December 17, 2012 - Christmas Disappointments? or Blessings?...

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain."

"Out of the fullness of His Grace, He has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another." John 1:16

Monday - December 17, 2012

"Come to Me with your gaping emptiness, knowing that in Me you are complete. As you rest quietly in My Presence, My Light within you grows brighter and brighter. Facing the emptiness inside you is simply the prelude to being filled with My fullness. Therefore, rejoice on those days when you drag yourself out of bed, feeling sluggish and inadequate. Tell yourself that this is a perfect day to depend on Me in childlike trust. If you persevere in this dependence as you go through the day, you will discover at bedtime that Joy and Peace have become your companions. You may not realize at what point they joined you on your journey, but you will feel the beneficial effects of their presence. The perfect end to such a day is a doxology of gratitude. I am He from whom all blessings flow!" Jesus Calling - December 17

Today the "Jesus Calling" verses really spoke to me. "Thank you Lord for reminding me again - through these  words - that You are always there! That my life may have problems and disappointments, but I am only looking through a very small opening - into my life this week or next - or next month...never really seeing the "big picture" of the reason that I am here. Thank you for bringing my perspective back to where it should be - a focus on You."

"Help me Lord to put my focus back on the reason for the day that we are getting ready to celebrate. To realize it's not about the presents or the food or even the people that we will be spending time with - Help me to focus on You - the Savior of the world...The Father that has given me a new live - even though I certainly don't deserve it. This is what I should be preparing for. " 

There will be disappointments this time of year, there always are, but if my focus is where it should be, I will not be disappointed. God never disappoints! Things happen that we wish had not happened, but it is always "man's doing", not God's. God gives us free will & sometimes that is abused. Like the evil in Connecticut.

Anytime we are disappointed, it is due to mankind - not God. There will always be some that argue that God was not or is not there in certain circumstances...none of us have those answers...those are things only God knows. What I know,  is that if we live our lives trusting in God, He will take care of us...maybe not in the present, in the way we feel we should be taken care of (or so we think), but again, we don't see the infinite future that God sees.

I will focus this season on God and if my Christmas is not the perfect "storybook Christmas", I will be ok with that. Jesus is my Savior & that's really all I need ~ the rest is just God's extra gift to me.

"For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness", has made this light shine in our hearts, so we could know the Glory of God, that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ." -

2 Corinthians 4:6

Merry Christmas and may you have the Love & Peace of a Christ-filled Christmas this year.

December 6, 2012

Well, I have not posted anything on here for quite a few months. My maintenance treatments are going well - every 8 weeks. Dr. wants me to have another pet scan in January, because it's been a little over a year, since my last one. Hopefully that will be fine, too. I am feeling good & have no symptoms, so for now, my cancer is still in remission.

Today, I am writing to you about something completely different than my health. Since I already had this blog going, I didn't see any reason to start a new one & since this blog is about new beginnings & hope, I thought this would be the perfect place to talk about what is going on in my world this December.

A friend on facebook, put this on her page a couple of days before the 1st of December. I really liked the idea & decided that I would do it, too, but instead of starting on the 13th, I thought I would start on the 1st & do it all the way to Christmas (and hopefully beyond - as the opportunities arise).


NOTE: to check out these links below- highlight the link, then right click to "open link" & that should pull up both links & give you further directions.

Here's whats going on:
 http://www.chicagonow.com/chain-links/2012/11/the-2nd-annual-12-gifts-of-christmas/#image/1

and
 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=556952991254&set=a.505766399594.2009195.167300211&type=1&theater

So, like I said, I decided to start on December 1st, instead of the 13th.

Each day, I say a little prayer that God will show me where, who or what I should do for my "random act of kindness". Since I didn't start this blog on the 1st, I have several days to tell about and then I will write about my experience each day after that (sometimes with photos)...

On December 1st, Steve & I went to breakfast at a little diner, where we always go for breakfast. (I said a little prayer before we started our day, that God would show me what I should do that day).

