Yesterday, my vision for Mom's bagel and cream cheese started off as a polar bear, but in the end, became a dog. This is troubling since I don't know if I can talk mom into another bagel and cream cheese. I know where I went wrong and I am certain that if she gives me another chance, I can do a passable polar bear. But I need cream cheese. Polar bears are white.
Lunch was not much more successful. It was a seal balancing a ball on his nose. Mom said if she used her imagination, she could see that. O dear. I hope my muse is not heading south for warmer weather and leaving me in the lurch. Dad was home for lunch since we had no errands for him. His jolly fat sandwich man turned out okay.
Despite my less than stellar Culinary Creations, there was much to praise God about. With the fresh snow, my hour of cross-country skiing was perfect. I have many self-groomed trails now through the park at the end of my parent's street. I am the only one ever out there and no one else is using my wonderful trails. I think I am going to have to recast this three weeks as a
Luxury Ski Vacation rather than
Assisting Mom's Recuperation from Surgery. I would have
paid to have three weeks of perfect snow right outside my chalet in such a picturesque place. I mean, just look:
Then it was fun to ski down to the old cemetery. Puts a whole new spin on the phrase
stone,cold dead. I contemplated their peaceful (frozen) resting place for a moment before continuing on. Too much life left to spend a lot of time reflecting upon death.
The fresh powder, tolerable temperature, snow falling like sparkling diamond dust...enchanting! I realized as I swished along that this has been a fun three weeks. I didn't like the part where Mom was in pain, or connected to a bazillion tubes, but after that portion of this trip, it has indeed been filled with blessing. There have even been blessings in disguise. If Mom hadn't had the surgery, she wouldn't now be receiving OT and PT, and doing exercises that will make her stronger, with better balance, and hopefully extend the quality of her life. She doubled her balance on the balance exercise in one day. God is good.
So, lucky me!Aren't you jealous? I am having the
best all expense paid ski vacation! And this resort (that at times looked like a hospital ward) has an ice rink. Free. In the same park that the free ski resort is. There are very kind assistants, who even offered to lace my skates. They were 5 and 9 years old. They were the ones that took my picture below.
The first circuits on this world famous rink at this exclusive resort were a little shaky. However, in no time, my muscles remembered how to skate and I skated round and round for an hour. I may end up
missing this frigid land when my Mom is fully recovered and I return to the balmy South. Maybe not so much because of the circumstances, but because God has been so fully present through it all. When struggles abound, so does God.
Which reminds me of Paul of the Bible when he speaks about true contentment. The place where one abides cannot bring it, neither can the food one eats, the riches one has, the people one is with, the suffering (or lack thereof) that one endures, nor the number of degrees consistently below freezing....True
soul-deep contentment resides only in the relationship one holds with God. As David says in Psalm 4:7-8
You have put gladness in my heart, More than when their grain and new wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.
******************
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in
whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and
I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the
secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what
you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we
brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the
world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we
brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the
world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into
many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and
destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It
is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and
pierced themselves with many pangs. ...
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all
covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his
possessions.”
Mom should have named YOU Asherel.....
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