Helping Mom Celebrate her Birthday

Blessing

Recently I was with my sister, Ferne, caring for her and nursing her back to health, as well getting her prepared to move to her daughter's home to live.
While there, she passed on to me a little leather bound book called "Just For Today".  A friend gave it to her in 1959.  It's a precious old book, full of quotes from people long gone.

On the 12th of March, I read:

"The really devout man moves on his daily road in simplicity and confidence.
He is firmly set to refuse nothing God asks of him, to yield in no way to self love; never to be guilty of any deliberate fault; but at the same time he does not torment and worry himself with petty vexations.  If he falls into some error, he does not fret over it, but rising up with a humble spirit, he goes on his way. . . he is never surprised at his own weakness and imperfection, neither is he discouraged by them. . . knowing that of himself he can do nothing; through God's help, everything; he does not trust in his own good intentions and resolutions, but solely in God's grace and goodness.
Were he to fall a hundred times in the day he would not despair. . . he would rather cry out to God, appealing to His tender pity.  The really devout man has a horror of evil, but he has a still greater love of that which is good; he is more set on doing what is right than avoiding what is wrong.
Generous, large-hearted, he is not afraid of danger in serving God, and would rather run the risk of doing His will imperfectly than not strive to serve Him lest he fail in the attempt."  --Jean Nicolas Grou, 1700s.

This is Carlin.  This was Carlin.

Thanking God for Carlin and you, today!!

My Dear Marcia:

Trust you have had a wonderful, enjoyable few days with friends and family celebrating Christmas.  Today has been a quiet day after the hustle and bustle of December ministry at Willingdon and the past week of precious time with family!!!  After much entertaining, and busyness over the past few days, I cozied by the woodstove!!  It was such a treat!!!  Joined by my Bible and a book, God brought Carlin and you to my heart and mind.

In January, I begin a course from Western Seminary on "Women in Leadership", and one of the books I'm required to read is "Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership."  I started the first chapter today, which begins "And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?  Is anything worth more than your soul?" Matthew 16:26 NLT  The first chapter reinforces the importance and essential truth of "soul care" and the importance of leadership flowing out of solitude and God encounters.  As I closed this chapter, in solitude and serenity of soul, the Holy Spirit reminded me of our beloved Pastor Carlin singing "I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice, to worship You, Oh My Soul rejoice!!  Take Joy my King, in what You hear, May it be a sweet, sweet sound to Your ear."  I was reminded of his godly influence and strong spiritual leadership and knew this flowed out of his personal God encounters and the soul care He provided to others was the direct result of the time He spent in solitude to care for his soul.  Clive and I are often reminded of Carlin's leadership, His genuine love for the Lord and God's people.  We miss him, and know if we sense His absence, how much greater you must miss him!!!  May you be comforted today, my sweet sister, to know that God continues to minister and encounter souls, strengthening them in leadership through you and Carlin's godly example!!  How blessed we are!!!

As December draws to a close and the calendar turns to Jan. 2016, be reminded, my precious one, that you are loved with an everlasting love, (Jer. 31:3) and deeply appreciated!!!  I pray for you, thanking God for you!! I am also reminded as we prepare for a New Year of Luke 12:37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake (watching) when he comes."  What great hope and anticipation we share as we watch for His return!!!

Prayers & Love,

Amy

Trying to be Strong

One of the last things Carlin said to me was, "Marcia, be strong."  Here I am, trying to be strong.      

Family

Comfort with family.

Comforts with friends.

Memories. Dr Alex

Dr. Paul Magnus, recipient of Grandpa's robe.

Grandson, Alex, hamming it up with Grandpa's doctoral robe.

Comfort in gardening.

Some of the family.

Sunday was the one year mark since Carlin’s Memorial Service

Click here to watch the service again.

 

A few days ago, a friend, a dear long-time friend, called to ask how I was doing and to pass on some words of comfort.  I was blessed.  But after the conversation, it hit me that here is someone who reaches out to speak comfort, when he is needing encouragements living with his dear wife who has Alzheimers.  Day in and day out, as the days roll on, he is there helping her.  I think I failed to comfort him.  Pray for him, as you do pray for those you know who so need a touch.

 

Sunday was the one year mark since Carlin’s Memorial Service.  These days are lonelier.  But God gives me so many special things.  i.e. coming across what Isaac Watts wrote: 

“My God how endless is Thy love!

                       Thy gifts are every evening new,

            And morning mercies from above

                        gently distill like early dew.

