tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12452676795865916332024-02-07T11:49:26.283-08:00LIFE SENSE & SENSIBILITIESHow to slow down and coast through life.
By focusing on the Beauty, Blessings, Bounty, Books, Blogs and the Best of Music, Art, Comedy and wonderful People(especially people).I have tripneg Metaplastic carcinoma,a very rare form of cancer, that is very aggressive and does not respond well to chemo. But we are using chemo anyway and turning it over to God.
I have audio podcasts of the blog entries available by email or cd.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-14634615167392950812010-07-21T11:47:00.000-07:002010-07-21T12:32:37.331-07:00GODWhen you ask God into your life, you think He or She is going to come into your psychic house, look around, and see that you just need a new floor or better furniture and that everything needs just a little cleaning - and so you go along for the first 6 months thinking how nice life is now that God is there. Then you look out the window one day and see that theres a wrecking ball outside.It turns out God actually thinks your whole foundation is shot and youre going to have to start over from scratch.<br /> ~ Marianne WilliamsonRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-78103566871226678492010-04-30T12:30:00.000-07:002010-04-30T12:30:33.690-07:00Coldplay - Life In Technicolor ii (HD)<object style="background-image:url(http://i3.ytimg.com/vi/fXSovfzyx28/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fXSovfzyx28&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fXSovfzyx28&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowScriptAccess="never" allowFullScreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-9080417829077930242010-04-24T23:09:00.000-07:002010-04-24T23:11:40.227-07:00“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.”<br /> ~ Alan AldaRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-4939665831428851512010-04-08T11:55:00.001-07:002010-04-08T11:58:09.860-07:00OUR BLUE JAYSA few days ago, we watched a pair of Blue Jays try to build a nest in the rafters of our porch about 5 feet from our front door. This is the fourth or fifth year that we have seen the Jays try and build a nest in the same spot. And they never succeed. The spot they pick is on a round log with the porch roof barely 5 inches above. It appears to us a very unlikely place, as we are in and out of the door often and on beautiful days like today, we keep the door open to enjoy the sunshine with the resultant music and commotion from inside our home very noticeable. The roundness of the log makes the twigs that the Jays use for the base of the nest, easily slip off to the ground. Sometimes the beginning of the nest will begin to take shape, and then the whole thing falls and the Jays have to start all over again. To make this project harder for the birds, they never seem to use the fallen twigs and have to fly out and get brand new twigs to begin the whole process again. We have made fun of their 'bird brains' every year and belittled their awry nesting instincts.<br /><br />I said, “here we go again,' to David, as I was watching the birds yesterday begin to build the hopeless nest. I wondered if they could possibly be the same birds returning year after year to try and build their nest in the same ridiculous place. Not being interested in studying birds in any depth, we had no idea how long they lived. I decided to read up on the Blue Jays. I went online and found a wonderful bird site by the Canadian Wildlife Service, and read up on Blue Jays and found, among other facts,that the birds live 10-15 years. I also read this very interesting statement: 'Before the final nest is made, the birds build several incomplete nests as part of their courtship ritual.'<br />So our birds return year after year to go thru the same ritual near our back door. I guess they feel safe enough with us nearby. <br /><br />I also revisited an important lesson. One I seem to need to relearn again and again. Somehow I forget and I judge situations or people before I know the whole story.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-61607585469197035502010-03-26T20:41:00.000-07:002010-03-26T20:46:27.334-07:00CALLING ALL ANGELS<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TaG9SDxwPBg&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TaG9SDxwPBg&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />REGINA<br /><br />I have a friend that is recovering from the same kind of breast cancer that I have. I met her on a cancer survivor forum. Her name is Regina, and she lives on the other side of the country. She is young, not even 40, has a loving husband, and 3 young children. Her 18 y/o daughter has just been accepted into surgical training school and will start classes next month. When she graduates, she will be able to work in the operating room at a hospital. Regina badgers her 16 y/o son to 'get your homework done, and, no you can't wear that shirt to school, and please turn the music down, Thank you.'<br />Her 4 y/o has just started T-ball and the whole family goes to watch little sister play T-ball. Mom works in the snack bar while the little kids are learning the rules of the game. <br /><br />Reginas little girl was only 18 months old when she discovered a lump in her breast. She took a year off from her job as a cartographer in a small company, had 3 major surgeries and 5 months of chemotherapy during this time, all the while taking care of her baby, with some help from her husband and her older daughter. She is blessed with a loving, supportive family and many friends that also responded to her needs with help. But she did most of it, all the work of surviving, herself.