Wings Like Eagles

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I had the most fantastic thing happen to me Sunday morning.

On Sunday mornings, I’m usually in a rush to get ready for church. I enjoy chatting with G-Man so much, I put off heading upstairs as long as possible. This past Sunday was no exception, EXCEPT I received a text or two from Sister Debbie, updating me on her granddaughter’s condition. (RSV is so scary!)

I wrote her a quick text back, “God’s gonna heal that baby,” then quickly slapped on my makeup. BUT I forgot to send the message.

Like I said, I was hurrying. I didn’t look at my phone again. Just grabbed it and stuck it in my pocket. When I got in the car, I put it in a cup holder so I wouldn’t accidentally take it into church with me. (My ringtone, Bad to the Bone, during communion ain’t a good thing.)

I headed to town. On the way in I have to cross a bridge that goes over an arm of Keystone. Much of the lake has silted in, and with the small amount of rain we’ve had lately, that particular part is often dry. For the last few weeks, there has been water.

I started across the bridge, and just as I did a beautiful bald eagle flew up, right in front of me. Not low enough that I could hit him (thankfully) but right in front of me where I couldn’t miss him.

So close, I could see the individual white feathers, that covered his head. He shot skyward like a rocket, zooming nearly straight up into the air. Wow. WOW!

I had to tell Gary about it. Picking up my phone, I turned it on and saw that the text I’d written to Debbie was still there. Unsent.

If you watch for eagles in this area, we often see them, but usually it’s from far away. They circle overhead or are far away, sitting on a nest. This one was right in front of me, ready to shake my hand!

I think my eagle visit just might have been a wake up call. I needed to send that text to Debbie (more for me than for her.) Mr. Eagle reminded me, so I sent it. (Then I called G-Man afterward.)

There’s a Bible verse that’s been very special to our family since May 20, 1991 and it came back to me that morning.

 Isaiah 40: 30-31–Even youths grow tired and weary,  and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;  they will run and not grow weary,  they will walk and not be faint.

I hope you, too, are renewed!

 

 

Today, I’m Praying

It’s nearly February, and we haven’t had winter yet.

Weird, I know, but it’s not the first time. Every few years we have a really mild winter, then we get punished for it. Mother Nature gets us back by sending us lots more tics and other nasty critters.

And the next winter we get heavier than usual ice storms and snow falls.

I know the weird weather cycles have happened several times in my life, but the year my middle son was born really stands out in my memory. I remember going to a friend’s house for our Philomathic Study Club meeting.

The group was made up of women of all ages from mid-twenties to one hundred years old. (At least they seemed that old at the time.)

On that beautiful winter day, I took my three month old son and walked the few steps to the friend’s house. And as luck would have it, I was privileged to sit next to one of my favorite (also one of the oldest) members.

We talked about how beautiful the weather was when she said, “That’s what scares me.”

“A beautiful winter scares you?” I was surprised. “Why?”

Her sweet, quavery voice took on a steely tone. “The weather was just like this when everyone died of the influenza, back in the 1920’s.”

“Do you think the weather made them sick?” (Wouldn’t that be an odd superstition?)

She laughed softly. “No. But with the weather this pretty, everyone wants to get out and about. They go to church, visit with each other in their yards, go shopping and to social events. Even those who’re getting sick and don’t recognize it want to get out, and those poor folks share their germs without ever realizing they have.”

I keep remembering that conversation because right now, the hospital in T-Town is full of babies, sick with RSV.

Writer and nurse Jackie Kramer talks often this time of year about dealing with choking babies. When my niece had to put her baby in the hospital last week, I grabbed the phone and called Jackie.

Not only is she a great writer, nurse and friend, she’s also very good at calming Nervous Nellys. Who knew being a calming influence was a prerequisite for a peds nurse? (Answer: Me!)

Me: What does RSV stand for?

Jackie: Respiratory Syncytial Virus. You know what respiratory and virus mean.

Me: What’s Syncytial mean?

Jackie: Who knows? The point is, it’s a sick baby, and the hospital is the best place to take care of them.

She kept talking, telling me how the treatment would make our baby (she’s my great-niece, so I claim her) feel better and breathe easier.

Jackie: It’ll be much harder on Mama than it is on Baby.

Me: Mama and Grandmommy. My sister is there with her, and probably as upset as the mama is.

Jackie: (chuckle) They usually are.

I haven’t been to the hospital because they requested no visitors (RSV is one of the reasons I don’t go around new babies for a few months if I can help it) but I’m so thankful for the nurses who work overtime, saving those babies’ lives. And calming silly great-aunts who call to find out why.

(Ooh, I kind of like being a GREAT aunt. Sounds like I’m good at something.)

