of the provisions of God in my life,  From the moment I was thrust into an "isolated" "independent" situation at first grade.
I will attempt to take this opportunity to post from the bowels of my memory, to remind myself of what brought me to this point in time and factors that led me to home school my own children.  I remember very little of my first year away from home at the tender age of six and a horrified mother at finding lice in my blonde, curly locks.  I found my solice in being alone and still relish times alone.  The closest description to my living arrangement would be a  missionary type of "foster" home in Tantoyuca which included three boys that first year.

1961 Huauchinango School with Smiths with our book bags

I must confess that I was not comfortable handing my own children over to others for the majority of their day for education.
I wanted to continue the parent-child relationship that I had developed since birth.  I just could not see a reason to end this just because they reached  compulsory school age.

I am sure that my mother and father talked and prayed, and struggled over the best course of my education just as I did for my own children.
 My years during Mexico days proved to be full of short term solutions and many changes along the way.  By second grade (1956-1957) the family with the most students went on furlough so my parents hosted the "foster" home, in our home in Cuautempan, with two extra boys and the teacher moved in with us.  Her one room served as living quarters and school room for 4 of us.  This was my brother's first year of school. 
 This year proved to be one of the happiest for all of us, however one of the boys, my classmates accidentally drowned in the bath tub two years later.  This profoundly affected me and prompted me to pursue more spiritual things.

Third grade found the school moving again to Necaxa,a semi permanent place. Our teacher followed us and Dad and Mother were the foster/houseparents for the first semester and the Massons, the second semester.  The school year was so arranged that we had two terms of four months each, from the middle of December, and from February through May.  This allowed for two vacation periods of two months each when we could return home.
We were the generation that grew up under the Calvert Correspondence curriculum but administered by our faithful teacher Miss T.  It was under her mentoring that kept the glue together in my life. 
Miss T. spent her vacation time visiting the various mission posts to understand more of the individuals missionary's needs.  Then to better explain to us school children the prayer needs of each family. During the constant change of environment and passing off the house parenting duties to others by parents who each had their own set of living rules and own set of children, I often found myself in trouble and taking solice on my lower bunk, reading or out under the trees in the orange grove.  I learned to insulate myself and took comfort in the memory verses  we
were required to memorize and reading my Bible.  What a profound  impact it had on me when one day I was sent to my bunk for discipline with instructions to read I John 3 with special attention to verse 15 "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him."

On the way to school-Huauchi

In Necaxa a christian lady, Mrs. Andrade offered her country/orange ranch home to use while our large cinder-block more permanent compound was completed.  It was situated with a view of a lake and had plenty of woodsy space. (Where one day I took what looked like a short cut home and got hopelessly lost.)   It was located amongst a citrus orchard and the climate was not in the hot land and not in the high  mountains chllly.  It was located in this beautiful rural area close to one of the main highways.  It was approximately in the center of the fields where the missionaries are located.
`````````````````````````````````` Our day would begin at 6:30.  We were expected to be ready for breakfast and have our beds made by 7 a.m.  At the table we participated in devotions in Spanish.
After breakfast there were chores, including practicing on the folding organ. (not me).
Classes began at 8:30 a.m. with a chorus, Bible reading, and prayer.
Once a week we sang patriotic songs and the flag salute.
Twelve o'clock to one was lunch hour.  When school continued after lunch, there was story time (usually some children's classic read out loud) and Scripture memorization.  Just before the end of the day, 3 pm., we had another short period of Bible reading and prayer.
After school there was play time (oh joy to run outside under the orange trees and maybe a hike down to the lake), homework time, eating dinner and then another Bible Study time with the house parents.  They used Dr. Harlin J. Roper's Course, "Through The Bible".
Our day ended at 7:30 and we were expected to be in our bunks. 
````````````````````````````````````

1959 found me in fourth grade, in Dallas Oregon with 28 other students, my first experience in public school.  Very ironic that I also do not remember much of that year.  We lived in a somewhat old ramshackle house with an old apple tree out front and one of my jobs was to pick up old rotten apples off the ground. 
Fifth grade back to Mexico and school in Necaxa (1959-1960) with the same school teacher but different houseparents (The Shirks)
1960 Sixth grade back with my parents in Cuautempan with my mother home schooling.  It was one of the best of times.  The teacher went on furlough.
Seventh grade, 1961, the school moved to Huauchinango (Wow-chee-nahn-go) as several missionary families left for other ministries and 3 of us Ediger kids were invited to stay with the Smiths, my sixth set of temporary house parents. 

My sister began her home away from home here.  I studied the usual seventh grade subjects plus Art History as prescribed by the correspondence course.
Eight grade again found us with a set of different house parents in Huauchinango with twelve of us students, four of us in eight grade with the same teacher.  This year was the highlight of all my years of schooling in Mexico.  There was four of us in eight grade and the house parents were seasoned parents and understood young teens.

8th grade class~ graduation 1963

Graduation day dress, As part of our parting activities, was to embroider daisies on the skirt

A big graduation followed and we all went our separate ways.  That was the last of my Mexico days as I knew them.  I did visit one summer later.
The following year, ninth grade, was a rude awakening.

(The transition into public middle school was brutal.  I was ridiculed and bullied; my brother began having horrendous migraines)  

WHEN HE PUTTETH FORTH HIS OWN SHEEP, HE GOETH BEFORE THEM.  ~John 10:4 

The whole student body singing "How Great Thou Art" and "The Tempest Is Raging", Commencement Address by Rev. William Hueston

Miss T ~2016

 

PHOTO GALLERY: LIFE IN MEXICO

Mother & Child

Gas Lantern for home & church

Joaquin & Teclita's wedding

Joaquin & Teclita's wedding

Dad & Mother

A Totonac Father reading the Totonac Scriptures to his children

An older sibling taking care of the younger one

One burner stove like we used when staying in the hotel, cooked oatmeal and heated up food on the shower room floor.

The Casa Hogar girls busy embroidering

A common sight, A common burden

Ironing with a cast iron charcoal iron

A Totonac family

Cleaning the kerosene lamps with newspapers

A load of wood to keep the kitchen fires burning

Home work at the Casa Hogar for boys

A finished embroidery project

A woman on her way to Market with baby on her back, market goods on her head and a chicken in hand. 

One of the Casa Hogar boys playing ball.

Mother and Mrs.Art Hainish (husband was pastor of Dallas church)  with flowers in Totomoxtla