Reason to Smile

With Easter coming soon, for some reason I decided to go to my personal movie archive and check out a Jesus movie from years ago. I think I needed to be reminded that Jesus is happy and who better portrayed this concept in the movie "Matthew'' than Bruce Marchiano.

So I settled in to be reminded .......

The point I want to make is that each time Jesus touched anyone, healed anyone, even as he was teaching his followers, he smiled. The scriptures came alive for me once again as the words were spoken on the screen.

Then he laughed !

He laughed with joy when he healed the blind man, the paralytic, when he was blessing the bread and fish, when he cast out the demons. Love joyfully displayed !



It was then I understood the laughter that I am beholding in the Student Awakening at IHOP. What joy Jesus experiences when one of his own finds freedom from the enemy.

For me , something wonderful slipped into my heart with each embrace I witnessed and tearfully experienced myself. And so I follow still , more fervently than ever.

For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross....for me.
So you can call me Joy !


Psalm 2/4, Psalm 37/13, Prov.8/31 , Is.62/5

Signs of Spring

Today , though it was not very warm, I decided to take Zoe and head out to one of my favorite places . The buds on the trees are in evidence most places and the new green is beginning to be seen in the evergreen trees.

I really enjoy walking along the canal. The Lift Locks appear to be in need of a good cleaning. Once the snow is gone, all the mess that was hidden is everywhere, even in the water.

Many , many years ago, when I was a young lady of seventeen the fall season was warm so we were in shorts. The canal had been drained, and appeared dry and solid.

So.....for some unknown reason I decided to take a 'short cut' to the other side. I took a running start down the little embankment and ran full on out onto the bottom of the canal.

Nope...not dry...not solid....

The shear momentum of my speed sent me about half way across when I came to a stinking sinking stop !

Mired in muck and stinking like sewage mud almost up to my  knees. White knee socks, and white tennis shoes....unimaginable !! Lots of crying and screaming happening as reality really does bite sometimes.

Somehow I managed to escape the grip of the underworld trying to suck me down. What a memory !

Side view of the Locks facing west.

This door drew my attention for some reason, so I went closer to take a better picture. The leaves are piled against the door . My little puppy Zoe, being so small, suddenly showed blood on her little butt fur. She had cut herself on a broken beer bottle hidden under the leaves.
So our adventure was cut short today. From now on I will be alert to ensure her safety . I will not go on a tangent on the kind of person who would throw a glass bottle away in such a manner...not right now anyway.

Little black squirrel in the tree enjoying a snack.

My favorite birds of the season were everywhere, squabbling over who gets the best worm. 

The end of the day, a soft almost full moon rises in the east over our little home town .

Neighbor Update

Last evening my sick neighbor came to my door to ask for ' refuge' and 'prayer'.

Earlier I had dropped into her place for a brief visit, to find an almost toxic atmosphere between mother and daughter . Neither are aware I don't think exactly why they are reacting the way they are to each other . It's a very difficult place for both to endure. 

I must confess I was shocked at her deterioration and hair loss in the last week.  This is happening very quickly.

So , my friend knocked on my door . 

Today she was facing the consultation with the doctor who will be in charge of her chemotherapy, should she decide to proceed that way.

I can't imagine being in her situation.

Kind of a no win situation. Chemo usually makes a person pretty ill, especially in this case where, the cancer is in many places. 

I listened for awhile, and then she asked me please pray that she would know the right decision to make. The prayer time was comforting to her, and to me since the Lord is so wonderful to make His Presence known, and His touch tangible.

He is so gentle with the broken and frightened . He knows the path ahead.
My prayer for my friend is for courage , strength  and  peace, but most of all a meeting with her Savior.  

What an amazing and terrifying journey.

Reflections

 

Today I was looking through some old pictures . I have decided to create a blog to remember my dad, and experienced one of those 'moments of interruption'. 

This picture was taken way back around 1960 I think. I am the one in the black school uniform sitting at the end of the little table. It must have been some kind of special occasion since the little girl with the dark hair sitting next to my smiling sister JoAnne is not one of our family. Maybe it was baby Dar's birthday ? The boy child is my brother Michael.

