On Sunday I had the privelege of being a part our congregation’s congratulations to one of our members on his ninety-ninth birthday.
He sits tall in his second row pew every Sunday morning, and two weeks ago helped one of his daughters celebrate her seventienth birthday.
Does it get much better than that?
Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he who will sustain you. Isaiah 46:4 NIV
Don’t ask me why I thought about this topic; it’s just the way my mind works sometimes. These are just a few of the things we say about time:
Time heals all things
Time is money
Time stood still
Time is of the essence
Time flies
It’s about time
The time is right
Time out…
And this from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (KJV)…
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
There is a young man, Ryan Bell, a former pastor who is questioning his faith. In January of this year he decided to give up on God and try atheism for one year. His blog is called Year Without God.
I can’t even imagine going on a journey like that, and wonder if brave would be an apt adjective to describe him.
From what I understand, we can give up on God, but God doesn’t give up on us. I’m sure Ryan is on par with the prodigal son right now and I pray he doesn’t have to hit the pig sty before returning to his Father. I’ll be reading more about this young man and his struggle with his faith.
He says he’ll still be blogging at the end of the year and he’ll just change the name to Two Years Without God or A Year With God, depending on who wins the arm wrestling match.
My money’s on God. Even Solomon turned away from God at one time, but returned and wrote the book of Ecclesiastes to describe what he learned. I love that book.
Psalm 30, verse 5 says rejoicing comes in the morning, but there are those of us who find that a shallow promise when our joy is sabotaged by some of life’s events.
Dreaded diseases, death, loss of love, soured relationships, and sometimes just life itself can leave us feeling joyless.
However, Jesus tells us in John 16:20 that our grief will turn to joy. I take this to mean whatever we are suffering will turn to joy.
I really like this promise, and in spite of all else, because of it, at times find myself rejoicing anyway.
Yesterday I wrote about seeing God, and that we’d been told that no one has ever seen Him.
Today I found out where I had heard (or seen) that phrase.
1 John 4:12 says No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (NIV)
Is it any wonder I saw God on Saturday? Love was everywhere that day!
Today’s title is from Isaiah 65:24
Until tomorrow….or whenever 🙂
No more counting…today is the day!
My Precious Life is on its way!
Two scriptures come to mind: This is the day The Lord has made..(Ps.118:24)
Surely The Lord is in this place…(Gen.28:16)
Happy Saturday! Happy Book Launch!
(Can you guess what Monday’s post will be?)
This post is for those who have not already read My Precious Life. It is Chapter Twenty-Nine, The Way I See It, in its entirety. It is about laying down our lives for our friends.
I need to persevere in promoting my book if it is to become a best seller some day. So here is Chapter Twenty-Nine
The Way I See It
A Lesson in Laying Down Your Life
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)
The way I see it, this doesn’t mean that you trade places with the guy tied to a railway track with an oncoming locomotive barreling down on him, or with Jesus on the cross.
In 2004, I worked three days a week at the Canadian Bible Society book store. It was a part-time job that I loved, and had done for close to five years after my forced retirement from the Mustard Seed Gift Shop. It was a perfect match for my spiritual beliefs, retail background, and love of books.
Volunteering at Providence Health Care Centre every Tuesday morning was another activity I loved. A dedicated man and wife team conducted a hymn sing for the residents of the long-term care facility there. My responsibility was to help bring the people to the hymn sing, turn pages for them if they were unable, and just generally encourage them to sing along. Again, it fitted perfectly with my love of music, and a closeness I felt with the older generation, (of which I am one).
Lunch or coffee with friends or family was also a weekly occurrence. At church, I was a member of the Worship Committee, and sang in the choir.
That life gradually changed when Jerry was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2000. It wasn’t debilitating until symptoms of dementia became noticeable in 2002. A once strong and active man became a victim of the dreaded disease known as Alzheimer’s.
In January, 2004, it was obvious that he could never be left alone again, and my life took on a whole new dimension. God had given me an awesome responsibility as Jerry’s full-time caregiver, and in order to carry it out, I was forced to give up my part-time job and the volunteer work I loved so much. Church, choir, and committees were put on a back burner until only God knew when. Likewise, all social activities became painfully few and far between as the task at hand took its toll on the life I once knew.
I had, in fact, laid down my life for my friend. That’s the way I see it.
“….whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)
My Precious Life is available in E-book, soft cover, hard cover, and can be purchased online at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.uk, Barnes and Noble, Westbow Press, and numerous online book stores as well as your local book stores.
Thank you for persevering with my perseverence!
I first posted this blog August 1, 2014 and then in again in September of that year and now it needs to be posted again When are we ever going to learn? (I wrote the poem in 1995 and it is still relevant.)
