THE CLOSET

I will begin this post with a question.  Are your closets tidy and clean?  If they are, wow, congratulations!  Mine sure aren't.  I'm a packrat and so want to get over that trait.  My goal is to someday before I die have my closets cleaned out and in order.  I will admit to the sin of coveting when I see photos of a nice cleanly organized closet.  Mine would probably fit better on a hoarding television show.  Sad, but true.

I imagine you wonder where I'm going with this mindset.  The Husband and I watched one of my favorite inspirational movies the other night, The War Room.  Any of you who have seen it know the plot and probably remember it well, it has that kind of effect.  If you have not seen it, it focuses on the power of prayer.  I recommend it highly.  Did you hear that?  I RECOMMEND IT HIGHLY.

Every time I see the movie, I love it over and over again.  A good portion of that reason is that it sets my heart to remembrance of the power of prayer.  Prayer for family, prayer for health, prayer for our country, prayer for EVERYTHING.  

In the plot of the movie, an elderly woman has a prayer closet when she goes daily or more and prays.  She has prayers written on pages taped to the walls and such as that.  The scriptures talk about going into the closet and praying.  

I have no closet to empty so I can go in and pray.  It's just a fact.  I look at this, though, a bit differently.  I look at this as a closet of the heart.  I see it as anywhere you can be alone with Jesus and just talk to him in fervent prayer.  In my world, I talk to Him daily, sometimes more than once or twice and I talk to him as a friend.  When I go to Him in FERVENT prayer, it's in a prayer closet--a place of just me Him and me...out loud.  Those times are when I cry to Him, when I tell Him all the problems of my heart, and when I praise Him for ALL His goodness...and believe me, folks, that's a lot of praise as He's full of a lot of goodness!  It's the time of the fervent prayer that I can trust Him more and more and more with everything.  I'm learning.  Still, as I age.  I'm learning.  It's those times of fervent prayer that I can almost physically feel His hand touching me in love and assuring me that He's got all this in His control.  I leave that "closet" in peace and assurance and stronger because of it.

So, I encourage you, my friends, to find your "closet" and get in touch with the Lord.  He is the answer to all the world's problems.  He is the answer to all my problems.  He is the answer to all your problems.  You CAN trust HIM.  So I say, consider....and do it!

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."  

Matthew 6:6

FALTERING

Mr. Webster defines the word "falter" as to "start to lose strength or momentum and to move unsteadily or in a way that shows a lack of confidence".

It seems this world has caused me a lot of faltering lately.  How about you?  I sat this morning and kind of revamped my thoughts as I realized the fact that I am faltering a bit.  Okay, okay, I'm faltering a lot.....

For one thing, as this Covid 19 virus had seem to let up, so did I.  A bit.  Granted I still wear a mask when I go in public.  I have a vast array of masks of various colors and shapes and fits--my newest are a pack I bought at the local discount store with the name of a popular underwear.  Yes, they look like men's t-shirts (or men's underwear) but they're breathable, white, and match everything .  Now as I listen to the media, I find myself a bit discouraged that there are more cases revving up.  Yes, makes me falter a bit.

For another thing, I was only able to take the NSAID low dose a short time, enough of a time to make me realize how much they help my massive pain level from my hip and back.  Then, with various gastro effects, I had to leave the wonderful medicine off and now it's out of my system and the pain is back big time.  I tried to change my procedure to a week earlier--yes, the procedure should help the pain--but there were no availabilities so I will wait for August 7.  It can't get here soon enough.  Bad news is I have to quarantine a week prior, then I have to stay close in a couple of weeks after to avoid the effects that the lower immune system from the procedure will cause me.  That's three weeks.  I have a little hope that someone might cancel a week earlier and I can have that slot but, yes, makes me falter a bit.

There are other things....some sadness at departures, some concerns about future things, and "always something" as I have begun to say.  In a nutshell, life.

I was refreshed somewhat this morning as I finished my devotion.  It's from that Streams of the Desert book I was gifted with by a sweet friend.  That book's daily devotions hit my life daily more than any I have ever read.  It's mostly talked about faith--reckon I need that kind of talk?  Well, duh, of course I do.  Today it asked the question over and over, "When is the time to trust?"  That hit me hard in my faltering.  I had a strong talk with Jesus and hope I have refreshed myself to know that HE is the one that is in control of it ALL.  Goes back to that verse I quote often on this blog, Romans 8:28...remember that one?  "And we know that all things work together for good...."

