NUN Too Many (The funniest thing I have seen lately)

I have received a challenge from Peggy at http://dayofthelily.blogspot.com/
For, The Funniest Thing I Have seen lately.

Actually, it is not lately, but I reminisced on this, having a good laugh with a friend yesterday.

NUN Too Many
While studying at the Australian Catholic University I was sent on assignement to work in a Catholic Hospital in far north Queensland.
My mentor at the time was a much younger obnoxious nurse who bullied everyone, including the doctors.
It was a busy day in Surgery, I had been runner for the first operation and now I was Scrub Nurse.
As time progressed the language from all became more torrid, with swearing, dirty joking and soft laughter. I remained in stunned silence,  intent on the job at hand.
When a lull came in the conversation the Surgeon asked me.
"Well Crystal, how come your from The Catholic University?"
I was momentously lost for words.....
Was I suppose to crack a joke? ...I wasn't sure ?
Then suddenly I blurred out.
Well...... Maybe..... I'm an ex-Nun!
Dead Silence....
There is nothing in the world..... as quiet as silence!
My heart thumped, my face flushed red! and was I ever glad to be wearing a face mask.
I knew I had to own up I was only joking......... I couldn't look at anyone for a moment. And when I finally did, I saw stunned SHOCK!
Time Stood Still!
The faces on that professional staff was the closest I have seen to Fright!
I'd put the fear of God into the lot of them.

The obnoxious R.N. was the first to recover....
"Oh Crystal, I'm so sorry for anything I have said or done wrong, please forgive me!" she flustered.
The other four staff also began to appologise for their language and crude jokes.

"I'm a Catholic," one stammered.                                                            

"I go to church," admitted another..

I smiled to myself....God has a sense of humour, so who was I to disallusion?                 

So I kept the secret to myself, and life in Surgery, while I was present, became much more tolerable.

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm19:14)

Embrassed in The Word

This picture by Laurie Thompson has been wonderfully portrayed.
I imagine my own self being embrassed here.
Jesus IS the Word of God... who reaches out to each one of us, to wrap us in His tender love.
How can that be? Some may ask.....what of all the horror in the world?
Why do we have illness and disappointments, war and calamity?

THANK GOD!!! He didn't make robots, but gave us all, a free will.
In that free will we walk our own walk and make our own choices...
ACCEPT, when we constantly place ourselves before him, and ask Him to take over.
Some of OUR wrong choices.
Choices of what to eat, even though it may make us ill.
Choices of driving recklessly. even though we kill.
Choices to be selfish or condemn others, so we have no friends.
Choices to lie, steal, rape, molest, cheat and destroy ourselves.  

When working as a professional health carer I always began each day on my way to work, using a prayer from His Word.

You may well ask why I chose this particular verse.
So lets look at what it says.....

"Let the WORDS of my mouth."
Our words effect others, for good or bad.
We hold a powerful tool in the shape of our tongue.
This tool can have a will of its own and speak out of reason...it can speak with pomp, it can speak in spite and pride, OR it can speak in humility...
There is life and death to the listener, in the power of the tongue.
So, it is best to keep it under control at all times.
It is best to THINK before you speak...
To encourage and lift up the listener, instead of caste down.
And if someone is rude to you...
Nothing said in return, speaks a thousand words.

"And the Meditation of my heart."
My words may say one thing, while my face reflects another....
Imagine me saying to a patient, " You are looking so much better today."
While my face looks on in horror,  mirroring.... I don't believe my own words.

"Be acceptable in thy sight Oh Lord."
If Jesus was standing right beside me when I opened my mouth, would He be glad, or would I make Him sad? 
I desire that what proceeds out of my mouth, brings a reflection of who I am in Him...."My Rock and My Redeemer."

For without Him,
I mess up,
and I am nothing.......

A Love Story

She was a beautiful girl and a delight to his ever watchful eyes. These now roamed over her lithe young body. She was modestly clad in a cream linen robe that enhanced the tawny eyes and rich chestnut platted hair hanging over her shoulder. Catching his look she smiled then lowered her gaze to hide the flush of colour rising to stain both cheeks..
She was new to this town, and prepared as any stranger to be the center of attention. Women watched as she walked by, cupping hands over mouths as they gossiped in wonder.
"How could Naomi dare to bring that Moabite pagan here?"
The man looking on, stroking his beard in contemplation.
His thoughts wandered down a different direction.
"Ah, if only I were a little younger, what a pleasure it would be to ask for her hand....I am a relative of her mother-in-law after all."
His whisper soared Heaven bound to the ear of the Father. While his watchful eyes scanned sunlit skies.

The Story Of Ruth.
A love story, a Bible story, rich in devotion, loyalty and love. 
It may be a little different to the one that I have portrayed here, but one needs an imagination to SEE, the richness of God's beautiful Word.

