Final journey...

That's what it was today for my dear Aunt. Her final physical move into Mont St. Joseph's nursing home. We tried to keep it upbeat and positive for her as she made her way from the hospital to the home. Her room is lovely, actually. Her other niece and her husband had her belongings and bare-essential furniture moved over and you know, that other niece has a great artistic flare for decorating. It looks lovely and very homey. Her TV and entertainment centre, her dresser, a couple of lamps, a book case and night table, a new automated recliner chair and hospital bed, plus pictures and a few paintings, all make up her new little home.

I wheeled her around to the various sections of her area - dining room, lounge, balconies, snack area, occupational therapy room, and "plant room". She was pleased....it was clean!!! Very clean. And everyone was so friendly and helpful.

For a final move in a person's life, I think it was about as good as it could possibly be for her. I know she will be well taken care of there. That makes me happy. And once she is settled and into a routine of sorts, I know she will like it very much.

At 92, she's quite a woman! May God bless her in her new surroundings with good friendships, good health and a good cup of tea every morning. She deserves it.

Labels.

For the organized and efficient person, labels are the way to go. And as much as I love seeing those labels on various things, organizing those things to get to the point of labeling them just goes against my grain!

If you happen to be starting out kindergarten this fall, you will be putting labels on your books, crayons, pencils, runners and hoodies. Or, if you are entering a nursing home, or going to camp, you will be labeling your belongings.

We label items at work also, so things don't get removed from our desk. If someone borrows one of your items, they see right on there: "Sharon Kent", and quickly come running back with said item in hand, apologizing profusely for having MY item sitting on THEIR desk with MY name in striking boldness on the front. Labels are good that way.

Sometimes we label people or groups of people, too. We put a stamp of recognition on them. We call them by the name we have placed on their label. Labeling is OK for inanimate objects. Labeling is not OK for people - in most cases. We tend to get ugly when we start labeling others...with unsavory adjectives. Why do we do that anyway. I think the answer is because we want to feel more important than others and make others out to be much less than ourselves. Just one of humanity's many downfalls.

So, go ahead and label that stapler, shovel, "White Christmas" CD, and glue gun but don't get carried away with the folks that live "here" or "there" or who wear "this" and "that" or speak "A" or "B". We aught not to do it.

And hey, I include myself in that too. There are times when I label folks and I shouldn't. May God be merciful to me, a sinner.

One thing...

Ya, there's one thing bad about winter....I don't feel like eating Popsicles when it's cold.

I like them today though when it's warm and sultry. yum...yum...

'nite...

Seeing and it's effects.

Vision is such a gift, is it not? We have these remarkable things called 'eyes' that are all hitched up to our brains which in turn get us to do certain functions with our bodies.....all in the blink of an eye, so to speak. Look what happens when our eyes see a baby...any baby. We get all mushy and our voices go up a notch and we feel like we need to do some hugging and kissing and gazing at the beauty before us. And if it's our very own baby, well, that makes us do even more things like feeding and caring and tending and loving deeply.

Then we can look at flowers or birds or whales or gorillas....things in nature and the animal kingdom. Our eyes behold the various colors of flowers or an apple tree in bloom, new leaves unfolding on a maple tree or spruce trees laden with snow. Clouds - their shape, size and density. Sometimes we see them reflected softly in calm waters while other times they come exploding from the horizon filled with blackness and lightening bolts.

People come into our line of vision, too. Some faces trigger memories and thoughts of relationships...friends, family, TV and Hollywood stars and people we wished we didn't know.

All of these things coming into our sight, gives our brains opportunity to act in particular ways. They can make us joyful and we laugh. Sometimes we see a sight and it brings tears into our eyes and we weep. There are things that make us run and be fearful or even shake with fright.

I was thinking about all of the things the eyes can do this afternoon, when I took my digital camera and showed Aunt Connie the various pictures I've taken for the past few months. They made her laugh and say "Ohhhhhh" and "Ahhhhhh" and they allowed her to remember the things she hasn't seen in a very long time....pictures of elk and deer, a great blue herron, a black bear, trees reflected on a calm lake, fish, crows............. and family. The pictures allowed her to think again about the beauty of nature and the love of family members.........and all the things that had been a part of her life on a regular basis before her stroke.

I think it rekindled and refueled her memory bank and it made her happy. And of course, "seeing" her happy, made me happy too. Funny what eyes can do....

Neighbors.

