A message from my cousin:
"2 Corinthians 1: 3-4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Good job you good girl you!
Just got finished with two weeks off and have hit the ground running.
This is my first glimpse of your blog and I am not surprised. The source of inspiration and blessing that you have been since the days of my youth have only matured and blossomed with time.
Let the fragrance of your unique personality continue to be released through this blog.
When a flower garden gets trampled the air is filled with the sweet aroma contained within. Quite different than the odor that results when someone steps in a pile of dog mess...
It smells like a flower shop around here...
Love,
The cousin you love..."
And I do love this cousin of my youth. We have missed out on being in each others lives as adults. What a pity! I remember, Jerry, who is 5 years older than me as the 1 in the family who was blessed with my grandfather's incredible smile. They could both smile right up into their eyes and you just knew you were loved and oh so precious to them.
Jerry used to make me feel like a princess when I was young. Gosh, with his words up above, I see he hasn't lost his knack. What a wonderful way to look at our loss. As a fragrant flower that was trampled but still providing something beautiful.
Twirling around in his arms was my favorite when I was a tyke. My memory of the time in Grandma's front yard when Jerry was twirling me around upside down with my long hair brushing the ground. Then things took a turn. What seemed like a million ants had crawled up into my hair. OH NO! Jerry was mortified at my pain and felt so guilty. Like it was his fault?
I pray that this blog, facebook, and my loving cousin's kind words bring about a new connection that will put our paths close together for the rest of our lives.
In Him,
Joyful
8-26-2010
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
1 day ago
Hey Cuz,
ReplyDeleteRemember that poster that was up on Grandma's bathroom wall? It said [something to the effect of] "God grant me the courage to change the things I can, the strength to endure the things I can't, and the wisdom to determine the difference." It was titled, "Serenity" and was signed, "Evangelist Joseph Jones".
I am so proud of you. You have perfected the wisdom of these words.
I have often reflected upon the reason for the urgency of the plea Jesus made for us to forgive. Why so urgent? Because the one thing that no one can change is the past. How cruel to demand of someone something that it is not possible for them to do...
Ten thousand times I have had to use that prescription on myself...and drop all of the would of, could of, should ofsss...
The longer I languish in that pot of self pity the less helpful my future becomes which is the one thing that I can change...
Even though we have been "worlds apart" we have [obviously] made some of the same discoveries.
On a lighter note, years after my childhood "reflections upon Grandma's pot" [and over 20 years ago]I went to work for a few years in the Maximum Security Prison in Florence.
Who do you suppose I met during my coarse of duties? "INMATE Joseph Jones"!!!
His discovery of that principle and his boldness to publish it [as an inmate] became a source of inspiration and encouragement to "me" and who knows how many others...
To this day it is a mystery to me how his writing found it's way to Grandma's bathroom wall, except, it had a post office box address at the bottom of the page where more copies could be ordered...
Love, the cousin you love...
Are you ready for this?
ReplyDeleteAfter this reflection, I decided to Google "serenity" for further information...
It turns out that "Evangelist Joseph Jones" was not the true author of "The Serenity Prayer" after all. It was one "Reinhold Niebuhr...
"Inmate Joseph Jones" apparently plagiarized it...
Nevertheless, it was his duplication that found its way to Grandma's wall...
Kind of reminds you of the words of Paul: Philippians 1: 15-18 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:
The one preach Christ f contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds:
But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.
What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therin do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.