Albuquerque sunset at the end of a relaxing day...

 

Some Absolutes I Live By and Why

 Life is short – eternity is long, but it begins NOW!

This gives me a big picture perspective regardless of my circumstances. It keeps me balanced, knowing that I must number my days, enjoy the blessings and realize that the tests and trials are only for this life…IF you know where you will spend eternity. Prepare and live as though eternity is real life, while making the most of every moment presented to you in this one.

I am not the Master of the Universe, but I know the One Who Is

This One is always good and makes my life an amazing adventure worth living!

 

Life is precious, especially human life

Be careful not to create a new life if you’re not ready to take responsibility for it and provide for it. This is how we get closer to ending poverty. However, it is never a mistake if God chooses to allow you to have a child, but a blessing. If you don’t feel that it is, offer life to a childless couple. They certainly will!

 Also, never end a life unless it is truly in self-defense and all other means have been exhausted.  Always promote peace. Why?...do I really need to explain?

Teach your children how to sustain humanity through stable families with a father and a mother and some siblings if they so choose; but also prepare them to possibly be unable to reproduce. None of us knows the future, and we need to remain resilient.

The Earth is precious, and we must be good stewards of it wherever we are

No explanation necessary.

Truth is truth 

 When two ideas conflict, only one of them can be true.

When feeling down, give thanks

We truly need very little...but gratitude for it makes us feel rich! Make a prayerful "Happy List" starting at the top of your head, that you have a functioning brain...to the tip of your toes, that you can walk. Food, clothing and shelter, acceptance, a sense of belonging for most, security, and for some, a more heightened sense of accomplishment are just about all. When we have everything we need, we can experience so much more joy and peace just using the senses God gave us.

God is never late

When something is broken or missing from your "Happy List", ASK and keep on asking God for it. Everyone knows a watched pot never boils.  Waiting for the Lord is much easier if we just pray, leave our request with Him, and move forward with thanksgiving and gratitude for all He is and all He has done. Don’t get stuck standing over the pot!

 

Try to find the fast, easy way to do things

There are so many things I want to do and experience, even pushing 60, that I can’t waste any time.

Know your limits and never apologize for them

Our bodies and minds are rechargeable, but we must take responsibility to plug in to rest and re-creation. Practice healthy boundaries. It gets easier with practice and many times relationships do too.

Try not to jump to conclusions

Things are not always what they seem.

Speak little and listen much

2 ears and 1 one mouth make this a no-brainer. that.is.all.

 

My girls took me to see Les Miserables last night. It's an old story, and beautifully demonstrates some of these absolutes and more. Much love...

 

 

 

"When we pray for others, GOD listens and blesses them. SO when you are safe and happy, REMEMBER that someone is praying for you and thank God for them and send some blessings back. Prayer is never in vain ... and neither is your life if you pray!" Rosa Knickelbine

Altogether now!...THANK YOU, Lord for listening. Thank You that I am safe and happy. Thank You for those who pray for me. Please bless their socks off! Thank You for each rare and precious life, so valuable that You gave Your own for them.

Just dreamin' today...

The introvert in me had had enough. After spending the morning running to 2 doctors offices, the pharmacy, and dropping something she forgot off for daughter #2 who's traveling tonight, I was ready for me time! That consisted of catching up online and and playing a couple of games. It was a wooonnnderful time. AHHH! Just two more little gifts to get tonight, so daughter #1 treated us to Happy Hour and we made a not-too-bad trip to the mall. I was really surprised and relieved it wasn't busier. Goodnight, Blogosphere.

oh, mary, joseph, rest your eyes
try not to think of the ending
world full of empty, He will die
but tonight He is still just a child

***
 

 the silent night drifts all away
and the angels are dancing around you
there's the joy of knowing He'll save the world
overshadowing the pain that He'll go through

***

have you cursed at the wind
have you cried to the heavens
have you fought with this mercy you don't understand
when the wise men kneel down
to kiss the hand of this king they found
in bethlehem town

***

will you hold back the years a while
will you dream that this man could always be a child
and never carry all the weight
of the dirt and the distance and the company we keep

***

and did the stars shine much brighter that night
you gave birth to the death that would bring us to life
and did the mystery keep you awake
was the sound of His little heart too much to take

***

oh, i don't understand
when the wise men kneel down
to kiss the hand of this king they found

***

in bethlehem town

 

***

Jars of Clay

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Yesterday's adventure was a bump in the road. It involved a mistake, setting boundaries, letting go, remorse and forgiveness. I believe it truly was just a bump because for the last couple of months there have been days that involved grace, concern, fun, transparency, also letting go and respect of boundaries. It was an adventure that was bound to happen. It also left me too tired to write until today.

