What Would Jesus Blog?

this morning i wanted to complain in my blog . . . i am still itching to complain . . . i just had one of those days yesterday . . . i’m sure that i am also the only person ever to experience a not so stellar day . . . that must be why i want to bore the world with petty problems!!

What Would Jesus Blog?

sigh . . . i know He wouldn’t whine . . . the gospels never gave any indication that whining was a Divine trait . . . and since i’m not divine (well maybe sometimes i am "just divine, dah‘ling", in that sort of way? maybe?) - possibly one or too little whiney sentences would be ok???? and possibly tomorrow i would swoop in and delete them - so i won’t go there . . .

What Would Jesus Blog?

take a look at the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5 & 6 ... i love the Sermon on the Mount because it has the ability to uplift me or convict me . . . all at the same time . . . if we want to know what Jesus would blog about - i think that is a pretty good example of super duper blogging issues, all rolled neatly into one unforgettable sermon . . . .

yup, i might still want to whine a bit - but i think i'll just go find a quiet spot and turn that whining into prayer . . . look up, and see that the future lies with the Lord, trust Him to help me with the here and now . . . and try to make today's blog something to think about . . .

Oops

well i posted my tribute to Billy Graham last night . . . and my personal bio, archives, etc., all slid down the right side of the page!!!! sheesh, i know that Dr. Graham has a larger than life personality, but i had to laugh at how it affected my whole blog page!

i didn't touch anything . . . honest . . . i e-mailed blogger helpline to see how i can "pull up my socks" and get out of the basement - make things look normal again . . . anyone have any ideas?

i just wanted to post something else to see if that would make a difference . . . hmmmm

Hero of Faith

i’ve had time this evening to read blogs . . . jumping from one faith topic to another, taking the pulse of the "body of Christ online" . . . it seems that the emerging church movement is a hot topic . . . it peaked my interest before i even had a blog to express myself in . . . and discussion is good ... how else can we fine tune ourselves and our faith without dialogue or the sharing of opinions?

after reading the thoughts and comments of others . . . it occurred to me that i now have a platform where i can give homage to a man i’ve admired all my life and who’s crusade i went forward at (age of 12) to accept Christ as my Saviour . . . my hero of faith is billy graham who has certainly stood the test of time, been tried by fire yet remained simply and truly committed to the Lord he has served all these years.

AND the message never waivered or changed - it remained bible based and pure.

now i don’t "worship" billy graham or have him on a pedestal (well the pedestal part - maybe a little), but i DO admire the man and his steadfast faith.

nothing profound here . . . just my heartfelt THANK YOU to a southern gentleman, who is the person i admire most in this world . . .

thank you Lord, for giving us billy graham.

Old Friends

friends


old friends are a blessing . . .

not that they are really chronologically old . . . :o) . . . just folks that knew us way back when ...

way back when L was as strong as a bull and full of playfulness, ready to take on the world and always ready to lend a hand to those less fortunate ...

way back when the world was still out there to explore and we felt we could accomplish a million feats in one life time ...

"way back when" . . . hmmm, maybe chronology does have something to do with it???

but i digress . . . we had a super visit with E this weekend . . . even tho’ we hadn’t seen him in over a year, we just easily picked up the conversation from where we had left it last visit . . . E became a believer a few years back, so the visits have been extra sweet . . . now the conversations are deeper with shared growth experiences in the Lord, as well as shared frailties ...

E is still married to the same gal who he met on a blind date at our place (my husband played cupid) . . . and as i said, he is still our friend SO he doesn’t hold that blind date against us!

Frank Capra’s "Its a Wonderful Life" is on NBC tonight . . . i love that movie because it inspires me to be the type of friend who loves through all seasons in life . . . i have been blessed with so many who love me in this way . . . sigh . . . thank you Lord.

Company's coming

domestic diva



i’ve found another way to skirt housework . . . blogging!! i sometimes wish i were a domestic diva, but i’m more like a "company’s coming . . . YIKES . . . gotta dust, vacuum, bake . . . " type of gal . . .

i’m also a wanna be computer geek . . . and would like to be best buds with bill gates - not because he is wealthy beyond anything i could imagine, but because he is so darn smart when it comes to all things that are in cyber space! awww, such are my musings at the moment . . . and all because we are getting company tonight and i need to "get tuit" and spiff up the place a bit . . . but tapping away here is so much more fun . . . :o)

my husband can be so sweet about that domestic stuff ... he thinks the place looks spic ‘n span, the cereal he gets for supper is the best cereal he’s ever eaten and his wife is beyond measure!!! could it be his meds? i wonder?????

it seems like the snow we got last nite has made me giddy again ... giddy is ok . . .

well i just see a dust bunny walking by, i guess i need to go corral it and make the house a safe place for company again . . .

keep the chain going

from Pilgrims Progress blog, a fun little exercise . . .

keep the chain going.

