January 8, 2011

• Life is an adventure full of endless and wonderful possibilities.  It can also be difficult at times, sometimes for no apparent reason at all.  I have been reading my mother's letters, written to me as a young wife and bride in the 1970's.  It struck me how similar she and I are (and my sister also).  She wrote one day of how she woke up one morning in a good mood, went to work, took a little nap and woke up depressed.  And I thought to myself, that happens to me too, for no apparent reason.  She mentioned in the letter how the depression had no rhyme or reason, it just was.  I have learned in my life one important lesson from this....sometimes as quick as it comes, it can go just as quickly.  Who is to say, why it comes, and why it goes.  I know it brings me to my knees in prayer as I hate to be depressed.  I do know it comes a lot when I get over worked and emotionally exhausted.  It happens often in January, on the heels of the Christmas holiday.  I know it happens to a lot of us.  One of my favorite ways to deal with depression (and I'm talking about mild depression here), is to pray (always the best way to deal with any depression) and then get busy.  I have done a lot of cleaning and baking during my times of feeling down.  Reading is also a great way to recover, and I've been reading a lot lately.  Good thing I love to read!

  Tomorrow a young woman moves in to our house for six weeks.  We've never met her before.  She attends the University of St. Francis in Albuquerque and will be doing a six-week stint at the hospital in Farmington.  She wants to be a Physician's Assistant.  We look forward to meeting her and hope we are a blessing to her.  Life is always an adventure when you decide to be hospitable.  I decided as a young bride that I wanted my home to be an "open home".  God took me at my word, even though I had no idea what that meant.  Now, 34 years later, and more than 40 people later (who have lived in  our home for a season), I can honestly say that this has been the greatest thing I ever decided.  Has it always been easy?  Absolutely not!  Has it been inconvenient?  You bet!  But doing what God called me to do so many years ago, has been a blessing to Doyle and I.  I have one regret though.  I wish I had kept a "guest book" and had people sign it.  I can't remember all the people that have come through my doors, and that makes me sad! 

  So, today I spent the day cleaning and getting ready for our new house guest.  May she find our home a peaceful refuge from a crazy world!

  • 6:49 pm
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