What I've Learned This Week

Some of the things I've learned this week are: it's a privilege and honor to have so much alone time. Do you know how much praying you can get done when you don't have people bothering you so much? :-) My sister-in-law came out of her foot surgery with flying colors. She thought she would have to be in the hospital for 3-4 days and was worried she would have to have a procedure done that would be rather nasty. Instead she came home the very next day and did not have to have the nasty procedure done after all! Maybe the road ahead wont be so long after all I mean look at the prayer that God has already answered concerning that!

Another lifelong family friend has been in the hospital for about 2 months with aspirated pneumonia. She comes home on Tuesday!! And it is again a privilege and honor to go to her house in the next few days and get it in shape for her to come home to. Yes she has a husband but you know how men are with cleaning. :-) She and her husband helped me out when I came home from my long hospital stay all those years ago. The amazing thing is that when she came out of her 2 week coma, she was moving around and even using a pen to write. Me, I couldn't even open my eyes after an 8 day coma! But God worked in both situations in His own way to benefit us.

Another thing I've learned this week, you shouldn't eat chocolate covered peanuts for breakfast.

Alone Time

Most people at some point in their lives have felt alone. By some circumstance we have been made to feel insignificant, usually by the actions of another. The past fifteen months have been rather trying for me emotional wise. The roller coaster of life has taken me up and down, though not all the way up and not all the way down!


If you have gone way back and read any of my blog you might know what I'm talking about. A certain situation in my life, deemed silly by some and unimportant by others, was real to me and caused pain.


Through it all I have done the right thing. Doesn't matter what the right thing is, just know that I have been doing it. Also know that it has been one sided. The other party hasn't been doing what is right.

I've also been trying to find new people to connect with, but every time I look around those people are slobbering all over someone else.


It's been a rather difficult year. It can be tough being a single, childless person. But I digress.

Years ago I took down some notes from a wonderful book by Charles Swindoll, "David, A Man of Passion and Destiny." Not remembering that I had taken these notes, I got out a file box the other night and started to go through some of it and there were the notes. The very first thing I read brought tears to my eyes.

"One of God's methods of training His servants is SOLITUDE. David needed to learn life's major lessons all alone before he could be trusted with responsibilities"

With a few exceptions I have been living a life of solitude for the past 15 months. I apologized to God for not putting my time of solitude to better use and have asked Him to help build my character through all of this.

It's funny though, I'm a person that enjoys being alone. I don't feel lonely though. How can I when I know the Holy Spirit is with me wherever I go?

My Day by Shmoopie T.

Hi, it's me, Shmoopie. I thought I would hop on this thing and share a bit about myself. My official name is Miss Marple, but no one ever calls me that except those poor people at the vet's office. I'm 12 years old and yes, I'm slowing down a bit. I like to eat and sleep most of the time now. I do get up and wonder around the house, lay in the bathroom window when it's sunny out or when there is action out in the back yard to view. I have to laugh. For years every time my mom tried to get me into the carrier to go for my shots, it was a horrible situation for her. She would try and try and try and there were always tears and crying from both of us. She would have to cancel the appointment because I wouldn't cooperate. Cooperate?? I'm a cat, what's up with that?

Well, guess where I have been spending most of my days and nights now these past couple of weeks? Yep, in the carrier. She put carpet in there the last time I was supposed to go for my shot and catnip on the carpet got me in there faster than anything! So after all these years of the trouble I caused her, I am now WILLINGLY sleeping in my little carrier here on the porch. Of course she sits right next to me when shes on her computer. I'm a good cat, but I do kind of like teasing her with this.

Sometimes when she goes outside I get jealous because I know she's sitting with that outdoor cat, Marco. Marco seems to be rather nice. He knows he is well taken care of. She even fixed him up a little 'hut' for when the weather is bad and the winters get cold. His owners gave up on him, said he was always getting out of the house. If I were Marco I wouldn't want to be in a house with three kids, several adults and two pit bulls, would you? Marco is much safer hanging out here. He gets fed well and is a good protector of his turf. I know my mom wishes she could let him in the house but most likely I would not tolerate it.

