Every time I enter a hospital to visit, I am overwhelmed by appreciation for what I am able to do and what I have.
I can chew a steak.
I can walk to the bathroom.
Sleep comes easily to me.
I get to brush my own teeth and hair.
I have a whole house to roam around in and not just a 11 x 15 cubicle.
Although you get more flowers when you're in the hospital.
Guess there's an upside to everything.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Hard work.
Sometimes you work your fool head off. You strain and push and maneuver yourself into thinking you're getting ahead and you find yourself up against a concrete wall.
But how many of us would think of trying to crack their way through all that concrete? Not many of us....well, perhaps son would with his fancy, flying feet of force....hiiieeeeeeeeeeeyaaa!!!! But ordinary folk would most likely give up and look for another way through.
But what if there is no other way through. Then what? Do we sit there and wait for the next available earthquake? Not likely. Do we get out our little finger nail file and start picking away? Maybe. Or do we try and think our way through....mind over matter kind of thing. I don't know about you, but that could be kind of freaky......maybe worth trying, but still freaky.
People try their darnedest don't they? They try hard to make headway in life.
But look at those trees finding their way through the Precambrian shield. They have no other choice. What about that rose up there on the top of my blog page, blooming on one side of a brick wall. Talk about freaky. Or is it?
Jesus gives us simple, beautiful examples every day of our existence of how he manages to get the impossible done. Nature is the best example of all because those kinds of life forms don't have choices to make like we do. They simply use what they have and where they are to accomplish their task.
We, on the other hand, have many choices of how to work through things.....even though our concrete walls are a lot of times relationships. We can communicate, we can seek help from others, we can attempt to explain ourselves to others and they in turn, to us. But in the end, it is that "unseen force" that allows the breakthrough to happen.
The Spirit of the Living God can not only get roses through concrete walls but He can also get us through the same kinds of walls..........those walls of our own making.
God, help us to not always be banging our heads against brick walls, but to seek You to find a way through. Besides, my head bleeds a lot.
But how many of us would think of trying to crack their way through all that concrete? Not many of us....well, perhaps son would with his fancy, flying feet of force....hiiieeeeeeeeeeeyaaa!!!! But ordinary folk would most likely give up and look for another way through.
But what if there is no other way through. Then what? Do we sit there and wait for the next available earthquake? Not likely. Do we get out our little finger nail file and start picking away? Maybe. Or do we try and think our way through....mind over matter kind of thing. I don't know about you, but that could be kind of freaky......maybe worth trying, but still freaky.
People try their darnedest don't they? They try hard to make headway in life.
But look at those trees finding their way through the Precambrian shield. They have no other choice. What about that rose up there on the top of my blog page, blooming on one side of a brick wall. Talk about freaky. Or is it?
Jesus gives us simple, beautiful examples every day of our existence of how he manages to get the impossible done. Nature is the best example of all because those kinds of life forms don't have choices to make like we do. They simply use what they have and where they are to accomplish their task.
We, on the other hand, have many choices of how to work through things.....even though our concrete walls are a lot of times relationships. We can communicate, we can seek help from others, we can attempt to explain ourselves to others and they in turn, to us. But in the end, it is that "unseen force" that allows the breakthrough to happen.
The Spirit of the Living God can not only get roses through concrete walls but He can also get us through the same kinds of walls..........those walls of our own making.
God, help us to not always be banging our heads against brick walls, but to seek You to find a way through. Besides, my head bleeds a lot.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Busy week.
Monday - Clean house for company coming this weekend (except Monday is almost over and I haven't yet cleaned).
Tuesday - Bake something for Wednesday and try to clean house.
Wednesday - Meet the new RCMP constable, Steven Reid and get our picture taken with him in his red surge.
Thursday - Retirement function for Carman Dodge.
Friday - 20 family reunion guests coming.
Saturday - Monday - Look after our guests, visit and care for them.
Oh, and in between there I'll be working 8-5 and visiting my dear Auntie in hospital each day.
Lord, could I have an extra day thrown in there somewhere, please? Not sure if I can fit all this stuff into that time frame. You made the sun stop, after all!
Tuesday - Bake something for Wednesday and try to clean house.
Wednesday - Meet the new RCMP constable, Steven Reid and get our picture taken with him in his red surge.
Thursday - Retirement function for Carman Dodge.
Friday - 20 family reunion guests coming.
Saturday - Monday - Look after our guests, visit and care for them.
Oh, and in between there I'll be working 8-5 and visiting my dear Auntie in hospital each day.
