Monthly Archives: December 2015
Friday December 31 2015 WHAT IN THE WORLD IS TO COME?
Friday December 31 2015 WHAT IN THE WORLD IS TO COME?
On this final day of two thousand fifteen I sit here at my computer and wonder, what in the world shall I write about? What words, if any, do I have to say that would impact another? A blank New Year looms ahead. An entirely clean slate. I can’t help but let my mind project ahead and ask, will I be on earth this time next year? I remember asking myself that last year. And here I am. And I am glad I am here.
As I drive down the interstate I see the electronic signs overhead that tally the death tolls to date of those in Wisconsin who died in traffic accidents. As of today’s date the toll, including cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and pedestrians is 546 for 2015. The total becomes larger and larger as the year progresses. Have you ever stopped to think about all those lives lost in just one state? Who were they? What were the circumstances that caused the traffic accident? Who did they leave behind? How many shattered lives were left behind here on earth to grieve, and possibly heal from injuries obtained in the same accident? All those who died become just a number on a sign, representing but one of hundreds included in the final year end death toll. Next year will you be just a number? Will I?
I really don’t mean to be melancholy, but rather just want to make an impression on each and every one of us who draws a breath, to stop and realize, how very fortunate we are that one of those numbers do not represent us, a family member, or a friend.
There is no way of knowing what next year holds. But, when we put our life in God’s hands and place our trust in Him, it is God who will be with us every moment of every day. He, and He alone, knows what next year looks like for each individual. There is no place we can hide from God. When we realize this, we then understand that we need not fear whatever awaits us in the coming year. Psalm 139:1-10 speaks of this very thing.
Psalm 139 New King James Version (NKJV)
139 “O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.”
And because God knows who we are, where we are, and what we are doing, we need never to fear. Farther into the chapter in verse 16 the Word states:
“Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.”
God is the only one who knows how many days we have written in His book. We are not meant to know, but should be aware that this body is a temporal vessel in which our spirit is housed, and someday our numbered days will be used up. And even that is a day we need not fear, because when the time comes for us to meet him face to face, He is there beside us. When we accept His gift of salvation we need never fear what the future holds.
Remember these words as the midnight bell tolls. No matter what in the world is to come, just rely on God. The people in our world are becoming more wicked and hateful towards each other. There are so many senseless killings and it seems each year the number of terrorist attacks seem to mount. Regardless of what is coming our way, which candidate gets into office, how wicked the world becomes, we need not fear what man can do to us.
Psalm 27 New King James Version (NKJV)
“1. The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the strength of my life;
Of whom shall I be afraid?”
No matter what awaits you in 2016 remember these scriptures. Draw on the strength that God offers.
We never need fear of becoming a number on an electronic sign. Our days are numbered and someday, some circumstance will allow us to meet God face to face. We don’t know how or when, and that really does not matter at all. All we must do is be ready. If I ever become a statistic on a death toll sign across a roadway, I hope as my friends that drive underneath the flashing numbers will look toward heaven and just whisper in their heart, “Kathleen, you may have arrived in heaven before me, but I’ll see you again someday”, and then send a smile heavenward. Our goodbye will only be for a while. Yes, there may be tears and sadness, but I don’t think those who are in heaven would want to come back this this earth, regardless of how vast and beautiful it is. Somehow, I don’t believe it can compare with heaven.
BECAUSE OUR NAME IS WRITTEN
By Kathleen Martens
December 31, 2015
Heaven is but a place
We think of in our dreams.
Our mind cannot fathom
The glory of its extremes.
Beauty beyond comprehension,
Imagination cannot conceive
What awaits those who arrive,
Because in Jesus they believe.
How can we know what awaits
When we say goodbye to earth?
But knowing Jesus as Savior
More than gold it’s worth.
Because our name is written
On the pages of God’s Book,
And that will be confirmed
As into our eyes God looks.
And face to face we will stand
Before GOD WHO IS LOVE.
And pain and sorrow from earth below
Does not enter with us above.
Nor will we look back with longing
For what we left behind.
We will be forever content
Because its Jesus’ smile we find.
Yes, we will grieve for those who go before us and that is a normal process of our healing. But just remember, that your goodbye is just for a while.
In the morning when you wake up remember to say:
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118 New King James Version (NKJV)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Wednesday December 30 2015 WOW!
Wednesday December 30 2015 WOW!
The tail end of the year is upon us. 2016 looms ahead. This has been an exceptional year! I don’t think I have ever traveled quite so far in one year. The only exception might be when I traveled with the kids in 1988. We traveled for ten weeks. Dave was with us the first three weeks. We traveled through the Dakotas, Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Montana, Yellowstone, The Tetons, Salt Lake City, Lake Tahoe, The Redwoods, San Francisco, Hurst’s Castle, and Disneyland. His family lives in Southern California. When we arrived in Orange County he stayed for a short visit and then flew home.
From there the kids and I were off viewing the country. Rebecca was twelve and Courtland was nine. We went back up to the San Francisco area and picked up another passenger. His name was Rogan and he lived in a cage on the backseat between brother and sister. Rogan was a rescued cockatiel that my friend offered to the kids (without asking me first). So, you guessed it, they talked their mom into bringing him home. And we weren’t going home straight away. We had about five more weeks on the road. When I look back now, I believe I was either insane, or the best mom in the world. Take your pick. We had many more destinations and one more passenger to pick up. Our friend Rebecca Moore decided to help me drive back and visit with others along the way. I picked her up on the last leg of our journey. I can’t remember just how long she was with us. When we arrived back to Wisconsin she then flew home. Boy, was that trip memorable. I can’t remember all that happened on the way home (all good) but we sure had some amazing escapades on the way to California when Dave was with us. Unfortunately, none of the happenings were because of Dave. They were all my calamities. The kind which you laugh about…AFTERWARDS!
