When thinking about our lives, and where we are with the Lord, I recall those people who lived out their lives of the 18th and 19th century. Now seeing commercials on T.V. about what they are calling a pioneer woman, I am amazed that they would think that women actually wore those nice leather boots up to the knees.........and that those boots had some fancy heals on them!
Pioneer meant: someone
who is exploring and the first one there at the time. It can mean
someone leading.........an establishing as in a settler: a trailblazer!
Really? What pioneer woman are they thinking of.......today........the one who drives two hours a day.........an hour each way to their workplace and then home or where else will she forge through to do? Where else or what would she use those boots for in her life? Are they just her 'style'....and....is it how she is dressing up today?
Now, if you 'love' those boots by all means wear them, but do not think wearing them makes you that pioneer woman. No, an actual pioneer woman experienced a
"difficult" life!
Now let's consider living 150 years ago or even 200 years ago. Let us consider how people prepared food or even how they traveled. Let's consider there were no malls or that convenient grocery mart close by. I remember my mom telling me how her grandparents lived and how they worked, how they prepared food and how most was grown, and the work which had to be done to prepare the fire within a confined space before hand that included gathering wood for the kitchen stove. Yes, there was no electricity in some areas, especially in the country areas.YIKES!
People had to start early to get food from the barnyard to the table in record time.
When moving to the Northwest, I wondered about the year I-5 went into Seattle. Was not that long ago, seriously. I had questions of travel just in and around that city on Puget Sound. It was interesting in that most areas out from the Emerald City had dirt roads. Many of the trees had not come down till the interstate went in...........and the growth was on. The skies at that time were filled with hundreds upon hundreds of birds and now is just a memory of what the decade of the sixties held for that era of time.
In thinking on travel and those areas of no pavements, no sidewalks but only dirt roads or as of the Northwest, muddy roadways into those areas of tall trees and darkness, what must have been a shoe of convenience. People in and around some 40-50 miles north out of Seattle had to leave before dark fell because of no lighting in those recessed areas of the forest at the time only brought a deep darkness that headlights on a car could not help.
In looking at styles of shoes and even in boots of those centuries, you could find those lace-up styles like in the Jane Austen books. You could find those fancy little numbers to wear to the balls or during that dance 'craze' time!
Women who had some access to them certainly wore them. In that day though, most wore the straight line or what manufacturers called the simple flat shoe. In truth, they were not for walking a distance across the mountain ranges that was a barrier to the west coast of America. There are some good books out there about some of those wagon trains from Philadelphia to the West........and some certainly give an accurate record of those wagon train trips across the divide, the amount of supplies they carried, and the number of people who rode inside one.
Many had to walk though. When any problem came, and if the wagon or wagons broke up along the way, and was lost and
people happened to survive that horrible event, then
those folks walked across the GREAT DIVIDE! ( and I wonder what shoe they had on)
It was noted that in the 1840's women
who were working in some low key jobs had to wear what we would call a safety shoe or boot.(today, we know them as the steel-toed boot or shoe) It was made in the style for men, but made in the women's size to wear. Of course, that lace-type style continued to grow across the U. S. from east coast and out west. But availability was only where the shoe or boot was manufactured. And again,
the availability of that boot was if you could afford it.
Now thinking of the 18th century, the years of January 1, 1701-December 31, 1800, we saw the French and American Revolutions. It was about mid 18th century when the waterproof boot came into being. It certainly came into use for the great outdoors. Then, those with that creative ability came out with riding boots. You know, that riding boot, to wear when riding a horse! (not sure why you needed them, but they looked great, right?)
The choice was to wear a day shoe and then wear a more ankle type for the evening wear. You might remember in etiquette that many dressed for the evening meal! Yet, still those rugged type hiking boots for women and children would not be seen till after 1970. I know, when by shopping for a pair for our daughter when she turned two. Found one for her that was the ankle length. For me, I had to get a boy's size to wear at the time! (and it was not ankle length)
Why, because we lived closer to rugged America! We were exploring the Rocky Mountains!
