Sing Unto The Lord

Psalm 104:33-34 KJV

” I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live:  I will sing praise to my God while I have being.  My meditation of Him shall be sweet:  I will be glad in the Lord.”

It is hard to look at all the beautiful things in nature and not see the handy work of God.  I start each day thanking God for his blessings and for his son Jesus, who died for all of us. At church within the last 2 weeks we have lost 2 good elderly gentlemen.  It makes a person stop and think how short life is, how you can lose your loved ones in an instant. That thought should touch your heart and make you think of God and what life is truly about.  I hope each of you have a blessed day.

Visiting Your Parents

LOVE YOUR PARENTS.  We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old.  (your daily love emotions on 16 quotes.com)

I remember when my husband and I left Arizona and moved back to Arkansas –  we did not drive the 20 miles to his parents house to visit often enough.  I loved my husband’s parents like they were my own. Jobs, raising kids, and other activities seemed to consume our time.  Both my husband and I regret to this day that we did not spend more time with his parents.  Suddenly, my husband’s parents were old, they became sick, and they left this world.  You think back and you wonder why you did not give 2 older, lonely people more of your time. They often told us when we did go for a visit that we did not stop by enough. What is life about, if not taking the time to spend quality time with your parents before they leave this earth. I am not trying to shame anyone into visiting their parents.  I think we all need to take stock of our lives and allot time for the things that truly matter. My parents are also gone and I know I miss them beyond words, and I miss my husband’s parents equally.  Stop by for 5 minutes, give Mom a kiss and a hug.  You can even hug your old Dad too.

 

 

“Gentle, Loving, People”

Elisabeth Kubler Ross was a Swiss-American psychiatrist, pioneer in near death studies. She wrote books on: Grief, Death, Dying.  She was born in Switzerland in 1926 and died in Scottsdale, Arizona in 2004.  She often discussed the 5 stages of grief, to help those who had lost loved ones.  She wrote many famous quotes, I would like to share 2 of her quotes with you. 

“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.”

“There is within each one of us a potential for goodness beyond our imagining; for giving which seeks no reward; for listening without judgement; for loving unconditionally.”

Do the traits that Elisabeth mentioned in these quotes describe you and how you are living your life.  If they do, I commend you for being one of the beautiful, loving people. We should all strive to be kind, gentle, and caring as we live our lives.

Country Church

God is the best listener.  You don’t have to shout nor cry out loud.  He hears even the silent prayer of a sincere heart.  crosscards.com

Dementia – Love Me ‘Til My Life Is Done

Sometimes those with Alzheimer’s/Dementia will wake in the middle of the night, upset and in a rage, wanting to go home.  One gentelman’s wife with dementia did this now and then.  He was so patient, he would dress her, go for a short drive, and return home.  He would take her back to her bedroom, and she was content to be home.

Dealing with dementia patients is not like dealing with an ill person.  For an ill  person you do something “to” and “for” them.  For a dementia person you do something “with” them. (socializing)

Caregivers feel helpless and emotionally drained.  But do not give up on your loved one.  Read this poem written by an unknown author, and have compassion for those with Alzheimer’s/Dementia.

• Don’t ask me to remember,
• Don’t try to make me understand,
• Let me rest and know your’re with me,
• Kiss my cheek and hold my hand.
• I’m confused beyond your concept.
• I am sad and sick and lost,
• All I know is that I need you,
• To be with me at all cost.
• Do not lose your patience with me,
• Do not scold or curse or cry,
• I can’t help the way I’m acting,
• Can’t be different though I try.
• Just remember that I need you,
• That the best of me is gone,
• Please don’t fail to stand beside me.
• Love me ’til my life is done.

Scientists studying dementia ask us to focus on what our loved ones can do.  Do not focus on the skills they have lost.  Normally long-term-memory and reading skills are less effected.  Even when a dementia patient can’t speak, they can still read if the print size is large enough. Spoken words. ” go in one ear and out the other.”  Those with dementia cannot store the spoken word in their memory.  Give them notes to read and they will not ask again and again where they or going or where something they want is stored.  Scientists know notes work, because they witness that dementia patients reading notes, will smile, and make pleasant sounds.  Those with dementia will stroke photos of loved ones with captions, because they read and then know the person in the photo.

