When Jesus Looks

This Morning I came across this poem
and I thought it was good to share
Yesterday my sister in-law Janna's
ex-mother in law passed

I met her a few times at family gatherings
she was a sweet lady but her heart seemed
lonely at times, she was a very interesting
character.

here is the poem:(sorry it is so long)

When Jesus looks upon my life
what picture does he see?
does he see his own reflection
or does he just see me

Does he see his likeness
the product of his hand
or just another Christian
who never takes a stand

Does he see a child of GOD
a child that he set free
living life to honor him
or does he just see me

What about the other folks
I meet along the way
do I show them JESUS
to brighten up their day

when someone looks into my eyes
can they truly see
that calm and gently peace of GOD
that dwells inside of me

when I reach out and shake a hand
is he right there in my grip
can they feel that strength from GOD
that steadies when I slip

when folks are in my presence
do they know his spirit's there
can they see that he's the one
who guides me everywhere

when other people think of me
what is on their mind
do they think of JESUS CHRIST
so gentle and so kind

I try to be like JESUS
every single day
spreading love and kindness
all along the way

I'm afraid that I have failed
I could not pass the test
deep inside my heart I know
I haven't done my best

I have had to fight my flesh
since the day that I was born
it's always causing trouble
and being such a thorn

that's why his spirit dwells in me
he's helping me to learn
in every situation
where I need to turn

He knew I'd never pass the test
that's why he took my place
he give his life to save my soul
he suffered my disgrace

now I try to be like him
I must present him well
so other folks will want
his gift and turn their backs
on hell

other folks should see the joy
that CHRIST has given me
they should want to have it too
especially since it's free

they should begin to ask me
what it is they must do
just how it is they go about
getting JESUS too.

then I get to tell them
this wondrous gift is free
it only takes a humble heart
a prayer on bended knee

someday when I'm face to face
with the LORD who set me free
will he see his own reflection
or will he just see me
author unknown

Our Family

"Our Family is a circle of strength and Love
with every birth and every union
the circle grows, every joy shared
adds more love, every crises faced
together makes the circle stronger"

This week has been a test of our family's
strength and love and the above saying
just hit home. As you Know my eldest
sister Mary had a 7 heart bypass, she
is doing remarkably well for what she
went through she is now out of the ICU
unit and is in a private room in the CCU
better known as Critical Care Unit.

saw her today and she is hoping
and praying to be home sometime
this week, but knows she has
a long road in her recovery.

she showed me what she called "battle scars"
I told her to think of them as "SURVIVOR SCARS"
because she is so blessed as we the family are
that she is surviving.

Friday my sis Jeanne came down because
we were having a family gathering Saturday
at sister Helen's to meet Jeanne's first grandson
HUDSON
so with Mary's situation in the mix it made
family being together so much more special
Hudson is an adorable little boy and I will
do a blog about him at a later date.

what made Saturday so wonderful besides my
remaining sisters being together
(Mary of course with us in spirit)

was seeing two of my nieces that I had not seen in
a while, Sara (Helen's eldest daughter) is expecting her
first born in Sept, she knows she is having a little girl
so we look forward to that gathering in Sept.

but we were so blessed Saturday to see our eldest
niece Angela come with her wonderful husband,
Angela is my brother Peter's Eldest daughter
and we rarely get to see her so all of us
were very thrilled and happy and I for one
would like to see more of her even if I have
to drive out to her home town.(I would just love
for she and I to be apart of each other's life a little
more I have missed her very much)

another surprise was my nephew Steven called
from Japan( he is Jeanne's youngest son )
to give us all the good news that he and his wife are
expecting their first if all goes well in January

so the circle of the family is most definitely
strength and especially LOVE

Seven Heart Bypass

Today
I spent the day with my sis Helen
we were waiting in the 2nd fl cardiac surgery
waiting room, while our eldest sister Mary was
undergoing a TRIPLE HEART BYPASS

after waiting for what seemed an eternity
was only approx 5 hrs walking around
familiarizing ourselves with places
Mary's Dr. came in the waiting room and
told us that she had a SEVEN
HEART BYPASS, we never knew you
could have more than a quadruple

but our Mary in fact had a seven heart bypass
we had to wait another hour but when we
went in to the ICU room and saw her laying
there sound a sleep with all the tubes and wires
and computerized monitors on her we
thought ok now we have to get Mary and
the family through the Hard part

for Mary has a long road ahead
and we are going to do our best to
guide her through the long road with
any detours.

I am glad that Helen and I were
there together and that Mary did
not walk alone today.

Mary

"A sister is God's way of proving
he does not want us to walk alone'

Today my mind has been else where
My oldest sister Mary has been kind of
like the motherly patriarch in my family
as far as I can remember, she helped raise
me and was my parents second in command(that was
the way it was)
she has given her life to family,never married

my mind is with her today because she is
having a heart bypass tomorrow.
Heart conditions and Diabetes
run very deep in my family and Mary has
had diabetes forever so bad that it is now effecting
her eyesight at the age of 69 (next week)

I am close to her in some ways but
through the years I grew up and
am not that little girl she remembers
me to be.
I am an adult, my own person
but I love the gifts she gave me because
she helped mold and shape me as much
as my other siblings did.

