“Daddy” Devotional 14

His example is for us. – Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 58

            I sat on the couch and leaned my head on his chest. I looked at his big hands; they were wrinkled and tough, hardened by many years of work on the land and the farm. I knew that he woke up every morning before the sun did: to go milk the cows, fix fences, feed the hens, open the water canals for the irrigation, and to do other farm chores. “Daddy, can I go milk the cows with you tomorrow?” I asked.

            When I say “Daddy” I’m referring to my grandfather instead of my dad. You probably wonder why. Well, my grandpa never liked the idea of feeling too old, so he decided to go by “Daddy” instead of “Grandpa,” and since I only spoke Spanish, I just thought “Daddy” was a nickname for my grandpa.

“If you wake up before the sun does, you sure can,” he smiled. I knew it wouldn’t happen.

            Next morning, I woke up and breakfast was ready. I could hear a tractor outside and the noise of farm work. Daddy came into the kitchen and so did the aroma of dirt, hay, cows, tractor oil, and fresh morning. He looks like a real farmer; he is a real farmer, and I wish I was like him. But what I remember the most about him is his calmness, how he was always willing to help people in need, and how he would always hum hymns whenever he would take me to school.

            It’s been seven years since a brain tumor took Daddy away from me. Sometimes I wish he could be here and see how much I’ve grown; now I can drive tractors, wake up before the sun does, and do farm work. He would be so proud of me! Even when he is not here anymore, he still teaches me so much: I learn from his legacy to be kind to people and to help those in need; I learn to be slow to speak; and I learn to always have a song in my heart. His example will be with me until I see him again in Heaven.

~ Mildred Rhys

“Just a few more minutes!” Devotional 13

“…for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” - Matthew 6:8 NIV

                “I’m tired of this! I don’t want to practice piano anymore!” I yelled at my dad while tears battled to be set free.

“Listen, Chiquita, I don’t care whether you think it’s pointless or not, you are still going to practice every day for an hour, at least.” My dad calmly replied.

Inside of me everything wanted to explode. I ground my teeth as I angrily dropped myself onto the piano bench.

“Just remember something; you are going to thank me for this when you are older,” my dad smiled.

10 years later.

 I ran to the piano and my fingers started to fly over the keys as I played some scales. Then I started working on this new piece, a Beethoven sonata. I practiced the first page for at least an hour. Then two hours seemed to glide by. After three hours, I heard my mom from the kitchen: “Millie, that’s enough piano playing for today; you need to do some chores.” I didn’t want to stop my practice; I would have played all day long, but I needed to help Mom.

2 years later.

I’m at school with a pretty tight schedule now: wake up at 5:50; do devotions; get dressed; have worship group; go to breakfast; have half an hour of required instrument practice; go to work until noon; go to class; and the list goes on. How I wish I had more time to practice piano just like I did before! I remember how much I disliked practicing piano when I was little and how my dad still made me practice. Yeah, he was right! He knew from the beginning how much I was going to enjoy playing the piano and what a blessing my music was going to be to others. “Dad,” I hugged him, “thanks for not giving up on me when I gave up on myself.”

~ Mildred Rhys

Stunning Harp Display - Devotional 12

Real godliness never prompts an effort at display. Those who desire words of praise and flattery, and feed upon them as a sweet morsel, are Christians in name only. – Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 80. 

            I rushed through the door as I heard the bell going off. I don’t want to be late for practice time. I dragged the harp all the way from the auditorium to my favorite practice spot—a corner in the hallway, just next to the stairs. I did some of my warm ups, and soon started playing my favorite piece—a really challenging and stunning number. Some students that were walking by stopped to hear me play. I heard some of them commenting on 'how good I played,' and I felt satisfied.

            I liked my practice spot in the hallway because I could focus better where nobody else was playing an instrument. But one day I realized it wasn’t the only reason why I chose that spot. I knew that people would walk by and utter some words of praise, and that made me feel good. Why did I need people to tell me how good I was in order to feel warm and accomplished? Why did others’ opinions matter so much to me?

I decided to exchange my favorite practice spot for an out-of-the-way corner where nobody walked by.

            Jesus loves me for who I am and not for how well I may or may not play the harp. When I try to show off, I doubt His love, and I become a Christian in name only. I want others to see Jesus shining through me, rather than seeing a challenging and stunning harp display.        

