Standing in the Need of Prayer

 

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. ~James 5:16

I've recently been diagnosed with Stage 1 cancer on the left side of my soft palate.  Catching it this early is most certainly good news for a complete cure down the road.  I will be receiving radiation treatments beginning this Thursday, October 22nd, at the Winship Emory cancer center in downtown Atlanta.  It has a reputation as being one of the best cancer treatment places in the entire country, which I find most reassuring.  Danny and I have met with the entire team who will be attending to me, and we are incredibly impressed by each and every one of the members.  We consider ourselves blessed to have this premiere institution practically in our backyard.

However good this news is, there are, indeed, some downsides.  This is where I'm standing in the need of your prayers:

• Radiation treatments are for seven weeks, five days a week.
• The daily travel to and from Emory is sure to be trying even though we can use the express lane of the interstate there and back.
• Symptoms such as dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, chewing, and any jaw movement tend to become more severe as treatments progress.
• Extreme fatigue may accompany the last several weeks of treatment and may last even when those treatments end as my body spends time to fully recover.

All that said, I will do my level best to keep up with your wonderful blogs during this time, but I can't guarantee how I'll feel as the weeks progress.  As for my usual posts, I'll try to give you updates when I can and let you know of the ways you could pray more specifically for the issues Danny and I are going through at the moment.

And don't forget to leave your prayer requests in the comment section here and on any future updates!  Your friendships mean the world to me, and praying for others and their needs relieves our own burdens and fears as we place everything in God's strong and most capable hands, knowing that He has carried us this far and is not about to let go of us now.  Praying is something I KNOW I'll have time to do, no matter what.

Thank you, dear friends, for being the awesome prayer warriors that you are!

Amen!

Picture Perfect

 

Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. ~Matthew 5:48

What in the world is that mound of white scraps pictured above?  Can you guess?  Here's a hint:  I just sorted, folded, hung up, and put away clean laundry in our bedroom.  Yes, the dryer sheet is there along with the ragged remains of a Kleenex forgotten on one of my jeans' pockets.

Rats!  I try to be so diligent when it comes to checking pockets before even throwing dirty clothes into the hamper.  Not only does the tissue get torn up in the process, but also has the annoying habit of clinging to any piece of clothing it possibly can.  Even when I think I've removed every last thread of Kleenex debris, I can be sure that one or two errant strands will show up where I least expect it.

Carrying fresh tissues in my pockets is something I've practiced since I was a young adult.  I recall my dad telling me that I should never, ever rub my eyes with a bare hand, but should always use a tissue to avoid transmitting germs from my fingertips to my eyelids.  Great advice that I've wisely followed.

Yet still, I'll occasionally forget to check and empty my pockets before starting a wash.

I admit, I can be a slow learner.  And I'm certainly not perfect, in any way, shape or form.  Leaving a stray tissue in the wash serves to remind me of that in a big way.  It's humbling, indeed, for someone like myself who loves to "get it right" the first time.

But when I stop to think about it, no one ever gets it right the first time.  Most of the daily routines in which we engage have been practiced and fine-tuned over time to the point where we aren't even consciously aware of what we do to accomplish the tasks at hand.  We simply do them.

And I think that is exactly what Jesus means in the verse quoted above.  When we live day after day in obedience to God, surrendering our all for His glory, we grow more and more like His perfect Son.  What our Father sees now is not an imperfect creation, but a beloved child made perfect through Jesus' loving and willing sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

For me, there can be nothing more picture perfect than that.

Amen!

A "Beary" Good Cause

 

Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. ~Matthew 18:5

Danny's mother, Mimi, loved to collect stuffed bears.  When she passes away in 2019, it falls to Danny to pack up her home and prepare it for sale.  He decides to store her favorite items and treasured keepsakes in secure Rubbermaid bins at our home, in the garage to be specific, hoping they might be of use and value to someone else down the road.

I was not aware that Mimi's bear collection was saved at the time.  She lived out her last days here with us, and I simply forgot that she had the bears at her home.  I'm so glad I didn't recall nor ask Danny about them, as their fate may have been to be given as presents to our three granddaughters instead of becoming a "beary" good cause right here in our own community.

Danny is cruising through Facebook when he comes across this advertisement.

For my non-English speaking readers, the text says, "Bears for Bravery - Teddy Bear and Stuffed Animal Drive - Supporting children in the Emergency Room and Trauma Bay at Kennestone Hospital - Oct. 1st - Nov. 1st - Collecting Donations Now!"

Immediately, Mimi's quaint, pristine bears come to Danny's mind, sweet bears that can fill a frightened and hurting child's heart with light, hope and love just when he or she needs it most.  Our Kennesaw Police Department is the location to drop them off so they can begin their noble mission of health and healing.  We do just that yesterday, and the look of delight on the officer's face is priceless.  What joy it gives us to have so many stuffed bears to donate!

And we can almost see Mimi smiling from Heaven, knowing her cherished bears are bringing courage and comfort to the very children who need them most.

Amen!

Every Purpose Under Heaven

 

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. ~Ecclesiastes 3:1

This is our thermostat on Saturday morning.  Do you see the outdoor temperature?  Yes!  Fall is not only here on the calendar, but in the air, too.  Now, I know some of you who live farther north are accustomed to these cooler temps in September, but in Georgia, it's an entirely different story.  These morning lows are a much more common occurrence in October and November.

