3 Years Later...

Today marks 3 years since David lost his job. Three years of praying, waiting, trying, feeling frustrated and sometimes even hopeless. But God in His infinite mercy has sustained us. Has it been easy? No, lol. But it has been good.

Good in the ways we've been provided for by friends and family. Good in the ways we've learned to depend even more on Him who loves us so much that He knows the number of hairs on our heads. Good in the ways it has stretched us.

And this week, after 3 years of waiting, David has been given the opportunity to drive even more for UPS. This has meant 6 pm - 6 am all week so far but hey, after 5 hours each day it's overtime! In January of 2018 he will get benefits and from what we understand they will be awesome benefits! That in itself will equal a huge raise!

So thank you for your prayers, financial help, words of encouragement and even groceries over the past 3 years. We can't wait to get back to "paying it forward"!

 

 

 

 

2017 Reading List

I am a prolific reader.  I usually have 3-4 books going at a time and I don't get them confused, except when I try to read Atlas Shrugged.  Atlas Shrugged has defeated me several times and for the time being I have put it aside. I do intend to read it.  But not this year.

I have never followed any plan for reading, or for even keeping track of what I have read, and I know that a lot of people do so that in itself made me pause and think about it a few weeks ago.

Here is the list that I came up with for 2017.

1. God's Wisdom for Today I will not be reading through the entire Bible in 2017.  Instead I am using a devotional I saw at Lowe's Foods of all places.  Sarah gave it to me for my birthday.    
2. The Chronicles of Narnia I've never read this all the way through.
3.  Toward a Growing Marriage  David and I went to a marriage seminar by the author many years ago.  I was a good thing for us.  Now we're in a new season, our kids are grown.  David is working 2 jobs.  We went through a major crisis and upheaval when he lost his job in September 2014. All of these things have had a major impact on our marriage and I want to be proactive in strengthening it.
4. The Migraine Miracle  Written by a neurologist who grew up with a mother suffering from migraines and now has them himself this book takes a new approach to conquering the beast.  Diet.  I am radically changing the way I eat.  No sugar and No grains.  I'm not there yet but I'm making progress.
5. Living Above the Level of Mediocrity  Several years ago this book was the subject of a Sunday Night Bible Study at Concord ARP.  I bought the book then and want to revisit it.
6. The Excellent Wife a Biblical Perspective  Years ago I was asked to lead the monthly women's meeting in a Bible study.  Off I went to the local Christian bookstore to peruse the shelves.  One book kept pulling me back.  My copy is now so tattered I've had to repair the covers with tape.  It is full of underling, highlighting and notes.  In this new season of our marriage I feel it is time to go through this book again.  "Whether the focus is broad or narrow, each chapter is a part of the complete picture of being the wife that God desires, The Excellent Wife.
7. Naked and Unashamed: The Journey Toward Sexual Fulfillment in Christian Marriage  Self explanatory.
8. Persuasion.  Saw the movie.  Loved it.  Time to read the book.
9. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are  I started this book several years ago and got bogged down.  This one too is heavily underlined and I have a notebook of pages of notes for each chapter.  I'm not sure if I will just finish the book or start over.  Either way it's well worth the time to read and pray over.
10. Beyond All Measure.   Written by a young pastor we attended church with for a while this book is a must read.  This book is about Jesus and His love for His children. It attempts to look at who we are, and how Christ relates to us in spite of who we are. Using the proper light of Scripture to view and expose ourselves, we are then enabled to see the glorious nature of His unconditional love for us. Thomas Watson rightly said, "Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet. 
11. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass.  I love the Johnny Depp movie versions but, again, have never read both books.
12. DYNAMITE LOVE: Encounter The Explosive Power That Will Change Our World.  Written by a young lady that I knew as a teenager at church and have had the joy of reconnecting with her through the magic of Facebook.  Amber has grown into a wonderful, godly wife and mom and she's a good writer too!  Available on February 1, 2017 in eBook format.  I've pre-ordered mine and can't wait to read it.

Job Update

As many of you know David lost his job after 25 years of service on 9/29/2014. It has been a long and bumpy road. I want to thank everyone who has helped us in any way over the past 2 years. 

Finally things are really looking up. BUT this means that for the next year David will be very tired and not home much at all. Would you please pray for him for physical strength and health?

When you're in the midst of a trial it's hard to see past the seemingly mountainous problems. Things such as a water heater going out, dryer going out, car trouble, etc. But when I take the time to reflect on what we've faced and how each and every time it was resolved I can clearly see the hand of my Heavenly Father. And he used friends and family and even strangers to bless is.

