Anne's Annotations

Tributary

2006-09-17T12:20:00.000-05:00

You're on a journey you started a long time ago. You're pretty new to traveling this path, so you made sure that when you started out you had all the supplies you needed - a compass, nourishment, a map to guide you. You'd stop along the way to get refreshed and replenish your supplies. Beautiful scenery kept you in awe. The bumps and potholes along the way were easily side-stepped. Once in a while a storm would come and you'd have to stop or backtrack a little until it passed. You'd then get back on the road, stronger for the storms and eager to press on.

Then something happened. Somehow, somewhere you took a wrong turn. The storms that were few and far between now seemed relentless. One after the other they pounded you. It was getting harder and harder to see the road ahead. Then the compass jammed - the needle just spun in circles. The map didn't seem to make sense anymore - it was like trying to read a foreign language. Your nourishment dwindled - you became hungry and thirsty.

Days and nights passed. You kept on walking. You had to. You knew if you stopped you would surely die. Weariness overtakes you. Darkness surrounds you. You lie down and fear the journey has ended.

A gentle nudging. A soft touch. Your eyes open - you are not alone. Someone is there offering you nourishment. Silently you accept. Together, in the quiet, you walk alongside. One by one others join you. Each offering a touch - a word - a song. Soon the darkness begins to lift. With each step forward you become stronger. The paths begin to clear. Sunlight brightens the days. Moonlight shatters the night's darkness. The destination is clear. You are heading towards home.

Tributary
High in the mountains a spring pours its life into a tiny stream which begins a whispering journey. It is joined to another stream which soon becomes part of an even stronger current. Carried and carrying, supported and supporting, the growing, travelling and mingling continue until finally the stream, swept joyfully along with its brothers and sisters goes tumbling, rushing, racing and roaring into the Great Body to fulfill its destiny and to become -- fulfilled...

Running on Empty

2006-07-03T09:33:00.000-05:00

Did you ever feel like you were just running on empty? Facing each day doing what needs to be done, yet never having a feeling of accomplishment? Never feeling that refreshment - the satisfaction of achievement? Setting goals, but never seeing the fruition of them?
That's how I've been these past months. I would move through the motions of the daily process - but there was no joy in any of it. Even in my bible reading, prayer life and church attendance - I was there in body - but never in spirit.

I turned 50 back in February and decided that I need to accomplish some personal goals during this, my jubilee year. I've always been one to over extend myself - never saying no to anyone, putting myself last and then always finding myself totally wiped out. This time I decided to keep my list small and sweet - setting it at only 5 items. Simple enough, right? One would think.

Here is the list:
1. Begin a personal Bible study.
2. Pick one ministry at church that was new ground to me and get involved.
3. Read through my Bible.
4. Lose the 50lbs I've been carrying around - it really isn't helping my out of control Diabetes.
5. Run a marathon (or at least 1/2 marathon - 13.1 miles)

None of these things were too difficult to achieve. Over the course of the past weeks I thought about my list. I wasn't feeling very good about myself. I looked at the calendar - July 1. Hmmm.....how many of these things have I started? None. Nada. Zip. Zero. Needless to say, it was a very depressing weekend.

I was chatting on IM with my dear friend, Colleen, and she reminded me of many of the things I've accomplished - things that others may not have been able to stand the test of time with. Her few simple words were the encouragement I needed to get off my butt.

I sat last evening and picked up my Bible. Not only did I pick it up - but I read it - truly 'got into it'. The Lord led me to this scripture - one I've known and memorized years ago - but it took on some new meaning this time:

Wherefore 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, Hebrews 12:1

Wow. Sort of it home where it hurts. What kind of witness had I been? I had told people of my goals - yet failed to follow through on them. I spent much time and prayer last evening. This morning when I woke up I got to work. Here's my list again - with the actions I've taken today:

1. Begin a personal Bible study - I ordered Believing God, Beth Moore - I'll have it Wednesday.

2. Pick one ministry at church that was new ground to me and get involved. - I called our ladies ministry person - I'm going to join in on a new ministry - Blossoming Beauties - it's for moms and daughters (grandaughters) meeting once a week.

