Hard issues like a moutain path easy to slip

NET©73:2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped;
my feet almost slid out from under me.

 One of the passions I have pursued the past seven years is to understand abuse not only in my life, but in others in need to understand their story and move on with their lives less painfully. The shootings Friday are the most base of abuse to those killed. The families will take lifetimes healing. It is too early to see how abuse may have factored into Adam's life. For all I know it may not be a factor. Each of these insane attacks gives us a look into why it happens and what we can do in response.
The onset of adult life and mental illness we have to find ways to help families suffering. Mental illness won't go away. If we choose to own a gun we must secure the gun from those in our families who are suffering from mental illness or disability. If we can not make the gun secure than we should remove the gun from our homes. There are many who own guns and secure them. If our children or young adults suffer from illnesses that impair their judgement then we must take extra steps.
Family insights vary but usually families know there is something not right. If there is a problem secure the gun, if it it still a threat than remove the gun.
Can we prevent family owned guns for murderous intent? No. But can we help a family whose children are at risk because of disability or illness? Can moms and dads make their home safer for their children who suffer from mental illness or a disability that impairs judgement? Can we treat one Adam and prevent a suicide and murder?
I believe this will happen many times what we saw on Friday. We have figured out that drinking and driving don't mix. People still do it, but many choose to designate a safe driver. There are options people are choosing rather than drink and drive. Guns and mental illness don't mix either. Other options can be chosen. Seeking safe interventions for our young people, removing guns if we have too, Tonight I am walking to end abuse and the evil it spawns. Weigh in on this. Keep walking

In light of today I feel helpless

MSG© 17:9 "The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out." Evil visited a school today, what a loss.
Today's events in Connecticut I have no words for. Murder of innocents shocks me.
NIV© 6:11 Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.
There are many occasions all over our planet when people do harm to people. There always seems to be  no end of it. The Bible is often scorned and ridiculed because it gives record to our violent ways. The call for repentance is viewed as radical and old fashioned. But we really do need a change of heart. The young man's actions are insane, but there is more to it than that.
A school, a church, a home should be places of safety. When they are violated we see evil and sin out in the open. I know these words are old, but they ring true today.
I read a quote from Fred Rogers from his mother, "in times a tragedy look for the helpers." What a wise mother. No wonder Mr. Rogers was great with children. In Tolkin's trilogy Lord of the Rings, he chose hobbits, the smallest people to be the hero's in face of great evil. Today I feel small, what can I do in light of this evil that we seem unable to prevent. We see this murder copycatted and it strikes with little warning. The fact that it will happen again rips me apart.
I don't know any of the parents who lost their child, "weep with those who weep" pray, yes, but what? Please God help us turn from our violent ways, Please help those who weep and morn, I believe with all of my heart those little ones are with the Lord, but what a loss.
NRSV© 121:1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come? 121:2 My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
In my life I walk with God, a long time ago a dear friend shared a verse to me that I adopted as my life's verse, NASB© 6:8 "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?" Instead of finding ways to do harm to one another we should find ways to care for each other. I have been far from perfect, (which is silly to think anybody can be perfect,) least of all me, but I still look for ways to be kind and caring for the people in my life. Walking here is the habit or way of life. Tonight Look to the Lord and look for the helpers.
 

One day full of life

winter cactus in bloom

12, 12, 12 has just about come and gone. It was a beautiful day. I was playing my juice harp with my grand daughter's flute. She sounded better. She is learning to read music and play the notes. My instrument does well playing in a cow pastor. We had fun anyway. Liam was laughing and giggling the whole time. He likes Kendall's hair.
I like the freedom ebooks give to have books any where. But late night reading to relax doctor's tell us paper books are better to unwind. My latest books are a Longmire mystery and a Spencer book and A new Sherlock Holmes novel. I have spent about 8 weeks in the summer times in Wyoming and Montana. tenting and hiking. I have spent other weeks with the Sou ix Indians, Navajo and Crow and Hava Supai. My Grandad Father was 1/2 Cherokee. Each tribe was very friendly to me. I even was treated by a Crow doctor who did a very good job.  I m am getting into the Longmire series and books. Takes me back to my travels. In the Summer it is fun to tent but if I were there in the winter a very well stock cabin would be in order. Hiking in the hills and mountains you have to think different. A 6 mile walk is a good walk in the mountains. It is very aerobic and stresses your muscles as well. Walk trails you can do and don't put yourself in danger. Keep in mind the higher altitude and stay hydrated.

I am so proud of my good friend Debi, what a gal

Indoor Walks between 2 1/2 and three miles. One mile is 14 minutes, one mile is a 12 minute mile and the third is 16 minutes. I am breathing good. op off the walk with 24 sit ups, 20 push ups, 20 squats of the bed and four strength moves with a resistant band.
I am awful proud of the kids in geometry. I am amazed what they are learning. Hurray! Smell the coffee. Can we take a step back and and enjoy the moment. Also a thumbs up to my three AVAC kids who have learned to do work in the computer and have made good progress in reading. Everybody is different but fro I have seen it was a good experience for them. My therapist reminds me to find things about work that turns my moter and kids learning in pat because of my contribution I don't mind touting my horn. I love it when there are difficulties and I can be part of the solutions. What the kids do s the coo data! Keep walking  

