A Wall? What were they thinking?

I don’t usually weigh in on political issues.  But I am totally disgusted by the on-going political situation.  I am all for border security, but the thought of “a wall” makes me sick to my stomach!  Now before you start yelling about democrats – I’m not really a democrat.  I’m also no longer a republican because the powers that vie for attention have become too radical in their conservative-ism.  I sit somewhere between in my own no man’s land.  Our president calls this proposed wall “beautiful” - but all I see is an affront to the natural beauty of much of the border between Texas and Mexico.  How many of you have actually taken a tour of our southern border?  How do you build a wall down the middle of the lake in Amistad National Recreation Area on our southern border?  Or are they planning to build the wall on the US side keeping people out of this beautiful recreation area?  

Or the gorgeous canyons in Big Bend National Park.  They form the border between Texas and Mexico.  Santa Elena Canyon and other canyons in Big Bend - how do you build a wall that means anything in the depths of a canyon.  Or maybe they plan to build the wall on our side of the national parks and deny access to our citizens.  I know Mexico will not allow them to build the wall on the Mexico side of the border.  So, does a large part of our beautiful state and the national parks become a no-man’s land between the Mexican border and our president’s ego?  There has to be a better solution!

Miracles happen!

Two months ago, I was diagnosed with DCIS breast cancer.  

Two weeks ago, I had day surgery, in at 5 am out by noon.  

Two days ago, I was told that I am now cancer free!  

I call it my brief sojourn down cancer row.   

I give God the credit.  It’s not that God plays favorites, or picks and chooses who he heals, but I listened when God moved me to act.  Breast cancer is totally curable - IF it is caught early enough.  Ladies, if it’s been over a year since your last mammogram, arrange to go get one as soon as possible.  It had been 3 1/2 years since my last mammogram, and to catch this as early as we did, was in itself a miracle!  I have seen God’s hand in the timing of everything that I have been through in the past 2 months.  To God be given the glory!  

Pray often, even if it is only a “Help, God!” Or a “Thanks, God.”  If we begin to acknowledge the designer and creator of the universe as we walk through our daily life, it can make a difference in how we hear and respond to God.  When he gives us nudges or direction, and we follow through, then life become easier to negotiate on a daily basis and our path becomes clearer.  It doesn’t mean that we won’t have struggles in this life, but it is easier to maintain our presence and our equilibrium through the rough times.  Through that, we begin to experience the joy and peace that is generated through our relationship with God.  WIth God, miracles do happen!

Mary had a little Lamb

The following is a retelling of Mary had a little Lamb. It is from a website called Sermons 4 Kids. I thought it well worth sharing. Enjoy, Nan+

Mary had a little Lamb,

He was born on Christmas day.

She laid him in a manger bed

To Sleep upon the hay.

Angels filled the night-time sky

And they began to sing.

Shepherds heard them all proclaim

The birthday of a King.

Wise men saw a blazing star

Up in the sky that night.

They followed it until they found

The King of love and light.

Mary had a little Lamb,

But He wasn't hers, you know,

He was the very Son of God,

The One who loves us so.

The Father of this little Lamb

Loved the world so much

That He sent his only Son to earth

So we could feel His touch.

He came to give us joy and peace

And take away our sin.

So when He knocks on your heart's door,

Be sure to let Him in.

Why do I love this precious Lamb?

What can the reason be?

The answer is quite plain to see,

It's because He first loved me!

What Goes Wrong?

Ever have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? How about one of those weeks? Just about the time you seem to be catching up or think you might be able to get ahead - then something else happens to set you right back where you started from. This is my 5th month of that kind of thing and I'm tired of it. I want it to stop - I want to get back to normal - whatever that is.

The one thing that seems to go on - my sermons God seems to bless - in the wee hours of the morning, he reaches through the fog of my mind and brings forth the word he has planned for his people at Redeemer to hear. Don't know how he does it, but he seems to pull it out over and over, and I am blessed by it.