The Day Before...

It is only Wednesday, but not just any Wednesday, it is the day before our Thanksgiving!  It is a huge holiday for so many, I too have shopped and am preparing for our family's feast.  I am blessed to have this privilege. I am blessed beyond measure! 

Sleep is eluding me. Why tonight?  I have a lot to accomplish later this day and being rested would be considered a blessing.  However, I have come to know that when this happens, I am to pray and seek the Lord in this wonderful time of silence.  I am always amazed at what I am called to pray for.  This mornings prayers include the following accounts.

Under my roof just now, hopefully sleeping is a beautiful, young single mom whose child is in foster care.  Her heart is broken, she misses him deeply. She is alone though she has blood relations nearby. They do not want her or her child.  Her stomach is bruised because her mother beat her up. She is emotionally bruised as one is when one is rejected by those who should love you.  She has been trapped by some addictions and longs to be free of them.  She is here as she awaits a spot in a rehab center.  She has waited for this time to come since August. She is new in her faith with Jesus and so open to what He is going to do in her next journey. She is a true delight to have here.

In the next block a family mourns because of a suicide.  The situation is so very sad and ugly.  Evil has been unleashed and the innocents are devastated.  I am blessed to see those who love God walking with the most wounded. 

In a hospital nearby, a young mom has been induced to birth her stillborn baby at 4 months.  Sadness upon sadness just in my tiny corner of the world.  

Why of all times do I choose to write about such pain? Should I not be talking about being thankful? Why, because, we each can make the life of another person bearable if we choose to do so.  If we are too busy help another person, then we are too busy.  Each of us need to look around and there is always a need that you can meet.

Do you need that next Starbucks drink or could you buy a gift card(s) to a fast food place and gift a homeless person with a meal?  Check in with a local food pantry to see if you can provide help or money to buy food for that person who won't be feasting at your table.  Pay for the elderly person's groceries ahead of you or behind you.  As you drive by a home that seems to need a repair or two, this family most likely has deeper needs, slip a grocery gift card in their mail box. If your neighborhood does not have poorer homes, drive to one and find a way to bless them!  Ask a school principle if there is a family in the school that could use some help?  The options are so vast and so close by.  

 ...in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Snap out of it!

I have not blogged for a month, plus.  Life is in the fast zone. There are so many balls in the air and dynamics that to put two thoughts together requires more energy than I have had.

Why blog today?  The answer is I need to reflect on questions I do not have good answers to. I need to place them in writing. Perhaps you, the reader can identify with me. 

I know the 'pat' answers I would give myself on a different day, they are actually quite good.  Good if you are emotionally in a 'great' spot.

The countdown to the closure of a known life is rapidly approaching.  We have been blessed to serve our church for 33 years.  It is time to pass the baton to the next pastor who will lead and love our people, our family.

This is where my melancholy has a hold on me this day.  Ministry is hard, it is exhausting, it is a 24/7 job and most of the work is behind the scenes.  Silence is often golden unless someone's toes have been stepped on or a decision has been made that goes against someones grain.  Word is often out, that there is a 'better' program, church style, worship team, group of people, program/activity system, even communicator at the "church of your choice" down the road.  All of this is true but I love our people, and we are blessed by those we serve and serve with!

December 31, Don and I close the final chapter of our time here at Living Grace Community Church.  I do not know how to handle my grief.   I desire to savor each day because I want to live in the moment that the Lord has blessed me with.   I know in my head that all aspects of life have chapter endings.  I know in my head that my God loves me and has great things in store for me, as I walk into this next chapter.  I know that they will be great, because He is in the midst of the journey.  I know, I know, I know...but my heart is trumping my 'logic and what I know to be true'.

Thanksgiving is this week.  I am blessed with more than I deserve.  I am surrounded by people who love me. We as a family know peace in a world where evil reigns and family's are fraught with discord.   I guess I trying to figure out how to 'mourn' a closure and 'savor' what is. 

