Adversity

Grace
I don't know where I found this statement, but I wrote it in my little book. "Adversity can never rival the steading power given us when we praise God."

Humm
How often when faced with adversity do we feel that we need first to straighten out what we are and keep a strong force against it?
What if when faced with adversity the first thing we did, the very first thing was to praise God for God's presence in the midst of it all. Whatever "it all" is.
I imagine that there would be a shift of power that would be felt. Our hearts would know what we were to do in light of the trouble. Our heart would know how to speak to this adversity so as to understand it and perhaps it understand you.
What if the first thing we did was to pray? Why not let it be the first thing we do!

I wear a bunch of metal bangles on my left arm. They remind me to pray for people and situations that I know. I have one that I pray for all those concerns not named.
Perhaps I should have one that is a little different to remind me to pray when I meet adversity. Pray first.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

Dr. Bobbie

Swinging Light

Grace and Peace

A month ago I sat alone in the large chapel sanctuary of a nearby church. I was waiting for an office to open up so I stepped
in the back. This was a particularly strong windy day. The gusts were
predicted to be into the 60mph range. This high chapel roof would creak
and moan in the wind. And as I sat in prayer I watched one of the large
lights swing? Could it be swinging in the wind? Could the wind be
moving the roof that much that caused this to happen?
The swinging was barely perceptible
and to be honest at first I thought that I was imagining it. But I
marked the place where the bottom of the fixture was on the concrete
wall and watched as it moved until it was pointing to a point on the
other side of the beam. Yup, it was moving.
What a force of nature to move this light. How powerful the wind! No, not a question - an assertion.

What does it take to move us? You know to help us be ready to move with the winds of nature? What does it take for us to be willing to be vulnerable and off our mark enough so that things can change. If the roof had not yielded some to the wind it would have been blown away by it. Just as if we stand with our knees locked at the edge of the ocean, our feet planted in the sand, the waves will at some point knock us over. But if we flex our knees into the wave we can stand the force.

Let the wind of the Spirit of God be for you a healing and cleansing passing of this spirit over you.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

What are you reading?

Grace and Peace
What are you reading?

( I am in my new office today. I've met some wonderful folk already and am getting my feet on the ground. It is going to be a good time and transition with this congregation. I can just tell. Oh I miss folks from before I keep them in my prayers.)

There is work to be done for sure. I look up and the bookshelves are empty. I'm missing my books. I'll bring some over a little at a time to make myself more at home. I do love books. Our daughter said that she knew they could always ask for a book and I'd always get them one. True, I doubt I ever said no to their buying a book.

On my desk is a special book. It was a gift from John's Mother Gladys. It is a Hebrew scripture. It is in a metal binding with some stones on the front. It is most interesting in its presentation and it opens the opposite to the books that are most familiar to me. Perhaps that is a good thing. Perhaps we need to stop sometimes and look recognize that there are books that are important enough to read slowly.

What is your favorite book? What are you reading? I've just started Saving Fish from drowning. Amy Tan. The front story is great... more about that later.

Ok lunch over back to work.
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

What a morning

It was a busy morning for me today. So this will be a short note to you all. On the way to Lawton in the Hawk nest on the North side of the road you could see the hawk on the nest seemingly feeding young. I got a glance at it and it still is a picture in my heart.
How do we miss those pictures of the awesome tenderness of the creation? 70 miles /hour!
Slow down, you move to fast....

ok,
Good idea
enjoy the day.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey

Oh Mercy Me

I am always surprised where mercy shows up.
I've been watching for it for over a year. You know, where you see an act of mercy that moves you. Someone with a kindness in their spirit or soul. Ah I think mercy is needed in abundance.
Where does mercy come from? It seems to me that it comes from that very best part of who we are. Giving mercy comes from the depth of our souls and is known there because of the mercy we have received in our lives. Even if it is not named as so...it's action and response are filed there in our soul.
I was having a very hard time in college with a course which was required in my major. Finally, with the help of a counselor went to see the Dean to see if that one course could be removed. I remember feeling like I was in a daze. It was so intimidating. It felt he held my 'future' in his hand. There were alternatives. I was not without other hope but at the time..THIS was it. Here is what I recall. He wore dark rim round glasses. He spoke in a deep voice mostly directed toward the counselor who had accompanied me. I have no memory of the words he spoke the first 15 minutes. He took his glasses off and on 9 times always holding them in his hand when they were removed. Then out of this fog came the words. I don't see why we can't do this for this young lady. I finally breathed and we walked out of the office.
Mercy. He had given me an opportunity to do something that was legal but irregular. Mercy. He had not challenged me personally nor made light of my previous effort.
Mercy. It moved me into a new place.