Needless to say the trip was memorable and spectacular. The kids were old enough to remember it and Rogan was like a magic elixir. I told the kids that if we took Rogan back with us he had to live in his cage between them (which Albert included in the bribe to get me to take him), AND, if there was one complaint from either one, fighting or bickering, because of being crowded or having to take care of the bird, I would open the cage door and let him fly away. And our kids knew if I said something I would follow through. You have never seen two kids on such good behavior for so long. It was like living in an enchanted fairy-tale. When we got out of the car at road-side rest stops to have meals, Rogan’s cage was toted along due to the heat. He was like our side kick all the way home. Every stop was planned around the bird. And the travelers around us would congregate at our table.
When we were at our last night’s stop in Minnesota before we arrived home I called Dave and asked him how he would like to have a bird? He said something on the order of, “Why do I think it really doesn’t matter what I think? I believe if you are asking me this, then you already have the bird.” Oh Wow! Does my husband know me or what? Rogan lived for many years in our home. He was tame and messy. I finally gave him away after the kids grew up.
Altogether on that trip we traveled about 10,000 miles. On the trip I did this year I traveled solo over 11,000 miles in 4 months. So, my trip alone made this year a memorable year. But it has been an incredible year in other ways too. We’ve had illnesses (both Dave’s), two surgeries (one each), family reunion (our entire immediate family), retirement (double trouble there), and the unfortunate incident of a flood in our bathroom (hmm…only one involved in that). Perhaps the greatest loss is the fact that forgetfulness is beginning to rear its head! Of course it must be Dave that is doing the forgetting and not me (even though I’m the one who left the water running). Oh well, rest assured kiddos that mama bear and papa bear are not ready for the confines of assisted living yet. There is a lot more damage we need to do first! And I hope we have lots of fun doing it. Just remember, I did find my way home!
Through this past year, regardless of what that day held, I cannot remember one day that I did not enjoy. Every day that I awaken is a new and glorious day. A day to be lived, to smile, to feel, to give, and to rejoice and be glad in it. It is another day to worship God and to give praise to our creator.
And this year is almost over. I will think of 2016 on Friday. There is still one more day left to enjoy in 2015.
A NEW YEAR APPROACHES
By Kathleen Martens
December 30, 2015
The New Year looms big and bold
And so quickly out goes the old.
What once was empty, now used up,
Next year sits like an empty cup.
Twenty Fifteen now is history,
Twenty Sixteen looms as mystery.
Life experiences of both pain and sorrow,
Past is gone, there’s a new tomorrow.
Who can know what lies ahead?
Until it occurs it is not read.
What happened yesterday is old news,
If we survived, we did not lose.
We cannot know what a new day yields,
Or how our cards will be dealed.
But we can anticipate hour by hour,
Assured that spring will bring flowers.
A new year approaches full of hope,
Live to your fullest, do not just cope.
See what you can do to spread God’s cheer,
By sharing the Holiday Spirit the entire year.
The world is changing. We do not know what the future holds, for us, for our families, or even for our country. But I do know one thing, I do not need to fret because God is in control. We see the small picture, that which affects our lives. God sees the overall picture, the beginning and the end, and His plan is in place. As you go into the New Year take this opportunity to start your day out with God. He is a great listener. His wisdom is sound. He commands the angels around you. Seek first His presence and walk through your day with peace. God loves you more than you can even comprehend.
I have not used a daily devotional for the past two or three years but this year I found one that I can hardly wait to delve into. It is actually written for an evening devotional but I will probably use it for my morning time. It is EVENINGS WITH TOZER, DAILY DEVOTIONAL READINGS. When I mentioned this book the other day I said I would not peek ahead. Well, I almost made it. I just had to read January 1st last night. IT WAS SO AWESOME! I’ll re-read it again on Friday and try to stay on course. Actually I would like to just sit down and read the entire book as I would a good novel. However, I think I would be on “THINK OVERLOAD” if the first page is any indication of how rich and deep the rest of the devotionals will be. Oh man, I can hardly wait! My favorite devotional is THE WORD OF GOD, every page, every chapter, every verse. If you have never really studied the Bible you might be surprised by how absolutely amazing it is. It is complicated, yet simple. It is prophetic, yet all the answers await the reader who is diligent to search. It is violent, yet the most tender of anything ever written. It is forthright and blaring, yet full of song and melody. All historical facts correlate with the records of history, but yet it is disdained as a myth. It is full of wisdom, yet man still chooses to walk into doom. It offers hope and direction for an eternity of light and love, yet the masses choose an eternal death of pain and horror. It offers the greatest gift given to mankind and man refuses to reach out and accept it. It is the most amazing book ever written, it is the longest Best Seller ever on the market (and that is without advertisements or write-ups about the author), and it is the only book the world is afraid of. It is discredited, disparaged, banned from our public schools, cannot be quoted in government buildings, and any replica of stories from the book are being erased from our buildings and parks and monuments. Why is it so feared? I believe because it is the most powerful book in the world, and as long as the devil roams about looking for those to kill and destroy, his focus will be to kill and destroy that which was inspired by God. But someday, every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord. And God’s plan, so laid out in THE BOOK, will be fulfilled.