<br /><br />Now she is helping other women with breast cancer learn how to survive. She has designed an apron with large, roomy pockets for the post surgery drain bulbs. Sometimes a post surgery patient has to have these drains in for 5 or 6 weeks or more. I had 3 drains in for 4 weeks and carried them around in a plastic grocery bag, until my surgeon gave me some pretty little gift bags. But I still had to carry the bag everywhere I went. With the apron you can put the drains in a pocket and youre ready to go. It's a brilliant idea and Regina makes the aprons at home and sells them on the internet. At first she made them by hand and gave the aprons away free. She didn't have a sewing machine for several months, but when she did get one she could whip out aprons quickly. And now she charges for the aprons as she has too many orders to still give them away free. But she would if she could.<br />She feels as though she is doing something beneficial for the women in the breast cancer community, and I am inclined to agree. <br />I nominate Regina to receive the Angel of the Year Award.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-31936244354159296552010-03-12T11:16:00.000-08:002010-03-17T20:29:14.291-07:00ANGELS UNAWARELife has a way of teaching us what we don't always want to hear or see. Life in this world of today is filled with fear, violence and disasters. It seems the ribbon of fear runs through our daily life and is presented to us on a platter in books, movies, articles, TV, newspapers and every day life. Be afraid, fearful, watch out. That guy over there looks different, he may be 'strange' and get 'out of control'. Be afraid, be VERY afraid. Don't trust, don't let your guard down. But when we are so filled full of fears there seems to be no room for Love, and we need to feel love and send Love out to the world.<br /><br />My Angel story occurred on a very foggy, dark, and windy night. The wind blows the fog around, swirling it in circles,making it difficult to see . The mountain roads are dirty from numerous snow storms, making the middle yellow line almost impossible to see. I thought, 'Oh God just get us home safely.' I was creeping along the road and had a string of cars creeping along behind me. As soon as I could see a turnout, I pulled over to let the cars all pass and to make sure I had my fog lights on. I turned on my overhead light and was checking out my switches, trying to remember where the fog light switch was. <br /><br />I noticed a van had pulled out of the line of cars going by, and felt a clutch of fear, when I saw the vans backup lights flick on. Do I need to take evasive action? But the line of cars was still passing by, and I couldn't get in the line. Then I noticed the van door open and a figure jump out and start walking towards our car. I said, 'Oh oh, someones walking towards us.' As the figure approached my window I could see it was a woman about my age with glasses and silver hair just like mine. I would never be able to approach a car with so many unknowns existing, no matter the situation. I had to admire her spunk. <br />I rolled the window down a bit and she asked if I was alright. I thanked her and said yes, I was just trying to make sure my fog lights were on. She said yes, they were on. She said did I want to follow her? It's easier being the second in line.<br />I said yes I would love to. She headed back to her van. The line of cars had diminished and we pulled out onto the road and started for home.<br />I was so struck by her courage and compassion I couldn't get her out of my mind. I knew she was my Angel in disguise.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-50001860188255300042010-03-08T10:43:00.000-08:002010-03-08T10:45:29.736-08:00"Forget not to show Love unto strangers; for thereby some have entertained Angels unawares."<br /> ~ Hebrews 13:2Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-48184683222942937682010-03-03T10:16:00.000-08:002010-03-03T10:17:34.872-08:00"Always take hold of things by the smooth handle." ~ Thomas JeffersonRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-54407743709065463892010-03-01T01:22:00.001-08:002010-03-01T01:22:41.698-08:00THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "Lifes splendor forever lies in wait about each one of us in all its fullness, but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come." ~ Franz KafkaRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-87438008656966038642010-02-27T15:43:00.000-08:002010-02-27T17:06:52.012-08:00THE PIANO<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizk3WYCFufrWQ0W0MgWgYvyxSQC7O4OM7X9QEmqzgdNFeG9naDJWqgnGSbvG0wJ_YBQbfprvd_IuM55PM2IC5dBqIYBd29adUCSeHfR5SXOpmffsyY5FMT5AeCzPCeIJkaEqMyOZ1-4suT/s1600-h/IM000468.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 309px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizk3WYCFufrWQ0W0MgWgYvyxSQC7O4OM7X9QEmqzgdNFeG9naDJWqgnGSbvG0wJ_YBQbfprvd_IuM55PM2IC5dBqIYBd29adUCSeHfR5SXOpmffsyY5FMT5AeCzPCeIJkaEqMyOZ1-4suT/s400/IM000468.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443094385467818882" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I remember, as a small child always being afraid, anxious and terribly shy. I worried constantly about making my mother angry, and then she would yell at me, which was almost worse than the frequent spankings I got for disobeying her rules.<br />My one act of outright defiance was to run away to the neighbors house 4 doors down the street any time the pull was over powering. I would open the door and walk into the neighbors house and sit down at their piano and begin bouncing my little fingers around the keyboard. Oh, those sounds were so beautiful, so precious to me, and well worth the almost certain spanking I would get when my mother found me. I had strict orders to NOT go running off down the street. But the lure of the magic sounds I could make on that piano was overwhelming.