Modern Day Technology

I did not know that I could run so fast, much less do so while managing stairs. Most often these days I look more like a cripple than an athlete.

At 5 a.m. the central sound system in my son's very modern home began blaring. Yikes! I jumped out of bed not exactly sure what to do. Questions tumbled through my mind..."Why is it on?" "Who turned it on?" "Did the grandchildren program it to come on so early as a prank?" "How do I turn it off???"

I found a control panel in the bedroom but for the life of me could not find the right buttons to either turn it off or decrease the incredible volume. The print is so small on stuff these days and when your heart is pounding and all you can think of is 'Turn it off!' finding glasses is not even on the radar.

I bolted down two flights of stairs to the kitchen and finally managed to find a volume control that worked. My granddaughter later showed me where the power button is to simply turn it off. I'm sure I hit the power button to no avail in the bedroom.

My heart still pounding I went back to bed, grateful that the children weren't all awake and either scared or laughing at me. Before falling asleep again questions plagued me..."Will it come on again?" "Who turned it on the first time?" "What's going on here?"

I also became aware that I had not experienced any pain during this workout. Adrenaline does wonders.

At the breakfast table a few hours later I questioned all the grandchildren about this incident. Thankfully only one had even heard it and they all assured me they had not set it to come on. The oldest of the four suggested perhaps there had been a power surge that triggered it and indeed there had been some flickering lights at bedtime.

Ah yes, modern technology. What would we do without electricity and all the modern gadgets we have become so blindly accustomed to using? Next time you use one of these modern day wonders, especially if it's frustrating you, be grateful for it all, and, perhaps ask a child to show you how to use it efficiently.

Half Way Around the World

Sometimes I curse modern technology, especially when I don't understand it, which seems to be a lot more often than I wish. At the moment I am in Edmonton looking after four grandchildren while their parents are in China picking up their new sibling.

The phone rings and when I answer it the line is dead. This has happened more than once so I think I'm doing something wrong and will have to ask the children to show me how to answer their telephone. Ridiculous! All these new telephones are different and claim to be very simple to use. Sometimes I long for the old fashioned telephone that you just picked up without having to push buttons.

On the other hand, I have discovered the amazing world of skype. We sit at the computer in Edmonton while my son and his wife are in China on their computer and we see each other clearly and talk to each other clearly. Wow! This is so amazing. And we are able to do this several times throughout the day. When we lived in Scotland 30+ years ago, we'd be fortunate to receive a hand written letter occasionally and telephone calls from family in Canada just a time or two a month.

Today I am very grateful for modern technology and will remember the day I met my newly adopted granddaughter the next time I feel like cursing all the gadgets and buttons that defy me.

See my new granddaughter www.theriegelfamily.blogspot.com

And This Too Shall Pass

Amusement rides are intended to be fun, and they usually are for children and those who are children at heart with strong stomachs. I recall taking my son and another family of 3 to an amusement park. The boys were all about the same age, 8-10, while the lone girl was only 6. The boys often ran off without her, hopping on rides that she was unable to go on because of her size and age. She was a very good sport about it.


She did, however, strongly desire to go on one particular ride and the boys were nowhere to be found so I reluctantly agreed to accompany her. It seemed relatively harmless, just going round and round a bit of a distance off the ground.

We boarded and soon were off and spinning. I did not mind the first three times around but by then had had sufficient to suggest I was done now and would love to get off. The amusement park insists on giving patrons their money's worth so we kept going around and around and around. I was ready to scream, 'Enough already! Let me off!' but I resisted in order to save face with my little companion who was enjoying herself immensely.

I decided to sit back, relax, and focus on anything other than my intense desire to get off this ride realizing it would eventually stop. Watching my little companion revelling in delight helped. Thankfully, the ride did stop before I passed out or got sick.

This morning I was reminded of this incident while reflecting on the roller coaster ride I've been on with my health the past few months, wishing desperately to get off this ride. I enjoy coasting through the highs but dislike the plunges into the lows. Meanwhile this ride continues while I await surgery or healing by another means.

