Making The Best Of It

-Years ago, a person at church made the comment that,
if he were in my place, he would just make the best of it. I admit that I
got really annoyed. I thought, "it is not so easy when you are the one that
is going through it" Over that years, one thing that I have learned is that
none of us really understands what another person is is going through until
we are in the same situation. Anyway, as I was reflecting on this, it dawned
on me that he was right-at least, partly. If I don't try to make the best of
the hand that I have been dealt, I will end up having a permanent pity
party. At present, I do have too many times of self-pity but, at least, they
are not permanent! I started thinking of ways that I can make the best of a
difficult situation.

Maybe the most important thing is to simply be thankful. Be thankful for
what I do have. Eyes that see, ears that hear, a mind that works, a warm
place to be in, plenty of food, people that care for me, a wonderful country
to live in. The list could go on and on. And, to top it all, a God that
loves me and will do what is best for me.

I can also try not to murmur and complain. Have you noticed that it seems to
come naturally for people to complain? With my myriad of aches and pains, it
is tempting to always complaining to somebody about something. But I try not
to, at least not too often, for a couple of reasons. First, I know that
always talking about minor ailments would keep me thinking about myself. And
that, I am sure, would just lead to depression. The other reason is that,
too often I have to listen to other people complaining about what are, to
me, minor ailments. I admit that I find it annoying so I am determined not
to do that to other people. Something that I complain about too much is the
food in this place. Most of the time, it is ok but the same thing cooked the
same way over and over and over and over gets pretty monotonous. I need to
remind myself more often about all the people in this world who would be
overjoyed to get this food.

Making the best of things means getting pleasure from little things instead
of always looking at the major things that I can't be part of. Things like
minor trips or outings. But I bet I enjoy them just as much as other people
do major trips. After years of eating hospital food, it gives me a lot of
pleasure to get other food, be it homemade or take-out. I am so happy to get
a Tim Horton's coffee. Of course, I always delight  in visitors and,
sometimes being read to. One thing that I enjoy is watching little kids.
Because communication is so difficult for me, it is hard to take part in
conversations. However, I don't have to be able to communicate to enjoy
little kids playing. It is not my intent to enumerate all the "small"
pleasures I have.  Just to make the point that it helps to make the best of
things if I enjoy what I can enjoy and leave other things to other people.

Another way that I can make the best of my current situation is by being
PATIENT. The word that we all love so much. In this fast-paced society,
patience doesn't seem to be an attribute that is popular. However, it does
seem to be big with God. It goes more smoothly for me if, instead of always
nagging God with "when, when, when", I just relax and let God do His thing
in His time. That, though, is easier said than done.

Hand in hand with patience goes contentment. A calm, peaceful mind at all
times. I know that I would be making the best of things if I could be
contented all time. I do have times of contentment with my lot in life,
knowing that God has it all under control, but there are also too many times
when I feel agitated. Sometimes I don't even know why. Let's just say that
my level of contentment still needs some work.

There are probably more ways that I can make the best of my present
circumstances but the last one I want to mention is controlling my wayward
thoughts. This is relatively easy when I am using my computer and can read,
write or even watch tv (I have tv on my computer). Those things distract me
from my own thoughts. When I am resting in bed in the afternoon, my thoughts
tend to wander a bit more. But I always have Christian music so, as long as
I keep my mind on the lyrics, I can usually keep my thoughts under control.
The time I really struggle is when I am lying in bed with no music on. Maybe
I can't sleep or I wake up really early.  Even if I start praising or
meditating on the Bible, it is usually not long before my thoughts are
running helter-skelter again.

So, my conclusion is this. Because, temporarily, I am in a situation that is
not a whole lot of fun, it is important for me to do whatever I can to make
the best of it or it will be even more difficult for me. 

