First Robin Day

When my kids were young I read in a magazine or something that it was a good idea to find special reasons to enjoy ordinary days. Like the first snowfall was a good day to celebrate or the first time a Spring flower occurs. One special day I embraced was to rejoice the first time I saw a Robin each year. I saw one today so this is First Robin Day for me and even though there are a few things that could cloud the day I keep remembering that I saw that perky little Robin outside my window.

Of course that brings me to explain my window and a couple other things. I just really struggle doing mundane jobs like dishes and laundry and cleaning out the refrigerator. One way that I get through those tasks is to listen to audiobooks. I hear an interesting story or even a CD of the preacher from past Sundays at Dearborn Chapel and my mind is taken up with what the recording is about. Then the dishes or laundry go by quickly and I can move on to more interesting things like cleaning the basement. (Yeah right!) Another trick that I use especially if I am feeling somewhat physically weary is to take a music break. Mostly it is to play my autoharp and before that it was my dulcimer.

I play my autoharp in front of the window that looks out into my back yard and the woods and branch of the Rouge River beyond that. While I play I see some interesting birds, sometimes deer and I keep hoping to see a fox again. Today the Rouge was up high and flowing quickly. It has been rather brown and gray outside also. The ususal doves and chickadees were out along with some finches and a downey woodpecker. But today there was the Robin. I hadn't really noticed one before today even though some say they saw some back in January. But for me I was excited to see the Robin. I think it is a hopeful sight for me meaning that even though there are some more dark days ahead that eventually Spring will come and then Summer.

Some days it seems so easy to only see and feel the darkness. But seeing Robin today was to see the promise of what is to come. Seeing the Robin also reminds me to be thankful that God made the seasons. Somehow there are good things for us in passing through each particular season. Spring brings the promise of change. Summer brings a time of joy. Autumn is a time to reflect and be thankful. Winter is a time to think and grow through hardness and to learn endurance and to live in hope for the change that is coming.

There are so many lessons from what I see around me. There is so much to be thankful for. I am thankful today for seeing a Robin. Happy First Robin Day to YOU.

The picture below is of Sarah and Timothy (twins) Piszar my grandkids. Sarah has Mowatt Wilson Syndrome (you'll have to research that - it's hard to explain.) Timothy has LOVE for his sister. There are so many sweet little things he does and says. He doesn't understand all about Mowatt Wilson and since Sarah doesn't speak he can't know everything she wants, needs or wants to express. But he is just there being her brother. So many people can't tell us what they need, want or wish to express and we don't understand them. Could we just hold the umbrella for them and be a brother? Even a child can lead us - Tim does.

Hang It Ups

I just wanted to write today about HANGERS. I was hanging up some hangers this morning in the laundry room. They would NOT hang up. I kept getting something that stopped me from getting them over the rod to hang. One very quick glance told me that ONE hanger was turned the other way from the rest. Everytime I thought I was going to manage to hook the hangers over the rod that one hanger stopped me. I quickly turned it around hung the hangers up and went on my merry way. Who'd a thunk there was a lesson in THAT?

There is a lesson in that! The Bible talks about if there is one schiszm in the body that it affects the whole body. God designed people's bodies, minds and hearts to all work together. If we have something turned the wrong way in our life then like the simple group of hangers we can not do our job properly. One fork, sticking up out of place, in a drawer jams the whole drawer. One scratch on a person's glasses makes seeing quite miserable. One hangnail drives us all nuts. Such little things - why do they matter?

Another scripture says that if a person knows to do right and does not do it to him that is sin. With the hangers, once I saw one hanger was out of place I turned it around and all was well. I got to thinking that maybe there were difficulties in my life that were the results of some small thing being out of place and messing up a whole bunch of others. For example, I struggle with weight issues. But the weight causes other problems. Yes at my age losing weight will not solve all my problems but there are some specific ones that could be helped by choosing to do right at various savory moments.

Fixing little things is not always as easy as turning a hanger around or placing the fork correctly or snipping off the hangnail. Even making the right choice in food is not always easy. But there are some things that could be rememdied as quickly as turning the hanger around. The one I thought of today was reading my Bible. How much better would everything work in my life in and read my Bible with more regularity. How much better if I gave heed to God's Word than to my feelings and supposed intellect.