For instance, how old was Ruth. She was a wife to her first husband for approximately ten years. So perhaps she was about twenty eight.
Boaz we are led to believe was much older, but how old?
I'd like to think he was younger than Ruth's mother-in-law Naomi.
So I place him as perhaps forty five, with Naomi closer to fifty.
Not that old, in this day and age.  

He was a man of integrity, upstanding, kind, considerate and gentle.

I love this story because it shows true unselfish compassion and consideration. 
It also shows Gods reward to those who strive to do what is right. 
Against all odds, two lonely women, from different backgrounds, cling together in mutual respect and love.
Because of their loyalty to one another, God blesses them beyond all expectations. 
Down through the ages, the linage of Jesus Christ can be traced back to the woman called Ruth.   

Read the Story of Ruth in "The Book of Ruth" in the Bible.

A Memory for Sepia Saturday

I love reading all the nostalgia on the Sepia Saturday posts so here is one of my own.

I vividly remember the day I turned five years old.

 It was three days before Christmas and my mother took me shopping on the bus to the nearest town, seven miles away.
I always thought it such a long way. Three buses ran every day accept Sunday. It took half an hour to get there. Having a birthday so close to Christmas meant it was lost in all the other preparations, but mother brought me a shop cake to share with the family that day. I felt so grown up and proud.

The new year of school begins in late January in Australia, following 6 weeks of Christmas holidays over the summer.  The photo above is of the school I attended.
It was only a two room two teacher school with approximately twenty students ranging in age from five to twelve years.
The building in the foreground of timber floors and walls with tin roof was all there was then.
It was raining the day I enrolled and kept up a steady downfall until the school yard was a flowing muddy mess from the deluge.
All the kindergarten children remained on the veranda talking shyly together as our mothers completed our registrations.
One of the boys, by the name of Peter, sidled up to me and whispered,
"It's the end of the world you know, we'll never see our home again." 
Of course I believed him, and began to cry, I felt so terrified.
My older sister came out with her class for recess and seeing my distress came to find out why?  
She hugged me listening patiently between the tears.
Gently she reminded me of Noah and the Ark and Gods promise of the rainbow to show He would never flood the earth again.
That Peter stood back smiling and as the years passed I realised what a tormentor that naughty child was.
Because it was a country school we wore no uniform and very few children wore shoes to school. They were kept for special times like Sunday School.

I attended an all Girls High School and am picture here on the left in school uniform. The girl behind me on the right was not in uniform that day?

The one thing I am eternally grateful for is learning about God's love at a very young age.

“I tell you the truth. You must accept the kingdom of God like a little child accepts things, or you will never enter it." (Mark 10:15)

  

Meditate

Scripture is God talking to us.
So its not to be taken lightly...
Read it slowly, contemplate on the Words.
Visualise in your mind the meaning of what is expressed.
Know, that this is truth...
Then chose your path.

Blessed is the man/woman
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.

 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm1:1-6

God In Us...

Coming before the throne of God in adoration and worship
Fills our very being with a sanctification of who we are in Him
Just standing in His awesome presence and allowing His love flow back and forth, is so wondrous....

Yet I feel so small in those times.
And so unworthy.
My heart cries out, Abba Father, help me to remain steadfast,
Strengthen me so that I never let go of your promise.
Shine in and through me...

John 15:1-5 
The Vine and the Branches
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you.
No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches.
If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Thalassemia (WHAT???) The children cry out for help.

Never heard of it???

Well the predominent countries are, India, Pakistan and Iran with millions of sufferers.

Thalassemia minor is an inherited form of hemolytic anemia that is less severe than thalassemia major. This blood smear from an individual with thalassemia shows small, pale, variously-shaped (poikilocytosis) red blood cells.

These small red blood cells (RBCs) are unable to carry the sufficient amount of oxygen required by normal RBCs.

Cells require oxygen (O2) to live, because O2 is what our body cells feed off.
Without O2,  cells will starve and die. .
When you breath in air you get approximately 21% O2 as you inhale.
Transported to your lungs it hops aboard the fresh blood's haemoglobin in RBCs pumped from your heart.
Via circulation it then gets transported all over your body to feed and revitalize billions of cells to keep you alive.

Treatment for these children is a blood transfusion every month.

Without this treatment the sufferer would die.

And what about the children who's parents cannot afford this??

There is also a cure, but it is an expensive one, and not one that is readily  available.

The cure is a Bone Marrow Transplant,

or for some, the Stem Cells from the mother. 

Yet this is not a hundred percent success.    

For related bone marrow donation (generally from a brother or a sister) there is really no age limit, a bone marrow harvest can be safely performed between 6 months and 60 years of age if the donor is in good health.
It is only for unrelated (donor registries) bone marrow donation that the age limit is much narrower, generally between age 20 and 40.

