Tuesday, March 31, 2009

thankfulness revisited ...

just sharing a post from march of 2007 ... i need to be reminded of the message of thankfulness ... just sharing with you all too ...


i am reading a REALLY marvellous book called the Holy Wild ... it is written by a pastor from B.C., mark buchanan ... this book was a gift from "the other saija" (who found me via this blog) ...

i just wanted to share this one story - an example of mark's excellent writing - very very readable and it hits home to my heart ... he makes a point about thankfulness ...

page 106 - 107 from the Holy Wild

I was in Uganda, Africa about a dozen years ago, in a little township called Wairaka. Every Sunday evening, about one hundred Christians from the neighboring area would gather to worship. They met at the edge of a cornfield, under a lean-to with a rusty tin roof that cracked like gunfire when it rained. They sat - when they did sit - on rough wood benches. The floor was dirt. The band's instruments were old or handmade - bruised, scratched guitars with corroded strings and necks that had warped in the humidity; a plinky electric piano plugged into a crackling speaker; shakers made of tin cans and stones. All of it kept straying out of tune.

One Sunday evening, I was too sour to join in. The music sounded squawky, I was miffed at someone on our missions team, I found the food bland, tasteless. I was feeling deprived and misunderstood. I found the joy of others hollow, mustered-up. I was miserable, and I wanted to wallow in it.

The pastor asked if anyone had anything to share. Many people wanted to, but a tall, willowy woman in the back row danced and shouted loudest, so he called her forward. She came twirling her long limbs, trilling out praise.

"Oh, brothers and sisters, I love Jesus so much," she said.

"Tell us, sister! Tell us!" the Ugandans shouted back.

"Oh, I love Him so much, I don't know where to begin. He is so good to me. Where do I begin to tell you how good He is to me?"

"Begin there, sister! Begin right there!"

"Oh," she said, "He is so good. I praise Him all the time for how good He is. For three months, I prayed to Him for shoes, And look!" And with that the woman cocked up her leg so that we could see one foot. One very ordinary shoe covered it, "He gave me shoes."

The Ugandans went wild. They clapped, they cheered, they whistled, they yelled.

But not me. I was devastated. I sat there broken and grieving. In an instant, God snapped me out of my self-pity and plunged me into repentance. In all my life, I had not once prayed for shoes. It never even crossed my mind. And in all my life, I had not even once thanked God for the many, many shoes I had.

Thanklessness becomes its own prison. Persisted in, it becomes its own hell, where there is outer darkness and gnashing of teeth. Thanklessness is the place God doesn't dwell, the place that, if we inhabit it too often, He turns us over to. "See to it that no one misses the grace of God," Hebrews says, "and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Thanklessness troubles and defiles many, because first it troubles and defiles the one in whom bitterness takes root.

end of quote

this book is so well written that i am reading it like a novel ... rather than a study book ... his writing is full of images that make me think, pray, repent and rejoice!




Saturday, March 28, 2009

saturday paper


our saturday paper ... which i really look forward to reading ... was LATE! i mean 6 hours late ... i had called the paperboy's house and the mom said he was at a sleep over, but will deliver them as soon as he gets back ...

i was already grumbling to leo that it's easier to just buy the paper ... rather than wait all day for it ... i can be grumpy like that sometimes!

just now, the paperboy (i think he's between 10-12 years old?), rang the doorbell and hand delivered the newspaper and said "i'm very sorry it's so late ... i was at a friends and didn't get back until just a little while ago" ...

did you have a good time, i asked ... he smiled and said "ya ... " ... i smiled back ...

he again apologized for delivering so late ... with another "very sorry" ... and i do have to admit, he isn't late very often, in fact, usually he's early ...

some people have such a winning way about them ... that you can't get angry at them ... they just diffuse the situation with honesty and an apology ... also a straightforward look, no dodging ... it's refreshing to find that in a young person ...

* * * * * *
maria is progressing along slowly ... she had a mini stroke last week (one side is weakened now), but seems to be stable again ... she is being visited by different family/friends, who haven't seen her in a while - i know she must love to see familiar faces ...