Running with Liam

Constant motion

One thing to improve your walking in the winter is the use of a pedometer. One good goal in walking is 10,000 steps a day. Some fitness experts share to walk 10,000 steps any way we can in a day is like a 30 minute workout for our heart and body. I use a pocket pedometer because it is a little harder to loose. Walking more indoors a pedometer can help you walk as it motivates you to your goals. Walking through out the day, shopping, parking further from store, using steps, take walk breaks from the computer, indoor walking, treadmills, housework, yard work, mowing, shoveling, (take breaks in shoveling, listen to body) work and play has step conversions, run with Liam in the house. Workouts also add to our steps. walk to chase away the winter blues.
Winter is also a good time to use a band or resistant tube. Joint pain, muscles, heart health all improve with this tool. Just a free tip for us older people, muscle looks better than to thin and to fat.
A dusting of snow today. Keep walking   

This old house has been a gift

Sometimes you just have to bundle up

Sitting in my house today, the furnace comes on and off; my home is worker’s home from the 19^th century. Three homes were built for three sisters. My home was built right on the boundary of one of the sisters. Today you could not build a home like that. The three houses have had different add-ons and dormers, so they don’t exactly look alike. Plumbing and electricity was added later. The heat went from coal to gas an apartment was made upstairs and then converted back. Other families have lived here and changes happen. I have added insolation and upgraded things as needed and this place has cared for me and my family for 25 years.

This old house has seen its’ share of storms through the years. For my part this house has protected me from cold, snow, ice rain, bugs and heat. Life has been under the old beams from trees that may have gone back to the days of the revolution or civil war. Christmas is coming and what a gift the Lord gave me with this old house.

I was thinking how alien we might be sailing the ocean and a problem or storm came that threatened our ship. But then I was thinking what our homes do for us right where we are. In the times we live, think of your home not just as your place, but what it could mean for your kids in need or your friends or family. If these old houses could talk, they would tell us of parents, kids, grandkids brought in in tough times where storms could be weathered. Many of us “boomers” don’t think like that, but we may need to reconsider.

Sometimes you are the only one who knows the storm you are going through. You may need a shelter. Read the words of Psalms 55:4-8 NIV

“My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. ⁵ Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. ⁶ I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. ⁷ I would flee far away and stay in the desert; ⁸ I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”

The emotions here are extreme, but sometimes we are there. It is good to be someplace safe. David writes in verse 16, “As for me, I call to God, and the Lord saves me.” And ends the Psalm with “But I will trust the Lord.” Another thing I have noticed about storms is they pass.  There may be a clean-up or repair and it can be anything small or great, but whatever the extreme God is there.

Thank you, Lord for my old house. Keep walking

Evil can't destroy being made in God's image

It has been a while since I have written about mental health, my own journey dealing with depression and anxiety continues. I see my psychologist about once a month, and my psychiatrist about once every three months. My time between visits I continue to implement the things I have learned and explore books and articles. One of the passions I picked up along the way is understanding abuse and how it affects the way we live. Some paths I have looked at have been war and how the hell of it spins a life time of recovery for many who lived through it. After reading Elie Wiessell’s book Night in one of the classrooms I worked in, I am convinced the book should be read by young adults, but below 15 I think it is a tough read. Wiesel chronicles not just the brutal deaths and experience in the holocaust, but I think he shares what the extreme abuse does to the human soul.

Victor Frankel shared how faith grew in the death camps and Wiesel shares how his own childhood faith was destroyed. When you read Night he shares many who prayed and lived their faith in the worse of conditions, but for Elie his spiritual struggles were shaken. Many who prayed died, and Elie shares the breakdown of life itself. In face of evil how would we respond? At 60, I would not have survived. Survival itself wasn’t based on reason, but on the evil forces at work on a world wide scale. Elie’s was broken, yet he moves in faith as he prays for his father on page 87. Listen to his words:

“My God, Lord of the Universe, give me the strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahou’s son has done.” The Rabbi’s son gave up on his father who fell behind in a death run to the next camp to save his own hide. Elie’s father demonstrated great love for his son, giving his son everything he had so Elie could live. Elie wanted to do everything he could to help his dad live. The evil generated by Hitler and his thugs overtook Elie’s father, but they could not take away the love between the father and son. Elie’s prayer I believe was answered.  

War and abuse of any kind is hellish, and our responses to it are multi layered. It may take the rest our lives to recover from it, but is worth it. The violin player in the book, was playing Beethoven before he died, I will never hear Beethoven the same again. Hitler and hosts of evil cannot take away that me are made in the image of God. They may take our lives but not our souls.

Health may be poor, hope may be weathered by life’s trials but we are created in the image of God. We can pray in faith; we can take the start right where we are. Life is more than our brief journey on the third rock from the Sun. Keep walking  

Nice hear from old friends

We had good shade for people as they waited to be treated.

I heard from Maggie today who with her husband George were very helpful to Barb and I in Africa. They had very practical advise on how to run a bush clinic. We charged 25 cents per patient and we able to pay for all our medicines with that revenue. If someone didn't have it we treated anyway. Our total budget was user $700.00 a month. Money they gave went for the medicine not us. We ran a clinic and school, paid for gas and food. When I came back to the states I had $1.00 in my pocket.
George was a WW2 pilot who had flown the highest ranked generals through an ice storm. George is with the Lord but Maggie and her daughter live in the Houston area. She is quite the lady.
Went and watched Skyfall over the weekend, the view of Scotland was cool. I don't think I want to walk in the tunnels under London. It be easy to get lost.
Here is another article on how exercise builds brain muscle. Keep walking

 http://healthmeup.com/news-buzz/exercise-mental-activity-vital-for-brain-health/17908