A Simple Prayer

A simple prayer on a walk home.
A miracle the following day was shown.
A friend was sent from many miles.
A friend to share so many smiles.
A blessing bestowed upon us all.
A simple prayer that was oh so small.

Beautiful Blessings - 8/7/16

~ waking up to sunlight out my window

~ cookies in Sunday School perfectly describing the ways God answers prayer

~ resting and blogging between church and work

~ having John with me when we went to prompt care for my asthma attack

~ ending the night with a grilled cheese for dinner

Beautiful Blessings - 1/17/16

~ Coloring to relax and destress this afternoon. I love how this turned out!

~  A grilled cheddar cheese sandwich which reminds me of Great Grandma because she loved cheddar cheese!

~ Peach passion tea! Another of Grandma's favorite things <3

~ Scripture convicting me on many a thing....

~ Seeing God work in my life...quietly but always working <3 

Beautiful Blessings - 1/12/16

~ Hungrily devouring a few chapters of "The Phantom of the Opera"!

~ Realizing how much I missed reading!

~ Catching up with many old friends today!

~ Seeing prayers answered in their lives!

~ Achy sore muscles from dance yesterday! Literally a pain, but they make me happy! God is good!!

1 Chronicles 16:34

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Beautiful Blessings - 1/7/16

~ Finishing the first chapter in my math book!

~ Having a bit of help from John with it!

~ Being surrounded and lifted up with prayer warriors who prayed for me today as I wasnt doing very well <3 So grateful for these young women!

~ Seeing the stars on this beautiful clear night!<3 I could even see my favorites, the Pleaides!

~ Feeling satisfied with my accomplishments and calling it a day!

Stuck Doing Math - Beautiful Blessings 1/6/16

Inwardly my insides are screaming that I am doing mind numbing business math when I have so much to do on my to-do list. But God has a purpose and if my purpose right now is to do business math, then thats what I will do!

~ Getting 2 more units done in chapter one of Buisness math!
~ Many cups of tea today!
~ Listening to amazing music at a mini concert at the Elbridge Library!
~ And mentally choreographing dances to the beautiful music!
~ Being sent these verses....thanks girlie!!! <3

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by 

name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I 

will be with you; through the rivers, they shall not

 overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not

 be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am

 the LORD your God, the Holy One, Your Savior" 

Isaiah 43:1-4

Mono: Seven Things I Have Learned!

As we near the 9th month since I came down with mono last winter, I was thinking back about all that happened, and all that I learned. How am I doing now? Well, I'm still getting migraines. I'm slowly regaining my stamina and strength. Its taking a while, but as Ive told several people, God will heal me completely in His timing! So now, Id like to discuss seven things Ive learned while having, and recovering from, mono!

1. Mono is very depressing to have. You cant go anywhere. You have no energy. You watch everything you love to do fall by the wayside. I got very depressed during the mono. I remember I would just cry some days in my bed because I didn't feel up to doing anything else. Sometimes even getting dressed made me cry! Praise God for the day He came to me, held my hand, and got me out of the depression! Isaiah 41:13 was an incredible encouragement! As I read through my journal during this time, I wasn't very depressed on the outside...and it wasn't until God pulled me out that I realized just how much I was! God is so very good! 
2. Sleep. Constantly. Tired. Exhaustion. You actually grow to dislike being in your bed because you're in it so much. And the couch for that matter. And sleep....golly when I first had the pneumonia (got that first during all this illness) I remember one day I slept 9 hours, got up for 3 or 4, went to bed for another 5 and was up for another 3 or 4 before I went back to bed for the night. You actually count down hours until you get to take a nap. I also recall a day in which I was thinking about the future and planning naps, 3-5 YEARS in advance! (Not normal for me, in case you want to know. lol!)
3. I said this a little in the first thing, but, you miss out on a lot. I missed dance, and Church! I couldn't do St. Patrick's Day, and ended up not doing my ballet recital either. I went to Irish Step once during all this, and my teacher told me I looked dreadful...which I did! It was very hard for me to give up dance! I missed Church for 7 (or so!) weeks in a row! And when I first started going to Church again, sometimes I had to go home early because I felt so bad. 
4. I missed seeing people during this. I had one friend who would come and visit a couple times a week, and I was so thankful for that! I didn't have a lot of energy, but its always nice to have someone to chat with for a little while. Some friends came from out of time during this, but I couldn't spend much time with them because I just felt so dreadful. I did spend a couple hours with them one afternoon, but when I got home I went to bed for the same amount of time! I was so thankful when my birthday came! I started planning it in early March so I had something to look forward to! I got to dress up and spend the evening out with my friends! I was wiped out the next day but it was worth it!
   
