THE STORM (UPDATED WITH PICTURE AND SCRIPTURE)

I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL
FOR ALL OF THE BLESSINGS
GOD HAS SENT MY WAY
AND THE OTHER ONES THAT I AM SURE TO COME.
HOWEVER,
RATHER,
I FIND MYSELF
SURROUNDED
BY A STORM OF DARK BLUE TEARS,
AND AS THE FIRST TEAR DROPS,
COLLECTED INTO A BOTTLE BY MY LORD, 
OF COURSE,
IT SEEMS TO CLEANSE MY SOUL
SOMEHOW.
AND THAT
DARK
DARK
CLOUD
THAT DECIDED TO PERSISTENTLY 
FOLLOW ME AROUND
OVER MY LITTLE HEAD
FINALLY DISAPPEARS,
JUST MIRACULOUSLY GOES AWAY
ALMOST AS IF IT HAD NEVER EVEN BEEN THERE.
THEN THE RAINBOW APPEARS,
ALWAYS REMINDING ME
OF GOD'S PROMISES
AND THAT HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE
RIGHT BY MY SIDE,
SOMETIMES EVEN CARRYING ME.
GOD HAS BEEN RIGHT THERE,
HOLDING MY HAND
EVEN ALL OF THE TIMES
I UNSUCCESSFULLY
TRIED
TO RUN AND HIDE
ANYWHERE I COULD FIND.
BUT HERE I AM,
STILL STANDING,
FIGURATIVELY SPEAKING,
UPON THE ROCK,
ROOTS PLANTED DEEPLY
JUST IN CASE THAT STORM DECIDES
ON ITS OWN TO RETURN
WITHOUT ANY WARNING.
AND EVEN THO THE WAVES COME AND GO,
HERE I SHALL FIRMLY STAND
UNTIL I AM CALLED HOME.

1 JOHN 5:5

WHO IS IT THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD?

ONLY THE ONE WHO BELIEVES

THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD.

TICK TOCK (UPDATED WITH TITLE, PICTURE & SCRIPTURE)

HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO TAKE YOU TO FORGIVE ME

FOR YOU BEING STRUCK DOWN AT THE TENDER AGE OF TWO?
WHAT DID YOU EXPECT ME TO DO?
TAKE YOUR PLACE IN THE HOSPITAL?
I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT, YOU KNOW,
IF IT HAD MEANT GETTING SOME ATTENTION FROM YOU, JUST FOR A SECOND OR TWO.
SELFISH, BUT TRUE

JUST GIVE ME SOME IDEA,

SOME KIND OF CLUE,

SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

BECAUSE, YOU SEE, I'M TIRED OF BEING KICKED AROUND  FOR SOMETHING I DID NOT

DO.

AND I'M SORRY YOU FEEL THIS WAY.

IT SEEMS AS IF I'VE ASKED YOU A MILLION TIMES,

AND FROM MY VIEW IT SEEMS AS IF IT'S EASIER FOR YOU TO FIND FAULT WITH THE PRESENT THAN  WITH THE PAST,

ALWAYS ENJOYING YOUR LITTLE LAUGH,
THEN USING ME AND STABBING ME IN THE BACK.

WELL, HERE'S A LAUGH FOR YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS -. 
I'M STUCK IN A WHEELCHAIR NINETY-NINE PERCENT OF THE TIME.

BUT THIS LAUGH IS ON YOU,  BECAUSE I AM TRULY HAPPY AND LOVED 
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.
AND I AM FORGIVEN.

WE MAY NEVER BE BEST FRIENDS,
BUT GOD'S PRECIOUS LOVE IS FORGIVENESS,
AND, DESPITE OF HOW I WEAR MY HEART ON MY SLEEVE,
I AM AS GOD MADE ME,
OPEN AND FREE.
AND WHAT A JOY IT IS IS TO BE FREE,
KNOWING THAT ALL THIS TIME HE HAS BEEN WATCHING OVER YOU AND ME.
JUST TAKE A MINUTE AND THINK ABOUT THAT
I PRAY THAT YOU, TOO, CAN, JUST THIS ONCE, PUT YOUR PRIDE ASIDE 
AND BE 
 HAPPY AND FREE.
AFTER ALL, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TIME.

