Nine Words Women Use

Boy, was I delivering myself a sermon in that last blog, or what! Now for something on the light side. We don't forward much at work (it's against the rules, so Sshhhhhh)but this was too good to pass up. And boy, does it hit the mark!

NINE WORDS WOMEN USE

(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome'. that will bring on a 'whatever').

(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying F--- YOU!

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

Holding On to Letting Go

This morning's church service was an experience in depression. I don't want to sound lacking in empathy. I know it's a terrible thing to say, but it's the truth. I keep wishing there was something I could do to make everyone there understand that this is only a time of transition and we can still be happy in looking forward. But there is a spirit of depression that sometimes hangs over people, or groups, for years sometimes. It saps them of life and vitality and they fail to thrive...they merely exist for the sake of existing. It may be an evil spirit, it may only be a habit of humanity, I don't know. I fight it often nowadays because of serious health issues casting shadows over my parents and much of my family. And yet, I come to the Lord expecting good things because I know He loves me and my family, and His ways are not my ways. I can honestly say that I trust Him.

Transition is the word of the moment. There seems to be less than usual that I really can count on right now. I've been hoping my church will "snap out of it". I've been hoping for a miracle of God's Holy Spirit to just take hold and to see it come to life! Idon'tthinkit'sgoingtohappen. People are losing their jobs all around, and I am supposed to learn sometime this spring if my job of 26 years is going to be transitioned to another state over the next year or so. Other things...

I want to hold on to what I know and where I feel comfortable. I don't want to suffer loss, or hardship. But I know nothing is beyond God. I tried to put that into words this morning as I looked around at all the sad, worried faces. Sometimes we have to try to understand that God works best when we reach a place where all we have to count on is Him. It's then that God is able to take hold of us and really do something amazing in our lives for Him. Suffering/hardship is only for a time, and then God will give us a season of joy. We need to keep looking forward, even when the future can look like a fearsome place.

We need to just put our trust in God, and let go. To see me, you will often see a sad or worried face. But despite the sadness of the moment, I know that God will see me through this season of sadness and, even, through it, bring about a season of joy. I am reminding myself daily to just put my trust in God, and let go.

I Believe

I have decided to dip a toe back into the world of blogland. I think a fun way to do this would be to join Sunday scribblings. Therefore, here it is...I Believe.

I believe that we have a wonderful, merciful God. Even though we often mess up, he is always faithful to turn our bad decisions into blessings...IF we turn to Him. I believe that, through God, all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. I believe that because His Bible said it, and I believe it because I've seen it. And I believe it in faith in the face of incredibly difficult circumstances for which, right now, I see no purpose.

And I believe that if I don't get to bed right now I am going to really mess up leading worship tomorrow morning, and especially since we are singing "Happy Birthday, Jesus", I'd like to get the words right. :)

~Vicky

Elusive Happiness

One of the more difficult things I've found is learning to be happy when someone I love is suffering. Logically, I know that my refusal to feel joy does not lessen the suffering for them. Yet, my heart recoils from happiness, as if to feel joy during their suffering is to be faithless to those feelings of love.

To feel helpless in the face of true suffering and pain is one of life's greatest trials. Could I, I would take on my mother's pain and fear on myself just to see her happy and laughing again.

This is one experience from God I would never have asked for. Yet, in some very small way, it speaks to me of God's love for us, His children. We have but to accept, He took our suffering and pain with Him to the cross. If we accept His gift of love, He will take our pain and suffering and replace it with joy as we understand that our suffering is just for a moment. He can, and will take away our pain and fear and see us happy and laughing, never to feel pain, suffering or sorrow again.

He can do that. I can't. I will continue to struggle with feelings of helplessness and may not find my own happiness for a time. But within me, I know that one day my mom will no longer feel pain or fear, and she will be happy and laughing again. God will take away the cancer and make her young and whole with joy to last for eternity.

~Vicky

Struggle

Update on my mom's surgery...

They have run tubes from her kidneys to a bag on each leg to collect the fluid. They will re-evaluate in a week. Not much has been said as to what to expect from here forward. It's one day at a time.

