February 22, 2014
In
Uncategorized
God’s Garmin
Affirmation: I am in awe of the guidance God sends me, through
people as I travel down a new and difficult path.
people as I travel down a new and difficult path.
What is needed in order to navigate through new territory? Lewis and Clark, Columbus and Magellan and
Dr. Livingston are a few examples of pioneers who headed out into the world
without any foreknowledge of what lied ahead and created trails for others to
follow. There are now maps for most
anywhere one wants to go. There is even
Google Earth, where we can examine almost every square foot of our planet
without leaving our home.
Dr. Livingston are a few examples of pioneers who headed out into the world
without any foreknowledge of what lied ahead and created trails for others to
follow. There are now maps for most
anywhere one wants to go. There is even
Google Earth, where we can examine almost every square foot of our planet
without leaving our home.
When my daughter, Ellen, moved to London I desperately wanted to
see where she would be living but flying over there was not in our plans. She sent me a video from Google Earth with
her apartment circled in red. I could
then move the cursor around on the page and see everything she could see from
her front window. It was miraculous. Since then I have occasionally gone to the
site to see the areas where I resided when I was younger. It was fascinating to see how the areas had
changed and to share the photos of the neighborhood with my children or with my
friends.
see where she would be living but flying over there was not in our plans. She sent me a video from Google Earth with
her apartment circled in red. I could
then move the cursor around on the page and see everything she could see from
her front window. It was miraculous. Since then I have occasionally gone to the
site to see the areas where I resided when I was younger. It was fascinating to see how the areas had
changed and to share the photos of the neighborhood with my children or with my
friends.
Yes, it seems as if the whole world is mapped out and we aren’t
in need of pioneers any longer. Even the
moon and Mars have “rovers” with cameras on them. Of course there is the rest of the Universe
“where no man has ever gone before.”
I don’t believe many of us will be faced with an adventure into outer
space. In addition to outer space,
however, there are also the Olympics.
Right now, the 2014 Winter Olympics are taking place in Sochi
Russia. No one needed a map to get to
Sochi and no one is following a geographical path that hasn’t been carefully
laid out but these gifted, dedicated and determined young people are definitely
blazing new trails. The new gold medal
winner for the Men’s Snow Boarding Half Pipe, Iouri Podladtchikov, not only
performed an almost flawless run, he created and executed a new maneuver called
the YOLO. The men and women skiers and
skaters broke all time speed records, and the Russian figure skating pairs gold
medalists Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, the 2013 world champions, broke
at least four world records with their performances. There were also many other records set. All the athletes needed guidance to reach the
peak of their skill. They went higher
and further along the path of their craft than anyone had gone before. Their coaches and families helped them lay
out the map for their successes.
in need of pioneers any longer. Even the
moon and Mars have “rovers” with cameras on them. Of course there is the rest of the Universe
“where no man has ever gone before.”
I don’t believe many of us will be faced with an adventure into outer
space. In addition to outer space,
however, there are also the Olympics.
Right now, the 2014 Winter Olympics are taking place in Sochi
Russia. No one needed a map to get to
Sochi and no one is following a geographical path that hasn’t been carefully
laid out but these gifted, dedicated and determined young people are definitely
blazing new trails. The new gold medal
winner for the Men’s Snow Boarding Half Pipe, Iouri Podladtchikov, not only
performed an almost flawless run, he created and executed a new maneuver called
the YOLO. The men and women skiers and
skaters broke all time speed records, and the Russian figure skating pairs gold
medalists Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov, the 2013 world champions, broke
at least four world records with their performances. There were also many other records set. All the athletes needed guidance to reach the
peak of their skill. They went higher
and further along the path of their craft than anyone had gone before. Their coaches and families helped them lay
out the map for their successes.
I’ve always loved a map.
Maybe it’s because it’s a little like a puzzle, a maze which can help
get you to your set destination. I’ve
usually been the navigator when my husband and I traveled. My expertise wasn’t always in evidence. For example, from my reading of the map, I
once insisted we were are on the right road to reach the main highway when it dead-ended
in someone’s driveway. At one time, I
used to contact AAA for little map booklets that had a different section of the
road on each page to lay out our path.
I’m sure they don’t have them anymore. Now, my husband and I don’t use
maps at all. First we graduated to
Map-quest and would have sheets of paper listing the twists and turns and the
distances and the estimated arrival time.
We even used Map-quest for one of our European trips. It was a lot easier than trying to read maps
in a foreign language. Then we went to a
Nuvi or a Garmin and we had audible turn by turn instructions. I must say in the beginning it would seem to
me the device would sometimes take me to my final destination by way of another
continent. Now, we have the smart phone.
The technology now seems to be much more accurate and I can rely on it anywhere
I travel. I’ve also become so used to
having a computer map on my dashboard that I feel “lost” when I’m in
a car without one even if I’m going around my neighborhood. Recently, however, I have had to chart a new path.
