Sunday, July 28, 2013
A Miracle
When I was growing up, I can not recall praying for a miracle of healing for someone and them actually getting healed. My parents are from the generation of, "Don't worry the children." Our children are blessed to have personally known more than one miraculous healing. Hopefully, this will guide them when they are older and inevitably question their faith. This week, one of our co-op friends traveled out of state with their family for surgery on their littlest one. He was diagnosed with cancer when he was 7 months old. He is now a year old. According to all the tests, the cancer is gone! No dead cancer cells, no cancer at all! Our God is truly wonderful! Amen.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
almost August?
Austin spoiled me when I moved here 21 years ago. The weather was nice, not too hot or humid. Record heat and the drought the last two summers were awful. I refuse to complain about this summer. It is 86* the last week of July! Who cares that it is so humid that you cans swim through the air? God Bless Texas, my home sweet home!
Friday, July 26, 2013
My Favorite Bible Story
Jairus's Daughter and the Woman with a Hemorrhage.
When Jesus had crossed again [in the boat] to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live."
He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."
Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"
But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, "'Who touched me?'"
And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. [At that] they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. (Mark 5:21-43)
When we talk about our favorite Bible stories, the kids know that this one is mine. It always has been. Reading Bible stories as a child, I remember the story about the little girl, but I think the healing of the woman was edited out. I love that Jesus is distracted (my words) by healing. But Jesus keeps his mind on the little girl. He continues to Jairus' home and wakes up his daughter from death. I've never doubted that Jesus loves the little children.
My brain always goes to: What was it like for the grown up little girl (and Lazirus) to die a second time? Maybe they remembered meeting Our Lord? I have to remind myself of what I frequently tell the kids, "When we are purified and enter Heaven, we will know the answers to all of our questions."
When Jesus had crossed again [in the boat] to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live."
He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him.
There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.
She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."
Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"
But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, "'Who touched me?'"
And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?" Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."
And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was.
He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!" The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. [At that] they were utterly astounded.
He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. (Mark 5:21-43)
When we talk about our favorite Bible stories, the kids know that this one is mine. It always has been. Reading Bible stories as a child, I remember the story about the little girl, but I think the healing of the woman was edited out. I love that Jesus is distracted (my words) by healing. But Jesus keeps his mind on the little girl. He continues to Jairus' home and wakes up his daughter from death. I've never doubted that Jesus loves the little children.
My brain always goes to: What was it like for the grown up little girl (and Lazirus) to die a second time? Maybe they remembered meeting Our Lord? I have to remind myself of what I frequently tell the kids, "When we are purified and enter Heaven, we will know the answers to all of our questions."
Thursday, July 25, 2013
On a Wire
More than once in my life I have said that things can only get better. I find myself in that spot again. Last summer was rough: high-risk, complicated pregnancy, unemployed husband, home foreclosure looming, record drought/heat and working as much as I could to pay bills. I cried more than I ever have and was so humbled by help from friends and family. I feel very sad that most of our family did very little. I just don't know what we would have done without my parents. I do not know how I will ever repay them. Our dear sweet Priest reminds everyone to pray for their parents, I certainly do. Hubby was underemployed again this year. We have not fully supported ourselves in well over a year. He is employed, but he does not start work until August and we don't get a full paycheck until the end of September. Most summers I work more, but every place I work has been slow (people working 1/2 days or only working 4 days a week). Our 2 year old refrigerator is not working. Thankfully, we have a deep freeze and ice chests until pay day. I havn't slept well in over a week. We are on a payment plan for our utilities and I have been making payments, or so I thought... One of my electronic payments didn't post so now we owe $1,400.00+. My paycheck will not cover it so I called and asked for help again.
Can things get worse? Certainly! Have things been better? Absolutely! I have been saying a Chaplet of Divine Mercy when I wake up, I know that I need to Trust Jesus. We need to discern what else to do to get our lives back on track.
Can things get worse? Certainly! Have things been better? Absolutely! I have been saying a Chaplet of Divine Mercy when I wake up, I know that I need to Trust Jesus. We need to discern what else to do to get our lives back on track.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Dinner Conversation
Every day at dinner for many years we have talked about:
1. What was the best thing about today?
2. What was the worst thing about today?
3. What are you looking forward to about tomorrow?
4. How did you show the love of Christ today? (Recently added)
Most days we get through the questions pretty easily, other days, someone gets excused from the table before we finish or we don't get to all four. I am not big on talking while eating, but we found it necessary to guide dinner conversation to avoid the occasional yelling, screaming, sassing and eye rolling that comes along with our boy-girl-boy-girl family.
Some of the face turners :)
"Where are we going tomorrow?" asked almost everyday by Number Two Son in response to question 3 when he was just learning how to speak. Number One Daughter seems to think it us funny if she asks, honestly, it is just annoying.
Number One Son always has tall tales about an adventure building, digging, climbing or whittling in the backyard. We call his bluff and he reels it in. One of these days he is going to find someone who hangs on every word and laughs at all his un-funny jokes. I wish that was me, but it is not. I like non-fiction and the truth!
