When I read that, about things might seem bad, but somehow, there are reasons for them, that is my story.
First, my Favorite Bible Verse (and I have alot that I like), is:
I Cor. 10:13 - I memorized it in King James, I like to read modern ones, but I love to memorize in KJV because it is so poetic and rolls off the tongue.
There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. I Cor. 10: 13.
Two famous sayings come from this, you may have heard:
1. When God closes a door, he opens a window (or another door).
2. God never gives you more than you can handle.
The example in Chap 7 talked about things happen and we don't always understand why they happen.
Here is an example.
Feb. 15, less than 2 weeks after we buried my mom's husband, grandfather to my children (my Dad died when my oldest son was 5 months old, and she remarried 2 years later, when she was 53.). We came home and discovered I needed surgery from when the stage at school collapsed back in October and I had been in physical therapy since October, for my knees, my shoulder, my hand, fingers and arm that had no feeling. The Dr. said I needed shoulder surgery and I did the pre-op things on Valentines Day, surgery to be Feb. 16th, and the house burned down on the 15th. We lost everything but the clothes we wore, what was in my car, and we found 6 little figurines that had been through kilns in Peru, Venezuela, Hungary, Germany, plus a tea cup from my wedding china and delft from Holland.
We stayed with Tim's Mom and I had the surgery. I put my medicines on the kitchen counter near my mother in laws meds. I noticed she had not taken hers in the time she should have (I'm nosy), and then I noticed she kept asking questions over and over. It turns out she was in the early stages of Alzheimer's.
We were able to get her started with the meds she needed and also, were able to begin making sure she took her other meds, too. We were able to see the love people gave us. One family even gave me a recorder, because it was the only musical instrument they owned. One family gave us a dining table AND an antique sewing machine because she knew I lost antiques in the fire. WOW!
We need to always see the other side. I had to stop working on my lit review to take an elderly woman some CD's my son is selling, to make money for his trip to Syria (he leaves Tuesday). I took them, and ended up staying for almost 4 hours because she needed to talk. It turns out her husband is about in the same situation my mother in law is in and she never gets to talk to people who remember what she says. Her husband was our assistant superintendent for years, so it's difficult to see him like this. I pray I can get this lit review finished as those 4 hours were important for work, but how could I leave her? I think I was meant to be there, so I am praying God will help me as I work on these references to get them into APA order, in spite of the computer NOT working after getting fixed and my eyes are getting worse, not better. Whew!
Anyway, this was an encouraging chapter. Not only it, but chapter 8, while good, wasn't as good as 7 or 9, to me. Chapter 9 was so good, as it talked about the player who tried out and didn't get principal, and went to Portugal, I think, and got ti because there, he played like he should. We should never give up.
Why Apple can't just exchange my computer and give me one that works, is beyond me. I would like so much to have a day with a computer that works the way it should. When I hear others talk about being able to do things once! WOW!! And the ones who get to use ichat, etc. WOW!
I really would like to know what that is like. I am slowly beginning to hate this computer, although I really like Apple. Oh well, The Art of Possibility. . . . maybe it's possible I will learn something from this.
God never gives you more than you can handle. Gee, Karen, He must think you can handle a lot. Hang in there. I'm glad the chapter was encouraging to you. ~Joan
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you took time away from your busy schedule to spend time with your elderly friend. In my opinion, we so rarely take time just to appreciate our friends and family. No lit review (or phone call or wimba) can take the place of those four hours you spent with that woman. It probably meant so much to her. When we immerse ourselves so fully in this world of cell phones, computers, and work, we can easily overlook those tender moments of human interaction. Even though our program is very important, I try never to put my priority on a phone call or homework, or something inanimate, when there is a live person right in front of me. You never know how much longer that live person will be around, and you will never regret that time spent with them when they are gone.