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7/30/2019 Between The Lines - Spring 2013 Volume 3, Issue 2
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Seasons
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Between the Lines is a magazine of the Journey, a ministry of Christ Church
Fairview Heights, IL. © 2013, Christ Church. mychristchurch.com
Graphic Design by Michelle Sweeten
Truth settles us as we move throughthe seasons of life.
Many seasons ago, we made the
short trip across the Eau Gallie Cause-
way for our weekly visit to my grand-
mother’s apartment. Upon our arrival we
learned that Gram’s goldsh had passed
on. My young daughter left the sh food
standing like a soldier in its place. No
longer able to fulll her assigned respon-
sibility she asked me, “Why? Why did
Grandma’s sh die?”
So, I sang my rendition of Peter,
Paul, and Mary’s Turn, Turn, Turn as we
buried the sh outside. It’s ok to giggle
at my teacher ways and my propensityto go with the simplicity of child-like faith.
To this day (about 25 years later)
she still remembers me singing to her
and tells me that the song got the point
across. We chuckled about it again
recently as we recalled the sweet and
silly memory.
To everything, turn, turn, turn.
There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
And a time for every purpose under
heaven. . .
The lyrics, inspired by the Old Testa-
ment book of Ecclesiastes and set to
music, settled her.
Truth settles us in the joy and in the
pain and in everything in between.
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the
Life. He is the only one who can calm
our restless hearts. He is the answer to
every question mark that we have, evenwhen we still don’t understand.
Welcome to the pages of this new
issue. Our editor, Dr. Emily Climaco,
pours her heart into the pages of every
issue. Thank you, Emily. Thank you also
to Lindsay Tallman, Theresa Cavalier,
and Julie Crask for contributing and be-
ing a part of the Between the Lines teamto plan and pray with us.
Our Christ Church graphic designers
take great care in meshing the theme
with what will be pleasing to your eye.
The Journey prayer team prays for you
the reader and for the writers included in
every issue. Thank you to the staff and
team.
Each person mentioned here is faithful
in this season of life to serve with a will-
ing heart until God says otherwise. After
all, he is the author of the seasons. He
always writes a page-turner.
May God Bless You in Winter, Spring,Summer, and Fall,
We appreciate hearing from our
readers. Please let us know how thismagazine has touched your life. You
may send your e-mails to:
thejourney.betweenthelines@gmail.com
Dear Reader,
Mary Ann
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Between the Lines • Spring 2013 • Volume 3, Issue 2
'Like' us on Facebook: facebook.com/christchurchjourney
In the next issue: Freedom in Christ - Freedom Indeed!
This Issue’s Theme: Seasons
Verse of the Season: To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under
heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
Meet the Contributors
Mary Ann Turner is the leader of the Journey Team at Christ
Church. A former elementary school teacher, she is the wife of Mark,
mother of two grown children, and grandmother to two precious little
boys. She enjoys great conversations, hiking with her family, and
encouraging others to grow in their Christian faith.www.maryannturner.com
Betty Haskins attends Christ Church with several beloved familymembers, including her daughter and grandson. She’s a great-grandmother who enjoys playing bridge and knitting. Turn to page 8to read more about Betty.
Debbi Cutright is a Journey Team member and enjoys volunteering
in various women’s and children’s ministries through Christ Church
in Fairview Heights. Debbi is a registered nurse and long-term care
administrator. She has two grown children and three grandchildren
who keep her busy and happy.
Lindsay Tallman is a freelance writer who writes about family and
faith. Her work has been featured in Thriving Family and Family Fun
magazines. When she’s not busy writing or tripping over toys, she
enjoys reading, traveling, and playing with her quirky kids. She andher family live in O’Fallon, Illinois, and worship at Christ Church.
www.lindsayntallman.com
Emily Climaco, Ph.D., is a Journey Team member and the volunteer
editor of Between the Lines. The wife of Phil and mom of Caroline,
she spends her “free time” being silly with her four-year-old daughter
and writing on her blog, www.commonplacesoil.com.
For more information on the Journey ministry or to sign up for a
free subscription to this magazine, please take a look at www.
mychristchurch.com/thejourney.
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The Bleak Mid-Winter by Lindsay Tallman
4
I have to admit, when I think of
winter the rst thing that comes
to mind is Bill Murray in the movie
Groundhog Day when he says, “It’sgonna be cold, it’s gonna be gray,
and it’s gonna last you for the rest
of your life.”
Not only has this winter been
unusually long, but my family
is lying beneath a self-imposed
emotional winter as well. In
January, we added a fourth child
to our family through adoption. Our
new three-year-old daughter is a
delight, and we love her dearly.
