Too much blood!

As many of you know, I had a stroke on June 29th, and I have been to several Dr appointments.  I found out earlier this month that the stroke probably happened because I have to much blood plus my vitamin D was down to a 3.  Either one of those problems can cause a stroke!

The extra blood will be taken out in two appointments. The extra blood also has made me feel tired all the time! Though I do get my exercise because the Doctor advised me to drink water all the time.  So with all the water being consumed I am walking back and forth to the bathroom.

I am taking vitamin D, eating lots of salad, baked chicken and drinking lots of water.  I am trying to walk more but have to break it up into shorter time frames.

I have no idea how I got extra blood.  I have never been told I had that problem so am not sure if it is because of the stroke or because I am almost as old as Moses!  I would appreciate your prayers!

I was thinking about this the other day and a thought popped into my head about my Savior!  He didn't have too much blood but He did lose His blood when crucified on the cross!  He did this for me and He did this for you!

He lost His blood so that His blood can cover our sins!  The way to have your sin covered is to ask Jesus into your heart!  He is waiting!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life!  John 3:16

Stroke, Do you know the signs? I did but..

                                         

                                               

I am writing about stroke because I had one!  I ignored the signs for a few days and then went to the ER.  I was dehydrated so they told me to drink lots of water and come back that afternoon for an MRI.  The MRI did not show that anything had happened but something had happened.

A week ago Friday I had just finished my supper when the left side of my face went numb and I ignored it, thinking that maybe I was having a reaction to the food that I had just finished eating.  Guess what I ignored?  Four letters about a stroke!  F is for one side of face drooping or numb?  Was my smile uneven or lopsided?  I do not know I did not check!  A is for Arm weakness, my arm was not weak that evening that I am aware of but a few days after that I did notice that my left side of neck, shoulder and underarm was hurting and feeling weak!

So already I had a numb right side of face and left side arm weakness. The third sign is Speech difficulty, which I did not have trouble speaking but I did have times where it felt like I could not swallow!  The 4th letter is T, which means it is time to call 9-1-1.

I did everything wrong but do not follow my lead, if you have these signs have someone take you to the ER or call an ambulance to take you!!  Even if you are unsure like I was, go anyway even if you have to call an ambulance.  I wish I had went that evening, maybe I would not have gotten any other symptoms but the numb side of face.   It is better to get things checked out even if the symptoms are not a stroke or something bad but maybe just maybe it might be!

This stroke that I had really made me think about heaven.  I know for a fact that if I had died I would have flown to heaven.  Now do I want to die, NO, I do not, I have family, friends and others that I do not want to leave!  When I do fly to heaven do not be sad, please throw a party with lots and lots of chocolate!

My question is, if you have a stroke that leads to death where will you go?  Don't do things wrong!  I hope that you will be prepared to fly to heaven!

John 3:16-17 (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Tick!!

Yesterday I saw my first tick of the season.  I am sure that they have been around I just have not seen or noticed them.  My dog was on the couch laying by my side when in horror I watched a tick crawl off of him and right onto my hand.  In that second of terror I really thought that I was going to scream and jump!

BUT I didn't.  Somehow I composed myself as the thought popped into my head that if I did the tick dance that crazy tick would probably go flying never to be found again! (maybe as I am getting older I might be realizing that if I let a bug, spider or tick fly I just have to find it again to get rid of it)

I picked that tick up between two fingers and took it to where it could go away with the flow of water hopefully to never ever be seen again!!

Now my dog did not know that he was bringing me a pest that I hate!  He did not even know that it was on him!  During the night I thought about how my sin is like a tick!  Ticks are a lot of times so tiny a person does not even see them but as they suck the blood they get bigger and bigger!  Sin might start small like that tiny little tick but if that sin is not sent away it can become like a big fat tick!  

I can not get rid of my sin by sending  it down a drain but  I can take my sin to my Savior!  Jesus took my sin, and yours, to the cross with him!  Don't let you sin be like a tick that sucks away your life!

John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

Spiders already

                                                 

                                      
Today was the day of the spiders!!  The first spider that I saw, I almost stepped on it with a bare foot.  It was in my bedroom.  I somehow composed myself as I chased that giant spider!  I grabbed a shoe and yelled as I killed that spider!