I used baby monitors throughout my home dealing with my brother.  I learned this from a nurse who was caring for her mother with dementia. If I noticed or heard him, on my monitor screen, in a  certain room having problems, I went to help him find or complete a task he was trying to accomplish.  I used drive way alarms pointed at doors to know when he left or entered the house.  I had the receiving units for these alarms in my locked bedroom, but could hear them throughout my home.  These were aides to help me deal with an extreme dementia wanderer.

I know how hard being a caregiver is and that those with dementia do not know how to function correctly. So, just remember that they need you and love them until their life is done.

 

 

World Violence

I was listening to the news this morning about the recent violence and killings in California .  Planned Parenhood, 14 dead, 17 wounded.  On Good Morning America, psychiatrist Janet Saltz said we were becoming desensitized to shootings and violence.  This made me quite angry, I am not desentized to anything that takes another’s life.  I shake my head, I pray to God, and I shed tears for all the innocent people who are killed daily in this world.  How can we as individuals end this hate and violence? Martin Luther King said it very well – we can eliminate violence with love.

If each of us fills our heart with love instead of hate perhaps we will slowly begin to overcome the hate and violence in this world.

Titus 3:3-4  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.

If God loves us, why can’t we love each other?

Don’t Laugh At Others

Peter, Paul, and Mary sang a song years ago called, “Don’t Laugh At Me.” We might all take notice of the lyrics and stop being unkind and cruel to others.

Verse l:  I’m a little boy with glasses.  The one they call a geek.  A little girl who never smiles, ’cause I have braces on my teeth.  And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep. I’m that kid on every playground who’s always chosen last.  A single teenage mother tryin’ to overcome my past.  You don’t have to be my friend, but is it too much to ask.

Chorus:  Don’t laugh at me.  Don’t call me names.  Don’t get your pleasure from my pain. In God’s eyes we’re all the same. Someday we’ll all have perfect wings. Don’t laugh at me.

Verse 2:  I’m the beggar on the corner. You’ve passed me on the street.  And I wouldn’t be out here beggin’ if I had enough to eat.  And don’t think I don’t notice that our eyes never meet.

Chorus: Don’t laugh at me. Don’t call me names.  Don’t get your pleasure from my pain. In God’s eyes we’re all the same. Someday we’ll all have perfect wings. Don’t laugh at me.

Verse 3:  I’m fat, I’m thin, I’m short, I’m tall.  I’m deaf, I’m blind, hey, aren’t we all. In God’s eyes we’re all the same.  Someday we’ll all have perfect wings. Don’t laugh at me.

Chorus:  Don’t laugh at me.  Don’t call me names.  Don’t get your pleasure from my pain. In God’s eyes we’re all the same. Someday we’ll all have perfect wings. Don’t laugh at me.

Reflecting on Life

Do you find as you get older that you begin to reflect on your life?  Does life seem to be slipping away too quickly?  Does it seem like you were just 18 years old yesterday and ready to leave your parents house? The next thing you know you are 40, then 50 and on up the age ladder you wander. As this life passes quickly do you reflect on what you have done, or how happy you have been?  Do you wonder when you will be gone and become only a memory in someone’s mind?  Most of us with a little age under our belts do think about the end of our life.

 

 

 

 

At  times I look through picture albums (yes, some of us still have those) and review the life I have lived to this point.  I think, wow, I have had a busy life, but where has it gone. You wonder how many days or years you have left on this earth.  You question whether you have spent your life doing what was expected of you, if you helped others enough. You think did I love enough, was I happy, was I kind, was I the person I should have been.

 

Memories of loved ones that I have lost flood my mind.  Then I think of those who are still here, those I love, those I can still help get through the tragic times, the happy times.

Take the years God gives you on this earth and live them in the best possible way.  Never take life for granted. Life is fragile.  Live today to the fullest, because as horrible as it may be to think about it, we may not have tomorrow.