Now most acts of mercy are not so evident. They are rather opportunities to apply what power we have in situations for the good. They are indeed a way to be in the world that brings more peace for us and for all around us.

So then, you muse, acts of mercy are not easily accepted or given? Righteo.
But it's what we are to be about all the same.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

Dr. Bobbie invites you to leave a comment if you are so inclined. Thanks

Tracking

Grace and Peace
I ordered some things on the Internet and got a 'tracking' number to figure out when the package would be delivered. With UPS or DHL or other kinds of post you can follow a package as it is scanned in wherever it lands and then when it takes off again by plane or truck. One package has been through four states and is scheduled for delivery today.

And I started to think...
We leave marks where we have been. Not because we are scanned with a bar-code (though it has been suggested we all have that in our bodies to identify us) (no seriously they proposed that in Utah so that you wouldn't have to show your drivers license you could just scan your hand) (really but it was defeated).
I believe however we do leave a mark that we have been in different places. Looking someone in the eye as they serve you or a hand on the shoulder or making the phone call that affirms another's life or being or writing a letter...all these things make a mark on the world. It tracks us. No--now--I'm not saying we get graded on this like God is Santa who knows when you've been bad or good--- But rather the goodness and kindness rating of the world goes up. There is a larger measure of joy in the world. We may not know why but we may just sense it.
We sense when there is sadness. When there is famine, or disease, or meanness that is afoot. We sense when there is gossip or slander or ill will near us. Why would we not also sense joy?
But then, perhaps we find what we are looking for in the world. Surely the measure of what we find may be a measure of what we seek. Looking for mercy and goodness may cause us to see that in fuller measure. Really. Let's try. Let's change what we look for from things that frighten us to things that bring us joy and peace. Let's look for those kindnesses that can increase the JOY meter in the world and let's add to them ourselves. Wait..I think I feel it...

Oh I hear a delivery truck in the driveway. Could it be?

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

Icy night

Grace and peace
Last night the prediction was for an ice storm to come through. We here in Duncan, OK lucked out and there was rain and some ice but not so much that it did real damage. In the middle of the night, awake, I looked out of the front window in my kitchen and the cedar was decorated with the ice. Each tiny branch had droplets of ice. They all looked decorated. The street light was shining through and I wondered if a camera could capture the image even in the dark.

This afternoon the temperatures have risen above freezing and thought the droplets are there they have returned to a watery state- transformed by the warm air.

Transformations in humans come at a different level. They come we think when we make conscious choices. But do we? Do we really make the choices or are we like the branches transformed more by what is around us? Hummm?

Perhaps we have a little of both in our lives, times when we make choices and times when choices are made around us and we just adapt to what is. But then, there is beauty in both no doubt.

"Do not conform to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds."
Apostle Paul

... always listening for the voice of God leading you.
God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

Flying Home

Grace and Peace
It was 70 degrees when the plane left Phoenix Az. My Mom was talking about putting out flowers and how her peppers were growing so good as if it were fully Spring. We took off toward the NE and it was a beautiful flight. My goodness has that city grown and spread. The amazing part to see are the lines of demarcation, houses, no houses. The hand that is irrigated- or not irrigated. But the mountains meet this valley quickly. And from the plane as it rises it is amazing to see the different canyons and the lack of people and houses and building and crush. It is a huge and very sudden change. The canyons even from thirty four thousand feet are so amazing.
And...we could see the Flagstaff AZ, San Francisco Peaks for the next 46 minutes with it's snow topped peak. The pilot pointed out Gallup NM and then we turned due east... Those mountains were replaced by the Albuquerque range and the Santa Fe New Mexico range covered with snow. How beautiful. Over that ridge and following I 40 to Amarillo and then straight over to Oklahoma City. I watched out of the window the whole way.
About 30 minutes from OKC you could feel the plane slowing and when you looked out there was a line of clouds that looked like a blanket of cotton. It had a clear demarcation line too...no clouds...thick clouds. We were grateful for experienced pilots and controls bringing us through 10 minutes of thick clouds. Not too bumpy really but just so you could see nothing.
It was 31 degrees in Oklahoma City. I was glad for my coat. It was back to winter.
What an awesome flight. The mountains, the mesas, the horizon, the clouds, the snow, the empty world... All of it good.
In 2 hours plus I was in Oklahoma City. Not the 18 hour drive like we took at Thanksgiving.
We move from clear blue skies and our summer temperatures to winter grey and cold. And somehow we adapt.
O wonder that we move through the sky with our stuff in bags beneath us
O wonder that we go from warm air to cold wintry mix.
O wonder that we move at will from one place to another..
O wonder and be amazed.
What a world..what a world.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

