Number 5...Alive!

 

 

How many of you remember the movie "Short Circuit"? It's the story an experimental robot named Johnny Five or Number 5 who gets zapped by lightening and "comes alive". He finds himself at the home of Stephanie (Ally Sheedy) and they become friends. Number five has an insatiable appetite for information and this is where some of the humour comes in. Of course the government is out to find him and destroy him. In the course of the movie Number Five takes some hits, but of course you can't keep a "good robot down".

I remember watching it years ago, and for some funny reason it came to my mind when looking at my African Violet. I bought this plant about 18 years ago. When I first got it there were some flowers on it but they eventually fell off and no new flowers ever came back. I kept it around for awhile (long while!) with no flowers on it. I should say that at the time I didn't have the best lighting for plants. Anyways...I had a little talk with the plant. I told it that if I didn't see any buds on it in the next two weeks it was going in the garbage. Well amazingly, there were buds, lots of them within the two weeks. I couldn't believe it!!

A few years later we moved to the home we are in now. It survived the move. We've been here for almost 9 years. Last summer I was going away for a few days and I asked my son to throw out some fresh flowers that were getting old and to water the plants (2) a bit each day while I was gone. Simple right? When I got home four days later I found my African Violet on the patio table outside pretty much burnt to a crisp. Ahhhhh!!! It was not a complicated request! Well I brought it in and it took awhile but it started turning green and eventually I saw some buds. It didn't take long before it was back to its old self again. 

Then we git a couple of kittens last August. Well they got bigger and eventually they were able to jump on chairs and then the counter which is where my African Violet is. (I have no other place for it.) I would see bits of dirt on the counter, so I knew they were digging in there but of course they never did it when we were around. We went away at Christmas and had a friend check in on the cats for us. When we got home the whole thing was all smashed on the floor. Dirt was everywhere! Ahhhhh!!! The mess got cleaned up, another pot found, and once again this survivor of a plant was given the opportunity to bud and show forth its glory.

This makes me think of the verse in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
We are to manifest the glory of God in our lives and we can still do that despite the opposition that comes our way or the hits that we take. Regardless of how you feel right now, you will bloom again! The Holy Spirit is there to put you back together, shine His love on you, and water you with His Word! Don't despair!

 

 

 

 

You're not disassembled...you're alive!

 

Blessings, Diane

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saying Good bye

 

My father's twin brother, who lives in Holland, recently came to Canada to visit my parents. I went to see them last weekend. It was a bittersweet time. My father is 83 and has Parkinson's. The disease has been progressing and my father is frustrated with the limitations that he has. He cannot travel any longer. So my uncle and "aunt" came. I told them that I so grateful that they did. More than likely, this will be the last time that they see each other. I captured the good-bye on video, crying the entire time.

I have not experienced the loss of a close loved one...yet. How do you say "Good-bye"? I couldn't hear the exchange between my father and my uncle, but I could see it and it broke my heart. I'm not looking forward to that day, but when it comes, I don't know that I can say "Good-bye". I think, for me it will be "See you later". For those of us who know Jesus, the separation through death is only for a short while. We have that blessed hope of seeing our loved ones again.

Two weeks ago on the news here in Ontario, a young father and husband went missing after going for a test drive. They found his body soon afterwards. Now a wife is grieving the loss of her husband, parents for their son, siblings for their brother, and many for a friend. They did not get a chance to say "Good-bye".

This past week many had to say good-bye to those lost during the tornado in Oklahoma.

 A couple of days ago a wife in the UK had to unexpectantly say good-bye to her husband when he was murdered by an Islamist radical.

I think the best way to say "Good-bye" is to always live like it may be our last day. No regrets.
Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom."

No matter what, it is never easy to say good-bye. Love those dear to you every moment of everyday. Don't sweat the small stuff. I would rather have my teenaged son around with a messy room, than not. I would rather put my husband's dirty dishes in the dishwasher, than not. Forgive...and then forget about it. Smile often.

Blessings, Diane