THE LAND — AUGUST 20/AUGUST 27, 2021
www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
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Spiritual endurance and the passing of a loved one I’m realizing as I changed there was someone they the calendar page that this wanted to visited or busiyear is going by quicker ness to transact. than ever. I guess that is They would also walk to one of the signs of growing church on Sundays from older … the years go by their new homes on the faster. There are other prairie … as did a pioneer things I notice that are pastor I have often either fading away or admired. FROM MY increasing. FARMHOUSE During the week, Forgetfulness is one of the KITCHEN Reverend Seine Bolks things that grows, so I use walked to other new settleBy Renae B. notepads (notice the plural ments to preach God’s word Vander Schaaf on notepad). Now if I can and provide pastoral care. only remember which notepad I wrote Dominee Bolks, as he was called, that down on (if I remembered to crossed sloughs and creeks in all kinds write it down in the first place). of weather in his service to God and Flexibility is another ability which mankind. tends to disappear. Since I was never Therefore it seemed fitting to put my one to do cartwheels, it’s going to be walking plan into action the first rather difficult to gauge its disappear- night it was nice enough to walk to ance if it never showed up in the first Bible study. That first week of March place. had days of lovely weather, so it was The one thing persistent in my mind time to execute my walking plan. My is endurance. It seems to me my levels walk to church was better than I of endurance would have been in the expected. Alas, by the time Bible study low percentile rating — no matter my was over that night, it was dark and age — except for that time when I was my thoughtful farmer picked me up! a baby and I excelled in crying and Then, weeks of stormy weather folwhining. Come to think of it, there are lowed; and my desire to walk diminsome habits we don’t outgrow. ished greatly until the next nice day Stamina? Well, my computer and I — only I didn’t allow enough time, so I agree on the correct spelling at least; was 20 minutes late! and that’s about the only thing that I tried one more time and managed word and I have in common. It seems to walk both ways almost completely. I am the last person to show up for a This fad for me has passed. While job and the first to suggest it is time physical endurance may be one thing for a coffee break; and I will disappear to be desired, it’s far more important to go get the coffee and cookies ready. to have spiritual endurance. I was noticing how my lack of endurMany of you know that my oldest ance was interfering with my “to-do” brother passed away at the end of July list — which only seemed to grow. It of this year. He had been ill, so his was getting bad. So last February, death was expected. Yet, when it finalwhen the winter snows make it easy ly happens, one soon realizes one more to plan how spring and summer would visit would have been so nice. be different, I came to the conclusion I My brother is a great example of would take up walking. enduring in the faith to end. In his Walking was cheap and that suited youth he was a handsome man with a me just fine. Many of my neighbors do strong manly physique. His goal was it, so I wouldn’t look out of place; and to be a farmer, raise crops and have a at my age, it was one thing I could dairy (as he liked his Holstein still do. Friesian cows). So I told myself that once the snow He was very intelligent and a hard has melted and temperatures warmed worker with sunshine in his smile. up, walking would become my mode of Then that horrible mental disease transportation whenever possible. began to change him. My protector Besides, our first pioneers were turned into someone we didn’t know great at walking. They didn’t think or understand. much of an eight mile walk or more if He no longer could work. His faithful
wife found a job and they moved to town to begin a new life with their beautiful daughters. I don’t understand mental illness. It hurts us, but how much more does the person who has it suffer? We really don’t know. As this tormenting disease progressed, my brother became a prolific reader of his Bible — reading it several times in one year. He also read the sermons of Mathew Henry and Charles H. Spurgeon. We both have copies of the same five books of his sermons which I also read regularly. He had that desire to know God. Our pastor recently preached on Nehemiah 12, where the people rejoiced for the knowledge of the word of God. That hunger and desire to hear and know the scriptures is a sure
sign of recognizing our need for God. My brother knew it. He was fully aware he couldn’t fight the battle of mental illness alone. He needed every word of scripture to endure the race set before him. My brother’s life and death is a testimony of Romans 8: 38 and 39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Renae B. Vander Schaaf is an independent writer, author and speaker. Contact her at (605) 530-0017 or agripen@live.com. v
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