Valentine's Day...February 14...
This day has long been the day when we are "supposed" to show our love for our sweetheart. We shower them with expensive cards, candy, maybe flowers or jewelry. Maybe we go out for a special dinner. Maybe we cook them a special dinner. Maybe, we even get all dressed up for the event. Because, we love them!
I don't have a problem with any of this but my question is...What about the other 364 days of the year? Don't we love them just as much on all of those days? Shouldn't we show them just as much love on those days? Shouldn't we show them how much we love them in small ways EVERY day?
My husband and I used to celebrate Valentine's Day just like everyone else. Flowers for me. Heart shaped chocolate chip cookies for him. Cheesy cards. You know, the same old thing everyone does every year. Then one year, hubby didn't want to participate anymore. He said it was a "Hallmark Holiday." I continued to buy things for him for this "lovers holiday" for several years and then I stopped. It wasn't something I did conscientiously, it just happened.
Does this mean we don't love each other? No! Absolutely not! We show our love in so many other ways EVERY. SINGLE. DAY! From the good-bye kiss he wakes me to give me before he leaves for work to the I love you every time we talk or text. So many different ways.
We have been studying the Spiritual gifts of the Bible at our church and if you look in 1 Cor. 13 you will see what is commonly called by many, The Love Chapter. The gifts are listed there and at the end of that section the verse says "and now these 3 remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is Love!" This verse is not just talking about love between a husband and wife or sweethearts on one day of the year. It is a great deal bigger than that.
We are called to love...Jesus commanded us to love ... our neighbor, our self, our enemy. Love is not something you DO. Love is an action! It's an ongoing event! As our pastor said this past Sunday, I love my wife but I also love pizza! I love my husband but I also love caramel! Love is not a one time thing that you do. So, why would we only share love on a holiday that lasts just one day!
Have you smiled at someone today? That's sharing love! Have you said hello to someone you didn't know? That's sharing love! You get the picture? When is the last time you did something for someone, just because you wanted to? That's love. When is the last time you paid for someone's meal anonymously? That's love too!
We have so many opportunities to share love. Don't just save it for one day of the year! Go out there and love on someone today...and tomorrow...and the next...and the next...
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Thursday, January 3, 2019
The Many Faces of ... Me
There are many faces of each person walking this earth. We are individual and different and yet, in a lot of ways, we are the same. I can look at my oldest daughter and see almost a mirror image of myself. I can look at my youngest daughter and see a great deal of her father. Funny how that works. Today though, I want to talk about one face of me in particular. The face of a person suffering with Fibromyalgia.
I was diagnosed with fibro about 16 years ago. I didn't know a thing about it except for the information my family doctor gave me - "it is inflammation and there is no cure. You have a terminal illness!" Those were his exact words. Then he said, "we don't know enough about this disease for me to tell you what to expect or even to know how to treat it. I'll give you a prescription for anti-depressants and a muscle relaxer. You will need to figure out how to deal with it from there." Well, thanks a lot! I am not depressed. Never have been, to my knowledge. The muscle relaxers knock me out for 8-10 hours and he wrote the script for 3 times a day! I only took those when I was in so much pain I just couldn't function anymore. I don't take them at all anymore just because I felt like I had a hangover the day after taking one. Even though I slept really well for 10 hours the night before.
So, in case you are reading this and think (like so many others) that fibromyalgia is a "fake" disease, let me assure you, there is nothing fake about this. Let me explain a few of the symptoms I live with on a daily basis. Some are ongoing and some are not. But before I start that, let me just say, not everyone with fibro has the same symptoms as I do. As a matter of fact, from all the research I've done and all the materials I've read, there are hundreds of symptoms and no two people have all the same ones. Probably why they just don't know exactly how to treat it.
For me, the symptoms are varied. I have some pain somewhere on a daily basis. Not always bad pain, but pain just the same. I have bouts of IBS that sometimes just start out of the blue. It's embarrassing to have to call and cancel plans because you can't stay out of the bathroom or you're afraid to leave the house because of the same reason! I have places on my body that get extremely tender to the touch. So if you come up to me to give me a hug, don't be offended if I cringe a little. It's not you, I'm just having a sensitive day. I have super sensitivity to light, sound and smells. All of which can cause migraines. Fortunately, I have found Frankinsense helps with the migraines. I tend to have the most pain from the waist down. Hip joints, knees, feet are most prone to pain. I also have Osteoarthritis in those joints as well as my hands. I have balance issues. So if you see me walking and weaving, I haven't been drinking it's just part of my life. I have something called costochrondritis (not sure if that is spelled right) which my doctor called "phantom chest wall pain" and it feels like a heart attack. I have sleep apnea and use a c-pap machine every night so I don't stop breathing while I sleep. I have some anxiety issues that flare their ugly head every once in a while.
