Thanksgiving 2014

Thanksgiving 2014

     I am calling this my Thanksgiving Blog.  I have really been busy, so I have not done much writing.  We have been doing a lot of camping and traveling. We just got back from our fall trip to Florida with Julie, grandkids, and Angie.  We came back to freezing cold NE weather and snow.  I miss sitting outside and soaking up the warm sun.  The grandkids loved spending the afternoons at the pool.  All four are like little fish.  Easton was so excited that he did not need to wear his floaters in this pool.  It was great seeing Angie, since she flew in from DC and met us in Tampa.  Then Angie and Julie went on their first cruise.  When the grandkids get older we will have to do a family cruise suggested Angie.  

     Thanksgiving is a time to stop and think about the blessings in our lives.  I tend to think more about the negative things going on in life vs my blessings.  When I was younger I would listen to the older folks talking about their aches and pains.  I recently got together with friends to play cards, eat, and visit.  Someone from the card playing table remarked how our conversations in both groups were centered on those aches and pains, and in my case the ER visit on our travel for an eye infection.

     I got off track in my mind thinking about how painful that infection was, and how sick I was from the drug that the ER doctor gave me, so we could leave and get back on the road.  BLESSINGS - So what am I thankful for?  FAMILY!  Beside family I am thankful for the Lord.  He is always with me when I am down, stressed, in pain or in the hospital.  I know I am not alone.  He is there, and I can talk to Him.  I sure have done a lot of praying with the eye problems that I have had.  I am blessed to have that little bit of vision in my so called good eye.  I can still be independent and write and read my Bible.  It is just not the same as listening to the Bible as it is to read God’s word.  Reading God’s word and praying allows one to survive this thing called life.  This life on earth is so short compared to eternity in heaven or hell/Lake of fire.  

    To my  family, friends, or former students that may be reading this blog, I am going to share some information that could and will change your lives here on earth and eternity.  I know I will be spending eternity in heaven with no pain, illness, blindness with loved ones who have believed.  How can I know that I will be spending eternity in heaven?  It’s not because of being a good person, doing good deeds, going to church, religion, or any of the other ways that people think their works get them into heaven.  I am a sinner, Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.  Back in 1975 I believed that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead.  In short “God, who is holy, made us in His image to know Him.  But we sinned and cut ourselves off from Him.  In His great love, God became man in Jesus lived a perfect life, and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law Himself and taking on Himself the punishment for the sins of all those who would ever turn and trust in Him.  He rose again from the dead, showing that God accepted Christ’s sacrifice and that God’s wrath against us had been exhausted.  He now calls us to repent of our sins and to trust in Christ alone or our forgiveness (not our good deeds, works, religion, church etc).  If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, by Faith,we are born into a new life, an eternal life with God.”  Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  John 3:15  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that  whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

    Some of us are closer to eternity than others.  I sure was a couple years ago but it was not my time yet.  There is a reason that I did not die back then.  I may never know but it is God’s timing not ours.  He gave us life and He takes it.  Where will you spend eternity?  If you do believe that only Jesus gets us to heaven, died and rose again. I will see you in heaven along with the ones who believed in Christ vs those who are trusting in a church, religion, and/or their good works to earn their way to heaven. 

    I used to think that if I was a good person, went to church was baptized as an infant in a religion that would get me to heaven maybe.  Once I started reading the Bible, I sure was wrong.  It is God’s Grace not my works.  So my faith in His word is all I have on this earth to keep me going when times are hard or painful.  But He promised to be with His children, and I am His child.  He will listen to His children’s prayers, so my prayers are with my family and friends.  I pray that you will be able to find God’s love and peace to get from this world to eternity.  This is a Thanksgiving letter.  Thank you all for being part of my family and circle of friends.   I pray that I will see you all in eternity in heaven, some day. I pray that you will pick up your Bible and read more about God’s plan for your life, and come to accept God’s free gift of grace through faith.  

