IT STARTED WITH ONE

Our daughter, Terri, went to Celebrate Recovery to help a young boy.  This boy was a friend of the family, often stayed at their home, and hung around with their four boys.  Then he got in trouble.  He hung around the wrong people and ended up in jail.  His “friends” did not help him, but our daughter’s family continued to be there for him.  When he was released, Terri told him, “You are going to Celebrate Recovery and I am going with you.”  Sadly, he did not keep going, but something unexpected happened.

Terri kept going.

Celebrate Recovery’s website says: Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered, 12 step recovery program for anyone struggling with hurt, pain or addiction of any kind.  Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to find community and freedom from the issues that are controlling our life. 

Celebrate Recovery (CR from now on.) is a place to find support, healing, and strength to change. 

So why did Terri keep going?  She went to offer support and quickly discovered the strength to let go of personality issues that were controlling her life.  She kept going because she wanted to help others find that same freedom.  Then something unexpected happened.

Her husband, Jon, went to a CR meeting to support Terri and quickly found himself offering support to others.  Then something unexpected happened. 

Their sons went to a CR meeting to see what was going on.  They were soon offering a smile, a handshake, and support to addicts, people who had served time in jail, and strangers.  Then something unexpected happened.

Jon hired a man he met at a CR meeting who was recently released from prison.  Rob was working hard to find a second chance… and he found one.  He started work and told me, “I have received more support from this family than I ever received from my own.”  I told him this chance came with a responsibility.  He had a 17 year old boy watching him to see what he did with a second chance.  Then something unexpected happened.

Ed and Amy, friends of Jon and Terri, went to a CR meeting to hear Rob give his testimony.  They kept going and are now the weekly greeters.

Our daughter, Terri, went to Celebrate Recovery to help a young boy.  Sadly, he did not keep going, but something unexpected happened.

Four sons saw their parents step out of their comfort zones.  Friends became helpers.  Terri and Jon have led small groups.  Terri found out she could speak in public.  Jon was Rock Star of the Month for helping wherever he can.  A young man came to church because Jon invited him.  Terri has listened as mothers shared stories of their children and a wife needed help to cope with her husband’s Alzheimer.  They have seen lives changed and relationships reestablished. 

Terri kept going and something unexpected happened.  It started with one and spread to many.

https://www.celebraterecovery.com

 

 WINTER OLYMPICS

Have you been watching the Winter Olympics?  I have!

I have watched figure skating and still do not know the difference between a salchow, axel, and a lutz.  Did you know Zambonis use hot water to smooth the ice?  The costumes are beautiful, but you will not find feathers on them.  If a piece of a costume comes off and lands on the ice, there is a deduction from the skater’s score.  And, have you ever wondered why the men’s shirts never come untucked?  They wear special underwear attached to the shirt so it stays put.  Figure skating is fun to watch, but there is one sport I really, really like to watch ---

Curling!  Why?  I have no idea.  I do not know the rules.  I do not understand the scoring.  I just know it is amazing to watch.  Have you watched the face of the person pushing the stone?  Eyes focused.  Pure determination!  Then the excitement starts!  Sweep!  Sweep!  Sweep!  The stone barely misses the opposition’s guard stone, as it hooks and … and … keeps on going. 

Then the other team has a chance.  They sight in the exact spot they want the stone to land.  The stone is released.  It is going fast.  Sweep!  Sweep!  Sweep!  STOP SWEEPING!  The stone stops right in the center!  Success!

Until the other team releases their next stone and it softly taps that stone – the one perfectly placed in the middle – and sends it on its merry way into the no-score area.

Yup.  I love to watch curling.  When I ask people if they are watching the Olympics, the usual answer is, “I watch curling.”  I then ask, “Can you explain it to me?”  They answer, “No, but don’t ya love the focus when sending the stone down the ice?”

This got me to thinking about competition among the disciples.  What gold medals would they receive? 

FIRST TO BE CALLED:  Simon (aka Peter) and Andrew

LONGEST FRIENDSHIP:  Bartholomew and Phillip

OFFICIAL DOUBTER:  Thomas

SURPRISING CHOICE:  Matthew

SUPERIOR ATTITUDE:  James and John

MOST QUIET:  Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and James the Lessor (three way tie)

NEVER DID GET IT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE:  Judas

Fishermen, friends, brothers, a doubter, a tax collector, outspoken, quiet, and a betrayer.  They were quite a combination of men.  They were not perfect.  And yet, Jesus picked these twelve – with all their flaws and all their good qualities – to be his disciples. 

 I HAVE WHEELS

If you have read my blog, you know I had a knee replaced.  It is going good! Hubby is being an excellent nurse, cook, and chauffeur.