            Thou spreadest the curtains of the night—

                        Great Guardian of my sleeping hours;

            Thy Sovereign word restores the light

                        And quickens all my drowsy powers.

            I yield my powers to Thy command

                        To Thee I consecrate my days;

            Perpetual blessings from Thy hand

                        demand perpetual songs of praise.”

 

Those last two phrases hit me.  Yes, perpetual praise.  God inhabits the praises of His people!  The spirit of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  I will sing praise because He is worthy of all my praise.  (I feel like I’m preaching a sermon!  Not intended.)

 

Anita Corrine Donahue prayed this—it expresses so much where I am at right now:

“Thank you for loving me.  From You came my very being.  In You is my course of life.  You know my needs, my abilities, my longings.  You listen to my joys, my sadness, my frustrations, my dreams.  You are my everlasting Father.

Thank You for always being present with me.  When I call on Your name, I praise You for already being here.  My Abba, which art in Heaven.  Tender love.  You hear my cry.  You see me whole, complete, pure, healed because You see me through Jesus.  Thank You for providing a Paraclete, the One Who is able to carry away the sins of the whole world.  Thank you that Jesus is there at Your right hand, interceding for me.  My comfort by day, and my song in the night, my hope, my salvation, my all.”

See how wonderfully God gives comforts throughout the days!  Different things are reminders of His awesome, unfailing, everlasting love and care.  Even phone calls from dear old friends.

I trust you are blessed today.  Thank you for your notes telling me you are still praying.

Love,

Marcia

Words in the margins

Hi Marcia,
I wrote this email last week, but I wasn't sure if I should send it. I have to honestly say that I do not have a lot of experience walking along side someone who is in deep mourning. You want to be helpful and encouraging, but it is not always clear what you should or should not do or say. So, I have decided to share the email with you in the hope that it will be helpful. We love you deeply.

J.P.

       Dear Marcia,

I am often deeply touched and inspired by the words underlined and written by Carlin in the margins of Charles Spurgeon's devotional book. There are reflections of his thoughts and indications of what captured his attention among the many ideas shared.

On April 10th, I see prophetic words, perhaps the last Carlin wrote in the book. These words are a beautiful promise from Jesus and speak of a loving Lord who walks with us. I know that these words must be deeply treasured as they speak of faithful assurance. The Lord's promises are true and they are full of blessing for those who love Him. I know that one day, each of us will have a chance to walk away with Him. Oh what a glorious day that will be. Our Father in heaven is full of loving-kindness, mercy and grace.

2 Corinthians 1:3 tells us that blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Your story about meeting the woman at the garage is such a beautiful testimony to this truth.

I pray that we will be able to serve in the fullness of all that we experience in life, both in joy and suffering, and that we will be able to bring Him glory in all that we do.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the whole earth to strengthen the hearts of those who are fully committed to Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

May the Lord bless you and keep you and turn His face towards you and give you peace.

Love,

J.P.

One Year Ago

Dear Marcia,

We’ve noticed on our calendar that it’s approaching a year since your lover, Carlin, and our friend, was taken from you and us to live forever with Jesus, the One he loved and served so enthusiastically.

What can we say, we’ve no experience to share that’s even close to what you’ve experienced for the past year. This last 18 month journey you’ve had to make on your own.

All of us, who love you dearly, have done what we could, to show our love and share your sorrow; however, your journey you’ve had to make mostly on your own. The quiet meals, the silent evenings, the empty bed beside you you’ve suffered alone. Only a loving God, who suffered the loss of His Son can really understand and say words of comfort to your heart and soul. He too suffered alone.

I’ve just read the devotional message our Mel gave to a couple who grew up in his church in Prince George. This couple, Murray and Rebecca, buried their 10 day old baby a few days ago, who died of a congenital malformation of her brain blood circulation. Mel and LaDonna drove from Edmonton to Prince George to speak at the memorial service. At our request he forwarded his notes to us. I’d like to share a small bit of his devotional with you. He spoke from Psalm 86.

Psalm 86:11-16  "Teach me Your way, Yahweh, and I will live by Your truth.  Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name. ¹² I will praise You with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever.
¹³ For Your faithful love for me is great, and You deliver my life from the depths of Sheol. ¹⁴ God, arrogant people have attacked me; a gang of ruthless men seeks my life.  They have no regard for You.
¹⁵ But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth.  ¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me.  Give Your strength to Your servant; save the son of Your female servant."

