Rejoice!

 

Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! ~Philippians 4:4

Yes, I know I'm posting a day earlier than usual, but that's because of the circumstances that bring my husband, Danny, and I unprecedented joy.  The kids are on their way today, Thursday, to spend spring break with us!!!

Soon, those little rascals pictured above will be giving and getting innumerable hugs from their Gammie and Papa, and we can't wait to see daughter, Sarah, and son-in-law, John.  We haven't seen any of them for over a year, and this celebration will be sweeter than sweet.  Tastier than these chocolate bunnies I buy for the grands.

Here, too, are the T-shirts we've purchased as gifts for Virginia, Savannah and Alexandra.  You can tell by looking at them the different style of which each girl boasts.  

Any guesses as to which shirt goes to which girl?  Feel free to express your decision in the comment section.  I will definitely take photos of each girl in her T-shirt, so the answer will be revealed.

The long and short of this is:  I won't be posting again until a week from this coming Friday, and I may not keep up with your beautiful posts during this time.  Just know that I will have so much to share with you once I'm back, and will try to catch up with you the best I can.

May all of you have a blessed Easter, rejoicing in the risen Lord!

Amen!

Prayers Answered!

 

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

Thank you, one and all, for your sincere and heartfelt prayers for my husband, Danny!  On Monday, he underwent the catheter probe to see what's happening with his heart since the pacemaker shocked him on Friday.

It's nothing less than a miracle that his heart learned to grow around a stint he had put in place after his 1999 heart attack.  We've all heard about how our livers can regenerate, but the heart???  Perhaps, it's due to Danny's determination to work out at the gym as often as possible after recovering from that heart attack.

But I think, instead, it is God's hand at work in all of this.

We have hope that Danny will be released today, or by the latest, Wednesday.  He will have to take a medicine that regulates the heart's rhythm from here on out.  The good news?  This should place him on a secure route to recovery and maintenance.  The bad news?  He can't drive for six months!

That leaves our spring break plans to visit with the grands impossible.  As many of you know, I can't tolerate driving on expressways; I'd be putting both of our lives in jeopardy were I even attempt such a feat.

Am I disappointed?  Of course!  But then I remember - I was praying to God that He would restore Danny to me, not guarantee our trip to South Carolina.

And our faithful and loving Father has done just that.

I couldn't ask for anything more.

Thanks once again, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your prayers lifted on Danny's behalf.

Amen!

Prayers! Prayers! Prayers!

 

We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. ~1 Thessalonians 1-2

I know, I know, my usual posts appear only on Tuesdays and Fridays at Meditations of My Heart, but I have ample reasons for alerting you all to prayer needs that our family has right at this moment.

On Friday, my husband, Danny, is working out on the treadmill when he becomes light-headed.  He stops the machine and promptly sits in a desk chair nearby.  Then it happens  His pacemaker shocks his heart!  That hasn't happened once since he had the device implanted in 2017.

Rattled, we immediately call 911.  The first responders show up pronto, praise God.  Danny is assessed, then loaded into an ambulance for a trip to our local hospital in order to be treated and observed.  We think, at the time, this might only be an overnight visit.

How wrong we are!

While in the ER, Danny experiences another shock.  Doctors and nurses surround him immediately, determined to stabilize the situation.  They are successful, but now it seem that Danny's predicament will require tests to find out what's causing this unseemly issue.

I see him today at the hospital (yes, I'm so surprised they are letting anyone in).  He is in good spirits, and is hopeful as always.  We learn the doctors will run tests (don't ask me what they are called) to see if there is an artery blockage or scarred heart tissue that is the culprit.  We probably won't know until late Monday what these test results reveal.

In the meantime, dear friends, we need prayers!  Please pray for the doctors' wisdom and Danny's full recovery from this unprecedented episode.  He tells me he can feel the prayers of others, and now is the time to bombard our loving Father with our petitions.  Feel free to pass this request on to folks in your church via prayer chains.  The more, the merrier!

I will post an update this coming Tuesday on my regularly scheduled blogging day.

And thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for all your love and support during this trying time.

Amen!

Freedom!

 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ~Galatians 5:1

Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I'm free at last! ~Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Hooray!!!  Today marks the two-week point since my second China virus vaccination, and I am reveling in reclaiming the freedom of movement and interaction denied for this long, seemingly interminable year.  Yes, when mingling with others at various stores, I will still wear a mask out of courtesy, but I will know in my heart that I will never again be burdened by slavery's yoke.