Lord, could I have an extra day thrown in there somewhere, please? Not sure if I can fit all this stuff into that time frame. You made the sun stop, after all!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Thankfulness
When I look at all I have, when I see a family that I love and who loves me back, when I begin to fathom the depth of the love that God has for me.....my heart is thankful.
As Marc this morning spoke from the book of Acts in Chapter 17 where the writer speaks of "the unknown God".........it is that "unknown" God I am thankful to. He is not unknown to me. He is to many.....but not to me. I am able to recognize all he has done for me, how he has changed me, and the infiniteness of his grace........... and my heart is thankful.
I see the seasons change. I see the loveliness of a flower in bloom. I hear the cry of a baby in need of her mothers touch. I feel the soft, warm, spring breeze on my cheeks and fragrance of the evening air as life begins its ascent from the depths of the earth.....and my heart is thankful.
I hear those speak of knowing the secrets of the universe, how it began, where it began, and how it has evolved......but in MY heart, I recognize the Master designer, the Maker of heaven and earth and of babies and flowers, and sea and sky and humbly bow before his omnipotence.
God is amazing.......and my heart is thankful.
Here's where it speaks of "the unknown god" in the Bible: Acts 17
"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
As Marc this morning spoke from the book of Acts in Chapter 17 where the writer speaks of "the unknown God".........it is that "unknown" God I am thankful to. He is not unknown to me. He is to many.....but not to me. I am able to recognize all he has done for me, how he has changed me, and the infiniteness of his grace........... and my heart is thankful.
I see the seasons change. I see the loveliness of a flower in bloom. I hear the cry of a baby in need of her mothers touch. I feel the soft, warm, spring breeze on my cheeks and fragrance of the evening air as life begins its ascent from the depths of the earth.....and my heart is thankful.
I hear those speak of knowing the secrets of the universe, how it began, where it began, and how it has evolved......but in MY heart, I recognize the Master designer, the Maker of heaven and earth and of babies and flowers, and sea and sky and humbly bow before his omnipotence.
God is amazing.......and my heart is thankful.
Here's where it speaks of "the unknown god" in the Bible: Acts 17
"Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."
This is Good News...... and my heart is thankful!
(*italics are mine - sk)
Saturday, April 26, 2008
It's just how life goes...
We come into this world with little else than a howling and some skin and two arms and two legs that don't work well.
We're totally helpless. Have to get people to hold us up, move us from place to place, someone to get the nipple into our mouths so we can eat. They have to put us to bed, wash our bodies, change our diapers and simply make all our decisions for us. They sit close to us so we can see their mouths move and we can hear the noises coming from their mouths so we, in turn, can somehow learn to say the same things they say, in order for us to some day become communicating human beings. We have to not only grow taller but we also grow some teeth.......not to mention hair so we don't look bald going to school.
So, after we manage to do all that changing as well as learning to look after ourselves reasonably well, seems like we're on our way. Oh ya. New braces on those second set of new teeth. Hair all shiny and lovely and styled. Funky and stylish clothes to adorn our grown up bodies. Our brains have been taking in a lot of stuff by the time we've completed school and university (for those who attend).
We're ready. Off we go into the adult world.
If we've made it that far, we stay there for the rest of our lives. Experiencing all the things life brings us.....new jobs, a spouse, children, a home, vacations with in-laws, fighting with neighbors, going to church.....you know, the regular living life stuff. ;)
But then we get older. We begin to revert back to the way we came in. We lose our independence, our teeth, our hearing, our hair, our vision, our memory, our sense of worth. We lose our dignity as well. Life sometimes just goes right back to us being the helpless creatures we were at the very beginning. We need feeding, washing, changing, people holding us up and sitting beside our faces so we can see their lips to know what they're saying. We have once again become dependent on others. It's just how life goes.
It is good to keep that cycle going of love and caring , to look after the ones who are older like they looked after us, to make them feel worthwhile and allow them a sense of dignity.
I'm thinking on these things, as I watch my dear Aunt these days. Strokes can revert one back to their original state much more quickly than one would like. So, I am watching and learning some things I needed to learn about caring for those I love.
I am also appreciating their wisdom....something we don't have when we first arrive here!
Proverbs 20:29 says:
"The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old."
A beautiful, wise, God-given statement!
We're totally helpless. Have to get people to hold us up, move us from place to place, someone to get the nipple into our mouths so we can eat. They have to put us to bed, wash our bodies, change our diapers and simply make all our decisions for us. They sit close to us so we can see their mouths move and we can hear the noises coming from their mouths so we, in turn, can somehow learn to say the same things they say, in order for us to some day become communicating human beings. We have to not only grow taller but we also grow some teeth.......not to mention hair so we don't look bald going to school.
