Random Acts of "Kindness"

Posts tagged ‘Inspiritational’

REFLECTIONS

A friend asked me the other day if I was on my list. Did I think of the things that I wanted to do or did I put everyone else first. I laughed because I realized that once again I have slipped off my list. Too much coming and going — too much trying to catch up — never succeeding — too much just doing what was necessary.

We were at our youngest daughter’s home. Seven o’clock in the morning, I had already taken our dog for a walk, made a pot of coffee, unloaded the dish washer and made breakfast for my grandchildren, plus fed the dogs — hers and ours. I opened my daughter’s Mom’s Devotional bible to Isaiah 40:11. “Tends his flock like a shepherd, gather’s his lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart and gently leads those that have young.” I thought it rather described my morning.

Sunday morning, I opened to a reflection titled Sitting on the Bench. I didn’t write down the passage it referred to, but I remember it concerned watching the proceedings without actually taking an active part. At our daughter’s church that morning, the minister asked the congregation if our life reflected our values — even on Facebook. Was our life God centered? Afterwards, reflecting on the question in my mind, a church member told me that I was a light in his life. I guess I was given an answer.

Sunday night, I didn’t sleep well. I was EXTREMEMLY WORRIED! I don’t want to share the reason right now, it really isn’t important. I opened the Bible to God Answers Prayers. The question: Does God answer yours? Do you keep a journal? Soon after reading that piece, I had a conversation that eased my worries. There is still cause for concern and they are still in my prayers, but not in immediate danger. YES, GOD ANSWERS MY PRAYERS. Not always as quickly, nor do I get the answer that I want, but my prayers are definitely answered.

Back home again, the planes are practicing for the air and water show. Soon after my father passed to the other side, I had a dream in which I was a pilot of a Blue Angel plane. The story WINGS is in Journey With Me. Neither of the books I have written have become best sellers but I’m confident that they have helped many people. Why am I bring this up NOW? I love to try to find the planes as they are practicing. They fly over our house much to the distress of our dogs. At 11:00 I heard the planes — rather early for a practice and a day earlier than usual. I wondered what planes were in the sky. Standing in the alley to have a better view without the trees, I saw two planes in the distance. I wondered which ones they were. I soon had my answer, two planes flew so low I saw the writing on their wings — BLUE ANGELS. They usually close the show. Around 3:00, I was shopping at a store and heard planes flying overhead — I wondered which ones they were and watched the skies when I exited the store. Smaller, with gold on their wings, six planes, performing maneuvers. A person collecting carts used to work on them when he was in the service — I learned they were from the navy.

The Mind, Body, Spirit Expo is this weekend. Although I love going, I planned to be in the country with my daughter’s family — swimming, fishing —. God had other plans. This has been a wet, cool summer. This weekend is more of the same. Wet, rainy — not a good weekend for outdoor activities. Our daughter is staying home, so are we. Hello Expo!

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CHRISTMAS CARDS

My husband told me that I look at the world through innocent eyes. I guess that he is right. I prefer to look at the good in a situation instead of the evil. There is enough sadness and evil in the world to focus on it.

In my neighborhood, the mailboxes have gone into hiding. Three boxes that were on the corners near my house have disappeared. Talking to some of the residents in our neighborhood, I’ve learned that they aren’t the only ones. More have disappeared, whether it is cost cutting by the post office or plans to repair them remain to be seen. It is no longer easy to mail a letter. I’m sure I could give our letters to the mailman, but I never know who he or she will be or when they are coming. I dislike leaving checks out in our mailbox, hoping they won’t land in the wrong hands. Therefore I go for a longer walk. Thankfully I’m usually able to do so. I hate to think of a world without mail delivery. I don’t want everything to rely on the computer. I LIKE hard copies of our checking account, and bills. I still miss information, but on line, I would miss even more.

I know that some of the problems the post office is experiencing stems from the use of the internet. To date, I don’t pay our bills on line or do our banking. I know that many banks are safe, but I have heard of too many instances when accounts have been hacked. So, not only do I have innocent eyes but I guess I’m old fashioned too.

I like to read real books. To turn the pages, and (Don’t tell Sister) sometimes underline or make notes on the page.  I like to send and receive Christmas cards. A couple of years ago, I sent out a Christmas letter with the card. One year, the cards went out without the letter. I heard from many of our friends and relatives that they missed the letter. This year a letter was enclosed. Just a short note of the joys and trials of the year. Hopefully more joys than sorrows. This year’s letter announced my BLOG.

I like the internett cards. They usually are animated and are fun to watch. But I can’t keep them or hang them on the wall. I like receiving real cards in return. Sometimes they contain a short note telling me how things are going.  Some years I hang them on the arches. Some years, life is too busy. I like the pictures of the growing kids. I always keep the cards for at least a year. Many times the person who sent it goes home before the next Christmas. Then the card goes into my keep pile. Not only do I have their name, but a sample of their writing and perhaps a short note. Of course, the subject of the card, reflects the person too. Sadly, my keep stack gets bigger each year.