      Have a great Thanksgiving, and feel free to let me know about what you are thankful for. 

9-11

9-11

  When you think of the dates 9-11, what is the first thing that comes into your mind?  Most will think of the many that lost their lives on that date.  There are the heroes who died trying to save total strangers.  Our country changed that day.  Did we become a stronger nation united to fight and preserve our freedoms?  Not sure about that one.  We are more of a nation living in fear of something like that happening again. There are those who lived and survived this event in our history.  They live with memories of death and life.  I do enjoy reading the survival stories.  One such story was about a blind man and his guide dog that lead a group of workers to safety from one of the towers.  I believe that book was called Thunder Dog.  As the years past by 9-11 will always bring a variety of memories to my mind and prayer for those who have lost loved ones on that date.  My memories of that day began back in 1997.

      My brain has never really dealt well with dates.  I have to have little ways to remember numbers.  Some examples are our wedding date 2-2-74.  It is Ground Hogs day and 2 plus 2 is 4 so 74.  My birthday is 7-1-52 and Pat’s birthday is mine switched around 1-7-52.  Angie’s b day 3-3 and Julie is 1-23, but don’t ask me about the grandkids they were not born on easy numbers to remember.  Not too worried about forgetting a grandchild’s b day because as they get older they will not let me forget.  As we come to another 9-ll on the calendar we remember those who died on that date.  We remember the loved ones that morn and continue life without their loved ones.  9-11-97 will always be remembered by family members on both my side of the family and for Pat’s side of the family.  That day my family lost our father Richard Charles Bedrosky and the McQuinn’s lost Ross Carbonell. 

     Ross was the only son of my sister and brother-in-law Roxanne and Chuck.  He was in his senior year at Millard South when he was killed in a truck accident.  My memories are when Ross was small and played with the girls.  He was the cutest little kid with his round McQuinn cheeks.  He grew up to be a handsome teen and was one of those teens that had a lot of friends and one that teachers only had good things to say about him.  I knew that because I was subbing at Millard South during his junior and senior years.  I heard the stories first hand.   

       Why was he such a great kid?  Yes he was a McQuinn and had a mom and stepdad that he loved and gave him that strong foundation that was needed.  The day after his and my dad’s funeral I was called to sub at Millard South.  I of course took the subbing job, so I would have something to do.  I did not realize until I showed up that I was subbing for one of Ross’s teachers.  His folder was sitting on her desk.  I would sub in his classes that day.  The teens that attended the funeral the day before were carrying flowers from off his grave site.  They also wore green memorial ribbons with his name printed on them.  The teacher had left the usual high school sub plans of watch a movie.  During one period a girl was so loud and out of control that I had to tell her a couple of times to quiet down.  She got so mad at me that I did not understand what her and her friends had been through.  I then explained to her that I was at the funeral and that I was Ross’s aunt.  She did settle down after that.  I heard more stories that day about what a great kid he was.  His principal even had good things to say.  Those teachers and students will have their memories of the student and friend that died that school year. 

      As we get older and more loved ones die, it does not get easier.  We are left with our memories of our loved ones.  I wrote about my memories of my dad on a past blog that you can read if interested.  I may go back and read that blog¸ since I don’t remember what I wrote.  I am sure I wrote about how he could build things, how he loved his pigeons and family. 

    My prayers go out to my sister and brother in law as they try to survive another 9-11.  I do not pretend to understand what it must be like for a parent to have to bury a child.  All I can do is to ask the Lord to be with them as they continue life with their memories.  My prayers go out to those who lost loved ones on 9-11 during that dreaded event in our history.  We all need to ask the Lord through prayer for our country’s survival and freedoms.  9-11 is a good day to pray for those are protecting our country and their families that are coping the best they can as their loved one is off protecting our freedoms and rights.  Thank you for your current and past service.

