Monday, May 30, 2005

A few sites I'd like to share

http://www.restministries.org/
A place with devotional's, esp. for people with chronic pain & health problems.

www.rbc.net RBC Ministries
Our Daily Bread devotional's

http://www.orangevillealliance.com/
My church website

http://orangevillealliance.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/index.php
Touch Community Conversations

http://www.truehues.com/index.php
A Canadian Website for people suffering with fibromyalgia

http://www.fibrohugs.com/
Fibromyalgia site

http://www.geocities.com/his_strength_i_need/index.html
nice prayer site

http://www.murajodavis.com/index.html
Gallery of prints

http://www.bookcrossing.com/home
Want to share your books to someone else?

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Do you have peace in your life and in your heart? Do you have the feeling that there is something lacking in your life? DO YOU KNOW GOD?

If you want to fill the void in your life, then seeking God is the answer. Why not pray this simple prayer and by faith invite Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit:

Dear Father, I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and that I have made a choice to do things my own way. I need you in my life. I thank you that Your son came to this earth, and suffered & died on the cross on my behalf. He willingly gave His life for me, and I now invite Christ to come into my heart and to fill me with Your Holy Spirit. You have promised in your word that all a person has to do is to come to you, and ask you in faith, and accept your love. Father forgive me my sins and come into my life. I pray this in the name of Jesus. As an expression of my faith, I thank You for directing my life and for filling me with your Holy Spirit. Amen

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

Resting in Him

Over the past few months, I've been fighting depression, and experiencing a flare-up with my fibromyalgia. I have good days and bad, but lately there have been more bad than good. I certainly hope that a change in weather brings about a change in this fibro flare, and that somehow there will also be a change in things that are going on in my life.
Today the pain has been really bad. It hurts not only to get up and walk, but just standing or sitting. The pain is all over, from my fingers to my toes, from my head & neck, thro' my back and down my legs. My legs,neck & shoulders seem to be the worst of these areas, and I'm really weak getting up and down the stairs. I've been sitting here in a fog all day and feeling like I needed to get some paperwork done, but unable to concentrate on any of it. I get really frustrated with myself when I get like this and nothing seems to really get done around here. I know I need to be doing more, and I really do try, esp. when I'm having a better day. After reading someone else's blog today, I'm beginning to realize that perhaps this is one of those days when I need to learn to rest in the Lord, and be content in His surroundings and start counting my blessings and be thankful for the good days and for all I have been blessed with in my life. A roof over my head, food on the table, family, friends, a place to worship & praise God, and the ability to be able to get up and sing in our worship team. All over this world there are people so much less fortunate in all of these areas. I need to remember them and ask God to watch over them and to bless their lives & enrich them. I need to be thankful for a day to just rest as I need to and to enjoy the wonders of having a computer and being able to communicate with others thro' it. Even when I am confined to my home by my pain, I am never alone. God is with me always, and I have a means of reaching out to others thro' the phone & the computer. Amazing creations...
There are others who need my prayers, and I need to make better use of these days of rest and spend more quality time reaching out to my heavenly Father, and take my focus off of what I'm feeling, and as I do this, learn to Rest in Him.

Reaching out...

It's hard to understand sometimes why certain things happen in our lives...why we have to deal with various illnesses, or losses, or see our loved ones suffering, or even be going thro' our own ordeals.
I keep praying about things, but find it difficult to understand why I don't always see answers to those requests. I'm slowing learning to realize that everything has to work according to God's own time & plans, and that sometimes when we don't always see the answers to certain things, it's not because God hasn't heard those requests, but that He has His own plan for things, and that sometimes we have to learn to wait for the answers. I've also come to realize that sometimes God does say NO. I can't begin to say I understand why or how come things work that way. I know as a parent there are times when I have to learn to say no to my children. Sometimes that's not always what I want to do, but for various reasons, no sometimes has to be the answer & response to some things. We have to learn to look at things, and make decisions according to what we see & know. Sometimes it hurts to say no, and sometimes it hurts to say yes, and to allow my children to take wing and to learn to start going out on their own and making their own choices. I suppose our heavenly father is the same way. There is only so much He can do for us, and He has given us all the freedom of 'choice', and making our own choices, even tho' sometimes we make the wrong choices, and have to suffer because of them. We all have to learn the difference between right and wrong. We also have to learn communicate with our parents and our children and with others all around us. In the same way, God wants us to learn to communicate with Him, by reading His word, and by talking to Him in our daily walk, and fellowshiping with others. It's hard to know what someone is thinking if they don't communicate. We certainly have many advantages open to us nowadays that we can use for communicating. We can talk in person with someone, we can phone them, we can write them or we can email them, but we have to take that step of reaching out and trying to communicate, and talk to others. I'm not saying it's easy for everyone. I know it's sure not for me. I struggle everyday with reaching out and learning to talk to others and to communicate my feelings.When we are able to talk to others, it can be a blessing sometimes for both parties, and be a way to let others know you care about them. Sometimes it's a way to just let others know how you yourself are feeling, as well as to share & be encouraged. Sometimes when I do share something, it's only to be cut down or discouraged because of what I might say or how I think, and then I find myself withdrawing and backing off, and not wanting to even try and share with that person again. Sometimes the trials & problems of my life feel overwhelming and I just can't move past them, and I struggle with the feelings of depression and not being able to reach out to others. It's during those times when I need someone to reach out to me and to try and understand what I'm going thro' or to just listen. It's during those times it's sometimes hard to even reach out to God and to pray or to read my bible. I know there are others out there who have felt that way as well, and that I'm not alone. It just feels that way sometimes. I do know that no matter what, I am not alone...that God is there ALWAYS, and He will listen and reach out and understand when I certainly don't. He loves me despite my failures and despite my sins. In the same way, I love my children no matter what. They are a part of me, and I love them with all of my heart & soul, and I know that my love doesn't compare to the love God has for me or for others. He is a loving God, and when we make mistakes, sometimes He may punish us, when we make choices that go against His wishes, or desires for us, He may also step back and allow us to learn from our mistakes, because we do have the freedom of choice. That's what I do must learn to do with my own children. Sometimes I just feel like He is so far away, and that the problems in my life will overtake everything else. It's during those times I need to keep trusting in my Father to look after me and to help me get thro' those times. He also wants us to reach out to others in Love, and to uphold them in prayer.
No matter what our needs or desires, we just need to know that God is there for us and He just wants us to follow HIM, and reach out to Him thro' all we deal with.