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal... Along with these instructions.

"At other times, you're paid for what you pick."
- I, Rigoberto Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala

"In deterence to the board meeting, Doniger had put on a blue suit, forgoing his usual khakis and sweats"- II, Michael Criton: Timeline

“Now, I don’t know if it was because it was the accent, or if there’s more than one, but I’m gonna, I’m gonna reconfirm that for you and I’ll get back to you real quick.”- 9/11 Commission Report (Added by Rob at UnSpace)

"Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials;"- Celtic Daily Prayer - The Northumbria Community.

"will nationally accept Him as their Messiah and Savior", Understanding the Endtimes - RBC Ministries posted by saija . . .

and that was all there was to the fun exercise!

Count your blessings

i had a doozy of a migraine yesterday afternoon, i mean a whopper! i very seldom get ill, so when i do - i don’t handle it well. i took a tylenol (another "hardly ever do" type of thing), then paced until my husband made me go lie down in a darkened room, which helped ease the pain ... BUT my well laid plans for the day were totally wrecked!!! i never realized how controlling i can be until something throws a monkey wrench into my scheme of things and reminds me that in life, my list of things "to do", sometimes don’t get done!!!! yesterday, i just had to "get with the program" and "go with the flow"!

i also immediately became more sympathetic to my husbands 24/7 chronic pain and looked at life through his eyes for a while . . . healthy people really NEED to be reminded every now and again of what life feels like when your body is hurting!

so yesterday i was in life’s classroom for a bit (maybe in detention????) . . . now i don’t believe God is the author of my pain . . . however, i do believe He allows it for a purpose . . .

this morning i am thankful to be feeling well . . . usually when i think about my health, it’s a passing thought of "what a blessing" ... this morning it is more like WHAT A BLESSING!!!!

Breakfast with Jesus

We are so enjoying Greg Laurie's book, Breakfast with Jesus . . .

here is a thought that spoke to me from this morning's reading:

" . . . life is not a dress rehearsal. This is the real deal. And no, life is not about material success. Life is about knowing the God who made you and discovering His plan for you."

now, ain't that the truth!

the journey

the journey


Life is a journey.

Old cliche . . . but it becomes more real the older a person gets!

I read Rick's blog this morning, and as i was tapping away a comment, it seemed like i received an answer to a question that i hadn’t even been asking . . . the old question of "if a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there, does it still make a sound?". . . if i live my life for Christ - even though it is a quiet life - trying to be the wife that L needs and helping him along in this chronic pain journey, and if there isn’t much leftover to do the "great things" . . . does my life still matter in God’s house?

If i remain faithful to Him who called me to this journey, and if i believe that i am living out my life doing what was laid before me to do . . . then even if it is only the dust bunnies that witness it . . . i will remain steadfast . . .

which leads to another questions, are there dust bunnies in God’s house too?

It snowed today

sleigh ride


i am a warm weather person - yet i am born and bred in a cold weather country . . . i love palm trees, warm sea breezes and a hot sun warming my face - not snowmobiles, ice fishing or bundling up against the elements . . .

well, it snowed today . . . and that snow brought me joy!!! i happily wrote christmas cards, carried wood, and kept the fire going in the woodstove . . . L seemed to be in good spirits too . . . our yard looked just lovely with the wet flakes sticking to the plum trees and covering the ground with it's white glow . . . i am still smiling as i write this . . . i just think that the Lord has played a joke on me . . . i pray to be "freed" from this cold climate . . . and today this chilly winter weather has made me warm and giddy inside . . . well go figure!

Earth is not our home

i wanted to post something every few days, even tho' life can get a little hectic in my small world . . .

i've been receiving decision magazines for 38 yeras now http://www.billygraham.org/DMag_Article_Index.asp . . . and have learned so much from the articles . . . this morning i read the following, written by Ruth Bell Graham, that i wanted to share . . . she sure is a wise wise lady, and a wonderful helpmate to Billy Graham . . .

