Morning Cuppas With Glenys : death

Showing posts with label death. Show all posts

She's still the same girl

So it's my 71st birthday in a few days and my best friend Ann came to visit me. It was a visit of mutual tears and laughter and reminiscing about days of the past.

We have been friends since we were 11 years old and as we sipped our tea and coffee we joked about how 61 years of friendship has outlasted most marriages these days...

A new grandmother, Ann lamented how she hates being old and wonders if she will even live to see her grandbaby turn 21... and we cried.

We cried that I don't think I will be here when her next grandbaby is born and that the shawl I am making for her daughter might not get to her if I don't finish it soon. I want her to have one for her other daughter's future baby like the first one has..

We laughed about things that happened at school, and cried about trials we both had during our 71 years of life. And we nearly choked on our coffees laughing about the agonies of aging but how the alternative didn't look too promising either!

Our emotions were rollercoasting madly, but then there was a lot of reminiscing and the viscitudes of life were a tad sporadic over 61 years of reliving those days...

We talked about God's answers to particular prayers we had petitioned God for in our families and we recommitted those people to Him...And we thanked God for our friendship.

In parting, we realised how blessed we are to have a true close friend and we marvelled that 5 hours had passed in the visit that went quickly, and we exclaimed that we had had a very fun afternoon.

As I saw Ann off and she smiled and waved as she drove away, I had a flash back of the young girl I used to study with. A few changes in appearance for sure, but she's till the same dear girl I grew up with...

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.- Proverbs 18:24

Memories of a vintage housekeeper

My mother was a good homemaker. Some of my earliest memories were of her hanging out washing on her long line held up by props. She used to boil up the copper and honestly, she had the whitest washing ever. She used Rinso to wash the clothes and Lux Flakes for delicates.

When I was really young, we didn't have hot water on tap, so Mum would boil up the kettle, fill the sink- a single sink- and she used a metal cage thing with slivers of Velvet soap in it to soap up the water. Steel wool was the go for saucepans and the plates were washed with a foam rubber sponge.

Whilst she was washing the dishes, she would have the kettle on again to rinse them. Then we children would dry them for her. We had metered gas by way of a machine with a coin slot in it in the laundry. When the gas got low, Mum would put sixpence or a shilling in it...

We all bathed daily and our hot water was heated by way of a chip heater over the bath. I can still remember fighting over who was the child who was to be seated under it. It was scary to a kid's mind. In fact, I sometimes still dream of it- making sure the water tap was on before lighting the pilot light.

Pride of place in our living room was the clothes horse aka clothes airer. Mum was very careful to air all our clothes and she spent quite a lot of time arranging clothes on it daily.

Mum had it tough too because we four children were bed wetters. She worked very hard to keep up with it all.

With all her neighbours finishing their chores by 9am, poor Mum was still washing the sheets. In fact, when they called on her for a cuppa, she would be flustered because she was inundated with work.

Mondays Mum "did through". She vacuumed, dusted, cleaned the bath and toilet and ironed. She also polished the linoleum in the kitchen with her Hoover polisher. It was quite a chore, with applying polish, buffing it with the machine then redoing it with the lambswool pads. Her Monday routine was as regular as the sun coming up in the morning.

Everyday, she would also make the beds, do her washing, think about what was for tea that night, clean her kitchen and sweep the carpets with a carpet sweeper. Routines were written in stone.

Mum didn't have a car, in fact Dad didn't even have one. She would catch the bus into town and shop for groceries which were delivered to our house. No plastic bags: the bags were brown paper...

I remembered how hard she worked the day I held her gnarled hand as she passed. She certainly loved her home and family...

I am so glad that God honours the hardworking woman. In writing her eulogy, I included that well-known and loved verse from Proverbs 31 and when it was read, everyone of us nodded our heads in agreement and acknowledgement. She was blessed.

Memories of a well kept house we were never ashamed to call home will always be dear, along with the memories of a tired but diligent homemaker and her wonderful serving of our family, and then her second husband's.

