WALKING INTO TODAY

 Good early morning, faithful blog readers!

I've had a problem for the past week getting my mind settled to write.  Shucks, let's be real...I've been struggling with my thoughts in many directions.  You see, The Husband had a very faulty abnormal stress test and got an appointment before that day even remotely ended for a heart cath and stenting procedure.  I so hoped the ablation would do the trick.  It obviously didn't.

My own heart has prayed and prayed since that day and I know my Heavenly Father knows how thankful I am and my "wants" for this day and for The Husband.  The scriptures help me, too....

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."   Philippians 4:6,7

A couple of days ago, I was so very overwhelmed.  I think I have spoken of that often in this blog.

"...when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I...for thou hast been a shelter for me."   Psalm 61:2, 3

I believe, though, that the one I will take with me utmost in my mind and heart today is the one read by our Sunday School Superintendent (who just happened to be The Girl) yesterday....

"...for we walk by faith, not by sight..."       2 Corinthians 5:7

Okay so those are my thoughts this early morning.  We have to be to the big city heart hospital by 6 am so I will head along....walking right by faith.  Whatever you are facing today, I will encourage you to walk into today by faith.  It and the faith-giver always makes for the best walking.

Consider....

WITH LIBERTY

 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not 

entangled again with the yoke of bondage."     

Galatians 5:1

44 YEARS

I'm thinking all you blog readers will surely be glad when I stop writing about "years".  This should be it for a good while.

It was on this day 44 years ago that The Husband and I became a family of two.  Yes, we were married in the "old" church (as folks at our church call it now that there's a "new" church).  We were fairly young and foolish and obviously in love.  You can look on this date's other posts in the archives and see photos of us in our young and foolish times.

As life deals, there have been many tough times in the past 44 years.

The sickness and health vow has been tested too many times.

Wrong decisions have been made on occasion.  

And so much more negatives.

On the other hand, The Husband and I have proven faithfulness to each other, to family, to church, and most of all to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Can I say we have done that constantly?  Absolutely not, but we have done it the best that we could.  A life situation right now (yes there are many) have caused us to look again at our integrity and happily, we find it alive and well.  Truth is very important.  

44 years ago, the Lord had a plan.  It was a plan based on prayers and hopes and faith.  And it was so the best plan for The Husband and me.  I am blessed to sit here and type this in the same kitchen I cooked in 44 years ago.  The set up and decor has changed but the most important things--the cooking and food--has not.  That's like marriage, I think.  We all change.  Now the hair is grayer, the body is weaker, and the health begins to decline but the important things--love, most of all--has not changed.

I am blessed.  

32 YEARS

If you look in this blog's archives, I think I am correct that you will find a post on this day June 21 for every year of the blog's existence.  I will even say that this is most likely a happy birthday to this blog as it was begun on June 21, 2012 with a post titled "Celebration".  So happy birthday to this blog!

More importantly, what a blessing it is to document 32 years since The Girl's Type I Diabetes diagnosis on this day!  I still remember that day as clearly as it were a few minutes ago (nowadays I have to ponder what I did yesterday).  I remember the navy t-shirt she wore with her beautiful navy checked shorts....and those bangs!  Oh, the terrible things I did to her hair as a child in the name of beauty!

I see great things today in the medical world in many areas but especially in diabetes.  That's what is closest to my family so maybe I notice those things more.  Insulin pumps, sensors that read blood sugars without finger sticks, more available tasty foods, and so much more are there for those with this disease.  When discussing my mother's diabetes and shots with her and my dad yesterday, my mind recalled that for many many years I mixed two insulins in one syringe two times every day...and later on The Girl did it more often than that.  Now insulin goes into the body via a thin tubing inserted and is dispensed and dosing figured with a button to push.  I'm so so grateful for all these things.  So.  So. Very. Grateful.

I was also remembering how that in the beginning of the disease for The Girl, it was emphasized that the treatment was a "team" consisting of the patient, the patient's family, the endocrinologist, and the family doctor along with other specialists such as eyes, feet, and pharmacy.  These days things have changed even more, and maybe not necessarily for the better, as much medical is an issue one has to take care of themselves.  However, the Girl's Endocrinologist is fabulous, knowledgeable, and oh so caring.  The PCP who diagnosed her all those years ago is retired now, but has been supportive even still.  Blessed we are!

