2021 Another Year

 

Today is February 9th 2021. A new year with many experiences behind and many new experiences on the continued journey of my life.

Well today is April 15th, Thursday.  Continuing from the previous statement it definitely is a continution of last year with the repitious recording wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, lockdown every other week keeping us apart from family and our church.  I know so many people have been through there own struggles and tough times, trials seeming to never end, including my very own extended family.  Navigating through the last year of Covid-19 has been a challenge for everyone, everywhere, but how does one still remain positive.  These new challenges can bring new perspective and even has created a new learning curve for me, as everyday is like a job to stay alive and enjoy each day to its fullest.

Sometimes life can get a bit chaotic, but how do I maintain a calm, controlled life both physically and mentally amidst a chaotic world.

On Friday the 9th of this month I started a course of IV antibiotics, Ceftazadime 2mg, 3x a day and oral Cipro 750mg 2x a day.  I felt in need of a little tune up due to feeling a little under the weather for the past month.  On the 10th I wrote this message to my family in the morning:

Good morning and the Lord bless you with many blessings today!! "and the dead in Christ shall rise first.  After that we who are still alive and left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another each with these words."               1 Thessalonians 4:16c-18

I am so encouraged by this passage this morning as our struggles here on earth continue, we have this glorious hope as believers to one day be with the Lord.

25 Years

25th Anniversary
August 2nd, 2016

"Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fail.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."
I Corinthians 13:4-8a, 13

Well it has been quite some time since I have updated my blog so I will do that now after celebrating 25 wonderful years of marriage together.  Oh of course we had our challenges and still continue to, but always finding a way to always put our love for each other above everything else. Someday the challenges and struggles of life will all be no more.  Revelation 21:4 says, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."  Oh what a glorious day that will be.  Praise the Lord that He has kept us together and brought us through so much.  Looking forward to many more years together and what the Lord has in store.

God's Glory

It is hard some days, but always reassuring to know it is for God's glory.  Today is definitely better than yesterday as I continue my IV antibiotic treatment.  I am one week into it and I sleep a lot better, cough less and not short of breath just to walk from my living room to my bathroom.  Praise the Lord for those things.  My weight has come way down, but am hopeful I can up the pounds some as I continue to feel better and fill my body full of ensure!!

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Romans 8:18  This verse speaks of the future glory and hope we have to look forward to.  I find this promise especially comforting during the roughest weeks and days as I struggle through health issues Cystic Fibrosis related.  Romans 8:18-27 shares more about the hope we are so eagerly waiting for and are also verses that can help carry me through.

I seem to be short on words these days, which is not usually a problem for me.  But it seems lately my life has been consumed with sickness and I have to admit need a break form talking about it all the time.  Have had lots of support through meals, rides to appointments and prayer.  Thank the Lord for all the people He has placed in my life to support and encourage me.  How do people do this without the Lord in there life first and foremost and then without family and friends to help keep your thoughts focused!!

Well enough for today and again God Bless you and share a word of encouragement with someone because you never know who needs a little pick me up.

Is There Purpose For Suffering

His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?  Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."  John 9:2 & 3
Well trying to learn to blog or journaling isn't my thing but I will try to keep it up more regularly.  Things with my health seem to have taken a turn and I need a place to speak, share, write my thoughts.  It seems as I have continued on this IV antibiotic repeat in my life things are not improving as quickly or the same as maybe I was hoping.  I have already endured 4 IV antibiotic treatments since April of this year and an Iron Infusion.  Yes low iron has been added to the mix and only complicating things more for my chronic situation, which makes it a bit tougher understanding how to treat me the best to see positive results. 