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INTERESTING QUESTION

My husband and I stopped at a favorite restaurant for breakfast. It was Friday morning, we usually stopped on Saturday. We didn’t sit in our favorite spot, nor did we have our favorite waitress. In fact, the woman who served us was extremely busy with a party and we had extra time to enjoy our morning coffee.

A heavy-set gentleman, wearing dark glasses, walking with a cane, eased into the booth across from us. As my coffee cup emptied and we still hadn’t placed our order, I became a little impatient. I have been gifted with a loud voice that carries. Even when I try to speak softly, my voice still carries. One comment led to another, soon the gentleman across from us joined in the conversation. I think his name was Bob. He had taken disability pay a few years ago which enabled him to take care of his aging parents. His father had cancer and his mother had Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. I knew why we had met.

His father hadn’t lingered, passing away soon after being diagnosed with  cancer, his mother passed away in September, on the same day, four years later. His mother had been a handful and he missed her.

When I mentioned that my dad had Alzheimer’s, he asked me if I missed him. How did I handle the day-to-day when my life had been so involved in my father’s care? It was a question that made me pause. Dad has been gone over seventeen years, but he is still very active in my life. He let me know within three days that he was just fine on the other side. Although I didn’t see him or hear his voice, I was very aware that he was often present. It helped with my grieving.  In fact, because of Alzheimer’s declining stages, he was more present than when he was alive. It also helped that our youngest daughter suggested I write our story of living with my father as his health declined. My first book, To Pap, With Love, gradually was born, with the help of “my friends.”

Bob, who was a veteran from Vietnam told me that it helped him to share his experiences with others, and to hear their stories in return.  Confirmed — another reason for me to not only write but to share my life with others.

I don’t know why I have been gifted by help from the other side. Do I have a special job to do? When that thought crosses my mind, I could panic. But I believe that God is in charge. I have always gone to the president of the company when I was working. So I let the day-to-day in His hands and try not to worry about tomorrow.

We all have people and pets on the other side. If you are not aware of their presence, there can be many reasons why they are not active in your life. Or maybe they are and like my mother who was involved in mine undiscovered for more than 45 years, they might be so good at what they are doing, that you don’t notice. Maybe you are doing exactly what you need to and their direction isn’t needed.

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Some Lessons Are Hard To Learn

Just because I have friends in high places doesn’t mean that my life is easy. If I listened — but many years ago I must have stopped, because they don’t speak to me — life might be easier. As it is I muddle through, looking for hints, and guidance from various means. When an important message is trying to get through, it is repeated many times until I understand. It helps if I verbally say thank you or in some form acknowledge that I understand. Sometimes I even get physically hit on the head by cascading stuff from the freezer, or tree branches, or doors or car trunks. The ultimate was a toilet seat but that is a future story.

As I sit writing this thought ramble, I know that “someone is helping.” The font has already changed sizes. Computers were not a household item when my father was alive. A printer by trade, he complied a list for solving puzzles using a typewriter. I’ve heard that my mother was a court stenographer. I have not inherited that talent. If I had to write a book on a typewriter, it would NEVER have made it into print. First off, I flunked typing, second, my typing is atrocious. I might get ten words a minute with five errors.  I have to look at the keys.  (Laugh with me, that sentence was just italicized but I fixed it.)

Each chapter in both books went through many rewrites.  Believe me when I say that manually on a typewriter it NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED!

While I learned to write our story on the computer, THEY HELPED!! It might be a change in font, or the computer would freeze or everything I wrote might just be deleted. After a while I learned that sometimes, what I was thinking was not part of the story. Sometimes a different message was trying to get through. I can’t tell you how many times I rewrote a story about a first communion party at my second daughter’s house for To Pap, With Love.  I think it was the fourth chapter, it was a cute story and I WANTED TO KEEP IT! Each time I printed that chapter the printer stopped at the party. When I FINALLY RECEIVED AND ACKNOWLEDGED the MESSAGE the chapter printed with no problem.

What was the message you might ask? We received a present that day–  a beautiful day.

With their “help” I got sidetracked.  Back to my original thought.

Recently I read a question in one of the magazines or books that cross my path.  It asked the reader to list 10 people that where important in their life. I wrote out my list. Then a few pages forward, it asked where on the list I was. Would you believe, I wasn’t on there at all.

I wish I could say that after that bit of enlightenment I’m now on my list. NOPE! But I’m trying. I’m sodium restricted which has made a HUGE change in my diet. If I have too much sodium, my ankles swell and walking becomes painful. A job from hell (more about that later) caused circulation problems. I’m not diabetic, nor do I think I have heart problems but I get sores on one of my legs that don’t want to heal. I’m overweight — try as I might — my fat loves me. Therefore, I have to remember when I’m in the store, to  buy foods that I can eat too. I’m sure it will come as no surprise when I say that most of the food I can eat, my husband prefers not to.  Most of what he likes, I can’t eat.

I’m trying to be on my list, are you on yours?

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