WOW!
Good night and God Bless You!
Ecclesiastes 3 New King James Version (NKJV)
Everything Has Its Time
3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
I would like to add one more comment:
There is also a time to ask Jesus to come into your heart and be Lord of your life. If you have not done that yet, now would be a great time.
John 3:16 New King James Version (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Tuesday December 29 2015 SOLITUDE
Tuesday December 29 2015 SOLITUDE
For some reason the word SOLITUDE just popped into my mind as I sat down before my computer. Perhaps one reason is because Dave just left for the rest of the day and I feel as if I have a day off. That sounds pretty bad when I say it like that. Dave is much more help to me than he is work, so that is not the reason. He is great company, an interesting conversationalist, treats me wonderfully, and retreats to his “man cave” off and on throughout each day to do paperwork, walk on the treadmill, and watch football games. (Plus, he always cleans the kitchen up after each meal.) So it is not like I don’t have time alone. But it is not the same. When he is gone the house is noticeably quiet. There is a stillness that settles over it as if the absence of sound becomes a sound unto its own. To be the only one in a house is a peaceful experience for me. I love it when it happens but at this point in my life I am always expecting that Dave will be back so I don’t really feel isolated or lonely.
One of the definitions of “solitude” is LONELINESS. At this point in my life I do not experience solitude as loneliness. Solitude to me is having privacy and isolation from distracting disturbances. It is a seclusion to be savored and enjoyed for every moment of time that it is available. There is a distinct separateness that surfaces. Separated from outside forces and people and sounds that are distracting. Oh how I long for these occasional occurrences of solitude. So, I am fashioning my life around these special interludes so that I will be able to relish and appreciate the treasure they are.
It doesn’t even matter what task or pleasure I decide to do. Whatever I am doing when I am alone in the house, I enjoy immensely!
Now back to the definitions and synonyms of SOLITUDE: “loneliness, privacy, isolation, seclusion, separateness, and aloneness.” I can identify with each definition except loneliness. When I am in solitude I am never lonely. Other than God, I am my own best friend. Dave is my next best friend. Until we can be a friend to ourselves, I don’t know if we can truly be a best friend to someone else. The Bible teaches that we are first to love God and then ourselves so that we can then love our neighbors as ourselves. That is a very strong teaching statement coming from the Holy Word of God. It brought to my mind a certain young lady I met on my travels this year. I was at Butchart Gardens in Canada and was asking a group of twelve and thirteen year old girls what was the greatest wisdom they had learned in their short lives. A pretty young girl of thirteen turned to me with a serious look on her face, and said in a quiet sure voice, “I’ve discovered that we need to learn to love ourselves first, before we can expect others to love us”. I thought those were profound words coming from someone so young. It made me pause and wonder what had happened in her short life to open her heart to this kind of deep insight. God’s perspective was that we need to love ourselves so that we know how to love others. Perhaps loving ourselves also makes it easier for others to love us too. Somehow this young girl had figured it out.
Perhaps learning to love self is something that we must individually stop to investigate in our own lives. I have met a lot of people who, if I had to venture a guess, I would surmise that they don’t know how to love themselves, though to me it seems it would come naturally. But, there are so many variables to consider, such as how were they raised, who raised them, what past emotional traumas have they dealt with, and the questions could go on and on. And then I wonder, if people don’t love themselves, do they know that they don’t? Have you ever thought about this? If not, perhaps you might want to pause (in solitude) and search your heart and discover if you do love yourself. I’m not insinuating loving yourself as in selfish narcissism. That kind of love connotes vanity, self-absorption, egotism, conceit, and self-importance. The kind of love that I am speaking about toward self has more to do with how God’s scripture tells us to clothe ourselves daily with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, forgiving ourselves as well as others, and binding everything together with love. When we love ourselves in this way it is only then that we truly know how to love others. Just think about how wonderful it would be if each person loved themselves in this manner. Do you treat yourself with compassion and kindness? Do you show humility and gentleness with both self and others? Do you forgive yourself when you make mistakes? Can you forgive others easily? Do you show caring love to yourself so you can then extend it to another?
I know that it is a fast paced, rat race world out there, and many may think that they don’t have time to show love to themselves, much less to the masses around them. I think that is where you are wrong. If you have the love of God in you, let God know how much you love Him. Then learn to love yourself, and perhaps then you will have unending love to give to others. The more we love God, the more love we can feel Him pouring into us. The more smiles we offer, the more we will have to give. Take time to be good to yourself. Eat nourishing food, exercise, get good rest, and take time for solitude. Somehow, every day, even if it is five minutes in the bathroom by yourself, let God know you love Him. Praise Him for who He is. Allow him to flood you with His love, first for yourself so that it will flow out of you to others. You might be surprised how it will change your life. If you watch television consider giving up one of your shows and spend that time with God so that your spirit will be daily renewed. Perhaps somehow in your busy day you can carve out a few moments of being in Solitude with the one who is your creator. Give it a try. You might like it! Your blessings will be bountiful.
SOLITUDE WITH GOD
By Kathleen Martens
December 29, 2015
Alone with God in a quiet place
Solitude of the heart is born.
Sacred beyond time and space,
His love over you He adorns.
Private isolation in glorious peace
In separateness from the world.
