Hope Harbor

I am so happy to share Tanner's movie. He is indeed a star. Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The diversity and splendor of God’s creation is amazing. Yesterday I went to the zoo with a friend. It was a lovely day. The temperature was quite warm but there was a gentle refreshing breeze. The sun shined brightly as God held back the thunderstorms which meteorologists had forecast for the day. There were many interesting sights to enjoy. We also had a delicious picnic lunch provided by my friend’s employer. One of my favorite things about a visit to the zoo is the special dolphin show. We attended the program and were seated in a central location in the arena. Since we were positioned directly in the path of the water that overflowed as the talented sea mammals performed their stunts, we ended up being soaked by those splashes. It was quite fun. Another highlight of the day was our time in the butterfly exhibit. I learned about types of butterflies that I had not known about previously. I was fascinated by the grace and beauty as the many colorful butterflies fluttered about.

I wanted to share some good news. Those of you who read a previous post on my blog (My Life is in Your Hands) know that I lost my wallet. I am happy that you can rejoice with me because that which was lost has been found. Actually, it was delivered. Amazingly, an unexpected package was in my mailbox. Inside a bubble-wrap cushioned envelope addressed to me with no return address, was my wallet. All of its contents were intact except the cash and insurance cards which likely blew away in the storms which arose the day I lost it. Some kind person took the trouble to send my wallet back and apparently was not seeking recognition. I am very thankful. I wish there was some way to express my gratitude for the good deed of this thoughtful anonymous person. I am happy that I can share the joy with friends and neighbors and even blog readers. This story of the lost and found wallet has reminded me of the parable in the Bible of the woman who had lost one of her valuable coins. She diligently se

It is heartwarming to see wonderful ways to express love. Today I wayched a movie on the Hallmark channel. It was one of those sweet sentimental, have some tissue handy type films. The screenplay had several endearing characters including a widowed father and his young adult daughter. Their affection for one another was evident. There was one line I especially enjoyed. When this dad wanted to tell his belovved daughter how much he cared, he would exclaim: "I love you as big as the sky." This touching expression implied a love so great that it was immeasurable. We are told in the Psalms that God's love for us "reaches to the heavens and His faithfulness stretches to the skies". Click on this link to enjoy a great worship song about the marveous love of God: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWJWKadxYME&feature=related May you be blessed and know the joy of our Heavenly Father's amazing love.

It is essential that we remember that God has our lives in His hands. He has all things under control. He knows about our circumstances... And He cares. Sometimes when we face difficulty, we may be prone to forget these wonderful truths, I was tested in my trust the other day. I lost my wallet. My theory is that it must have fallen out of my wheelchair and I didn;t notice as I was going down the somewhat bumpy sidewalk on my way home. Many have helped me search, but my missing wallet could not be found. There have been two significant thunderstorms with severe wind gusts since then. My wallet could be in another state by now, and it's contents might be scatterred accross the Midwest.  It is quite distressing because it contained valuable items. There was a bit of cash inside. In addition my wallet held ALL of my forms of identification as well as documentation for medical benefits, a few business cards and so on..I have many contacts to make and many forms to complete in the hop

I am very grateful that energy can be renewed. It is vital that strength and power can be replenished. Today I once again had the privilege of getting some extra sleep because of the kindness of a friend who was willing to help take care of my dog and cat. Because I didn't have to get up to let Tanner outside and feed him and also Bridget, I could rest longer. When I was getting up this morning, thankful to feel a bit more refreshed, I took notice of the cord plugged into my wheelchair recharging its battery. As I viewed this insulated conductor infusing power into my wheelchair, I was prompted to ponder that restoration of energy is essential in order to sustain life. It is not only equipment that needs a source of energy. Our bodies need food and water regularly jn order to survive. Sleep is also necessary for us to continue to function, Our spirits need to be kept alive as well. What is the source for our spiritual life?  Two lines from the chorus of a song sung by the Brook