"Murray and Rebecca, we want to tell you that what we see in you is that you are not just wanting God to do something for you … you are desiring in this journey to learn from him so that you can become like him – Teach me your way … you are making a commitment, even in the face of this tough journey, to not allow yourself to develop a divided mind.   It is on the basis of that commitment that David asks God for one thing … Give your strength to your servant.”  And that, our dear friends, is perhaps the best way to summarize what we are praying for you today … and as you move forward … Lord, give your strength to these your dear servants.” 

We cannot say it better. Allow me to change the last line of Mel’s devotional for you: "Lord, give Your strength to our dear Marcia, your dear servant."

With our love,

George and Kay

A year without Carlin

Hello Marcia.

I have thought many times of you and Carlin this past year. Today I went searching for your email address and recalled that Joy Locken had sent it to me last year. I also had the blog address and read your recent entry. I was pleased that you shared your heart. Hopefully others will see it and continue to lift up your family to the Lord.

 

In our day we move on from event to event with such speed that we forget about the continuing impact of losses, accidents, tragedies of all kinds. Maybe we don't forget but we are so drawn into the next event that no time is given to really reflect on what has happened and how it affects "the survivors" - the ones who remain with memories and who struggle to face life in a new dimension. I think your comments were "right on". God, who gives us the faculty of memory also sustains us by helping us recall, not just what we have lost but also what we still have.

 

Carlin and I were good friends at Briercrest and I am confident that we would have become better friends if our lives had been more "entwined". Given the opportunity I am sure we would have "spurred one another on toward love and good deeds". Many years ago we had lunch together in Vancouver and I recall his pleasure in recounting that his children and grandchildren "loved Jesus". This was his heart (and yours too), to see succeeding generations follow the Lord. He did his part well and now you are left to love and lead them alone. May you have great joy (amidst the sorrow) as you build into your grandchildren's lives in the years ahead. There is no greater pleasure for old people like us!

 

I have marked in my calendar to pray for you on the 19th. Your name is beside Sarah, my oldest granddaughter who returns from Israel that day after 3 months in "on site studies". How exciting to see them "fly higher" than we ever dreamed possible. May your delights be just as refreshing.

 

Sincerely

 

Wayne Attwood

Muriel Attwood

Almost a Year

Each morning, among my devotional books, I read Carlin’s Morning By Morning by Charles H. Spurgeon.  As I hold this book, I know I am touching Carlin’s fingerprints, touching a book he treasured.  I am moved by the phrases he has underlined, and the dates and comments he has made in the margins.  Carlin was never into journaling, but, oh, yes, as you pick up any Bible or book he has read, there is obvious evidence of who he was and what meant a lot to him. 

 

Carlin was a tender hearted, gentle person.  I try to imagine what his joy must be as he is in the presence of Jesus now.

 

So, what am I left with?  Half a person sometimes.  I feel like my days now, near the anniversary of his death are with heavy feet, plodding along.  I shuffle through the memories of the last year, this time, with Carlin fading fast before my very eyes.  Then, came home hospice care, where he was put on morphine and other medications.  I’m still not sure if all that was necessary.  I know the morphine took him from me days before he actually breathed his last breath on April 19, 2014.

 

What a day to now mark as an anniversary!  I plan to go to the cemetery and sit a long while contemplating.  I will consider our almost 52 years together and how awesome God has been, as the song says, “Jesus led me all the way.”  I’ll think on Scripture verses.  I’ll praise Him for His tender love and care for Carlin, and now for me as I am charting out a different life. 

 

I am so very grateful for friends who seem to speak and listen at just the right moments.

 

I am so very grateful for “the cottage” which has been in need of some repairs, and I’m grateful how God has led me to people to help to pull it off.  One example:  we took out the old wood stove, and installed a gas insert fireplace.  Oh, how grateful I am for that!

 

I know my time of grieving is poignant.  I feel out of place in a grief group I attend once per month, and I feel in a different space just being in church Sunday by Sunday.  It’s hard to explain.  But it seems I want to change things—me, the older, mature, grieving woman.  I must remember it is just my space right now.

But I am grateful, so grateful, for God’s presence with me.

 

In another devotional book I read the other day, this jumped out at me:

“It is a great comfort to me to realize anew that it is God and only God I need.  ‘Thou, O Lord, art the thing I long for.’  Psalm 7:5.  Yes, it is He, my Lord, my Beloved Who satisfies my heart and makes me whole and strong however pressed the outward man may be.”

 

That’s pretty much it.  Praise!

Marcia

You and Carlin Blessed Me

Greetings Marcia.