I will choose to be grateful and choose to focus on the blessings of the day.  I will make my tears ones of gratitude for what has been, sweet memories of a blessed life.  I will trust the Lord that He will hold my hand through this journey.

Yep! I am one of them!

I haven't posted for a few days, for the intense social media noise is deafening.  The Las Vegas shootings, following the NFL anthem boycotts,  the corruption revelations on every front, the sexual exploits of business leaders and politicians, the rancor and the hate towards seemingly everyone and everything, one more blog with words was too much.  Writing down my thoughts seemed too noisy. 

I am a Christian.  This pronouncement is not a popular thing to claim in this climate or world.  My 'label' will get a visceral reaction from those who know nothing of what true Christianity is. The whys are as vast as the human race.  Often those who 'hate' what I believe,  have never taken the time to study for themselves true Christianity. They make their opinions based on 'sound bites' from others and do not think for themselves. They have formed opinions based on people who say one thing but act differently. The hypocrisy of leaders in their past, may have pushed them from seeking God.  They were disappointed in man, as we all will be.   They may have not gotten their way in a religious setting and walked away.  They may have been abused in a religious setting. They base their feelings towards 'religion' and know nothing of a 'relationship with Jesus Christ. He is not a religion. They might have been wounded by a 'christian'  and now lump every Christian into their enemy camp.  They may hate Christianity because they hate God and want to be their 'own' god. They may hate Christianity for all they perceive, is restrictions for things they want to do. No matter the reason, I am sad for the loss in their life. 

Why am I deciding to put my neck in a noose so to speak, declaring what is dear to me?  Because, nothing is more important than people knowing Jesus Christ! He is not a religion.  He hated the religious system!  We are sinners (look at our world), it is not getting better!  He is the antidote to all of the ills of this world.  Of all 'religions' known to man kind, God through Jesus Christ came to draw us to Himself.  He did not leave us guessing whether we would make it to heaven or not. We actually get a choice!!  Performance is not how He works.   He came knowing we were a mess and offered to clean us up.  He does the cleaning up, we cannot do it on our own.  No gimmicks, no hoops to jump through, no lists of 'to dos'.  Jesus Christ did it all.  

In this 'Age of Rage' ( a new description for our times) with talking heads, mostly angry 'talking heads', shouting at each other with a plan for our lives and nothing good happening, where do you put your hope? Do you really believe that one piece of legislation, one set of politicians, is going to change the world?   No government can control the heart of man!  No government can meet your needs!  When all is said and done and you are alone who will you turn too? 

Before you condemn me for being  a follower of Jesus Christ, can I ask that you check His claims of  being God?  I am not an ignorant, mindless worshiper. Jesus Christ changed my life and gave it meaning!  Do yourself a favor.  Check Him out!  Your very eternity depends upon it. He changes lives for the better.  He brings hope!  

(Curious? Suggested reading: Mere Christianity, C S Lewis (former atheist).  A Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, Bible - Start with the book of John or Mark, the index will find your page.)

Kneel or Stand?

I debated on making a statement in this tsunami of opinions about our "Flag".  I am proud that I am an American.  I am not proud of our country right now.  I am grateful for the men and the women who have fought and are fighting for my freedoms!  Grateful beyond words.  There is no other country in which I would choose to live.  I am ashamed of the infantile actions of those who could influence change for good.  Name calling, temper tantrums, revenge, violence of adults is pathetic at best. 

I am sad that we have bottomed out to the point that if I disagree with you, I must now hate you and fight you and disdain you.   The rancor and the shouting, the positioning of sides solves absolutely nothing.   You are screaming so loud no one hears what you are saying.

The irony to me of this 'hot' topic of whether one should or should not kneel or stand or salute our flag is that in our country we have that freedom.  I respect what our flag stands for!  I will stand!  Our country was founded, as people fled from totalitarian governments!  The price of their fleeing was high and every country in the world has a flag that represents what they stand for.  In the United States of America you are free to go elsewhere you are not forced to stay.  When I return from over seas, I am always grateful that our flag is still flying and I am home safe!

