issumagijoujunnainermik

Liberty Falls

Mark 11:26 (NASB)

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.

Day eleven of our Alaska Adventure took us to Liberty falls State Recreational Site  located near Chitina in the Copper River Valley.

Today I thought we would look at the Eskimo word issumagijoujunnainermik. When missionaries first shared the gospel with the Eskimos, they couldn't find any word in the Eskimo language for forgiveness.  So, they took a number of Eskimo words and joined them to form a new word -- Issu-magi-jou-jun-nai-ner-mik -- and it became the Eskimo word for forgiveness. The individual words are "Not-being-able-to-think-about-it-anymore."

Too often we remember the hurt, replaying it over and over again in our minds. Forgiveness is not something we do just once.  It is something we must reaffirm every day.   Whenever a hurtful memory comes up, remember the word Issu-magi-jou-jun-nai-ner-mik, and say, "I can't think about it anymore, it's in God's hands."

Rather than replay the hurt you may have acquired, replay God's mercy, His grace, His love for us  -- when He freely gave His life. That will enable us to forget it and move forward.

Dear Lord, help to stop replaying the hurts that we have had but instead replay all that You have done for us and take a minute to share it with someone around us today. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Enjoy the Journey.

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV)

However, as it is written: 

“What no eye has seen,

    what no ear has heard,

and what no human mind has conceived”—

    the things God has prepared for those who love him—

Today’s verse reminds me of a story I read the other day by Rick Potter from Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Enjoy the Journey.

I love living in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, but I think that my heart will always be in Muskoka, Ontario, where my grandfather's cottage, nicknamed "Birch Haven" has stood since 1933. For as long as I can remember, as soon as school ended, my family would begin that five-hour journey to Birch Haven, a trip punctuated by numerous bathroom breaks, radiator cool-downs, and of course, ice cream stops.

I have wonderful memories of growing up in those summers in Muskoka, with family, cousins, and friends -- swimming, boating, sailing, water-skiing, or just lying in the sun on the dock.

Today, for my own family, the journey is even longer: a five-hour plane ride to Ottawa now precedes the long drive to Birch Haven. Sometimes, the air travel is rough, and the drive late at night is exhausting. But the anticipation, as I get closer to the cottage, is still the same.

When my mother realizes it's me, she'll typically come running from the cottage, with arms open. As we hug together, I quickly forget how long the journey has been, the welcome and the promise of cottage life making it worthwhile.

Sometimes, our journey here on earth seems long. There are delays, times when the way is rough, times when we wonder whether it's all worthwhile. These are the times when we need to depend on God, our pilot, assured that He knows the way and will lead us to a safe haven -- our eternal home. Jesus will be waiting for us there, running to meet us, arms outstretched, for He has gone ahead to prepare the mansion, a room that has been waiting for us since the beginning of time. When we are welcomed into our Saviour's loving arms, we will forget the journey -- for finally, we are home.

Dear Lord, thank You for taking care of us each day as we journey through life. We pray that You will continue to guide us through the good times and the bad. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.