Welcome!

Hi there,

Welcome to my blog. My hope is that a look into someone else's home might be able to encourage you not to feel so lonely inside your own. We are all connected. We would be even more connected if we thought outside the physical realm and allowed ourselves to be healed spiritually. That’s where you’ll find the true strength to carry on! Here is a link on how to do that: http://www.licoc.org/Gospel/Gospel.htm

Friday, July 31, 2009

Friendship

Today is July 31,2009 4:26 p.m., my hope is I always remember this moment...

Friendship is co-operative and supportive behavior between two or more people. In this sense, the term connotes a relationship which involves mutual knowledge, esteem, and affection and respect along with a degree of rendering service to friends in times of need or crisis. Friends will welcome each other's company and exhibit loyalty towards each other, often to the point of altruism. Their tastes will usually be similar and may converge, and they will share enjoyable activities. They will also engage in mutually helping behavior, such as exchange of advice and the sharing of hardship. A friend is someone who may often demonstrate reciprocating and reflective behaviors. Yet for many, friendship is nothing more than the trust that someone or something will not harm them.

Value that is found in friendships is often the result of a friend demonstrating the following on a consistent basis:

the tendency to desire what is best for the other,
sympathy and empathy,
honesty, perhaps in situations where it may be difficult for others to speak the truth, especially in terms of pointing out the perceived faults of one's counterpart,
mutual understanding.

(*The above copyrighted material was taken from wipkedia.org when researching the word friendship. I have no claim on this material. The soul purpose of reproducing it here is for informative purposes only.)

My thoughts:
Many of us are so busy looking for friendship in all the wrong places that we fail to realize the true meaning of friendship is love. The Lord allowed us to have friendship to strengthen us. Often times we fail at it because we fail to remember that we ourselves need to be consistent, we are ourselves need to be reliable and we ourselves need to reciprocate. Then and only then will we partake in the joy of friendship, the peace that it brings in the storms the symbol it stands for as a reflection of God's love. I have to say I am so blessed to have experienced real relationships. Ones that have spurred me, have lifted me high. I’d like to take this moment to honor those individuals and be grateful I have them, because not everyone is even fortunate enough to know something so awesome. I hope to look back on this blog entry and be thankful, be appreciative and be satisfied with what we have. Especially on the days where the physical pain is trying to convince me I am isolated and a lone. Not only do I have amazing friends that stand by me when times are good but more importantly they don't mind walking in my rain, they welcome being by my side during my storm, and I must say the same concerning theirs. And so for that I am very thankful. Thank you Lord.

1.Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times....
1 Samuel 18:3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself
1 John 4:7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Family:Forever +A+ Mighty+ Indication (of)+ Love +Your (way God)

It’s such a shame when you can’t see without glasses. In the exhaustion of the night I took off my contacts without having everything laid before me only to search frantically for my glasses because I was minus hubby’s assistance for the night. I didn’t realize how much he helps me with even the little things like my evening fumbles with glasses, LOL. Just another way I am reminded to be thankful that he’s in my life. I miss that funny boy so very much on late nights such as these, but it just makes his return home so much sweeter.

Well, here I am again going such long strides without blogging. I am hopeful to get back into a flow of things when the fall comes, but for now I’d like to be more free spirited about things. We just finished an amazing road trips that was more than refreshing and greatly appreciated. We are so thankful to the Father for the time with family and one another. It was our first road trip and we spent time in four different states along the way. What an adventure.

Both hubby and I were amazed by the endurance of the children. I have to say with so many stops it wasn’t that bad a voyage. Our only down side was the little ones needed constant bathroom breaks and my migraines kept inducing car sickness, but we kept our spirits up. The girls had tons of fun with their cousins, Aunts and Uncles, and the alone time we spent as a family was more than special. We really miss their Dad at times so it was really hard sharing him with the world through out the trip. We had an amazing time at one of our stops, the one which involves the Famous mouse with the dog and good friends. It was the first time in a long time that we did all four theme parks.

There is something truly magical about that place. My oldest on one ride filled with lots of white background props “it’s a small World” asked….”Mommy is this what Heaven will look like!!!”…. I replied, “No Honey it will look even better!”… she was still in thought about her Daddy King along the journey. Despite going to one park in 105 degree weather, hee!hee! For the most part the weather was better than expected. We thought the heat would overwhelm us, but we were all good. (Huge cooler lots of water) We were so blessed to get so many beautiful shots of them there. The girls get braver as each year passes. We went on one ride that simulates a hang glider and I was more than proud of my littlest who never even flinched. It’s not that she wasn’t nervous or in awe of the authenticity of it all she just really submits to the power of trust. We told her before hand it was nothing to fear and that we would be right a long side her the whole time and what did she do…trust. What a little example.

