Change of Plans

How many times did you have a day completely planned and then received a phone call that changed everything?  As caregivers that is unfortunately a part of our lives.  You have probably learned to stop making specific plans or ones where others rely on you, for you know you may have to cancel at a moments notice.

I was reminded of this just last night and God prompted me to share this with you.  My mother has recently gone through full knee replacement.  She has done wonderful and to God be all the glory for her healing and amazingly fast recovery!  Yesterday, while I was staying with her, I noticed her incision looked a little red and questioned her.  Later when her physical therapist arrived, she too was concerned about the possibility of infection.  When I spoke to my dad last evening, he explained that he was going to take my mom to her regular physician's walk in clinic this morning.  I asked him if he could do it alone and he said they would be fine.  Two minutes later the phone rang and he asked if I could go with them and use my car for it is much lower to the ground than theirs and easier for my mom to get into.  I told him that would be fine and hung up.  Well, as you can imagine, my ten year old was not too happy about this change in our plans for the day.  This was supposed to have been our first day to just sleep late and hang out in our pajamas all morning and then get some lunch just the two of us.  I understood how she felt and explained why it was important for us to help her grandparents in this way.  BUT, at the same time, it prompted me to remember that feeling of plans always changing.

 I also WARN you!  Don't stop making plans.  I know I did for a while when my husband was very sick and I alienated myself from many of my dear friends, which was not good for me.  Keep making plans but explain your situation ahead of time and what may happen.  Then pray for God to ease the disappointment when and if it comes due to a "change in plans."

Abiding In Him

John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”

When you immerse yourself in the Word of God on a daily basis, you will find that the Word becomes a part of your thoughts and begins to direct your steps throughout the day.  I quickly remind people that they do not have to memorize scriptures to have God’s Word within them.  At the same time, I will admit that it can come in handy to have the ability to quote scriptures in a time of need or to someone you are witnessing to or praying with.  The more you read the Bible, do personal devotions, participate in Bible studies, and worship with fellow Christians, the more Jesus’ words abide in you! 

Recently, I had a very unusual week.  It started off with a text from my husband on Monday morning letting me know that his father had been taken to the ER with chest pains.  Upon arrival to the ER we were told that my father-in-law was having a heart attack.  My husband and I quickly found a place in the waiting room to sit and pray.  We began to claim his healing in the name of Jesus.  After arriving at Wake Med Heart Center in Raleigh, we were told they were able to open the artery that was blocked and save his life.  While my father-in-law was still in Cardiac ICU on Wednesday, my husband and I came home for my mother’s knee replacement surgery, which was already scheduled!  That morning my husband and I prayed once again thanking God for my mother’s healing and pain control in advance.  My mother’s surgery was very successful and her pain was minimal!

A week later, both my father-in-law and my mother are home recuperating.  Each day last week I felt the constant presence and comfort of the Holy Spirit.  All the things I claimed in prayer have now been seen in the physical.  Because Jesus’ words abide in me all the things that I asked of Him in prayer were done! Don’t view prayer and study of the Bible as something difficult.  Instead, understand it can be an easy yet amazingly powerful experience.  The more you know about Jesus, the more you will see Jesus work in your life!

Just Piano Lessons

Psalm 92:1

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, 

O Most High,

In December when Taylor approached us and said that she wanted to take piano lessons and also wanted a keyboard, we were a little doubtful about how all this would turn out.  She was very excited and we never doubted Mrs. Darden’s ability, but we worried that she would lose interest and give up.  Well, week after week, she continued to love her lessons with Mrs. Darden and continued to practice at home.  Sure, we had to remind her from time to time, but she never argued.  That told us a lot.  She was not only enjoying what she was learning but also taking pride in her musical ability.  She began to ask us how we thought she sounded or what we thought about the last song she played.

Music has become a part of Taylor’s life.  She now tells people that she plays the piano which is awesome.  She is proud of being a pianist and loves to tell people about her piano teacher Mrs. Darden.  This wonderful woman of God did more during her lessons than just teach piano, she taught children to love and take pride in playing the piano.   She gave them a tool they can use to worship the Lord!  She gave them something that no one can ever take away from them.  She also instilled a confidence inside that they can do something very special that many others cannot do.

Just when we thought we were signing Taylor up just for piano lessons, we saw that we signed her up so that God could use Mrs. Darden to touch her life.  We thank her for loving her, encouraging her, laughing with her, and showing God’s love each Monday, while she was just taking piano lessons.