Obesity in the News

8/26/14

Obesity in the News

      Today’s news headline reads, “UNL receives grant to study obesity”.  My first thought was yes something needs to be done in the area of obesity. The article started off with how it affects 200 million Americans and costs hundreds of billions of dollars in health care expenses annually.  They will use the money to research fat cells.  This five year federal grant was 11.3 million.  Yes, 11.3 million of our federal government money being spent to find out why Americans are fat.  Where does the federal government get that money?  Not from Ronald McDonald but from taxpaying Americans.  We already know why people are suffering from obesity, don’t we?  Does the federal government not watch the Doctors, Dr. Oz or Biggest Loser tv shows.  I think if I asked one of my grandchildren the question, why do people get fat?  One out of four would get the right answer.  If I could I would save the federal government 11.3 million by answering that question.  Eat less and exercise more.

    I am not alone in this, those who commented were all about the same.  One Concerned Citizen stated that this was wasteful federal spending.  This study will not give any relevant information that the taxpayer can’t already get from a simple Google search of dietary advice.   BR549 stated that stepping out of the chow line, would be quite helpful. Towards helping to lose weight.  In other words if you’re fat, quit stuffing your face.  It’s a no brainer.  Stop right there!  Don’t get mad at me, I was just sharing a comment from that news report. 

     I know how hard it is to lose weight.  I have gained it then lost it, then gained it back, then lost it again.  I have the closet full of 5 sizes of clothing.  You heard me right 5 different sizes.  Some of those larger sizes are sitting in boxes for the thrift store, and some are still hanging in the upstairs closet.  Those are the ones that I tried to take in at the waist, so they could stay up without falling down.  I was too cheap to buy new pants that fit.  I can always take out the sewing if I gained weight.  I tried on a shirt today that I was swimming in, but did I put it in the possible thrift store box?  No, I hung it back up.  I have heard the rule; get rid of the larger sizes, so you won’t gain the weight back.  That did not work for me.  Years ago when I found myself going into a new unexplored pant size, the whole family went on a diet.  I lost 30 pounds, Pat lost 30 and Angie lost 60.  We also bought bikes that summer and rode around Lake Zorinsky trail all summer.   Another reason I ate less and exercised more was that I did not want to look pregnant.  I have had young adult students ask if I was pregnant.  I had to answer, no I am too old and it is just fat.  I did try to teach my students to never ask a woman if she was pregnant, what her age was, and is that your real hair color.  After losing weight that year I did buy a new pair of jean shorts in a size that my body had not worn since the 70’s.   I wore them one summer and then held on to them for years due to no longer being able to zip up.  They made their way to the thrift store, and into some skinny persons closet.  That was so sad, since I had bought them from a store vs. a garage sale.  I did not get my usual 5 plus years of wear, plus I could not lose that non baby weight. 

     Currently I am in a size that I may have worn in the 60’s.  This has taken a lot of exercise and healthy eating on my part.  I am at the age that this weight loss was not about what size I wear or how I look.  Hey I am blind and can no longer see myself in a mirror.  It is about health.  I want to keep my blood pressure down without drugs.  I want to regrow the brain cells that I lost with the stroke.  I want to gain my vision back.  I want to stay off medications.  I do not want to get dementia or the other condition that starts with an A that I can’t remember how to spell.  It runs in my family and in those who have had a stroke.  Obesity along with diabetes runs in my family.  The doctors are calling dementia and the A word diabetes of the brain.  To avoid that then no sugar, gluten, eat healthy fats, low carbs, and cardio exercise.  I highly recommend the book called Grain Brain that addresses subjects like regrowing brain cells, losing weight along with other subjects.  I do feel good.  I currently have no pain this week.   I have no trouble sleeping and no longer take afternoon naps.  I feel that my brain is working better, now if I can just get those eyes to work better.  That may happen through prayer. 

