LIFE

 Life lately has been challenging.  I'm not going into it today, will be a post for another day.  All I will say is aging dictates changes in some arenas.  

I found this in my drawer this morning and thought it would be a good share.  I considered that it seems when I find these kinds of readings, it's always relating to the "bad times" but I've found that more often than not, the Lord uses the "bad times" for our ultimate good.  It's just not so easy to see that during the bad times.  Hopefully in a few weeks, I will share something about "good times" but for today, lets all note this prayer:

Prayer for Bad Times

Dear God:  Help me be a good sport in this game of life.  I don't ask for an easy place in the lineup.  Put me anywhere you need me.  I only ask that I can give you 100 percent of everything I have.  If all the hard drives seem to come my way, I thank you for the compliment.  Help me remember that you never send a player more trouble than he can handle.

And help me, Lord, to accept the bad breaks as part of the game.  May I always play on the square, no matter what the others do.  Help me study the Book so I'll know the rules.

Finally, God, if the natural turn of events goes against me and I'm benched for sickness or old age, help me to accept that as part of the game, too.  Keep me from whimpering that I was framed or that I got a raw deal.  And when I finish the final inning, I ask for no laurels.  All I want is to believe in my heart that I played as well as I could and that I didn't let you down.  

                                                                                          -----Richard Cardinal Cushing

I will say that Mr. Cushing is a wise pray-er.

Consider....

CAN GOD?

 In. my scripture study this morning, I came across this scripture yellowed AND underlined and took the opportunity presented to read it.  Since I've not blogged in a bit, I was encouraged and I decided it was a good share.  

I invite you to switch up the post's title from Can God? to GOD CAN!

Consider....

NEVER TOO OLD

 The Grandbaby and I are great friends.  Or at least we are most days.  

While we were on the mountain trip, The Grandbaby and I shared a bed.  (We called it a vacation sleepover.)  We do this every time she sleeps over at our house, too.  It is a ritual.   The three of us say prayers at our bed, then she and I get settled in bed and she says, "Lay on your arm."  At that point I throw out my arm and she puts her head on it and snuggles close.  Let me tell you, that is an action that still causes my heart to pitter patter all over the floor and rejoice with thankfulness for the blessing of her.  It's that certain way that she fits there that is peaceful to the both of us.  We talk over what we will have for breakfast the next morning and any other important conversation then we drop right off to sleep.  What she doesn't know is that when she falls asleep, I talk to Jesus about her and pray for her future and that she makes good friends and good choices.

The last night on the trip, it was the same ritual, but this time instead of talking about other things, The Grandbaby said to me, "Do you think I will ever be too old to lay on your arm?"  Wow.  What a deep question!  I told her that I thought she would never be too old for that.  I explained that as I get older, my arm might not be as strong, but we would always be able to be close enough to snuggle and most likely, she would ALWAYS fit on my arm no matter how old we both are.  Then she fell right off to sleep.

I realized as she lay there sleeping that is exactly how Jesus is to me.  I will never be too old to put my head in his lap spiritually or hold tightly to his hand spiritually.  I can't tell you the times that I literally felt as if I had my head in his lap and I could almost feel him rubbing my head in comfort as I was so distraught with fear and sadness.  Many times this feeling is so real.  

I'm not naive enough to think I will always be The Grandbaby's "cat's meow" so to speak but I do believe she and I can and will remain close in various seasons of life as we pass through those seasons.  And, by the same token, I am certain that Jesus will always be close enough to hear me when I pray and give me that comfort my soul so needs daily.  His Word gives me comfort and peace and my prayers as I talk to Him help me through life.

I pray I never take the love of The Grandbaby or the love of Jesus for granted.  Both are priceless treasures.

Consider......

ANOTHER YEAR ALMOST PAST.....

Yes, 2023 is almost over.  As I have said often before, time is a thief.  One of the mysteries of life is WHY time passes so quickly as one ages.  I looked at the prior post before this and it was dated November 3...almost two months ago.

Granted, my life is vastly occupied and busy with many of my necessary commitments.  Other wannabe commitments kind of fall by the wayside.  Thanksgiving was good with the exception of no Thanksgiving post on this blog which made me look grossly ungrateful.  I am not grossly ungrateful.  My heart overflows with gratitude hourly.   And now Christmas is over and the New Year just two days away. 

The Husband and I got sick the first couple of weeks of December which threw us off, me first then him 2 days later.  It was a nasty virus that prompted me to visit our neighborhood urgent care.  And yes, when folks say it takes one longer to recover from any medical thing as one ages, they are correct.  I also had five weeks of PT on my right leg and knee.  With all the Christmas festivities, the time just got away.  There were Santa visits, Giving Tree programs, Christmas parades in the rain, a nice Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith concert gifted to me for my birthday for me and The Girl by The Girl, Christmas Eve services, and so much more. This year I did not send Christmas cards as usual (postage was a budget cut in my house this year), my internet was down for three days, then as soon as it was fixed my 18 year old double oven died (prompting me to have repairman send part to Texas for rebuilding and not to return until after Christmas), and a few days later the dishwasher wouldn't wash the dishes.  From a miraculous viewpoint, that oven part came in the very day (Thursday before Christmas) right before the repairman came to fix the dishwasher.  Talk about feeling like I received THE gift of the season, I was excited.  Then after the dishwasher was fixed and the oven part reinstalled, the part didn't work.  Uh huh.  It. Didn't. Work.  At this point, I was not ready to discount miracles, just was ready to accept the Christmas miracle would not be my oven working for Christmas.  The very next day (Friday before Christmas) I got a call that the genius owner of my repair shop (That is NOT sarcasm....he is so smart and his business great....call me if you need a recommendation.) had figured the problem with the oven part and the repairman came again at 2:15 the Friday before Christmas and gave me a working 18 year old double oven.  So yes, there were Christmas surprises...expensive ones, but miraculous surprises all the same.  

The main thing I want to say in this post, even though I have talked only about "things", is that no matter what happens, the reason for the season is still Jesus and I'm so grateful we in our family never forget that.  

The Husband and I had a trip in the mountains with The Girl, The Son-in-Law and The Grandbaby.  It was a sweet time of family.  One day was a day that involved shopping and indoor mini golf.  The problem is that during that golf game where I was scorekeeper only, I stepped back with my right leg and my heel caught The Grandbaby's boot toe.  I felt an excruciating pain in the faulty right knee and leg and have had a terrible problem walking since that time.  I am glad I had my cane in the car but the pain remains excruciating.  I will be seeing my good hip/knee doctor on Wednesday.   Even with  that it was a good time with good cold weather.  I thought you faithful blog readers might enjoy some pictures.  Maybe in the new year, I will retrieve some of my wise blog posting.  Until then, I will share photos and wish you a happy new year!

Concert fun...

Successful gift to make happiness....favorite shampoo... 

a much needed hair dryer...

and a scrapbook of first year photos for The Grandbaby....

Always a song and a birthday cake for Jesus...

Mountain fun....

Engrossed in Night at the Museum...

This is Us...

Happy New Year!

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....