Happy 90th

My dear Uncle Edgar celebrates his 90th birthday today. Yeah! He is a keeper and I told him 10 more years...10 more years... What a blessing he has been in his life to so very many people. I am honored to love him.

I was blessed in my family of origin with close Aunts and Uncles and Cousins. They supported and encouraged me in ways they probably never knew. A letter when I was in high school or college, a phone call on my birthday, simple things really. But they were so touching to me...and the memory of them makes me smile.

What simple things can we do for someone we know? Am I just always asking you that question? But we know there are such things that can change a day for someone we know... and perhaps for someone we don't know. A generous tip to a wait-person who has served you well and made your dinner out even more of a pleasure may be one way. I imagine, I know you can think of others. Leave them on the comment line.

Happy Birthday Edgar...and to all the people who make each day special for someone else. Thank you.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

climbing

Grace and peace.
I arrived in AZ and then drove up to Flagstaff the next day. What a contrast of seasons. Here it was warmer there maybe 3' of snow... I kept saying to my nieces and nephew wow look at the snow! They were patient with me.
I hadn't seen snow like that since we lived in Utah. It was really pretty. They had icesicles that were at least 6' long hanging from some of the eves of their house.
But the change came really in the climbing...in the car from Phoenix at 1100' above sea level to Flagstaff at almost 6800' . It was fully winter...and oh so beautiful. One part I passed had the diamond shining shows and then the drifting and the beautiful way the snow hugs the trees leaving a little room around them. It was such fun to see it again. My goodness such a different winter than we have in Oklahoma or Phoenix.
The snow always looks so fresh and so full of promise. Tulips in the snow, all kinds of memories go around the snow. We had a large living room window in Utah and had a great view of the snow that would fall in beautiful huge feather flakes.

Can we find beauty wherever we are? I think we can... Go hunting...

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

How do we think?

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday. It is a day that begins Lent, the season before Easter. We prepare in all different kinds of ways. In what way will you respond?

Will you learn some way to have less trash? Carry around a days worth of things you discard and figure out if you can cut that down. Every Coke cup, every napkin, any way packaging that is around the food you eat or prepare.

Will you learn some way to take care of yourself by getting more exercise? Walk, pilates, yoga, or aerobics? What will you do to take on to take care of the body you have been given.

Will you give up some substance, chocolate, cake, fudge, coke, pepsi, caffeine? Something that you 'rely on besides those things that are essential to your well being. Eliminate the extras?

Will you spend time reading literature that brings you joy and education? or read something that educates you? or read something that tells you how to be the person you want to be? Giving up some of the TV that captures you without your realizing it?

Will you spend less time surfing on the computer... (I want you to come and read here. grin) but will you spend less time with stumbleupon or something that just keeps you clicking without reason or question to be answered?

Will you...? What will you do? I don't know ...but I think in your heart you know...

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008

It's a New Day

When I woke up this morning, you were on my mind.

Wouldn't it be great if we knew that someone was thinking about us, in a happy way, every morning. If the day started with people sending their love and good thoughts to us in so many ways. What if we promised to do that for one another?
The Christian season of Lent starts next Wednesday. What if we took on thinking first happy thoughts about people who come to mind. And if someone comes to mind and we can't find a happy thought then we would give them up to God--and move on.
Don't dwell on the hard times. Offer them up to God. Concentrate on the good things and work to make the others better.
I saw a man on tv talking this morning about why we should do good deeds for others. I couldn't disagree more. His theory is that when we do good things, good things happen to us, and we should do good things, so that good things will happen to us. It will make you feel good. Shah of course your little world needs are met what else can there be? And if by chance along the way another is helped well goodie, but more goodie for me.
It's all about us...me...mine...
He had no part in his talk about doing good things because we know we are blessed. But it was only to get more for him.

Go out there, this new month, and be open to the good you can do. Not for your reward but for their joy. Look, right there in front of you, you can do it... go for it.

God abides
Bobbie Giltz McGarey
@2008