The Songs in My Life ~ Thy Word is A Lamp Unto my Feet

 "Thy Word is Lamp Unto My Feet" - (Psalm 119:105)

I have sung this song so often over the years.  It never fails to speak to my heart and declare my love for God and my trust in Him.  (Psalm 119:105)

Photo by daniel petreikis on Unsplash

I spent a while pondering the thought of two lights.  I wondered why there were two lights.  Then one night I was outside and there was a tall light - it was helping me see the entire path ahead of me.  I also had my flashlight to see what was right in front of me and then it hit me.  Two lights!  I get it!

Photo by Julia Florczak on Unsplash

I was so thankful at that moment for a wonderful Heavenly Father that gave us His Word as a "lamp" for our feet and a "light" for our path!

I'll never be the same after that moment.

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

My Husband was a Genius...Logical

I loved having my girls and their families visit after my husband passed.  It was a good reunion and they helped me with a lot of things around the house.  One monstrous thing to deal with was the huge, gigantic desk Bill built for himself.  His favorite saying was..."I could sit on it."  Considering he was 250# that was quite a statement.

I loved something my son-in-law said as he took it apart for me.  He said, "Bill put it together so logically, it was easy to take apart logically."  That made my heart very happy.  Thank you, Bill, for your genius.  You did everything so well and I love you for it.

Thank you, Adam, for getting the huge desk out and giving me a new office to work in and teach in.  Life is good.

Thanks for visiting!  Reia

Thankful for...Home Hospice

It's been a journey.  In the almost 4 years since Bill found out he had lung cancer, he's had 6 months without any new growth.  Every time he said "I'm not doing a new treatment."  Every time he told the doctor, "I'll give it a try."  The treatments have been rough on him.  He's given more than the old "college try".

Last month he finally said, "I'm tired.  No more treatments."  He wanted to just come home and be.  I told him I wasn't going to be the only "eyes" on him cause I'd have all kinds of things happening to him - all non-existent of course.  I told him I wanted the Hospice company we'd used for mama in 2016.  They were good, caring people.  I think he decided that would be easier on him than me bugging him daily.

We have a wonderful nurse that comes in twice a week now.  He doesn't have to go to Liberty Regional for weekly labs any more and he doesn't have to go for chemo on Thursdays now.

For a bad situation - life is good.  I say that to encourage those who love my Bill.  He's good - he's at peace with himself - he's...at peace and so am I.  I'm not sure how long he'll be on this side of Heaven but we're making the most of his time here.

Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash

For any others in this position - I pray for you.  I pray for peace, for time together, for caring people in your life.

Thanks for visiting  ~ Reia

Prolonging Life ~ What Does it Mean?

So we're in the stage of "prolonging life".  We called quits on "curing" and now we're "prolonging life".  I thought I'd be a widow much earlier so being in this stage is better than I thought.  I still have today and maybe tomorrow with an incredible man, husband, father and most of all - best friend.

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

I'm not sure where you're at in life.  I hope that you're making the most of every day.  Loving the people in your life and not worrying about the people that don't make your life better.

Photo by MARK ADRIANE on Unsplash

Wherever you are - make the most of every day.  Love those that make your life better.  Pray for everyone in your life.  Be thankful for the extra days you didn't think you'd have.  Live!

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

The Songs in My Life ~ I Need Thee Every Hour

How wonderful when my "work life" coincides with my personal life.  You want to learn how to play "I Need Thee Every Hour"?  Why, yes, let's do that!  I can't think of a song I sing more because..."I need Thee every hour...!"

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

Enjoy this version... by Fernando Ortego  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZIMDcgrF-Q&list=RDtZIMDcgrF-Q&index=1

I need Thee every hour,

Most gracious Lord.

No tender voice like thine,

Can peace afford.

I need Thee, oh I need Thee

Every hour I need Thee!

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee!

I need Thee every hour,

Stay thou nearby.

Temptations lose their pow'r

When thou are nigh.

I need Thee, oh I need Thee

Every hour I need Thee!

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee!

I need Thee every hour,

In joy or pain.

Come quickly and abide,

Or life is vain.

I need Thee, oh I need Thee

Every hour I need Thee!

Oh, bless me now, my Savior,

I come to Thee!

Thank you for visiting ~ Reia

The Beatles ~ Help, I Need Somebody!

Have y'all noticed the commercial with the Beatles singing "Help"?  So many memories rush back to me!

