Do Easter Miracles Still Happen?

I wasn’t looking for an Easter miracle.  Although getting to church early enough to get a seat would have been a nice surprise.

 I kept telling my family, “we are going to be on time”, but they were all right….
on time on Easter is very, very late.

On Easter eve, I asked my Walk to Emmaus Reunion Group to please pray for healing in my arm and shoulder. I was tired of the unexplained nerve zinging across my shoulder which felt like someone was playing the “Devil Went Down to Georgia” on a fiddle.  The zinging was hindering the diagnosis of other arm pain. That after a x-rays, a neck MRI, a shoulder MRI, a round of steroids, a steroid shot, a neck cortisone injection, 800mg of ibruphrophen regularly, and enough time with my PT I thought we were dating…. I was ready to be better and move on.   

I had a sweet friend take me to two of the mentioned my doctor appointments, because she said, “You take care of enough people, someone can take care of you!”  I shared with the group that maybe God wanted me to learn through this experience to learn to ask for help.   

Later that night, I helped the Easter Bunny fill the baskets and went to bed.  I was unable to sleep due to my jelly bean sugar high and my arm. I ran the scenario in my head of storming in my doctor’s office telling them “to just cut my arm off”.

Rushing the next morning to get ready for church “on time’, I didn’t give a lot of thought to my arm.  And we did eventually get a seat.  As I was listening to the sermon I thought, this is the first time my shoulder hasn’t hurt in church in forever.  I almost said something to my husband. 

Then the pastor says, paraphrasing of course, “as we were praying for today’s service and the church members, we felt like it was pressed upon us that someone was going find repair in their marriage, a grown man was going to cry for the first time ever, and someone was going to find healing in their arm.”  I looked at my husband wide eyed. 

Well folks, it’s been two days and it is feeling better than it has in months. 

So I am going to assume he was talking about me.

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” -Albert Einstein

The life lessons we learned at the animal shelter

When my children stated they wanted to do community service by volunteering at a local animal shelter, I couldn’t have been happier.  Truth be told, I would probably be a hoarder with fifty dogs if it wasn’t for my wonderful, conservative husband.  

I have to admit we were caught off guard our first trip there.  Not only is it hard to see all the animals in kennels, we were also side by side with female inmates from the local jail which was a first for us.

 

We also witnessed several owner surrenders.  A family brought in their three yard dogs; one with its ears ripped open and bleeding after being bit. We noticed that no one in the family seemed upset.

Then we watched as a woman surrendered her sweet bulldog at the front desk because “she was moving and they wouldn’t allow dogs there”.  The dog had a heavy chain for a collar and leash, which was bothersome to see.  My daughter whispered after the woman left, “she is probably going to jail and that is why she can’t keep the dog.”  I chuckled a bit at the irony of her comment.

We felt validated at the animal shelter. we were doing the right thing.  We have two rescues at home, and loved getting the sweet dogs out for some play time.  And, who gives up their dog?

Then on the way home, I remembered that we actually surrendered our dog Buffi to an animal shelter 12 years ago.  She had tried to bite our baby.  I tried to rehome her sitting with her at Petsmart on Saturdays, but as she snarled at people and bared her teeth, it didn't really go well.   When my husband took Buffi to that shelter years ago, they didn’t even take her collar.  She would immediately be put down.  My husband was one of those people in the foyer. 

But many years had passed, and I was quick to judge the owner surrenders I witnessed.   

Several visits later to the animal shelter, we were walking the dogs outside for some time in their chain link fence pens. The male inmates in the jail next door were given their “outside” time in their much larger chain link kennel.  My girls were quite uncomfortable by the all the inmates in uniform.  They chose to stay inside in the puppy room and avoid seeing the inmates.  I was uncomfortable too.  I was envisioning cat calls and chose to avoid the dog run areas which were close to the inmates. 

The inmates were a big point of conversation that day.  We talked about life choices and how you don’t want to end up in jail.

Then something happened the next night at dinner.  As we were saying grace before the meal, my oldest prayed for our sick friends.  Then my youngest added, “We should pray for the inmates too”.

That’s when I realized volunteering at the shelter wasn’t just about walking the dogs.   

