Blank Mind

I woke up this morning with plenty of time to write but as I settled in to do just that I discovered something.  My mind is full of nothing, it is blank again.  I thought something would come to me and it finally did.  I need my mind blank to hear from God.  I need it empty of all anger, deceit or envy.  I need to forget all hurts, slander, fear and remorse.  I need my mind empty so that God can fill it.

God can paint a new canvas on my blank mind.  He can paint in forgiveness, encouragement, love and humbleness!  God can fill my empty mind with His love and mold me to look more like Him!

Romans 10:9

New International Version (NIV)

⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.


I have been saved but sometimes I still allow my mind to simmer with all the old things and I have to get to the point of an empty mind so that God can speak to me.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet^[a] no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

What about you?  Do you need a blank mind?

The Journey Continues:Back at work

Richard is on his third day back at work.  He seems to be just making it but he is very determined. He would tell you though, 'Those are not my words, they are my wife's'.  He said he had to hold on to a fence twice yesterday because he could feel the blackness closing in.  He said it was because he had to bend down and close a valve.  I still think that one more week of rest would have been better for him but when my husband gets something in his mind most of the time you just can't change it for him.  He is still coughing, has drainage and very weak.  He did make it this morning without throwing up so that may be a step in the right direction.  He did have a cat scan done Monday but we have not received any results yet.

I can't tell you guys enough that we appreciate the prayers!! THANKS!!!

Psalm 18:2

New International Version (NIV)

² The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; 
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, 
    my shield^[a] and the horn^[b] of my salvation, my stronghold.

The Compromised Bridge

Last year when Richard had his bone marrow transplant I spent many hours traveling back and forth from Enid to Oklahoma City.  I would take different routes but I did travel down Highway 74 quite often.  One day when I was heading back home I came upon a sign that said Compromised Bridge and something about only vehicles under certain weights should cross this bridge.  I slowed down almost to a stop and then very slowly drove over the bridge.  I looked it over but could not see where the compromise was.  Every time I took that route I looked for the compromise.  Several days there were road trucks and men working  but everything looked the same.  I still sometimes look that bridge over very careful when driving across it.  It has been over a year since I have seen that sign but I still have not figured out what the compromise was.  It has taken me a while to travel across that bridge without thinking about the compromise.

One day when going across that bridge I realized that my life is just like that bridge.  How many times have I compromised but no one could see it.  There would be no evidence showing a compromise in my life but I would know.  God would know too.  I always have a choice if there is compromise in my life.  I can hide it or I can go to the One that will fix it.  God sees a compromise even when others do not.  I can let the compromise simmer in my life with cracks that can snake out into all areas of my life.  I could let the compromise stay in my life until I would not be able to function but if I go to my God, He will restore my soul and cover the compromise with His love and forgiveness!

What about you?  Have you compromised? Do you know my God.  He is the compromise fixer!

Job 22:22-23

New International Version (NIV)

²² Accept instruction from his mouth 
    and lay up his words in your heart. 
²³ If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: 
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent

Romans 3:23-24

New International Version (NIV)

²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Two pennies

I learned at an early age that I could pray to God about anything and I did.  One day I was sitting in the pickup truck in Chandler, Oklahoma waiting for my mom to get back from her errands and I saw the meter maid heading my way.  I looked at the meter and noticed it was expired.  I was probably ten or eleven and I thought that my mom would be very upset if she came back and had received a ticket.  I looked all over that pickup for a coin  but could not find one so I started praying.  I looked down again and there was a shiny penny lying on the floorboard.  It had not been there before.  I grabbed that penny, jumped out of the pickup and inserted it into the meter just seconds before the meter maid reached that meter.

At a later time in my life I found myself praying for money again.  This was at a time when the bills far outweighed the amount of money that was in the bank.  One day in particular I sent petition after petition to God asking for money.  The next day I received an envelope in the mail.  Inside that envelope was an advertisement from a local company but nestled down in the bottom of the envelope was a penny.

God used both those incidents to teach me about Him.  I learned that God does answer prayers.  I learned that sometimes you get what you ask for and sometimes you don't.  I also learned that God has a sense of humor.  When I realized that there was a penny in the bottom of that envelope I laughed.  I learned that God is in control and  He knows what is best for me! 

