Christmas Joy??? December 18, 2008
Posted by LaWanda in Christmas, Family.1 comment so far
Tuesday morning I was supposed to have flown from Florida to Portland to be with our daughter, her husband and our 5 and 7 year old grandsons for Christmas. I would get to be with our youngest son, his wife and our 2 and 3 1/2 year old grandsons this week, before Christmas. Rex was to fly out Christmas morning, then we were flying back home together New Year’s Eve. But plans have changed.
I didn’t realize that getting the cast off my ankle was just part of the healing, there’s ‘weeks’ left as the Dr put it. I wasn’t expecting that. So my left leg from the knee down, and foot, is without muscle from being immobile in a cast for 6 weeks. I have to re-build those muscles and ‘teach’ my leg and foot to walk. I was very discouraged as I left the Dr’s office and I’ve felt wretched ever since, with limited strength and blasted emotions.
Rex walked with me down the street a ways the last couple of days and I walk around the house, VERY CAREFULLY, using the crutches some but I try to keep my leg propped up when sitting down (don’t want any blood clots!) My ankle’s still very swollen and hurts a lot. My left calf looks so weird with only flab where there used to be muscle.
I’m pretty immobile, I mean, SLOW is the word as I walk and I have to THINK with each step so I won’t loose my balance, stumble or fall.
Besides that, it’s literally freezing cold with snow and ice in the NW with more of the same weather predicted for the next week or more. Some airports between here and there are closed or have delayed flights so we could easily get stranded in an airport far from either our kids or our home.
All things considered, Rex and I came to the painful conclusion that we shouldn’t risk the flight or take the trip, I’m just not up to it and I wouldn’t be focused or have my mind on being careful, as I must during this time. I’m bummed and had a big pity-party for myself last night and am still sad. I mean, for 40 years we’ve been with one, two or usually all three of our children for the Christmas festivities, we have treasured traditions.
But in my time with the Lord this morning, I was writing ‘my complaint’ to Him and how sad I was, even depressed, wanting just to go to bed and cover my head, when the thought came to me, ‘So this is how people feel who are lonely, sick, in pain, sad, have pressures, etc., etc., this time of year!’
I asked God to forgive me. Others in our church came to my mind; 41 year old Teresa whose father had a stroke and died yesterday, her children and family’s grief; Mollie’s confinement and disability; Louetta’s total dependence on others for even her bare necessities; military people in harm’s way and far, far from their families and home; people who’ve received a knock on their door and a messenger with news that their loved one is ‘missing or killed in action’; people in the hospital with crushed bodies, in commas; people confined behind bars. The list goes on and on.
So I’m determining to think positively and focus on what I have rather than what I’m missing; to discipline myself and my mind to do what I can and enjoy every moment of this wonderful life God has given me for 63 years and counting.
I know God has given us the key, His Son, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit living within us, working in us to bring us to fulfillment and completion in Him. I know that it takes fire to purify fine metals and that God uses the fires of this life for our good when we let Him. So I’m choosing His path, focusing on the reality of eternity and the prospects of living today seeing possibilities, difficulties and even pain through His eyes.
Only in Christ can I do this as my natural self whines, cries, complains and wants to go in a dark corner and hide. 
My hope is in Him; thank God that He is real, alive today and forever, working in my life and in the lives of all those who turn to Him. Today’s a GOOD day…because of Him!
With thanksgiving, love and prayers for you and for those who are suffering, especially during this time of year,
LaWanda
Rex’s Thanksgiving Thoughts December 2, 2008
Posted by LaWanda in Rex, Thanksgiving.1 comment so far
I wanted to share Rex’s Thanksgiving email to our church, with his permission, hope it’s a blessing to you too.
Thanksgiving is my favorite season of the year. It is such a wonderful time–so warm, so uncluttered, so family oriented. Joe Stowell says its the holiday commercialism forgot.
These past few days I have been thinking about what it is to truly have an attitude of gratitude. The attitude of gratitude gives you surviving power, which means you will not quit. Robert H. Schuller tells a story from his childhood in rural Iowa which has always intrigued me. He said, “I vividly remember the dust bowl years. When I was a child, in the thirties, the wind swept in from the Dakotas. It was dry, dusty, violent and fierce. The wind became our enemy because it would peel off the dry, rich, black soil and swirl it like drifting dunes in the gullies and canyons of our fields. I shall never forget one particularly difficult year. We walked around our farm with white towels over our faces to keep from suffocating in the choking dust.
The harvest season came. My father would normally harvest a hundred wagons full of corn, but that year he harvested not the usual one hundred loads, but a meager half wagon load. I can still see the old wagon standing in the yard–only half full. It was a total crop failure, one that has never been equaled.
I shall never forget how, seated at the dinner table with his callused hands holding ours, my father looked up and thanked God. He said, ‘I thank you, God that I have lost nothing. For I have regained the seed I planted in the springtime.’ He used half a wagonload for seed; he got half a wagonload back.
His attitude of gratitude was that he had lost nothing while other farmers were complaining that they had lost ninety loads or a hundred loads. They counted their losses by what they could have harvested.
I’ll always remember my father saying, ‘You can never count up the might-have-beens or you will be defeated.’ Never look at what you have lost; look at what you have left.”
Whatever losses you may think you have suffered, thank God for what you have left and then offer the sacrifice of praise. I urge all of you to do that this week. In all our meetings this week we have talked and sung about our UP GOD IN A DOWN WORLD.
This is a wonderful opportunity to look around you and find someone to whom you can show kindness. One of our small groups this week told me that they are going to adopt a family to help during the holiday season. Several times during the week we have had the privilege of loading grocery bags full for needy people. One woman in tears told me that she had lost her job. I was grateful that we could help her.
One of the ways that we can show thankfulness to God for what He has done for us is by showing compassion to others. GOD IS CALLING US TO COMPASSION. Compassion will flow easily when we have an attitude of gratitude.
Why not consider giving a Thanksgiving offering to the Lord. Whether you give out of your abundance or out of your need, God will give you a blessing. You will be richer when you help provide for someone else. Last week an individual who has really had rough times, gave an offering to God. She planted a “seed of faith” and God is already blessing her in a spiritual way and I know that God is going to supply her personal needs.
When I think of having an attitude of gratitude, I like what Principal Watt of New College, Edinburgh, Scotland, prayed–”Grant me one gift more–a grateful heart.”
For God’s graciousness, and your faithfulness, I am truly grateful, Rex