Now you could find a dressy boot, but something really substantial for hiking was hard to find. Not sure if the demand was so high, and the availability was low as this also came during the Oil Shortage Crisis that hit the U. S. in 1973. But the "mall" stores had little variety and you had to search it out, even in the city!
No, people who were considered "pioneers" had a wagon and a team of horses. They had their water in a barrel. They carried their provisions in sacks as to beans and rice. There was no drive-in restaurant to pull into on the way "home". And their home certainly was either the wagon or the wilderness with the starlight sky at night. They were going to carve out a life in a wilderness area where no one had been before. They were going to bring their knowledge of life and lifestyle to a land that knew little of man or his existence other than that which Indians might have added at the time or even the place they might have lived.
I remember going with this couple once on a hiking and hunting adventure. I was with my husband and daughter. We rode in the back of a jeep. We rode over hill and into deep ravines.
We went up over a mountain pass and was welcomed by the snow and remaining ice of the early arrival of winter on the scene of the majestic mountain range. The cool air was reminding us that winter was on its way and would be bringing some surprises of snowflakes on that sunny but cold and windy day. Alas, we got to this point by a river for a short picnic. Food was wonderful, and the warm drink certainly was inviting to warm a chilled body. I had long hair and had it pulled into a pony tail. I struggled with the dirt under my contacts. Well, believe me, that wind was blowing hard enough for dirt to fly readily into the face and under a contact on the eye. Well, at the end of that trip, my face looked like I had taken dirt and rubbed it on all over to camouflage my face. The only place there was no dirt was right along the sunglasses that I wore that day!
I smelled dust for that entire week after this hunting and hiking adventure. I thought that the "dust" from that adventure had surely taken up residence in my lungs.
I reminded myself of those settlers who had gone for months in a wagon over bumpy pathways with no pavement, no bridges, no air conditioning or heating systems in the wagons. They traveled over dusty pathways, over mountain passes and through waterways that cascaded over boulders, over fallen trees and down to a "place" where one might find a trickling spring of water, a barbershop who also did the medical part of the Doc, and a mercantile shop that might have some food supplies.
Yes, if you were the city guy or gal, you should have stayed in the city and forgot about the slogan
"go west young man."
Genesis 47:7-10
7 Then Joseph brought his father Jacob in and presented him before Pharaoh. After Jacob blessed Pharaoh, 8 Pharaoh asked him, "How old are you?"
9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have
been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers." 10 Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went out from his presence.
NIV
Genesis 47:7-10
7 Then Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. 8 And Pharaoh said to Jacob, "How many are the days of the years of your life?" 9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my sojourning are a hundred and thirty years;
few and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and they have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their sojourning." 10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh.
RSV
Jacob tells Pharaoh, that his years were few ( 130 years) and difficult (evil) and he went on to say that his days had not attained to the days of the years of those his fathers had had.
SO what exactly is "DIFFICULT"?
We first consider Jacob's life. He was the 'supplanter' remember? (the liar) He had wanted his brother's birthright and of course, the blessing. His life became such a tangled mess when one's own way is done. His life was one of great toil..........serving many years for the one beloved wife he desired and loved. His wages, well, they changed about ten times in six years.
His children, well, they were far from God. His only daughter was dishonored, the loss of Joseph his son for a length of time, and Rachel dying in childbirth with Benjamin. Although Benjamin survived, yet it was probably a daily reminder to Jacob of what he lost when the young man was born. Many things happened to Jacob and his family. His years were the difficult that was just evil.
What makes our lives difficult? One main thing is not heeding God and His commands. Living life according to "me" works no good for anyone but possibly "me" for awhile.
Then.......well, we saw what happened to Jacob. What a tangled web of a mess. (See the blog: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Me)
But today I think of those who came across at the time of Columbus.
Now, when I was in school, I was taught that it was King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, that financed the voyage of Columbus.
But that was not accurate!
