Archive for November 2013
The Waiting Room
Posted November 21, 2013
on:
In a waiting room you will see
Many people of all ages, races and degrees;
Some are sitting back with a thin shirt that has short sleeves
And others are wrapped in a warm coat
Because they feel as though they could possibly freeze.
Some are wearing cool hats
Or others with a knap sack on their back.
There are those who wear clothes
And shoes like they are ready for the track
And then there are those who come in
Wearing dress clothes and the highest of heels;
There are also the shy ones who are all buttoned up to their neck
So their coat conceals.
If you sit back and observe all their faces
They are here for various different reasons or cases.
While they are here to wait, some may choose to sleep
Or get engulfed in a good book,
Others may glance around the room just to have a look.
Some you will find playing a video game,
Texting or talking all the time on their cell phone
And then there are the shy ones who just sit quietly all alone.
It is like everyone is in their own little world
And for those sleeping it is if they are in a dream world.
Sometimes it leaves you feeling bored or rather awkward
Because many won’t even utter a word;
They are the ones who turn away
Hoping no one will talk to them for that day.
If you are lucky you may meet
A person who sits nearby your seat
That will talk to you and have something in common.
Making this long wait for the both of you now rather fun;
They may end up being your new friend
From the waiting room you had not wished to attend.
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
(Pictures are taken from Office.com)
You Make Your Own Destiny
Posted November 20, 2013
on:You are in charge of your own happiness.
Sometimes we dwell in self-pity because of all the stress.
You can choose to stay unhappy because of it
Or the negative people in your life you can omit.
You need to try and take your focus off all this negative
So you are left feeling more positive.
You need to take a look around
At all your blessings in your life;
If you don’t choose to do this, you will always have strife.
If there is something you have always wanted to do
Why not go out there and make this dream come true.
There may be others that tell you that you will fail or won’t succeed,
Ignore these comments made because
It is just negativity they feed.
If you have a dream of yours, reach for the stars
Don’t let anyone discourage you
Or you will be left with emotional scars.
The only way to succeed in having this dream
Of yours come true
Is to believe in yourself and what you are capable to do.
If you don’t ever try for this dream of yours
It will never be
Because if you just sit back
This you will never see.
The thing to remember in life is to do what makes you happy
And if it is this big dream you wish for
You go out and try for it
Ignoring those who discourage you any bit;
The only way to make any dream come true
Is for you to make it happen;
“Your world is now your oyster”
Since you went out and decided to take action.
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
(Pictures are taken from Office.com)
Suicidal Thoughts
Posted November 18, 2013
on:Have you ever had suicidal thoughts?
You felt like ending your life because everything in it appeared to be not going right. It felt as though there was no pleasure left to enjoy in it. Maybe, this was due to the fact of being in so much physical pain all the time or maybe yours was the emotional pain because of a relationship break up or losing your job, making you now feel overwhelmed with financial burdens.
Sometimes you may be experiencing both the emotional and the physical aspects of pain, which can be even more discouraging. You think what is the point of be being in this world anymore? If this is you, it sounds as if you have reached “rock bottom,” you need to seriously think about talking to a friend, a loved one or even a doctor who may be able to prescribe antidepressants or encourage you to see some professional help. Do not feel ashamed if you have to do the latter. Many people go through these emotions, making them spiral into a deep depression.
I have seen first-hand by watching my loved ones suffer from this disease, even myself have gone through a bought of it. I know it is not a laughing matter, as the pain you are feeling is very real, so real in fact that it gives you these suicidal thoughts. This is the devil trying to worm his way into your life. He relishes on seeing people go through these anguishes in their life because he sees this weak opening and he jumps right in giving you those thoughts of wanting to end your life. You see if you follow through with these actions, you are falling for what the devil wants.
It is in these weak moments you need to reach out to GOD and pray like you have never prayed before. GOD is above all! HE can bring you out of this depression. When you are going through all these emotions and destructive feelings you need to really take a step back and look at all the wonders GOD has created. You could try taking a stroll and really look at the beautiful nature that GOD has intended for all of us to enjoy. You should also take those moments when you are alone to talk with GOD. It is sometimes in our busy schedules, we tend to only give GOD a few minutes of our day.
The more we bring GOD into our lives, the more blessings we will see happening in it. Have you taken a look around and counted your blessings lately? There are so many blessings or gifts that GOD has given each one of us. It is in these distressing moments that we may forget about these blessings. When we are choosing to want to end our life we are being selfish to those blessings or gifts that you have been given.