Last week was summer revival at our church.  Uh huh.  In the midst of covid.  Our deacons made rules as they have the past few months that remained in place during the week.  There was social distance sitting, a few masks (yes mine when I was among the people), some assigned seats, no handshaking or hugging (and for Baptists, that's a big deal), and no hymnals.  Wow.  With all that said, I wondered how it would go.  Truly, I faltered a bit.  It actually went pretty well, I think.  The Spirit of the Lord was not hindered, one came to Jesus, and hearts were refreshed and revived.

I do want to share a little thing from baptizing Sunday.  As one who takes many of the photos, I sat in my chair alone and snapped.  I took a picture of The Grandbaby as she sat up on the curb---no she didn't social distance--oops.

I thought of all the many years past when I had taken pictures of children on that same curb or children sitting on the ground watching the baptizing....not really understanding what it meant, but fun to watch.  I thought of the bulk of those children coming to the Lord and being baptized themselves when the time came for them to come to Jesus.  As I looked at the photo, my eyes teared up as I knew that one day the same Jesus that came into all those hearts of those children before would come into the heart of The Grandbaby.  I hope I'm there taking pictures when she's baptized.    Those kinds of experiences can cause a faltering spirit to refresh for sure.

As The Grandbaby stayed with me yesterday on our regular Monday, I found myself hearing her singing.  Boy, now she has begun to enjoy singing.  Usually, it's her now favorite Trolls songs.  At first I thought that was what she was singing then I realized the words were a bit familiar.  (Trolls' songs are not familiar.)   I found myself listening closer and I realized it was a song from last week's revival and our past church services.  She was singing, "When I wake up in the morning, when I lay my head to rest, I am blessed, I am blessed."  Out of the mouth of a babe....

So....

When is the time to trust?  When I am faltering....

When is the time to trust?  When I am afraid....

When is the time to trust?  When my heart is sad....

When is the time to trust?  When all is going well....

When is the time to trust?  Always and forever!

Consider.....

A SPECIAL DAY

Yes, today is special.  Yes, it is Father's Day.  Yes, it's the birthday of this blog.  Most importantly, it's also the anniversary of the diabetes diagnosis of The Girl.  And in this world, that's a very big deal.  29 years ago on this date, lives changed.  When lives change, one remembers.

All of you regular blog readers know that my first post of this blog was about this occasion.  Since that day, several years have passed.  Several posts have been written, all with thankfulness to the heavenly Father for HIS provisions and pride for The Girl who has lived diabetes for these years.

I thought today of all the accomplishments of these years since that diagnosis.  High School and college graduations at the top of her class academically, friends from all these educational experience that have continued to be friends--good ones,  a couple of good jobs, a husband, a home, a child.....the list goes on and on.

I thought today of all the hard times, too.  Blood sugars that wouldn't stay normal, fructossamine readings that were way high, physically hard days, mentally hard days, and seemingly no formulas for success.

I thought today of the joys that this past year brought--the technology of a fantastic insulin pump and sensors that far surpass the former ones....a pump that is the most like a pancreas that I have ever encountered or prayed for.

I realized today that it's all these things working together that we classify as success for The Girl.  The bottom line, though, as she will attest, is a Heavenly Father who loves and provides.  When I texted her this morning to say I remembered the date, her reply was she has a gracious heavenly Father.  And I and all the world say, "Amen!"

As I look at this picture, I think of much I can say about this girl and how she lives with her incurable disease.  Words she has used of her heavenly Father come to mind....loving, kind, and gracious.    I will end this thankful post with her favorite scripture:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths."  Proverbs 3:5,6

WHEN I GROW UP.....

The Grandbaby was visiting the other day and went outside in the shade to play ball with The Poppa. We get a lot of insight from The Grandbaby on most days if we only listen.  While playing ball, she said to The Poppa, "I want to learn to play ball so some day I can 'teached' my little girl how to play ball."  Ahhh....be still my heart.  But, at four years old, I guess it seems a bit of an odd thought to have but haven't we all had such thoughts in our lives?