Maybe it’s because it’s a little like a puzzle, a maze which can help
get you to your set destination. I’ve
usually been the navigator when my husband and I traveled. My expertise wasn’t always in evidence. For example, from my reading of the map, I
once insisted we were are on the right road to reach the main highway when it dead-ended
in someone’s driveway. At one time, I
used to contact AAA for little map booklets that had a different section of the
road on each page to lay out our path.
I’m sure they don’t have them anymore. Now, my husband and I don’t use
maps at all. First we graduated to
Map-quest and would have sheets of paper listing the twists and turns and the
distances and the estimated arrival time.
We even used Map-quest for one of our European trips. It was a lot easier than trying to read maps
in a foreign language. Then we went to a
Nuvi or a Garmin and we had audible turn by turn instructions. I must say in the beginning it would seem to
me the device would sometimes take me to my final destination by way of another
continent. Now, we have the smart phone.
The technology now seems to be much more accurate and I can rely on it anywhere
I travel. I’ve also become so used to
having a computer map on my dashboard that I feel “lost” when I’m in
a car without one even if I’m going around my neighborhood. Recently, however, I have had to chart a new path.
There wasn’t a map or a Garmin for this journey. My 91 year old mother left the hospital after
her first two surgeries ever, a hip replacement and a pacemaker and was
admitted to a rehab unit. I needed a map
or an audio guide. I needed any
direction and guidance that was available and there was very little “out
there.” I did do some research on
the web to determine the best facility in the area and I did make the necessary
phone calls to make sure that’s where she was admitted but after that I felt
like I had just landed on an alien planet, not country, but a planet beyond our
solar system. I have never been so
intimately involved in the care of a seriously ill individual, and to be honest
my mom has led a very independent lifestyle up until her fall. I wish someone wise and experienced had taken
my hand and led me step by step down this road.
her first two surgeries ever, a hip replacement and a pacemaker and was
admitted to a rehab unit. I needed a map
or an audio guide. I needed any
direction and guidance that was available and there was very little “out
there.” I did do some research on
the web to determine the best facility in the area and I did make the necessary
phone calls to make sure that’s where she was admitted but after that I felt
like I had just landed on an alien planet, not country, but a planet beyond our
solar system. I have never been so
intimately involved in the care of a seriously ill individual, and to be honest
my mom has led a very independent lifestyle up until her fall. I wish someone wise and experienced had taken
my hand and led me step by step down this road.
I wish I knew in the beginning of this journey what I know
now. I’ve prayed for years for dignity
for my mom and mother in law in their old age.
Now, I’m seeing what dignity can look like and may not look like. After entering the rehab, mom contracted
C.diff. One more thing I knew nothing
about, another huge detour on the road.
I’ve reached out to God and to everyone I know. I actually sent an email to several of my
communities that was titled “Help!”
Help has come and hopefully will keep coming. Help not just for my mom but for me, the main
caregiver. Yes, I am seeing the
blessings. Some of the best help has
been what I now consider to be “God’s Garmin’s.” They are all those people in the know who
have taken the time and effort to share with me what I need to be doing and in
what direction I should be going.
now. I’ve prayed for years for dignity
for my mom and mother in law in their old age.
Now, I’m seeing what dignity can look like and may not look like. After entering the rehab, mom contracted
C.diff. One more thing I knew nothing
about, another huge detour on the road.
I’ve reached out to God and to everyone I know. I actually sent an email to several of my
communities that was titled “Help!”
Help has come and hopefully will keep coming. Help not just for my mom but for me, the main
caregiver. Yes, I am seeing the
blessings. Some of the best help has
been what I now consider to be “God’s Garmin’s.” They are all those people in the know who
have taken the time and effort to share with me what I need to be doing and in
what direction I should be going.
When Sandy and I traveled to Ireland several years ago, we found
the most joyful part of the trip was getting lost because we would stop and ask
an always delightful, friendly Irish man or woman for directions. We stopped once on a back road and were
invited in for tea! That’s been my
experience here with my mom and her illness, the people who have reached out to
me explaining the path best chosen have brought clarity and joy to a very
frightening and strange road. I’ve
decided there is very seldom an easy way through chronic illness or the dying
process but like all our adversities there are blessings to be found and usually,
they come in the form of loving, caring people who take our hands and our
hearts and lead us along the path of what we call life. I like to think of them as God’s Garmin,
audibly directing us down the road to our final destination, Peace.
the most joyful part of the trip was getting lost because we would stop and ask
an always delightful, friendly Irish man or woman for directions. We stopped once on a back road and were
invited in for tea! That’s been my
experience here with my mom and her illness, the people who have reached out to
me explaining the path best chosen have brought clarity and joy to a very
frightening and strange road. I’ve
decided there is very seldom an easy way through chronic illness or the dying
process but like all our adversities there are blessings to be found and usually,
they come in the form of loving, caring people who take our hands and our
hearts and lead us along the path of what we call life. I like to think of them as God’s Garmin,
audibly directing us down the road to our final destination, Peace.