Anyway, the point is I was looking at what was on the table. Empty milk glasses,(anyone remember a product called 'Milko', powdered skim milk ?) Heinz Ketchup or maybe Aylmer , and I think I even recognized the hamburger patties , mashed potatoes and likely peas.

All of this made me think of my mother. She cooked the meals most every day, though my dad could whip up some very smooth mashed potatoes, by hand not mix master.

Suddenly I am getting choked up thinking about this woman who served us kids most of the time with little thanks. So, back to my photos and more staring at the lady who held our family together. 

 

Just remembering how young she looks here. I am way older now than she was when this was taken. Cigarette ever in her fingers,someones laundry hanging on the neighbors line. Actually that is the childhood home of the Redmond boys who went on to play NHL hockey.  Even the yard looks so much smaller now.

Suddenly sitting here at my desk wishing I could talk to her again and tell her so much. Like how grateful I am for all she sacrificed for me.

I wish I had been more loving, I wish I had understood all the things I now 'really understand' as I have lived and experienced my own life with all the bumps and terrible surprises in the journey.

I remember feeling so rejected a lot of the time, yet this lady worked her butt off to make ends meet with five children in a small home. The teen aged years when it seems all our parents want to do is keep us from having so much fun? The truth is looking back I had good teen years. Funny how sometimes only the negative stuff sticks to the surface of some totally selfish memories. 

But I digress...

I remember her trying to teach me to dance,(broom and all) since she was a great dancer in Army Shows, and then the day, I taught her how to do the 'Twist' with Chubby Checker wailing on the living room stereo.

Isn't it sad that it seems only in reflection we sometimes see and understand someone else's journey through life? It is on reflection and understanding from far off that appreciation for  my mom has grown in my heart. To see her a bit how God created her to be is actually what I am seeing today.

I guess all that to say, Lord, I miss my mom today, tell her for me that I love her and all these years later, I really am grateful for everything she put up with from me and the rest of us.

So much love floods my heart even now. I look forward to the day I will see her again and tell her for myself how precious her memory and her life has become to me.  I look forward to getting to know her for real some day and tell her , 'you did really great'  !! I love you always, your Nancy.

Great Album

This is just one of the many great tunes from another Bethel Live Album.
Great for soaking in the Presence of the Lord.

Put on Christ

And do this, knowing the time....
That now it it high time to awake out of sleep;
For now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

The night is far spent....
The day is at hand.

Put on the Lord Jesus Christ

Value of a Sparrow

About a month ago I found out that my neighbor friend has cancer tumors in her brain. Since then I have been praying for her and asking for wisdom, what to say and when, and generally being available.

She has been coming to my door frequently since then . There have been opportunities to share my love for Jesus a bit, and even twice, to actually embrace her and pray for Jesus to touch her, which He has been doing . She even felt His Presence at these moments and last evening even was in agreement as we prayed.

Now she is telling me it's also in her lungs and lymph nodes. Palliative is coming to visit tomorrow. She appears to be 'in control', and for now is planning on dying in her home. This situation is so familiar to me, even her personality reminds me of my little Aunt T.

So, we will see how this goes. Last night she asked me to come to her place for a few minutes. As she lit her cigarette and cussed the Lords Name,I found myself saying , oh ....please....do you know that I love Jesus ....sorry God she says....I have been trying to stop... and she really has.

Later I was able ask her 'Do you know Jesus came, died, and rose again ? ' Oh yes ! it's just all the other 'stuff'.

So the seeds of truth are there and with the help of Jesus, we will tend these seeds with love and service and prayer.
The main thing is that Jesus beholds the heart of each one of us and our journey from here ...well... what that will look like...I don't know for sure.

I watch as this Lady faces her death, planning it all even, which just amazes me. So I will walk with her as far as I am led and see how the Lord will save another little precious life. Prayer is appreciated.

Loved

My Dad, He's not angry
He's not disappointed with me
My Dad , He's not angry
He smiling over me.