Well, let me run, I am really trying to make progress with the book I am writing. As a writer I know I am suppose to be taking advantage of late nights and odd free time such as these, but I have stalled a bit from all the change we are under going right now in my home. Hopefully, when the girls start school I will pound the rest out and we can share the adventure that has lived in my head since the first night I sat under the big tree of my home when I moved here three years ago. The way the purple light hit the sky as the warm light began to turn into the nights dark spawned the birth of a whole host of characters for me, that I have come to love and hope others will love also as I attempt to do them justice by telling their story on paper.


So the summer vaca journey finally came nad is now over and it's back to reality. However, reality is as good as you make it. We may be returning to the real world with all of it's many problems and financiall stressors, but along the way we were refreshed to have had this time with the Lord and know he is always with us and that he gave us one another as we wait for His return.

Proverbs 15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Rescue from the Waters....

It takes a wonderful kind of person to become a water rescuer. To be willing to endanger one’s own life to come and save a person that’s potentially drowning in a sea of water. That rescuer has a whole plan of salvation and is quite capable of executing it, but they need the other person’s cooperation. Sometimes in a panic in the struggle against the water current a person’s fears can interfere with the rescue plan. Often they end up pulling the person doing the saving under the water with them. In a panicked effort to stay in control they end up causing more harm than good. Despite knowing about the potential of the danger that lies ahead that rescuer still moves forward with their plan of rescue. They are willing to give up their very life in an attempt to save this person, a simple stranger.

It’s like that movie the Guardian. After watching it I had such a true appreciation for water rescuers. For all the ways that the United States Coast Guard work to save human life from drowning. It profoundly affected me on a spiritual level to be eternally grateful for the True water rescuer my Sweet Daddy King. He’s helping me grow and stretch farther than I've ever imagined before, and so I praise Him.

Whew! This has been a long two weeks. I've pinched my self several times, but nope...I'm not dreaming, LOL, so onward through Him I press. God has been teaching me so much. Especially about all the ways I need to grow in trusting Him fully. Now clearly we can’t pull God under water with us, but He has made tremendous sacrifice to save us and we owe it to Him to trust that he knows what He is doing. I’m thankful for how he has continued to patiently teach me over the last sixteen years that it will always be about relinquishing complete control. He doesn’t need my help; if I stay out of his way he’s got this. He’s not going to let me drown.

Lord help me this day to continue to trust in all you do. Help me to avoid trying to understand and just trust in your ultimate plan. To not give in to panic and look for away to get out of the water, but to stay calm and just wade in it, to take comfort in the fact that I can see you on the approach and know “troubles don’t last always” this will pass. You my King are good and perfect and I know there is no better rescuer to get me out of the raging waters; in fact you’ve already saved me from them, it’s all good. Psalm 144:7 (New International Version)Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters...

Friday, March 20, 2009

Not my Will but Thine...

Yikes, can’t believe I stopped blogging for four months. I can’t imagine if I tried to recap the last several months, so I really won’t bother. (That’d be crazy…I thought I shared too much when I was writing regularly, LOL.) Many things have changed, many plans have been reworked, many prayers have been answered, and many things are still up in the air. All and all Jesus my Lord has remained the same through it all. I am so thankful for the Father’s love.

A lot of the time, not always, but a lot of the time we live in a fantasy world where we think we just can’t be touched by certain things. “Oh no that could never happen to me,” “oh no not to my child,” “Nah, my family won’t have to worry about that” when in fact as long as we remain in these fragile shells we call bodies any and all things can and might very well happen to us. We are not immune just because we feel we should be. This past month I’ve been called really high; challenged to do some things I just thought would never have to be an option for me and thought it’s surreal it’s nothing compared to the joys of Heaven…so I wait on Him.

