27 Life Lessons

Well, I had a wonderful lunch/chat with a very Sweet Lady yesterday. We have been wanting to spend some time together, and we finally made it happen.  smile

By the time the afternoon was over, I felt like a truly 'blest woman.'  I was trying not to hog the conversation with all my 'blathering' (we Whitt sisters are well known for that, we can't blame our Mother anymore, she has been gone for years...she sure loved to talk.)

As I was recounting one area that happened in my earlier days, my lunch partner said, 'oh, thank you for that, it was just what I needed. I can handle my situation the same way you did, I can do that too.'  That felt pretty good, because the story I told was one in which I dragged my feet ....with Jesus pulling me, kicking and screaming, because 'it was too hard...too hard.'

 But when it was all over, I definitely had made the right choice, because it effected how Greg responded to the same situation..."Mom, if you can do that, I can too."

Wow...I always want  those who come behind me...to find me faithful...But I don't always make good choices, some I have to go back and do-over, and 'do-overs' are not  easy...and sometimes you have done things that cannot be changed...there they are, hanging there for all the world to see, and cannot be corrected.   Oh, that we could really walk in His presence, every day, every moment, so we wouldn't have to do...do-overs.  smile

Now today, I just talked to Greg (at dialysis) and he had just talked to his kidney Dr., and Greg said that he just couldn't keep taking all these drugs that he is taking.  He doesn't want to go back to those heavy pain killers that are so addicting.  So they decided he would eliminate them and then ask the Lord for wisdom on what he should take.  (The Dr. didn't say ask God for  wisdom, but just maybe, Greg, here is a good time to let God use you as a witness.  Think?)

So our lives are not just something to do, or somewhere to go....We are here, journeying toward Heaven, our ultimate goal, and my Bible said I was put here in THIS generation, for a reason...........what is that reason?  

I can do something that I was made for...you know we are fearfully and wonderfully made...He has plans for us...you, me...individually and we need to be about our Fathers' business....which is not necessarily my choice of business, but like the above story, why kick and scream and leave skidmarks all the way?   

Let us see what the Father’s business means for each of us....not what your friend wants you to do, but what God has planned for you!!

Only one life, t'will soon be past...

Only what's done for Christ will last.

Wow, what a concept?   smile...

Do we already know this?

Yes we certainly do!  

Do we willingly comply?  

No we certainly don't.  

So if what you are going thru, or have been thru, in the past, is going to be used for His glory, (as was tested with our lunch yesterday) if I could have seen ahead, maybe I would have been more willing...He tells us again and again, that He has plans for us, trust Him and relax in Him....He will take us through...whatever it is we are going thru.

This is 'No Easy Road' like the book so entitled, by Dick Eastman, many years ago...

But:   It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.

          My trials will seem so small, when we see Christ....

          One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase,

          So proudly run the race, till we see Him.

It won't be long,...He sez when you see these things coming to pass....Look Up!!  (look at all the signs)

Your redemption draweth nigh!

Look up!  Hang in there!   Hang on tight to His Hand, and we'll see you here, there, or in the air!!

See you in THE morning!!

Nanny

26 Our Precious Heavenly Father

Last night, Greg, as we talked...I am so amazed at how strong your voice is and my heart is lighter because of it.  Nothing physically has changed, but I think now that you have an apartment close to dialysis, you feel more in control of your physical status.   Yes, you still have issues, yes, you still need a kidney, yes, you are still struggling financially, BUT something has happened, and I think you can think clearer, not so muddled,  and I just want to praise our Heavenly Father for who He is, and whose we are.

Even if we can't see and feel Him, HE IS THERE, when it seems so dark and lonesome, HE IS THERE.  I know this for sure, because the Word sez,  that He is not a man that He could lie, and it also sez He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us. This is the faith part...*smile*

But you also told me a little story when Andy was a little one, and you took him in and put him in his crib, but as you started to leave you reached in to pat him,  and he grabbed your finger...it was sooooooooooo special, that you thought, “if he wants  me close, as long as he holds onto my finger, I will stay here...all night if need be”.  What a special moment with your son.  Then you went on to share just how like our Heavenly Father that moment was...my heart is touched telling it....because God sez...(in essence...*smile*)  if you are touched by your son, MY heart is touched by you...Greg, My son. 

Oh how He loves you and me,  Oh how He loves you and me,,,,,

He gave His life, what more could He do?

Oh how He loves you and me.

One more little story very worth telling:  When we still lived in Yorkville, with the 2 story house....Two of our granddaughters were there when we found a pair of doves, with a nest right on the downspout of the garage.