I’ve been aware of feeling quite tired recently. It can often be difficult to keep going when we lack energy. Today as I thought about the fatigue I felt, that consideration was quickly and clearly interrupted as this verse came to mind. 13But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 (NASB) As I pondered this scripture, it struck me that the instruction did not promise that we would never become tired. Instead we are exhorted not to grow weary of doing good. Weariness is a physical and mental exhaustion that makes us vulnerable to becoming discontent and miserable. In another passage in the Bible, we are urged to not lose heart, and we are promised that we will in fact reap if we do not grow weary. (Galatians 6:9) I admire and respect those who are willing to continue serving and doing what God has called them to do even though they are tired and seem to have spent all of their natural resources. How do they do it? How do precious faithful ser

I am so grateful that I was not abandoned in the problems I created for myself. The other night very late I was channel surfing and came upon a very interesting program. The television show I found was a documentary about the astonishing efforts to make it possible for a severely obese man to have life saving surgery. The man was so large that an extensive amount of planning and coordination was required in order for him to have the needed operation. Accurate measurements were necessary to make sure that this bedridden man could fit in the ambulance to be transported from his home to the hospital. Nurses and other personnel had to have special training so that they would care for him in a manner that was safe for both the patient and staff. The operating table needed to be modified in order to accommodate the man's enormous body mass. It was even necessary to structurally reinforce the floors of the hospital to ensure that they would support the massive weight. This extensive amo

Life is filled with lots of distractions. All too often what is most meaningful can be crowded out by the mere mundane. It is essential and hope. It's a paradox of the Kingdom that when we don't strive and we let go of self-centeredness, God is exalted and He takes care of us. God is great. He deserves our adoration simply because of His awesome attributes. He is Almighty (all powerful), completely good, totally wise and absolutely holy. We can and should worship for Who He is. We must also praise Him for what He does. He has been the propitiation for our sins. (Hebrews 2:17, IJohn 4:10) He provides for all our needs. (Philippians 4:19) He protects us as we position ourselves properly. (Psalm 91) He grants power for us to be His witnesses. (Acts 1:8) He gives promises and directs our paths. (ITimothy 4:8, Proverbs 3:5-6) He is a Present Help in times of trouble. (Psalm 32:7, 46:1, 50:15. It is an amazing thing that as we offer to God the honor that belon

1 Peter 5:7 (New American Standard Bible) 7casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Did you ever wish you could take away the pain and heartache of someone you love? I know that feeling. I have a dear friend who has been struggling with serious health issues for quite some time. In addition to her life long disability whivh limits her mobility, she has had difficulty breathing and often experiences overwhelming fatigue. Then about a year and a half ago, my friend had a bad fall. She sustained serious inuries. If all this wasn't bad enough this woman has had terrible hassles with durable medical equipment vendors. Their incompetence has meant that she has lacked needed adaptive devices. This has resulted in her being confined to bed for many many months. Amazingly, through these challenges, my friend has been a stellar example of faith and trust. I have the privilege of speaking with my friend frequently. Last night in our conversation, she told me about the

 In my first job after college, I worked in the medical library of a small rehabilitation facility. Though it was many years ago, I still recall vividly a poster which hung on the wall of the reading area. It had  a lovely nature scene depicting a powerful waterfall cascading over rocks. I think the reason this poster stayed in  my memory is not just the beautiful pictute, but because of what was written on it. The caption read "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."Perhaps these words are so memorable to me because they are a quote from Helen Keller. Despite the fact that she was unable to see or hear, she had a life filled with significant accomplishments. According to the definitions listed in Webster’s Online Dictionary, the word adventure implies a wild or exciting undertaking which may involve some risk or danger. Certainly a person who is blind and deaf faces challenges and must take risks to function. It is true regardless of physical limitation or not, l

Hebrews 12:1-2 (King James Version) 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; If we are looking in the wrong direction, we could miss out on things coming our way. A friend stopped by for another purpose this afternoon, but Tanner and I caught him just in time to engage him in a quick fun game of Frisbee toss. Tanner has a great durable and flexible disc with which he plays quite enthusiastically – especially with a buddy who has the strength and agility to throw that toy much higher and further than I can. As my friend threw the round red saucer it soared high and flew deep into the yard. Tanner was so excited. Each time he took off running frantically. Since he was not paying attention to the path of his toy, he repeatedly either sped ahead of the l

