God is good...

For the last 6-8 weeks, I have been suffering from back pain. I wrote it off to catching a draft on my kidney area, or maybe having a kidney stone, or an infection or just being too old and too fat. Two weeks ago, I started preparing for Christmas and moved two rooms of furniture after which I was immobile for two days. That passed and became just a pain again by the next Friday. So... I cleaned my garage. I moved tables, 6 ses of golf clubs, toted a carload to Goodwill, put stuff on the racks over the garage area, some stuff in the basement and living room and just lifted, moved and stored for a few hours. By Saturday, I was on the heating pad, unable to move again, with spasms of pain in my lower back. I couldn't sleep as any movement forced me to wake up and reposition, trying to find a place of comfort. I refused to call a doctor since I was not eager to get treatment or face the reality that I could have been in real trouble. I sufferered through the pain and discomfort and then on Monday night, about 11:30 I rolled wrong and had pain like I had never felt before. I spent the next hour wondering how I could get out of bed to go to the emergency room without waking my family. And then I did something I haven't done in a long long time...I prayed for myself. I prayed for the end of pain, for the comfort of good health, for sleep. I prayed that God send His healing to me and me alone...yes, I acknowledged that there were people who were worse off than I was, but I selfishly prayed for ME! When the alarm went off at four I wondered how I would get out of the bed to turn it off, and I simply rolled over and reached out and ... no pain! I can't explain it. And because I can't explain it, I can say that by remembering where my healing would come from I was able to be healed. Now, I am still a little sore, but on Tuesday I put my socks on without falling over, got dressed without using Duke's "grabber" and was able to sit comfortably all day at work. A doctor might say that the bad roll restored my back to the proper position. A psychologist may say I had just been in the midst of a bout of hypochondria and self-absorbtion that ran its course in my fatigue. An atheist wouldn't say anything because they surely wouldn't have me for a friend after I spent the night in prayer.

But I say...GOD IS GREAT! Don't we know that all we ask for in His name will be given to us? So, till I write again, pray for each other, and please. pray for yourselves. Your needs will be met when your faith is expressed.

Merry Christmas

There! I said it! And guess what? If you answer, and Happy Hanukkah! or Joyous Kwanzaa! I will be respectful of your holiday, too.
Because I know you celebrate Hanukkah, I may wish you a Happy Hanukkah! I will not though automatically become Jewish, nor will I suddenly be an African American by acknowledging your celebration of Kwanzaa.
I just know that each of us celebrates our holidays in different ways and I want to recognize you as a person who respects his or her own beliefs, heritage and existance.
So if I do not say "Happy Holidays" it's because I would not feel right insulting you. Please do not insult me either.

Thanksgiving Prayer

I wish my house had a little more room, and the kitchen a few extra shelves.

But I know there are those who live in gloom, with cardboard to protect themselves…so I’m thankful.

Some days work's unrewarding and co-workers suck, and my salary’s less than I’m worth,

But I know of many, down on their luck, who’d take any job just to get work. …so I’m thankful.

I wish my old car was sporty and cool, leather inside would be nice,

But there are many who walk to work or to school, or bus when the sidewalk’s iced…so I’m thankful.

Last night I didn’t have time to cook so picked up chicken at KFC,

But some can hardly afford to look and end up at the Food Pantry…so I’m thankful.

I know all that I have is more than enough. I have God, church and family and friends.

I know my complaints of the things that are tough, will be meaningless when my life ends. …so I’m thankful.

Every November we gather with cheer, and say thanks for the life we are living.

I need more time than that, maybe all year, to repeat all the blessings I’m given. …so I’m thankful.
 
Happy Thanksgiving my friends. Margaret

Only two prayers?

