Tag Archives: #Depression

A friend who refreshes.

17 Sep

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, this month is extra special as you’ll be inspired by other voices with uplifting messages. Here is the first one from my friend Kolleen Lucariello. Enjoy!

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09-09-16 LucarielloAs we flip our calendars from August, ushering in September, we say farewell to our summer vacations and hello to the season of back-to-school, cooler temperatures of fall and one of the highlights of our home: football. Here’s another bonus of September: it’s also Women’s Friendship Month and I love the gift of friendship!

Recently I was reading in Acts about Paul and how difficult life had become for him. He was beaten, bound with chains, accused by the Jews, imprisoned, taken before councils and Rulers, and then eventually sent to Rome. I imagine by the time Paul boarded the ship to begin his journey to Rome he was a tired man; he’d endured a great deal. As I’m feeling bad for him, this verse jumps out at me: “The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, treating Paul with [thoughtful] consideration, allowed him to go to his friends there and be cared for and refreshed” (Acts 27:3 AMP).

I simply adore the fact that Julius, the guard in charge, thought enough of Paul to recognize he needed the care and refreshment of his friends. That part of the story just blesses my heart because I’m so grateful for those who recognized when I needed the care and refreshment only a faithful friend could bring. While my journey, or your journey, may never look like Paul’s, it’s still possible for imprisonment to find us.

We might endure a prison of darkness when depression covers us like a thick heavy blanket. Or chained to a past we can’t seem to move away from. We may find ourselves standing before accusers—relentless in voicing their opinions while refusing to hear ours. Life is full of moments when the waters can become a turbulent sea.

That’s when we need our own Julius, the guard in our lives, to recognize our need for care and refreshment. Who is traveling your journey with you? Who is your guard in life that notices when you’re about to break? Who reaches out when you begin drifting away? We all need a guard like Julius, someone willing to stand by us, giving thoughtful consideration to our needs. And we all crave friends who bring care and refreshment to our lives. The ABCGirl said: Proverbs 11:25b promises, “Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (NIV).

 

Source: A friend who refreshes. | Janet Perez Eckles

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Ordinary People Living in Extraordinary Circumstances

14 Mar

From the Heart

Louise Gibson

author of Window Wonders

 

 

I was a “Depression” baby
born in 1929-
Times were hard, jobs were scarce,
but I managed to grow up fine.

My father lost his job at Goodrich,
as the economy took a downward spin.
To put food on the table, he found
a job delivering milk.- much to his chagrin.

Times were hard for the working class,
but they learned to help each other out.
When dad could no longer make payments on our house,
the owner requested that we stay
’til the economy turned about.

Both of my parents had a “sweet tooth”
which they tried to satisfy
Mom would bake her chocolate cakes,
and candied orange slices dad would buy.

A lollipop was a rare treat-
a much appreciated event;
so, if dropped in the dirt,
you brushed it off,
and back in your mouth it went.

We kids found joy in simple pleasures,
like greeting the ‘Ice Man” on delivery day.
Everyone had “Ice boxes” to preserve their food
(no refrigerators on display).

While the Ice Man delivered the
large block of ice to the house.
we would scoop up the chips left behind.
It wasn’t exactly a “snow cone”,
but joy came in whatever form we could find.

No TV, cell phones, or I Pads,
Can you imagine such a catastrophe?
No computers to send e-mails,
and we never heard of a CD.

Letters were written by hand,
so communication was slow.
Mail was delivered direct to your door-
through rain, sleet, or snow.

Doing laundry was an all-day chore,
No automatics,- clothes were put through a ringer,
and you had better pay attention as you worked,
or you could damage a finger.

We had no clothes driers-
Clothes lines were strung in the basement ceiling.
Weather permitting, we hung our wash outside.
(No secrets then, it was all very revealing!)

Sunday afternoons were spent socializing.
Relatives and friends would drop by.
All of this stopped when television came along-
We said “Goodbye” with a sigh.

I thank God for His blessings.
‘though not rich monetarily-
We were rich in all the things that count;
Christ, friends and family!

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