5. God changed me during this! My faith is much stronger than it was when it started! As I read through my journal, preparing for my post, I was amazed to see how much I praised God through it all! God was faithful through every bump and trial! (2 Thessalonians 3:3) He helped me through all the tests I had! I was scared when I had all the various tests scheduled for various things, but God gave me a boldness! Psalm 138:3! As my one friend told me, during this, I went from being a scared chicken to a bold bunny!
6. Prayer! Prayer is so important! It kept me together as it was one of the few things I could do! I was able to pray for others as well! I also (and still am) was so thankful for the people at Church who prayed hard for me while I was sick. Some of them still are praying for me since I'm still battling the migraines. Prayer is powerful. Never doubt the power of prayer! Prayer has gotten me this far through this chapter of my life, and it got me through all the battles. Ephesians 6:12 comes to mind. I am so thankful for prayer!
7. Encouragement kept me going! Notes, birthday cards, get well cards, emails, messages, hugs, small gifts, time to nap from Mom, pictures from the kids, and so much more was such a blessing! God was so good throughout it all! 

God was so good, is so good, and continues to do so much for me! Psalm 116:12 comes to mind. So many things to be thankful for about the mono! I grew spiritually, it happened during my junior year of high school instead of my senior, and just the fact God is always with me...will never leave me or forsake me! So I can say with confidence, the Lord is my helper! (Hebrews 13:5-6 if you want to look up the exact verses!) Through the trials you're going through right now, remember God is with you! Turn to Him and ask Him to help you! As I end this, I shall leave you with 2 Corinthians 12:8-10. It was one of my favorite passages throughout this!

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (ESV)

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

Other posts about my mono and pneumonia:

Pneumonia, and Why I'm Thankful For It

A Mono-logue!

Beautifull Blessings - 9/23/15

~ Seeing God answer prayer!

~ Watching people enjoy the beautiful day with biking, fishing, walking, and spending time with their grandkids!

~ The fact its the first day of fall!!!

~ Sour Cream Glazed donut holes!

~ T-bug's excitement about being twinsies!

Overcome

(the neighbor's cat)

There is a cat. She's a cat of our neighbor's, but she has decided that she needs to be as annoying as possible to us and our cats. She's a sweet petite thing I will admit, but she thinks that we're now part of her family. I think she'd live with us if she could. How did she get this way? Subtly, very subtly.

We knew she was our neighbor's cat, so when she came in our yard the other day, she was welcomed warmly. A mistake on our part, I will admit. We enjoyed petting her, and watching her roam our yard. And within a few short hours, we realized our mistake. She doesn't get along with our cats for one thing, and when we tried to get her out of our yard, she refused.

When her owner came, he tried to take her home a couple different times, yet she still returned. She sneaked herself into our yard and next thing you know, she'd be laying in the middle of the garden, or staring down one of our cats. Now trying to keep her out of the yard is proving to be a difficult task. We like the sweet kitty, but she needs to stay with her family. Today alone I've already had to shoo her home a few different occasions.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. ~ 1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV)

Sin and temptations are the same way. They worm their way into our lives, and when we realize what's happening, they can be a pain to remove from our lives. Just like the cat, we need to be on guard for when the temptation returns. It's not a sin per-say, but something in my life that is like this is stubbornness. Oh, can I be stubborn!

Over the past several months it's something I've truly noticed, and with some prayer & work on God's part, I'm slowly trying to overcome it. Let me say it is so easy to be stubborn. In fact it's painful not to be stubborn. So then I have to make a choice, do I stay stubborn or do I yield & submit? It's hard to decide sometimes, but God's way is best.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. ~ Ephesians 6:21 (NIV)

If you just leave the sin and temptations in your life, it's just like letting that pesky cat roam into your yard and doing nothing to remove it. But, if you pray, stand firm, and remove them, then bit by bit, you can overcome them. Some of them will be pesky and continue to test you. Stubbornness is still testing me, and quite possibly always will. Three verses come to mind.

Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. ~ 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (ESV)

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. ~ John 16:33 (ESV)

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ~ 1 John 5:4 (ESV)

So today I challenge you to take some time to think, pray, and ask God what in your life needs to be removed. What do you need to overcome? It is a hard, yes. But! It is worth it! 

Pneumonia and why I'm thankful for it!

Nearly 2 weeks ago, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Pneumonia is not fun, in case you want to know. You're exhausted, your lungs ache, and you just feel blah! Today I actually feel like I'm getting better. It's rather nice I must say, and while I could talk about my pneumonia, I'd rather talk about some things I find amazing and I'm so thankful for!

First of all, people who have been praying for me! So many of my friends, my family, my parents' friends and people from Church have been praying for me! To know that people care that much about you is truly amazing. For all of you who have been praying, thank you. It means so much to me!

