Voting

Yesterday, I voted in our Primary election. Voting is very important to me. After all, I was not born into that right. Well, technically, I was. But, actually, not; at least not like a man would be.

You see, it took a long time before women were granted the right to vote. Many women gave an awful lot so that they and their sisters and daughters would have that right. I saw a movie about the struggle, Iron-Jawed Angels, and it changed my view forever. Those women were not only jeered at on the street, but they were imprisoned, starved, and beaten. Some died. Suffragettes. What a group of strong women. Bless them forever. The Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1920. So you see, women have had the right to vote for less than 100 years, whereas men have ALWAYS had it, inherently.

Therefore, voting is very important to me. I try to not miss any opportunity to vote. I have, of course, missed one or two. When President Nixon was re-elected, I didn't vote. I was in labor in the hospital with my second son. And, I've missed a couple of elections since then. But I always do my best to try. I think it's important to cast my ballot to let my voice be heard in whatever way as to my preferences regarding my leadership in my city, county, state and country.

Yes, it's true that sometimes this does not have a direct effect. Certainly, in the

presidential election, we are voting for electors, and in my state, they are not required to cast ballots at the convention for whom the voters have expressed desire. They are free to cast ballots as they please. But usually, they do as the voters wish.

However, that is the exception to the rule. Take Dade County, for instance. It is called Miami-Dade County these days, but it will always be Dade County to me. They just had an item on their ballot, placed there by those who would like to end the ban on pitbull dogs. Those who went to the polls voted to retain the ban. Mind you, I said those who went to the polls. Those who did not go to the polls and vote had no say in the matter, and this directly affected the law in the county.

This is why it is so important to vote. Because your vote DOES count. And, voting is a privilege. For us women, it is a gift that was granted to us by the sacrifice and pain and suffering of a group of women many years ago. Thank you, girls. I will try to use my gift at every opportunity.

What Dr. Stanley says about how God works. Here's some of what he said today: "When anything or anyone becomes more important to us than the Lord, we have an idol in our lives. To protect us, God sometimes uses adversity to strip away everything we have relied upon so that we'll cling only to Him. The chisel hurts--it sometimes feels as if God is taking away everything we hold dear. Unless you understand His goal and believe He's working for your good, you'll think He's cruel. But if you trust Him and yield to His shaping tool of adversity, your faith will be purified and strengthened through affliction."

Dr. Stanley will be 80 years old next month. And surely he has had more Christian experience than I. Certainly, he has had more tribulation. But, maybe he hasn't. A woman's tribulations are much different than a man's. It doesn't matter if a man or woman is in a place of public leadership or not. The heart is what matters. I often feel that God has left me. As my husband says, "I wouldn't treat my bride like that!" And he's right. The scripture also says that God's ways are not like our ways. And that is certainly true. I would not treat my children the way God allows us to be treated. So, is Dr. Stanley right? I don't know. Certainly he is correct in saying that the chisel hurts. But is he correct in saying that whatever God allows is okay because it makes us stronger? I don't know about that. I think, personally, that it hurts sometimes so badly that it sends us away from God.

about family traits...

As he gets older, my husband, Paul, gets curlier and curlier. True, he has less hair on top, but the hair on the bottom gets curlier, even when it doesn't need to be cut. I was thinking of that the other day, and took a couple photos of his curls. That, of course, made me think of our baby grandson, Joshua. When he was very young, his hair had not been cut, and many folks called him "Rastaman". Of course, he was very blonde, but, oh well. Now that he's much older, and a teenager, his hair is mostly straight and very dark. But I have a photo of him with his blonde, curly hair that is one of my favorite photos of him. Of course, I have to share it and compare the two heads of hair. Paul's was a little darker when he was younger, but now it's grayer. It's still a family trait. There are many other family traits that are passed down. There is a saying, "The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree." I see that quite often in myself as I find myself doing things my father or mother did. I see it in my husband's behaviors that are like his father's. I hope some of our good behaviors have passed down to our sons. Some of their traits cause me to believe the hospital sent the wrong babies home with us. I see some of their traits in my grandchildren. I also see some of our traits in our grandchildren. Genetic traits are passed down, too. So how many of the personality traits are passed down through genetics or are they passed down through observation? There are certain traits in our family that I hope are NEVER repeated by ANYONE. Lord, help us to only pass along our good traits.

time....