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

what i've been reading lately ...

i love the way God encourages me along through books - books that seem to speak to my heart at exactly the time i need to hear the message they provide ...

i had never read anything by Max Lucado before ... but just "happened" to pick up this book at work (it IS great to work in a library, don'tcha think?!!) ... i am now a fan! he writes in such an easy to read manner, yet is able to leave the reader with mega truths from the bible ...

then i heard about don piper's book "90 minutes in heaven" through a christian talk show? or on a website? i don't remember how ... but i ordered it through inter-library loans (another great perk about my little part time job) ... what a blessing to read this book! it breathed a renewed hope of heaven - and drove home the truth of how brief our "momentary trials" really are ... don shares about his 1989 car accident, when he was pronounced dead, but then got prayed alive again ... he spent time 90 minutes in heaven (heaven has no time, but that was the amount of time he was dead) ... even today - don remains in constant pain (his body was REALLY broken up badly!) and went through much to even walk again ... so to me, the wife of a guy in chronic pain, not to mention my sister maria's current ordeal - it gave me a heavenly perspective on our earthly existence ... and it allowed me to cry my eyes out, in a good way!

and last, but not least - john piper's "don't waste your life" is the book i am reading out loud to leo every morning ... and what a challenging book it is! i think i will have to read it again ... it is a book that holds us as believers accountable for the way we live our lives ... it is definitely not a "i'm all right, you're all right" type of read ... but it is something that 21st century, north american believers need to hear ... in fact i found the book online: CLICK HERE to sample it ...

just sharing books & authors who i think glorify God and encourage believers along ...something i need - as the time is short ....

blessings to you ...



Sunday, March 22, 2009

life continues along ...

aren't these daffodils lovely? they cheer up the room ... yet, i think that the little joys aren't quite as sweet when a loved one is suffering ... the thought of their situation is always there ... and prayer always on our lips ...

the annual ice fishing derby was held a week ago ... the weather was beautiful and over 1100 anglers were enjoying the day ... i took my usual pictures, because it is good to continue along - to go for walks - to notice activities around us ...

and on the day of maria's surgery - our fridge conked out! we weren't sad about it, 'cause we didn't like that fridge anyway! (it was noisy, came with the condo and not very energy efficient) ... i was able to pick up this maytag, on sale ($200 less the asking price) from one of our local retailers - who delivered it within the hour and took away the old one ... the freezer is on the bottom ... i had always wanted one of those ... it all worked out and we didn't really have much angst about it - because in the long run, fridges (or anything material) don't really count ...

maria is recovering well ... i haven't been able to speak to her yet (she's still in ICU) and i haven't had an opportunity to go into the city yet (hopefully soon!) - so we rely on my cousin and maria's husband for updates ...

i am glad that i've learned lessons about chronic illness (my leo has had a 26 year long battle with unabating pain - which affects me daily too) ... it has helped me understand some of maria's difficulties better ... yet everything is still so unique to each life ... so i've also discovered how little i know about coping!! make any sense? i'm just saying that life is a learning curve ... i'm glad i have the bible to guide me - and Jesus as my Anchor in every storm ... despite having these spiritual helps, my body betrays me with a tight throat, lethargy and emotions bubbling on the surface ...

i'm just sharing my heart with you ... i feel like a small child ... so very weak ... relying on my Heavenly Father for everything, moment by moment ... at times like this, i cling to verses like "when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 ... but please don't think that i am in despair ... i most certainly am not ... just feeling the weight of being human, of being here on earth ... understanding more and more what paul meant in 2 Corinthians 5:1 "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens". God gives us hope ... He shows us what really matters - it's the souls of our family and friends and neighbours ... to try and live in such a way that others are drawn to Christ ... because at the end of the day ... Jesus, and our relationship to Him, will be our only saving grace ... and our loved ones will be the ONLY things we can take to heaven with us ... all things (even fancy new fridges) will be left behind ...

may you be found in Him today ...



Wednesday, March 18, 2009

one day at a time


as a family, we have gone through a whole range of emotions during maria's 2009 ordeal ... though i must admit, this heart surgery thing really did shock us ... and i think it shocked maria as well! i thought she already had the market covered on every conceivable medical problem ... but i guess not!

today, she continues the long recovery ... she is awake, though still plied with pain killers ... the tube has been taken out of her throat, so she is able to talk ... and coughing is encouraged (that is an owie when your ribs have been cracked open!) ...

so far, only her husband and the cousin who works at the hospital have been to visit ... but as maria gains a bit more strength, we all look forward to seeing her ...

just wanted to do a little update for you ... your prayers are definitely helping with the recovery!

blessings on ya ...