Because what the government has imposed upon us is nothing less than the first step toward controlling and limiting the God-given freedoms we cherish as Americans.  I don't care what side of the aisle on which you stand, you should be alarmed at the intrusiveness of government in all areas of our lives, deeming that we, the great unwashed, have no common sense or knowledge of how to conduct ourselves in a health crisis, or any other crisis for that matter.

Danny and I choose our isolationist route due to his preexisting heart condition.  We are, after all, in the most vulnerable age group for contracting the virus.  We decide early on to be proactive in protecting our health and the health of those we love.

Our choice.  Our decision.  Not the government's ridiculous mandates that, for the most part, do not follow the science which says that low-risk young people should not be restricted from their jobs or education.

So, what do Danny and I plan to do?

First and foremost, visit my mother.  She sure needs, and deserves, long-delayed hugs from the family that loves her.  How my heart aches for those whose loved ones are/were in nursing homes where that kind of tangible love cannot be expressed.  I pray it will now be allowed for so many whose hearts are hurting.

Secondly, we can now travel to South Carolina to be with daughter, Sarah, son-in-law, John, and our three granddaughters.  No loss of their proximity has been more deeply felt by us during these trying times.  I know I echo the relief of countless grandparents who have finally been vaccinated, and are on their way to joyful reunions.  Nothing short of a God-send!

And these next "priorities" seem rather lame in my list of things to do now that I'm considered immune.  Visiting the dentist, getting the annual eye exam, shopping for make-up, and getting my hair cut.  None of these could ever replace the first and second on the post-Covid to-do list.  They are simmering on the back burner for now, and can remain there indefinitely.

Sometimes, it takes a crisis to make us realize what our ultimate priorities are.  I know this year of uncertainty has led me to a deeper trust and faith in God.  I find myself praying continually throughout my day.  It is ever a good time to open ourselves to what the Lord wishes to say to us in order to cement our relationship with Him.

No matter what the changes and challenges we face, I want my relationship with Jesus to be the constant.

He is the ultimate guarantee of freedom for our souls.

Amen!

Friends, we are leaving for Mom's this Sunday and will be staying the week there.  Because of this, I won't be posting anything next week, and I may not find the time to get around to all of your blogs.  Rest assured, I haven't forgotten you!  And I will be praying for you all.  Blessings!

My Days Unfold

 

And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. ~Mark 13:10

My days unfold

May they be lived

Embracing love

You've given me

In blessings grand

May I be bold

To share Your love

With those in need

Ears ache for message

Hearts yearn for truth

I pray to be

Your messenger, a sign

To all who wander

All who wonder

Where the answers are

Amen

Truth is Ever True

 

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me." ~John 14:6

Your belief does not make Truth true

Truth is ever true and can be nothing else

All else is false and cannot be made true by thought

So, believe or do not believe

It does not matter

Truth shines ever radiant

Seen clearly by the soul

Unencumbered by mind's need to know

~Galen Pearl

When my blogging friend, Galen, at No Way Cafe, posts the above poem, I find myself reading it over and over.  Such simple phrases, yet the meaning of the words transcends so many of our preconceived notions about the essence of truth.

A popular concept arising in the 1960s and gaining support in the years that follow is the notion that "truth is relative."  I'm reminded of what Pontius Pilate says to Christ Jesus in the musical, Jesus Christ, Superstar, at the Lord's trial:  But what is truth?  Is truth a changing law?  We both have truths.  Are mine the same as yours?

Here we see a supposition that truth is not a final, unchangeable entity, but something that can be manipulated by thoughts and beliefs.  Galen begs to differ when she writes, "Truth is ever true and can be nothing else."

So, how are you and I expected to know what is true, what is good, what is real, what is eternal?  We look to Jesus, the ultimate purveyor of truth, wisdom, strength, and salvation.

And we don't simply settle for what we perceive in our minds, but place our very souls into the hands of Jesus.  In doing so, we can rest assured that the truth we uphold in our daily lives is the only one there is.

There is no changing it.  Its radiance will not be denied.

God's truth will shine on.

Amen!

 

 

Jeremiah Saw It Coming

 

"They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land.  The go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me," declares the Lord. ~Jeremiah 9:3

Jeremiah was a prophet; he's a good friend of mine.  I listen today to all the words he said, and he surely defines these times.  Yes, he surely defines these times. ~Brazenly and unabashedly adapted from Three Dog Night's Joy to the World

Cancel culture.

Jeremiah didn't name it as such, but this prophet saw it coming.

Lies couched in innocuous language.  Deceit lying in wait, ready to pounce upon the unsuspecting.

