When The Stars Go Away

Gah. Another actor passed away.

I hate it when that happens. Of course, I also hate it when pretty much anybody dies.

Anyway, this time it was Robert Hegyes and he was only 60. Back in his Welcome Back, Kotter days, a 17-year-old me had such a crush on him. Such. A. Crush. I'd watch the show and just stare at him, dwell upon his cuteness, making me unable to follow the plot (which says much since the plots were geared toward infants). Alas.

Well, as I said, I hate it when actors young or young-ish pass away. In fact (and I'm wondering if any of you are like this, too) often I can no longer even watch an actor's films if I've discovered that he/she had a life full of sadness, struggle, or if their demise was horrid. Like last week I watched probably my favorite ever episode of The Twilight Zone ('Walking Distance'), after which I looked up the star, Gig Young, at IMDB. Good grief. I was beyond sorry that I did. (Do not read about him if you don't want your day spoiled.)

A couple days later I got out my new NCIS dvd's to watch the special features and the producer said they'd had to rewrite a script because the little person, Michael Gilden (who's character I'd super-enjoyed on two episodes) had passed away. I thought, "How sad! I wonder what sickness he died from." So I got up, went to IMDB again and discovered that he'd commited suicide at 44.

Oh dear. Now I will struggle while watching those two episodes, but of course, it's all so very, very much worse than that. Suicide. Another life snatched away by one's own hands, leaving thousands of freshly-wounded, grieving people in its wake. I don't know about you, but with every suicide I hear of, a part of me dies, too, and other parts limp around seeking healing from God.

We all need each other.
We all matter.
We are all vital to making this world go around as God meant it--and whenever anyone removes himself from the equation too soon--we all suffer in some ways. Ways not always known and recognized, either, but rather, felt with a sense of loss, defeat and the knowing that some things ought not to have happened--and yet they did.

Never, ever give up. The pain in your life today may not even be here tomorrow. And it's so important to stick around long enough to wait it out, to see what happens, to believe that suddenly! God can make a way where this is no way... and everything could change for the better in a moment.



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Acts 12:7


And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared [standing beside him], and a light shone in the place where he was. And the angel gently smote Peter on the side and awakened him, saying, Get up quickly! And the chains fell off his hands
 
 
Acts 16:26


Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors were opened and everyone's shackles were unfastened.

Acts 22:6


But as I was on my journey and approached Damascus, about noon a great blaze of light flashed suddenly from heaven and shone about me.


1 Thessalonians 5:2


For you yourselves know perfectly well that the day of the [return of the] Lord will come [as unexpectedly and suddenly] as a thief in the night.



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Oh! Almost forgot this Walton reunion interview from The Today Show. I just found it last night and enjoyed it much, though they should have mentioned Ralph Waite at least once! (Love him as Jethro Gibb's dad.)

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A Field Trip Today

Hmm... Things feel a little quiet around this ol' blog so perhaps it's time to toss in some fire, something which some of you will deem controversial. Me? I see it only as truth, truth which has encouraged my heart and confirmed some unspoken things within me since I first read it.

What this article speaks of is never far from my mind, but it's a part of me I almost never show you here. But every once in awhile, I feel I must. So here you go ... and may it encourage you, too:

A Fresh Outpouring Has Begun  by Ron McGatlin


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When We Let God Do The Hard Work...

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed..."  ... James 5:16


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Well, that verse certainly works! I mean, remember that post from last week where I confessed Tom's tv habit was making me bonkers, not to mention a nag? (A post, by the way, I, personally didn't want to write, but God made me. heh.).

Well, ever since writing that post, things have been even more heavenly around here at Hobbit Cottage(!) Now, has Tom stopped watching lots of tv? Uh, no, but it has stopped bugging me and Tom has at least returned to spending time on the computer, exercising more and just balancing Life better. Imagine that--and all without my 'help.'

And me? I told God that Tom's sedentary life is His problem now, not mine... and good luck. :) And you know? I've been able to leave Tom sitting in God's hands, trusting that God really can care for him if I just pull my fingers off the situation... and knowing more than ever that changing Tom is certainly not to be my goal. Whew.

And oh! Things are good around here--really good. We've even begun watching documentaries for our mutual education and those times are anointed again as they were back in the old days down at the farm when we'd watch tv together on long afternoons.

Here are some favorite documentaries we've Instant-Netflixed so far in the order we enjoyed them:

Iditarod: The Toughest Race on Earth (we both loved and devoured all these episodes)
The American Hobo
Surviving Everest/Return to Everest (the return part was immensely interesting!)
Modern Marvels: Television (saw tons of stuff we'd never even heard of before)
Secret Yosemite
Secret Yellowstone
National Parks: Scripture of Nature

Of course, watching more tv with Tom may sound like an "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" thing, but it's not. There are still lots of days when I spend 8 to 10 happy, busy hours upstairs here in Debra's World --what a loner/introvert I am! But like my buddy, Sara, I've decided to stop apologizing for it. The gifts God's given me are the type which work best when I'm alone, some things just being what they are. And yet if you must have people around you all the time, well, then probably your talents work best that way.

Either way, it's time that each of us stops childishly believing our own way is the only way to live a godly life. That's so ten minutes ago. Silly stuff.

Well anyway, I just wanted to point out today that the verse at the top of this truly does work. Just like all the rest of 'em.  :)



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A special welcome to those of you who are new around here!


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With this Yoplait coupon, you can get free yogurt at my store this week. Use the back button to print two. (Look under the I Want To Learn More tab.)

Save .55 cents on Florida's Natural Ruby Red Grapefruit juice. Click on 'beverages.' You can print two. Another great coupon for doubling on a sale price.

Save .35 cents on any Franks Red Hot Sauce. Use zipcode 10001. Click on food. You can print two.

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