I Am Free

 -Years ago, our church had our own camp at Moose Lake at the end
ofAugust. Of course, I couldn't actually camp with the rest of the people but
I would go out for the evening service. One time, the speaker paraded me in
front of everybody and told them that I was more free than most of them.
Obviously, he wasn't talking physically. Back than, I was far from free
physically and, as the years have gone by, I seem to be "seizing up" more
and more with more aches and pains. Still, though, when I felt to write about
this, I had to go to the Holy Spirit for some ideas what to write about.
These are a few ways that I am free.

I am free with time. Because I am not tied to a job or other time-consuming
commitments, I can do whatever I want with my time. Within my physical
limitations, of course. Hopefully, I have the sense to use my time the way
God wants but that is not a given. God is not going to force anybody to do
what He would like them to be doing.

I am free with money. Whenever I read that scripture about not anybody owing
anything but love, I always think that that is almost impossible in this
modern world with everything so expensive that it is almost a necessity for
a loan Because of loans and mortgages, most people are not all that free
with their  money . But, for me, once my rent is paid along with a couple of
minor bills.I am free to do what I want with my money. Because my rent
includes food, I don't even have groceries to buy! Again, hopefully I use it
wisely on what God wants, not on my own selfish desires.

I am free in my thoughts. Because I know that the Bible says that nothing is
impossible to God, I admit that sometimes my thoughts run free, imagining
some of the far-fetched things that God might do. Most of them will probably
never happen but I suspect that God would rather that than have people limit
Him in their thoughts. Again, because I don't have so many other commitments, I am more free to focus my thoughts as God. It I don't let emotions get in way.

I am free in the choices I make. When we become Christians, we are all free to choose as we want. God won't make choices for us. But, because I don't have the time or money constraints of other people , it is probably easier for me to make choices for God. Another thing that keeps me making choices for God is the simple fact that He is my only hope. A doctor may fix up minor ailments only God can restore me to perfect health. So I would be downright stupid not to make choices for God. But, if I want to be stupid, I guess it is my choice!

I am free to praise God. Not that I can sing and dance like others but I am free to praise God in my own way, anytime, anywhere. I have learned to talk to God in my mind so I can be praising Him at all  times.  CAN but, for me, too often emotions get in the way. Or I listen to the nurses talk. However, I do think that being alone so much is more conducive to praise than if I were always busy and around a lot of people.

In conclusion, I will just say this. When we first become Christians, God makes us totally free but, whether or not we remain free in all areas, is up to us. 

What I Have

 -When  I listen, both here in Long Term Care or at church, to
people talking about "fun" things they are doing or places they are going, I
often have to fight off feelings of envy. One way I can do this is by
thinking about all the things that I do have.

First of all, and most importantly, I  have Jesus.  Even
though I know that many people know Jesus, He is a special friend to me. No
matter how bad my circumstances get or how out of whack my emotions are, I
know that He will always give me what I need when I need it. However, I have
learned that a lot of things that I think are needs are, to Jesus , really
wants. That is not to say that I never get wants but the Lord is a good
enough Father to only give me things that are for my own good.

I have church. True, there are many times that I feel that I don't belong
because I can't be part of the activities that are planned. But I am blessed
to go  a church that teaches the Bible and I am able to receive that
teaching
along with everybody else.

I have freedom from a lot of things that tie other Christians to this world.
Not necessarily bad things but things like bills, mortgages, jobs, raising
kids and even cooking and housework (hallelujah). For sure, I would love to
do some of these "ordinary" things but I also have to admit that not being
able to has given me more time to develop an intimate relationship with God.
Like I mentioned before, so much time is both a blessing a curse for me. I
have to count it a blessing when I have the sense to spend it with God.

I have come to understand what life is like for seniors and especially
seniors in a facility like this. Anytime that we can come to understand
people in a different age group is, no doubt, a good thing. Before the
stroke, I had no understanding of elderly people. To be honest, I never gave
them a thought. But, after so many years in Long Term Care among elderly
people, I have a lot more understanding and compassion for them.

