Bears and Giants

One of my main tasks here at mom's is to shop for daily and weekly food needs. I often walk several blocks to the nearest food store and take my recycling bags for whatever I buy and try to catch the city bus home.

Today it was a beautiful and glorious day. Not so hot like we have been having all summer and now into the Fall. I was grateful for the respite from the heat and took some time to savour the scenery along the way. Let me share some of the views I had on my short walk.

[Beautiful sun peeking through the trees]

[It is such a glorious day and a sky to match]

[Strolling along the sidewalk on to my destination]

[Roadside flora ~a hint of yellow in a sea of green]

[Pine branches]

[More roadside flora]

[A lovely hint of orange]

In addition to all the lovely flora I saw today, it seems there was a bear theme going on.

First, I came upon this lovely carving of a bear looking for honey ~

Next,

I came upon this wonderful panda bear eating his bamboo leaves ~

I thought the bears were cute and it prompted me to see what the Bible has to say about bears. I found this little story about bears in bible tools for teaching children about the animals in scripture.

The bear loves its young ones more than almost any other animal does, as this little story will show you.

A bear with two cubs or young ones once came over the ice near to a ship where the sailors had just killed a large animal. The bears were very hungry, and the sailors threw over some pieces of flesh for them; the old bear would tear them up, giving most of the meat to the cubs, and keeping but little for herself. Presently some one in the ship cruelly shot both the young ones. Then their mother was full of sorrow. She had been hurt herself by the guns, but she crawled along to her cubs, put her paw upon them, and tried to have them get up; and when she found that they did not move, she went a few steps off, and then looked back with a sad, moaning noise, as though she expected them to get up and follow her.

When she saw that all her efforts were useless, she walked around them several times, turned towards the vessel with a terrible growl for she was angry enough to tear in pieces the men who had killed her young. Then she lay down between her cubs and died. This story helps give meaning and understanding of the following scriptures from the books of Samuel and Hosea:

"For thou knowest thy father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps (or cubs) in the field."

2 Samuel 17: 8

-and this also,

"I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her whelps."

Hosea 13:8

Verses such as these show that the writers of the Bible were acquainted with the habits of different animals and we never find any mistakes in what they say about them. Solomon says in his Proverbs, "As a roaring lion and a ranging bear, so is a wicked ruler over the poor people."
When young David was trying to persuade King Saul to let him go and fight with the great giant Goliath, Saul thought he was too young, and not strong enough.

David told Saul,

"Thy servant was keeping his father's sheep, and there came a lion and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock, and thy servant slew both the lion and the bear." He said also, "The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."

You see why David was not afraid to meet the giant. It was not because he felt strong of himself, but he believed that God would be near to help him.

After reading these scriptures and stories it gave me a better understanding of the love bears have for their young ones. I often see them playing and caring for their cubs on television documentaries. I also know from living in a country of bountiful wildlife that bears can be very ferocious animals, yet young David was able to slay them through the help of God.

It reminded me how the bear can be a symbol of the heavy challenges and burdens we face, yet with God we can slay the bears and overcome the challenges in our own lives. God will deliver us and give us strength and He is ever near to help us.

Plans

Hi friends,

I hope you have all been doing well the past week or so that I have been away. Some of you know I am away at mom's trying to help her. I cook, do some light cleaning and shopping as needed. The real reason I am here is to help her sort her personal belongings and try to figure out what to give away, what to keep and what to pack as mom needs to move soon.

She lives in an apartment building that is difficult for wheelchair accessibility. She has lived in this difficult situation for some time now and has been after me to help but with work and sickness, I haven't had the kind of time that is really required. Now I am finally a bit "free" to assist her for more than a few days.

I haven't actually gotten started on the real sorting as there has been so much day to day stuff to get caught up on. The things that most of us can do ourselves; pay bills, buy daily food needs, cook, do dishes, wash floors, shop for household and personal items. These are the things that we often are not too fond of doing but when you can no longer do them, you surely wish you could!

Today (Saturday), we were supposed to start on mom's bedroom by putting away and sorting clothing but we were a bit lazy. Instead, we listened to some old George Jones tunes, I made some head cheese sandwiches and salad for lunch, simmered a chicken rice soup in the slow cooker for dinner & made a dark chocolate cake with chocolate frosting in the microwave (mom has no kitchen oven), cleaned and chopped red peppers, celery, carrots & turnips for juicing tomorrow and washed oodles of dishes.

Late tonight, after scanning the local paper for apartment rentals & making enquiries for senior care attendant services, I started dusting a seldom used bookcase. Oh my! There was so much dust and mom has so many allergies, especially to dust. I set about wiping down the shelves and all the books. It is now almost 3:00 a.m and I think it is more than past time for sleep. I will leave you with a few pictures of the "dust bunny free" books.

In a day or two, we plan to clean and sort all the clothing in the master bedroom and then begin sorting all the books and videos in the living room and kitchen. At the same time, I must try to find out what housing options are available and I also have some coming business of my own in Vancouver and meetings here where mom lives to sort out my niece's housing needs.

In all of these things, I trust and lean on the Lord God, the maker of Heaven and Earth. Otherwise, I would worry and fret. The plans of loved ones are riding a lot on my shoulders and I can plan and execute to the best of my ability. But most importantly, I must not forget to pray and lean on God in all things; for direction, wisdom and guidance. It has also been a great help to get the prayers of friends and supporters when times are particularly challenging. I am grateful for those that always to stand with me in prayer. They are a true treasure.

For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord,
plans to prosper you and not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11