JAMES 4:14

WHY, YOU DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT WILL  HAPPEN TOMORROW.  WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? YOU ARE A MIST THAT APPEARS FOR A LITTLE WHILE

AND THEN VANISHES.

A Perverse Man Stirs Up Dissension, and A Gossip Separates Close Friends (Proverbs 16:28)

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1. Definition of perverse (adj)

   Bing Dictionary
   • per·verse
   • [ pər vúrss ]
1. inexplicably irrational: contrary to what is regarded as normal or reasonable, often for reasons that seem unaccountable or self-defeating
2. stubbornly unreasonable: deliberately and doggedly behaving in a way that seems contrary to good sense or your own best interests
3. cranky: cranky or peevish

Definition of dissension (n)

Bing Dictionary

• dis·sen·sion
 
• [ di sénshən ]
 

1. disagreement: disagreement or difference of opinion, especially when leading to open conflict

Synonyms: opposition · disagreement · dissent · discord · rebellion · conflict

Doesn't sound like a very happy person, does it, especially if they are secretly wanting to do these things to their best friend.  The word jealousy comes to mind, which can lead to the end of man kind.  Didn't it lead to the end of Eden?

I have a confession to make - I am a gossip.
I won't even buy gossip magazines at the check-out stands anymore, and I used to buy them religiously, if you'll pardon the pun.

A certain someone in my family would gather at the Sunday dinner table with another, bursting with gossip about another certain someone in the family.  Woops! Now I've gone and done it again!.  But this is how I was brought up, believing that gossiping was an extension of Sunday services.  But if you're on the receiving end of this gossip, it's very painful.  More painful is being the one that's gossiping.  I found myself doing that recently out of spite and jealousy, and it just led to a blackness in my heart that could only be purged by confessing it to you, my brothers and sisters.  I ask for Jesus' forgiveness, and that he continues to change me and shape me into the person that he wants me to be.  I pray that He continues to mold me until I take my last breath here on this earth and wake up rejoicing with all the saints proclaiming Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, Who Was, and Is and Is To Come.

Our God Is and awesome and forgiving God.  Don't let gossip or jealousy or any other sin take over your life.  God loves and provides for the sparrows, so how much more is He going to love and provide for you?

It can be so easy as an unhealthy person to use any excuse to continue to sin because you're having to deal with a certain level of pain that others just don't understand.  But God has allowed this to happen to me for a reason, and I'm not about to blow it now.  So get behind thee Satan.  I am a precious daughter of the King and you hold no authority over myself, my husband, nor my children.  A Christian should live as if Jesus died yesterday, rose today, and is coming back tomorrow.  Our hope, our only hope, lies in him.

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   1 Corinthinthians 10:13 - No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

My Prayer Today

If this is my plight, 
then I accept it Lord,

for what other decision 
do I have to make,

knowing that you hold
 my short life 
in your mighty hands, 
your glorious hands?

I wake up afraid
 that I may not be able to walk that day, 
but fear does not come from the Lord.

I Praise the Lord
 each and every day 
for the amazing way 
He provides for us, 
miraculous ways 
that would never even occur to me.

And I'm coming to terms
 with seeing angels 
and hearing God's still quiet voice, 
testing it, of course, several times.