So, with all of that, you might ask how do I treat it. Well, I have to make sure I get plenty of rest - at least 8 hours every night. I try to exercise, but some times that is impossible. I try to eat the way I should and I do well with that most of the time. I have to keep my stress levels to a minimum which can be difficult at times. Mostly, I have learned (as has my family) when I have done too much and pushed to far. When that happens, we all know it and feel it. I don't take any medications, at this time, because I just don't like how I feel when taking them. I am learning to use essential oils in place of man made chemicals, and they seem to be helping.
Without going into way more detail, I'll just say this. Please don't feel sorry for me because I have fibro. Don't treat me differently. If you are reading this and have questions, please feel free to ask. I'll answer to the best of my ability. And by all means, if you have a loved one diagnosed with this disease, 1. be understanding, 2. read everything you can get your hands on about the disease, and 3. be an advocate for that family member. There are so many people out there who have this disease a lot worse than me. We need to learn more about it and we need to understand each other.
I am not sharing this because I want people to feel sorry for me. I share because it's a part of who I am. It does not define me as a person but it is a real part of my every day life. I also know that God is my strength and He gives me what I need on a daily basis. I know as long as I lean on Him, I will never be left disappointed or alone!
Blessings!
I was diagnosed with fibro about 16 years ago. I didn't know a thing about it except for the information my family doctor gave me - "it is inflammation and there is no cure. You have a terminal illness!" Those were his exact words. Then he said, "we don't know enough about this disease for me to tell you what to expect or even to know how to treat it. I'll give you a prescription for anti-depressants and a muscle relaxer. You will need to figure out how to deal with it from there." Well, thanks a lot! I am not depressed. Never have been, to my knowledge. The muscle relaxers knock me out for 8-10 hours and he wrote the script for 3 times a day! I only took those when I was in so much pain I just couldn't function anymore. I don't take them at all anymore just because I felt like I had a hangover the day after taking one. Even though I slept really well for 10 hours the night before.
So, in case you are reading this and think (like so many others) that fibromyalgia is a "fake" disease, let me assure you, there is nothing fake about this. Let me explain a few of the symptoms I live with on a daily basis. Some are ongoing and some are not. But before I start that, let me just say, not everyone with fibro has the same symptoms as I do. As a matter of fact, from all the research I've done and all the materials I've read, there are hundreds of symptoms and no two people have all the same ones. Probably why they just don't know exactly how to treat it.
For me, the symptoms are varied. I have some pain somewhere on a daily basis. Not always bad pain, but pain just the same. I have bouts of IBS that sometimes just start out of the blue. It's embarrassing to have to call and cancel plans because you can't stay out of the bathroom or you're afraid to leave the house because of the same reason! I have places on my body that get extremely tender to the touch. So if you come up to me to give me a hug, don't be offended if I cringe a little. It's not you, I'm just having a sensitive day. I have super sensitivity to light, sound and smells. All of which can cause migraines. Fortunately, I have found Frankinsense helps with the migraines. I tend to have the most pain from the waist down. Hip joints, knees, feet are most prone to pain. I also have Osteoarthritis in those joints as well as my hands. I have balance issues. So if you see me walking and weaving, I haven't been drinking it's just part of my life. I have something called costochrondritis (not sure if that is spelled right) which my doctor called "phantom chest wall pain" and it feels like a heart attack. I have sleep apnea and use a c-pap machine every night so I don't stop breathing while I sleep. I have some anxiety issues that flare their ugly head every once in a while.
So, with all of that, you might ask how do I treat it. Well, I have to make sure I get plenty of rest - at least 8 hours every night. I try to exercise, but some times that is impossible. I try to eat the way I should and I do well with that most of the time. I have to keep my stress levels to a minimum which can be difficult at times. Mostly, I have learned (as has my family) when I have done too much and pushed to far. When that happens, we all know it and feel it. I don't take any medications, at this time, because I just don't like how I feel when taking them. I am learning to use essential oils in place of man made chemicals, and they seem to be helping.