<br /><br />But far worse was the piano lure at my gramma's house. That piano was across the busy street, and I was totally forbidden to go there, unless an adult could go with me. But the adults could never find time to go with me. So run away I did and for a few glorious moments I could live in another world. But first I would knock on this neghbors door, and the good lady of the house would invite me in, and let me bang on her piano. And then she would call my gramma, letting her know where I had run off to. Gramma would come to get me, and if I was really lucky, she would sit and visit with the kind neighbor for a few golden minutes. And, best of all, gramma would never tell my mother, and I Bless her for that. At least I felt someone was on my side. Someone understood me, and that made the times I stayed with my gramma extra special, and I held those memories close to my heart, so I could take them out and relive them after I went home with my mother. Then I would not feel so lonely and afraid. I knew I would be able to visit my beloved gramma soon. And then I could run away to play my precious piano again.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-51474509620255157622010-02-27T14:03:00.000-08:002010-02-27T14:30:10.173-08:00MELTDOWNI had a meltdown last nite.<br />David and I were trying to fix an audio tape, and I was having trouble concentrating on the task at hand. I felt the familiar buildup of tension inside me, inside my mind. Since the cancer surgeries I have very little emotional stamina and I easily get out of control emotionally.. Other times, I am fine and can roll with whatever is going on. But add a little bit of pressure and I have a short fuse. Very short. This time I quickly 'lost it', and had to leave the room. I started crying and couldn't stop. I felt overwhelmed by my emotions, and I cried and cried for a long time. I kept hearing in my mind, “I have cancer, I have cancer, I will always have cancer. Even if I never have a reoccurance, I will still always have cancer,” my mind screamed. I will always, for the rest of my life, have cancer. And I will have to worry and always check my body and mind to see what is going on. Always on hyper alert to little changes, real or imagined.And I was ovrwhelmed by that knowledge.<br />I had noticed since we began attending survivors group every week, and hearing other women talk about their anger at the cancer diagnosis, that I had no obvious anger. I would search my mind and dust out the darkened corners to try and find secrets there. But I never found anything. I knew sooner or later the anger would pop up and become known.<br />But this episode did not feel like anger, altho I'm sure anger was there. It was a total, overwhelming depression and it took me over and made me its own. And I am going with it, but only for a short while, a day or so. I know it would be easy for me to get lost in those feelings of poor me, of victim, etc. Many years of free floating depression have alerted me to the subtleties and nuances of this condition, and it can be very seductive.I will not give in to it. It is only temporary, a learning experience, and with Davids support and Gods help and sustenance, I will return to my optimistic, even tempered self.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-52942894358346837712010-02-26T16:38:00.000-08:002010-02-27T12:44:38.991-08:00SWEET LEMONADE"LIFES TRAGEDY IS THAT WE GET OLD TOO SOON AND WISE TOO LATE."<br /> ~ Ben Franklin<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1opG5W7gB5m-wfh2gzuDmF88_19TkAmK1GpUXDDSQiirO_Zn_vJjC3eU74yzPCqZYdjIbFCk7xoUMDwUkbso8B-4Y_uZSZdWUxx7JY2l0oPeQqyUv9jVk8GU0pkP5g_oq-dfjHYPgO398/s1600-h/IMG_0707.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1opG5W7gB5m-wfh2gzuDmF88_19TkAmK1GpUXDDSQiirO_Zn_vJjC3eU74yzPCqZYdjIbFCk7xoUMDwUkbso8B-4Y_uZSZdWUxx7JY2l0oPeQqyUv9jVk8GU0pkP5g_oq-dfjHYPgO398/s400/IMG_0707.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442719365189295346" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />'THE HARDEST YEARS IN LIFE ARE BETWEEN 10 AND 70.'<br /> ~ Helen Hayes<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />LEMONADE ANYONE?<br /><br />Or how I am surviving chemotherapy.<br /><br />Having made it thru 9 months of chemotherapy, I think I have the right to make a few comments on- survival. <br /><br />First, I think I wasn't focused on surviving. Surviving sounds like such a battle, and I don't want to get into a battle. As the famous rock star said, I'm not a fighter, I'm a lover. I love life, and so I was focused on living, doing the day to day tasks that life requires. Focus on life, not the problems. Or to put it another way, focus on Love of life, not the problems of life.<br /><br />Second, laugh at yourself a lot. I encouraged and nurtured a sense of humor in myself and whatever predicament I found myself in at the moment. So don't take life so seriously. Look for and find something funny in each situation. Its not impossible.<br /><br />Third, I surrounded my self with friends that had similar interests and goals (like living happily). I found a support group for cancer survivors and David and I both attended. If you feel you don't have supportive friends then put yourself out there and find them. They are out there waiting for you. <br /> <br />Fourth, I have learned to love and respect my body. Whatever has been done to it to save my life is ok. It may not be what some people think of as beautiful, but it is to me and I love it. Society has a very warped idea these days of beauty. Don't let anyone decide what is pleasing or beautiful in your life.