Thankful Thursday

I've been sharing my list of things for which I'm thankful, piece by piece, as I become aware (or newly-aware) of them. The list grows far more rapidly than I can record, but once again, on Thursday, I'm posting a bit of the list that is most currently on my mind.

Thankfulness begins with the acknowledgement and recognition of the one true God. There is no valid thankfulness or gratitude without this awareness. So, here goes the list for this week...

I'm so thankful this week...

• that there is a God and LORD over all - I am an infinitesimally small speck, in the big picture
• that He beckons me to come to Him, to know Him -even though I'm so small
• that He alone gives all things - I have nothing that didn't come from Him
• that He grants forgiveness - whenever I ask, admitting failure and turning back
• that He LOVES unendingly- and shows ME how to love, giving me relationships with both loveable and those harder-to-love people
• that He allows me to recognize the blessings of:
  family and friends, "health" and "home", sunshine and rain.

Lyrics Tommy Walker lyrics - Only A God Like You lyrics

The WORD for Wednesday

"The LORD is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in him and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy

and I will give thanks to him in song."

Psalm 28:7 NIV

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Monday Musings...

Today, I had the privilege of witnessing a "complete turnaround" by my son who'd been having symptoms of vertigo. It was amazingly quick, and was not totally expected, so truly filled my heart with joy! I am SO thankful that the dizzying symptoms have cleared up!

Last week and over the weekend, my son with special needs had been too dizzy to stand alone or to walk straight - even with my help. If he were still a 2-year-old or 5-year-old... it would have presented me with different challenges. But my son is a young adult and, at 3 inches taller than I am, presented me with some maneuverability issues.

I've dealt with his strong seizures and with his weaknesses, but this lack of self-balancing reaction was brand new to both of us. I had to learn quickly and also to act forcefully, which isn't my typical "MO". I'm sure that at times my son was probably confused about why this quiet and gentle mother of his had suddenly become so forceful and insistent that he do things HER way. It was not what he wanted, and not what he had come to expect of me... and definitely NOT fun for him.

My son was in trouble. It was dangerous for him to carry on in "business as usual" mode. Left alone he would fall, bump into walls, miss the chair at the breakfast table, and crash into furniture pieces. I know this because he is harder to manage than he appears to be... and these things happened in the last few days.

Actually my son David normally needs my help, but more from a distance... giving verbal and gentle physical inputs to help him carry on his regular day. Only occasionally do I have to swoop in and "rescue him" from some danger or disaster he is about to cause. These last few days were NOT some of his regular days! I was compelled to come to his rescue often, and even forcefully (when, and in ways, he would not choose). I did it because I love him, and accept my role as his caregiver.

So, the LORD has been speaking to me in the silence these last few days - about HIS love for ME. And even more... about His rescuing me, even when I don't feel I need rescuing... and even forcefully rescuing me, when I am totally unaware of the dangers surrounding me. The LORD used this experience with my son David's vertigo to show me that, although I readily agree and submit as DEPENDENT upon Him(the LORD), the truth of the matter is... I have absolutely NO IDEA just how dependent I really, seriously am. And I have no clear understanding, either, of the magnitude of His love or of the joy He feels for my "recoveries".


My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

"I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

My help comes from the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all evil;

He will keep your life.

The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in

from this time forth, and forevermore."

Psalm 121 ~ESV

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Sunday Rest... Quiet Rest

"There is a place of quiet rest...
near to the heart of God..."

The words of the song remind us that quiet rest is found in becoming near to God... and that is done with personal time spent with Him. Nancy Leigh DeMoss has written a good book to help us understand more about this, and to address some of our excuses or hurdles faced when attempting to carve out a little "me & God" time in our busy lives. If you're looking for more motivation, I highly recommend this book!

THE PUBLISHER'S DESCRIPTION:
The God of the universe created us for fellowship with Himself. We realize this and long for that personal intimacy with God, but it often seems out of reach. Nancy Leigh DeMoss sheds light on the process of coming to know God intimately. In, "A Place of Quiet Rest" Nancy shares from her heart and life how a daily devotional time can strengthen your relationship with Christ. She addresses the common frustrations and pitfalls that most of us encounter in our devotional life, and makes practical suggestions for overcoming them.

Experience that place of quiet rest... everyday!

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Monday Musings...

