JOYBELLS

I Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

Temptations assail us day by day and all are prone to fall,

But remember there's help from God above if we will upon Him call.

All temptations are common to man and God knows this very well,

And has promised help for all if we just go to Him and tell.

God with temptations makes escapes so believers can endure,

And looking back upon the scene we know we are secure. (RP)

Spring is beautiful. This rose purchased the day our daughter Joy died, is a constant reminder of God's beauty in nature. Margie picked it out and it has been a winner ever since. I always called her JOYBELLS. Every year I rejoice to see it spring to life.  I pray your day will be as refreshing as this rose, as you go about your duties.  I am making some significant changes to my feeding routine, which I will report on later. Thanks for praying.

SORRY FOR DELAY

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.2Co 8:9

We're told in simple words right here, what Jesus did for us,

And how He came from Heaven's heights, so rich and then made poor.

And when I claim Him as my own He gives me all His wealth.

And shows me from His word each day in Him I'm so secure. (RP)

Friday my home phone and modem went dead, so I have been unable to use the computer to do this blog util today. Comcast came yesterday and put in a new modem. Now it all works well. I am thankful. I appreciate your prayers as I adjust to dropping off one of my feeding times on the Peg-tube.  We are trying to ingest,via mouth, some semi-solid nutrition. I will be in contact with the nurse and dietitian to assure  I am doing things correctly. Thanks for your prayers. 

MILESTONE

For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.  Philip.1:11

It’s hard to learn this lesson, Lord for we who are so weak,

But give us faith & courage, Your will to always seek. (RP)

Yesterday at swallow and speech therapy, I was given my first solid food since my surgery. It is the first time this kind of nutrition has entered my mouth since November,2017. I will tell you, it is new, and I will have to get used to it. Please pray as I break into this new regimen, that I will do it right. There are many foods I CANNOT have at this juncture, and I will have to learn how to cut down on my nutritional packets that go through the Peg-tube. We have not done a new swallow test, so at this point we still do not know if liquids are being aspirated into my lungs. Thanks for praying. 

START AGAIN

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. Mat 5:8  

God is special in making pure hearts, and those who agree are blessed,By receiving Jesus as Lord of their lives, and finding perfect rest.When Jesus purifies the heart, one is clean indeed,And secure in Jesus is the best place of all and surely will succeed. (RP)

This afternoon I start my swallow therapy sessions again. Things were on hold while awaiting authorization from insurance to approve them. I will be interested in what the therapist does. I know that one of these days a new swallow test will be ordered. All I know is that I have done my homework faithfully since the first day I was assigned these special procedures to strengthen my swallow muscles. And there are several of them. I can tell by my throat when I swallow, that things are different than they were before, so we pray it is all working out OK. I will be teaching the Bible class this morning also. Thanks for praying.

CALL ME LAZY

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  Heb 4:12

God's Book the Bible stand the test no matter what may come,

It's powerfully strong for any life and it makes no difference where you're from.

This living Book, this instrument strong knows how to pierce a soul,

And all who wmbrace its teachings, the Lord will make them whole (RP).

You will have to call me lazy.  My speech & swallow therapist has me on cream of wheat and mashed potatoes and gravy. Only about 2 or 3 ounces each time I ingest them. Well I was getting my gravy from the deli part of the grocery store, but it was too strong for my taste buds, so I thought I better not do it. I tried the package gravy and they are actually pretty good. But yesterday I asked the clerk if they had it already prepared. I purchased two kinds of it, one in a glass jar, but frankly it did not taste good either. And I am not a fussy guy on food. I will probably go back to the package ones. Now you know why the title of today's blog (lazy).  I was just trying to find an easier way to do it. I found yogurt that didn't have pieces of rough fruit in it, so that was a great discovery and so enjoyable to eat. Thanks, dear friends, for your prayers. 

TIME

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life inn Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 6:23

Sin has a price tag that is awful indeed,

And those who ignore it are in desperate need.

