I am in a very small reading group with Rest Ministries. It is a ministry for those who have chronic illnesses and the outreach is wonderful. If I knew how I would type the link here.
We are studying the book I mentioned above. How appropriate it is for me in my final Journey Days. Assuming my "little readers here" have read it, the character, Much Afraid, has just found out that the travels with her companions Sorrow and Suffering, are taking a detour. A detour in the desert. Much Afraid is quite distressed in discovering this detour and calls out for the Shepherd. He arrives in a moment. He listens to the following:
"The guides you gave me say that we must go down there into that desert, turning right away from the High Places altogether. you don't mean that, do you? You can't contradict yourself. Tell them we are not to go there, and show us another way.
He looked at her and answered very gently, "That is the path, Much-Afraid, and you are to go down there."
"Oh, no," she cired. "You can't mean it. You siad if I would trust you, you would bring me to the high Places,a dn that path leads right away from them. It contradicts all that you promised."
"No, said the Shepherd, "it is not contradiction, only postponement for the BEST TO BECOME POSSIBLE."
This book study is so timely. Creating this blog is so timely. If only you knew how shocking it is that I did it. I have had a stretch of time in the middle of the night, and God is helping me to use this time (tonight) to labor for Him. But none of this was how Deborah planned my ending journey days. I was going to have a lot more accomplished. I was going to be a helper for Caroline's homeschooling days. I was......on and on.
But, God has said, No, I want you to learn of my ways by leaving your home, dying to the natural desires of being independent, designing my own daily TO DO LISTS and checking them off!
I Surrender All to Jesus is my hymn "of the hour," so to speak. I confess it gets hard at times but God's promises are ALWAYS TRUE! So family and friends, learn His Word and hide it in your heart. You will be amazed what it means to have them their as your lifeline in such a time as this for me.
goodnight one and all.............sending you love and hugs!
Deborah
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD
...as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand....
Jeremiah 18:6
"Hope differed makes the heart sick," says Proverbs 13:12. Yet, disappointments are HIS appointments." God uses setbacks to renew our focus on HIM, to strengthen our faith, and to divert us to other opportunities." **Robert J. Morgan**
I would like to use the hymn, HAVE THINE OWN WAY, in a different layout. A list/chart seems effective. If we want God to have His own way with our life here are some reasons why:
1. Thou Art the Potter, I am the clay.
2.I want YOU to mold and make me after THY will.
3. But I know for that to happen I must wait, yield and be still.
4. Today (in the present moments) Lord, please search me and try me.
5. I know the above is vital if I want to be made whiter than snow. So please Lord, wash me now, that I might bow in your presence.
6.Oh Lord, I feel wounded and weary many days. Help me I pray!
7. You have ALL the Power so please touch me and ***heal***me Savior divine.
***It is my opinion that this healing might include many things. from poor health to a multitude of sins."
8.If I allow you to have absolute sway in my very being, then please fill me with Thy Spirit, till all shall see.
9. What is it you want others to see in me dear Lord???
"CHRIST ONLY, ALWAYS, LIVING IN ME.!!!"
I don't know about you, but for me and my spirit, I need to do some serious "spring cleaning."
May our hearts be leaning on him for all things.
love and hugs,
Deborah
Jeremiah 18:6
"Hope differed makes the heart sick," says Proverbs 13:12. Yet, disappointments are HIS appointments." God uses setbacks to renew our focus on HIM, to strengthen our faith, and to divert us to other opportunities." **Robert J. Morgan**
I would like to use the hymn, HAVE THINE OWN WAY, in a different layout. A list/chart seems effective. If we want God to have His own way with our life here are some reasons why:
1. Thou Art the Potter, I am the clay.
2.I want YOU to mold and make me after THY will.
3. But I know for that to happen I must wait, yield and be still.
4. Today (in the present moments) Lord, please search me and try me.
5. I know the above is vital if I want to be made whiter than snow. So please Lord, wash me now, that I might bow in your presence.
6.Oh Lord, I feel wounded and weary many days. Help me I pray!
7. You have ALL the Power so please touch me and ***heal***me Savior divine.
***It is my opinion that this healing might include many things. from poor health to a multitude of sins."
8.If I allow you to have absolute sway in my very being, then please fill me with Thy Spirit, till all shall see.
9. What is it you want others to see in me dear Lord???
"CHRIST ONLY, ALWAYS, LIVING IN ME.!!!"
I don't know about you, but for me and my spirit, I need to do some serious "spring cleaning."
May our hearts be leaning on him for all things.
love and hugs,
Deborah
Monday, April 19, 2010
It Is Well With My Soul
Hello family and friends!
My little blinkie says, "Past, Present, Future." The words just seemed to click right off when I created this little blog. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has forgiven my past, teaches me how to live in my present moments and gives me hope for my future.
I thought I would share one of my favorite renditions of a FAVORITE hymn of mine: "It Is Well With My Soul." The man singing is Wintley Phipps and it is my first introduction to his singing. What a singer!! I don't think I can ever get through this song without tears. I thought I would type out for you the words he shares before singing.
"It is in the quiet crucible of your personal, private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born and God's greatest gifts are given, in compensation for what you've been through.
It is Well."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYFjikyp7mQ
It is fitting for me tonight to be blessed to listen to this song before going to sleep.
love and hugs,
Deborah
My little blinkie says, "Past, Present, Future." The words just seemed to click right off when I created this little blog. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has forgiven my past, teaches me how to live in my present moments and gives me hope for my future.
I thought I would share one of my favorite renditions of a FAVORITE hymn of mine: "It Is Well With My Soul." The man singing is Wintley Phipps and it is my first introduction to his singing. What a singer!! I don't think I can ever get through this song without tears. I thought I would type out for you the words he shares before singing.
