Circa 1966

DD wanted to go to the city. And it was a great day for a Friday drive after school.  And she has her learner's license. So off to the city we went. My Sweetheart sat in the passenger seat.  Driving with a child who has a learner's license is his job. I'm too high strung.  Too nervous. He's the epitome of calm, cool, and collected in matters such as driving.

While at Wally's world we were perusing the dvd's and cd's - I saw something that made me do a double take. I almost couldn't believe my eyes.  Almost.

There, all by itself, in the cd area, was THE Elvis "how great thou art" CD. The cover was the exact same cover of the LP that had been in My Mom's collection years earlier. Years.  Circa 1966. The cover with the face of Elvis in the front left corner, blue skies at the top, and a white church on the left hand side.

I was 2 when that album showed up in the old farmhouse. I was 2 when my Blue Suede Brother, and my Other Brother had been asked to sing in church. For some reason, likely my young age, I hadn't been asked to sing.  And I was hurt. I had been snubbed for the first time in my life by the 'ask-ers'.

"If you can learn the words to the song," My Mom told me, "you can sing with the boys."

Out came the Elvis "How Great thou Art" album and the song 'In the Garden' was played over and over and over. I just realized, now in fact, that My Mom would have been the one lifting the needle up and back, over and over and over- just for me.

I remember when I knew the song. My Mom was downstairs in the scary, dark, damp basement - putting clothes in or taking clothes out of the dryer.  I opened the basement door and yelled "I KNOW IT!!!!"

I remember singing it for her. And then I remember standing in front of Scandia Lutheran with my Blue Suede Brother and my Other Brother as we sang. We would have been standing youngest to oldest, looking like stair steps. The oldest almost 8, then 6, then- me. I was as happy as could be- singing with my brothers, encouraged by the congregation, and loved by my parents.

That song has been one I've sang many times throughout the 47 years since. Mostly at funerals.
But I didn't really understand the words of it until a few years ago. It was written, according to the songwriter, from the viewpoint of Jesus, while He was in the garden of Gethsemane- just before He was was arrested.

I come to the garden alone,
while the dew is still on the roses,
and the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me
and He talks with me
and He tells me I am His Own
and the joy we share as we tarry there
none other has ever known.

Jesus was in that garden, alone, praying. He knew what was going to be happening. But He did it anyway- because of love.

He speaks and the sound of His voice
though the night around me be falling,
but He bids me go through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.

The voice of woe. How terrible and how lonely that voice must have been. But Jesus endured. He stayed and prayed with His Heavenly Father.

He listened.

He wept.

He loved.

He was betrayed.

He forgave.

He suffered.

He bled.

He died.

He conquered death.

He lives.

And now I can come to the garden - alone. I know He walks with me.  I know He talks with me. I know He calls me His own.

Of course I bought that CD. I'll probably end up giving it to Mom- it was one of her favorite albums.

Comfort Dogs

"My dogs," I said to a friend yesterday over coffee, "seem to know when I'm not feeling well. They will want to be as close to me as possible then." We had been talking about our pets and what great company they are. I was recalling how, just the previous week, while suffering a migraine, Chico wanted up on the bed with me. She curled her little body next to mine and slept. She only does that when I'm not feeling well.

I remembered watching a news program on tv, shortly after the Newtown tragedy. On that particular program 'comfort dogs' were featured. 5 or 6  Golden Retrievers, along with their handlers, had been dispatched to Newtown.  Their job was simple - to comfort anyone who needed comfort. I, being a lover of Golden Retrievers, was in tears while watching. I was wondering, just yesterday, if the 'comfort dogs' would be dispatched to Boston. My answer came this morning, while watching the news, while on my eliptical. The 'comfort dogs' - the same ones that were in Conneticut a few months earlier, were sitting in front of a Lutheran Church in Boston- waiting to do their job; and in the meantime were getting lots of kisses and hugs from the news correspondent.

It was a touching segment. People are suffering.  People need comfort. But what about those people who don't have access to 'comfort dogs'? What about those who are going through:

intense heartbreak..
immense sorrow...
extreme loneliness...
pain....
separation or divorce....
loneliness and longing...?

What about those who are:

misunderstood....
marginalized...
mocked....
beaten down....
lied about....?

What about the widows? The orphans? The shut-ins?

What about the people who seemingly have it all together on the outside, but inside are screaming to be loved?

We live in a world besot by evil. From the beginning, when God first created the world, evil entered. Evil, that threatens to  destroy good and devour all that is right,is rampant.  Evil manipulates and lies. Evil does not want good to flourish. That is why the world is in turmoil.  That is why bombs go off at finish lines at marathons. That is why kids take guns to schools.  That is why families disintigrate.  That is why marriages crumble. That is why people sue each other. That is why churches split.

My Bible says "your enemy- your adversary- the devil - prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour..." 1 Peter 5:8

But it goes on to say, in verse 9 - "The suffering won't last forever.  It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ- eternal and glorious plans they are! - will have you put together and on your feet for good. HE gets the last word."

