Morning Cuppas With Glenys : Change

Showing posts with label Change. Show all posts

While we wait for Jesus

Most of the Christian Church is waiting for the Rapture wherein Christ comes for His Bride, the Church. It will be instant and unannounced. But hardly kept secret.

The Scriptures have told us for millenia about the need to keep busy and keep our hearts prepared as we wait for Jesus. But what should we be doing as we wait?

We are urged to keep oil in our lamps which means to be alert and watching for the signs that Christ is at the door. We are to be spiritually aware and physically pure and holy.

The bible also tells us to be minding our own business and keeping looking up. So how do we do this?

We need to be living in a way that is pleasing to the LORD. We are expected to do these things even if we are chronically ill. As when we were saved, we need to be serving Him in whatever calling He has placed us in.

If we are at home, we are to keep serving our family. With all the turmoil in the world, we need to be loving as a wife and mother and diligent as a home maker.

We are to continue working outside the home if that is where you are called and we are to witness through our daily living that we are Christians who have hope. The world needs to see that we are not moved by world events.

Whilst it is true that we are to mind our own business, we are expected to pray for others, both saved and unsaved and to give a reason for the hope that is within us, if asked. With meekness and humility.

It is imperative that we keep studying the Word, praying and worshiping. We must remember that our redemption is closer than when we first believed and we must keep close to the LORD.

Without clinging to Jesus, our hope will dwindle and we must be full of hope and love in order to firstly function for our family, then the world...

In everything we do and everywhere we go, we need to share the hope that is within us, for the lost have never been more in need of Jesus than now with His return imminent. Time is short.

Resolve to keep close to Christ and to share to others whenever possible that they need to know Jesus as their Saviour NOW. But, be glad for whatever calling you are in now, and keep on keeping on.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

A delightful cuppa

Troubling times bring out the best or worst in us. We are all like tea bags sitting in pretty tea cups waiting to be filled with water to make delicious tea.

We all have the tea leaf of our favourite tea in our bag. But add lukewarm water, and we sit largely untouched and of little use or pleasure to the tea maker.

By adding boiled water, we release the flavour that delights the tea maker and is pleasant to the palate.

In our trials, whatever they are, God does not sit aloof but watches with the love of a father to see how we will react. He wants us to turn to Him in our times of trouble and to trust Him.

Because of His great love for each of us personally, His eye of concern is on us and how we respond. He wants our response to be one of childlike faith. We don't have to understand everything.

It is easy for us to be confident and loving and trusting when little heat is in the water of adversity- but what happens to us when the boiling water of long and extremely harrowing trials come our way?

Do we allow the boiling waters of adversity to steep us in faith, love and trust- or do we give up on our faith and run from God, boiling but lacking tea in our bag?

I don't know anyone who isn't touched by these latest trials in the form of wars and injustices, and I don't know why God allows it and hasn't intervened. But I can say that even though we are afraid at times, that God is not idly sitting by or caught by surprise. He is calling us to Him.

He is watching our reaction, and the world is watching us. How we react to adversity is the benchmark of how much tea is in our bag. Jesus wants us to overcome fear and find our strength through Him.

We don't need much tea: in fact a mustard seed size of faith is enough to move mountains. But we must have tea or we will be useless to others and a misery to ourself because we have no peace.

Let us resolve to keep tea in our bag and to allow the boiling water of adversity to make us stronger! Let's keep close to the Teamaker and be a delight to Him as we lean on Him with the eyes of faith instead of fear.

We want to be steeping in strength through clinging to Jesus! Are you a delightful cuppa?

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12

Androgyny does not honour God

Have you ever walked down the street and done a double-take when someone walks by whose sex is indistinguishable? Doesn't it just grate on you as you search frantically to ascertain the persons' gender? It's almost an unconscious compulsion isn't it?

Why is it so? I believe that God has decreed that all things should be natural. I believe that God has decreed that all things should be natural.It is natural to see a definition of gender, from clothes to hair length to deportment.

When I was ill (under active thyroid/lupus) and losing my hair, I cut my hair really really short in an effort to save it, (which I did) But I remember the reaction of shock and horror of my family when they first saw it! My step-father in particular remarked to my mother that he didn't know how any woman could do that to herself! I later told him of my hair loss problem, and he could see my point.