Different stages of life garner us different "wishes".  As a teenager I imagine I was like any other teenage girl--wanting to wear nylons, makeup, cool clothing.  With strict parents, I was a bit behind others in doing such things.  But to coin a much used phrase from The Grandbaby, "But that's okay."  Yes, wisdom in a four year old...

As I got older, I imagined myself looking like a model from the Sears catalog in various clothing choices.  Did I really look like them?  Uh, no, not even close.  I was not willow thin, nor was my makeup done professionally.  I think I and others often look and base judgements on the outward appearance.  As I made a quick trip to the local discount store and saw a bright orange swimsuit on the rack by the aisle, I got a chuckle as, since I have aged, I am realistic that I could never wear that.  I would look like an orange blimp with sags and bags and road map legs.  Age often makes one realistic.  Am I there?  Uh, yes, for sure.

That bathing suit got me to thinking.  I may be close to medicare age, really close to medicare age, but I'm still growing.  I'm looking this week toward two diagnostic MRI's (no, I am not near to being excited about hours in a tube) to show intensity of a few problems with my spine and hip.  That pain has affected life for me negatively in the past months.  Even at that, I still have aspirations for qualities to grow into more.  So in keeping with those thoughts, when I grow up, I want to be:

a better driver,

kinder,

quieter in my opinions,

more faithful,

less judgmental,

more loving,

more patient--uh huh,

wiser,

quieter in my opinions,

more knowledgeable of God's Word,

oh, so much more thankful for EVERYTHING,

more of a servant,

a better wife, mother, neema, daughter, sister, friend and child of my heavenly Father.

The list is definitely as other lists tend to be--endless.  So how about you?  What do you want to be when YOU grow up?

"But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him:  for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."             1 Samuel 16:7

Consider....

BY HEART

I have never been much of a scientific person.  Of all my subjects in school, I scored lowest in Science.  I disliked science projects.

In the world today we hear about scientific explanations for various things, both good things and bad things.  We are told the scientific approaches for remedies for various things.  For the most part, we would be pretty sunk without the science of many things such as medical knowledge, everyday inventions that we deem "necessary", and other such items.

For the past few days, though, my mind has been pondering beyond the scientific realm of these things and considering things I simply "know" by heart.  There are many mysteries about the spiritual and emotional beings that we are.  I will go as far to say as many of those mysteries will remain unexplained on this side of heaven.

So as I considered, I considered things "by heart".

By heart, I know that love is one of the greatest medicines in life and on the flip side can be a most painful emotion, too.

By heart, I know that my spirit can be lifted by just a simple word....spoken, heard, or read.

By heart, I know that timing is important.

By heart, I know Jesus!  No, I've never seen him face to face, but one day I will and I will recognize him.  You see, I know HIM by heart!

By heart, I know that behind the clouds, there's a bit of blue sky--physically and figuratively.

By heart, I know that I am comforted by God's word.  When my heart is overwhelmed (and it can be often), that Word leads me to the rock that is higher than I.

By heart, I know that even though I am afraid, I am told to fear not and I try that concept.  No fear, just faith.

By heart, I can feel the bubbling of joy just playing with The Grandbaby.

By heart, I can feel gratitude to my heavenly Father for all his provisions, his promises that are always kept, and the assurance that it will all be fine.

By heart, I know that this trial might just be a mercy in disguise.

By heart, I know that I have a family whom I love, a life which I cherish, and a heavenly Father who is the greatest of all!

Yes, I choose by heart over science any day!

Consider....

PHONE CONFIDENCE

The Grandbaby has grown so much since this pandemic began.  I am now back to having her visit on Mondays while The Girl works in her office.  I stand amazed at how she has grown both in body, word, and deed.

Today I told The Grandbaby we needed to walk to the mailbox before lunch.  After quite a bit of rain, the skies were dry and it was a good time for a short walk.  I opened the storm door and as we stepped out of the house to the porch, The Grandbaby said, "Somepen 'mells bad out 'ere, Neema."  I replied, "I think it's that bush with the flowers over there.  I don't know what it's called but I know you have the same bushes at your house and they have a strong smell."  The Grandbaby replied, "I yooked it up on my phone and I know what they are called--STINK flowers!"   (Insert her chuckle here and my effort to withhold my laughter.)