We quietly placed the ladder and they climbed up to see the two little ones in their nest.

A few days later they were sitting on the garage roof   by their mom and dad, so I reported that to Crissie and Jordan.  Then a few days later I went out to check, and one of the parent doves, started a great chattering...and didn't stop.  I assumed they were saying to their babies, 'Watch  out, here comes trouble.'  After a bit, out in a distant tree, there came a  little bird...flying.....

Now that was wonderful to see, but what happened next was just AMAZING… the Mama dove left her tree close to me, flew right out to the baby, and flew right under that baby bird, all the way up to the top of the roof.

Oh my goodness, if that didn't remind me of our Heavenly Father...it certainly did, and those people who do not believe in a God, who designed this old world, and all that is in it.....they aren't paying attention!!!!!  

Then I knew what that mama bird was chattering about to her baby..."Come on, you can do it...Come on just take off, I promise I will be right there underneath you ....ALL THE WAY! "  

Doesn't that sound like a scripture that you just read?

So Greg, if He takes care of the little dove...He certainly will take care of us!! Not in the way we think is the right way, or the right time....but: 

In His Time, In His time, He makes  all things beautiful , in His time..... 

Look up, hang on tight to the hand that is holding you....smile  

He is a good God!

I'll see you here there or in the air!

You too, sissy Cray...

Nanny, Marker (and all those other names you call me....smile)  

Oh I have a new name,' the backer over the mail box lady'

**editor's note**

Aunt Swede & dearest cousin Greg, 

Here is something I came across that touched and encouraged me, and I can't shake the feeling that I should share it with you both.  Here is as appropriate a place as any.  :)
See video below:

 

25 THANKFULNESS

This morning I woke up with a thankful heart (as opposed  to a weary, fearful heart)…  So I started thinking about things that I am thankful for and came up with a plethora of things...

First of all, I am thankful for the Word:

 Isa. 43:  (which sez in essence)..."Thus says the LORD, who created you, and formed you, Fear not; for I have called you by YOUR name, Margaret, thou art mine."  

Also in Rom 8 vs 38 & 39: "Nothing shall be able to separate us from the Love of God."

Family and friends:

Friday I heard Greg’s nice , strong, voice  say: 

"This has been a good day, Mom, I walked to dialysis, had a good dialysis, and then walked home."   

(For once in a very long time he was in charge of what he did that day, instead of having to wait for someone else to come and take him where he needed to go.)  This is only in answer to the many prayers that have been sent heavenward....by our wonderful family and friends!!

Then as I was thinking about family and friends, I thought about how we teach our children to believe and pray.  V.P. was always praying about someone or something.

 I remembered something that made me smile, even years later...V.P. was very young, they were driving to have a picnic and it started to rain...he just looked out the window and prayed,  “Lord, make it stop raining so we can have a nice picnic.”

Shara Jo, who was sitting in her car seat, with her 'cho-cho' in her mouth said, "Heth not gonna do it!"   He did, and we laughed...does that make you smile too?

Oh, for the faith of a child , and special, 'you bet'!  What a reason to be thankful!!!   For the diligence in Barbara and Vince, in teaching them to pray!!

As I was sitting thinking about all the things that made me happy and thankful, yep, Clifford brought me my first cup of coffee, just like I like it.  (The night before when I couldn't sleep he spent a long time rubbing my back to help me sleep...it worked...I am so blessed.)   I am REALLY blessed with my sweet considerate husband!!

I am so aware of all the people in our lives who are prayer warriors, and have been praying for years, about you Greg, and our situation.  When I posted the blog, just after I got home from Spokane, when I was soooooo discouraged, and you were too, Lolly said we had 47 hits that day on the Blog.   People, friends...they do care and we are blessed!!!

Perhaps I am most thankful for what God is teaching me, thru this blog.   I am having to come to grips with reality--not just my own dreams and wants.  God has a plan for each of us, and it doesn't look anything like what we think!   God wants us to know and see (eventually) what He has planned for each of us, for eternity.   As they say, we need to keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing!!   

I am truly a blessed woman, with many dear special friends who care....a lot!   I just did a thing in the blog about the Body, and where would we be, Greg, without Christ’s  body of special people that He placed in our lives.  Every one of them were intentionally placed there by our Heavenly Father, for such a time as this...*smile*

Hang in there, hang on tight...and we will meet you here, there or in the air.    

(The way things look, the AIR part is getting closer and closer!!)  *smile*

As Forrest Sr. said, 'well, you didn't come today, maybe you will come tonight.'

Christ tells us to look up, for our Redemption draws near!!

Cray, 'look up!'   Marker (Nanny)