For the Beauty of the Earth

We're taking advantage of the beautiful weather to get out as much as we can.  Last Sunday afternoon, we drove over to Boundary Creek Park on the Rancocas River to hike the trails and enjoy the day.  It was beautifully sunny and the leaves were brilliant.

It's hard to see but that little white spot in the middle of the picture is an egret.  I just couldn't get any closer and even had the zoom on.  Sigh!

Today was another sunny, fall day so off we went to Smithville Park this time.

 

As much as I love the bright yellows and reds mixed in with those that are still green, I can't help feeling a little sad because they'll soon be gone, and we'll have all grays and browns for 5-6 months.  I was thinking the other day that if I didn't believe in a Creator God, it would be easy for me to be a sun worshiper.  I love the sun - how bright life seems when the sun is shining.  

There are a lot of hymns that speak to the beauty of the earth and God's creation:


How Great Thou Art (Stuart K. Hine)
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Refrain
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
            Second Stanza
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees,
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur,
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.


Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (Music from Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, Text by Henry van Dyke)
   Second Stanza
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain, Call us to rejoice in Thee.
 
Great Is Thy Faithfulness     (Music by William Runyon; Text Thomas Chisholm)
            Second Stanza
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Refrain
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.


This Is My Father’s World  (Music by Franklin Sheppard; Text by Malthie Babcock)
This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and  seas, His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father’s world, The birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world; He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.
 

I Sing The Mighty Power Of God (Isaac Watts)
I sing the mighty power of God, That made the mountains rise;
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command, And all the stars obey.
I sing the goodness of the Lord, That filled the earth with food;
He formed the creatures with His word, And then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, Wherever I turn my eye;
If I survey the ground I tread, Or gaze upon the sky!
There’s not a plant or flower below, But makes Thy glories known;
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, By order from the throne.
While all that borrows life from Thee Is ever in Thy care,
And everywhere that man can be, Thou, God, art present there.

  Jesus is my traveling companion.  He is with me every step of the way..My life is a faith walk and He is faithful.

Aha

This past week has seen some beautiful fall weather and we've been able to enjoy it.  On Monday afternoon, Dawn called to ask if she and the girls could come over to play.  Andy and Kira went to the neighbor's trampoline to do their usual romping.  Their hilarious playing attracts the neighbor girls who then come out to join them.  They chase each other around and around, laughing and giggling - it's such fun to watch them having fun.

Tuesday was also a beautiful day so after lunch, we met Dawn at Long Bridge Park for some playground time with the girls and a little hike to the lake.

Kira was our map reader/trail guide par excellence!  And very serious about her role!

I am happy to report that we are in a somewhat stable mode.  Andy saw his urologist on Wednesday (the last doctor appointment on the schedule until the spring!  Yippee!).  We got a very good report at that visit and the doctor said he doesn't have to go back to him for a year.  Yeah!

We saw an incredible number of doctors this past year.  It seemed like every Tuesday was taken up with an appointment to one or another of them.  Andy feels good physically and continues to work hard at his exercises.  "He looks good," and we have to laugh because that seems to be what everyone tells us whenever they ask how we're doing.  

You know, how certain conditions get an automatic response from people.  When a woman is pregnant, the common question is:  "how are you feeling?"  When the baby is born, "are they sleeping through the night?"  etc.  So for us now, the common response is:  "You look good!"

So we laugh and agree, "Yes, Andy does look good!"

I know feeling well is helping him to be more engaged.  He also works hard at entering into conversations, although depending who he is with determines how difficult it is for him to put his thoughts into words.

I was talking with a friend a week or so ago about how often the Bible tells us to be thankful.  

1Thessalonians 5:18:  "Give thanks in all circumstances..."
Philippians 4:6:  "...in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving..."

I was sharing that as much as I wanted to, I just could never thank God for taking our baby boy.  Yes, there were many things in the situation that I could thank God for...especially the experience of the nearness of God and how He ministered to us during that time.  And now that Andy has this horrible disease, how can I give God thanks for this?  Again, I am very thankful for many of the blessings we enjoy even in this difficult time:  friends and family who surround and support us, our financial needs are being met in incredible ways, the place we live is just right for us right now, and innumerable other many things that fit together for us.  

Then it came to me in an "aha" moment.  God doesn't say we should be thankful FOR everything; but IN everything, we are to give thanks.  He doesn't expect us to be thankful for the effects of the fall:  death, illness, hardships.  But in those hard times, we can find things to be thankful for.  Most of all, for His presence and enabling grace to endure with patience and joy.  

I have been reading Paul Tripp's book, Forever.  