God spreads over you a banner,
And His love over you unfurled.
Savor the interval of seclusion,
Cherish beyond measure.
Delight in the desired moments
For this hour is such a treasure.
Matthew 22: 36-39
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
COLOSSIANS 3:12-17
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Good night and God bless you!
P.S. Below is a poem I wrote several years ago that ties in with the above scripture. This poem is one that I refer to as my “SCRIPTURE POETRY”. When I am reading scriptures I sometimes feel a poem blossoming in my heart and sometimes I write it down such as I did with this one. It is totally inspired by the WORD OF GOD. I only incased it in my own imaginative flowery style. I hope you enjoy it.
CLOTHE YOURSELF
Colossians 3:12-15
Kathleen Martens
June 15, 2011
Oh Lord You are my God and King,
My heart praises and to Your glory I sing.
I know in my heart I am Your chosen one
For I have received Your Precious Son.
Because of atonement dearly loved.
You send your instruction from above.
You tell me how to clothe best,
To live in your peace and how to rest.
First of all I shall dress with compassion,
For it never goes out of fashion.
Next is kindness by Your command
So I should never my way demand.
The garment of humility is layered next.
My heart in peace less likely vexed.
Gentleness comes with adornment sweet,
So many challenges it helps to meet.
And then comes patience – sturdy wear,
For it makes life easier to bear.
To be with each other and forgive,
By ridding grievances life easier to live.
Forgive, as the Lord forgives you,
Then add one last layer and I am through.
Over all these virtues one layer binds.
The finishing touch, one of a kind.
The garment of love – in unity ties.
The perfect fit – the perfect size.
Monday December 28 2015 WHAT DO MY DRAWERS HOLD?
Monday December 28 2015 WHAT DO MY DRAWERS HOLD?
Well, we definitely have lots to do and at a bit quicker pace that we had originally planned. There must be a reason. Hopefully this will be a quick blog since I have already done a fair amount of writing today. I do want to bring you up to date as to the unfolding of our wet mess.
First, it is still wet and secondly, the mess will only become bigger. We had workers here today, then a plumber, and the workers are expected back later today or tomorrow morning. We are in the middle of a blizzard, the kind with howling winds and driving snow and very low temperatures. We just cancelled our outing tonight as the roads may possibly be icy later this evening. Our road is the most difficult to maneuver since we live on a hill. The snow plows must be very busy on main thoroughfares because they have not yet plowed our circle. Our plow men have not yet arrived and our driveway is now covered completely with a few inches of snow. So, staying at home seems like the smart thing to do.
Things are still up in the air regarding our insurance coverage. Dave spoke with the insurance adjuster today and made an appointment for her to come tomorrow. She said she is 99% certain that we have coverage but she has to review the policy first. I’ll feel better with that other 1% in its rightful place! The wet is a bit more extensive than we thought yesterday, due to the fact that our floors have insulation in them. We had the insulation put in when we remodeled 4 years ago. Our basement is all finished (except the laundry room) and insulation helps both in heat retention and as a sound barrier between floors.
I emptied the vanity last night and now have six boxes of drawer contents to go through. Oh my, I could not believe how much was packed into those “little” drawers. Let’s put it this way, the boxes are at least twice as big as the drawers and they look full with just the content of one drawer. The contents seemed to explode when released from the confines of the drawers. Lots of stuff. Lots of years of stuff. Lots to get rid of. SOON. LIKE NOW!
That is my first job that I will begin when I finish writing the blog. Again, I feel the prodding that may be an answer to prayer. Now my prayer is that God will give me strength to do it all!
WHAT DO MY DRAWERS HOLD?
By Kathleen Martens
December 28, 2015
Drawers and drawers of little things,
Forgotten, discarded, unused.
Notes and pencils and pens galore,
Even an electrical fuse.
Files and clippers, lipstick and rouge,
Powder puffs no longer needed.
It’s as if everything multiplied,
As if wonderfully, organically seeded.
Shoe-inserts and underwear folded,
Batteries and camera cards too.
Bags and boxes and trinkets galore,
All which I must sort through.
Q-tips and OFF and little coin purses,
Picture of daughter and friends.
Pins from “KIDS FROM WISCONSIN”,
And out-of-date eyeglasses lens.
Soap and shampoo, salve and cream,
And “THE SHOEBOX” business card,
Toothbrushes used and Vaseline tubes
And pieces of sundry shards.
Makeup brushes and battery chargers
And batteries that are long dead.
What am I going to do with this stuff
If it can’t be spent or read?
I’ve always room for one more book,
Or a pocketful of money,
But I did find a tube of lotion,
But alas, it was quite runny.
Oh, I also found the missing piece
Of a toy from our daughter’s treasure.
And lo and behold I still own it
The missing cow is worth beyond measure!
Razors and clips and new eyeliner,
Which I no longer even use.
All are things that have long been lost,
And what I write is not a ruse.
All this stuff now I must touch,
And use my precious time
To go through what was once important
All because it was mine.
I am so done with this lot.
Perhaps I’ll dump it and never look back.
But what if? It may be important
I must determine if that is a fact!
And what I describe is just one layer
I took with my camera iPhone.
I don’t even want to guess what’s below
For fear I may start to moan.
Well, I suppose that that is the end of this poem. I’ll let you know later what was on the next layer. Or, maybe I won’t.
It is beautiful outside. It is growing dim and the light fades. The wind seems to have calmed down a bit and the snow plow has now come down our street. At least we are no longer housebound. But it is still very cold and possibly icy.
