ANOTHER....

 Seen on a sign:

"God has no need for Plan B."

Consider.....

GOOD ADVICE

 The Girl has given me a Halloween treat today.  She bought little paper sayings to add to her "treats" this year....just another way to share Jesus and HIS Word.  As soon as I saw this one as a choice, I grabbed it.  It spoke good advice to me.  I thought you blog readers would enjoy as well.  I love it!

WHERE ARE THE ANSWERS?

Well, the title of this post sounds like a game show, doesn't it?  Hear the question, have the right answer, and load up your winnings to take home, right?

I'm here to tell you that life is not a game show,  I hear the questions, am empty for right answers, and have no winnings.  Or...so it seems.  Then I take a closer look at life.

For all of you faithful readers, you may have noticed I have not posted a new post in over a month.  Yes, over a month.  This thing called life has kicked me a bit.  This afternoon I sit to reflect.

The unanswered questions and the fears have stacked up way over my head at times.  There have been fears of health problems, there have been untimely family passings days apart, there have been decisions regarding health issues of those I love and care for, and that's not even counting all this political mess that seems much further away from me.

My Pray Without Ceasing Friend has taught me more about continually praying without ceasing and I'm getting better....not near where she is in her prayer life but closer.  When someone asks me to pray for a need in their life (and they have often lately), I just stop then and pray for them.  And then when I think of them again or pray again, I pray for them again.  I have thought and wondered if Jesus gets tired of hearing me over and over and over and over and as I reflect and see HIS provision in all these areas lately, I'm pretty sure HE never tires of me.  I am one blessed girl to be the girl of such a Heavenly Father that is so loving and good.  

So, where are the answers?  They come directly from the Word of my Heavenly Father.  I have felt awed amazement when I have opened my Bible numerous times and turned exactly to the scripture that fits my need.  I got goosebumps, yes goosebumps, when  Isaiah 41:10 and Psalm 27 were read in Sunday School assembly last Sunday.  Those were two particular scripture answers I had just read the day before.  Coincidence?  Nah.  Even in my devotion book, "Streams in the Desert" by L.B. Cowman there was a direct answer to an issue I had struggled with.  On the exact day after I struggled with it.  Coincidence?  Nah.

I have also found encouragement which I saw as an answer of sorts when twice last week I received texts from two different people from different areas of my life saying I was on their heart and they wanted to check on me.  I was so humbled.  Coincidence?  Nah.  

So with all that randomness I will tell you that amidst all the fears, all the sadness and grief, and all the uncertainties, my Jesus has provided for me in HIS promises because I know HE never lies and HE never leaves and HE always is there providing HIS best even though I can't see that through my vision of life somedays.  I can rest and be assured of HIS promises!  

And that, my friends, is where the answers REALLY are!

Consider....

I WISH, I WISH, I WISH....

Do you remember as a child wanting something and wishing and wishing and wishing for it?  Maybe you got it, maybe you didn't.  The wish within you was so great and constant.  Maybe it's only me that had wishes, but I don't think so.

Of late, my memory doesn't serve me very well way back.  Sadly.  I had some good times "way back".  Or at least I think I did.  I was thinking today as I cooked supper about my school days.  I remember one didn't wear pants and that only came permissible when I was in high school and the temperature got below eight degrees.  And then, it had to be a PANT SUIT....none of these jeans or such as that.  A matching PANT SUIT.  Kids today would refuse to go outside the house in such--just as I refuse to go out of the house in some the ridiculously small items kids wear today.  I remember The Girl's middle school assistant principal would have an index card to measure the length of the shorts and, uh huh, if they were shorter than that index card, a mama was called to bring longer clothes.  Happily I never got one of those calls because, according to The Girl, she had the strictest parents in the whole school.  That's probably truth but she turned out okay.  And anyways, none of that really matters in this post.  I tend to ramble as I don't remember.  