Sometimes we need someone to be truly present with us. It is indeed a gift to have people in our life who are caring and attentive. This morning I was feeling a bit under the weather so I stayed in bed longer than usual. Despite the fact that Tanner’s needs had been met because a kind friend came over early to let him outside and feed him, my very sociable service dog didn’t seem to like the idea that I was resting and not interacting with him. Tanner repeatedly nudged me and tapped me with his paw. He seemed discontent until I got up and could focus more on him. It was not sufficient that we were in the same room because I was not alert. This incident caused me to consider that occupying the same space is inadequate for someone to feel connected. In addition, as I thought about what it means to be genuinely present, I realized that present is another one of those words with more than one meaning. (I mention the obvious because in previous posts I had discussed homonyms.) Accordi

Sometimes even when things look rather bleak and dreary, they can change and become brighter at just the right time. If you read my post from late yesterday, you will know that I as well as many others, were praying for good weather today for the sake of the outdoor wedding ceremony of a dear young couple from my church.  This morning it was raining heavily with periodic rumbles of thunder.  It sure did seem that  an alternate arrangements was going to be necessary. However, God had another plan. Perhaps He wanted to awe us with His lovingkindness and His power.Maybe the God of the universe wanted to remind us that He is indeed in control of all things. As I was praying this morning earnestly asking God to disperse the clouds and send away all the rain, I thought of the incident when Jesus was in the boat with His disciples and a fierce storm rolled in creating a dangerous situation. In the midst of His panicked followers, Jesus calmed the waves and stilled the wind. Those who obs

When things are going well, it is usually not difficult to trust and maintain peace, Yesterday was a gorgeous picture perfect day. Tonight meteorologists forecast that we might get some heavy rains. I hope not. A young couple from my church are getting married on Saturday. A lovely outdoor wedding is planned. As I was thinking about that many people are praying for excellent weather for this special event I thought of another set of homonyms - weather and whether . Weather often determines how easily things function and can even influence our mood or impact our health. Songs have been written about the effects of weather on our quality of life (e.g. Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down) and expressions in our language indicate this too (e.g. I'm feeling under the weather today). It is important that we believe in God's goodness and love for us regardless of the circumstances we face. I recently remembered that Job who suffered tremendously, once proclaimed in the

Children frequently say charming things that can sometimes make us chuckle Often they remind us of what truly matters most. Today I received a delightful package. It consisted of many sheets of colorful construction paper with children’s drawings, as well as thank you notes printed in pencil by the 2nd graders who Tanner and I visited to teach about service dogs. (To lean more read the post Tanner the Star http://hopeharbor.blogspot.com/2010/05/tanner-star.html ) In their notes the children thanked me for coming to their school and told me that they liked learning about service dogs. I smiled because several made a point of asking me to “Say Hi to Tanner”. It was heartwarming to read that those children wanted us to come again. They enjoyed the “Tanner Movie” that my friend produced showing Tanner working and playing. A common theme in those sweet letters was that the kids liked learning about the things Tanner can do (pick up dropped items, turn lights on and off, open and close do

Proverbs 7:24 (New American Standard Bible) 24Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, And pay attention to the words of my mouth. Paying attention and listening carefully is important. If we are distracted and let our minds wander in conversation, things can get confusing and complicated. Recently I experienced firsthand how essential it is catch even the smallest details when someone is speaking. I was talking on the telephone to a friend sharing with her my ideas about creating books for children. She was being supportive and had some input to offer. At one point she suggested highlighting key words by making them bold to “stand out”. In this age of computers and word processing programs, this is a simple strategy which I had already applied to my writing. The only problem is what I heard my friend say was “make them FOLD to stand out” I pictured a quite elaborate and complex system of words popping off the page. I thought it sounded rather interesting and likely fun for young l