I killed another one later in the living room as it ran up the wall.  I really hate it when they are on the wall or ceiling because they could fall down at any second and land on me!  Then I would be jumping up and down and doing the spider dance!!

I also noticed nasty spiders when I walked out to see if there was any mail.  I looked really close before I opened the mail box also because I have seen spiders hanging out inside the box.  I am glad that I did not  have to do the spider dance right there in the middle of the cul-de-sac. 

I have heard that peppermint and lavender plants can help with spiders and some other pest.  I really think I need to get maybe ten or twenty of those plants.  I could put some outside and some on the inside and surround my house with their protection!!

Sin is just like the nasty spiders that pop up just when I lest expect it!  I don't need plants to save me but I do need to make sure I am planted in the word of God!

What about you?  Where are you planted?

James 1:21 

21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

New International Version 

It's been a while

                                               

It has been a while since I have written.  I am going to blame it on my mind.  Most of you that know me, know that my mind can be on a journey that does not involve writing.  It tries to trick me and tell me stuff like, oh you can write later but than later becomes never.

I don't want to be in the never write again group so I am going to try to blog more plus work on some of those books.  I should have already written more books.  I don't care if I get famous but it would be nice if my books do!

I am going to try to blog several times a week and get started again on the book about Richard's journey.  I told him I was going to write that book and it is time for me to do it. 

Maybe you guys can tell me that you will beat me with a wet noodle if I don't write something every day or even every other day!

This is my new start and I am happy to be blogging again!   Please feel free to share my blog with your friends.

Remember we are all on a journey.  God has given us gifts that we should be using.  I believe God wants me to write and I am going to try my best to do just that.  What does God want you to do?  Do you know and if so are you doing it? 

Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Things do quit but

                                                 

Thing do quit working.   I have had several things that have quit working in the last few weeks.  My old car quit so I got another car.   My new to me car quit in Texas, the weekend before Thanksgiving. It is still in Texas being worked on.  Last night my dryer quit but started again but I think it is probably on the path to never working again.  I had to get a new washer several weeks back because the washer quit.  There have even been times that I have quit. 

Things do quit but they are replaceable.  I quit and others quit but God is always there.  He never quits.  When I have quit, God gives me the strength to keep going.  He reminds me of my Jesus and what He did for me.  Jesus died on the cross for me and for you.  That could have been one thing to quit but He did not.!

When you are tempted to quit doing something that seems impossible, remember the cross! 

1 Corinthians 2:2 (NLT)

For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified

Bella, my other dog

                                                   

I know I have written about Samson but I am not sure if I have ever written about Bella.  She is also one of those little dachshund dogs.  She has issues.  I do not know what has happened in her past though.  She has lived here less than a year and I must confess that I have wanted to give her away several times. 

Every morning I have put her out so that she can pee and poop but almost immediately she is scratching at the patio door.  I would wait awhile but she would continue the scratching so I would eventually let her in.  Most days it would not be long until I would find pee and or poop in the other living room or in the kitchen.

This morning for some reason I turned the outside light on.  What a difference that light made!  She did her business outside.  I am thinking that maybe she was afraid when it was dark but the light gave her courage to stay and do what she needed to do.

To be honest I like to have a light when it is dark.  What a difference even just a flashlight makes.  The light cuts through the darkness and I can see the path to take. 

There is a light better that a flashlight. That light is Jesus!  He came to give us light and He does not care what your issues might be.  He will take you just like you are!

Jesus is my light!  Is He yours?

John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people,  He said, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Rather hit the dust than

Yesterday was a long day but that was probably because it was Monday.  It was a good day at work but I just seemed tired, which was probably from waking up early on Fall Back Sunday.  I did not get an extra hour of sleep in fact I woke up earlier than normal on Sunday and Monday.

I worked a little later on Monday so when I left work the sun was trying to disappear though it was still light.  I was stuck in traffic for a bit.  It seemed that everyone had chosen the same time to go wherever they were going.   Maybe they were all trying to get home before the sun disappeared and left us in the dark.

