The Dialogue

“Just think this is our privilege!”

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”

~ II Corinthians 2: 14-16 ~

There are times when reading the Bible, where I feel every word jump off of the page and land in my heart, feeding both my soul and mind; but there are also those moments, when despite how sacrilegious it may sound to some, the experience is more like: I get it, everyone beget someone else or I have read this passage a hundred times, I want more. Last night, I had such a night – I read and prayed, but wanted – needed more.

More came as I got up, went to my closet, opened a large plastic bin of “treasures” and removed a file of letters, written by my Mother.

When I picked up the note, which I share below, and read it, I was first struck by her enthusiasm for the Lord; a quality she manifested her entire life; my second thought was about Marigold, who I always think about around Mother’s Day, as it was through my piece on Mother’s Day, from May of 2009, that she found her old friend, my Mother.

http://thatisallfornow.com/?p=4787#.Vzjfnr3WaCw

I thought about how Marigold would probably enjoy reading Mother’s comments on II Corinthians 2: 14-16.

I also thought about how she never quit “preaching” to me. My entire life my Mother shared her faith with me, recited Bible verses, and prayed with me and for me. Yes, there was more than one time, when I would grow exasperated at receiving yet another “Smiley Jesus” track, in a note, and even told her, it is okay Mother, I am saved, you do not need to keep preaching to me . . . she would respond: “it is not for you Jill, it is for you to share it with someone else”. . . share lingered with me.

Repeatedly, last night, I made my way back to my Bible to look up a verse she referenced, in every card or letter, which I read; it did not take long for me to realize I had indeed received the more I had wanted and needed.  My Mother was still ministering to me.

I also wondered how many of the scriptures, which she had sent me, had I stopped to look up and read, when I first received them – I am sure they would have blessed me then and perhaps did, but last night it was as if I sat through one of the best sermons, in my life.

I tucked several of the notes and cards into my Bible, for further reflection, but left the folder out; I went off to shower, toying with what to do next, which has brought me here.

My endeavor to properly archive my parents lives, has hit more than a few road blocks along the way; mostly it is my own life, which interrupts my work on their life, but as I am serenaded by music from the 1940’s, I have decided to further embrace the 21^st Century, and share their story in what may be viewed as a work in progress, or simply another way to tell their tale.

At the moment, I am not sure how many people, will have an interest in reading my Mother’s letters, but I am usurping an old phrase from our military, “rank has its privileges”, being the Editor has its privileges, as well.

Her Note:

Transcript

“II Cor. 2:14

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His Knowledge in every place.

Just think this is our privilege!

Paul descries believers as being led in a triumphal procession behind Christ and being displayed by God to the world as a triumph and trophy of the redeeming grace of Christ. Through this triumphal procession, the knowledge of Christ, and the redeemed lives of the believers are manifested as a sweet aroma before God and man. To God is pleasing, to humans it results in life or death. II Cor 2: 15-16”

~ Stella Lucille Mosqueda~

Bible Gateway

Going forward, I will be using Bible Gateway, one of the finest sources on the Internet. I will also surrender to Mother’s preference for the King James Version of the Bible, to quote scripture she refers to.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=II+Corinthians+2&version=KJV

This entry was posted on May 15, 2016 at 7:11 pm and is filed under SlideShow, The Dialogue, The Reverend’s Ignacio and Stella Cooper Mosqueda Book Scholarship, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.