There have been a few sudden changes that have made me feel like someone has kicked me in the chest and knocked the wind out of me. However, like I always say, this world is not my home. So why act like it is? As much as the Devil desires to sift me like wheat thankfully the Father has been maintaining my joy. (Trust me it’s been a tall order with my yucky emotions constantly interfering.) I really don’t even like to imagine where my mind would be without the Father’s guardianship of it. So I am sitting tight, going with God’s flow, learning to rest in His arms through it all.
Job 5:16-18
16 So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.17 "Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.18 For He wounds, but He also binds up; He injures, but His hands also heal.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

My True Thanks Giving

Ever feel your attempts at communicating the emotions that accompany the exhaustion in your heart are just plain feeble? Sometimes it's just beyond your words to express the isolation that your individual experiences can lead you to on those coarser days. There's a sadness that begins to settle when you realize the weather patterns not changing, so you better put on your raincoat and raise your umbrella because this will be a long storm.

I've known those feeling and I've always thanked the Father for teaching me that those feelings are a misconception. They are like illusions. Lies of the heart that the Devil uses to separate us from the Father's loving hand. They cannot and will not reflect the certainty of Joy that comes from resting in the Father's love. Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."

Now that's not to say we aren't surrounded by flesh. So for the most part many of us (maybe not all, but for most of us) we'll need to discard the lies of the flesh so that we can press on. Those feelings will come, but the challenge for those of us who believe is to release them and instead cling to what is real & lasting. Philippians 3:3 "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh."

I am always so profoundly impressed when the Father equips me to stand in His love. Job 36:15 "But those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them in their affliction." What a remarkable strength that clearly surpasses my own. A renewal that can only come from a parent's affirming love. No matter what type of up bringing we 've had, no matter who we looked at for parental guidance we were always strongest when we received reassuring love. A great example of that is in Luke 15:20 (The example of the Prodigal Son) "So he got up and went to his father.... But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." What loving mercy.

My Faith deepens each and every time the Lord chooses to personally come down and rescue me, even when it's from myself at times. Isaiah 66:11-16. What protection, what generosity like no other. Don't you just love it when you know sometimes all the aspects of your day were specifically designed to refresh you?... to get you to hold on. To protect your grip from slipping. He doesn't have to do that. He doesn't have to repeatedly demonstrate His love (I mean come one he gave us Jesus already) but he does. Sometimes it's in a babies smile, or your children's laughter, or the Churches' voice singing, or in the pages of the bible, or revealed in answered prayer. Perhaps it's in a hug without words, or a listening ear, or a loved ones forgiveness, or your forgiveness to that loved one. All of it, big and small, a design of love from God. I thank you Father this day. I truly do.

See He doesn't accuse; He doesn't grow impatient; He just reaches down and takes hold of us. Now if that's not giving I don't know what is. That my friends is exactly why I had a wonderful Thanks Giving Holiday.

Love you Daddy!
Philippians 3 (continued...) vs.7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Until the end...

What a privilege it is to hear about the journey other's take in life. Thanks to another blogger, who I visited with multiple times this past two days! (through written word), I was inspired to journal a little today. (Thank you to that special someone for sharing your life with all of us).

How blessed are we, God's creation that is. In an often lonely, overwhelming, frustrating, heavy laden world the Father reaches down his sweet hands to comfort us... And individually for that matter. Wow! What a great effort. Imagine knowing how to perfectly manage each and every one of your relationships with a perfect love that shows no error. The mere thought makes my already fried brain ache, LOL. But Daddy God does indeed do it perfectly. What love, what constant care. Thank you Father Daddy.

Today I read a scripture that I love...1 Chronicles 29:10-13..."Praise be to you, O Lord God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. ...In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give power to all. Now, our God we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name."

To that I say Amen!

Now in that scripture David was sharing, through prayer, all that he can express and all that he is through God's loving hand, but this sentiment reminded me to reflect on Paul. Early on after his conversion Paul came to the realization that life will be full of affliction. He was lead by the Spirit to know this to be the case for him in particular. However, like David, Paul must have had a good understanding of the rewards of God's love. Paul must have trusted God's love for Him and in how it would carry him through. He refused to let anything in this life stop Him from serving the Father. Acts20:24 "I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.

That is such an awesome example. They both were (Paul and David) when it comes to intimacy with God. I pray I can continually be trained by all I am experiencing here. I pray that God will give me the strength and the passion to constantly step to the side so I can work to share his truths with others. I pray that I might edify and love others...that I may minister to my family and sing his Glorious praises. I pray I hold out and hold on. I had a wonderful prayer today with a Sister who often feels isolated because of the pain she endures. We both experienced God's loving hand by the end of that prayer. We both were able to walk away feeling strengthened and recognizing no matter what we want to fight until the end. I want to be on God's side when the war is over. We might get knocked down a few times during the battle but in the end if we stand firm, if we never forfeit the objective, it will be well worth it.