3. Read through my Bible - I started this morning.

4. Lose the 50lbs I've been carrying around - it really isn't helping my out of control Diabetes. - I attend my first Weight Watchers meeting this coming Thursday.

5. Run a marathon (or at least 1/2 marathon - 13.1 miles) - I pulled out my training schedule and walked 2.5 miles this morning.

Whew. Now that I've spilled my guts to the entire Internet Blog-o-sphere - I expect to have some accountability!! LOL If you don't see me posting updates - question me!! Hound me!!

And remember - should you find youself running on empty - pick up God's Word - it's all the nourishment you need to run the race!!!

Rainy Days and Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays...........

2006-06-29T06:39:00.000-05:00

Let's see - I'll need some gopherwood and some pitch - a hammer......... Well you get my drift. I cannot recall in all my years living here having so much rain as we have had in the past two months. I believe we've only had like 5 or 6 days of sunshine since early May. Talk about depressing.

This year's rains have been especially challenging. Thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds and our most recent occurence - flooding. As I listened to the news last evening and saw the devestating results my mind drifted off to scripture where the Lord promised - made a covenant - that He would never send the floods to destroy all the earth again.

Genesis 9:9-17
9And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
10And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
11And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
12And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
17And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

In the midst of my prayers for those whose property has been damaged and loved ones lives that have been lost, I take comfort in the fact that there will indeed be a rainbow at the end of this. That, in fact, the 'Sonshine' will indeed shine through and that despite all the devastating news - the Good News will have the victory.

May God bless you richly today regardless of the circumstances you may be facing.

Transformed

2006-06-25T06:35:00.000-05:00

When I first started this journey of blogging, one of the things I took into consideration was it's appearance. I'm not one for frills and ruffles, or lace and flowers, I like simple lines and muted tones. I was anxious to begin so I scanned the initial selection of templates and grabbed the one that was least offensive to my eyes. The more I worked with it - filling in all the basics and moving things around - I realized I was not happy with its appearance. (Not unlike the way I feel about my own appearance!!)

A week into it, I finally found a basic simple template that I was able to manipulate and tweak into something that was pleasing to my visual senses. I didn't change any of the initial content - that was something that came from the heart. As I thought more and more of what I was doing, the thought came to me that creating a blog was very similar to the way we look at ourselves and the way we want to present ourselves to others. Scripture tells us:

Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Now, obviously, this is not referring to our physical images - for if that were the case, the earth would be filled with creatures that all looked alike. Not a good thing, I don't think!! Each one of us is created with our own unique physical attributes. We are short and tall. Heavy and slim. Red hair, blonde hair or no hair. You get my drift. So what is it that is created in God's own image? I believe it is our heart. The core of our being. The content of our lives. We want our physical selves to look pleasing to others, but it's our 'heart-images' that need to be pleasing to God. For it is there that our unity and oneness in Christ draws us together.

So despite the variety of visual smorgasbord that is out there, take the time to look beyond it and get to the heart of the matter for it is there that our own hearts and minds will be transformed.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What's your wattage?

2006-06-24T05:22:00.000-05:00

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

A few months back our town, and most surrounding towns, was plunged into darkness. For forty-eight plus hours people scurried around trying to find candles and batteries and any other piece of paraphernalia that would keep them out of the darkness. For my house, and me this darkness was just a temporary state of being – not a state of life. The flicker of a candle, no matter the size, brought light into the darkest room. The more candles that were lit, the brighter each room got. Pretty soon the light from the inside was creating a warm glow that was so bright it was casting shadows through the windows to the outside. A neighbor spoke of how the light from my window was like a beacon to him as he attempted to find his way to the door.

Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Through the long hours of darkness the thought came to me that this is how so many people live – not so much in the physical – but the spiritual. They walk around in darkness day in and day out. It made me wonder if the times that I would encounter some of these people if there were a light shining through me that alleviated some of their darkness? Do I allow it to shine through to others? Or do I hide it – shoving it under a bushel so as to not offend or embarrass? How about you? Is your light shining brightly or do the batteries suddenly fail at a most crucial time?

Perhaps it’s time for us to do a little inventory – making sure our wicks are trimmed and ready or our batteries are fully charged – ready to light the way through the darkness around us.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Can you hear me now?