Things I like …in no particular order

♥ ~flowers ~ good friends~the color pink, particularly rose-pink~ my hubby ~ fluffy pillows~ puzzles ~hand-crafted greeting cards ~crepe myrtles ~ scent of vanilla extract ~all sorts of music~ creaky rocking chairs ~ folding clothes ~ little girl's hairbows ~beautiful papers ~soft cuddly blankets or throws~ my camera ~ cinnamon toast ~my grandbabies ~handwritten personal letters ~warm fuzzy socks~ art museums ~ coffee ~lilies and irises~ comfy sweaters~family heirloom china~special old greeting cards ~ well written books ~the smell of freshly laundered sheets~ roses ~ brownies ~Mexican food ~ colorful scrapbooking papers ~ reading ~traditional furniture ~children’s books ~ ceiling fans ~ big hugs ~textured things ~old afghans made by my Grannies ~scenic paintings ~videos of Austin and Megan ~bookshelves~ vintage family quilts ~the sound of the wind in the trees ~ words ~the crinkled pages in my Bible at my favorite verses ~ hot tea ~ photographs of my grandbabies ~ labels on things ~journals ~shady pathways ~ shades of pink ~gazing into another’s eyes ~ two wonderful women who are my sons’ wives ~ Thanksgiving ~old books ~3/4 length sleeves ~ computer communications~ sensible shoes ~family meals ~ good conversation ~ peonies ~Christmas ornaments ~VBS ~my three grown sons~ fonts ~ homemade banana bread ~ my grandbabies (Did I mention that?) ~my family photos children’s smiles~old porch swings~bare feet~ ♥ a loving God, Jesus my Savior and Lord, and the Word of God ♥

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Tuesday's To Do List...

Today is a day in which I need to get lots of things done. That sometimes seems true for everyday at our house, but for some reason especially today. I'm tempted to just write about those things which could be identified as tasks related to the special needs in the family, but the truth is - I have those tasks plus all the regular or normal or "typical" things to get done as well.

Admitting that my "to do" list is considerably shorter than those parents who are also working in "paying jobs", here it is:

• assist young adult son in getting ready for and physically getting to his day program at UCP LINCPoint - he cannot do either without me
• order refills for the prescription drugs that give my son (and myself) a better life
• call the case worker assigned to my adult son's services through the state's Department of Health, and Department of MHMR which assists those with developmental challenges like my son's - we need her help to resolve a problem we have encountered in "the system"
• call and make a payment on special pharmaceutical drugs that are delivered to our home monthly
• call a friend of mine whom I've been neglecting to call, being sidetracked with life's challenges
• spend time cleaning at least one room of this house
• finish folding the laundry that came out of the dryer yesterday
• call a repairman for the electrical problem that we are having
• call a repairman for the appliance problem that we are having
• plot the appointment dates onto the family calendar - includes MY appointments as well as our son's appointments. I want to see where we can fit in our next trip to see our grandchildren in TX!
• call to cancel the appointment made "automatically" by the medical center's clinic, and reiterate, once again, that we cannot attend appointments on Wednesdays
• pick up the refills of prescription drugs and sort them into several containers that are dated and divided by time of day - so that in our haste we do not forget a dose of one of my son's required medications
• call a brother who is having disturbing vision problems
• pick up my young adult son and come home, an adventure of about an hour and a half
• work a few minutes on the project of getting the filed papers in our home organized - steadily making progress!
• do afternoon skin care routine for our young adult son, and other such required things
• okay, and brush my teeth, take MY vitamins, EAT something, 30-walk on treadmill, and 15 minutes outside for "fresh" air
• oh! THINK OF SOMETHING FOR SUPPER, and go ASAP to purchase the ingredients that I can't find in the pantry

That's quite a list, and it's not everything - since I won't be writing here about a lot of what we do for our son .

I cannot face days like these or any day, alone. I must go now and prepare myself for the day, by reading passages in the Bible and by talking personally with the Lord in prayer. It would be foolish to start any other way!

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Colossians 3:17 NIV

Sunday Rest...

My Faith has Found a Resting Place...

My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.

Refrain
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him,

He’ll never cast me out.

Refrain
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

My heart is leaning on the Word,
The living Word of God,
Salvation by my Savior’s Name,
Salvation through His blood.

Refrain
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.

My great Physician heals the sick,
The lost He came to save;
For me His precious blood He shed,
For me His life He gave.

Refrain
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
It is enough that Jesus died,
And that He died for me.


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(It's also on CyberHymnal.)

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"Now we who have believed enter that rest,"

Hebrews 4:3 NIV

My Hiding Place...

The LORD God is... my hiding place.

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"You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance. "

Psalm 32:7 (ESV)

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"You have been a refuge for the poor,
a refuge for the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm
and a shade from the heat."


Isaiah 25:4 (NIV)

Monday Musings...

This past week was a long week for me. My husband was out of town all week helping our oldest son with a few projects at their new house in TX. I was at home with our youngest son who has special needs. I was also NOT in TX where my two young grandchildren live. So time seemed to pass more slowly than it normally does.

Many things happened during the week to keep me extra-busy with caregiving chores for my 25-yo young-adult son... and so it was indeed a challenging week. In addition to the unexpected things that came up, some of our most-repeated challenges were especially challenging this week. But nothing happened that surprised the Lord, of course... and He had, in fact, prepared us ahead of time to be able to take care of those things that came up. God is so good!

And God is also ESPECIALLY good! He provided help for me for two days of the week, from my husband's mother. She is the family's "Energizer bunny", and a true blessing. Additionally the Lord provided an element of surprise. In more ways than one! : )

One of my nicer surprises was that I received a phone call from a friend from our church in TX. She was coming to Birmingham for a baby shower and would have time to visit with me on Saturday! Wonderful! I have missed my church friends from TX so very much since our move 3 years ago, and making contact with one of them is always a treat. And, during this challenging week, I not only got to hear from one of my friends from the past... I got to invite her into my home to sit and have a little bit of conversation with her! It was particularly encouraging to me!