I was about eight minutes from home when a truck stopped right in front of me.  My instincts took over and I swerved into the grassy, dusty area by the side of the road.  As dust swirled everywhere, that truck took off at a high rate of speed.  I am sure that they thought I was going to chase them down.  I had no intentions of doing that.  The person that was behind me waited and let me back onto the road.

Even as the dust was swirling around my car I was thanking God for His hand that protects.  If I had hit that truck it probably would have crumpled my car and maybe me.  So that is why I would rather hit the dust than wreck.  I am so glad that I am not in the dark.  God's light is always with me even  when dust is swirling.

Are you in the dark? What happens if you hit the dust?

1 John 1:7 NKJV

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Romans 3:23-24NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Fall Back

                                         

Happy Fall Back day.  Did you get your extra hour of sleep?  If you did please let me know in the comment section below.  For some reason, I woke up at regular time even though it was 5 am instead of 6 am.  I even went to sleep an hour later thinking that would work. 

I was thinking about fall back.  Are there things in your life that you fall back into.  I know I very easily fall back into eating chocolate even when I try to take a sabbatical from it.  There are many other things that if I do not watch it I will fall back into, like being self-righteous, being unkind, thinking bad things about others and getting offended to easy.

What I should be doing is to fall back into having compassion, patience and to be more like my Savior.  I should mirror his kindness even when I have an extra hour to sleep but wake up early.

Jesus is the One to fall back to.  Jesus is not on regular or fall back time, He is there all the time!  He just wants us to fall back into His arms! Maybe this is the day to go to Jesus or to meet him for the first time.

John 3:16-17 (NKJV)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The Heart of a Wellston Tiger:Precious Memories

                            

Many of you know, if you have read my blog posts, that I grew up in a small town, Wellston, Oklahoma.  I loved that town and the people, well most of them.  I have so many good memories and thought that I had better start writing about them before my mind is completely gone.

I grew up on a farm, off of 177, and I remember that when my older brothers got on that bus, to head to school, I wanted to go with them. What was I thinking? Why on earth would I want to go with brothers that were so mean to me?  They loved to throw persimmons at me and make my life crazy.

One of those early memories was at church in Warwick, Oklahoma.  It was a small town with a gas station, a small school house and the church.  That church was planted there by a church in Chandler, Oklahoma, the country seat of Lincoln County.  It was the first church that I remember.  It was the beginning of a life long relationship with my God.  It was at that church where the Word begin to be planted in my heart.

My God is still with me, He will never leave me nor forsake me. He has walked with me through the good and the bad times.  I have many precious memories of His help, His compassion and most of all His love.  

I would like to become like David, who was a man after God's heart! 

Acts 13:22 (NKJV)

22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David[the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

August 30th, Remembering

20 years ago today was the day that I married Richard.  Our plans were that we would work, work and work some more.  We looked forward to when the children would be grown because we had plans to spend time traveling.  He also wanted to spend more time in China.  He had been there and loved the culture and of course the food.

Most of the time on this day he would try to surprise me in some way by taking me out to eat or a present of a necklace or ring. Oh and always chocolate.  He knew me well.  After he was diagnosed with cancer we spent lots of time talking and looking to the future.  The future was after cancer.

There was a point in time though when he started talking to me about what he wanted me to do after he was gone.  I did not want to listen but had to.  He made me listen.  We talked about many things.  He talked about how he would miss seeing Sarah graduate and Brianna's ballgames.  He talked about how he would miss the boys achievements.  He treated my boys as if they were his.  He often said how blessed he was with them in his life.

20 years ago today though was a crazy day full of family, friends and a wedding.  It is a day I will always remember!

There is also a day that I can not forget.  It is the day that Jesus died on the cross for me.  Without that I would be doomed!   The good news is that Jesus rose again.  Jesus did this for me and for you.  You may have many fun vacations but don't forget that you need to secure  your last vacation.

Where will you go when you die?

Do you know?

John 14:1-4

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

What is your everything??

 Samson is my handicapped dog.  He does not know he is handicapped though.  He still eats and he still wants to be petted.  He still can get to the food faster than the other two dogs.

