Ryan's Ramblings

Where is your help?

All of my help comes from the Lord. Wow, I love this one from the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

 

 

 

Are you desperate? . . . I am.

 

Don’t listen to them; just trust me. (Mark 5:36, MSG)

 

 

Are you desperate? I am.

I am scheduled for an upcoming surgery that is very complex and critical to my health, and I recently “googled” the procedure and read the possible complications and side effects.

Note to self for the future: “Don’t google it!”

But, I did google it and I didn’t like what I read. So what do I do with that?

I found my answer in God’s Word.

In Mark 5:21-43 Jesus encounters a desperate father and a despairing woman. It’s an all too real story, awash with struggle, pain, sadness, and desperation.

(Yes, I just redundantly used the words, desperate, despairing and desperation in the two previous sentences. They are all forms of an idea, concept and experience that I want nothing to do with, but in this Biblical account they are implicit and important.)

The man and the woman in this story are “at the end of their rope.” The woman has exhausted all possible solutions for help and healing, and the man has a twelve-year-old-daughter who is dying.  They both need God’s help, but therein is hope, because as Dallas Willard has said,

“God can be found at, www.at-the-end-of-your-rope.com.”

The man and the woman, in their despair, look to Jesus for help—and He helps. Jesus, the Word made flesh, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, touches, heals, helps and restores. It’s an amazing and beautiful story of God’s provision, faithfulness and love.

There’s a twist at the end of the story that got my attention. Jesus is delayed in going with the desperate father to help his dying daughter and the account goes like this:

While [Jesus] was still talking, some people came from the [man’s] house and told him, “Your daughter is dead. Why bother the Teacher any more?”

Jesus overheard what they were talking about and said to the [man],

“Don’t listen to them; just trust me.”

Wow, Jesus tells the desperate father, “Don’t listen to them; just trust me.”

In this I hear Jesus saying to me, “Ryan, don’t google it; just trust me.”

Are you desperate?

I am, and I’m trusting in Jesus.

(Below is a powerful video rendition of the Mark 5:21-43 scripture account. Please take ten-minutes and watch it.)

 

This Tree—Merry Christmas!

Here is a picture of our Christmas tree,

and it may be, that it means nothing to you,

but to me . . .

 

It was adorned by hands that I love, love, love,

and is topped by a star of promise from above.

 

The ornaments that fill the branches and boughs,

hold stories that range from then until now.

 

They are memories of God’s faithful hand in our lives,

they tell of His goodness and keep Hope alive.

 

The lights that shine brightly into the night,

remind us it's time for joy and delight.

 

The wondrous sight of our Christmas tree,

calls to mind words the angel said unto me.

 

"This day is born a Savior—Jesus your Lord,

who paid the price for you, that none could afford."

 

So, when I look at our tree, I see Jesus in all,

Saying “Come unto me” and harken His call.

 

That is a picture of our Christmas tree,

And it may be, that it means nothing to you,

But to me . . .

Happy Birthday Dina! You are a gift!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dina,

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words,

but I say ten thousand is too few.

As I struggle, slip and slide through life,

I’m glad that it’s with you.

Your smile, your love, your constant care,

steady me as I glide;

and even when I trip and fall,

you’re there right by my side.

As the days fly by, the seasons pass,

and the calendar hints we're old;

I’m blessed by God, and this is true,

that the one, whose mittened hand I hold,

is you.

Happy Birthday Dina!

With all my love,

Ryan

believe . . . and get on!

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:23, NLT)

 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved . . .”             (Acts 16:31, NLT)

 

Photo source: https://quotesgram.com/img/the-polar-express-quotes/8621200/

a great pair—32 years together!

 

. . . one shoe always missing the other.                                        —John Blase

Dina,

When I think of legendary duos, my mind immediately goes to Mickey and Minnie (yes, I’ll be your Mickey) and good ol’ Snoopy and Charlie.

To me these pairs represent forever love, wholesome fun and committed friendship, and when I think of those attributes I think of us, and our 32 years together.

What a joy it is to be married to you. You are definitely my “better half,” and together we make a great pair. Dina, you are God’s good gift to me. With you, I can go anywhere this adventure of life leads, and without you, I would be like, “. . . one shoe always missing the other.”

Happy Anniversary Dina! I love you!

With all my heart,

Ryan

Happy Birthday Dad . . . 75 years!

A life well-lived casts a huge shadow that's sure to impact coming generations for Christ. —R.T. Kendall

I thank God for my dad, Robin Roberts. Today is his 75^th birthday!! What a joy it is to celebrate him and his life. He is dearly admired for his devoted love and service to others, his quiet and humble spirit, his faithfulness to God and his family, his fun-loving nature, and his deep appreciation of all that is good and meaningful in life and creation.