The issues are deeper than 'respect' for the flag.  The issues are that these 'kneelers' have no clue about their true freedoms here.  These athletes have more money and influence than the majority of us will ever know.  The color of their skin has not held them back!  They are in amazing positions that can send them to the 'ghettos', the inner city where good role models are needed and encourage young people who need good role models.  Black, White or somewhere in between,  the color of our skin is forgotten when we give back!   They can and should be change agents. Some are. :)

Twice now in Africa, I  have been invited to visit the King of the Western Provence in Zambia. I am a white American, he is a black African there is no white privilege. He likes what we bring to his table (clean water, schools, clinics, agricultural development)  but he controls all of the cards and we are to be used to serve him. 

By our standards his compound and home are very modest and old.  That stated, he is King and has power over my presence in his world.  No one stands above him, we all squat or kneel.  No one turns their back on him, we leave his presence walking backwards.  As a woman I am required to enter through a side door.  Men go in directly.  As a woman I am to wear a long skirt (I had to wrap my shawl around my long pants if I wanted to be in his presence on my last visit).   We kneel and clap 3x.  We proceed a bit further in our kneeling position and repeat the clap.  This is done until we arrive in reception area.  He has power over his people and in general they do not thrive under his rule.   He went to college here in the US and knows our 'casual' ways but demands that we succumb to his, on his turf.  It is demanded!  He is King.  There is no freedom in his presence.

Kneeling is a form of humility and submission.  Standing (as we do with our anthem) is a sign of strength and pride.  Once again we have this whole thing backwards.

Use your voice, your posture, your resources to better man kind.  

Much will be required of everyone who has been given much. And even more will be expected of the one who has been entrusted with more. 

Luke 12:48 (Bible)

The Sounds of Silence

I sit in 'my' chair, in the wee (wee) hours of the morning!  I am not grumbling today over the fact that my bed is in the next room where I should be.  A place where the average person at 4:00 a.m. is soundly sleeping. 

I am savoring the quiet!  The sound of silence is a sweet gift.  The air space outside has no planes zipping over head.  No cars driving by. No TV noise!  No background music noise!  No people noise!  No 'noise'.  

This world is so loud.  I am weary of the 'talking' heads in our world. The chaos of the world that is fed to me 24/7 via media outlets.  Opinions on everything! The cry of those heads telling me what to do and what to think!  Knee jerk reactions of people, to every single event or comment, that draw hate and fear.  Headlines that feed across my 'smart phone' or 'computer' to create curiosity on a subject.  A subject that I check out, only to find that the headlines are twisted words, to pull me into another rant or partial truth or lie!  Noise, lies, hate, fear, angst, gossip, greed are daily fodder that pull us away from what really matters. God!

The folk song from the '60's Sounds of Silence came to mind as I sat down to write.  I rehashed the words, they are sad and empty. However, the silent times in life are really important! God knew our bent towards chaos and the fears that drive us to absurdity. He knew our bent to others opinions and thoughts instead of His.  He knew we needed silence!

As a follower of Jesus Christ, one who truly believes in God and the Bible being His words to us, I must take note and follow His mandate.  "Be still and know that I am GOD."  This simple sentence comes from a Psalm that describes our world today.  I am a simple human being, here on this earth for a brief time and then I get eternity with my creator.  

I close this days blog with an entire message from God to us. This message was written thousands of years ago, but it speaks to today.   I am guessing there will be some who read this and their rant against life will continue.  God's ways are so above my 'pay grade' that I humbly submit to my human status and trust God to carry me through. I am grateful for this time of silence to be reminded that God is my refuge and my strength. 

Psalm 46 (TLB)

"God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea.  Let the oceans roar and foam; let the mountains tremble!

There is a river of joy flowing through the city of our God—the sacred home of the God above all gods. God himself is living in that city; therefore it stands unmoved despite the turmoil everywhere. He will not delay his help. The nations rant and rave in anger—but when God speaks, the earth melts in submission and kingdoms totter into ruin.

