Momrn2 over at My Quiet Corner did a post on life being hard. Great post! One of my favorite verses has been John 16:33b....."In this world you will have many troubles. Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." The first time this scripture really came to life for me was when a campus outreach student worshipping in our church quoted it....she was here from one of the Eastern European countries. She knows what it means as a Christian in a non Christian country to have troubles. Yet, her face was glowing, smiling.
Yes, if you live long enough you will have problems. Thankfully, underneath those who trust Him are those everlasting arms. Many times I hold on to the branch above not quite sure if those arms can hold me and my baggage. Then I discover that the branch is the "True Vine" and I am holding on for dear life through every wind and wave of trouble.
This was actually a pretty good weekend though. Two of our sons were were here and we enjoyed visiting and catching up....oh, the youngest did happen to bring his tuition bill! After we fainted, we went out in the backyard and picked some money off the money trees :) and sucked it up and wrote the check....how many more years does he have???
Today after church and lunch, they left to go home, so all is quiet at our house. The dogs and cats, the husband and wife, we are all tired! So this afternoon it was naps for all! I just know a great week is ahead! So to all, a good week!
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Days of tears and laughter
This was a day of tears and laughter...all of our eyes must be really beautiful. Some of you may remember Sophia Loren saying "Your eyes cannot be beautiful unless they've cried". So we are all real pretty today! I was so proud of my friend. She was so strong and even though she will miss her mother so badly, she was so filled with grace today that it could ONLY be the Lord. A preacher friend flew in to do the service and it was just perfect. Although there were tears, there were many memories that brought laughter to everyone.
My sister came from Pensacola, so sweet! Katie and Mary Grace came with their dad and his wife. The lady that died was one of three women in the church that went with their mother to Mayo in Jacksonville and stayed and cared for her, so she meant a great deal to that family. Sometimes when I read my posts, I wonder if anyone understands my ramblings!
It has been an exhausting week for this family and I'm praying they get some good rest now, knowing that Rubye is with her Savior. "But we do not want you to uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" 1st Thessalonians 4:13 I am terribly sad for those who have no hope.
My sister came from Pensacola, so sweet! Katie and Mary Grace came with their dad and his wife. The lady that died was one of three women in the church that went with their mother to Mayo in Jacksonville and stayed and cared for her, so she meant a great deal to that family. Sometimes when I read my posts, I wonder if anyone understands my ramblings!
It has been an exhausting week for this family and I'm praying they get some good rest now, knowing that Rubye is with her Savior. "But we do not want you to uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope" 1st Thessalonians 4:13 I am terribly sad for those who have no hope.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
The good things and the good things.
I was going to write about how sad yesterday was, but then I remembered this verse from Ecclesiastes 7.....
"A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better
than the day of birth."
My friend's mother died yesterday. It was the first time I have ever seen a person die. It was amazing. It was as if the angels came down and got her soul and quietly took her to heaven. We actually didn't know she had died until the nurse came in and said her heart had stopped. So her pain is gone, she is in the presence of our Savior. She was surrounded by the three people she loved most in this earth....her husband, daughter and grandson. She had been air ambulanced home Saturday from Houston so she could be home. But we also know that the coming days are a "time to mourn" and I am praying for peace for her family and comfort for the days to come. She will be greatly missed but we know she is home at last!
"A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better
than the day of birth."
My friend's mother died yesterday. It was the first time I have ever seen a person die. It was amazing. It was as if the angels came down and got her soul and quietly took her to heaven. We actually didn't know she had died until the nurse came in and said her heart had stopped. So her pain is gone, she is in the presence of our Savior. She was surrounded by the three people she loved most in this earth....her husband, daughter and grandson. She had been air ambulanced home Saturday from Houston so she could be home. But we also know that the coming days are a "time to mourn" and I am praying for peace for her family and comfort for the days to come. She will be greatly missed but we know she is home at last!
Joy and weeping are so intermingled. The above pictures are from Katie's bridal shower. Katie is standing and I'm sitting on Emily's lap with Mary Grace beside me. This was such a happy day, except we missed Carol who was flying back from Houston. The shower was fun except for the part where I spilled my glass of tea on the carpet, then spilled the next one too! I doubt I'll ever be invited to anything else at her house. I did offer to pay for getting the carpet cleaned....on our way out, one of the hostesses, her named just happened to be and I'm not kidding Lucky, dropped a wine glass and broke it, so I felt a tad better. Yes, I know that is not very nice of me, but I am always the clumsy one and it felt good to share to glory!