Today, my craft room has been my refuge. Perfect for a cold and blustery day.

Today was Adventures in Chemo for Michael. His doctor who's very quiet and looks like Santa asked him all about everything and gave us a little grin and said "that's good to hear" at how well he's doing. :0)

Aly and I have been watching The Tudors online. Not too sure about truth, afterall, it's historical fiction. Some joy, but more beauty and love. There's a whole lotta crazy in it, too! Maybe I need to rename my blog.

I'm counting on Heaven being filled with joy like these bring me. A few of my favorites...

 

 

 

  

  

I have no words or pretty pictures today when some parents have only sobs and unopened Christmas presents.

In solidarity with Sandy Hook.

Sorry I can't post any pics of what I did today because it's a surprise! I hope the recipient really likes it. I'm having alot of fun and some tugging at my heartstrings at the same time. Anyone else having fun making gifts?

I can show you where we'll be going to dinner with a dear friend on Michael's birthday gift card. MMMMM! http://www.flyingstarcafe.com/

I fully expect to see some joking comments, lose some friends on Facebook where I spend the majority of my time online, and maybe gain a few more who are in those friends’ “woo woo” category…I just have to finally share this. Especially today! I’ve shared my experience over the last year with just a very few close and highly trusted friends and family members. One of my children still explains it as “the brain” being an amazing thing, even after I told her this morning what had happened. OK, but what part of the brain, or rather, where did the thought to act come from?

I have some online and in person friends who are very “spiritual”, but don’t necessarily agree with me about everything. Those who know me, know that I unashamedly profess my faith in Jesus Christ as the virgin-born, crucified, buried, risen Son of God, the Savior Who has allowed me to look forward to Heaven.

 

Since committing my life to Christ, I have always been very careful to follow God’s rules in the Old Testament about not consulting mediums, witches, the stars or any other occult or pagan practices, but some of my online friends are not so careful. I do believe in the angelic realm, including fallen angels, and am fascinated by science and the direction it’s been going in areas of  “the God factor”, brain science, heart science, healing and bringing spirituality and science together. It is so exciting to me to see more and more science explaining what we read in scripture. I know that numbers have significance in scripture, but I don’t know if this falls under “numerology” as such. It does concern sequences of numbers, especially 1’s…11:11.

Since I was introduced to the idea that there is a “shift” coming, some are looking for the rapture of the church, doomsday or for aliens or angels to come to our aid with amazing new information, I became one of those who began to randomly see these sequences of numbers when I happened to look at a clock. It started at the end of 2010, and became so frequent that I started recording it on my calendar in January of this year.

The Fall of 2010 was a stressful time for me and my co-workers, as the company I worked for was sold and began to downsize. I made it through this time partly because of seeing these numbers, and began to take them as signs that God had dispatched angels to minister to me. As the ax fell on co-worker after co-worker, I was comforted and had no fear of the future. Each time I saw a sequence, I was delighted and calmed. I continued my usual routine every day of spending time with the Lord, reading scripture and praying. The first day I recorded was January 2 – 11:11. Then 11:11 and 3:33 on the 3^rd and 4^th. Sure enough, I was laid off on the 6^th. During January and up until today, it has been at least once every week, usually more than once.

Last night, I woke up and glanced at the clock – 12:12...on 12/12/2012! And then, driving home from the grocery store, again! 12:12! I think you can understand how this has left an impression on me. I plan to continue my daily routine of going to the Lord whether I get hit by a truck, the world ends in 9 days or ET’s come to my door!

What about you? There is so much uncertainty and are so many reasons to be anxious. Can you face the next hour, day, week and eternity with no fear? I never needed or looked for any signs, but I honestly believe that they are a gift to me, maybe because I already believed. My faith in a good and mighty Savior was enough. This has been quite a bonus!

 

 

More Frienemies

My former co-worker went through Michael’s first diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer with me. She was a good support. At the same time, she was going through a major transition moving her mother-in-law from Florida back to Albuquerque to live with her and her husband. They have no children, and she hadn’t really known her mother-in-law very well before this. She and her husband are very active in their Protestant church, so we shared our faith… I came to realize that she was pretty selfish when she complained almost daily about her mother-in-law. She was extremely nit-picky from my point of view, since the lady was ill and not long for this world. They considered putting her in assisted living when she fell, got sick and died. Later, I found out that she had thrown me under the bus. The business was in trouble, and duties were being shuffled around. I was assigned to help her without a pay raise. I was thankful for the job, and I normally did assist her with no complaining as part of my new job description. One day was particularly difficult, Michael was really sick and needed me, so I took an extra long lunch without pay, which put me behind. Near the end of the day, I let her know that I wasn’t able to get to the task. I received a frown, and nothing more was said. A few weeks later, I was called in and reprimanded by our boss. I let it go, eventually was layed off and she went to another job. A few months later, she took me to lunch since she knew I was out of a job and Michael was still sick.

