WALKING WORKS

New Candle sticks! Yes I know the candles are crooked and the morror but I am standing tall.

It has been said that walking is good exercise. I have decided not to try skating or curling which I suppose is cowardly.

Larry walked over and got supper for me after I went visiting at the Nursing Home yesterday after his bad morning curling. That was very impressive! After we ate we walked over to the Applewood Tea House; where they were having open house with lots of goodies to taste. I love the fact we can walk to so many places; especially when I go to the store and forget what I went for, so it's back again. We bought some black candle stick holders.

I am reading a "Hilarious, Inspirational Exploration of Christianity from the Son of an Orthodox Rabbi. An insightful, moving and hysterical journey about finding one's faith."

Ken, would you guys like to read it I could send it with Sandy and Randy?

I think religion should be fun!

"Facing our own private calamities" opens a new world to us where we join many others having difficulties and we are all fellow travelers. One thing you learn as you go to doctor appointments and x-rays is that you learn to be patient and wait. The waiting room was overflowing yesterday as I had another x-ray. There was a young fellow on crutches and an old lady with a cane among all the others. It is an interesting place to be.

"We all have within us this capacity for Wonder, this ability to break the bonds of ordinary awareness and sense that though our lives are fleeting and transitory, we are apart of something larger, eternal and unchanging." -Learning to Fall by Phipip Simmons

Becoming a Professional photographer

It is hard to capture the beauty of the mountains as you speed along in the car. Telephone poles and old barns kept getting in the way as we drove home from Richmond. Another attempt to find the newspaper article of the ditch resue.

Life is complex and flits by us so quickly. Yesterday was one of those busy days that was full of discusions and opinons. My morning began with an early breakfast with Ron before the Tuesday morning breakfast club arrived. Oliver phones to say he had been accepted on the Coastguard. [I smile as I remember the prayer that Pastor Bill had prayed for him.]

Kim and Mick are full of optimism as they plan to travel and work. The spirit of the young people keep us looking ahead, creating and imagining new possibilities and ideas.

Youthfulness keeps the laughter alive and promises new life even when we feel the drain of old age threatning to distroy our dreams and make us forgetful.

The day ended as we discussed the spiritual signifigance of the death of Jesus. We all struggled with the difficulty of capturing the heart and purpose of God that promises to lift each one of us out of the ditch of death and dispair into a more meaningful life.

God speaks to us in the mystery of mountains and a cross that stands above us. The good news is that love flows from this amazing sacrifice into our lives today.

CLOUDS

Christianity has been clouded by poor theology and rigid fundamentalism so that the beauty of God's amazing grace has been distorted. Somehow; when we sing the song "Amazing Grace" all the misconceptions are lifted.

Life is full of questions; many have no answers. We question ourselves; our motives and our fears and insecurities. Another song tells of melting the clouds of sin and sadness away. I could not capture on the camera the beautiful pink of the sunset because it disappeared so quickly.

Words capture some of the mystery that surrounds us but prayer can lift us above the harshness of life so that for a moment we float free above the clouds and feel the warmth of the sun healing and restoring life.

I believe that Jesus told stories to stimulate our imagination and teach us to value our emotions and to let our painful experiences help us have compassion four others. Our memories are woven into our soul so that we learn from the past but allow new birth to free us.

Every Religion has it's truth but most of us fail to live out this truth.

When Jesus was baptized the white dove symbolized the transformation of his life that forced him to struggle with temptation before he was able to teach and live out of the truth of God!
Many books have been written and are still being written explaining what he really said and why.

We can be lost in intellectualizing and verbalizing and explaining when all we need to do is admit we are lost and be guided by the Spirit of Jesus that calls us to help the poor and heal the sick.

My faith has helped me discover my own worth and blessed my life with a desire to continue searching and learning especially with others. My faith has blessed me with dear friends.
I have known depression and joy, I have and am still struggling with health problems but I have found peace and fulfillment waiting for me when I look up and above the reality of what my physical eyes see and see with the eyes of the heart!

HILLARIOUS

SANDRA'S PERSONAL FASHON SHOW!

Sunday evening was a happy and I would describe it as hilarious evening at Carol and Panteli's.
Kim and Her Mike and Theresa were full of energy and fun. Sandra was trying on clothes for her big trip and Randy got caught up on family news. It is strange the things we remember and now for me even stranger the things I do not remember.

