On Saturday, the 24th, about 1:00 AM , my wife woke me up saying she couldn’t breathe. I had to take her to the Emergency Room at a local hospital. About 4 hours later, they admitted her with Pneumonia. She had begun coughing the day she brought me home from the hospital, and simply got worse each day. She is still in the hospital. Sunday night, my middle boy, the one who has kept you guys updated on me, called to say he was taking his 7 year old to the Emergency Room. That crisis is over and my grandson is OK……
I got to thinking….Several years ago, if this had happened to me I would have been thinking, “What have I done wrong? What did I do to do anger God this way? Why am I being punished? I can’t tell you how many times in the last few days I’ve hear friends and relatives say, “When it rains, it pours”. I even had that thought too, for about three seconds. Then I said to myself, ” I know God loves me. I know I didn’t ‘ANGER’ Him.” These things happen in life because it’s life. That’s the way life is. IT SIMPLY IS WHAT IT IS….It’s that simple. No vindictive God who is angry at me for some supposed violation of His law, rules, or regulations. Life is what we make it and I choose to make it good. I learned a while ago that it doesn’t always work out just the way we want. The way we choose to deal with life makes all the difference. You can whine and cry and “wo is me, feel sorry for me”, or you can pick yourself up and move on. That’s what I choose to do. My family is going to be fine. I am getting a little better each day. My wife may come home today. We will make it. We will be back on track soon! I thank God that I have learned so many valuable lessons in the past two years!!!
Ξ March 23rd, 2007 | → 8 Comments | ∇ Life |
I came home from the hospital on Wednesday, 3/21. I am still having some headache issues. I haven’t been sleeping much. They haven’t been able to find something for pain (feels like a constant “Slurpee” “brain freeze” Awfully frustrating!! I put a photo of my “new” beauty mark under pages on this site. Not going to keep it there long though. Don’t want to gross anyone out!
I thank God for taking care of me. Thanks for all your prayers for me and the family. Thanks to Jeff, my son, for updating you all. Right now my attention span is rather short because of the pain. I’ll check in later. Love to all my bloggy friends!!
For those of you who don’t know me (most of you..), I will be going in for surgery in the morning about 9:45, for hopefully, what will be the last time, to repair a CSF (cerebro-spinal fluid) leak in my head. This will be the third time (is that the charmed time?)the doctors have attempted to stop the leak. I am beginning to look like Frankenstein on the left side of my head, so I hope this is the last time. This has been going on for over two years and I am ready to get on with my wonderful life. I am not at all worried about the surgery, what’s one more hole in my head. I know I will be fine. I just wish I could convince my wife and rest of my family of that fact. I’ll let them do all the worrying. I know I am in His hands and I can’t think of a better place to be. Even if something were to happen and I crossed over, all that would happen is that I would make a lot of folks jealous! I would miss my family a lot, but I feel I would still be near them even though they might not physically know it. Enough of that! I would ask that you remember my family while this is going on…. I’ll see you late next week!
Ξ March 16th, 2007 | → 8 Comments | ∇ Life |
“A Southern Baptist leader says that there may be a genetic basis for homosexuality and that altering it in fetuses would be Biblically justified”…. This statement is one of the many problems I see with today’s religious institutions. As the father of a homosexual son, and having been a Baptist for 60 of my 61 years (I have been free of the institution for almost a year), I am most distressed with the statement made by R. Albert Mohler Jr., one of the countries pre-eminent evangelical leaders. He assents to the fact that there well may be a biological cause for homosexuality, but in the same breath says it’s still a grievous sin which can be fixed while the fetus is in the womb. He supports medical treatment that “could” switch an unborn gay baby’s sexual orientation to heterosexual. Is this pre-eminent leader of Baptists willing to play God? Apparently so. However, he has incurred the wrath of both sides on the issue. Proof of a biological basis for homosexuality would challenge the belief of many conservative Christians who say that it is a choice, a sinful choice, which can be overcome by prayer and counseling. Mohler was assailed even more by gay-rights supporters. They were upset by his assertion that homosexuality would remain a sin even if it were biologically based, and his willingness to support a medical treatment that could switch the baby’s orientation. Rev. Mohler is willing to let homophobia take over and be the determinant of how he responds to this issue in spite of everything else he believes about not tinkering with the unborn. I don’t understand that line of thinking.
My own opinion of homosexuality is limited to two statements. My son is homosexual and my wife and I love him as much as we ever did. And, I don’t understand why anyone would “choose” to be homosexual, given the persecution, and even worse, that a person would most certainly face in today’s society.
I am reminded of a quote which I have heard most of my life: “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
Ξ March 14th, 2007 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Life |
Here’s a 15 question test on the major religions. I “appropriated” it from Kevin’s “Transmillenial” blog. Thanks Kevin. CLICK HERE ……
Ξ March 14th, 2007 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Life |
Heavenly Father, help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked a nine hour shift that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry, and spend a few precious moments with her childen.
Remind us that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can’t seem to make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student , balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary-looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day, is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress, are savoring this moment , knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this may be the last year that they go shopping together.
Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love, and you shared that love with ALL humanity. Let us NOT judge, and be quick to forgive, to show patience, empathy, and love just as You showed us the greatest act of love ever known…..
Ξ March 9th, 2007 | → 4 Comments | ∇ Life |
A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man’s hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.
But the elderly grandfather’s shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. “We must do something about father,” said the son. “I’ve had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.”
So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.
When the family glanced in Grandfather’s direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.
One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, “What are you making?” Just as sweetly, the boy responded, “Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.” The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.
The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather’s hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.
On a positive note, I’ve learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I’ve learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.
I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a ”life.”
I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
I’ve learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.
I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.
I’ve learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch — holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn!
Ξ March 7th, 2007 | → 4 Comments | ∇ Life |
Every relationship that we experience in our lives shows us something about ourselves, about our beliefs. If we have the wisdom to recognize the messages that are being mirrored to us in our lives, we can discover the emotions and feelings that help us heal our greatest hurts and deepest wounds. We are always in a relationship with someone or something. In our interactions, we’ll be shown the true reflection of our core beliefs.
Our true beliefs are mirrored in our most intimate relationships………………….
Ξ March 6th, 2007 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Life |
“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.”
-Ernest Holmes-
Stumble it!
