Promises

Jan 16 2020

Did You Get Your Flu Shot?

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 6 Comments

 

 

Some Days are Like this!

 

Did You Get Your Flu Shot?

Every year about September, we hear about getting the flu shot which includes a promise to keep us protected from that year’s seasonal virus. I am faithful each year to receive my shot because of an Auto-immune disease that I battle with. Now my husband, who never has the flu shot, thinks it’s a waste of time, besides he never gets sick.

However, after getting the shot something went wrong. You guessed it, two days after Christmas I caught the flu which lasted about three weeks. My family decided I would get well sooner if I would try their flu and cold zapping home remedy. At that stage, I will try anything, well almost.

A cup of hot water, one teaspoon of minced garlic, one teaspoon of honey and one-quarter cup of lemon juice. Two cups a day, morning and evening weren’t too awful, and it seemed to help some. After a few weeks of confinement in my home, I was so excited to go to the grocery store and see people. Yeah! I was hoping no one would notice the cloud of garlic following me up and down the aisles.

I still smelled like a garlic bulb, but I made it through. Lol.

This year I determined not to get my flu shot, after all, if I became sick having the shot I might as well try it without. Wrong, I was back with the flu and cold zapping home remedy again smelling like a garlic bulb for another few weeks.

I don’t want to complain, but I’m uncertain what I should do next year. Since it didn’t seem to benefit having the shot or not.

However, I was startled to see how quickly my joyfulness flew the coop when things went wrong. I sulked around the house sniffling and sneezing with my hair unkempt and it even hurt to blink my eyes. My Joy dropped from 85 to zero in record time, becoming self-absorbed with my very own pity party.

Am I joyful in all circumstances even if I don’t feel like it? Life is a matter of choices and God’s mercy will never fail us. I know he will never leave me alone.

As he encourages me to look back and remember all the amazing adventures, He has given me, I see only His promises of faithfulness, His great love, and forgiveness, what more could I ever need?©

Always be joyful. ~ 1 Thess. 5:16

Has the flu come your way yet? How is your joy today?

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
I love you all and am praying.

HUGS,
Lovingly, Karan

Dec 30 2019

Happy New Tear – A living Legacy

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 3 Comments

 

Happy New Year – A living Legacy

 

 

A living Legacy

I have always loved Genealogy and learning about my ancestors.  Following their paths from Europe, Russia, and Scandinavia and beyond and documenting their quests for a better life for their families and freedom to choose. It has always fascinated me; their willingness to sacrifice and endure suffering and hardship to reach their goal.

Great-grandfather Christopher immigrated from Norway to the United States in 1900.   Arriving at Ellis Island, New York, with experience in shipbuilding he soon found work helping to build the Brooklyn Bridge.  However, when great-grandfather heard about free land in the state of Wisconsin, he moved his family west. In a few years, he had saved enough to buy a small farm for his family. 

Farming was hard during those years; every acre needed to be cleared of the dense forest before he could plant his precious seed. The tree removal was backbreaking, slow and often dangerous. So naturally, when great-grandfather heard about free land on the prairies in Alberta, Canada, he was interested. No more tree removal!

In 1908, he moved his three young sons and wife to Alberta, Canada by train to start a new life.  The land was beautiful and rugged but cruel in the winter.  Months after arriving in Canada he buried his young wife, who died from Diphtheria. He endured the loss of two more wonderful helpmates, prairie fires, theft, and many hardships, yet the one thing that all his children remember most about their father is his great faith and love for God, no matter what happened in his life.

One freezing night the barn burned down, and all the animals and winter supplies were left lying in ashes. As great-grandfather watched the flames die down, his children heard him say, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1: 21b).  The stories of great-grandfather’s faithfulness and love for God have been remembered for four generations now.  And today, because of his faithfulness, our families are reminded daily of God’s faithfulness too. What a legacy to remember!

“Remembering God’s Faithfulness in the past will give us confidence for the future”

Father, help me to walk faithfully in your ways so that my life will point my family and others to you.

I want to leave a remembered legacy too, that will point my family to God’s Amazing Grace, love and forgiveness. 

That is my prayer.©

 Happy New Year 2020, travel safe

 Love to all. Hugs!

Lovingly,  Karan

Nov 04 2019

Do You Hear Me, God?

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 1 Comment

 

 

Do You Hear Me, God?

A child’s evening prayer. “Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mommy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and me. Oh, please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you, we’re gonna be in a big mess.”

