I Don't Get It!

Why can't we just get along! We, and I use the term loosely, are commanded to love one another. The second half of the greatest commandment according to Jesus, and He should know, is that we love our neighbors as ourselves. The Bible says, they will no we are Christians by our love. They'll marvel about how we love one another. If all that's true, and I believe it is, then why do we have so much trouble doing it?

Today, I've had two friends who have been hurt by believers. Not just believers but church leaders. People who have been entrusted with the care and nurture of God's sheep. I've been sitting on my couch staring at Facebook and talking to God about it. I'm asking how come his leaders act this way.

All I hear is that they are flawed just like I am. Sinners saved by grace. Which is true. However, (you knew that was coming) It really hacks me - get's on my last nerve, frost my cake, you name it. When leaders screw up, and when they hurt fellow believers, it sours believers on God and the church.
The church is where "people will know and marvel at how". If our leaders don't learn how best to love. How to speak the truth in love, and encourage and sharpen their flock, how is the church suppose to grow? How is the church supposed to prevail against the gates of hell?

I don't know. But I suspect that God ain't happy.

It's been awhile

Let's see if I can summarize everything that's happened since February.

• Went to St. Louis, hung out with Carol, discovered the most comfortable underwear ever
• Survived Easter services, what a whirl wind!
• Trying to take care of Dad who is at home with in home care for 8 hours a day
• 85 year old father tells you he's in love with one of his caretakers, and is giddy about it
• Caretaker isn't in love with papi
• I'm gonna get to go to Europe this summer AND see the Pyramids before I turn 50
• Yes I turn 50 this year. GAG
• Coordinated another wedding (Aunt Gigie and Uncle Lu),barely made it through alive
• Read a great series of books by Stephanie Meyer - Twight, New Moon & Eclipse (look for the movie in December)
• Listened to an awesome book on by Ipod - World Without End by Ken Foillet
• Been hanging out on Facebook a lot playing Text Twirl and giving out pieces of flair
• Dad decided to stay home today - was going to go out with brother - now he's home alone and I'm a nervous wreck.
• Wish I could makeover my kitchen (I should probably stop watching HGTV)
• Went to Fairchild Tropical Gardens yesterday with Ann - had a blast - it was beautiful AND hot
• Got to see D-man and Sugar Monkey on Friday at Scotty's. I love that place

Ok those are the highlights. I'll try to do better with the blog

Reading - it's FUNdamental

So I'm updating the blog and looked at the books I'm reading and of course I'd finished all of them ages ago. I read about a book a week, more when I'm traveling. That airplane flight is golden for reading. I put on my ipod and I'm off.

There's one book that I'm reading very slowly - Cold Tangerines - by Shauna Niequist. Shauna is the daughter of Bill Hybels from Willowcreek Church. Cold Tangerines is a collection of her writing that encourages the celebration of life. It's fabulous. I read one story a day or try to and reflect on the simplicity of the writing and the authenticity of the communication of the story and of the story itself. It's helping me "keep it simple" and reminds me to enjoy. Check out Shauna at her website, just click on her name. By the way her brother, Joe is sailing around the world with his friend Todd. They've got a website where they journal and post pictures of their journey. I think it's cool. Check it out crisismode.

Ok, our server is back up so I've gotta go back to work.

Peace & Joy

Surprise! I'm still alive

It's been a depressingly long time since I last blogged. Christmas 2007! Valentines 2008 is breathing down my neck. Where does time go? Where ever it goes, the one thing I do know is that you can never get it back.

Since Christmas, Papi has been released from the rehab center and after much soul searching we decided to let him live at home in the house we were raised in and where he's lived for 40 years. He was diagnosed with a degenerative condition pan cerebellar something or other. It affects the same area of the brain as multiple sclorosis and parkinsons but it's not as devastating. So Papi is not going to get better. We just have to keep him safe and happy. We've been blessed with two fabulous caregivers that spoil him rotten. The cost is astronomical and I'm thankful that my brother is in a position to make this happen. We're exploring assistance options to handle this but my advice to you all is "long term care insurance". Home care is expensive and medicare covers very little - 1 nurse - 1 hour - 3 days a week. Hmmm. Papi is happy and that is more than I could have hoped for a couple of months ago.

