Author: Jane Foard Thompson

Jane Foard Thompson is an inspirational speaker and award winning author and poet. A former Montessori teacher in Texas and Utah, for eight years Jane and her husband were missionaries in Honduras, Central America. After working for the American Red Cross in Idaho, they now live in Florida, where she writes, leads music and women's Bible studies at their church, and enjoys nine grandchildren and her Golden Retriever, Lily.

Some happy Mother’s Days are out of this world

As my girls and I made plans for Mother’s Day, I glanced at the photo under glass on my desk, family gathered around my Mom. Her sweet smile. The familiar ache built in my chest, pulling me into the dark place, wishing I could have one more Mother’s Day to shower love on her.Mother's Day joy

Then I realized that our little brother, Mac, who drowned when he was three, is in heaven celebrating with her.

little brother Mac
Malcom Bayard Foard III

And she is there with her dear mother, celebrating the life of a true servant-hearted woman.

Feb13^11

And my grandmother, Eleanor, is celebrating with her mother, Maria, who died when Grandmom was a girl.

Maria Tschanin Zimmerman
Maria Zimmerman

And Maria is celebrating with her mother from her native Switzerland that she fled during an Anabaptist persecution.

That’s as far back as I know family history on Mom’s side.

Enough to give me perspective.

Would I really want to drag Mom back to this little world, when so much has been opened up to her? So much joy. So much celebration. So much connection. So much life.

No.

I stroke the face in the picture, say ‘I love you’ again, and release her into the hands of Love who holds her forever.

Real love is like that, isn’t it? Loving, holding, and then releasing when necessary.

For the first time, I am truly ready to pick up the mantle my brother offered after Mom’s funeral—the matriarch of the family.

To continue to hold them all up in prayer, no matter how large the family grows.

To rejoice in their accomplishments and weep with their pain.

And to smile when my family is gathered around me.

Grammi love
Grammi love
grandchild fun at Easter
egg dying with grands
three generations at Christmas
three generations at Christmas
Siesta Key
Fun in the surf

The circle goes on.

So good. So good.

Spring cleaning

Easter in the Western Church arrived long before Passover this year. Until Constantine changed the calendar in the fourth century, the early church celebrated the Resurrection on the first Sunday after the Sabbath of Passover. I’ve watched several Jewish friends prepare for Passover by thoroughly cleaning their house of any leaven (yeast or mold). We can all benefit from spring cleaning.

My house always needs work, but I’m talking about spiritual spring cleaning.spring flower

If you are picturing endless, sweat-provoking labor, lots of church services, or a long string of do-gooding, stop right now.

Breathe.

It’s not about how hard we work or how much we do, how much we give up, or how much we suffer. If it were, all we’d have to do is join the ranks of those who have all the answers and preach, or shout, the rules for everyone else.

by Jack H Thompson, Galapagos, Ecuador

It’s about living open-hearted. Surrendered to a will far greater, far wiser, and far clearer than ours.

After trying so hard (unsuccessfully) for years, I’ve found that I can simply ask the Holy Spirit to direct my vision, show me any areas of my heart, mind, memories or emotions that host elements that can ferment uncleanness in my life.

That’s a lot of words to say the Spirit can show us what is hurting us, or has the potential to harm us, or hamper growth, or cause us to damage others.

The Lord, through his Spirit, has been very gentle and patient with me. Oh, so patient. (Amazing that I never hear, “Will you just get on with it?” when I take another lap around Mt Sinai, out in the desert, instead of heading for the promised land.)

And, the greatest news, He provides the power to change, once we realize we need it, and we ask for help.

With empty hands.
by Jack H Thompson, Jr
by Jack H Thompson
by Jack H Thompson

This is where we exercise some muscle. Our will.

It’s not a bootstrap operation. (Did you know that, “God helps those who help themselves,” is not in the Bible?)

First, we let go of the bootstraps! We stop trying to be “as good as” . . .”if only.”

But we do need to cooperate.

Surrender.

We simply cup our hands and catch the springtime rain of the Spirit on our dry, bruised or weary spirits.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matt 11:28-30 MSG

unto God

Working on our personal tax return, I search for every deduction or credit, no matter how small, because I don’t like paying huge amounts of money to a bloated government. However, all the while running in the back of my mind is: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Either government or God. Where’s my share? Unto God

I remember as a little girl singing, “All things come of thee Oh Lord, and of thine own we have given thee,” as the offering was presented. My life and everything in it belongs to God. I’ve always given it mental assent.

But as I go over our expenses, working to wring more life out of last year’s receipts, I don’t see much of God’s hand print there.

Is it my vision? Or is it my lifestyle?

My bloated lifestyle?

Convicted.

In spite of really trying to simplify and pare things down, we still have way too much. Stuff that gets in the way. Stuff that needs care or repair. Stuff that clutters my mind and takes up my time.

I want to pat myself on the back because we don’t carry debt on our stuff. Because we give plenty to charity. (Besides the regular gifts, don’t I juggle all the requests in the mail every month, looking for the most impact for our funds?) But there are so many needs around me and throughout the world. So many hurting people. Too many ways I could help.

But what about balance? Isn’t it a good thing to have a peaceful home to welcome friends and family? A retreat from a world that gets crazier every day? Have the inner peace to renew and write, then go back out and do my part?

The truth is, I want to be free to wake each morning only saying, “What’s next Papa?” How can I receive the day from His hand when my to-do list is already too long?

I recognize a deeper core of my yearning.

“The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within.” Romans 8:22-23 MSG

Yearning for eternity. And for a life totally surrendered unto God.

Can you feel it?