No Greater Joy 11

In the beginning of 2023 we wish everyone the Lord’s blessings for the New Year!

Humanly speaking the world is facing a greater uncertainty for the future than ever before. It is hard for parents to protect their children from sin and destruction. While only twenty years ago many families would often have good times together by watching slides and the odd constructive video, today we are bombarded by such an overload of "blessings" that we cannot count them anymore. Perhaps we realize that many of these so-called blessing are becoming a curse to ourselves and our children.

I cannot but think of Klaas Schilder’s beautiful meditations, such as the one for February 24: Compensation — With Multiplication. Based on Matt. 19:29: "And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold . . ." he mentions:

It is as if temporal standards in communion with Christ are almost transformed into eternal ones. Indeed, this is also the deep truth of this promise. You cannot apply this word only to our temporal life. That would not even increase our joy. A hundredfold multiplied blessing cannot be handled by any man. Why

can we handle possessions here on earth? Because we are gradually put into possession of them. But imagine that you, especially after a period of severe shortage, suddenly saw your property increase a hundredfold or more — ah, you would not do anything with it. And also, most things lose their value if they are multiplied. One mother — that is a treasure. But one hundred mothers . . . Can they still be mothers?

One field to which you can give all your sweat and energy gives satisfaction.

But to suddenly possess one hundred fields: you would not be able to manage them. No, this word cannot be applied to only our temporal life.

But what about eternity? In heaven there are no longer fathers, mothers, or children. Are not all ties of blood severed in heaven? Neither will there be fields, wives, or houses. Indeed, promises are bothersome things. What do you do with them? Wrestle with this word until you have captivated its meaning. This is what Jesus is teaching you: he who offers the ultimate sacrifice to Him, esteems all temporal matters by an eternal, absolute standard. Everything he does will appear in a different light.

You can listen to the full meditation on: http://www.inhpubl.net/ip/gfm/February24-Compensation-WithMultiplication.mp3

In order to reform our lives, and also the lives of our children, in today’s rat-race of overwhelming "blessings", we, our children, and our grandchildren need to use the means of THE BEST antidotes against the most refined poison of today: good and wholesome literature.

One of the best best books for children is When the Morning Came (in my opinion the best book of Piet Prins). It is about the time of the Reformation in The Netherlands just before the eighty-years-war (1568-1648). When this book appeared as a serial in a christian news paper it was the first thing that not only children but also their parents and grandparents read and discussed. I remember as a teenager talking about it with my parents and with the caretaker of the church. The book is as exciting as Scout, The Secret of the Swamp, but historically much more important. After having sold thousands of copies of When the Morning Came we are pleased to introduce an audio version of it read by Sharon Bevaart (who also recorded the audio version of Journey Through the Night).

Indeed, it is a pleasure to introduce this AUDIO book and also some other ones. Audio books can be a blessing when used properly, such as on long trips. Yet they can become mixed blessings if one randomly listens to them at home instead of READING a good book. And it is also very important that we are reading GOOD books. Reading, listening, and watching fluff will easily deprive one of God’s blessings. We should always ask what God wants us to do.

David Engelsma in the Standard Bearer: This is reading for Reformed children, young people, and (if I am any indication) their parents. It is the story of 12-year-old Martin Meulenberg and his family during the Roman Catholic persecution of the Reformed Christians in The Netherlands about the year 1600. A peddlar, secretly distributing Reformed books from village to village, drops a copy of Guido de Brès' True Christian Confession a booklet forbidden by the Roman Catholic authorities. An evil neighbor sees the book and informs . . .

A great book (also on audio) for older teenagers and adults is the true story of Yashka . . .

"Ah, Botchkareva! She is for the old regime!" another fellow replied, apparently one of the Bolshevik soldiers.

There were several of them and they flung threats and insults at me. I did not reply but returned home with a heavy heart. Even in my own town I was not safe.

"My Lord," I prayed, "what has come over the Russian people? Is this my reward for the sacrifices I have made for my country?"

I resolved not to leave the house again. Surely this craze would not last long, I thought. I spent most of the day reading the Bible and praying to Heaven for the awakening and enlightenment of my people.

On the 7th of January, 1918, I received a telegram from Petrograd, signed by General X. It read: "Come. You are needed."