Yes, they're happy memories of a vintage housekeeper

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Proverbs 31:28

For my little angels

On wings of love we'd have laid you down,

Wrapped moonbeams round your sides,

We'd dim the light of distant stars

And sing you lullabies.

We'd linger round your cradle

As we'd gaze at you in awe-

To us you'd be as angels

Too perfect for this world.

You must have dreamt of Heaven

For you decided not to stay,

The angels came and took you

As under my heart you lay.

Now Jesus gently rocks you

In His strong and gentle arms,

We know now, little angels,

You are safe from any harm…

Lord, lay them down in a cradle of gold,

Tuck rainbows round their sides,

Cover them with Your angels’ wings

And if they ever cry-

Tell them Mum and Dad are coming

Just as soon as they awake-

Please kiss our little angels, Lord

And love them in our place.

"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10

Remembering my twins, Sarah Robyn and Ruth Glenys Urbani, born sleeping November 12, 1969

Mirror image all the way!

My twin sister Julie and I are not only identical, but we are mirror image twins. Mum said we were placed in a cot side by side and the mirroring was quite noticeable..

We have our natural hair parting on opposite sides, our teeth prior to dentures were mirrored, in fact our dentist put one X-ray of each of our mouths over each other and it was a perfect match!

I have a small mole on my left hand mouth edge and Julie has one on the right. Our profile is perfectly symmetrical when overlapping each other.

We have been known to throw a kidney stone from opposite sides at the same time as well.

We still play the game if someone has an ailment, we know immediately which hand the other twin has a trigger finger problem with- always we guess the opposite to the one we are experiencing ourselves. And we are right!

Mirroring each other has been a part of our life since we were quite young and it seems that it will be until our life finishes... and even in death, we will be mirroring..

Julie is sadly terminally ill with lupus and I have to have more heart stents which I have refused. As in life, so it will be in death... opposites.

Unless the LORD raptures us both, Julie will have a drawn out passing and typically opposite, I will drop like a stone with a heart attack, going very quickly.

It has been fun to be a twin, particularly a mirrored identical one. It is and has been a source of both amazement and amusement. We joke about it and how it will be- mirror image all the way!

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well-Psalm139:14

Like a vapour!

It's been a rough morning. Firstly I woke up feeling the worst fibromyalgia pain I have ever felt. Not a cryer, I cried this morning.

Then I took my morning pills- 11 of them. And they got stuck and melted... so I grabbed my cup of tea to push them down and it was boiling and I choked.

Chris had to pump my back to try and dislodge them. I couldn't breathe and I thought I was going to Jesus right then and there.

As I type, my throat and lungs are burning and closing over... I have lost my voice.

Please pray urgently that I don't get aspiration pneumonia again. I have had it 3 times and am prone to it... I only have one functioning lung..

Only good thing about today is that I can breathe and that the Rapture is so close. Maranatha. I am ready, Father! Life is so short, and it can end so suddenly... like a vapour

If you don't know Jesus as saviour why not ask Him into your life today? There's not much time left and tomorrow isn't promised... Click here for more information...

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. -James 4:14

God sent an angel

I often go to Gethsemane

To watch with You awhile

And I try to bring some comfort,

That is soothing for Your soul...

The horror of what You’ll go through

Sends shivers down my spine-

So I retreat to the land of reality,

In my own space and time…

For the terror is so real to me,

The anguish, pain and dread

Of betrayal and crucifixion

With thorns rammed on Your head...

To think You knew it all along

From words of prophecy-

The wonder of Your saving love

Is the greatest miracle to me…

Each time I’m in that garden,

I’m too afraid to stay-

No wonder God sent an angel,

To strengthen You that day.

‘Then an angel appeared to Him from Heaven strengthening Him’ Luke 22:43

God loves the widow

A few of my friends have become widows. Sad as it is, it is a part of life and I feel for them, but I miss my friends' husbands too, for they were a team and I can't think of my friend without her late husband.