As I was reading Colossians today I was reminded of your blog and my desire to write to you a year ago.

You probably don't remember me because I only met you once but that encounter left an impression on me. 

When I was 15 I began attending Willingdon and quickly joined the choir even though I wasn't  a believer, but I wanted to feel like I belonged,  like I had a family. 

I had a rocky childhood growing up more then poor on a reservation and when I started to attend church most of my family didn't understand since they had rough experiences in residential schools.

Well in 2004 I signed up for TREK and when it came time for us trekkers to invite people to our coffee and cake send off I had no family that wanted to come.

On the night of the event I saw you and Carlin in attendance and when it was time for people to pray for each group,  you two walked up and put your arms around me and prayed for my team. 

I was so Blessed by that,  you showed up and my heart still smiles when I think about it.

Thank you,  Leaha.

Carlin and a Wedding Song

Dear Marcia:

We often think fondly of you and Carlin.

The days surely bring many laughs from memories of that guy, but also many tears of missing him.

I thought you might like to read my February 15, 2015 Philippians Journal entry, cut ‘n pasted below.

Love in Christ,

Grahame for Grahame & Karen Nicolson

___________________________________________________________

 

February 15, 2015 Journal Entry

 

[Continuation of 5. Encouragement to Stand Firm, Striving for the Faith of the Gospel – 1:27-30]

Philippians 1:27-30: ²⁷ Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; ²⁸ in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. ²⁹ For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, ³⁰ experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

 

v.29: “For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake….”

 

The early morning hours of today found Karen and me in each other’s arms as we struggled over a serious family concern.  In our conversation and in my prayer, I quoted part of a hymn our old friend (now with the Lord he faithfully served) Carlin Weinhauer sang at our wedding: 

God be with them while they pray through a dark and troubled day….

                                                                               —from “God be with Them While They Stand” by Lawrence Tuttiett, 1825-1897

Yes, those dark and troubled days do come, but only in the master plan and under the control of our redeeming God.  To us all joys and trials are “granted”! 

 

Every joy or trial falleth from above, traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully all for us to do; they who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

— from “Like a River Glorious” by Frances Ridley Havergal, 1836-1869

 

Sentence prayer: Once again as I face a troubled day, I come to You, dear Savior, trembling in Your arms that never tremble around me.

Christmas

Hi Marcia,

I just wanted to send you a quick email to tell you that you I will be praying for you during this first Christmas without your dear husband.

You have been on my mind lots these past few days. As you are well aware, these holidays are hard on the heart. (especially the "Firsts"!) 

I was reading your blog and loved one of the quotes… "That God will give you moments of joy to mix with the tears". What beautiful words. This is my prayer for you as well. Carlin is safe in heaven and I know you are rejoicing in that but your heart also aches and longs to be with him.

I pray that God will mend your broken heart. That He will hold you in the palm of his great big hands and give you the comfort and peace that you crave.

I also will be praying for your Children and your Grandchildren. Give my Lynda an extra big hug!

You have a special place in my heart!

Big Christmas Hugs,

Love

Rose Strohschein

Through the Seasons of Grief

I received this letter yesterday, and am so very moved and grateful for the comforters God has given me over these months since Carlin passed away. I wanted to share this with you.

Amazing grace, sweet peace.

Love,

Marcia

Dear Marcia,

Oh how we love you! It was so good to see you Friday at the Trinity game to watch the MEI band perform. I do not think that I can even begin to understand a loss as great as yours. I pray for you each day. I want you to know that it is a gift to me to be able to serve you any way that I can, so I am blessed every time I can offer some form of help. Please always feel free to call or email so as to not deprive me of the joy of being of a service to you.

I was looking forward to seeing you today if only to share a word from the Lord. I guess I will have to do this by email which is also fine. Last week, I encountered a time of deep, spirit-led prayer and there were some words given to me. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:3, words are given "for edification and exhortation and consolation" (NASB). As I prayed for you Marcia, the words were - "You are home." I sense a deep longing in you to be with Carlin again, together in the arms of Jesus, but I felt the Lord speak loving words that you are home right now. Here, among those who love you so deeply, is a home for a season. We love you and want to share this home with you until, one day, we all reach the home of our Father.

This last weekend I was in the hospital. I have since learned that I have a stomach ulcer which resulted in internal bleeding. Lying in a hospital bed, Sam brought me a book she knew I treasured dearly to encourage my heart. Here are the words Charles Spurgeon wrote for November 10th:

DEUTERONOMY 33:27 "The eternal God is thy refuge."

