With Dad's recent visit to the hospital, and consequent diagnosis of a weak heart, I thought I'd look up some information on it. I remembered seeing this website once, when I was studying something or other in university, and I really liked it. So I thought I'd pass it on.
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec03/ch025/ch025a.html
This passage (on Treatment) is from the website, and I thought it particularly relevant to share with the link above:
"General Measures: Although heart failure is a chronic disorder for most people, much can be done to make physical activity more comfortable, improve the quality of life, and prolong life. Affected people and their family members should learn all they can about heart failure because much care occurs at home. In particular, they should know how to recognize the early warning symptoms of worsening heart failure and should be aware of the actions they need to take (for example, take an extra dose of a diuretic or contact their doctor)..."
Let's all hope and pray that Dad will continue to recover, such that he'll be strong and healthy soon!
The Geertsema Commonwealth
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
The Next Generation of Church-Go-ers
Deuteronomy 11:19 NIV • Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
The other day our Bible Study group was discussing 'our' generation of formerly youth-now young adults. We talked about how this generation has been decreasing their attendance at church, despite the fact that they are still believers, or have out-right denied that the church has any role still to play in their lives.
The question, of course, is why is this generation falling away, while some are still faithful to the church (via-attendance, responsibilities, etc.).
Is it a question of the church having hurt some, and not others?
Is it a question of how we were raised?
I don't know the answer, but I will raise an idea that was presented to some Youth Leaders at a recent convention we attended.
The idea was simply - that our system of church groups caters to each age category separately.
So the old talk with and help each other through their problems.
The semi-old talk with and help each other through their problems.
The Semi-young talk with and help each other through their problems.
The young talk with and ....
the very young, well, they get sunday school.
So each generation is helping each other through their own problems as if these problems were not the same for the generation before. So when teenagers see their friends walk away from the church, they think there's something wrong with the way they are living, and walk away too. Instead of going to someone older and perhaps wiser.
The problem is that there is very limited teaching coming from the very old, to the young, or even from the old, to the semi-old, to the semi-young.
When there is very limited communication between generations - well, changes are going to happen very quickly - because each successive generation doesn't see the world the way that the previous generation did.
Which is interesting, because the problems we're facing today, really aren't much different than the problems of yesterday.
Another thing happens here, too - That is, if each generation doesn't have a voice with the next generation - then it also becomes the standard. So the next generation sees it as the way of the world NOT to accept wisdom offered by the generation before.
*Notice that when we baptize our children - the WHOLE congregation promises to help raise the child - Is it right for the congregation to leave the problems of a household alone to that household? When should the elders and deacons, and other parents, step in to help? Imagine if parents of teenagers, who were having trouble getting their child to listen to wisdom, actually went to the other parents of the congregation for help raising the child. Imagine a teenager being asked about their sex-life, devotions, financial difficulties, by someone who isn't their parent*
Anyway, it's an interesting thought.
I wonder what would happen to the church if we changed our Bible Study groups so that there were members from each generation involved. Would there be more accountability? Would it be harder for the young to walk away from the church, unnoticed?
I hope that I have the courage to go to the youth and talk with them about their problems. I also hope that our grandparents will do it too.
The other day our Bible Study group was discussing 'our' generation of formerly youth-now young adults. We talked about how this generation has been decreasing their attendance at church, despite the fact that they are still believers, or have out-right denied that the church has any role still to play in their lives.
The question, of course, is why is this generation falling away, while some are still faithful to the church (via-attendance, responsibilities, etc.).
Is it a question of the church having hurt some, and not others?
Is it a question of how we were raised?
I don't know the answer, but I will raise an idea that was presented to some Youth Leaders at a recent convention we attended.
The idea was simply - that our system of church groups caters to each age category separately.
So the old talk with and help each other through their problems.
The semi-old talk with and help each other through their problems.
The Semi-young talk with and help each other through their problems.
The young talk with and ....
the very young, well, they get sunday school.