Everything was wonderful and I can hardly believe that Katie will be Mrs. Benoit in a little over a month.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Things are so busy
These days, it seems like all everybody does is go and go and run by here and there never slowing down.
Last nite I had a wonderful dinner with two of my friends that I have known for 30 or more years. We were Baptist Young Women together...we know each other's pasts. We know the history of each other's children so we never have to wonder if we should say this or that, we know that we each understand the other. We sat on the back deck of a local restaurant and watched the sun go down into the bay in a glorious red huge ball with gorgeous colors shooting through the clouds. One of my friends who has had so many more tragedies in her life than most of us, made this comment...."How can anyone look at that and not believe in God the Creator? Because this happens every day, no matter what else happens this is consistent, it is the same every day, our personal worlds can be falling around us, but that big, beautiful sun is going to rise every morning and set every night." And all we have to do is see it to be able to give glory to God. It was a nice break in a busy week.
Today was busy with two doctor appointments for my mother. Then tonight we had Russell's parents and his nephew and wife come for supper. Thankfully Russell loves to cook because I didn't walk in the door until after 4:30 p.m. I quickly cleaned the guest bathroom, ran the vacuum and straightened up...otherwise known as a lick and a promise! Oh, but don't hold me to that promise now. We had a delightful time together. We feel so blessed to have such big loving families. 
So, thank you Lord. Thank you for a break and thank you for time with parents and with nephews and nieces!
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Trying to lighten it up
This morning I put my friend on a plane to go out to the cancer hospital where her mother is dying.....she's so sad. Even when we know that as Christians this is not our home and that death is our doorway to everlasting life, the ripping away of our parents, our friends, our siblings, whoever is leaving this earthly dwelling, is hard. Those of us, her friends, wish we could do something, we take care of her dogs, we make sure her mail is taken in, one is mowing her yard, the only things we can do. The family's prayer is that Rubye can come home for the last few days of her life. It has been a hard year with a lot of sickness and suffering either physical or mental or emotional....this has been the year of the emotional rollercoaster ride.
On the way to the hospital, I tried to lighten things up a little, so I told Carol to be sure if she went to the bathroom to push the vacancy/occupied latch securely! That is because 15 years ago, I, a very unseasoned traveler and my younger son boarded a plane to California to see my granddaughter. I was scared to death of flying, Granddaughter was the ONLY person or thing that got me on that plane. We stayed for 8 days, do you hear me people? 8 days with a newborn, a couple of new parents, one of which was my son who can be very temperamental and my younger son who was very hyper! Even though it was the thrill of my life to take that baby in my arms for the first time as a new grandparent, 8 days was too long, take my advice, 8 days is TOO LONG. On top of that I turned 40 while we were there. Three days into the stay, I slipped upstairs to a phone and begged the airline to change our tickets to go home earlier, but no deal. So after 8 days of sleeping on a cot, playing with and loving on a new baby and driving all over San Diego in 25 lanes of traffic going very fast (I may have exaggerated about the lanes) , a very tired grandmother and her son boarded the plane for the trip home. I was exhausted beyond, well beyond. In the plane, in the air, I needed to visit the rest room, so I got up slithered past the stewardess, I mean flight attendant and got in line. Finally, my turn came and I went into the rest room for the first time ever in a plane. I pushed the latch and was sitting on the you know what with my head resting on my arm so so tired, when suddenly the DOOR OPENED, that's right folks, you have got to push that latch hard! When the door opened and the very embarrassed man jumped back and pulled the door closed, I turned my head to the mirror and thought, man I look tired. Then I thought well, I can pull my big girl panties up and go back to my seat or I can sit here until the plane lands which was about 5 hours away. So summoning up all the dignity I had left, I walked out with my head held high....the man was no where to be seen, but a young girl was smirking.
The point of that very long story is that I told Carol to be sure to make sure the rest room door was securely locked. She had not flown in 30 years. She called me when she got to her first stop and told me that she had to hold hands with the lady sitting beside her! To heck with the rest room visit!
I said all that to say this, there must be laughter with your tears. Life is short.
