Everyday you are Blessed with another day above the grass is another opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade.
Medical missionary Bruce Olson was captured by Columbian communists in October 1988. He was beaten and kept bound most of the time. The soldiers were waiting for a ransom, but the mission wouldn’t pay. Olson endured pain by concentrating on the spirit and doing God’s will in his current situation. He was tortured but able to influence the guerrillas by teaching and healing them.
After a while they even let him conduct worship services. They couldn’t understand how he could pay back evil with good. Olson was able to lead some of them to the Lord. While very ill a bird sang outside, reminding him of how the Motilone Indians sang the Scriptures. When the soldiers could not break him they apologized and released him.
Certainly through Bruce Olson’s ordeal during his time of capture he could have experienced fear, anxiety, depression, or even suicidal thoughts. Perhaps he could have suffered from PTSD. Bruce Olson chose to exhibit Faith as a Mustard Seed (Matthew 17:20) and submit to God and watch the devil fled (James 4: 7-8)
We are on a pilgrimage which is a step-by-step process.
It’s like a hiker on a narrow mountainside trail, unable to see the path ahead. Sometimes the way is clearly marked out before him. At other times, it turns abruptly to the right or left, becomes rugged or muddy, rises or falls sharply. All he knows is that he must take the next step.
But our spiritual walk of faith differs from that of a mountain hiker. Through faith in Christ, we can keep moving forward with full confidence that we will reach our destination.
This anonymous poem describes the walk of faith:
When you come to the edge
Of all light you have known,
And are about to step off into darkness,
Faith is knowing there’ll be something to stand on,
Or you will be taught how to fly.
Perhaps today you are right at the rim of a shadowy unknown. You know you must move forward, but you can’t see 10 feet ahead. God has brought you to this place not to abandon you but to show you–perhaps as never before–that you can trust Him completely.
Go ahead. Prayerfully step into the unknown future. God has promised to be there for you (Heb. 13:5). You can be sure “there’ll be something to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly.” –DCE
Faith is not a leap into the dark but a step into the light.
An old lady in England who had stood the bombings with amazing fortitude was asked the secret of her calmness in the midst of such frightful danger. She replied, “Well, every night I says my prayers and then I remembers how the parson told us God is always watching; so I go to sleep. After all, there’s no need for both of us to stay awake!”
William Moses Tidwell, “Pointed Illustrations.”
How many lemons have you come across today? How many lemons have you turned into lemonade today?
It may be tough to lift a mountain and move it out of the way unless you move one stone at a time. Why not just go over, around, or through it.
Anyone who would take the burdens of the world on their own shoulders by themselves, after watching the world is falling apart news, is setting themselves up to make drug companies and psychiatrists rich.
No runners have ever won the race without crossing the finish line before others. Years ago Rosie Ruiz was stripped of two Marathon Crowns, Boston and New York, because she spent most her ‘winning’ times on the subway.
“Her friend Steve Marek told the Boston Globe that Ruiz had admitted her ruse to him, but that she didn’t intend to be the first woman to cross the finish line”, according to the Post.
“She jumped out of the crowd, not knowing that the first woman hadn’t gone by yet,” Marek said. “Believe me, she was as shocked as anyone when she came in first. But at that point they had put the crown on her, gave her the medal and told her she’s the winner. How could she say, ‘No, I’m not’?”
Ruiz joined race in final half mile.
She jumped into the final stretch of the race to finish ahead of Jacqueline Gareau, who set a course record of 2:34:28 that would not be recognized until days later when Ruiz was disqualified.
Ruiz drew suspicion when she seemed clueless about common marathon jargon in a post-race interview with race commentator Kathrine Switzer.
“Have you been doing a lot of heavy intervals?,” Switzer asked Ruiz about a marathon training technique.
“Someone else asked me that,” Ruiz responded. “I’m not sure what intervals are. What are they?”
Other runners said that they hadn’t seen her on the course, and her bib number was not recorded at numerous race checkpoints.
A pair of Harvard students later confirmed that they saw Ruiz join the race in its final stage.” (1)
You can win by cheating.
Everything done in secret will be laid bare.
Going underground, sneaking about to gain an edge may grant some momentary advantage but will end badly.
Emerging from the subway or basement for the last half mile does not give you, other participants, or interested parties a clear view of you or the true situation.