I always seem to ponder the last Sunday's sermon or Sunday School lesson and I was pondering the lesson from last week.  It was talking about how Jesus looks and how we all will look after we get to heaven.  Well, I'm not here to go into any kind of theological debate.  I'm not much of a debater.  In school if I even thought I would have to speak in class, I would shake in my penny loafers.

I was thinking of how I wish many things....go with me here, I'll get to the connection with the lesson.

I've wished I was pretty.  I've never been pretty and I know it.  Acceptable looking but not really pretty.  And I'm okay with that.  Really.  Gorgeous looks are very over rated.

I've wished I weighed much less.  Granted now, I'm 48 pounds lighter than I was ten years ago but I long to lose 7.25 more pounds.  Maybe I will, maybe I won't.

I've wished I had more patience with certain things.  I know what the scripture says about patience and I try.

I've wished I had less anxiety about many things.  And yes, I know Philippians 4:6, 7 and I can quote it but still I often fail with the less anxiety part.  Guess that means I don't practice what I preach.

I wish I could find more time or maybe I should say better time management.  Everybody still has 24 hours in a day so there you go.

As the Sunday School lesson gave me food for thought, I began to wish for more important things.

I wish people can see Jesus in me.

I wish I would be kinder like Jesus.

I wish I was more loving like Jesus.

You get the point, I'm sure.  The list could go on and on and on.  As for what we will look like in heaven, I don't have that answer.  I know that I will be like HIM.  The Bible clearly says so.  And that's good enough for me.  Just as one of our choir songs at practice last night says:

"My eyes shall see King Jesus when He comes in clouds of glory.  If I am sleeping, I'll be awakened from the grave.  And if I remain, I'll hear the trumpets' joyful sound!  I didn't see Him go up but I'll see him when He comes down.

And I'll be like Him.  I'll be like Him.  Though I don't know just what I will be, I'll be like Him.  I shall see Him as He is and that's good enough for me.  I'll be like Him, when He comes down!"

I wish someday to see Jesus and I know I will.  But until then, my heart will sing on....

This has certainly been random, huh?  :)

Consider.......

TAKING GOD AT HIS WORD

These few weeks since my last post, I'm still walking by faith, not by sight.  It seems that scripture just keeps coming to my mind, my heart, and my readings.  I guess that means something for sure.

My favorite devotion book is "Streams in the Desert" by L. B. Cowman.  This devotion book was given to me a few years ago by a dear, dear friend and I have found that I never tire of it and it seems to know exactly what my heart needs on any given day.  I'm imagining that the hand that wrote those words had a direct link with the Heavenly Father.   

This past week I purchased a "sequel", "Springs in the Valley".  The interesting thing to me is that L. B. Cowman was a female.  And not only was she a female, but a female from many, many, many years ago.  She was a pioneer missionary with her husband in Japan and China from 1901-1917.   In 1960 on Easter Sunday at age 90, she came face to face with the God she had served for nearly a century.

As I've struggled the past few weeks in many areas of life, I have tried to go to the scriptures, learn new ones, and practice familiar ones.  As I have heard said, I have prayed the scriptures.  I know the Lord has maybe gotten tired of hearing this over and over from me, then I determined maybe he's not tired.  He doesn't grow weary of hearing the needs of his child.  So I keep practicing scriptures and hiding them in my heart.  

Tomorrow's devotion (yes, for some reason I read ahead) talks about a woman who prayed and prayed and prayed for her son to come to Jesus.  She would pray over her washtub as she scrubbed the clothes.  Long story and I won't give any names, but her son did come to Jesus and became very famous.  You would recognize his name if I shared.  He led many others to Jesus also through the ministry he served.  The devotion ended by saying "All this resulted because a mother took God at His Word and prayed that her son's heart might become as white as the soapsuds in the washtub".    The phrase "took God at His Word" was in italics and really hit me.  

One of the scriptures I have gone back and back again to is one of my favorites in Romans 4 and it says "Abraham staggered not at the promise of God".  I have tried so hard to be like Abraham and stagger not at the promise of God.  Shucks, there are so many promises of God, I can't keep count!

All I and others have to do is BELIEVE.   

Consider....

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!