I am not one to live in the dark and keep denial at the forefront of my mind, so I choose to live in reality of my circumstances.  Doing that brings on a load of emotions that at times are hard to get a handle on.  Lows and highs can happen all in a day.  Sadness knowing that the words coming out of my mouth about the seriousness of my health is actually about me not someone else.  Big reality check for sure.  Knowing where limits are for others like your husband hearing about every ache and pain that come along with the disease.  Learning what to be thankful for so that my focus does not get blurred by my emotions.  Scripture like John 9:2 & 3 which I started this blog out with, help to stay focused on the purpose and not let doubts and anger take over. There have most definitely been tough days, emotional days, tears already shed, but awesome days, thankful days and times just to focus on living every day to the fullest.

John 9 also took me to Romans 8 and I will share my thoughts and verses from that passage in my next blog.  Give someone you love a hug today and find something to be grateful and thankful for even in the midst of struggles.  God bless you!! (:

Creation Evolution Debate

A Creation Evolution debate between Creationist Ken Hamm and Evolutionist Bill Nye
Creation Evolution Debate

Desire More

Desire more - thought that would catch your attention!  What do we desire more of in our lives?  Is it better health, more money, more material possessions, or a longing to be like the neighbor?!  My, greatest desire is to know my Lord and Savior better.  In return for the ultimate sacrifice for my sin, glorify Him through everything I do in my daily walk.

In John 15:8 Jesus says, "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourself to be my disciples."  This is a statement Jesus made to his disciples after explaining the analogy of the vine and the branches.  It is also shortly before His arrest and crucifixion.  I have been studying the I Am's of Jesus together with another individual for several weeks now and it has been a blessing to renew my thoughts and focus them on the purpose God has given to those of us who have a genuine relationship with Him.  Desiring to know the Lord better as his devoted followers by studying his word brings us to a place of bearing fruit for him.  As we bear fruit for him he blesses us in our lives with what is needed to better equip us for his work.

In the Bible we see blessings unfold as a short, but heartfelt story is told in the book of Ruth.  Ruth a young woman whose genuine decision to follow the God of creation gave her the desire to stay completely devoted no matter the cost.  Ruth, the daughter in law to Naomi, chooses to live for the true God that Naomi and her family taught her about.  Years have passed and the woman are left as widows and new decisions have to be made in their journeys forward.  Departing from one city to another Ruth stays by Naomi's side not knowing what the future holds.  Ruth 1: 16 & 17 reads like this, "But Ruth replied, 'Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.  May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."  What amazing faith as she faces an unknown future.  A lesson as I continue to devote myself each day in the confidence of the Lord, willing to allow his purpose to unfold.  Prayerfully giving the Lord my day and letting his glory be what is seen in me and through me, no matter the circumstances. 

I look forward to a continued study of Ruth, with the ladies that are sharing this study together with me.  Without being in the word and asking through prayer, how can I know what the Lord's purpose for my life is.  Reading, praying and listening, then being obedient and faithful to serve him for his glory, not mine.

God Bless you as you desire to know the Lord better by searching his word and prayerfully considering his purpose in your life.

Great Expectations

"Jesus, Jesus how I trust him, oh for grace to trust him more."  What uplifting words taken from a song we sang in church this morning.  It seems easier to trust the Lord when things are moving along in life as planned and smoothly.  But, when the storms in life come along to shake the world around me do I tend to trust Him less.  Being reminded this morning that Jesus doesn't leave me during rough waters, I just have to trust Him completely even during those times in my life.  Thank you Lord for reminding me to put all challenges into perspective. 

The process of building our new house and purchasing our lot has had its challenges that often took me off track as far as trusting and leaving things in the Lords hands.  August 2012 was the beginning of a very exciting new endeavour in our lives, but as the year has passed has not been without its unforeseen delays.  Keeping the proper focus has slipped at times, but so thankful that at this point along this house building project we are in the forward motion forging ahead with great expectations.  The Lord has definitely had all under His control and I have had to be reminded of that along the way.  I am excited about what the Lord has in store for my husband and I as we start a new chapter in our lives together after 22 years of marriage.  Moving to Hepburn has been a decision we have made together and I am looking forward to whatever the Lord has in store as this new chapter starts revealing its pages.