The last few days have been sad and stressful for me.
On Sunday we had a farewell service for one of our pastors. Both he and his wife have helped me in so many ways along my journey. It is very sad to see them leave and make that dreadful move to Calgary. (Just joking.) I will miss them a great deal.
May God bless you, Pastor Doug, Roxy, Bradley and Bethany. May you be a blessing where God has placed you.
Yesterday was the ninth anniversary of my Mom's death. I spent most of yesterday staying away from interaction with any one. I needed to be alone in my grief. I miss my Mom a great deal. We were very close and I some times feel that she was torn away from me before I was ready to let go of her. But, I guess, God does not make mistakes. His timing is always right.
What bothers me most about Mom's death back in 2001 are the facts that Mom did not get to see the weddings of her grandsons and now the births of her great-grandsons and great-granddaughters.
And she wouldn't have seen how far along I have come dealing with my depression and health issues.
Mom would be proud to see how the boys and Allison have grown in maturity, physically, mentally and spiritually. Her purse would be weighted down with pictures of the kids to show anyone who showed a miniscule interest.
God, please bless Mom in a special way today. Please let her know that I miss her. Also let her see her grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons and great-daughters. She would have been so proud. I LOVE YOU MOM!!!!!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Carpe Diem
Many years ago I was walking in a mall in downtown Edmonton. I paused at the jewelry kiosk and looked at the rings. I don't normally wear rings but one ring on display caught my attention.
A short time before this I had read a book by Tony Campolo entitled "Carpe Diem (Seize the Day).
The ring that caught my attention was one that another customer was looking at. This ring had the words Carpe Diem on it. The other customer tried the ring on but it was too small. He asked the sales person if they could size the ring so it would fit him.
The sales person told the other customer that it was a one of a kind ring and it would only be sold in the size and shape it was originally made. The customer put the ring down and walked away muttering under his breath.
I picked up the ring and put it on my finger. It fit me perfectly. I decided that was a sign that I should buy the ring and I did. I decided that I would seize the day and the opportunity to have that ring.
I don't always wear the ring but I do try to live by the saying on the ring "Seize the day". I haven't always succeeded in making the best use of each day since I bought that ring but I know that when I do make a conscious effort to do what I believe is the right thing for me to do on any given day that day is a good day.
I just relocated that ring today and I have put it on because I want to make today and the days ahead more productive.
So here's to better and more productive days.
A short time before this I had read a book by Tony Campolo entitled "Carpe Diem (Seize the Day).
The ring that caught my attention was one that another customer was looking at. This ring had the words Carpe Diem on it. The other customer tried the ring on but it was too small. He asked the sales person if they could size the ring so it would fit him.
The sales person told the other customer that it was a one of a kind ring and it would only be sold in the size and shape it was originally made. The customer put the ring down and walked away muttering under his breath.
I picked up the ring and put it on my finger. It fit me perfectly. I decided that was a sign that I should buy the ring and I did. I decided that I would seize the day and the opportunity to have that ring.
I don't always wear the ring but I do try to live by the saying on the ring "Seize the day". I haven't always succeeded in making the best use of each day since I bought that ring but I know that when I do make a conscious effort to do what I believe is the right thing for me to do on any given day that day is a good day.
I just relocated that ring today and I have put it on because I want to make today and the days ahead more productive.
So here's to better and more productive days.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Quote to Ponder
"You can tell you have made God in your image when it turns out He hates the same people you do."
- Anne Lamott
- Anne Lamott
Friday, August 6, 2010
Another Precious Little Bundle
Today we welcomed another addition to our family. Lauren Jill Drader was born by C-section at 10:42 a.m. She weighed in at 3 pounds 13 ounces and was 17 inches long.
Lauren arrived 5 weeks premature. She had to be born today because her mother's blood pressure was very high and the doctors were unable to get it under control.
Even though Lauren arrived early her lungs are developed enough that she doesn't have breathing issues. In fact, she just needs to put on more weight to be able to go home.