I’m sure we all feel like that these days when the world is in so much turmoil and distress. I have struggled for years trying to have a consistent prayer life that seems to be more hit and miss, than anything else.

I have felt guilty; I did not pray enough, or long enough.

I feel like I am not good enough, why would God listen to me, I have failed him so many times.

I don’t have enough time; I have a family, my work, and rarely sit down, and when I do I fall asleep.

We all know that the only time to pray is early in the morning.

However, I’m not an early bird. I just stare at my open bible then fall asleep, then feel worse…

Only to become discouraged and give up.  God, why did you make me like this? I can’t stay vigilant in the morning for prayer, I must be your worst child, one who doesn’t merit your constant love and grace.

I invested money in seminars and books that would help me get it right, so many formulas on how I should pray. But it never was intimate for me until I discovered a story about Susanna Wesley who raised 19 children and yet found time to pray.

With a busy family, Susanna found it challenging to find private time. Her life was hard, but she recognized the importance of praying for her family.  The children soon understood that any time their mother’s apron was over her head she was praying. So they left the room leaving her undisturbed.

This treasured story taught me it doesn’t matter where you pray or when.  I just need to talk to God like a dear friend, anytime or anyplace, he is only a prayer away.  Have you struggled with finding the right time or place to pray?©

Mark 11:24 (NLT)

 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.

” We are put on this earth, not to see through one another,
But to see one another through.”

Smile, God Love You

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me, Have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs to all.

Lovingly, Karan

Oct 11 2019

Does God Ever Give Up on Us?

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 1 Comment

 

 

Reflections: Does God Ever Give Up On Us?

I love the Thanksgiving season, expecting the cherished times with family and friends that no amount of money would buy. And besides no one diets on Thanksgiving! 

The smell of a turkey baking, pumpkin pies and the beautiful fall colored trees is my favorite time of year.  I love the family gatherings as I remember each loved one who joins us and the cherished ones we lost. 

Over the years, there were many tears, failures, and fears as I struggled to learn God’s lessons in waiting. I think waiting will be a constant pursuit for me because I seem to be a slow learner. God never gives up on me; but gives me a desire to learn and understand his purposes for my life. 

Gratefully there are daily reminders of His love and promises. I may get discouraged, angry and emotional, yet God is always with me, and continues to love me.  Even when I fail, I can never go beyond God’s love.

As God’s peace fills my soul, I can be assured that everything is all right. God’s plans are deeper, wider, and higher than anything, I could imagine, and in the loving arms of a faithful and trustworthy God, I know we will be safe. Ephesians 3:18-19 (ERV)                                                                                    

Reflecting on this last year, I am reminded of all the love, encouragement and prayers of family and friends. What an extraordinary year. I read a little quote that said, “Dark fears flee in the light of God’s presence”. What a beautiful picture of comfort and peace as God brings us to this year’s Thanksgiving.

Praying for a blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends Canada. American Thanksgiving is next month, November 28th. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your time with me today. ©

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week Canada, Travel safe.

HUGS,  Lovingly, Karan

Sep 12 2019

Do You See What I See?

Author: Karan Gleddie • Discussion: 3 Comments

 

 

Do You See What I See?

Have you taken a fun day with friends to go shopping, and find the perfect outfit but are afraid to try it on? I hate trying clothes on at the store. I’m always afraid it will look horrible and not fit all right.

You see my self-image has always been a little distorted and spending extended lengths of times in the “chamber of horrors” (the fitting room)  usually leaves me depressed and sometimes there are a few tears. Or I  leave wishing I was taller, thinner, had a flatter stomach and no muffin top around my waist.

The dressing rooms with the three-sided mirrors always seem to show my worst faults. Instead of a fun day shopping, I go home wishing I was someone else.

Occasionally I even toy with the idea 0f a major overhaul, from top to bottom.  You know the kind, where they pull everything up, starting at the knees.  (Somehow the image of my navel in the middle of my forehead has kept me from taking the final step)

I think God must have a sense of humor; after all, He made us.  Have you ever stood naked in front of a mirror and quoted Psalm 139: 14a “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” Personally, I could not get past the fearful!

 Our confidence comes from knowing that God made us in His image, he knew what we would look like before we were born and loved us, anyway.

The Bible says: 

    You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  You saw me before I was born.

          Psalm 139: 13-16a (NLT)

When he looks at us, we are perfect in his eyes; he sees each one is of us is unique and special. ©

  God loves you.   

Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me.
 I love you all and am praying. 
HUGS,

 Lovingly, Karan