Anointed & Appointed Friendship

My Reflective Thoughts on and for Linda Boutin

We found each other in a small group at a time we both were a bit lost. Linda was new to the church and found herself serving in the Dan Vasquez Memorial Library, her comfort zone, as well as the church office. In my grief after the loss of my son, Cathy Hoch and her persistent love, got us together and the three of us became fast friends. Soon, Linda heard from God what He wanted from her, to start a Christian Writer’s Group in the church. As I slowly began to trust and share my own heart in words from a tattered notebook, Linda asked me to partner with her.

With no clue what a writer’s group might look like, or how I might possibly be an asset, this decision changed my life, my walk with God and moved me forward in my own grief journey.

We formatted an outline. It started with Roman numeral I, OPENING PRAYER.

Linda prayed and she frequently used these words: “Lord, INFUSE Your Holy Spirit into our words so that we might give You the glory.”  Amen.

Linda’s friendship infused me, saturated me, filled me with a desire to fellowship with like-minded creatives in the most trusting environment where we could know God and make Him known through our written words.  She had a way of developing a confidence in me and would soon do the same for many women in this church, enabling them to tell their stories of God’s Goodness in the Coffee Break Ministry.

Roman numeral II, the JOURNAL QUESTION. We traded off weeks developing a thought provoking question for our group to ponder. The transparency, the insight, the humor and the tears bonded us as believers to continue what we took in from the sermon on Sunday and apply it to our lives.

Roman numeral number III on our outline: READING TONIGHT. Chapters from manuscripts, poetry, random thoughts and devotionals written in the off hours with hope or just the intent to encourage, filtered first through our group. Linda taught us to use our active voice, to show, not just tell us. She modeled that in her life, combatting and negotiating with a painful and personal disease most of her life, one not many could bare. She did it with bravery and tenacity which I believe kept her with us far longer than any might have thought.

One day, after her and Gary drove me home from an AWF meeting, she had a serious conversation with me. She wanted me to stop sharing my little stories. Growing very comfortable in that, she said it was time for me to move on. What she wanted from me? To write the book, my memoir of all God had done in the last 6 years or so. That is Roman numeral number IV, WRITING TIPS.  

WRITING PROMPT, Roman numeral number V. Last but not least, is Linda’s legacy. She leaves us with a prompt. Everyone has a story to tell of life, love and transformation. We share grief as well as gratitude and sometimes those overlap. We have messy families and challenges. We infuse (that word used on purpose) scriptures that speak only to us at the moment. We encounter people and have experiences, ups and downs, stagnant times and growth. BUT GOD, He prompts us, as Linda so graciously encouraged us to see, to tell of His glory.

As I close in prayer and thought, thank You LORD for my dear, sweet partner and friend, Linda. Our friendship… a gift from God for each other and I will forever be grateful to God for the inspiration to develop a unique ministry, AWF and work beside Linda in Coffee Break ministry. In God’s grace, Year 16 of AWF is going strong and I honor her as I sit in Room 2 every Wed. night with these friends she loved so much. Amen

 I’ll leave you with this quote from C.S. Lewis,

”What draws people to be friends is that they see the same truth. They share it.”

Thank you for seeing the truth in me Linda, and encouraging me to write about it and lead others to do the same-- all for God’s glory.

 A  hot summer day doing a virtual radio interview for our upcoming writer's conference.

                   "Mary's Tears." -- a sketch I did for our first AWF devotional Advent book. 

Me, Linda and Cathy at a wedding photo booth 

Linda and one of her beloved basenji pups.

Cofffee Break Pajama Night 

AWF Year 15 

 

       One of many outlines for AWF curriculum. 

     Recruiting at church for our writing group, AWF. 

                                      A legacy continued. 

 

 

Singing in the Midst

I stopped while reading through the chapters of Mark in the Holy Scriptures, revisiting Christ's last earthly days. I saw these quick, five little words..."and after singing a hymn..." (Mark 14:26). The disciples, just finishing up their Passover meal with Jesus (which would be their last), were feeling worship-FULL. Some of us take walks, and they would do to that too, up to the Mount of Olives, but for now, a hymn was the dessert of choice.

