Category: God

  • Tribute to our dear Mother

    We love you, Mom!

    July 23 is fast approaching – the 20-year anniversary of our Mom’s (Jimmie Joan) home going, or promotion to Heaven.  She was in the hospital only five short weeks and never returned home.  She died of Acute Leukemia (AML).

    It barely seems possible that it’s been 20 years already – on one hand it feels like she’s been gone forever, and on the other, like it was just yesterday.

    Today my sister (Karen) and I plan to get together and celebrate her life here on earth. We might visit the neighborhood grocery/deli my Mom and Dad shopped in (sometimes daily), buy a lemon bar (one of our favorite recipes of Mom’s), tour our old neighborhood, and pool where we took swimming lessons, etc.., Whatever we do, or wherever we end up, the two of us will be together reminiscing the “good ole days.”  Our brother, Lonnie, who lives in California will be with us in spirit too.  We wish he were here too in bodily form so the three of us could share together.

    We rarely visit the location where her ashes are stored—mostly because as believers in God, we KNOW she is really not there but is rejoicing in Heaven where there is no more pain or tears. Some do regularly visit a gravesite, and that’s fine.

    Mom, we miss you terribly. Even 20 years later, it hurts to write this and tears come to my eyes as I pen this tribute. Your loved ones still feel robbed/cheated because you were taken from us at such a young age of 58. But dwelling on that fact does us no earthly good. We rest on the fact that God is too wise to make mistakes and too good to be unkind. God is God and we are not.

    Lovingly thinking of you,

    Children:

    Teresa (Steve), Karen (Darryl), Lonnie

    Grandchildren:

    Andrew (Bethany) and Amanda

    Lindsay (Andy), Ashley, Bethany, Jeremy

    Great-Grandchildren:

    Liberty and Elijah

    Caiden

  • Release from pulmonary doctor!

    My lungs sounded good and x-rays showed nothing unusual! Doctor basically confirmed what was thought to be excess fluid from all the IV pumped fluid during my hospital stay.  I have been released from the pulmonary doctor’s care!  Yeah!!  Praise the Lord!! 

    I thanked him for being available when we needed him, but nothing personal, we were thrilled we didn’t need any additional doctors in our life at this time. 

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  • Who Am I Becoming?

    Come share with us…Calvary Church women have launched a summer blog series entitled, “Who Am I Becoming?”

    I am priviledged to share my story, “Becoming Dependent on God: Transformed by Calamity” in this week’s post.  I share with the reader from the beginning of learning of my brain tumor and subsequent feelings and actions.  Fear of the unknown played a key role in my behavior, yet fear needn’t be all consuming.  Read the story of how my giant called ‘fear’ turned into the peace of God.  Every week various women from Calvary will share their experiences and insight…you won’t want to miss a single week! 

    https://ccwmblog.blogspot.com/

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  • Gift of Time

    To face life’s many challenges and overcome each test, the Lord tells us to take the time

    To stop.  To pray.  To rest. – (Sper)

    The Lord is teaching me to stop, to pray, and to rest during this down time of poor health. He certainly has my attention, and I pray I learn what I need to learn during this gift of time.

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  • Back on Line

    Thanks to my faithful readers for your patience.  We experienced a glitch in the computer system, immediately followed by a glitch in my internal body system.  It appears the computer system glitch has been resolved, and as far as my internal system–well, that’s still a work in progress!

    In the last month, I’ve spent two sessions in ER due to dehydration (including a ride in an ambulance from Urgent Care to the hospital!)  The second ER visit resulted in a few overnights in ICU to try and stabilize my vitals.  GI doctor has now labeled my condition as: “Lymphocytic Colitis” which is treatable with meds and bland diet.  So, to have a name to label my chronic internal combustion problem is truly an answer to prayer! 

    Thank you all who’ve been diligent to offer kind words of encouragement and prayer for us.  My husband, Steve, has been a wonderful caretaker now that I’m home from the hospital.  He makes sure I take my meds and drink Gatorade and Pedialyte (I’ve grown to hate that stuff!)  My dear friend, Vicki, brought over her special homemade chicken noodle soup which I’m sure has speeded my healing tremendously!

    Just thankful to God to be alive and able to sit up at my own computer and sleep in my own bed at night!