"It is in the quiet crucible of your personal, private sufferings that your noblest dreams are born and God's greatest gifts are given, in compensation for what you've been through.
It is Well."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYFjikyp7mQ
It is fitting for me tonight to be blessed to listen to this song before going to sleep.
love and hugs,
Deborah
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Art Therapy...A First for Me!
Today I had my first visit with "my" art therapist. Hospice provides so many wonderful services and the social worker came several weeks ago and explained choices I had access to. Because I was given the choice, I asked if she might help me with making yo-yo templates. (If you don't know...yo'yo's are mostly circles of fabric you gather and can make quilt covers, crafts. lots of ideas)
One of the reasons I needed help with this is because I get frazzled with too many steps to anything. The time she spent helping me created the following:
1. together we made paper templates for the plastic templates
2. We cut out 2 different fabrics and sizes. I am wanting to make myself a matching necklace and bracelet! The fabric will match a skirt Jennifer recently sewed for me. (She sewed me 6 skirts........yes! The number is 6! I have never had so many new skirts and the colors are so fun!) The skirt is black with white polka dots. I just hope I get them done.
The art therapist, Denise, will be back in 2 weeks. I accepted her offer to guide me in what she described as expressing your losses through art. This isn't really my cup of tea normally, but I'm not exactly "normal" these days! :-) I'm sure my little artwork will not be displayed at any art gallery.
Unless there is a museum out there somewhere that collects artwork titled, 'STICK PEOPLE!"
goodnight!
Deborah
One of the reasons I needed help with this is because I get frazzled with too many steps to anything. The time she spent helping me created the following:
1. together we made paper templates for the plastic templates
2. We cut out 2 different fabrics and sizes. I am wanting to make myself a matching necklace and bracelet! The fabric will match a skirt Jennifer recently sewed for me. (She sewed me 6 skirts........yes! The number is 6! I have never had so many new skirts and the colors are so fun!) The skirt is black with white polka dots. I just hope I get them done.
The art therapist, Denise, will be back in 2 weeks. I accepted her offer to guide me in what she described as expressing your losses through art. This isn't really my cup of tea normally, but I'm not exactly "normal" these days! :-) I'm sure my little artwork will not be displayed at any art gallery.
Unless there is a museum out there somewhere that collects artwork titled, 'STICK PEOPLE!"
goodnight!
Deborah
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Spring is here, finally!!
Welcome Spring!! If there is one thing about springtime I relish, it is the birds! Waking up and hearing birds singing to one another is so delightful to me. Jennifer has put up feeders outside my window, both for small birds (niger seed) and the larger, a sunflower mix. I prefer to have hulled sunflower seeds as the birds do not like the hulls and scatter them on the floor bed wherever they hang. I had my first male finch visit last night.
Today is a big day for several reasons. My cousin's only daughter is getting married and one of the young ladies at our church is expecting her first child in several weeks and we are giving her a shower today. I have the responsibility of making mock "Hostess Cupcakes" and I will say that they are quite close and delicious. I can say that because I didn't create anything about it, just found the recipe online!
One of the reasons I have not posted is that I felt every single time I wrote I had to have some spiritual insight discovered, etc. and that just isn't possible. I have also had to have new meds started that make me very tired. So my TO-DO lists are not getting done and that makes me find myself swimming in a "pool of discouragement." SO sorting through that new phase of being on hospice has been going on. I'm not as discouraged as since going on the stronger meds have helped my pain level.
I initiated a conversation idea with my family called, "IF I COULD I WOULD...." since my reality is such, that I can do very little that I want to to do. So it has been fun to hear of some things they would do with me if I could do those activities. So here is my entry today:
IF I COULD I WOULD:
go bike riding. haven't done it in years but have wanted to FOR years. The trails around here are just growing and of course they are beautiful! It would be great fun as a family.
I would landscape with flowers and ground covers, little waterfalls and "all things bright and beautiful!"
That's enough entries for today on that topic. I want to be able to say them where a natural longing and admittedly sorrow might assist in those words but I don't want to have it get depressing. It defeats the whole purpose for me which is to open dialogue of the "real me inside" since most don't see or hear of such things.
Finally, please click on the Modest Mom button. You will discover a great weekend giveaway that you just can't pass up!
Blessings to all,
Deborah
Today is a big day for several reasons. My cousin's only daughter is getting married and one of the young ladies at our church is expecting her first child in several weeks and we are giving her a shower today. I have the responsibility of making mock "Hostess Cupcakes" and I will say that they are quite close and delicious. I can say that because I didn't create anything about it, just found the recipe online!
One of the reasons I have not posted is that I felt every single time I wrote I had to have some spiritual insight discovered, etc. and that just isn't possible. I have also had to have new meds started that make me very tired. So my TO-DO lists are not getting done and that makes me find myself swimming in a "pool of discouragement." SO sorting through that new phase of being on hospice has been going on. I'm not as discouraged as since going on the stronger meds have helped my pain level.
I initiated a conversation idea with my family called, "IF I COULD I WOULD...." since my reality is such, that I can do very little that I want to to do. So it has been fun to hear of some things they would do with me if I could do those activities. So here is my entry today:
IF I COULD I WOULD:
go bike riding. haven't done it in years but have wanted to FOR years. The trails around here are just growing and of course they are beautiful! It would be great fun as a family.
I would landscape with flowers and ground covers, little waterfalls and "all things bright and beautiful!"
That's enough entries for today on that topic. I want to be able to say them where a natural longing and admittedly sorrow might assist in those words but I don't want to have it get depressing. It defeats the whole purpose for me which is to open dialogue of the "real me inside" since most don't see or hear of such things.
Finally, please click on the Modest Mom button. You will discover a great weekend giveaway that you just can't pass up!
Blessings to all,
Deborah
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