Without going into way more detail, I'll just say this. Please don't feel sorry for me because I have fibro. Don't treat me differently. If you are reading this and have questions, please feel free to ask. I'll answer to the best of my ability. And by all means, if you have a loved one diagnosed with this disease, 1. be understanding, 2. read everything you can get your hands on about the disease, and 3. be an advocate for that family member. There are so many people out there who have this disease a lot worse than me. We need to learn more about it and we need to understand each other.
I am not sharing this because I want people to feel sorry for me. I share because it's a part of who I am. It does not define me as a person but it is a real part of my every day life. I also know that God is my strength and He gives me what I need on a daily basis. I know as long as I lean on Him, I will never be left disappointed or alone!
Blessings!
Friday, November 18, 2016
Dreams Come True
Yesterday, November 17, we were handed the keys to our brand new house! We have dreamed of building our dream house for like 30 years and this year, God made it happen!
Let me start at the beginning. Three years ago we started looking for land to build on. Not a lot of land, but 2-3 acres. In September of 2015, I was on realtor.com and found a brand new listing for 2 acres in Xenia (a rural area about 10 miles from where we lived). I contacted the listing agent and we went to see it. She informed us that she had only listed the property 2 weeks prior and hadn't even put a sign out yet. We loved it! We made an offer (the sellers were the realtors' parents) the sellers countered, we countered and they accepted!
We had already been talking on a builder and we're pretty set on the house we wanted to build. One day I was driving home from the property and clearly heard God tell me to stop at the builder in Xenia that we ultimately went with. These guys are two brothers who are strong Christian men. They have been in the business for a very long time and took over the business from their Dad.
We were diligently working to get our house ready to put on the market in April. This is the house my parents bought when we first moved here from GA in 1976. We bought it from them in November of 1991 and raised our girls there. Our neighbors told friends about us getting the house ready to sell and they wanted to come see it. This sweet young Christian couple came, saw our house, fell in love with it and made us an offer for full asking price, even though we had 3 projects going on at the time. We closed at the time in April that we had actually planned to list it.
We broke ground on June 23 and our house was completed on November 16! God provided us with so many discounts for our house! From appliances that were basically half price to asphalt that was leftover from another job and was a third the cost of the other quotes we had received to a fence that was half what the other quotes were!
God has blessed us so much through this whole process and we love the way our house turned out! We will use this house for His kingdom work and for His glory! How could we not? He has made our dream come true!
Blessings to all! We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get to spend time with your family and friends!
Let me start at the beginning. Three years ago we started looking for land to build on. Not a lot of land, but 2-3 acres. In September of 2015, I was on realtor.com and found a brand new listing for 2 acres in Xenia (a rural area about 10 miles from where we lived). I contacted the listing agent and we went to see it. She informed us that she had only listed the property 2 weeks prior and hadn't even put a sign out yet. We loved it! We made an offer (the sellers were the realtors' parents) the sellers countered, we countered and they accepted!
We had already been talking on a builder and we're pretty set on the house we wanted to build. One day I was driving home from the property and clearly heard God tell me to stop at the builder in Xenia that we ultimately went with. These guys are two brothers who are strong Christian men. They have been in the business for a very long time and took over the business from their Dad.
We were diligently working to get our house ready to put on the market in April. This is the house my parents bought when we first moved here from GA in 1976. We bought it from them in November of 1991 and raised our girls there. Our neighbors told friends about us getting the house ready to sell and they wanted to come see it. This sweet young Christian couple came, saw our house, fell in love with it and made us an offer for full asking price, even though we had 3 projects going on at the time. We closed at the time in April that we had actually planned to list it.
We broke ground on June 23 and our house was completed on November 16! God provided us with so many discounts for our house! From appliances that were basically half price to asphalt that was leftover from another job and was a third the cost of the other quotes we had received to a fence that was half what the other quotes were!
God has blessed us so much through this whole process and we love the way our house turned out! We will use this house for His kingdom work and for His glory! How could we not? He has made our dream come true!
Blessings to all! We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and get to spend time with your family and friends!
Friday, April 8, 2016
Bittersweet Memories
For the last month or so we have been overwhelmed! Overwhelmed in good ways...mostly. God sent a sweet couple to buy our house before it was even listed. Just another confirmation that we are suposed to build our dream/forever home in Xenia.
Let me back up a little. I had been looking for a single story house for us for the past two years. And even looked for land to buy but just never could find the right place at the right price. In mid-September of 2015 I was on realtor.com one day and found a listing for two acres. The realtor had just listed it and had not even placed signs on it yet to advertise it was for sale. We ended up buying it for what we've been told was a steal.