As we sat having breakfast, I noticed at the counter, an older lady, all alone, having breakfast, too. I knew this was my "target". I called the waitress over & told her I would like to pick up this woman's breakfast ticket, without her knowing. She cleverly brought it over & slid it under our bill. (So sneaky & so "James Bond like"). :)
She was still there when we left, nursing a cup of coffee, so I didn't see the exchange between her & her waitress, but I hope it was a happy exchange.
Day 1 - done - Mission complete. :)

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Day 2 - I had a lot of errands to run & one of them was to Walmart, so I thought that would be a good place to leave a Christmas Card on someone's windshield. I stop & bought one- wrote a little sentiment about what I was doing & why they had received the card & started out on my quest. A little prayer later... - I had ask God to show me which car should receive the card - something old & beat-up, maybe...thinking that a car like that would have an owner that was a little more strapped for money & might need a little "boost" this time of year. Drove all over the parking lot & all I saw were new, nice cars... nothing that really caught my eye. So I decided to go in & take care of my errands and maybe when I came out, the "perfect" car would be there. It was already dark when I came out. I walked out to my car & directly across from me, in the next aisle, was a beat up old truck...looked like a work truck. My target!! I got my card & started over to leave it on the windshield. I was on the far side of the parking lot, not a lot of cars out there. Dropped off the card & started back to my car...then I heard - in a Middle Eastern accent, "Hey, do you have one of those for me?". As I looked around to see where the voice came from, (from a taxi - sitting there in the parking lot) my reply was, "No, not today! :)". As I walked back to my car, I thought "Ok, God, maybe THIS is the person that was suppose to get the card." So, I yelled out, "Hold on a second".
Walked back over to the truck, took the card & walked toward the taxi. On my way over, the driver said, "How you doing tonight? I told him I was doing fine. I walked up to the passenger window (the one he had been using to talk to me) & handed him the card. "Merry Christmas", I said & he replied the same and with a "thank you". I hope that card brightened his day.
Day 2 - done - Mission complete. :)

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Day 3 - My father-in-law died last Spring. My mother-in-law lives alone in a tiny apartment, close to our house. I was talking to her about Christmas the other day & she mentioned that she didn't have a tree. I don't think anyone should go through Christmas without a little bit of decorating, so over the weekend I bought her a tree & some decorations. On Day 3, we took it over to her & I set it up with the decorations & the ornaments. I forgot to take a picture of this, but she was thrilled beyond words, I think. I believe it made her Christmas a little more merry & bright. :)
Day 3 - done - Mission complete. :)

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Day 4 - I wrote an encouraging note to someone on facebook that was having a really hard day. I hope it helped, I think it did. See, every kindness does not have to cost money... sometimes just a kind word is enough.
Day 4 - done - Mission complete. :)

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Day 5 - Our Women's Ministry at church opened a Christmas Closet last night & I was in charge of this. We had sent out flyers to certain target groups in our church, that gave them all the information about the Christmas Closet. They would receive $100.00 in "Church dollars" (that I printed) for each child that they had. They could come & shop in the "store" for the things they needed. There will be 20-25 kids that will receive gifts this Christmas because of this project. So much fun for the mamas that came & so much fun for those of us that helped with this. Perfect "Pay it forward" - "Random Act of Kindness" type of project!!

Day 5 - done - Mission complete. :)

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Day 6 -  I sell vintage items on ebay. Around this time of year, I sell a lot of vintage Christmas ornaments. A few weeks ago, I sold some ornaments to a sweet lady in Texas. She wrote to me to let me know she had received them & I mentioned something about going through Chemo last year. She was very sweet about this & very concerned about my health. We started emailing back & forth. I found out that she has two daughters, she is estranged from one & one lives in another state, so she rarely sees her. I guess from her emails that she doesn't have a lot of friends & is starving for communication with someone (even someone that she has never met & only knows through ebay messages).
Sent her a new message today. Hope that lightens & brightens her day today. I'm sure we will never meet, but I will be happy to send her messages & give her something to look forward to. If you feel like you are all alone, sometimes even a talk with a stranger is a day brightener.