With that said, diabetes is a personal disease.  I had to remember that although our little family of three was always affected, and then when The Girl married, The Son-In-Law was affected, ultimately it is The Girl's disease.  In support of her and her disease, it became a bit part of us.  And ultimately, she doesn't let diabetes control her but accepts it, does her best to control it, and even instead of saying "Why me?", she says "Why not me?"  I really look back and find it to be normal.  

To say I am proud of her and the fine woman she has become would be a gross understatement.  This blog and its many posts about her would attest to that.  I know life with diabetes is not easy but has become a way of life.  I will honestly tell you that when I see her smiling face and her healthy looks, my heart overflows with joy.    Take a look....

Pure Joy.  Beauty.  Love.  

I read something the other day that stuck hard with me.  It said something like "Having faith when the answers to your prayers are exactly what you want is easy.  It's when those answers are not what you want that faith becomes really real."  That saying made me think.  

As I thought about my own prayers over the past 32 years, I know that I have asked for a cure for diabetes in The Girl's lifetime.  I have asked for the ability for her to control her diabetes decently.  I have asked for healthy eyes and feet.  She usually tells me when she's hurt her foot and follows that with "and the best thing is I FELT it!"   It's the little things but I know that no matter what I pray and what the answer is, I know the one who controls it all and that is my Lord and Savior.  The best thing about The Girl is diabetes or no diabetes, HE is HER Lord and Savior also!

So on this day, I rejoice that I can write a little about my girl, her diabetes, life with diabetes, and how to cope.  Life is good. 

Face this day with real faith and joy and consider....

A BUSY BUNCH OF TIME AND EMOTIONS

I cannot believe it's been over a month since I posted.  When I think of the reason for (as The Grandbaby would say) "none" posts for a month, I am speechless.  It's a simple reasons of busyness, fatigue, and inability to keep up with it all.  Truth.

So here I am on a Sunday afternoon with no grand post title and no in depth thoughts.  I just wanted you to know that I am still "here".  This afternoon finds me a bit emptier of mind and things to do.  In fact, even though it's late afternoon, I wouldn't argue if a nap stopped by my way.

So much going on in the lives of the retired two that live in my house.  There have been some sad times for those we love in losses of friends' parents and others.  Moving up to heaven is not a bad thing for the one moving, but the ones staying behind get very sad.  

There have been some doctors' appointments, as usual, for The Husband, me, and The Aging Parents with even more being the last couple weeks of this month....4 to be precise.  The Husband's heart is doing ok, or so we think.  His cardiologist's appointment at the end of the month should be enlightening.  My appointment a couple of weeks ago with my hip surgeon's PA let me know I am now traveling on the road that, when I reach the end of it, will mean a new left hip to match my still fairly new right one.  I will travel on until then.

There's been last month of school events of The Grandbaby that has allowed The Poppa and me to attend.  There was field day and lunch.  Such fun for all of us and such a blessing for The Poppa and me to get to go.  I've attended many a field day in my lifetime, but The Poppa hasn't and has really enjoyed it.  There have been sleepovers, sewing, Legos, cooking, and Barbie playing with The Grandbaby.  

Growth in many ways.  Last year she wouldn't get her head or face wet.....Look at this year.....

The Grandbaby's first sewing project.  She wanted to wear it to show and tell day at school and she did!

The past month has been filled with VBS craft pre-work.  The two oldest volunteers in VBS last week were my buddy (who is older than me) and me.   I guarantee you that we certainly felt our age but really enjoyed both the time together and the time with the children.  It's all in working together.  VBS was wonderful with a large number attending and souls being saved.  And I was blessed also with a decent blood sugar on ice cream night so I got to eat REAL ice cream!  A multi dip blessing of a week.

Yes a blessing of a week...month...year...lifetime...

My mind fails to recall everything.  May mind does, however, recognize from whom my blessings stem....my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  

Thanks be to HIM for all things.  As the psalm and song says, "Bless the Lord, O, my soul!"

I'm looking forward to returning with some enlightening thoughts and stories but for now, I will go to welcome the nap that is coming by my house.  Will talk soon!