On a whim one day after I drove out to see the land again, cause I still couldn't believe it was now ours, I stopped in to a local builder's office in Xenia to ask some questions and our journey began. We now have plans picked out and have made changes to make it our own.
Now, back to our current house. Our neighbors told friends our house would be going on the market in April. They ended up going through it and after getting a contract on their house, are now buying ours. Another generation of Christians will get to share the love of our Father in this house! Isn't that awesome?
The bittersweet part is that I have been spending time in this house since my parents bought it and moved here in August 1976. My sweet hubby and I bought it in November 1991 so my parents could live their dream of moving back to Georgia to build their dream home.
When Terry and I bought this house we dedicated it to God to be used however He saw fit. We've had Bible studies here, housed travelling missionaries, youth group events. Even led both of our daughters to the Lord here.
Terry and I spent much of our dating life in this house. Some nights that consisted of me getting out of bed, getting dressed and meeting him to come in and sit on the stairs to talk about each other's day for 20-30 minutes before he would leave to go home.
So many memories! So much fun and yes, some sad times as well. God has blessed us richly and as we move on to this next season in our lives, we will praise Him and serve Him in whatever He calls us to. Our next house will be dedicated to Him as well! I can't wait to see what He has in store for us!
Let me back up a little. I had been looking for a single story house for us for the past two years. And even looked for land to buy but just never could find the right place at the right price. In mid-September of 2015 I was on realtor.com one day and found a listing for two acres. The realtor had just listed it and had not even placed signs on it yet to advertise it was for sale. We ended up buying it for what we've been told was a steal.
On a whim one day after I drove out to see the land again, cause I still couldn't believe it was now ours, I stopped in to a local builder's office in Xenia to ask some questions and our journey began. We now have plans picked out and have made changes to make it our own.
Now, back to our current house. Our neighbors told friends our house would be going on the market in April. They ended up going through it and after getting a contract on their house, are now buying ours. Another generation of Christians will get to share the love of our Father in this house! Isn't that awesome?
The bittersweet part is that I have been spending time in this house since my parents bought it and moved here in August 1976. My sweet hubby and I bought it in November 1991 so my parents could live their dream of moving back to Georgia to build their dream home.
When Terry and I bought this house we dedicated it to God to be used however He saw fit. We've had Bible studies here, housed travelling missionaries, youth group events. Even led both of our daughters to the Lord here.
Terry and I spent much of our dating life in this house. Some nights that consisted of me getting out of bed, getting dressed and meeting him to come in and sit on the stairs to talk about each other's day for 20-30 minutes before he would leave to go home.
So many memories! So much fun and yes, some sad times as well. God has blessed us richly and as we move on to this next season in our lives, we will praise Him and serve Him in whatever He calls us to. Our next house will be dedicated to Him as well! I can't wait to see what He has in store for us!
Monday, July 29, 2013
Vacancies in my Heart
The last post I placed in this blog was just the beginning of a very long month. We put our beloved dog Luke down on March 1, which ironically was our youngest daughter Sarah's birthday. Luke was her dog growing up and I hated that we had to ruin yet another birthday for her. But we could not stand to see our old friend suffer anymore.
On March 22, I received a call that my sweet Mama in GA was not doing well after what was supposed to be a routine surgery. Mama had already had surgery last June for colon cancer where they removed 1 inch of her colon and said they got it all. A few months later, she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. She seemed to be doing well and came up to Ohio to spend a couple weeks with us before Christmas. Then in January she developed an infection that just would not go away. Surgery was performed on March 19 (just 4 short days after her 74th birthday) and on March 23, she left this life to go to Heaven to be with my Daddy and all of their siblings.
Over the last 10 years I have lost so many loved ones. All of my aunts and uncles (siblings of my parents and some of their spouses) are gone now. Oh, I know I'll see them all one day. But the grief is still there. Some times I'll think of something I want to tell Mama and I'll start to get my phone and remember, I can't call her anymore. Or I'll be cooking something and need to ask her a question, and remember I can't do that anymore. I used to call her every Thursday on my way home from work and we would just talk about whatever. Or I would call and ask about the weather down there. Or tell her something funny one of my kids did or said.
Our relationship wasn't always a good one. I remember when I was a teenager and I felt like Mama was my worst enemy. We would fight about the dumbest things. I took a lot of grief for things my youngest brother actually did and would get spanked for it. Even when I moved 500 miles away from her, we had misunderstandings about how I lived my life. Boy, if I could do those years over again...