How could you leave your loved one to face that kind of pain? How could you do that to someone you claim to love? How selfish would that really be? I know it appears to be the easy way out of ending your misery but really if you actually would follow through with it, would you really be ending your misery? The answer is, “NO!” You know why? It is because you wouldn’t be going to Heaven to see your loved ones but you would be joining an eternity in HELL with the devil, who has given that invitation to you.
It is the devil who has put those disturbing thoughts in your head saying that it will relieve all your pain. He is hoping in your weak moments you will cave in to this invitation. That is why you need to strengthen your faith and be a part of GOD’s army to keep this from happening to yourself and others you may know.
I am not promising your life will get better overnight but in due time, with continued pray it will improve. You just need to never give up on life! Whether you care to believe it or not it is truly a gift. GOD has a special timing for everyone. HE will call you home when it is HIS plan. You can never go to Heaven when you see fit because you see there is only one road to get to this heavenly place and that is the journey
GOD takes you on when HE calls you home.
When you accept what the devil wants you are not taking a detour to get to heaven but he is actually bringing you to a “dead end” because all you have left waiting there for you is “fire and pain!!!” The pain you had endured here on earth is nothing compared to the pain you will experience there, so this easy way out you were thinking about, is just the opposite.
I know you are possibly thinking this is easier said then done because these feelings are so intense. When you are experiencing all this excruciating pain, the thought or consequences of going to Hell is furthest from your mind because you have basically had it with life, that you have become so fed up with it, you just want to give up on everything. In your mind you just want this misery of yours to finally end. But know there is always hope, light at the end of the tunnel or a rainbow in your midst.
(Spirit Science Photo)
“Be strong, be courageous” these lyrics from a song say it all. This is what you need to do to get your life on the right path. It is not going to be easy to bring yourself back up out of this deep depression, but it is not impossible, for you will see “nothing is impossible with GOD.” Also, try and not to push away those who are trying to help you. They love you and are concerned for your well-being. They want to do their best to help you, let them help. I know at times you just want to be alone, and these are perfectly normal feelings, but sometimes it doesn’t hurt to surround yourself with GOD’s love, GOD’s blessings.
Your road to recovery may be a long winding, twisting road that be not always be smooth and can rather be quite bumpy but if you choose to bring GOD through prayer in your life, that road of yours will go through construction making it a smoother and more joyful journey. Never give up! Never lose faith and never accept an invitation where the devil is concerned.
May GOD bless and heal you during this difficult journey and may you enjoy the sunset and sunrise of each new day reminding you that tomorrow is another new day.
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
(Pictures are taken from Office.com)
Looking Beyond
Posted November 16, 2013
on:They say never judge a book by its cover.
Well the truth goes the same with one another.
What may look old and worn on the outside
May actually be beautiful on the inside;
We need not pass judgement on what we visually see
And instead look even deeper to what is within.
It’s like a book whose cover is ripped and torn
And lacking visual interest to attract
So it can be read;
But, on the inside this worn book
Has an amazing story to be told
And motivating others who at least give it half a chance
For an inspiring plot to take hold
And essentially start to unfold;
Just like we need to give this book a fair chance
The same goes for everyone, as those people
We may try and avoid, perchance
May actually have the most amazing personality
To which their true beauty would essentially win us over,
As it does remarkably enhance;
Just think at what a great friendship you could be missing out on
Because you passed judgement on them
So far in advance;
In order to get to really know someone you need to spend more time with them instead of judging one another at first glance.
Maybe next time when you grab a book
Or when you see others and take a look
You will finally see
What is waiting inside may truly be
An exciting worthwhile opportunity,
With even more endless possibilities;
You finally need to give this relationship
Half a chance to finally explore
And realizing the other beauty you
Thought was so initially important
Is not significant anymore
Because by looking instead at what truly matters
And that is what is within the inner core.
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
The Dreaded Job Interview
Posted November 13, 2013
on:Your heart is now racing
For the coming interview it will soon be facing.
Sweat is trickling from your hands and head
And your feet you can barely lift, as they feel like lead.
.
Your stomach too
Is playing a number on you,
For there are butterflies dancing around in it
And these feelings are legit,
Rather than you even care to admit.
The most important thing to remember is to be confident
Because employers tend to disregard applicants, that have this absent.
Another thing that is a necessity is to believe in yourself
That is one of the vital things in an interview you can do for oneself.
The last thing to remember in landing this job
Is to dress for it, rather than looking like a slob.
Before you know it, this job you have
Wanted will be like candy in your hands
And a greater future you will have,
As your life’s opportunities will now expand.
