lifestyle

Easter will soon be here. The hint of green is dressing the trees and bushes. The daffodils are nodding their heads in unison with the snowdrops and crocus. The hour has changed so yet another signal that spring is on the way. Spring and Easter are entwined with the selfsame thought and that is about the miracle of life. Though most people may mainly think about eggs and bunnies the Christian rejoices at this time of the year because it is a celebration of the promise of eternal life for those who believe in the risen Jesus.   

Life is a miracle and it should be enjoyed in a practical way. The men’s page this time challenges them with more than a normal Do it Yourself job while our feature page takes you to the very heart of the Easter message. For those who are wanting a new life, a child, in their home the health and beauty, issues and inspiration pages offer deep thoughts. To help you in your daily journey the potpourri offers a practical solution. 

This is a time of year to re-look at what you want to do for the rest of the year or even your life. Have a look at www.lifedevelopment.info to watch a 100 video clips and browse through related topics and even share your comments.

 Enjoy the first day of the rest of your life…

WHEN YOU ARE SAD

When you are sad

I will dry your tears

When you are scared

I will comfort your fears

When you are worried

I will give you hope

When you are confused

I will help you cope

And when you are lost

And can't see the light

I shall be your beacon

Shining ever so bright

This is my oath

I pledge till the end

Why you may ask

Because you're a friend

In friendship,

God

FEATURE 

THE LONG SILENCE

At the end of time billions of people were scattered on a great plain before God's throne. Most shrank from the brilliant light before them, but some groups near the front talked heatedly – not with cringing shame but with belligerence. 

'Can God judge us?  How can he know about suffering?' snapped  a pert young brunette.  She ripped open a sleeve to reveal a  tattooed number from a Nazi concentration camp. 'We endured terror, beatings, torture, death.'

 In another group a Negro boy lowered his collar. 'What about this?' he demanded, showing an ugly rope burn: 'Lynched for no other crime than being black!'

 In another crowd a pregnant schoolgirl with sullen eyes. 'Why should I suffer?' she murmured.  'It wasn't my fault.' Far out across the plain were hundreds of such groups.  Each had a complaint against God for the evil and suffering He permitted in this world.

 'How lucky God was to live in heaven where all was sweetness and light, where there was no weeping or fear, no hunger or hatred! What did God know of all that men had been forced to endure in this world?  For God leads a pretty sheltered life,' they said.

 So each of these groups sent forth their leader, chosen because he  had suffered most.  A Jew, a Negro, a person from Hiroshima, a horribly deformed arthritic and a thalidomide child.

In the centre of the plain they consulted with each other. At last they were ready to present their case.  It was rather clever. 

Before God could be qualified to be their judge, he must endure what  they had endured.  Their decision was that God should be sentenced to live on earth – as a man.

 Although time has spread nineteen hundred years between the people of this generation and the scene of his crucifixion, he still lives.  Herod could not kill him, Satan could not seduce him, death could not destroy him, and the grave could not hold him.

 He stand forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory – proclaimed of God, acknowledged by angels, adored by saints, feared by devils – as the living, personal Christ, our Lord and Saviour!

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ISSUES  

ONE SUCH CHILD

 By Noeline Cutts – award winning New Zealand poet

 At the Otago Hospital in City of Dunedin,

A drama was unfolding as a Mother lay ableedin',

It was the 27^th October 1973

A tiny baby boy was struggling to be free.

He was delivered by Caesarean section and things looked very grim,

He died for several minutes as the Doctors attended him.

They gave him lots of oxygen to try to bring him round,

Then put him on glucose when low blood sugar was found.

He weighed only 4lb.6oz., such a tiny helpless baby,

Then he started to breath, and the "NO" became a "MAYBE",

He was put in an incubator and received very special attention,

Once he got his breath, TO LIVE was his intention.

When his Mum left the Hospital she gave him a teddybear,

She made him a Ward of State – Didn't anybody care?

But Jesus loved that tiny man and knew what he would do,

He watched over him in Karitane as he slowly grew.

The Doctors feared that because his breathing had been stopped,

That his brain was damaged and he'd be handicapped.

When he was 5 months old he had his first plane ride,

A welfare worker brought him to Wanganui to reside.

He'd been there 6 weeks and was awaiting an adoption.

That was when our family was considered for the option.

The Mother wanted a "Protestant home with a practising faith"

And a prospective Mother was praying for what the Lord saith,

Matthew 18:5 was where the Bible fell open on the bed,

"Whoever takes such a little one in My Name takes Me," it said,

She jumped up in jubilation and went running down the stairs,

I can't believe it Look at this, The Lord has heard our prayers,

We held a family meeting to decide upon his name,

We put papers in a hat and played a guessing game.