So, after we manage to do all that changing as well as learning to look after ourselves reasonably well, seems like we're on our way. Oh ya. New braces on those second set of new teeth. Hair all shiny and lovely and styled. Funky and stylish clothes to adorn our grown up bodies. Our brains have been taking in a lot of stuff by the time we've completed school and university (for those who attend).
We're ready. Off we go into the adult world.
If we've made it that far, we stay there for the rest of our lives. Experiencing all the things life brings us.....new jobs, a spouse, children, a home, vacations with in-laws, fighting with neighbors, going to church.....you know, the regular living life stuff. ;)
But then we get older. We begin to revert back to the way we came in. We lose our independence, our teeth, our hearing, our hair, our vision, our memory, our sense of worth. We lose our dignity as well. Life sometimes just goes right back to us being the helpless creatures we were at the very beginning. We need feeding, washing, changing, people holding us up and sitting beside our faces so we can see their lips to know what they're saying. We have once again become dependent on others. It's just how life goes.
It is good to keep that cycle going of love and caring , to look after the ones who are older like they looked after us, to make them feel worthwhile and allow them a sense of dignity.
I'm thinking on these things, as I watch my dear Aunt these days. Strokes can revert one back to their original state much more quickly than one would like. So, I am watching and learning some things I needed to learn about caring for those I love.
I am also appreciating their wisdom....something we don't have when we first arrive here!
Proverbs 20:29 says:
"The glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old."
A beautiful, wise, God-given statement!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Justice.
People say there is no justice.
Sometimes I tend to agree.
There are people out there who desire good. Sometimes they get laid low, beat up, kicked at and generally humiliated............and in public too.
When people are trying to accomplish things like being truthful, honest, questioning the status quo, and watching out for the underdog, you can be sure there is an equal and perhaps more sinister and opposite force working against this goodness.
People who have power. People who have wealth. People who would try to still the ones attempting to uncover their "secrets" and their "lies" and their desire for more power and more wealth and more recognition and more keeping the poor in their place.
Well, I for one, should not sit by and watch elected officials treat people with total contempt. I should not sit by and watch these same people beat one of their own when he's down - the people want him to represent them after all!!!
The total truth will come out about this scandal and my friend will have his say and the people will hear all that needs to be said on his behalf.
I pray for my friends. Their hearts are in the right place. Let God bring His justice.
Proverbs 28 :1,2 says:
Sometimes I tend to agree.
There are people out there who desire good. Sometimes they get laid low, beat up, kicked at and generally humiliated............and in public too.
When people are trying to accomplish things like being truthful, honest, questioning the status quo, and watching out for the underdog, you can be sure there is an equal and perhaps more sinister and opposite force working against this goodness.
People who have power. People who have wealth. People who would try to still the ones attempting to uncover their "secrets" and their "lies" and their desire for more power and more wealth and more recognition and more keeping the poor in their place.
Well, I for one, should not sit by and watch elected officials treat people with total contempt. I should not sit by and watch these same people beat one of their own when he's down - the people want him to represent them after all!!!
The total truth will come out about this scandal and my friend will have his say and the people will hear all that needs to be said on his behalf.
I pray for my friends. Their hearts are in the right place. Let God bring His justice.
Proverbs 28 :1,2 says:
"The wicked run away when no one is chasing them,
but the godly are as bold as lions.
When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.
But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability."
God will hear the cries for justice for those who fear him, as he has in the past!!!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Hang on to your hats.
The Weather Network says we're going to get between 15 and 20 cm. of snow tomorrow.
Hang on to your hats, to be sure......well, unless you've already put it into summer storage.
Probably not. We live in Saskatchewan after all and Saskatchawinians NEVER put their toques, mitts, hats or scarves away until July 1.
Really.
It's a well known fact.
Of course, we've heard that song before haven't we. Last weekend predicted up to 50 cm. of snow and we received 18 flakes.
So ya, hang on to your hats.................we'll just wait and see.
Hang on to your hats, to be sure......well, unless you've already put it into summer storage.
Probably not. We live in Saskatchewan after all and Saskatchawinians NEVER put their toques, mitts, hats or scarves away until July 1.
Really.
It's a well known fact.
Of course, we've heard that song before haven't we. Last weekend predicted up to 50 cm. of snow and we received 18 flakes.
So ya, hang on to your hats.................we'll just wait and see.
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