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
(Pictures are taken from Office.com)
Winter is in the Midst
Posted November 12, 2013
on:The leaves have fallen from the trees
And there is a now cool, crisp breeze.
I feel the wind taking on a mind of its own now too,
Blowing everything in its path, the way it likes to do.
Many like me would rather now stay inside,
As the coldness
Leaves no longer any warmth to provide;
The roads are now a dread,
Due to the snow that just lies ahead.
This causes black ice and slippery conditions;
For people having to travel these roads, it really sickens.
But there is a bright side to this weather
For the white glistening snow showers the earth
With a beautiful whiteness, that looks as if the land
Has now given rebirth;
For those of you who really dread this time of year,
Just remember it is only for a few short months, so don’t fear.
As spring time will be coming in the rear,
Shining us with its presence
And warmer temperatures;
That we just can’t wait for, as that day finally appears.
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
(Picture is taken from Office.com)
Why Should I Remember?
Posted November 11, 2013
on:Why should I remember, it happened many years ago?
Why should I care when it was people I didn’t know?
So why should I wear a poppy, that will even show?
The answer to these questions is very plain to see
Because these strangers you see, died for you and me;
This is the reason our country today is even free.
These soldiers fought for our freedom
And risked their lives at that;
Some even lost their life during combat.
Putting them in graves thereat;
Their family and friends had anxiously waited
For their soldiers to have come home;
Leaving their hearts aching, for their pain had then grown.
Some soldiers never did arrive
Because they did not make it out alive.
It was amazing that some actually did even survive.
Now do you understand why we should remember?
Every year, when it comes to November?
This is why we need to change that “I don’t care attitude” or demeanor.
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
(Picture is taken from Office.com)
(In memory of all the soldiers who risked their lives for us,
so that we may have the freedom we have today, thank you!)
I can’t stress this enough on how important it is to listen to your gut feeling. I wanted to share what I have learned about this gift through my experience and personal findings.
I did not come to realize the true importance of the gut feeling until I went through cancer. It was my gut feeling from GOD that truly saved my life. I had incidences before my cancer that I later came to realize that these just were not coincidences, but “GOD incidences”, like a friend once told me.
If you wish to read more about how that gut feeling did indeed save my life, you can read my writing, “Breast Cancer-My Story.” This is on my second blog site. http://godgivesblessings.wordpress.com
You will also find two other stories I had written on my site called, “GOD IS THERE!” and “The Stranger.” You will see after reading these stories just how that the gut feeling of yours is truly an amazing gift given to us from GOD. It is unfortunate that many of us ignore that feeling, not knowing GOD gave us those gut feelings for a reason. I feel there are people praying out there for things such as having someone come visit them or to even to have someone come and help them. GOD is trying to answer their prayers by giving people those gut feelings to others to visit someone or to even help them, but they are ignoring what GOD is asking from them. So you see it is not GOD that is not answering your prayers but, HIS people, us, not being obedient to HIS word. If people truly understood this, there would be more prayers being answered the way we would like.
(Image Source: Buhay Party-List’s photo)
Now that you know this is a gift, please don’t ignore what those gut feelings may ask of you to do. Your gut feelings from GOD will never steer you in the wrong direction.
Sometimes when I share this with people, they give me a funny look, like I might be crazy but, I know what I have learned and I know in my heart that I am quite certain about all this.
Another experience that occurred to me actually happened many years ago. I had been taken by ambulance because I had been in severe pain and had been lying on the bathroom floor with stabbing pains, feeling as if I was being knifed in the back and chest. My husband, Martin was frightened and had called the tele health number right away and he had said to them, “Are you suggesting I call an ambulance?” She replied, “I have already sent one to your house.”
I quickly then called my parents and a dear friend to tell them I needed to go to the hospital, as I wasn’t doing well.
When the ambulance got there, they had checked my vital signs and it was not good, as they were very weak. The ambulance attendants then put me on a stretcher in their amblulance. My husband wanted to come with me for support but I said you better stay back because I didn’t want the children being frightened when they had woke up. I have four children and the oldest two had been old enough to babysit but, I didn’t want to put extra fear in them because of both parents being gone. I then tearfully said good-bye to my husband.
On the trip to the hospital, the ambulance attendant said, “Diane, this isn’t good. Your vital signs are not good.” We need to improve them. I then cried, “I am too young to die; I have 4 children and they still need me.” I was so terrified because I didn’t know what was going to happen to me.
