Things I love, things I hate

 

"Every morning, I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar, and watch for fire to descend."

Things I Love, in no particular order:
I love my family and many others who “feel” like family.
I love seeing a husband and wife laugh and have fun together.
I love the innocence of children.
I love justice.
I love seeing someone care for the elderly with love.
I love when righteousness reigns in a nation.
I love seeing the smile of a homeless person, who is grateful.
I love looking at someone content with their life.
I love old memories.
I love dreams of hope.
I love kind doctors who put children first.
I love to dance!
I love all kinds of music.
I love support groups, one in particular.
I love people who pray.
I love to read.
I love my Bible.
I love books.
I love a good movie, one that is not profane.
I love going to movies, rare as that is.
I love listening to awesome, passionate speeches from the past. I have a dream, too.
I love the creativity of my Lord.
I love the LORD JESUS CHRIST and the thrill of being His child.

Things I hate:
I hate Injustice!
I hate child abuse in any form.
I hate when someone steals the innocence of a child.
I hate mean talking and profanity.
I hate that families are torn apart by unforgiveness.
I hate “hate-groups.”
I hate that it is politically correct to talk against Christians or “Christian-bash.”
I hate adultery and so does God.
I hate that people don’t really talk anymore.
I hate seeing people together but using their smartphones to communicate.
Rather than continue thinking of negative things, I’ll leave you with these thoughts:
“Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Philippians 4:8-9 The Message (MSG)
May you be blessed today, my friend.

HOPE REALLY DOES LIE AHEAD!

 My book review of Hope Lies Ahead: Encouragement for Parents of Prodigals from a Family That's Been There

by James Banks (Author), Geoffrey Banks (Author)

 

Hope Lies Ahead: Encouragement for Parents of Prodigals from a Family That's Been There is unique in that it is written by both the dad, James, and the son, Geoffrey. The opening chapter starts with a story of Geoff’s birth and it renews my thoughts that there has never been a woman on earth who, when thinking about that child in her womb, would think that one day that child would be an addict.

James writes, “Never in our worst nightmares would we have thought that this winsome, bright little guy would one day be a prodigal. Yet that is indeed what happened. When we think back over our son’s life, we realize that one of the hardest things about being the parent of a prodigal is the nagging thought that I should have done something differently. Even though our children make their own choices--- possibly choices that we ourselves never would have made at their age, still we wonder, Couldn’t I have changed the circumstances under which those choices happened? We replay the past in our heads and look at that friend, or that school, or any other number of contributing factors and think, If I had only known, we never would have gone there.”

 

Geoffrey writes, “It’s easy to look at an ideal situation like mine and wonder why I would do what I did---why I would take the gifts God gave me and exchange them for drugs and crime. How could I make such a s decision? Did I want to hurt the people I loved, or did I not just care? The truth is, I never wanted to hurt anyone or disappoint a soul, but somehow I did exactly that.”

There’s an old saying, “One drink is too many and a thousand never enough.” I think that goes for drugs, also, I’m told. It seems the afflicted one doesn’t feel comfortable in their body unless they have something to take the edge off or make them feel bolder and more excited, or even I’ve been told, normal. But how can you maintain that degree of excitement in your body for long? Geoff takes us on the journey and it truly is painful, not only to him but to his parents and other family members. I liked how Geoff brought out that you need hobbies and friends to replace the bad behaviors. Some of the stories in the book were very poignant especially the one about the little girl’s question towards the end of the book.

I also believe it brought out that recovery takes time and there is no set “way” for anyone.

The only thing that I would’ve loved as an addition would’ve been to hear from the Mom’s point of view. As a mom, myself, I know how a mom prays, grieves and hopes to the highest degree for her child.

I loved some of the chapter titles: OF PRODIGAL PATHS AND CLENCHED FISTS, YOU DON’T GET A CASSEROLE, and especially, BRING THE BOY TO ME.  When you get down to it, that is really all a parent can do: bring the child to the Lord.

At the end of the book there was a prayer from James’ other book, PRAYERS FOR PRODIGALS. The excerpt was titled, For Freedom From Substance Abuse and it was so very beautiful. I’m going to have to read that book now, as prayer really is the best and most concrete thing we can do for our loved ones. I believe prayer is a working tool towards family recovery and this family knows it well. I feel this book shows, the good, the bad and the ugly and yet the HOPE THAT CAN LIE AHEAD.