Secondly, my friends have been a big source of encouragement! From quick "how are you?", to long emails full of alliterations, to listening to my ceaseless chatter, or even coming over for a visit, it's been so encouraging! I'm so thankful for their encouraging words, verses they've shared and just giving me something to laugh about! (Even though laughing really hurt for a while....  ;~)They've been such a blessing to me! Thank you, my dear friends, for everything you've done!

Thirdly, my family, specifically my parents. They've let me get in extra naps when I've needed them. They've given me space to just sit quietly to rest. They've gone out on snowy nasty days to get my medicine, and freezing-cold days take me to the doctor's. They have done so much for me. Thank you Mom and Dad!!

This pneumonia has been a test of my patience. I've wanted to do things, go out to the library/post office, help around the house, etc., but I've been unable to. Instead it's given me a chance to sit, and study my Bible. It's given me a chance to spend time in prayer and pray for others. I've even been able to encourage others which is hard to do when one is busy. I'm very thankful for this time of quietness. God is so good!

(Two little munchkins hopped on my lap while I was resting one day. They were cold from playing outside and ready for some delicious hot chocolate!!)

Shoveling!

(Posing next to the snowbank...I'm 5'8" for a comparison)

Heehee! We've got snow. We've got a lot of snow. In fact, I shoveled at least 320 cubic feet of snow yesterday. I must say, it was quite pleasant. Actually, to be perfectly honest, I love shoveling. It astounds a few of my friends, which I find quite funny. I chatted a bit with my neighbor while I shoveled and he shoveled. He asked if my Dad was out driving home from work at the time, and I said that he was. My neighbor reminded me how awful that stretch of road has been. In fact, my family and I drove on it the other day when we went to the Saranac Lake Ice Festival this past weekend. God was with us on the way home. The weather was icky and the roads were slick, but God kept us safe and we made it home! It continues to amaze me how God takes care of us in so many different ways. As I continued to shovel, I paused to watch the sparrows. We have quite a few that live in the ivy of our house. I will admit, I stood there whistling to them. It was so peaceful just listening to them chirp and chatter among themselves. My neighbor commented on the fact that they must stay warm from the insulation of the ivy. About 20 minutes later, Matthew 6:26 came to mind. Shoveling was tough as this snow was hard and heavy, but I persevered and did it! It was interesting to watch my neighbors interact. My one neighbor came home, and couldn't even get in his driveway. So my other neighbor who I had been talking to, let him park in his driveway until they could shovel and plow it. Shoveling is hard, it requires a lot of energy, but in the end, it's worth it. You get to clear away shovel-fulls of snowflakes, each unique, each are like a sparkling crystal, each imperfectly perfect, and each created by God. Watching the dusk fall, and the night arrive, was beautiful! It was cold to start off, but by the end, I was warm and toasty from working. Snow is so beautiful, and so enjoyable. I love winter and everything about it! Enjoy winter, for it is a beautiful time of year!

Praying During Times of Trouble

 James 5:13 (ESV)

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

With that being said, I could end it there. Instead I'm going to share with you some things I've learned from a man named Habakkuk.

Habakkuk was struggling. A lot trouble, evil, and suffering was going in the land of Judah. When he saw the trouble going on, he cried out to God with questions. Why was God letting all these bad things happen? How could God allow these things to happen? (Habakkuk 1:2-4) God replied to Habakkuk's cries.

Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV)

Look among the nations, and see;
    wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
    that you would not believe if told.

Then God said to Habakkuk that he would be raising up their enemies to punish them. When he was told this, Habakkuk was confused. Why would God use evil to punish evil? 

Habakkuk 2:4 (ESV, italics mine) 

Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him,
    but the righteous shall live by his faith.

God told Habakkuk that they would be punished for their evil deeds. When Habakkuk heard this, he started to praise God through prayer (Habakkuk 3).

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
    he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.

To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

 So what was the point of all that? Habakkuk was going through hardships, yet he didn't desert God. Quite the opposite, he went to God and told him exactly what was on his mind. He listened to what God said, and accepted it with faith and praise. (I highly recommend that you read the book of Habakkuk on your own).

What about us? In John 16:33 it says that we will have troubles in life. It's inevitable. We all will go through troubles of some kind or nature. In Psalm 46:1 it says that God is our refuge and strength in times of trouble. So what should we do when we encounter trouble? We should go to God and tell him everything that's on our mind. Then we need to put our complete trust in him.

1 Peter 3:14-17 (ESV)

 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

When troubles come, trust in God. Pray and tell him what's on your heart. Let him guide you through the difficult times you encounter. 

I pray that this will encourage you not to give up when troubles come.

*This post took a while, as I wasn't sure what God wanted me to share with you. I had been praying about it when a friend mentioned they had been reading Habakkuk. It was an answer to prayer!*