Monday, May 16, 2005

Yet another thing..........

It may seem a trivial matter to some, but it's only been a week from today since I lost my one dog. Mother's Day is hard enough at times, because I miss my own mother, and because I never hear from my one & only son on special occasions such as this day or any other day. He feels he has valid reasons for staying away and doing his own thing, but that doesn't make it hurt any less. I try to pretend it doesn't matter, when it really does. I know we all suffer a loss at some point in our lives,and it isn't easy for anyone. Sometimes, it just seems like there are so many losses & dreams that fall by the wayside as well as through the cracks. How do you go on? The only thing I'm finding I can do is to try and keep praying and laying my heart and soul at the alter for God to see & pick up. All I can do is to try and pick myself up, wipe off the dust and keep tying to move on. Life goes on no matter what I do anyway.
Today I have to take my other dog to the vet for her regular checkup as well as to see what I can find out about a lump she has on her side that has doubled in size almost overnight. All I can do is to pray about it along with my children. I don't want to think about anything else happening to this one, esp. right now.
At the moment, I need to get some sleep before the morning comes, so guess that's what I need to go and do.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Rainbow Bridge

It's hard to say where our pets really go, but for now I can always hold on to the hope that my faithful 'fur' friends and family members will all join together in heaven one day. I always liked this story about the Rainbow Bridge so thought I'd share it.

Rainbow Bridge
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...