As I grew older and moved back closer to where my parents lived, our relationship grew to more of a friendship. We did a lot together. Everything from shopping to ceramics classes. I loved hanging out with her. When my girls came along, she was so proud and spoiled them rotten. She loved her granddaughters and loved having them near her. Especially when both of them decided to go to college down in GA and they had moved back down there by then.
I can't even begin to tell you what all Mama taught me. Everything I know about cooking for one. She would try a new recipe and end up sending it to me. Oh, we disagreed on how to cook a lot of times because she still liked the old Southern way (bacon drippings in vegetables and almost all meat had to be fried) which is ok some of the time but sometimes, you have to change the way you do things in order to be more health conscious. Mama wasn't having any of that. I learned how to speak my piece from her too and boy has that got me into a lot of trouble. I've learned to temper that with a little tact over the years! Daddy taught me to be independent, much to Mama's dislike. But I learned to stand on my own two feet and she loved that. I learned that the pain I went through was twice as painful for her.
My Mama left a legacy of love when she departed this earth. So many of her friends at First Baptist of Cedartown have shown me that. Along with her friends in the Eastern Star and the Women's Missionary Union. Somebody got sick, you could count on Virginia to bake a cake or pie of some kind and take it to them. You're having a dinner at the lodge, yep Virginia could be counted on to make her Blueberry Delight or something extra special and she would be in that kitchen serving too! She touched so many lives by just her smile and her sweet giving spirit. You also knew if you were in big trouble just by looking at her face. She had "that look."
I was fortunate enough to have a three generation picture made with her and my girls while she was here that Christmas of 2012 and I will cherish those fun times forever. Virginia Hardage was a good woman and she was my friend as well as my mother. She has left a vacancy in my heart as big as the Grand Canyon...but I know she is where she wanted to be and I will see her again some day. Knowing those two things helps fill that vacancy...just a little bit.
On March 22, I received a call that my sweet Mama in GA was not doing well after what was supposed to be a routine surgery. Mama had already had surgery last June for colon cancer where they removed 1 inch of her colon and said they got it all. A few months later, she was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. She seemed to be doing well and came up to Ohio to spend a couple weeks with us before Christmas. Then in January she developed an infection that just would not go away. Surgery was performed on March 19 (just 4 short days after her 74th birthday) and on March 23, she left this life to go to Heaven to be with my Daddy and all of their siblings.
Over the last 10 years I have lost so many loved ones. All of my aunts and uncles (siblings of my parents and some of their spouses) are gone now. Oh, I know I'll see them all one day. But the grief is still there. Some times I'll think of something I want to tell Mama and I'll start to get my phone and remember, I can't call her anymore. Or I'll be cooking something and need to ask her a question, and remember I can't do that anymore. I used to call her every Thursday on my way home from work and we would just talk about whatever. Or I would call and ask about the weather down there. Or tell her something funny one of my kids did or said.
Our relationship wasn't always a good one. I remember when I was a teenager and I felt like Mama was my worst enemy. We would fight about the dumbest things. I took a lot of grief for things my youngest brother actually did and would get spanked for it. Even when I moved 500 miles away from her, we had misunderstandings about how I lived my life. Boy, if I could do those years over again...
As I grew older and moved back closer to where my parents lived, our relationship grew to more of a friendship. We did a lot together. Everything from shopping to ceramics classes. I loved hanging out with her. When my girls came along, she was so proud and spoiled them rotten. She loved her granddaughters and loved having them near her. Especially when both of them decided to go to college down in GA and they had moved back down there by then.
I can't even begin to tell you what all Mama taught me. Everything I know about cooking for one. She would try a new recipe and end up sending it to me. Oh, we disagreed on how to cook a lot of times because she still liked the old Southern way (bacon drippings in vegetables and almost all meat had to be fried) which is ok some of the time but sometimes, you have to change the way you do things in order to be more health conscious. Mama wasn't having any of that. I learned how to speak my piece from her too and boy has that got me into a lot of trouble. I've learned to temper that with a little tact over the years! Daddy taught me to be independent, much to Mama's dislike. But I learned to stand on my own two feet and she loved that. I learned that the pain I went through was twice as painful for her.