The Commander of the armies of heaven is here among us. He, the God of Jacob, has come to rescue us.

Come, see the glorious things that our God does, how he brings ruin upon the world  and causes wars to end throughout the earth, breaking and burning every weapon. “Stand silent! Know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation in the world!”

The Commander of the heavenly armies is here among us! He, the God of Jacob, has come to rescue us!"

Road Ahead - Unclear

Once again this entry is being written at an hour I usually desire to be sleeping.   My brain is clicking off thoughts like a bullet train racing through towns.  I don't trust the thoughts to be around in the day light, so here I am.

The path to the next chapter in our lives is nearing a major fork in the road.  The past couple of years have been 'quiet' times for me in terms of measuring accomplishments. My family had grown.  My business closed, leadership responsibilities quietly closed and how I measured who I am seemed to be shelved.

As 'retirement' age raced upon us, this term and cultural chapter caught me off guard.  Now what?  "What next?", is how I am wired.  There should always be a 'next'.  Another day and another adventure,  another reason for getting up each day and doing life.  Life is meant to have meaning and purpose.  I wanted 'life' to be on my terms.  Being still before the Lord has been very hard.

As the calendar pages turn quickly, the known is slipping away and the unknown  approaches!  In less than 3 months we change hats.  For the past year I have been, moping and worried. I have been scared and uncertain.  I have been mourning the 'good byes' to what has been a known and not embracing what is to come. My logic reminded me that I really do like change.  My logic told me I was not to worry, God has been more than faithful to me (us).  My logic told me that worry robbed me of the joys of the day or moment.  My emotions seemed to override the 'logic' for too long.  Where was my faith in God?

In the past month God has begun to answer my longings and prayers.  I love a term  I have  coined 'connecting the God dots' when I reflect on my life.  Today, the dots keep popping up and God is showing me He has heard my pleas and knows my fears.  I have yet to see how the dots will connect to create the bigger picture but I know there is movement and He has me covered.

I will connect some of the dots in the days to come.  They are exciting! I doubt that this side of eternity I will ever see the completed picture but I love that some of the dots seem to be making sense.  They truly are God's plans for they are impossible apart from Him. 

Oh Lord, You are shield for me, 

my glory and the lifter of my head!

Psalm 3:3

Uncharted Territory

Hello!  Why am I awake?  I am not a night owl!  I am a morning person.  Not a 1:30 a.m. morning person. A sunrise, 'hello world', morning person.

Of late, my sleep patterns are not to my liking.  But rather than toss and turn I decided to get up and do some writing and reflecting.  No noise, no interruptions, just quiet silence.

It has been almost 3 months since my last blog post.  3 months, but in that time frame my life has sifted quickly and the count down to major life changes has accelerated!  For most of my life, now 67 years, change has been something I thrived upon.  Sometimes the change could be major but even a simple recipe adjustments to 'shake' up a traditional dish would enter my world.  Status quo did not seem to suit me.  Adventure and change were always before me.

This shared,  I have come to realize that I embrace change if, I 'feel' that I have control over those changes.  2017, changes were thrust upon me and 'control' or perceived control was taken from me.  I have not embraced these changes easily.  My faith was weak.  Unfounded fears popped up.  A whirlpool of emotions gripped unlike anything I have experienced.  I was caught off guard and shaken by these emotions! 

As the calendar pages turn and father time moves quickly for me,  I am about embark on a life chapter that is unscripted by me, but the Lord has His finger prints all over it. (He always has!)

I marvel at  simple 'choices' I thought I had made a couple years back and realize now (again) that God was the 'choice' maker. He was setting a course of what was to 'be' in my life and Don's life.  It is wild and mind boggling but exciting to know that He has 'me' covered for what is to come.

I will unpack and pack, in the months ahead 'a lot'.  I am about to chart a course that does not have 'path' known to me.  I do not know how many days I have left on this earth, no one does.  I do know that I long to make them count. I do know that at 67 I have fewer days ahead on this earth than I have behind me.   I also know that my creator, has the path laid out.  I know my life is in for some new 'flavors'.  My prayer is that I will end well and honor the Lord with what is to come.