<br /><br />Fifth, don't let anyone make your decisions for you. Don't let anyone bully you into doing something you don't want to do. But do research and read<br />and learn so you can back up your decisions with true knowledge not just emotion. I'm still learning this. Still doing my research.<br /><br />Lastly, stay close to God. And get closer every day with prayer, meditation and thoughts of Him. Turn to Him often and listen closely and quietly for His answers. He has a very quiet voice. He won't intrude. He won't show up where He isn't wanted. But God is my strength and support, and He is helping me every day get through this life trial. <br /><br />You can make sweet lemonade out of sour lemons!Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-13553174943430283882010-02-14T14:28:00.000-08:002010-02-14T14:32:46.155-08:00HAPPY VALENTINES DAY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3Z3vr2-v0oOhzcepzQV5o1ncsYmP77fFRlCPaws6iXYkY9SC9mgR0jjfpNxax9xffHF2UX0DnGM7I52PIZ4kIkQ50OSu4KEkqiXRVGCLHZpgufGskW-HJBt9aX5XElomNeHTnpUJyjRC/s1600-h/IMG_0039.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3Z3vr2-v0oOhzcepzQV5o1ncsYmP77fFRlCPaws6iXYkY9SC9mgR0jjfpNxax9xffHF2UX0DnGM7I52PIZ4kIkQ50OSu4KEkqiXRVGCLHZpgufGskW-HJBt9aX5XElomNeHTnpUJyjRC/s400/IMG_0039.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438230337017949922" /></a>Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-81003528095575948592010-02-14T14:20:00.000-08:002010-02-14T14:25:10.761-08:00SEARCHINGThought for the week<br /><br /><br />Me: God can you hear me? Are you listening to my prayers?<br />God: My child, are you listening for my voice? Can you hear my still, small voice answering your prayers?<br /><br /><br /><br />SEARCHING<br /><br />It seems we are always searching. Searching personally and as a people. Searching for a new place to live, a new car, a new friend, a new and unusual restaurant, or relationship. Something new that will surely bring with it happiness, some semblance of sanity in a crazy world. We are never satisfied with what we have and we are continually looking, looking.<br /><br />This need to search is not bad or wrong in itself. Search for the new gives us inventions and can give us radical breakthroughs in science or medicine, in music, art, in living and thinking. It can keep us personally current with the latest changes in our fast changing world. But it can also give us a great deal of discontent, if we carry the search to extremes and let it control our inner playing field. My belief is this: a new car, a new relationship, or a new place to live does you no good and is not in you best interests if you take the old you into the new relationship or new city. It will feel good for awhile and bring you momentary happiness. But when the newness wears off, and you still have the old you, you are faced with the horrible reality of the sameness of your problems. <br /><br />When we look outside ourselves for the answer to almost any problem we are going to be disappointed. When we honestly begin with changing ourselves, we will eventually have good success. The work is hard and can be messy, and painful. And it surely may take awhile, but it is the only way to bring happiness and/or peace of mind into your life.<br /><br />Look at yourself, at your beliefs and behavior honestly and closely. Are you true to your deepest self? Do you know your deepest self? Maybe you need an introduction: outward self, meet your truest self, may you live happily ever after.<br /><br />Decide to do the inner work necessary or if too difficult to go it alone, get help. A good friend or partner that is loving and can be honest and gentle may help. Or a real pro therapist.<br />Decide to do anything you have to do to grow and learn to value your own self, you own integrity.<br />Stop searching out there, and begin doing your searches deep inside yourself.<br /><br />I am. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-fEwaQCYFOD9De__jAO77RzHpLURDP6bYR49ohD_qGDjHeyKBOXitBn0PHoHZz3_xpPMAc5IquvsiLIWHmQenP2_jPNK3ml4XVWHIO4Vy6tYDSfNpsvAmCCxSuA5mzgnpg_WUQd1kJ48/s1600-h/IMG_1434.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-fEwaQCYFOD9De__jAO77RzHpLURDP6bYR49ohD_qGDjHeyKBOXitBn0PHoHZz3_xpPMAc5IquvsiLIWHmQenP2_jPNK3ml4XVWHIO4Vy6tYDSfNpsvAmCCxSuA5mzgnpg_WUQd1kJ48/s400/IMG_1434.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5438228133210229346" /></a>Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-3658322346139914012009-12-12T19:14:00.000-08:002009-12-12T19:28:37.396-08:00GIVING THANKS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1Te8m8B3EjGkyDgb7ZUWuN8DPugDPOi7tCaxpSBoSPJnTwILzOakxzu4oE4O8h3SdyWPYkkkrxy1G9VGzLX6gMPLUho0_QzG96Q0mIZgorhPpW7AyJQxBGtaSuKdHHClVDyCOQHxwXWL/s1600-h/IMG_1669.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX1Te8m8B3EjGkyDgb7ZUWuN8DPugDPOi7tCaxpSBoSPJnTwILzOakxzu4oE4O8h3SdyWPYkkkrxy1G9VGzLX6gMPLUho0_QzG96Q0mIZgorhPpW7AyJQxBGtaSuKdHHClVDyCOQHxwXWL/s400/IMG_1669.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414554881913756402" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />GIVING THANKS <br /><br /><br />I am writing this note to my friends a few days after the Thanksgiving Holidays. But thanksgiving is never far from my thoughts. I am grateful for every Blessed day I have on this planet called Earth whether it's a beautiful day, or a day like we just had – snowing, in November. Too cold and too soon for my liking. But as I crawled into my warm, comfortable bed, snuggled in next to David, pulled the covers up to my chin and said my prayers of Thankfulness. Thank You, God, that I have a warm bed in a cozy home and a loving relationship. I say prayers for all of God's children that are homeless right now, and trying to find a little bit of comfort on this cold night. Some are old, and achy even on a sunny day, and some of the homeless are babies and little children. My heart is so sad for them, that they have to know the pain of not having a little home to keep them warm and safe.