Defining Friendship

Yesterday I remembered I never did post something from "Praying" by J.I. Packer and  Carolyn Nystrom. By far, this is the most important book I have read this year. And I would say if you are serious about understanding and deepening your prayer life, you should add this book to your list.

The authors quote James M. Houston who referenced Aelred, "On Friendship, in the Love of God."
"A friend is a push when you have stopped, a word when you are lonely, a guide when you are searching, a smile when you are sad and a song when you are glad. A human spiritual friend is one who is loyal and has right motives, discretion, and patience in order to help [that] friend know God better. I need a spiritual guide to keep me honest...A true friend in Christ will wake me up, help me grow, and deepen my awareness of God."

After reading the definition I tried applying the description to some people who have been in my life. I quickly concluded I might have used the word a little too freely. Even worse, I quickly realized the countless times I have fallen short of being the friend I could have been.

Whether you are on the giving or the receiving end of a less than perfect friendship, we all have one thing in common, a perfect Friend. Jesus is the friend that is closer than life or breath. As we see the imperfection of earthly relationships, we have the choice of going to him for help. In prayer, we can ask for grace to forgive those who have not quite lived up to their promises our expectations. We can also receive insight into our own behaviors and be reshaped into the people we need to be.

I pray that every day we will make an effort to be the kind of friend to someone, that we would want to have.

We are Family

The church finds it's best expression and demonstration of being the body of Christ through the corporate gathering of it's individual parts. True , a personal relationship with Christ is of the utmost importance but this is not a substitute for being part of a larger community.
We gain strength from hearing the trials and triumphs of others. I don't mean we gloat or like the Pharisee say, "I am glad I am not like other men." Rather, there is something about being in a ditch and realizing you are not the first to run off the road at that particular corner. The strength comes from seeing how the other guy hauled himself out - or who came to the rescue. In spiritual speak, Iron sharpens iron.

Christ knows this and that is why he said in his Word that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. So when you are trying to roll out of bed on the only day of the week available for you to sleep in and you are tempted to ask, "I wonder who's bright idea this was?" Its Gods.
Many of you may remember this old song:

I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God
Washed in his fountain cleansed by his blood
Joint heirs with Jesus as I travel this sod
I'm a part of the family, the family of God.

This week I hope you will choose togetherness, be a part of the family gathering in the house of the Lord.

#Chit-chat and chocolate

Tuesday my department attended a luncheon honoring #Social Workers and #Casemanagers, Once inside the banquet hall one quickly fell into the pre-dining "scavenger hunt" atmosphere. Got to admit, I love going around a room collecting chocolate, pens, information, chocolate, business cards, chocolate ...and today was no exception. Lunch was good too. My all veggie plate was tasty, and the baklava with freshly brewed coffee, a sure sign we were not at the office anymore.
The kid in a candy store part (pun intended) came after work when I emptied out my shopping bag on the couch. Tons of stuff and most of all, piles of very good information which I think some of you might find helpful. Here goes. But let me be clear, I have no personal interest in any of these companies not even as an employee. I'm just sharing.

Interesting fact: 10,000 #Baby Boomers will turn 65 every day until 2030. This however, hardly means retirement as with the current cost of living, the work force will remain grey (or whatever hair color) for many years. Old does not start at fifty or even seventy anymore - not when there are so many people living past 100 years. This means most of us will end up being caregiver to a parent or spouse. If you are already in that challenging position, blessings on you. Need someone to talk to? Visit www.UHCCommunityPlan.com.

You can't just give away your money in order to be eligible for #Medicaid; not since 2007 at any rate. Joint account, safety deposit boxes, and transferring money between accounts all incur serious penalties and or #disqualify your loved one from receiving Medicaid. If you are not sure what may apply to your specific case, talk to an #Elder Attorney. What you don't know about Income Caps, Community Spouse and Resource Limit, can hurt you.

#Alzheimer's is nothing to be embarrassed about. It's a disease like any other. Between 2000 and 2010, deaths from Alzheimer's rose by 68%. Not exactly a big secret, right?

Bayada Home Health Care, www.bayada.com, caters to #Veterans needing help to stay safely at home.  See if they are in your area. Also if you are on the West Coast, The #Senior Living Guide is chock full of  information of all kinds from attorneys to agencies.

If you have ever read my blog you probably know I am a big believer in #hospice care. If you have a family member who is believed to have less than a year to live, talk to your doctor about hospice or #palliative care. You may be really surprised to see it does not mean doing nothing or just "letting someone die."
That, in a nutshell, is the gist of the education portion of my treasure trove.

#Aging is not fun. Just too many changes and the prospect of losing strength, and for many, independence is daunting to contemplate. I am hoping a bit of planning, a lot of help from the many resources available to us, and of course God's promise to still be with us when we are old and #gray-headed, will be more than enough to navigate the golden years. Hope that goes for you too, my dear reader.
Oh by the way, I did not eat all the chocolate or hoard the pens. The stash goes with me to Jamaica next month on our #mission trip.

After the Storm

Sooner or later on this  journey called life, every traveler gets caught in a flash-flood of uncertainty.  Circumstances thunder, doubts crisscross the heavens above us and for a short eternity, we experience complete white out - or so it seems. No prayers, no joy, no particular sense of God's presence.
A curious thing happens however, if we pull away from the pressure, open our Bibles and read through the storm.  No need to try to formulate words; just let our fingers do the talking. We can echo the words of the psalms and cry out, "Lord, make haste to help...!" We may not feel like anything is happening at first but God's Word is incapable of empty deployment. If it goes forth, it MUST accomplish what it was meant to do.
When the skies clear and our way becomes visible again we can only nod in wordless agreement to Isiah 43:1,
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
Ah, here comes the Son.