Timothy was the name we pulled from out of the hat,

And we changed the Frank to Francis and that settled that.

We took him home and loved him and he really was quite cute,

He fitted in so perfectly and we all thought he was beaut,

He took longer to talk and toddle and learn his 1,2,3

But when it came to potty training the QUICKEST ONE WAS HE!

At school they found that he was dyslexic and struggled hard to read

But he was most determined and tried very hard to succeed.

He passed his written driving licence at his third attempt,

And the score he got was a full one hundred percent.

He makes model boats, and he was skate board champ,

He shows no fear as he rocks up and down the ramp.

He works each day at plumbing with his big brother Lance,

And he knows what he is doing, you can see that at a glance.

Tim is 22 now and the kids all love their brother,

And he makes us all so proud, I'm glad to be his Mother.

From Going Places, Autumn, 99

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HEALTH

HEALTHY PREGNANCY

 By Margaret Ginger – Medical Practitioner

 It is always sensible to look after your health, but when you are pregnant it becomes more important.  You will feel good and you will give your baby a healthy start in life.

 1.      Exercise – Regular exercise during pregnancy can improve your energy level and help your body prepare for labour and delivery.  It is important to check with your doctor before starting an exercise programme or adding any new activity.  The most comfortable exercises are those that don't require your body to bear extra weight such as walking, swimming and stationary cycling.

 When exercising:

·         warm up slowly and cool down gradually

·         wear appropriate clothing and footwear designed for exercise

·         drink plenty of fluids to replace what you lose

·         avoid long periods on your back

·         stop if you get dizzy, light-headed, short of breath or any pain

·         when the weather is hot, exercise in the early morning or late evening to avoid becoming too hot

 2.      Nutrition – A healthy diet with a variety of food is essential for your health and your baby's.  Eating for two does not mean eating twice as much!  You should eat a variety of foods and avoid "empty" calories such as those in desserts, chips, sweets and soft drink.  It is much better to eat lots of fruit and vegetables along with breads and grains, legumes, nuts and low fat dairy products.  It may be necessary to increase the amount of calcium in your diet.  This can be achieved by adding more servings of low fat milk, low fat cheese, yoghurt, dark green vegetables or fruit juices with calcium added.

 3.      Do Not Smoke, Drink Alcohol or Use Illegal Drugs – Instead of drinking alcohol, drink water.  You should drink about 6-8 glasses of water per day.  Even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful so it is better not to use it at all during pregnancy.  Smoking is harmful to the baby and yourself so it is better to stop.  Smoking can also harm your baby after birth so it is better to remain a non-smoker.  It is a good idea to limit the amount of caffeine you consume during your pregnancy too.

 4.      Have regular appointments with your doctor.

 5.      Avoid taking any medications unless prescribed by your doctor.

6.      Keep a positive attitude.

 7.      Get plenty of rest.

 8.      Last, but not least, enjoy your pregnancy it is an exciting time.

 From Going Places – Autumn, 99

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INSPIRATION 

Hungry for Heaven 

Thursday July 7^th 2005. I was leaving my office to meet a friend and we were going to assemble a doll’s house: a graduation gift from our class to the Family Therapy Department where we were finishing our Masters degrees. Joanne called me, ‘Karen, I can’t get into London today. There has been a fire or something on the Underground train in front of mine and the line has been closed. I’m just going straight back home.’ I clicked onto the BBC website, wondering if I’d be able to get into London for my college class later that day. There was something about an electrical problem on the Underground, but the details were a bit muddled, perhaps a fire, maybe an explosion.

I thought of my daughter, Beth. She was commuting into central London to work. I felt strangely uneasy. I picked up my cell phone to call her.

As I dialled the number, she was walking down the street towards my office. Her train from home had stopped at the station closest to my office, and everyone had been ordered to disembark because its main London train terminal had been closed. Some people were trying to catch the slow train to London which was waiting nearby. Others were asking the guard what was wrong. Beth overheard him saying, ‘If I were you I wouldn’t go into London today.’ She decided to abandon her journey and come to my office instead. Minutes later we heard that a bomb had exploded in the tube station that had been her destination.

Even though we were safe, the thought of what was happening in London, just a few miles away, silenced us both, as we sat and watched the horror that was unfolding on my computer screen. This wasn’t a rumour, a distant rumbling of news; this was evil close up, with suicide bombers, broken bodies, vivid images and tragic personal stories. Some of our friends were there.