I had thought i would try to write on my blogs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. However, this doesn't seem to be possible. It is a great way for me to practice my writing, but is proving to get in the way of things that need to be done; of things that have been on the "back burner" for too long. So, I will endeavour to write on Wednesdays until I complete some previously begun projects. I will miss writing on Monday and Friday, but this cannot be helped. Time management is very important.

Things my father taught me

In many ways, I am my father's daughter. I say that because I find myself naturally exhibiting many of his traits; much more than my mother's. I usually think of 2 things my father taught me that have served me well throughout my life: 1. learn to type: you can always get a job, and 2. never write anything you don't want printed on the front page of the newspaper. Those are two very good rules. I have made a living with my ability to type; of course, converting it to wordprocessing skills and other software skills on a computer. I could always feed my children, if need be, with that skill. And by being very judicious in my writing, I have stayed out of a lot of trouble. Many people should take a lesson from that and also apply it to their mouths. However, today, I also think of a third thing, most important, that my father said to me. He only said it once. At the time, it seemed silly and off the subject, but it really was the essence of our conversation. I was a teenager at the time, and my father and I were talking about "finding myself", as teenagers do. I was very well grounded already, mind you, in who I was, but I was looking at all the things I was interested in and what direction to take in life. There were so many choices. My father said simply, " That's an easy one. You are a child of the King." Of course, he was right. But I already knew that. I wasn't talking about the deepest part of me. I was talking about the easier questions. But being a child of the King is the best answer. It says everything. It says who our Father is, and where we are going. So many today do not have this knowledge. They are wandering, looking here and there, trying this and that. How foolish. I used to sometimes wish I had some terrible thing that I had overcome to write about in my testimony. But I didn't. I was saved when I was 10 years old. I was blessed with learning who I was at such an early age, I didn't have to wander and search, look all over the place. His hand was on me all along. And it didn't really matter which path I chose. He was guiding me. So today, still, I taste many things. I am interested in lots of different things. And you know what? He is still guiding me. I am still His child. And my earthly father taught me three VERY important things.

my favorite movies....

I seem to really enjoy some of the strangest movies. Of course, my favorite of all time will probably always be Gone With the Wind. And after that will be Sound of Music. But, other than those two, I really have some strange tastes in movies. For instance, tonight I am watching Twister. I've seen it many times, yet I can watch it every time it is on TV. I also like Tremors very much. I watch if often, too. Why do you suppose that is? Of couse, Kevin Bacon is very sexy, and his co-star, Fred Ward, is VERY sexy. Fred also plays in Sweet Home Alabama, which I like tremendously, too. Strange taste, right? And there's Hugh Jackman, who plays the Wolverine. And as for TV, I really liked House, which has finished its run. Who could possibly be more talented than Hugh Laurie? I really like The Closer, which is on its last season. Those were my favorite shows. Grey's Anatomy is more of a night-time soap opera, but I really like it, too. Who knows what will happen this next season, with so many of the doctors being killed in the plane crash? How wonderful that Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick (star of The Closer) have been married more than 23 years! And besides both of them being actors, they have collaborated on some of their productions, too. However, I also like things that are filmed here in South Florida, such as Burn Notice. Jeffrey Donovan, who plays Michael Westen, is so well-built, particularly for a man of his age, and the locations they have found for shooting are wonderful. And then there are the snake hunters. I love their shows, as well as the Seminole Indians out at Billy Swamp Safari. And I also love some of the shows on public television. There was an excellent one the other night about Queen Elizabeth II's reign. And there was another one, hosted by Prince Edward, about the British Walls of Wood, regarding the British wooden war ships. And the medical shows! Kevin Costner's production of The Hatfields and McCoys was excellent! So, yes, I really have a variety of taste in the things I enjoy. I was thinking about that. Hmmmm....