      I know how hard it is to eat healthy and exercise more.  I go to exercise classes most mornings and I dread getting up to go to a 9:15 class.  In the previous paragraph I stated that I have no problems sleeping.  I would much rather stay in bed and get another hour of sleep.  I hate exercising but I know it is good for me.  I know what you are thinking.  Sure Rene you have time to exercise because you have time and are retired.  I understand you are so tired from working all day or being with your kids that you have no time or energy to work out or go for a walk.  You older folks have trouble walking due to your aches and pains, then do the old people chair exercises.  My students and I would help with exercise classes when we volunteered at a nursing home.  Also old folks stop with the white bread, sweets, and processed foods.  Young folks stop with that eating out so much because you are too tired from work to cook.  We had pizza Friday nights for years, no wonder I looked pregnant.  We ate out at eat all you want buffets.  I sure got my monies worth.  I no longer can eat pizza, sweets, or eat at buffets.  The last time I had pizza and birthday cake for Easton’s birthday this year, I lost my vision.  I could not see at all.  I did not tell Pat or take by blood pressure for fear of an ER visit.  I flushed the toxins out with water and blindly exercised until the vision came back after a few hours.  The last time I ate white pasta I got stabbing stomach pains.  The point I am trying to make is that some of our health problems can be related to what we are eating.  I am still learning about what I can and can not eat.  You can learn also.  Do you have a migraine head ache?  Are you drinking diet soda?  Could it be due to too much fatty food yesterday, from your trip to see Ronald McD. 

     It is so much easier and cheaper to eat processed foods vs healthy home cooking.  It is so expensive to eat healthy fruits, vegetables when out of season.  Nitrate free bacon and hot dogs are more expensive that the cheap 88 cent hot dogs.  We made two trips this week to two different grocery stores and got two bags only at each store at $75 each trip.  Stay turned to my next blog on how I am still living in the 70’s as Pat calls it.  I remember when we could get a cart full of groceries for $75.  We also made a trip to buy some healthy tea and left with some great tea, but Pat’s wallet was short of $40.  Thanks Angie for getting me hooked on Jade Citrus Mint Teavana tea. Pat even picked out a caramel chai tea.  Don’t get me going on the visits to No Name Nutrition, $17.50 to fill my honey jar.  I do love their honey and have it every morning on my oatmeal with blueberries along with healthy vitamins.    

      As I write this blog it is encouraging me to get out and walk the dogs.  Not really, it is 6:30PM and I get ready for bed before 7 PM.  Maybe tomorrow if it is not rainy or too hot or cold.  I will eat a healthy salad for a snack/dinner.  We eat our big meal at lunch.  I really do need to get rid of the larger size clothes that are stored in the huge boxes in the spare room.  I think I can, I think I can?  Well maybe next month?  I did hit a great garage sale that I got really carried away buying some clothes that fit really good.  I got maybe 10 pairs of jeans along with dresses, shirts, and boots for around $100.  So that is my incentive to not gain the weight back, I have to wear those cool jeans this winter.  PS they are not mom jeans, like Julie called them.   She said she would not wear them.  Did she mean they were not her size or were they really mom jeans?   The person selling them was very young.  They were only $8 a pair, so a great price for so called mom jeans. 

    The federal government is spending $11.3 million to study fat cells and why we get fat.  I am trying to save money shopping at garage sales, and you are out their spending some of my hard earned tax monies.  Put that money into education on eating healthy and the advantage of exercising to Americans health.  Educate the doctors to discuss with their patients how to lower blood pressure without drugs.  I do remember my doctor about three years ago telling me to lose ten pounds or more and to lower my stress.  Well I did not lose the weight or got rid of the stress.  I got too busy to work out at the gym, or to eat healthy.  I was living off of so called healthy tv dinners and popcorn and processed foods.  Well I am paying the consequences of blindness by not listening, while others are paying the consequences of obesity, along with drugs that may be destroying their liver or brain, not to mention aches and pains.  Obesity is costing hundreds of billions of dollars in health care expenses annually. Obesity is a national concern but also a no win situation.