Taken from the Pet Loss Grief Support Website

Losing a fur friend

This past weekend, Mother's Day, I lost a close family friend. Someone who always listened to me, if I shared my hopes & dreams, who was there for me all of the time,who offered comfort, as well as friendship,was a loving companion, and was just there, willing to accept whatever time I had to offer.
I know some people won't understand my loss, or my families loss. Others might think I'm crazy. But for anyone who shares a love for animals and their family pets, they will understand.
This past weekend our dog Casey came down sick. He continued to get worse, and wouldn't eat at all. What little fluid he managed to get down just came back up and I was worried about dehydration. Apparently that was a genuine concern. Apparently by the time we rushed him to an emergency vet clinic, he was dehydrated and in shock. His organs were starting to shut down and he was not doing very well at all. It doesn't take very long for this to happen when your pet is not keeping fluids down and it is difficult to force fluids into them if they won't drink on their own.
The on-call vet, which he had to be taken to was 25 miles away. They began working on him immediately and got him on IV & oxygen, and trying to stabalize him as they proceeded to do x-rays & blood work, and various tests to try and determine what was wrong with him. My husband and daughter had taken him in, and were finally told to go home as there wasn't anything they could do at that point by staying. There were several phone calls back and forth and eventually it was determined that he had cancer in the pancrease & liver that was spreading thro' the area and they really didn't feel there was a lot they could do for him. We decided we did not want to see him suffer, and with great difficulty, made the decision to have him put to sleep. My husband & daughter went back down, and were with him while the vet injected the medication to end his suffering. I wish I had the courage to go with them, but instead I fell apart emotionally and just broke down in tears. To add to my upset, the crying left me with a migraine and I spent the rest of the day in tears, and in bed.
I was pregnant with my youngest daughter when we got Casey 11 years ago. He was a cute little puppy, only 6 weeks old when we got him, and quickly fit into our family and lives. He loved to go for walks and to be with us. He usually slept in whatever room we were in, or came to lay beside us. He let us know when someone arrived home, or if there was someone at the door, or a few times when we had prowlers outside our home. The children grew up with him, and he was loved by us all. My husband felt he was his dog, the kids thought he was their's, and for me he was mine. He was a friend to us all, faithful & loving right to the end. He loved his food, and anyone else's that he could get, but there were certain things he seemed to look forward to. One of those things was fruit.If you were eating an apple or banana, or even picked one up he was right there waiting for a piece. This morning as I peeled my banana, I broke a piece off to share with him but he wasn't there to share it with. When I had an apple the other day, he wasn't there waiting for the last bite. When we get up in the morning, he's not there asking for his breakfast or to go out. When 5:00 pm arrives he's no longer here talking to me, reminding me that it's time for his food & pill. Funny how he seemed to know the time of day! For about a half hour he would pace back & forth, and look at us and bark to let us know it was time. No longer is he there at the door to greet us as we walk in the door after being out somewhere, or bugging to go outside.
Rattle his leash, or shake a bag out and put it in your pocket and he was right there in anticipation, waiting to go on a walk. Those are just some of the things that he did, and how he shared such a big part in our days.
We've had a few rough times when he was sick after eating something he shouldn't have, when we've had to rush him to the vet and leave him there for care. There were a few times when it was touch & go if he would make it, but our wonderful vet people somehow managed to save him for us. It wouldn't be the first time that I've sat by his side on the floor of the vets operating room waiting for him to open his eyes after an operation, and just sitting there petting him and talking to him, and letting him know how much I loved him and giving him a reason to keep on going. We were there with him as he suffered his first seizure, and as they started getting worse. During those times all we could do was sit by him and pet him and talk to him and let him know we were there and that he was going to be ok. We spent a lot of money looking after him and trying to keep him healthy & ok, but he gave us so much more in return.
This month he would have been 11 years old. I suppose if he hadn't developed cancer, there may have been more they could have done for him and perhaps he would still be here to share many more years with us. They often say that dog years are equivalent to 7 of our years. Well if that's true, I suppose that would make him about almost 77 years old. I'm not really sure if that's so, but I do know that the average age for dogs like him are around 12-15 years.
Casey is gone now and I can only hope that he is no longer suffering and that he's crossed the rainbow bridge for our pets and is up there running about with all the other family pets we've lost. He is gone, but certainly not forgotten and I know it's gonna take awhile for the heartache to ease and for the awful feeling of loss to lessen. Right now it is all too fresh, and I miss him terribly.
Our last dog, Cindy lived to be 18 years of age. She was definitely more my dog than anyone's, but certainly a special family companion. She did have a good life and when she had a stroke and lost the use of her back end, and could no longer get around we were forced to do what was best for her. Unfortunately we've also lost a few other pets early. The dog Casey replaced, Scottie, only lived to be 7 years old. He too had cancer, that showed up in the lymph glands in his neck and caused his face & neck to swell up so he was having problems breathing. It was an Easter weekend when he lost his life to this, just 11 years ago. Years before that we had also had a cat. Sampson only lived to be about 6 years old and took sick one Labour day weekend, and died. We felt he had been poisoned, but we were never sure.
Thankfully we still have our whippet Honey, and only a few years ago we decided to provide a home for a cat that we got from the humane society. Her name was Greta, and she was a lovely 8-10 month old tabby cat when we got her. It didnt' take her long to fit into our family or to make fast friends with Honey. Casey accepted & tolerated her, but I can't say they became fast friends.
Honey runs to the door when one of us comes in, and when she goes out she stands there looking as much to say "where's Casey?". They were friends & companions together. At least Honey & Greta still have one another.
Life goes on, and thankfully we are still blessed to have two special family pets to care for and love. Hopefully they will live longer, & healthier lives, and be around for many more years to come.

Tuesday, May 03, 2005

Where is God

Look all around you
At skies so blue
The clouds so soft & flowing.
The trees reaching out so tall.
Each spring those trees sprout buds,
And from those buds come flowers & leaves
So fresh & new & vibrant.
Flowers push their way thro' the ground,
And bloom in brilliant colours,
With many scents that flow gently thro' the air.
Birds spread wings and soar thro' the heavens,
Or perch upon the branches singing,
With a wonderful melody that fills the air.
Many animals, insects & bugs come to life,
Such beautiful, delicate creations
That never cease to amaze.
Rain, snow, sleet & hail fall from the skies,
Each drop so similar, and yet different.
After the rain, we are sometimes amazed
By the aura of colours as a rainbow appears.
Lakes, rivers, oceans & seas,
A collection of droplets which have flowed together,
And formed a bond from one to another.
Each one unique in it's very own way.
So many wonders & sights to see,
Such beautiful colours, & glorious views,
In each creation, each flower, each tree,
Each sunrise & each sunset.
The stars, the sun & the moon,
All visible signs of creation,
With the most intricate one being that
of the creation of mankind.
Truly an amazing & wonderful design.
Can you truly look around you
And not see God's Glory,
His splendour, His beauty, His love.
Take time to find the silence,
and to truly listen all around you.
Take time to see His beauty,
It's all around you
In everything you see.
How can you even question or doubt?
God's love is so amazing,
A great wonder, for all to experience.
So look all around you,
And delight in His glory's,
And know God is there all around you!

written by D.M.