My Mama left a legacy of love when she departed this earth. So many of her friends at First Baptist of Cedartown have shown me that. Along with her friends in the Eastern Star and the Women's Missionary Union. Somebody got sick, you could count on Virginia to bake a cake or pie of some kind and take it to them. You're having a dinner at the lodge, yep Virginia could be counted on to make her Blueberry Delight or something extra special and she would be in that kitchen serving too! She touched so many lives by just her smile and her sweet giving spirit. You also knew if you were in big trouble just by looking at her face. She had "that look."
I was fortunate enough to have a three generation picture made with her and my girls while she was here that Christmas of 2012 and I will cherish those fun times forever. Virginia Hardage was a good woman and she was my friend as well as my mother. She has left a vacancy in my heart as big as the Grand Canyon...but I know she is where she wanted to be and I will see her again some day. Knowing those two things helps fill that vacancy...just a little bit.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Paw Prints on my Heart
If you have ever had a pet, you know that they can work their way into a huge part of your heart and live there and comsume a part of you. If you have never experienced the joy of a little furry 4 legged creature crawl up on your lap or lick you until you giggle like a little kid, you have missed one of life's great joys.
This is the story of Luke the German Shorthair/Chocolate Lab mix that came into our lives 14 years ago and left us just this morning. Luke was a rescue. His mom and all of his siblings but one brother died the day he was born. Luke was bottle fed and carried in a car for the first 8 weeks of his life by the Glaze family, who was his first human family. I knew Ann Glaze through a Bible study we took together and found out about Luke needing a new home when he was 6 months old. He had been living with Ann's sister-in-law and her family and he was getting big in a hurry. They weren't use to dogs and had never had one that promised to be as big as Luke was sure to get. So he came to live with us.
Luke first took up residence in our home as a 6 month old and was the cutest giant piece of chocolate I had ever seen. I knew when I called my hubby and asked "do you know anyone who wants a chocolate lab?" that the question was answered before it was ever asked! The day he came to our home was a sad day for his first adoptive family because they loved him and knew they just couldn't keep him. His little girl human was the saddest of all and she cried the whole time. There was another little girl human living in our home who would grow to love Luke and be one of his best buds for a long time.
Luke went to Puppy Preschool and just barely passed the class. He did not like to go to the down position for anyone by our older daughter Courtney and he went there for her after the first night learning it. Being the Alpha Male, he decided he would try his stubborness on me but he learned quickly that "when Mama speaks, you better move!" Luke had a human "litter mate" in my husband, Terry. They have played on the floor to the point of knocking each other out with their head butting sessions and took great naps on the floor together as one might see a little boy and his dog do. Luke loved to go for rides in the truck with Terry and would sit in the front seat like a human with his front paw resting on the window. Just two good buds hangning out together.
Luke's sleeping place at night for many years was half of a twin bed with our youngest daughter Sarah, the girl he attached himself to. When Sarah went away to college, Luke was lost for quite a while. But then she would come home for a visit and he had his girl back for a while. Sarah is married and has her own 4-legged kids now and brings them to see us occasionally. She still liked to love on Luke though!
This morning was one of the hardest of my life as I watched Luke slip away peacefully. The last few years have been hard for him as he was dealing with arthritis issues - common in most big dogs. Over the last couple of days, he as been a very sick boy and got worse through the night last night. We decided this morning that we needed to get him to the vet and while there, she told us what we already knew. She was almost certain Luke had cancer and was in a great deal of pain. She also thought he may have had a stroke over the last month because of some things she saw in him.
Luke had spent his last day on this earth and in our house. He will spend many more days in our hearts because that's just the way it is with these 4-legged friends we call pets. Yes, they can be messy and time consuming and a committment but when they leave their paw prints on your heart, you cannot wash them off so easily.
Rest in peace "Old Boy," we'll miss you!
This is the story of Luke the German Shorthair/Chocolate Lab mix that came into our lives 14 years ago and left us just this morning. Luke was a rescue. His mom and all of his siblings but one brother died the day he was born. Luke was bottle fed and carried in a car for the first 8 weeks of his life by the Glaze family, who was his first human family. I knew Ann Glaze through a Bible study we took together and found out about Luke needing a new home when he was 6 months old. He had been living with Ann's sister-in-law and her family and he was getting big in a hurry. They weren't use to dogs and had never had one that promised to be as big as Luke was sure to get. So he came to live with us.