What he does not understand is that as he is running around trying to beat the other dogs, he is rubbing his back underside raw.  He can not feel the pain that he should be feel.  He is just doing what dogs do.

  Do people run around trying to beat other people?  I believe that yes most people want to win.  They want the food or the prize or the money or the best everything.  They want to be the first.

I think that Samson probably needs to slow down when his food or his prize is given.  He can gulp it down in seconds.  I wish that he would or could slow down, I believe it is a dog's nature to eat fast or faster!

I think that sometimes I forget about what the true prize it.  As a human I am just trying to get to the prize fast, whatever that I perceive the prize might be.  I think that I am probably more handicapped than Samson.  I let people and circumstances dictate how I react or what I do.

The only thing  that I should be doing is what Samson is doing.  He is looking to me for his food, his bedding and love.  He gives the love back freely and will try to protect me if he feels that I am threatened.

 I should be running to my Savior, just like my Samson runs to me.  I need to forget about being first.  I need to slow down and savor the minutes with my Savior.   I need to remember that He is the prize!

Jesus is everything!

Do you feel the pain?

What is your everything?




But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.  2 Peter 3:18

That commercial

Have you seen the commercial where there is this guy that is talking to women.  He is talking about how he can help with their bodies.  In this short commercial he lets woman know that he can help them get their bodies to where it should be.

The problem that I have with this commercial is the guy talking is very rotund.   In other words he might could use some help also.  Of course in the commercial there is proof of his work.  There are many lovely women with their before and after pictures.  There were no pictures of his before and after.  He did not have an after.

This commercial made me think about Heaven and people like this man.  This man is on the outside looking in.  He is talking the talk to get those women to change their bodies but apparently he does not need to change.  How many people talk the talk but do not see the need to change?  The guy in the commercial wants to sell his service but he is not willing to change.

Jesus is the only commercial that you need.  He paid the price for you when He died and rose again.  His work starts with your heart.  Have you changed?

Will you have an after?

John 3:16 (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

What if you died today

I don't know why I started thinking about that statement today?  I was on the way home from taking my grandchild to school and it just popped into my head.  Maybe someone needs to read this today and if so this is for you!

Do you know what will happen to you when you die?  If not you can be certain that one thing.  You will either go to heaven or you won't!  I can tell you without a shadow of doubt that when I die I am headed to heaven.  The reason that I can be so sure of that is that I have accepted Jesus as my Savior.

Jesus died and rose again on the cross for you and for me!  He paved the way for you to get into heaven.  All that you have to do is:

Admit that you are a sinner and repent
Believe that Jesus Is God's son and and accept His gift of forgiveness
Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord

Romans 3:23New King James Version (NKJV)

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 5:8New King James Version (NKJV)

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9New King James Version (NKJV)

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:10New King James Version (NKJV)

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Yesterday was one of those days!

                         

Yesterday after I took my granddaughter to school, I headed to the grocery store.  I got almost everything on my list though I did forget the chocolate.   That is probably what started my day going in the wrong direction.

I got home and put up the groceries and then just sat down for one minute.  My intention was to clean like a mad woman and get everything cleaned, washed and shiny.  It didn't happen.  The next thing I knew I was waking up from an hour and a half nap.

I decided that if I worked really fast I could get everything done.  Nope that didn't work either.  I was moving really slow.  I did get a few chores done but then I started thinking about what I would cook for supper.  I was thinking dressing with chicken on top of it with swiss cheese.

I walked to the cabinet where the cook books and recipe cards are and took the books out.  I looked through them but couldn't find the recipe.  I reached back into the cabinet to get the box of hand written recipe cards.  When I did this, I not only knocked the box out but  also a glass candler holder.  The glass shattered everywhere.  The shards went all over the counter and stove. I got the big pieces off then I grabbed a wet paper towel to get the small pieces. Just when I thought I had it cleaned up I dropped the paper towel with the sharp pieces of glass shards.  Now the glass shards were all over the floor.  I was standing there with bare feet.