Preacher Dave said in church yesterday that we have between 7 and 10 kids who are in the hospital right now, so I wonder if it’s not like the spread of the influenza in the ’20’s. From newborn breathing problems to RSV to back surgery to bacterial spinal meningitis, our kids are being hard hit.

Today, I’m praying for the kiddos, nurses and docs and thanking Him for giving us all three. Who are you praying for?

Sunday Spice

Indian Territory Sunday School

In case you’re wondering, the picture above is from the time before Okie Land was a state, which happened in 1907. And no, I’m not in it. 🙂 I like to think I would have been, though.

When I was a kid, my family almost never missed church. If it was Sunday morning, it was understood by the entire family that we’d be in Sunday School and church. (Sunday night and Wednesday night, too.)

We didn’t get up and ask if we were going. We knew. We didn’t get to stay all night with other people on Saturday night, because it was like a school night. There was someplace we were going to go the next day.

Church.

When I was very young, everyone went to church. All the time. If someone I knew didn’t go to church regularly, they didn’t admit it. That just wasn’t acceptable in our Small Town World.

When I was in 5th or  6th grade, I met my first classmate who belonged to a church that was very different from ours. I knew it was different because she didn’t stand up when we saluted the flag or heard the National Anthem. But she went to church.

Things changed drastically after that. People moved into C-Town who didn’t go. And didn’t care. Talk about an awakening for this small town girl!

Today, fewer and fewer people go to church. Most of the people I know believe in God. They just don’t enjoy corporate worship, so they don’t go. Or they’re too busy to go. Or they can’t remember where their letter is. (My aunt told my mama that once. I’m not sure what it means.)

I look forward to Sunday worship. For me, it’s a time of refreshment and renewal. A time when I can focus solely on the One who LOVES me so much, He died for me. He paid the consequences for MY sin, even though He’d never come near sin.

I started to name this blog SWEET SUNDAY, but just now changed it to SUNDAY SPICE. Why? Because when I think of worship, I don’t get a sweet, devoted, laid-back feeling like the nuns in an old movie.

I get jazzed. I love singing praises to the King. Love being with others of like faith. And I love, love, love learning from Preacher Dave.

I don’t speak in the language of angels like Paul or dance before God like David, but I absolutely understand why they did. Our worship service is very well planned, but I’m absolutely thrilled when everything stops so we can spend time in prayer with a hurting saint. Or someone comes forward and is baptized into Christ.

Sundays spice up the rest of my week. And I’m very grateful it does!

HUGS for You!

Did you see what I got? Over there on the far, right hand side. Wait. I’ll show you.

There. Isn’t it pretty?

I was nominated for the award by The Island Traveler. Thanks, IT! And thanks, Connie Wayne.

What is a Hug award?

I’ll bet you thought it’s because I’m such a good hugger. I am, but that’s not why I got the award.

A hug award is given to those who through their words, thoughts and actions gave,

Hope for Love, Freedom, Peace, Equality, Unity, Joy and Happiness, Compassion and Mercy, Faith, Wholeness and Wellness, Prosperity, Ecological Preservation and of Oneness.

Pretty cool, huh?

I’ll be watching for someone to pass the HUG award to. Let’s see. Whooo will it be?

I picked this up over there, too. Cute, huh?

Look again at the heart/globe. When I saw it, Matthew 28: 19-20 came to mind.

¹⁹Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Those are Red Letter words–Jesus is talking.

 

What Do You Call It?

In honor of Alpha and Omega’s visit to Ted’s yesterday, I’m going to share my recipe for Taco Soup. (Mexican flavor, low calorie. LOL)

This soup actually has lots of different names. It’s a Weight Watchers recipe my friend, Marilyn Pappano, shared with me several years ago, and she called it just that. Taco Soup. (I believe she told me it had a point a cup. Makes me wish I could live on Taco Soup.)

My family doesn’t call it Taco Soup. The concoction has three cans (at least) of beans in it. You can guess what we call it! LOL.

Walking Buddy, Carollea calls it Chili Soup.

If I’d invented it, I’d have named it Can-Can soup. 🙂

Here are the ingredients:

1 lb hamburger
1 Can chili beans (undrained)
1 Can pinto beans (undrained)
1 Can red beans (undrained)
1 Can corn (undrained)
1 Can Rotel (undrained)
1 package taco seasoning
1 package dry Ranch Dressing mix

Brown hamburger meat, drain fat. Add beans, corn, Rotel, taco seasoning and Ranch Dressing mix. Bring soup to a slow simmer and cook for half an hour or so. (Or just until it’s hot–depending on how hungry you are.)

No matter what you call this soup, I call it good!

What would you call it?

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