Especially for You . . . Earth Is Not Our Home
by Ruth Bell Graham

In Psalm 37:35, David marvels at the wicked "spreading himself like a green bay tree" (KJV). Young's Literal Translation puts it: "as a green native plant."We have a schefflera plant, or umbrella tree, in our living room. Because it is not native to where we live, it makes a nice houseplant, growing to 10 feet tall at most. But in a tropical climate such as Florida or Australia, it can grow to 40 feet. Why should we wonder, then, when we Christians struggle? We are not native plants. The earth is not our home, and we can expect to have rough times. Our Lord promised us that. But we also have this promise: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12, NIV).

Blue Jay visit



after posting my sparrow postcard yesterday, i happened to look out the window and there was a blue jay, just sitting on the grass . . . i thought - sheesh - what if a cat sees it? what if it’s hurt? what if? what if? my natural inclination to worry and be protective just starting running away with my imagination!

well mr. blue jay rested for awhile, puffed itself up (it was a cool morning) and then just flew away . . . my worrying about him didn’t do anything positive or constructive . . .

what’s my point? welllllllll . . . the usual i guess . . . worrying about L’s health or beating myself up with questions like - am i doing enough? am i doing too much? what if he continues this downhill spiral? what if this? what if that?

maybe if i just rest in the Lord for a bit, be still and know that He is God and in charge of even the smallest of details . . . then i too can continue to fly on . . . with the wings of a stronger faith . . .

i like that thought . . .

an encouraging postcard i have on our mirror to remind me on the darker days . . .  

blame game

do you ever get angry and upset at what life seems to have left at your doorstep? i only ask, because i’ve been there . . .

but then honesty compels the admission - it may have been my poor decision that landed me in the big pot of dooh dooh in the first place!!! . . . decisions that i knew to be against biblical teaching or attitudes which Jesus told us not to harbor . . .

it is so much easier to blame something or someone else . . . i hate to admit that it was me me me, all along . . .

now once i finally admit to the source of the problem - then i just need to ask forgiveness, drop the saija bashing .. . and continue along . . . it may have altered my route, but my destination is still intact.

Pain is not Pointless

This was the devotional we read from Our Daily Bread (www.rbc.net) this morning when L got up and going . . . how appropriate!

Pain Is Not Pointless

Isaiah 28:23-29

This also comes from the Lord of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. —Isaiah 28:29

During times of hardship, I often feel like whining, "Who needs this pain? I certainly don't!" But Isaiah 28 and my own experience tell me this is a shortsighted reaction. Not that we need hardship just for its own sake, but we do need to be changed and to mature. In God's hand, hardship can be an effective tool to bring about our much-needed growth.

In verses 23-28, we read the prophet's "poetic parable," written to help the people of Israel understand how God works and what He intended to accomplish in their lives through tough times. A farmer is portrayed skillfully plowing the ground, planting his crops, and threshing the harvest. If the soil could talk, it might have whined, "Who needs this painful plowing?" But the pain is not pointless. Isaiah said that the farmer is taught by God to work in measured and well-timed ways, handling delicate crops with care and others more vigorously, but always with a sure harvest in view.

Our reassurance during tough times is that the farmer's God is our God, "who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance" (v.29). His dealings with us are always thoughtful and purposeful, producing in us "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" (Hebrews 12:11).
—Joanie Yoder

God has a purpose in our heartaches—

The Savior always knows what's best;
We learn so many precious lessons

In every sorrow, trial, and test.

—Jarvis

When you trust in God, pain is an opportunity for progress.

mid week rambling

we are experiencing absolutely lovely weather for mid november ... i mean the down right balmy stuff, 10C (50F)!!!! it is so "warm" that i feel guilty sitting at my computer, i should be outside doing yard work, taking walks, just relishing the last lovely days before the cold winds of a prairie winter decide to blow . . . winter is the time i surf the net and feel cozy in my cyber world, without feeling too much guilt at the time it takes . . .

this mild weather even had me up 2 hours before my normal time, drinking coffee and reading blogs . . .

blogs fascinate me . . . there are so many views presented, on so many issues . . . we are all in different places in life, with varying life experiences ... and the use of blogs from journals to political statements to sermonettes connects the reader to the author of the blog, in a personal way . . . before we even say "hello", i’m so and so, we have already connected on some issue . . . really too cool . . . i’m glad to be living in this age . . . and of course, i have my regular blogs that i read (need to put in the sidebar . . . soon!), and feel a need to check up on . . .

