It's IMPOSSIBLE! Really?

"Don't the Bible say we must love everybody?"
"O, the Bible! To be sure, it says a great many such things; but, then, nobody ever thinks of doing them. You know, Eva, nobody does."
~ Uncle Tom's Cabin

Sunrise, Sunset

I've been thinking. . . .

Jesus is the Son, right? And His death is a beautiful thing for lots of us, isn't it - perhaps THE most beautiful thing? And the earth was dark when He died, and it was very early morning on Sunday - at the time of sunrise - when He rose from the grave.

So what are sunrises and sunsets if not pictures of the most beautiful story ever told? A beautiful daily reminder . . .
 

Camp



A few weeks ago, I got to spend some time at the camp where I used to work! It was girls' week, and I had the opportunity to give my testimony to the girls. Then all day the next day, I went with them to meals, morning worship, crafts, recreation, Bible study, et cetera. It was great fun!

 

Two of the staff told me they had been having a big pity party until I gave my testimony, but now they were ready to be happy. And one of the counselors said that one of her campers, who had had a rough childhood, looked at her significantly as if it helped her when I said, "No physical or emotional pain is going to last forever if you know Jesus and are going to Heaven."

 

That afternoon I got to help a little bit with dinner. That evening I attended the campers' talent show and ice cream party, and hung out in a room with most of them until midnight talking, laughing, and playing  mafia. The girls loaded me with gifts - 2 dolls they made in crafts, a handmade bracelet, and a heart-shaped rock one girl found while walking.

 

It was an even greater gift to get to hang out with the girls, the staff, and the mission team. But the greatest gift in my time there was feeling like God used me to be a small blessing to some people! I guess, like people tell me, "God isn't finished with me yet."

 

Pray with me for the camp - for the director and his family, for the staff, for the mission teams that come help, and for the campers. Pray for God to ransom souls, and to work mightily in those who are already His.

Run a 5K!

This was my goal; it was on my official bucket list. After I came home from the hospital, many of my friends and family joined me as I "rolled" in one. :) As a matter of fact, the many familiar faces on that day, along with the sunshine and fresh air, seemed to be very healthy for me. It was around that time that I started to REALLY wake up. It was just a happy day. :)

 

Then on Memorial Day, Chick-fil-A (where I used to work) had a Spicy 5K for Hospice, which I was glad to "roll" in. (I walked across the finish line.) The winner, running at less than 16 minutes, was from Uganda. I got the pleasure of greeting him in the African trade language.

 

So my experience says that a 5K is always a happy thing, and of course it's healthy - very. So why not?

 

The Starfish Thrower

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!"

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied,

 "Well, I made a difference for that one."

The old man looked at the girl inquisitively and thought about what she had done and said. Inspired, he joined the little girl in throwing starfish back into the sea. Soon others joined, and all the starfish were saved. - adapted from the Star Thrower by Loren C. Eiseley.