What an Awesome God we serve!

Clara likes to help

Do you know how hard it is to play the piano when the cat wants to be there too?

I think this is Katy's lap that Clara is sleeping on

Migraine update...Sort of

 Disclaimer:

This post came about after a person posted in one of my migraine facebook groups that all we need to do is pray harder and have more faith and we will be healed.

I have no doubt that God still heals in a miraculous way.  But not everyone who prays for healing will receive and it is not biblical to say that they will.





 Here is my facebook post...

I've prayed for healing for years. So have my family. So have my friends. It is not always God's will or plan for us to be healed. To say that "you will be healed" is wrong on so many levels.

I have a friend's who have lost children this year, hundreds prayed for healing. They were not healed on earth. They were healed in heaven. To tell a person they don't pray hard enough is just wrong. 

Christ prayed so hard he sweated blood. He was not relieved of his mission. If the holy, perfect, sinless son of God had to suffer to fulfill the fathers will how can I, a sinner, expect to be healed no questions asked?

That doesn't mean I will stop praying and lose my faith. But I will choose to accept that at least for now it is not God's will to heal me. Then I pray for strength to get through the next day, for wisdom, for meds that help...

Prayer for the Nation this Election Season

In the final countdown to the 2016 election I urge all my fellow followers of Christ to pray.
 For the current leaders.
 For the candidates.
 For the election officials and volunteers and
 for our Nation.

2 Chronicles 7:14 "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Honoring Your Parents

Bible reading for tonight is Proverbs 15:19-33.
Proverbs 15:19-33English Standard Version (ESV)
19
The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns,
but the path of the upright is a level highway.
20
A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish man despises his mother.
21
Folly is a joy to him who lacks sense,
but a man of understanding walks straight ahead.
22
Without counsel plans fail,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23
To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,
and a word in season, how good it is!
24
The path of life leads upward for the prudent,
that he may turn away from Sheol beneath.
25
The Lord tears down the house of the proud
but maintains the widow's boundaries.
26
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord,
but gracious words are pure.
27
Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household,
but he who hates bribes will live.
28
The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer,
but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.
29
The Lord is far from the wicked,
but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
30
The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,
and good news refreshes[a] the bones.
31
The ear that listens to life-giving reproof
will dwell among the wise.
32
Whoever ignores instruction despises himself,
but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.
33
The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom,
and humility comes before honor. 

It is talking about honoring your parents.

 Pastor Roy Mack from Grace Fellowship Church, Warren , OH has this to say:

"Think about how you are going to give an answer before you speak. Don't let your mouth pour forth hateful and hurtful words. Decide to give honor. Verse 33 says, "humility comes before honor." When there have been harsh words spoken, decide with humility to demonstrate honor and respect. This leads to healing. "

IRS Scam

I got a call this afternoon claiming to be the IRS with a final notice to pay my outstanding taxes from 2009-2014.
They had enough information to worry me so I called my tax guy first to get his input. Ted wasn't in the office so I went ahead and called them back.
They told me that I had received 2 letters in the mail that I had ignored and that they were going to go after my house, car, bank accounts.

I talked him into re-sending the letters. And at some point one of them told me they had sent the letters via registered mail. Which has to be signed for!!!
Then I got thinking. For all the faults our government has I don't believe that they call from noisy call centers using a number from NY and arguing that it's the citizens fault that they didn't receive the letters.
So I called back and spoke with a different person with the intent of getting more info from them. I gotta say, these scammers are good. They know how to intimidate a person and if they don't like the way the conversation is going they hang up on you.
So I called back again. I figure if I'm tying them up they cant harrass another person. Anyway I called back 5 times. Each time speaking with a different "employee". I even asked for a supervisor. It was hard to not laugh. The final straw for laughing was when he told me his name was "Peter Parker" I know, I know... But I asked him anyway, "You mean like Spider Man?"
Thinking about it now it may have been the same person I was talking with several times and the background noise could have been taped or on TV.
But each time I pressed for more info they changed some detail. As of now whoever this is has blocked my number and all I get is a busy signal.
I'm tempted to call from my cell phone but at the same time don't want them to have that number.
Here is the phone # they called from, in case you want to help harass them...
347-906-8670.
Too bad Daniel wasn't home he would have done a better job of "trolling".

The "Homeschooling Mom Uniform"

I had a great time visiting with my sister Michelle Wilson, niece Jenna Wilson, great-niece Autumn and Jennas niece Ladaya (spelling?) yesterday. They came over so Jenna could talk with me about homeschooling Autumn for at least her pre-kindergarten year.