Great job, guys! Write on!

Donna Collins Tinsley

Praying for Single Parent Families

 

Happy Wednesday!

“By acknowledging God’s sovereignty, I accept that even though things in my world are out of my control, they are fully in God’s control. Somehow, in some way, they are part of the story He is writing in my life and therefore they can be embraced as teachers rather than fought against as if they were subjugators.” by Laurie S. Hall

Remember, even when we can't see the results, that prayer is a working tool used in the kingdom of God. Jesus, our mighty Father, brother and intercessor goes before the throne and pleads with the Father of mercy for us all.

Sometimes, it is hard to even take the next step in life when you know your loved ones are in pain. Jesus, carry me and my family and friends, even when it looks like we will never make it. I always have to come back to the old hymn, and also the words of Peter: Where could we go, but to the Lord? Lord you truly have the words of and for life!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhQ9UpqfKQQ   

Today the prayer focus will be on single parents. That’s a rough job; yet the Lord can be so sweet to take care of you and your children. I remember my stint as a single parent and the Lord was truly my Help and my Fortress. He is the great provider and CAN provide all your needs. So we pray especially that You, Lord, give blessings and special favor to single parents and their children. Put them on a path that You can bless and let them know there is no lack with You. Send journeymates to encourage them, I pray.

We also pray for those sick, recovering from surgery or in the hospital. We pray for healing mercies and thank the Lord for His tender mercies new every morning. Praying for a new start for many and healing of memories. And for those facing an uncertain future, with many hurtful unspoken requests today, we ask for help, Jesus.

Feeling sad today? Give someone else a smile and it may lift your own spirits.

From the book... The Language of Letting Go <3 Healing Thoughts

Think healing thoughts.

When you feel anger or resentment, ask God to help you feel it, learn from it, and then release it. Ask Him to bless those who you feel anger toward. Ask Him to bless you too.

When you feel fear, ask Him to take it from you. When you feel misery, force gratitude. When you feel deprived, know that there is enough.

When you feel ashamed, reassure yourself that who you are is okay. You are good enough.

When you doubt your timing or your present position in life, assure yourself that all is well; you are right where you're meant to be. Reassure yourself that others are too.

When you ponder the future, tell yourself that it will be good. When you look back at the past, relinquish regrets.

When you notice problems, affirm there will be a timely solution and a gift from the problem.

When you resist feelings or thoughts, practice acceptance. When you feel discomfort, know it will pass. When you identify a want or a need, tell yourself it will be met.

When you worry about those you love, ask God to protect and care for them. When you worry about yourself, ask Him to do the same.

When you think about others, think love. When you think about yourself, think love.

Then watch your thoughts transform reality.

Today, I will think healing thoughts.

 

Every Parent's Nightmare

 Thus saith the Lord: A voice was heard on high of lamentation, of mourning, and weeping, of Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted for them, because they are not. Jeremiah 31:15

The sound of Heaven touching Earth...there is the sound of heaven touching earth as we pray on Saturdays for those who have lost loved ones to death. There is the rustling of angle’s wings as comfort is poured out that can only come from the Lord. Angels surround the ones left behind. They pray, they remember, they long for that precious one.

Anita Smith once said that any parent who's lost a child will make sure their hearts are right before the Lord that they may see them again in heaven. The thing about Saturday’s prayer is there is always a family experiencing the death of a family member somewhere. Only a move of the Holy Spirit will help us today.

Grief has no timetable, each one processes differently, some stay numb with a holy numbness I believe, for a while, then it overwhelms them, just when other may say they should be "over it." Don't judge, just love and have an open ear and open arms. For those whose grave sites are fresh we pray for strength for this day and hope for the future as you remember all the good memories in your mind.
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (Revelation 21:4)

Spirit Break Out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_TOOXRpn8w
Our Father, all of Heaven roars Your name
Sing louder, let this place erupt with praise
Can you hear it, the sound of Heaven touching Earth
The sound of Heaven touching Earth

My book review of A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham #ALifeOnceDreamed!