Money speaks,  so donations are desperately needed.
This is a despairing disease and the sadness is.... many die.
Should the Lord place it on your heart to help then your donation would gratefully be appreciated.

http://www.cure2children.org/node/222


"There will always be poor people in the land.
Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land." Deuteronomy 15:11

Strongholds of the Mind

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;  casting down imaginations,  and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

The mind is a powerful tool.
We can concentrate on the good around us and keep our mind positive!
Or, we can dwell on the negative and let the Devil feed us nasty thoughts, that poisons our souls. 'Stinkin Thinkin.'

If we allow STRONG HOLDS from the enemy to take over our mind, they begin to poison every word we are given.

For example: A young man angrily told me the other day, that every woman he meets takes advantage of him and does the wrong thing by him.

And yet, he seeks to  find the right one. He is lonely!

To reassure, I told him that somewhere out there is a lonely lady waiting, just for him

Did he accept these words as a kindness? No!!!

He turned on me saying neither I nor anyone else was going to FORCE him to go looking for anyone.......

Everything I said to him was turned back in anger towards me.

He has allowed strongholds to have occupancy. 

You cannot reason with someone like this, you can only pray for them.

So what do you do with constant thoughts that seek to consume and defile?

You use the weapons of your warfare....

You do as Jesus did when tempted by Satan in the dessert.

You quote the word of God, over and over and over in your mind.

Until, the word takes root and produces seed, good seed.

You drive out the (SPIRIT) of fear and replace it with the(SPIRITUAL) power.

Saying aloud....It is written!!!

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 timothy 1:7)  X3

LIVE IN THE SPIRIT OF LOVE

Like a little girl named Pollyanna.

For those of you who don't know the story, Pollyanna was an orphan. 

She was brought up by poor Christian parents. Her mother died and later her Pastor father followed.  Pollyanna was sent to live with her mothers sister, her Aunt Polly, who was very wealth and upholds a superior RELIGIOUS attitude to all.

Pollyanna has been taught a CHRISTIAN attitude, of being GLAD about everything. She is generous, kind and loving to all. As the characters traits unfold we see a whole town that a SPIRIT of negativity has encompassed.  

We see the example in this story of how the devil succeeds in causing havoc in the minds by imaginations. People didn't address their problems! They don't display Christian compassion and love to one another,  instead they allow wounds of hurt to fester, erupt and influence with negativity. 

Pollyanna soon teaches the whole town how to play her GLAD game.....

In other words, she helps everyone bring their thoughts and minds into harmony with the mind of Christ. She teaches them, how to be, Christ-like.

2 Timothy 2:21

Allow Christ to shape your mind. 

September Eleven Awakening!

I believe the whole world was shocked by the devastation of the twin towers in New York on September 11th 2001.
I wrote this poem at the time in tribute to the many who lost their lives.
May the Lord comfort all the survivors and relatives of the departed.

Glorious sunlight fill's the Big Apple open skies

Flaming peach with azure blue kaleidoscopes, draped on high.

Above New York megalopolis impressive architectural designs
Of incredible monumental skyscraper's, none can outshine.

Amongst these giants, stood two of a kind
The Twin Towers , with many an intelligent mind.

Not just a landmark of structured concrete and steel
But a heart beat of many....breathing and real.

Individuals, exceptional, of numerous colours and creeds
Working together, determined and preparing to discover the needs.

Of the world, through a Trade Center, designed for mankind
Bringing nations together, an enhanced lifestyle to find.

Who could imagine, on that glorious day, of the trepidation to transpire
As a plane crashed into the top of one Tower... causing a fire.

The second Tower soon also became an inferno cascading
A war of terror caused by a cowardly identity, possibly named Laden.

Shocked news fills the world and none can believe...
This could happen?? What on earth was achieved???

Four thousand plus souls from that day swiftly soared Heaven bound
They remain in our heart, in garments of gold, heads topped with a crown.
                                                                                             C.M. 2002
 

Our God Jehovah is a God of Love.
Praise God for the Christian Faith of Peace.

MYSTERY OF A CREEPING ILLNESS

Diabetes(raised blood sugar) is a mystery illness that creeps up.
Type II is from ages 40 and over.

Symptoms of this are:

Frequent hunger (polyphagia).
This prevents the body from absorbing needed glucose.

Frequent urination (polyuria).
This happens when excess sugar molecules end up in the kidney's.
Water follows these molecules, increasing urination.

Frequent thirst (polydipsia). This causes you to dehydrated.

With all of this is the feeling of nausea, being unwell, and sleepy all the time. Your vision may become slightly blurred, you PUT ON WEIGHT and MAY have re-occurring infections?

Added to this is the stress. You may become depressed, suffer anxiety, and have fuzzy head feelings as if you are going crazy.