2006-06-22T19:36:00.000-05:00

The word 'hear' appears 516 times in the KJB

These days anyone who has a TV or cell phone is familiar with, and often jokes about, this phrase; can you hear me now? But if you think about it - the command/question has been around way longer than Verizon. I can picture God sitting there on his throne shaking His head saying: 'People, people - how many times have I commanded you to hear me?' Of course, you can now say: 'Well, Lord - it appears to be at least 516 times!!'

As we go through the course of our days we hear many things. The phone. The traffic. The television. Ours kids - either laughing or crying. The squeaky hinge on that old cabinet door. The list goes on for miles. How often do we stop to hear what the Lord is saying to us? Do we have a set time from 5:15 - 5:26 to sit down and read the Word, pray and say; "Okay, God what do you have for me today?" "Hmm..good." "Okay - is that it for today?" "Great - see ya tomorrow, same time, same place" close the Book and go about our day? To be painfully honest - that's how it is for me some days. We put God in our conversational boxes on our time schedule and leave it at that.

If He took the time to put the word 'hear' in His Book more than 500 times - perhaps we ought to stop a minute and listen. God doesn't need an appointment. He doesn't have a day planner where He will pencil you in. He doesn't tell us that He'll have His people call our people and set up a date to talk. He's available 24/7 - and so we should be, also.

Find some time throughout today, and everyday, to purpose in your heart to not only hear, but listen, to what God is telling you. Absorb it. Bury it in your heart to recall as you move throughout your day. Revel in the joy that He finds in conversation with you. Rejoice in the fact that you are precious in His sight. Truly hear Him - that squeaky hinge may not be as loud as you think.

Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Cool Photo Program

2006-06-20T17:38:00.000-05:00

I discovered a cool photo program that is free from Google. It's called Picasa - you can find it here: http://picasa.google.com/

What it does is scan your computer for all your pictures and puts them neatly in one place. From there you can organize, modify, print, email, order new. It has some cool features on it. My new favorite one is call "Collage". With this you can take several pictures and it will make them into one - I'm not explaining it well so just look at the pic I've posted. LOL It scatters them in different positions - you have some control over where each one goes.

I thought this would be great for those who scrapbook - you'll be able to get more pics on a page without it looking overcrowded. Just for your information - this pic is a collage of a trip to NYC that 3 of my sisters and I went on last year. It was freezing and the train was 4 hours late on the way home because it was frozen on the tracks!!

Where I Am From

2006-06-19T05:41:00.000-05:00

I saw this template on several of the blogs I read and thought I would give it a whirl. You can find the template here Where I Am From. It's not as easy as it looks - it will make you think back and remember. Sometimes that is not easy.

Anyway, here is mine.

I am from Veg-All, from pink Schwinn bicycles, from trundle beds and dogs.

I am from the brown paneled windowless walls, the bedrooms shared by three, the lingering smell of tobacco and aftershave from my father’s smoking in the bathroom habit and from Old English.

I am from the spider plant, with each baby hanging precariously over the edge, the weeping willow out back, which offered shelter from the storms, and the oak, which gave me strength.

I am from the Christmas Eves of new underwear and red and white pajamas, and Santa’s played by strangers, from Grandpa Smalley’s love for me and Uncle Ed’s infectious laugh and from Aunt Beatrice who clicked her teeth.

I am from the laughter of survival, and the struggle of seven siblings each desperately needing to feel loved.

From slam of my father’s words of you’ll never amount to nothing and the reassurance of my grandfather that I can be whatever I choose to be.

I am from Christianity. From the love and grace and mercy of Jesus Christ who set me free from a life of sin and bondage. From a Father whose love knows no bounds.

I'm from Brooklyn of German and Irish descent, from tuna noodle casserole and pot roast with red cabbage.

From the Sunday night games of penny-ante poker with Nana, the walks over to Ovington Avenue to have our ‘special occasion’ pictures taken because it had a better background, and the trip to Manhattan with Nana and Grandpa Smalley where he spoiled me with an outrageously expensive outfit.

I am from old photo albums filled with hauntingly faded photographs, and from new albums filled with the hope and promise of tomorrow. From the love of a daughter and the heart of a grandchild – I am truly blessed.

