Unspotted

As I sat down to read in James this morning I remembered what I heard Saturday night at a singspiration meeting in Anchorage. Some of Alaska's Natives (and others I suppose) believe that the King James Bible version was written by James (James, Jesus half-brother who penned the epistle James), therefore they wrongly believe the mistruth that since James wrote the King James version it is the only right and true Bible version.

Mistruth. You know what that word means? I tried to look it up, it's not in the dictionary. Haha!

But mistruth is listed with other words that have their meanings changed by the prefix mis.
1 a: badly : wrongly (misjudge) b: unfavorably (misesteem) c: in a suspicious manner (misdoubt)
2: bad : wrong (misdeed)
3: opposite or lack of (mistrust)
4: not (misknow)

One can say that mistruth is - bad truth, wrong truth, unfavorable truth, suspicious truth, lack of truth, not truth. ?

Like all of USA (and via the internet much of the world!) I've been seeing too many TV political commercials and much of it is MISTRUTH! I don't believe everything... and I consider the source!

ai yi ya.

I did vote early, so I cannot be swayed anymore! ha I wish the political commercials were over now!

I will be winging my way to Hawaii soon. I think it might be hard "to keep oneself unspotted" on the beach! But you know what? Sand is such a hard thing to avoid there. Sand. Sand. Sand. Warm, beautiful sand. Sand between the toes, sand on the knees, sand in the shorts.... I am looking forward to this sandy problem! (I know it's not the same as what James was talking about.)

James said, "to keep oneself unspotted from the world." What does that mean? Unspotted from the world?

Prayer

We are blessed to have God's Word aren't we? It is my lifeline to the next life! Many times I think of God's Word as a hints to God's secrets. Or like kids and those cheat books to games that they play on computers; books that give out the secrets places/actions of the ways to win a computer game. God's Word reveals secrets, to those willing to search for them, of how to be like King David, a man or woman "after God's own heart" and the One Way that can be found directly to God the Father and Eternity.

It is amazes me how such small needs can arise that will distract me from taking the time to study it. Or troubles that will steal the time I would take to gain comfort from it. There is nothing more important in my day as making sure my connection to Christ remains solid - for from it flows the ability to love one another; know right from wrong; search my heart to even know when I am wrong; remain strong in the face of trouble; be filled with the Holy Spirit.

One can become fretful with the coming election and with the fears of the unknown. I know this feeling. I was online listening and reading so many disturbing things of this political campaign. I feel troubled for our Governor and her family and many times have found myself praying for their emotional well-being through all of this.

Here is a prayer from Philippians - Paul wrote. I wrote the prayer on the back of a note from Kris to me. He wrote it when he was a little guy and I love it. Each time I open my Bible to where I am reading, there it is and I pray for him and all my children this prayer. Today I put Sarah's name in the blank space. You can put your family, husband, wife, Mom, or those running for office in the blank space.

"I pray that ________ love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that _____________ may approve the things that are excellent, that __________ may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11.

Amen!

You Will Do Fine!

Yesterday, Mom was visiting my sister in Wasilla when I left home to pick her up and bring her to the clinic for the first shot I would give to her. The day before Nurse Ned had shown me the proper way to fill the syringe, to hold the needle and to poke a stuffed paper-box filled with cotton.

Always be careful of the needle. Never put your hand or the syringe in a position that you may accidentally poke yourself or your patient. Always think ahead to what you will need before you will need it. He demonstrated to me how he opens a bandage and hangs it on his shirt just in case the needle causes some bleeding.

He said, "It's easy and you will do fine!"

So when we got to the clinic, I let the ladies behind the counter know that Mom was there. We waited and I tried to watch Disney's Aladdin on the television. "Look there is a good movie on the t.v.," Mom said. Visit this site for a quick Aladdin Character Quiz.

I was Abu, the little monkey. lol (Alert: I had to sign up as a member to recieve the results in my email.)

Soon we were walking down the hallway and into the room with Nurse Samantha. She said, "What are we doing today?" I told her, "Mom gets a Vitamin B-12 shot." "Are you going to do it?" "I am supposed to," I said and laughed. "Oh, you will do fine!" she said.

So she laid out all the things and I did it all. I filled the syringe, swabbed Mom and before I could think long enough to get intimidated I moved the syringe like I was "playing darts." "Well," Samantha said, "you are a natural born nurse!"

It was all over - Mom an exceptional patient! "I reminded myself to relax," she said.

What a relief and everyone that said it would be easy were right! It was easy and now I can do these myself, at home, no driving to get shots! Now I repeat the words my sister Millie always used to say to me, "Thank the Good Lord, Sis!" And thank YOU for praying for me!

As Mom and I worked to get her in the car and buckled in, I heard knocking on the clinic window. I turned to see what was going on and there was Nurse Ned and Nurse Samantha at the window smiling, waving, and giving me the thumbs up sign!

So if you are giving a shot for the first time, let me encourage ya... you don't have to worry, it is easy and .... you will do fine!

Oh No! Do I Have To?