~ Mildred Rhys

North America Pass: Approved - 11th Devotional

We shall wait for His hand to lead us; we shall listen to His voice, saying, "This is the way, walk ye in it." Isaiah 30:21. - Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 118

            It was Sabbath morning and my family and I were driving to church; it was the last Sabbath in our home church before moving to North America. My parents still had a big question about the departure: is it God’s will for us to move to North America? My dad parked in front of the church, and we all hurried to our different Sabbath schools.

            When the offering came, my mom opened her purse only to find out that her wallet wasn’t there. I might have dropped it when I got out of the car, she thought. Her panic increased as she remembered that our documents, cards, and passports were in the wallet too. Maybe God doesn’t want us to move after all, my mom sighed. The sermon was going to begin, so we decided to stay and listen to it instead of trying to find the wallet. I’m sure God is in control, we all agreed.  The sermon was about Moses and the crossing of the red sea. Moses didn’t know that the sea was going to open before him, but he trusted in God’s command and he moved forward. When he did, the sea opened before him. Mom could her God talking to her: “Just have faith in me, and you will see great things. Move forward and the sea will open before you.”

            Peace filled my mom’s heart. After church, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Grandma’s house, and we drove back home. Not long after that we heard a knock on the door; it was a lady who had my mom’s wallet, with all our documents in it. As we all knelt together and thanked God for the miracle, we knew that God wanted us to move and that He had a special plan for us in North America.

~ Mildred Rhys

The Control of the Mixing Board - 10th Devotional

…you may become like Him in character… - Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 77

            It’s an ordinary morning: the school bell rings and I burst into the recording studio ready to start work. “Good morning, Ryo!” I cheerfully greet my boss. After having a word of prayer, I take my place in front of a computer.

“You already know what to do, right?” Ryo asks.

I nod. (I do know what to do.)

I start to edit a song that has been recorded by students, and for now I just edit the choir part. What I mean by “editing” is that I have to make the music sound flawless. I don’t mean to say that the choir doesn't sound good in reality; but in the studio I can make it sound better. When a soprano comes in earlier than the rest of the choir, I cut her part and move it to the right place, put a crossfade so no one can hear the cut, and repeat the same process wherever it’s needed. Then I tune every voice that sounds a little off tune. And there are a few other changes that I make too. It seems very simple! But it’s not, and the whole process takes a lot of time.

 Working in the recording studio is lots of fun, but it’s also hard work. I need to have lots of patience, common sense, a good ear, and be a little perfectionistic.

            Every time I work on editing a song, I think of how Jesus wants to “edit” my character. Sometimes I go “off tune” when I get mad at someone, or I “come in earlier” when I don’t trust God’s timing. This is hard work—too hard for me to do on my own! Sometimes I can’t even tell when there’s something wrong with my character, but He has control of the mixing board, and He is able to make it perfectly sound.

~ Mildred Rhys

A Promise to Simon - 9th Devotional

Who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” - Acts 1:11 NKJV

            The adventure was about to begin. This was the day we were to leave Argentina, the place I was born—the place where I lived my entire life. We were going to move to North America for who knows how long; maybe for a year? It would be at least a year. It was a bitter-sweet feeling. I was excited, but scared at the same time. There was something that worried me: What is going to happen with Simon? I thought.

            Simon is my cat. He is such a beautiful cat! His coat is soft and grey with brown spots, like that of a tiger. He was born at home, and he had always slept with me, so we are really close to each other. But I had to leave him behind, and that broke my heart.

He knew that something was wrong;, that I was leaving him. It made me feel a little better knowing that he was going to stay with my uncle, but I was still worried. What if something happens to him? What if he doesn’t recognize me when I come back? However, there was nothing I could do; it was impossible to take him with me. I could only promise him that I would be back sometime.

            When Jesus went back to heaven, He promised His disciples that He was going to come back to live with them eternally. This promise wasn’t only for them, but it is for you and for me too. It’s been a year and a half since I’ve been away from Argentina, but I know that someday I will go back and see Simon again. He knows that too. Sometimes I feel like Jesus is taking too long to come back! But I know He will return just as He promised. I can’t wait to see Jesus coming in the clouds, and to live eternally with Him.

~ Mildred Rhys

Soli Deo Gloria - Devotional 8

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. - 1 Timothy 1:17 NKJV

            It was a dark and dense night that covered the silent streets of London as a heavy human figure made its way to a building with a small door. Creeeeak. The door was opened; he lit a candle and collapsed on a chair. Sweat was falling down his forehead; feeling that his inspiration was gone, and knowing that nobody was interested in his compositions anymore was too much to bear. This is the end of my career, he thought.