Do you remember a post where I mentioned that a marriage counselor once told me I think too much? Well, you know, he may have been right after all. It seems to me that more of us should do more thinking. I don’t mean random, willy-nilly, helter-skelter thoughts, but deep down, deliberate thoughts that lead to changes in the way we see ourselves and others; the way we see our world and the way we live in it.
In 1995 I wrote this poem called The Victim. It’s about crimes and war and unsound government, and the entire world possibly becoming victim to all of these things. And then thinking about the poem in a new light, I realized that it’s not only crimes and wars and unsound government that hurt people, but the way we treat each other on a daily basis. The sad part of all of this is the take heed part. If we don’t take heed, nothing changes, and if we do?
THE VICTIM
People dead
before their time,
victims
of some heinous crime.
Callous killers,
world’s worst foes,
victims
of God only knows.
Wars created
through sheer greed,
victims
of abnormal need.
Governments
whose rule a hoax,
victims
of the peoples’ votes.
Our planet Earth,
soon indigent,
victim
of our ignorance.
World, take heed!
The time has come
for remedy
lest you become
the victim.
©1995
When I stop and think about it, I don’t mind being the victim of too much thought. Please join me; let’s help make the world a better place by looking at the way we think, and changing what needs to be changed. Only by recognizing that our part in global destruction may begin in our own thought patterns, the thoughts we hold about ourselves and each other, may we be a part of the solution.
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement…Romans 12:3
These words showed up twice in my devotions this morning after I said my usual “What do I write about today, Lord?” prayer.
Some borrowed words will make up part of today’s blog: words from the Bible and other writings. It was John Randolph Price who said “live your life with peace, poise and power” in his book Practical Spirituality. This sounds pretty simple but in reality, is pretty hard to practice when life gives you a smack about the head and ears. But, that is exactly where these words fit in. Pray for peace, practice poise, and feel the Power; God’s power!
St. Peter says, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12)
My current trial does feel quite strange, something I never saw coming nor dreamed would ever afflict me. So, poise is called for, and is forthcoming.
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) Yes!
All this is to say that no matter what surprises life has in store for us, there is an answer.
And so, I come to the end of one hundred blogs in one hundred days. Hurray! To those who have enjoyed and looked forward to them, I say, thank you very much! For those who have not, I apologize. We cannot be all things to all people. I realize that, but it doesn’t stop me from hoping, as this poem I wrote in 1984 implies.
LET ME BE A BLESSING
Let me be an inspiration
to the would-be uninspired,
let me soothe and comfort
when a mind becomes too tired.
Let me have the insight
to know when there’s a need,
let me be a blessing, Lord,
and do a loving deed.
Let me lend a helping hand
without the need to ask,
let me ease the burden
of another person’s task.
Let me bring some happiness
and let there be a time
for me to be a blessing, Lord,
to those whose lives touch mine.
©1984
And now I go forth to live my life, to the best of my ability, in peace, poise and power.
Until we meet again…♥
A dear friend told me yesterday that her oncologist and other doctors have told her “there’s nothing more we can do for you.” And so sent her home to die. She is a beautiful, vibrant woman between middle age and the “golden years”, and in my opinion, too young to have that prognosis.
And so I began to think about this thing called death: how it comes to every single one of us. No one can escape life without experiencing it, and no one can do anything about it. It is our final act of living. What comes afterwards depends totally on what we believe. I choose to believe that although it is our final act on earth, it is not our final act. The curtain may come down, but is drawn up again–for the encore, if you will. (John 3:16) And to me that is super exciting and worth a round of applause.
What we can do something about is the way we live our lives before the final curtain.
Is there some good we can do? Let’s do it.
Is there some habit to break? Let’s break it.
Is there some wrong we have done? Let’s right it.
Is there animosity to be dealt with? Let’s deal with it.
Is jealousy hurting relationships? Let’s trade it for trust.
Is selfishness a problem? Let’s give until it hurts.
Is a dark mood plaguing our happiness? Let’s try to work through it.
Is someone being hurt by our behaviour? Let’s change our behaviour.
Is our life reflecting true love? Let’s make sure it does.
In all life we should try to remember what is commonly known as “the golden rule”: So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…Matthew 7:12. (KJV ) It is so important to remember this.
There are those of us who will do some soul searching, and those who won’t. How will you pave your road to death, and your path to Heaven?
To get back to my friend, she is in fact, dying with dignity, yet still searching for life through alternative ways to kill the cancer that is killing her.
She has discovered the truth of true friendship through the generosity of those who care so much about her, that they are doing everything to help her really live her life to the end.
She is one of the bravest women I know: while facing her own mortality, she is thinking of others, and laying the groundwork for their wellbeing after she is gone.
I’m hoping she will tell her own story on my blog in a few days, if she’s up to it, but in the meantime, may I ask for world-wide prayers for this dear soul who is dying to live?
My Precious Life 