Day 6 - done - Mission complete. :)

I hope these examples give you some ideas for "Random Acts of Kindness" that you can start today. Or if you don't want to try to come up with things, check the links I posted, that might help. 

2/16/12 - Privileges, Blessings and What We take For Granted...

 

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain."

  "Out of the fullness of His Grace, He has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another." John 1:16

 

I took a shower this morning...

...in my own bathroom...

...in my own house...

Not an unusual occurrence for me or basically for any one else that I know...but as I sat down after, to do my quiet time, I was struck with the realization that - that is not the case with millions of people all over the world...or even in our own country...OR even in our own city! This is a luxury that millions of people never have...to be able to take a shower in their own home...anytime they want. To feel clean...it really just brightens up your world, doesn't it?

You've been out in the hot summer sun or crammed in a hot room with a lot of people over an extended period of time, exercising outdoors, doing outdoor activities or a dozen other scenarios...you come in and take a refreshing shower...in your own home.

How fortunate we are & how many times we take something so small for granted.

I was in the "Big" Walmart yesterday...normally I go to the "Neighborhood Market", but sometimes I have to go to the "Big" Walmart...the "Super Center" for more than just groceries.

There is a reason they call it a "Super Center"...

As I walked through those aisles, looking at ALL the things that were there, just for me to purchase, I was in awe of just how lucky we are...especially in the food section...so many people starving all over the world & even here in our own city for lack of money or lack of supplies & here I was with food from all over the world ~ at my fingertips...

Privileges, Blessings...

There is a store on every corner that sells food & any number of supplies that we need for every day life...a restaurant on every other corner...

food & supplies everywhere you turn...

And yet we complain & become angry at the slightest thing...How much we take for granted...

What would the people that go to bed hungry every night, think about us?? What do they think about us??

I watched a show last week about extreme couponers - shopping on Black Friday. There were 3 or 4 groups that had their game plan ready weeks before the actual day. They had enlisted friends & family to help with this. They had lay outs of the stores where they intended to shop, they had lists & lists of what they would buy when the day came. They were up ALL night ~ waiting in lines, driving to the next conquest store, dividing & conquering...

They were thrilled when they walked away with $6000.00 - $10,000 worth of merchandise for $2000.00 - $3000.00.

And all I could think was...what if you had taken that money (or those gifts) & given to a homeless shelter or a women's shelter or several families that ended up having no Christmas. 

There was one woman that shopped for several families that were single parent or homeless families...she got their lists & did all her shopping for them...What a blessing she got from that!

The rest of the families shopped for themselves - a nice gesture, but with so many people having such a hard time...if you have $2000 or $3000 to spend, why not make a pact with your family to buy gifts for people that otherwise wouldn't get any?? Again...what we take for granted...

Every day is a privilege to live in this country...to live in this city...

A blessing to be able to walk into any store & buy food or things to make our lives easier, simpler...

To be able to do something as mundane as take a shower in our own bathroom...in our own home...

Privileges & Blessings...how can we take for granted the things that God provides for us??

“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?“ Matthew 6:31

2/2/12 - A Story of Hope...

  "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain."

 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11



  "Out of the fullness of His Grace, He has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another." John 1:16

I want to tell you a story today about a couple we know. They are friends from church. Some of you may know them, most of you will not.

He has cancer...terminal cancer...the doctors have given him a time limit to set his affairs in order...they can do nothing else for him...he is dying...Worse case scenario, right?

My story is about them...

Steve & I had lunch with them last Sunday & although we know them from church & knew a little about them, we really didn't know much about their lives or who they are.

I don't know exactly how old they are...I am guessing close to our ages ( Steve & I ) . They have grown children & grandchildren.

