A Faithful Friend

I can’t believe we’ve been in this house ten years. I remember the move like it was yesterday. We lived in the Linwood house 27 years; it was a bit overwhelming to pack up and move. I stood in my kitchen surrounded by piles of boxes praying, Lord, I can’t do this by myself. I need a helping hand. That’s when the phone rang. It was my friend, Betty, asking me if I needed help packing. Did I ever! Betty is a whiz at organizing things. She had the packing detail whipped into shape in no time – even Bill’s corner of the basement! By the time the movers arrived everything was packed and labeled.

I remember telling Betty, that it would be nice if God came down from the heavens to lift a hand and she said, “Here I am. If you need help, all you have to do is ask.” Someone has said that God has no hands but ours…no feet but ours. Sometimes we are God’s hands and feet as Betty was in my life the day that I needed help. A friend is only a phone call away.

“A faithful friend is an image of God” French Proverb.

Happy Mother's Day

My mother taught me everything I know and a few things I probably didn’t need to know! She’s been gone awhile now but in my thoughts and in my heart she is still very much alive. If she were today I would say: Thank you, Mom, for stretching me. For helping me to see new ways of relating, new causes to consider, and new interests to explore.

Thank you Mom for all the time you spent pondering my concerns, pacing the floor waiting for the phone to ring because I said I would call and didn’t.

Thank you Mom for respecting my opinions and for supporting my decisions and my projects; for the down-to-earth practical help you’ve given me both as a parent and a friend.

But most important, thank you Mom, for instilling in me Christian values and for reminding me that when facing life’s challenges to never forget that with Christ as the centered of my life nothing is impossible.

This is a day to rejoice in

I love watching my grandson play. He goes through the toy box with eager anticipation; he can’t wait to see what he’ll find. He loves everything inside that box…a new book to read, a stuffed bear to hug whatever the treasure he trusts you that it’ll be good for him. Oh, the wonder of being a child, when everything is new and fresh – and every day exciting. That’s kind of what it’s like when we first come to Christ. Everything is new and exciting. It’s an excitement that we should never let fade away. We should never take one single day for granted but bask in the glory of being alive pausing to remind ourselves ‘this is the day that the Lord has made, we should rejoice and be glad in it.’.

Little J fights taking his naps because there is so much to see and do and he doesn’t want to miss a single minute of his day. We should fight the sin in our life in much the say way ‘resist the devil and he will flee’ only then can we really enjoy every single minute of the day that the Lord has made for us. Nothing is worth more than today. “When one has much to put into them, a day has a hundred pockets.” Friedrich Nietzsche

A day with Little J

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Looking forward to a day with my grandson even though Grandma isn't quite with it today! When I arrived at J's house, he was just waking up from his morning nap. He was all smiles as he showed me his new giant Elmo purchased at the mom-to-mom sale! He drags it around with him from room to room; it's bigger than he is -- so cute. Mom wanted to bake so my job was to keep the little man occupied and out of the kitchen, but first things first -- lunch. After a delicious but messy lunch tray of Mac & Cheese and peas (Yuk) we are off to the living room to stake out the toy box but J was more interested in what was going on in the kitchen. What's to go into the oven? Hum-m I wonder what he's thinking? Oh, to get his little hands into the mixing bowl!

In the mean time in spite of the fact that the little man has attached himself to Mom's leg, Mom is trying to mix up a batch of muffins, but interruptions abound.

"I think I smell something," I say, "A poppy diaper, perhaps?" With rolled eyes, Mom, hoping Grandma would do diaper duty, stops what she's doing to change the little man. Back to the toys we go, but little man wants to know what's happening in the kitchen so off he trots to help Mom load the dishwasher...well, she's loading, he's unloading! Grandma is falling behind in her job to occupy J.

"Hey," I say, "We should go outside. I can take J for a stroller ride." Mom stops what's she's doing (again), hauls the stroller out of the garage, buckles the little man into the seat--that takes a little doing; Grandma would have never figured that one out. Whoops need some sun screen and a sun hat. Mom dashes into the house for the necessary items but not a toy in sight for the little man to keep him busy as we merrily roll down the side walk. It's almost 2pm. Sun is hot -- it's 80 degrees out! But there's a breeze which is nice. Up and down the sidewalk we go. I doubt we even traveled a block, but up and down we went -- three times. Little J is having fun taking his hat off his head and throwing it on the ground. Grandma soon tires of this game.

"Knock knock--we're back!" Mom throws open the kitchen door, and looks at her watch. We've been gone all of 20 minutes -- maybe. "Hey, we're thirsty!" I say. "And it's hot out. Can we come in?"

Well of course, Mom smiles. At least the muffins got into the oven this time! Back inside we attack the toy box again and Elmo. Toys all over the floor and books scattered everywhere, I'm thinking Grandma needs a nap. But the little man wants Grandma to read the bubble book. I thought we hid that book! OK then...'bubbles bubbles everywhere...' 3:00, time for a juice break and a diaper change. Isn't it napping time? Yes, it is. J goes happily down for a nap with Elmo in tow. Grandma can't believe it but she's thankful. "Good nap little man." I blow him a kiss. Ah, there's Grandpa; he's come to retrieve Grandma who needs a nap of her own!

Remembering Donald

February 21, 2010

Faintly from out of nowhere
Came the old familiar remnants
Of a song we had once shared
And with its ending—just as painless
You were gone.

Death came and took you away from me.

Missing You

I miss you driving up for peanut butter on toast.
(I miss coffee at Timmy’s the most…)
I miss you being silly and teasing me
I miss working together and singing silly songs
I miss your humor, the merriment in your eyes
I just miss you, Donald.

It’s always hard to say goodbye
To a way of life you’ve grown
Accustomed to—and harder still
To say goodbye
To friends as dear as you!

February 12, 2010

As a writer I’ve been asked over the years to write Valentine ‘isms’ for friends, and lovers and soul mates. It hasn’t always been an easy job. But it has given me time and occasions to think about ‘love’ and what it really means. Not all that fluff that comes with Valentine’s Day although I’m the first to admit that I love all that stuff – cards, flowers, chocolates – it’s nice to be remembered.

But to me, love is the passionate and abiding desire on the part of two or more people (as in family) to produce together conditions under which each can happily exist, and spontaneously express one’s real self. Love is to produce together an intellectual soil and an emotional climate in which each can flourish, far more superior to what either could achieve alone.

Love is recognizing and accepting faults but loving in spite of them. It’s sharing dreams and working together to turn those dreams into realities. Love is quick to forgive; it’s being there for one another. It’s watching a movie you really hate because you love someone more. It is in loving, not in being loved, that the heart is truly blessed.

Bless someone this Valentine’s weekend – let them know they are loved!

Snow

I woke up to a blanket of snow this morning. Everywhere you look is white. The snow must go. I do not like the snow, Sam I am, not even the making of a snowball. I do not like the snow at all!

What should I do with myself on this cold and snowy day? I could write a poem, sing a song, clean a closet or I could do nothing at all! My mother used to tell me that idleness is foolishness. I suppose there is nothing worse than an idle hour, with no occupation offering. I'll ponder this as my day goes on.

Besides the noble art of getting things done there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of nonessentials.

I leave you with this word of advice: Be careful out there and remember it's better to slip with the foot than the tongue!