There is Nothing New Under the Sun

These past couple of weeks I’ve been dealing with the depression that often follows a major surgery…possibly a side effect of anesthesia. From all my reading it’s just a guess as to what causes it, but it’s quite common for many after a surgery. This morning I woke up feeling down and felt God prompting to read through the book of Ecclesiastes. I often find comfort in this book so I read it. Here’s a note I sent off to a friend this morning after reading Ecclesiastes:
_________________________

Can You Laugh At Yourself?

Can you laugh at yourself? A couple of my coworkers and I were just talking about this the other day. Life seems easier to live if we can laugh at ourselves. A study done in 2011 came to the conclusion that if you can laugh at yourself it’s a good sign that you have an optimistic personality and a good sense of humor.

The Fire — 5 Years Later

“Approach this day with awareness of who is Boss. As you make plans for the day, remember that it is I who orchestrate the events of your life. On days when things go smoothly, according to your plans, you may be unaware of My sovereign Presence. On days when your plans are thwarted, be on the lookout for Me! I may be doing something important in your life, something quite different from what you expected. It is essential at such times to stay in communication with Me, accepting My ways are better than yours. Don’t try to figure out what is happening. Simply trust Me and thank Me in advance for the good that will come out of it all. I know the plans I have for you, and they are good.” —Sarah Young in Jesus Calling 

My upstair’s neighbor being rescued

Interesting to read this devotional this morning as today marks the 5^th anniversary of the fire that destroyed my condo building.

My cousin Mike wrote this. Great reminder to play the cards you’ve been dealt!

Grandpa Mike's Stories

You can always tell the Fall season has arrived in full force.  The days get dark much sooner, the nights are cool and crisp and the garage is full of sweet apples ready to press into cider.  As Fall turns into Winter,  I enjoy watching our family move into seasonal rhythms which usually involve more hot chocolate, mom reading trilogy books to the family and of course, card games.

Monkey is a favorite card game in our home, because it is easy to learn, fun to play and involves a small amount of strategy.  And like with many card games, high cards are winners and low cards are losers.

Last night, Monkey was the card game of choice.  When I arrived at the table, the cards were already shuffled, dealt and waiting for each player.  I picked up my cards and began sorting them only to notice that I had…

View original post 564 more words

Lygon’s Story

Taken from http://www.timetoliveisnow.org/about-us/lygons-story/

On January 10, 2008, on winter break from college, 20-year-old Lygon Stevens perished in an avalanche while climbing Little Bear Peak in southern Colorado with her brother. Swept downhill over 1000 feet and buried under a mass of snow, she would not be recovered until late June when the snows melted. Her brother and climbing partner, Nick, also caught in the avalanche, miraculously survived the fall. Though injured, he heroically climbed the avalanche slide, hiking back eight miles over twenty hours to summon help. With him, he carried two precious possessions – their pocket camera and Lygon’s journal.

Link

 

 

 

 

 

Fat Talk

Definitely worth reposting! A friend of mine has written this post about stopping Fat Talk. Please take the time to read it…if you’ve ever been teased about being fat, please read it; if you’ve ever teased someone for being fat, please read it; if your kids have been teased for being fat, please read it; if your kids have ever teased someone for being fat, please read it! Click on the photo or the blue link “Fat Talk” to read Cindy’s blog.

A 50-Something Orphan

I am a 50- something orphan!  I lost my dad in 2009 and my mom 2 years later.  It’s funny how grief works.  One would think that things would get easier as time goes by, but it doesn’t, not really.  The oddest thing can trigger memories that make me cry.

Memories

I went to a family reunion last week, the third one we’ve had in four years. I must admit that when my cousin Bambi came up with the idea to start having these I wasn’t all that thrilled. I’d been gone from Ohio and from contact with extended family for over 25 years; we’d all gone our separate ways. And me being a non-fan of social events really didn’t want to go. But you know what helped? Facebook. Yes, Facebook. The social network. The place where the non-social can BE social. Facebook has helped bring the long-lost cousins back together. There are 50 of us. Yes, we come from a fertile bunch!!

The Gains in Loss

Steve Saint recently had a spinal cord injury that, in one moment, changed everything.  His daily routine of developing tools for Christian tribal groups to reach their people and other tribes was interrupted by a piece of equipment he was testing that slammed him in the head and left him partially paralyzed.  In one moment the greatest gift we often overlook – the joy of a daily routine and having personal independence, was taken away.  Now he faced months, perhaps years of a daily routine of learning to move again and being dependent on others for so many things we take for granted.  With someone like Steve, a dedicated follower of Christ, such a moment comes with a needed clarity of what God was doing and wanting in his life. (View Steve Saint’s recovery videos here)

Pregnant and I Know It!

I’ve always been pretty spoiled when it comes to my physical health.  I’ve never broken a bone (except for the time I put a hairline fracture in my nose when I was 5 because I tried to do a back flip off my brother’s bunk bed and landed on my face, but since no cast was involved, I figure it doesn’t count).  I’ve never been to the hospital for surgery or even to the doctor for anything more than the usual minor sicknesses that pop up on occasion for most healthy people.  So overall, I’ve had it really great.