Monday, March 16, 2009

she made it through surgery!

maria made it through the surgery!!! it was a long day ... started at 8ish and ended after 2 some time ... she has a pig's valve ... and is in recovery now ...

it feels like i've been holding my breath all day ...

thank you for praying ...

and thanx always to our Lord!!!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

monday is the day ...


the surgery for maria is scheduled for tomorrow (monday) ...

she already has a heart pump on, exercising that muscle - getting it ready for the big day ...

she has also been awake (they only kept her under for less than 24 hours) ... and communicating via white board with her husband ...

we don't even begin to know the mind of God in these kinds of matters ... but we know that He loves maria ... that Jesus is her Saviour ... all things are kept in the safety of His hands ... and in that we trust ...

we continue to pray ... and again, i thank you, my dear blog buds, for your continued prayer support ...

Friday, March 13, 2009

update ...

this post will make more sense, if you read the previous one first ...

UPDATE on maria:

they sure move fast at this other hospital ... they have sedated maria for a few days, maybe longer, so that they can do the necessary tests on her without increasing her anxiety levels (she remains quite stressed and even fearful) ... they've already done the angiogram ... they know the mitral valve is infected ... they have the antibiotic IV drip going ... 24 hour dialysis ... intubation ... and the surgeon has given her a 50/50 chance ... which really is quite good, considering the weakened state of her body ...

her husband was with her before she was sedated ... and she also got to see one of our cousins (maria is 44 and this particular cousin is close to that age) - who has been her lifelong friend ... i was thanking the Lord for His kindness in giving maria a dear face, of a long loved friend - to look at before going under ... this cousin works at the hospital, and will have access to freely see maria ... which makes us all relieved ...

thank you for your prayer ... maria is now a sleeping beauty for a few days ... if folks dream under sedation, may those dreams be sweet and trouble free ...



Thursday, March 12, 2009

...


where to begin with the next news on maria ... as a family we just stoically look at each other with question marks in our eyes ...

the mitral valve in her heart has failed ... she will need surgery to repair it ... the specialist explained it like this ... if a boat has a hole, you can only empty out the water for so long before it sinks ... that hole needs to be repaired ... even though surgery itself is risky because of the numerous health issues plaguing maria ... it has to be done ...

so last night they moved her from the teaching hospital she had been in (it was a HUGE place) ... to the smaller (relative term!) hospital where heart surgery is performed ... she is in the ICU there ... and of course, dialysis is also done at this hospital ...

i was able to chat with maria before the move yesterday ... she had been complaining about the bad hospital food and also boredom of the same old hallways - "be careful what you wish for" she said ... now she has a whole new kitchen, who's food she gets to sample as well as different hallways ... and a new nursing staff to get to know ...

i don't know what else can fail on that poor girl ... but this upcoming surgery (date unknown) is definitely a concern ...

keeping you in my loop ... and maria sent her heart felt (leaks and all) thanks for your prayer!!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

another birthday for maria!


morning!

i sang happy birthday to maria this morning ... the first one of the family to do that! *smile*

she sounded good ...

tho' yesterday she had to have emergency dialysis again because she was suffocating in water ... :o( ... but this morning was better ...

she was sharing about the monotonous hospital food ... she was so tired of it ... but her hubby had made her some muffins last night and he was going to bring her one today - with a tim horton's coffee ... she was looking forward to that ...

i reminded her about what we had talked about previously ... that God can use each of us exactly where we are ... then i said "remember life is an adventure ... and none of us gets out of it alive ..." she laughed ...

just sharing another maria birthday - one we didn't think she would see ... God's ways are not our ways ... nor His plans our plans ... blessed be our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! we can safely rest in Him - and isn't that the best place to be on a birthday ... or any day!

blessings on your day!

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

mid week note

i've been bumping into psalm 23 all week ... i found this wonderful little poster that seems to cover much ground with few words and a simple picture ... plus there is greenery to look at ... *smile* ... yup, this is definitely the time of year that i long for colour ...

it's also the time of year that i go into my shell ... getting ready for rebirth? for spring? maybe ...

my sister maria's birthday is just around the corner ... on march 10th ... she is hoping to be home for that day ... but she hasn't been able to walk the hallway yet, so we'll see ... plus she still has that nasty hospital bug that put her in isolation ... but as always, God amazes my unbelief with signs and wonders ...

time to go think of green pastures ... and lying down ... and rest ...


blessings on those who pass by this way ...

Monday, March 02, 2009

daily light on the daily path ...


"God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering."

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. - But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength.

So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continues to do good.

GEN 41:52, 2Cor. 1:3-5, 1Peter 1:6-7, 2Time. 4:17, 1 Peter 4:19

taken from today's reading in Daily Light on the Daily Path - short scripture readings for the morning and the evening ... it has blessed the socks right off my feet ...