A short time later, I heard a voice from the dispatcher over the speaker saying that they needed to pick up a gentleman from Ridgetown who was in his 80’s, which was having problems with his heart. They were to pick him up immediately after transporting me to the hospital. All of sudden all the fear I was feeling, started to leave me and I started to change my focus and started praying for that stranger and his family. I said to myself, quietly in my head so the ambulance attendants didn’t think I was losing my mind, “Please GOD, let this man be alright. His family still needs him. I only wish there was a way you could let me know if he is going to be alright and if he makes it through.”
On the trip there I began talking to the men about GOD. The poor guys had no choice but to listen to my stories because there was nowhere for them to run.
When I had arrived at the hospital, my friend, Amie who had a broken foot had walked with a cast all the way from her home, in the wee hours of the night, was waiting at the hospital, just to see if I was alright. She yelled out when the ambulance opened the doors, “Is that you, Diane?” By that time, I was feeling so weak that I couldn’t respond. The ambulance attendant said, “Yes, this is your friend, Diane, but she is extremely weak and needs to see a doctor right away.”
I was taken into the hospital where they had run several tests, to figure out what was actually going on with me because of all the issues I was experiencing at the time.
While being at the hospital I had shared stories with the nurses that I had experienced or heard about, that were about GOD. I know that I had left an impact on them because I could see their eyes watering up with tears. It then dawned on me maybe that just maybe this is why this was all happening to me. I thought it was quite possible this was what was meant to happen tonight and that was for me to talk about GOD with the ambulance attendants and those nurses because they needed to hear my testimonies, to strengthen their faith. I was amazed how I was able to open up and share about GOD because I wasn’t used to doing this before but, something in me, my gut feeling told me to share those words with them.
With GOD, there is always a purpose or reason for something and maybe that night that was my purpose to share the GOOD NEWS, making them each stronger believers and making me a stronger believer too!
My friend, Amie had later come and stood by my bed in the emergency room. To be honest, I have never felt so weak in my life. I felt like my life was literally being sucked out of my body. I was so terrified I would never see my loved ones again. I prayed to GOD begging HIM for forgiveness for anything that I may have done wrong in my life. I then asked if my friend would hold hands with me and pray that GOD would give me another chance to be here with my loved ones.
It was amazing what happened to me next; it was so hard to put into words, as I had this beautiful warm feeling flow throughout my body as we prayed. I then looked up seeing a sign in the room, saying “resus” and it right away reminded me of “Jesus.” I told my friend I know this is going to sound crazy but, I am not worried at all anymore. I feel like everything is going to be okay with me and I will be just fine.
A short while later, the emergency doctor came in and said that I was going to be okay but they had no explanation to what had happened to me. They said what had happened to me, never should have happened. I was soon discharged from the hospital to be reunited with my husband and kids.
I learned a few days later, after talking to my friend over the phone that she too had that warm feeling flow through her body when we had prayed together, that one night in the emergency room. Wow! I knew in my heart that I couldn’t have imagined it. Here was living proof of it.
A few days later, while visiting at the nursing home, I was walking down the hallway, just getting ready to leave to go and pick up pizza for supper for my kids, when all of a sudden I had this strong gut feeling come over me; It was telling me to go into this one room I had never visited before. I thought to myself, I have no time, I will do so another day but then as I peered into the room, I saw this beautiful wooden spindled bed and the gut feeling grew even stronger. I felt like GOD was luring me in with that beautiful wooden piece. Well it worked, because curiosity got the best of me. I kept wandering to myself, why is it that I am having such strong feelings to go into this room? I thought the only way I would get my answer was to feed my curiosity, to which I did.
I then knocked on the door to the older gentleman’s room saying, “I am so sorry to bother you. It’s just I had this strong feeling to come in and visit with you.” He then responded, “You are so lucky you caught me, as I have just gotten back from the hospital after being taken from an ambulance, on Saturday night.”(The same night I was taken too.) This couldn’t be just a coincidence, could it? I then got my answer to my question when I had asked him, “You aren’t by any chance in your 80’s?” He then said,” as a matter a fact, I am.” “I am 89”, he said proudly. Wow, I was in astonishment, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the man I had prayed for just a few days before. I had prayed to GOD if HE could somehow let me know that this person was alright and here I was standing in that man’s room. GOD had literally brought me to him.
I later became friends with this elderly gentleman that I had met. He was such a sweet lonely man, who had lost his wife and had no one. I began to try and make regular visits to see him and he would then share stories about the little wooden helicopters, he was so proud of making and talk to me about his wife and other loved ones. He has now since passed but, I thank GOD for bringing me in his life, even though it was for a short while because I know I made that man happy when I had come to visit him. Just think, what would have happened if I didn’t listen to that gut feeling? I know what would have happened, I never would have made friends with this man and he would have spent his last days being extremely lonely and sad.