And I have an Angel for therapy.  No, honestly! Her name is Angel.  Of course, that is not exactly what I called her when she put me on a new machine, gave me a sweet smile, and said, “Pedal.” It was going good until I pushed too hard on one pedal and that push made a whole circle instead of a half.  I now know my knee will do 100%, but I also know it will bring tears.  I did not push quite so hard the rest of the five minutes.

During this therapy session I felt like I was a high school student.  (Freshman = walker, Sophomore = walker with wheels, Junior = cane, and Senior = you are on your own.).  I passed the walker test and moved through my sophomore and junior years in one session.  I was told to put wheels on my walker.  WHEELS! I can really tool around the house now.  I bet Bill will start posting speed limit and stop signs.  After being told I could add wheels, I was also told to start using a cane.  Out came the cane and the walk around the room began.

I answered the first question!  I knew which hand to hold the cane.  Hey, I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right.  Not really impressed, Angel proceeded to instruct me how to use said cane.  I am not the most coordinated person and letting go of a walker to hold a cane, as my only support, was a bit scary.  What if I lost my balance?  What if the new knee didn’t want to walk?  What if… What if ….  But who can resist when an Angel tells you it will be okay?   To start with, we (don’t ya love that the 'we' part only includes you) will take it slow.  Move the cane.  Now the right leg.  Now the left leg.  Try again.  Again.  Again.  And then, the left leg didn’t stop.  It moved past the cane and was followed with the cane and right leg moving as one.  I DID IT!!  Angel then informed me that I was to use the cane at home.  (Drat.  I was looking forward to speeding with my walker.)  I asked if she was going home with me to walk beside me and go, “Left, right/cane.  Left, right/cane.”

Her answer was no and, not only was she not going home with me, she would not be there for my session on Friday.  Wow, two times with Angel and she was ready to pass me back to Amy.  Okay, Friday was Angel’s day off and I was wise enough not to say that I didn’t know Angels took days off.  Occasionally I do know when to zip my lips.  Besides, I knew Amy.  She was the one who got me up and forced me to walk the halls of the hospital.  In a hospital gown!  You know those things that tie and the back can flap open at the tiniest puff of air.  The day after I was dismissed, Amy evaluated me at the first session in rehab and taught me the exercises I was to do at home.  Then she went on vacation.  Now, if you will quit laughing.  I am not that hard to get along with!  I hit a dentist once, but I am nice to the people who have the use of my knee in their hands.  Plus, they are being very nice and encouraging, as they tell me, “Just bend it a bit more.”

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I wonder if walking with God is like being in rehab.  I know the answer: YES!

God is beside me when I take a new step and when the light bulb finally goes off and I understand a scripture.  God is right there when I push too hard for my own way and He is there when that causes tears. 

And God is right there telling me, “Bend your attitude a bit more in MY direction.”

There is one big difference.  God does not take a day off and He does not take a vacation.  Poor, God.  He has to put up with me EVERY DAY!

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Psalms 23:6

 

QUOTES AND SAYINGS

The other day I saw a saying:  Do what makes you feel good.

Wow, now that could be fun.  If I only do what makes me feel good, I would not have to dust or pull weeds or clean the toilet.  Admit it; no one likes to clean the toilet.  I would not have to be nice to people I do not agree with.  How different my days would be.  I could spend my days working jigsaw puzzles or reading or writing.  (Do not listen to Bill if he tells you that is what I do anyway.  I dust…occasionally.)

Quotes and Sayings – I thought I would start out with ones taken from personal experience.

Sometimes the thoughts in my head get bored and go for a stroll out through my mouth.  This is never a good thing.

Forget trying to walk a mile in my shoes.  Try spending a day wandering around in my mind.  Now that will give you something worth thinking about.

In dog years …I’m dead.*

The biggest trouble with quotes and saying is that they contradict each other.

“NOTHING IS WRONG IF IT FEELS GOOD.”  Unknown

“Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.”  Leo Tolstoy

“Right is right even if no one is doing it;  wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”  Saint Augustine

Quotes point out that it takes all of us to stand up for what we believe in.  Lou Holtz believed he wanted to keep his job.

“On this team, we’re all united in a common goal; to keep my job.”

Does it take all of us to accomplish what is right?  What happens if no one speaks up?

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing’s going to get better.  No, it’s not.”  Dr. Seuss

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll just get run over if you just sit there.”  Will Rogers

“The world suffers a lot.  Not because of the violence of bad people, but because of the silence of good people”  Napoleon

I did find one we can all agree on.

“You’re never too important to be nice to people.  Jon Batiste

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*Dog age: 1 is equal to 15 human years, 2 is equal to 9 human years, and each year after that equals 4-5 human years.  Years age 3-75 or 73 human years @ 4.5 per year equal 329 human years.  So, 15 + 9 + 329 = 353 years old.  In dog years, I would be dead.