He writes some very powerful truths.  This life is not all there is.  And God is not our genie in the sky to make our life easy and comfortable.  He has a bigger plan.  He is more committed to my eternal good than my present ease.  He is in the business of transforming us into the image of His Son.  

"And how does God transform us?  He has chosen to keep us for a while in this terribly broken world, where he patiently uses surprise, hardship, disappointment, and trial to prepare us for the perfection that is to come.  You could argue that the universal experience of people this side of forever is suffering.  God doesn't allow us to be exposed to and personally experience these things because he doesn't care for us, but precisely because he does.  With patient grace, he employs the hardships of life in this fallen world as his tools of redemption.  He knows how self-righteous and self-reliant we can be.  He knows how strong our trust is in our own wisdom and strength.  He knows we think we're okay and the other guy is in need of redemption.  So he leads us into situations that take us way beyond the limits of our own strength and wisdom.  He uses difficulty to expose our weaknesses of character, wisdom, desire, thought, word and action.  And he does all of this so that we will admit our need, cry out for his help and receive his transforming grace."

Oh, I have so far to go.  I am far from mature and complete, so I should consider it pure joy for the trials I am facing because they are working together for my good.

James 1:2-4:  "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Where have I been???

Almost 2 weeks ago, I woke up to a humming sound.  I thought at first it was a smoke alarm.  We had replaced 3 of them the day before and I was a little leery of Andy doing the work.  He insisted he could do it and I didn't argue with him.  So when I heard the humming, I assumed it was because he did something wrong.  Oh, me of little faith! 

I got Andy to investigate and he discovered it was the computer making that noise.  So he unplugged everything.  It hadn't even been on, so whatever happened - it did it while the computer was off.  And the hard drive is completely gone.  Completely!

I know the importance of backing up our data and have a good plug-in back up device.  But as often happens when things go along merrily with no problems, one can become complacent and let backing up slip.  I hope I've learned my lesson - unfortunately, the hard way.  I had backed up on Sept. 14, but I had done a lot of adding and subtracting to our financial data files on Sept. 30 (pay day).  I was pretty bummed when I discovered that our computer guy could not recover that data.  It was completely gone.  Completely!

I prayed a lot over this and asked God to be merciful to me and help me remember the data that needed to be updated.  By checking our last visa bill and the check book, I think I was able to bring everything up to where it needed to be.  He's so good to me and demonstrates his great love by carrying my cares.

So I've been without a computer at home since Monday, Oct. 13th.  I guess it's a good thing I'm still working and can access the computer at work.  And currently, I'm using Andy's lap top.

Meanwhile, life goes on.  Two Saturdays ago, Andy and I drove up to see the Lindsays.  We just sat around in the kitchen and talked.  The two oldest girls joined in the conversation.  The boys were outside playing and didn't even know we were there till an hour or so later.  We love being with that family.  The kids are the best and fun to be around.

Then on Sunday, Oct. 12, we drove to see the Eberly family.  Katy's birthday is on the 10th so we went up to celebrate.  When we came in the house, I said to Katy:  "Happy birthday, Katy."  She looked at her mommy and said, "Am I not 4 any more?"  That cracked us all up.  She is the funniest kid.  I did get some pictures that day.  It was a little cool but nice and sunny.

the birthday girl - does she look happy?

All in all - it was another good time with the grandkids.  They are also the best kids! 

And then there are the Sherf kids - also the best!  We get to see them a little more often.  Kasey is growing and getting bigger.  She recognizes us and smiles when she sees us.  Kira loves to play with her Poppop, and Dawn often stops by the church for them to play in the gym together. 

Each one of our 10 grandkids is special.  I love thinking of them and looking at their pictures.  Some are quiet, some are lively, but each one is unique and special.

Proverbs 17:6:  "Children's children are a crown to the aged..."  (not that we're aged - but we might be some day!)

A Bit of Good News

It's been a year since we got the diagnosis of Alzheimer's, 11 months since Parkinson's was added to the mix and 16 months since the prostrate surgery to fix the constant urinary tract infections.  What an up and down ride but this past week, we were encouraged at his neuropsychologist appointment.  This is the doctor who diagnosed the Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.  Several months ago he prescribed some new meds and suggested physical therapy.  It seems that these in combination have contributed to Andy feeling better than he's felt in a very long time.

He has been faithfully doing his exercises every day and sometimes twice a day.  Exercise is good for oxygenating the blood and contributing to overall health, including brain health.  As we walked back to the doctor's office, Andy and the doctor walked together down the hallway.  The doctor looked over at Andy as he was walking and said, "Wow!"  Then as we sat in the office with him and we told him how Andy was feeling, he actually smiled!  That was significant to us.  How often have we sat in doctor's offices and heard bad news?!  But not this time.  Andy asked the doctor what we could expect.  The doc said everyone is different and the disease progresses at different rates for different people.  But he might stay at this level for a long time.  He is on a pretty low dosage of the meds so there is room for increasing them in the future if it's needed.