Now Michael has been on hospice, and we had a date for lunch again today…her treat. When I told her that his doctor’s appointment had been changed to a later time, and asked if she could be flexible since she was taking a ½ day off work anyway, she said quite shortly, “No, I’ll be gone.” I told her fine, and I was sorry and maybe we could do it another time. I decided to write her off as a friend. While I was considering erasing her name from my contacts, she called again and said, “I think I’ll change my mind. Where and when would you like to meet? I feel bad.” I’m glad she reconsidered, because I don’t think she has many friends. Maybe that’s why, and maybe she’s changing for the better. It was really nice to get out. Update – at lunch, we were talking about girl stuff and I was saying that my hair is getting too long and I had been cutting it myself. She asked me, “Where do you get your hair done?”. I told her Supercuts, and she said, “let’s go and I’ll get it for you.” I needed to go get Michael at the Cancer Center, so I thanked her and said, no, that she’d done enough. The following week, I got a Supercuts gift card from her in the mail. She’s a blessing, and I’m glad I was able to let a few things slide, be patient and didn’t write her off.

Curt had always been a cynic, irritable, disgusted. The space around him radiated negativity. Now Stephanie’s husband had one more real reason to be so since his back surgery had left him numb from the waist down. Yes, he could still walk, hobble; but he also required a catheter in order to function. Intercourse was out of the question. The verbal lashings she received made sure that any other kind of intimacy was too. Time for another quest, a search for peace on this cool, cloudy summer evening. Stephanie headed out with the dog to walk and pray, run away, try to clear her head for the third time today. “God, if You’re there, I need a sign that tells me Dennis is OK. I am so terrified that he is suffering in hell. He was being rebellious when the accident happened. I never told him, I never knew that I should have been looking for You and teaching him about You. I have so much confusion now myself. All of my watching religious TV and searching the internet has only made me more fearful. God, help me! I am so afraid!” As she rounded the corner she came upon the neighbors walking too. “Hi! How are you? How’s your husband doing?”, Matt asked. How do I word this? she thought. She grinned a strained smile, shrugged. “He’s…” a pause. “Not doing too well?” asked Dina. “I think he’s depressed”. Matt agreed that he sure had reason to be, and so did she! “Are you taking care of yourself?”, he asked. Matt himself had recently undergone a knee replacement and had also had back surgery a few years ago, so he really understood. He had been so nice and friendly and even got Curt to snicker and smile a few months ago when he was walking by and stopped to talk. “You should check with his doctor and get something to help. There’s no reason to suffer with the new medications they have. You should check it out for yourself, too!” Matt suggested. “Well, I tried something when our son was killed, but it didn’t really help.” “Oh, no…your son was killed?" asked Dina. “I’m so sorry. What happened.” Stephanie went on to explain that it was a shooting accident. “I think I remember hearing the news when that happened! Well, no wonder he’s depressed. We’ll pray for him. What’s his name?” Instantly, she knew that God had heard her own prayer. Matt and Dina took turns telling her all of the battles they’d been through for so many years, the latest being Dina’s lay-off and also Matt’s cancer before the back and knee surgeries. “Wow. Really?!” “Are you a Christian?” she asked Dina. “Yes, I am”. Stephanie tried to hold back her excitement. “Well, I had a really close friend, our neighbor who was a Christian, and she used to beg me with tears to become one. She moved away, but even came back to help me through the grief when we lost our son.” “Would you like to come back to our house and talk some more? I need to get home and check my chicken in the oven. “Dina asked. Stephanie hesitated. “Well, I’m just starting my walk, and it really makes me feel better.” “Ok, how about I call you when we’re finished eating?” “OK, sure.” Stephanie said. Later, as they walked, they discussed all of the confusion on TV and the internet. “When Danny died, I started watching EWTN, the Catholic channel and praying the rosary. It was really comforting to me. Now I’m learning all kinds of things on the internet about the Vatican, nephilim, aliens…it’s so shocking and makes me so sad and afraid! I feel really uncomfortable even talking to you about it. Have you ever seen anything like that?” “Yes, I have. You know there’s a lot of mis-information as well as dis-information. We need to be very careful of what we believe…discerning of what we see. It’s the Holy Spirit Who guides and teaches us when we know Jesus.” “Yes, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, right?!” Stephanie was not just interested, and she said so. She was famished and nearly dehydrated for spiritual insight. She talked about her other Christian friends and their warnings about astrology and yoga, which she had also practiced. “I really need some answers! I’ve barely been sleeping and researching all this for two weeks straight! My husband thinks I’m losing it!”