1 - I'm so blessed to have grown up when the Beatles were a "thing".  I've tried to relay their importance and music to my children and now to my students.

Photo by Kara Eads on Unsplash

2 - They created so many songs - I can't just choose one to be my "favorite".  Some make me happy, some make me thoughtful and some evoke emotions I can't put my finger on.

3 - During the multiple hours of "Beatles" conversations I've had with my husband over our twenty-plus years together...one of the topics I found most interesting...

... the Beatles created beautiful music and the words didn't matter as much - for me the song would be "Blackbird" - the music is beautiful but the words are, well,... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kx4xVKo9z8

... or they created beautiful words and the music didn't matter as much (still looking on YouTube for an example).

... or it was just different - "Little Piggies"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upJB1XZQU0k

... or it just made you happy  "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Life Goes On" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9NpHKrKMw

and then there were the songs that were perfect in word and music - one would be - "Let It Be" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra3rF4b6O3E.

I have a lot to say about the music the Beatles created so I'll stop here and write more later.

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Some of My Favorite People ~ They're Fantastic!

Holy Thursday is in the books and it was beautiful!  It was so touching to hear the congregation singing and worshiping as we worked our way through the Mass.

I was able to get some pics of the best choir a church could have!

I love these wonderful people so much!

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Holy Week ~ Almost There

I'm working on my 7th Holy Week preparation.  As a group we've come a long way.  This year we're more bilingual than ever and that makes me very happy and a good bit nervous.  I've included YouTube links of some of the songs we're singing during this time.  Feel free to join us because I'll be streaming!  https://www.facebook.com/saintstephenfirstmartyrcatholicchurch/

I grew up in a Charismatic world and now I earn my living in a Liturgical world - similar and yet very different.  Both are good and I love the diversity.

In my present liturgical world we'll walk out the Passion of Christ from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday and it touches me so.

During Holy Thursday our Priest will humble himself and wash the feet of some of our families.

The Altar will be stripped and we'll prepare for Good Friday.

  Donde Hay Amor y Caridad - Where Charity and Love Abound
As I Have Done for You

Good Friday will be Stations of the Cross in the Garden. 

Our amazing Hispanic community is giving us a "living" Stations of the Cross...

...to be followed by Good Friday Liturgy.  We enter in silence, we venerate the Cross, we have Communion and we depart in silence.  Very moving.

Behold the Wood ~ Entre Tus Manos

Saturday is our "Easter Vigil" - we begin at dark (8pm) - we enter in darkness and after the Readings, lights are turned on and we begin the celebration of the Savior's Resurrection.  Resucito

We're reminded of the importance of our Baptism.  I Saw Water Flowing

The entire evening is so moving to me.

Then we come back for Easter Sunday and what a celebration!  He is risen!

I truly hope and pray that you are celebrating the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ during this time of year!

If you aren't, you're truly missing out!

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

My Girls

This is a little bit of a tough time for us right now.  All's good but multiple testing and the follow up doctors' appointments can get wearing.  I just want to shout out to my daughters for checking in with me, asking what they can do to help, prayer support and just general "we're thinking about you - what can we do to help" comments.

Thank you Traci & Ginger for your words of support and for "being there".  It means a lot!

Biopsy is tomorrow - Bill always does really well and I'm amazed at his body.  The nurse today said they'd keep him in recovery until they know he's safe to go home because it's like putting a needle into a balloon.  Thanks for that thought and thank you for not sending him home to my care until you know he's "good to go".

Thanks for visiting ~ Reia

Rabbit Holes ~ and Faith

I've been in a lot of what I call "Rabbit Holes" during my life.  The place where you're not exactly sure where you are, why you're there and how long it will take to get out...but you know...if you hold on long enough and hang on to your Faith - you will get out!

"Down the Rabbit Hole.jpg" (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Mountain Roamer

During some of those times, my husband and I would repeat the words from one of our favorite movies, Memphis Belle.  Now what?!?

So - while I think about the various "Rabbit Holes" we've found ourselves in over the decades, I always come back to - 

I'm thankful for my family, I'm thankful for the way I earn my living,
I'm thankful for the friends that know just when I need a smile and a kind word.

I'm blessed beyond measure with the love of a Heavenly Father that reminds me of the good that is in my life while I climb out of the "Rabbit Holes" of life.

Thanks for visiting!  Reia