MarysLaryVibes

  sisters  Tomorrow will be the memorial service for my dad's passing. I have to realize that life continues. There will be difficult days ahead. But there are good days coming. Of 6 kids growing up, 4 of us remain. Lucy, me, Patty, Joe, in that order (names have been changed to protect the innocent.) Patty, even though the next to the last, has become the one who can organize and plan and make decisions better than the other 3 of us. She and her husband make a good team. He has a servant's heart as well and is always willing to help with physical labor or sage advice. Of all 4 girls growing up, Patty was the youngest girl but then later had the oldest husband. (My oldest sister who died several years ago, had the youngest husband. That always cracked me up.) Patty and her husband have the largest home of any of us and so is the one who gets stuck hosting get togethers. Always, always, always with love and kindness.  And it was with that same love and kindness that she to...

Words from our pastor the week of August 4.  "Faithfulness is grown when it's inconvenient." Reading back on that today I was befuddled. What exactly does that mean?  I think I get it. When we have to continue in a task that seems difficult, and we push through, we have shown ourselves to be faithful. If it's convenient, well that doesn't require much faithfulness. But pushing through when it's hard, now that is being faithful: in our commitment to God, in our relationships, in big projects, in the little things. Be faithful. Why:  1. Because our faithfulness blesses God. 2. Because our faithfulness builds trust. Blessings Mary

  I bet you've heard that the bible has a lot to say about forgiveness. I was reading in Luke 17 this morning and came across something that, according to my notes, I noticed back in 2015. I mark up my bible and put the date that I did that. I like to think back at what was going on in my life at the time. But honestly 2015 (?) I have no idea. And this scripture isn't for a particular day anyway. It's for always, forever and ever. Vs 4 says "And if he sins against you seven times a day and returns to you seven times saying 'I repent', forgive him". What I circled in my bible was "a day". If he sins against you seven times A DAY, forgive him.  Each day...forgive him. That adds up over the weeks and months and years. I can only forgive that much with the Lord in my heart. NOW, I'm kinda getting hung up on the guy coming back 7 times "saying 'I repent'". How often are we confronted with someone who does NOT come back with ...

My dad made it to his 103rd birthday, but left this earth yesterday. August 6, 2024. Of course we knew this time would come. He lived way past what any of us thought he would, but it's still hard. He and mom were married over 75 years. It's hard to see her go through this. 

My dad turns 103 years old today! I wish I could say he is doing great but he is not. I'm writing this early and hoping he makes it til August 4. My dad had wisdom far beyond the classroom. He only went to 8th grade. At the time, kids got jobs early and helped support the family. He has the brilliant mind of an engineer. He helped design and build construction equipment. He gained much of his knowledge early on by reading encyclopedias and dictionaries. Who does that?  He still might have a brilliant mind and is very frustrated laying in bed, not participating in life much. It's hard to know since he doesn't talk to us much. He has told so many amazing life experience stories throughout the years. Some when he was just a kid, many as a teenager and, of course, many more from the navy ( C onstruction B attalion [Sea Bees]) and his construction experience. My dad helped build man-made lakes, highways, turnpikes.  My dad was a perfectionist and it was hard to live up to that, ...

I've mentioned before that my husband is not in great physical and mental health. Part of that is just his memory which doesn't seem that bad in the scheme of things that can go wrong. My husband has 2 masters degrees and was encouraged to continue with a PhD but I asked him to please be done with school and help me at home. Sounds selfish now, but then with 3 kids I wanted to be done with him doing school. I tell you that just to say that he has a brilliant mind and VERY smart. So when he started losing his memory it was hard on both of us. He gets frustrated with himself and I with him. At one point I said to him that if I start losing my memory we're in real trouble.  When I first got home after my laryngectomy, my husband's mind was VERY off and confused and he couldn't answer the "what year is it", "who is president" questions. Three days after I got home from being in Texas for over a month, he was put in the hospital for diagnosis and trea...

  "The Shepherd knows where to find you." I was just listening to a group of Christian women speak on fathers and how God is our heavenly Father. And God watches out for us even if we don't feel like He's there.  "Even if God doesn't heal me, I'll worship him from here (a wheelchair)."  (or in my case, no voice box because of laryngectomy) "Even if He doesn't do what I think He should do on this side, I'll worship Him." "Even in my pain. Even in my sorrow. I will worship Him." "Wherever you are in your struggle. Even if you only have .001% faith, reach out to Him. He is there." If we are just one in a flock of many we don't notice that He's around. Sometimes, with a big family we might feel like dad doesn't notice us. But be assured that if we wander, the shepherd will go looking for us. He leaves the 99 to search for the one; sometimes that "one" is me.   I know this: God is with me in ALL ...

I was reading in Luke this morning. I was really disappointed. First in what I read, then in myself. Luke 10:7, 8 "Stay in that house, eating and drinking what they give you...." "Whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you." Please say it ain't so! Growing up I was a very picky eater. I wouldn't even eat casseroles, pizza or spaghetti because it looked like someone had thrown up on the plate. All the food mixed up together. Nasty. Nowadays, I'm not as bad as that. I love my casseroles, pizza and spaghetti; Still not fond of fruits and veggies. I have never been good going to other peoples homes to eat. They most likely would serve something I don't like.  Funny story: In high school our youth choir went to Texas to sing at a local church. We were divided up and stayed with different families in that church. My friend, Gail, and I were set up together. Time for breakfast came and they served us cantaloupe among other thin...

If you have negative feelings about the DOs and the DO NOTs from your upbringing, I ask that you reconsider. The 10 commandments are important but as Jesus said in Mark 12:30-31,   "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Basically, if you do those 2, you will be fulfilling them all. It's much easier to remember the 2. We are to love God and love others. There's an acronym you may have seen before   JOY  "Jesus, Others, You"  There are some "DOs" and "DONTs" in Philippians 4 that I think reinforce this idea of JOY being relevant in all we do.  4- Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!   5- Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  6- Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,...

  Proverbs 25:20 "Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes away a garment on a cold day." Singing (or cheerful words) to someone who is sad is not always the best approach. If we are not sensitive to a person's feelings, they may feel like we don't care about what they're going through. Sometimes the best thing to do is listen. But then we have Proverbs 12:25: "Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad." I dunno what to tell ya. Well, I have a thought. I see a heavy heart is someone who has suffered great loss. A death of some sort: A person they loved very much, a home, a job. It is something in the past that has happened and a person just wants to get through the next minute. Trying to be cheerful with words or song would seem like we don't recognize what they are going through. However, an anxious person is focused on something in the future. Something that might could happen. An anxious person ...