but you know, this instant sharing of information happens in a small town too . . . last week i walked out of the bank with another lady, and commented on how after 12 years of walking in and out of this bank - i still managed to try and walk through the door they leave locked!!!! . . . she said she was glad it happens to "young" people too, not just old people like her . . . now this is the silly part, i always feel compelled to state my age when someone says "young" to me - i should just feel flattered and let it go - but i feel i earned my "mature" status so i blurt out that i’m 50 . . . well from there it went to how old her kids were, that she had just left a home of 51 years to move into a seniors residence and wasn’t happy about it, how old she was, we talked health issues . . . and that was in probably a minute and a half . . . talk about "high speed connection" on the sideways of small town Canada . . . but we connected . . .

nothing profound to write this morning ... profound was the stuff i wanted to write yesterday but didn’t get a chance because of the nice weather and then my laziness and just surfing the net . . .

well this felt like a good ramble . . . the fog has dissipated, my coffee cup is empty and L needs his pills shortly, so i’ll go wake him for that . . .

Lord bless your day . . . however YOU may be . . .

Success . . . i think?

this past weekend i was finally able to string together the correct words to find bloggers with Arachnoiditis . . .

i also discovered that i’m still so darn naive about life in general ...

i was expecting to find people who had more answers than we did . . . braver, smarter, more spiritual and definitely way more mature . . . instead, i found young people (late twenties, early thirties) who were shell shocked about this nasty condition, going through surgery to try and alleviate the relentless pain, asking the "why" question . . . it all caused a whole lot of hurt to my heart . . . it brought back memories of a path traveled 20 years ago . . . and the way i see it now, the journey is more difficult with age, then with the vigor of a youthful body fighting pain . . .

now i’m kind of hoping that they don’t find my blog because i don’t want to discourage them . . . chicken, aren’t i?

or . . . could i give them hope? hmmmm

the bad point is . . . all these years post surgery and doctors saying "so sorry, there is nothing we can do" . . . L puts up with it and some days wins, some days doesn’t . . .

the good points ... we know this earthly body will one day be replaced with a NEW body that doesn’t hurt but is glorious in every way ... we have a faith that is still growing, tho’ we do feel like soldiers that have been bloodied and beaten up in battle ... we keep praying that our marriage of 30 years can be a witness, tho’ it may be a witness only in ways we won’t know about until heaven . . .

let’s see where this blog journey will take us . . . L’s pain is entwined with his faith, and both those things are entwined in my life . . . we are both fighting to keep running the race until the Lord calls us home . . . the good news is, we ARE still RUNNING the RACE . . . Lord, keep us faithful until we hit the finish line . . . AMEN . . .

Canadian Sunset

Canadian Sunset, our backyard.


a little touch of Canadiana . . . the view at sunset when i stroll into the backyard . . . i should do more strolling, because the view can really be spectacular some nights . . . it would take a great DEAL of faith to believe that there was no Creator to what my eyes take in . . . to believe that the breathtaking colours that are splashed on the sky were just happenstance . . . now there is a stretch for some poor souls faith . . .

but on another note . . . i really need to learn how to add blogs i read on to this site - since it was Maiken's A Case of Me that got me going and she had a new life emerging listed as a blog she reads, that i now read too . . . hmmmm, i have stuff to learn on fixing up my blog . . . and hopefully i will "get tuit" soon . . .

come thirsty

i woke up this morning fretting about family/friends . . . their problems with seemingly no solutions . . . my prayer being "oh Lord, Lord, Lord" . . . then i opened up my e-mail and this little note appeared that blessed my heart with a reminder that HE hears, knows, and IS doing something ... we just need to trust . . . isn't it wonderful that the Lord has e-mail and sends us notes . . . :o)

What image best describes your heart? A water-drenched kid in front of an open fire hydrant? Or a bristled, desert tumbleweed?

You're acquainted with physical thirst. Stop drinking and see what happens. Coherent thoughts vanish, skin grows clammy, and vital organs shut down. Deprive your body of necessary fluid, and it will tell you.

Deprive your soul of spiritual water, and it will tell you. Dehydrated hearts send desperate messages. Snarling tempers. Waves of worry. Growing guilt and fear. Hopelessness. Resentment. Loneliness. Insecurity.

But you don't have to live with a dehydrated heart. God invites you to treat your thirsty soul as you would treat your physical thirst. Just visit the WELL and drink deeply.