It’s at times like these that my heart, hungry for heaven, yearns for Jesus to return and put an end to all the millions of indescribable miseries and tragedies of the world. I can’t bear the thought of one more child being abused, one more suicide bomber, one more racially motivated attack, one more case of HIV/AIDS, one more night of tears. But I am also a little hesitant, a little fearful, because, to be honest, I know things will get even worse before Jesus comes again. Fear is mingled with the hope.

 Like being pregnant…

I suppose it’s like being pregnant. I was eagerly anticipating the birth of my first baby, but, as time went on, I became more weary and uncomfortable, and I began to worry about going into labor. I didn’t know when it would happen, or where I would be when the contractions would begin, or my waters would break, and I was not very excited about the idea of all that pain! But I knew that when it was all over I would be able to hold my baby for the first time, and lavish her with all of my love, and that hope kept me going through the discomfort and fears.

We believe God loves us and is making a new place for us to live. We don’t know when He’ll come again, but we do know that there’ll be difficult and painful times before we get to heaven (which will be incredibly more than we can ever imagine, 1 Corinthians 2:9). It won’t be easy, but He has promised to be with us, and to bring us to a place full of peace, joy and love, reuniting us with lost loved ones, putting an end to our oppression, and wiping away our tears (Revelation 21:4).

 It must be soon

Each month, each day, seems to bring new and increasingly dramatic stories. The Tsunami disaster, Hurricane Katrina, bird flu, HIV/AIDS, ecological disasters, starvation in Sudan, Iraq, terrorism, wars and rumours of wars. Surely the world can’t go on much longer? How bad do things have to be before Jesus returns? My grandfather thought that the end must be close, that there nothing more evil could ever happen, when he sifted through the blitzed city of Coventry during World War II, looking for signs of life amongst the sirens, smoke and shattered homes of his friends. Yet here we are in the twenty-first century, still waiting and wondering how dark and evil this world has to be before God calls an end to Satan’s experiment with sin.

Jesus knew that there would be troublesome events happening before His second coming. He told His disciples about the wars, earthquakes, famines and diseases that would take place (Luke 21:10). Paul told Timothy that people would love themselves and their own pleasure more than they would love God and other human beings (2 Timothy 3:1-5). John wrote about the spiritual signs that would indicate that the second coming was near. He wrote that there would be economic pressure on Jesus’ followers to encourage them to reject their faith (Revelation 13:17) as well as the threat of death (Revelation 13:15). But soon after those times Jesus would return to save those who believed in Him and kept God’s commandments.

Jesus came to earth the first time and fulfilled all the prophecies that pointed to His life and death on earth. Just as surely He will keep His promises and return the second time to take us to be with Him in the heaven He is preparing for us (John 14:1-3).

 So, why are we waiting?

Even the long wait for Jesus to return to this earth is evidence of His extravagant love (2 Peter 3:9). Each day, as new people choose to believe in Him, He knows that more of His beloved human children will join Him in heaven one day. This is the positive flip-side to the waiting time. We don’t know how long we’ll have to wait, but we can all help by living lives that show God’s love to those around us.

We can, and should, do all we can to relieve suffering in this world by acting to reduce starvation and by encouraging all countries to place a high value on all human life. We need to be good stewards of the world’s resources and be concerned about recycling and the environmental impact of our different choices. We can take a stand against war, violence and poverty, and care for those suffering from diseases such as HIV/AIDS (Matthew 25:31-46).

 Watching with love

As a teenager I remember reading stories that imagined how the second coming would be. They each followed a similar pattern, usually around Sunday Laws, and water being too polluted to drink, except where the believers were. There would be persecution, Christians going into hiding, or being arrested and sentenced to death. Just as they were about to be executed, Jesus returned in clouds of glory and rescued them. As I grew older I wondered about the traditional ideas that Adventists had of Jesus’ return to earth. We have detailed charts of every event of the Second Advent, but I am still uneasy…The priests and scholars in Jesus’ time thought they knew every detail of their Messiah’s arrival, but they completely missed the welcoming party!

The Second Coming will take place because of what God is doing, but we have a part to play, alongside the waiting. When Jesus spoke to His disciples about the events leading up to His second coming He also told them what they needed to do – be vigilant, be ready, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and treat everyone with grace, generosity and loving kindness (Matthew 24 and 25). Living God’s love, by speaking words of encouragement and comfort, accepting those who have made mistakes, supporting those who are struggling, comforting those who are sad, and sharing the good news of a loving Saviour, are some of the best ways we can help share the gospel with the whole world.

 Hope for a scarred and scary world

Our belief in the second coming of Jesus is a source of hope in an aching and frightening world. This hope comforts us because we know that our here-and-now life is not all there is, and that death is not the end of our relationships. However damaged the world, it is safe in the hands of a loving and caring Father God, who longs to be reunited with as many of His children as possible.

