Prayer Requests

This is wordy...I am sorry.

I was lucky enough to grow up down the street from one of my cousins. Unfortunately, it was from my grandfather's side which was not close . We did not have family get-togethers or know each other as family in the true sense. We knew each other as terrific friends that shared the same blood line.I did not know his grandfather because there were bad relations with his mom and grandfather.Like I typed previously, my grandfather was not close to his family.My cousin loved when he was able to go with me to my grandparent's house because he loved the history of his family. So he and I were blood line play buddies. There were a lot of years we were more like siblings and we acted like it. Well, life happened and we grew apart as friends but if we saw each other it was as if nothing separated us. He lost his 31 year old wife today to cancer. My heart breaks for him and their 3 children. They were together for 10 years. I met her a few times at our pool or around town. Just recently I had ran into her alone on 2 different occasions. She would talk to me as if she had know me forever. A beautiful woman on the inside and out. I have been told she was a believer.She is in Glory where there is no more cancer and no more pain. I feel sorry for those left behind. Her husband, 12 yr old , 4 yr old and 2 yr old kids . My heart bleeds for them. Please pray for them. He already experienced tragic  loss early in his life when his teenage older sister was tragically killed in an accident. He came to my brother's visitation . I said to him, if anyone knows how I feel , it is you. He replied, that I was wrong. He was only 10 and grieved as a 10 year old with memories of 10 years. He then went on to say that I had 40 years of memories and grief and it would be harder with that many memories. He would have loved to have had 40 years but at the same time that is more to grieve. That is one of the few things that I remember about that night and it stays with me forever. Nobody really knows your grief despite similar circumstances.

This cousin and friend was friended by 3 brothers at our pool we all belonged to. These  boys and their family helped my cousin get through his tough times of losing his sister. All of them have remained close for over 30 years.  Their mother was like a 2nd mother to him. She passed away also today.

That is two wonderful women within hours of each other. Heaven gained two lovely ladies. Please pray for both families involved.

I feel good....today

Today we had a first time marathon in our city. The route brought the participants right by our church on their final 2.5 miles. It was great. Some of us skipped church...well ooops, some of us used the opportunity to serve. We had permission to pass out Twizzlers from the city. We also cheered the participants on with yelling and posters. Almost all of the participants gave us a thumbs-up or a thank you. We continued until the last walker came through. We were out there 4.5 hours. It was quite an experience. I think I will have laryngitis tomorrow. I also may or may not confess to "borrowing " a Little Tikes drum from the nursery and getting a beat going for these participants. It was an uplifting church time for me.

Later , we went home and relaxed for a few while my nephew rode his bike. Later, we took a 25 minute hike.

I feel so good today.

Some of my feeling good is not just today. I have come to the conclusion that you only live once. I am doing things I have never done before. I have been going to Paint Nite and learning that I can paint and love it. I am going back to school to get my Special Ed degree and think I can take the position that I am doing now as a long-term sub. Life is changing and I am embracing it. It could not get much lower but its turning. Praise Jesus!

I am also going to Aqua Zumba and Aqua Kickboxing classes and walking alot. I feel great most days. I am walking taller and more confident. I have to thank an old high school acquaintance for encouraging me to get in the water again. God has brought us together as friends and we are encouraging each other. I also think God has brought her in my life to be a Godly influence on her. I could go into more but that is her story. I just just hope and pray that I am being what she needs and making God proud in the process.



Take my life and let it be a living prayer My God to thee.

Super Bowl Memories

I think back on the years of Super Bowl memories. I never watched it or showed an interest in anything but the commercials but now the day brings back memories.