I want to have the courage 
to explore these angel lights, 
but am fearful, 
and as I have said many times before, 
fear does not come from the Lord.  
Will it be tonight?  
Will I have a revelation tonight?  
I do so want to.  
But the years of religion have taught me 
that this is not possible, 
even though my own experiences 
have taught me otherwise.  
I want to pave the path 
for other Sisters in the Lord 
and tell them that it's okay 
to see Angels 
and to hear that still quiet voice 
that comes so deeply from your soul 
that it can only be the voice of God, 
as long as you are walking
 on the path of righteousness  
And something about being debilitated 
in your body 
to the point of needing a wheelchair to get around has a way of bringing you to your knees.  
Or you can grow bitter.  
It's your choice. 
Jesus is the same yesterday, 
today, 
and tomorrow.  
It is not He that has walked away 
or changed.

To me, it's an easy choice.  
I choose Life.
I choose the Lord.  
And as I listen to the beautiful chanting 
of my young son, 
I know there is hope.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:4-6

I Can See Clearly Now

Stuck in this wheelchair, I wonder if it's finally where God wants me to be,

if it's home.

I can see more clearly from down here,

getting used to the stares,

wanting to return them with Jesus' unconditional love.

I can still walk, but my legs are very weak and I fall very easily.

So I had to swallow my pride and catch a ride in a shiny new four-wheeler, jacked up a bit with a red afghan and pearls, cuz if anyone truly knows me knows that I won't roll normally.

Now it's time to buff up the guns.

Make the best of what God gives you,

because what you think is a curse could very well be a blessing.

Isn't that what He wants from us? To bless Him before the rocks cry out?

And don't feel sorry for me if you see me rolling down the street

because I am exactly where God wants me to be at this day and time

and I am blessed beyond measure!

Mark 6:4- Only in his own hometown among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.

I am an Overcomer! (UPDATED WITH PICTURE AND SCRIPTURE)

It's me again.

I fell yesterday.

Tried crawling but couldn't get up by myself.

Took my husband and grown son to lift me up and get me to the hospital.

Now I have to deal with being in a wheelchair 24/7 until the doctors can figure out what's wrong.

Been feeling very sorry for myself before this happened.
Very.

Now, somehow, I feel stronger. 
Much.
The only thing that can make me feel this stronger is my faith in God.

I know God is in control.
I know He has not only forgiven me of my sins, but He doesn't keep track of our failures.
Who does that?
 I know being in a wheelchair doesn't make me second rate in God's Kingdom.

And discouragement comes from the devil,

who can do us no harm whatsoever.  He is the one who is fallen and he is the one who trembles when we mention Jesus' name.

I am back,

and I am an overcomer!
Thank you Jesus for choosing me!
I am and will never be worthy.

1 JOHN 5:5

WHO IS IT THAT OVERCOMES THE WORLD?

ONLY THE ONE WHO BELIEVES

THAT JESUS

IS THE SON OF GOD.

 

FLY LITTLE BUTTERFLY, FLY (UPDATED WITH TITLE AND SCRIPTURE)

I'm fifty-eight today.
I was brought up in a certain generation 
where I was was taught not to lie
 (hitting a helpless little five-year-old was okay,
I suppose,
 just as long as you did it behind closed doors.
and kept it to yourself)  
Who would believe you anyway? 
Women were oppressed
and children were taught to keep their mouths shut unless they were spoken to first.
Keep it to yourself,
push it deep down down,
don't let anyone know what you're thinking,
because God isn't big enough to handle 
our doubts, 
our tears, 
or our fears.  
And whoever told you that hasn't even opened God's Word, 
otherwise they'd know 
that God created the world 
and everything in it.  
He is the beginning and the end.  
The Alpha and Omega.
And even though it's been 53 years, 
God has not forgotten the tears 
of that little five year old girl 
because she turned to 
Him when there was no one else
 in whom to turn.
There's more than enough room for all of us, 
the hurting, 
the beaten down, 
and the ones who are finally, freely ready to fly.
Fly, little butterfly, fly.

ECCLESIASTES 3:11-13

HE HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN ITS TIME.  HE HAS ALSO SET ETERNITY IN THE HUMAN HEART; YET NO ONE CAN FATHOM WHAT GOD HAS DONE FROM BEGINNING TO END.

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