Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Judy

 
Judith Mault
MAULT, Judith It is with great sadness and sorrow that we announce the passing of Judith Helen Mault, on Sunday, January 23, 2011 in Calgary, Alberta. Surrounded by her loving family, Judy passed away peacefully after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Judy lived each day with an immense sense of grace, a passion for life and a fearless attitude which acted as an inspiration to all. Judy leaves behind her best friend and husband of forty-six years, Marvin Mault, three beautiful children, Randy (Karen), Dan (Shelly) and Carla and one beautiful grandson, Samuel Donovan who she adored and devoted her last seven months to. Judy will be remembered by so many family and friends who loved her dearly for her infinite positive attitude and her witty sense of humor. She was loved and cherished by all and her memory will be carried on with great admiration and love. Judy’s values of love, compassion and understanding will live on through all those who were fortunate to have known and loved her. For that we are grateful. Thank you to all of the doctors and nurses who have caringly assisted Judy through her journey. A Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel of MOUNTAIN VIEW FUNERAL HOME on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. If so desired, a memorial donation may be made in Judy’s name directly to the Canadian Cancer Society (Unit 200, 325 Manning Road N.E., Calgary, AB, T2E 2P5). Email condolences to mountainview@arbormemorial.com Subject: Judy Mault. Arrangements entrusted to MOUNTAIN VIEW FUNERAL HOME and CEMETERY, 1605 – 100 Street S.E., Calgary. Telephone: 403-272-5555 www.mountainviewmemorial.ca

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Good bye Judy

My cousin Judy left this world last night. Her physical body may have lost it’s battle with cancer, but I know the really Judy. The inner Judy, the real Judy lives on in a much better place.

It is amazing how quickly things can change. It was 4 or 5 weeks ago that I was able to last speak with her and she sounded so bubbly and full of life. How things change in such a short time. Prayer for her family please.

Dying man’s Daily Journal – Continued prayers please

Yesterday, I asked for prayers for 2 of my cousins, both battling cancer. I do thank all that have included them in their prayers and aske that those prayers please keep coming. As Judy prepares to leave this world, I know a door ways is opening with many waiting to welcome her to the next world.

I spoke with Maggie (Margaret) Judy’s sister, who live here just north of Winnipeg. She spoke of a need to be with family. I drove out and spent a part of the afternoon with her. No tears were shed but several times I could see she was on the verge. It is as I have said so many times tougher on the family. It is a sad time but at the same time a warm time, close .
This does seem to have shaken me a bit with thoughts of my own mortality.

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Prayers Please

Yesterday was a tough day. I learned my cousin Judy, who has been battling cancer, is loosing that battle. She has but days remaining. I pray for a peaceful passing.

I was asked to call cousin Faith (different branch of the family) to give her the news. She was understandably upset. I learned from her that on Feb. 23, she will be going in for surgery to remove cancer in her “female organs”. I pray for a successful surgery.

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Life Teachers

A big thank you to all of our kids. I have written before of how Vi and I were both in previous relationships from which we both have children. I have my 2 daughters Billie and Shauna. Vi has 4 children Rob, David, Michael and Lynelle. All are grown and off living their own lives. Now snow shovelling is something I just can’t do unless it is in small amounts or the light fluffy stuff. This year we are getting record-breaking amounts of snow, geesh.

Well the kids all got together and bought us a snow blower for Christmas. Really it looks like an oversized lawn mower. It is a perfect size for the sidewalk and it is self-propelled. I don’t have to do anything but aim it down the sidewalk, it moves itself along blowing away all the snow in which ever direction I want it to go, excellent. Thank you very much to all.

I had an excellent reminder the other day of something I know but can tend to forget.

The other day I pulled out the snow blower. It was like a new toy and I was excited to use it.I used the little pump thing to prime it for gas and I am set. It has a pull cord to start it like that of a lawn mower. I give the cord a mighty pull and nothing, huh. I give it a second pull and nothing, geesh. A third tug and still nothing, I mean come on. By the 6th or 7th pull, my thoughts have gone to in the area of, (“%*@!) piece of junk doesn’t work. It is going back in the garage and it is going back to the store.

Then I think, wait this has one of those safety key things, maybe that has to be turned or something. Now remember the 6 or 7 pulls on that cord. That was enough to have me huffing and puffing like a steam engine trying to catch my breath and it is cold. I am frustrated and starting to get grumpy. I stood there for a few minutes catching my breath sort of staring at that key. It was then that I notice a little switch beside the key. Wonder what that is for? I can see there is writing on both sides of the switch. I look a little closer and what does that writing say? ON/OFF and it was in the off position. GEESH, flip the switch,one pull on the handle and off we go, it was great. There I was getting worked up over something so simple, sometimes I wonder about me. The reminder I got, don’t assume you know, ANYTHING until you have really checked it out.

