Cathy's Heart

(Part 1) The challenge of writing a blog, especially one designed to encourage others in their faith, is to make sure your posts don't come across as self-serving or presumptuous. That said, this post has been particularly difficult for me to write. In fact, this morning I'm tempted to just throw in the towel. But instead, I am pressing on and praying that this post, along everything I write, will point my readers to Jesus, to His Word and to a deeper walk of faith. "Cathy, you need to write." I have heard this admonition in a variety of ways for years now. So a couple of years ago I started this blog. My original goal was to write a post once a month. That didn't happen. Until this past summer, on my fifty-second birthday, when I set a new goal to write a blog post once a week. So far, so good. Even though last week I didn't write a post for this blog. Instead, I wrote one for a new blog titled,  Cathy's Heart on Training Up Teenagers.  These blogs are my...

Maria's Story (Part 1) A little more than a year ago, my husband and I made a big move into a tiny new house. We love everything about living here---our house, our neighbors and our community. I love that from my front yard, I can look west and see the tops of fancy hotels, high-rise condominiums and tall office towers that make up the skyline of downtown. That is where my husband works. And, now it is where I drop off the dry-cleaning, mail packages at the post office and often shop for groceries. It is also the address to a large homeless population. Whenever possible, I drive down the streets where my poorest neighbors live and I pray, "Lord, bless these precious souls. And teach me, help me and show me how to love my neighbor as myself." Even before we officially moved into our new house, there was one homeless woman who stood out to my husband and me. One we especially ached for. Small, frail and hunched over, she slowly walked through the streets of our neighborhood...

Last weekend, my heart broke when I learned about the death of a man who had been my doctor for many years. A dear friend shared the shocking news with me at church on Sunday, assuming I had already heard. The doctor had been my primary care physician until insurance changes dictated I find a new one. My friend, also his patient, explained our doctor had recently died of cancer. How could that be? He was a "young" man not much older than myself. With a heavy heart, I went home that afternoon and crossed off a long standing item on my "to do" list. Not because it was done, but because I waited too long to do it. With regret, sorrow and sadness I erased the item on my list: send a thank you to Dr. Nusinow. Dr. Nusinow, an internist, was the doctor I went to when pain, swelling and stiffness began in my joints several years ago. (Read my post Even in Darkness Light Dawns) I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (R.A.) And as God would have it, my doctor just happened...