I will close with Psalm 150. When I live in a day such as today my heart rejoices and I long to Praise God for His awesome gift of creation. Psalms 150 does a great justice to how I feel. Good night and God Bless you. I am saying a special prayer for a new friend tonight. If she is reading this she will know that I am calling out her name to our wonderful God for complete healing.
Psalm 150New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 150
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.
Sunday Sabbath December 27 2015 IT COULD BE WORSE
Sunday Sabbath December 27 2015 IT COULD BE WORSE
If you haven’t read yesterday’s blog of December 26th this blog probably will not make much sense. I will write as if everyone has read yesterday’s blog.
Well, it could be worse! I had an accident in the house that appears to be one that will cost several thousand dollars. We are just hoping that it will be covered by our homeowner’s insurance policy. So I continue as to where I left off.
The men from the remediation department came by today, the Sunday following Christmas. This event happened on Christmas. The damage is much more extensive than we first thought. I had my suspicions but there was no way to confirm it until we had them come in and do some moisture testing. When Dave found the pool of water in the light fixture downstairs, we knew all was not as it should be. We called them last night, they were here today and spent several hours opening up an area to aid in the drying. They will be back at 8:00 a.m. in the morning with the big tools. The walls and floor must be opened up to allow for venting and drying. Four rooms are affected as well as the hallway downstairs.
Hey, I know what you might be thinking, this doesn’t sound like “blog material”, but just so you know, this blog is about life, the everyday life of an aging couple. And, this is what is happening right now. And I stand by the old saying that it is not what happens to you that counts, but how you take it. Well, it happened. Now we must do the best to protect the investment of our home and make certain that no moisture remains anywhere that can cause future problems. It makes no sense to get upset, grieve, or complain. It happened. It must be taken care of. Do I like it? No! Is it going to rob me of joy and peace? ABSOLUTELY NOT! In the scheme of life this is barely a blip. This is an accident that happened where no one was hurt. For that I am thankful! No one got whiplash or a smashed in face or died. So you see, it could have been worse. It just hurt my pride a bit but I’m already over that. I just may need to put off getting the new Mac Computer for a while, but I can live with that. I am just thankful for God’s provision for what we do have. We have plenty to eat and a warm place to live that we rent from the government. So who am I to complain? Until I call the insurance company tomorrow I won’t know for certain if it will be covered. That will hurt a little deeper in the pocket book but we’ll get over that too!
Now Dave and I have some decisions to make of how to go about the clean up. Which rooms do we debilitate to allow the air flow? Four locations from which to choose. One is our main bathroom area which would probably be the greatest interruption to our life. The second is the downstairs bathroom and that would mean taking down wall and ceiling. The third is the hallway and we were told we could open up an airway to the interior from the room backing the hallway. That would be less of an eyesore and easier to repair. The fourth choice of entrance is from our dressing room which would mean removing a built in vanity and sink and accessing the wet interior through the floor. The area around the vanity is carpeted, but the vanity sits on sub-flooring. If we do that, which we are leaning toward, it will be less destructive to the other rooms. Then we have the option to have the vanity replaced or the choice to have it permanently removed which would result in carpeting the room at our expense. We just haven’t decided if we will have it reinstalled with the sink, as it is now, or just have it reinstalled with a new marble top and use it as a dressing room counter. It can then be removed later when we need to have new carpeting. Our carpet in that room is lovely and plush and does not need to be replaced at this time.
I do hope I haven’t lost all my readers by this point. It is always interesting to receive email comments and know that some of what I write seems to give others insights and helps them in various ways. I promise not to dwell on this subject but I did want everyone to know what the follow-up investigation showed regarding yesterday’s blog.
A POEM IN JEST WITH LOTS OF TRUTH
By Kathleen Martens
December 27, 2015
So I’ve been told I must focus
Don’t put chance to hocus pocus.
Don’t get distracted is the demand,
So my brain I must command.
Oh so easy to become sidetracked
And then it happens, oh so fast.
Disaster looms when you least expect it,
And it won’t help by throwing a fit.
The first and best thing to do
Is intentionally think to get you through.
Plan ahead, so calamity won’t strike,
Just stay focused with all your might.
Don’t answer the phone to talk to a friend,
Finish what you are doing to the end.
Don’t leave the kitchen when you cook
And for goodness sakes don’t read a book.
Keep your mind sharp thinking as you go,
Read the instructions so you will know.
And when the pot bubbles do not fail
By going out to retrieve the mail.
Because a friend you might see
Forgetting that now you are not free.
In a conversation do not become mired
Or your kitchen may catch on fire.
Keep the stairs cleared to go up and down
Or an ambulance might take you to town.
Take up those rugs in the hall
So that you will not fall.
Chew your food into mush
Eat slowly and do not rush
You don’t want to choke, or just die
By climbing a ladder that’s too high.
Oh so many disasters await each day,
Now that you’re retired and want to play.
But listen carefully to what you hear,
So into long life you will veer.
And then you can sit in a rocking chair
And gently comb your thinning hair.
And use your walker to go to bed,
But at least, you won’t be dead.
I chuckled as I wrote the above poem but there is a lot of truth said in jest. I will definitely take to heart some of the comments that have been sent my way. Thank you for sending them.