My mind wandered to the disciples and their fellowship around that special Last Supper table. They witnessed so much first hand what the Prophet Jesus did in His three year ministry together.  Traveling dusty roads, taking boats out to stormy seas, gathering at both weddings and funerals, walking along rivers and on top of water. They were in the midst of something spectacular.  Riding donkeys, walking miles while meeting many interesting people in crowds, they always were on the move.  Jesus fed a multitude of hungry people with little; He swirled His fingers in mud and wiped a blind man's eyes and this man's first vision was His Healer, Jesus! Discarding crutches of the lame, smoothing the skin of lepers, calling out demons; Godly authority and power, so evident. Christ and the disciples developed relationships with many, rich and poor, holy and not so holy and they got to know each other in the process. Most importantly, they became familiar with the One they followed. This was truly the Promised Messiah!  They recognized God in their midst. 

Fellowship. Jesus ministered through it.  The Last Supper? --the  ultimate small group.  The planning commitee started out by listening to Jesus's directions for the Passover Meal.  Find the person who has set aside a place, an upper room.  They obeyed and without Google Maps and Suri, they located the banquet room. Once there, Jesus proceeded to set an important example to the first followers, by serving them in the washing of their dirty feet.  Peter did not feel worthy. Jesus instructed him that until he submits his filthy toes, his cracked and bruised heels, his aching arches into the bowl and allow Jesus to dip his own loin cloth and cleanse, he would "have no part of Me." (John 13:10).  

Peter threw his sandals off.  If he could, he would have dunked his whole body from head to toe and received a full salon treatment. Thing is, just the toe dip refreshed and revived him for eternity. 

The disciples with Jesus ate the Passover Meal and Jesus took the bread and together with the wine connected their presence, their significance to the Holy. Fellowship partook in the Holy and that Holy resonates in us today as we partake in the Holy elements of Grace.  We remember and we give thanks. 

And doesn't that make you want to sing!  

The disciples did not understand fully what was to come in the next few days. They couldn't believe that a betrayer lurked among them.  How did one we shared so much with, seen so many miracles with, felt so much love and purpose with, disregard the Holy? Judas left, not before spilling over the healing water of the footwash basin. 

OK then, refocus.  Jesus.  He wants to teach us more.  

"Love one another, He said.  Like I have loved you. Men will see Me in you."

"Don't be worried about stuff. Just believe I've got it handled."

Jesus contined and they listened. 

"I'm going to go away for awhile. I've got more work to do with the Father. There, I will make a place for you. I will come back and get you. Where I AM, you will be right with Me. There's only one way, through me, so know this Truth. It is Life. 

"I feel like singing"...said Peter.

"I've seen God!" said Philip.  I need to praise Him, sing and...and worship!  

What lyrics, what harmonies, what beats came from these humble, chosen, very human eye witnesses to Glory on earth?  

Oh Lord, revive Thy work in the midst of the years, 

In the midst of the years make it known;

In wrath, remember mercy. 

Holy, holy, holy 

Is the Lord of Hosts.

The whole world is filled with His glory. 

I will tell of Thy name, Thy name to my brethren

In the midst of Thy assembly,

I will praise Thee

Holy, holy holy

Is the Lord Almighty

The whole world is filled with His glory. 

And then they would gather again, at the foot of a cross. The disciples knew the Holy as they watched his heaving chest, His outstrewn arms covered in caking blood, His precious palms that had touched their own stinking feet and cleansed them of all their filth.  Looking at His feet, remembering them hovered over the waves of the Galilee, and the depths of their own souls, they tasted the Manna.  At the Cross they saw the blood flow down onto his matted beard from the thorns. His back lay open, sinews and dislocations evident barely through the gaping flesh.  He asked John to take care of His mother Mary through the gurgling whisper of pain and spiritual separation of Himself and His Heavenly Father. The wine came back up. It is finished. 

Holy, holy holy

Is the Lord Almighty

The whole world is filled with His glory.

And in the midst of Me

You are Forgiven

Into Eternity

And in the midst of my human life, I sing in fellowship with other Believers on Easter morning. For in the midst of my soul lives a Risen Savior. In the midst of my earthly pain, my dirty feet, my betrayals, my anguish, the thorns in my side, my failures, my unworthiness and regret, I am made Holy. Eucharisteo. Thank you Lord. Eucharisteo, I sing Your praises in the midst of Your forgiveness of my sin and the washing of my soul in Your own blood. In the midst of Christ Jesus, the Son, My Father sees me as His child, in Grace received. Eucharisteo, in the midst of the Manna and the Wine. Holy,  Holy,  Holy. 

In Considerable Thoughts, Coleene  

Isaiah 6:3, Habbakuk 3:2, Psalm 22:22, John 14.