letusgive!

December 29, 2019 I have no idea as I’m writing this the last time I posted to my blog. A long time. I usually say—and will again life is good but God is way better. Still true in my mind, heart and life.  But today I’m thinking of my Mom. On this day 4 years ago my Mom passed away. I was there. I can hear the sounds, smell the smells and taste the salty tears like it was yesterday.  I see and hear of other people’s grief. And all I ever know to say is my heart hurts and that it is numbing. We are human after all and we die. Those that die...go on. At least I believe strongly in heaven and hell. Those that stay on this earth...go on somehow. Walking numbly through stuff that needs to get done. It kinda sucks.  And then I go back to my beliefs and I do have hope. I do have hope in tomorrow, in God being right next to me—walking, talking—even carrying me sometimes. When I’m numb, maybe He isn’t carrying me but sometimes I break and then He carries me.  So this week

Some people ask what a ‘normal’ day looks like for me.     Not sure I know how to answer because the last 3…no, almost 4, months have flown by me- crazy!     I’m not quite sure if I know who/what/when/where – but I DO KNOW that life is good, and God is waaay better. So – today – woke up really early because Dude decided he was hungry at like 4:00 in the morning and he sounds like a baby dinosaur when he’s in my room and cannot get out (door was closed due to guests being in the house).  So, I fell back to sleep on the sofa after he settled down.  Not so bad…got up eventually (not a morning person) – checked emails, breakfast, read etc…9:30 SKYPE.  That’s a big part of my life over here…SKYPE.  We live and work all across Central Europe so our main communication is via technology….a beautiful thing J .  That SKYPE created a few things that had to get done administratively so I took care of those and then left to meet Edina with Salvation Army.  We went out to the streets today…ser

Time to step back a bit…Life is good and God is way better…and how do I know that? Advocacy – I have found that I have many advocates.  I have had many in my lifetime…many, of course, have been through work.  I can name several people that have advocated, had my back, went to bat for me – whatever terminology you want to give it – but it’s awesome and it’s a privilege.  Not everybody has advocates. I was sitting in a hospital room in Krakow, Poland – visiting my Dad who was just about going crazy being there. He had some bad days but was healing and ready to be released.  But…in the other beds of the same room – people didn’t have visitors or people talking to the doctor/nurses like my brother had been for the past 14 days. Did they have as good of care?  I tend to think not – but it broke my heart really.  I’ve had a few occasions in my lifetime being in a hospital and not feeling so good…heading outside for fresh air and a chance to breathe.  I did that a couple times in Kr

January days...life is good, God IS way better! I’m sure I’m missing something but here it goes... --what a wonderful Christmas/New Year season it was! Family, fun, food, friends, fellowship - perfection! —flying in a plane that notes how far and which direction Mecca is on the flight map. At the same time noting how much time until the next prayer —flying on a plane that starts the safety announcements with the travel prayer from the Koran  —learning to bring my hands together and a little bow to show gratitude and greetings (learned from others in this culture which brought tears as they greeted me) —experiencing a ride on what I call a tuktuk but correctly named an auto rickshaw.  —riding in the ‘auto’ the wrong way on a major street..horns blaring at us until we could cross.  —eating with, singing/dancing with and just being in gatherings with amazing, kind, thoughtful and giving people from 67 different countries (out of 195 in the world) —rooming in a ‘dorm’