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ "Acts 20:35.

Things you never knew you needed to know!

 

It is normal to reflect upon your life when birthdays are approaching. One the eve of mine, I would like to share some of what I have learned over the years. And perhaps, some observations, truths and just plain good advice.   

1. Go to church.
2. Don’t spoil your children, but do spoil your husband.
3. Act irrational and crazy once in a while around your husband so he doesn’t get spoiled.  
4. Play games. (Oh, not "play games" but "play" games like UNO, Yahtzee, checkers, wiffle ball, etc...  )
5. Don’t gloat when you win, or pout when you lose.  
6. Ask for forgiveness when you gloat when you win and pout when you lose. 
7. It is impossible for your children to only inherit just your fabulous, wonderful qualities. 
8. Love your children. 
9. Don’t judge people. 
10. Double check that your clothing or bathing suit covers up your birth control patch. 
11. If you are going to wear a thin skirt and be outdoors in the sunlight, it is a good idea to wear a slip. 
12. Don’t wear tan pantyhose with white pumps. Actually, don’t wear either.
13. Don’t wear your husband’s camouflage fleece, pajama bottoms, and slippers when driving your children to school late. You will surely have to go sign them in at the school’s front office. 
14. If you decide to get spunky and wear shorts on that warm mid-winter day, remember to shave the legs you have neglected for 2 weeks. 
15. Enjoy the rain, it brings the sun. (If live you in Seattle, go to a movie and get a coffee.)
16. Try growing a garden and camping, at least once.
17. Be thankful for your parents. 
18. It is okay to go to therapy. 
19. If you have the option of laughing or crying, laugh. 
20. Apologize when you should. 
21. Appreciate your friends. 
22. Dog is a man's best friend. 
23. Ombre style hair is not when your dark roots grow out 4 inches, so book your next hair appointment as your leave your last hair appointment. 
24. Watch hoarders occasionally if you need help getting rid of things you don‘t use, need or like. 
25. Go to college.
26. Nothing good happens after midnight. 
27. Don't drink and drive.
28. Don’t let yourself get over-served. If you do, drink lots of water the next day and take ibuprofen, because you will wish you followed #26. 
29. Nap and occasionally sleep in. (also helpful for #28) 
30. Come to a full stop when a school bus has the “STOP” sign out. 
31. Donate money and/or time to a charity.  
32. Eat dinner as a family. 
33. Eat cereal for dinner if you don’t want to cook; teach your children to cook. 
34. A serving of ice cream is ½ cup, but a serving of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies is 1 sleeve. 
35. Exercise. 
36. Brush and floss your teeth. 
37. Read something. 
38. Be thankful and keep pity parties short.
39. Smile.   
40. Pray. 

So I am not really 30-something,
oh wait, I am  for a few more days! 

Have more Senior Moments

We were blessed this past weekend when my in-laws brought up my husband's grandparents ~ Granddaddy is 88 and Grammy is 87, and they had not traveled far from home in years.

Grammy doesn't look a day over 83 my youngest says 

Prior to their arrival, I was praying the lilies would open. We have plenty of other people come to our house, but I knew if the lilies opened for them they would take them in like a breath of fresh air.

 

They opened while they were here...

And as we were about to take Grammy on a drive through the mountains, she said, "I am going to put my glasses on so I don't miss one branch blowing in the wind."

And we enjoyed all the scenery,
including these beautiful wild flowers. 

And when it rained, she saw the plants bigger the next day, "because there was nothing like God's rain on the plants to help them grow."

And an early Mother's Day Brunch at the Country Club turned into an afternoon on it's back porch in rockers ~  watching the kids play, laughing at the chipmunks running around, and listening to the birds chirp.

Well, Grammy walks real slow and deliberately, saying , "she walks like she is one hundred." She claims she does this because she fell a couple of years ago and broke her arm and she wants to be careful.  

I am on to her though, I think she walks like she is one hundred because then you have time to enjoy every moment and the beauty in the world....So I encourage you to walk (or ride) like you are one hundred and I can assure you will see the world in a different light.  

The only thing that could have made the weekend better is if my Grandma in New York were here too, but her scooter doesn't travel that far....
Happy Mother's Day Grandma!