I was going to end here but I want to say one more thing. I’m reading a book called “YOU STAYING YOUNG” by Michael F. Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. OZ. M.D. I’m at the part about keeping the brain as healthy as possible to ward off Alzheimer’s. Here is a quote from the book (which is probably illegal to do so please don’t turn me in):
“ONE OF THE KEYS TO HAVING A HEALTHY MIND IS TO LIVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN IN THE MOMENT; THAT IS, THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW, NOT WORRYING ABOUT THE MISTAKES YOU MADE YESTERDAY OR THE HEADACHES THAT AWAIT YOU TOMORROW.”
I think that is very sound advice and I definitely want to put it into practice during this latest escapade!
MY PRAYER:
“Oh God, I will exalt You for You are my God and King. I praise Your name forever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol Your name forever and ever. Lord I praise You for You are great and most worthy of praise. I cannot even fathom Lord how great You are.
Lord I will tell of Your glorious splendor and Your majesty and I will meditate and think on Your wondrous works of creation and tell others of all the great things You do. I will join with others to celebrate how abundantly good You are and I will sing songs to You of how righteous You are.
I worship You because You are so gracious and so compassionate. Thank You for being slow to anger. I give You thanks for being so rich in love and for loving me. You are so good to me. You are so compassionate to me, for I am one that You have created. And all You have created will praise you. I will sing songs to you about your glory and how mighty you are.”
The above prayer is an example of me praying the scriptures. This prayer is my rephrasing of Psalm 145 and selected verses from 1-11. I use words as if I am speaking to God. I often pray the scriptures. God has so many promises in His word and I pray those promises back to Him. The scripture has a prayer for every occasion and every need. In no way do I want anyone to think that I am re-writing the scripture. I am only using the scripture to pray back to God in the way I would speak. God loves to hear His scriptures being read back to Him by those who love Him. Try it. You might like it. The above is just my example of how I pray the scriptures.
GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU!
Saturday December 26 2015 BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR
Saturday December 26 2015 BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU PRAY FOR
Have you ever had a thought and it came true? Well, I have. If I have negative thoughts I try to put them out of my mind so that they will not come true. Sometimes it doesn’t work.
Have you ever prayed for something to happen, and then realize when it does happen, that maybe you shouldn’t have prayed for it after all? And, from this point on I will stop and listen carefully as to how I word my prayers.
A few days ago I thought how awful it would be if I happened to turn the water on in our bathroom sink with the stopper in and then forgot to turn it off. Our bathroom sinks do not have an overflow outlet. Well, last night I found out.
I was getting ready to get into the shower and decided to turn the sink water on and get it hot so I could soak my hair brush while I took a shower. Since the water wasn’t hot yet I decided to turn the shower water on and then commenced to get into the shower WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE WATER IN THE SINK. I did remember to turn the fan on however, which makes quite a nice loud hum.
When I wash my hair it always takes longer than just getting in and out of the shower. When I turned the water off after my shower was over I heard an odd sound. I couldn’t figure out what it was so I peeked out from behind the shower curtain and to my horror the sink was full of water, the counter top was covered, and the water was overflowing the ledge like a cascading waterfall. The floor was saturated, the rug was soaked, and when I later opened my drawers everything was floating in a sea of foamy water (I had put a squirt of Dawn dish soap into the sink). I then opened the cabinets below the sink where we store piles of wash cloths, hand towels, and other bathroom supplies. Yep! You got it. Everything was waterlogged or floating.
My first thought went to the carpeting in the next room. I jumped out of the shower, grabbed my towel and quickly went over to the door that leads into our carpeted dressing room. The water was just about to the edge of the threshold into the next room. I spread my towel in front of the creeping water and stopped it before it crossed over. I grabbed Dave’s towels and started sopping up water. Everything went into the tub, the thick mat, the totally drenched towels, all the towels and washcloths under the sink, except the few on top of the piles which weren’t quite waterlogged yet. Those I used to soak up the flood on the tile floor. I took all the dripping debris from my drawers and put them into the sink and then bailed out the water with a tray that was in the drawer. Once my body had dripped dried enough I ran out through the hall into the other entrance of our dressing room and grabbed all the large bath towels stored in my closet area. I used those to absorb water from the bathroom floor. The hand towels were used to sop up inside the cupboards below the sinks. I decided I could either cry or laugh. I chose to laugh. It actually was rather funny. I hate to make you imagine the scene, here I am running around stark naked, dripping hair, mopping up buckets of water. My house robe had been hung on a lower hand rail and was also saturated so I couldn’t put that on. Fortunately the front windows had been closed before I took the shower.
All this time Dave was in his “man cave” directly below the dressing room. I could hear his treadmill fast at work. When it first happened I actually called him on his iPhone but it wouldn’t make a connection for some reason. I did not want to waste an iota of time running all the way through the house, down the stairs, and down the long hallway to take the time to tell him. My intent was to protect the carpet at both entrances into the dressing room and getting as much of the water sopped up as I could. Finally I had no choice but to go down because I ran out of absorbable material available to me. I went downstairs, told Dave what was happening, and grabbed some more towels from the laundry room on the way back up. Before I steaked past the uncovered kitchen picture window I did take the time to grab a fresh robe from the closet. I no longer needed a towel as I was already air dried.
It is cold here in Wisconsin at the present. If you remember, I told you before we don’t heat the bedroom. So needless to say it was a bit chilly. I was so busy I didn’t even notice. It took four trips to take the wet towels to the laundry room downstairs and that was without the saturated rug. Just in case you don’t know it, wet towels are very heavy.
