You Are Not HOPELESS!

Years ago I started a journey that I was invited  to go on. I was so excited, but I had no idea what I was going to encounter and how I was going to grow and be changed by my travels.   I had a destination and my goal was to get there! I was ready and faunching at the bit  to go.  Well you know how it is with any trip you begin. You leave on your journey and then you start thinking. You think did I turn off that iron, did I lock the door, did I put a hold on the mail etc?  When I walked over the threshold of my door I KNEW I was ready, but once I started toward my destination I had fears,began second guessing myself, thinking to myself will they like me, will I be good enough, will I measure up? Who did I think I was?

On and On it went and pretty soon I was disheartened and discouraged, but I kept plugging away putting one foot in front of the other.  My thoughts were stealing my joy and I was letting peace fly right out the window! Not only that, but my baggage seemed to get heavier and heavier the longer I traveled. I tried to do all the right things, see all the sights, read all about them and study them and attempted to act first and think later . Some days it worked. Then I would hit a snag and someone would say something to me either I didn’t understand or that made me feel ignorant. I tried   to pretend I was with it. That I knew how to travel and I knew the ropes, but the truth was I was new at this traveling gig. I hadn’t yet realized I was listening to the wrong people part of the time. People who had never really traveled or who had stopped traveling and were outside my traveling circle. I looked like a traveler on the outside, but on the inside I was not yet grounded and confidant, secure in who I was as a traveler.

I made so many mistakes along the way at the beginning of the trip I came near to being left behind by my fellow travelers! Yes, I undertook a journey with other travelers! They weren’t going to force me to continue and they let me make up my own mind to continue or not.  To make matters worse I was traveling with foreigners and at first I just did not understand a lot of what they did or said. They had funny ideas too, and they were always reading. Not to mention, many times they would break out singing. That always threw me into a panic, because I didn’t know the words, the tunes or the songs. I would try to sing along, but most of the time I just sat there like a bump on a log trying to sing, but only managing every fifth word or so, or the chorus of the tunes.

My fellow travelers had meetings too. At first I couldn’t fathom why they regularly got together like they did, but I went along with it. Getting up early or staying late, and getting to those meetings on time and studying what they discussed so I would be presentable and could participate was at first a lot of work for me. After a while of traveling together though I began to notice a peculiar thing. I began to understand their ideas and thoughts. I also learned the words to the songs they sang and began to sing with them. I even understood their language! Getting to those meetings on time was becoming less and less of a chore and more and more of an anticipation that made me feel excited and eager.

Another thing I noticed was my memory improved and my fears subsided. I worried less and less  about what I had done, about my past,  if others liked me or if I would be good enough. MY joy stopped being stolen and started to increase. It increased and increased until it over-flowed and I felt compelled  to share it. That’s how it is with joy. It’s contagious and you can’t help, but share it. It kind of just rubs off on others.

By now you might be thinking my  journey was all peaceful and without problems for the rest of the trip by this point. Not so, in fact I can’t begin to relate how many awful and grievous things happened. Things so out of the norm of everyday life that no one expects to have to deal with them in daily life let alone while traveling.  Those problems or road bumps as I might call them didn’t deter me from my final destination goal though.  I sometimes traveled slower and I sometimes sought out a shoulder to cry on, but you know what? My fellow travelers were amazing! They held me when I cried, gave me a shoulder to cry on, shared sound advice and pointed me in the right direction and helped me keep on the right path. They taught me how to talk to my father about life’s hurdles and it really helped. I didn’t always have a relationship with him. My fellow travelers knew that and encouraged me to spend time with him during my journey.  All along the way they also laughed with me and shared good times and joy too. Eventually I began to read also and the more I read the more I wanted answers to my questions about this trip. I also wanted to know who I was and what my purpose was.  Who did I think I was? Well from the beginning of my journey to now, who I think I am changed.

In the beginning, when I stated this trip I had no idea who I was. Not really who I was or why I was.  I thought I was traveling with foreigners, but I came to understand I was a foreigner too.  I am so glad my fellow travelers are still traveling with me on this journey! Read on and be encouraged!