Andy has been not only doing his exercises specifically designed for Parkinson's patients, he is also riding his bike again.  The nice weather has been helpful and he rides back and forth from the church to home, sometimes several times a day.  

Oh, it's good to feel good!  Of course, riding to church and back is not nearly up to his 50-60 miles at a stretch like he did several years ago.  I made him promise he wouldn't ride that far - mainly because 1)  he might get lost and not know how to get home; and 2) he might have an accident and be stuck out there on his own.  

Here he is on one of his rides to the shore several years ago!

Biking is in his blood - he loves to bike.  I remember him telling me once that when he was a kid, he saved his money for a very long time so that he could buy a bike.  And now with a sore knee, sore ankle, sore feet and sore toes, biking is about the only exercise he can still do.

clowning around

Serious biking!

In our journey, sometimes people read articles or hear of a new supposed cure for Alzheimer's.  We've had all kinds of advice from coconut oil to you name it.  While I appreciate all these well meant suggestions and ideas, the bottom line on everything I've read is that "there is no known cure."  But this week, we got the best possible cure of all sent to us by one of our dear daughters.  

 Andy now has an excuse to drink beer!  All 5,636 bottles!  After all, this may boost brain power.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/09/30/beer-flavonoid-may-boost-brain-power/

Who thinks up these things?

Presently

As I was walking on the treadmill the other morning, my Bible memory notebook was open to Psalm 116.  I love this psalm because it says how I feel:

I love the Lord because he heard my voice.  He heard my cry for mercy.  

Because he turned his ear to me I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me

I was overcome with trouble and sorrow,
Then I called on the name of the Lord:  "O Lord, save me!"
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
The Lord protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.
Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.

I found a book on the shelf that I had not read before, so pulled it down and found why people have found such hope in the psalms:  "Because these detail the heart experiences of men in fear and doubt and guilt and soul-hunger, describing how they have felt and how God has met them." (from Continuous Revival ~ The Secret of Victorious Living by Norman Grubb)

No matter how bad my circumstances, I can find rest in God.  He quiets my heart because my hope is not found in my circumstances, but in my faithful, unchanging, loving, full of grace God.

Speaking of the treadmill - I decided I wanted it upstairs.  It's pretty demotivating and depressing to exercise in the basement  with no natural light.  So one weekend when several big, strong sons-in-law were visiting, I bribed them to bring it upstairs.  That thing is a beast, heavy and bulky.  But it was accomplished and I enjoy walking on it now.  My view is so much more inspiring looking out on the lawn and nature, as well as watching traffic go by.

In addition to adding the treadmill to the front room, I decided to get rid of the futon and put in a day bed.  When the futon is made into a bed, it takes up so much of the room, there is hardly enough space to walk around.  So I've been having fun re-doing the room, ordering room darkening shades, a day bed, new bed covers.  I really like the way it turned out.  

The futon opened up

The new daybed

The day bed came in a flat box and was quite a challenge for us to put together.  But we managed it finally and were still speaking to each other afterwards!

I'm not sure what to call the room.  There are several possibilities:  the front room, the toy room, the guest room...It gets called any number of things, I guess depending on the mood of the moment.

Last Sunday Amy and Ricky and kids went to church with us, then home for lunch.  Dawn & Tommy and their girls joined us for lunch - I ordered pizza and made a salad.  Amy brought dessert.

Of course, the kids had fun playing together, then we all watched the Eagles game.  It was quite satisfying because the Eagles won.

Whose lovely feet are marring the beauty of this picture???

Earlier in the month, Andy and I took a trip to Berks County to my mother's church because they were having a special service and luncheon to honor her for being a founding member, as well as her faithful service through the years.  All my siblings were there, along with their spouses.  I'm very thankful that we all enjoy being together.  And it was good to see my Mother again because now that she's moved to the assisted living in western PA, I will probably not see her unless she comes back east.

I had been somewhat dreading the trip because our recent car journeys have been stressful.  But it really wasn't bad this time.

A favorite question I get asked nowadays is:  "How is Andy doing?"  I'm very thankful that my current answer is truthfully:  "He's feeling very well physically."  This is a blessing because a year ago, he was at his worst.  He is faithfully doing his exercises that the physical therapist recommended.  He is also riding his bike to and from church.  He seems to be tolerating and thriving from the exercise.  And maybe the medications are helping, as well.  Whatever, we're thankful.  He still is forgetful and easily confused, but it's tolerable right now.  Maybe I'm getting used to the way things are now.  We had a friend who used to say, "You get used to hanging if you hang long enough."