Like any major life change, adding
another child to our family has
brought joy and love, along withchaos and confusion. I nd myself
thrust back in the trenches raising
two little ones, searching for a new
kind of normal. Some days, when
I’m sitting with both of my three-
year-olds crying on my lap because
one has more square footage or
someone is touching the other, as
I chant the phrases, “We have to
take turns, use your words, you get
what you get and you don’t throw a
t,” for the hundredth time, I feel my
sanity slowly sliding away.
One night my oldest daughter
asked, “Why did God make
winter?” Not wanting to pass my
bad attitude on to her, I thoughtcarefully before answering. I
explained how every living thing
needs a time to rest, to build up
energy and strength to grow bigger
and more beautiful when spring
arrives. Despite my disdain for
winter, I understand that it is always
necessary in order for spring to
arrive.
One of my favorite Christmas
carols is “In the Bleak Mid-Winter.”
Originally a poem written by
Christina Rossetti about the birth of
Christ, she writes:In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on
snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
Perhaps you are in a spiritual
winter season too. Such seasons
may arrive due to circumstances
such as a parenting young children,
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5
recovering from an injury, caring for
an aging loved one, grieving a loss,
or simply because we are in a time
of transition. These seasons are
hard to endure. But what can we do
while we are waiting for the elusive
spring? Here are some principles to
get us started:
1. Surrender control and trust.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we
know that in all things God
works for the good of those
who love him, who havebeen called according to his
purpose.” If we love and obey
God, we can have condence
that he is at work even when
our lives seem out of control.
Let him do his work in you
during the painful seasons.
2. Live one day at a time. In
Matthew 6:34 Jesus says,
“Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about itself. Each day
has enough trouble of its own.”
Life can be overwhelmingwhen we focus too much on
the future. Do your best to live
the life you were created to live
today.
3. Don’t let anything steal
your joy. 1 Thessalonians 5:16
says, “Always be joyful. Always
keep on praying. No matter
what happens, always be
thankful, for this is God’s will
for you who belong to Christ
Jesus.” By obeying these
words even when we don’t feel
like it, our perspective on our
circumstances will change.
4. Stay close to him. Rosetti’s
poem ends with this verse:
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.
Though we may feel during the
hard times that we have nothing left
to give, we can always give Christ
our heart. When we feel lost and
lonely, he is near. Don’t let your
heart grow cold, but instead press
into relationship with him and he
will sustain you.
As I write this, the snow is falling
outside, but one lone daffodil is
blooming from the frigid ground. A
visible reminder to me that even
in the harshest circumstances,God makes things grow. We can
place our trust and hope in the
Lord because he will be faithful to
us through the winter seasons. He
is with us, and we have not been
forgotten. The one who came to
wash us white as snow will cover
us and love us. We will emerge
stronger and more beautiful than
before. When all seems dead, have
faith—spring is coming.
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6
When God created the universe, it was summer every day.
Adam and Eve lived in love with each other, peace with fel-
low creatures, and intimacy with God. God looked out on all
that he had made and smiled. It was good.
Then came the fall. Adam and Eve, deceived by a serpent,
ate fruit from the only tree God had forbidden them to har-
vest. Suddenly, everything seemed broken and naked and
wrong. “. . . sin entered the world through one man, and
death through sin . . .”
The cold curse of winter fell over humankind. People suf-
fered separation from God, feeling the sting of sadness and
death. They tried to please God by obeying countless rules
and rituals, but what God really wanted was their hearts.
Only one thing could save them: the redeeming death of
Jesus. When Jesus rose from the dead in triumph over bro-
kenness and nakedness and wrong, Hope bloomed.
Spring had arrived! “. . . if anyone is in Christ, he is
a new creation . . .”
A Prayer of Renewal:
Dear God,
I’ve sinned, and I need your forgiveness. I believe your son,
Jesus, died for my sins, and I’m willing to stop sinning. I nowinvite Jesus into my life as my personal savior.
Amen.
-EC
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7Photo by Julie Crask
www.works4water.blogspot.com
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8
Belleville Courthouse circa 1953
BellevilleHistoricalSociety.org
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9
During the Great Depression,
Betty Haskins was a church-going
girl growing up in southern Illinois.
Here’s how you could pick her outin a group of friends: look for the
one tending to others, bandag-
ing scraped knees. At a Methodist
Youth Fellowship retreat at McK-
endree College, she dedicated her
young life to Christ. Now, seasoned
with the wisdom of years, she says,“I’ve lived a very interesting life.”
Indeed, she has.
When she was a high school
senior, Japanese forces bombed
Pearl Harbor, and she began her
ofcial training as a nurse. She
celebrated VE day and VJ day with
her St. Louis nursing colleagues.