Rosie Ruiz’ cheating caused her to change her last name and legal problems. She eventually lost her ten year battle with cancer at 66. For forty years she carried the burdens of her world wide renowned cheating.
When you face the mountain and go over, under, or through the mountain you can be inspired by those cheering you on. That inspiration can assist you in your endeavor. Ask any real athlete how the roar of the crowds made a difference to encourage them to make that extra effort and capture the win.
Go for the fair, clean win, with honor and integrity, something your mother would be proud of.
This month we celebrate victory over a hard fought battle against the best military of its time to win independence in order that we may have Life and Liberty, and pursue Happiness.
According to Jefferson: The “the object of the Declaration of Independence,” he wrote, was “not to find out new principles, or new arguments, never before thought of, not merely to say things which had never been said before; but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we are compelled to take. Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing, it was intended to be an expression of the American mind.”
Jefferson restated these noble sentiments in the Declaration of Independence, simplifying the prose: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (1)
Today’s battles include the tyranny of those who are attacking the First Amendment especially Free Speech and the Freedom of Religion. The Second Amendment is also in the attacker’s sights.
To put it mildly, there are some who have strayed from the founding principles of respecting “certain unalienable Rights… [such as] Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” for all. A certain combination of evil groups have banded together to try to turn our country into a third world nation.
First, there was the China virus attack which caused hurt, pain, and death from cabin fever, domestic violence, fear, anxiety, suicides and the catastrophic illness.
Then there is the invented word which has caused fear, pain, violence, and destruction of property since 1927. The word was invented in 1927 to browbeat dissenters of the communist ideology by Leon Trotsky and is still used today to shut down all nonconformists and businesses; the word is “racist” The destruction caused by and the misuse of the word “racist” is beyond measure and has become increasing vicious.
Since we can identify the perpetrators of this evil, it is incumbent upon us to stand up to these bullies and prosecute them for their appropriate crimes.
Bad apples can be found in many groups and organizations and they must be held accountable and if appropriate prosecuted as well.
Since we are a nation of laws, law and order must be reestablished in rogue areas.
And since we are a nation of laws, due process needs to be afforded to all, by all, without politically motivated knee jerk firings.
A close examination of the tactics of those trying to turn this country into a third world nation will reveal that they are using the communist playbook.
Fortunately we have some leaders, including the White House, who are leading the battle against the evil doers.
Together we will get back to the ‘American Mind’ that Thomas Jefferson wrote about, as we stand together against the bullies.
We know that good triumphs over evil. God is in charge. Let’s follow His lead.
For five years, from hospital to nursing home and back a few times, he was a model and inspiration to all those who ever thought of giving up. In high school he was known as ‘Smiley Jackson’. Even through it all he stood tall without a complaint. I had the privilege of speaking with him about the same time most mornings with no subjects off the table.
At one nursing home during the 2016 election, whether by walking, wheelchair, or by walker, he made sure that he looked in on every patient, even if it was just a wave or smile. I asked if him if he was running for mayor and he replied “Yes.” After the election some nurses even called him Mayor.
Matthew was known for his gentle and kind spirit. His smile was infectious. He was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and followed all the Boston sports teams.
Playing Santa for the kids was his favorite Christmas honor. Actually Matthew loved anything Christmas.
Matthew was a devout Christian and an active member in the Brockton Greek Orthodox Church.
Mathew was a longtime, and well respected, employee of the Heights Crossing Assisted Living home in Brockton.
Matthew suffered a severe brain injury in 2015 and throughout his difficult rehabilitation he fully cooperated and never complained and achieved remarkable improvement.
Unfortunately the Coronavirus was a challenge he could not win. His journey in this life was much shorter than that for which we had hoped. At 61 he went to be with Jesus April 10, 2020.
Throughout these recent difficult medical times Matthew maintained his positive, friendly and gentle disposition.
“What started as a small group of families gathered around a kitchen table in 1979 (NAMI) has blossomed into the nation’s leading voice on mental health. Today, we are an association of more than 500 local affiliates who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education that was not previously available to those in need.” https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI.
One kitchen table in Massachusetts that grew to more than 500 local affiliates was my mother’s with three other women. The impetus and inspiration for the kitchen table meetings was her son, my, brother, Matthew.
