Grateful

 Yes, I am feeling grateful today.  Why?  Because it is Saturday and it has been a really tough week in many ways.  I need this day off work, and I really wish I could stay here in my room all day with no contact with anyone but God.  But, that is not going to happen today as I must soon come out.  Hubby will want breakfast and because it is Saturday, unless he has something scheduled or I do, I cook breakfast.  At least I think I can convince him NOT to go out for breakfast this morning..... we both know we need to lose weight and need to cut back on carbs and sugar and fat stuff.  So I will cook bacon and eggs this morning.  Yeah, I know, the bacon.  But at least they are little.

I woke up about 4:30AM this morning and came in to my room here, meaning to get immediately in to my Bible reading....only to close my eyes for a few moments and then fell asleep for a few more minutes.  I just felt like I had no energy, no strength.  I think it is that I am just tired.  Don't really know why, though, so guess it is just a mental tired since I haven't done any manual labor.

But I plan to today!  I've started a list of things I want to get done today - and after breakfast, I want to get those cardboard boxes straightened up out in the garage that hubby nags me about.  And I can hopefully get him to take the items to Savers that he has talked about for three weeks he needs to take.  That would help that area as well.  I also want to defrost the freezer.  Since it was moved from our other house, it seems to have a 'leak' in the vacuum seal and it causes more ice/frost to form more frequently.  It isn't bad just yet, but I like to keep it clean so that I don't have to spend hours on it.  I can probably get it completed in just a few hours today.  And it will all be a win-win - I'll get 'exercise' in getting things done, right?  Which will feel good to get my body moving!

I have many projects that I'd like to get busy doing.  I also need to get started on the messages I will share starting next month at the RV parks.  Haven't even started yet and I speak on November 27th for the first one.  I've got to get my mind straightened out and focused and get these done.  I have two topics that one of the RV parks has asked I do.... but I still need to create the messages.  I don't know how vocational pastors can work all week and preach on Sundays every week and still have a family life.  I applaud them.  Of course they probably have the training and the training I have is being shown how to do it in a class and then self-teaching myself.  I love to do it and I love to share Jesus with others, and that is what keeps me going.   It will be interesting to see how hubby is going to do this year.  Interestingly, he was told by a pastor friend he had lunch with recently that he is more of an evangelist versus a pastor.  This may be his last year to preach... but I know he likes the money he gets so I don't know.  He's scheduled 3-4 times, I think.  

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NKJV):  "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry."

I often wonder what I would do with my time if I wasn't working.  We couldn't afford to travel, and I don't necessarily want to.  I would love to interact with people and serve them as a volunteer somewhere.  I would love to be in full time ministry.... that was always my dream.  I refuse to think I am too old to be about God's business.  He has called me to do what I do for Him.  I need to work at being better prepared, yes, and study more.  I don't have to always be busy doing things.  Now that I can convince hubby on an occasional night to leave the TV off, I put down my crochet, sewing, or knitting, and I read.  I have so many books I want to read and many on my kindle.  I keep downloading and intend to read them.... but got to keep the TV off so that I can!  Grateful for what I can get.

I've always prayed for a double portion of Elijah's mantle as Elisha got.  Sometimes I pray for more.  I believe, when the time is right, that God will put me where He wants me.  Being patient doesn't come natural for me but I do pray that I wait upon God's timing and not my own.  And if I am wrong, that He doesn't have a place for me, I pray that He will just use me where I am.  I bought a new book recently called 'Receiving Mantles from the Courts of Heaven' by Robert Henderson.  The subtitle is 'Supernatural Empowerment to Fulfill the Call of God on Your Life'.  I've been able to read about a chapter every morning in here, and it has proven to be a very good book.  It starts off about a dream a man had about a huge closet in heaven full of mantles that people have not asked for.  God has a mantle for each one of us to further His kingdom.  And we are not asking for our mantle.  It may not be a mantle of OUR choosing, but one that He has chosen for us.  I'm searching for my mantle and am praying that God will lay that mantle upon me so that I can share Jesus with others more often and more freely.

What about you?  Curious what your mantle would be?  What is it you like to do?  Perhaps God wants you to take that and turn it in to His Glory.  What if you chose to put God first in your hobby, or whatever it is you like to do?  What if you chose God?  Wouldn't you love to have His mantle placed upon you to serve Him in all you do?  Oh that would be a glorious thing!  If I could do whatever I wanted to do, without comments or repercussions, oh how I would change things up!  But alas, for now, that is only in my dreams, and if God wants to bring them about, He will have to make the changes.

So what's on your agenda for today?  Straightening up cardboard boxes, cooking breakfast, sorting through things.... not necessarily in that order.... maybe go do a little shopping..... oh yeah, it's supposed to rain, maybe I won't go shopping (after all, I might melt)... but I am going to get busy and get things done today.  You are challenged!  Whatever you do, do it for the Lord.

Blessings!