Summer/fall time with Mom has been mostly quiet and uneventful. Getting to her Dr's. and dentist appointments were do-able. I do not like to drive but have been when needed. Now that it has been snowing and the roads are getting slick I cringe every time her Dr says, "Bring her back in a week."

It is harder to make myself drive in the winter. I find myself thinking about the nursing home application in the file drawer. I think about all the others that make themselves drive when they don't want to, and it encourages me to go. So, like you, I will go again.

We did a visit to the home (early July) when she first realized she should not live in her own home anymore. Alcohol has made her life challenging there and the last binge had filled her with unsaid fears. I can see it and hear it when she speaks of how she should not return home anymore.

My sister called, "We need to find a place for Mom, maybe a home? She can't live in her house anymore." I agreed. My very good friend Myrtle said, "Oh bring her here, she will love it here!" "Here" is a home with in-house 24-hour assistance and freedom - residents are free to come and go.

She would have her own private room with access to many services she may need (including nurses who administer shots beautifully); she would have three meals a day prepared for her; in the last few weeks as I've watched her health/strength fail something else I am growing to love - emergency care at a moments notice if she needs it.

Even though this home is too far from my home (one hour) I loved it. I loved the staff and I thought she would love it too... but when we got back to my home she asked, "Can I just live with you? I am afraid of those people."

"Those people" ?

I thought back to the tour of the home. I remembered the jigsaw puzzle corners. The private telephone areas. The sitting rooms with open windows over so many blooming roses. The tame birds that look amply fed. The fish that slowly sailed in their tank. The nurses roaming the halls visiting with each other and their friend-residents. I remembered watching that cat walk in and out of resident rooms looking for a gentle scratch (she had become every ones cat). I remembered the resident cars in the parking lot and how I felt relieved that Mom could come to stay here at my home whenever she wanted to. I remembered how restful I felt knowing she would be cared for every day and... night.

I smiled and I said, "Of course Mom, you can live with us as long as you want to."

I love my Mom. I want her to be happy and comfortable. I don't want her to be somewhere that she does not feel comfortable. I asked that God will give me strength to drive, and courage to care for her each day. I ask that God will strengthen and heal family ties to my brothers and my sisters, between my brothers and sisters, all because I know that this would bring joy to her heart. I ask that God would bring her children to see her, to be a comfort her in what nags at my heart are probably her last years here with us. I also have asked that God would fit her into my own husband and childrens lives - beautifully. That her quiet fears would be vanquished and she would be able to accept "those people" that make her feel threatened. Fears that she has not spoken of but I know are there each time she hurries off to her bedroom. I thank God that I have been given a time to learn to be a helper to my Mom ...what ever that may mean. He will give me the wisdom and strength to accomplish each task, pleasant or hard. I ask that my eyes will be opened to the joys that having a Mom like her brings each day and that we would laugh and love more and then be closed to those things that irritate.

Today I stand and watch the threatening snow clouds and I know I will have to drive myself and Mom and I will both experience a new way to get a shot today: For the first time - me giving it, and my Mom getting it from her daughter.

Again I softly hear whispered words: You... "can do all things through Christ who will strengthen you."

Jesus Christ is Lord!

[Top picture: Old Harbor Boat Harbor, and the Old Harbor dock at sunrise.]

“We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s Amazing Grace and Glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.” Romans 5:2

This was the verse at the Kodiak's Crusade for Christ that we were privileged to attend last week. We spent time with Kodiak Christian's as they took a week to praise and worship Jesus Christ and honor the memory of a dear friend of theirs Nadia Mullan.

[First picture:Alaska Freedom Band, Adam, Don and Doug (missing Steve), Bottom: Me pointing at the Tustemena leaving Kodiak.]

The reason I got to go to Kodiak/Old Harbor was The Alaska Freedom Band was invited to lead the music and Doug is part of that gospel music group, and Doug invited me to go along with him. *big smile* A big THANK-YOU to my daughter Kim for visiting with my Mom the week I was away!

I was also asked to share my testimony. This can lead me to many days of fingernail-biting anxiety but it didn't! I found myself quietly asking God to fill me with His Holy Spirit and give me words to bring honor and glory to His Son... and He did! I praise the Lord for that. Besides that my Mom and my grandchildren were praying for me too! God is good.

Besides Kodiak we also flew back to my hometown Old Harbor. It was great to be back near the ocean and in the place that I spent my growing up years. I got to see many friends and relatives that I have not seen for so many years. It was a blessing and I ask that God will bless them with the knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ and what He accomplished for us all at Calvary, which is the very best blessing that I can ask be given to them or anyone else.

"Jesus Christ is Lord!"

These are the words on a plague seen in the Windbreak Cafe in Wasilla and was a delight for Mom to see for the first time today as we sat down for breakfast after attending the early morning service. Everyone was out for breakfast today as we don't normally go to Windbreak on Sunday mornings but because the Mat-Su Family Restaurant was plugged we ended up eating there.

Mom had some medical challenges lately and we've been to see the doctor too many times. Her blood work showed that she has a Vitamin B-12 deficiency and I will be learning how to give her shots next week! I am hoping I do not fail the test of poking my Mom with a needle for her own good and just faint on Tuesday morning!

Blessings to all.