Tour de Parking Lot

I find that the moments I remember and cherish are sometimes the simplest and easiest to make.  Today, my daughter wanted to ride her bike so we walked one block over to a church parking lot in our neighborhood so she would have more space. My husband carried a couple chairs and we even took a snack and our dog.  We sat in the shade and watched Taylor speed around the empty lot just talking and laughing each time she rode past us.  I had taken a picture of Taylor on her bike when I thought of having Taylor take a photo of her audience.  I absolutely loved this picture.  How often to we stop and just enjoy a moment with our spouse or child?  How often do we stop and enjoy a moment with our Savior?  Taylor wanted to know if her bike riding was similar to the people in the Tour de France and so we called this memory our Tour de Parking Lot!

Desires of Your Heart

This picture represents "the desires of our family's heart."  When we visit Disney World we are carefree and only think of being with one another.  We are overwhelmed with God's goodness and love for we know we could not have made these trips happen on our own.  Just today, a dear friend of our family's posted that she  has recently become engaged.  She has prayed for years for God to send her a Christian husband.  Well, the desire of her heart has happened!  We celebrate with her as a family.  We constantly see God giving true believers the desires of their hearts!  What are your heart's desires?  

Do you believe God can give them to you?  He really can!

God's Perfect Timing

I was asked months back to be the guest speaker for the First Presbyterian Ladies of Goldsboro for their annual Women's Banquet Dinner.  Each year, unknowing to myself, they choose a lifetime member and recognize not only her contributions to the ladies ministry and her church but really her entire life!  This year my favorite teacher from all my many years in college, Mrs. Lomax was the woman of honor!  She nor I knew she was going to be receiving this award but it was so very special.  After the award ceremony I was introduced and was able to connect the dots for everyone there.  I explained how Mrs. Lomax had inspired me in college to become a writer and now on the night she was honored I was her guest speaker.  God really does work in mysterious and lovely ways each and every day. She and I both were in awe of what an awesome God we served that we were brought together in this way on this very special night which neither of us will ever forget. 

Just a Marshmallow

Psalm 37:4 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Have you ever given much thought to the fact that God hears every single word you utter and knows each of your thoughts?  I think we all know these two facts are true for it tells us so in God’s Word, but saying it and knowing it on a personal level are two very different things.  Recently, I was reminded just how much God cares about the simple pleasures we enjoy.  I witnessed, first-hand, how much God longs to make us happy and show His love toward us in very simple, yet amazing ways. 

On a recent vacation, my family walked into a candy store while visiting Disney World.  As we entered, we watched a man making candy apples.  Of course they had to have a Disney twist, so the candy maker used marshmallows as the ears so that the finished apples would appear to be in the shape of Mickey heads.  My daughter said as we walked past, “I would love to just have a marshmallow.” I didn’t give it much thought for I knew after all the times I had visited you could not purchase plain marshmallows.

We continued through the store, which was very long and winding.  When we reached the rear of the store a young lady, who worked in the store, approached my daughter.  We were celebrating my daughter’s birthday so she was wearing a special “birthday” button.  The young clerk wished her a happy birthday and asked my daughter to close her eyes while she grabbed a special surprise from behind the counter.  When my daughter opened her eyes she was handed a sticker and a marshmallow!  I almost passed out!  The marshmallow was unlike any one I had ever seen.  It had been dipped in white chocolate and then covered in beautiful pink and purple sprinkles.  Then it was wrapped individually in clear plastic and tied with a golden tie.  My eyes filled with tears for I knew who had sent the marshmallow.  The girl asked me if it was okay for her to have the marshmallow and I quickly said, “Yes!”  She was probably thinking she had upset me in a negative way due to my shock and reaction. I explained how she had just said as we entered the store how she would love to have a marshmallow.  There was no way this young lady had heard our conversation or could have known it was exactly what my daughter wanted. 

I hope you see what happened.  God heard a simple desire of my child’s heart and instead of giving her only what she asked for, He gave her MORE than she could have imagined she would have received.  That’s the awesome God we serve!  Our God is more than enough.  He is our absolute provider.  You see, I fool myself at times by thinking that I am my child’s provider and protector when He is those things for her.  I couldn’t have given her that desire that day but our living and loving God sure could! 

When you share the desires of your heart with God, He not only answers you but He always gives you more than you could ever imagine.  God will give you the desires of your heart and then He will add chocolate and your favorite colored sprinkles!  Never underestimate the power of our Mighty God and Savior.  He truly cares about each detail and moment of our lives.  I will never forget the moment when God handed my sweetheart a marshmallow and my love for Him grew even stronger.