A Tribute to the Spirit of Women

Cover of The Hiding Place

Good Evening to All!

Tonight I am taking part of my post from my little Inspirational Book called "especially for Mom's written by Robert Strand. Resuming Monday,I will be bringing another of several stories of women full of courage and compassion continuing the "mini-series of "Tribute to the Spirit of Women in Honor of the coming Mother's Day in May. I know I'm a little early, but maybe it will give a little more time to think about how special our mothers "were" and are. We're getting closer to Mothers' Day (yes, I know I put the apostrophe in the wrong place, but since my mother has long been gone to her reward, I chose to acknowledge all Mothers out there and in that case possessive form of more than one mother would be written as above. OK, now that I've explained before anyone thought I was really dumb, on with my post. LOL!

The first little story is about a lady who is a well-known around Christian circles. Her name is Corrie ten-Boom. She is known for several different reasons. First during the WWII, her family harbored Jews away from the Nazis. After the war, Corrie ten Boom returned to the Netherlands to set up rehabilitation centers. This refuge house consisted of concentration camp survivors and sheltered the jobless Dutch who previously collaborated with Germans during the occupation. She returned to Germany in 1946, and traveled the world as a public speaker, appearing in over sixty countries, during which time she wrote many books.Her Honors include The State of Israel honored ten Boom by naming her Righteous Among the Nations.

Ten Boom was knighted by the Queen of the Netherlands in recognition of her work during the war, and a museum in the Dutch city of Haarlem is dedicated to her and her family.

In my eyes, after reading her story, she has to be the essence of the meaning of Christian. She happened to come in contact with one of the cruelest guards from the Ravensbruch concentration camp, and they actually grasped hands and she FORGAVE HIM. Now I don't know about any of y'all , but even being the "Christian" that I am, I don't know that I could bring myself to do that. I MIGHT could say I forgive him, but to actually look into his eyes, and shake hands, I don't know, I just don't know.

Ten Boom told the story of her family and their work during WWII in her most famous book, The Hiding Place (1971), which was made into a film by in 1975.

Now on with the story.

It was my privilege some years ago to hear Corrie ten Boom speak in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was introduced and received an ovation before she began. She was stooped with age just a bit, dressed very humbly in a well-worn dress. Her appearance was anything but imposing.

She began speaking in a very soft voice rich with her Dutch accent. Corrie told of her upbringing and described her family. Then she began to tell of the war-torn years of the Second World War. It was not a pretty description. she related how her family hid and helped many Jewish people escape the persecution of the Nazi regime. it was a fascinating story. Every ear was intent so as not to miss a single detail.

My wife and I were sitting about half-way back in an auditorium filled with several hundred people. I had not noticed why Miss ten boom had her head down much of the time. At first, I though she was looking intently at her notes. But then as I paid closer attention I discovered that as she was speaking, she was working on a piece of needlepoint.

She took us on a journey to her time spent in a concentration camp. It was a sordid tale of the cruelty of human beings to other human beings. She moved on to her moment of release...her sister had died in the camp, her parents had died in this camp. It was a moving moment as she began to wrap up her story.

Corrie explained that none of us has the privilege in life to see what is really happening or why things have to happen like they do. Then....she held up the needlepoint for us to see. It was about ten by fourteen inches or so and in a frame. she showed us the back side which was nothing but a jumble of threads and colors with no discernible pattern. She went on to explain that this is how we see our lives...a view from the bottom, a view that may make no sense. Then she turned her needlework over and showed us the finished side. The pattern and colors made a beautiful scene. all the threads came together in a purpose.

She then concluded: "this is how God views your life, from the top, and someday we will have the privilege of viewing it all from his perspective."

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Today's Quote

"God must first do something for us and in us before He can do something through us."
Eleanor Doan

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And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Good night to All and May God Bless!