God's thoughts....

Isaiah tells us that our thoughts are not like God's thoughts and that God's ways are not like our ways. I don't understand that. I try so hard to understand what He is doing, but I cannot. I don't know why I must suffer so many afflictions and be in so much pain all the time. Dr. Charles Stanley says that when we are suffering afflictions that God is bringing us closer to Him, causing us to have spiritual growth. I don't feel closer, and I don't feel that I have grown. I'm just more confused than ever. I know that God does not have to explain all this to me. I also know that He sees the BIG picture, the eternal picture, and that I am only a small part of it, but I feel that I am me, and I am the one who is suffering. If He is my Loving Father, then He should not allow this. My earthly Daddy would not, and my husband would not treat his bride this way. We are also told that we should have faith, that God is in control. If we look at Job, we can see a huge amount of suffering that ended in a huge blessing in the end. But, I am not a man. I am a woman. I see things and feel things much differently than a man. And I do not want all this pain and suffering. I would just like to feel good for a while. Most of my illnesses prevent me from traveling, visiting friends I would like to see, and even from cleaning my own house. Sometimes, I don't even feel up to reading or writing. I know that one of our famous preachers, maybe Sturgeon, suffered from severe depression. There again, a man. But I am a woman. I have responsibilities. I have a ministry that no man could ever manage. So why does this go on? What am I to learn? Some say I am being protected from things that could happen if I went on my own way. What could that be? Well, it's a very difficult thing to learn to trust, even after all these years, when all this just continues. After all, I have much to do. I know. There are a lot of "I"s in there. But those "I"s are the things I believe God called me to do. So what is the deal? Thank you for listening.

My Personal Ideas

I haven't posted here to this blog for quite a while, and now I'm posting twice in the same day. Wow! I have a new plan. I am going to write to this blog every Monday, Wednesday and Friday about something that concerns me personally. You may certainly comment and I hope you will follow along. I also am thinking about starting another blog which will lead to a book. The thing is that things I am interested in may not interest anyone else enough to be worthwhile in producing a book. We'll see. In the meantime, I'll keep on writing.

Hope for the End of Pain

Today Paul had what is called a Thoracic Epidural Injection. Dr. Seth Wachsman believes what is causing his pain is a form of sciatica; that the problem is between T-8 and T-9 in his thoracic spine. Dr. Wachsman says he had the same thing when he was a Resident Physician, and also had been misdiagnosed more than once. So, today was the day. Paul did very well. Although we were told that he might experience pain at the sight of his injection, he had no pain there or any pain in his side which he had been experiencing for several years now. He has suffered so much. He slept well when we returned home, a side-effect of the anesthesia. Unfortunately, the air-conditioner decided to give us a problem, so he had to look at that, although he was supposed to only relax. But, other than that, he took it very easy. The folks at Health South, where Dr. Wachsman did the procedure, are to call him tomorrow to follow-up with him to see how he is doing. Our treatment there was very good, I believe. Our hope is that, after all these years, and it's been several, this is finally the correct diagnosis and that Paul's pain has been correctly treated. We've been through everything from possible kidney stones, to treating with physical therapy, treating the lumbar spine, and removing his gallbladder (which was needed anyway). We'll wait and see how this progresses.

