Suffering

I read this quote this morning
There is seldom a line of glory written upon the earth's face, but a line of suffering runs parallel with it.F.W. Faber

This verse is posted with it "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Rom 8:18 NIV

I have studied people who have incredible joy, who have incredible peace, who have something worthy saying and often they are people who have endured much suffering. Why is it that we have to walk the valley of suffering to understand joy and peace? Why do we have to walk the valley of suffering to have credibility?

I also know people who have suffered much who are very bitter. I believe suffering comes to all of us but we have a choice as to what we do with it. I pray that through the "sufferings" and the "pain of life" I have to walk, I will choose to "look up" and "reach out" as I believe it helps me to become stronger ... build muscle and endurance.

I just happened to read this thought this morning and wanted to record my thoughts as I was contemplating them.

Creating Chaos

Have you ever noticed that when you want to "improve" your home, your room, your yard, your closet...you have to create chaos first. You have to empty out the closet, or work around the obstacles to paint, upgrade, or organize. That is the state my basement is in right now...organized chaos. It is such a mess but it will be well worth the mess to get it back to enjoy again. We had a washer hose break a year ago. Now we are ripping out carpet, wallboard, filling drywall, sanding, painting, putting new flooring in and all that jazz. Then as we were moving furniture around from the 80's the legs broke and so now we have to get new furniture!!! Good plan anyway. The springs were shot due to 20 years of kids jumping on it or sleeping on it!

I often think of things like this for "spiritual" lessons. What is my life needs to be re-arranged, sorted out. Sometimes I have to get messed up a bit to sort it through and get back a perspective that may be different but good. Sometimes there are things I just have to chuck out. Interesting!

Just some food for thought.

"Friendship" Loaf

Friends are so wonderful. Erin left me this "starter" to try a cinnamon loaf. It looks delicious...the recipe that is. I'll tell you next week how it tastes ... maybe!!!

This starter is in a little sealed container on my desk. I was going about my day...answering the phone and all. As I was talking to a patient on the phone, the lid on this container blew behind me and I thought I'd been shot. I turned quickly to see little batter spots here and there on my desk. I had to quickly apologize to my patient and explain what had just happened ... in a professional manner. I now hahave a new name for this "friendship" loaf. #*!#!*"!!""**//

Don't Worry...Be Happy

I woke up with Philippians 4:6 on my mind. I looked up the chapter and the verses surrounding it. Here is what the Living Bible says...

"Always be full of joy in the Lord: I say it again, rejoice! Let everyone see that you are unselfish and considerate in all you do. Remember that the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don't forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus."

I'm so thankful for the years I've spent in the Word because there are days when I wake with a verse in my heart and I know God is reminding me He is with me. It's awesome.

The older I get, the more I'm in need of Him as it seems the tests we face are tougher than ever. I guess that is preparation. In my intimacy with Him though, there is confidence and assurance that I'll get through the journey ok. I know this sounds kind of "old school" but believe me I need to remind myself daily of His faithfulness...His rainbows...His promises.

Amazing

Well here we are and each day we see another answer to prayer. The CT scan got fixed so they were able to check Lee again. He had been up in a recliner chair on Monday but yesterday his hemoglobin dropped drastically and they did another CT scan & found his spleen to be enlarged. Prayer was launched and he is doing much better today. It is a constant prayer battle so let's win this thing. He will be kept in the hospital till sometime next week. Step by step ... prayer by prayer we are trusting the Lord for ALL the details to work out ... from health care, their car, their insurance, their emotional health, etc. We as a family have walked through MANY HARD trials and we know prayer is KEY. Thanks to those of you are hanging in there with us. BLESS you. We certainly know what it means to belong to a "bigger" family at a time like this!

Update

Lee & Jen are in pain but they will have to now walk through the healing process. We are so grateful that they are alive and we are thankful their dog was found and is okay too. Today we have been totally exhausted. What a nightmare. Thank you to all who have prayed. Lee has still not been able to have more than a liquid diet. The CT scan at the hospital is down so they haven't been able to do another CT scan to see inside his body but so far all blood work, all urine specimens, etc. have been good.

I had another call today that is so disturbing. Like is life ever "normal" but then what is "normal". My brother said "In this world we will have trouble BUT ... we have hope and we will be overcomers." When these events seems to come our way...they are hard but we know that we know we have a faith that will see us through.