In truth, it was financed by two Jewish converts. One was Louis de Santangel who was chancellor of the royal household and a Gabriel Sanchez who was the treasurer of Aragon. It was the letter sent from Columbus to these two men that told of his exploration. Historians say that there was no letter ever sent to the King and Queen of Spain.
The other historical account tells of the
"difficult" time the Jews were having in Spain. It was this very king and queen who devised the plan to throw all the Jews out of Spain. In an edict signed on March 31st, in the year of 1492........was to keep Jews from making converts. The other was to keep the Jewish money that was needed for the kingdom to be rebuilt after the war against Muslims. So without taxing them, they decided to just throw them out, and keep the money. (now what about brotherly love???)
To keep the Catholic faith safe from outsiders, Jews in the cities and towns had to be moved. If these did not leave the said kingdom, then they were to be put to death. The Jews could leave alive but would not take their gold, silver or anything that was of value. No, these men and women were to leave penniless indeed!
This took some months of establishing the law and moving them out of the kingdom, so they had to move the date.........and that date was set as August 2, 1492. Jews were sent into exile. As this turned out, it was the 9th of Av, or the same date as the destruction of the first and second temple in Jerusalem. (anyone who stayed had to convert to Catholicism)
On August 3, Christopher Columbus left on the famed voyage. He took Jewish people with him, many of those who were exiled from Spain.
Yes, these men and women faced obstacles and challenges that others like the king and queen caused.
DIFFICULT! A PIONEER! Looks like a hard place to be and not a place to conform to that which makes us move from God. What does a real "trailblazer" look like?
Maybe, it is the person born without legs, but not without hope for a good life.
Maybe, it is the person who must leave his country to live longer in a strange land, but still have God.(have we not seen that in those people from Syria?)
Many who came to this new world of America, came because they wanted a place to worship God.
Like most pioneers, their objective was to find some land, live out their lives that looked a lot like hard work, tilling the land, and raising children among the Indians who inhabited those far away places. But one thing is certain, difficult should not define us! Scripture tells us that God can make our foreheads like adamant stone that is harder than flint. You know what you can do with flint, right? You can make it spark into a fire and a blaze!
Ezekiel 3:4-15
4 And He said to me: "Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with My words to them. 5
For you are not sent to a people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, but to the house of Israel, 6
not to many people of unfamiliar speech and of hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, had I sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. 8
Behold, I have made your face strong against their faces, and your forehead strong against their foreheads. 9 Like adamant stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not be afraid of them, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house." 10 Moreover He said to me: "Son of man,
receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears. 11 And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse."
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a great thunderous voice:
"Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!" NKLV
Like Ezekiel, we too can be sent out to speak to people, those who speak the same language. Surely they spoke the same language in Spain at the time of the signed edict that would throw the Jews out of Spain, but the saving grace for many was a man, a Jew, name Columbus who would take the voyage into new territory........over the ocean and come to a new land!
Our foreheads can be set hard, against the pressures of those from the outside. We are to face the tomorrows with a spirit of change, not of one that is distracted or one who has those discontentment's of life. Surely others like to give labels and define us in the heading of a group. They did with the Jews in 1492. But our hearts should be grounded in God's Word. Not living our expectations of a commercial we see on television or read on a Facebook page. Surely God has our lives in His hands and He is not a hard taskmaster. He desires us to hear and obey. He desires a relationship with us............so that we can hear with our ears and get to the captives, to the children of our people, to tell them about God.
As that "trailblazer" we are the equipped with the Word of God. You and yours may surely wear boots and to the knees if you so like, but being a pioneer is doing a new thing before others have done it, and experienced it. Have you set your course for that which is life to you and for others?
Truly may our prayer be a confession of 2 Corinthians 4.....we are this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of power may be of God and not of us. Hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed, we are the perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed............for we are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. We speak.........so others may hear and speak with thanksgiving to the glory of God. The light affliction is for a moment..........working in us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. We do not look at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(2 Corinthians 4:1) 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy,
we do not lose heart.
Let's forge our way forward, like a "trailblazer" and light the way for others to find the path to the living God. (Isaiah 43:19).....19 Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert. (NKJV)
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