the last three words

     Yes, today is Monday and I usually post some type of a "hopefully helpful tip" on Monday. No, my "hopefully helpful tip('s)" are not an actual participatory "theme day", though you are welcome to make it into one on your own blog should you so desire. {Let me know if you do!} They are always just various 'tips' that I link up to any of the actual Monday or Tuesday "theme day's" where that week's might fit in/apply.
    And yes, today's posting is about one particular tip. One which I think is highly important to stay focused on. But it's not the 'usual' type of 'tip' I share. There are also a few other things I should tell you about today's posting right off the bat:
     - Today's posting is going to be long. {But I really encourage you to take the few minutes it will take to read through it!!!!}
     - Today's tip has a whole lot to do with coping with life. Life happens. Regularly. Lately, far too frequently. Today's tip is about coping with that.

     Not that long ago, I shared with a friend about how important it was/is to stay focused on the last three words. M-A-N-Y of us quickly cite the beginning of the line - "I can do all things through Christ". And yet the beginning without it's all important three word ending is futile. In actuality, using the beginning of it without also heavily applying the ending, is setting oneself up for definite let down and/or failure.

     Above, I mentioned that Life happens far too frequently. Today is only the tenth day of this year 2010. What a ten days it's been so far!! Golly!!!!!

       ~ Pastor Gordon died on January 1st of this year. Both of our families started attending the same church, on the same day. His, as new pastor and family. Mine, as new parishioners. That was back in ' 67. I knew it had been a l-o-n-g time ago, but actual numbers/dates sure can be surprising, can't they?!!
     Before coming to that church, he had not only pastored other churches, but he (and his wife) had also started Camp Ao-Wa-Kiya. A camp I grew up attending. First I attended it as a camper, then as a camper and as a Jr. Counselor in the same summer(s). Then as a Sr. Counselor. Later I returned as kitchen help while a son was a camper. And then more times as kitchen help, which morphemed into 'head cook'. And not only during the summer. But averaging out to two weekends a month year round, during retreats, etc..
    After coming to our church, they started Maranatha's Day Camp. I attended that too. As a camper and then as a Jr. Counselor. And then as an adult I returned there with my sons as well.
    Pastor Gordon was 85 when he died. And yet he was anything but a "do nothing little 'ole man". My gracious no!!! The family shared the story about how just this past fall he had been up on his roof removing all of the leaves. The ladder hadn't stayed up, trapping him up there, with out the cell phone they had harped on him to always carry. In the end, he had jumped the three feet over to a sturdy looking tree and shinned down - with out obtaining a single scratch!!!
    Yes, there are things from his life which I could share that prove he was an imperfect human. But I'm choosing to remember the love he blessed so many of us with. The shining real person example he was. The 'work right along beside you to get things done' style he exemplified. And the fact that he stayed focused on those all important last three words!!!
    But my heart is heavy in knowing he shall never again bless me with one of his eye contacts and smiles like he did the last time I saw him, walking out during the service the Sunday before Christmas, while carefully monitoring those whom were helping his wife walk out. {His wife from his youth. They had been married just three weeks shy of 63 years, and yet were regularly spotted about town holding hands, and sharing warm loving glances.} Man was I ever floored when I learned that he was the one they had taken straight to the hospital!!!

     ~ On Thursday, Jan. 7th, Benson was told that "in keeping with store policy, we're going to have to dismiss you". Yes, he was fired. In the second meeting with the store manager over something he had done. "Something" being a technicality. But also could have been a misunderstanding. Misunderstanding what exactly the fellow employee had said for him to do. But something which the manager stated she had told him was a 'never do' on the day she had personally interviewed and then hired him - didn't he remember it?!!!
    No, he didn't. First of all, he was very nervous during that interview. Secondly, this particular thing had to do with cashiering, and he was being interviewed and hopefully hired on as tech support. And thirdly, they never covered it again. Nope, not even during the short little cashiering training they gave him before he was put on a lane due to the holiday busyness.
    So now all four sons are un-employed. Two were permanently 'let go', the other two were "hopefully only laid off". Yes, Brian and Cyndi both (at least) currently still have their jobs. But Cyndi's mom doesn't. And one of her sisters is still off on a medical leave due to when she had been rear ended in a car accident. ...

     ~ When Brian came through the door after church yesterday, he asked if I had been on line yet. I had earlier in the day. But the expression on his face and the build up of tears in his eyes told me that I had not stumbled across what ever this news was. Help!
     {insert here -> I had done yesterday's posting while I had been on line during that earlier time. Yesterday's posting had/has nothing to do with these events. Or at least the reason(s) I posted it didn't. It's totally about other things. ...}
     No, it was not Pastor Gordon's wife as many of us have feared. There had been a snowmobile accident during the night, and a nineteen year old girl had been killed. WOW!! I had just shared beaming smiles with her the day before during the life celebration ceremony for Pastor Gordon. WOW!! I have know her mother since my high school days, and we are still definitely friends!!!
    My heart dropped. Even further. It was already so heavy....
    And the pain compounded when my brain registered that the girl's mom and one of Pastor Gordon's daughter's have been (still are) 'best friends'. And that one of Pastor Gordon's grand daughter's and the now deceased girl were very close friends.
 
    Today is only the tenth day of this year 2010. What a ten days it's been so far!! Golly!!!!!
    That's why I must NOT loose sight of those last three words!!! What are they? Like I shared, the beginning of the line is - "I can do all things through Christ". The last three words are "who strengthens me".
    Without doing it in His strength, I can attempt to do things. I can attempt to deal with these losses. The losses of dear to the heart friends. The loss of yet another son's job. But without doing them in His strength, the chances of Satan winning in my battle with depression is almost a given.
    But if I constantly and continually focus on the line as a whole - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me", then I shall make it. Plain and simple. Why? Or is that How? Because Christ will then, moment by moment, give me the strength that I need to fight Satan and his shoves towards depression. Christ is the source of strength. The type of strength to deal with / cope with life. In His strength, I can do all things.
     I can not imagine going on without it. I am ever so glad that I don't have to. If you do not know that you can access His strength, send me an email. I'd be happy to talk about it more with you, and hopefully show you how too.

So today's 'tip' was not the usual type of 'tip('s)' I try to share on Monday's. But hopefully you will still find it very useful!

I am 'planning' on linking this particular posting to:
~ "Share Your Life Your Blog", hosted by Sarah, at 'Real Life' (http://www.reallifeblog.net/).
~ "Make-Do Mondays", hosted by Shari, at 'My Practically Perfect Life' (www.practically-perfect-life.blogspot.com).
~ "Miracle Monday('s)", hosted by Beth, at 'A Mom's Life - Just taking it one day at a time' (http://beth-amomslife.blogspot.com/).
~ "Happy Homemaker Monday('s)", hosted by Sandra, at 'Diary of a SAHM' {SAHM = Stay At Home Mom} (http://familycorner.blogspot.com).
~ "Homemaker Mondays ... Yours, Mine & Ours", hosted by Mom2my9 (Jen), at '11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven' (http://rtheyallyours.blogspot.com/).

~ "Gratituesday('s)", hosted by Laura, at 'Heavenly Homemakers . com', (http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/blog/).

I hope all of the hosts think this was an okay 'tip' to share.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~