Small Steps

So how do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  That's a cute saying, but there's really a lot of truth in that.  To accomplish anything in life, you just have to take one small step at a time.

I've found that to be especially true in my recovery from surgery.  After my surgery in January 2014, I could hardly even move my right arm.  I couldn't do anything with that arm.  Even simple tasks like picking up my water cup was nearly impossible.  That's a big deal because I drink A LOT of water!  I'm sure the nurses got tired of coming in to hand me a drink.

I also could hardly change the channel on the remote or type on the keyboard like I'm doing here.  I was in bad shape.  The neurosurgeon said I could regain use of that arm, but it could take up to a year before I began to see any improvement.  It has now been a year and a half, but I'm finally seeing my strength returning in that arm.

It didn't come easy, though.  Through small steps -- even baby steps -- I'm able to do some of those simple tasks, like typing this blog.  I started out typing only a few words at a time.  Now, I can usually type a whole post in one sitting.  My computer use is at the level I had before my surgery.  Overall, I'd say I've regained about 75 percent of the function that I had before.  That's a great feeling!

I recently reached another goal.  I can transfer from my scooter to the bed with only minimal assistance.  It used to take two people to put me in bed, and I sometimes had to wait 30 minutes or an hour until they got two aides to help me.  So this was a big accomplishment for me, but it only came by taking one small step at a time!

#BTR

Bring the rain!  I say, 'Bring the rain!'  Pastor Lynn began an exciting sermon series on #BTR: Bring the Rain.  He's teaching us to look for -- and pray for -- the rain of God in our everyday lives.

As believers, we are blessed in so many ways, but this is only a trickle compared to the rain God wants to bring into our lives.  Right now, we're seeing the drizzle.  God wants to send an abundace of rain.  We have to pray for the rain.  We have to pray persistantly like Elijah when he prayed for rain to come after three-and-a-half years of drought.

In 1 Kings 18:43-44, it says, "Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.”  Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”

Right now, we may only see a little cloud, but the rain is coming.  Pray expectantly.  Elijah expected results when he prayed.  He expected God to answer his prayer.  He was persistent, and he had expectation.

Even if we don't see results right away, don't give up!  "God's delay doesn't mean His denial," Pastor Lynn said.

The clouds are gathering, and rain is on its way!  Hold on!  I hear the sound of the abundance of  rain!

Remembering Jesse

JESSE SMITH

A friend of mine died this week.  Jesse Smith was my friend and neighbor here at Pampa Nursing Center.  I only knew her about a year, but she impressed me with the way she made everyone feel at home around her.

When new residents arrived here, Jesse made a point of finding out their name and something about them.  Then when she saw them in the halls, she'd always call them by name and ask about their day.  She knew all about the staff and their families.  She was funny and had just a great sense of humor.

Jesse was a former educator and coach.  I can only imagine how many young lives she helped shape in her career.  And even though she was a staunch Democrat, I enjoyed talking to her.

Rest in peace, Jesse!  We're going to miss you!

Wondering....

There are some things you just have to wonder about....

Why does the media defend Obama, insisting he's a Christian, but the same lame-stream media ridicules godly men like Mike Huckabee and Ben Carson who live out their Christianity with their actions?

What's wrong with Carson saying he wouldn't support a Muslim for president?  Isn't he allowed to state his opinion?   

Why is it OK for Trump to insult John McCain and Carly Fiorina but the media pounced on him because he didn't challenge a supporter who said Obama is a Muslim?

When did it become a slur to call someone a Muslim anyway?

Does anyone actually believe Obama is a Christian?
 

Why all the hoopla over the pope's visit?  Do you think Jesus will get the same reception when he returns?

Shouldn't the pope stick to warning people about the heat in hell instead of worrying about global warming?

When the pope was talking about climate change, poverty and same-sex marriage, do you think he left any mention of Jesus out of his speech by accident?

Isn't it time for the pope to go home so the media can take its sensationalized coverage off of him and put it back on Trump?

I was just wondering.

Praise God

Pampa's Celebration of Hope crusade saw more than 800 decisions for Christ last week.  That's 800 new souls in the kingdom, and that number is probably a lot higher because sone people never go down during the altar call but make a decision in their hearts.  God looks at the heart and knows who makes a sincere commitment.