God knows our needs. He doesn't need us to itemize them for Him on some sort of holy to-do list. In fact, that is FAR from what we need to do. What we need to do is to talk to Him regularly in prayer. In speaking to Him (prayer), we need to voice our awe at His unique position as God of all. As we talk with Him about our inadequacies, we need to commit to trusting Him to provide for the needs. And we need to share our thankfulness with Him. And when we've talked to Him this way, it is quite natural to share with Him the challenges that we see others around of us facing, too.

This week, amidst my own challenges, I did spend time talking with the Lord. And as a result, I think I was able to face the week without crumbling... and to lift up to Him the needs in the lives of those around me, asking Him to sustain them as well. And I know He did.

So how'd your week go? I'd love to hear about it in the
comments section... or in a private email if you wish to use that method.
Let's stay in touch, sharing this life and blessing the Lord together.

" Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever Amen."

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Revelation 7:12

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful every day of my life. I can't claim that I have ALWAYS been. But what I can say is that NOW, and for the past few years(possibly up to ten or so), that I AM thankful. A hard-to-learn lesson, but one worth considering, is that thankful people are those aware of what has been given to them. None of us "deserve" anything - but the Lord God has blessed all of us in some ways. I want to be responsible - reminding myself each week that I AM thankful, and for which things I am newly (or supremely) thankful.


So THIS WEEK, I am especially thankful for...

1) my Lord's love and care for me
2) an awareness of my surroundings, made possible by my Lord
3) an awareness of the depth of my inabilities
4) an awareness that there are depths of his unfathomable greatness that I shall NEVER know this side of heaven
5) the rain and the sunshine, alternately blessing
6) my copy of God's Word, the Bible
7) friendships that He has granted along the journey of life, blessing me as flowers do (Some are daylilies and last for a short season - boosting an otherwise gloomy "day". And some are glorious perennials who are with me year after year - growing, blooming and mingling their scents with mine)
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and, for two tiny, precious treasures named Austin and Megan!

The WORD for Wednesday...

"Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;

To Him who made the heavens with skill,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;"

Psalm 136:3-5
(New American Standard Bible)

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Thankful Thursday

In continuing to add to my Thankful List, I must always begin by restating my thankfulness for the love of God, and the gift of His Son Christ Jesus - His free gift of salvation. In addition, I am so thankful for the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, as Comforter and Encourager, and more.

This week, I am thankful for opportunities:
1) to visit with our sons and their families in TX
2) to freely worship God in a church of our choosing
3) to live in this country, the USA
4) to share life with my spouse
5) to access the written word, without regulation
6) to know and have friendships with other Christians around me
7) to bring my needs, and those of others, to the Lord in prayer
8) to know the one, true God

I realize I am extremely blessed, and plan to share these blessings - not hoard them.

" I will praise the name of God with song
And magnify Him with thanksgiving."

PSALM 69:30

Blessed...

"Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him."

Isaiah 30:18

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Sunday - Rest for Your Souls

There’ve been lots of times in my life when I have been overly tired. When it happens to me, there never seems to be any one thing that led up to the exhaustion and weakness. It just seems that a number of things have happened, or have piled up (things needing to happen!) and suddenly I feel overwhelmed because of “spinning my wheels” for days, achieving nothing.

Some people experience this exhaustion from their physical labor, some from jobs in which they labor with their minds. Others experience a similar exhaustion from dealing with difficult people, and still others from dealing with difficult circumstances. Some families have difficult dynamics, some careers offer unbearably demanding schedules, and some individuals have extreme challenges. No one is immune... we’ve all experienced exhaustion. And probably each of us has thought (at least once) that there was nothing we ­did to bring on the levels of exhaustion we've experienced.

The truth, however, is that there probably is something we did not do which perpetuated the tiredness that led to exhaustion. Did we rest? Did we take time off regularly from the” loads” we carry in life? Did we look for solutions, observing how others have dealt with the same things? Have we asked others questions about how they find restfulness during their rapid-fire stress-filled days? Have we sought the Lord’s way in all of this?

The tiredness we experience physically (as mentioned above) typically pales in comparison to the soul-weariness that is faced by those who haven’t learned to go to the Lord and His Word with all of their plans and their needs. Believers and unbelievers alike can face this soul-weariness. It’s a bottom-of-the-pit experience, where you can feel bound both physically and spiritually… thinking that God is so far from you, thinking that you can’t stop anything you are doing because it is “needed”, thinking that no one knows how to help you or cares to walk alongside you, thinking that you are “in it alone”, and that there is no end to the weariness - no way out.

God’s Word tells us differently. God gives us direction for our lives. And it’s there for us… if we’ll only read and contemplate His Word. Will we follow?

"This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls."

Jeremiah 6:16

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