We continue to bask in the goodness of God. 
Lamentation 3:22-23 
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

In one of Ann Voskamp's recent devotionals, she wrote:  "Every sunrise proves the burn of his passionate heart."

If grace is an ocean, we're all sinking!  Great is his faithfulness!

Family Pictures 2014

We did our family pictures a little earlier this year because Amy and family will not be with us on Thanksgiving. 

I thought it might be nice to have green leaves on the trees for the background of this year's pictures.  So we planned a picnic on Labor Day, and since we would all be together, I asked a friend who is a gifted photographer if she would be willing and available to come shoot us!

So here they are:

 

One little girl was very tired and had a hard time smiling or even wanting to be in the pictures, but I guess with this many people to work with, it's amazing if any of them turn out ok.

comic relief:

Crazy family

The ones who started it all (still in love):

We who are blessed, bless

Come, bless God, all you servants of God!
You priests of God, posted to the nightwatch in God's shrine,
Lift your praising hands to the Holy Place, and bless God.
In turn, may God of Zion bless you - 
God who made heaven and earth!

Psalm 134 (The Message)

Eugene Peterson comments on this psalm:  "Because God blesses us, we bless God.  We respond with that which we have received.  We participate in the process which God has initiated and continues.  We who are blessed, bless."

So how can I bless God?  By recognizing his goodness to me and being thankful for all he is doing in and through me.  

I love standing at my kitchen sink and looking out at the beauty of our garden and lawn.   A couple of years ago, I planted a crape myrtle bush in the corner of the house and right now, beautiful fuschia flowers are filling my vision as I look out.  A special treat the other day was the sight of a hummingbird coming by for a nectar snack.  Then other varieties of birds are quite busy at the bird feeders that I keep filled.  There are tufted titmouse, cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, various finches, chickadees, nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, flickers, etc.  Occasionally, a chipmunk helps himself, as well as a squirrel or two.  It's quite entertaining to watch the action - better than tv!

And the lush green lawn reminds me of how we no longer have to hand water our gardens, but were able to put in a sprinkler system that automatically comes on every other day.  Our front lawn was an eye sore for many years, but now it is picture perfect!

I am very grateful for our family.  We enjoy being together and took the opportunity on Labor Day to have everyone join us for the day.  Tommy had to work so he wasn't with us for lunch but left work earlier than usual so he was here for our family pictures at the end of the day.  (more about family pictures in a future blog)

The morning had been dreary and threatening rain, so I looked up rainy day activities on google.  I found a very interesting game and we got the stuff to make it happen.  I think the girls were a little surprised that I would encourage a game like this since it was going to make a mess.  But I thought everyone would have fun with it and I could take the whole next day to clean up.  And isn't it a better goal to make happy memories than to have a perfectly clean house?  The game consisted in stretching a balloon across the bottom of a cup, then using the balloon to shoot mini marshmallows at each other.  

The ammunition

Don't forget the protective eye wear!  Big kids and little kids - one and all - got into the game.

Another blessing is that Andy seems to be feeling as well as he's felt in a very long time.  He is faithfully doing the exercises the physical therapist recommended.  He is also going on short bike rides nearly every day.  Perhaps it's the exercises, perhaps it's the medication, but whatever it is, we're thankful for feeling good.  His memory issues don't appear to be getting worse, or maybe I'm getting used to the way things are.   I admit it's hard to have a normal conversation because it takes a while sometimes to help him understand what I'm trying to convey.  But he tries and doesn't get frustrated or impatient with me (another blessing).  

Several weeks ago, I was feeling very sad.  But I have some very good friends who encouraged me with the Word and their love.  They reminded me to keep my eyes on Him and not my circumstances.  God quieted my heart and reminded me that I can trust him with my life and the things that he allows. 

I don't always sleep well, and one morning I woke exhausted.  In the process of getting ready for work, I was reminded that Jesus knows how I feel.  I remembered that he was up all night after being arrested in the garden - not a wink of sleep, plus being tortured, abused, misunderstood by his friends.  No wonder he fell as he was carrying his cross.  How did he have the strength to go on?  In spite of how he felt, though, he continued on with the work he had come to do.

Eugene Peterson mentions a book on God with the title:  The God Who Stands, Stoops, and Stays.  "That summarizes the posture of blessing:  God stands - he is foundational and dependable; God stoops - he kneels to our level and meets us where we are; God stays - he sticks with us through hard times and good, sharing his life with us in grace and peace."

I am very blessed.  How good God is!