I've been busy getting him set up at home, man that's time consuming and expensive too! Things have started to settle down and getting in to a routine. I've started traveling again for work and recently escorted a client on a 5-night cruise. I know it doesn't sound like work but it is. Church is keeping me occupied as I have an opportunity to lead in the tech/media area.

I'm learning that I need to be quiet more and be thankful for little things. It's not how many things you check off your to-do list. It's the life your living as you work through the list. Which,by the way, never ends. For everything that gets crossed off 3 more things are added.

So here we are in 2008. It's the big 50 year - let's hope I spend it wisely and some of it unwisely :-). You know me if ain't fun, what's the use.

I can't promise I'll blog more often, but I'll try.

How's 2008 for you?

5 Days til Christmas - YIKES!

I may be the only person on the planet who has done no (zero, nuttin', ain't been there) Christmas shopping. Who has had time or money much less the inclination? I've been caring for Papi (more on him later), working, traveling, volunteering at church and did I mention caring for Papi? - who has time?

Papi is doing ok. Still has some walking issues but has had a good attitude and is working hard. The man however, cannot understand that if he tries to walk by himself, he will fall. Lord,Help Me! He has no dexterity in his movements, so what does he do - he moves as if he's in a hurry to get some place. He's in a hurry for everything. Eating, moving, asking for stuff. I may lose what little mind I have left.

Poor dear. You gotta love him though. When he knows I'm nearing the end of my rope, he'll call me in the middle of the day to tell me he's had a good day in physical therapy, cause he knows that makes me happy.

So, I guess I'll have to shop this weekend. Hope no one is expecting something awesome.

Santa, can you help a sister out?

If it's not one thing it's another

I can't believe this week. I took my car to the shop yesterday and got a rental. And tonight I got home and couldn't get the key out of the cheesy nasty car I had. So it got towed. Now I don't have a car.

I almost had to hurt someone when Enterprise decided it was my problem to find another car. Fortunately, I decided to cool off. I hung up and called back and a nice lady took care of me. I'm now getting another car tomorrow after church.

Earlier today, Papi decided he could get out of bed on his own and use the bathroom. He couldn't and ended up on the floor. He freaked the nurses out at Greenbriar. Papi is one lucky man. He has fallen so many times and hasn't gotten seriously hurt. We were blessed today and he wasn't hurt.

Stress, it's making me feel all of my 49 years.

Today I'm 49

Oh my gosh how did this happen, how did I turn 49 today? Where has all the time gone? Even though it's a cliche, it's true. Time does fly.

Since the last time I posted so much has happened, besides my birthday. I've traveled to New Jersey, San Francisco, Atlanta, cruised to the Bahamas and to no where.

We moved my Papi to my brothers. He's been in the hospital this past week and just yesterday we had to place him in a rehab nursing home. Poor Papi. He's trying so hard. His legs became so weak that he couldn't walk. The best the doctors can say is that he suffered a TIA. Nothing more tangible than that. He went through hell as they tried to get clear MRIs of his spine. They filled him with Atavan which messed him up. It's still working it's way out of his system. But he's in Greenbriar now and getting stronger.

A pox on AMR ambulance company. Dad was discharged from South Miami Hospital at 2pm Wed afternoon. We waited and waited and the ambulance that was supposed to transfer him to Greenbriar never showed up. Finally at 8:15pm my brother made arrangements for a Rescue vehicle to take him. The ambulance company stopped answering the phones. What if we'd had no other recourse? It was irresponsible and inhuman.

So, I spent my birthday and Greenbriar and took my car in for service. Blah.

Oh well, it'll be better next year. Sorry it's been so long since I posted. I'll try to do better.