The usual onset for a mental illness for boys is in the late teens to early twenties. Matthew started showing signs in high school by hearing voices and writing about it. In the 1970s there was no internet, no organizations, and no support groups.
A few mothers started meeting to gather information which would help the mentally ill and their families cope. I joined in the search; soon the meeting grew too large to meet in the house.
Another goal of the mostly mothers group was to educate the public, media, and lawmakers about mental illness and end the stigma associated with it. The original name chosen was AMI, Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
Through it all he stood tall. I told Matthew more than once that he was a great example for anyone to persevere, no matter how bad things seemed to be and his reply was always “Thank you”.
Matthew enjoyed a lot of successes at the “Club House” in Brockton, BAMSI http://www.bamsi.org . While I was the President of NAMI Greater Framingham, our local clubhouse in Marlborough called “Employment Options” www.employmentoptions.org was a shining example of how a clubhouse should be operated.
Another program which has been duplicated and worthy of review is the “Jail Diversion Program” program run by “The Advocates” https://www.advocates.org
Matthew never made it to Phoenix, however his spirit to stand tall through it all did.
Now its time for Matthew to continue to be an example for others to stand tall through it all, be the impetus and inspiration for a Club House in Phoenix, to be called “Matt’s Place”.
I won’t hear his morning greetings again. I will repeat his often said closing: “Go Red Sox!”
As a butterfly isn’t made overnight, neither are we what we become. What we are today is not what we were yesterday or will be tomorrow.
It takes four stages to become a butterfly: egg; caterpillar; chrysalis, then an adult butterfly. To become a butterfly, a caterpillar first digests much of itself. But certain groups of cells survive, turning the soup into eyes, wings, antennae and other adult structures.
The cells in our bodies are dying and are being replaced all the time as our appearance gets older.
“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow.” ― Thomas Paine
On a sweltering day in his small Iowa town, Matt Gage dove into a pool. When he surfaced, his entire left side was useless.
Fortunately, the nine-year-old’s cousin was there to pull him from the water. At the hospital, the doctor diagnosed heat stroke. But after being transferred to the Mayo Clinic, Matt was whisked into emergency surgery with a different diagnosis, the kind usually reserved for the elderly. Matt had suffered not just heatstroke but an actual a stroke.
The prognosis was grim. The neurosurgeon didn’t expect Matt to wake up. If he did, he’d be a vegetable.
But Matt did wake up. The neurosurgeon told Matt he’d never be able to move his left side again. With the young boy’s dream of becoming the next Michael Jordan destroyed, he ignored his father’s urging to try to move his leg. “I can’t,” Matt would say.
Finally, his father confronted him. “Matt, what did ‘can’t’ ever do for you?” his father said. “If you say you can’t do it, you’re not gonna do it. If you don’t start believing in yourself and believing something can happen, that you can get better, then you’re gonna be in a wheelchair.”
He began to make progress. First, he moved his left leg. Then he moved his left arm. He started walking with a brace before leaving the hospital.
Although his left side had a limited range of motion, Matt eventually played basketball, ran a 5K, and even took up skiing. He became a professor and athletic trainer for various universities. He now gives hope to other young stroke victims and their families by showing them that they, too, can get married, have kids, and enjoy successful careers.
Matt believes God used his stroke to help others. If he could relive the moment that changed his life, he says, “Now, today, I would tell you that I wouldn’t want it any different.” (1)
“Somewhere in the world there is a defeat for everyone. Some are destroyed by defeat, and some made small and mean by victory. Greatness lives in one who triumphs equally over defeat and victory.” ― John Steinbeck, The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights
“Have patience with all things but first with yourself. Never confuse your mistakes with your value as a human being. You are perfectly valuable, creative, worthwhile person simply because you exist. And no amount of triumphs or tribulations can ever change that.” ― Saint Frances de Sales
“Whatever troubles we may face, we can trust God to give us strength to triumph.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita
We are living in close quarters now as the wave of coronavirus weaves through different communities around the globe. None of us knows who will be affected next. We are in this together. Over the years we have drifted apart, not even knowing our neighbors. This is a good time to spend with your family, neighbors, and with God becoming our own butterfly.
Let’s call and write those whom we have left to ‘when we get the time’ today. Help everyone you can in anyway you can, making the load a little lighter for all of us. We can accomplish more together than we can on our own. Together we will make our community, state, and nation better than when we started this journey. We should see more butterflies as fruits of our labor soon.