So strongly did my mother feel about it, that she told me if I ever cut my hair like that again , she would never speak to me! Going against the natural order definitely rattles most people because we instinctively know that God has provided definition of the sexes and is very explicit about gender differences and keeping those differences. In fact, He calls cross-dressing etc an abomination.

I believe that we should dress in a manner that is not only modest, but that preserves the differences of the genders. Whilst there are many opinions on what that dress consists of, I will make a generalisation here, and say simply that our dress should emphasis our God-given gender in whatever culture we live in. I say this because in some countries, a woman can wear pants and still retain her femininity, and a man can wear skirts or kilts and still be distinguishable as masculine. However, there should be no doubt whatsoever in distinguishing our gender.

If it is important enough for God to mention this in scripture, then we should take it to heart and avoid unisex clothing that tries to negate gender differences through total androgyny

So let us rejoice in our femininity and teach that to our daughters and granddaughters, and let us encourage masculine dressing of our sons and grandsons. Not only will society benefit, but it will please God.

The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 22:5

Today is not the day!

Have you ever looked forward to something so much that you inadvertently wish your life away? You find yourself wishing that it would happen today and it almost becomes an obsession.

You find your thoughts are racing with envisioning how it will be and how you will feel and impatience becomes the order of the day.

Often we find that we can't really focus on the job at hand for the day as we daydream and plan. Our motivation can dwindle as well as our peace.

I have been like that, and now that I am a woman of a certain age, I realise that all my pining and planning and energy has actually robbed me of living in the moment.

It is at times like that that I have to bring my thoughts to bear on what needs to be done now. It takes time to train yourself, but it is the only way to actually live productively whilst you wait.

There's nothing wrong with joyful anticipation, and our life would be pretty dreary without something to look forward to, but we must not let it rob us of the joy of today.

I have learned to allow myself some time to dwell on the whatever I am looking forward to and than to bring it under control by telling myself, "yes, when this happens, it will be amazing! I can hardly wait! but today, you must focus on the here and now and live in the moment."

One thing I have found in 70 years of life is that it will come soon enough and I cannot afford to wish my life away. So I open the box of dreams, visualise it, look forward to it- and close the box.

Then I tell myself, "yes, that's so exciting and God willing, it's going to come to pass, but today is not the day!" It's nice to feel the peace and calm in my heart once again, whilst looking forward to that day- and God willing, it's going to be beautiful!

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11a

Taken for granted

And so another week of being at home is upon us. The future is uncertain and looks a bit grim. However, there are some things surfacing out of this that are good.

There is a growing awareness of the value of living life intentionally. Because the Corona Virus is no respecter of age or gender and can be so easily acquired, there is a deeper awareness that tomorrow is not guaranteed. Life is not taken for granted any more.

Our families that live with us may get on our nerves during the isolation, but with it comes a bond or connection to each other as we brave this outbreak.

Social media and mobile phones have been great in bringing us closer in communication, but this isolation has created in most of us a longing for physical contact with those who do not live with us. There is nothing like a hug, and kiss or a hold of the hand.

There has been a greater appreciation of the first responders who truly risk their lives to keep us or our loved ones alive if they contract the virus. They are to be honoured above all others. No longer taken for granted: they are the epitomy of servanthood and sacrifice.

The chance to revive family ties or marriages is here with no work to keep us apart, and intimacy both in marriage and with the parenting relationship have the opportunity to thrive. The family is no longer taken for granted. Nor is love.

So much is changing, but as at Easter, traditional worship was replaced by streamed online services, and social distancing when at the chemist or supermarket are enforced: helping life retain some normalcy and stability.

Rona has forced the whole world to stop and reassess and has found us guilty. Guilty of believing life would just continue as it was and largely taken for granted.

There is so much negativity brought on by this virus, but one thing is positive from all of this: we will never again take our freedom, our worship, our family or our friends for granted.

"So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom" Psalm 90:12

We just have to embrace it

We have been looking for another house closer to family. We have applied for one yesterday and had a phone call from the real estate this morning which sounded positive.

Our fiver got to South Australia to its new owner and they rang us to tell us how pleased they were with it. So that's good.