Psalm 18:30

New International Version (NIV)

³⁰ As for God, his way is perfect: 
    The Lord’s word is flawless; 
    he shields all who take refuge in him.

The Journey Continues:Sinus problems?

Richard woke up Tuesday morning with a little more color in his cheeks and the remark that he felt better than he had in quite a while.  He had an appointment at 1:30pm with the Doctor in Oklahoma City.  He still was coughing, gagging and very tired.  We always have to arrive there early to have the blood work and any other test that they have ordered before seeing the Doctor.

He did his blood work and checked in at the front desk and there were no orders for more test so we found a place to wait.  There was a couple sitting on the couch near the chairs that we sat in.  I went to get some water and on the way back I saw Richard with the trash can in his hands, close to his face.  The closer I got I realized that he was throwing up.  The second time this happened I talked to the front desk person and they moved us to a room.  The people next to us were very grateful I am sure!

The doctor came in right at 1:30(a miracle!!) and listened to Richard's lungs, looked up his nose, down his throat,  felt his lymph nodes, poked on his stomach and looked at his skin.  He asked him several questions and told him that his lungs sounded good and that he thought he had some sinus problems.  He will have a cat scan this week on his sinus area and might have to have it drained.  If he is not having sinus problems it could possible be graft/vs/host problems.  He told Richard that his fatigue is because he has been sick for so long and that hopefully this will resolve soon.  There is the possibility that Richard will be able to return to work Monday.  The swelling seems to have resolved and his potassium levels were normal.  They also said that the CMV cells were negative the last two times and that if they were negative this time he will be able to go off of the medicine for that.  This is the medicine that messes with his white blood cells.

This morning Richard is still moving slow but does seem to feel a bit better!! So far no throw up!!

Thanks again for the prayers.  Richard is grateful and so am I!!!

Philippians 4:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

Update on Brantley Jacobs, July 3rd

This is a picture of Brantley cuddling with his mom and I am sure that you can see that he is growing and that he loves to cuddle.  He is six months old now and is trying to do the stuff that babies do at this age.  He interacts with his parents and siblings, coos, laughs, likes his toys and is trying to turn over.  He can turn the top part of his body over but his heavy leg has kept him from getting the bottom part of his body turned.

Brantley and his parents will be traveling to Dallas this month.  They want to see if he can be treated there because that would be so much closer to home.  They have been to Boston in the past and have been told that his leg needs to be amputated around one year old.  Please keep them in your prayers as they travel and decide what is best for their son.  This can take a toll on a family emotional and financially.  There is a fund set up if you would like to donate.  It is Brantley Jacobs c/o Haleigh Jacobs at First National Bank and Trust, at 1100 N. Council, Blanchard, OK. 73010

The first blog I wrote about Brantley is The Journey of Brantley Jacobs, then A Story of Birds and Thinking about Brantley Jacobs and then Fund Raiser and Update on Brantley Jacobs.  If you haven't read about Brantley catch up on his story and then maybe you could put him and his family on your prayer list!!

Psalm 54:2

New International Version (NIV)

² Hear my prayer, O God;
    listen to the words of my mouth.

                                         

The Journey Continues:Quick update on Sunday Evening

Richard seems to regressed a bit the last few days.  He has ran that low grade temperature off and on and has had trouble breathing a few times.  He went to the store with me yesterday but had to go out to the truck before we finished.  He is still very fatigued and sleeps a lot.  He went to the Falls Creek service tonight at church and it wore him out.  He said he has already missed so much of Sarah's stuff he wasn't going to miss this one.  He does still have swelling and his feet swelled up like big balloons while they were down during the service.  He has decided that he will extend his time off at least one more week.  He has an appointment with the Doctor on Tuesday but I will be talking with them tomorrow.

Please pray that the Doctors will have the wisdom and knowledge to get him going back in the right direction.  Thanks again to my wonderful prayer warriors!!

Psalm 88:13

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ But I cry to you for help, Lord;
    in the morning my prayer comes before you.