You’ve probably heard me say lead, follow, or get out of the way more than once. Every true leader knows how to follow. Every good leader looks out for, takes care of his team and prepares each team member for leadership.
Then there are those, and you know who they are, who are an intestinal blockages to success.
There are times when all hands on deck are needed address a situation, like in a foxhole when the enemy is coming over the hill.
What if you can not see your enemy and the enemy has overrun your position? I am not specifically addressing spiritual warfare, even though there is a component of the same involved.
At the moment we have two enemies among us: one is a virus; and two, those who are trying to spread fear and incite panic over the virus. Those spreading fear hope to cause sudden overpowering fright; acute, extreme anxiety; a sudden unreasoning terror that is often accompanied by mass flight resulting in chaos.
The virus, Coronavirus, COVID-19, has attacked all but one continent. At least here we have a high level team, a task-force leading the way to contain and eradicate COVID-19, (1), (2). The success of the task force is vital to not just our safety and security but that of each continent touched by COVID-19.
Then there are those, and you know who they are, who are an intestinal blockages to success.
An insistent group has continued their propaganda campaign to incite panic over the virus, a form of TDS. Understand this is not a new out of the box strategy. Antonio Gramsci (3) was a model for Saul Alinsky who is famous for his 12 Rules for Radicals (4). You can watch Saul Alinsky’s 1966 TV interview below and read his 13 Tried-and-True Rules for Creating Meaningful Social Change (5) The Gramsci/ Alinsky program is liberally used by several disruptive groups who clamor for change they do not understand, Socialism. Socialism is a power grab which has failed everywhere.
Hillsdale College produced the following video: Rules for Radicals: What Constitutional Conservatives Should Know About Saul Alinsky
Then there was Alex Cora who caused division in the team after a World Series Championship, one of those TDS sufferers (6). It is an honor to be invited to the White House as a guest, an invitation most will not experience. The White House belongs to all Americans. Each occupant is entrusted with its care for a time and adds to the character and history of the White House.
Cora placed a divide so deep in the finely tuned team that set many records including the number of wins that he installed defeat for the next season. Cora was found to be a cheater as he helped the Houston Astros cheat their way to a World Series Championship. The installed defeatism kept the Red Sox out of the playoffs the next year which partly lead to his firing in January of 2020. Cheating did not payoff for Cora. Causing division led Cora’s his downfall.
Just as Cora sowed his path for his own destruction Alinsky followers and other an intestinal blockages are sowing their own paths to destruction.
People who practice their religious faith regularly may be getting some earthly benefits: They appear to be healthier compared to people who never attend a house of worship. A study conducted by sociologists at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., found that 4 percent of those who regularly went to church or synagogue reported poor health, compared with 9 percent of those who did not attend a house of worship. And 36 percent of weekly worshipers reported they were in excellent health, compared with 26 percent of non-attenders.
Why the difference? Researchers aren’t sure, but they say the reason may be that people attending weekly services may be more likely to see friends who ask about their health and can recommend a doctor. (1)
This tends to support the notion that there is safety in numbers. Like minded people who fellowship together give each other strength and complete each other with their different gifts and talents.
Really good players discipline themselves to do the right thing (in regard to football, or hockey, or whatever it is). They discipline themselves to do the right thing regardless of how the game was going at any given moment—and regardless of how everybody else was playing. They will make use of the truth about their game! And then he added, “When you have a whole team of men who do that, they win almost all the time.”
When a problem arises a like minded will have a multitude of counselors to assist in resolving the problem.
At this time the world is trying to contain and eradicate a virus that is quickly spreading.
“The coronavirus, or 2019-nCoV, began at an animal and seafood market in the city of Wuhan and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States. The illness is now said to be transferable between humans.
As news of the virus spread and death tolls began to spike, many have begun to question how dangerous the new outbreak is. Coronaviruses, which get their name from their crown-like appearance, come in many types that cause illnesses in people and animals.
Most coronaviruses cause mild symptoms such as the common cold that patients easily recover from. Other strains of the virus such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) can cause pneumonia and possible death.