Having widows as friends, I often was asked why God allowed them to lose their spouses and some questioned their faith and were angry with Him. Some even thought that God was punishing them. So in order to help,  I decided to do a study on how God sees the widow..

* He is protective of widows.

You have sent widows away empty, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. Job 22:9

* He is a defender of widows.

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

“who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” Luke 20:47

* He judges those who exploit widows.

And I will come near you for judgement; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien— because they do not fear Me,” says the LORD of hosts.  Malachi 3:5

You have sent widows away empty, and the strength of the fatherless was crushed. Job 22:9

To rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless.  Isaiah 10:2

* He raised the dead because of widows.

Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. Acts 9:39-41

* He honours them.

Honor widows who are really widows. 1 Timothy 5:3

* He provides for them.

Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let your widows trust in Me.” Jeremiah 49:11

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Acts 6:1

* He loves them and wants the Body of Christ to love them..

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

I was glad I did the study because I was able to tell my friends that God really loves them and will be a husband to them and a Father to the fatherless...

For your Maker is your husband, the LORD of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel;  He is called the God of the whole earth. Isaiah 54:5

A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation. Psalm 68:5

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“Little Angels”

On wings of love we laid you down,

Wrapped moonbeams round your sides,

We dimmed the light of distant stars

And sang you lullabies.

We lingered round your cradle

As we gazed at you in awe-

To us you were as angels

Too perfect for this world.

You must have dreamt of Heaven

For you decided not to stay,

The angels came and took you

On the clouds on which you lay.

Now Jesus gently rocks you

In His strong and gentle arms,

We know now, little angels,

You are safe from any harm…

Lord, lay them down in a cradle of gold,

Tuck rainbows round their sides,

Cover them with Your angels’ wings

And if they ever cry-

Tell them Mum and Dad are coming

Just as soon as they awake-

Please kiss our little angels, Lord

And love them in our place.

"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:10

For Sarah and Ruth born sleeping 12 November 1969

Giving the gift of time well spent

As most of you who follow my blogs know, Chris and I not enjoying the best of health. We both are currently battling heart failure, diabetes and obesity brought on by the inactivity that comes with pain and age.

Gradually as the maladies make themselves more known and felt, we are aware that we probably won't make it to our 80th year.

Lately we have written a will and talked to our adult children of our final wishes. Unable to bear being apart, we have decided that we both want to be buried together, and to this end, we are currently getting information about prepaid funerals and plots of land at our local cemetery.

We have discussed Do not rescusitate orders and made our wishes known to our children. They were hesitant to talk about these matters, but we assured them that we need to sort it out, afterwhich we won't talk about it.

My stents in my heart are 15 years old and I am told I need new ones inserted, but I have refused them as the previous 2 angiograms injured me. I simply don't want to have more surgery.

Chris and I have made the choice that there won't be any more harmful surgeries. If I have a bad heart attack I do not want to be rescusitated.

I am ready for Jesus to either take me in the Rapture or call me Home. Either way is OK.

Chris is in really bad health with his own heart failure. I am aware of how little time we may have and I don't want to waste it.

So I am on the computer about an hour instead of all day. I have culled most groups etc but have not culled my friends.

Chris promised me he will update if I go Home. We just cant bear any more hospitals and tests etc- especially when they have done me harm in the past.

I am trusting the LORD instead of man and for the one who is left behind, we are giving the gift of time well spent.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15

Heinous acts

heinous

/ˈheɪnəs,ˈhiːnəs/

adjective

(of a person or wrongful act, especially a crime) utterly odious or wicked.

"a battery of heinous crimes"

synonyms:

odious, wicked, evil, atrocious, monstrous, disgraceful,
abominable, detestable, contemptible, reprehensible, despicable,
horrible, horrific, horrifying, terrible, awful, abhorrent, loathsome, outrageous,
shocking, shameful, hateful, hideous, unspeakable, unpardonable, unforgivable,
inexcusable, execrable, ghastly, iniquitous, villainous, nefarious, beneath contempt, beyond the pale;

With the advent of the latest abortion law passed today in New York which allows abortion of a baby for any reason until its due date, and now allowing infanticide of a child up to 28 days after birth, I thought this word heinous described it to a tee.