Variety is the very spice of life that gives it flavor." Wm Cowper  

Unpacking Mongu! Health Options - #2

My last post that I shared with you, was the clinic that Hands of Hope  (http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/), built in the bush of Western Zambia.  It is an amazing building in the middle of 'no where'.  The clinic is well maintained, clean and accessible to 1000's  in the village who had no resources. 

A couple of days into our trip,  as I arrived to teach a knitting loom class (another blog, another day), we were met by Alan.  He was sick and needed to get to the hospital! A divine appointment!! Our driver, Victor,  was able to take him immediately to the hospital.  This trip is about 15 miles from his village into Mongu!

Alan is our 'hero'.  He is a young man from the village of Lutendee, who has made a huge difference in this village.  He helped to oversee the building of the school.  He is the spokesman and communicator between us here in the states and our work in Lutendee.  He has a vision and desire to help his people!

As I shared in the last blog, I am showing to you what most of the world has for health care options. This is the hospital.  3rd world hospitals are like this.  This one was pretty clean compared to most.



The photos are from our visit to see Alan.  He had to have surgery. He was blessed to have been able to get to the hospital.  Remember, the distance between the villages and the town of Mongu is vast. People walk, ride a bike, take an ox cart but vehicles in the bush do not exist!



In 3rd world hospitals you bring your own bedding, your own food and your caregiver is most likely a family member.  Here you can get free medical care, but your treatments come after those who can pay are cared for.  Paying and non-paying patients receive the same services.

The broken ambulance below was donated from another country. It doesn't work :(.  The Chech Republic donated this vehicle. Nothing is new in this part of the world.

         

Circumcision Unit 

Hospital Directory

Emergency Room Entrance

Alan's village

Alan home healing! He lives in an immaculate mud hut!

Pictures are worth 1000's of words.

Access to this health care is hard to come by.  The people are grateful for this place.  Count your blessings!

 Alan is healing well.  We are grateful for this fact!  

Unpacking Mongu! Health Care Options - #1

All in a days work!

Life has gotten in the way of writing.  It is time to catch up on my last journey before my next one begins.  Having been to Mongu, Zambia now 6+ times, I work hard at thinking about what to share.  I recently came from a meeting and the same questions are always asked.  Putting our heads around a culture so different from ours is hard, even with the best of pictures and a good story.

I have several areas of life here in the Western Provence of Zambia that I want to share with you. Each is a unique part of this culture and the way of life. The outside world is changing rapidly, here traditions, poverty and ignorance keep these people trapped.  How do we bridge these 1000's of years traditions into helping them?

Today health care is the topic.  A HOT one here to be certain!!! I thought I would reflect and hopefully show you, what a major part of the world (not just Africa) experiences and allow you to ponder yours.  When I return to the states and hear our moaning, complaining and discontent I want to cry.  We have so much and we appreciate so little.

I will start with the village options.   Hands of Hope (http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/) has made a HUGE difference in the remote villages we work in!  There is new clinic and this time in our visit we saw it in action!!!   Immunizations were being administered.  This activity was encouraging to us! The resident nurse (below) was so excited to see us and show off what was happening! She has been here since day one.  Getting medicine here has been another hard fought victory.  Finally, 'our' people are being helped.  The mortality rate is HIGH, and this clinic has brought some medicine and hope as well.

The pictures below will show you the 'normal' options for those who live in most of  Zambia. I took these pictures in a village a couple years ago as we were building the new clinic below.

Outside of a birthing clinic in a rural village.

Inside of the hut were piles of clothes and a bed.

The above hut/clinic was the option available before Hands of Hope placed a clinic within 'walking distance'.  Below, a beautifully built clinic in the bush!  The walk is still long but hope and help is here!  Buildings, such as the one below are not found in the bush. Women can give birth here if they can or desire to make the trip. I am delighted to be part of Hands of Hope, that has made this facility available to these people!