Lauren is my second great niece. It will be a little while before I can go to the hospital to see her. I look forward to that day.
Thank you Lord for the safe arrival of Lauren and for blessing our family with another little girl. Please help the doctors get Meghan's blood pressure under control and help Lauren put on the weight she needs to go home.
I can hardly wait until I am able to hold Lauren in my arms.
Lauren arrived 5 weeks premature. She had to be born today because her mother's blood pressure was very high and the doctors were unable to get it under control.
Even though Lauren arrived early her lungs are developed enough that she doesn't have breathing issues. In fact, she just needs to put on more weight to be able to go home.
Lauren is my second great niece. It will be a little while before I can go to the hospital to see her. I look forward to that day.
Thank you Lord for the safe arrival of Lauren and for blessing our family with another little girl. Please help the doctors get Meghan's blood pressure under control and help Lauren put on the weight she needs to go home.
I can hardly wait until I am able to hold Lauren in my arms.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Citizenship
This morning I attended the citizenship ceremony of a friend from church. I found it an interesting process.
Before the proceedings began the clerk of the court gave us instructions and an idea of what would be happening during the ceremony. Some of these instructions were of a serious nature - for instance, each of the people taking the oath had to repeat the affirmation clearly. The clerk of the court even wandered around a bit during this part of the ceremony looking for anyone who wasn't repeating the words after the judge. If she had found someone, that person would have been held back after the rest of the ceremony and made to go through it again with the judge individually.
One of the things that I found particularly interesting was that the Honorable Judge who presided over the ceremony was herself an immigrant who is now a Canadian citizen. I did not catch what country the judge was from but she had quite a thick accent.
This citizenship ceremony reminded me that I have gone through a ceremony that covers my citizenship - not of a country on earth but rather as a citizen of heaven where my Heavenly Father awaits my entrance. On May 30, 1965, I swore allegiance to my Heavenly Father and became a citizen of heaven.
Philippians 3:20 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."
During today's citizenship ceremony 15 countries were represented by 35 adults and children. There are also people from every tribe, tongue and nation who have made the decision to become a citizen of Heaven. No one who wants to become a citizen of Heaven will be rejected.
So today I celebrate with my friend as she is now a citizen of Canada. I also celebrate because both my friend and I are also citizens of a much more important and magnificent place - Heaven.
Celebrate your citizenship today. I hope you are a dual citizen of a country here on earth and more importantly of heaven.
Before the proceedings began the clerk of the court gave us instructions and an idea of what would be happening during the ceremony. Some of these instructions were of a serious nature - for instance, each of the people taking the oath had to repeat the affirmation clearly. The clerk of the court even wandered around a bit during this part of the ceremony looking for anyone who wasn't repeating the words after the judge. If she had found someone, that person would have been held back after the rest of the ceremony and made to go through it again with the judge individually.
One of the things that I found particularly interesting was that the Honorable Judge who presided over the ceremony was herself an immigrant who is now a Canadian citizen. I did not catch what country the judge was from but she had quite a thick accent.
This citizenship ceremony reminded me that I have gone through a ceremony that covers my citizenship - not of a country on earth but rather as a citizen of heaven where my Heavenly Father awaits my entrance. On May 30, 1965, I swore allegiance to my Heavenly Father and became a citizen of heaven.
Philippians 3:20 says, "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ."
During today's citizenship ceremony 15 countries were represented by 35 adults and children. There are also people from every tribe, tongue and nation who have made the decision to become a citizen of Heaven. No one who wants to become a citizen of Heaven will be rejected.
So today I celebrate with my friend as she is now a citizen of Canada. I also celebrate because both my friend and I are also citizens of a much more important and magnificent place - Heaven.
Celebrate your citizenship today. I hope you are a dual citizen of a country here on earth and more importantly of heaven.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Growing Lawns and Lives
The other day I heard an advertisement about growing a healthy lawn. The announcer said that a healthy lawn that is well taken care of will choke out any weeds that try to grow there. Since I have not done any lawn care or mowing since I left home 30 years ago, I am not really up on the dos and don'ts of growing a healthy lawn.