The word refuge may be translated "mansion" or "abiding-place", which gives the thought that God is our abode, our home. There is a fullness and sweetness in the metaphor, for dear to our hearts is our home, although it be the humblest cottage, or the scantiest garret; and dearer far is our blessed God, in whom we live and move, and have our being. It is at home that we feel safe: we shut the world out and dwell in quiet security. So when we are with our God we "fear no evil". He is our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge. At home, we take our rest; it is there we find repose after the fatigue and toil of the day. And so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life's conflict, we turn to Him, and our soul dwells at ease. At home, also, we let our hearts loose; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of our words being misconstrued.

So when we are with God we can commune freely with Him, laying open all our hidden desires; for if the "secrets of the Lord is with them that fear Him," the secrets of them that fear Him ought to be, and must be, with their Lord. Home, too, is the place of our truest and purest happiness: and it is in God that our hearts find their deepest delight. We have joy in Him which far surpasses all other joy. It is also for home that we work and labour. The thought of it gives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens the fingers to perform the task; and in this sense we may also say that God is our home. Love to Him strengthens us. We think of Him in the person of His dear Son; and a glimpse of the suffering face of the Redeemer constrains us to labour in His cause. We feel that we must work, for we have brethren yet to be saved, and we have our Father's heart to make glad by bringing home His wandering sons; we would fill with holy mirth the sacred family among whom we dwell. Happy are those who have thus the God of Jacob for their refuge!

So my dear Marcia, I hope we can share this earthly home together for a while longer. I told Sam and Sarah while we were in the emergency ward that I had asked God for one thing in my prayers - if God does indeed send a chariot for us to bring us Home, I asked if Carlin could be the one who met me. I miss him deeply and I look forward to seeing him again at the time that the Lord has appointed for us all to be together with Jesus.

May the Lord bless you today. May He give you moments of joy to mix with the tears. May He be your comforter and counsellor. In Him, may you find a deep and restful peace.

Love,

J.P.

On 2014-11-13, at 9:01 AM, Marcia Weinhauer wrote:

Dear JP,

I find I can function pretty well with my computer, at least for a while. So I won’t be dropping it off at your house this noon. I really need to sit down with you to learn some of what I’m missing.

Thank you for being so very helpful and so very patient with me over all this stuff.

I find, as I’ve said, that I function with half a heart and half a brain a big part of the time. They call it "Fog brain" in the books on grief. I’m encouraged that it’s not just me!

I’ve been cleaning the library, and in the process, I have run into my Carlin everywhere. There are binders with his old sermons, etc., so there are tears.

I’m finally able to pick up a book "Through the Seasons of Grief" my dear friend Lois gave me months ago. It helps me understand some of what I am needing to handle. There are so many things to tend to. So I will carry on as best I can with my computer. Perhaps one day when I can think we could get together and figure it all out.

Have a glorious day!

Love,

Marcia

How God is a husband to me

Hi, Ray, and Bloggers,

The following letter is one I sent to a dear friend who has lost her father recently and lives in a rather unhappy marriage.

 

The list below is something that has been a great comfort and encouragement as I have thought it through.  Perhaps it will bless some of you, too.

 

Thank you for your letter.

I am in the midst of having the front deck replaced, as it has rotted some since it was built in 1992!  Phew.  Today I removed the brick pavers that are on each side of the sidewalk.  You probably remember.  They need to be reset.  By removing them myself it saves some of the cost of labour, etc.  It was a beautiful day here today—sunshiny like yours!

 

My heart beats with yours as you experience so many who want to be consoling and helpful but just do not know how to, really.  I appreciate their efforts and love them for trying.  We can’t expect them to know what we are going through—ha, because I can’t put it into words myself!  God has promised grace to us, through us, I guess.  You expressed your feelings very well.

 

I am finding the Comforter very comforting.  Just the other day I read in my very favourite devotional book, Come Away My Beloved, how God is our husband.  It is so right where I am at!  I was amazed:

 

“O, My beloved, ye do not need to make your path (like a snow plow), for lo, I say unto thee, I go before you.  Yea, I shall engineer circumstances on they behalf.  I am thy husband,  and I will protect thee and care for thee, and make full provision for thee.  I know thy need, and I am concerned for thee: for thy peace, for thy health, for thy strength. . .ye need to take time to renew thine energies, both spiritual and physical. . .They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  And Jesus said, Come ye apart and rest a little while. . .I minister to thee in solitude that ye may minister of Me to others as a spontaneous overflow of our communion.  . .Set thy heart to be at peace and to sit at My feet. . .Learn to be ready, but not to be anxious.  Learn to say ‘no’ to the demands of men and to say ‘yes’ to the call of the Spirit.  Etc. Etc.