All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:29

WOW! So God wasn’t ashamed to be associated with me.  It matters not so much how the world defines me or who they say I am. Who am I? Who does God say I am?

I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,  says the Lord Almighty. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!  1 John 3:1

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Romans 8:17

I have the privilege of being a daughter of the King! I am one of his heirs! I am a child of God, one of his own!  I am NOT an orphan and I am NOT alone! My father is the King of Kings.

Sisters and brothers take heart.  Don’t be discouraged, be encouraged. Don’t be disheartened, be heartened. Cast off the cares of this world and don’t let the baggage this world would heap on you with suffering  cause you to doubt your salvation and who you are. Be assured you are a child of God and have been adopted into his family. He is your father and you are his child.

 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath, but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  1 Thessalonians 5:9

If you don’t know him yet and think you have to get cleaned up first put that fear aside. Christ died on the cross so that all may be forgiven of sin and he did that before you or anyone else ever attempted to get cleaned up.

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. John 3:16

 All the cleaning in the world that I ever did on my own to make myself presentable and look good never wiped away or absolved one smidge of my sin. That would be a monumental and overwhelming task that I can never achieve on my own no matter how clean I get, how good I am, how much good I do, or how pious I appear.  I have had tragedies happen and I have grieved and been wounded, but God never once looked at me and said you are HOPELESS!

Scripture says,  You will be secure because there is hope; you will look  about you and take your rest in safety.  Job 11:18

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my savior, my God will hear me. Micah 7:7

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  Hebrews 10:23

And hope does not disappointed us because, God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us.  Romans 5:5

Who do you think you are? God says you are His child, you are forgiven, you have hope, you have a future, you will be secure because there is hope, and you are saved! You are most precious, a rare jewel and YOU were worth dying for. 



You can also read my post as today's guest blogger  at, Home Grown Hearts Academy. Jennifer is my daughter-in-law and a wonderful and talented blogger. Check her blog out with this link.

I Refuse To Empty Today Of It's Joy And Strength

Just as summer was about to begin I became sick this year. It happened suddenly and without warning. Three times this summer I had the same symptoms of extreme fatigue, fever, lethargy, joint pain, a rash and swelling in my bosom area. I made an appointment with my gynecologist, but wasn't able to get in for six weeks to see him. In the meantime, while waiting, each time I had a recurrent bout of sickness my main concern was taking care of my family and homeschooling. Each time I was able to recover and take care of my family. Once we began school this year the bouts of sickness didn't return.

Once I was able to see my doctor it was decided one of the first things to do was send me for a mammogram. A week and a half later I had one done and when I hadn't heard anything after a month I breathed a sigh of relief that I was in the clear. The very next day I received a call that something was seen on my mammogram and I needed to have a repeat one done and also an u/s. A few days later I had that done as well. By this time it was in the last half of September. After viewing the u/s and the mammogram the doctor decided the two areas were questionable and needed to be biopsied. Yes, both sides were involved.

Now I have to say in all these weeks I did wonder to myself how I would react if I received news that I had cancer, but I refused to dwell on that. I decided just like I had the first time I had a breast biopsy that no matter what God was with me. I prayed, I had others praying for me and I trusted that worrying would get me no where. In fact I refuse to use the word worry. If I am bothered by something I would rather take my concern to the Lord, trust in him and pray than worry.

Psalm 138:8 says: The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

This verse tells me that my Lord is concerned about what concerns me! He created me in my mothers womb, he knit me together and he has plans for me. He is merciful and loving. The day of the test I went alone since my husband works nights and needed to sleep. I wasn't concerned about the biopsy, but I was concerned about laying in one position for a long time and having both sides numbed. I asked friends to specifically pray at the time I was to have the procedure done. You know what those prayers carried me through!

When my named was called by the nurse I waltzed back to have the biopsy done after getting changed and putting that skimpy cape on with no concerns. The doctor and nurses were extremely calming and told me before they did anything and explained every noise, click, touch they did before they did it. They talked and included me in their conversation and honestly I had no idea that an hour and a half had passed when they said they were finished. It was a much better and calmer experience than the first time I had a biopsy done.