To wilfully kill a child that is viable and days away from being full-term is murder, pure and simple. To kill it post birth is an abomination. I cannot fathom the depth of depravity of the carrier of the fetus- I refuse to call her a mother, that she could nurture the life within her only to terminate it just before it comes to see the light of day.

Not that the length of gestation matters because a person is a person from conception. But to feel that life within, to endure any hardship socially, physically or financially until the final hours of that pregnancy and then to kill that child beggars belief. I simply can't fathom it. The darkness of the mind of that "mother" is perplexing to me.

Furthermore, the very act of abortion at any stage not only brings death to the baby, but potential death to its carrier, and a very real grief in most women at some stage later in their lives. There is also an increased risk of breast cancer in women who have had abortions..At a late stage like the third trimester terminations, surely it would be better medically if the woman just gave birth and relinquished the baby?

Surely having endured a pregnancy with or without social or financial pressures and having felt the child's movements and steady growth, there would be some interest in the baby's future, and well being? Sufficient to birth it and give it up for adoption? There are so many people longing to have a baby or adopt one, but sadly there are not enough children given the chance of life to meet that need.

I am flummoxed to understand how medical people can inflict such violence on innocents. Human life to them must be so cheap! And as they hold a new family member in their own arms, I wonder if the faces of suffering children they have destroyed come to mind, and if so, does it not move them? I suspect not.

I know I am not alone in feeling sadness, anger and dismay at the destruction of so many babies, and I also know that it strikes at the heart of most people, both saved and unsaved. But I cry for how Father God must grieve for each lost child and for their lost "mothers", for a woman who can destroy her child on a whim is lost until or unless she repents and seeks God's forgiveness.

I truly am in despair for the world right now. It has sunk to an all time low as the fires of Moloch on which innocent children were sacrificed reach an all time high.

Let us all pray for this law to be repealed and for the saving of the innocents. Let us pray for women tempted to utilise these heinous laws that they are given a heart of flesh instead of stone. For make no mistake, this heinous law is a crime against humanity and God. Maranatha!

Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Isaiah 44: 2

Always His!

I have had some times in my life where I have thought I would die. Surgeries for my heart, illnesses wherein I couldn't breathe, and an incorrect diagnosis of a terminal illness have seen me glimpsing death and had me question if I am ready to be with the LORD.

In facing death a few times, I have experienced immense peace in knowing that Christ has me in the Palm of His Hand and that should He call me Home to Him, that it would be instantaneous.

Alive or not, we are His. We belong to the LORD Who also numbers our days. It is a great comfort to remember that when my health continues to fail.

I am afraid of the manner in which I will die, but not of death per se. I have been the LORD's since before my birth and I will be even after my last breath.

His sacrifice has paved the way for us to not be afraid of Hell or with dying. We are forever His as soon as we accept Him as LORD and Saviour.

So in keeping with that, we do not have to fear world events either as we await for Jesus to come back for us. The Rapture will be instantaneous, should He take us Home with Him through that means.

Let us not give in to fear with current events and pandemics, but live in peace and security. That security and peaceful assurance is yours too, if you accept Christ as your Saviour.

We are loved by God and are His Children forever. Eternally His. Instantly. Dead or alive.

For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. Romans 14:8

Chronic illness can't take these things from us

Chronic illness has the power to rob us of joy, movement and motivation and can place such a strain on us and our families that we actually grieve for the life we once had. Yet, it is limited in what it can take, and here are some things it cannot take from us...

It cannot take our salvation from us
It cannot take our love for God or His love for us,
It cannot take our honour, or respect or strength of character.
It cannot take our courage, our motivation or our hope...
It cannot take our honesty, our faithfulness to God and family,
It cannot take our robe of righteousness or God's Spirit within us.