The Grandbaby's smart phone:  $1 at Dollar Tree
The Grandbaby's imagination:  Priceless!

4

The Grandbaby had a birthday last month.  I can't believe she is now 4 years old!  It seems like yesterday she was a little one.  Then she started walking, talking, and learning all those new baby things.  Potty training was a challenge but she mastered that technique.  FINALLY.  What a happy day that was!

The Grandbaby has developed a love for books.  She loves to hear stories read to her and she now likes to read stories to others.  She has a good imagination for stories.  And she loves painting, coloring, and puzzles.  Plus she has quite a colorful sense of hair fashion.

I'm beginning to teach her about cameras.  Here's her first attempt with my small camera.  Not bad, at least she got her fingers spaced correctly.

The Grandbaby loves to play with her dolls, both baby dolls and Barbies.  And again, her imagination gives her many hours of fun.    She has learned the generational line.  To The Grandbaby, her mama is  "Mommy", I am "Neema" and my mother is "Moe".  Go figure.  The Girl heard The Grandbaby playing with her Barbies the other day and she asked one if she wanted to go to her Neema's house and had the sequence to fit the particular Barbies in the play time.  Then when she would bring her favorite baby doll, Ariel (yes they are princess names), to my house, she would tell Ariel that "we are going to your Moey's"....gotta love it!

She loves going to Auburn and loves the Auburn sports scene, especially the inflatables!

The Grandbaby is learning to like to eat new things--mainly sweet things.  A while back she finally ate some crust from her peanut butter and jelly sandwich here and was excited that "I like the crust!"  She would like a lot of things if she would only try them.  She does tend to lean toward the stubborn in some areas.

I have heard that since the quarantine, she has learned to open doors that have the doorknob covers to keep her from opening doors.  She has graduated to a big bed.  Her crib made a toddler bed from the crib, and now a big bed from the toddler bed.  She loves her big bed!

I have noticed from her pictures that she has grown so tall during this quarantine time.  Look at the difference in these same shorts from August to now.  Now, trust me, you can actually see her knees and upper legs!

The Grandbaby loves dogs and cats and other animals.  Ahh......

There was a quarantined low key birthday celebration with ravioli and cupcakes.  Attending were Barbie friends and a big gift was a big girl bicycle!

The Grandbaby is a huge joy to have in our lives.  She's sweet, spunky, sassy, stubborn, and delightful all rolled into one.

We. Are. Blessed!

JUST REMEMBERING.....

The Husband once heard it said that "a wedding is only for two people, the bride and her mother".  Well, I tend to disagree with that statement.

Today marks the 8th anniversary (I think I'm correct on the date...I HOPE I'm correct on that.)  of The Girl and The Son-In-Law.  I thought it might be fun to see some of the memories of that day, even a few of the ones not seen often.  So, enjoy!

Dr. Roommate performs surgery on The Groom''s shirt by sewing on a problem button....

The beautiful bride stands before one of the aged beautiful stained glass windows that were taken from the original church building to the new building....a bit of the past from a childhood that was spent practically every Sunday in the church that housed those windows.  

The handsome groom smiles as he poses in the woods at that same church building.  He looks pretty dapper.

When the wedding photographs arrived a few weeks later, we were very entertained by the many faces of one of the bridesmaids (note the one wiping her eyes...she did this often.).  Such emotion and spiritual sweetness in the service...the couple's hope of sharing their love of the Lord was evident.

Her face also showed the service's humor also. 

And we loved that the same bridesmaid's little guy was captured by the camera as he shared some humor of his own!

Mr. and Mrs....

...and new extended families who after these years are still grateful to be so.  (On a personal note, it's fine with me if you noticed that I am somewhat skinnier now than I was then.)

There was fashion...

...and food!

War Eagle!

What'll ya have?

Yes, time has flown by since that day.  There has been experiences of joy, sorrow, mercy, grace, and love and the greatest love is of the heavenly Father the family still loves and serves.  It is with gratitude that this blog writer writes today.  Gratitude for blessings too many to begin to count but for at the top of the list would be these three....a family.

