by Sharon O | Jul 11, 2020 | Uncategorized
I called them night visitors
One night I was sitting in our family room watching a detective show.
I like criminal minds or NCIS or other detective shows like documentaries; as long as they are not too ‘gruesome’ in details.
This particular night I was in my bathrobe, and it was late around 10:30-11:00 and enjoying a glass of wine and relaxing before bed.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door.
I could not imagine who would be visiting this time of night.
Looking out the little hole in my door I noticed officers in uniform standing on the step.
I opened the door and saw one of them over by my garage and two of them standing before me as I greeted them in my bathrobe.
I asked them, “Can I help you?”
They said to me, “Mam we think someone is in your home; and we are here to see what is going on inside your house and make sure you are safe.”
I was shocked by what I heard because I knew it was only me and my cat and my husband who had gone to bed earlier.
They continued, “There was a 911 call from your home and we have been monitoring your open phone line and listening to conversations and we feel you are in danger perhaps there is an intruder in there with you.”
I was still shocked.
If there was an intruder wouldn’t I know it? asking myself who on earth would dial 911?
I said to them, “I will be right back”, as I shut the front door leaving them standing there waiting for the door to open again; and not knowing if I really had a bad guy observing my every move.
I rushed upstairs as fast as my slippers and bathrobe would let me, and woke up my husband asking him.
“Did you call 911?”
He was asleep and answered me in a groggy tone, “why would he do that?”
He asked me, “what was going on” and I told him “we had police at our door.”
Then I rushed back downstairs to open the door again, this time I found all three officers standing there requesting to come in to our home.
(In case this ever happens to you it is NOT good advise to shut a door on any officer of the law; especially if they think you might be in danger and especially if you have more than one.)
Of course by this time my husband was awake and downstairs inviting all officers in and we chatted about what might have happened.
The phone was set on speed dial and apparently it fell or was knocked into or whatever and it dialed 911.
There was no answer on my end of the phone of course because I didn’t know the police were there listening to it. They listened to part of the show on tv and apparently thought it was a real situation.
(no I am not making this up… it really happened.)
After chatting with them (I was still in my bathrobe) and after they realized ‘we’ were related to our son who worked at the station they left.
My husband went back to bed
and I went back to my much needed glass of wine.
As I sat down in my chair and thought about what just took place in the last half hour, I wondered what they really heard on that phone call and how long had they been listening?
Was I talking to myself??
or talking to my cat??
What on earth did they hear on the show to cause such a concern and what was I was watching?
Sure hope that never happens again.
Also I wondered what they said to each other as they left our house and what they wrote in the police report.
It must have been very interesting.
The next day I went into my work at the pharmacy and I just had to share with anyone who would listen to
another ‘adventure’ in the little home town in Oregon.
by Sharon O | Jul 8, 2020 | Uncategorized
Just because life right now is serious, scary and a bit crazy, for the next few blogs i am going to share a few funny writings i posted a few years ago.
Humor always helps.
My son is a retired police officer now so some of this doesn’t apply anymore but it is still funny.
A bit of Humor
by Sharon O | Jul 6, 2020 | Uncategorized
The world seems to be changing right in front of us.
Things are so very different these days, with masks on almost every face and sometimes gloves.
Social distancing is a common way to communicate now.
It is expected. It is necessary and needed but it has been hard on many levels.
Not seeing friends and family members for fear of either sharing the virus or picking the virus up.
I have been cutting my own hair. Yes it’s brave of me but I may not want to expose myself to a small salon air.
It has not been bad to stay close to home and stay pretty much away from people.
We went to a restaurant a few weeks ago after my fasting lab and it felt weird and strange.
I was not fully comfortable.
I think with all the being careful; the hand washing and the scrubbing our homes we have moved into a different world.
It feels so much more foreign and not free.
Then when you add in the chaos and violence it feels like there is a lack of safety.
I don’t feel like it’s ok to just go somewhere. You have to be careful.
There was an old guy who was attacked just because he was carrying a flag.
An American flag. He might have been a veteran and just expressing his gratitude for the country he served.
There are too many of these stories. Innocent people being in the way of violence.
Then there are those who feel the police are in the wrong now and it is a real mess.
They are getting attacked and assaulted on so many levels it is heartbreaking.
It’s hard to watch the world change around us.
Respect is no longer a normal reaction. Common courtesy is missing too.
The world is changing right in front of us and I am not sure what it’s going to take; to get us back to where we need to be.
Lord I pray for healing for our land, we know it’s needed.
by Sharon O | Jul 2, 2020 | Uncategorized
“Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,
clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
Colossians 3:12
A few years ago I was thinking about this verse and wrote a few thoughts about it.
The writer starts out with ‘therefore’.
Most pastors say, whenever this word is written, it means, now listen, pay attention, this is very important.
So we are not to miss the fact that we are God’s chosen people.
That is a wonderful promise and thought.