Of the many things that I appreciate about my Dad, the thing that I am most thankful for is his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nearly forty years ago my Dad gave his life to Jesus Christ and he has walked with God ever since. Now at 75 years of age, he and his wife of over 50 years have two children, two grandchildren, numerous extended family members and scores of friends who are faithfully serving the Lord—and it all ties back to the day that he committed his life to Jesus Christ.

“A life well-lived casts a huge shadow . . .” and the sun hasn’t set yet. Press on.

Happy Birthday Dad!

With love,

Ryan

stand forever in him

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like grass we rise with the

morning, yet wither so soon;

long days of summer, too few.

As wildflowers—unexpected,

resplendent, yet fading—we bloom,

beautify, blaze and then “poof,”

so good, so brief, so gone.

Nothing lasts. But wait . . . the love

of the Lord churns in the wake

of those who fear Him. Salvation

reaching and rippling to children’s,

children and more. Your life matters.

Don’t toil or spin. Be faithful, obey,

love wholly, live wisely. Stand forever

in Him.

(Psalm 103:15-18, Isaiah 40:8, Luke 12:27)

Singing and Praying

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The one who sings prays twice. —Augustine

 

The song, "Goodness of God," has been the constant soundtrack of my heart these past few days. I sing it in the shower and I sing it on my way to work. I sing it louder during my drive home. It is on my mind when I go to sleep and it is the song that I am humming when I awake in the morning.

I have been doing a lot of singing lately, and according to Augustine, twice as much praying.

But how can I not? God's mercy never fails me, he holds me in his hand. He's with me through the fire and in the darkest night.  All my life he has been faithful and so, so good. Even when I'm faithless, he's there, running after me—as a loving father and a faithful friend.

I will keep singing, with every breath that I am able, of the goodness of God. 

Check out this great song . . . and sing (and pray) along!

 

My First Grade Teacher - One of my heroes

On Saturday of Labor Day weekend Dina and I went to Twin Falls, Idaho and visited one of my heroes—my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Vira Amende. Mrs. Amende is 98 years old and resides independently in a beautiful continuum of care facility. We found her apartment, knocked on the door and she opened it and greeted us warmly.

She had no idea who we were. I was in her first-grade class at Washington Elementary in Twin Falls, Idaho in 1972—a mere 47 years ago. I remembered her as being taller—but back then I was a lot shorter. I showed her my first grade photo and asked her if she remembered the student in the picture. She immediately replied, “Oh that is Ryan, I always loved him.”

I then told her that I was the kid in the picture. She was stunned, gave me a big hug and invited us in for a visit. She is a long-time friend of my Great Aunt and has kept up on me, and my status, over the years. She was amazing—just as kind and cheerful as I remembered her being so many years ago. Her mind is razor sharp. She immediately asked me about my sister and where she was living, and she even remembered the name of the road that I lived on in Jerome. (We moved to Jerome the summer after my first-grade year.)

I shared with Ms. Amende that she was my favorite teacher. I shared that whenever I think of her, I remember the time, care, interest, patience, kindness and love that she extended to me so long ago. I told her that she was my inspiration to be a teacher, and that she is one of my heroes.

I shared with her that I distinctly remembered her husband visiting the classroom a couple of times during the school year. He was always dressed professionally and he was so kind and funny. With tears in her eyes, Mrs. Amende shared that her husband, Robert, to whom she was married for over 60 years, worked at Farmers Insurance and always liked to drop by her classroom to visit her students.

Dina and I sat in her living room and talked with her about our two daughters,  our time in South Korea, and about the fact that Dina and I were both working as public school teachers. She listened with great interest and asked us engaging questions. She shared that she loved teaching; however, she only taught for seven years at the schools, Washington Elementary and Sawtooth Elementary in Twin Falls, Idaho. As we were talking about the year that I was in her first-grade class she asked, “Was that the year that we made butter?” Yes it was. I remember getting the chance to work the churn and eating some of that butter on toast that we made in the classroom. Wow, what a great memory!

Mrs. Amende said that even though she didn’t teach long, she loved teaching and loved all of her students. However, she did say that she liked teaching little boys a bit better than little girls. To explain this, she said that little boys would come in from recess, red-faced and sweaty after a rough and tumble time outside, and they would shrug it off and ask for a pencil to do their work. Whereas, little girls would come in from recess and the first thing they wanted to do was to tattle and complain that so-and-so wasn’t being friends with so-and-so. She loved all of her students, but she said that she would have been fine with a room full of boys.

I am thankful that I was a student in Mrs. Amende’s first-grade classroom. I don’t remember a thing she taught me, but I will never forget how she made me feel. Her kindness, encouragement, care and love still resound warmly in my 53 year-old heart and mind. Mrs. Amende is my hero.