God provided forgiveness through Jesus His son,

And when you receive it, the battle is done. (RP)

Time is a valuable commodity. We all need it, but we seem to have difficulty getting completed all that we desire to do in a certain amount of time. Maybe it is because of my surgery and subsequent recovery, that I have been made so aware of how important time is.  I remember the adage, "A women's work is never done".  For some men it must also apply.  I am sure the underlying reasons differ. Oh well, I'll just keep on trying to get done what I am supposed to do.  I am so far behind today, I do not see any way to recover, but that does not slow me down. I will now go get the washing done, my shoulder therapy started, do more for the Friday Bible class, and study more for a message. Thank YOU for praying. I appreciate it.

LEARNING PROCESS

John 3:36  "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

To believe in Jesus is a command from God, and the benefit is great,

Eternal life is for those who obey,so it is very wise not to wait.

Those who disobey God's command experience His wrath upon them,

They will never see life eternal and the future for them is dim. (RP)

I am learning much as I get acquainted with all the ins and outs of life on Peg-tube feeding. Some are surprised to learn I do it myself. I had a good teacher, my son, who first did it upon discharge from the hospital. Soon after that, I said I was ready to take it over.  It is a process that some day I will outline on the blog. There is never a dull moment, that is for sure. It seems I am always learning new tricks to make the process easier. Yesterday I got a good start to work on the church prayer sheet, and also my next lesson in I John at the Senior Center. Thanks for your prayer support. 

LEISURELY SUNDAY

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one 

another, just as God in Christ forgave you..

(Ephes. 4:32)

God wants us to be kind to all who are around us,

With tenderness and forgiveness to all,

Christ forgave us at Calvary and the empty tomb,

And this blessing is for each one who upon Him will call

(RP)

After a good time at church yesterday, I spent the rest of the day in more leisurely projects. I worked on a message, brought out more nutrition cartons for my tube feeding process, listened and watched Rejoice In The Lord service, also The Old Fashioned Revival Hour. This coupled with swallow and shoulder therapy kept me going until 9:30 or so. I also called my grandson, Nathan, on his birthday. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers. 

SATURDAY CHORES

Proverbs 15:1

 A soft answer turns away wrath,

But a harsh word stirs up anger.

Harsh words abound in the language today, they cause anger, hard feelings, and strife.

The words cut so deeply and are hurtful to all and they inflict a deep cut like a knife.

They cause anger and problems too severe to control, and bad feelings are the result,

So no one should ever us words of this kind, no child, adolescent, young person, or adult.

Soft answers are pleasing to our Lord up above, he takes pleasure in those who thus speak,

So next time you are tempted to answer roughshod, breathe deeply,imitate Jesus, and be meek. (RP)

Not too much to report about yesterday. I already mentioned that Rawlie left for home in the morning after being here almost eight days. It was a real treat having him. I spent a portion of the afternoon working on Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. That combined with the scores of therapy sessions and tube feeding schedules, pretty well fills up the day and evening. I look forward to worship at church today. I trust each you has a rewarding day as well. Thanks for praying. 

A DELIGHTFUL WEEK

Colossians 3:23-24  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ

God expects His children to live for Him and work,

And this duty they should never take lightly or shirk.

Whatever we do let us do it with zest; it is for the Lord,

He takes note of all this and be sure for it He will reward.

Be diligent in serving the Lord, dear friend; He will repay,

And you will be blessed as you live for Him, all along the way.  (RP)

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Rawlie's stay at my house ended this morning. He has been here a week. It has been most enjoyable having his fellowship these days. He kept at his work faithfully and long hours, on a special project from his company. Unfortunately, and for the first time, he had problems with the connection on his company program. We do not know if that is due to my modem or an internal glitch in the company system. At any rate, we had a super time and it was thoughtful of him to spend this time with me. He needed the quietness my house provides, while he works on the special work assignment. I appreciate so much his time here. I had a very busy day yesterday with the class and a visit from a friend of long ago at First Baptist Church Ferndale. Thanks so much for your continued prayers for me. 

WEATHER

1 Thessalonians 5:18

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Prayer is acceptable always, and thankfulness ranks very high,

And as we pray, to our Father we draw nigh.