Well I just wanted to introduce myself to those of you who don't know me. Mom is going to the big city later on to visit her favorite place, the bookstore. I'm sure I'll just be lazy and enjoy the peace and quiet. I'm much like her in that aspect.

Best Meows,
Shmoopie

Have You Ever? Part 2 and another little thing.

I believe there is a difference between allowing and giving. God lets us go through trials and junk so that we are brought closer to Him ( hopefully). But I don't believe and never will and never have, that He gives us diseases and other crap in life. :-) A loving God, which He is, would never give something that would cause us harm. On a lighter note.......

Today I called a relative of mine an idiot because he is always 'harassing' his sister about there not being a God and I know he just does it to get her worked up. About five minutes later I regretted calling him an idiot and worried that it might get back to his mother, my sister in law. Then I thought, wait, we're all grown up adults here, I'm only calling it like I see it. ( like it is, but I digress ).

I watch to much "House"! Why do people do that to other people? Why do they insist on being jerks? Because....well I'll just keep my mouth shut. As mother used to say, "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all". My mom would really let her kids have it if she knew how they ..........well, again, my mouth is shut!

Have You Ever?

Have you ever wondered why you are going through tough times? Have you ever said, "why did you do this to me God"? Well actually, God had nothing to do with giving you a disease or any other bad thing. How do I know? Because the Bible tells me so! In James 1:17 we are told that "every good and perfect gift" comes from God. Disease is not good nor is it perfect, therefore it is not from God. Very simple. We just make it harder than it has to be.

The Bible also tells us that when we are in the middle of these bad things, we are to praise Him. If you don't think you have anything worth thanking Him for, how about just telling Him how much you appreciate the rain, the sun, the moon, the starts, the mountains, the cornfields, your pets, you kids, your family....see where I'm going here?

It wasn't God who gave me an asthma attack and put me in an 8 day coma. However He did go through it with me and He was there when I came out of it and He made me stronger physically and emotionally because of it.

We did live in a perfect world until our ancestor Adam sinned against God. That means man is to blame, not God.

I like the chorus to a "Casting Crowns' song that says:
And I'll praise you in this storm and I will lift my hands for You are who You are no matter where I am and every tear I've cried You hold in your hand You never left my side and though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm

"Hey don't blame me, it wasn't my fault" God

Wednesday Ramblings

Ok, time to get captivating. LOL.....It's Wednesday, they say we may have some heavy storms this afternoon with lots of rain and maybe hail. It's been a normal week so far. Nothing dramatic or outstanding as far as I can see. However......after hearing something about my former friend last Sunday in church, I decided "enough is enough" and I called her on Monday. Go figure, she wasn't home so I left a 'just hoping you are doing ok' message. So far, no response. But hey, I did the right thing.

Let's see, anything else happen so far this week? Paid bills, ( thank you Lord for provision! ) , helped get Katelynn's hair ready for school, watched a movie I hadn't seen and glad I didn't pay money to do so! "New In Town" with Renee Zellwiger and Harry Connick Jr. ( I love Harry Connick Jr., have seen him in concert twice ). The movie was cute enough.

Wow.....is this it? It's Wednesday and this is all I've got? LOL. After "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" there was absolutely nothing to watch on the telly so I popped in an old video of what I thought was going to be Andy Griffith episodes, turned out to be "Highlander" episodes instead. Hey, I can handle that! "I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings"! Yeah actually we are and we do, in a way.

Ok, I think I'll stop for now, maybe something captivating will happen today and I can tell everyone about it!

Remember we are all royalty, our Father is the King of Kings, therefore treat each other as such!

Have I Really Forgiven?

To answer a readers question......some people experience sudden relief when they forgive someone. For me it wasn't that way. It was a gradual thing. I told the person I forgave them and didn't stick around long enough for them to say, "forgive me for what". LOL. Actually saying the words out loud or in letter form is the thing to do. Actually the first and foremost thing to do is ask God to help you forgive. Go on about life. Distance yourself from the cause of the hurt.

I recently read or heard someone very wise say that it's easy to forgive but we very seldom ever forget.

More to come!