Wednesday This and That . . .

 

A number of months back the Relief Society (women's group) in my church started a program whereby every single older sister would get some kind of contact each day from another sister just to check and make sure she was okay.  One of the sisters had expressed concern that she could sit in her place, dead for days and nobody would know. This is a real concern when you are older and you live on your own.  Not so much for myself because I have my sister and father who would certainly notice if I was not in touch on a daily basis, but I know that there are others who don't have contact with any of their families on a daily basis. Some may not even have family.  

This daily checking in with each other is a very good thing, and I have to say I really enjoy contacting the sister I was assigned to contact.  It doesn't have to be a long conversation, just a text or a message to ask, "Are you okay?"  And then a response (hopefully)!

Every day in the evening I text my contact and ask if she is okay and how has her day gone. This to-ing and fro-ing has been wonderful. Not all days are good days and when you are having a bad day, its particularly nice to hear from someone who is invested in your well-being and who cares and who can empathize and say a little prayer on your behalf.  We can rejoice in each others tender mercies and we can commiserate with the not so good.

We can often get so busy in our own lives that we forget those around us who are not so busy, and who are not as fortunate as we. 

 

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My next door neighbor Sheila is such a treasure.  She keeps an eye on everyone in the neighborhood. She is like a little mother, checking on everyone pretty much on a daily basis. Last night about 9 pm she was knocking on my door to tell me she had seen ants in her bathroom and she wanted me to be aware that they were back.  Once she left me she was on her way to the other neighbors to let them know.  

She told me the other day that often in the night when she gets up to go to the loo she will look out her front window to check and see if all is right in our little neighborhood. That is such a thoughtful thing to do. I know if I get up in the middle of the night to go to the loo, I am not looking out my window to check the world around me, I am right back into bed as soon as. 

On Friday my friend across the way Glenna had been helping an elderly couple in our church congregation who all of a sudden had to move.  She was allowing them to store some of their belongings in her garage and a u-haul and trailer was on the street packing things in.  Another neighbor was very concerned that Glenna herself was moving and checked in with her to make sure that we were not losing her.

I am grateful for this older generation of folks who were taught at a young age to care for their neighbors and keep an eye out for their fellow man. 

 

I had a fairly productive day yesterday.  I changed my bed, did laundry, vacuumed, dusted, washed the floors, cleaned the bathroom, changed the syrup in the hummingbird feeder, and still had time to cook something to share today and visit my sister. I love productive days like that, when I feel as if I have accomplished something.  Today will be a busy day also. My father has two appointments here in town this morning and is coming here for a grilled cheese sandwich afterwards and then later today I am meeting him and his friends for supper. Tomorrow will be busier still as I am going up country with my sister to Michaels. I also have a gift certificate for Home Sense that I need to use.

I still have not sewn the head and arms onto my Luna Lapin. My sister has already made one outfit for hers. Its so cute!!  These little outfits are not so simple to do as one would suppose. We are discovering that they are a tad bit challenging, but worth the effort.  That is the way with most things in life that are meaningful. Challenging but worth the effort.  Maybe today I will get the head and arms sewn on?  One can but hope.

 

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Last night my sleep was plagued with dreams of loss.  I kept losing my children.  I would think they were all in safe and sound and then discover one missing and I would be off searching for them to bring them in safe and sound again. I am not sure what causes such dreams.  Are they your subconscious bringing to the surface things which are bothering you deep deep down in your psyche?

A mother always longs for her children to be safe and to be happy, no matter what.  It is a hard, hard thing not to know what's happening in your children's lives.  Not to know how they are really doing. I pray for each one of my children every day. Twice a day and sometimes even more than that. 

Sometimes I think I don't pray enough. The deepest prayer of my heart is that all will be well with each of my children, and that broken relationships might be healed. I accept of course that others have their agency and I respect that, but it is still a bitter pill to swallow when another day, another special occasion, another year goes by without contact.  It makes me feel that my prayers are not good enough, or that I should be doing more.

I think of Hannah in the bible who prayed and prayed to have a son, pouring out her heart so much so that she resembled a woman who was drunk . . .  and the Lord remembered her and opened her womb. 

I pray and I pray and I pray and still my prayers to that end are not answered.  I know there is a purpose in this, either a lesson I need to learn or perhaps one they need to learn.  At the end all I can do is to trust in God, and know that He who knows the beginning from the end of all things, has a plan. Sometimes it takes all that you have within you to remain faithful in the face of disappointment and discouragement. He has never let me down.  I remember this.  Learning to trust in God's timing. That is a lesson in and of itself.

 

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Sometimes the answer is no, or not now. We need to learn to be okay with that.  I need to learn to be okay with that.

My cats are very good time keepers.  Every day, three times a day, just like clockwork, they remind me that it is time for their breakfast/lunch/dinner.  To the minute. It always amazes me that they do that. That somehow they know. Their inner clocks are very precise.  They can be chasing bugs through the window or watching birds, but bang on the minute, they are next to me looking at me, willing me to feed them.

It amazes me, the positions they manage to fall asleep in. I know I would be  most uncomfortable like this, but she is not, and will stay like that for seemingly quite a long time.  Fast asleep and yet  . . . wide away at the smallest movement or noise.  I find it fascinating.

And with that I best leave you with a thought for today  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *Mindfulness is about

being fully awake in our lives.

~Jon Kabat-Zinn•。★★ 。* 。 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . . Easy Greek Pork Chops.  Simply delicious. 

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!  Whatever you get up to,  don't forget!

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And I do too!