I just finished the autobiography of Joni Eareckson Tada. If you've never read it, I would recommend it highly. I especially enjoyed the audio book, read by the author herself. It was a little difficult at times to hear the heartrending words, but her journey to finding true happiness in God was amazing, to say the least. Sometimes, as I listened to her story, she would mention the year. I would remember back to where I was in life that year, and be overcome by the realization of what one young woman was enduring during that same time that I was selfishly pursuing my own happiness. I find great comfort in her story. God didn't take away her affliction, despite her faith and that of others. But He gave her strength to not only survive, but thrive! Struggle does not mean God is absent, it only means we need to draw closer to Him.

~Vicky

God with us

God works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Sometimes life falls apart for awhile and you have to wonder what the heck is going on. This Christmas is one of them.

My mom suffers with cancer. I say the word suffer, but the word doesn't cover what she's been through. She woke from a surgery almost ten years ago to be told that she has ovarian cancer, and to find that she will spend the rest of her life with a urostomy and a colostomy. Two bags that will hang under her clothes to cause trouble and embarrassment for the rest of an uncertain life. She's learned to live with them for almost ten years, as well as the pain, uncertainty and untold fears and trials of this disease. I've seen blessings that I account to her sufferings, but, oh, what a cost.

Today they will run tubes out her back to a third bag which will hang on her leg. Her kidneys have finally shut down as a result of all the chemo, and now the word "dialysis" hangs heavy in the air. My mom is 74 years old, she and my dad have taken in her 92 year old mother, and they all care for each other as best they can. My dad had a stroke years ago which left his body weakened. My grandmother, well, she's 92 but tries her best not to be a burden. Her husband of over 75 years died only a very few years ago, and after many years of ovarian cancer her only other child died only a few months later. I can't imagine her grief. They have their physical weaknesses, but stronger people you won't find anywhere. But today...oh today... When will it stop?

Christmas is in two days. I'm staying home with my granddaughter, who has pinkeye and an ear infection. Her mother is single and needs to be at work today. My husband and I aren't talking. That leaves me without my best friend right now, facing very difficult situations on all sides. I'm hoping I will get my best friend back somehow. Satan is so clever. But I keep reminding him, he may win some victories, but they are shallow at best. He could even destroy my life, but in the end, he has gained nothing. God will still be in control and he will still face his punishment, and he is still a loser.

But it's not about me. I just seem to be surrounded by a sea of great sadness, people facing terrible trials, and my heart aches because I can only watch and pray.

I keep remembering that God didn't create cancer. He didn't create chemotherapy and life prolonging drugs and procedures that keep our bodies alive, but can take a terrible toll. It's our own desire to hang onto this life here at any cost, to selfishly keep our loved ones with us because life would be so lonely without them. God didn't cause our suffering.

But what God has given us is a heavenly home and perfect bodies for those who will only trust in Him. He has given us a promise of His grace sufficient for any trial, hardship or loneliness. He has given us His own Holy Spirit to strengthen us if we turn to Him.

God didn't give us Christmas as a day to celebrate peace on earth, share presents and our favorite recipes, tell our children about Santa Claus and everyone be happy. Christmas came from the birth of a baby under very difficult circumstances who grew to be a man of sorrows and lived a life of hardship so that He could die an excruciating death of humiliation to give us the help and the hope that we need.

We wonder why sometimes the greatest suffering comes at Christmas time. We want to cry "unfair", what did I do to deserve this! We picture a baby born on a clear starry night, angels proclaiming, shepherds rejoicing, wise men bringing gifts, and everyone smiling and happy. We cry out for that peace on earth, good will toward men.

In reality, it was a frightened young girl in a dirty barn without her family and friends who held on to the promise she knew came to her from God. It was a baby Jesus who grew up to carry the sins and ugliness of a world that was fickle and, in the end, turned on Him as He faced the cruelest and most agonizing death available.

So that is the Christmas promise I am holding onto this year. I won't be trying to ignore the hardships of this Christmas, while trying to grab my piece of "Christmas joy". I won't cry "unfair" at the circumstances of this Christmas. I will be holding onto the promise that "all things work together for the good of those who love God, those that are called according to His purpose". And I will be trusting in the promises of that morning when Christ was born on earth to endure our suffering and give us the gift of eternal life in a perfect body where every day will be peace and joy and love when we are in the presence of our Savior.

~Vicky