For My Beloved

August 1980
We were only 20 & 21.
We went dancing in the minefields,
we went sailing in the storms...
and it was harder than we dreamed
but I believe,
 ... that's what the promise is for ...

...  We bear the light of the Son of Man
     so there's nothing left to fear.
     So I'll walk with you in the Shadowlands,
     till the shadows disappear.
     'cause He promised not to leave us
     and His promises are true,
     so in the face of all this chaos,
     maybe I can dance with you...
     Let's go Dancing in the minefields
     Let's go sailing in the storms
     this is harder than we dreamed,
     but I believe -- that's what the promise is for.

(psst!... it is a great privilege, this growin' old with you.  Just sayin').

Get the scoop on yet another songwriter/singer with GOOD stuff to tell:  Andrew Peterson

Faith Without Illusions

Feeling Derailed?  Torn and thread-bare?  A little - off the edge?

Do yourself a HUGE favour....
Faith Without Illusions
If every one in my church family would read through this article thoughtfully and prayerfully, I think we'd reap a heap of blessing!
Yes.  It will demand some self-examination.  Do not be afraid  :)
No pain? No gain! ... a truism that actually finds its' root in scripture.
Holy Spirit, bring it on.

The Law of the Garbage Truck

Live every day as a gift from the Lord.

... b'cuz it is ... plain and simple.

(Thanks Corinne:)

In loving memory of a great fellow pilgrim.  Experiencing a gnawing need right now for the inspiration she so freely and regularly dispensed among us, I've rifled thru my Keeper's File 

for a fitting forward sent long ago and stored 

for such a moment as this:

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.

We were driving in the right lane when suddenly, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.  My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded and missed the other car by inches!  The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.  My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy.  And I mean, he was really friendly.  So I asked, "Why did you just do that?

This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call,

"The Law of the Garbage Truck"

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks.

They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger,

.... full of disappointment.

As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it

and sometimes, they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally.

Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.

Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, home or on the street.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.

Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.

So.

Love the people who treat you right,

Pray for those who don't.

Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.

Go and have a garbage-free day!

Phenomenal Mercy and Grace

Christmas Day was incredible.

All of us together in one place.

Ten great-grandchildren....

Thirty-four grandchildren....even Nicole from Florida!

Numbering fifty-five with significant others... 

(only engaged/marrieds were included here)  

Mom donned her prettiest housecoat - funky headwear and padded over to the couch for a half hour visit with us.  We sang, played our instruments, received words and gifts from Grandma.

Much Joy and many tears all jumbled up together.  

Absolutely wonderful.

Thank You Heavenly Father - that was a very precious provision.

Mom wants to impress the words of Psalm 103 on her family:

.....But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love 

is with those who fear him, 

and his righteousness with their children's children -- 

with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

Prayer Warriors Unite!

You've been asking for a while now, I know.
I've been waiting for inspiration - giving Mom some space in this journey - watching her - wishing to be of better use in this coming to terms with 'stuff'.
The facts of the matter:
Momsie was diagnosed with metastasized breast cancer last May.... two short years after her first foray into the chaotic world of chemo, radiation and radical surgery to purge herself from the cancer.
Her prognosis was a year to a year and a half with treatment.  'Treatment' means several rounds of poisonous chemo which the odd recipient at the Juravinski Cancer Centre doesn't comport well.
Like our mom.  She ended up taking most of her monthly cycles of chemo at half potency which she also rightly assumed would be far less effective.   Last weeks CT scan confirmed her suspicions; of her numerous tumours, that worrisome beast on her liver is twice the size.
Her pain is more constant now.  She is fiercely independent and trying to weather herself through it without
too much medication.  She doesn't like the effect that codeine in Tylenol 3 has on her system.
Carrying that pain around though, makes her weak and weaker still.
I mean shockingly so.
Now she's started a pain reliever called Endocet:  it contains a narcotic (oxycodone) and a non-narcotic element (acetaminophen).
I suspect that Mom's reluctance to incorporate this stuff in her daily regiment is a fear of developing a dependency on pain relief too early.  She saw what a zombie it made of her daughter Yvonne many years ago when Mom was her attentive nurse-maid.
It's a bit of a vicious circle.  She has no energy to speak of and yet hanging around like a limp dishrag has a negative effect on both the body and the spirit.  Is this resignation I see?  Is this a necessary and natural part of the journey?
She also has until December 21 (or 23rd?) to consider taking more chemo in pill form.  *sigh*
The conclusion of the matter:
We need to engage in prayer with you.  All of you.
1.  For the strength to pass this over to the LORD and to rest in Him.
2.  For courage to face the coming days with confidence and (dare I say it?) with joy.
3.  For relief from pain and a drug that she's comfortable (and may I add consistent) with.
4.  For clear direction regarding the decision for more chemo versus palliative care.
Thank you for loving Mom with us.  The Family of God is a great place to be.