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  • let your light shine!

    candle

    “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and praise your God in Heaven.”  (Matthew 5:14-16)

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  • Day in ER

         

           Yesterday I found out again just how complex and wonderful our human bodies were created. The ER waiting room filled and emptied many times while my friend and I waited “my turn.” Of course, ambulatory people took precedence over walk-ins. Some experienced heart attacks while others had been involved in serious automobile accidents. Many were in worse shape than me—yet it always came back to “what about me, and when is it going to be my turn?”

         Physicians, RNs, and varied medical staff examined this piece of me and that. They poked and pricked me for hours in our local hospital ER—only to arrive at the conclusion that no one really knows the reason for my chronic diarrhea for the past three weeks. They were able to determine what I did not have (for which I was thankful.)  My jovial nurse, Carol, hooked me up with potassium with electrolyte IVs to replenish lost hydration. Among my discharge information included an advisory to make an appointment with a GI to “dig deeper” to determine the source of my problem.

                Our bodies are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. And when you think about it—man had absolutely nothing to do with the creation process. So any revelation regarding my human flesh inner workings is indeed a miracle and a gift from God!

                I’m bummed about missing the Cedar Falls Writers Conference in Iowa, and having to postpone our motorcycle trip out west, but all happened for a reason. In the meantime, I am now hydrated and on the pursuit for the cause of my diarrhea because no one is sure at this point. This quest is my prime directive at this point in my life.

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  • Storms in the night

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    Storms in the night, lightning, thunder rolling; yet my curiosity called me to the deck.  I stood at the doorway entranced by the wonder of the light show. Even though my clock registered only 4:30 am, I was attracted to the spectacular sights and sounds. I didn’t want to miss any scene, but I did venture away long enough to grab my camera.  Due to the lack of light, the pictures came out dark with only droplets of water on the frames.

    But this morning I knew there had been a show in the night evidenced by the 4-5 inches of rain water collected in my tomato pot and the flash flood advisory shown on the television. No one could tell me the downpour, thunder and lightning show was merely a dream—a figment of my imagination.

    Isn’t that the way God works sometimes? …in mysterious ways. We don’t always see Him, yet He’s there—sometimes in big ways such as a job opportunity or house find; other times, in providing a parking space, or in a phone call from your grandchild saying, “Hi Nana. I just wanted to talk to you and say hi!”

    That’s the God I want on standby for me!

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  • Encouragement=Joy

    “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

    Ever hear the saying that goes something like this, Be kind to all you encounter, for you don’t know what battle they are facing? Whenever I see this, it causes me to step back and think. I try to smile or say something kind to the weary clerk behind the grocery counter, or the tattooed teenager with multi-colored hair sitting on a park bench.  I really don’t know what battles they are facing–only God knows.

    Will they acknowledge my words or kind smile? Oftentimes, they do which never ceases to amaze me! A simple, “I love those shoes!” can go a long ways to cheering up another human soul. And, isn’t that what we are reminded to do in 1 Thessalonians?

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  • Morning Has Broken

    Morning Has Broken, sung by Cat Stevens, lyrics by Eleanor Farjeon

    “Morning has broken, like the first morning/Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird/

    Praise for the singing, praise for the morning/Praise for the springing fresh from the word

    Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven/Life the first dewfall, on the first grass

    Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden/Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

    Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning/Born of the one light, Eden saw play

    Praise with elation, praise every morning/God’s recreation of the new day”

     

         One of the huge joys in owning a deck:

    Enjoying breakfast with a cup of coffee sitting on my deck!

         When I place that simple act of sitting and waiting as my focus and prime directive, I feel as though I’m on vacation–even if for only a brief time. Remember the old TV commercial, “Calgon, take me away!” That’s what I sense as I sit for a time on my deck—the air feels clean and fresh, birds proclaim a new day awakening. I can almost ignore the distant freeway morning traffic din when I focus on the Creator of this universe.

         I soak in the beauty surrounding me BEFORE the priorities and duties of the day cry out for my attention. Until I can no longer ignore their urgent pleas for attention—pleas which remind me of yesterday’s insistent toddler who tugged at my hand, eager for my undivided attention–my way! And my direction NOW!

         But for now, I bask in the morning sun which reminds me of Your warmth and desire for relationship.

     
    https://www.allspirit.co.uk/morning.html

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