Church service was very uplifting and inspiring. There was a small children's choir to start us off.

Communion was a time to remember the story of Jesus breaking bread and drinking wine with his friends. The bread and the wine have sacred meaning for us as we share it together in His memory; and knowing that we have a bond of friendship with Jesus. A celebration of LIFE.

This is soul food that is good for the heart!

We are reminded of the "intensity" of God's love for us and the new freedom we have in Jesus.

THE FALL RALLY - BEWARE ALL DAY READ

CLEANING UP LEAVES AND PICKING LAST OF FALL FLOWERS

FALL RALLY

I have been asked to share my experiences as a lay-chaplain at the Peace Arch Hospital and how my life was touched by the people I visited on a weekly visit.


About 20 years ago my parents moved into a Nursing Home in Calgary. It was a difficult family decision but mom was getting worn out looking after dad who was in a wheel-chair. She would end up in hospital and I would go and look after dad and try to arrange more care for them both. Finally my brother and I decided on the advice of their doctor it was time for them to move to a Nursing Home.

I remember the first time we went to the Nursing Home to see them after they had just moved there. Everyone was leaving the dining room and there were mom and dad and they both really looked like they fit in. My heart sank and tears came to my eyes.
Mom was pushing dad in his wheelchair.

When I would go to Calgary to visit them I would spend all day at the home and I was very sad to see how few people had visitors.

I knew from my own personnel experience
the loneliness of sickness.

We were married in Regina and moved to Vancouver to a small basement apartment. We had no friends and Larry started right to work. I had found a job also but before I could start I was diagnosed with a bubal pregnancy and was told to stay in bed. Larry would be gone 10 hours a day so the days were very long for me We had no T.V. and I had morning sickness all day long

Larry was finding his job very hard so it was a difficult time for us both .Our car broke down so he had to take the bus to work. We were also short of money I would have to take the bus to see the doctor twice a week.

By a miracle Rick our baby moved into the uterus; this happened in the middle of the night when I had excruciating pain. We were very foolish to wait for the morning to call the doctor because I could have died.

I would have three more children but my health was failing because I had a condition that is called celiac which causes the body to re-act to wheat. Doctors did not know what was wrong with me. I was under a lot a stress looking after four young children. Larry worked shift work and took on a lot of other activities . I was left at home alone a lot. Looking after four small children and tired all the time.

He was worried about me but did not know how to cope with it

I finally was diagnosed when I felt that God told me to go to a certain specialist

I value prayer because I feel that my prayer and the prayer of my friends saved my life. I went through many difficult years feeling very sick and very alone. I have faced the pain of the past and have learned to forgive because I am forgiven of all my mistakes.
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I value my friendships and my church community because they have brought healing and joy into my life.

I wanted to also reach out to those in hospital and nursing homes.

Fortunately I heard about a course at White Rock Hospital where they were training lay people to be lay-Chaplains.
It was a three month in depth course where you learn about hospital rules and expectations; how to be a listener, when to be a friendly visitor and when to ask if they want prayer. I meet a wonderful group of people and we shared our stories of why we wanted to do this.

I can remember the first time I visited on the third floor of extended care. I felt very nervous as I went from room to room. I had a list of about 12 people to visit. Some people welcomed me while others declined a visit. Every week I would visit the same people and gradually was able to spend even a few moments with all of them.

I had to learn to go in to visit with a story about something in my own life. It did not matter what it was about, a lost key, or a burnt supper, or my garden of growing weeds, my story would remind them of something in their lives.
They would often be sitting there with a vacant stare until something I said they could relate to and wanted to tell me about.

Most of them wanted to talk about the past and they rarely complained about their poor health. I was amazed how patiently the nurses would deal with some of their demands.

I had one lady who always asked me for cookies and sometimes I would forget until I got to the ward then I would rush back down and buy her something from the cafeteria. I do not like to bake but I would make a batch and freeze them so I had them to take.


They always reminded me that I should not take life for granted and that it is important to live each moment with thankfulness for the love that surrounds me.