It is twenty four hours later and I just restocked the bathroom with freshly laundered towels. We wanted to make certain everything was thoroughly dried out under the cupboards before we put anything back. We washed almost everything last night but decided to put the clean lenins on the kitchen counter until we gave everything a good airing out with HEAT! We turned the heat zone all the way up to 72 degrees. I just now turned it off again so we can sleep comfortably. I needed to be certain that everything was dry. My drawers are clean and almost empty. All the cotton balls, cleansing pads, creams, rubber gloves, bandaging supplies, some medicines, Q-tips, and a sundry of other items are in the trash. So, I guess you might say the bathroom has had a great purging and cleansing (which I will agree it needed).
After it was all finished I suppose I felt quite satisfied. I would never have chosen to use this method for cleaning, but it worked. As I went to bed later I couldn’t help but laugh again. I told Dave, “Well, I guess I should be careful what I pray for”. You see, I had prayed over the past few days that God would help me get started on the purging and cleansing of this house of unneeded stuff. I asked that He would help me be motivated and give me creative ways of getting things done without getting discouraged. Well, let me tell you, this is not how I thought He might answer. If it was an answer to prayer, it worked, at least for one room. I think I will reword my prayers from here on out. Without any disrespect, I would venture to say we have a God with a great sense of humor!
BE CAREFUL FOR WHAT YOU PRAY FOR
By Kathleen Martens
December 26, 2015
Prayer is a powerful thing
For it is when we talk
To our mighty King.
Great thanks we should give
To the One who shows
His way to live.
Remember and give praise
For who God is
Each and every day.
But when we come
In petition to ask
His loving Son
We should be careful
And to our task
Humbly prayerful.
For it is then
We must be specific
Before Our Friend.
Do not waver in your words
For to our Lord
Each word is heard.
Speak so clear
The desires of your heart
For God does hear.
Be careful for what you believe
God sees the desires of your heart,
And what you believe you may receive.
Let’s just say, more than once, I’ve learned my lessons the hard way!
My Prayer for today:
Lord, I praise You for who you are. You are the mighty King of Glory and the Prince of Peace. Thank you for Your love and for loving me. Thank You for hearing my prayers. Lord I come in humbleness, asking protection over my family, my friends, and Dave and me. I pray that You will take each of my days and orchestrate them for Your glory that I may touch a life with Your love, giving hope to another. Help me to be able to discern Your voice when You speak to me throughout each day. Show me Your ways that I will walk in righteousness. Give me strength to accomplish all that must be accomplished in emptying out our home of unneeded items. Show me who to bless in this venture. Release me from wanting to hold on to “things” of the past that are now just excess baggage. Teach me to see with Your eyes and Your thoughts as to what is important or unimportant. I ask for strength and guidance for both Dave and I as we embark on this yearlong adventure of sorting through our past. Show us the truths You want us to learn and give us wisdom daily as we seek Your will.
Thank You Father that I can come and speak openly of what is on my heart. You are my everything. As our world falls apart around us Lord, I know that You are in control and Your plan is in action. I give each day to You and trust in Your plan that is laid before us.
I ask these things in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ.
Good night and God bless you!
P.S. Just realized that the above saga is not yet over. We did not escape unscathed, at least financially that is. Dave found out that some water escaped to parts unknown. Our downstairs bathroom, below our upstairs bathroom, had water on the floor tonight and when he looked up he realized that the globe on the light fixture was half full of water. Uh, oh! We called for help. The troops will be out tomorrow (Sunday) which means it will be even more of an expenditure. But as far as I am concerned, the sooner the better.
To be continued…
Friday December 25 2015 A LETTER TO MY READERS
Friday December 25 2015 A LETTER TO MY READERS
Dear Friends and Family:
Isn’t it amazing that in the United States, Christmas is considered the one revered day that almost everyone has off from their place of employment? Of course the well-oiled machine of our society could not really exist with EVERY SINGLE PERSON OFF FROM WORK. There is always a need for the police officers, firemen, first responders, hospital personnel, gas stations, internet management, utility workers, and of course restaurant workers for those who MUST eat out, plus accommodations for all those traveling and their accommodations. There are probably many other jobs that I haven’t named that could be included on this list. But, everyone hopes to have it off. The sad part of it is that though December 25th is revered by many, the very reason we have it off is no longer considered part of the festivities for many.
For those who actually BELIEVE the story of our Savior’s birth, we are the ones who are often mocked, ridiculed, and even unable to discuss God or the Bible in public or in government run institutions (such as schools and work places). We no longer have CHRISTMAS TREES but holiday trees. In some places we must not say MERRY CHRISTMAS but happy holidays. Many schools no longer allow Christmas songs that mention God or the birth of baby Jesus. But…it is certainly a day that everyone wants to have off.
So today, if you are one of those who must work, I send you my many thanks for keeping our country and homes safe. I send you a Merry Christmas and pray God’s blessings on each one of you.
Our son has Christmas off once every four or five years due to him being on a rotation schedule with the police department where he is employed. This was his special year! He even had Christmas Eve off due to his, work six days, off three days, work schedule. It was such a pleasure to actually celebrate this year on the day we chose to celebrate (which was Christmas Eve), rather than get together on a weekend or at night.
And to all of you who did not work today I also send you special Greetings and a very Merry Christmas!