We are taking our GMC Sierra to the mechanic for a good overhaul Monday and then we will decide what we will do with it. Over here they are seen as a luxury ute and we think a young buck would love it. That's what we are hoping.

My twin and son and granddaughter continue to recover from Covid but are still very much under the weather with it.

I am convinced that our prayers have helped keep my twin. She's so many serious health issues such as lupus and I was afraid for her.

I have done a load of washing, cleaned my kitchen and am about to make some lunch. I have a flare of fibromyalgia again and my spoons are nearly all gone. I will be taking a nana nap soon.

With an imminent move, I am not looking forward to the energy output, however I am looking forward to being nearer family.

I will miss the birds and our feral cat who is gradually becoming less timid as we feed him. We have named him Teddy Bear as his face is surrounded by bushy fur and he is gingery brown and looks like a teddy.

But I know in life that one rarely gets everything one wants and so we have weighed up staying or moving. We have decided that we want to be closer to family, particularly our daughter who has had leukaemia.

With a bird bath/feeder and garden swing to take with us, we will continue to feed the birds as we watch from the swing in the garden.

It's true what they say: nothing is sure except death and taxes. Life is full of change. We just have to embrace it.

No longer taken for granted

And so another week of being at home is upon us. The future is uncertain and looks a bit grim. However, there are some things surfacing out of this that are good.

Our families that live with us may get on our nerves during the isolation, but with it comes a bond or connection to each other as we brave this outbreak.

Rona has forced the whole world to stop and reassess and has found us guilty. Guilty of believing life would just continue as it was and largely taken for granted.

There is so much negativity brought on by this virus, but one thing is positive from all of this: we will never again take our freedom, our worship, our family or our friends for granted.

"So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom" Psalm 90:12

Keeping dainty with chronic illness

I have been ill with fibromyalgia for about twenty years now. In that time, lots of things have changed, and one of them is my personal hygiene routine.

One would think that taking a bath or a shower would be an easy thing to accomplish, but if you suffer from chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, back problems or angina problems like I do, you would realise that it consumes a lot of your spoons. So I had to do a bit of rethinking of my daily routines. I've discovered that one of the places that takes a lot of my spoons is the bathroom.

Because bathing and drying and dressing exhaust me, I varied my time in taking a bath depending on how well I feel. If I have enough energy, I would bathe in the morning, if not I would take a shower before bed as Chris is home and he helps me get dried and into my nightie. (When you are chronically ill, you quickly get over being humbled by needing assistance- you are grateful for any help available.)

I have found that if I take a bath or shower in the morning I am left with no energy for the rest of the day. If I take my shower at night, I have just enough energy afterwards to get myself to bed, which works out much better.

Hot baths or showers leave me too exhausted and give me angina pain, so I take showers with only warm or tepid water. While I would prefer to shower every day, showering is best done every other day for me to avoid flare-ups of pain, fatigue and soreness. I have decided on some new course of action to make time in my bathroom more fibro-friendly.

One of the first things I changed was how I take a shower, or rather, the position in which I shower: sitting. Here I find those telephone type showers are useful. When I get out of the shower, I sit down to dry off.

I can no longer blow dry my hair so by necessity my hairstyle has been wash and air dry for years now. Time in front of the sink brushing my teeth or washing my face has been modified by resting one foot on a stool while standing. Because of spinal problems and being a short person, I have a glass in my bathroom which I fill with water and use for rinsing and cleaning my toothbrush without straining to reach the tap.

I no longer wear makeup, the standing in front of the mirror and the use of my hands in holding the various tools of the task, is now limited to special occasions only; it is too painful a task to do on a daily basis. Also, my face is so sensitive that it breaks out in red welts at the slightest pressure... which includes smearing on foundation. This is called dermagraphia.

The bottom line is taking a shower is a real workout now. In addition to modifying how I take a shower, I am going to follow these 3 rules: I will only take a shower at night, I will only take warm water showers and I will only take a shower every other day. With the employment of a good deodorant after each shower and a fresh change of underwear each night and morning, I have found that I don't offend anyone and remain feminine and dainty.

Life with chronic illness is complicated, but at least I manage to stay clean while living it!