On his working table he found a package and tore off the paper. “Oratorio.”. What kind of joke is this? He stood up to throw the papers into the fire, but something stronger seemed to stop him. He decided to read it. The title The Messiah caught his attention. “Comfort ye my people.” With tears in his eyes, he took a Bible and started studying the prophecies concerning the Messiah; His birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension to heaven—the whole plan of Salvation. He sat at the harpsichord and his fingers flew across the keys.

Days and nights he spent in his room, only with a harpsichord, pen, ink, paper, and the Bible. Sometimes he didn’t even eat. After twenty-four days, the work was completed, and as he left the room, his face was shining. George Frederic Handel had finished writing the great oratorio, The Messiah. When a friend of his commented on how amazing this music was, he just bowed his head and humbly replied, “God has visited me.”

What makes people from different countries and cultures stand up whenever the “Hallelujah Chorus” from The Messiah is played? Well, at the bottom of the last page Handel has written the Latin words: “Soli Deo Gloria,” which mean “all Glory to God alone.”

~ Mildred Rhys

Mr. Alistair - 7th Devotional

The Lord will work for all who put their trust in Him. Precious victories will be gained by the faithful. Precious lessons will be learned. Precious experiences will be realized. – Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 11.

         

   It was a scorching summer afternoon at Fountainview Academy, and I was raking grass after the lawn had been mowed. The sun was blazing and I felt sick. I was wishing I was doing something else out of that baking sun when I saw Mr. Alistair, my boss, coming on his truck. “Mildred,” he greeted me with his lively New Zealand accent, “we are going to go move pipe lines; but you are going to drive us there.”

            At that moment I was still learning to drive. I would practice with my dad and be fine, but driving with Mr. Alistair was really embarrassing. I knew I was going to make a mistake and he would laugh at me. Finally, I took a deep breath and got behind the wheel. Everything went fine until we got to a place where we had to turn around in a really narrow space, with a hill on one side and a cliff on the other. I didn’t know how to turn around in such a small space. Mr. Alistair gave me some instructions on how I had to do it, but I was too scared to even try. “Mildred, you need to trust me’,” his voice was calm but firm, and he wasn’t laughing at me. “I’m the one who knows what to do; you need to trust me, Mildred.”. I trusted his word and I turned around. We didn’t go down the cliff! After that experience, my confidence grew, not only in myself and in my driving skills, but in Mr. Alistair too.

            There have been many times in my life when I felt that I would go down the cliff if I took only one more step; I would be too embarrassed to even try. But Jesus is the One who knows what to do, and He tells me “Trust me, Mildred.” When I trust His word, that’s when He can work for me. I gain victories, and my confidence in Him grows.

 ~ Mildred Rhys

Tricky Duckweed - 6th Devotional

It is true that Satan's path is made to appear attractive, but it is all a deception…  If we take Christ for our guide, He will lead us safely. –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pp.139, 140.

            “Look at those beautiful flowers!” I exclaimed as I pointed to some orchids and lilies that surrounded us. We were visiting a botanical garden in London, and it was the biggest I had ever seen in my life! It had all the different kinds of plants and flowers you could ever imagine, and it would take you a few days to see everything. You could also find lots of greenhouses that had flowers and plants from different regions of the planet and its various climates. In a place like that, it is easy to get lost! My mum warned me and my two little brothers to stay close by, where she could see us.

Being three years old, my brother Brian was very curious and adventurous. He needed to explore all the endless trails and exotic plants (especially the ones that would open their ‘mouths’ when he put a little piece of something on top of them). Then we got to a greenhouse with aquatic plant species that had little ponds everywhere. We didn’t realize that Brian was missing until we heard “Splash!” We ran to the place where the splash came from, and there he was, reaching for the edge of the pond. Thankfully, it wasn’t a deep pond! But what we saw next made us burst into laughter: the surface of the water was covered in duck weed. Curious little Brian had thought he was walking on a nice green meadow; then there was no meadow anymore.

Satan always wants to delude me, and he uses appearances of beautiful flowers to make me fall. Since it is impossible for me to see the deception under a nice green ‘meadow,’ how can I make it through? But I know I have Someone much wiser than I am Who will walk with me and lead me safely around the tricky “duckweed”; that’s only if I choose to walk with Him.

~ Mildred Rhys

Upon His Care - 5th Devotional

In teaching us to ask every day for what we need—both temporal and spiritual blessings—God has a purpose to accomplish for our good. He would have us realize our dependence upon His constant care, for He is seeking to draw us into communion with Himself. -­­­­ Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 113

            The day had come, and I couldn’t wait any longer. Nine years of waiting and waiting had come to an end. I couldn’t even express the joy I had. I was not alone; my family was as excited as I was. My cousins were jumping all over the place with euphoria, and my dad couldn’t stop sneaking a quick look at the clock every few seconds.