Respect or Lack of it in the News

Respect or Lack of it in the News

     What do you think of when you see or hear the word respect?  I have been thinking about that word.  Some of you old folks are humming to yourself like I am doing right now, the song by Aretha Franklin.  Some may be thinking about the sign in Arlington Cemetery that reads Silence and Respect and what that sign really means.  Maybe you are thinking of the lack of respect that you are hearing on the nightly news.  One such story is of a 30 year old making an obscene gesture beside the silence and respect sign at Tomb of the Unknowns and then posting the picture on her Facebook.  She now regrets posting it because she may have lost her job over this.  It was just a joke she later replied.  Her father was appalled when he first saw the picture.   A lot of the news stories can be related to respect and those having a lack of respect.

      You hear of those to do not respect life, so they just behead an American, those who loot and riot, and kill so called brothers, teen attacking an autistic boy and video recording it, man knocking down a 92 year old woman and dragging her while trying to get her purse, until witnesses intervened.  Then there is the recent story of a man who lured his father to a remote campsite and shoots and killed him along with a man sleeping in his vehicle, or the man who kidnapped and sexually abused the two Amish girls.   I could go on and on about the lack of respect for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  No respect for elders, parents, those who are different, or those in authority.   Am I the only one who has threatened to stop watching the news?  I keep saying that, but I can’t follow through.   One thing positive thing about listening to the news is one cannot help but call on the Lord through prayer for protection and guidance for family, friends, and our nation as we wait for His return. 

     I do enjoy the hearing of the respect stories that some people complain that this is not news.  You know those fluff/feel good stories.  That is one reason that I listen to Diane Sawyer on the evening news because she will end her show with the person of the week story; such as the story of the young caregiver that races from school every day to care for his grandmother, or the cheerleaders who welcome special needs to the squad.  Then the feel good stories on Facebook, yes I love the animal stories and the ones where someone such as a trucker who stops to rescue a woman and young child from a burning crash.  Then there are the stories of those doing their jobs to protect us and our freedoms, save our lives and property from fires or raging floods or those who volunteer to help those in need.  That is respect for elders, disabled, respect for life and property of others.  A lot of these feel good stories never make the news and they do not need to.  They are the personal stories of life.

      The teacher/para of special needs students/adults who are just doing her/ his job, but comes home exhausted and wipeout out due to the stress of encouraging those to be independent, gain social skills in order to get and keep a job, along with the academic skills needed to graduate and survive in the real world. (To the past teachers and paras that I have worked with.) The parents who are homeschooling their children and my precious grandchildren and the work and stress they go through daily. It would be so easy to send them off to school and let that paid teacher teach them about respect for elders, those with disabilities or a different race, respect for life and property of theirs and others.  (Julie I know it is a hard but very rewarding job.)  There are those who are dealing with various lawsuits fighting for the rights of those living in NE and Omaha.  (You know who you are.)  There are those who are overworked, stressed, but love the job of working with children, teens, and adults, who have been placed in their care by the courts and higher up to teach them about respect for themselves, others, and life, along with many other lacking life skills.  (Yes, Angie I am talking about you.)

     I was just talking with Angie about the change of students in her care.  She mentioned that the current teens are coming in with no respect for authority.  She is having a hard time finding those who want to work with these teens that are at risk, not just in Washington DC but in Omaha also.  This got me thinking about the change in students that I have seen over the years.  Why do we have such a lack of respect for those in authority today than in the past?  Please send me your feelings about this.

