Handicapped Christmas Treasures.

This is the 444th post for me and I am excited to be continuing the journey in Triumph on how I have overcome the obstacles that were placed in my path for the last 47 years. The long awaited interview finally is on my friend's blog. It is posted at www.theletstalkmom.com and click on the radio show flower and then click on the " on air button and listen away!!!

When I reflect on the journey of the 444 posts, I also think back to the mid 1970's when our americans were held hostage in Iran for those 444 days. At the end of that journey, they gained their freedom. It took a lot of negotiations at the time to get them free and even a failed attempt to free them earlier. But they got their treasured freedom. '

And that is what this time of year represents us getting our cherished freedom as a country in being to live our lives in a free manner without being told what to do in the 1770's from King George of the country of England. For our nation had in its fledgling birth the guidance of our first President George Washington. It gave the new citizens freedom and the ability to live their lives independently.

Now just getting over on a boat and being crowded was quite a challenge I am sure. I sometimes have been trapped in a crowd and have had trouble seeing over the heads as to what was going on. For these pilgrims that made this across the ocean journey of many days had the fortitude and courage to stick it out.l

For life has given all of us some handicaps I am sure. But as I have unwrapped and dealt with each one, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has enabled me and those pilgrims back in the 1770's and even the hostages in the 1970's the ability to endure tough times.

For these do make us much stronger and I advocate for everyone to step out onto the stage of life and give it a shot. Even if it hurts greatly. For the score will be in our favor.
For our Lord reigns. And I am very thankful for that indeed!!!

Resting on the waters of God.

In one's lives, it is important how sometimes there are ugly storms out there.
I don't need to list them for we all know what they are. Just remember to feel what we feel. Even if we don't feel like it.
Remember that the stormy sea returns to normal after a while. Let the waves roll back and forth gently over your soul.

I gave these words of comfort to a friend.

Today, I felt angry when I could not fix something on one of my online applications and when i got disconnected by technical support. I returned a little calmer and realized that I could deselect something that I chose.
A trivial thing to get angry at. I have been a little negative lately Lord as I have not gotten my way sometimes.

The path has not been a smooth one during this unemployment. No ciriculum was handed to me during this awkward dance of a search for work. I did not know that there was a change in the I9 laws for proper identification cards thanks to Homeland Security this year. But these awkward turns in life are going to make me much stronger in this world.

Just as it has been for eons of time, the waves have crashed around the ocean each and every day.
Each wave uniquely different, just like snowflakes and even like our bodies. Made mostly of water. Water that shapes and nurtures and gives life to our souls.

Let the waters roll and as the hymnist has said, it is indeed well with my soul. Even as the waters billow around me at times.

Unfolding the path in life beautifully

Spring it is not. Autumn has arrived and is about to leave the station.
I am grateful for having passed through the heat of summer and now I am at the apex of Autumn to be supplanted with the arrival of the frigid weather of winter.
My brother already has been hit with 7 inches of snow in the midwest and I received a bit of sleet and wind and snow for the brevity of last Monday morning.

For the path that I have been on has unfolded beautifully.
I was interviewed this Sunday afternoon for the thanksgiving special of my friends show on parenting and marriage at www.theletstalkmom.com show. I was the special guest talking on how I grew up handicapped, overcoming my initial diagnosis of having arrested hydrocephalus. It was good to recall with my friends how I overcame the many obstacles and even having a chance to explain my expertise of bowling a perfect game one Tuesday afternoon while at the Nutmeg Lanes. Sorry, for those who think I can hit 11 strikes in a row. My expertise was throwing 20 straight balls into the gutter. Bowling experts may need to apply elsewhere in obtaining someone for their shows on ESPN!

I even got to go to an inauguaral concert at one of the first local churches that our family visited. It was the inauguaral concert for the $880,000 organ that was built for their congregation. The organist commented that it replaced the toaster oven that was there before and thanked those who gave for the organ which was disposed of.

So overall, a great weekend of music and a weekend of being thankful in advance of our church's thanksgiving eve service.

My Bucket List

The bucket list is usually reserved for those who are about to face death. I have established an ongoing bucket list of things that I am going to accomplish. Usually, these events are going to take time. I have been accomplishing many events that range in scope of exploring the arts in the Greater Bridgeport community to attending a variety of workshops at the job training centers.

Sticking the pole in the water

The other day I was chatting with my friend, Jim, and I informed him that I was going to put the pole in the water as I was going fishing. He wisely warned me that I should not place the pole into the water or I am going to scare the fish away.
When I was growing up as a child, Dad and I went fishing off the sides of our boat. Every once in awhile I did dip the pole into the water, curious, to see how it would look. I loved seeing the bent reflection of the pole in the water and how the beads of water would glisten off the pole in beads of it.
Yet, somehow that does not reflect well in the modern adult world. Especially with work. I am having to be patient in the process of finding my work. I never did like the idea of having to wait for a response or nibble from the mouth of a fish tugging on the line. Even now, I am not experiencing a lot of tugs on the line. When I did fish, I sometimes left the pole for a moment, only to wonder if the line got any activity.

While I have not actually plopped the pole deep into the water or even the line, I am now finally getting around to having a targeted list for this process.

Perfection

So many times I have seen people trying to attain perfection. Some just want to weigh the perfect weight and others want the perfect look or the perfect personality.

All these fall short. I many times have tried to do the perfect job on an invoice only to have a customer rip it to shreds. Or crafting the essay or opinion piece for a professor but only to find red ink all over it.

I am so thankful that Jesus is patient with me and my friends as we work out our salvation. I am so glad that He is not finished with me yet. For I am a work in progress. And so are you!!
It is at the resurrection of our souls that we are going to be able to be perfect. When God the Father declares us righteous because of what Jesus did on the cross for us!!!'

This is just one of the reflections that I have had in the past 24 hours as I have reflected on the value of life against the backdrop of death. It has been a rough year having gone through the passing of my dad 365 days ago. It has been a long journey of ups and downs with my emotions. But God is strong and I am so thankful for that. There is nothing that God can not handle. I am glad that I am not in His shoes. But I am to imitate Him.

Lord, Help me to imitate you ever more in the next 365 days so I can stand amazed at where you will be taking me in getting me past the desert I am in now and bring me to the oasis where I can lay down in some green pastures. Lord, be my Psalm 23 shepherd and I will be in your flock of mangy but beautiful sheep!!

The Northern Lights

It has been quite a journey for the past year. In two days, it is the one year marking from when my dad departed earth. I am fortunate to have many happy memories of the time that I spent with him. Of the time with the Northern lights on the back porch of the cottage, sitting on the stoop and looking up at the dark night sky and seeing the beams of light bouncing back and forth.
I only wish that I could have him by my side like the times when he taught me gin rummy while I was in the hospital as a teen to the times we ran the ordinary errands while on my visits to the post office, general store and the water stations and the gas station.

While I have been to the many stations of life, I now travel some of them alone or with just my mom and my brother and his family when we get together. And I am thankful that I have friends, some of whom have already walked that journey and some of them are beginning to walk that journey.

Now I will be able to walk alongside them and give them the much needed comfort that they will indeed need.

Thanks for the great memories, Dad. Just wondering how your end of the gin game is going now. I will have to catch up to your hands and how you will have revolutionized the game of gin when we meet up again.