So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

A moment of truth

As a young mother with 4 children under 5, I often felt woefully inadequate as a housewife and a mother. It wasn’t because I wasn’t trying to excel at these things, it was just my perception of myself. There never seemed enough hours in the day to accomplish what had to be done and I often felt frustrated with myself. This changed dramatically one day when I was taken to my friend’s sister-in-law’s house.

It was about 1 pm, when we arrived and although we had been invited to come for a visit, we were appalled by the lack of cleanliness, the untidiness and the obvious squalor around us. But what horrified us most was my friend’s 12 month old nephew standing in a dirty cot, soiled nappy and ragged singlet, crying and flushed whilst his mother sat unperturbed reading in the dust covered living room.

My friend immediately swooped on her nephew and comforted him. She inquired of his mother if he was hungry- she replied that she had given him a bottle in the morning. We looked in the cot and there was an empty feeding bottle complete with flies on the teat. We felt revolted. The unmistakable odour of the soiled nappy was overwhelming and when my friend took it off to change the little fellow, it revealed red blistered welts where his nappy had been. Immediately the child was given a warm bath and his nappy rash was plastered in Vaseline- there wasn’t anything else in the house for it.

All the time, the child’s mother kept reading, seemingly oblivious to us. It was very disconcerting. We opened the fridge to get something for the little boy and it was growing all types of green mould. The milk was out of date. The pantry was under stocked to say the least, and all we could rustle up for the baby was an egg in bread crumbs. He was starving and we were angry and sad.

My friend rinsed out the soiled nappy and singlet and opened the lid of the washer. We exchanged shocked glances as the rancid smell of half washed clothes met our nostrils. As the clothes were going mouldy, we presumed they had been there a long time. And there was no excuse for this laziness, because the child’s father had bought his fiancee a new washing machine during the pregnancy.

That day, I learnt a lot about myself. I learnt that I was too hard on myself, too perfectionistic and unrealistic. My children and home were never even on a really bad day, as bad as that. I learnt that I was not lazy, incompetent, or backward- I was exhausted and overwhelmed. Not so with this girl!

What was wrong with this girl? She only wanted to do what she liked doing- reading. That was what consumed her time and life- books. Not her little boy or her impending marriage, (which didn’t take place fortunately) but just her desires were her life. She could not see anything wrong in that. And she was a very well read and quite intelligent woman. She was to come to see that it did matter indeed.

She told my friend’s brother when it all came crashing around her ears, that she didn’t want to have to keep the house clean, look after her baby and tend to his needs. She wasn’t harming anybody by reading and she couldn’t see what the fuss was about. We were incredulous that someone could be so self-centered and unenlightened about life. And totally indifferent to her child- not even a toy was in his cot the day we visited!

The washing would get done- eventually. The child would be fed- eventually. He would be taken to the doctor when he was suffering earache- eventually- but not before repeated ear infections made him deaf in one ear.

I couldn’t help but see the contrast between the Proverbs 31 woman and her. And I certainly wasn't evenly remotely close to this selfish woman. So I lightened up and relaxed a bit. I stopped being over perfectionistic and settled for a balanced approach. I enjoyed my children more. And I made sure that I never put off doing something just because I didn’t feel like doing it.

Now whenever I see a well-kept baby, I always remember another one- a sad, hungry and dirty little baby boy with a mop of blonde curls and a dirty nappy. And I thank God that He gave him into his Daddy’s caring hands.

Ecclesiastes 10:18 “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through,"

Change often takes time

Just because you are still overcoming your sin doesn't mean you are in sin... you have repented and are forgiven and striving to overcome sin.

For example, I am trying to overcome overeating and I want to lose weight not only for my health, but to please God and serve Him better than I do now, dragging 100lbs of extra weight around.

Gluttony is a sin, and I have repented of overeating, especially comfort foods when I am upset. Now, I go straight to the LORD when I am upset, instead of eating. But even though my spirit has come into submission and I am living right, my body is proving rebellious and slow to come into line.

Does that mean that I am still a glutton? NO. I am just experiencing the depth of slow metabolism coupled with illness and inability to move much to burn off calories. In God's sight, I no longer am a glutton nor someone that gluttony has mastered. I have mastered it, but it is a spiritual battle wherein the physical still has to submit.