His will is for us to give thanks in everything we do,

And obedience to this brings us joy through and through. (RP)

We can always talk about the weather. It started out HOT a very few days ago, then gradually cooled off.  It was still hot enough to run fans in the house, but it was not excessive.  For the first time this season, I have been running the fan in my bedroom also. It makes it very comfortable for sleep. Yesterday I got all the printing done for my class today at the Center.  I used to study my notes for the class session on Friday mornings. I did it this way for years, but now that I have the Peg-tube and extra physical therapy routines, there is no time on Friday. Rawlie & I were pleased with a visit from Spud and Margaret Monroe, Margie's brother and sister-in-law. They just returned from five months in New Zealand.  Thanks for praying.

ENJOYING THE VISIT

Nehemiah 8:10b;......for the joy of the Lord is your strength

The source of joy for some, is from the things possessed,

But in the end most feel let down and so depressed.

God's way is so much better and surely gives one joy,

Rejoice in God's gift of joy, and your strength no one will destroy. (RP)

It is so nice having my son working for his employer here at my house on his laptop. We had a glitch in the Wi-Fi system, but a reboot brought it back online.  We were relieved.  Because of my strict diet differences, we are  not able to go to  Starbucks like in the past, and enjoy breakfast together. We are praying that will end one of these days. I am grateful for his presence and our times of fellowship, especially after work each evening. I attended our church fellowship last night for awhile, and made more preparation for my Bible class on Friday. As always, thanks for praying.

PEG TUBE DRESSING

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 

What comfort for God's children these commands so strong and clear,

And when followed with dedication bring such blessings and a cheer.

He'll instruct and teach us simply the path that we should walk,

And when we look to Jesus He will gently lead his flock. (RP)

As soon as the Peg-tube was installed in me, I learned that great care must be taken to keep things clean and dry. It has been a learning process all along. I am still learning new ways to make the procedure easier. When I no longer had home nurse care, I went to my family doctor, but they quickly told me they do not delve into this area at all. So I had to go it alone. Now I am accustomed to it, and each shower day, care for it myself. There are even special bandages that we have to change and keep in top shape all the time. What a deal? It is all challenging. I am learning much.  Thanks SO MUCH for praying.

COOLERS

Psalm 55:22  Cast your burden on the Lord, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.

We all have problems of different kinds; God asks that we bring them to Him.

Each one He will handle in His special way, so that your hope will not dim.

God specializes in caring for us, so please let your burden be His today,

You will be safe in His care, and thankful too, that it matters to Him all the way.  (RP)

Evaporation coolers are such a great help on warm days. Rawlie is here all week working for his company from my house. The family room where his temporary office is,was very warm. I already had one cooler going, but decided to get the larger one also.  With the two of them the ambient air was cooled considerably and he could work in comfort. I worked on future lessons for the Friday Bible class in I John. I received more routines for my shoulder exercises and I am encouraged. Thanks for praying.

ABUNDANTLY BLESSED

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

God gives us so much when we trust Him as Savior and Lord,

Each one of these things is far greater than just a simple reward. 

The fruit of the Spirit are qualities all should earnestly desire,

So commit your life to Him, and you will see that it will transpire.  (RP)

I am the recipient of abundant blessings. Rawlie arrived Saturday afternoon, and will be here with me all week. How much better could that get! He attended Sunday School and church with me. Part of his family was also here. What a blessing! Then traditionally we have had Mother's Day lunch at a well-known Greek Restaurant in Bellingham. He asked if I minded joining them, although I cannot partake of the fine food they serve. I wanted to be with them. We had a wonderful time and their family and several other invited guests were present. I am blessed to have such a loving family. Thank you for praying. 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Proverbs 31:28

      Her children rise up and call her blessed;

      Her husband also, and he praises her:

We're blessed today on Mother's Day to honor them one and all

Asking God to help and bless them as upon His name we call.

Mothers deserve to be treated this way on this very special day

For all they do in countless ways their love to family convey.

Children today are arising to bless their mother dear,

And husbands praising them highly for they are so sincere.

Will you join the millions in singing your praises to your dear one,

And prove to them sincerely they really can't be outdone. (RP)

For many today Mother's Day will be a memory because they have passed on. I think of my son whose mother has only been gone a few months. So this will be a different Mother's Day for him. How we thank God though for precious memories. Because I like to do poetry, I wrote 63 poems for Margie the years God gave us together. So today we honor all mothers, and rejoice with all who can celebrate today whether they are with us or not. We plan to celebrate the event both at church and at a local restaurant. Thank you for praying. 