On my mental decorating calendar, it's half-way through summer, and I've been behind ! Michael's cousin Kris is coming for a visit, so I got busy. Here's our entryway. The charcoal drawing with the bamboo frame hung in my parents' house until they moved here. Michael had insisted that we buy it for them on our honeymoon in Hawaii.

Here's a close-up of my parents' beautiful shell ashtray - Mom never smoked, but we lost her going on 3 years ago.

On to the living area mantel. I was planning to paint a seascape to be the focal point, but instead decided to grab our print of dolphins from the bathroom. I wanted an asymmetrial, refreshing look, not too matchy matchy, including some black and white photography. I started out with a large conch shell to the right of the print, moved the candle from left to right, and finally came up with this...

The pilot in the photograph is Michael's Dad, whom I never met. He passed away before Michael and I met. Besides being perfect for the black and white element, I thought Kris would like to see his uncle's picture. It also fits in with the ocean theme, since he served in the Pacific during WWII. Of course, it fits with "The Travelers" print as well. The built-in bookshelves on either side of the fireplace were feeling much too cluttered. I stored away alot of books and even left only one large item on two of them.

TA DA! Perfect for our visitor and our staycation, too!

NEW POST ON 'WHATCHA GOT' TAB TODAY!

NEW POST ON 'WHATCHA GOT' TAB TODAY! :D

Which one is not worth keeping? Just sayin'...

I actually put my ideas from yesterday's post into practice, and it worked out GREAT! Three people with pretty different perspectives actually got each other thinking in new directions. Something I should add to the very few rules would be to ask/grant permission to change the subject during discussion. Any thoughts out there in Blogland?

There are introverts and extroverts and people all up and down this spectrum. I am an introvert according to the Myers-Briggs test. You may think that means I don’t like people, but I really do. I think people are mostly like me, and most of you probably think the same way. How boring would THAT be? Gotta work on that. In fact, some of my favorite people are extreme extroverts until they…well, not going there in case you find yourself in one of my “irritating” categories! In my experience, we can learn from each other. We learn by communicating, but that’s hard to do when an introvert is afraid to be seen as pushy, and an extrovert is being a bulldozer…good way to make a mountain out of a molehill! Every emotionally and mentally healthy person wants to have a better life. Some even want to make the lives of others better. So how do we communicate in order to help ourselves and others out and accomplish some things? This post was prompted by someone on a Social Networking site wanting to know some convincing come-backs for those who get stuck on blaming. This takes place much more than it should between intelligent adults with serious concerns in many arenas of life. It’s one thing to remind someone of history, and another to stay stuck there. Regardless of intro- or extraversion, everyone please visit here first THE BLAME DUMP: Go ahead, get it all out. It's not going to make anything better. Only save what you need for later to make any point before offering your solution. Ahhhh. That feels better, doesn't it? Now, if you’re the introvert, here are some suggestions. Before or the minute a discussion starts, ask permission, or agree to discuss within guidelines. If you’re the extrovert, remember to speak little and listen much (why God gave us two ears and one mouth?). Don’t take this personally, afterall, whatever you’re discussing is important to you and those you love, right? And we’re trying to find solutions! For everyone - No namecalling with only one foul allowed. Namecaller must apologize. One foul allowed for blaming. Call FOUL when necessary! Hear them out and if there's truth, say, "That may be true. Now let's discuss your solution." If there’s more than one person in the discussion, don’t leave the refereeing to someone else. BE the facilitator when necessary – FACILITATE discussion! ...and now - DISCUSS in comments! P.S. Any friends who've told me you joined here, I can't see some of you. Please try again? And welcome to all newbies! <3

New post on "Knowledge Is Power" tab. It's a little scavenger hunt. Happy Hump Day everyone!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the Dads!

June13, 2012

New post on "What About Jesus" tab today. Come on over!Tweet

Putting My Knowledge to Work

In celebration of Earth Day, here are lyrics to an old song:

For the beauty of the Earth,

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies...

Lord of all, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

If you haven't read my last post on the Knowledge is Power tab, you'll want to see what this photo is all about. My colorful salad includes arugula, mushrooms, carrots, lettuce and homegrown spinach plus...?

Thank you to Amy Harden www.cyberhotflash.com for asking this question:

Keep the Sabbath Sacred. What does that mean to you?