Ever since I was eight years old and had started with harp lessons, I only wanted one thing, and that was to have my own big pedal harp. I had prayed almost every day; my parents had prayed; everyone in my family had prayed for it. I just didn’t understand why God wouldn’t send me a real harp; I would play at church with my small harp and do special music. I was using my talents for Him with the tiny instrument I had, but still He wouldn’t send me something better so I could keep sharing His love in an improved way. Finally, my harp came! Even when I didn’t understand why it took so long to come, through all those years of delay I learned to trust God and have faith in His promises no matter what happened. I knew He wanted the best for me, and He was going to give it to me.

God wants me to ask Him every day for things that I need, or that I think I need. That’s how I learn to depend on Him and on His care. Sometimes He takes a very long time to answer, but, while I wait, He draws me closer to Himself, and we enjoy communion with each other. Don’t be afraid to ask Him for anything that you need; even when it may seem a long wait, as you wait you will experience the communion He wants to have with you.

~ Mildred Rhys

Senior Survival - 4th devotional

 “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” - Mark 13:33 NIV

            “Attention Health 12 students!” As I heard the announcement through the speaker, my heart stopped. I pushed through the people standing by as I made my way towards the door. Every senior knows that an announcement like that could only mean one thing at this time of the school year: Senior Survival! From the beginning of the year the senior class receives training in how to survive in the wilderness as part of the Health 12 requirements. We learn how to start a fire with objects found in nature, how to make a shelter, and how to get pure water—along with a ton of other survival techniques.  At any time the teacher will announce the campout, and we have to be prepared to leave in less than 10 minutes.

            The point is that we needed to be ready with all our stuff packed up, and I wasn’t. I had procrastinated so much with getting my stuff ready, and now I was not going to make it in only 10 minutes! I saw some of my friends running towards the door too, but others seemed calm and without any worries. The speaker went again: “Enjoy your lunch!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My heart started beating normally again. It was only a false alarm; it wasn’t the real senior survival announcement! Now I could have another chance to get ready, and this time I was not going to wait until the last minute.

            The Senior Survival preparation made me think of training for my eternal survival. I don’t know when Jesus will come, so I want to be ready now and at every moment. I need to have packed up everything that I want to take with me: a good and Jesus-like character, souls won for Him, and talents He gave me multiplied. Sometimes I don’t talk in a nice way or I forget to have my devotions, but He gives me a new opportunity. Now I don’t want to waste it and wait until the last moment to get ready.

~ Mildred Rhys

First, Last and Best - 3rd devotional

Jesus does not release us from the necessity of effort, but He teaches that we are to make Him first and last and best in everything. We are to engage in no business, follow no pursuit, seek no pleasure, that would hinder the outworking of His righteousness in our character and life. Whatever we do is to be done heartily, as unto the Lord. -  Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg.99

            Why am I assigned to work caf again? This is not fair! I worked farm all last year, and now I have to wash dishes the whole afternoon! I complained to myself as I dragged my feet all the way to the kitchen. For me, working in the cafeteria at Fountainview Academy is the worst job I could ever get. Not because I don’t like to cook, but because I don’t want to clean up after a hundred, million people have eaten there. As I reach the dishwashing area, I start spraying the sticky dishes, dirty forks, and big trays with bits of potatoes stuck to them.

            As I thought of how annoying the work was, I saw Elouise coming, and her face shined with a beautiful smile. She called to me, “Mildred! Are you sure you want to do the dishes? Cause if you don’t want to, I don’t mind doing them.” At that moment, I stopped. My mind went back to the morning when I did my devotions and asked God to give me a willing heart to do for Him any task without complaining and with a good attitude. I felt ashamed. I prayed to God, seeking His forgiveness for not doing my job as if it was for Him, and for not making Him first, last, and best in everything. Jesus came to my heart, and as I kept scrubbing dishes, I didn’t feel annoyed anymore. The hours seemed to fly now that I was working for Him.

            Sometimes I get assigned jobs that annoy me, and I wonder why. But Jesus wants to work His righteousness in my character and make it perfect. I want to do everything heartily, as unto the Lord, and make Him first, last and best in my life. What about you?