I will say that The Grandbaby just turned four last month so you can look for a post tomorrow about her...wanted to get these two posts in order somewhat even though they seem out of order somewhat.....

I. Am. Blessed.

MY PRAYER FOR THIS DAY

Last week was exhausting for me physically and mentally.  I think at one point I described myself as "spent"--used up and broke figuratively speaking.

As I begin this week, I felt compelled to write a prayer to my heavenly Father.  I know that HE is guiding and leading and loves me.  He is doing the same for you and you can share my prayer if you want.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for all your blessings.  They are too numerous to list.  There would not be space or time or enough ink to list them all.  Most of all, Lord, I will thank you for salvation for without it, I am nothing.  Because of it, I am something.

I'm thankful that you know my heart all the way into the deepest part of it.  I pray that you can see the love I have there.

I pray for strength for this day and the days ahead.  Only you know how many those are but I ask strength of body and mind for all those days, whatever they hold.

I pray for endurance.  When my heart is overwhelmed, as your scriptures say they will be, please lead me to the rock that is higher than I as you have been and will always be a shelter for me.

I pray for enough-- for the ability to love enough, to serve enough, and to look to you enough.

I ask your care and blessings on those who are sick, those who are hurting, those who simply don't understand, and those who need you most.  I pray protection for my family and all those around us.

I pray that my faith will be bigger than my fear.

I pray as I always do for myself for wisdom to live life the way you want me to.  I pray forgiveness for myself for those wrongs I have done.  I pray that I can also draw strength from the joy in my heart which is given to me by you.  And I pray that I always remember that you hold us all in the palm of your hand.  Yet you live in our small hearts.  Amazing.  Confusing.  Real.

Help this day, Lord that thy will always be done and that Romans 8:28 will be in active action.

I love you Lord.

Amen.

A PERFECT PROMISE

After the resurrection leaving an empty tomb, Jesus appeared to his disciples a few times.  One instance, two were walking on the road to Emmaus when Jesus joined them.  They didn't recognize him, but talked to him about the things that had transpired.  They asked him to visit with them.  While they were eating, the gospel of Luke says he took bread, blessed it, brake it, and gave to them.  At this point they knew him and then he vanished from them.  They discussed how that while they were on the road, their hearts "burned within them" as he talked.  Yes, Jesus speaking to a heart can do that for sure.

There was the time also when he met with the disciples and showed them the scars in his hands and feet.  Thomas was not there that day.  He insisted he would not believe unless he saw for himself.  Afterwards, Thomas did see Jesus and the scars and believed.  That's where you get the phrase "doubting Thomas".

I love what Jesus said to Thomas, "...because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."  Jesus is talking about me here...and you...and the whole world.  Blessed because we have believed.

A short time after that, Jesus and his disciples were together.  He was "parted from them and carried up into heaven."  Another gospel says he was "received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God".

I also love the account in Acts 1:9-11.  It says that while they watched, he was "taken up and a cloud received him out of their sight."  And while they looked toward heaven as he went up, there were two men standing by in white apparel.  (Angels, I presume.)  They said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

That tells me, just as the folded napkin in the tomb did, that He IS coming again!  Hallelujah, praise the Lamb of God!

The song I have chosen for this final series of posts sort of tells the whole story.  It, too, is another of our choir songs, one of my very favorites actually.  The title is "We Shall See Jesus" and it goes like this:

"Once on a hillside people were gathered
Hoping to see him, as thousands were fed.
He touched the blind eyes, healed broken spirits
He moved with compassion, as he raised up the dead.

Once on a hillside people were gathered
Watching as Jesus was crucified.
No one showed mercy to the one who had healed him
Yet Jesus loved them as he suffered and died.

Once on a hillside people were gathered
For Jesus had risen and soon would ascend.
Then, as he blessed them, he rose to the heavens
And gave them his promise, to come back again.

We shall see Jesus just as they saw him.
There is no greater promise than this.
When HE returns in power and glory
We shall see Jesus, we SHALL see Jesus, just as HE is!"

And ALL God's people said, "AMEN!"