• Chaperoning the youth with my brother at a Big Super Bowl Bash Youth function.
• Flying to Indianapolis with my Mom and brother on Super Bowl Sunday to go to a Christian Booksellers Convention, yes the year the Colts made it there. Well, I hope it was the Colts....I don't know my teams. My brother said that he was not interested in the game and we would all go to Steak and Shake. That restaurant was a treat because we did not have one and we loved their chili-mac. He started into my Tostitos. Time started ticking and ticking. Mom and I waited and waited. We finally said that we were hungry and ready to go. He responds with the fact he is not that hungry and wants to watch the Super Bowl. I was peeved with how long we had waited and the fact my Tostitos were half gone. Mom and I left and went to Steak and Shake which was right across the street. We ate happily then received a call....It was my brother and he wanted us to bring him some chili-mac. Oh....MEN!
• One year , our convention was in Nashville ...( Jen...this was before you and Mike were there). We were watching a blizzard report which would affect our travel home. I had bought tickets to the Grand Ole Opry and was dying to go. My Dad had been keeping in touch about the storm and telling us to leave Thursday. I said it was not going to happen that I had tickets the Opry on Friday  night and I was going. I have my Dad's stubbornness sometimes too. SO we stayed. We saw the Opry , we walked to Teddy Bear's shop and had a great time. We left the next morning and made it to the mountains when the weather reached its peak. Out wipers were freezing before wiping. We took the first exit and stayed at a Howard Johnson that had a Subway. Howard Johnson's employee said that it was a good thing we stopped because there was not another exit for 5-10 miles and we were lucky that they had a Subway for dinner. We get up the next morning, Super Bowl Sunday. We head out to right past the exit and traffic is stopped. We hear that 2 tractor trailers had jack knived and it would be hours. So we sat for hours as we received phone calls from my Dad and my grandmother about our or MY stupidity and we were going to freeze to death on the interstate as my grandmother cried and hung up. We finally started moving only to discover the Howard Johnson guy lied and there was another big exit 1.5 miles down the road and if we had gone further the night before we would have avoided the tractor trailer accidents. So off we go and my brother is trucking at this point. He was bound and determined to make it home by Super Bowl time. Well, he succeeded we dropped him off 10 minutes before it started.
• One year , my brother in law won a Super Bowl party from a rock station. We spent it with them at their house. All of us as a family plus friends.
• My Dad was in a medical rehab one year after hip surgery. We had permission to take him out for the Super Bowl. He was so keyed up about being in a rehab and so much noise at my sister's house that he wanted to go back to the facility before halftime where it was quiet. All of us were shocked about that.

I look back at all those memories and what was sometimes frustrating times are now memories with a smile. I miss my Dad and brother dearly but am so thankful for the memories that keep popping up. I was so blessed to have them in my life. I miss them beyond words. No holiday is the same....not even Super Bowl Sunday.


Grief ....you go from daily mourning to daily memories. .You go from the tears of them not being there to make new memories to the slight smile of remembering all the times you spent with them,

Prayer

Needing prayer ....very down and very frustrated.

Reflection

Our Pastor has been choosing advent devotions to put in the bulletin each week. He is getting them from a devotional booklet that various members contributed to years ago. The one for this week dates back to 1992 and was written by my brother and I want to share.


The Often Forgotten Gift
John 14:14 and 26
Romans 8:26


At this time of year all of our focus is on God's gift to us, Christ Jesus. The importance of and the great sacrifice God made in giving up His only Son to save us will never be repaid in its full value.


Until the time of Jesus' return, God gave us another gift that is so often forgotten. The only mystery about this gift is why so many Christians tedn to live their lives on their own with no consideration of that power this gift could have. It is like giving a gift at Christmas to someone who is very close to you only to find out years later that this person took these gifts , put them in the closet and never opened them. The contents of these gifts could have made life incredibly easier.


It's the same concept with God's gift to us. What are we missing by not fully using the gift that He gave us? If only we would open His gift, we would find this gift would guide us in all understanding in every aspect of your life. Not just in your worship Sunday, but in our every decision that we have to make. Do you think He would count the hairs on our heads and not help us in every chore and decision we make? I don't think so.


Let's not forget one of His promises that He made to us that can only be fully appreciated after we open His gift to us. " You may ask me for anything in my Name, and I will do it." Isn't about time we unwrap the gift God gave us, the Holy Spirit and benefit walking the Spirit filled life?

Thoughts

• Thanksgiving is this week. I am in a depression. I miss my Dad, my brother and the family we used to be. The "New Normal" stinks.
• Some days I feel guilty because I feel ok knowing they are together with Jesus.
• Some days I am just angry with everything.
• Some days I have great days then someone says something and that is the end of the great day.
• Today someone asked at church....are you placing a poinsettia in the church in memory of your Dad and brother. I stood there and looked at them like why....then it hits me again ,,,they are gone....it still seems so unreal.
• One thing I have learned is to never question God just keep on believing and having faith....that is what I do because without faith and hope there is nothing. My God is too big and powerful for nothing. I have hope in being reunited with all my loved ones one day....in the mean time....Keeping the Faith!

Love this Christmas Cd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_MGWio-vc










Pentatonix