 The Kingdom of Heaven is now

But the hope of heaven is not just something for the future. Jesus said that His kingdom was already within us (Luke 17:20-21), bringing with it the inspiration of hope, pure love, peace of mind, and soaring joy of heaven. Jesus said that His kingdom is like yeast – a small amount transforms a whole batch of dough. As Christians we can feel overwhelmed when we think of all the people who still need to know how much God loves them. But the good news is that we can be the yeast! Even the smallest acts of love and kindness, or other heaven-inspired words and actions, can have a powerful influence on those around us, growing the kingdom of heaven on earth and preparing the world for Jesus’ return.

When we live in the reality of God’s grace we can give our past sins, painful memories and mistakes to Him. When we let Him have our future, our concerns and our worries, we can experience this present moment, the now, with a greater sense of the peace, joy and love that comes from the kingdom of heaven. As we live each day in this kingdom of love we can find ourselves freer to love others, and we can live ready for Jesus whenever He returns.

            My belief in Jesus’ second coming enables me to have a bigger picture about my place in the entire scheme of things. I know this world is not all there is, and the more troubled and weary the world becomes, the hungrier I am for heaven.

            I also know that death is not the end. I don’t want to die and would do everything possible to stay alive, but I know that there is nothing that can happen to me that will separate me from God, and that, when I die, the next thing I know will be the second coming of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:16). What a wonder!

            Come, Lord Jesus, come. ‘And He says “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come Lord Jesus.’ Revelation 22:20.

 For further study

 Signs of the Second Coming – Matthew 24:1-51; Mark 13:1-37; Luke 21:10,11; Revelation 6:1-17; 14:6-16

Some parables of the Second Coming

The parable of the workers in the vineyard – Matthew 20:1-16

The parable of the two sons – Matthew 21:28-32

The parable of the tenants – Matthew 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-10

The parable of the wedding banquet – Matthew 22:1-14

The parable of the ten virgins - Matthew 25:1-13

The sheep and the goats – Matthew 25:31-46

The parable of the talents – Matthew 25:14-30

The budding fig tree - Luke 21:28-31

Only God knows the time – Matthew 24:36

Jesus’ promise to return – John 14:1-3

Events of the Second Coming – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11

The heaven we hope for – Revelation 21, 22

The reason we wait – 2 Peter 3:9

How we can be ready – Matthew 25:31-40; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-8; Revelation 14:12

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MEN'S PAGE

A Do it Yourself Challenge

 Once upon a time, two brothers who lived on adjoining farms fell into conflict.  It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labour and goods as needed without a hitch.  Then the long collaboration fell apart.  It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.

 One morning there was a knock on John's door.  He opened it to find a man with a carpenter's toolbox.  "I'm looking for a few days work," he said.  "Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there.  Could I help you?"  "Yes," said the older brother.  "I do have a job for you.  Look across the creek at that farm.  That's my neighbour, in fact, it's my younger brother.  Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us.  Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I'll go one better.  See that pile of lumber curing by the barn?  I want you to build me a fence – an 8 foot fence – so I won't need to see his place anymore.  Cool him down, anyhow."

 The carpenter said, "I think I understand the situation.  Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I'll be able to do a job that pleases you."  The older brother had to go to town for supplies, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.  The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing.  About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished the job.

 The farmer's eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped.  There was no fence there at all.  It was a bridge – a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other!  A fine piece of work – handrails and all – and the neighbour, his younger brother, was coming across, his hand outstretched.

 "You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I've said and done."  The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other's hand.  They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox on his shoulder.  "No, wait!  Stay a few days.  I've a lot of other projects for you," said the older brother.

 "I'd love to stay on," the carpenter said, "but, I have many more bridges to build."

LIFESTYLE

 Every Mary needs a Martha

 Tamyra is the Women’s Ministries Director for the Pennsylvania Conference, U.S.A. she enjoys speaking, writing, exercise, spending time with her friends and family—husband and two sons.

HO WOULD BELIEVE HER?

Where could she turn? Would anyone understand that an angel had spoken to her? Would they believe in the miracle of the child growing in her womb? Mary knew what to do. She remembered what the angel had said; “Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age.” She would go to Elizabeth.

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months (Luke 1). The Bible doesn’t tell us what the two women talked about or did for those three months, but we can imagine. They talked about the miracles surrounding their pregnancies. What it would mean to parent such a gift from God—the Messiah and the one who would prepare the people for the Messiah.

