GLEANER Editorial November 2, 1987
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NORTH PACIFIC UNION CONFERENCE GLEANER Editorial November 2, 1987 Ninety-eight fat, round tulip bulbs were tucked snuggly into their beds in the Miracle of ground, covered with a seven-inch blanket of soil and bark chips. I put my equipment away in the garage, and came into the the Tulips house. In less than an hour, the temperature had plummeted to slightly above five degrees above zero — and it was to remain bitter and cold for several weeks. Truly this By Charlynn J. Steele had been a miracle! As I reflected upon this small miracle, I eavy gray clouds hung gloomily over H thought how often we are overwhelmed by the Montana countryside on a cold day in problems in our lives — some small and November. I shivered as I got into my car others veritable mountains! But I know now and started the 17-mile trip to work at Cor- that the Lord does care about all the small vallis, a small town in the Bitterroot Valley. details of our lives. I Peter 5:7 — "Casting I had always enjoyed this drive — it was a all your care upon Him, for He careth for peaceful 20 minutes of beautiful scenery. you:' When those problems threaten to Many days, graceful deer leaped across the overwhelm us, we can recall the small road in front of my car, and wild ducks, miracles in our lives that happen to each geese, pheasants and hawks could be seen in abundance. I had come to view this time of us. As those tiny green shoots will emerge as my special time to talk to the Lord, with in the spring and burst into joyous color, the strains of a "Praise Strings" instrumen- so will we emerge victorious from the prob- tal tape in the background. lems of life. And I will always recall the As I crossed the Bitterroot River and Miracle of the Tulips. headed east toward the Sapphire Moun- tains, the heavy fog from the river settled Charlynn J. Steele writes from Stevensville, down like a shroud, slowing my progress to Montana. a crawl. For the past few days, a minor problem had occupied my mind. Earlier in the spring, I had put up a sign advertising our Missouri Fox Trotter horses, and had land- scaped all around it. I decided the crown- ing touch would be to have some tulips in the landscaping, to emerge in the spring and brighten up the area. The problem was, I had procrastinated in ordering the bulbs, trying to find some oranges and yellows to go with the color- verses came to mind about the heavens be- ing in the sign. I had finally located some ing rolled back as a scroll! Then the thought back East, and had ordered them, but ship- occurred to me that I had an answer to my ping took several weeks. And in Montana, prayer. I had seen the smile of God — and North Pacific Union Conference it is not wise to wait until November to I knew that I would get those tulips in the (USPS 394-560) ground! Address all correspondence to: plant anything! However, I had covered the GLEANER planting area with black plastic, and was A few days later, on my next day off from North Pacific Union Conference hoping that the 10-degree-below-zero nights work, I ran to the window to look outside P.O. Box 16677, Portland, OR 97216 that we were having would not see — only to see gray skies and big fat (503) 255-7300 everything frozen until the bulbs arrived. So snowflakes lazily drifting down. In just a few Editor, Morten Juberg Associate Editor, Ed Schwisow as I drove along, this problem filled my minutes, heavy snow was falling. Where was Published by the North Pacific Union Con- mind. my faith in this project now? ference of Seventh-day Adventists Was it a silly thing to ask God about? But at 9 a.m., the snow stopped falling Please Note — Every reasonable effort is made Does He not care for each small sparrow, and blue skies appeared. I had intended to to screen both editorial and advertising materials and make the beauty of the lilies? So as I wait until afternoon when it would be and to avoid error in this publication. But the drove slowly through the fog, I began to talk warmest. However, I had the feeling I should North Pacific Union Conference GLEANER does not accept responsibility for categorical or to the Lord about the unplanted bulbs. go out immediately. So I donned insulated typographical errors, nor for advertisers' claims. No sooner were the words spoken, than coat and pants, heavy boots, mittens and Second-class postage paid at College Place, Wash- a miraculous sight began to unfold before hat. I gathered all my gardening tools, gar- ington. Published semimonthly at Color Press, my eyes! As if an unseen hand had unzipped den cart and peat moss. Lifting the black except one issue in December. Subscription, a portion of the sky, the heavy fog and plastic gingerly, I found that the soil was $8.00 per year. Litho U.S.A. CP39819 clouds were instantly rolled back, leaving soft and moist, not at all frozen. The tem- POSTMASTERS: Send form 3579 to North a section of blue sky and sunshine stream- perature was about 18 degrees, but the sun Pacific Union GLEANER, P.O. Box 397, Col- ing through — right above the Sapphire warmed me as I worked. Neighbors cast lege Place, Washington 99324. Mountains. The sun coming up had painted disbelieving glances as they drove past, but Don't send correspondence, GLEANER copy or the tops of the mountains with an edge of I continued undaunted! Three hours later, advertisements to the above address. All such gold. the wind began to whip the snow into a materials should be sent to GLEANER, Box It was totally breathtaking — and Bible small blizzard, but I was almost done! 16677, Portland, OR 97216. NPUC Gleaner Editorial 3 more evidences of His presence in their lives. It is good to be in this place. I recall His instruc- tion to another of His children: "Go home to Wise Witness S thy friends, and tell them how great things the LE= Lord hath done for thee, and hath had great com- Letters are we corned for publication. The passion on thee' editor reserves the right to reject letters and Vera Nelson where necessary, to edit for continuity and space Pocatello, Idaho requirements. Letters must be signed and should not be more than 150 words in length except, where, in the editor's discretion, more space is available. Address letters to Editor, Box 16677, Portland, OR 97216. Thinking Too Much? I would not find it surprising if most of your readers missed Alden Thompson's series of articles in the Sept. 7 and 21 issues of the GLEANER. Thanks for Covers In the Sept. 7 issue, Dr. Thompson spoke of the intellectual and spiritual loneliness of bright ... Willard Colbum and his sister Kathryn students. The people of this church need to were among my beloved students at Laurelwood realize this is true. Academy in the 1940s. It would give me so much I have faced ostracism, anger, an ignoring of pleasure to be able to send him a personal note my desire to participate in discussion, and prayers expressing my pleasure in the lovely photo he for my soul and redemption (which I appreciate) took of the rosy-capped finch which was on the all because of questions I have asked. With a cover of the Sept. 21 GLEANER. reputation for asking difficult questions during There must be hundreds of others, who like discussions in the church, there is an aching "Honey, guess who found Junior's skater c''s me, rejoice in the wonderful quality of the pic- loneliness that sets in when you know that many tures you see as covers and especially for arrang- of the attempts made to understand and par- Not to be reproduced without permission. ing your masthead in such a way it doesn't ticipate will be viewed as heretical impinge on the pictures. animadversion. Helen Hawley Most who have a "thirst for knowledge" are not Coeur d'Alene, Idaho trying to disrupt or subvert the church or its stan- dards. We are trying to understand. The church GLEANER Cover Pictures, and its people need to realize that too many of ---111'10 We have put reader Hawley in contact my friends, colleagues, and peers are asking why 1988 with photographer Colbum. they should continue to love, support, and remain Each fall the GLEANER purchases in a church which views them with suspicion transparencies for the next year's covers. This because they know or think too much. year the cover judges will look at transparen- Joy of Remembering I am thankful for the love and support my cies during Nov. 30 - Dec. 1. The following parents have given me as I question. I am also rules will apply. Read them carefully. It was the last church camp-out before school thankful they encouraged me to attend WWC. 1. All transparencies must be mailed or de- would begin. We did the same things we usually It was in that environment that I was able to grow livered in person so as to be in the do: set up the tents and parked the RV's; built and mature while receiving the support I needed GLEANER office by Wednesday, Nov. 25. For a fire, and set out the vittles.