He was a Master Carpenter for many years...due to circumstances with his health & the direction that the business was taking, he made a decision to stop doing what he had done most of his life (and what he loved, I would assume)...and after that, had several other jobs, including assistant pastor at a church they were attending. It was while he was there, that his life took a different turn. Someone in his church, knew how much he loved children & suggested that he would make a good teacher...so he decided that that would be his career.

He went back to school - for SIX years - to get his teaching degree, all the while battling cancer & other health issues. He has only been teaching 4 years. Like I said, I don't know how old they are, but if I use my age as the timeline, that would mean that he made a life changing career choice, when he was around 52, maybe a little older, maybe a little younger... all the while fighting a disease that he had no control over ~ with tests, treatments, shots, etc, etc...that make you tired & sick & ready to give up everyday! Amazing!

I was actually in awe of this man & his ability to keep going & I ask him, as we sat at lunch, "How are you feeling now?". He said, "Pretty good right now - I'm just taking one day at a time."

None of us know how long we have left in this world...but we all have hope that it is a lot longer...He doesn't have many more days left, if he listens to the doctors opinions...but I have a feeling that he doesn't. :)  

He knows that His Lord is in control & can cure him tomorrow or the "last day/last hour/last minute", if that is His will, but if it is not His will, then I think he is ready to go home.

That he lives his life to the best & the fullest every day, teaching "his kids" and loving the time he has left with them & with his family, those are the things I will remember from that lunch. It was a lesson for me.

I took two things away from the time spent with these two amazing friends. 1) No matter how bad we think our lives are - there is always someone who has more problems, more worries. 2) We are given a certain number of days...no one knows how many that is...if you squander them on unimportant things, your life will be over & you will not have lived - for yourself OR for the Lord.

This man, with all his health problems & battles with cancer, chose to take a different path & God has blessed him with kids that he is making an impact on every day, because of the way he lives his life.

I only hope that I can do as well.

**********************

"Follow me one step at a time. That is all I require of you. In fact, that is the only way to move through this space/time world. You see huge mountains looming and you start wondering how you are going to scale those heights. Meanwhile, because you're not looking where you're going, you stumble on the easy path where I am leading you now. As I help you get back on your feet, you tell me how worried you are about the cliffs up ahead. But you don't know what will happen today, much less tomorrow. Our path may take an abrupt turn, leading you away from those mountains. There may be an easier way up the mountains than is visible from this distance. If I do lead you up the cliffs, I will equip you thoroughly for that strenuous climb. I will even give My angels charge over you, to preserve you in all your ways.

Keep your mind on the present journey, enjoying My Presence. Walk by faith, not by sight, trusting Me to open up the way before you." ~ Jesus Calling  (2/1/12)

"We learn to be victorious by surrendering our lives to God, not by grinding our teeth and trying harder." ~ Beth Moore 

"Search for the Lord and for His strength and keep on searching." ~ Psalm 105:4

"That is why we live by believing and not by seeing." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:7

"The Lord is my light and my salvation - so why should I be afraid? The Lord protects me from danger - so why should I tremble?" ~ Psalm 27:1

1/6/12 - I Forgot to Ask...

 "Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain."

 

 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

 "Out of the fullness of His Grace, He has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another." John 1:16

Yesterday was a pretty bad day for me. I have been sick with a really bad head/chest cold since a couple of days after Christmas. I'm pretty sure that's the reason I have been more achy & SO much more tired (I feel like I could sleep all day, every day). But when you have been "sick", the way I have been sick for the last 9 months, you mind always races to the most negative thoughts. Maybe the bone marrow biopsy is inconclusive because the lymphoma is still there, maybe it has come back in the rest of my body...on & on.

After I had the 4th treatment in August, I was my normal achy self for about a month, then at the end of September, when I hadn't had a treatment for almost two months, I felt great...very few aches, a lot of energy - more than I have had in years.

SO I was hoping that December would be the same. Of course, I had to have the shots in my stomach after the 5th treatment to boost my white count, so I could have the bone marrow biopsy in December and those made me more achy than I thought was humanly possible to be! 