Finally, I have the hope of Heaven. When I listen to other people talk about
where they have been or are going, I often think, "I wonder how many people
have been where I have been". Years ago, probably 25 at least, I had an
incredible experience. But I have never shared it much until now.
I am not sure why but, by now, the details are fuzzy and I don't want to be
asked a lot of questions I may not be able be able to answer. Back then our
church was much smaller than it is now. One Sunday, it felt like Jesus came
up to my wheelchair, lifted me out and carried me to Heaven. There I didn't
see any others, just Jesus and me. It was like Jesus was giving me a
personal, guided tour. The truth is I didn't see that much. Just enough to
"wet my whistle", so to speak. Like I said, the details are fuzzy but I do
remember seeing the place I will be living in and the streets of gold. Just
before I came back, I remember sitting on the knee of Jesus and telling Him
that I didn't want to come back but being told I had to. Next thing I knew,
I was back in my wheelchair at church. I also remember the incredible peace
I felt after that experience. Like nothing I ever known. That euphoria
lasted about a week. Until all the negative circumstances in my life started
to crowd in again. That trance or vision or whatever has helped me to remain
steadfast all these years. 

My Blog

-When, several months ago, I was presented with the idea of either
going on facebook or writing a blog, my initial reaction was, "Not on your
life!". For personal reasons, I have chosen not to to have facebook and, to
be honest, I wasn't even too sure what a blog is. However, I did have enough
sense not to outright reject the idea without praying about it first. So I
took it to the Lord and I really felt to go ahead and write a weekly blog.
So, reluctantly, I agreed to a blog.

But, then, there was the question of what to write about. Again, I went to
the Lord. I felt to start with my testimony. That was easy enough to write.
Since then, anything that I have written has been inspired by the Holy
Spirit. Admittedly, I haven't always wanted to write what I wrote.
Especially stuff that pertains to myself. I am quite a private person and I
felt that I was exposing too much of myself. But I made myself do it anyway.

As for actually writing the blogs, that is pretty easy for me. Writing of
any kind has never been a problem for me. Very rarely do I have to stop and
think about the words that I want to use. The words just come as I am
writing. Once in awhile, the inspiration for what I want to write about
doesn't come until the last minute. However, more often, the idea comes a few days before
the actual writing so I have a few days to think about what I want to say.
Though it never comes out exactly the same as I thought.

After writing blogs for quite a few months, I have come to understand that
there are certain benefits arising from them. First, as I mentioned
previously, it is an act of obedience to God. I was reluctant to write a
blog but I did it anyway simply to obey God. And each blog is an act of
obedience because I only write what I believe God wants me to. If I ever
don't have anything from  God, I simply won't write the blog. Every time I do
something that I don't want to do because I want to obey God, it makes me
feel good.

The second benefit is that it is a medium which I can use to tell people
about Jesus. THE most important thing we, as Christians, can do is to tell
others about Jesus. But, not being able to speak, I was at a loss how I
could do that. My speech board certainly wouldn't do. If I wanted to talk to
someone about Jesus, that person wouldn't even know how to use my speech
board. At times, I have wondered if I am using my not speaking as an excuse
not sharing my faith. Now, though, I have no excuse.

Thirdly, the blog has let people get to know me a bit and, hopefully, get to
understand a bit more what life is like for me. I readily admit that, at
first, I didn't much like talking so much about myself and I only did it to
obey God. Now, though, I understand that it was necessary to lay a bit of a
foundation.

Then there have been some benefits to me personally. I admit that it was a
stretch for me to open up about myself. But I have a sneaking suspicion that
is exactly what God intended. Thinking about what I am going to write about helps to put a check
on my helter-skelter thoughts as I focus on Jesus and positive things (most
of the time) instead of all the negative stuff around me. I don't get
depressed when I am thinking about what to write in my blog simply because I
am not feeling sorry for myself. And the blogs help me to pass time. I am
always looking for anything to pass time. Just thinking about what to write
eats up some time, especially when I am in bed and can't use my computer.
The actual writing uses up even more time. It takes me so much time to write
anything that I can easily write for a couple of hours and still have a blog
half written.

In conclusion, even though these blogs started out as a simple act of
obedience to God, I know that I am getting benefits from writing them and,
hopefully, others are getting some benefit by reading them.