Giving of Yourself- to Tragedy

       There  are days when I feel blessed and others when I realize I have kown tragedy. Most of my tragedies happned when I was younger and are now long past. More often than not as I get older I hear of others who are younger being touched by loss and devastation. My heart goes out to these unfortunate. I feel we can all do something to reach out and touch whether it is to offer time, words, food, a kleenx.
     I thought I had seen the worst except for such horrors as the holocaust and some of the situations I worked with as a counselor-- such as the child who was beaten until every bone in his young body was broken and the boy whose father tried to choke him, the boy whose face was burned and terribly scarred, the girl who was sexually abused- and on and on the cases go-And yet I think it was when we came here that I ran into the tragedy that has had the most impact on me.
      The tragedy happened to a person who has become a very good friend- I will call  him Paul -Paul lost both of his children before his eyes over the holidays. Both were under the age of six. A father and young executive he traveling with his family on an icy high way when another person slid into the ditch. Due to the kind of person he is, he got out to help the lady. Meawhile, her little girl got in his car while he went to get something from her vehicle. As he did, a truck coming down the road, hit his car, instantly killling a five year old  and two, two years olds,  and severly impairing the mother who never recovered neurologically.. I have gone over and over this in my mind. Post traumatic stress was the result to the man who was sailing along in his job and had the world in his pocket.
     PTSD is when something happens that is beyond one's ability to handle-When the horror is too great for the mind to deal with what has happnened. Some recover over a great amount of time, but it can ruin lives. The Tsunami we saw caused this among thousands and we see it in soldiers. What can we who are blessed do? We can offer our hearts over and over-We can listen, send meals, offer to be a safe person, dry the eyes of the weeping, look for that person's strenghts over time and suggest how they might want to proceded with their lives. We can listen, send prayers, send jokes when the time is right, we can love and love and love them and let them know of our compassion. Learn what tit is they like and give freely.of those things. Be patient and be avaislble, reassure their worth and don't say "get over it." The pain and horror are there, but if we support unconditionally, we are likely to see them start to live again and then who knows? I am so proud of our friend. God didn't do it. It happened and God is there to help and to help us help. Bless my friend who has taught me how blessed I am.templeranch.wordpress.com

Lord-for the Girl I Was

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Lord, I've been sitting by the water since early tonight~I do enough thinking bout me as it is~ But this time, I went back to visit the girl in the picture who was the girl I used to be. Sometimes I think of how much I've grown, but not tonight~ There were so many things you put in her that I've given away. She didn't have as much confidence but she was a lot sweeter than me. She didn't blast from the mouth and she gave a lot of thought to what she would say and how she said it. That girl had just lost her mother-It's graduation night with Dad, and Grandma, and aunt Maxine, and Henry.
That girl had cleaned house for guests coming after the ceremony and in the process, pinned a red rose to the bed~ Thinking that as people brought in sweaters or light coats, how lovely the rose would look. She smiled and said hi and "That's Pretty," she always prayed, and sometimes woke up to finish the prayer having fallen asleep. That she didn't look shy was an act, but whatever sweetness there was-it was as genuine as the leaves turning green on the trees.
  I sat and thought what if I changed and baked those cookies for the neighbors? And what if I gave up writing time _at least two hours-to cook and keep the house as neat as a pin...and what if I made my "Little surprise baskets for hurting hearts and loving friends...and what if I kept a smile on my face, and wrote warm letters telling people how much I care about them...and what if I were to kiss my husband goodbye and hello, and tell him all he's meant to my life...What if Lord? Help me as I reach for you.http://templeranch.wordpress

Inner Joy: Some Wonderfully Perfect People

Inner Joy: Some Wonderfully Perfect People: I am feeling blessed to know some wonderful people. Today isn't one of my better days health wise and when people find forgiveness for t...