So I thought maybe that's why I wasn't "bouncing back" with all this energy that I had in September, then December came & I was busy decorating & shopping & cooking and I thought that's why I wasn't bouncing back. Then I got sick right after Christmas and that has been my life for the last two weeks - coughing, runny nose, sore throat, etc. etc.. Since my immune system is down, I'm sure this hit me harder & longer than it would have otherwise, but finally it just got the best of me...yesterday.

All day long, my thoughts turned to the negative...I was sad, teary-eyed, depressed, basically a miserable human being... 

Then this morning, I sat down to do my quiet time. This is the order that I read my books - "Jesus Calling", "Beth Moore", "Moments of Peace for the Morning" and then my "One Year Bible".

Right off, God spoke to me in the "Jesus Calling" book:

"I am able to do far beyond all that you ask or imagine. Come to Me with positive expectations, knowing that there is no limit to what I can accomplish. Ask My Spirit to control your mind, so that you can think great thoughts of Me. Do not be discouraged by the fact that many of your prayers are yet unanswered. Time is the trainer, teaching you to wait upon Me, to trust Me in the dark. The more extreme your circumstances, the more likely you are to see My Power and Glory at work in the situation. Instead of letting difficulties draw you into worrying, try to view them as setting the scene for My glorious intervention. Keep your eyes and your mind wide open to all that I am doing in your life."

And the Bible verses that go with today (in that book) - also were so relevant to me:

"Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope. May He be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages. Amen"  Ephesians 3:20-21

"If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace."  Romans 8:6

"Even youths will become exhausted and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:30-31

Ok, I'm starting (again) to see the pattern...

Then,  I read the "Beth Moore" devotion book for January 6. She writes: "We are wise to remind one another never to forget who we are and never to forget who we're not." 

and 

"Help me to be humble before You, Lord, because the life of the proud will eventually and undoubtedly become very hard." 

Now my problem is not pride, but it is stubbornness sometimes ~ trying to take care of problems alone, without calling on God for help. I realized that I had suffered all through the day, yesterday & never once thought to ask for help getting through the day...

I forgot...

it wasn't that I didn't think it was important enough to ask for help...

I just forgot to ask...

I have been doing so much better & really feel, most of the time, that I am in complete remission, that I had forgotten that I can ask for help - not only with the huge things that weigh me down, but with the tiny things, too. Just feeling bad, sort of depressed, a little scared - not from anything that really has happened, but just from my own mind, playing up the "sick" card  - over & over again yesterday...just because I have not gotten my strength back yet (probably just from this cold). That sneaky little devil really finds your weakest spot & goes in for the kill, doesn't he?

"Then Jesus said, Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly and the burden I give you is light."  Matthew 11:28-30

I sat in my quiet time place and cried & ask for forgiveness that I had "forgotten" to ask for help. He is so eager and willing to help us in every situation and many times we forget, because it is not a "big" issue, something we feel like we can handle or work out on our own. But I have to put myself into His place ~ if it was one of my children & they had a small problem, wouldn't I want to be there for them, to walk with them through it, to hold their hand, to give advice?? How much more does He want to do for us, our Heavenly Father? I think it hurts Him when we don't ask for help or "forget" to ask, like I did yesterday. How much better my day would have gone, if I had only thought to ask.

After I finally figured this out & went on with my reading, in the next devotion book "Moments of Peace for the Morning", I read this:

"One of God's wonderful attributes is that He does not change - which is why you can have absolute confidence in Him and patiently wait for whatever He has promised you. God has never misled anyone and He has never failed to fulfill His promise. Though sometimes He will allow you to wait in order to build your faith, His promise remains sure." 

and the prayer - "Dear God, this is the light I keep for the dark times - you never change. Thank you for the promises that you are perfecting for me. Amen."

As I have written several times, I had a promise early on, that this journey would come to a positive end for me & that I would be ok. Sometimes I lose sight of that...like yesterday...but He always leads me back, even if I forget to ask.