Not only did he choose us, he admonishes us to put on spiritual clothing so others can see Him through us.
Then the writer goes on to say, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, you are to clothe yourselves.
For me that means we have a choice to present ourselves in a way for others to see; it is purposeful.
It is an action word such as putting on a sweater or zipping up a hoodie or throwing a blanket on yourself when you are feeling cold on the couch.
So what does this really mean for us?
It is about attributes that we represent and share.
Dictionary.com says: Attribute is quality or characteristic of something (something we believe in).
SO as we get up in the morning and get ready for our day.
We can ask ourselves.
Do I want to wear the red sweater and black pants,
or do I put on compassion.
Do I want to wear the denim shirt with the denim pants,
or do I put on kindness.
Do I want to wear the soft flannel shirt with flannel pants,
or do I put on humility.
Do I want to wear the frumpy pants with the frumpy shirt,
or do I put on gentleness.
Do I want to have a dress up day and wear something fancy,
or do I put on patience.
Just as we wrap the love of the Lord around us we also choose
to wrap around ourselves his attributes.
The characteristic and quality of who He is.
It is not often natural for us to be compassionate or kind, humble or gentle; and it is not natural for us to be patient either.
It must be a choice for us.
Just as we get up in the morning and decide how we are going to look and dress for the day,
we also choose how we are going to present ourselves.
It is a heavy thought to know that what we choose; is what others see and believe about us.
I think for today, it is something for us to think about.
(this is a revision of one written in 2010 taken from the old books)
by Sharon O | Jun 20, 2020 | Uncategorized
Today is Fathers day, a day to remember our dads and what they mean to us.
It’s always been hard for me since most of my life my dad was not around.
This day, was an empty day on the calendar.
I would walk past the card section of the store and see the assorted cards with warm and fuzzy sayings.
Seemed odd for me since I could not relate to most of them.
Later in my life my dad did become part of ‘our’ life but I still didn’t spend a lot of time with him.
His absence impacted me more than his ‘presence’ and even as he was older in age; it was a different kind of relationship.
I will always miss what I never had or experienced, but I do believe in his own way he loved me.
I always loved him from a distance.
My husband had an amazing dad, who was known as pop or grandpa or grandpa O.
He was there for his six kids and even till the day he died; he was sharing with them and very active in their lives.
We had an adopted grandpa that our kids had, he wasn’t a relative but he was grandpa and he was very present in their lives.
My husband is a very active and present dad to our two grown children and our six grand children.
He is grandpa, he is a prayer warrior over them, he is advisor, he is advocate. He is dad.
Then our son has grown into a wonderful amazing dad to his three sons.
The baton of fatherhood passed down, the responsibility and honor given to him as the generations continue.
Today is Fathers day, a day to remember our dads and what they mean to us.
I will always know in my heart not only did I have a physical earthly dad; I also have a heavenly dad.
My God is a good Father, and His love is forever no matter what I do.
Happy Fathers day to all the dads who so deserve the words.
by Sharon O | Jun 18, 2020 | Uncategorized
It’s hard to imagine the year is half over. Soon it will be July 1st, and heading into the fall season.
We might have a few more days of warmer weather but the rules have changed and the enjoyment is a little stifled.
I don’t like to wear a mask and I really don’t like to go out in public much anymore.
It’s is an angry world right now and I just like our peaceful cozy spot.
Away from chaos and people and worry and oh my, the rules change every day.
I can’t imagine going on a vacation and sight seeing with a mask on.
It is not my option to go to church either with a mask on.
The doctor told my husband it is safe to go out but be aware that a second wave of this pandemic is supposed to arrive.
This is really a weird year for sure.
I miss family, and friends and fellowship with others.
I try not to watch the news since it’s so angry and so full of violence.
It is good to know what is going on but I can’t take the intense anger.
Oh and I am in deep prayer for our police and fire workers.
It is a war and they are not safe anymore.
I cannot imagine doing their job and having to deal with the intense issues surrounding them.
Don’t forget it’s election year too so all that politic stuff is blended into the news too.
I think what is really needed is a fresh reboot of the year.
It’s been hard.
It’s been really heartbreaking on many levels and it’s hard to imagine the year is half over.
They announced there will be no crowds on the fourth of July.
No parades, no rodeos, no fairs, nothing to do but think about this pandemic issue.
I am so ready for a change.
Lord can we just start over and begin again?
by Sharon O | Jun 7, 2020 | Uncategorized
On this day last year I lost my sister. (June 8th 2019) 
She had been ill for a while and had struggled for a long time with breathing and other health issues.
It’s probably good she never got near this covid crisis, she never would have survived it.
She was older than me by about a year and a half, the middle sister with one above her and me below her.
It has been hard to not be able to talk to her.
I used to call pretty often or she would call me.
I can still hear her voice saying, “Hi Shary, how are you?”
For years we were very close and for years as she was growing up she was gone and on the streets.
Survival was her way of coping.
She was not like the average she was herself in a very unique way.