As promised, here is my answer. Please comment, discuss, tawk amongst ya-selves, especially if you think I'm completely off base. Luv ya's!

The Sabbath in the Old Testament is a type (picture/representation) of resting because of the finished work of Christ. Besides the scripture, common sense and natural law tell us that God gave us night for resting and that we can't thrive without recreation. I include spiritual recreation in my life on a daily basis, just as I eat food and breathe air, and because this life is short...eternity is long. If I keep the "Sabbath" at least spiritually, every day, I will naturally fulfill His law whether it's on Saturday, Sunday or Tuesday, Hebrew calendar, Gregorian calendar, solar calendar, daylight savings time, etc. etc. Just as Jesus healed on the Pharisee's "Sabbath", in Him, we do not need to fear the "law", but understand what, should I say Who the law actually is. He is LORD of the Sabbath. He IS (fulfilled) the law. He IS the Sabbath rest. The Sabbath is not doing, because there is nothing we can do to gain salvation. That is not to say that once we accept adoption into God’s kingdom through Christ, we should do nothing, or that we should do anything we want.

Before doing what we should, we must remember that no action, no ritual does any good without love.

1 Corinthians 13:3 - And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Matthew Henry's Commentary says:

“The excellent way had in view in the close of the former chapter, is not what is meant by charity in our common use of the word, almsgiving, but love in its fullest meaning; true love to God and man. Without this, the most glorious gifts are of no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God. A clear head and a deep understanding, are of no value without a benevolent and charitable heart. There may be an open and lavish hand, where there is not a liberal and charitable heart. Doing good to others will do none to us, if it be not done from love to God, and good-will to men. If we give away all we have, while we withhold the heart from God, it will not profit. Nor even the most painful sufferings. How are those deluded who look for acceptance and reward for their good works, which are as scanty and defective as they are corrupt and selfish!”

So, when the new Covenant given to us in Jesus’ blood began:

Acts 4:32…all of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them [z]claimed that anything belonging to him was his own (it all belonged to Him)…33 And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. 34 For there was not a needy person among them…More is recorded about how the believers were in contact on a daily basis.

Later, when they were scattered away from Jerusalem and others began to believe, Jesus’ teaching reminded them that even…”where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”Matthew 18:20. He promised this would be true regardless of where the gathering took place, so that when I “gathered” to walk, talk and pray in the park with my sister yesterday, He was there. This word “gathering” is the same Greek word “synago” that is used in Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling (synago) of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

One last commentary of Hebrews 10:25-31 says:

“Believers are to consider how they can be of service to each other, especially stirring up each other to the more vigorous and abundant exercise of love, and the practice of good works. The communion of believers is a great help and privilege, and a means of steadfastness and perseverance. We should observe the coming of times of trial, and be thereby quickened to greater diligence. There is a trying day coming on all men, the day of our death."

Feeling like a slug

This is not to toot my own horn. I was starting to feel guilty that I hadn’t done much today, so I decided to write down exactly what I did. I know you feel the same sometimes.

What I did today -

Exercised

Read non-fiction

Ate a healthy breakfast

Prayed, read and shared scripture online

Talked to BFF on phone

Encouraged some online friends

Ate a healthy lunch

Called my Dad

Made homemade tortilla chips for a friend’s birthday

Played Words With Friends for ½ hour

Gave hubby a massage

Ate a healthy dinner

Wrote this post.

Seeing it in writing, I don’t feel so bad after all. Besides, guilt comes from our enemy…”There is therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” My heart just smiled. See?...

I have a dirty little secret.

My husband is my servant.

He's really not, but that's how he makes me feel. Friday morning he asked me to go to one of his doctor appointments with him, which is different. When I was working, I couldn’t go all the time. Of course I said sure, just wake me up an hour before we need to leave. I woke up to him coming in already dressed because he had let me sleep in through the whole appointment! I felt so sad, ashamed and guilty I cried, but partly because of his thoughtfulness to me.

True, he’s one who finds it difficult to sit still; but even with all he’s been through, he truly treats me like his queen.

It’s almost embarrassing how much he does for me. Not enough for me to keep silent about it anymore, though. He starts with bringing me coffee every morning, and ends by always making sure the house is locked up at night. He didn’t always treat me like this, and if you were to ask him, he’d say that we have a true partnership...that I do as much for him. I guess that’s what really makes me feel like royalty. He respects me and my opinions or ways of doing things that he recognizes might be better than his so that we work together really well now. Instead of being embarrassed, it’s time I reveled in his goodness to me and honored him with my little confession.