Nov
17
2013
Everything is by grace. I was taking a shower today and had to remind myself the house I lived in before had no shower and for fifteen years I could not take a shower. I remember being thrilled every time we were in a motel: they had showers. I thought about all that briefly. Everything is by grace–even a shower.
Apr
21
2013
The poor are always among us. This was a letter I wrote to a friend of mine who was doing surveys for the department of welfare and he said how could we let people live like that:
There is something important you can do about the people you visit and interview. You can pray for them–each person and their circumstances. You said, ‘People should not live in such poverty.’ The poor have always been among us.
Pray for each person you meet. If you have to, make a list of the households and people you meet. People are poor for different reasons. Sometimes alcohol or drug abuse is involved. Sometimes it is mental illness. Other times it is just plain bad luck. Someone lost a job, ran out of unemployment or a bad illness was involved and they did not have health insurance or it did not take care of their needs.
There are all kinds of reasons people live in poverty. Pray for each person, the children or their parents you meet. Never stop praying.
Everything is by grace. Praise the Lord for your health, your living quarters, everything. Everything is by grace. Continue to pray. Prayer can move mountains.
Your friend
Mar
6
2013
Every person has a different cross to bear. In Paul’s case (from the New Testament) it was his ‘thorn in the flesh’ God would not remove despite his fervent prayers. Sometimes prayers will resolve a situation or physical infirmity but sometimes not. His answer is, “No.” Every person has something different to deal with. Sometimes, also, we create our own hell. And sometimes it is not our fault. It is our unique situation. It could be fractured relationships. Maybe, a mom or dad or sibling or friend or mate. We can not even compare ourselves to someone else. That really does not help. Everyone has problems. That is the way it is. Every person has a different cross to bear. It is really out of our hands. All you can do is pray. And change what is in your power to change. And leave the rest up to Him. Everything is by grace.
Oct
16
2012
“Thump! Thump! Thump!” I say that to my favorite dog. And his tail just wags faster and harder. Tilla has had other names in the past: the loveable mutt was first called Atilla The Hun, now shortened to Tilla. Then the Olympian. He the was the only dog athletic enough to clear our fence forcing us to build it higher the next year. He tried then right away to go over but bounced right off it and did not try again. He is a lovable rogue. I am sure he will earn other names as time goes by. He is the same dog that never forgot being chained to the table twice when we were punishing him. You can not keep a leash near him: he will simply chew through it so leashes are kept out of his reach. He never forgets. Right now I feel sorry for him for he is limping slightly. The vet says he has a torn tendon. I am hoping we can correct that in the future. Anyway, he is my dog. I won him over by giving belly rubs almost any time he wants one and he loves his sporadic walks I give him. I love him with all my heart and soul. I never thought any dog would replace Daisy–a black mutt I had since she was a puppy but he has. Dogs don’t live forever so I will enjoy him now. Everything is by grace.
Sep
30
2012
Everything is given by grace I am reminded again. And the spirit of mercy. Both are closely related. You can’t have one without the other. My wife has gone through a hard time with me, again. And I know I don’t deserve her forgiveness. I have done nothing to deserve that. But she has bestowed me with that. And all I can do is to thank the One above me for that gift. So Jesus thanks, again for that free gift. Grace and mercy. I did nothing at all to deserve that. So, thanks, again. Everything is by grace.
Apr
27
2012
I want to grow old gracefully. I am slowing down physically. A nap in the middle of the day is almost an necessity. I do not want to complain about my ailments. My Mom did not like it when I told her, “When you get old, parts don’t work right any longer.” I am well aware that the fact my kidney function has stabilized the last three years is totally by the grace of God. Dialysis has not yet been necessary. Everything is by grace. I know my time will come and I will return to dust. No one lives forever. And we act as if we should. Death is the last taboo. I just want to get older with dignity and grace. That is my only prayer.
Apr
15
2012
Everything is by grace. Today is a good day to count my blessings. I am not in dialysis. My kidney function has stabilized (the last three years). It is not good but it is livable. My wife loves me. And my two sisters and my brother-in-law (and a friend) sent me birthday cards (and one check). There is so much to be grateful of–two well running cars and a roof over my shoulders. There is no pressing financial needs. And I am surrounded by animals I love (in fact, there are eleven in this house). I love watching the birds out my window. And now I am waiting for the first hummingbird to find the nectar I just put out. My life is not perfect but it is good. I am aware God does not owe anything. Everything is by grace. And He owns everything.
Jan
5
2012
Yesterday it hit 16 degrees and today was 34 and it seemed warm. I wore the same clothing. Yesterday when I went out it did not take long for me to become chilled. I would reach for my gloves right away. I wanted them just for the fifteen feet walk to the car. Come April or May, 34 degrees will seem cold but today I was grateful it hit that temperature. Your expectations define the weather. I almost considered today to be a heat wave. And praised the Lord for small favors. Everything is by grace. Even the temperature outside.
Dec
22
2011
Praise the Lord for small favors. Our TV in the living room “burnt out”. It just did not work any longer. When you turned it on, all your saw was a line or two in the center of the screen and there was, also, no sound. I wanted to see our favorite show, “The Saint”, starring Roger Moore. Every ten o’clock in the evening we watch it and then go to bed.
There was another color TV in the office we were not using so I quickly hooked it up to our antenna and “box” so we could watch it. We found out the color was crisper than the old one and although the screen was smaller, it did not seem too small.
The next day I tried to figure out how to wire the DVD player and also the VCR to it. I quickly drove to the nearest Radio Shack and they sold me something called a modulator, which enabled me to hook up a DVD to the old TV.
Now I had to figure out how to wire the VCR also. I called my brother-in-law and he suggested a type of splitter, which I had. I used it and now I was back into business: both the DVD and VCR were now hooked up to the TV and worked.
Everything is by grace including advice by people and old TVs that still worked. It even had a remote and now I can go back and watch my “Touched By An Angel” episodes again. I know the latest thing is all these gigantic flat screens with brilliant color but I was happy to have this old color TV.
Jan
30
2011
One must face life with a spirit of gratitude. There is less and more in this world. And troubles abound. And it is so easy to point your finger at God and say, “Why!?” There is no disputing the world is unfair but the only way to face it (???) with love and gratitude toward the Maker.
Thank Him for all your blessings. God does not owe you anything. Sometimes your basket is half empty and other times it is half full. Everything in your life is by grace and the only way to face it is to have a spirit of gratitude.
It is too easy to rail at God for disappointing you. The only solution is to thank God for all your blessings and trials. Life is, indeed, precious so face it with courage and again gratitude. That is, truly, the only way.
Dec
26
2010
Thank God for small favors. I was operated on my arm and that healed up nicely. It was my hand of the operated arm that was causing me problems: the top of my left hand (right side) and its corresponding thumb–(the top of it and side) was numb and tingling and sensitive causing me pain. I thanked God the other side of my thumb was not numb. It was the side I gripped my fingers together. I thanked God for that. Everything is by grace.
Dec
8
2010
It is so easy to take your mate for granted. I was “straightening” a small pocket of disorder and came across my MP3 player. She literally spent hours downloading music on it for me for a birthday present.
I have not used it much but I needed to thank her again for it. I was not too comfortable with the technology but maybe I will start to rediscover what she put on it.
I have to give her a big hug out of principle. I have been recovering from surgery and she has been terrific in taking care of me. Don’t ever take your mate for granted.
No one has to do anything for anybody. Every relationship is by grace. When I am finished writing this blog, I will go to my wife and give her a big hug just for being there.
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