Wednesday 28 April 2010

Children

I get a kick out of that picture! However, I got it with a series of pictures of which the title was, "Where is mom?"

I remember as a little boy I was without my mom for several years during the ages 3 through about 7. She had to remain in a "TB Sanitarium" for one stretch of 2 1/2 years and then home briefly and then gone again. I missed mom.

Mother's Day is approaching fast. My mom has been gone since 2003. My father since 1980. I miss them both. Yes, I am now an orphan.

Moms, your kids need you. They need your love, care, and attention. Be a hands-on mom as much as you can. Moms & Dads need time by themselves, I know that and try to help with that. But stop and hug your kids, listen to them, know what they are up to. If they grab the skate board, it might just be a good idea to see what they are up to. I have distant memories of mom and dad crashing out the front door of the house as I was screaming or making some "noise"with something that just didn't "sound right". I survived okay - I think. But that may be debatable!

Mom I miss you! Many would still say to my mom, "You need to check on that boy of yours!"

Thursday 22 April 2010

Home! Part 2 !!

We are home - again. We are blessed to have 3 homes. I guess where we are now is our summer home. We live in Michigan 7 months of the year. We love the summers here. The picture was taken about 6 blocks, 5 minute walk from the house. We decided to go watch the sunset on Indian Lake.

Our winter home is in Florida. We spend 5 months during the winter in Florida. We love it! We feel blessed to have the 2 homes. Both very different, different set of friends, 2 different churches, we love both. We do different things in both locations to serve Christ.

But we have a 3rd home we haven't seen yet - our eternal home. Lots of unanswered questions there. Will mama and I be together there? I don't know. I hope so - we have been together here for 45 years in July. Hopefully lots of years to go - either here or in our eternal home.

Hope you stop by and visit someday. Anyone of our 3 homes.

Friday 16 April 2010

Home !!

This is a picture of our Florida home. It is a 2 bedroom, double bath, central air & heat 14x56 ft mobile home. We love it!! This picture is 4 years old - I need to take a new picture. But not much has changed. I look forward to going "home" to Michigan next week, but then we have to leave this one. Next fall I will have the "urge" to get to Florida once the cooler air starts biting. It seems I am always longing to go "home".

I am almost 67. I have Parkinson Disease, I have now had a bout with skin cancer. I sometimes now find myself getting the "urge" to go "home". I know my Heavenly Father already has a date established for me to come home. I wonder when that will be??

How are you doing?? Have you got a date established yet? Or are you still trying to decide where you want to go? You only have two choices ya know. By the way, I am not trying to rush going home, I am in no real hurry. Besides, I still want to ride horseback this summer. Now if I could take a horse ............

Monday 12 April 2010

Smile ! Please ?

Our pastor here in Florida preached a message recently that really hit me hard, and hopefully has changed my life style. Please pray for me that I really get this.

He asked a question, "Do you really think that God looks down on people and smiles at them as they walk with Him?" I thought about mama and know in my heart that God is really pleased with her total commitment to Him and I could not see God do anything but smile as mama walks with Him.

Then the pastor asked the question that hit me hard. "If God looks down at us and has a loving heart, and smiles at us as we try to serve Him, why do we have a hard time smiling at them?" Wham, suddenly I thought about the criticisms I have sad to mama, the things that she does that I let upset me, the stupid things I say that pick at her or hurt her.

Mama, please forgive me! I love you very much, you are my best friend and I need to "smile" more at you. You are the best Christian I have ever known. I know Jesus smiles at your walk. I pray that I will smile more as we walk together serving Him. Mama, you are my best friend, I am sorry.

Thursday 8 April 2010

Saying Goodbye -

Today was a tough day, but yet, a good day. My friend Paul, who is in a nursing home is now in Hospice care. He is alert, talkative and able to sit in his wheelchair. Seems to be pain free.

I met Paul seven years ago. At the time he was single. A year later he married Nella. They were both excited and mama and I attended their wedding. Within 2 years (2006) Paul developed Parkinson disease, I was already being affected by Parkinson myself. However, Paul's bout with Parkinson was taking a heavier toll. By 2008 he was placed in a nursing home, struggling to control movement of any kind. This past week he was advised by his medical care group he would be getting additional care from Hospice. His body is building with fluid faster than it can remove it - not good.

In December 2008, I put a bird feeder outside his window. It is in a good location and has a good variety of birds stopping by. Today was no exception - except for what happened when a pair of mated cardinals stopped by. Spring is in the air and the female is certainly getting ready to lay her eggs and raise her family.The male let her have full access to the feeder and seemed to be keeping other birds away as she fed at the feeder. He stayed on the ground and fed there. Then something I had never seen before happened.

The male cardinal flew up to the feeder tray from the ground, opened his beak and fed his mate the choice sun flower seeds he had found on the ground. Then he returned to the ground and repeated this activity several times. Paul and I just stared as we watched the male Cardinal take care of his mate.

I reminded Paul that God is watching over each of us and cares for us as well. I am so thankful that as my days go by that I have a Heavenly Father that watches over me. It also reminded me of how important it is that we watch out for each other. God bless.

Friday 2 April 2010

The Master's Touch!

Today I took the grand kids and my daughter to LeAnn's Art Studio. We had a fabulous time! LeAnn, a close friend, showed our family how she takes a rod of glass that looks like nothing, puts that glass under an extremely hot open flame, and then changes it into a design that she has in her mind. We watched as she made two different kinds of Christmas tree ornaments. I noticed on her display table several Christmas ornaments for sale. Several were similar in style, yet each was unique maybe with just a little different twist, or maybe a little longer. We were amazed watching the "Master" at work. We purchased several Christmas ornaments, a glass princess standing on a sea shell, and a set of snowmen ear rings for my daughter. Sara got a necklace made of two glass candy korns! Blake, my grandson ordered a free standing dark blue fish that will have red spots !! Cool!! She will make that next week and I will deliver it to Blake when we go back to Michigan later this month. Yes, it was amazing to watch the Master at work!

I was thinking this Easter Season that the Master (Christ) has not only came to redeem us from our sins but He wants to mold our lives to serve Him. He looks at each of us and has a unique/design for each of us. Sometimes He puts us through the fire and we don't like that. And yet, as I look back at the times He has put me through the fire I was able to learn from it and move on. Yes, it is amazing to watch the Master at work.