**There will be times when your Blood Sugar Level actually drops.
When it does, you will experience the following symptoms.

Hunger

Shakiness

Nervousness

Sweating

Dizziness or light-headiness

Sleepiness

Confusion

Difficulty speaking

Anxiety

Weakness

When this occurs, have ONE of the following. Apple or orange juice. Milk or lemonade. Or some candy. These will raise your sugar.

These problems can also occur during sleep.

Some signs of hypoglycemia during sleep include.

Crying out or having nightmares

Excessive perspiration.

Feeling tired, irritable, or confused on waking.

• Type II Diabetes comes on slowly and often doesn't have any early symptoms. You should have yearly tests if you have ANY of the following:

You are over age 40 and have a family history of diabetes
Have hypertension (high blood pressure)
High cholesterol
Obese or overweight
Physical inactivity

Please don’t feel fearful. . Education means knowledge and knowledge power.
If you suspect this may be you, go visit your doctor and get help.
And…..walk for at least twenty minutes per day. This helps to release the insulin from the pancreas.

AND Remember, Go loves you. 


He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
(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.
(Isaiah 40:29-31)

Sunrising on Jerusalem.

Father's Day

My son Lee-Joel with his son Izaiah(left).                

We celebrated Fathers Day in Australia today.
I really think this name should be broadened to be.
Father, Stepfather, Grandfather's Day.

I was eight when my father left our home.
I found him again when I was eighteen.
It is lonely growing up without a father.
It is sad when you have no memories of a hug or a kiss from your father.
When he never played with you, took you on a picnic or said, "I love you."

For many, a stepfather or grandfather is the substitute.
Unfortunately, after eight, I missed out on these also.
Now I am not complaining, this is simply a fact....
And, the fact of many.

The good part was my early teaching about my beginning.
My knowing, I had a Heavenly Father who was always there.
A Father who loved me with an unconditional love,
And one who promised me, "He would never leave me nor forsake me."

He is the God who created me in His spiritual image.
My God who created the whole world and universe with His Word.
My God who is mightier than any imaginable divinity my mind could conjure.
My God who made a way of escape for me when I sin.
My God who forgives my sins when I confess with honest repentance.
My Father God, who loves me with an UNCONDITIONAL TOTAL LOVE...

His love is the Agape Love:
The Selfless Love with All Spiritual Power. Beyond Everything!!

"Our Father which art in heaven,  Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen."
Matthew 6:9-13

I believe in this prayer. I do not recite the words without thought.
My very Heart,  is in the beautiful love,
The Father has for Me.
In this prayer, that He Gave.....

 

A Secret FIND!!!!

Gosh don't you just love to discover more from our wonderful world!!

I enjoy learning about other lands different from my own.

Recently I have been visited here by a talented artist and gentle soul from India.

His name is Heman, and he expresses his inner child through treasures of art...

Aren't they simply wonderful!!

In the picture above there seems to be a large bird sitting on the roof of the house.
While the neighbour goes home carrying gifts of a tree and a lollipop? gladly outstretched in his hands.
Isn't it a peaceful happy scene.

You can tell a lot about a person by the things they draw, and the colours used.
Look at the two birds sitting together face to face on the roof. Companionship and love.
Its night time yet everyone is joyfully playing outside.
There is even a small fire for comfort, and the dog sits perched high.

More playing, wind blowing the trees, butterflies floating and the sun enjoys looking down with joy.

Please visit Hemans Blog and see it for yourself.

http://childrensheaven.blogspot.com/

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands." The Bible, Acts 17:24..........

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear."

The Bible, 1 John 4:18....

A Beautiful World in Refection of Our Heavenly Father....

Myth: A Christian Life is Easy.

I have always thought that, if whatever I am doing is right,
God will open the doors and it will be smooth sailing.
OR if everything is against me, then it is not right by God?
Yet when I read how the Apostle Paul suffered continually in his walk with Christ,
I see my understanding is wrong.

Faith is believing in what we cannot see, but also in knowing, God is with us.
Besides that, it is accepting Gods Will.
NOT demanding our own. He knows best!

I read the following by the Paul and it shows his suffering for his faith.
It also shows suffering brings out the heart of a true believer.

Will we remain strong no matter what?
Or will we cave in, complain and give up?

Read and apply this to yourself...NOT to someone else...
Be Honest!!

2 Corinthians 11:23-29 (New International Version)

"(Paul says)I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently,
been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

Three times I was beaten with rods,

once I was stoned,

three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

I have been constantly on the move.

I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits,

in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles;

in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from
false brothers.

I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep;

I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food;
I have been cold and naked.

Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches."

Paul's conversion, When Jesus spoke to him on the road to Damascus.

It changed his life forever.  Has it TRULY changed yours?