LONG DAYS

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.Psalm 32:8

What provision our Lord has made for us as we walk this path each day,

Instruction is promised with so much more as we look to Him in the way. (RP)

Summer time gives us longer days with daylight. Since my surgery I have had to start the day much earlier than I had planned on. In order to get everything done, I usually get up at six, or before to begin my chores. With the tube feeding four times daily, plus numerous exercises to strengthen and tone my swallowing muscles, and now all the physical therapy for my shoulder, my day is pretty well taken.  With a lot of prayer, which you are helping me with, perhaps one day these weaknesses will be remedied and I will be able to function better. Thank you for praying.  

GETTING READY

Pray without ceasing 

(I Thess. 5:17)

Lord teach me how to pray today

And leave my cares with you

And learn the joy of ceaseless prayer

All the day through. (RP)

Preparing for Friday's class is my main activity each week, now that I am on a more restricted schedule because of the medical issues. For many years I combine with the Bible class a series I call, God's Handiwork in Nature. I bring to the class lessons on one of the million examples of creation wonders.  I enjoy doing them, and the class always wants to know what the lesson will be today.  Thanks for your interest and prayers. 

GIVING THANKS

For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?I Cor. 4:7

The Word plainly states what we have is from Him,

So we better give Him His due,

For boasting is sinful and God is not pleased

When His honor we do not pursue. (RP)

It took me awhile to learn to pray before "meals" with Peg-tube feeding. With no appetite, you go through the routine anyway. But I was forgetting to thank the Lord for this sustenance I was receiving.  Now, four times a day, I thank Him for this nutrition. It has done a mighty good job of keeping me healthy, and I am very thankful. Thank YOU for remembering me. 

ADAPTING

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.Philippians 4:13

Sometimes we are prone to say we can't do it,But this powerful word comes to reprove.

We hear the Lord say that His strength is sufficient, and for us there is room to improve.

Help us Lord depend on you for our needs, And soon we will learn that for each task undertaken We will have strength and the victory through You. (RP)

I am learning many useful ideas as I make adjustments to a busy feeding, therapy, doctor visits etc. schedule. There is more in that word "etc." than I ever knew before. All in all, life is exciting as we learn to get everything done we should. I am so thankful for family and friends upon whom I can call for prayer and other assistance. Thank YOU for praying.

, 

GLASSES

"Blessed are the pure in heart, For they 

shall see God."

Matthew 5:8

I'm glad that Jesus knows each heart and   

does nothing slipshod,

And all whose hearts are pure indeed

He says they will see God. (RP)

I was very surprised yesterday when I received a call that my new glasses were ready to pick up. I just had the examination last Thursday and they were here already. I was glad to get them. My therapy session for my shoulder went well, but I still have found no relief for the pain. Maybe there is none. I will have to learn to live with it. That is okay. I appreciate you who pray for me. Thank you.

SHOULDER

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. 

What comfort for God's children these commands so strong and clear,

And when followed with dedication bring such blessings and a cheer.

He'll instruct and teach us simply the path that we should walk,

And when we look to Jesus He will gently lead his flock. (RP)

I was hoping that by now my shoulder pain would be relieved after numerous sessions with therapist, and many more routines at home. Last night I sat up part of the night with the intense pain. I slept a little. That was a blessing. I will be talking to the therapist this morning when I go for another treatment. I will have to discover some solution, because an operation is not an option, according to the specialist. Thanks so much for praying.

LEISURELY DAY

Psalm 34:18  The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. 

Thank God He is acquainted with our woes, and cares,

And is interested in what is going on in our affairs.

If your heart is broken, He is near, and hears your cry,

So open your life to Him right now; He is standing by. (RP)

As my brother used to say in his Singapore (British) style, I had a leisurely day. I spent a good portion of my time on scheduled duties which are a part of my life now. The other part I studied for Sunday School class.  I had to check on a prescription, and pick up a few items at the Dollar Tree. I learned something new while in the store. They have a website with a vast amount of products listed, many of which are not in the stores. You can order online, and have them shipped to the local branch store with no shipping charge. That sounds good. My son called, as he always does on Saturday and we each got updates of our goings-on. Thank you for praying.