Imagine the Possibilities

 

Can you imagine the possibilities of a better world.  There are so many negative people on this earth.  I sat here trying to think of one person I knew who was kind, generous, totally happy, and who amazed me with their positive attitude.  I thought of one lady, she is a school teacher.  Every time I encounter this precious lady she greets me with warmth and a happy smile on her face.  She greets everyone with her big smile, she is a very kind, compassionate person.  A perfect person to be a teacher, a friend, an inspiration,

When I let negative thoughts enter my mind I know that I can be that better person and discard that negativity.  If I wish to create a better person within myself I have to work toward that goal.  There is a Chinese Proverb:  “Deal with the faults of others as gently as your own.”

I found a quote by an unknown author that made me stop and think: “One day your life will flash before your eyes.  Make sure it is worth watching.”  Imagine the possibilities of your life being a story worth watching.  A story that truly inspires others.

If I improve my outlook on life and my actions I can make this world a better place in which to live. I can improve my life and the lives of those around me.  It takes one step at a time and loads of patience to change.  I can work on that positive attitude, acquire a kinder demeanor, and create untold possibilities for a happier life.

Mother Teresa said: “Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are totally endless.”  Kind words travel far and last for a very long time.  Just think how happy you feel when kind words are spoken to you by others.

We will never eradicate all of the angry, mean, hateful, unkind people from this earth, but changing ourselves can add another good person to this world.  If we change then the possibility of changing others can be achieved.  Do not expect others to listen to you and change their lives if there is negativity in your life.

There are two things others will truly see that stand out in your life.  The things you do to other people and the things you do for other people.  We all need to be more kind, more generous, more caring and extremely compassionate people. God expects us to be good, moral people.  I often sit and dream about how wonderful it would be on this earth if the world was filled with more perfect and compassionate human beings.

The possibility of each of us changing the life of one other person for the better, is achievable.  Think of the snowball effect that can happen by passing your compassion from one person to another and watching it rub off on others..  Envision the possibilities of kinder people and a better world in which to live.  One line in John Lennon’s  song “Imagine” says, “Imagine all the people living life in peace.” ♥♥♥♥♥♥

Compassion For Others

Does this cloudy, blue sky instill compassion in your heart?  Does it let you know God is in charge and He wants all of us to be more kind to each other and take care of our planet?

There is a song we sing where I attend church, part of one verse goes like this:  As we travel through life with it’s trouble and strife . . .  Trouble and strife is normally caused, because people do not show kindness and compassion for others.  Many people fail to get involved and help others.

I try to help others, but sometimes I fall short.  Let me tell you a short true story where I failed to help someone and felt shame, because I did not get involved.

My husband  and I were standing in the check-out line at Wal Mart some time ago. Several isles over we heard loud voices.  As we looked that way we saw two store employees begin to humiliate and degrade an elderly gentleman.  They had already scanned his purchases and told him what he owed.  At that point the gentleman realized he had forgotten to bring his wallet.  These two check-out clerks began to speak loudly, and rudely to this older man.  They told him there must be some money in his pockets. They told the gentleman to empty his pockets on the counter.  They did not believe his pockets were empty.  The clerks reached in and turned his front pockets wrong side out and left them that way.  They stuck their hands into the back pockets on his pants, degrading him verbally the entire time.  They patted the pocket on his shirt.  My husband and I both said to each other that we should help this man pay for his purchases. Normally we would have done so, but we just stood there and did nothing.  Finally the older man left with his head hung low, the clerks degrading him as he walked away, trying to put his front pockets back in place.  My husband and I could not believe we stood there and did nothing.

I have seen my husband forget his wallet and on those days I paid the bill.  When you are alone and have no way to pay, does that mean you should be treated as this older gentleman was treated?  Absolutely not!

Many opportunities have arisen for my husband and I to help someone, who lacked a dollar or two to pay in the check-out line,  by giving them the amount they needed.  You get a very genuine thank you and a big smile when you help someone.  I am sure many of you have helped someone in this manner.

What has happened to “Compassion for others in our society?”  Why is there so much hate, violence, and unconcern in this world?  There is not enough love and compassion on planet earth.  If one person at a time would step-up and help someone, perhaps this world would become a better place in which to live.  God tells us in the Bible that LOVE is the greatest and most important element in our lives.

Step up and help others.  That could be you who is being degraded and needs a compassionate, kind stranger to rescue you.