Receive Christ's Work on the cross,
The Energy of His Spirit,
His Lordship over your life,
And His unending, unfailing Love.

He does the hard part. All you do is ask. There is no spiritual "to do" list for you to tackle, no inventory of rules and regulations. Just drink. Let Christ be the water for your soul. Come thirsty, and drink the water of life.

Max Lucado
Adapted from Max's new book, Come Thirsty

This is the day

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will REJOICE and be glad in it . . . yup, THIS is the day . . . yesterday is just that, yesterday . . . tomorrow is unknown . . . but THIS is the day we have to work with . . . if i can just get that enthusiasm for life flowing in the morning, the whole day turns out so much better . . . THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HAS MADE, I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT . . . amen

too unique?

we all want to be unique, special, one of a kind . . . and in God’s eyes, the bible tells us we are . . . but does anyone want to be "too unique"?

let me try to explain my morning thought here . . .

every winter i do searches on the internet for Spinal Arachnoiditis - WITH INTRACTABLE PAIN . . . this is what L has and what we live with . . . he isn’t the only one with this cruel condition, tho’ at times it feels like it . . . so i do searches to see if any new meds have popped up, any new research or new gadgets to help with pain (the TENS has been the best "gadget" we’ve seen in 18 years) . . . any help what-so-ever . . . but with a slow telephone modem (here in the canadian boonies high speed isn’t available yet) it takes awhile to get from site to site . . .

this summer i started doing searches for bloggers who are believers and who are either caregivers or inflicted themselves with chronic pain . . . i’ve yet to find a site like that . . . it was another reason to start my own blog, to see if someone like that would find me . . .

i don’t want anyone else to suffer like L does, or have to watch a loved one deal with problems that don’t have any easy answers to them . . . at the same time the burden would be lighter, if there was someone to share it with . . . paradox . . .

so this morning, tho’ i am happy to be a one of a kind child of God, i don’t want to be too unique . . .

What a difference a Day makes

i’m feeling a bit more upbeat today . . . i guess the Lord made sleep and slumber so that we can have a fresh start every morning . . . i try not to hang onto my past "sins" (tough as that may be!), there’s time enough to get into trouble in the new day!

to start our day, my husband and i have devotions together . . . we really enjoy the Daily Bread booklets that Radio Bible Class puts out and have been reading them for over 25 years . . . what we have added to this routine is the further sharing of books that catch our interest . . . at the moment we are thoroughly enjoying Breakfast with Jesus, by Greg Laurie . . . the chapters are short enough that L doesn’t lose interest while i read, yet thought provoking enough to generate conversation afterwards . . . since we don’t attend a church or gather regularly with other believers we really need good uplifting books to stimulate our spiritual life . . . there are tons of wonderful authors out there to choose from . . .

sometimes our mornings seem to be out of another time . . . usually it was the husband who read to his wife, while she did her needlepoint . . . in our case, i read while L has a purring cat on his lap . . . it does sound idyllic but even the aforementioned scene has chronic pain slicing away at the small pleasures we try to cultivate . . . that’s a matter of fact statement, not a sympathy grabber . . .

SO as i said in the beginning paragraph . . . each day starts fresh and we hope that we are up for the challenges . . .

so much as depends on you

i write stuff from time to time on sheets of paper filed somewhere on my desk . . . or in my computer hidden in some weird sounding file . . . then i forget about it .. . well after having a miserable day yesterday, all because i became impatient and unkind to my husband, tired of the constant pain he was in and my having to put up with his comments . . . then having to spend last night and today repenting of my bad behaviour and knowing i will have to wait a few days or a week before life will hopefully be "fine again" around here, i came across this note i had written to myself .. . hmmm, shoulda found it yesterday morning already . . . so i’m sharing . . . if this blog is read by YOU (whoever you may be), i guess you needed this reminder too . . . i called it . . . so much as it depends on you

so much as it depends on you . . .

that verse has always spoken to my heart . . . holding ME accountable, for MY actions . . .
it is always easier to blame something else besides oneself . . . my husband is a lousy christian, i am too weak to do this . . . etc etc. but what our actions are "depends on us". . . yes, the mistakes we made along the way have depended on us too! but our reactions are in the HERE AND NOW, and depend upon the knowledge we possess . .

SO MUCH AS DEPENDS ON YOU

so today, make your attitude, reactions, decisions as bible based as you know how . . . because the Lord will carry through His part of the "doing, knowing, helping" but He has left something for us to do . . .

so much as depends on you . . .