In 2006 my other sister and I and our husbands, detoxed her from an intense alcohol addiction.
That was extremely hard and we were definitely not trained to do it.
We managed with the help from hospice and her great doctors advise.
It was quite miraculous to see her assigned to hospice care dying; then six weeks later be well enough to move into a care setting.
I would never put us through that again it was a rough and intense time.
Perhaps that is what it means to be family? You do the hard because it’s what you do.
She lived in an assisted living care center for many years; which was a safe and good place for her.
The last six months of her life we were not able to see her.
That was really hard for me since we were sisters; but I always prayed for her and always knew she knew I cared.
There was no service and no special ‘remembering.’
She passed away as if she never lived here.
On this day last year I lost my sister and it will always be hard for me to never tell her good bye.
(This is not a recent picture but it does look like her.)
by Sharon O | Jun 2, 2020 | Uncategorized
The greatest of these is love.
This year just keeps getting more crazy.
Intense times are brewing and it feels so out of control.
If I was not a firm believer in the healing working of God I could be pretty discouraged.
So many things are going wrong and we are heading in a wrong direction as a country; but I do believe in the months to come; peace and healing will take place.
This virus is still ravaging our land, and now violence on many levels.
My heart is heavy and my words are few.
There really are no adequate words at this time.
It is like in 1st Corinthians 13 a book in the new testament.
We are watching love disappear:
13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;
6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
by Sharon O | May 26, 2020 | Uncategorized
In December 2019 I went to my normal mammogram that usually lasts about 15 minutes.
Mine lasted what seemed to be an hour; then I was lead to the ultrasound room, for another half hour; then my husband and I talked to the radiologist.
He suggested a biopsy.
The biopsy results came back with a positive breast cancer diagnosis.
Looking back on this experience I was walking into an unknown place emotionally and physically.
In that time I came down with a very horrible virus bug that was a cough and breathing and chest issues.
I think the times in the hospital I picked up something.
In urgent care they gave me an inhaler and told me to wait till my surgery was over.
After the lumpectomy I was no longer sick but only using my inhaler sometimes.
In 85 days I had mammogram, ultrasound, biopsy, MRI of both, lumpectomy surgery, and then radiation.
The lumpectomy came back clear and it seems the biopsy removed the cancer.
Sixteen sessions of radiation was just a preventative measure.
It was a very interesting and surreal experience. 
I now have a surgeon, an oncologist, a radiology doctor, my regular doctor and a few others to add to the list.
In 85 days my world changed.
After that the awful covid virus arrived, so I was quarantined because it was safer and because I wanted to be.
Radiation lowers your immune system and I definitely do not want to get a serious illness on top of what I am dealing with.
One of the side effects of radiation is fatigue and I do think I am experiencing that.
It’s hard for me to actually rest. My word for the year is rest. Isn’t that funny?
I will have a mammogram and or ultrasound every six months for at least 5 years.
I started a ‘drug therapy’ they recommended for survivors of breast cancer.
It is still hard for me to actually say, “I am a cancer survivor.”
It is kind of emotional and I wear pink with a new appreciation for the color and meaning now.
My husband got a ribbon tattoo representing his mom and me.
He said he would never get another one but he had to get that one.
This diagnosis is something that is in my chart now, my life and my story.
Looking back on the experience would I change anything?
I don’t think so.
I really liked the radiation team and would spend more time with them as ‘people’ not med techs.
I have tried to not say, “why me” because why not? I am not anyone more special than anyone else.
This experience has taught me more empathy, compassion and joy.
I rang the bell when radiation was over. 
Every day is a gift now. Every day we get a new chance to make a new change of direction and give hope.
by Sharon O | May 24, 2020 | Uncategorized
Today is our grand daughters 21st birthday.
She was supposed to arrive in July but she came in May. Emergency issues showed up at the doctor’s appointment.
Our daughter was rushed into surgery and we were greatly surprised by a tiny 2 pound 11 ounce baby girl.
I remember standing in awe in the NICU room beside her little bed.
She was bright eyed, beautiful, feisty and perfect.
Faith Elizabeth was born and we were grandparents. This is my hand next to her head.
It’s life changing to realize a new generation is born. We were HER grand parents and we had a vital role in her life as she would grow up.
It has been a blessing and an honor to walk with her and watch her.
Not only do we try to give guidance and prayers but we try to do our best to believe we have influence. When she came home from the hospital I quit my full time job to stay home with her. It was such a fun time to be with her and watch her grow and mature. I went back to work when she was able to go to first grade.
We have never stopped praying for her. Never stopped worrying, and never stopped encouraging.
It was always our desire to be solid for her. A sure thing, a positive role model.
As she has grown into a beautiful young lady I pray she will always know we are here for her always.
This picture is of her from a few years ago. I won’t post a current picture of her because of privacy issues.
Today is our grand daughters 21st birthday.
We wish for her love, life and health and always happiness.