Someone recently told me that there are only two prayers in the world...HELP ME, HELP ME, HELP ME and THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
I was taken aback, since it totally omitted HELP HIM, SAVE HIM, BLESS HIM, HAVE MERCY, and so many others that Christians say. I can't believe that people are so cynical and short sighted that they only see prayer as a means for personal gain or a thank you for what they alone received.
I have been bothered because I didn't speak up...so here is my speak up!
If we consider ourselves Christians and realize that salvation is our gift, we also need to acknowledge God's plan for us. "Help me" alone is not a proper prayer. That suggests that we only have to pray when we are in need. What He gives us without our requesting it is more valuable than any thing we can ask for.  Knowing that God is with us in the times we don't need anything and praying daily just to talk ensures our personal relationship with him. Our requests are not always delivered but  they are always fulfilled. To use "Thank you" as a second prayer suggests that we only have to pray when we receive things. What about those times we do not receive what we want, but instead what we need?
We have to see that our faith is totally outside of the box - we are not a vessel for God to fill with grace and stop up, sealing in His riches. We are a vessel that God fills and leaves open so we can pour out His gifts and blessings on others. Think of your soul like a sieve where the grace of God is poured in and the things you need in HIS PLAN pour out thickly. They are the blessings that stay with you,. The water that seeps through the holes is the blessing you give to those around you in His name.
If there have to be only two prayers, how about GOD, HELP ME DO FOR OTHERS and THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME BE OF SERVICE?
Maybe the person who said HELP ME and THANK YOU just forgot to finish their sentences. I sure hope so.

goals not reached

Here it is, October and I have fallen quite short of my BLOG goal of 1 a week. But, I have done 27 (before this one) and know that there will be more to follow.
I am not quite ready to throw in the towel, but have decided that I set a goal far above what I could accomplish being a newbie and all. Now if I get closer to my goal by the end of the year, I may start my new goal on January 1 instead of doing a full year to February, 2011.
Now I am wondering just who is reading my blogs and who has any opinions on them. I think you need a gmail account to be a member, so I have heard from one person they read them but do not comment. If you have any comments or ideas you want me to receive, but don't want to add them to an open forum, I would love to hear from you.

Email me at ChristChild103@gmail.com

This was just a public service announcement because I needed to get that blog count up!!!

28...WOO WOO!!!!!

Happy what?-day...

On Sunday, 10/3/10 I turned 56 years old. It was a horrible day as I expected the world to stop and greet me - I expected all the times I said "don't worry about it" to be denied and everyone to call and treat me well.
But I had only 2 of my 4 siblings even remember me and with the Packers playing, no real attention from my husband till after the game was over. But this is all because I didn't make my wishes known.
The odd thing is that 3 women from choir called me and sang a lovely harmonized version of "Happy Birthday", I received an e-card from another alto...and by 10:00 Monday morning had received two more messages from choir members - neither from the alto section, telling me they hoped my day had been good.
I got a total of three cards and two gifts at choir on 9/30, another card from my son and daughter (ok - future daughter in law but why act like she isn't part of the family when she is so very important to us all), and my daughter (see above note) knit me three pair of socks...wonderful, colorful and warm socks. My son made sure I had Israel Houghton's new cd...my older sister borrowed my ladder and hugged me and told me I was important and loved. And my Dad called. OK, he couldn't remember why he called, and when he said "I can't remember..." my husband said "to talk to your daughter?" and Daddy remembered.
By noon on the 4th, my other siblings contacted me to tell me that they really were sorry that I had a birthday on such an inconvenient day for them and wished me well regardless. Perhaps their phraseology wasn't quite that way, but once I heard all they had to do, I really did see that my birthday was not exactly that important in the great scheme of things.
Why am I writing this? Because I am so tired of people telling me how nice I am and generous and giving when they should know that I am petty and selfish and demanding, just like everyone else.
And because I added up the great things about my birthday and they far outnumbered the imagined slights and self-proclaimed martyrdom I can feel better about Sunday.
SO MAGGIE!!! Get over it and move on. There will be other birthdays ... and in retrospect, how much better could they be - because other than gifts, cards, and greetings I also got some "smarts".  Happy days to everyone - they are all special.

What do you want on your tombstone?

Old joke...
A group of seniors was asked what they wanted to hear from their friends and family at their funeral...
The first said, "I want to hear 'he was a good man"'
The second took it a step further and said, "It would be nice for them to say 'he was a loving husband and good father'"
The third thought it over and said, "I'd like someone to say 'look! He's breathing!'"

Being a Christian, I wonder if I will be at peace when I die. If I died today, would I hear accolades or would I hear relief? Would my friends even show up or think about it and decide for whatever reason that I would rather have them have a fun evening than go to a depressing wake?
Would they miss me or just find someone else to sit behind my desk at work, fill my seat at choir, and meet for coffee? Will the hole I leave be filled with love or distractions?
I think that with all we face daily, the trials, the temptations, the sadness and the confusion, all we can do is grab tightly to our faith and muddle through.
At my funeral I hope that they say "No matter what, she never lost her faith." The rest will fall in place if I remain faithful to the end.