Monday, September 19, 2011

The God of All Comfort!!

I just want to brag on my Heavenly Father today.  I hope you know Him and will brag on Him today too!!  Don't miss out on noticing His intervention, His comfort in your life on a moment by moment basis!

This has been quite a weekend for my husband and me.  Actually it was quite a week!  I am in the process of having some fairly major dental work.  It is causing me an enormous amount of pain.  My body totally rejects pain medicine.  Even 1/2 a tablet of something will send me vomiting for an entire day.  I must therefore endure the pain, but at times the pain also makes me vomit.  Last Wednesday we started the process that will last over the next 2 months.....ouch!

Toward the end of the week we realized, as you may have read in my previous entry, we had to have our cat put to sleep.  We did this Saturday morning.  It was so painful for us.  We held him as the doctor gave him the medicine.  I am so thankful that the last words he heard were from our lips thanking him for the joy he has brought us and the love we have for him.  It was peaceful for him.  I am still hurting as I will start to look for him or think about feeding him and he is not there, he is not coming back.  It makes me cry even as I write this.  My husband has had this cat for 15 1/2 years.  My husband didn't ask for him.  One rainy night he appeared at my husbands apartment door, scratching at the door.  My husband lived on the second floor.  This cat climbed the stairs and walked around the corner choosing my husband's door to scratch on.  My husband tells of how he was so filthy dirty that you would have never guessed he was a snow white cat.  That cat was a gift from God to my husband as evidenced by a story that only he can tell- so you just have to trust me.  But his mission came to an end on Saturday.  I don't know if animals go to heaven but I wouldn't be surprised to see him up there one day!

Our weekend ended with a scare.  In our bedroom I have a metal and crystal ball that holds a tea light.  It hangs from our ceiling. I often put a small tea light in there in the evening and leave it burning in there as I do other things around the house.  Last night I had put a candle in there and was in the bedroom talking with my husband.  About 10-15 minutes after I lit the candle the thing somehow caught fire.  Our backs were to all that was going on and so we didn't see it at first.  All of a sudden I turned around and flames were flying from this thing.  I was speechless, all I could say was baby, baby baby or something like that.  My husband so calmly took care of it.  We sat there amazed at how this thing could possibly catch fire.  I have been burning a tea light in that thing for around 2 1/2 years now. Since we often light it and then do something else downstairs or in another room, we were so thankful that we were in the room when this happened.  It could have brought a lot of damage to our place.

I will end on a funny note.  My husband has this pair of jean shorts that are relatively new.  He accidentally had a pen in the side pocket not that long ago and it left a huge blue ink blot.  A few weeks have passed since that ink stain and I think we had just decided that those jean shorts would now be the shorts you wear around the house only.  I have been on the look out for a new pair like those but had not yet found a pair.

Last night my husband was doing some laundry and he came up stairs and said "Am I missing something?"  I didn't get it....he said "the ink spot.....it's gone!"  I looked up and down those shorts looking for even a hint of the ink stain, yet no where to be found!  Since when has  that ever happened?  This was not ink from a small pen, this was ink  from more like a gel ink pen, not a ball point pen!

Well, why do I share all this with you?  I want you to know that we have a God of all comfort.  God is in it all.  Have you ever had a problem with a company and tried to reach the manager or owner of that company?Good Luck!  You have to go through hoops and tell your story to other folks hoping they will relay your story to the boss who hopefully will call you back.  Yet, so often, that phone call never comes.  After all, the "big guy" of the company has much more important things to deal with than your "little problems"

NOT SO WITH GOD!  Everything I shared with you in these stories are relatively small problems in comparison to all that God has to deal with in this world.  Let's face it, just read the front page of the newspaper and you will see that a dental surgery, the death of a cat, and an ink stain just wouldn't make it to the front page.  Yet God was there for it all!

God was concerned about my dental pain and He was there to help me cope and eventually heal that horrible pain.

God was there in the vet's office as our hearts broke. I could sense God's arms around me.  It was as if God was sad about our sick cat.  He gave us peace as we gave Donipon peace, an end to his suffering.  I know God saw every tear that fell.  I know, just as His Word says, He caught each tear and placed them in His bottle.
 Psalm 56:8. 
 "Thou tellest my wanderings: put Thou my tears into Thy bottle:  Are they not in Thy Book."
 My tears matter to God....Your tears matter to God!