Luke first took up residence in our home as a 6 month old and was the cutest giant piece of chocolate I had ever seen. I knew when I called my hubby and asked "do you know anyone who wants a chocolate lab?" that the question was answered before it was ever asked! The day he came to our home was a sad day for his first adoptive family because they loved him and knew they just couldn't keep him. His little girl human was the saddest of all and she cried the whole time. There was another little girl human living in our home who would grow to love Luke and be one of his best buds for a long time.
Luke went to Puppy Preschool and just barely passed the class. He did not like to go to the down position for anyone by our older daughter Courtney and he went there for her after the first night learning it. Being the Alpha Male, he decided he would try his stubborness on me but he learned quickly that "when Mama speaks, you better move!" Luke had a human "litter mate" in my husband, Terry. They have played on the floor to the point of knocking each other out with their head butting sessions and took great naps on the floor together as one might see a little boy and his dog do. Luke loved to go for rides in the truck with Terry and would sit in the front seat like a human with his front paw resting on the window. Just two good buds hangning out together.
Luke's sleeping place at night for many years was half of a twin bed with our youngest daughter Sarah, the girl he attached himself to. When Sarah went away to college, Luke was lost for quite a while. But then she would come home for a visit and he had his girl back for a while. Sarah is married and has her own 4-legged kids now and brings them to see us occasionally. She still liked to love on Luke though!
This morning was one of the hardest of my life as I watched Luke slip away peacefully. The last few years have been hard for him as he was dealing with arthritis issues - common in most big dogs. Over the last couple of days, he as been a very sick boy and got worse through the night last night. We decided this morning that we needed to get him to the vet and while there, she told us what we already knew. She was almost certain Luke had cancer and was in a great deal of pain. She also thought he may have had a stroke over the last month because of some things she saw in him.
Luke had spent his last day on this earth and in our house. He will spend many more days in our hearts because that's just the way it is with these 4-legged friends we call pets. Yes, they can be messy and time consuming and a committment but when they leave their paw prints on your heart, you cannot wash them off so easily.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Good-bye 2012
Well, tonight we say good-bye to 2012 and hello to 2013. As I have been in a reflective mood all day today, I thought I would share some of the memories of this past year. Some good and some not so much!
In January, we lost my sweet uncle Lamar to ALS. We made a trip to GA for his funeral and some family time with aunts, uncles, and cousins, my Mom and siblings. It was a sad time but the celebration of Uncle Lamar's life and how he became a Christian, was amazing! Thank you God he is in your loving arms now.
In March, our beautiful youngest daughter got a job back in Ohio and moved back home and her husband followed in April. They now live in Grove City, OH and both commute 45 minutes in opposite directions to their jobs. It is wonderful to have all of our chicks in close proximity to us again!
We didn't get much camping in this summer but the trips we did make were relaxing and wonderful. As always, we met new folks and had good conversations and fellowship with them. We found a new state park to visit and hope to go there again this summer of 2013.
In June, my sweet Momma was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery for that. I spent a week in GA caring for and loving on her and had a good time visiting with my sister-in-law, Marsha and visited with a cousin from Daddy's side that I don't get to see very often.
In September, we lost my sweet Aunt Maudeen. She has always been like a second mother to me and I loved her dearly. She suffered many falls and with dimentia in the end but, Praise God, she is whole now and not suffering. I still miss her, but know I will see her again some day.
Also in September, my sweetheart and I, along with our dearest friends in the world, celebrated my birthday by walking the United States Air Force 10K. It was grueling as we did not prepare well enough, but we will be better prepared for September 2013 when we do it again! I cannot tell you the energy I had as we rounded the bend and I saw the finish line ahead of me. I wanted to run across it but the spasms in my back prevented that (along with the smarter voice in my head).
In November, we spent Thanksgiving with all 4 of our kids by taking dinner to Grove City. With Sarah in the Ag business and Matthew in retail, it's hard for them to get time off, so we decided we would still all have dinner together and we had a blast. Our beautiful oldest daughter, Courtney and her handsome hubby Caleb rode up with us and I think we all had a great Thanksgiving. The guys kept quoting a line from a movie that Terry and I were not clear on so when I asked what the line was from, they both answered "Tombstone!" Terry and I had never seen the movie and they were all shocked so after a wonderful dinner and ever better desserts, we watched Tombstone. It was pretty good, not one of my favorites though.
In December, we received a surprise visit from my Mom. Who came and spent a little over a week with us. I so wish I could convince her to move back up here, but as they say "you can take the girl out of the south but you can never take the south out of the girl!" I'm thankful she is healthy enough to drive herself up here from GA and that she is still young enough to have (hopefully) many years ahead of her. It was a wonderful visit and I found myself wishing for my entire family to be here with us for Christmas.
