Month: September 2017

When real life happens…

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Still Alive.

Real life can be real stressful. Especially when you are a caregiver to an elderly relative.

That’s where I am in life. It’s rewarding, yes. It is also full of struggle, pain, and disappointment. I don’t think we talk about that as much as we need to honestly. Because we shouldn’t feel those things about a family member. Someone who may have raised us or given us life or was *like* family. Right?

Okay, let me know how that works out for you.

Caregiving can be an incredibly lonely, thankless role in life. Sure, folks appreciate what you do. They commend you for your service to your family. They quote scripture at you about how you are honoring father, mother, widow, etc., etc., peter cetera. And those are great things. As a caregiver, you do appreciate that someone sees what you are doing. That they at least attempt to give lip service to your responsibilites and sacrifice.

But what we also need is the ability to break down. Cry. Tell you how hard it is. Tell you the frustrations and anger we have. Tell you how some days that person is ugly, hateful, hurtful and down right mean to us. How today that person took a swing at us. How it hurts so very much.

We need an ear. A sympathetic heart. And a coffee. Or Dr. Pepper depending on the temperature outside. We need support and love.

And for those who give these things, we give thanks and pray.

And today, for me, I get to leave caregiving, and this blog, behind for a few days of rest. May you find you place of rest as well.

Blessings.

 

Where to start???

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–Fires raging in the Pacific and Mountain West,

–Quake off Mexican Coast

–Harvey, Irma, Jose, Katia, oh my!

–Flooding in Africa and Indian subcontinent

And that’s just Nature acting a fool this week.

There is so much more foolishness going on around us that it simply boggles the mind. So many topics and not enough time to wade into them in hopes of being able to credibly address them here. At least not today. But there are some parting thoughts I wish to leave you with this Friday afternoon.

No, Kirk Cameron, I don’t believe God has sent the hurricanes to humble us. No, Joel Osteen, I don’t believe that God targeted your church’s members so they could be blessed with more. That’s because I do not believe in a vindictive God. Oh, I did once upon a time. And after careful study and prayer, I fired that version of God.

My God is just. He desires mercy, not sacrifice. He is loving. He is compassionate. He cares for his people. He leaves the 99 to find the 1.  His law was fulfilled in Jesus’s sacrifice. We are all created in His image. And His love is never-ending.

The Anger of the Old Testament didn’t work! Sure, it might have produced obedience, but it did so with fear.  And where there is fear, there cannot be love. Scripture alludes to this over and over. 1 John 4:18 says this plainly.

Bringing this full circle, I believe that we live in a fallen world ruled by the laws of Science. There are scientific measures and proofs all around to explain why things are happening as they are. We need only research and inform ourselves. God is bigger than the boxes in which we try to put him.

And that is definitely good news!

Blessings

 

Letter v. Spirit

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It’s been a strange 24 hours. First, the President tweets that he is ending DACA with a 6 month delay to allow Congress to address the issue through legislation. Then he tweets that if Congress doesn’t address DACA in that time frame, he will revisit the issue. Whiplash anyone? Yeah, me too.

I get it. They were brought here illegally by their parents. It was wrong. No question. And yet, the following logic is equally compelling to me.

They were brought here. Their parents sought a better life for themselves and their children. As a parent, I get that. I would do anything to ensure that my children had the best life possible. Who among us parents wouldn’t?

For some, this is the only *home* they have known. Their birth country is just that. The country in which they were born. They have little to no ties to it. No experiences of the culture and working of that country. They may not even speak the language. Yet, our government, their government, is saying they must *go home* to a place that is anything but.

I know I have family and loved ones on both side of this issue. I see both sides of this issue. What we face here is the letter of the law v. the spirit of the law. The letter says they are illegally here. They must return to their country of birth and re-enter legally. The Spirit says that this is the only home they have known. As long as they are productive, contributing citizens with no criminal record they should be allowed to stay and continue to contribute to the fabric of our society. As they have been. Their whole lives.

(And DO NOT get me started about folks who have served in our military! Seriously. DO. NOT.)

I encourage each of us to take time to contemplate, meditate, or pray on these issues. Speak with persons we know and trust about why they see the issues differently from us. Then take action. Contact your elected officials and express your concerns and hopes for this legislation. Join peaceful marches, demonstrations, or protests. Make your voice heard on social media and in the public square. Always civilly. Always.

We can’t solve all the world’s problems or injustices in one day. But we can take one action daily to make the world a better place!

Blessings.

Stumbling through

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I finally had some time today to work on the blog and try to make it more user friendly. Instead, I am discovering how technologically challenged I am. Trying to get sharing buttons and whatnot set up. It’s slow going. For the brave few who have already dropped by, thank you so much! Hang in there! I promise it will become more interesting. To folks stopping by for the first time, thank you. Keep checking back for updates and improvements to your experience.

mgh