The blessings of trials and adversity

I was deeply moved by this song today on the radio.  To all of TODAY's ChangeMakers who are creating positive change in THIS generation:  Hang in there.  There is a bigger perspective than what we see, but it IS something we CAN remember.

 

Have a great day!

Living Into Lonliness: Update #2

Talk About It Tuesday

It's been some time since I referred to my experience with my 78-year-old neighbor. For those who had not joined me when those posts were made, or for those who would like to refresh their memory, here are links to the previous two posts.

Post #1- Living Into Lonliness
Post #2- Living Into Lonliness: Update

Since those posts, my neighbor has returned to the hospital twice. The late night, flashing lights of the ambulance were not a welcomed sight for me. At least I could run across the street this time, and ask if she'd like me to call her daughter. I WAS fully prepared with the phone number. This time there were cardiac symptoms, and I decided to go sit by her bedside so she would not be alone. Perhaps talking to someone could pass the time while the ominous test results were being processed.

All was well, she returned home the next day. I was able to pick her up and meet her sister--who was troubled that she did not know where her sister (my neighbor) had been. (Another phone number to put on my list, perhaps.)

So I'm learning the ongoing lessons that these challenges to her bring.

• I'm noticing that it's hard to ask for help when a person is used to being independent. Especially when a person does not have a large circle of friends or family to call on.
  
• I'm seeing how quickly a strong person's health can decline.
• I'm empathizing with the disappointment, discouragement and sometimes depression that can result from seemingly-permanent, unexpected change.
• I'm knowing that I must not be too busy to offer what I'm able to do, while keeping balance with my own priorities as well.

My neighbor is a very gracious lady who expresses gratitude constantly. I have benefited from her loving-kindness in ways that would not exist without her personal challenges factoring into my more frequent visits with her. She enriches my life!

We all need each other in one way or another. Sometimes our past experiences with trusting people get in our way of reaching out to others. We may fear pain. We may fear rejection. Who knows all the things we may fear or want to avoid! Sharpening our own discernment, however, is vital to knowing where to spend our time and energy. Not all experiences will turn out to be as beneficial and heart-warming as this has been for me. Yet all experiences can be learning experiences. We must decide for ourselves if the risk is worth taking. When we don't learn to trust those who are trustworthy, we may never know what we're missing.

What experiences have you had in learning to trust or serve?

Oops! Father's Day video is now fixed.

Today, I visited my Examiner.com site and found that the video I posted about Christian Nielsen was missing from the article entitled Fathers Day: The influence of fathers The article spoke of my father's influence on his posterity and friends, and it also talked about the influence of Christian Nielsen on his family and others.

I fixed the problem and will also post the video here. Christian is a great example of the quotation: "The greatest thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother." --unknown
He and his wife survived a near-fatal plane crash. They were badly burned, and they still face their daily challenges with faith and courage. Although the video mainly features Stephanie, watch Christian--his loving support and his happiness in spite of enormous challenges.

Enjoy!

The Influence of Fathers: Happy Father's Day

I wrote an Examiner.com article and mentioned my dad. Click here to view the article.

I was adopted as an infant. Considering all the unfavorable circumstances that COULD have come my way, I feel blessed to have had the best parents in the world, for me. I could say so much more about his fun-loving, abiding influence in my life, but I'll save that for another time.
Picture: James Lynn Calton

In the article, I also talked about Christian Nielsen--a modern-day dad who inspires me beyond words.

Christian inspires me because he, in such a quiet, reserved way, is such a great husband and dad. In spite of he and his wife suffering extensive burns from a near-fatal plane crash in 2008, he serves his family out of great love. I've observed this first-hand, and I'm refreshed and amazed. Their struggles continue on, yet they remain hopeful, faithful and committed to eachother.

View my article by clicking here.

There are many people in the world who are Generational Change-makers. Stories of overcoming great odds continue to inspire us all. No matter the past, we can build a wonderful future by the power of our positive influence.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!