Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Healing for Today

If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

This is the beginning to the answer for what we are facing today.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Exciting News!!!

I am so happy!!! My daughter and her husband, Lauren and Jonathan, have announced that they are expecting TWINS!!!! Wow!!! We are all excited for them and so happy that everything is going well!!! I'm addicted to exclamation points with this news!!!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Words That Bring Comfort

I had this hanging on my wall wherever we lived - and I still do - it always brought comfort to me because my husband travelled at times and this is the way I felt when he came home:

"I hear your footsteps down the hall,

You are home again, and safe.

All the burdens of the day are

lightened -

and all the night noises

are music to my ears."

D. Morgan

Personality Test

I did the personality test on Kik's site - I promise I will learn how to do links and other stuff on this site - never seem to have the time to sit down and figure it out! This really made me laugh - some of it hits pretty close to home.

Personality Type:

Creative, resourceful and intellectually quick. Good at a broad range of things. Enjoy debating issues and may be into 'one-up-manship'. They get very excited about new ideas and projects, but may neglect the more routine aspects of life. Generally outspoken and assertive. They enjoy people and are stimulating company. Excellent ability to understand concepts and apply logic to find solutions.

Careers that could fit includes:

Entrepreneurs, lawyers, psychologists, photographers, consultants, sales represenatives, actors, engineers, scientists, inventors, marketers, computer programmers, comedians, computer analysts, credit investigators, journalists, psychiatrists, public relations, designers, writers, artists, musicians, politicians.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Tough Day

Today the newspaper announced 11 layoffs of friends and coworkers. We knew it was coming as rumors were flying a couple of weeks ago - but it was postponed because of the possibility of the hurricane coming through. This is the third wave of layoffs. The people were notified today and I survived it - but then you know that others are leaving in your stead.

One woman was hoping she would be one of the ones chosen and she was (she has been here over 20 yrs.) and brought in bagels for a party - others are in shock and there were some tears.

A really good friend of mine planned a trip here from L.I. for her birthday and is arriving tomorrow afternoon - I am taking a half day and all day Friday off. We have a tradition (she tries to come every year) of each buying a bottle of our favorite wine (she likes Merlot and I like a Zinfandel) - we get an order of Parmesean Hot Wings from this great place and a loaf of Italian bread - rent a good movie - and just enjoy a night of good food - good conversation - and hopefully a good movie - any suggestions for a good movie??? I am so ready for this weekend - we both love to read and will spend some time walking on the beach - reading - and catching up. I was hoping we could go down to Charleston for the day - but may opt just to relax and take it easy.

The first time she came her husband asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she said she wanted to come to MB to visit me - and he said, "Do you want me to come too?" She said, "No" - I always laugh about that.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Today - September 11

I think of all the wives, husbands, children, family members, friends who are getting up this morning with all their memories flooding in of what this day brought them - the horror and the loss that all of us feel on this day every year is greatly multiplied in their lives - and my heart goes out to them. We will never forget.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Praying Woman

I am a praying woman – 63 yrs. old – and my answer to everything I’ve faced is to start with prayer – and to use prayer to bring peace in the midst of terrible storms.

In my life I have faced three C-sections – Kik was my one normal delivery – our last baby was in ICU for the first three days of her life – my daughters have had broken bones – sat on broken Coke bottles – had enlarged livers with all the tests involved in that – gotten severely stung by a Portuguese Man O’ War jellyfish – we have moved 18 times – lost everything and started over several times – I have had emergency gall bladder surgery and was in the hospital for 10 days – had my shin bone biopsied for bone cancer and that was six weeks of living with the fact that I might have bone cancer and I didn’t – four daughters sick with the chicken pox without a lot of money to buy medicine – going through the teenage years with four daughters – husband sometimes unemployed – husband who smoked Pall Malls and had emphysema and had to have carotid artery surgery and quad bypass and I was with him for 12 days in the hospital in Charleston and brought him home safely from there – came home at lunch time on the 22nd day and found him – he had died during the morning after we had talked on the phone and fortunately ended the conversation laughing and saying I love you to each other.

There is more, of course – but I sit here in what I consider my perfect for me townhouse and I look back at everything and know that there is no way I could have survived without God in my life and I don’t mean the God that some people think of as the go to church on Sunday, white gloves, carrying your Bible, smile plastered on your face phoniness – but – the God who says to me –

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Several times in my life I have gone for counseling and one time the counselor said to me that God wasn’t someone with a big yellow legal pad checking things off for and against Claire – but – God was someone who was holding out His hand to me wanting a relationship with me – and when I read my Bible – especially the New Testament – and pray – I can feel His arms opening wide to me as I run to Him and His peace in the midst of terrible storms of loneliness, death, anger, terror, illness and frustration begins to come over me and permeate me and I would make it through another day.

So I encourage you – as you face the “dailyness” of your life with all the problems and decisions you will be going through to pick up a Bible (like The Living Bible version) – turn to the New Testament and just try reading Matthew, Mark, Luke or John – and pray and ask God to show you what He has for you – I can’t explain maybe logically or theologically how it works – but I can stand and look you in the eye and tell you that He is there and He is ready to meet you.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Reply to One Fabulous Mom

"One Fabulous Mom" blogger posted a list of questions presented at the end of the Actors Studio program by James Lipton - and asked us to join in! Here are my replies:

1. What is your favorite word?

Mercy

2. What is your least favorite word?

Shut Up

3. What effects you creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Creatively - Art that speaks to my mind and heart
Spiritually - Walking on the beach watching the ocean waves and being reminded
of God's unceasing love for me.
Emotionally - Someone reaching for my hand

4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Graffitti
False Preachers
Unkind words

5. What sound or noise do you love?

Hearing one of my daughters call my name

6. What sound or noise do you hate?

Booing - unless I am at a baseball game and we are all booing the umpire.

7. What is your favorite curse word?

Oh My Dear!

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Artist/Writer of children's books

9. What profession would you not like to do?

Porta-Potty transporter

10. What would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

Welcome home!