If you're in need of comfort, look to God.  He is a present help in times of trouble. He is always available- unlike comfort dogs. The way to God is through Jesus. Jesus conquered sin.  He is alive. He loves you. He says, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.  No one  comes to the Father, but through Me." - John 14:6

Finally, be encouraged and comforted by these words - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." 2 Corinthians 1:4

Friendliness Training

One out of three girls at the reception desk, at the eye doctor's, where I took My Mom today, was friendly. She greeted Mom with a smile, looked her in the eye when talking to her, and generally showed kindness. I liked her. And after she whisked Mom away for the myriad of things that needed to be done, I sat and waited and observed while pretending to feign interest in Woman's Day magazines. A lot of observing can transpire in 90 some minutes.

I observed two things, really, that stick out in my mind right now.  One of them is that the elderly enjoy visiting.  The other was that friendliness was lacking at the reception desk from the other girls- the 2 out of the  3 girls.

What flabbergasted me the most and still is making me cringe, hours after the fact, was the way 1 of the receptionists in particular was communicating, or not communicating, with an elderly patient that had made her way to the reception desk. The patient was using a walker and was obviously very hard of hearing. The receptionist didn't even make eye contact, not once, with the patient. I was watching the whole thing transpire. She seemed to be annoyed when she had to repeat herself.  'Seemed' might not even be the correct word. She was annoyed. Finally the rigamarole at the reception desk was completed and the patient sat down in the waiting room.

The other unfriendly receptionist dealt with Mom and I after My Mom's appointment. She had to deal with me because I am Mom's driver. Mom sets her appointment dates in consultation with me in order to make sure I am available for driving.  The first date didn't work for me. It was for the beginning of July. That seemed to annoy the receptionist. The second date didn't work either.  "When," she said in a condescending way, "do you plan on being able to bring her?" "Well," replied myself, "I'm not exactly sure when we'll be back from our camping trip...."

At that point I think I saw her eyeballs roll. I thought maybe I should have called her boss to the front to see if he could do anything about rolling eyeballs, but then thought better of it. So I smiled. And said "we should be back by the middle of July."

Then Mom and I left and went shoe shopping. I bought 2 pairs of shoes from the saleslady because she was so friendly. Some people could take friendliness training from her.

Still in My Jammies

Today is Easter Sunday. It's 11:02 in the morning right now as I'm sitting at my laptop. The cranberries are cooked, the turkey is roasting, the dessert is in the fridge, the potatoes are ready to go in the oven, the turnip has been cooked and just needs to be re-heated. My mom is bringing the jelly salad, and Phyllis is bringing the other salad. The house has been  cleaned. The dishwasher is running. The Easter Sunday church service that was on TV is over. And I am still in my jammies. Smiling.

I'm smiling, while still sitting in my jammies, because all that I mentioned in the previous paragraph is complete.

I'm smiling because everything that needs to be done before our evening meal is done. Everything important anyway.

I'm smiling  because everyone we love is safe, and alive! I'm rejoicing over that fact actually. Some people know why.

I'm smiling because I have great friends. One of those great friends texted me yesterday to meet in the city for coffee. Friends I haven't seen for years were 'home' for Easter. Other friends gathered. We fellowshipped, laughed, reminisced, caught up with each other's lives.

I'm smiling because today is Easter.  And with that knowledge is hope. Eternal hope. Present  peace. Forgiveness.  Mercy. Joy. Resurrection. Renewal. Transformation. And love. God's Love. Perfect love. "But God demonstrated His love for us- while we were still sinners Christ died for us..." Romans 5:8

Death could not keep Him. Death was not victorious. And I am still smiling. And still in my jammies.

Purple Sparkles

While DD went for dinner with a friend last night, My Sweetheart, DS and I went to the hockey game! The city team is in the playoffs and were playing on home ice last night.

DS had ordered the tickets the day before, and while he was in the lobby picking them up, I was looking at the people coming in. I noticed one particular little girl, about 3 or 4 years old. She had sparkly eyes and blonde hair.  A real little charmer. And then I noticed her shoes. They were sparkly purple. I was wearing my faded black boots. Warm, but getting ugly as the winter drags on. My boots are faded and worn. But I wore them because I needed to keep my feet warm.

I wondered when I saw this little girl why her mother wouldn't insist that she wear warm boots. That's what I likely would have done with DD when she was little. She probably would have wanted to wear cute little shoes with little heels to hockey games and I would have likely said something like, "They're not practical. Your toes will get cold."  Maybe that's why she doesn't like hockey games.

As I was contemplating and being curious I couldn't help but also wonder that maybe this little girl was there with her dad.  He wouldn't care what was on her feet. If his little girl wanted to dress up as a princess with purple sparkly shoes, why not?

I smiled broadly to myself when the little girl's mom came and reached for her hand.  Her mom was also wearing purple sparkly shoes. The little girl's close-in-age sister had them on too. Dad and older brother were with them. It was a family affair. I could imagine the little girls plotting with their mom before they went out.  Maybe it was Mom's idea. It doesn't matter. They looked very happy. They were with the family.