            ~ Mildred Rhys

He Knows What It's Like - 2nd devotional

Great is the reward in heaven of those who are witnesses for Christ through persecution and reproach. While the people are looking for earthly good, Jesus points them to a heavenly reward. But He does not place it all in the future life; it begins here.  - Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 34

            “What do you mean you are not coming to the barbeque for my birthday because it’s on Saturday and you don’t eat meat? What kind of weirdo are you?” This happened over and over again from the time I was in the first grade until I was in the seventh. I was going to an Adventist school, but none of the kids in my class were Adventists, or if they were, they did not share the same values I had. They didn’t understand why I did things in a different way. As a little girl, I didn’t know how to explain to them everything about my faith; I tried, but it never seemed to work. They would just start laughing at me rudely and leave me out of the group; sometimes I would even go home crying.

            When Jesus came to live in this world, it wasn’t easy for Him either. People mocked Him, ridiculed Him, and didn’t want to accept Him as their Saviour. They didn’t understand why He was different, why He was meek and humble, and why He was always loving and caring toward others. It seemed that His work of redemption was pointless; nobody seemed to accept it. “Jesus walked in solitude in the midst of men. He was understood fully in heaven alone” (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 26).

 Although my reward will be seen in Heaven, I can have heaven in my heart right now. Although I am misunderstood, mocked and ridiculed for my faith, I can keep my eyes on Jesus because He knows what it’s like.

~ Mildred Rhys

My first devotional for English class

I'm going to start posting devotionals that I write for my English 11 class (I'm a senior now, but I'm taking English 11)

With Only a Flashlight

The words of God are the wellsprings of life. As you seek unto those living springs you will, through the Holy Spirit, be brought into communion with Christ. Familiar truths will present themselves to your mind in a new aspect, texts of Scripture will burst upon you with a new meaning as a flash of light; you will see the relation of other truths to the work of redemption. -  Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 20

            As we were getting ready to roll into our sleeping bags, my tent mates and I realized that we were really thirsty. The water in the camping kitchen was gone; now what could we do? I didn't want to go to bed without brushing my teeth and quenching my thirst. One of the girls remembered that there was a stream down a trail in the forest, and we set off, determined to find it. There were six of us but only one flashlight—this would make our journey a bit more challenging.

We made our way toward the stream and everything was just fine until the bushes became thicker and the path less clear. Finally, we lost it. The night was dark and we could hear the creepy sound of wild creatures in the distance. At that point, most of the girls decided to go back, taking the flashlight with them. I made it all the way here; I don’t want to give up now! I thought. Also, it actually is kind of fun to get lost in the woods, and I’m brave enough to handle it. All but one of my friends went back; so we continued our trip, but this time without a single light to lead our way. It was harder and the branches were hitting our faces, but we found the trail, the stream of water, and finally made it safely back to our tents.

This life is dark; the hazards and trials seem to surround me. Sometimes problems smack me in the face at every step, and I think I’m left alone. But I know God will never leave me and with His  word lighting my way I know I’ll soon be Home. 

~ Mildred Rhys

Summer

Here I am at Fountainview working for the summer. It hasn't been that bad! Lots of weeding, planting, and picking cherries!! The weather is really hot and yesterday I got a heatstroke, but it's still fun to be here.

New school, new life, new blog :)

Well, as my life has lately been going into many changes, why not to start a blog! Yeah, I'm attending a new school now; I have new friends, new classes, new schedules: big changes! It's hard to move to a new school in the second semester, but God's been so good with me and I must say I'm having a great time! I'm in the best place I could have ever imagined being...
Fountainview Academy is between the mountains of BC, Canada. It's at about 20 minutes from the closest town (yeah, I know, we are in the middle of nowhere). The weather is dry, but you can see lots of trees, especially pine trees! I love waking up every morning and looking outside of the window; the view of the mountains, the river, and the fields ready to be sown just make my day!
What I love the most here is when I get to work farm, especially now that the days are getting warmer! Depending on the day, I could work in the orchards, weeding, working in the sawmill making wood chips, raking grass, digging, or doing landscape! Sometimes I get to drive tractors or the backhoe and I really like that.
The other thing that I really enjoy is orchestra-choir practice. Every day we have 50 min when we altogether practice the songs for the concerts. I play the harp most of the time and just love playing hymns and listening to the choir singing! It's something that I look forward every day because for me it's the most relaxing part of the day after working really hard outside and having classes.
Yeah, as I said we give concerts. Some students work in the music office and they come out with beautiful arrangements of hymns that we practice with the orchestra and choir and we have them ready to perform in concerts. We love praising God's name through the music and we want to share with others how good and what a blessing it is to be called children of God! And also the best news of all: He is coming soon to take us Home!