Mary always felt she was the oldest
not the first born but she is the oldest
living, and she has always believed since
she was the oldest she should be the first
to pass, not the case my brother Joe was first
then My brother Peter,

As stated earlier, Mary has always been
the family care taker, she retired a few
years back and has been taking care of
my sister Linda's grandchildren.

I know there are things Mary may have
wished to do in her life but she gave of
herself unselfishly, with all her aches and
pains she still gives of herself unselfishly.

today she is going through more
tests and tomorrow the bypass
I feel so much anxiety because
I know in my heart she will be fine.

the procedure is a must she has put it
off for to long, but also I have been
down this road so many times
with my family, some heal well
and other's God called them home.

What ever God has planned for
Mary I hope it all goes well. I know
she is a strong person, because she
has endured so much in her life
thus far, She is strong in her
Catholic faith, that and family
is what has sustained her all
these years.

I spoke with her yesterday while on
her way to her diagnostic test
and was able to tell her
"I love her"
I know she knows that, but I
just had to tell her like all
of my other sister's we want
Mary to know that as our
Big Sister we will never let
her "walk alone"

class

"Real courage is when you know your licked
before you begin, but you begin anyway and you
see it through no matter what"
taken from to Kill a Mockingbird


well yesterday I took my first step and entered the college world
I had my first math class pre-algebra
I had a lot of home work for the 1st day
but what did I expect it was in fact the first
day!!

I was full of anxiety & stress
because I thought I would
be the oldest kid in class ( so I meditated a bit)
but to my dismay
I was not there are more class mates my age
and a little older in fact we are the majority!

the homework was hard but I think it was
basically just getting my mind back into
doing math mode and trying to learn
the new math, math that I did not have to take
when I was in high school or my early days of college
well I am going to try to muddle through this
almost through the week the class is only 3 days
a week for 5 weeks.

one week almost down 4 more to go
wish me luck!!!

truthfully it was not as bad as I
thought it would be.

Instead

Do not think of what you do not have
Instead~Appreciate what you have
and can still have

Do not think of things lost
Instead ~ value what you still
have and yet may find

Do not cry over spilled milk
Instead~ rejoice in what was left

Do not think of what you are not
Instead~ be humble with what you
are and can still become

Do not think of what others say
Instead~ concern yourself with
what you affirm to be

Do not think of the hours and days past
Instead~look eagerly to times that are
yet to come

Do not think of mistakes committed
Instead~ count the things you did right

Do not think much of the pain you have
caused
Instead~ plan for ways to make amends

Do not think of what you failed to do
Instead~ think of those that you were
able to do and can still best do

Do not think of the sufferings you now bear
Instead~ look to draw the comfort when
relief draws near

Do not consume yourself with thoughts
of what could have been
Instead~ marvel at what has become
and will become

Do not be anxious to attain greater happiness
Instead~ content yourself with the bliss

Do not aspire to fill your cup at once
Instead~ have the patience to do it
little by little and if by chance you
fail do not fret over the empty part
on top
Instead~celebrate the space filled up

Do not condemn nature when it is at
it's worst
Instead~think of times when it was at
it's best

Do not blame luck for things you miss
Instead~ learn from things in which
you have been remiss

nor should you curse luck or others
for life's misfortunes
Instead~ accept them as a part of life

I say then Live Fully, die a little,
learn much,but question less
have enough but give much more
be contented each time to crave much less

doubt less and affirm a lot
understand more and be
understood less

worry little but hope you must
accept all resist the least
for all things happen
in due time
they must

Banjo's and Keith Urban!

Yesterday, (since my daughter was camping
my husband Jeff and I and our son Kiel
pronounced (kyle) went to do one of our
favorite pass-times, going through Antique Shops.

we had a blast! Kiel is very musically inclined and
he loves to teach himself any kind of instrument
he also loves antiques so we ended up in one of
the many stores and Kiel came about a banjo

so we of course bought it for him. for being in the
early 1970's it was in great shape. we then went
to buy some extra strings and Kiel is now learning
to play ( he is pretty good already since he is an avid
guitar guy!) took Kiel home and Jeff and I headed
to San Jose for a concert with Keith Urban !

(if you ever have the opportunity to see
Keith Urban in concert I recommend that
you do)

The girl band the Wreckers played first
for about 30 min. then at 9:00 pm
Mr. Urban came out and played for
two hours straight.playing his old stuff
and new ( Jeff and I had
floor seats so it was a great view)

I was not sure that Jeff would like the concert
he just knew that Keith was the Australian country
singer,and married to Nicole Kidman by
the end of the night he was blown
away and hooked! we had such fun

so 6-15.07 will always be to me
Banjos and Keith Urban!!!