Not a Way You Want to Wake Up

This has been quite a day! This morning my phone rang at 7:30 AM. It was my brother from Manitoba and I could tell by his voice something was wrong. My mind raced ... where my parents okay? Had something happened to one of his girls? He proceeded to apologize for calling so early and I'm thinking just tell me what is wrong. He finally said "Lee and Jen have been in a serious car accident and Lee is not doing well." Lee is our 27 year old nephew and Jen is his wife. Lee & Jen were on their way home for a week's holiday. Jen was driving and Lee was reclined and resting. A 1/2 ton pulled out right in front of them and Jen t-boned them. Jen remembers bodies flying everywhere. One of the young people were killed and some have been taken to Wpg. They had been drinking and did not stop at the crossing. Jen didn't even have a chance to brake. We have been crying out to God and it seems Lee has internal bleeding which they are waiting to see if he needs surgery. Jen is cut and bruised but okay. They can't give Lee even a drink as he may have to be taken into surgery. Please all who read this ... pray. God has already answered prayer as Lee & Jen's dog escaped the car and Jen was trying to catch him but when the paramedics realized she was driving the car, they pinned her down and put her in the ambulance while they got the jaws of life to extract Lee from the car. Lee is talking and knows everyone but is needing some huge healing in his body. He will be off work for 6 weeks at least. We are just so thankful that he and Jen are alive. We have walked with a couple of families who are dear friends who have lost family members in car accidents and the grief is so hard. But I do feel like a wrung out dishrag tonight.

Last night I was watching the news and I realize that one of the young men who is "wanted" for murder is a boy my son went to public school with. Oh the sorrow!

On a more positive note ... my husband blessed me with a dozen roses and a little note just thanking me for working so hard. It has been a tough week. I've worked 50 hours between my 2 jobs. I'll get some rest and tomorrow will be a new day. On a day like today you realize how precious your family truly is.

Itchy

Have you ever itched? Like I mean when you feel like there are little itsy-bitsy feet running over you? I have been having a very itchy week. I must be reacting to something I'm eating but I can't figure out what it is! I'll get little blotches on my hands then behind my ears, then in my ears, then on the tops of my feet and then well you get the picture! It's a scratchy, irritable feeling! I've been asking God to show me what is causing this. I had a friend who had something similar happen to her and it was a total spiritual battle so I need discernment. I'm praying to discover what is causing this or for grace to sustain me as I endure through it! It is most bizarre! I had an allergy to poison ivy when I was a child and I didn't even need to go near the stuff. I'd smell it in the air...or my nose would and my body would react like big time. I would swell up so bad that the blisters would cause my hands to look like they were webbed. It was gross. I out grew that and then when my son was born, I developed an allergy to seafood which I love. I don't go near it now as my throat swells shut. So whatever is causing this blotchy, itchy patches to appear and disappear and appear and disappear is driving me a little mad. I have to work 60 hours this week so I'm really taking one day at a time.

In spite of the itch thing...I'm having another amazing week as I've listened intently to many tell me their stories of life. Boy...all I can say it doesn't matter how old a person is...there are "huge" issues out there that need miracles.

Blessed

What an absolute wonderful weekend. I realized I had not been out of the City for a weekend since last October. We opened up our motorhome and rested. I walked miles and enjoyed the trees waving at me, the birds chirping some praise song and the loads of dragon flies that endlessly darted in front of me. I think they were mad that I had invaded their space.The weather was awesome. I slept so sound and all through the night. I wasn't waiting up for my sons to come home! What's up with a mother constantly wondering if those boys are okay. I totally trust them, it's the other weirdo's out there!

We attended the service at Word of Life in Red Deer on Sunday. It's much bigger than I imagined. I then sat by the water for 20 minutes and got burned. I just love sitting by the water and listening to the waves lapping against the shore and hear the rustle of the leaves as they gently move in the breeze. The smells of summer are quite alive too. The smell of grass coming alive, the odours of all the different trees is soooo summer! For those of you with allergies, it's a nightmare.

We also enjoyed barbecuing our meals. What a treat to have meals. We are so rushed at home that it is a rare time we get to sit and enjoy a meal.

I must have thanked my husband a dozen times for taking me away. He travels so much that I'm sure staying at home would have been his preference but I embraced every minute of this weekend with extreme thankfulness. It was so nice to "be still".

There were so many times I just felt God's love wrapping His arms around me and refreshing my spirit. It is so hard to describe but it was awesome. I finished reading a book "Hosting the Holy Spirit" that I want to re-read. There were a couple of chapters particularly that I just kept saying "wow, wow". I felt we actually have lived through some of those experiences of revival. I came home totally blessed!