So each generation is helping each other through their own problems as if these problems were not the same for the generation before. So when teenagers see their friends walk away from the church, they think there's something wrong with the way they are living, and walk away too. Instead of going to someone older and perhaps wiser.
The problem is that there is very limited teaching coming from the very old, to the young, or even from the old, to the semi-old, to the semi-young.
When there is very limited communication between generations - well, changes are going to happen very quickly - because each successive generation doesn't see the world the way that the previous generation did.
Which is interesting, because the problems we're facing today, really aren't much different than the problems of yesterday.
Another thing happens here, too - That is, if each generation doesn't have a voice with the next generation - then it also becomes the standard. So the next generation sees it as the way of the world NOT to accept wisdom offered by the generation before.
*Notice that when we baptize our children - the WHOLE congregation promises to help raise the child - Is it right for the congregation to leave the problems of a household alone to that household? When should the elders and deacons, and other parents, step in to help? Imagine if parents of teenagers, who were having trouble getting their child to listen to wisdom, actually went to the other parents of the congregation for help raising the child. Imagine a teenager being asked about their sex-life, devotions, financial difficulties, by someone who isn't their parent*
Anyway, it's an interesting thought.
I wonder what would happen to the church if we changed our Bible Study groups so that there were members from each generation involved. Would there be more accountability? Would it be harder for the young to walk away from the church, unnoticed?
I hope that I have the courage to go to the youth and talk with them about their problems. I also hope that our grandparents will do it too.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Our New Easter Friend
Recently, we've discovered this young fellow hangin' 'round in our backyard... It's a good thing I haven't started any gardens yet!
Happy Easter, Everyone!
Monday, April 6, 2009
April snow brings May (?)
Today, I find myself eating the words I gave Martin and Emily just a little while ago...
"Ha, ha, suckers with the snow..."
Yes, we can now officially say that we have had snow covering the ground for a longer period of time than we have/or will have grass covering our lawn this year. Seven months of snow = 5 months of grass.
It's amazing to me that Barrie people even bother to own a lawn-mower, or, summer tires.
In Barrie, it makes more sense to put your winter tires on your good rims, and your summer tires on the cheap ones.
Maybe global warming is going to forget about Barrie... In the future, people will tell Barrie folk that summer tires are a good thing to put on your car because they make you 'stop faster in the heat' - and Barrie-folk will think it's a hoax put out there by the Michelin-man.
I'm thinking that I'll start saving up now for a riding snow-blower. Maybe even one with a canopy, and a plug-in drink holder to keep my cocoa warm.
"Ha, ha, suckers with the snow..."
Yes, we can now officially say that we have had snow covering the ground for a longer period of time than we have/or will have grass covering our lawn this year. Seven months of snow = 5 months of grass.
It's amazing to me that Barrie people even bother to own a lawn-mower, or, summer tires.
In Barrie, it makes more sense to put your winter tires on your good rims, and your summer tires on the cheap ones.
Maybe global warming is going to forget about Barrie... In the future, people will tell Barrie folk that summer tires are a good thing to put on your car because they make you 'stop faster in the heat' - and Barrie-folk will think it's a hoax put out there by the Michelin-man.
I'm thinking that I'll start saving up now for a riding snow-blower. Maybe even one with a canopy, and a plug-in drink holder to keep my cocoa warm.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Life Getting Back to Normal
Well, for the last month our life has been completely consumed with "extra-curricular" activities. That has mainly included the Easter Cantata for our church, but there were also numerous meetings for school, Bible Study and Praise Team practice. So needless to say we've been running from school to "something else" every night. So we were feeling some relief that the weekend of the Easter Cantata finally arrived. After three performances this weekend, multiple bouts of nerves for me, and lot of emotion and fun, it's all over. We feel very blessed to be so blessed and involved in our church family! It was very fun to be a part of this choir/cast and to meet so many wonderful people, despite all of our complaining about the time commitments! And we are now hoping that things will get back to normal a bit so that we can find time to get to the gym and finish all the school work I've been neglecting for the last few weeks! We're also getting super excited for the spring weather that keeps showing itself for a few days at a time between more, short-lived snow! I can't wait to spend more time outside in the warm sunshine!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Red Rover, Red Rover, I call Michael over!