The other ride did eventually stop and so too will this one. I am determined to relax more through it and focus on my current companion through this ordeal, Jesus, who assures me He will never abandon me. I will look to Him for the good that is sure to come, and may even now be in view if I bother to seek out goodness instead of focusing on my pain.

Someone once said, 'What you focus on, grows.' "Pain, it's time you took a back seat so I can see past you to all the goodness around me." I am so very grateful for my current companions on the rides of my life... my husband, my family, my friends, and my Lord. I am also very grateful to know that 'this too shall pass'.

Gratitude is a Discipline

Learning to think and express gratitude when life is throwing you 'crap' is a decided self discipline and, just like brushing your teeth, after consistent effort it becomes easier to do and eventually one can engage it without a second thought.

This morning I was very grateful that my husband was home when we discovered 2 of the neighbor's 3 friendly, rambunctious Husky dogs in our back yard. My husband loves dogs and makes friends with them almost immediately. I tolerate dogs but most of them know that I don't easily give them much affection. Instinctively they gravitate towards me, either to attempt to win my affection or to harass me (I'm guessing the latter!).

Somehow they entered our back yard from their back yard, possibly through a loose fence board. In the short while they enjoyed our premises, their signature was left on our lawn, in my flower beds, and on my glass patio doors. It's a good thing they were discovered by us and their owners in short order before any serious damage was done or I might have had to work harder at exercising amicable behaviour.

Hubby and their owners quickly guided them back to their pen and I surveyed the damage, which in reality was very minimal. Another reason to be grateful.

Sunshine and Roses

Today I'm very grateful for the sunshine (after a few days of dreary, cold weather). My body doesn't deal well with the unsettled, cold, low atmospheric pressure days, so I plan to soak up as much sun as I can today.

A few years ago I struggled with growing roses. They were in my front flowerbed, on the south side of our house which is sunny when the sun cares to shine in our part of the world. I could not understand why they were doing so poorly. Eventually I realized that the two trees in my front yard were providing shade during the heat of the day, which was great for keeping my house cooler on hot days, but did nothing for my struggling roses. I moved them to a sunnier location and enjoyed their thriving beauty last summer.

Human roses, like me, and you (?) need lots of sunshine too so we can be at our best. Don't forget the sunscreen. I'm off to soak up some rays!

The Gratitude Garden

When toxic weeds threaten to choke out and destroy
all the goodness you've planted in the garden of your life;

Apply a simple, cost effective, home-made solution.
Choke out those destructive weeds with a thick layer of gratitude.

The weeds' poisons will turn to tonic.
Weed stock will become fertilizing compost.

Shower your life with prayers of blessing;
Fragrant flowers will blossom to heal the wounds of your soul.

Pouring Lemons?

Today it poured. Rain, snow, sleet, hail...all at once, leaving piles of white stuff on the lawn and wherever the wind blew it.

This is May, for goodness sakes...we are supposed to have sunshine and flowers, so I was taught as a child. But then, I grew up in SE Alberta in near desert conditions during the summer so it probably doesn't apply to Calgary.

I grew up with the phrase, April showers bring May flowers.

I suppose in Calgary it's May showers bring June/July flowers.

I'm so glad I was taught to make lemonade when life gives me lemons.

I am grateful for flowers whenever they arrive.

Thanks for Red Lights?

I never dreamed I'd be saying 'thanks' for red lights. Often I'm running late and red lights just add to my tardiness and frustration. Then I'm tempted to speed (but I don't) to make up lost time and hope to still arrive at my destination/appointment on time.

Recently I was once again just a tad later than I wished so decided to call my daughter to tell her I was running late to pick her up for a trip downtown. I grabbed my cell phone and began dialing her number, while I was driving...that's a no-no but I still do it on rare occasions. As I approached an intersection the light turned red and I breathed a sigh of relief, said 'Thank you!' and quickly passed along the information before the light turned green so I could put the phone down and drive with a clear conscience.