I was told depending on the testing needed I could hear something the next day or up to a week later. Today I received the wonderful news that both biopsies were benign! I was so happy and very glad I had trusted that the Lord would work things out. Very happy that I didn't waste any time worrying. I keep thinking over and over what Corrie Ten Boom said about worry.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow - it empties today of strength.” Corrie ten Boom

 I think that is so true. Worry empties our days of joy. It saps our strength. It effects our outlook and focus. And it also dampens our faith and clouds hope. Worry attaches shackles to what is bothering us and keeps us locked in worry instead of in prayer. Worry erodes. There is nothing that worry will add to my life and much it could steal if I gave into it.

When I received that phone call today telling me the biopsies were benign I was tickled and giddy, but not really surprised. One of the first things I did was give thanks to Jesus for the peace that had surrounded me all these months and a wonderful report from the doctor. Then I had to make phone calls and share the evidence with everyone how God was with me the whole time. I feel great today and I choose joy and strength over doom and gloom and worry that adds nothing to my life and could be a negative influence on others. Who knows who I might have had an influence on today by a positive attitude. I believe we can build God's Kingdom more than we realize by our attitudes. I also believe we can also damage the word of our testimony by being negative.

 Proverbs 14:1 cautions that,  The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. 

 My desire is to build my house and the Lord's Kingdom and whatever opportunities I'm given to do that I will be grateful for.  God is Good! He is faithful and I want to sing it from the rooftops!

Space Rockets In Flight And Found Treasure!

Have you ever had one of those crazy, exciting experiences that leaves you wide eyed amazed? Well I had one yesterday.     My daughter-in-law and I took the girls to the park to launch a rocket I had bought. Just a simple rocket launched using two large rubberbands. The girls were so, so excited! You might say over the moon. Pun intended. When we arrived at the park my granddaughter Breanna said I might not want to park where I did because there was a bee's nest. I was thinking a bee's nest more along the lines of a wasp nest. I pulled a little more forward and put the truck in park and we all piled out.                                                                                                                                                                  

 We found a surprise at the park!

                                                                                                      

               THIS is what we saw buzzing about. Honey bees!

Gracie, another granddaughter, was scared and afraid we were all going to be stung. Actually I think she thought the bees were going to attack and carry us off because she started running and yelling, "They're going to sting us!" Once she realized the bees were calm and weren't excited she calmed down. I'm pretty sure she thought I and her mother had lost our ever loving minds though because we ventured close.......closer............and closer still. We wanted to get a good look. A REALLY good look. And look we did. We looked at those bees until we were practically ogle-eyed. 

 This picture was taken approximately five feet from where the bees were flying in and out of a large crack in this elm tree. The girls had quickly lost interest in the bees and had run off to play soon after we arrived. Except for Gracie. She stayed close by. Not because she wanted to see the bees, but I think because she thought she might have to rescue me and her mom. Hee Hee! Just call my daughter-in-law and I the bee charmers! Those bees certainly seemed to be charmed by us and never appeared threatened anyway. Finally we had our fill of watching the bees and resorted to doing what we had come to the park to do. Make memories and have fun with the girls.

                                                  10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 ,2, 1 BLAST OFF!

                                                                 Space rocket in flight!

 

This is going to be a good launch. Look at that form.

 

Aim it over there. Keep clear. Don't shoot yourself in the eye!

 

Stretch it tight and Let R fly!

Rocket in flight!

 

Getting ready to launch.

Let's see, I think we hook it here.

We accomplished so much more in this afternoon than the story these pictures tell. We created memories. A timeless treasure these girls can carry with them throughout the years. Special times and bonding. Time spent together is never regretted or wasted. My hope is that one day they will look back and remember times like these and emulate them for their own precious children. I hope they will take these lessons to heart and repeat them in their own families one day and they will be heard to say, "I remember when," and then tell the next generation a timeless story of love.

 A story about them and their story and their family history. Of a day that grandma, mom, aunts, and nieces spent the afternoon together in the park flying rockets. An afternoon making memories because today doesn't last forever and because we love them and want them to have the legacy of a close, bonded family.  The dollar fifty I spent on that rocket was worth it's weight in gold for the treasure it contained in memory making and an afternoon full of fun.

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.Psalm 127:3-5