What can I say, memory guy. Henri was over to help set it up and showed me how to use it, I know I read the manual and I still forgot the switch. Now that is a big GEESH.

It got me thinking though. There is a saying I have heard many times. It is to the effect that “when we are ready to learn a teacher will appear”.  Some how in my mind I have always imagined that teacher would be some wise person that would come along and fill my head with wisdom and insight. I realize that well may be the case at times. That teacher could also be an event in our lives anything that if we really stop to think about that can teach us to grow as a person. That teacher could even be a person that affects you in a negative way  giving you an opportunity to look at the situation, how it affected you and to learn and grow from it.  Things/people come into our lives for a reason, to help us  learn to grow. Some are dear to us, treat us right and we hold close to our hearts. Others that don’t treat us right, we learn our lesson and let them go. When and how to let go is a lesson all in itself.

 I wonder how many times in the past, I allowed myself to get all upset. Only later to discover I really didn’t have all the details of what was happening or that maybe, it was in fact another situation where I had forgotten something like a little switch. What do you thing?

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Canadian Winter.

Violet is out-of-town. She is in Thompson visiting Lynelle and Jason and grand kids Sadie and Seth. Celebrating Seth’s birthday, he turned the big 4. She left last Monday and will be returning on Wednesday. Her timing was perfect. The very day after she left, the furnace went into semi-retirement. Now that is not something you want to have happen in the midst of one of our Canadian winters. The  timing was perfectly BAD or was it?

Now it is an electric furnace that is the sole heat source for the  entire house. Here during our winters it is an absolute necessity as out side temperatures do tend to get a little cold. Now there is never a good time to have to replace your furnace as it is a costly things. Like everything though they do wear out with time. Electricity and heat are a couple of those things we just seem to take  for granted. It is just there when we need it. We take  it for granted that is until suddenly it is not there, oh then do we appreciate it and wish we had it.

I do try at least to put a positive spin on things when I can. It is not always easy but I am getting better at it. So how can I put a positive spin on this? Like this.

Firstly, We knew we would have to replace it at some time but in the middle of winter, geesh. Well it turns out if I really think about it it is not all that bad. I said it went into semi retirement. Well, there are 5 big heating elements in the furnace. Fortunately only 4 of ours went into retirement. That remaining element did its best and was actually able to keep the house at about 12-14 degrees C. Now it was able to do this largely because temperatures outside were quite mild by some of our winter standards. It was like -15-18 if it had in fact been in the -30’s or 40’s which is not unheard of for this time of the year. That sole element would just not have been able to keep up. So we were lucky that way. Yeah, fine it was uncomfortably cool for 2 days but liveable.No danger of pipes freezing or anything like that.

Now it turns out sales in the furnace business are very slow this time of year. Go  figure. Was able to negotiate a bit of a deal. Lucky that way.

Hey, maybe it wasn’t that bad after all.

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Stress Pt 2

Yesterday I started to write my thoughts on the Serenity Prayer. What it means to me. This prayer is important to me as I do try to use it in my daily life. If you really think about it, it contains such a wonderful message, is a wonderful prayer.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change. The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Yesterday, I wrote about the first sentence. Accepting what you can not change. When we get right down to it, there is very little if anything in this world we can really change, except ourselves. The prayer is like a call to action, to bring about change with in myself one way or the other.

Internal serenity, being completely at peace with the world, is something I strive for, I pray for. I am sure it is some thing all would want. How do we achieve it? For me, stress is the worst enemy of my internal serenity. I have a bad heart and with that comes the knowing that stress can and will kill me. Guess what, it will do the same to you.It is just a matter of time or timing. This whole dying business has brought about a huge change in me. I am much more accepting than than I was in the past. Things that would have had me all fired up now about 90% if time don’t even register on my internal radar. Most things just aren’t worth the bother of paying any attention to. I have come to realize most things in our daily lives just aren’t that important. If something is important to me, I am not that complacent and I think that is how it should be.

The second sentence contains, “change the things you can”. This is where we have to take a hard, honest look at our lives. Serenity is my goal have stress begone from my life. I need to work on myself.I need to work on myself to learn why I still allow certain issues to push my buttons, so to speak. Some times the the answer will be that the circumstance or what ever it I am dealing with is just plain unacceptable and not  with in my tolerance zone. What am I to do then?

this for me is the difficult part. The having the “wisdom to know the difference part”. If I have done an honest internal review and have found there are some external factors in my life that are just not acceptable, stress causing. It is time to make external changes in the world around me. We all have people, events in our lives that cause us stress. We see them there, we feel the stress. Do we have the “courage to change the things we can’? Internally and externally.