      I have my thoughts, which I will share.  Could it be the lack of respect for oneself?  Young adults and adults giving away sex without waiting for marriage and love.  Could it be the lack of parenting these days?  Sons growing up without a father figure to teach them about how to respect a woman.  I am back to humming that old Respect song.  Are young ones growing up without knowing God’s word about respecting the value of a life?  Has abortion taught the country not to respect life?  There are those who will damage property for something “fun” to do, are they that spoiled?  Are the schools not doing their job of teaching about the skills needed to get along in this world.  I was just talking to a 1^st grade teacher as she was waiting in line at a Pizza Ranch where I was a volunteer greeter. ( No I was not getting practice for getting a job at WalMart, it would be too hard to read customers  receipts.  I would need the store to switch to 18 + font size, and that is not going to happen.) The lady in line told me education has really changed, she is so busy teaching the skills needed to pass the tests.   The  students have no time to play and learn together like they did in the past.  No time to learn to share and the other social skills needed to become “mature responsible adults.”  I used to tell my students that all the time.  I even caught myself telling that to my grandchild and receiving back that look of what are you talking about grandma, I am only three.  Teachers feel it is the parent’s job to teach these skills and the parents think the teacher is doing that.  That is what I call the gap theory of education.   
    Why is there a lack of authority in the country regarding those who are placed in authority by a badge?  I have to remember the old Berenstain bear story that I used to read to Jocelyn and Katelyn.  They loved the bear stories because they were fairly long and they had been their mother and Angie’s books.  There was one about Stranger Danger or something like that.  Mama bear told her little ones that strangers were something like apples, they may look like a good apple but you can’t tell the good from the bad unless you cut it open.  There are those who wear the badge that are the good apples, but then there will always be the bad apples in the batch.  The Bible calls it our sin nature that we are born with.  Yes, we are all sinners whether we admit it or not. We hear about the bad apples, so it is human nature to not trust the good ones because we can’t tell the good from the bad.  We don’t hear about the good ones due to the bad ones or so called bad ones making the news. 

       We need to realize this happens in all walks of life.  We hear about the bad apple teacher who comes to work drunk and pant less, or those who make the news for their sexual behavior, physicians taking pictures of little ones, government workers stealing from the taxpayers, and those collecting disability who are faking it to collect the benefits, or those on food stamps that can still afford to buy their smokes or fast food, along with hard liquor or pop. One hears stories of priests and church goers that make the news, by breaking the trust of the job; along with those refusing to attend church because of the hypocrites in attendance.  Again I can go on and on, but the point I am trying to make is that, we can’t lump all these together.  We want to hope and pray that the good apples outnumber the bad apples.    

      We need to be on our guard and trust our instincts when dealing with a bad apple, but not be fearful/lack of respect for those in authority.  Not all of us have this skill mastered.  I sure don’t and Angie my daughter reminds me at times, since she has great instincts about people.  She did work as a correctional officer when she was younger plus worked at Long Johns Silver.  I have always felt that working in fast food as a teen gets one ready for life. 

     I feel that what gets in the way of this respect for authority is that those in authority demand the respect without earning it.  I know this will cause some disagreement, so I hope I can explain what I mean.  When teaching I needed to show my students and coworkers respect if I expected that back from them.  I needed to talk with them with respect even in disagreements.  That involves patience and prayer.  I always started my school day off with prayer.  No. I did not force prayer on my students.  It was private prayer for them, staff, and myself plus along with safety for the day.  In the workplace, no matter where you work you need to have respect for those in authority such as your boss.  I had one student that told me that he was going to quit his job at a grocery store because they did not respect him.  I told him that he was not getting paid to be respected, but to work, and do not quit until he had another job.  It does make for a peaceful work environment if there is respect for others.  If not it is a workplace full of gossip and disrespect with no teamwork. 

     Back to the news, those in authority need to be responsible for their behavior.   That is why we have consequences and so called laws.  People in general need be responsible for their behaviors.  If you riot and steal then you should pay jail time.  If you take a life then your life may be taken or life in prison.  If you don’t follow the rules of your employment then you no longer have a job. 

      I need to stop rambling on because I need to watch the evening news.  Please give me your thoughts on respect and authority.