God protected our bedroom from a fire Sunday evening by keeping us in the bedroom which allowed us to quickly intervene and put the fire out.

Then there's the jean shorts.  This cheap pair of jean shorts with an ink stain- without any effort of our own, God removed the stain.

This past weekend God has brought to my attention to His ability to completely remove stains.  My husband and I were talking a little about this.  The first was with our cat.  This cat that arrived at Jim's door was filthy and as my husband tells the story, he stunk to high heaven!  My husband bathed him only to find hiding under this dirty dirty cat was fur as white as snow!  It's what God does with us.  Just as Doniphon (our cat) could not bathe himself and make himself clean, so we cannot make ourselves clean.  Doniphon needed my husband to bathe him.  We need God to bathe us.  My husband tells how Doniphon hated this bath!  He was yelling loudly as the water ran over him.( It was so loud that my husband let his neighbors know that no one was getting hurt, he was just bathing the cat!) Yet, if my husband was going to welcome this stray dirty stinky cat into his home, the cat had to get the bath!

So it is with us.  We don't always like a "bath" from God.  It can be painful and we may fight it, just as our cat did. But if we want to be welcomed into God's family, we have to allow God to bathe us.  God says he can take our dirty, stinky lives and make us white as snow.....just like our cat.
   Isaiah 1:18- "Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they can be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they can be as wool."

The other reminder of our Heavenly Father and His ability to remove stains was with the shorts and the ink stain.  We thought the shorts were doomed to the "around the house" shorts.  Certainly he couldn't wear them out in public.  The stain was big and noticeable.  We didn't even make any extra effort to remove the stain.  We had just given up as far as the shorts being very useful. They were to be just another piece of laundry to be washed.  Yet, the stain was removed- not by our own efforts!

Isn't that our lives at times?  We see the stain on our lives as permanent.  Oh we may be good for "around the house" things- but the stain is too big to be used of God in any "big ways".  We give up and just accept the stain.

NOT GOD!  God can take what we call a "permanent" stain and completely remove it.  He can use us in great and mighty ways.  But it has to be God who removes the stain.  Any effort on our part will prove futile.

God....Yes God, He is the God of all comfort and He is involved in every area in the lives of His children.  Yes, the God who hangs the stars out, who causes the sun to rise and set, He who tells the oceans they can only come so far, the One who keeps this ball called earth rotating on its axis from the beginning of time is also the God who cares about dental pain, death of our animals and even stains in a cheap pair of shorts.  The same God who feeds the sparrows and clothes the lilies of the field is crazy about you and me.  I'm so glad, aren't you!?

To God be the glory!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

To everything there is a season- Good bye my precious friend

I never had cats growing up.  However, I did have dogs.  Therefore, I kinda became a "dog person".  Then I met my husband.  Our marriage brought 3 little boys into the family.....2 little black cats and 1 little white cat.  I instantly fell in love with them and they have done a good job at trying to get to know their "mommy" and tolerating her "dog ways".

Approximately 1 year after my husband and I got married, we learned that our white cat had cancer.  For the last 2 years we have given him chemotherapy and he has done so well.  He gained back his weight.  His coat, once again, looked snow white and he did not suffer any side effects from the chemo.....just as the vet told us.

The last 11/2 months we have seen him go downhill.  We think his cancer has spread.  Because of his age we have opted not to put him through any thing that would just cause him discomfort and really not help him.  He has lost a lot of weight.  It has been within the last 24 hours that we have realized that we have to face what we did not want to face.....having him put to sleep.

If you read this, please say a prayer for us.  Both of us are animal lovers, and we are losing a part of our family.

We are thankful for all the memories we have and all the love we have received from him and been able to give him.  He has been a gift from God and a blessing.

Thank you precious Doniphon.....thanks for all the times you put up with mommy and thanks for so easily adapting (as all of you did) to a cat/dog family!  Thank you for the joy you have brought us.  We are never going to forget you.  I know that there will be a void in the lives of your sisters Ash and Brit and your brothers Cor and Effie.

Yes, life goes on.....but the void will always be there.  A void that only Doniphon can fill.

I love you precious baby Doni.......I always will



Sunday, September 11, 2011

"Thank you"- Looking back on September 11,2001

It was just another morning.....getting ready for work, getting kids ready for school, thinking through the day that lay before us....