The comment about the healthy lawn choking out the weeds made me think of a parable in the Bible where Jesus talks about the seeds that fall on various types of soil and what happens to those seeds.
But then I took it further and realized that applying similar principles to my life as a follower of Jesus Christ can help me have a healthy spiritual life that can then produce what it was meant to produce.
If I take care to daily watering my spiritual life by reading my Bible, communing with God, and catching weeds quickly, this will help me to become the person God has planned and purposed for me to be.
However there is one caveat. Reading my Bible and communing with God should not be done because "I have to" do it. They should be things that I want to do to further my relationship with my Heavenly Father. These should be times where I love on Him and He pours His love on me. God is desperate for me to know that He loves me and how much He loves me. He wants to have a very special relationship with me and I must desire to have a very special relationship with Him.
As these things become more prominent in my life then when difficult times come it is more instinctual that I would draw closer to God instead of turn away from Him. The main thing is to continually be growing closer to God and even the difficult times will be bearable because I know I can trust God to help me through.
How is your lawn growing?
The comment about the healthy lawn choking out the weeds made me think of a parable in the Bible where Jesus talks about the seeds that fall on various types of soil and what happens to those seeds.
But then I took it further and realized that applying similar principles to my life as a follower of Jesus Christ can help me have a healthy spiritual life that can then produce what it was meant to produce.
If I take care to daily watering my spiritual life by reading my Bible, communing with God, and catching weeds quickly, this will help me to become the person God has planned and purposed for me to be.
However there is one caveat. Reading my Bible and communing with God should not be done because "I have to" do it. They should be things that I want to do to further my relationship with my Heavenly Father. These should be times where I love on Him and He pours His love on me. God is desperate for me to know that He loves me and how much He loves me. He wants to have a very special relationship with me and I must desire to have a very special relationship with Him.
As these things become more prominent in my life then when difficult times come it is more instinctual that I would draw closer to God instead of turn away from Him. The main thing is to continually be growing closer to God and even the difficult times will be bearable because I know I can trust God to help me through.
How is your lawn growing?
Monday, July 19, 2010
Precious Bundle
On Saturday, July 17th, 2010, I got to hold a very precious bundle of joy in my arms. That was the day that Joseph Timothy Drader joined our family. He weighed in at 6 pounds 12 ounces and stretched out at 20 inches. I made sure I counted all his fingers and toes - he has the right amount.
Joseph is my fourth great nephew, the first child of my oldest nephew. Unlike his father who was born in Yellowknife, NWT and whom I wasn't able to see until he was a month old, Joseph was born in Edmonton so I was able to see him and hold him just hours after he arrived.
As I held Joseph in my arms I couldn't help but thank God for his safe arrival and the fact that we had another addition to our family. There was a time when it seemed like his mother might not be able to carry a baby.
One of the most precious things in my life have been the arrivals of each of my nephews, nieces, great nephews and great niece. Being able to hold them in my arms, to watching them grow and mature is something that helps to make my life complete. I look forward to watching Joseph grow and mature and become the special person God has planned for him to be. Joseph is now a special work in progress.
Thank you God for this new addition to our family.
Joseph is my fourth great nephew, the first child of my oldest nephew. Unlike his father who was born in Yellowknife, NWT and whom I wasn't able to see until he was a month old, Joseph was born in Edmonton so I was able to see him and hold him just hours after he arrived.
As I held Joseph in my arms I couldn't help but thank God for his safe arrival and the fact that we had another addition to our family. There was a time when it seemed like his mother might not be able to carry a baby.
One of the most precious things in my life have been the arrivals of each of my nephews, nieces, great nephews and great niece. Being able to hold them in my arms, to watching them grow and mature is something that helps to make my life complete. I look forward to watching Joseph grow and mature and become the special person God has planned for him to be. Joseph is now a special work in progress.
Thank you God for this new addition to our family.
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