11 YEARS

Today marks eleven years ago I woke with a myriad of emotions.  It was the day The Girl would be marrying her prince.  I guess one of the first memories of the day was when I went early to have my hair done, The Girl and The Husband went to the basketball court to shoot baskets.  I remember thinking and even saying to The Girl, "You are going to shoot baskets with your wedding manicure?"  To which she replied, "Yep!"  And that is just how The Girl is....not letting the things that matter fall to the wayside of life.  Do I mean the manicure?  No, I mean the time with her daddy.  We must prioritize the things that REALLY matter.  That's a sermon for another day.

When I think of The Girl and The Son-In-Law and the life they share, I don't really think much now of that May 5 eleven years ago.  I think of REAL life now.  I think of the times of joy and the times of fear.  I think of the times of smiles and the times of uncertainty.  Yep, REAL life.  And the common factor of all of these is the fact that the life of The Girl and The Son-In-Law has began and continued with their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the very center.  To HIM be the honor and glory for everything.  You blog readers know that HE is at the top of my priority list and you may tire of knowing that, but hey, it is what it is and thankfully, HE is what HE is and it's because of HIM that we all can rejoice in ALL things....be it eleven years or more or less.

If you want photos from eleven years ago, there are plenty on other posts for this day on other years.  Everybody looked pretty nice on May 5, 2012.  Today, though, I want to give you descriptions of them now...in real life.   They are:

The Waffle House

Marshmallows in the fire pit

A Sunday School teacher deacon and a musician

Dusty and Cody Rhodes (at least one of them plus the half-pint who lives with them)

Fabulous, caring parents to that half-pint above

Dollywood

Collinsville Trade Day

Toyotas

Grass and flowers

Hot Dogs and Brussel Sprouts (not on the same plate)

And most of all, they are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

It's as a coffee cup of mine says, "The days are long, but the years are short."

Happy Eleven Years!

A HEART THAT SINGS

A heart that can sing?  Yep.

I didn't realize until this morning that it has been a good three weeks since a post.  There would be good reason for that delay.  My favorite holiday was celebrated and we continued to rejoice; however, The Husband's heart continued to fault.  He had heart ablation on April 20, has made it to three days after his designated week's recovery period and only had two heart rates since ablation over 99 and they weren't much over 99 so I continue to rejoice.  I will spare you the not so fun part of this heart episode.  

Yesterday at church the choir sang what is right now my favorite medley song.  It had those old Southern gospel songs of "When The Roll is Called up Yonder", "Do Lord", "I'll Fly Away", "What a Day That will Be", "Until Then", and "The King is Coming".  I love all those songs, some more than others.  They remind me of heaven and that's a very happy thought.   

My favorite song in the group is "Until Then".  It says, "...but until then my heart will go on singing.  Until then with JOY, I'll carry on.  Until the day my eyes behold that city, until the day God calls me home."  That song gets me teary every time.  Every. Single. Time.  

It made me consider that I've been so bogged down with worry and fear (which I talk about on this blog regularly and yes, I say there's no need for it, but alas I admit my sin), that singing just hadn't been going on in my heart.  Then the other day I caught myself humming along as I did stuff here at home.  And more than that, I noticed I was humming.  It somehow gave me energy and peace that the cares of this life are not only handled by me, but noticed and handled by my heavenly Father.  As I have said this, He's got this.  Shucks, He's got everything.   

I think the best one to appreciate a singing heart is that same heavenly Father.  He loves to hear us sing in the good times, in the bad times, and all the time.  He doesn't even care if we are in tune or not.  Just sing. 

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and humans and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."   Colossians 3:16

Consider....and hum a little tune.

HE IS RISEN!

Today dawns my favorite "holiday" of the year, Easter Day!  I celebrate today because that borrowed tomb where Jesus was laid to rest is empty.  Yes, empty!  Jesus arose from the dead just as he said and lives today!

Because HE lives, I can face tomorrow.  

Because HE lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know HE holds the future,

Life is worth the living just because HE LIVES!

Let's rejoice, praise, and celebrate!  Jesus IS alive!

AND THEN WHAT?

I find nothing in the Bible to document what happened the day after Jesus was crucified.   I only speculate in my mind.

I imagine daily life went on as usual for some.  Maybe there was talk on the street when people met, "Hey, did you see THAT?"