<br /><br />And my heart aches with sadness for the veterans who were willing to give their lives for all of us and are now homeless, living on the streets of their beloved country..Some old vets from the 2nd WW, sick and sad and unable to care for themselves. Too sick or crippled to get a little job, and earn just enough money to put a roof over their head and a little food in their stomach. Some vets too sick mentally to put 2 thoughts together coherently wandering the streets, eating what they find in dumpsters. All street people are a shame to this rich country, but the old, crippled, feeble, all the young children and the veterans are the most shameful. We are most embarrassed about the veterans and our deceit and we turn away from their plight and pretend they aren't there and that they don't need us to care about and for them.<br /><br /> Another way we look at this problem is to pretend it's all their fault. If these brave soldiers really wanted to get a job and be self sufficient, then they would be out there looking for a job, some of us feel. Don't remember that they would have died for us if they had to. Don't think about the injuries, the loneliness, the humiliation of living on the streets. How can anyone get more than a few minutes of sleep if you are always on guard, always need to be alert to all dangers of the street. How can we live with ourselves in the safety and warmth and most of all the love and caring that we feel in our nice, warm and comfortable homes. <br /><br />So my prayers and Blessings go out to all our homeless no matter who or where they are.<br />I count my own Blessings and give thanks for the richness of my Life. My Blessings definitely overide the small problems I have in my life. <br /><br />Thank You God for David and for our loving families.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />MORNING PRAYER<br /><br />"Now I wake me up to live<br />I'll give life all I have to give<br />If today I face a test<br />I'll pray and cope and do my best<br />With each breath and step I take<br />Be with me, Lord, for Heavens sake."<br />Amen<br /> ~ UnknownRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-67824718013082949142009-12-12T19:07:00.001-08:002009-12-12T19:13:21.916-08:00PERFECT ENDINGS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkS1AAb1-PAFGKC2aI-n-3i_dFFzyOdpAh1j-qBHtu7zPY4RCNKaD0QAMeoaVhCtTkk1rUfwB9RQuHaHMCzw07SLyF8H6ZRM6WQqujRKrAyDDVX6EVJKk_7OcNMV3DOQ7W-hJvD0wHB7eC/s1600-h/Santa's_Village_Skyforest_California_P25583.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkS1AAb1-PAFGKC2aI-n-3i_dFFzyOdpAh1j-qBHtu7zPY4RCNKaD0QAMeoaVhCtTkk1rUfwB9RQuHaHMCzw07SLyF8H6ZRM6WQqujRKrAyDDVX6EVJKk_7OcNMV3DOQ7W-hJvD0wHB7eC/s400/Santa's_Village_Skyforest_California_P25583.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414552623839747186" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />"I wanted a perfect ending...Now I've learned the hard way...Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing whats going to happen next. <br /> Delicious ambiguity<br /> ~ GILDA RADNERRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-41006383539926604392009-12-04T11:39:00.000-08:002009-12-04T11:47:37.758-08:00FOGGY TOP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFJbSzlvy7Do9AIJHLxEeM3EfH9ZFHLiG-m_Xk-cJx493_1RWP7_p5Qr-RFgZOcGOz_T6R6TNhfhllMfVWUi7RQ2_ivyv6MvMBubF6xzDer9gaQtDdWKa62HrpD1dNr0YbmxsV73EL3TI/s1600-h/IMG_0723.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFJbSzlvy7Do9AIJHLxEeM3EfH9ZFHLiG-m_Xk-cJx493_1RWP7_p5Qr-RFgZOcGOz_T6R6TNhfhllMfVWUi7RQ2_ivyv6MvMBubF6xzDer9gaQtDdWKa62HrpD1dNr0YbmxsV73EL3TI/s400/IMG_0723.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411469405422274690" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibG28228Pc-2W2A0myjXILJcm-K4zQeWCmebjduuwrPRKi3U3imm6Ubx40JW_xEoaNcYsAW9kLhv8lfwFo2jNz6zmCLyfwLtCwlvtx2e1Dgycdg6k8Z_6ZEAj26llAAfodubClFaDRjVal/s1600-h/IMG_1368.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibG28228Pc-2W2A0myjXILJcm-K4zQeWCmebjduuwrPRKi3U3imm6Ubx40JW_xEoaNcYsAW9kLhv8lfwFo2jNz6zmCLyfwLtCwlvtx2e1Dgycdg6k8Z_6ZEAj26llAAfodubClFaDRjVal/s400/IMG_1368.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411469392989942034" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Life on the mt.<br /><br />We've been down the hill for the day and are headed for home. As I approach this giant mountain range and if I notice clouds on or near the top of the mt, my stomach does a flip flop and I pray the fog isn't very thick and is just on the very top of our socal ole smokey. One of the unsung 'joys' of living in the beautiful mountains, is fog. Thick, white, swirling fog, playing hide and seek with me, the driver. Fog, hiding the middle yellow line from me, and also, the white line along the edge of the road. I anxiously seek turnout signs when I have a truck behind me with monster lights that the driver keeps flashing at me – hurry up, drive faster or PULL OVER, it says. So I pull over as soon as I see a turnout sign, praying that the fog will thin a little so I can see the turnout perimeter. I just want to make sure I have room for the car and won't end up in a precipitous situation on the edge of some cliff. <br />Nothing is familiar in this thick fog. Altho I have been driving this mountain almost every week and sometimes more often,for over 20 years, in the fog all landmarks are gone, disappeared in the always moving thick, white stuff. <br /><br />I pull over safely, I hope, and let the truck go lumbering by, the driver speeding into the fog unable to see the road more than 5 feet in front of his vehicle. If that much. <br />I don't know why some people insist on living on the edge, so to speak. It probably makes life a little more exciting, but I can do with less excitement and maybe a longer more sedate life. <br /><br />But life is so precious to me I can't do anything thats possibly self destructive for just a momentary thrill. Every God given beautiful day spent on this planet is a joy and enough of a thrill for me.