Moments later America was forever changed.  Lives lost, "good bye's" that never got said, suddenly people were more important than things and prayer was a priority in our lives as we fell to our knees asking for miracles, asking for strength, comfort and peace....but most of all asking "why?"

To the thousands who lost their lives that day, I never knew you yet I have never forgotten you.  I often reflect back wondering what your last moments were like, wondering about who you were and what your day was supposed to be like.

To the families of those who lost their lives, I often think of you and offer up a prayer for you.  I wonder how you are doing 10 years later.  I think of the children who lost a mom or dad that day and how you have carried on in spite of the tragedy.  I pray for all of you, that God has been your refuge, a very present help in time of trouble.

To the first responders- the police, the firefighters and the EMT's.  Thank you!  You are still my hereos.  Many of your co-workers died that day as they tried to rescue those trapped.  Yet, you had to carry on, and I realize you all faced the possibility of your own death as you bravely worked looking for just one more survivor.

To Mayor Rudy Guliani I thank you.  The task that you had in front of you was enormous and you did not back down.  You were a rock for New York City during those following days and months- you showed leadership and courage.

To President Bush and Mrs Bush- Thank you.  With just a few months under your belt as leader of the greatest nation in the world, you were faced with making some difficult decisions and shouldering the weight of a nation's fears and sorrow.  You are to be commended for your leadership and your love and compassion in the days and months that followed.  Mrs. Bush, what a comfort you were to the children as you so lovingly and calmly visited and loved on them.  You are a true lady, full of grace and beauty.


To every hospital worker, and the Red Cross and all the organizations that jumped to their feet to assist in any way you could, thank you!  I am in the medical profession.  I know the mode we go into when we are called to respond.  For the overtime, the missed breaks and lunches and hard work- thank you

To every church and pastor who opened their doors for those who needed comfort, had questions or just wanted to quietly kneel and pray- thank you.  Thank you for taking time to share Jesus with those who were looking for Him that day and in the days to follow.  Thank you for giving the greatest gift one could gift- the gift of sharing Jesus.

To every person in TV and journalism who found themselves thrust into a never ending story- thanks for the long hours worked and for putting yourself in the midst of the rubble in order that we might see what was going on and be able to "love" those folks from afar as we watched it unfold on TV or listened on the radio or read in the papers.

To every soldier who prepared themselves for what was to follow and for every man or woman who enlisted in the military at that time in order to hunt down the horrible terrorist that did this. THANK YOU!  Thank you for giving yourselves and putting yourself into harms way  to defend the freedom we enjoy.  Thank you to every family of a soldier who said good bye to your loved one not knowing if you would ever see them again. Many of you have not as your loved one paid the ultimate price for freedom.

To every American- what a day September 11,2001 was!  It was a day that will forever be engraved in our memories and as we know....America was forever changed.  It was a day that Americans came together, united.  We hugged each other, supported one another, prayed for one another and gave of our time and our energy to help folks we didn't even know.  At that time, people became more important than our things, prayer became a priority and suddenly we understood (sadly it didn't seem to last) that God is in control and He deserves all respect and honor and He is the Authority.  As horrible as that day was- it did bring about some good in Americans.



To God be the glory.   I love you Heavenly Father!


Thursday, September 8, 2011

Give Yourself A Funeral

I want to challenge you today with something that I started over 25 years ago.  When you arise in the morning start your day by giving yourself a funeral!  Yep, you heard it right!  Now, I have to tell you, you might have to do it several times, I have found I am rather good at resurrecting myself.  But that's ok, God's not finished with me yet.

Sometime in the shower or in the bed or as I'm doing my hair I pray something like this.

Lord, today I die to self and ask You to make me alive in You!
I put my mind and its fleshly thoughts to death- fill me with God thoughts
I put my eyes and what earthly things they would gaze upon to death - give me a Godly vision
I put my ears and the worldly advice and temptations of the devil they would hear to death- Allow me to hear what is only coming from You
I put to death my tongue and the ungodly words that may be uttered to death- May my speech be healing and loving and be quick to share Jesus instead of gossip, blessing instead of cursing
I put to death my hands and the grasp they might desire to place on temporal materials- May I grasp only for the prize of the high calling
I put to death my feet and the paths they may be quick to trod upon- Lead me in paths of righteousness.

It helps- trust me.  Even if you have to do it a 100 times a day.  The Holy Spirit will speak to you as you try to resurrect yourself- you will hear those warnings.  It helps to go step by step.