I always like to think of some others already mentioned earlier in the week.  The Mary who had the devils cast out, the lame man, the blind man, Jarius, those 5000 men who were fed along with the women and children, the graveyard guy who had the devils cast out, the eleven disciples, Pilate, and Mary the mother of Jesus.  There HAD to be grief.  GRIEF.

Then I think about Barabbas and the centurion.  Barabbas, a convicted murdered waiting to die, and now he is free and forgiven.  Did his life change or did he continue on doing wrong?  And the centurion who was at the crucifixion and said, "Surely this was the Son of God."  Did he change for the better in his belief?  These are answers we will never know but I like to think that there was a Jesus difference in their lives as there has been in mine.

On this in-between day, I want to share a couple of scriptures for thought.

From the Old Testament:

"Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet, we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."   Isaiah 53:1-5 (KJV)

And from the New Testament:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved."  John 3:16, 17 (KJV)

Never lose hope.  Sunday's coming.

Yes, on this day in-between....consider....

THE GREATEST LOVE ON THE DARKEST OF DAYS

Before I sat down to write this post, I read the scripture about the happenings on this day.  My eyes filled with tears as I again recognized the horror that Jesus went through.  Willingly.

Jesus was led away from the garden to where the high priests and scribes and elders were assembled.  They were waiting.  They got what they wanted.  Jesus.  I was thinking as I read this, for all their efforts to capture Jesus, all of this was God's plan.  

Peter followed from aways back to the high priests' palace and joined himself among the servants to see the end.  I wondered if Peter thought Jesus would just walk away and life would go on or if he truly realized this was what Jesus had spoke of so often to his disciples.  

In the "proceedings" there were two false witnesses that appeared.  

Jesus was then spit in the face and struck with the palms of various hands. 

As Peter sat, a girl came and said, "You were with Jesus."  Peter denied with "I know not what you say".  He went out to the porch.  Another girl saw him and said, "This fellow was with Jesus."  Again, Peter denied, this time with an oath and said "I know not the man."  After awhile there came several that stood by him and said, " Surely you are one of 'them'....your speech betrays you."  And Peter, cursing and swearing, said "I know not the man."  Immediately the cock crew.  At that sound, Peter remembered, he went out and wept bitterly.  True repentance involves bitter weeping, doesn't it?  I think from the scriptures after all this that Peter's repentance was real as was the forgiveness he received as he did the work of his Lord.

On the other hand, Judas also feels guilt and took back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.  He admitted his sin but the chief priests and elders who didn't pay any attention to him or his guilt.  Judas left and hanged himself.  Sin takes a toll.  

Jesus was taken before the Pilate and answered nothing.  It was tradition that at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing a prison.  The chief priests stirred up the people and when asked by Pilate if he should release Barabbas or Jesus, they said Barabbas.  As for Jesus, it was "crucify him."  Yes, the exchange of a murdered and criminal for the holy Son of God.

Jesus was whipped, stripped, and attired in a scarlet robe.  

A crown of thorns was put on his head.

He was mocked.

He was spit upon.

He was smote on the head with a reed.

After that they put his clothes back on him and led him away to crucify him to Golgotha, a place of a skull.

They gave him vinegar to drink.

They crucified him.

They cast lots for his clothes.

They put a sign "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

He was crucified between two thieves.

There was darkness from the sixth hour unto the ninth hour.  I imagine that all those around from the haughty smug chief priests down to the followers of Jesus all KNEW something was different and the darkness kind of quieted down all those around.  I can almost see it as very eerie and scary.  After all, Jesus, the LIGHT of the world, was about to die.  About the ninth hour, Jesus cried, "My God, my God, why hath thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 KJV)  Jesus, both God and man, felt all the pain of the human body as he suffered on that cross--the sins of the world on him.   Jesus cried once more with a LOUD voice and then he died.  

The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom, the earth did quake, the rocks rent, graves were opened and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.

The centurion said, "Truly this was the Son of God."

At the evening, Joseph of Arimathaea went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus.  He wrapped the body in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb.

It was a cruel gruesome death suffered by Jesus.  I wish I could explain it better, but the Bible says it all.  What I can tell you is that Jesus showed the greatest love he could show by taking our sins upon himself and laying down his life for me...and for you...for us. And I can tell you that I believe it ALL!

It seemed like the end but remember as my favorite Easter t-shirt says, "A lot can happen in three days."

Consider....