My Girls

2006-06-17T21:57:00.000-05:00

Jennifer is my daughter. She is 26 and will be a senior in college in the fall. After some tumultuous teen years, she got her act together, pulled herself up by her bootstraps and got down to business. She is majoring in Neuroscience and will be going on to Graduate School to get her Master's Degree. She'll either go into research or teaching. I'm so proud of her accomplishments and know that she will succeed in whatever she does.

Breanna is my granddaughter - the light of my life. She turned 7 this year - although some days I wonder if she is really an old lady trapped in a youth's body! I don't know where some of the things she says come from. She keeps me laughing and at the same time shaking my head!! She is the source of many of my humorous tales - stay tuned!!

Kawaski Disease

2006-06-17T20:49:00.000-05:00

Well, here I sit on day two of my 'blogging journey'. As stated in my previous post, my life is truly not that interesting so there are times when I will really have to stretch to find a topic to talk about.

Upon arriving home today, from a very long, boring day at work, I was pleasantly surprised to find a package addressed to me!! I didn't remember ordering anything so I was curious as to what it was. The return address was not offering any clues. The package was light and didn't make any sound as I gently shook it. As I tore off the tape that was holding the surprise hostage, a bubble-wrapped package fell to the table. Don't you just love bubble-wrap?? Popping those bubbles is such fun, but I regress. Although the wrapping was translucent - I still could not see what it contained. There was no tape holding it closed, so I gently unrolled it and found three bracelets!
Now, these were not ordinary bracelets, but those that are so popular these days to wear in support of a cause. The cause these bracelets represented is one that is very near and dear to my heart. Have you ever heard of Kawasaki Disease? No, I didn't think you did. It's a disease that is not well known and missed frequently by most pediatricians. But without proper diagnosis and treatment it is potentially fatal. Kawasaki Disease is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. It causes aneurysms in the coronay arteries. Symptoms of this disease include: fever for more than 5 days, rash, red eyes, red lips and tongue, red hands and feet, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Children exhibiting a combination of any of these symptoms should be seen by a pediatrician immediately. There are many speculations as to what causes this disease - but none are conclusive and there is no medical test to diagnose it. Treatment, which includes high dose aspirin therapy and IVGG need be be administered before day 10 of the progression - after that time the damage as been done.

The reason for my heart for this disease? Her name is Breanna. When she was 3 years old she had Kawasaki. She started off with a 104 temp and was just basically lethargic. When the fever lasted 24 hours and produced no reaction to Tylenol or Advil we called the doctor. They tested and treated her for a variety of things - none of which responded to treatment. As each day progressed, her health was failing - finally by day 4 we called the doctor again - this time issuing an ultimatum - you either see her now in your office or later in the ER. We weren't messing around - she was basically comatose by this point. We got her in - they took one look at her and immediately sent her to the Children's Hospital about 40 miles from home - they diagnosed her with Kawasaki. For the next 8 days she was poked and prodded, put on exhibition, she couldn't walk, she couldn't even open her eyes they were so swollen shut. She cried in pain from the joints that were aching - but she never really woke up. The fever hung on - never going below 104 and peaking at 106. The first attempt at administering the IV resulted in her havine seizures. It was two days before they tried again. On day 9 the fever broke and she woke up. The transformation was nothing short of a miracle. Today she is a happy, healthy 7 y/o. We don't know the long term affects of this disease as the CDC has done no tracking on the children who have had it. We are tracking and making our own studies as we grow with our KD kids.

I've rambled. I apologize, but when I am passionate about something - I talk about it.
I'm signing off for now. Praying for a blessed day for you - wherever you may be.

The Begining

2006-06-17T20:48:00.000-05:00

I'm not really sure why I'm doing this - but I'm doing it nonetheless. I suppose one could say they do this to 'leave their little mark' on the world. Or, perhaps, they feel it's an easy way to stay in touch - to keep current with family members and friends. It could be that they feel that what they have to say is important and want to share it with the world. I don't think there is any one correct answer - I guess for me it may just be something that comes from the heart.

Well, enough of that for now. I'm just getting started and I need to play here a little. Be assured, though, I'll be back and I hope you will, too!