Mary was young; she needed and desired the wisdom of an older woman. A woman who loved the Lord and who loved her husband, because Mary would not only become a mother but a wife. Elizabeth could teach her and share with her all she had learned in her own life. That’s what mentoring is all about. It’s a friendship between two people in which one learns from the experience and life of the other. When we think of a mentor, we usually think of someone who is

older and who is able to share his or her wisdom, gleaned from years of experience. You have to have knowledge, experience, and a willingness to share your life with someone who wants to learn.

Paul was a mentor to Timothy. Not only did Paul write two letters of advice to Timothy that are recorded in the Bible, but he took Timothy along with him on trips. He taught him as they traveled and ministered together. I’m sure the time they spent together was invaluable to Timothy. In his letter to Titus, Paul teaches the church the importance of the role of mentoring. Even the women of the church were to mentor. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble, so that they will wisely train the young women.

How could these older women train the younger ones? By first living the life they a mentor can teach and guide another person because she has already learned for herself. Each of us has different areas of our lives where a mentor could be

helpful—our careers, our parenting skills, our marriages, and spiritual areas of our lives. Any area in which we would like to learn from someone who has already been there can be an area in which mentoring would be beneficial to us.

A mentor is someone who comes alongside you and offers friendship. She may offer advice, but it’s not a class or training seminar. Instead, you learn as you spend time together talking. The one being mentored may ask questions or share struggles in that area of her life. The mentor can then guide and share what she has learned from her own experience.

A mentor is someone who will have time to get together on a regular basis. Someone who will keep in touch. A mentor needs to be someone we can get along with, someone whom we respect and enjoy. A mentor is someone who listens

as we share our concerns and needs. She hears not only our words but also our hearts – our fears, our hopes. As she really listens to us, she can offer us hope and encouragement born out of experience. How do we begin a mentor

friendship? It can begin one of two ways—either with the person who would like to be mentored asking someone to help guide them or with someone who is willing to mentor another person offering to do so.

If you would like to be mentored, look around you. Whom do you know and admire? Whom would you like to become more like? Maybe you know a family who spends time together, who has family worship and close relationships with each other.  You’d like that for your own family. Such a family would be a good mentor.

Maybe you’ve just got married, and you’d like the wisdom of someone who has been happily married for a number of years. Is there a couple in your church who are still holding hands after years of marriage? Or do you want to grow in

your relationship with God? Ask God to show you someone who presently has a close relationship with Him and

who can help you learn how to know Him better. Maybe you’d like a mentor in your career, someone who can help you learn skills that will enable you to do your job better. Someone who knows how to deal with the pressures of balancing work and faith. Look for a Christian woman who is respected in her field. Approach the person to whom God leads you and ask her if you can get together. Invite her to lunch or to your home for dinner. Ask her if she would be willing to mentor you. Let her know specifically what you want to learn from her. Make sure she understands what you’re asking for.

You’re asking to spend time together. You’d like someone with whom you can share your struggles and questions.

I’ve found that many older women, who have much to offer, don’t feel that they do. They don’t feel that they could mentor another person. Each of us knows all too well the mistakes we’ve made, the things we wish we could change. We don’t feel good enough to guide someone else. But God knows that we made mistakes; He knows that we blew it

at times. Yet He still spoke through Paul, telling the older women to teach the younger ones. We don’t have to be perfect. We’ve learned from our mistakes; so can others.

And knowing that we haven’t been perfect will give them courage, because they aren’t perfect either. But an older woman doesn’t have to wait until a younger one asks her to be a mentor. Older women can offer to mentor younger women. As you watch the young women in your church, maybe God is drawing you to one or two. Invite them to your

home. Call them. Offer to spend time with them. There may be single moms in your church who are struggling to raise their children alone. There may be women who are new to a relationship with God. They’re just beginning to learn what it means to know and trust Christ. What are they doing to learn how to pray and study? Invite them to dinner. Let them know that you would like to help them, that you would like to be a friend and be there to share their struggles and

joys, praying with and for them, and helping them with what you’ve learned. As you initiate a friendship, the mentoring process will automatically begin. You don’t even have to use the word mentor, just ask for, or offer friendship.

Having a mentor, or being a mentor, is a privilege. It’s a gift from God, an opportunity to learn and grow in a friendship that goes beyond any difference in age between the friends to the things that are important in their lives.

What matters is sharing a common interest, a common desire, to grow and do our best and to share with someone else what God has done in our lives.

Would you like someone to come alongside you and offer you encouragement and hope? Are you able to offer encouragement and hope to someone else by sharing what God has taught you? Pray and ask God to guide you into a mentor relationship. Then watch as God changes both of your lives!

Adapted from the book (pg. 108-115)— A Gift of Friendship, produced by the Pacific Press, and written by Tamyra Horst.

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