rock-n-roll wisdom

Rock-n-roll and hippies have been on my mind. I have long found great wisdom in rock-n-roll, and could often be heard singing to my children. The most frequently heard song is classic and goes like this, “You can’t always get what you want. No, no, you can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need.”
I think that is wisdom for the current global crisis. Our values have become so twisted, that what we want and what we need are jumbled. It's time to re-evaluate. What is it that I need?
Years ago I lived in a commune and I prayed for just about everything, even what to do with the answer to prayer. Was the thing I had just received mine, or was I meant to pass it along? I learned to listen to God, to obey His promptings and to trust Him. I grew to love the unknown. It was exciting to see what God was doing, and an honor to be part of His blessing.
As I watch the news and see the assets in my retirement account shrink, I am trusting God in practical ways again. It is a good thing. God hasn't changed. He is still faithful to provide all my needs. It may be time to re-evaluate needs verses wants, but that too is a good thing. It is time to ask again, "Is this for me or someone else?"

Sharing

"And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased." Hebrews 13:16.
All those times I told my kids to share, I was ordering them to sacrifice something. I haven't thought of sharing that way until today. It puts a new spin on things for me. I wonder what others have sacrificed in order to share with me.
Last week as I was leaving a friends house, her daughter asked if she could come home with me, just her. My first thought was "No, that's not convenient." Then, I thought, "Sure, why not. Steve is traveling so it's just me anyway."
Monday night her mom dropped her off and we had soup and hot cocoa. We watched Veggie Tales and I listened, a lot, and I loved it. I had other things to do, but nothing more important than sharing my home, my time, and my heart with a little girl who's Grandma lives far away.
My first reaction was like that of my kids when I asked them to share, "No, it's mine." Once I got over myself and said, "Sure, let's do that." I received a blessing. Sharing is sacrifice, but sacrifice can hide blessings we will never experience unless we say, "Why not."

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a great time to make memories, and to remember. I checked out my son and daughter-in-law's Thanksgiving blog the other day. They had a magical, international Thanksgiving in Scotland. Seeing the pictures and reading the comments took me back to Thanksgiving in Taiwan in 1985.
We had been in Taiwan about 6 months and were about to "hit the wall" in our cultural marathon. The language, sites, sounds and smells were no longer new and intriguing. I needed something familiar. A few days before Thanksgiving a friend pulled out his business card, wrote and address on the back, handed it to me and told me to take a cab to that address and give the guy at the door his card. My friend Robin, (Scottish by nationality, but raised in Taiwan) knew just about everybody.
The following day I did as I was told. The guy at the door scowled until I handed him the card. He read Robin's name, smiled and invited me into a huge warehouse. I was awestruck. I pointed to a Butterball turkey, Stovetop stuffing, Libby's canned pumpkin, Oceanspray cranberries and I don't remember what else. I felt like I was queen for a day.
We invited a crowd for Thanksgiving and when two of the single guys from the States came through the door they stopped, took a deep breath and said, "It smells like home."
We represented about 10 different nationalities that day as we ate for 3 hours and gave thanks for God's abundance. I was especially grateful for a Scottish angel named Robin, whose simple act of kindness helped several of us break through the wall and created a precious memory.

Beginnings

I love winter in Colorado. The snow is beautiful. The crackling fire creates a warm glow, and I am enjoying a rare moment with no pressing demands on my time. The only downside is the cat that keeps presenting her backside to me as she purrs and nuzzles up to Steve. I am not a cat person.