Choosing Joy

Where to begin....maybe just some random thoughts.

I'm 68.  I'm a young 68, if ya know what I mean. I walk each day for exercise and love it. I have my own business, and love it too. And we have most of our family living close to us. So grateful.

I am married to a wonderful man of 71.   (I choose for him to be a young 71, but sometimes he feels old.)
We have aches and pains...too many, for being so young, but we have generally good health. And we thank God every day for that.

We know a lot of people who are struggling with health issues.....Cancer, Alzheimers, bodies wearing down and giving out.
We have friends who have lost loved ones.....too young. Long illnesses, surgeries and a deteriorating life, or suddenly gone. 58 years old, healthy, then suddenly sick and die 13 weeks later.

Those losses, and the heartache of those left behind have been heavy on my heart. They weigh me down, sometimes to the point of becoming depressed if I am not careful.

I have to choose. Do I let them get me down, or somehow lift myself out of that pit and choose joy? It is very hard.

So, tho my heart is filled with tears for others who are suffering, I choose joy.

I choose to go out and enjoy the life and good health God has given me. Walk in the sunshine, do some fun things. Take days off from work....go for a drive, or walk by the river. Not big things, just little things that keep me connected with God and His creation.....
And I ask God for hope.....and for comfort for those who are suffering.

My prayer is that we will choose joy, and pray for the broken hearted.

Blessings, Barb

Delineating Duties

 

In your marriage or other relationships, do you delineate duties?
Have you figured out which things you will do, and which things your spouse will do?

Is it a written list, or just in your heads?
Does it change, or stay the same?

What about in your relationship with God? Have you delineated duties?
Is there a list of what you expect God will do,
and what you are supposed to do?
Is it written down, or in your head?
Does your list change?

Do you have things you feel like you can do yourself? the easy, every day things?
no need to bother God with those. you are quite capable to handle them yourself, right?

so, you only go to God with the big things. how do you think he feels about that?
OK, here is the scenario. you are going along in life, it's running smooth, then, bam! a big and not usually good event knocks you for a loop. then you call on God, right?

think about this a moment: how would you feel if a 'friend' never called you to say hi, or visited, or seemed to care a thing about you, then bam, out of the blue they had some catastrophe in their life and they desperately need your help. well like, who are you? you need what?

Just something to ponder....Do you call God your friend? Talk to Him each day? Stay connected?
Or is He just your "911" in emergencies.....

blessings all

Serious Question.....Aging, and Perplexed

Hi friends
I just need to get something off my chest and throw it out there for some feedback.
(It is too long for FB so I am putting it here.)

That picture is us. My sweet fella is 70 now, and I am 67.
We have been married 48 years, and very very happy.
We are in good health barring aches and pains that seem to come with age.

Here is what I am perplexed about:

We have a lot of friends and acquaintances who have serious health issues.
Cancer, heart attacks, Alzheimers, strokes. Some younger than us have passed away already.
 We are more grateful than words can say for our good health, and overall state of well being.
We love the Lord, and people, and are so grateful for our lives.

But I have been having this feeling that we need to 'do something'. Anything. Not just sit around and wait for one of those health issues to hit us.   We really have no desire to travel...(well, my sweet fella is most content to just stay home and relax.....he is retired and deserves that.)  He helps with things around the house, and I run my little store with a lot of help from my Mom, granddaughter, sweet fella and friends.
We live a comfortable and usually content life, looking for others to help.  God has blessed us so we can bless others.

But there is still that nagging...that 'get up and do something so we do not regret not doing it later' feeling.  I think my 'adventure' spirit is urging me to go have some fun, and I enjoy it most when my fella is with me.
Neither of us are feeling a 'calling' to foreign ministry, but do try to minister to those God puts in our lives every day.
But the "Urgency" to do something still nags me.

So, while we spend out days and evenings praying for marriages, addictions, and serious health issues for others.....I remain.....perplexed.

This is a chance I hope some of you will take to either give me feed back from things you have learned along these lines, or think of your own lives, and what you are doing, or not doing, while you still can.

Blessings in Him
Barb