I thank God for the new Christians, and I pray for those who heard the salvation message and went away unchanged.  For some, that might be their last chance to hear the message and turn their lives over to God.  Jesus is coming soon.... sooner than some may think.

With 800 new born-again believers, the real work is just beginning.  It's now up to the churches and other Christians to take in the new ones and teach them to live for God.  It's one thing to make a decision for Christ and another thing to live it out day by day.  Even some of us older Christians have a hard time doing that.  It's a daily decision to live for the Lord.

The crusade was a good start.  Now the churches need to step up its efforts to reach the lost.  The evangalist for the crusade said something that shocked me.  He said more than 10,000 churches in America went a full year without seeing a single person saved in their services!  That's sad!  The mission of every church should be to see the lost saved.

What happened to hell-and-brimstone sermons?  We rarely even hear about sin and the need for repentance.  We want to hear messages that make us feel good.   We don't want to be confronted with our sins and messages that will literally scare the hell out of people. 

It's time to step up and tell others about Christ.  Their lives may depend on it.  Time is running out.  I'm ready for heaven, and I want to take as many with me as I can..

Friday Flashback 2

This week's flashhback is from October 2011 during the exciting presidential primary season....

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2011

Ins and Outs

He's in; he's out; he's in. Now, Chris Christie is definitely out of the race for president. Ask me if I care. I don't.

Chris Christie may be a good governor for New Jersey, but he's not a true conservative. I don't see why so many people were pushing him to get into the race. I want a true conservative as our next president, and Christie doesn't fill the bill. His views on gun control, civil unions for gays, immigration and global warming are all wrong. I'm glad he's finally ended the charade and made it clear that he won't run.

Sarah Palin has finally decided that she won't run either. It's about time. I was getting tired of watching her race around the country in her bus acting like she was already a candidate. I think she knew all along that she wasn't going to run. She just likes all the attention.

Palin is a true conservative, and I like her and what she stands for. But she's too polarizing to get elected. She's the Hilary Clinton of the Republican party. You either love her or hate her.

My man, Rick Perry, took a hit in the last debate, but he's still in the race. He made some mistakes in the debate, but so what? He'll be all right; he's a Texan. Unlike the Dallas Cowboys, Perry can still make a comeback. (Come on, Cowboy fans, you know it's true.) It will be fun to watch Perry claw his way back to the top of the polls.

You can't count Herman Cain out either. He's been on a roll lately. I like Cain but wonder if he has enough experience in foreign affairs. Then again, he has to be better than Obama. Anyone is better than Obama!

After the next debate, I think we'll see several of the candidates drop out, such as Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson. They don't have much of a shot of winning the nomination. Michele Bachmann is fading fast, too. Newt and Santorum need to hustle if they want to stay competitive.

I think it will come down to a three-way race between Romney, Perry and Cain. Whoever comes out on top will take on Obama to make him a one-term president, and that's really all that matters.

Life Lessons

A friend of mine was put on hospice today and is in serious condition.  It makes me sad.

One of the hardest things I've found about living in a nursing home is the constant reminder of death and the finality of life.  By the time most people come here, they've already entered their end-of-life journey.  I can count 27 residents here who have passed away in the year and a half since I've been here.  I don't mean to sound morbid.  That's just the reality of living in a nursing home.  Death is a daily fact of life.

I've met a lot of great people here.  Some come for only a short time to take therapy.  Others come here to die.  All of this makes me think about my own life, and it has forced me to change some things.

None of us is guaranteed a long life.  Psalm 90:10 says, "Our days may come to 70 years or 80 if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away."

Time passes so quickly and before we know it we come to the end of our lives, and it's time to die.  I've come to realize what really matters:

• Put God first.  When you get your priorities straighf, everything else will fall into place.
• Love More.  Love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.  Love your family, love your friends. Love life and live it to the full.
• Pray.  Pray about big things; pray about small things; pray about everything.  God cares about every detail of our lives.
• Cherish Every Moment.  Don't take life for granted.  Follow your heart and follow your dreams.
• Don't Worry.   Don't sweat the small stuff.... it's ALL small stuff.
• Live For Today.  Don't let the past overshadow the future.  Repent for past sins, forget  past mistakes, let go of past hurts, move on.
• Laugh.  Don't take yourself too seriously.  Live, love, laugh.
• One Day At A Time.  We're not promised tomorrow.  Live each day like it could be your last because it could be your last.