Unexpected Illness

April brought a journey to the hospital for my husband that would set us on an unexpected course. What we thought was extreme tiredness caused by diabetes was the need for quadruple bypass or as the Dr. said..."he will not live long".

It has been a very difficult experience, however we are very thankful that God has brought him through successfully!

Thanks for being patient with my blogging. I wil try to catch up soon.

God Bless!
Rose

Gethsemane

Gethsemane="olive press"

The Garden of Gethsemane was the "olive press of Christ.
It is said that harvesters beat the tree until the olives fall to the ground and then after they are gathered they are taken to an olive press and placed in a circular basin with a heavy round stone on top and are ground around and around until a reddish-hued liquid flows out.

Christ, in the Garden of Gethsemane faces such a press. It was here that he asked his father several times to "let this cup pass" from him. It is also hear that during his agonizing prayer, he sweat as if great drops of blood.

After the process of pressing the olives until all the liquid flows out; the harvesters then take the remaining paste of the olives and place it on burlap mats. This is called a smear. Smear in Hebrew - means Messiah.

Anything left is then made into soap for cleansing.

From now on I will never look at pure olive oil in the same way as I have so many times. I will have a greater appreciation for the process of the pressing out.

Christ was pressed out. His blood was poured out for our salvation and he as our Messiah will come again and receive us unto himself.

Do you feel as if you are in Gethsemane? Being pressed more that what you seem able to bear?
Remember, Gethsemane's agony became Calvary's victory! Sometimes we may need to stay in prayer all night long in order to behold the victory in our lives.

Memories Fade

Recently, my mother has been experiencing moments of forgetfulness. Last week she commented about a certain meal that I have made for her several times through the years. She said, "Oh, honey...I never knew you made that before!"

I tried to tell her that I had made it for her just last week, but it didn't do any good. She could not remember. All she remembered is that she used to make the same thing when she was younger, but that she didn't know that I made it too.

Later that week, she left the cold water running for awhile before I found that it was on.

I have since then found out that Mom is starting to show some very early signs of dementia. She is 81 years old and her doctor says that she has earned the right to be a "little" forgetful.

It pains me when she experiences these moments as it is a clear sign that she is not as young as she used to be and that health conditions have been a contributing factor.

Many are going through great difficulties and there are some who wish their loved ones could just remember their name or that they are their son or daughter, etc.

Everyday is a blessing! Everyday I have Mom is a precious gift. I will cherish everyone and hold her closely even if her memory fades.

Merry Christmas-NEVER!!!

My experience with Christmas has been difficult. It is sad that such darkness can be experienced in the Season meant for LIGHT. Christmas was never meant to be this way. It was the SEASON of LOVE. The love of God to man.

It has been replaced by stress and heartache, coveting, envy, and greed. Oh, the greediness that is easily seen as many push and shove others in their attempt to get the biggest, brightest, and best gifts.

For many; kindness has gone. Hope, too. And if you look around you will see that there are many faces in which there is deep pain.

__________ won't be coming home this year. __________ will not be sitting at their place at the table anymore. __________ is missing from the arms of a young mother. _____________ grandparent has gone to be with the Lord. __________ is out on the battlefield wishing there was peace. ___________ lays across her bed weeping for her lost love...

Death, rejection, abandonment, poverty, suicide, hatred, greed, lust, selfishness, disease, distress, discouragement, unemployment, lost health insurance, insecurity....and on and on and on the list goes.

For many it is the campaign to remove Jesus Christ from history completely. Christ is the very reason we even have this holiday to celebrate!

Jesus is the hope for every situation a person could ever face. Therefore, if evil men and women are successfull in removing Christ from Christmas it will most assuredly result in a...Merry Christmas-NEVER!

Monday Blues

I don't want to wake, so I pull the covers over my head and close my eyes tighter to the morning sun. NO! Every nerve within cries out for more rest. My aching body just wants to lay there for a few more...

Weekend over? Where did it go?

Monday... hmmph!

I toss, I turn, I think and think and think...

Grrrrrrrrrr!!!

It would be grand if we could just say...

I don't do Monday's!

The Dark Night of Grief

I will never forget that night. It stands out in my memory more than any other night that I journeyed through the process of losing a loved one.

The services had ended, the last of the people had gone, the smell of flowers hung in the air like a thick fog, and I felt so alone. I was lonlier than I had ever known.

Laying upon my bed, I drew my knees up in a fetal position and wept, "Oh, Daddy!"....He's gone...My Daddy's gone. My mind whirled around with pictures of him and memories of the times we had spent together.

As I lay there the sobs became harder and finally my mouth gaped open and I wailed out of the depths of my spirit for the loss of my father.

There was none of this earth that could comfort me. I realized in that time frame just what God meant by the word "seperation". The pain of it was so difficult to bear. I knew that I would never be able to have the presence of my father in this life again.

My husband came to me and wrapped his loving arms tightly around me and held me as my whole body convulsed with sobs. Even knowing his love reached out to comfort me...no earthly comfort came.

Then...somewhere in the midst of the longest, darkest night of griefs journey; I felt the love of the Comforter cradle me until at last I felt asleep.

"OUCH, Mamaw it hurts!"

Last week my granddaughter came to spend the night. As she sat on my lap she showed me that on her right big toe was a hangnail. I told her that I could take care of it for her and she would not have anymore pain. That was ok until I brought out my shiny clippers and headed towards that toe. All of a sudden she began to squirm and I had not even gotten close to her.

I reassured her that I would be careful and try very hard not to hurt her worse than what the hangnail had and that she would be much better once I cut it off.

She let me procede and just as I barely touched her toe she cried out, "OUCH Mamaw it hurts!

I told her that it would only take a second and her pain would end. She let me continue until I got the hangnail removed and then she smiled, jumped down and began to play again...."Pain Free!"

Sometimes this is what God has to do for us. Our lives may sometimes have the minor pain of a hangnail or greater pain than we are able to bear. But He lovingly takes us into his arms and administers the cutting away of that pain. Sometimes it is immediate and sometimes it is a process. We are just like little children and squirm and fear. We pull away from Him and make the process even take longer sometimes, but He is a patient Father.

When at last the work is finished we too will look up to Him in love and thanksgiving and we will be able to enjoy life again.