Upon returning home to Belleville,she continued her nursing career
at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and her
worship-music calling, which had
begun with piano lessons at age
seven, at St. George’s Episcopal
Church.
In 1953, Betty married Jack T.
Haskins, M.D., and worked in his
ofce on East Main. Jack, a physi-
cian and surgeon, delivered their
two daughters in quick succession.
Naturally, her nurse training came
On a recent bright and chilly spring morning, Betty
Haskins sat in my dining room and told me stories of
an amazing life. I’d asked her to contribute to this issue
because of her wisdom gleaned over several seasons of
life. Like a tulip blooming in the snow, God’s faithfulnessappears in retrospect in the most surprising places.
by Emily Climaco
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10
in handy as a mother of two. She
and Jack brought up Jann and
Jena at Union United Methodist
Church, where she led the girls in
the Angel Choir and Junior Choir.
A new life-season began when
Betty’s daughters went away to
college, and she assumed a dif-
ferent kind of care-giving role.
Devastatingly, her mother suffered
a massive stroke, and she took
responsibility for her mother in the
nursing home, her father livingalone at home, and her beloved
grandmother, who had lived in the
bedroom right across from hers in
the family home, before eventually
entering the nursing home. This
series of events was distressing,
but caring for people comes easilyto her. Both parents passed away
ve years after her mother’s stroke,
within six months of each other.
Although she’d gotten away from
church as her girls grew up, caring
for others was her second-nature
way of showing God’s love.
Betty and Jack made the most of
retirement by traveling broadly, liv-
ing for a time in Arkansas and later
Florida. In Sebring, Florida, she
became involved in her downtown
church’s after-school program, pro-
viding snacks and a haven for localkids. Caring for children has al-
ways delighted her. She now works
with fth- and sixth-graders in the
AWANA program at Christ Church.
The turn of the century brought a
difcult season: Jack began show-
ing signs of Alzheimer’s, and Betty
tended to him, careful to preserve
his dignity in the face of an awful,
wasting disease. Early in 2004,she could no longer care for him at
home. After a brief time in the nurs-
ing home, Jack went home to be
with the Lord. A World War II ight
surgeon and Silver Star Medal
recipient, he was buried in Arlington
National Cemetery with full military
honors. Betty returned home, livingalone for the rst time ever.
Soon she moved back home to
be with her family. “The last several
years have been about renewal
and preparation and thanksgiving,”
she says. Betty confesses that God
hasn’t been at the forefront of everyseason of her life; however, she
adds: “He never let go.” Elegant
and sharp-witted, few would believe
she’s in her late eighties. She jokes
that she doesn’t know why God
has allowed her this many years,
but she’s spending the latter onescramming for “the nal.”
“The seasons of my life have
waxed and waned,” she explains,
“and before, worship was in-
tentional—something we did at
church—but now, it’s—what’s the
best word?—spontaneous. God isgood!”
Jesus offers a promise that she
especially cherishes: “In my Fa-
ther’s house are many mansions:
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11
if it were not so, I would have told
you. I go to prepare a place for you”
(John 14:2). After many seasons of
care-giving, living, and loving, Betty
looks forward with anticipation to
worshipping at Christ Church. Andsomeday, when she meets our
Heavenly Father, her favorite song
of praise will become all the more
meaningful:
The sun comes up, it’s a new
day dawning,
It’s time to sing your song again.Whatever may pass, and whatever
lies before me,
Let me be singing when the eve-
ning comes!
“Through Jesus, therefore, let
us continually offer to God a
sacrice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
And do not forget to do good and
to share with others, for with such
sacrices God is pleased”
Hebrews 13:15
First National Bank Belleville circa 1943
Celebrating VJ Day in the Veteran's Memorial Fountain August 14, 1945
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12
I turn back the pages of my life
and pause. On one page, the tear
stains catch my eye. I remember
this chapter as a season of chal-
lenges. I pause again. In my mindI see Carolyn, my dear friend and
colleague, standing with me. I can
still hear the echo of her voice. Her
smile gestures with a soft calm.
Carolyn spoke, “Mary Ann, this is
a winter in your life and spring will
soon be on the way.” She was right.
I learned that there is beauty
even in the bare branches of winter,
posed like mannequins waiting to be
dressed.
It’s in the stillness of winter thatwe pause to learn the lessons that
allow us to ourish and bear fruit.
We’ll bear more fruit, richer fruit, as
Jesus teaches us in John 15. Our
branches, dripping with the jewels
of spring and summer are Son-
kissed. Kissed by the Son himself.
Jesus Christ is faithful, and he is our
peace.
Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace
kiss each other. Faithfulness springs
forth from the earth, and righteous-
ness looks down from heaven. The
Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
Psalm 85:10-12
A study note below this passage
in my NIV Bible states: “These ex-
pressions of God’s favor toward his
people are here personied and the
vivid portrayal of their meeting and
embracing offers one of the most
beautiful images in all of Scriptureof God’s gracious dealings with his
covenant people.”
This passage sings to me again
and again in every season of life.
Son-Kissedby Mary Ann Turner
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13
I’ve mentioned winter, spring,
and summer. And what of fall?
When it comes to our soul and
spirit fall whispers, “Look! Look
at the colors of your life.” See thegolden moments, the re-orange
passion of your heart, and the rich
mahogany underfoot making a sure
path for the journey. With its cozy
beckoning, fall reassures us that
life is for living fully.
In his innite goodness God hasgiven us the seasons of the heart,
soul, and spirit. Faithfully he writes
the story of our lives, wasting noth-
ing. We walk into each new page
knowing that he is already there.
He sees us through every season
until he welcomes us into eternal joy.
“Righteousness goes before him
and he prepares the way for his
steps.” Psalm 85:13
Wayne Jacobsen writes in his
book, In My Father’s Vineyard,
that pruning of a grapevine can
only be done in winter, after the
sap has slowed and the vine is at rest. He further states that prun-
ing is organized destruction and,
unless the branch is at rest, the
cutting could destroy it.
God knows what he is doing
and he cares for us. It is not his
desire to destroy us during thewinters of our lives. Rather, he
loves us deeply and desires that
we would be fruitful. Read John
15:1-8 for Jesus’ words to us.
Remain in him and he will fll the
pages of your life with stories that
lead to a fruitful harvest.
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“For I am the Lord, I do not
change . . .” (Malachi 3:6).
“The roads are treacherous.
We are advising everyone to
stay home today if at
all possible,” warnedthe TV meteorologist
one February morning.
“Treacherous” is de-
ned as “hazardous,
marked by hid-
den dangers
or perils”
(Merriam-Webster’s
Online Dic-
tionary).
“But some
people must
travel theroads—even
when it’s
dangerous,”
I thought.
Health care
personnel have
to be available. Law
enforcement and reand rescue workers are
crucial. City snow plow drivers
must perform their duties. These
persons have to be prepared to
travel.
Life is treacherous. If we are to
navigate through each day with any
amount of safety and peace, we
must be proactive. God’s Word tells
us to “Be alert and on guard; stand
rm in your faith. . . . Act
like men and be cou-rageous; grow in
strength!” (1 Cor.
16:13, Amplifed
Bible, all
quotations).
It’s Treacherous
14
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Consider the snow plow driver.
He must wear the proper clothing,
have fuel in his vehicle, and have
an adequate load of salt. As Chris-
tians, we prepare by understand-
ing and depending on the Lord:
“The Lord is my strength and song”(Psalm 118:14). The psalmist ad-
vises us to “Be strong and let your
heart take courage, all you who
wait for and hope for and expect
the Lord!” (Psalm 31:24).
Our Lord warned his followers
that there would be trials, but healso gave us instruction on how we
are to prepare our minds
and our mouths:
“Therefore, do
not worry and be
anxious saying,
What are we goingto have to eat? or,
What are we going
to have to drink?
or, What are we
going to have
to wear? . . . But seek rst of all His
kingdom and His righteousness,
and then all these things taken to-
gether will be given to you besides”
(Matt. 6:31, 33).
It is never in the midst of a bliz-zard that you hear a person say, “I
love living in a part of the country
that has seasons!” No, this phrase
is usually said on a June day when
the temperature is 72 degrees, the
sky bright blue, and the breeze soft.
On this sort of day, it takes nothing
to persevere. But most days arenot perfect.
I nd it amazing that the ant-
onyms for the word “treacherous”
listed in the dictionary are: “dedicat-
ed, faithful, loyal, steadfast, true.”
What a perfectly perfect descriptionof our God!
Out There!by Debbi Cutright
15
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S U M M E
R
S M O
R G A S B O R D
h e s u m m e r B i b
l e s t u d y s e s s i o n f o r w o m e n s t a r t s J u n e 1 0 t h ! F o r m o r e i n f o
r m a t i o n o r
t o r e g i s t e r f o r a s t u d y , v
i s i t w w w . m
y c h r i s t c h u r c h . c
o m / a d u l t s a f t e r M a y
2 5 t h .
3 3 9 F r a n k S
c o t t P a r k w a y E a s t
F a i r v i e w H e i g h t s , I L 6 2 2 0 8
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