 

I loved this frontier love story, A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham, more than I would’ve imagined. This book was just what I needed for a fiction vacation this summer during the pandemic, although a western prairie story is not the genre I normally  read.

At first it was a bit frustrating to hear that Aggie had left the love of her life without an explanation. But as I  came to know her character and heart, I began to understand that she was not the sort of person to knowingly hurt someone. When her handsome former sweetheart moved to town, things began to move along and it was quite the page-turner.

I loved the story content and the value lesson presented in the midst of a beautiful love story. It is so very true that where any of us came from should have no bearing on where we will go in life. All lives matter.

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham, was a book that I received free of charge from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review. #ALifeOnceDreamed! 

Read DARK MOTIVES by Zanne Marie Dyer!

DARK MOTIVES by Zanne Marie Dyer is such a page turner, I’m amazed that it’s a first novel. Zanne seems to be a very seasoned writer. I’m sure being married to a criminal trial lawyer who she admitted to picking his brain to write this book, was a big help. Her daily menu of crime questions for lunch and suspense for dinner made a perfect recipe for a suspense novel. The added intrigue to the murder story line of a terrorist who hated Christians, pastors especially, made me sit on the edge of my seat. I could easily visualize this becoming a movie. The characters were very engaging, and varied and although the situation at work made for a chaotic family life, we got a view of the challenges someone in the line of work as Jet Wholeman was in, faced.

As the story progressed, we begin to see Jet becoming the man he was created to be as he sought to work on his marriage while seeking justice for the innocent child. This book was the type you devour and then go back and reread to savor the ingredients. Zanne, I’m so glad you’re already at work on the follow-up novel. You’ve made me a very unexpected fan of this genre. Keep writing!

My Book Review of Hadley Beckett's Next Dish, a novel by Bethany Turner

What happens when a much-loved Southern chef and an arrogant, handsome, tantrum-throwing chef get together? Hadley Beckett's Next Dish, a novel by Bethany Turner dishes it out in a captivating story. It's something like Southern Comfort meeting the Playboy Gourmet. 


Early on we were introduced to Hadley’s tried-and-true trick of calming herself down by alphabetically listing items found in the kitchen. A very unique way to get your mind off Chef Cavanaugh…. Anise. Broiler. Colander. Dough. Egg timer, etc. She seemed to need this system often when confronted with a man like Chef Cavanaugh. Besides this she seemed to use cooking, as one might suspect, to relieve anxiety also. 


The turnabout of events as Chef Cavanaugh tries to change his lifestyle and Chef Hadley changes her address makes for a charming story. Warning, though, you might get hungry while reading this book!



Hadley Beckett's Next Dish, a novel by Bethany Turner was a book that I received free of charge from Revell Reads in exchange for my honest review.

LIVE READY!

Every day that we live, we are one day closer to meeting our Maker. Let us live in a way that brings glory to Your name Lord and above all let us live ready. I always feel like I need to get my house in order in more than one way, to be ready to go. Sometimes I wonder if that’s why I don’t work harder to do just that? Because although to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, if we’ve personally accepted Him, there’s always a part that wants to live to see Shiloh’s baby, to see Mathis grow, to see the great way the Lord is going to take the disasters and chaos of our lives and use it to HIS GREAT GLORY! When I wrote this on this date in 2019 Jude wasn’t even in Shiloh’s womb yet, but I did live to see Shiloh have a baby, so this is surely one of those speaking forth things that the Lord wants us to do.


Many times the way is troubling and wearisome and dreams that have died seem hard to revive. That’s when He gives the new dream. In pulling up this blog today, and seeing it is talking about dreams I’m amazed that Pastor Cathy’s sermon is on CHASING DREAMS. It seems like confirmation of this little talk. She stirred us up to follow our dreams.


Some new dreams are happening right now though with eyes of the earth we may not be able to truly see that He is at work, sending journeymates, sending angels to surround and hedge in our loved ones.


Oh to see with new eyes, eyes that look on with love.

