The Lord Is Close To The Brokenhearted

Today I’m a guest writer at my friend
Lisa Brown’s blog.

I remember the first year it happened. It was Christmas morning, fifteen years ago. I walked into my old bedroom in my parent’s house for a quick nap. At least I planned on a quick nap. Instead, the festivities of the day with family and friends happened without me. I slept the entire day and all that night.

This sleeping pattern continued throughout the rest of the holidays and into the New Year. Drained of any amount of energy, I struggled every morning to get out of bed. Not long after, I started to feel hopeless and had trouble concentrating. I did not want – nor had any energy – to leave my house.

After a few weeks, I decided it was time to see a doctor who Read More

What good can come of Alzheimer’s Disease?

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Mom anticipating opening her Christmas gift.

As a teenager, my mom and her family moved to California for her last two years of high school. She loved it there and always told me stories. She talked about the warm weather, long days at the beach and school dances she had attended.

Most of her free time was spent at the beach with friends. In those days, local bands would show up at the beach and play. It was nothing formal. They would sing a few songs, mingle with everyone then play some more. One of those bands was the up and coming Beach Boys. She talked about how she was friends with them and how nice they were.

Occasionally she would pull out her yearbook and point out classmates who had gone on to become television and movie stars.

About ten years ago, my sister and I took mom back to California. She took us to restaurants and other places she had frequented as a teenager and showed us where scenes from certain movies were filmed. She knew this because she had been to these places and recognized them from the movie.

Anything that takes us away from God is a distraction

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One day, as Jesus and his disciples were traveling, they entered into a village where a woman named Martha lived. She invited Jesus and his followers to her home then immediately went into the kitchen to make food for them.

Letting your light shine

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Recently my husband asked me to purchase a three way light bulb during my trip to the grocery store. He explained that the lamp next to his chair only had one setting and did not provide enough light.

Nurturing and Teaching Younger Women

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There are great stories about nurturing and friendship throughout the Bible. My favorite is the relationship between Mary and Elizabeth. Barely a woman, Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that she would bear a child. Not just any child, but God’s child. This child would be called Son of the Most High and his kingdom will never end.

In faith, she accepted this journey that God had chosen for her, but God knew that she would need someone to help her prepare for this role and directed Mary to her cousin, Elizabeth. Mary traveled to Judea to visit Elizabeth and stayed for three months. I like to think that during that time, Elizabeth encouraged and supported Mary by teaching and preparing her to be a wife and mother.

There are also great stories of friendship in our lives today. For instance, there is a wonderful woman in my church who is a great example of leading a Christian life. For years, she took care of her aging mother who had Alzheimer’s disease. Because of her experiences, I am able to turn to her for advice and information on how to take care of my own mother who has the same disease.

Over the past year, she has taught me patience and how to cherish every moment I have with my mother. I would be lost without her guidance.

Is Jesus your friend?

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The little girl set her tray of food on the cafeteria table and sat down to eat. She looked around the room at all of the strange faces. Others her age were sitting in groups, talking and laughing as if they had known each other forever.