Some Wonderfully Perfect People

I am feeling blessed to know some wonderful people. Today isn't one of my better days health wise and when people find forgiveness for the way I can be abrupt, I am so thankful. My M.S. can cause a world of pain as the lesions affect the pain protection and when it's bad, I can bark loud, grow demanding,sharp, impatient, a host of qualities that I would prefer not to admitt to having. So what am I talking about with these good people? I will go in order of my contacts A.God first... B.My husband, Milan whose been gone for two weeks building on a glass heated and cooled porch for our cabin and also a walk in closet-who forgave me for whining about returning to a bit of a mess. He wanted it all clean and spiffy so I could see what he and he the carpenter had done in the burning sun...to make me happy and for a surprise. I would never have his degree of patience or warmth...And I mean it. He desrves a huge hug! and a lot more...He always fogives... C. Cody Lopez who is my I Universe consultant. Cody has sat through the three times when I was going to switch comapanies because of the fact that I bought a costly prodution package-Cody who listened to me threaten and gripe and insult! Cody a twenty-seven year old consultant whom I adore for all of his hopes and dreams for me.He has given me nothing but goodness and an example of how people should and could be... D. Counsel for Indie Authors...Richard and Diane...Editors of my book-Candle Light Dreams- Their traits-insightful; giving; two people who point out mistakes in a helpful way that makes one feel like being in a book club in order to think and express -Two creative, timely, enjoyable, bright, fantastic people who have made me glad I write... E. Carol Doyle-Living Better at 50+ A beautiful magazine and a a fantastic woman. The best words come from her. She is immediate in her appreciation and true to her word. I wish I had Carol's formula because she does so many things successfully and with uttterly amazing ease. I have had the opportunity to be published by her after she read some of my more poetic responses on Twitter. What would the world be like with more Carols? These are my August picks for perfect people. Blessings sent to them...

Ginny speaks out! Candle Light Dreams Nebraska

Once again, I'm the spokes person for Barb's book. My topic for today might shock you and her. It's about my brother romancing my best friend. when Celeste and I were third graders I made her join my "Hate Will Club." It began the day he put a bull snake in the outhouse. Celeste and I were looking at the pictures in the Monkey Ward Catalog when I looked down at something swirling about on the floor. There wasn't much light-just enough for me to figure out fast that a snake was at my feet.We screamed and scurried out half dressed. Celeste and I ran to the house crying. Will had to milk all the cows that week. It wasn't long after that when we were twelve that Celeste fell for Will who had no idea she was alive. I was so mad at her. My best friend thought my brother was CUTE. I would have made her pick him or me but it was then that her parents were killed. How could I blow up at her in the depth of her grief. It wasn't long before her abusive aunt came to take her away. I forgot all about Celeste's betraying our friendship over the likes of my scum brother. He was the star quarter back and stud of Brady high. Will could have his choice of dating anyone. But then I went to Brady a bit later and was just as popular. We matured and became friends. It was five years later when Will met the hatched and beautiful Celeste who was goggling over his pigs at the State Fair..That Thanksgiving Will flew her home to the ranch. When I first saw her-I about dropped dead. She was model beautiful. I was so glad to see her again.We ate dinner... the family teasing her the whole time. We knew how shy she was. We'd just finished when Will kissed her right there at the table She, "Miss Bashful," thought nothing of pressing her lips against his. I couldn't believe it. EvenI,one who is bold and provocative, wouldn't do that. I would not kiss the brother of my best friend in front of her or her family! Did she understand that it was Will's lips she was kissing?? Will is nice, he's handsome, he's a romeo with the girl's but for the life of me, I can't fathom any girl I know wanting to romance the boy I grew up with. It just gave me the creeps. If she had been a stranger it would have been all right. That day I knew that she was the one he'd fallen for and it wasn't going to end. In time I came to terms with the real problem. Will would come to know her better than me; she would share things i would never know about. He would love her more than me or anyone in our family and she would love him more than me. I can laugh now and know that Celeste and I will still be best friends. Better yet, who's she going to rely on during their fights? It's me. And who's going to come to know the real Will. It's her. Lots of laughter-Ginny

Inner Joy: Ginny Temple of Candle Light Dreams

Inner Joy: Ginny Temple of Candle Light Dreams: I'm Ginny Temple of Candle Light Dreams. At present I'm the teacher down at Union School where Celeste the star of the story went to school....