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Are You Aging with Humor? – A New Address

Are You Aging with Humor?

I’ve sure gotten old! I’ve had two bypass surgeries, a hip replacement, new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes.

I’m half blind, can’t hear anything quieter than a jet engine, take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.

Have bouts with dementia. Have poor circulation; hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.

Can’t remember if I’m 85 or 92. Have lost all my friends.

But, thank God, I still have my driver’s license!

 

Reflections: A New Address

I would like to share a deeply personal story that our family has journeyed through over the last eighteen months. After my Cancer surgery at the end of June 2015; in August, my dear son-in- law learned of his Cancer diagnoses.

After many highs and lows, starts and stops, joys and disappointments our family learned there was nothing else they could do for Kerry.

I can’t explain how confused my heart and mind felt for my daughter and her beloved husband. They had a beautiful family and a true love story marriage. Why?

Our family prayed and cried together, trying to understand this new territory we were traveling.

Many times, as I would sit and visit with Kerry, he was always more of an encouragement to me than He will ever know. As people came to visit or call him, he would pray with them before they said goodbye.

I remember our discussions about heaven and the amazing gift of God’s love and grace. Kerry’s peace was God given. And when we cried together, he would remind me the God he loved knew the number of his days before he was born. God’s promises gave him great comfort. The verse is;

Psalm 139: 16 NLT

16 You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

Our beloved son-in-law Kerry Kurtzweg passed away this last week, he changed his address from Foremost, Alberta to Heaven on February 20, 2017. Just two days before their 25th wedding anniversary.

He will be greatly missed and he was dearly loved.©

How sweet is rest after fatigue!
How sweet will heaven be when our journey is ended
.

– George Whitefield –
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Thank you, dear friends, for spending your time with me and all your prayers for our family.
Have a wonderful weekend. Have a great week, HUGS
Lovingly, Karan

Do Diamonds Last Forever?

Lost and Found

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My dear friend Kathy, a beautiful brunette, was racing around her bedroom trying to get ready to go swimming with a friend in the lake behind her house. She took out her diamond earrings, a treasured anniversary gift from her husband, and carefully laid them on the bathroom counter.

When she was almost out the door, she realized she had not taken her vitamins for the day. She hurried back to the bathroom, dumped them out on the counter, scooped them up, and gulped them down with a glass of water.

Her husband, watching in horror, tried to warn her. But he was one swallow too late. The diamonds were gone. Trying to keep a straight face he said, “It looks like you are going to have a “number two priority.”

Two days later, looking at the diamonds in a glass of disinfectant, Kathy knew she would never look at those diamonds in the same way. Something had changed:  they were more precious than ever. She had lost her diamonds, and now found them. And it did not matter one bit to her the search had been embarrassingly unpleasant and inconvenient.

Over the years when I think about Kathy’s diamonds I often get the giggles. She went to a lot of effort get salvage those gems, and in the end she was rewarded.

The story of those diamonds refresh my memory constantly, of God’s great love for me. His love is unconditional, constant and forever, even when I make mistakes. I even think he must laugh out loud when he sees the predicaments I get into. How about you?

I am reminded by Kathy’s story that God feels the same way about each me too. Do Diamonds last forever? I don’t think so but I know that God’s love does! He loved and searched for me no matter where I have been, what I had done or how far I had gone. In Luke 19:9-10 New Living Translation He says:

Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today…

 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

 I was lost, but now I have been found.

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*** Karan’s Update: Thank you for all your love and prayers, I did see the wonderful surgeon in Calgary, yesterday I had all the final testing and pre-surgery, Lab and x-rays done.  I admit it has been a long, discouraging procedure for me. My surgery will be in Calgary, Alberta on June 23rd.  I am thankful I now have a final date to look forward too.  I am praying the pain will be gone at the same time.

I will have either a partial or all the kidney removed, I would ask that you remember me in your prayers. For the surgery and recuperation time, and the discouragement I feel because of the prolonged process of waiting. It seems when you hear the word Cancer you want everything to move fast. But this is a time of waiting and patience learning for me. I know God’s grace is all I need at this time

Above all I want to honor the God  I love in all I do and say, that is my greatest desire.

Thank you sweet friends, for sharing your time with me.

Have a great weekend,

Lovingly Karan

Caller ID ~ Do You Know Who’s Calling?

Caller ID

On a Saturday night several weeks ago, this pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home. It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn’t
answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times. He thought it was odd that she didn’t answer, but decided to wrap up a pink phonefew things and try again in a few minutes.

When he tried again she answered right away. He
asked her why she hadn’t answered before, and she said that it hadn’t rung at their house. They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.

The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he’d used that Saturday night. The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he’d called on Saturday night.

The pastor couldn’t figure out what the man was talking about. Then the man said“It rang and rang, but I didn’t answer.” The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he’d intended to call his wife.

The man said, “That’s OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, ‘God if you’re there, and you don’t want me to do this, give me a sign now.’

At that point my phone started to ring. I looked at the caller ID, and it said, ‘Almighty God’. I was afraid to answer!” The reason why it showed on the man’s caller ID that the call came from “Almighty God” is because the church that the pastor attends is called Almighty God Tabernacle!  Author unknown

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Dear Friends

I wanted to share with you dear friends what has been happening in my life for the last few months.  In February I was diagnosed with Cancer after a mass was found in my kidney. I have seen doctors, one specialist and had many tests as usually happens in these circumstances.   I would ask you to remember me at this time of waiting and decisions for the right result. I am now in waiting mode, to be honest I do not do waiting well.

They decided I need to have a partial kidney surgery, but I am waiting now to see another specialist in Calgary, Alberta.  He specializes in a surgery which is less invasive, with great results. It is a called a Robotic daVinci Partial Nephrectomy for Kidney Cancer.  I am praying that he will consider me as a good candidate for this surgery. Medicare in Canada is a little different, so again I have found myself waiting.

Isn’t it amazing how God works in our lives! This morning while I was having a quiet time and reflecting on these last few month, I found great comfort in:

Philippians 4: 6 & 7 (The Message)

Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.

Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

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Thank you for stopping by and sharing your time with me. I will keep you posted on my process, and if you need me to pray for you too, I would count it a privilege, just drop me a note. Hugs

Have a great week!  Joyfully Sharing,

Lovingly, Karan