On the way to the hospital, I tried to lighten things up a little, so I told Carol to be sure if she went to the bathroom to push the vacancy/occupied latch securely! That is because 15 years ago, I, a very unseasoned traveler and my younger son boarded a plane to California to see my granddaughter. I was scared to death of flying, Granddaughter was the ONLY person or thing that got me on that plane. We stayed for 8 days, do you hear me people? 8 days with a newborn, a couple of new parents, one of which was my son who can be very temperamental and my younger son who was very hyper! Even though it was the thrill of my life to take that baby in my arms for the first time as a new grandparent, 8 days was too long, take my advice, 8 days is TOO LONG. On top of that I turned 40 while we were there. Three days into the stay, I slipped upstairs to a phone and begged the airline to change our tickets to go home earlier, but no deal. So after 8 days of sleeping on a cot, playing with and loving on a new baby and driving all over San Diego in 25 lanes of traffic going very fast (I may have exaggerated about the lanes) , a very tired grandmother and her son boarded the plane for the trip home. I was exhausted beyond, well beyond. In the plane, in the air, I needed to visit the rest room, so I got up slithered past the stewardess, I mean flight attendant and got in line. Finally, my turn came and I went into the rest room for the first time ever in a plane. I pushed the latch and was sitting on the you know what with my head resting on my arm so so tired, when suddenly the DOOR OPENED, that's right folks, you have got to push that latch hard! When the door opened and the very embarrassed man jumped back and pulled the door closed, I turned my head to the mirror and thought, man I look tired. Then I thought well, I can pull my big girl panties up and go back to my seat or I can sit here until the plane lands which was about 5 hours away. So summoning up all the dignity I had left, I walked out with my head held high....the man was no where to be seen, but a young girl was smirking.
The point of that very long story is that I told Carol to be sure to make sure the rest room door was securely locked. She had not flown in 30 years. She called me when she got to her first stop and told me that she had to hold hands with the lady sitting beside her! To heck with the rest room visit!
I said all that to say this, there must be laughter with your tears. Life is short.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
No Boasting
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."
Once again today we listened sadly as the doctor talked to us about Russell's dad's cancer growing again. When we first started this journey, we didn't expect papa to live very long....he's still with us 10 1/2 months later. That doesn't sound like much time, but we have enjoyed every minute of that time. Now, as then, we say God and God alone will determine how many days papa lives, as He does with each of us. We plan to take Russell's parents to North Carolina for Thanksgiving with Russell's sister and a lot of the grandkids, Lord willing!
One strange and really unimportant fact.....papa was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, the fastest growing kind, which when killed in the lung (I guess they try to kill it) moves to the brain. His never responded to the treatments except that maybe they kept the mass from growing faster. Now that the treatments have ended, it has started growing again in the lung, but is growing slowly and has not spread anywhere else, which the doctor says is also not how the disease "is supposed to behave".
We really don't know why this disease is not behaving like it usually does, but we believe that God is controlling the behavior of this thing and not a medicine or doctor. Please pray God's mercies on papa and so many that are diagnosed daily.
Once again today we listened sadly as the doctor talked to us about Russell's dad's cancer growing again. When we first started this journey, we didn't expect papa to live very long....he's still with us 10 1/2 months later. That doesn't sound like much time, but we have enjoyed every minute of that time. Now, as then, we say God and God alone will determine how many days papa lives, as He does with each of us. We plan to take Russell's parents to North Carolina for Thanksgiving with Russell's sister and a lot of the grandkids, Lord willing!
One strange and really unimportant fact.....papa was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer, the fastest growing kind, which when killed in the lung (I guess they try to kill it) moves to the brain. His never responded to the treatments except that maybe they kept the mass from growing faster. Now that the treatments have ended, it has started growing again in the lung, but is growing slowly and has not spread anywhere else, which the doctor says is also not how the disease "is supposed to behave".
We really don't know why this disease is not behaving like it usually does, but we believe that God is controlling the behavior of this thing and not a medicine or doctor. Please pray God's mercies on papa and so many that are diagnosed daily.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Can it be October??
Can anyone explain WHY times goes faster as we get older? I can hardly believe it is October and I'm already having to eat halloween candy. Sigh.....I really need to work on my self discipline.
If you carefully look at the bottom of this postcard sent to me by my traveling sister, you'll notice I actually have a canyon named for me....an honor I must say! Looking at those rapids, you would have to be a crazy person to be there. In case any of you want to go pay homage, it is in the Bighorn National Forest. My sister, Cathy and her husband, Dick have been on a several state tour going to Utah, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming and into Montana. Just doing American traveling! They have a lot of great pictures and as soon as I learn how to upload them from shutterfly to this blog, I'll try to share them. Don't hold your breath!
Our KOHLS opened!!! I rushed over today and walked around the store twice, but didn't see anything I just had to leave with, and believe it when I say that wasn't easy! I am trying to find some of the wide leg trouser-like jeans and I'm having NO luck at all! We don't have Old Navy. I know I could order them, but I really need to see what they look like on first! Cause things that look good on the internet often turn out sooooooo different on my body.
Hope everyone had a great Monday. Actually it was a fairly quiet day here. :) Love it!
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