Let Me Hear It One More Time

DSCN0928, a photo by lrslocum on Flickr.

Jesus loves the little children, All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, All are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world. 

Many of us learned this hymn when we were little children so it is familiar to most of us. Last week and today, we sang this hymn in church and I want to tell you the response. I get to see the entire congregation since I am in the Choir and sit up in the Loft facing them. Everyone joined in in this wonderful and familiar hymn. I think most of them thought about how long they had known this hymn! One couple were arm in arm and swaying to and fro as they sang it. 

With so many new things and so much change, how good does it feel to have something stay the same? I have never intended this to be a religious blog but Christianity is an integral part of my life. Some of you may not be of the Christian faith, but I bet you like a certain sameness in your life. 

When I go to my hometown, Toronto, I like to drive past the house I lived in when I was growing up and my school. Toronto is a very large city and not too much stays the same so I am always happy to see something that is very much like it was when I was a child. There is a certain feeling of security and comfort when we something or hear something we have known most of our lives.

Technology seemingly re-invents itself every few months. We just learn one way of doing something online or how to work a cell phone or computerized tablet, when a "new improved" one is invented. 

Hubby and I often think of old songs or someone who may have been famous many years ago and we enjoy reminiscing. I think all older people probably feel that way. We like the new technology that helps us do things more efficiently, but we also like the old memories that make us feel very warm inside.

One Down . . . One To Go: Surrounded by Kindness!

My right eye surgery took longer to heal than expected. I was in the supermarket and my eye doctor was there. He asked how I was doing and then went to his car for a prescription pad to write me two prescriptions to help me along. When I saw him this week, he said I am ready to have the other eye's cataract removed. We made the appointment which will be in about 10 days. How special was that for him to stop in the middle of shopping to prescribe some medicine for me?

Last Sunday, I could not see well enough to sing in the Choir. After church, several people came up to us and hugged us and asked how my eye was doing. That was special.

My neighbor's two little girls came with some wild flowers which we put in a vase. They lasted all week and were yet another reminder of people's kindness. 

Now, of course, I cannot yet see as well as I will when I have new lenses in my glasses, but at least I feel I am on my way to seeing a whole lot better. 

I will still have astigmatism but that is not a problem. We first caught that when I was taking piano lessons back when I was about six or seven. Mother heard the teacher yelling and came to see what was wrong. What was wrong was that I could not see the notes!

So, even though I cannot see really well yet, it is encouraging that so many people are with me all the way through just another of life's ordeals. Blessings to all!

Some Thoughts Before . . .

Tomorrow I will be having eye surgery on my right eye. Probably because we have had so many life-changing events over the past four months, I thought about the "what if".

I don't really live that way now that I am older. I have a great Hubby, great Church, a few great friends and, of course, a wonderful dog! I am blessed.

The other day, my Nova Scotia sister-in-law posted some fall pictures and so, today I thought about showing you what is probably THE most beautiful sight healthy eyes can see . . . as far as scenery goes. I took this five years ago when we were there in autumn. When you have the opportunity: go to Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.

Yesterday I was Liturgist at Church . . . and lots of people helped me up and down the steps. (Yup, don't walk as well as I used to.) I did fine. No, I don't have a photo to show you, but I can picture in my mind very easily some people who came to church on a rainy day . . . not because I was helping but because they hadn't been there in a while. That was really a blessing! (Kinda funny: it rained the last time I was Litergist!)

I am thinking about Tom Darr . . . who drove Hubby over to have cataract surgery and how they stopped on the way back to have breakfast. He and Liz are in Pennsylvania now, but through Facebook, I can keep in touch.

I am thinking about my precious Shih Tzu, Fanny, who lost an eye. She never gave up and a very fond memory is of her modelling a T-Shirt at the Toronto Sportsman Show, oh, probably 25 years ago. Her shirt said (yes, yes, to all my teachers . . . a talking T-shirt), "FOUR ON THE FLOOR"! She walked out fine with her good eye toward the audience, enjoying the attention. I held her up so all could see her shirt and everyone was clapping and laughing. Fanny loved that! When we started to walk back, she balked . . . because she could not see the crowd. From the wings, the Editor of Dogs in Canada was calling to me, "Pick Her Up!"

Gotta love precious memories and I have so many. If you really think about it, you have some great memories too! You just don't realize what an interesting life you have . . .