Did they know, when they picked out their purple sparkly shoes, that purple, in the Scriptures, is the color of royalty? The soldiers, as they were mocking Jesus as 'the King of the Jews' draped a purple robe over Him. While they were mocking Him, did they realize that He truly is the King of kings and therefore  truly worthy to wear a purple robe?

The One mocked suffered terribly. But He did it willingly. His love for us, for me, for the girls in the purple sparkly shoes: His love for a sin-soaked world led Him to the cross. But it didn't leave Him there. What hope I have in the risen Lord!

I might have to see if I can find some purple sparkly shoes.

Preparations

Our plans have a tendency to go awry. For the second time in almost 6 months we will be staying home because of snow.  In October we didn't go to my blue-suede brother's home for Thanksgiving because we would have been driving into the first horrible snowstorm of the winter season. So we decided then that Easter would be the perfect time to head East. Easter, after all, would be in the spring, the roads would be good, travelling would be a breeze.

Apparently the October snow storm foreshadowed the winter to follow. The winter to stay.  The winter that is still here almost 6 months later. The winter that brought with it more snow than we've had in years- many  many years, and enough ice-covered highways to thwart many travel plans.

Our travel plans haven't been thwarted by ridiculous road conditions; rather they have been sidelined by the possibility of flooding.  And we need to be prepared.

My Sweetheart bought an extra sump-pump just in case the one we have can't keep up. Dear Son and My Sweetheart have bought lined rubber boots. I didn't know such a thing existed.  Apparently the boots will keep feet warm up to, or down to, a temperature of -40 degrees C. That is the exact same temperature as 40 below F. If My Sweetheart and DS will be outside trenching in the sloppy slushy snow during the Easter break, they need warm toes. And the likelihood of said trenching in the coming week is high. We have snow this year up to the top of some bins. Mind you, that snow is that high because of the extreme winds this past week that blew it around like crazy!

So, while the outside preparations have begun, it's time to start thinking about the inside preparations for Easter. My dilemma is in what to cook. Ham? or Turkey? I have to soon decide so I can plan my grocery list. The last time this happened to me, at Thanksgiving, when our travel plans changed, I was in a car accident. And then the power went out when I was cooking the last minute turkey.  I'm already nervous just thinking about it.

This week I am contemplating what transpired that week before Good Friday. Preparations were underway for Passover. The sacrificial Lamb was prepared for what was to come. Jesus was preparing the disciples. "Remember me," He said, as they drank the wine and broke the bread. What a week of preparations that would have been- culminating in the crucifixion for our sins.

And then - Easter! The reason for hope. The Hope for the world. Hope for me.  Hope for you.

The Bunny

My mom and I took a trip in 1975 to visit her brother and his wife. This was, up to that point in my 11 years of life, the trip of a lifetime. We were going to be gone for 1 whole week. We were travelling with Raymond and Helen. They had been our neigbors to the south. When we looked out our big picture window on the farm we could, on clear days, see their house - their big, beautiful old 2 story farm house, complete with a wraparound verandah. Their house, I discovered years later, had been the same design as our old farm house, until Dad removed the upstairs and extended the rest of the house outwards. "It was cheaper to heat that way!"

Raymond and Helen were travelling out to the west coast in their winnebego. They knew Mom's brother lived out there so they invited her to come along. She invited me to come along!  Just me! The boys and Dad were going to spend Easter break all by themselves.  I never thought of them spending a week alone without Mom until a couple years ago. I guess they managed ok.  They likely had runny, salty oatmeal every morning for breakfast. There would have been chores for the boys to do.  The house didn't fall apart when we were gone.

I remember how excited I was when we finally boarded the winnebego.  We were travelling in style!  I was really travelling in style too, because Mom had bought me a new navy leather-look spring jacket! I was stylish with my static electric flyaway short shag hair cut, fangs, and leather- looking jacket.

After what seemed like hours in the winnebego we finally arrived at my uncle's home in Port Coquitlam. My uncle was so much fun and my aunt was so beautiful. I had never been to their home before because they lived so far away. They entertained us as though we were royalty. We went on excursions, we went shopping, we had a great time!

A highlight for me was spending the night at my aunt's brother's place. This brother of my aunt had kids my age and they were FUN! Because it was Easter time, and because they were so hospitable, they gave me a basket of Easter treats -a big basket of Easter treats. Chocolate eggs, small chocolate bunnies and a HUGE 1 pound solid chocolate bunny. I probably got the bunny basket 3 days into the week long stay. I kept it in 'my' bedroom. I hid it actually.  I thought perhaps my uncle would try to sneak it away. I didn't hide it very long though- why hide something you can eat?

All that chocolate was devoured in the next few days.  And I gained 10 pounds.  Just like that!  That was a lot of chocolate!

Maybe that's why the Easter Bunny left such small treats every year since...