BUT, I forgot the most important piece of info. Jenna Wilson, you need a homeschool mom uniform!! Denim skirt and Birkenstock shoes, lol.

There's a story here. when Grandma and Grandpa found out we were going to homeschool Daniel Gibson and Sarah Gibson Grandpa asked me if I was going to start wearing denim skirts and birkenstocks. Well, I had already started wearing the shoes because I had ruptured my plantar fascia. But I told him I didn't plan to wear skirts. Fast forward to about 5 years ago and I made the switch to skirts. Not becasue I homeschooled but because for the most part I find them more comfortable and flattering. ( I do own 2 pairs of jeans and 1 pair of nice shorts that I seldom wear).

And that is the story of the homeschooling "Mom Uniform".

Suffering, Crosses & Crowns

I just read an excellent article by Steve Brown of Key Life about suffering.

Crosses & Crowns
It is worth it to take the time to read the entire article, don't worry it's not too long, and the scriptures referenced.


Here are my notes on the article.

1.  Suffering is a fact.
2.  Remember that Christ suffered first,  1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 4:15
3.  See how Christ dealt with pain and do likewise.
                    A.  Submission, Matthew 26:39.  "There is no value in suffering per se.  The difference lies in how you respond to the suffering.  Strike against it or become bitter by it and you will become bloodied.  Accept it and you will become Christ like."
                    B.  Recognition.  "Christ suffered with recognition- that God's plan included the suffering and that even such suffering had meaning."
                     C.  Affirmation- God is good.  God is love.  1 Peter 4:1-2.  "Suffering teaches, cleanses and changes the believer who accepts it with the same attitude with which Christ accepted it."
4.  God doesn't leave us alone in our pain and struggle.  His comfort is ours.  Psalm 34:4 & 18,  Isaiah 40:27-31 & 41:10, Matthew 11:28-30, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5


"  Father, I don't know what this day holds for me.  I hope that it is laughter and joy, but I know that it may be pain and suffering or hurt and humiliation.  Whatever You have for me, teach me to accept it the way Christ accepted it."


It is my prayer that I will be able to remember and focus on this in the midst of the pain.

If—

By Rudyard Kipling

 

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

New Makeup Regimen

I love makeup products that do double duty. With all the redness that I usually have in my face from the violent vomiting episodes with my migraines, I quite often have to use several products to tone the redness down.
Today as I put on my makeup I decided to try the ELF Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick in Pink Umbrella as both a blush and for my lips. This color is a good nude for my lips and worked well as a creamy blush.
To me it's always worth a try and if I don't like the effect, or if David doesn't like it, I can always wash it off and start over without to much trouble.



 

Other makeup products that I recently tried and like are both by L'Oreal. They are the Magic Anti-Redness correcting primer in green and the true match super-blendable crayon concealer in fair/light.

The concealer works best if some type of primer has been used prior and the primer is in a pump bottle, but those are the only negatives for me. And with the primer one pump is MORE than enough to correct my entire face. most of my redness is on the left side but it is an area about the size of my hand.

e.l.f. lip gloss

L'Oreal Primer

L'Oreal Concealer



 

Prayer Needed

Would you all please pray for me? I have a pinched nerve in my neck, C2-C5, and I'm in a lot of pain right now. With David out of work I've been seeing the chiropractor and using ice, heat and pain meds to keep going. I'm pretty sure I need surgery for this but that is not in the cards at the moment.
So would you please pray that David gets a job soon, that I can get the inflammation in my neck under control so that I don't need surgery?  And that we will continue to be able to pay the bills?

A "Slow Fade" into sin

Every believer should take 5 minutes and listen to Mark Hall of Casting Crowns expound on Psalm 1 and his song "Slow Fade". Then take 5 more minutes to pray and think about it. I'm preaching to
myself too.

Be careful little eyes what you see
Its the second glance that ties your hands
As darkness pulls the strings

 

Be careful little feet where you go
For its the little feet behind you
That are sure to follow

 

Its a slow fade
When you give yourself away
Its a slow fade
When black and white are turned to gray

And thoughts invade, choices are made
A price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

Its a slow fade
Its a slow fade

 

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattering leads to compromises
The end is always near

Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises
Leave broken hearts astray

 

Its a slow fade
When you give yourself away
Its a slow fade
When black and white are turned to gray

And thoughts invade, choices are made
A price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

 

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than youre thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

 

Its a slow fade
When you give yourself away
Its a slow fade
When black and white are turned to gray

And thoughts invade, choices are made
A price will be paid
When you give yourself away

 

People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

 

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see

 

Songwriters
HALL, JOHN MARK

Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Mary, Did you know