My husband's hands

and his brain, of course. I've always loved his hands. They are so strong, but so soft. They are so talented. When combined with his brain, they are amazing. He can fix cars, yet he can make my body sing. He can work on the most intricate electronic things, do electrical stuff, yet rub my back so gently. His nails grow so much it's amazing. I often remind him that he needs to trim them. I would NEVER have nails that grow so easily and so strong. I just love his hands. I've seen them when one was squashed completely flat by a car falling on it, yet it came back with absolutely no damage at all. That was a miracle from God. He is a miracle, anyway. After all, he loves me. And I love all of him. Not just his hands....
     This morning I was reading in Philippians 4, verses 1-9, where it tells us to give everything to God, and not to worry. It also tells us the good things on which to think. So, I went out to the garage, where Paul was working on one of the cars, and all that went out the window. There he was getting under the big Ford we have. Visions of it falling on him kept coming into my head. So, I started praying and claiming the scriptures. I stood there most of the time he was beneath the car, watching and praying. It's very difficult in that situation, when someone is so important to you, to remain calm, and claim the scriptures. But, God was faithful. Paul finished, and the car did NOT fall on him, the jack stands and the jack did NOT fail and all was well. Whew! I keep telling him to take the cars to somewhere to have work done on them. He keeps telling me to win the lottery. I keep telling him that there is no amount of money that can make up for him getting hurt. He just shakes his head. Stubborn Norwegian! Well, thankfully, I have a faithful God in whom I can put my trust. He has my best interest at heart, whatever may come.

A tough week

     And it has been a tough week. I've had my migraine for several days and my arm has been hurting. 
     One thing is that I've gotten myself into trouble with my 15-year-old nephew. It seems he wants me to be friends with him on Facebook, but doesn't want me to post anything, or at least he doesn't want me to question anything he posts. Why would anyone want to be friends on a PUBLIC SOCIAL network and not make comments or ask questions? I thought a social environment was just that: for people who wanted to communicate with each other. Well, I guess I was wrong. So, I unfriended him. And that upset him even more. Oh, well. I'm told that teenagers today speak and behave differently than anyone else and that it's normal. I don't know how they expect anyone else to understand them, and there are plenty of other folks in the world around them. Enough of that!
     I inherited 2 new "niece-dogs". My girlfriend wants me to be around to take care of her dogs in the event that something happens to her and she is not able to care for them, temporarily. So, I got to meet Sophie and Baby. Sophie is a long-haired patch dachshund, and Baby is a chihuahua who has been hit by a car and has special needs. Baby is also about 15 years old. I'll have to photograph them next week and put them on here. They come over and play in my back yard and I visit them at their home. It's nice. Sophie is a puppy and is still learning a lot. But my friend is going to be fine, and this need will not come up!
     I'm helping another girlfriend with a couple of her books. She has a big problem with one, and, hopefully, someone has found a way for her to resolve it.
    Another girlfriend, a writer, has had roadblocks thrown into her writing path, also. It seems for us women, our writing often takes a backseat to other things considered more important. And, usually, if we are not well, that's pretty important. Illness gets in the way of creativity pretty severely. But, she's back on track now. So, I am hoping we both are going to have a great year this year, 2012.

None of my days are "TYPICAL"

     Because the last two days were so exciting, one could say today was dull, but it really was not. My goal was to stay in and finish the 4 book reviews that I needed to write. However, I ended up visiting a friend to meet her dogs, and doing some laundry, fixing a delicious dinner, and taking a good nap, which maybe helped my headache. By the time I got to my writing, it was after 8:30 p.m. I did get one book review finished and posted.

     The last two days were so much fun. I had the opportunity to work with another writer, a friend I've known since elementary school. And I was down in Miami Beach, where I hadn't been in years. It was so exciting and delightful. I had a great time.

     My self-esteem has been greatly bolstered, too. After all, I drove all the way down my most dreaded, hated section of I-95 and across I-195 all by myself and back up Collins Avenue. Traffic was crazy on the second day. I had not done that in years, but I wasn't nervous at all. I prayed about it and God was with me in the car. I felt His presence.

     And, I think I did His work while I ministered to my friend.

Strange Dream

I awoke to a very strange dream this morning. Our second-born son had married a woman "older" than the usual age group he hangs with. Not only that, he had not even introduced her to us. She has two children, and he was leaving and telling her to move in with my husband and me. She is older and steadier. Apparently, she knew all about his "past", which had all been "washed away" and they were making a new beginning. He was going to be trained for a few months in Virginia for a government job of some sort. And he is going to be the father to her children. She is divorced, as is he. Her children are 4 and about 2, both boys.

Where did this dream come from? What does it mean? Do dreams have ANY meaning?