1. What was the best thing about today?
2. What was the worst thing about today?
3. What are you looking forward to about tomorrow?
4. How did you show the love of Christ today? (Recently added)
Most days we get through the questions pretty easily, other days, someone gets excused from the table before we finish or we don't get to all four. I am not big on talking while eating, but we found it necessary to guide dinner conversation to avoid the occasional yelling, screaming, sassing and eye rolling that comes along with our boy-girl-boy-girl family.
Some of the face turners :)
"Where are we going tomorrow?" asked almost everyday by Number Two Son in response to question 3 when he was just learning how to speak. Number One Daughter seems to think it us funny if she asks, honestly, it is just annoying.
Number One Son always has tall tales about an adventure building, digging, climbing or whittling in the backyard. We call his bluff and he reels it in. One of these days he is going to find someone who hangs on every word and laughs at all his un-funny jokes. I wish that was me, but it is not. I like non-fiction and the truth!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Happy Anniversary!
Today is our 13th wedding anniversary. About this time thirteen years ago I was getting my nails done at a walk-in salon at Lamar Square. Lamar Square is currently a giant hole in the ground. Most of Lamar Blvd from Barton Springs is a construction zone, I drive up and down that street almost daily and except for this one shopping center, I don't remember what they tore down. The gentrification has it's positive and negatives. Hopefully, more store fronts will make the ones we already have less crowded. More apartments without more grocery stores will compound the crazy-busy grocery store problem we already have. Since I have lived in South Austin, two grocery stores have closed and one has expanded. I can not even guess how many new homes and apartments/condos have been built in our part of town. Our HEB is always busy. I shop late at night because any other time of day is unbearable for my busy bee brain.
Thirteen years have moved along at a fully indescribable pace. Our Number One Son is middle-school aged, how did this happen so quickly? Number Four Daughter is sitting, crawling and cruising, simply unbelievable! I started blogging as a way to catalog our food allergy recipes, so family and friends would have some idea of what the kids can eat. Hubby uses it, but we are still pretty much on our own at family gatherings, even after 11 years of dealing with multiple food allergies. I also wanted an outlet for frustrations. Most of the time when I would sit down to blow off steam, something else would happen. I would see the bright side of things. The time moving slowly part of our lives mostly has to do with money. Disability, job loss, healthcare regulation changes, underemployment and increasing expenses weigh heavily on me. There are so many things I can let go, but when you don't have money to go anywhere besides work and the grocery store (we can walk to church if we are running low on gas money) it makes the days, weeks, months feel so much longer.
I had the conversation with a friend last week that I have had with others, including our Priest: how do we know if this is earthly suffering, bad choices or depression? Today I count my blessings: Hubby, my sweet honey bear who knows how to love me everyday; Number One Son, who gives me daily joy with his resilient attitude; Number One Daughter who challenges me to see things in different ways; Number Two Son with his bright eyes, loving, helpful heart and big hugs; Number Two and Three Daughters praying for us while in the arms of Jesus and Number Three Daughter who reminds me every day that miracles are real and God doesn't give you what you can't handle.
I won't be getting my nails done today. We will all go out for ice cream to celebrate the birthday of our family.
"Happy Anniversary to us, happy anniversary to us, happy anniversary to our family! Happy anniversary to us!"
Thirteen years have moved along at a fully indescribable pace. Our Number One Son is middle-school aged, how did this happen so quickly? Number Four Daughter is sitting, crawling and cruising, simply unbelievable! I started blogging as a way to catalog our food allergy recipes, so family and friends would have some idea of what the kids can eat. Hubby uses it, but we are still pretty much on our own at family gatherings, even after 11 years of dealing with multiple food allergies. I also wanted an outlet for frustrations. Most of the time when I would sit down to blow off steam, something else would happen. I would see the bright side of things. The time moving slowly part of our lives mostly has to do with money. Disability, job loss, healthcare regulation changes, underemployment and increasing expenses weigh heavily on me. There are so many things I can let go, but when you don't have money to go anywhere besides work and the grocery store (we can walk to church if we are running low on gas money) it makes the days, weeks, months feel so much longer.
I had the conversation with a friend last week that I have had with others, including our Priest: how do we know if this is earthly suffering, bad choices or depression? Today I count my blessings: Hubby, my sweet honey bear who knows how to love me everyday; Number One Son, who gives me daily joy with his resilient attitude; Number One Daughter who challenges me to see things in different ways; Number Two Son with his bright eyes, loving, helpful heart and big hugs; Number Two and Three Daughters praying for us while in the arms of Jesus and Number Three Daughter who reminds me every day that miracles are real and God doesn't give you what you can't handle.
I won't be getting my nails done today. We will all go out for ice cream to celebrate the birthday of our family.
"Happy Anniversary to us, happy anniversary to us, happy anniversary to our family! Happy anniversary to us!"
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