The villagers dress up to come here!  Bananas are made available for those who wait. 

Immunization Day!

The resident nurse and her patients!

To avoid making this blog too long I am going to end with the clinic and begin a new post with the hospital.  Once again I ask that you reflect on what these pictures depict.  These people are grateful and know they are blessed. 

Most of my blogs will not be promoting Hands of Hope (http://www.handsofhopeonline.org/). 

However, the funds raised on this side of the world ALL go to help these people!  ALL!  I work with them because it is truly an organization that is for the people.  If you want to give, your funds will ALL be used for wells, another clinic (even further out than this one), agriculture eduction and more.   

Someday is not a day of the week!

Each time I return from a trip someone says "someday I want to go with you or....".   Some day never comes!  Someday is not a day of the week.  As the years creep up on me, way too fast, I realize how blessed I have been to take adventures! Since childhood I have looked for ways to explore my world. I desire to nudge you out of the ordinary and into seeing God's creations humans and nature!  Perhaps nudging you to make a difference in someones life by just showing up to help.

My curiosity about life has been as simple as exploring an abandoned old house as a child and finding a closet full of bats, peeking in windows of places I could not enter. walking in a stream bed and delighting in the stones under my feet as I looked for crawdads. Or, in a not so smart move, placing a cigarette car lighter to my lips to see if it really was hot. (It was 😆 very hot.) Cars really did have those gadgets, smoking was a 'cool' habit.  Curiosity opens up your world!

At 67 I am still very curious.  I long to do more adventures and peek into more windows and huts and shanties. For each time I experience a world different than mine, I am reminded that I can learn so much from other cultures and people groups. I can also help in some small way to bring hope or smile if even for a day.   There is a richness in each culture that I strive to find. As I do find it I am able to return home humbled and grateful for what I have learned.

Stop waiting for someday!  It never arrives!  Choose one thing to do and ask the questions necessary to make it happen.  There is never a perfect time for anything!  That is a myth that traps us for life.
My adventures make me tired and some days a bit achy but oh the experiences and memories are so rich and worthwhile.  The chance to help others or to explore our world will change you like nothing else can.

The happiest people I know are those who give to others and step outside of what is comfortable or seemingly predictable to experience life.

"Flip the Buts!"

'FLIP THE BUTS'. 

The title of this blog is taken as paraphrase,  from Tony Evans a renowned pastor.  I do not know the title of the message and I only listened a few brief minutes to his sermon while driving yesterday.  These 3 words have landed deep into my thinking! I have not been able to shake the phrase as I process my thoughts about today and my future.

My faith is being stretched a bit more these days than I am comfortable with.  Generally on a bad day I am a half glass personality.  I find in most situations the good, the blessings, the lessons learned and run with those thoughts to keep me moving forward.  Worry drains me and I hate that feeling.  I hate being down and looking for the negatives in life.

'FLIP THE BUTS'  determines how we are going to succeed and make it through life.  I am a Jesus Christ follower.  No apologies, no embarrassment and grateful!  However, I am human and my faith no matter how many times God has been proven Himself faithful to me, I will waiver from time to time in my trust.

So what does this 'FLIP THE BUTS' look like?

'God is good but life is hard!' vs 'Life is hard but God is good!'
'God is in control but I am afraid!' vs 'I am afraid but God is in control!'

Today this entry is short but hopefully if one is reading this, you will be profoundly moved as I was yesterday and today! 'Flip the Buts' and allow God to show you He loves and cares for you.   The alternative is pretty grim!

The next time the word BUT comes out of your mouth, stop!  Think!
Put God in charge and let Him prove His faithfulness to you (me)!

The Calendar Page Turned

The calendar turned the page and I awoke a year older.  I look the same, I feel the same and from yesterday to today I am pretty much the same.

When I was young I thought old people were a different species.  What has caught me off guard and taught me a huge life lesson is: We remain who we have always been.     Our deep core of personality is us.  Our souls remain uniquely us.  We hopefully mature.  We hopefully become wise. We hopefully have chosen to be kind and forgiving. We hopefully have learned how to navigate life successfully. We hopefully grow into a better person, not a bitter person, but we are uniquely us from birth to death.  