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-47981686563732753292009-10-31T11:15:00.000-07:002009-10-31T11:27:04.281-07:00ROAD TRIP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RZtVJ1818fgv90BTNaDk86Jn_NyHnRgoYj_vTEsWK10eoPE8ANqlwDu3u3pH1XcNTLuCmwZaL9OUT-fnlt7DpY7ponDrUOxI3TkwRoTXIaSPG2pd_Ge41BMBwSTVdGu7nyOgca7rk1LE/s1600-h/IMG_1385.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RZtVJ1818fgv90BTNaDk86Jn_NyHnRgoYj_vTEsWK10eoPE8ANqlwDu3u3pH1XcNTLuCmwZaL9OUT-fnlt7DpY7ponDrUOxI3TkwRoTXIaSPG2pd_Ge41BMBwSTVdGu7nyOgca7rk1LE/s400/IMG_1385.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398832329015930338" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />As we travel on this road trip called Life, we will meet many challenges. We may be learning about forgiveness, or about service, or it could be a clearer understanding of love and acceptance. Maybe we are learning about receiving Blessings and knowing in our heart that we are worthy of these Blessings. It may be difficult to realize that some of these challenges are necessary for our physical, mental, emotional growth and most important is growth of our spiritual self. Some of the situations are easily confronted and learned and we pass on to the next challenge. Some experiences are difficult and trying and we just want to get thru it and go to the other side, not realizing that it is the difficulty and our reaction to it, that makes it valuable to our growth.<br /><br /> Similar to being in school again, we may study the situation and be able to come to some kind of conclusion or answer, that may help us go forward in growth. Sometimes it is difficult to find a solution that will make us happy and content altho still be propelled in a forward direction. Our ego may say, 'No you don't have to apologize for those words you said in haste, making someone you care about unhappy. They deserved it. They did the same thing to you.' Not a good time to listen to ego. Or at another time our belief about love may be challenged and we have to evaluate again, our ideas about loving another person and our expectations about how that person should show his love for us. And may I add here that expectations will get us in trouble quicker than a wink of the eye. <br /><br />May the desire to live life to the fullest and best regardless of the circumstance you find yourself in, be your ultimate goal. To live with personal integrity and substance in a life devoted to service is my personal goal.<br /><br />What is yours?Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-17946141590063819762009-10-08T19:27:00.000-07:002009-10-08T19:36:07.291-07:00MY INTEGRITY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUntpSJAsLnTAdKMLfpYFE_1KioQSLEPYSl-t0PcBvEln1WMersa9QcxEkN11TjeTxdYoIBAIetwCTVU7qPEIteRbkPMHo7NiIGLupNAKwNsrNKmFULOmugQi1Tn4ZzFgG8GGYWp3yk5gC/s1600-h/IMG_0021.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUntpSJAsLnTAdKMLfpYFE_1KioQSLEPYSl-t0PcBvEln1WMersa9QcxEkN11TjeTxdYoIBAIetwCTVU7qPEIteRbkPMHo7NiIGLupNAKwNsrNKmFULOmugQi1Tn4ZzFgG8GGYWp3yk5gC/s400/IMG_0021.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390423382256906898" /></a><br /><br /><br />Dear Annie,<br />In my need to be healthy and to beat cancer to a pulp, I am delving in to the darkest part of my nether regions. And I have come up with some different perceptions than I had before. I need to tell someone to make the new perceptions more real, and I have chosen you to be my 'someone.' So grab a cup of coffee, and leave the unpacking till later.<br /><br />My mother and I never got along and always had a lot of negative emotion between us. As an adult, I felt my mom had 'done me wrong,' during my childhood. As a child I did everything I could to 'make' her love me. I became the almost perfect, unseen and unheard child, molding myself into what I thought she wanted me to be. Nothing changed.<br /><br />My dad died in a car crash before I was born, and I was not allowed to talk about him. <br />When I was 16 I heard the true story about my fathers death from a friend that had been there the day he died. Because I had never heard the story from anyone, I believed, with a childs innocence, that the reason he died was so I could be born. When I heard the true events of that day I was very angry, and stayed very angry at mom most of my adult life. I also stayed safe from most real love, and a lot of emotions and feelings. I saw the world through a red tinged anger. Which meant I also hurt most of the time. I learned how to use victimhood, and repeated the sad story a million times. <br /><br />I spent a big part of my life chasing ephemeral happiness, here today, gone tomorrow, always blaming my disappointments on my mothers lack of love. Except for my beloved children, happiness escaped me.<br /><br />When I was older and mom made advances to heal the chasm between us, I rebuffed her and felt vindicated, avenged. She called and said she wanted to talk to me, and I made excuses for not going to see her. <br />And before I knew it she died, and my chance to heal the relationship was gone. <br />At least on that level. But I am here again, and I will do what I can to heal, in more ways than one. <br />Mom, I am sorry I reveled in being a victim, at the expense of our relationship, and did nothing to heal it.