Monday, October 20, 2008

One minute this, the next minute that...thankful to those who stay the same in between it all

What an astounding month it has been, blessed with wonderful family and friends to spur me a long. I spent lots of time and fellowship in the name of “Birthday” this month and it was not only humbling, but also reassuring of Gods love…. I went out multiple times this month with hubby, the kids, and several of my closest girlfriends. Oh, the carefree laughs we had, it was truly Spirit lifting. Sickness often leaves you feeling isolated but I can not capitulate such heart lead emotion knowing I am so richly loved. I praise the Father for all of them.

Let me take this time to leave here an update about my thoughts on the surgery. During one of those blessed outings with one of my girlfriends I went to see a fairly good movie. I could have passed on some of the direction of the movie, but the emphasis on appreciating real love (one that you hold out for) was wonderfully executed… I think I will read the book even though I prefer to do that in the reverse order. Any who, I digress, one of the very small side dialogues that transpired in the movie between the main character and one of his patient’s spouses made me realize where I stand right now.

I am not as acceptant to the idea of surgery as I had thought I was becoming. This wasn’t some revelation at the movie theater. I had been wavering on it for weeks since not too many surgeons are listed as preforming it as of yet. I asked God to make it clear what I should do for the duration. I believe He did that for me through not only this movie, but more importantly from the encouragement and advice of several love ones. Hubby, my amazing rock, was in support of either decision so to that end, I’m not too disappointed. To be frank I was more enthused about the break through of new options for this chronic condition then the timeframe it could be preformed. We’ll see in the future if the Lord will lead me back to this.

In the meantime, the good news (well not good, but informative) is that the neck MRI, showed something. Two bulging disk, some curvature issues, blah, blah, blah, etc, etc. (I stopped listening for a while.) It was like she became one of Charlie Brown's teachers talking. I didn't care about all the words; it was just nice someone affirmed that there was a problem. It was not the cause of my migraines as I had hope she would conclude, but at least I now know I need to be more careful with the neck. Apparently it is not uncommon for migraine sufferers to spasm in that area due to all the extra swelling that goes on. Similar to my back issues, the key will be better maintenance as to prevent further injury. To help that a long I was given a script to start physical therapy A.S.A.P. (my sweet doctor thinking I live in a perfect world, ha!ha!ha! I’ll still need to work out the kinks of “stay at home Mom/hubby works in Manhattan” to see how that will get done.) Nevertheless, I’m not going to stress over it.

We waste so much time on the unimportant things. Not that we shouldn’t make every effort to get ourselves healthy but I meant more so the customary things. I don't want the tedious things to be what drives me. Too many of us find ourselves concentrating all our energies maneuvering life in these shells we call our bodies and then getting frustrated when they fail or betray us. All of that serves as a growing reminder that these bodies won’t be our eternal dwellings. (Thank God for that, I’m spent.) I am anticipating something greater.

God has made promises to us based on a better existence. When he brings me to Heaven He’ll take care of all the rest. I look forward to that (when ever that turns out to be). I don't mean to sound morbit but I often pray to the Father, "Lord I'm ready," but another good girlfriend this "birthday month" gave me a beautiful card in somewhat oposition of that. I won't share what was in it, however I will say this, she encouraged me to celebrate while I'm still here. To continue to cherish the time I have sharing God's word and spending time with the loved ones He has provided for me. Not only is that just what I plan on doing, but she and a couple of other folks I love dearly block my prayers anyway, hee!hee!(... not the prayers when I long for Jesus return, we all want that, just the part about me trying to leave here quicker. I haven't created too many fans with that line of praying no matter how hard I try, smile.)

In all seriousness, the Father's really been helping me to welcome the ups and downs that come in my life, to stop focusing on the disadvantages my health gives us, and concentrate on the good times I share with loved ones. Let me now also thank you Lord for this special "birthday" month, for my life, for keeping me here to celebrate.... Those heart lead prayers when I try to get Him to take me sooner are actually selfish. I don't say it out loud often enough but I love my hubby, my girls, my family, and my sweet girlfriends. That might not take all the pains away but it sure taste like sweet medicine in the meantime.

Proverbs 17:22 A cheerful heart is good medicine but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Thank you to all my sweet team members, for loving me, for believing in me, for honoring me, and for standing with me through it all! You guys rock!
I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself....A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself. -David Herbert Lawrence