I had another incident with my gut feeling. It happened just a few years ago, when I had been taking care of a 90 year old woman, every night in her apartment. It was on one of the occasions that I had gone to work that I had noticed some beautiful red chairs, sitting outside one of the lower apartments. I had noticed them several times before, but today for some reason, it enticed me even more, as red just happened to be one of my favourite colours.
On this particular day, I had felt so drawn to going to that apartment. My gut feeling told me to ask where they bought those red chairs, so finally I gave in to those feelings and knocked on their patio door. A cheery lady, with the same name as me answered the door and her and her sweet husband had invited me in. I had asked ” I hate to bother you but I was just wandering where did you get such beautiful red chairs?” “I would love some just like that for my front porch.” They chuckled, “Oh honey we bought those chairs years ago, we just bought some red spray paint and painted them that colour because we love that colour too.”
We soon became quick friends and I would visit them frequently. I soon learned that he had cancer and then it dawned on me, that this was not just a coincidence but GOD wanted me in their life. GOD knew how to get me there, by luring me in with my favourite colour of red.
I had shared my stories, my experiences and my writing with this couple. I later too learned that I also had cancer. They were so concerned for me. My friend, Andre, GOD bless is soul, had his cancer spread and died. He was a great man, no, an amazing one! and I am so fortunate that GOD put him and his wife, Diane in my life. It was after his passing that his wife had told me that both her and her husband could not have loved me any more, than as if I were their own daughter. She then told me something that brought me to tears. “Diane, I thank GOD that night HE brought you into our lives because my husband’s faith was faltering and after he met you, his faith came back.” I replied, “I, I don’t understand. I didn’t do anything special.” (I spoke through tears) “Diane, you did do something. He saw your faith, Diane. It is your faith that made him get his back.” I was so amazed how GOD had brought me in this couple’s lives. This experience has forever changed me.
I have another experience with the gut feeling but this time it is actually about someone else, one of my sister’s in fact. I had been sharing to everyone in my family the importance of listening to that gut feeling and now I had received a call from my older sister, saying she had something to share, that she was sure I would be interested in hearing. She was staying up in the busy city of Toronto, Canada because she was having testing done because she had several concussions,
so they were doing a study on her.
She had decided to go out and treat herself for a delicious meal. She said that when she had finished her meal, there were some leftovers but she was just going to have the waitress throw it out because she thought there was need of keeping it because she was staying in a motel. But just before she was about to leave, she had a strong gut feeling to save it instead and had the leftovers packed up with plastic utensils. She thought she could give this to someone, who was less fortunate that might need it. She had no idea that this was to happen sooner, than later.
Because soon later, she had got into a bus to travel back to her motel, as she stepped on to the bus, a lady yelled from the back, “Here is a place for you to sit right here!” My sister walked down the long aisle to where the lady had motioned for her to sit down and there she ended up sitting beside a poor, homeless man. He right away said to my sister, “I have just come from the hospital and I am starving, could you please spare some spare change so I can buy myself a sandwich to eat?” My sister said, “I have actually a delicious meal that is still warm right here, that I was not sure what to do with. You can have it if you like.” The homeless man graciously took the meal and took the plastic fork and devoured the meal right there in front of her on the bus. My sister, had then thought to herself, “This is what my sister meant. What she has always been talking about.” She soon realized that GOD had put this feeling in her head to do this to help someone and I feel in my heart that the homeless man must have been praying to GOD for help because he was so starving. This man’s prayer was answered because my sister did her part in answering GOD because she was obedient to HIM.
You see miraculous things can happen every day in our lives but to really make them happen, we sometimes have to do our part or those prayers that we pray about, may never happen.
GOD gives us those gut feelings for a reason, not only to help us but for us to be able to help others who may need our help.
So remember, the next time you get that gut feeling, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to walk away from it or are you going to be obedient to GOD’s word this time?
Written By: Diane Van Bommel
(pictures of chairs taken from a Kmart site)
(picture of poster bed, taken from Kijiji Vancouver)
(picture of ambulance and bus from Office.com)
This drawing that is with my writing, “Do You Have Faith?” is done by my cousin who is an artist, Gary Carter Jr., Ridgetown, ON., CANADA.
Gary has a beautiful GOD given gift, as an artist, I am so happy he has allowed me to share this on my blog.
He has kept his gift hidden for years and I thought it was about time the world got to see his wonderful talent. Thank you, Gary!