<br />I am sorry Mom, please accept my sincerest apologies for acting like a brat.<br />I loved you then, I love you now, and I love you forever.<br />Thanks Annie for being my sounding board,<br />Love<br />RaeRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-16759556064549010032009-09-26T13:09:00.001-07:002009-09-27T00:48:40.087-07:00SHADOW SHOT SUNDAY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv6Xz69hWfRm4zHGK-hEOg9eAQ1xLbkJlPZxePeAPpR9QDjCtu2Z1TiG3mH7NgUUcCPVSXOmUx21ve3tz_1x3TwGJZLu-tbcDBS2zsRaJXfdKwdn70MuC91mHOd6jZ2ZeOwuwgyLpb9Gj/s1600-h/IMG_1625.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv6Xz69hWfRm4zHGK-hEOg9eAQ1xLbkJlPZxePeAPpR9QDjCtu2Z1TiG3mH7NgUUcCPVSXOmUx21ve3tz_1x3TwGJZLu-tbcDBS2zsRaJXfdKwdn70MuC91mHOd6jZ2ZeOwuwgyLpb9Gj/s400/IMG_1625.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385872785985670242" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Sometimes what you see is not what you get. It's all perception.<br />This is our front deck stairway.<br />RaeRaehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-52454280767082067662009-09-25T10:42:00.000-07:002009-10-08T19:39:56.125-07:00JOURNEY<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ox4amSnvh19MEl-xpTwiRORbRbzHmRiqKcKgGjnkg6EVC5aW0-n5p6WM-nH9i8z3y36s9ZabDwhBLJ32v2YYMO7lqePzHFD8SYAVgJa3CwhPdB-2xNudkV7MwbkfG7lfY6QoAnYE9i7n/s1600-h/IMG_0058.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ox4amSnvh19MEl-xpTwiRORbRbzHmRiqKcKgGjnkg6EVC5aW0-n5p6WM-nH9i8z3y36s9ZabDwhBLJ32v2YYMO7lqePzHFD8SYAVgJa3CwhPdB-2xNudkV7MwbkfG7lfY6QoAnYE9i7n/s400/IMG_0058.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390424260701440178" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Today we'll take a little journey. Remember, you don't have to move to travel.<br />Find a comfortable position, sit back, close your eyes and take a deep breathe. Be aware of your breathe, counting each breathe, feeling more relaxed with each breath. Unwind, erase the blackboard of your mind, and feel your tense muscles relaxing, as a wave of peace and love move down through your body. <br /><br />Then, in your minds eye imagine a pleasant scene. This will be your special place, your safe place, your own little corner of the world in the middle of nowhere. Create this place to be exactly the way you want it to be, filled with your scene, your colors, your sounds, your aromas and textures. How you feel here is perfectly alright, for its your safe place. Find a comfortable place to sit and look around at your safe place. See yourself being happy and totally relaxed as you look around. Feel the warm sun on your shoulders, and the gentle breeze caressing your face. Anytime you feel the need to 'get away' or escape for a few moments, you can be here, by picturing your safe place in your minds eye.<br /><br />I want you to follow my voice again as we walk down a smooth small stone path and you can feel the pebbles under your feet. Ahead you will see a huge brilliant rainbow colored balloon with a basket. Step into the basket and release the balloon. There's nothing to fear, its very safe. You'll float upwards through the clouds and drift along smoothly. What a wonderful relaxing feeling. Just drifting along. You'll find a pen and paper in the basket. Write down all your problems and conflicts, then crumple the paper and throw it over the side. Notice how light and happy you feel after you let the paper go.<br /><br />The balloon will start drifting down slowly to where we started out. Be careful stepping out of the basket, as you are so totally relaxed.<br /><br />Start to return to your room, and your chair and the sounds in this room. Slip easily into this time and this place as you hear my voice and begin to wake up. Take a deep breath, staying relaxed and calm as you open your eyes and look around the room. You will remember the journey to your safe place and can return there anytime just by picturing your little corner of the world in your mind.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-22385362771286248312009-09-22T20:49:00.000-07:002009-09-22T20:50:07.044-07:00ADIEMUS<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B7zJ0yVSSvE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B7zJ0yVSSvE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-45566627317591322032009-09-17T17:57:00.000-07:002009-09-22T20:37:41.489-07:00ANGELS“I'm scared,” the little girl said as she looked up at me. “What can I do?”<br />With her bright eyes filled with unshed tears, and her soft angelic face framed by soft curly hair, she reminded me of someone. She kept saying, “What can I do? I don't know how to change, I don't know what change means.” <br />I knelt down to eye level and smiled at the sweet face, and watched one fat tear slide down her cheek and plop onto my skirt leaving a tiny dark wet spot.<br />“It's not about you changing, it's about me needing to change and you helping me, 'cause I don't know how.” I said. ”maybe we can change together.”<br />“I still don't understand.” she said softly, but she grasped my outstretched hand and we set off down the road. She was so trusting.<br />“It's about learning how to be like a little child again, I think, and I've forgotten how to be child-like.” I said, almost more to myself than to my walking partner. What am I supposed to be learning from this little girl. This child that reminds me of someone.<br /><br />Before long we came to a fork in the road. One road sign read 'Change road.' The other sign said, 'Same way.'<br />“What do we do now? Which way do we go? I'm scared. Where are we?”I tried to reassure her and she calmed somewhat. I talked to her, telling her about me, about when I was a little girl.<br />“I think we're supposed to go down the road called Change.” We started walking again.