It is very true that there are many big problems that are not easy to fix. If my laundry rack in the laundry room fell down from the wall that would be a big problem. If my laundry tub overflows it goes seeping through to the basement right where Dave and I each have our offices.
I have to keep a constant vigil that nothing is left in the laundry tub and that the lint trap from the hose is working. A little thing to avoid a big one.

Whatever my problems I have to pay attention and do things the right way. What things must I turn around? What things must I pay attention to? How would my changes affect those I love? Could I help someone I love better if I turned around something in my life? Could I be a better channel for God if I cleared out the blockage?

My laundry is waiting and dishes I neglected last night so I have some good things to think about while I do these tasks.

Just Thoughts

Yesterday we got the news from Melissa about when the surgery was going to be - ALMOST. If the MRI gives real good indication it is not cancerous it might be laproscopic on one date and if it is not a good picture or the doc can't tell then it will be another day and be done full open surgery. I can't remember which day would be for which kind. Saturday she has the MRI that we thought she'd get yesterday but the insurance company had to approve the MRI so that means she has to drive to Flagstaff (four hours - one way) on Saturday. Then we will know. Hopefully.

For anybody who doesn't know the Meinzinger news - Melissa had extreme pain in her abdomen just after the first of the year and short story is after a visit to the ER in Cortez, CO and other interesting turns she now has AZ insurance (a blessing for sure) and a large mass was found on/near her ovaries which needs to come out. Special doc is pretty sure it's an endometriosis type condition. SOOOOO we pray and wait and encourage Melissa who is doing pretty good considering what's on her mind.

BUT in talking to different ones throughout all this there are a few thoughts I have had:

Some/many people have it worse. People show tremendous love by praying and even practical things. I have an incredible sister in law named Ruth - I already knew she was special but she has really been there for Mel when I (Mom) have been here in Arctic Michigan. God provides materially and emotionally and physically. Mel is going to have an incredible story when this is all done and said. Some women have been younger but 31 is young to go through this and especially when one is so far from immediate family. The missionaries out there at Immanuel Mission have been wonderfully supportive and helpful. The elders at Melissa's chapel (Immanuel Navajo Chapel) have come and prayed over her. Our family - many - have kept up with what's going on and encouraged and supported Melissa. Our chapel and Dunning Park and others and friends all over have been encouraging and praying for Melissa. Melissa and we know of so much love because of this experience.

Pray please for the scheduling of the surgery and our traveling out there and Mel's trips to Flagstaff. The road ahead may be bumpy but if our eyes are on the Shepherd we will stay on the right road. Best of all His eyes are on each of us wherever we are - HE is ever beside us. Praise His Holy Name.

Time-Eater

Hi, I'm Baaaaack!! Yes to anyone who reads blogs - especially mine - I am after 2 years actually posting again. I didn't have the right credentials (a google account) to get here so I couldn't post. So the other day I went to Facebook that Melissa signed me up on when we were in AZ at the mission. I could never figure that out. But I found a link from my sis in law and finally got there and made some new friends and played around on facebook. BUT Facebook is a Time-Eater. So is this computer and TV for me particularly. Last night we were at Laura's and Mike's for dinner and we got to talking about Facebook. Laura showed me how to get back into my blog and helped me sign up for Google etc. I am going to keep Facebook for a while just to have a connection with the people I have as friends. But I will mostly use the blog to write my thoughts to share and send my pictures and all. I am going to let my Facebook friends know about my blog so they can visit when and if they want. I really feel that hatching eggs etc. is somewhat behind me. Mike told me more of all people do with Facebook so I am thinking this blog allows me to write and picture in a better forum. If you enjoy Facebook - great !! It's sort of like some like to eat at Friday's and some at Ruby Tuesday's if you get my drift. So I hope I will push myself to come back here to the blog and mostly write. The blog was a good encouragement for me to write which I enjoy doing but seem to put off. Please encourage me that way too? Jog my memory - but don't jog me too hard - my head is very tender.