BOTCHKAREVA, MARIA - CD MP3 WW1M 1 YASHKA -MY LIFE AS PEASANT - MP3CD9781772981148 - US$ 24.90

BOTCHKAREVA, MARIA - WW1M 1 YASHKA - MY LIFE AS PEASANT - 978-1-77298-107-0 - USD$ 20.90

BOTCHKAREVA, MARIA - Audio Book Download WW1M 1 YASHKA -MY LIFE AS PEASANT - A-BK 9781772981070 - US$ 21.98

BOTCHKAREVA, MARIA - E-BOOK WW1M 1 YASHKA -MY LIFE AS PEASANT - E-BK 9781772981070 - US$ 8.96

As in most families my wife and I have read many books aloud to our children. One of our family’s favorite’s was True to the Last by Evelyn Everett Green. Theresa has read this many times to the children and we recorded it once as well. This is not a "studio" recording (some sounds of children talking, crying, or doing dishes "liven up" the recordings). Yet, we are glad to also offer this story as audio book. It will help also your children to walk in the Truth.

Arnold, a lame and sickly boy goes to live with his mother's friend, "Aunt Mary", her brother Reginald, and his two sons, Geoffrey and Ted.

Arnold soon learns to share Geoffrey's love of nature and his joy knows no bounds when Geoffrey accepts him as a partner in taking care of his garden and the animals.

Then Arthur, a boy with a bent towards trouble making, lying, and deceit comes to stay. By his strong influence, he soon gains Ted and Arnold as followers.

A prize butterfly collection is ruined and to Arthur's delight, the blame is wrongfully placed on Geoffrey. Arnold, guilt stricken by his own deceit in the matter, spends the most miserable week of his life as Geoffrey, an active outdoors-loving boy, is confined to the house for punishment.

One night a bright ruddy light streaming into the room awakens the boys. The barn is on fire! Little do they realize the long-term consequences of the fire, for changes that bring both happiness and sadness will come to this house.

A captivating story for young boys who face the choice of "following the crowd" or doing what is right, and who must live with the consequences of their choices.

EVELYN EVERETT GREEN - CD MP3 TRUE TO THE LAST - 978-1-77298-135-3 - US$ 24.90

EVELYN EVERETT GREEN - A-BK TRUE TO THE LAST - AUDIOBOOK 18745DWL - US$ 21.98

Many Dutch immigrants will remember the book To All Our Children which was published about 40 years ago. It contains many true stories of families immigrating to Canada. This large book was reprinted a number of years ago. We also published an Index Companion of topics and names, compiled by Albert VanderHeide, on this great book. It includes also the 33^rd Anniversary Catalogue of Inheritance Publications. We are glad to offer this Index Companion free of charge to everyone who places an order.

"Although they didn’t show it, they were afraid. The only English word they knew was ‘potato.’ My grandfather had said they were going to hell and would never come back. And he cried, with his face buried in his arm against the stable wall."

"Uncle Tom, smiling, said, ‘If we will not see each other on earth again, we’ll meet in heaven.’ I smiled too, and a little ray of sunshine entered my heart."

"So she decided to pull on a little rope that was hanging there. Within two minutes, the train was motionless; she had pulled the emergency brake!"

"We used every cardboard box we could find for insulation to keep the wind out."

" ‘Don ’t kill him! Don’t kill him!’ These words still ring clearly in the mind of Berend Kraal. They are a reminder of the agony of his introduction to the hard work on the farm and the overbearing attitude of his boss when he learned that Kraal didn’t even know how to milk a cow properly."

In the fifteen years following the end of World War II, thousands of Dutch people waved goodbye to their families, friends, past lives and possessions, boarded a ship, and made the long voyage to Halifax, Quebec City, or Montreal, where they disembarked as landed immigrants to Canada. Most of them had little or no idea of where they were going or what they would find when they got there. Still, they came. Between 1946 and 1982 more than 180,000 people emigrated from The Netherlands to Canada. That enormous tide peaked in 1952, when almost 21,000 Netherlanders made Canada their home. The movement arose out of a long-occupied country whose citizens considered Canadians their liberators, out of tiny Holland’s limited capacity for growth, and out of the uneasy political situation in Europe. The real result of the movement, the lives of the ordinary people who uprooted themselves to immigrate, is the subject of this overwhelming documentation.

Told simply and movingly, this is the story of every immigrant’s experience, from the decision to leave and the journey itself to the arrival in Canada and the difficulties to be faced. A new language, poverty, homesickness — the hardships — were many. But the opportunities — the freedom, the chance to stretch and grow — compensated for hardship.

Here are the simple and straightforward words and pictures of a cross section of immigrants who came to Canada, not just for themselves and their children, but because Canada was an ideal place, a country one could dedicate one’s life to. Some were disappointed and returned to The Netherlands. Most stayed. They became Canadians, not because of birth, but by choice, their choice and Canada’s choice.

This is the tale of postwar Dutch immigration to Canada, a story as moving and terrible, as humorous and simple as life itself. To most of those immigrants, Canada was an unknown entity. However, despite their hardships, they became some of her staunchest citizens. Here, one of our most interesting ethnic groups speaks for itself.

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No Greater Joy

Issue 1: July 1, 2016