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Serenity

Reading some of the comments today, I was reminded of the Serenity Prayer. A part of which I do use as much as I can in my own life. A part of the prayer:

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change. The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

The first part as I see it. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change. In this physical life there is almost nothing that I can’t change at least to some extent should I so choose. Asd I sit here there are only 2 things that just pop to mind that I can’t change. One is my heart,I do not have a healthy heart. I know it will one day fail and there is nothing I can do about that. Having said that though I realize there are things in my life that I can do to “work with my heart”, to support it as it struggles at times to beat away.

What I truly have no control over and can not change is other people. We have to realize that, accept that. Other people are other people, they are living their lives the very best way they can. We must just accept that. I am responsible for who I am and what I do, others are responsible for who they are and what they do. We must accept them as they are or let them go.

I had planned on carrying on with the rest of my thoughts on the prayer and will tomorrow. Went with Henri to the  store and am really pooped. I am interest in the thoughts of others on this.

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – Prayers please

It has been a really interesting and different couple of days. Here in Canada in the middle of winter it is NOT a good thing to have your furnace decide it wants to retire. I will wirte more about that in the next day or so. Today I have a special request.

Our dear friend Jo has returned and I know we are all glad to have her back. Her presence here and contributions to the blog benefit many.

Jo has returned with a prayer request. Her request:

Jo Hart says:

January 11, 2011 at 5:09 pm  (Edit)

Hey Bill – Yes I’m back on the blog, and asking for a prayer request. My beautiful town of QLD is flooding, not sure if your getting it there on the news or not, but we have so many people homeless it is just so surreal. Where I live, we are safe, however our City of Brisbane 20 mins away is under, and still to get worse this afternoon. So can I ask for a few prayer requests. We have lost lives, half of which are young children in what they could only call an inland tsunami. It’s just devastating. More than 75% of QLD is under water and the rain is still coming…. I live right by the sea, so our only problem is the king tides, which apparently are hitting this afternoon… However, I’m on a hill, so I rest assured my house is safe (at this stage!!). All prayers gratefully received, there are so many lives being turned upside down. Google QLD floods and you’ll see the utter devastation these floods are having… Thanks in advance for all prayers xoxo

I ask for prayers for Jo and family but please include all in Australia that are currently facing such devastation.

Dying Man’s Daily Journal – De-Stressing our lives

I have been thinking about stress in our lives. It seems almost everything I read about stress, I see that it can be a contributing factor to or at least aggravate most illnesses and diseases. We know how detrimental it is to our health, to our lives yet how many of us actually do make a real effort to reduce that stress level. We just accept it as something that is there, a normal part of life.

Now a certain amount of stress does come with life and is good for us. It can be a great motivator prompting us or even forcing us to act on certain issues, get them done and that stress is gone. Everyone is going to face stress in their lives. We have responsibilities we must honor in raising our families, working at our jobs in just living our lives.

I often think of life as being like a highway. My highway of life is the trip I take while in this physical world. Each of us travel down our own “highways” on this journey. The ultimate destination for us all is the same the Gates of Heaven. As with any highway the road is not always that smooth. Sometimes we hit bumps, pot holes, construction areas or even detours that take us off of our planned route. Such is with any highway, such is with life.

While driving on a regular highway and we run into a construction site, what do we do? Well stress goes up at least a little, we slow down, see that the path in front of us is more difficult than we had been expecting and we drive more carefully as continue on, knowing we will get through it.

Now if we look at the “highway of life”. A bump in the road would be comparable to a little issue of some sort but we quickly pass it and it is gone. The size of the bump would correlate to the significance we place on the issue, but irregardless it is quickly passed over. A construction site could relate over to being like a major issue in our lives and these do happen to everyone. Something comes along that hits us hard and usually unexpectedly.Now at these times if we could but remember the highway, we slow down, drive more cautiously and we get through it. If I think back over my life, I can remember times when it seemed I ran face first into a “calamity” and I forgot the just keep going and you will get through this, I know this to be a fact yet when in the midst of this “calamity”, I suppose because I am human I can tend to let emotions run wild and stress sets in. If some how I could just keep in mind the fact that God has a plan for me and he will get me through this.

This is what I am trying to work on, de-stressing my life. Now it is true I do look at things differently since this whole dying business began. It is just with the human world around you it is so easy it seems to back slide. Why is it seems, negative influences can drag you down a lot faster than positive can up lift you.

Stress will kill me,  it  will kill  you. Look at your life. I am sure you will find stressors that don’t really need to be there,  so why are you hanging on to them?

I read this somewhere, “If people treat you right,hold them close to your heart. If they don’t treat you right, just let them  go.”

Wow, is spell checker ever a good thing. lol