Change can take time and is subject to many influencing factors. For example, in changing a house hold routine and disciplining yourself to do more housework, you may have many outside distractions- most unavoidable but necessary, that chip into your plans and time table. Or you may become ill. But if you persist and work toward change, eventually you will succeed.

Old habits sometimes take time to change, but they can change! It is not immediately obvious either. Take trying to stop using unsavoury language. Years of using certain words never bothered you, but God has convicted you about your speech and you have repented and responded.

Suddenly, one of those expletives bursts forth and you find yourself discouraged. But take heart and don't give up on your resolve. It is like a path in a field. By walking in the same place over and over, you find it has become a path and is easier to walk. So it is with changing bad habits and being victorious over any sin. You will overcome in time.

Change can take time and calls for patience. Take planting some fruit trees for instance...you may not see any fruit on your tree, but there is still change and growth. Eventually if you persist in your desire and efforts to change, you will see buds of growth. Eventually there will be fruitful blossoms and then there will be fruit! Continue in your path of change and don't let yourself become discouraged!

I believe a person can change in a grand way if she or he so wishes. With repentance, the right attitude and prayer, we can do it! But remember, change often takes time.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Psalm 51:7

Coping with anxious thoughts

In the wake of the Corona Virus, and political unrest, comes anxiety and fear for the future and for a lot of us-(let's be honest-most of us), we don't know what to do with our days.

Being at home is both exciting and challenging and it can leave us unsure of what to do and how to handle it.

My friend, Mrs Sylvia Britton of Christian HomeKeeper is a very gifted writer. She has blessed me so much with writing her Lists for the chronically ill woman. I follow them most days and they have helped me so much for many years now.

Sylvia graciously allowed me to post her Lists here and on my other blog and I am eternally grateful.

Recently she has written a post which is so very helpful for us concerning coping with isolation and the Corona Virus. Once again, she has graciously allowed me to share this with you. Thanks again, my friend.

Here is what she wrote:

We’ve been in semi-isolation because of covid19 for 4 weeks today. It is very similar to how we live our lives as older, semi-retired people. So, we’re not doing too badly here. I do miss my children coming ’round and I miss all the sweet little grandchildren being here.

It is a little harder for my husband who is newly without a job from being laid off. I say newly, but he’s been without work for 6 moths now. Still, it’s new for him, he has worked all our married lives and longer. So, I think it is a little harder for him to adjust. I, on the other hand have been ‘at home’ for over 35 years.

Since I am an old hand at being at home, I have a work flow, a way of doing things and getting things done, resting, participating in hobbies, chatting with friends online and then doing more work, that he is just now developing for himself. But in all, we’re staying busy.

This is the key to being content during this strange time in our world: staying busy. You remember of course that old saying that idle hands are the devil’s workshop? I also believe that an idle mind is his workshop.

But by staying busy I don’t necessarily mean work, work, work til you drop! What I mean is, your mind needs to be occupied with noble thoughts and good things instead of worry and sin.

It is possible to go sit under the tree outside and rest and still be busy with positive and good things.

Don’t dwell on tomorrow.

Don’t worry about yesterday.

Don’t stress that you can’t do more today.

Just do what you have in front of you to do.

It might be dishes, preparing a meal. It may be reading a book or drawing a picture.

Write that letter.

So, stay busy friends. Find some project that you would like to have done at your house or in your self and work on it. Whether it is a puzzle that has sat on the shelf for too long or cleaning out a room, starting a new Bible study or weeding a flower bed, now is the time to do it.

This will all end and you’ll be able to do more, go places and enjoy friends again. In the mean time, do what you can and do it well.

Wise words and so encouraging. If you want to be encouraged and are a Christian woman, you might want to join her FaceBook group: Christian Homekeepers

Blessings, Glenys

Everyone helped his neighbor, And said to his brother, “Be of good courage!” Isaiah 41:6

Travelling on the path of illness

It's amazing how when you aren't chronically ill how you take so many things for granted. Things like getting in and out of a bath, taking a shower, even toileting when your back is in spasm, bending forward to clean your teeth, standing at the kitchen sink, wiping benches in the kitchen, sweeping the floor or simply bending to pick something up....