Everyone of us has a story and they are all important and interesting. I visited a lady who was 100 years old and the first thing she said was I don’t know why I am here. Then I got her talking about her life and when I left I said to her that visiting her had been a great blessing to me because I had been with some very sick and miserable people.
One lady loved Western Stories so I had to look around to find some Old Zane Gray Stories. She was blind and loved to listen to the stories. Another lady likes cat stories and another wants me to read from the newspaper.

One dear lady who had a near death experience asked me as soon as I entered her room if I needed prayer for anyone. She had a prayer list and she asked everyone who came in. It so happened I was worried about one of my children, and I know we always have our children on our minds, so I gave her his name. Things improved.

One lady was very shy but she would always smile and hold my hand. I would ask her how she was and she always said “Just fine.”

I have been with people with dementia and this can be difficult. I have been shouted at and even slapped in the face; but I have also been able to calm them down. One lady was stark naked refusing to get dressed for the nurses but I was able to get her dressed.

I have just sat quietly with others who are dying and often been able to spell family off so they could go for a little walk or have a bit to eat.

Sometimes I do not feel like going and sometimes I do not feel like I do very much but I am always glad afterward that I went. No course could cover all the experiences that I had and every time I went it would be different.

Some share stories of abuse that they had never told anyone else. I would prayerfully listen knowing that the compassion of Jesus was with us.

One of my favorite scriptures is “that nothing can ever separate us from God’s amazing love.”

We are all wounded people who need to experience again and again the healing power of Jesus.

“God is creating us in this present moment, loving us into being.”

I look at Jesus and I see him reaching out with love for the small children and lifting them up on his lap, I see him healing the sick and the hurting ones, I see him weeping with those who have lost a loved one and I see him celebrating life joyfully at a wedding.

This summer I have been going to the Cancer Clinic with my husband Larry where he received radiation treatment. As I sat and waited I would visit with others and made some good friends. I was amazed at the positive attitude that most of them had. We were sharing the same problems and everyone felt that they were being understood. They had experienced fear but were able to still have hope for the future.


For me I found in Jesus a refuge, a hiding place at times, in the shadow of
His Wings I found rest and peace.



These dear elderly people have taught me a lot about life and about dying, a gift that only they could give.

I will always believe that love is stronger than death and never dies.
God’s love has touched my heart with grace to share a little of my life as I

RHYTHMS

Today we change our clocks one hour but winter darkness already shortens our days. I tried desperately to sleep in this morning because to be awake at 6 is early but 5 is a way too early.
All I did was end up with a headache.

I know that I will have to change gradually and hopefully gracefully.

Physically and emotionally we are affected by nature; by its beauty but also by its power over which we have no control. Storms come and we have to struggle to survive or a the very least be prepared. We have been so spoilt because we get up and light comes by turning a switch, water comes from our taps and news from our newspaper and radio.

The soul responds to the rhythm of the spiritual life; that deeper self. Reading the scripture has been for me a way to strengthen my faith. Prayer a way of quietly awakening to an awareness of a love that is sustaining me. Music expresses the longings that we all feel but cannot always express. The soul hears heavenly music and if we become quiet we will hear the songs of angels and dream of greater inspiration and our trust in God becomes the source of our wisdom and our survival.

The mind grows as it learns from the wisdom of others and so does the spirit.

THE STREET - AND HALLOWEEN AT MORGANS

MORGAN SHOWS GREAT GRAMA HER PUMPKINS

Last night the street was alive with little children dressed in crazy costumes running from house to house. Parents strolled along casually behind them. I was excited waiting for them to come. The first little boy was about three and he was so happy he was jumping up and down and laughing and having a great time. Our neighbor brought her little one not yet two over dressed as a little red beattle bug. I think it is nice when it is a neighborhood avent. The elderly couple across the street where the first to turn their lights off and a half hour later we did the same. Two hours is plently to be jumping up and down answering the door.

This morning it is dark and quiet and empty.

I have changed in my outlook of Halloween over time. I have had very negative feelings about all the ugly costumes and grim decorations.

Seeing my great grandchildren all excited about their costumes makes me see it differently.

We have awesome grandchildren who listen to our stories with attentive grace. I love the word grace that to me expresses life-giving potential.

As grandpa and I find our lives changing our stories are the most precious things we have to share. I am reminded that we are all uniquely flawed and uniquely Gifted bearers of the life of God's spirit. Thomas Moore says "the soul is a community of many interior persons." I believe that among them is a spiritual being waiting to be set free.