I reached over and grabbed the broom and dustpan then very carefully swept and mopped that area of the floor.  I was sweeping again just to make sure and I kept seeing something red and thought what on earth is that red stuff.  Yes it was blood.  My blood.  I had felt a prick but didn't see anything but there was a little piece of class stuck on the bottom of my right foot.  I took care of my foot and went back to cleaning up the floor.  Then I saw red again.  I looked at the bottom of my foot, the band aid was holding.  Then I saw blood on my big toe on the other foot.  I got that taken care of and then I put my shoes on to finish the job.

I don't know why I didn't just put my shoes on.  It would have only taken a second and then my feet would have been safe from the shards of glass that fell to the floor.  The pain and blood I had yesterday was just a tiny inconvenience in the scheme of the day.  I was still breathing.  I was alive but if I had put my shoes on my feet would have been protected. The more I thought about that just that one act would have saved me from the cuts on my feet.

It  also made me think about the pain, the blood and the death of my Savior.  My Savior not only died on the cross, he rose again.  My feet of sin were with Him on that cross.  Everyone's sin was on the cross with Him.  The good news is that His death and resurrection gave all a path that can lead straight to Him. His one act could save you!  Leave the shards of your sin at His feet!

John 3:16-17New King James Version (NKJV)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Interrupted Speeding

                                           

Two days ago I was heading to Guthrie to see my mom.  I was heading down Highway 51 and then would turn onto Highway 74 and then turn on Highway 33 to get there.  As I was heading down Highway 51 the traffic in front of me slowed down and in my opinion was going way to slow.  I always like to get where I am going in the least amount of time without getting a ticket.

I couldn't really see what the slow down was because of a big truck in front of me.  I tried to get around several times but there was always traffic coming at me.  That's when as I was looking around the vehicles in front of me I saw a deer bounding across the highway.  I immediately thought if the traffic hadn't slowed me down I probable would have been in that spot where the deer crossed.  I was very thankful for the interrupted speeding.

The traffic stayed really slow but I didn't mind.  I finally could see that there was a giant something on the back of a truck in front of the line of traffic.  I have no idea what it was but it was big enough that the traffic coming at it had to pull off the road.

 It is amazing what you might see when you are not so worried about making record time to get to where you are going.  I saw some beautiful houses and landscaping.  I saw two deer in a field off of Highway 74 that looked like they were racing.  I saw impatient people that went around me only to have to slow down.

I was thankful for the interruption.  I saw so much more on this slow trip than I have seen in a long time.  I believe God wants me to slow down not just to see the beauty around me that I had been missing but to slow down and notice others around me.  I speed through life without noticing the people that might need help and the people that might need encouragement or the people that might need to hear my story.  Sometimes I need to hear the people that might need to tell me their story and I need to slow down to see the people that might need to hear about my Jesus! Sometimes I need to be still, look, wait and listen.

Do you need an interruption?

John 14:6

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Isaiah 40:31

31 But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

Yesterday

                                                   

Yesterday I was thinking abut how much easier things used to be.  Maybe things were easier before all the self serve things that we have today.  Maybe the yesterday that I am thinking about was many years ago before self serve became the new normal.  Maybe I was thinking about yesterday when I was filling my car up with gas.

I remember when you could pull into a Filling Station and a person would magically appear to fill up your car for you.  Not only were they polite when they filled up your car but they would also clean off your windshield and even check to see if your tires needed air!  They would talk to you and smile!

It seems like these days people are in a hurry to get you in and out when you are paying.  Very few seem to have time to talk and smile.  They are probably just there to make their money and then get home.  What do you think?  Is it just me or do a lot of people seem unhappy?

I do know that there was One that came many years ago and He wasn't here to serve Himself?
His name was Jesus and He came so that you might have life and have it abundantly!  He came to serve and to save?  He is the one that can help take away the unhappiness!

He is the One that makes the way easier!

Matthew 20:28

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

                         

Random Ramblings

This morning I woke up and looked at the clock.  It was 3:00 am  and I thought oh good, I have two more hours.  The next thing I knew I was waking up and looking at the clock again.  It was almost five.  It seemed like just a few seconds had went by.  How did that happen?  How come when I can't sleep time moves so very, very slow but when asleep it seems like just a few seconds have went by?