It once was an easy task to climb up and down stairs, get on and off trams or buses, walk to the letterbox and push a shopping trolley around the supermarket. Not any more...

Everything we do has to be measured up and spoons metered out before a task is actually done. It certainly impinges on our spontaneity. For us, there usually are lots of ramifications when we have tried to be spontaneous. Pain and more of it!..

Once when we went to bed, we would expect to go straight to sleep, have pleasant dreams and wake up refreshed. Now we often watch the clock go round, drift off if we are lucky and dream of pain as we toss and turn in our sleep, only to wake up feeling like a truck has hit us.

Normals would probably view our hesitancy to do a task as procrastination or laziness, and before becoming a Sacrificial Home Keeper or chronically ill woman, I would have as well... but we simply are adapting to our new normal...

When our illness is invisible like fibromyalgia for instance, we just want to be respected and understood, but inevitably, we are judged. Especially so if we have become overweight because of illness... it is us who suffer from guilt (false guilt really) that unkind judges of our body put upon us. This invariably leads to depression and overeating in an effort to gain energy to move more, or simply for comfort.

I am just so glad that God knows exactly what is in our heart and understands. He knows our frame and we are loved unconditionally- and this is so comforting to us who only know scathing remarks and criticism in this fallen world we are travelling through on the path of illness.

The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed. Psalm 41:3

Tell me something pretty!

In a film I once watched called "A Farewell to Arms", the Italian doctor was sick at heart with all the death and misery around him. He said to a soldier comrade, "Tell me something pretty!" He just wanted to hear something nice, something hopeful, something pretty! He was promptly executed for demoralising the troops.

Our world has been turned upside down, and there's illness, death and mayhem all around us. You may be like me, sick at heart and dismayed and long to hear "something pretty"...

I cannot change what's happening in the world that must come to pass, but I have something pretty for you to cling to- something hopeful, something true. We have a Saviour Who is coming to take us out of this world to live with Him forever.

He has gone to prepare a place for us where we will live with Him. There will be no more tears, no grief, no illness or sin. There will be no more goodbyes, no death, no funerals. Just peace and joy and worship. Lots of worship and joy.

Our Saviour died in our place for our sins and today He lives forever in victory. He's a Lover- a lover of our souls and He dances over us in joy.

He invites the unsaved to accept Him and love Him and He yearns over us by His Spirit, wooing us unto Himself, longing for our union as His Bride, the Church- believers. Jesus longs for *you*

Through the Eyes of Love, He sees us, a perfect Bride and His Father is glad that there is restoration between God and man. Restoration that came through the Blood of His Son.

I will tell you something pretty- no fairytale, though some may call it that- but a fact as sure as God Himself- we will soon be changed in the blink of an eye. We will be clothed with a new body that is eternal, and we will know Love unconditional, for God is love...

I will tell you the prettiest thing of all... it's love and joy and peace and hope and forgiveness and grace encapsulated in one word: I will tell you something pretty- His Name is JESUS!

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

Never out for the count

With all that is going on with the world at the moment, it is easy to feel depressed and worried. But no matter how we feel, we can stand in faith knowing that we are set apart by God. Nothing happens to us that hasn't been permitted by the LORD. It is valuable for learning to trust Him as we walk in our sanctification.

There will be moments or days when sickness or circumstances overwhelm us and we may get knocked down but we will rise again. God has promised never to leave us as orphans. He is before us and beside us.

In spite of our feelings, we should keep doing what is right in the sight of God, and He will bless us and keep us. We will walk in our integrity and bring honour to His Name in spite of our circumstances.

He will pour out His favour on us in ways we never imagined! But sometimes, that will be hard to see as we walk whatever valley is before us.

We may be perplexed, buffeted about and feeling shipwrecked, but as we cling to Jesus and trust in Him, we will never be out for the count!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Any age is precious in God's sight.

So my husband, Chris has been in Emergency at our local hospital a few days ago. Nothing major, just getting his insulin sorted. A registrar who was looking after him popped her head in and asked him a question that floored us.