I will embrace today.  I will embrace what this next year will bring.  I know for a fact many life changes are on the near horizon.  In the past I have loved and embraced change.  These upcoming changes have me running to the Lord quite often as I am not as eager to jump into what is 'next'.  I know God has it covered!  He has blessed and cared for me beyond words or comprehension.  I know!

The theme for me this next year is to remember.  

He (God) knows our frame and remembers we are dust! Psalm 103:14  

For the reader who does not know God this may sound very weird.  But it is not!  God created man out of dust.  He created us/me!  He loved His creation and He cares deeply for me/us.  I am a fragile human that is important to the creator of the universe.

What ever this next year brings I will be cared for and carried by the one who created me!

Let year #67 begin!

Day 365

It has arrived!  The last day of 'Route 66- The Sixty Sixth year'. Is time not the craziest thing?
It can seem so slow and then blink, it disappears.

Last year on the 365th day of 65, I was sailing to Cuba! Cuba! One of my top life experiences!

Today, I am home and reflecting on one amazing year.  I LOVE adventures and travel.  God has blessed me with both.  I have no idea why I have been given the opportunities in my life!

However, I will say, I do look for them.  I look for them locally and around the world!  Since I was a little girl I have known there is a big awesome world out there and I want to know about it.

I live in a Mayberry kind of town.  Our income is average for our small community.  I should not by any stretch of the imagination been on the adventures that this past year afforded me.  As I list them here and reflect, I am thinking this is not real.  I have stayed in beautiful places and in the poorest of areas.  I cherish all that I have been blessed with.  I take nothing for granted!

Cuba,  Dubai, Zambia, Honduras, Costa Rica (2x), Oregon, Florida (3x), Grand Cayman, Cartagena, Panama, Cozumel (2x).  Each time I return to Illinois.  All of this during my 66th year!

On this last calendar day, before I begin year 67, I would encourage those who may read this entry to embrace each day that has been given to you.  If you have a 'bucket list', then start filling that bucket! No day is ideal!  I have yet to have a day where my plans have played out as I either desired or orchestrated.  I do know that to have adventures one must not wait for 'someday' or to expect perfection!   It never comes!

None of us knows when our last breath will be breathed.  But I encourage all to embrace each day! Where ever we are placed we have a purpose in life.  Take a risk! Do that thing that is a 'someday' thought.  Someday never comes unless you make it happen.

The Bible, is my source of wisdom and comfort.  I close today with these passages.

Our lives last seventy years
or, if we are strong, eighty years.
Even the best of them are struggle and sorrow;
indeed, they pass quickly and we fly away.

Teach us to number our days carefully

so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.

Lord—how long?

Turn and have compassion on Your servants.

 

Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love

so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days.

 

Make us rejoice for as many days as You have humbled us,

for as many years as we have seen adversity.

 

Let Your work be seen by Your servants,

and Your splendor by their children.

 

Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us;

establish for us the work of our hands—

establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 90:10, 12-17 (Bible) 

How many days have you clocked?

Yikes...the countdown is really going fast!  Am I ready to let that calendar roll over once again?

Ready or not it will happen, 3, 2, 1 days from now! To answer the question, yes I am ready!  We really have no choice, life goes on.

So far I have lived 24,225 days since I was born.  Have you ever added up the days in your life?   When I look at life with total numbers of days or minutes or seconds it is eye popping.  When I look at those numbers I ponder the deep question of, 'Did I live them well? '.

I have to say that as I reflect on many of the days that I remember, I have been blessed and hopefully I have lived most of them well.  Oh, trust me there have been many sad days, angry days, scary days, sick days but OH so many more good days.