The Word of the Lord that He brought to mind as I was writing:


Things never discovered or heard of before,

    things beyond our ability to imagine— these are the many things God has in store for all his lovers. 1 Corinthians 2 :9 The Passion Translation 


Yesterday I found a quote that I think is really going to help me press on in life: “Do not get discouraged; it may be the last key in the bunch that opens the door.” STANSIFER. I think this was the right time for this quote to stand out for me, as there are so many situations with prayers going up for healings and help for families and it seems like we may have tried every key in our pocket. None seem to be working! 


We are earnest in our prayers, our love and even our faith in the Lord, but we may come away discouraged. Discouraged about that meeting with that wayward child, discouraged about family members being sick and discouraged about perhaps even how we are living our lives. But the Lord is not discouraged. HE IS ENCOURAGED! 

 And the Lord says, “Keep trying, keep seeking, keep turning that next key. I have the answer. It is going to bless your socks off. Don’t give up. Look back to the memories of places I have brought you from, sicknesses’ that I’ve healed you of, and blessings that abounded in your family. And for that one who experienced loss beyond any pain you thought you could endure, I’ve got this. I’ve got your loved one and I’ve got YOU. The Lord, the great Father and comforter am I. I am and will always be with you, I will never, no never leave you comfortless. You are loved.


Bonus Scripture:


Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?  But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke ^[d]kindly to them. Genesis 50: 19-21

Do you need to cry? HE LOVES US DEARLY EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT FEEL LIKE WE CAN’T DO IT ANYMORE.

"It's not what you go through that makes you strong: it is how you handle the situation that gives you strength." — Tanya R. Liverman
"My best testimonies are from the times I thought I couldn't survive." — Tanya R. Liverman

At times we all need a reminder that HE SEES us and uses us in ways we can't imagine. (Me)

HE LOVES US DEARLY EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT FEEL LIKE WE CAN’T DO IT ANYMORE.

Sometimes you just need a good cry and when you have to be strong for so many other things, using a movie as an excuse works well. Many of you don’t know that our granddaughter, Aubrey, (27) went into the hospital on April 24^th. She has endocarditis and some other things that are very frightening. I always loved Advent Hospitals but the care Aubrey got at the one at Deland was not up to their normal level. They sent her to the one in Daytona saying she needed an operation on her heart valve, but then she was not well enough for it. Then they sent her back to Deland and said they were just going to continue with antibiotic treatments. With the COVID19  the visitation rules are changed. I finally got to see her for the first time this last Monday. While I was there, she got the chills then I felt her forehead and it seemed warm. All the time I was there no one came in to check on her unless I went out to get them or she called and waited. So, before I left, I mentioned they should probably take her temperature, but the nurse said she’d check on her later.

That night they released her to just get out-patient infusion treatments. By Friday, they said she had a fever when she went for her infusion and also now Pulmonary aneurysms.  Last night they sent her to Shands and it seems the same. They say she needs an operation then say maybe not. It is very frustrating. The sad thing is they say she can only see one visitor for the duration of her stay; it must be the same visitor. I was ready to go today, even just to sit in the waiting room, but they are not allowing people in hospitals. Ashley and I helped by watching baby Mathis, she more than me, as since he’s a busy toddler and I’m old, it just works out that way. I try to tag team with her. I just pray for Aubrey and for baby Mathis who misses his mom and is confused.

So Bill and I watched a movie tonight, The Art of Racing in the Rain. You will smile, you will cry and if life seems hard, a good cry can be cleansing. I know I needed to.

If you haven’t seen the movie, watch it. Tame by today’s standards, but precious as a family movie. https://movieweb.com/the-art-of-racing-in-the-rain-trailer/

“Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother, for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also) that the hearts of many may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35

Do you feel broken, today?

Ann Voscamp says, “You can be too broken to be.” She also talks about grief here:

 “There is no fear in letting tears come. Sadness is a gift to avoid the nothingness of numbness, and all hard places need water. Grief is a gift, and after a rain of tears, there is always more of you than before. Rain always brings growth.”

It’s Saturday and the day we focus on those families who’ve lost loved ones, maybe recently, maybe it’s been a while but grief has its own timetable. We pray for strength for the journey, comfort from the Lord and His people and for love to surround you through the numbness of coping with what must be dealt with. Jesus, lover of my soul, bind our wounds and make us whole.

Show us how to live, one day at a time, giving You glory. Your love never fails, though sometime our faith does.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37wV6D49iEY