Trying as it is, chronic illness cannot destroy our walk with Christ, or preclude us from serving God in prayer and kindness, even from our bed... It cannot rob us of seeking communion with God or lifting our arms in worship or raising our voices in song...even if we are just mouthing the words...

Chronic illness can take our joy at times, and perhaps our life, but only on the day and hour that Christ allows it. And the day it does take our all, chronic illness will be replaced with unimaginable joy as God gives us our robe of righteousness and our eternal reward... another thing that chronic illness can't take from us!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulations, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35

Her Kinsman-Redeemer

Through new-born eyes the infant King stares at Mary's face,
Her deep brown eyes drinking in the sight of Him-
His tiny hand clasped strongly around her finger-
The first touch of God incarnate amongst man.
He is God's own Son-
Her Kinsman-Redeemer.

Through pain-filled eyes the crucified King stares into Mary’s face again,

Entrusting her into John’s care-

Longing to reach out to her with His pierced hands

To bring her the comfort of God -

He is her own Son-

Her Kinsman-Redeemer.

In death His glazed eyes still behold her and all mankind for whom He died,

His bloodied hand now resting on Mary’s shoulder

Comforting her as she cries in her grief –

Even in death loving her,

Her victorious Saviour and evermore

Her Kinsman-Redeemer.

“When Jesus saw His mother, He said, ‘Woman, behold your son!” John 19:26

No mojo with fibro

So leading up to Christmas, I had my 9 year old granddaughter Taylah, stay with us until Christmas Eve, when she would be taken home in plenty of time for Santa to come.

I promised Tay that we would make Christmas cookies make cubbies, play school, go swimming and have a play date with her cousins.

Day one started out well and we played school, office workers and shop keepers. I showed Tay how to touch type, taught her a bit of Italian and French in a fun way and then I promptly ran out of spoons.

I simply had to give in to the pain and take some Tramadol to keep going. I made some lunch and felt like I might pass out. Dizziness assailed me and I felt vomity. Probably the Tramadol.

I had to explain to Tay that I love having her here, but am not well and I need to take a nana nap. She got a crash course in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

She had lost her paternal grandmother last week and was very anxious about me so I didn't want to frighten her too much, so I said that if I don't go to rest for an hour that I would not enjoy her stay because I would be cranky. If I went to bed just for an hour, I would enjoy it so much more, and so would she.

As she accepted this fact, she immediately bombarded me with "but I thought we were making cookies, playing out side and making a cubby house?" I told her we could do all that if I took a nap. She said OK then got her ipad out. I went to bed and allowed the Tramadol to do its magic. It didn't.

No, it didn't do anything except make me nauseous, even after a 20 minute nap. That was all I got. So, I got up, made us all a cup of tea and sat down with Chris to watch a video he wanted to show me.

Taylah pouted and demanded to make cookies, as I had had a nana nap. Groaning, I got up and started taking ingredients out to make the cookies.

After that, I was too exhausted to clean the kitchen. I cooked dinner and then it was time for Tay to have her bath. That wasn't a big deal as she's nearly ten, but she wanted me to play MacDonalds with her, so I got some wooden spoons and plastic cups for her to play with.

I sat on my shower stool and bought some Big Macs,"no pickles, no onion and a soft serve cone for my daughter." We blew bubbles with the Imperial Leather soap and I did what Fibromites do best: I tried to hide my pain and pretended to have a good time.

By 9 o'clock I insisted that Tay go to bed and I joined her. Before we went to sleep, she told me she missed her mother and wanted to go home.

In the morning, she assured me she loved being here and she loved me but wanted her mum. I told her I understood and that it was fine. We would take her home. She was humming to herself as she played teacher and when I went to the fridge, I found a love note from her to me.

I was glad as I worried she didn't stay with us longer because I was a boring old lady. And I fear I am. Cos everyone knows there's no mojo with fibro.