AS YOU HONOR THIS DAY IN HISTORY
By Kathleen Martens
December 25, 2015
Merry Christmas one and all
On this day of glad tidings and joy.
Whether at hearth and home
Or at your place of employ.
May God richly bless you
As you honor this day in history
That celebrates the birth of God’s son,
The greatest of all time mysteries.
Merry Christmas and to all a good night.
With much love,
Kathleen
P.S. My Christmas Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for sending your Son Jesus to provide the way of salvation for my sin. I worship and adore You Lord for sending love to this earth through Your Son who was willing to die for the sins of all men, so that all can have the opportunity to approach a God who is holy and righteous. Jesus, thank You for providing this gift of life to me and others that when we ask with faith, You will come into our hearts. I worship and adore You Lord and I praise Your holy name. Thank You for this special day of celebration to give honor and praise to You, The Holy King, who was born in a stable. Thank You that You have sent Your Holy Spirit to abide within me. You are my hope and You are my strength. In You, I put my trust.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!
Thursday December 24 2015 JESUS WAS GOD ON EARTH
Thursday December 24 2015 JESUS WAS GOD ON EARTH
I thank God for such a sweet and charming day. No day should ever be taken for granted but today was just a little extra special. It truly is Christmas Eve. Just as children anticipate with excitement the coming of Santa Clause and receiving a gift (of which we know the truth), so is Christmas Eve a day of such anticipation for me. It is a day that Dave and I set aside to be with family, talk to our grandchildren about the special gift that was delivered on this night for every single man and woman. The greatest gift given to the world. Not only is it the greatest gift, but given by the greatest Father, the creator of the universe and all that is in it. The difference between God and Santa Clause, is that God is not a myth. And of God’s story, I know the truth because I have experienced the miraculous. I have experienced firsthand His salvation, His love, His joy, and His peace, for it abides within me.
JESUS WAS GOD ON EARTH
By Kathleen Martens
December 24, 2015
Thank you Father for the gift of life
That came packaged in joy and peace.
A gift given on a starlit night
A gift that will never cease.
A gift that was promised to all men
That a Savior would be given to earth.
He came in the form of a newborn baby
A gift of magnificent worth.
A gift that was wrapped with loving hands
In the shadows of a stable.
A royal king who was laid in a manger,
No place of renowned label.
He was the gift given to all,
Who would pay the ransom for man’s sin.
Our eternity would be so different
If His birth had never been.
That precious gift on that starlit night
Changed the course of all mankind.
FOR JESUS WAS GOD ON EARTH,
THE MOST PRICELESS GIFT TO FIND.
And this has been a priceless day to me. The Christmas Eve service at church, celebrating the birth of Christ, was a beautiful finish for the amazing miracle that took place so many years ago. It was an hour of honoring our Lord and Savior and giving thanks to God for the birth of His son, sent to redeem the world from their sinful ways.
I wish you a Blessed Christmas as you celebrate Jesus, who was God on earth. And though Jesus is now in heaven, sitting at the right hand of His Father, His spirit dwells in those who believe and accept the salvation He came to give. There is no church name that you must first be affiliated with, nor deeds of penance that must be suffered, nor even trying to become a better person to make yourself worthy, in order to qualify for this wonderful gift. All you must do is reach out and accept the gift. The gift given with love by a Heavenly Father. The gift of eternal life that Jesus came to give, is received by faith. It is freely given to you when you ask God to come into your heart. From that moment forward God lives in you in the form of His Holy Spirit, drawing you ever more closely to Him. It is then that you will become more and more like the one you give your heart and life to. And the best part? HOW TO WALK WITH GOD comes with a manual. It is called the Holy Bible.
If you have not yet accepted this priceless gift, may you accept the best gift of a lifetime during this year’s Christmas celebration. It is a gift that is always being offered, not just on Christmas. And it is truly the gift that just keeps on giving.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOOD NIGHT.
Wednesday December 23 2015 SO WE WOULD LIVE
Wednesday December 23 2015 SO WE WOULD LIVE
SO WE WOULD LIVE
By Kathleen Martens
December 23, 2015
The night is calling
Come and rest
Tomorrow is full,
You need your zest.
Christmas Eve
With family near
To celebrate Jesus.
His story hear.
An innocent lamb
Born to die
Yet a time of rejoicing
And we know why.
An innocent babe
Born to save.
Yet the world
Does not rave.
Take not lightly
The celebration of love
For it’s what he brought
From heaven above.
He brought Love enough
To save all men
From their evil
And all their sin.
So take time
To praise His glory,
And take time
To share His story.
Rest in peace,
The gift He gives
Born to die
So we would live.
A day at home finishing up little things here and there. And then the phone call to Medicare about a discrepancy in my insurance coverage. Go figure, it is the government, how can there be a discrepancy? Only one of us is always right and it isn’t me. Oh well, the alternative of being on Medicare is not what I desire, being that the only way out of it is to either be a congressman, a senator, President of the United States or to just be dead. A phone call that lasted over two hours with absolutely nothing accomplished. But…I’m still alive and that is a good thing (anyway it is for me).
Sounded like a little bit of griping up there after a poem of peace and joy. I didn’t really mean it as such. Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.
So now I will turn myself toward the peace and joy I so love and look forward to celebrating Jesus’ birth as we attend our Christmas Eve service tomorrow evening and spend the day with our family. I pray that all who read this will also have a day of peace and joy and time with those you love.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AGAIN! GOD BLESS YOU.
Visions of Poetry 