Do this my friend
When you die to self it is truly then that you can REST IN PEACE!

To God be the glory

Monday, September 5, 2011

Mayor Bloomberg: Was God too busy?

Mayor Bloomberg:  How tragic to read about your decision to exclude prayer from the 9/11 memorial ceremony.  I read that your reason is "the memorial schedule is too busy to allow prayer."

As I sit here at my desk, my mind wanders back to September 11,2001.  I was not far away from that site.  I was actually asleep at the time.  Having spent many hours working (as a RN), I was resting comfortably in my bed.  I awoke to find my answering machine blinking and the message was from my friends over a thousand miles away saying something like "hey, turn on your TV, something has happened, some plane accident or something, looks pretty bad, call us."  I turned on my TV only to see the horror of a city in shock, in disbelief at what was going on.  I wanted to call my friends, but I had no phone service by this time.  I had no  friends in New York since I was only there for the summer months and into early fall.  The thought of not being able to reach out to my friends put my stomach in knots......but there was God.  As He has always been, He was faithful to comfort me and remind me that He was still in control, He was still God.  No terrorist could terrorize the King of Kings.

  PSALM 46-God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.  There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:  God shall help her and that right early.  The heathen raged the kingdoms were moved: he uttereth his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Come behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth.  He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth; he breaketh the bow and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire,  Be still and know that I am God:  I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.  The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

I was not the only one with that feeling in my stomach.  Thousands of others felt that way also and for many different reasons.  For some, they knew they had loved ones in those towers, for some they passed by the towers every day in their commute to and from work.  Some were supposed to be in the towers that morning but through some "twist of fate" they were not.  New York City was a city in shock and America was a nation in shock.  Who do we turn to?  What can we do?

The Creator of this world was there.  Unshaken by the horrific events, His arms were open, His ears were open.  He was the One we could turn to to find peace in the midst of chaos, to find comfort in the midst of pain and heartache, to find security in the midst of terror....God was not too busy.

Churches all over this country understood that.  They opened their doors for those who needed a shoulder to cry on, for those who needed prayer, for those who had questions and were looking for answers, the churches were not too busy.

Organizations such as Samaritan's Purse (founded by Franklin Graham) and other Christian organizations flooded the area and sat up make shift counseling areas and were there....why?  Because they understood God was not too busy.

I know of at least 1 clergyman who died because He was a vessel used by God to extend the love of God to those who were in the midst of the horror-

In the days ahead, God was not too busy to provide strength to those whose strength was zapped  from them.  He was not too busy to provide for the needs of those affected by the tragedy.  Ten years have passed and God is still comforting those folks affected by the tragedy.  True to His Word, He is a God that never slumbers or sleeps.

PSALM 121: 1-4- I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made the heaven and earth.  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; he that keepeth thee will not slumber.  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Mr. Mayor, God has never been "too busy" to intervene in the lives of those who call upon Him.  His love for us is so vast that He was not "too busy" to make a way so that we could have our sins forgiven and spend eternity with Him- He did this through sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to bear the weight of our sins as He was crucified on a cross 2000 years ago.

JOHN 3:16- For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

To all who read this blog- Take Comfort!  Mayor Bloomberg doesn't dictate God's agenda and no one has the power or the authority to restrain God.  While Mayor Bloomberg may have excluded Him, we do not have to do the same.  We can invite Him into every activity of every moment of every day.

I have read various articles where angered people plan on booing Mayor Bloomberg off stage during the ceremony remembering 9/11.  Please, my dear Christian brothers and sisters, do not involve yourself in such behavior.


  ISAIAH 53:7  He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth:  He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not His mouth.

I PETER 2:21- For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps.

I PETER 2:22-23- Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth:  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

I PETER 3:9- Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

Instead, use your energy and time to pray for Mayor Bloomberg and others who have demonstrated very poor judgement in their decision making.  Pray that they would seek the Lord while He may be found and call upon Him while He is near.

ISAIAH 55: 6-7  Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

God has called us to show respect to our government leaders.  While we certainly are not called to agree with  the decision Mayor Bloomberg has made, we must show respect in our disagreements!  May our behavior be one that honors God and silences those who would attempt to lash out at us.

I TIMOTHY 2:1-4  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of truth.

I PETER 2:15-16- For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:  As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as servants of God.  Honour all men,  Love the brotherhood,  Fear God.  Honour the king.

God bless America and God have mercy on America