December 21, 2003
"One Cannot Unscrew the Inscrutible"
This is a quote of the late Addison Leitch, a theologian and the second husband of the noted Christian Author and speaker
Elisabeth Elliot Gren. Professor Leitch died of cancer not long after his marraige to Elisabeth. Understand, those of you that dont know, that this lady had waited long to marry this man and was already a widow. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, died with four of his missionary comrades in the jungles of Equador in 1953 while trying to reach them. It was international news two years later when she took their young daughter and the sister of another on of those men and lived with these people for three years. She has a courage and inner strength that I admire and wish that I posessed.
I speak of Mrs. Gren because she has been a great source of hope and encouragement to me personally over the years. I received a newsletter from her ministry, really from her and her husband, every other month and reading it was a source of refreshment to me. Well all good things must come to an end and the newsletter published last moth that i just received yesterday will be the last. I cried...
In this letter she spoke of how often in this life we try to do and be what God wants us to be and yet when you look at it all, all the work, all the hope, all the prayers, it seems like a big waste..."God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform..." You consider those words when you think of all the "wasted"energy...Nothing is wasted in God's Economy.
Our lives these days fall into that "waste" catagory right now. The money that we spent getting to Hawaii. ( 1$ per pound of stuff. The container weighed 12500 lbs... we have sold or given away at least 1/3 of that stuff we thought that we "needed" ) John bought Big Red for 5000.00 Stupid for a truck with 125K miles on it. Paid 1000.00 to ship it here. Sold it this week for 1500.00...waste...Now we wonder should we go back to California...to what??
The store....75K...yet I do have the inventory and maybe I can get something out of this stuff. But how do I recover my lost dreams? I have had little of sucess in this life. I have fought and struggled for everything I have. I dont want to give up.
My youth....Seven years in ministry, to a church that said "dont let the door hit you in the butt..." because they wanted a fresh start and wanted all of the staff except a few friends to go....Long story, but thats sort of the way it was....Then marraige to Woody. I wanted to have a family and now I am married to a guy that wont lay a hand on me, and hardly has since we were married. Now that is beyond me and I cry for it. I feel like I am not wanted by anyone for anything, anymore and it hurts.
" One cannot unscrew the Inscrutible"... You cant figure out God and you should not try...Trusting is the hardest thing. Knowing in you r heart that what God has for you is the best even when your world is falling apart.
Elisabeth...I know that you have been through it, and I salute you. At 77, you are a living Saint, a hero of the faith. and I will miss your words of wisdom...