Truth?  It is only in the ears and eyes of the elite, who promulgate hatred, division, strife, and derision toward anyone who disagrees with their pounding and relentless message that America is NOT the shining city on a hill.  It is, instead, a cesspool of racism, homophobia, xenophobia, etc.  And the guilty?  Those deplorables who cling to their guns and religion, and believe in America as founded.

So, what's wrong, I ask, with believing in the first and second amendments of our Constitution?  These are God given rights that our founding documents declare government cannot infringe upon or deny.  Why are so many, then, striving to cancel our inalienable rights under God?

In a word, they are jealous.  Envious of the power over the people of these United States that they cannot ultimately control, but will pull out all the stops to try and do just that.  And it is power and greed that motivate every legislative move they make.

They have removed God, the Sovereign Lord, from the public square.

As House Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY) recently declared, "God's will is no concern of this Congress."

Really???

"They go from one sin to another and do not acknowledge me."

What we witness happening in our nation is a complete disregard for the will of the American people, their protection from foreign influence, their God-given rights to worship as they choose, and the heart-stopping realization that election reform and integrity are long overdue.

Jeremiah is calling us once again to name those who would pervert and disdain God's will and hope for these United States of America.  Let us pray that the Lord would silence their lying tongues and allow the truth of God to triumph in this blessed land once again.

Amen!

Get Your Kicks on Route 66

 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. ~Psalm 139:13-14

This past Monday, I celebrate my 66th anniversary here on earth.  I cannot give God, the One who destined my birth, enough thanks that I've lived this long, and still have health and ability to serve Him in the here and now.  What could be better?

And age?  What is that?  Only a number that I don't mind listing!

Thinking that nothing could measure up to birthday 65 spent with our amazing and much-loved granddaughters, I have no great expectations other than the fact that I'd asked my husband, Danny, for a dinner of shrimp and grits.  If you're not a Southerner, and can't fathom the comfort food aspect of grits, I encourage you to research them online.  Better yet, order them and cook them yourself!

I dare you to be disappointed!

And Danny certainly doesn't fail me in the gift department.  Actually, I think he goes a bit overboard, but who am I to judge?  He buys me a magnetic phone holder for my car, three books (I only asked for one) and a year's subscription to Fox Nation.  The latter is a gift that will keep on giving as it is chockfull of historical documentaries and reflections on current events.  I love those types of shows!

All these presents are so thoughtful, but the one that greets me unexpectedly on the morning of my birthday is the real kicker.  Danny creates a slide show commemorating my 66th year, and wow!  I'm so surprised and touched by the hard work he has put in on my behalf.  Here are the slides rotating on my screen saver.

And my absolute favorite -

Needless to say, I'm going to keep this slide show up and running for at least the month of March, if not longer.  It reminds me of how blessed I am to have Danny in my life, and how thankful I am to be on this journey with him.  

A God-ordained journey with more kicks than Route 66.

Amen!

Breakfast with God

 

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ~Mark 1:35

The good Lord knows I'm not the type of person who gets up before the dawn in order to pray.  In the first fuzzy moments between getting out of bed and shuffling to the kitchen to start the coffee, my mind is anything but sharp and prepared to spend time with God.  All I can muster before the jolt of caffeine hits is a feeble, "Thank you, Lord, for this day."  I guess I could do worse!

After that, you can find me checking my morning email.  Okay, that doesn't sound very God-centered, but in a way, it is.  I have several verses of the day from multiple sources, and Christian inspirational blogs to turn to.  As I sip my Joe, my head clears, and my focus for the purposefully turns to God and His presence.

Once I've had my coffee and taken a shower, I'm fully awake and ready for breakfast - breakfast with God, that is.

I come by this precious devotional in a serendipitous way.  My dear blogging friend, Linda, announces a while back that she has to place her mother in an assisted living home, and that her mom has decided to give away some of her Christian books that she's already read and reread.  It is a first come, first served arrangement.  When I see the title, Breakfast with God, I know it is meant for me.  And as fortune would have it, Linda declares that the prize is mine.  Oh, happy day!

Now, with breakfast on the table and this devotional and my Bible close at hand, this is truly where a day filled with God's grace, peace and wisdom begins for me.  I cherish this time, as I'm usually the only one up at that time in the morning; all is quiet and still.

I can drink my fill of scripture, pray for those in need, and be ready to surrender another day to Jesus.

And if you'd like your own copy of Breakfast with God, it is still in print, and available on Amazon.

My practice may not be your idea of a morning routine or time spent in God's presence.  Please do share in the comments how and where you set aside time each day to savor God's loving presence.

Amen!