We have finished off the year with a visit from our son-in-love's parents from GA over Christmas. They, along with our youngest and her sweet hubby, were here a few days and we enjoyed spending time with them and teaching them all about snow blowers and the proper way to shovel snow! Then, two days after Christmas, we were at Kettering Hospital where my beloved had his gallbladder removed along with hernia repair. He is recouping wonderfully and is anxious to be well enough to return to work in the new year.
Well, there you have it. The year in review as I see it. God has taken me on a very hard personal journey in the last couple of months and I will be traveling it for another couple of months yet. Lot's of visiting my past, dealing with things I buried deep (and would have loved to keep buried) and lots of forgiveness and grace. It is a soul searching journey that I am growing from and hope to help others through in the future. God is at work in my life and I can't wait to see what He brings me to and through in 2013.
Be safe this New Year's Eve and I pray God brings you many rich blessings in the coming year!
Happy New Year!
In January, we lost my sweet uncle Lamar to ALS. We made a trip to GA for his funeral and some family time with aunts, uncles, and cousins, my Mom and siblings. It was a sad time but the celebration of Uncle Lamar's life and how he became a Christian, was amazing! Thank you God he is in your loving arms now.
In March, our beautiful youngest daughter got a job back in Ohio and moved back home and her husband followed in April. They now live in Grove City, OH and both commute 45 minutes in opposite directions to their jobs. It is wonderful to have all of our chicks in close proximity to us again!
We didn't get much camping in this summer but the trips we did make were relaxing and wonderful. As always, we met new folks and had good conversations and fellowship with them. We found a new state park to visit and hope to go there again this summer of 2013.
In June, my sweet Momma was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery for that. I spent a week in GA caring for and loving on her and had a good time visiting with my sister-in-law, Marsha and visited with a cousin from Daddy's side that I don't get to see very often.
In September, we lost my sweet Aunt Maudeen. She has always been like a second mother to me and I loved her dearly. She suffered many falls and with dimentia in the end but, Praise God, she is whole now and not suffering. I still miss her, but know I will see her again some day.
Also in September, my sweetheart and I, along with our dearest friends in the world, celebrated my birthday by walking the United States Air Force 10K. It was grueling as we did not prepare well enough, but we will be better prepared for September 2013 when we do it again! I cannot tell you the energy I had as we rounded the bend and I saw the finish line ahead of me. I wanted to run across it but the spasms in my back prevented that (along with the smarter voice in my head).
In November, we spent Thanksgiving with all 4 of our kids by taking dinner to Grove City. With Sarah in the Ag business and Matthew in retail, it's hard for them to get time off, so we decided we would still all have dinner together and we had a blast. Our beautiful oldest daughter, Courtney and her handsome hubby Caleb rode up with us and I think we all had a great Thanksgiving. The guys kept quoting a line from a movie that Terry and I were not clear on so when I asked what the line was from, they both answered "Tombstone!" Terry and I had never seen the movie and they were all shocked so after a wonderful dinner and ever better desserts, we watched Tombstone. It was pretty good, not one of my favorites though.
In December, we received a surprise visit from my Mom. Who came and spent a little over a week with us. I so wish I could convince her to move back up here, but as they say "you can take the girl out of the south but you can never take the south out of the girl!" I'm thankful she is healthy enough to drive herself up here from GA and that she is still young enough to have (hopefully) many years ahead of her. It was a wonderful visit and I found myself wishing for my entire family to be here with us for Christmas.
We have finished off the year with a visit from our son-in-love's parents from GA over Christmas. They, along with our youngest and her sweet hubby, were here a few days and we enjoyed spending time with them and teaching them all about snow blowers and the proper way to shovel snow! Then, two days after Christmas, we were at Kettering Hospital where my beloved had his gallbladder removed along with hernia repair. He is recouping wonderfully and is anxious to be well enough to return to work in the new year.
Well, there you have it. The year in review as I see it. God has taken me on a very hard personal journey in the last couple of months and I will be traveling it for another couple of months yet. Lot's of visiting my past, dealing with things I buried deep (and would have loved to keep buried) and lots of forgiveness and grace. It is a soul searching journey that I am growing from and hope to help others through in the future. God is at work in my life and I can't wait to see what He brings me to and through in 2013.
Be safe this New Year's Eve and I pray God brings you many rich blessings in the coming year!
Happy New Year!
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