I then thought of Richard and wondered about time in heaven.  Is there a heavenly time clock?  Does it seem like seven months to him or does it seem like he just got there?  The last seven months and five days have seemed slow and fast to me but I really don't know how to explain that.  Maybe it feels  to him like just a few seconds have  ticked by.  I think that Heaven time must be different than here on earth.

I take my granddaughter to school most mornings and this morning was no exception.  She did help me get the trash taken out to the curb before we left.  As I pulled back into the driveway from the trip to her school and back when I noticed the trash.  My trash can was overflowing.  It wasn't falling out but the lid wouldn't fit down  as the the trash sacks were to tall to let the lid shut.

This made me think about all the trash that I let overflow into my life.  What sins do I hold onto in my life that I can't shut the lid on wrong thoughts, actions and words.  The only thing that I can think of to tie my ramblings together is this, don't waste your time on the trash!  Give it  to God and let Him clean you up!  I do believe that  all are on that heavenly time clock.  Don't let your time pass  and be left  with the garbage of your sin.

What is overflowing from you?

John 14:6New International Version (NIV)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

                                 

What is important?

                                                       

The other day I lost something very important.  I looked everywhere and could not find it.  Now this something was something that in other hands could devastate me.  It was my checkbook.  I spent the morning looking and looking again but that checkbook was not to be found.  I finally went to the bank and spoke with one of the tellers.  I had looked at my account and nothing had been taken out of my account except what I had expected to come out.

The teller advised me that since nothing seemed amiss with the account to wait on two checks to clear that had not cleared.  If at that point in time the checkbook was still missing to come back to talk with them.  I went home and started looking again.  It was later that afternoon that I started going through places I had already looked and found the checkbook.  How had I missed that?  It was right there sticking up out of that box!

How often is God's will right there in front of me but I just can't see it.  Just like the checkbook it can be right in front of my face but I don't recognize it!  I might have prayed and then prayed again but not recognize God's truth!  Maybe because I am looking right past the obvious looking in all the wrong places!  It might not look to others that something is amiss in my life but oh I would know it.  I would feel that something was missing in my life!  I would look and try to figure out what was wrong but until I went to the right source things would still feel wrong.

It's right there the whole time! If I leave God in a box my life would be much different!  I only have to go to my God and ask for forgiveness and then my world feels right again.  God is there the whole time.  He is always waiting for me to reach back to the right place!  He never leaves nor forsakes me!  Without God it would be devastating!

What is important to you?  What is your life without God?

Matthew 18:11-12 (NKJV)

11 For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.[a]

12 “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?

Eleven Cents

                                                               

It was late December and Richard was in the hospital.  I had fallen asleep but woke up with a dread that I could not get rid of.  I reached out and touched his hand but he slept on.  I just had this feeling that my husband was not going to live much longer.

I decided to text a friend who always seemed to be awake late and asked for prayers and told her of my fears.  She texted back almost immediately with words of comfort and compassion.  She also prayed. We texted back and forth and suddenly Richard started talking.

He was talking in his sleep.  I can't remember exactly what he said but it had to do with Jesus dying on the cross.  He kept telling me that I needed to give an offering to Jesus because Jesus had died on the cross.  Without thinking I told him that I didn't have any money.

That was the wrong answer!  He started telling me that I should give at least eleven cents and again I told him that I didn't have any money.  What was I thinking?   I should have just said, yes I will give at least eleven cents.  He started lecturing me on what a terrible person I was because I didn't want to give to the Savior and how on earth could I not have eleven cents.  I learned that night to not ever try to reason with a person that is sleep talking.  I also learned that a person can go from fear to laughing pretty quick.  For some reason this struck me as funny and  I could not stop laughing.

The next morning he did not remember anything but it is etched in my memory.  Even in my husband's dreams he was dreaming about Christ and how He died and rose again for us.  I also need to remember, even though Richard was dreaming when he called me a terrible person, that I am a terrible person!  I need to offer not just eleven cents but my life! Only with Christ as my Savior am I worth anything!  Christ paid my debt!

Has Christ paid yours?