Today I had the privalege of seeing a game get played that I have not seen played in many, many years. And it 'totally' brought me back to grade eight again.
I was supply teaching, and the last 'period' of the day is a DPA (daily physical activity) break. So the students are brought outside and they get to walk around and play wallball and all kinds of fun stuff that they don't do unless a teacher is watching.
Today the students chose to play Red Rover. Actually, the girls decided to, and the boys joined once they lost their tennis ball to the gymnasium roof (aah... grade eight...)(remember those vents at OCS that would have like 15 tennis balls stuck in them?)
Anyways, once the boys joined, Red Rover became interesting, because after 5 minutes the two lines consisted of ALL boys on one side (holding hands...?) and ALL girls on the other side (holding hands). I laughed 'cause the boys were chicken to hold a girls hand, and the girls didn't want to hold the boys hands (aah... grade eight...).
In other news, Steph and I accidentally walked into a store that was selling all their furniture at 50%+ off. We can't afford furniture, we really shouldn't buy furniture, but we bought a couch set anyways. The store closes in 6 days. What's awesome about it, is that the store sells pretty high-end Canadian made furniture.
When we brought the furniture home (thanks to Steve and Janelle Morley!)(Steve said, "It's the ultimate compliment to a guy to have someone ask to borrow their truck...") we had trouble getting the furniture in through the front door. Then we had trouble getting it in through the back door too. (Uh-oh). Fortunately, sliding doors come out of their tracks....
Now the couches look pretty good in our living room!
In still other news, Michael still hasn't updated his blog despite the fact that he has now fallen in love with Barbie, and fought a bear with a snowshoe... What will happen next, I wonder?
I was supply teaching, and the last 'period' of the day is a DPA (daily physical activity) break. So the students are brought outside and they get to walk around and play wallball and all kinds of fun stuff that they don't do unless a teacher is watching.
Today the students chose to play Red Rover. Actually, the girls decided to, and the boys joined once they lost their tennis ball to the gymnasium roof (aah... grade eight...)(remember those vents at OCS that would have like 15 tennis balls stuck in them?)
Anyways, once the boys joined, Red Rover became interesting, because after 5 minutes the two lines consisted of ALL boys on one side (holding hands...?) and ALL girls on the other side (holding hands). I laughed 'cause the boys were chicken to hold a girls hand, and the girls didn't want to hold the boys hands (aah... grade eight...).
In other news, Steph and I accidentally walked into a store that was selling all their furniture at 50%+ off. We can't afford furniture, we really shouldn't buy furniture, but we bought a couch set anyways. The store closes in 6 days. What's awesome about it, is that the store sells pretty high-end Canadian made furniture.
When we brought the furniture home (thanks to Steve and Janelle Morley!)(Steve said, "It's the ultimate compliment to a guy to have someone ask to borrow their truck...") we had trouble getting the furniture in through the front door. Then we had trouble getting it in through the back door too. (Uh-oh). Fortunately, sliding doors come out of their tracks....
Now the couches look pretty good in our living room!
In still other news, Michael still hasn't updated his blog despite the fact that he has now fallen in love with Barbie, and fought a bear with a snowshoe... What will happen next, I wonder?
Friday, March 20, 2009
Big Changes (But not THAT big)
This transition has been a long time coming... but we finally did it!
During our March Break, the spare (blue) bedroom went from this:
To this:
Thanks for coming out to help us with the trim Mom V.!
To this:
Thanks for coming out to help us with the trim Mom V.!In other news: Michael has been doing a 'great' job keeping his blog updated. At least... we THINK it's Michael.... Or, IS it? Broo-ha-ha-ha! (laugh with evil intentions)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)