Corrie Ten Boom

I am hoping to go visit the amazing woman's house this weekend. I decided to do a little more reading up on her. I find her story and perspective intriging. In college I wrote 2 papers about her, have read The Hiding Place, watched the movie and even as a child read a special book about her. (I have just searched and I can't find any info on the book! It was from the perspective of an angel name Hark, a wonderful book for young readers. From the same series I had, "The Man Who Could Not Hate.")

I have just read review on her house and most are extremely positive, but some find it 'too religious.' That is what I love about her story! Anne Frank is a popular story, but nothing is ever mentioned about God. I love that throughout The Hiding Place, you see Corrie's relationship with God.

One of the favorite stories I read about Ms. Ten Boom was, I believe, in Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul . This article quotes the story:

“It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former SS man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing centre at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there – the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s painblanched face.

He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. “How grateful I am for your message Fräulein”, he said “To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”

His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side. Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your Forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.”

Random Thoughts

So I have things to work on, but (of course) I don't feel like doing anything else except reading my book, the Circle Trilogy.

When I am finished I will maybe write a review on it. My mom bought it for my birthday, but it was too heavy to ship, so it came with a friend to Switzerland. It seems like it's 'weird,' because it deals with the main character switching between 2 worlds, but it's actually not. It is a 'thought provoking' book. I don't want to read more about it on the internet, because I'm afraid it will ruin the ending. I am about 600 pages into it.

Instead of reading, I am forcing myself to work (which is not a bad thing).

What is on my plate:

1. We are having a kid's camp next week, so I am helping with the administration. The theme is Friend of Jesus, so I need to go find a picture and make name tags.

2. My mom's Christmas gift was/is a photo book, but I was waiting for a few pictures from my sister, so now that I finally got them, it will be more of a Christmas/Mother's day gift.

3. I have a message to transcribe (probably makes no sense to most people, but that is ok)...I worked 5 hours on it and somehow all my work was lost! I was devistated and still don't understand what happened, so I have to start all over...probably 10 hours of work ahead of me.

4. Oh, and possibly most important, I have a mid-term on Monday that is 'heel belangrijk' (critical for my existance). So far this week I have been good 'bout studying, but more is always better. For anyone that doesn't know, I am enrolled in Dutch courses at the University here...I am in level 4 of 6. Supposedly that means I should be pretty good, but I'm not. I have ups and downs every week. Probably 10 times a week I say I'm going to quite and I don't care, but then I have to convince myself that there is a good reason to learn it. The biggest consolation this week is 'I've only been here 6 months.' But I guess that shouldn't be used as an excuse.

5. More blog posts...