SoulFull Week Thirty-Two

 

Happy Friday, Friends!  How was your week?  Mine has been very full and a little stressful.  My mother fell at her assisted living facility, and she claimed to be badly hurt.  She insisted on going to the hospital because she said she was dying.  Her scans came back normal.  Her medical team transferred her to the Geriatric Care Unit, which is a huge blessing.  I think she will be there for a week or so, and visitation is very limited while she's there.  Trip surprised me with a trip this weekend, and I'm stressing about traveling right now.  Everyone, friends and family, are telling me to go.  The social worker for that unit has promised to call me everyday with updates on Mom's progress.  

I haven't been home much this week, but I was able to take books with me and keep caught up with Bible study, both here online and at church (or class started back yesterday).  This lesson spoke to me so much.  Entitled "What I Know to Be True" had me thinking a lot this week.  I had a bad allergic reaction Tuesday evening (I'm sure it was probably stress-induced) and I cried out to God for help.  I was not only asking for help for myself, but for my mother.  I have tried two times (before this week) to have my mother admitted to the psych unit, and I asked God that if he thought it would help her to make it happen.  They had told me Tuesday that there were no beds available, and it would take a while.  A bed became available the very next day on Wednesday.  What I know to be true is that God is so good, and he answers our prayers!

Farrell gives us a list of her Spiritual Anchors that remind her of who she is, who God is, and what her true purpose is.  I found these very helpful, and she encourages us to make a list for ourselves.  I have not done this yet, but I plan to do it when I come up for air during the next week or two.

Of course I loved this lesson because of the mention of Vincent van Gogh.  His letters truly are lovely, and most of the ones I've seen are illustrated.  I love illustrated letters!  

A letter from Vincent to his brother Theo.  In it he is describing an orchard painting he was planning to give to Theo on May 1st (Theo's birthday).

This letter is in the book:  Vincent van Gogh: a self-portrait in art and letters

We visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam in March.  Here are a couple of the paintings we saw that were mentioned in the lesson.

Bedroom in Arles

1888

Oil on canvas

28.3 in × 35.4 in

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Fifteen Sunflowers

1889

Oil on canvas

37.4 in x 28.7 in

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

This was printed on a cup that had my coffee in it at the Van Gogh Museum's Café.

The quote says: "When will you come and have coffee or tea with me?  Soon I hope."

This was a letter Vincent had written to his brother Theo from The Hague on either Sunday, January 8th, or Monday January 9th, 1882

Van Gogh was a believer who struggled, especially with mental illness.  Yet I do think he tried to "find the light" most days, even those when he was in the asylum in Saint-Rémy.

Another aspect of the lesson is the practice of Lectio Divina.  It is a structured way to read scripture and then meditate on it, keeping still in order to listen to God's still, small voice.  Have you ever tried this?  I was introduced to Lectio Divina last year during one of our Bible studies, and one of our priests who practices this led us and taught us all about it.  It truly takes discipline to remain still for several minutes without distractions.  Farrell suggested the Beatitudes for this lesson.  

What are your thoughts about this week's lesson?

Here is our Bible verse for the week.

Prayer Requests

• Please pray for our blog friend Jenna Meon.  She is currently in rehabilitation for her walking.  She is still struggling with her standing.
• Pray for Rita's brother Tommy as he continues his therapies in Texas.
• Also, please keep Rita's neighbor Chris in prayer as she battles her cancer.
• Kitty's grandson Connor is doing well as a corrections officer. Prayers that he can find a good relationship.
• Kitty's SIL Eric, Molly’s husband, filed for disability and hired a lawyer. Prayers that this all works out for him.
• Kitty's son Mike and his friend are working on a game for a company and need to have it done in three months and have a verbal agreement for another game. Prayers that they can get this done.
• Pray for my best friend Barbara who is battling cancer.  She started her chemotherapy treatments this week.
• Kris has a praise and a request:  Her little grandson and daughter and SIL are loving their new home in Michigan. Her daughter landed a great job running a huge 9 practitioner clinic in Michigan. Hoping the learning center that her grandson went to will open the new one very soon near their new home in Michigan so he can go to the same daycare and structure.
• Pray that all real estate transactions for my mother will go through next week.  UPDATE: One down, one to go!
• Praise:  Kitty's 14 year old granddaughter, Ella, was baptized recently, and to her DIL, Ella’s mom, who is Jewish, for supporting her decision. Julie also supported Avery’s decision to be baptized two years ago. What a beautiful blessing!
• Pray for my mother's care while she is in the Geriatric Care Unit.  
• Travel mercy prayers for us as we travel to see Shanley Belle and Christopher this weekend.  We leave late this afternoon!

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill