MORE WISE WORDS

 Just sharing a truth from this morning's devotion:

"Fair weather faith is not faith at all."

My mind processed that and I realized it was truth.

Consider....

COVID LESSONS

Ah, yes, another learning time for me....uh huh, covid abode in my body.  I will say that on my day 8, I'm FINALLY feeling more normal.  My covid actually came on the heels of my two sinus infections in three months so I think the residual now is the covid symptoms aggravating the faulty sinuses.  So, in a nutshell, from my neck up, I feel normal.  I have seen an allergist in the past couple of weeks pre-covid and found that I'm allergic to nothing.  Nothing.  So next stop is an ENT to find out what kind of fault is in my sinuses.  Now that covid has come and almost gone, my fine watery left eye is again red and watery.  Did I say I had a partially blocked tear duct before the first sinus infection of the past three months?  In case I didn't, the opthomologist put his ice pick looking gizmo in the corner of my eye and probed and then washed all that out with a syringe attached to a small tube.  Not fun.  So here I am again, looking all watery in the left eye and feeling still pretty weak.   It was me, my Lysol and my Covid for a few days,

So for lessons....hmmmm...

I got the covid directly from my dad whom I took to the doctor ten days ago because he called me panicked because he was real sick.  At doctor's office he tested positive for covid.  Uh huh.  I actually was around him the day before that as I had to take my mom for labs and that was a very long long stressful day and I was interacting with my dad during part of it.  And did I say?  My mom came down with it two days later and I came down with it two days and twelve hours later.  My parents quarantined in their room at their assisted living home.  So I learned what I knew already and you might not know, so I will share.  NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.

I quarantined in my small bedroom.  No, I don't live in a large house but just big enough.  The Good Husband moved my 25+ year old recliner to the bedroom and I spent 4 days there.  Sick.  Again, I knew this but was reminded.....MANY 25+ YEAR OLD RECLINERS ARE THE MOST COMFORTABLE. 

There were multiple calls for me from the medical people at my parents' home.  Problems to be addressed and managed from home, but I endured.  AGING PARENTS ARE REALLY NOT GONNA CHANGE ATTITUDES.  IT IS WHAT IT IS, EVEN IF YOU ARE SICK, TOO.

After I got past day 5, I was certain I was on the upward swing.  Then on day 7, I felt terrible again.  DON'T GET COCKY TOO QUICK.  SENIOR ADULTS CAN TAKE LONGER TO RECOVER WHEN THEY REACH SENIOR STATUS...OR AT LEAST SOME CAN.

I am very weak still and will still need a nap or two but I do know that I am grateful for a good husband who has been caring for me and very patient.  It's easy to be when you are rooms apart but even lately since I'm back in the "real' part of the house, he sees and pays attention to the fact that I am not my normal looking self.  Boy, I must look really scary.  GOOD HUSBANDS ARE A BLESSING.

As I didn't get to go to church yesterday as I planned to do....was gonna sit in the back alone, masked....I watched online and heard a wonderful song service and sermon.  Normally, we all have our favorite songs and a lot of older people enjoy "In the Garden" and I don't dislike it at all, it's just not one I sing when my heart sings.  Yesterday it was led as a congregational song and as I sat in my kitchen recliner with the computer in my lap, watching and listening, something about that song made my already sinus watery eyes water more and fall on my cheeks while my already snotty nose got snottier....and I didn't even mind.  It said, "And He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am his own.  And the joys we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known."  Sweet.

The sermon was given by one of our much loved and much humble ex-pastors.  I missed seeing him in person but I loved the message with the title of "ALL".  He said a lot that I won't go into but he did quote a scripture that I loved that comes from Paul's writings in one of my favorite NT letters, Philippians 4:8 and it goes like this, ".....whatsoever things are pure,  whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report.....think on these things".  That's great advice.

So another week begins.  In our house, we are washing hands, covering mouths, and working to a full recovery eventually.  You wash and cover and stay away from Covid.  It's a booger.

Consider..... 

OLD SPOONS

I have not always had my obsession with old spoons.  I acquired this obsession a few years back when The Mother-In-Law moved to heaven.  As some of her goods were being shared among her children, I found myself looking at a small spoon and couldn't seem to get away from it.  It was a simple spoon and had "Kennestone Hospital"  etched on the end of the handle.  Now since The MIL birthed five babies and had numerous kidney stones with all babies acquired and kidney stones un-acquired at Kennestone Hospital, I was somehow drawn to this spoon.  She either came by it honestly....or not so much.  Either way, you guessed it!  That spoon is now mine.  Not only that but when I eat my oatmeal in the mornings, it's one of the two spoons I use.  Somehow it just makes me happy.  Guess it doesn't take much in this season of life to make me happy.  

Now we fast forward several years.  The Mother knew of my obsession with old spoons and I found one in her silverware drawer.  The Mother and The MIL were a bit different.  The Mother had many more spoons than the MIL.  The Mother just enjoyed buying things and silverware was not exception.  Knowing my "obsession" with spoons, The Mother told me I could have it.  I gladly took it and now I interchange it with The MIL's spoon when I eat my oatmeal.  It's a tradition for me.  Maybe it keeps me in touch with my very loved MIL. 

A few months later, The Mother asked me if I would like to have an old box of silverware of her mama's.  Of course, I said yes and brought it home to live in my china cabinet drawer.    I began to think of those this morning as I ate my oatmeal with the Kennestone Hospital spoon and felt compelled to share.

Here's the goods I have:

The MIL's spoon is on the far right, The Mother's are the other three.  Look at those!  Aren't they beautiful?  The next photo is the wonderful box that the set of silverware is kept.  The silverware doesn't match but I don't care.  Notice that the set is a 24 piece service for 6.   Then notice how the silverware is described....highly polished, longer wearing, needs no polishing, and non corroding.  Now I was thinking that this silverware is probably 100 years old, at least.  It was described as "smart" and "serviceable".  And look at that home economics consultant....wasn't she classy looking?  

I thought of all the times, obviously from the age and use of these, that a family was fed.  Most likely fed food that was grown and processed by the parents.  The times of these humble people were hard times.  This silverware was prized.  How do I know this?  Because the box is still in magnificent shape and probably housed the treasures.  

In the bottom of the box was a guarantee.  Not only a guarantee, but a fancy looking guarantee,

So all this is well and good, you might say, but where is she going with this?  I was thinking of commonalities that I can have with this silverware.  There are many but one is I want to stand the test of time successfully.  Yep.  I want to not corrode and shine with a shine that is a positive joy.  Yep, that's part of it.  

I offer you food for thought in this post.  So enjoy the thought food.  You might even look in the "silverware drawer of your spirit" and eat the food with one of those spoons.  The taste is endlessly delicious!  It's guaranteed.....

Consider.....