THE LORD'S WILL

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit";

 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." (James 4:13-14)

It is so easy, it seems, to make plans without God,

To do things half-way and completely slipshod.

We would do much better if we ask Him for His will,

Then our way would be smoother, and life a thrill.  (RP)

Throughout my recovery and  the therapies for swallowing, speaking, and shoulder pain, I realize more and more that I lack time to do other things I used to do. I have learned to adjust to this new schedule, but I long to be more flexible, especially to do the Lord's work. I am trying to learn patience in this new pathway the Lord has chosen for me now. I am pleased that the reading of God's word and prayer is more meaningful now than it has ever been. Maybe this is one of the lessons the Lord wanted me to learn. Thanks so much for praying.

Ophthalmologist

Psalm 73:25-26 Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

When we know we cannot continue alone, and when things seem to fail,

And our future seems so discouraging, and we think we are so frail.

It is a blessing to know we have God, and we want Him more than ever,

He will surely gives us His strength, and will be our portion forever.  (RP)

My regularly scheduled appointment was yesterday with the ophthalmologist. For the first time they tested me on the machine that has something to do with checking the status of cataracts. I was pleased when he concluded that if I notice a blurriness in my vision, I notify him and they will do surgery. But at this moment it is not necessary. I spent part of the rest of the day in a multitude of therapies for my shoulder and swallow/speech improvement. I prepared for the Bible class this morning as well. It was a full day of activity, but I am so thankful for the strength and desire to do it all. I also attended the afternoon prayer meeting on the National Day of Prayer.  Thanks for YOUR prayers for me also. 

BY DEGREES

Proverbs 30:5  Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.

To read good books is a worthy cause, and many enjoy this much,

I am thankful for God's Book that so many have to handle and touch.

This Book talks of Him and gives counsel profound; read it today,

You will be glad you did, for it gives help for you every single day.  (RP)

By degrees I am getting back into things. For a long time I was unable even to attend church services, then I started going only to the worship service. After I was stronger, then I included Sunday School. For months Tom Knight graciously taught the Friday class, then I decided I should give it a try. So for the last four weeks I have been able to do it with the help of the nice loud speaker my son gave me. This is to help preserve my voice, according to the doctor's recommendation.  Then a couple of weeks ago, I realized I could attend part of the Wednesday evening Fellowship Meeting, then slip out just before 8 pm, and get  home for the evening infusion of nutrients in my G-Tube. I am thankful to the Lord for restoring me this far and helping me get back into the swing of things. I am still limited, because most of my time it taken up with infusions, therapy and appointments. Lord willing, these will slow down some day and I can get back to normal.  Thank you friends, for your faithful prayers.

MISSIONARY MEETING

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.Matthew 6:6

Help me find the secret place Where I may pray to You,

And surely find your blessings, which I know will not be few.(RP)

The Tuesday afternoon missionary meeting helps us keep up to date on missionary activity around the world. It is a blessing to receive prayer requests, blessings, and news which helps us pray. An offering is taken, and for years different missionaries have been helped through these gifts. This meeting is held the first Tuesday of each month. Laurel Hicks coordinates all the correspondence, and brings us visuals which she projects on the screen for all to see  Please drop by and visit next month.  Thanks for praying. 

SHOULDER THERAPY

Psalm 97:10 You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.

Believers are so very blessed when they conduct their lives God's way,

They are to hate evil, a sensible thing, and He preserves them every day.

He keeps on protecting and delivering us from the hand of the wicked one,

So just keep on loving Him, dear friends, because He never will be outdone.  (RP)

I seem to give a lot of organ recitals since my major surgery. My shoulder which really flared up during recovery has given plenty of pain. so I knew I had to do something. Poor Margie suffered with her bone-on-bone shoulder problem until her death. Mine is not nearly that bad, but hinders me often in ways I use my left hand and arm. Hopefully the therapist is adjusting the therapy routines trying to accommodate to my particular needs. I appreciate him very much.  He added to my routines yesterday, so now I have "scores" of them along with the swallow therapy to try to get done every day. It all takes time and I seem to be running out of that in my daytime schedule. I'll just keep plugging away and one of these days things will get better, I know. I surely do thank you for praying. It means much to me.