Do I like getting old? Not really!  Would I want to go back in time?  Not really!  Do I like feeling disenfranchised as I seek to find my 'next' calling?  Not really! However, with each chapter or actual day for the rest of my days, I am going to embrace the fact that I am here because God has numbered my days.  I am to be about loving Him and loving those He places in my life.   I am certain this focus will afford me the adventures I love and the purpose I am to fulfill.

I know how I am wired and I know that as the opportunities arise to take an adventure, or serve someone in need or be available to pray, that it will happen.   My hope and my comfort are found in Jesus Christ and the promises given to us in scripture.  With out those I would be a blubbering mess, full of worries, scared for my future and fighting for my 'rights' and my 'wishes'.

I do not know who reads this beside me.  I do hope that if there is a reader who does not know God, through Jesus Christ that you do your self a favor and check it out.  Honestly, do your homework your very life does depend upon it.

If I have to sum up my thoughts for todays blog they are taken from scripture.

"Just one thing: Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ."  

Philippians 1:21 Bible 

Make Life Worth Remembering!

I have 7 more days until the birth calendar tells me I have aged another year. Seriously, another year?  This is surreal, didn't that birthday thing just happen?

Those numbers assigned to our life can really play havoc with the mind.  Am I too old to do....?  Well, if I am honest, yes because my body and my mind do not always agree on what is best.  However, I am not going to stop dreaming or planning adventures.  I might just die doing it.  That would be okay for I am enjoying life!

I have found myself pinning and worrying about some chapter closings ahead.  I do not want some of these chapters to close!  I do not want some changes that will come about!  In these emotions though I am realizing that I am robbing myself of the moments I have been given. 

None of us knows when our last breath will be taken.  Each night as I lay my head upon my pillow, I pray and thank the Lord for the gifts He has given to me each day.  Some gifts are being able to trust Him to handle what I cannot. Other gifts are pure joy, both ends of the spectrum include Him.  

I must put off the worrying that is a new habit I find myself pulled into.  I have no reason to worry for God has more than met my needs through out this short life here on earth.  If everything were taken from me today, I have been blessed beyond measure by my creator. 

Tonight another calendar page will turn as the clock continues to tick.  If I am given tomorrow here on earth I have a purpose and privilege to live life to its fullest. 

Have you ever thought or wondered about 'why' you are here and 'what' have you done to make this world a better place?   This is a constant thought for me and as I reflect on this often, I come to the conclusion that I still have things to do and people to meet.  i have people to help and encourage and people that need to know about God.  How this will take place is the adventure I am looking forward to experiencing. 

Wanting to Know!

May 9th.  I have 11 more days in this 66th year.  It has been a wild ride of highs and lows. In a day or two I will recap my adventures for posterity sake. But as I have been thinking through the year, I realize how quickly we forget the good and focus on the worries of the future. 

A lot is going to change for me, known changes at the end of 2017.  7+ months away and I have been hand wringing with worry over the unknown.  Is that not crazy?  The rest of the day is unknown and I am just doing what I do each day.  I live.  I have plans, meetings, chores and I expect to see them accomplished.  Today.  No big deal I am not worrying about today.  

What is it about us humans that we must feel the need to try and control 'everything' in our world.  With today's science, a pregnant woman can know the sex of her child.  No surprises just one more area where we 'think' knowing will make life easier.  We live in a world where we think we can control and know all things.  We crave that information. 

I guess I would long to know what God has planned for me, no surprises. I want a spiritual ultra sound that gives me the 'what next's'' of my life. If I stop long enough to really think about this desire, I know it is a faulty longing.  In my 66 years of life, I have had so many blessings and delights that were not of my doing and dropped into my lap by God, who protects, loves and blesses me! He has been doing this my whole life!  To have known what was coming would be like knowing what is inside a wrapped birthday or Christmas present.  

So today I claim these scriptures from the Bible. 

“So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to. “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time. Mathew 6:32-34 (Bible NLT) 

"Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. "So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.  Mathew 10-29-31 (Bible) 

It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in men.  It is better to take refuge in him than in the mightiest king!     Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is so good! For his loving-kindness is forever.      Psalm 118: 8 & 29 (Bible NLT)