 

The next morning I was lying in bed I began thinking of all the ways God is a husband to me.  It became quite a list-- some are Scripture, some are songs:

 

He is altogether lovely.  I am amazed that He has chosen me to be His

He loves me with perfect love.  Unfailing, unchanging.  He is the Lover of my soul

He is always with me

He cares for me and provides everything I need.

He notices my tears and keeps them in His bottle.

He forgives me

He is patient with me

He holds me by my right hand

Underneath are the everlasting arms

He hears my cry, He listens to me

I can hear His voice as He speaks to me—by the Spirit in songs, messages, my devotions, etc.

He remembers

He comforts me in my distress

He sings over me

He is my Helper

He is a Rock, a firm, trustworthy Person

He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we travel there. . .

He keeps His promises

He whispers “peace be still” to me

 

Of course, I told myself, God is so much more than a husband could possibly be.

He knows all things, and everything about me and my circumstances.

He created all the beauty He has given me to enjoy

He took my infirmities and sicknesses

He gave me His Spirit to empower me.

He planned my whole life for me—before I was even born.

 

The list could go on much longer!  You probably already think it’s too much!  Ha.

One thing I know, I have no fear, for He is with me.  There is none upon earth that I desire beside Him.

I hope some of these thoughts will encourage you, too, my precious friend.  Thank you for praying.  You are on my prayer list, too.

It seems your husband is a very driven person, taking on more and more.  Perhaps there is something in his upbringing that caused him to need to prove he was better than. . .could win the approval of . . .needs a lot of affirmation???

Bless you for hanging in there, making lemonade out of lemons.  You are such a beautiful person, and I kind of wonder if it is because of the things you have suffered.

Love you,

Marcia

Carlin's birthday

Dear Marcia,
Thinking about you and praying for you on this day which would have been Carlin's birthday.

We both wish that you will experience God's comfort in a very special way today.

Love Ya,
Mary and Bernie Schmidt

Condolences

Dear Marcia, Cheri, Lynda and Becky:

I learnt a few weeks ago that Pastor Carlin is now with our Lord.  I wanted to write and send my deepest, heartfelt condolences.  My husband and I were blessed to have known him as our pastor in the ten years that we attended Willingdon Church in the 1990’s.  He touched many people with his warmth, charisma, and sense of humor.  I remember him as a man of deep faith and prayer.  May you be comforted and may it bring a smile to all of you, knowing what a beautiful example of Christ-likeness, he was to those around him.  We loved him as our pastor during the years that we were at Willingdon Church.

There are many things I remember from his sermons.  Here are two of those precious nuggets.  In one sermon, he gave, he talked about what we own in life.  He said that we don’t really own anything and no-one owns us as, first and foremost, we belong to Jesus.  With a chuckle, he added that new parents might think their babies “belong” to them or perhaps that their babies “own” them, given that no matter how tired, parents get up in the middle of the night and attend to their newborns. 

This idea that we don’t own anything, and that all we have actually belongs to God, has helped me get over various “losses” and disappointments  in my life - including the sudden passing of my father almost 15 years ago.  The unexpected departure felt cruel - almost violent -  especially considering the difficult life dad had had, and that he was eagerly anticipating his retirement.  In the months of grieving that followed, Pastor Carlin’s sermon came to mind several times.  As I thought about the message he had shared all those years ago, I was able to relinquish dad to our Lord and move on  to acceptance and gratitude.  Dad had been “on loan” to me for 35 years.  Now the Lord was calling him home. 

The other nugget of encouragement was this one.  Pastor Carlin was talking about prayer.  At one point in the sermon he said he had no theological proof of this, but he thought of a large room that existed in Heaven, filled floor to ceiling with things that God wanted to give us, but we had never asked for.  This image has remained with me all these years.  Sometimes when life gets difficult and  complicated,  and I turn to prayer, unsure of exactly what to ask for,  I think of that room.  And I am inspired and encouraged.  In simple faith, I ask that Thy will be done.  I am confident that blessings  are on their way -  from that room.

We thank the Lord for the many ways Pastor Carlin touched our lives.  May God continue to bring you comfort and peace.

With deepest condolences,

Hilda and David