For as long as I can remember in my whole entire life, I have never lived beside anyone whom I had problems with....well, there was one. His wife was nice but he did some things that were cruel and vindictive to our pets. But I've forgiven him for that.

We have great neighbors right now. Wonderful people. Great to talk to. Not noisy. Helpful and trustworthy. Just good folks.

One of the neighbors are good, solid Christian people. They do good work in the community with and for the down and out. Their jobs take them out of their home many evenings every week. I admire them very much for their dedication.

They also have a few dogs. Sweet dogs. Really cute. One day, husband found them roaming out of their yard and felt he would do a good deed and round them up so they wouldn't run away or get caught by the dog catcher. Being that these dear folks work so hard at helping people, we try to overlook the dogs when they've been barking, too. But I think it has gotten out of hand.

One dog is a hunting dog, or shall I say a howling, hunting dog. The other is a snippy, yappy little thing. The other is a quiet, well-mannered large Irish Setter or Lab or some such thing. As I said, all lovely animals.

There have been weekends where the dogs have howled and barked for four consecutive days from around 3 in the afternoon to midnight. The folks needed to be away and of course, had to leave their animals behind. If there were supposed to be people looking after them or staying with them, they didn't show up. There have been many evenings too, when the dogs have just howled and howled as they most likely are lonely.

Husband has approached them about the noise of their dear pets, but they are refusing to admit to any such comotion. Of course, how would you know they were making noise if you're not there to hear it. We feel badly that we are making less-than-good relationships with our Christian neighbors. They said no one else has complained. I'm wondering if I'm expecting too much from these folks though. Just because they're "Christians", does that mean they shouldn't have dogs that bark. I don't think so. But still, I really do expect more from them. I expect admission of guilt, I expect humility and I expect them to offer an apology...or at least to say they will try and do better in the future in keeping them silent.

Perhaps we should offer a gift certificate to the local obedience school.....for the pooches, at least. Maybe that would make us better neighbors. Or perhaps we should offer to take the animals for walks, as no one at their place seems to have time for these poor beasts.

I guess WE just need to learn patience and forgiveness and long-suffering ourselves. It's always so much easier to see our neighbors faults isn't it....easy to point out what is wrong with them!!!

Alas, in the book of Matthew, chapter 7 verses 3-5, Jesus makes his case quite clear when he says:
" “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye[a] when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend,[b] ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye."

Yep. That about says it all. I'll go now and lick my wounds and howl at the moon with Rover.

TCM

Ya, all you movie buffs know the classic movie channel - Turner Classic Movies. I enjoy watching that channel a whole lot. I enjoy it because it reminds me of how life used to be portrayed in the movies. It was simple, polite, violence-free, only very subtle hints of sex and not one swear or curse word to be had.

Why have we this insatiable desire to go beyond the limits of niceness. The more blood, violence, sex and intricate wretched political scheming, the better. The closer the movie can come to reality, the better. We have saturated our minds to the point of over-indulgence and total insensitivity and we wonder why our society has become the way it is. Reality TV is at it's high point, it seems, but I'm sure we have a long way to go yet, before we have fulfilled our blood lust.

I think our pastor was right when he said we become like those we are with as well as the kinds of things that we allow into our brains via our eyes and ears. We have become so saturated with the "real", that our imaginations are fighting to hold on and are feeling less than needed.

I don't want to become insensitive. I don't want to fill my brain with things that would take me away from things that are pure, holy, and true. I want to think on those things....good things. I want to read good literature and listen to music and lyrics that don't talk about unfaithfulness, murder, getting even and hate.

The Apolstle Paul talked about this unacceptable thinking too, in Philippians 4:8 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

I want to be more like that. May God help me.

It's late...

Heading off to bed after a long day. Work followed by a visit to Auntie in hospital to find she will be moving to Mont St. Joseph's next Thursday afternoon, home to eat a bite, relax, friends drop in for visit, shower, and catch up on here.

Oh, and a good friend took me out to lunch today too. That was nice.

Holidays made me oh so much more appreciative of crows. Yes, I said CROWS. Those flying, squawking, noisy, brilliant, beautiful birds. I can't tell you how fascinating I find them....not to mention annoyingly loud.

When I have more time, I'll tell you some vacation stories....but tonight, I'm simply too tired.

The stories will include, fish hooks, awnings, rain, birds and various animals....and that will include husband.;-)

Thanks God, for allowing me to finish this work week without falling asleep at my desk.

'nite all.............