Does this mean we won't experience days when it feels like summer has made a comeback?  Of course not.  But when I look at the weather forecast 10 days out, every morning shows low temperatures in the 50s and 60s; the afternoons will see highs in the mild 70s and doable 80s.  Since Danny and I are both cool weather people, this is ideal for us.

Danny takes full advantage of these moderating temps to clean both of our decks, one on Friday and the other today.

Can you tell that the back deck is still wet?  You can also see that the leaves are beginning to fall; these are dull, sere and brown as we've been deprived of decent rain totals through the summer months.  Quite the unusual condition in our neck of the woods.

Other perks I enjoy in Autumn are wearing long-sleeve shirts and sweaters.  I much prefer to bundle up against the cold than endure the sweltering heat.  Cooler weather also encourages both of us to spend more time outdoors taking walks or enjoying time sitting on the decks, breathing in fresh air for a change, and observing the sun's shifting patchwork of light as it dances through the trees.

These last four months of our calendar year always awaken in me a deep nostalgia for days gone by.  So many sentiments and traditions packed into the year's last hurrah - Fall's arrival, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas - all with their own unique scents, flavors and celebrations unrivaled by any other time of the year.  Memories often bubble up unbidden as we prepare for each holiday to unfold.  Perhaps, these "ber" months should be named the Remember months.

That being said, I don't want to simply be content to lose myself in the memories, but intentionally make new ones going forward, carrying on the priceless traditions that we have treasured for years, leaving a bright legacy and future for our children and grandchildren.

Indeed, there is a season, a time and a purpose for every activity we undertake on God's beautiful earth.  May we savor each moment and thank Him for every blessing He sends our way.

Amen!

With You on His Mind

 

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." ~Exodus 20:8

Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." ~Mark 2:27

I have a question for all of you.  Are you someone who is constantly on the go, or someone who intentionally moves through life at a relaxed, measured pace?  Honestly, now that I'm retired, I can say the latter goal is easier for me to pursue with regularity.  I couldn't say that when I was a working, single mom. During those times, I could barely take a moment to breathe let alone spend time in quiet reflection.  I was the epitome of a driven and determined overachiever who could balance a job, a budget and a family life with the best of them.

At least, that's what I thought at the time.

Pastor Jared's sermon this Sunday focuses on the concept of Sabbath rest and why it's crucial for us to deliberately put aside time each week to spend with God in prayer, reflection and renewal.  In a culture that worships the twin golden calves - accomplishment and accumulation - this time of rest may seem an anathema, the enemy of all we're created to be and become as a productive member of society.

But all this meaningless, endless, frenetic activity produces in the end is damage to our mental and physical health and well-being.  God includes observing the Sabbath in the Ten Commandments because it is designed for our own good.  After all, if the God of the Universe had to rest after He created our world, and we are made in His image, shouldn't it follow that we require that same type of rest?

Jared explains, too, that the Hebrew word for Sabbath - Shabbat - literally means to stop.  But not simply are we to stop, because the word also infers that we are to delight in the stopping itself.  Wow!  What a relief to know that it's not only okay to run from the rat race and leave the car pool lanes behind, but also to realize that our loving Father expects us to do just that!

Maybe you have a job that requires you to work on Sundays.  That's alright.  You can observe your Sabbath when time allows you to.  There's no right way or right day to rest in the Lord.  And there isn't a magic formula or one-size-fits-all plan one has to follow.

Jared will be the first to tell you that even, and especially, as a pastor, he struggles with having that extended time to simply be still and know that God is sustaining His children with every breath we take.

So, here's the challenge:  Will you take some time this week to contemplate the concept of the Sabbath and consider the ways that observing it can transform your life for the better?  Or, if you already have a Sabbath routine, please share it with us in the comments.

And remember, when God created the Sabbath, He already had you on His mind.

Amen!

Missing My Friends!

 

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. ~Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Danny and I spend the bulk of last Friday afternoon figuring out and implementing Feedly on my laptop.  Why?  Most of you here on Blogger know that our reading list simply up and quit working without warning earlier in the week.  Fortunately, this hasn't affected my blogging friends who use Wordpress, but without being able to see so many dear friends on Blogger, I am truly feeling your absence and the comfort your words always give me.

So far, posting blogs and answering comments have not posed a problem (knock on wood).  The issue is with those Blogger members who don't regularly comment on my weekly blog.  If you're suddenly NOT receiving comments on your posts from me, it's because I don't have a photographic memory and can't recall your websites.  You can help me, though, by emailing your web address to me at marthaorlando@gmail.com, or simply by leaving a comment here that contains your name as it appears on the address.  Either way, that should work.

I'm usually pretty quick in responding to comments, but we have an unusually busy week ahead, so I could fall behind just a bit.  I hope and pray that I'll hear from each and every one of you sometime during this week or next.  Until then, know that I miss you all greatly and I can't wait to reconnect with you on my Feedly account!

Amen!

Dear Friends,

I'm breaking with my usual format here because I need to let all of you know that my Blogger Reading List isn't updating.  This means, I cannot see nor comment on your latest blogs.  Oh, how I miss y'all!!!

I do hope that Blogger will come to its senses soon so I can be back in touch with all of you.  In the meantime, I so appreciate your understanding and patience.  If you do leave me a comment here, I can click on it to see your latest posts; that would be a marvelous help!

Love and blessings to all!