"In light of your age, we need to know if something happened to you, God forbid, do you want us to perform CPR? Yes? well then I need to inform you of possible side effects of that!.... if your heart stops and we have to do CPR, there's a possibility that you could have fractured ribs or sternum. If your brain has been starved of oxygen for any length of time, you could end up a vegetable..." "At which point, you can then pull the plug!" I interjected.... "Very well, that has been noted!" and then she exited with her paperwork that Chris had signed....

We just looked at each other with open mouths, quite incredulous at what she implied. "In light of your age.." Chris is 69 nearly 70, which is certainly not that old in my book. The implications were that as we are closer to 70 than 60, we are ready to fall off our perch and are not considered of enough value to fight to save.

With recent hospitalisations of my family- aged 67 and over- the reports have been that compassion is lacking. There is a distinct lack of compassionate care which is starkly obvious when compared to past years as a younger patient. Even my (then) 80 year old aunt always said that they let the old ones die. I considered that a gross exaggeration: now I am not so sure.

Our younger generation are being brought up on the idea that the older people in society are a blight on their economy and are easily disposable. Seventy years of age is the cut off point for their tolerance and forbearance. The inference is just go on and die and get it over with!

The government in Australia is phasing in the aged pension only to workers of seventy years of age. In fact, instead of the previous 65 year retirement age, I was made to wait until I was 65.5! Others will have to wait until they are 67 to retire and get a pension: a pension to which they have contributed all their working life. They are aiming to eventually make retirement age 70!

It is interesting that we Australians are considered able to work till 70 but are classified as old and at risk of dying from complications of Corona Virus at over 60! Maybe the young ones would prefer we start dying off at 60? We can't encumber them with more expense or taxing of the health services!

It seems to me that the most vulnerable of society: the unborn and the aged, are getting phased out of their right to live. This just leaves us a window of acceptable longevity from birth to 60 if we are lucky.

There is no delight in a baby's impending birth or compassion for the ill retiree: we are worthless in society and therefore totally disposable.

From the womb to the grave, our worth in the world is based on someone's warped opinion of us. If we don't measure up to standard, we are terminated or encouraged to roll over and die.

Prophecy is unfolding just as foretold: the love of many has grown cold as the love of money has increased. The unborn and aged are precious only in God's sight.

His judgement of us is that we are valuable from conception to death..... Maranatha, Lord Jesus! We are precious in God's sight at any age!

Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:32 and The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness Proverbs 16:31

So grateful tonight

So I have lit the lamps and drawn our drapes. The air outside is cold but our home is warm. The smell of cooking still hangs in the air: a fragrant reminder of a lovely meal eaten in quiet enjoyment.

We watch the flames of our fire and give in to reflection of the day. It has been a good day. With full tummies and grateful hearts, we hold hands and talk. There is contentment in our hearts and words.

Outside we have people in the front lines of health and security- police, doctors, ambulance workers in essential fields of service that ensure our well being and standard of living are taken care of. They are heroes.

But the peace inside our home is closely guarded as we turn off endless news programs and feeds in social media of conspiracy theories and death tolls and predictions regarding the Corona Virus.

We know they are there, but they are not welcome in our home. Our thoughts are brought into the captivity of Christ. We think only of that which is true and good.

As we prepare to retire soon, we are grateful for electric blankets and soft pillows and even for the little cat who loves to snuggle with her family. So many the world over are living in fear of death from this virus, and many are homeless. We are blessed.

As I hold Chris's hand, I am grateful for the absence of violence in my life, for many are living in a place that isn't safe and this isolation for them is far more than inconvenient: it is dangerous.

We invite the Holy Spirit to fill our home, and I refuse to allow anxiety to weigh my heart and mind down: God has us in His Hand and even if I were to contract Rona, He would do what He wills with me. I am ready to go Home in illness or in the imminent Rapture.

Tonight, when I turn off my bedside lamp to go to sleep, I will say what I say every time before I go to sleep or under the knife in surgery: "Father, into Your Hands I commit my spirit!"

And I will fall asleep knowing that God has all things under control. I am so grateful tonight!

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

Staying busy

In the wake of the Corona Virus, comes anxiety and fear for the future and for a lot of us-(let's be honest-most of us), we don't know what to do with our days.