SARS killed 770 of 8,000 people infected in 2002-2003. MERS killed about three or four out of every 10 people infected, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said
In an effort to curb the spread of the disease, the city of Wuhan shut down all air and train traffic to contain it. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Jan. 22 it would hold off on declaring a public health emergency of global concern.” (2)
The President offered China direct aid and assistance to fight the coronavirus which currently has five victims in the USA. China has declined the offer of assistance. I am not sure I’d like to see Chinese troops walking around the local mall. The problem is so severe in China they have four construction companies building two hospitals near each other. The video below shows the work in progress.
The USA is evacuating thousands of Americans from China.
Working together we’ll be able to find away to contain and eradicate this virus also.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that the country which has an aggressive war against religion is experiencing this fast spreading coronavirus which has left cities looking like ghost towns.
Recent events highlight the great divide between those with and those without a backbone to stand against evil. Many of those without a backbone to stand against evil are either perpetrating it or enabling evil.
At the time of his death, Major General Smedley Darlington Butler, also known as “The Fighting Quaker”, was the most decorated Marine in US history; he was the only person to be awarded a Marine Corps Brevet Medal and a Medal of Honor for two separate military actions. He had also become an unrelenting voice against the business of war.
General Smedley is quoted as saying: “There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights.”
General Smedley:
Received 16 military medals, 5 for valor. Is one of 19 men to receive the Medal of Honor twice.
Wrote the 1935 exposé that linked business and the military titled “War Is A Racket.”
Ran for Senate as a Republican in 1932.
In 1934, Butler went before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to expose a conspiracy against the government. He had been recruited by a group of wealthy Pro-Fascists who had hoped to use him in a coup against President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He went along, gathering intelligence about the plot, and took it to Congress. Butler’s assertions were not aggressively pursued, and the matter was largely dismissed. However, an internal report to Congress from HUAC confirmed the veracity of the plot. (1)
In the Second World War we had many outstanding civilian and military leaders which worked to win the war against evil. One such Military Leader is General George C. Patton, see the video below:
Plots to over throw governments go back thousands of years in history. Various groups stated various reasons for their coup or attempted coup. At this time it appears our country has a group who attempted to subvert the will of the voters. Maybe their methods were different today than the ones General Butler testified to, but the results would have been the same had they been successful, the forced removal of a duly elected sitting president.
Perhaps those participants in the attempted coup are so narcissistic they take no care for fear, anxiety, and despondency they cause in others. The participants don’t realize they are exposing themselves to be the obnoxious, insecure, morally bankrupt, mental runts of the litter that they are. Those participants were hoping to foment civil unrest; it turns out the general populace saw through and didn’t fall for the participants scam.
The participants would have us not protect ourselves. In six seconds a murder was stopped, much faster than police could arrive. See the graphic video below:
NEW: Video shows man opening fire at Texas church before he is shot by a security guard; 2 dead, 1 critical (blurred to hide victims, viewer discretion is advised) pic.twitter.com/hulXR7MYIy
Schoolyard bullies have a smaller territory than dictators of countries and smaller territories than the coup participants.
Keep your backbone in place, defend your home and your Bill of Rights or you may loose them both and wake up under a ruthless dictator.
West Freeway Church of Christ Senior Minister Britt Farmer: "I’m thankful our government has allowed us the opportunity to protect ourselves" pic.twitter.com/5fLSnSjQzg
The Christmas Story is story of a hero. The greatest evil the world has ever known made the greatest hero the world has ever known. Crucifixion was the cruelest form of torture and execution man devised or used.
Not every hero since has given up his life for another. Heroes generally take no concern for their own life while trying to save the lives of others.
The acknowledgement and veneration of heroes has existed for centuries. It was the ancient Greeks who are accredited with first coining the designation.
A very recent tragedy brought to light another hero. A young graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, whose dream was to become a pilot, is a hero after he reportedly related crucial information about the identity of the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola shooter to first responders, despite having been shot several times, a family member revealed.
Joshua Kaleb Watson, 23, was confirmed as one of the three victims who were killed Friday morning when Saudi national Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani opened fire on a flight training program for foreign military personnel, Adam Watson revealed in a Facebook post. (1)
“Today has been the worst day of my life. My youngest brother gave his life for his country in a senseless shooting. Joshua Kaleb Watson saved countless lives today with his own. After being shot multiple times he made it outside and told the first response team where the shooter was and those details were invaluable. He died a hero and we are beyond proud but there is a hole in our hearts that can never be filled. When we were little I gave Kaleb the name little poot and it stuck. It eventually evolved into pootis and finally uncle poot. Just wish I could talk to him one more time or wrestle with him one more time even though he could probably take me now. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers in this difficult time. “(2)
Simply put, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.