<br />“She stopped and looked at me, “I trust you. I know you will keep me safe from harm.”<br />As we began to walk again, she said quietly, “And I Love you.”<br />I was struck by her words, her trust, her innocence. Is this what I am supposed to be learning, the trust and innocence and Love of a little child. What a big order for me to learn.<br />But learn it I will. <br />Reminds me of a phrase from my past, my childhood, ”....unless you change and become as little children....”<br /><br /><br />What's the rest of the phrase?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kK3fOoxy1wE&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kK3fOoxy1wE&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-32798195080325731372009-09-16T19:18:00.000-07:002009-09-16T19:21:52.230-07:00JUST THE BEAR FACTS MA'AMLiving in the mountains, we have a chance to interact with the wildlife at times. From the Blue Jays to the Humming birds. From the Racoons to the Squirrels and the little Chipmunks. We also have a Bobcat that shows up periodically. A lot of Coyotes wander these mountains, and altho not my favorite they have a right to live here too, I guess. But the scariest of all are the bears. We have had a lot of interactions with the bears over the years, mostly with me screaming at them. But the most recent was just a few days ago, I was resting, think about falling asleep, till I heard a commotion at the kitchen door and a clattering, something falling. I got up to investigate and David said a bear had tried to open the screen door and come in the kitchen where there was lucious pizza remnants on the counter. He only succeeded in loosening the pet guard on the door. David chased him off before he could do any more damage. <br /><br />One time a bear noticed our car window was open a mite, just enough to get a few bear claws through and with a little pull the whole window would crumble, and well there might be food inside. There was only pretzels, which he strung all over the car and on the ground. When I went out to get in the car and go to the market, it took a second to realize what all the pretzels and glass were doing all over the ground. But I soon realized the truth of the situation. <br />Usually my interactions with our resident bears starts and ends with me screaming. Sometimes hysterically and always loudly. <br /><br />Well, whats a person to do, when you wake up at 6am, and a Big Bear is looking at you over the tops of your feet. Well he was just walking by on his way to the kitchen. In my deep slumber, I had dreamed someone was fiddlin' with the bedroom screen door going out to the deck. Well someone was – Mr Bear- and when I saw him, I screamed, and screamed. And screamed again. Yelling 'Get outta here,' with as forceful a demeanor as I could muster, shaky as I was. He stopped and looked at me and I could see in his eyes, 'But lady, stop yelling. I just need breakfast.' And he kept walking to the kitchen. I screamed louder, if possible. NO,NO, I SAID, GET OUTTA HERE.' He sighed and gave up, thinking,( I know,) 'Good Grief, I can't stand to hear screaming.' So he slowly turned around, giving me a dirty look as his face passed within inches of my feet. Feet that I hastily drew up closer to my body. He left our room, and our house and went somewhere more hospitable. Thank God.Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1245267679586591633.post-714223380672231132009-08-25T10:59:00.000-07:002009-08-25T11:15:20.063-07:00NILES SMILESSharon, the sister of friends of ours, wrote a short story about Gratitude, dedicated to her 15 y/o nephew, Nile. Nile always had a smile for everyone and was a happy, joyful teen, and altho he had a serious physical impairment it didn't slow him down. His parents, Carol and Ty, said Nile could always brighten up a room or a life with his smile. Sharon wrote about her gratitude for having this beautiful soul in her life and all the blessings she had received from and through him. She shared the story at her church and it became popular, with many people emailing it to friends and family in other churches all over the world.<br /><br />One ladies church group heard the story, and wanted to do something for Nile. This dedicated group of ladies makes hand stitched prayer quilts for people with cancer or other devastating illnesses. The quilts are about 3 ft x 5 ft, and are put together in the old fashioned quilting way. Basically 8 large blocks of varied colors and patterns, sewn together,plain material on the other side, filled with cotton batting. They are colorful and vibrant, made up of 8 large squares with a picture in the middle of each large square. Niles quilt had pictures of him from babyhood to his teens. The 3 layers are tied together with a matching color of yarn, placed in strategic places. As these loving ladies tie each yarn knot they say a healing prayer for the person that will receive the blanket. <br /><br />The church ladies contacted Carol and Ty about the prayer quilt made for their son, not knowing that the beloved teen had passed away from a MRSA infection in the meantime.<br /><br />Now the quilt is resting on the shoulders of a healing family friend that is recovering from a brain tumor. The quilt was wrapped around my grateful shoulders for a few precious hours when we visited these caring people a few weeks ago. I could feel the healing prayers and energy coursing through my body and settling inside my heart, to rest there and help me heal.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/s51yw8zpwVc&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s51yw8zpwVc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Raehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06456300031569265201noreply@blogger.com0