Philip Zimbardo: What Makes a Hero?
Christians who helped Jews during the Holocaust were in the same situation as other civilians who helped imprison or kill Jews, or ignored their suffering. The situation provided the impetus to act heroically or malevolently. People choose one path or the other.
Some choose a path to meet the needs of others. For example there is New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson will use his custom-made “My Cause, My Cleats” cleats to bring attention to his One More Foundation. H e created the One More Thing Foundation to spread the love and hope of Christ to one more soul.
“And, we do that by following the three charges that are given in Micah 6:8 when it talks about doing justice, loving-kindness, and walking humbly with our God,” he explained.
Watson said that, for the last decade, the foundation has given him the opportunity to meet people with “real needs” and “to know the one who can meet their needs forever and ever.”
“Whether it’s promoting and giving food to those who are hungry, doing events around the holidays, promoting education, standing against injustice — whether that be sex trafficking, abortion, or racial injustice … and also, just bringing kindness to people,” he continued. (3)
Heroes | Restoring Faith in Humanity | 2017
“True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” — Arthur Ashe, professional tennis player.
There have been thousands of unnamed and unknown heroes over the centuries. Heroes include those who stood ready, who fought and who died for the cause of freedom, first responders, those who served others, and the many that have helped someone without regard to their personal safety,
The true Christmas Story is an everyday story.
The real reason for the season was born to die and save us all.
Most people think of Thanksgiving as Turkey Day, a time to overeat then park in front of the television.
“Giving thanks for the Creator’s gifts had always been a part of Wampanoag daily life. From ancient times, Native People of North America have held ceremonies to give thanks for successful harvests, for the hope of a good growing season in the early spring, and for other good fortune such as the birth of a child. Giving thanks was, and still is, the primary reason for ceremonies or celebrations.
As with Native traditions in America, celebrations – complete with merrymaking and feasting – in England and throughout Europe after a successful crop are as ancient as the harvest-time itself. In 1621, when their labors were rewarded with a bountiful harvest after a year of sickness and scarcity, the Pilgrims gave thanks to God and celebrated His bounty in the Harvest Home tradition with feasting and sport (recreation). To these people of strong Christian faith, this was not merely a revel; it was also a joyous outpouring of gratitude.” (1)
Depending upon your outlook you either see reasons to rejoice and be glad or search for reasons to complain. Life can be a half full or half empty glass or perhaps a glass overflowing.
Recently after surgery, in recovery, the whole surgical team was around my bed. I thought someone called a vote, they had not. I did say the Chipmunk was off my back. My doctor said, “The monkey was off [my] back.” I repeated it and we all laughed. Needless to say the patient pulled through.
Some months ago a doctor noticed a grapefruit growing on my back. A Sonogram, CT scan, MRI confirmed the Chipmunk had to go. One of the scans looked like a Chipmunk, with an arm and eye…the name stuck. Fortunately the Chipmunk was a benign lipoma. There was no way to be sure until the scalpel was applied.
As you can image the time from discovery to removal were full of questions. Had I been the half empty type I probably could have worried myself into a fetal position. Instead everyday there was a reason to rejoice and be glad.
“Early in 1621, the Pilgrims had built crude huts and a common house on the shores of Plymouth Bay. Then soon thereafter neighboring Indians began to build relations with the Pilgrims. SQUANTO, a local Indian who had been kidnapped and taken to England nearly a decade before, served as an interpreter with the local tribes. Squanto taught the Pilgrims to fertilize the soil with dried fish remains to produce a stellar corn crop.
MASSASOIT, the chief of the nearby Wampanoags, signed a treaty of alliance with the Pilgrims in the summer. In exchange for assistance with defense against the feared Narragansett tribe, Massasoit supplemented the food supply of the Pilgrims for the first few years.” (2)
From the beginning people helped people to make this country great and they rejoiced and celebrated accomplishments together.
It took a surgical team made up people with different talents to remove the Chipmunk. Had we called a vote I would have voted the team to be Number One.
The Chipmunk became a reason to rejoice and be glad, a Thanksgiving Chipmunk. Throw off that monkey and rejoice and be glad.
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