After breakfast with my son yesterday morning.... and after coming back home and finishing my quiet time.... and writing here in my blog.... I decided to do a run over to Michael's and see what I could spend my birthday gift card on that I had received from my son and daughter-in-law. I know I need some more pink yarn to finish up the three projects I have going in pink... but, alas, they were out of pink. So I 'had' to look at other colors. Found some on sale, picked up some other pretty colors, and ended up having ten skeins of yarn to purchase. But the fun surprise is.... I had a 30% off coupon on regular price items... and by the time the clerk had rung every skein up - I STILL have $2.50 left on the gift card! I should have gotten one more skein and used it all! LOL But that's ok. I have $2.50 towards whatever I go back to get for another project.
Yesterday was one of those days where hubby would not let me out of his sight. As if I'm not home every day and night. He wouldn't let me go to Michael's by myself. (Ok, we did go get gizzards and okra at Bush's for lunch, THEN went ot Michael's) I just didn't have a reason to go somewhere by myself... what man wants to go to Michael's with his wife? Or any store for that matter! I go to the grocery, hubby wants to go and push the cart for me. I go shopping, he wants to tag along. It's as though he is afraid I might run away if I was out of his sight...or that someone might kidnap me. I am his possession and he will protect me from everyone and everything. And he wonders why I do so much 'on-line shopping'.
We did go physically to church last night - and I'm glad we did. It was a great message titled 'shadow boxing'. If you have the chance, go to CCV (Christ's Church of the Valley) and watch the service for this weekend. One of the things talked about was people who have not come physically back to church yet. I get it; I've gotten complacent with staying home (and he discussed that!) and watching the services online. But I'm glad we are starting to go in person again. Even though we don't know anyone there... well, we know of people who go there, but perhaps not in the same area we are sitting in..... there are small groups and we plan to join one once we are finished with vacations. Everyone needs community. Yes, even you. Our communities may look different, but every one of us needs a community to be a part of.
Nothing is on the agenda for today that I know of - except for watching Jentezen Franklin (Free Chapel) service. We've gotten to where we watch him each Sunday and enjoy the worship and the services. No, I don't stay in my jammies... but I can have a cup of coffee and crochet while I watch. I have a separate project I'm working on just for those services. Another project I work on while watching movies with hubby. And yet another project is laying on my desk when there is absolutely nothing to do and I don't want to just sit and stare at the computer, waiting for an email to come through. Then I have a couple other projects that I grab when I bored with the other projects. Funny thing, they are all the same projects (same item being made), but sometimes they are in different colors.
This will be a short work week and I am looking forward to some time off work. Sheeba will go to the 'pet hotel' Wednesday... which is a good thing for my daughter and son-in-law is taking me (us) to the Medieval whatever it is for my birthday that night. Should be fun. We won't have to worry about Sheeba being cooped up in her pen. Hubby always gets her the'suite' wihch is a room with a 'patio' that she can walk around in, plus a bed that is up off the ground. A little more expensive, but if we are out having fun, she should be taken care of well. She'll stay there until Saturday afternoon ... but I may see if we can leave her until Sunday as we will no sooner get home, then will leave for church and she will be back in her normal pen. Will have to figure out how much it will cost.
My birthday week. I must admit the past few months, with getting older, I have begun to think about the 'when'.... when will God call me home and say I'm done here.... One never knows the when... it's all in God's hands, and although I have asked Him to let me live to 100 so that I can see my great and great-great grandchildren grow up.... but only if I am healthy and of clear mind. Let me turn 100 and then pass peacefully in my sleep. Some days I am full of faith that He will give me that wish, that hope. Other times, I don't believe He will.
My sister is always pushing 'end times' books at me... she really gets into the 'after life' and one should be concerned with where they may end up. I've read a couple books she wanted me to read... and I see she has text'd me the title of yet another this morning. She made a comment the other day which has been on my mind. I haven't come right out and said my thought to her.. but I have gone around it. Which was ignored.
Her ex-husband's wife died unexpectedly last week after surgery for bowel obstruction. The 'celebration of life' was this weekend and her boys have gone to their dads' to be there for him. They had been married for nearly 30 years, I think. When she had been told about the surgery, my sister had text'd me and asked that I pray for Debbie. After she died, my sister has gone on and on about had Debbie gone to heaven. She had been saved as a youth, but was she still saved. My sister went on about how she didn't want anyone to go to hell. And I don't either.... but with her saying that, the thought entered my mind.... had she been praying for Debbie BEFORE she went into the hospital to be sure she was saved? Did she make the attempt to ask her if she was going to church, read her Bible, put God first? Or is it just an after thought? I'm not putting my sister down for her questions... but it does bring up for each of us questions.
I question my own life many times.... and I pray that God takes me home 'on a good day'. I try to live as He wants me to, I try to follow the Bible in all that I do. I try to live the life that reflects Him alone. But I know I fail. Sometimes daily. I am not always Christ-like. I don't always have the 'mind of Christ'. But the question in my mind is..... are we (am I) praying consistently for others (some specifically by name) to know Christ and live for Him alone?
It's easy to get into groups and pray for 'the lost'. It's a general prayer, that others will find Jesus and turn to Him. I get it; I do it too. But then there are those who you are close to, whom you will call out by name to our Heavenly Father, that He will draw them close to Him and show them His love and compassion. That they will turn their hearts to Him and desire Him about all else. I do that too. You are probably one of those whose name I call out.
Living for Jesus isn't hard... when we relinquish control of our lives. He's not going to come into your life and beat you up whenever you step out of line. He's our Forgiving Heavenly Father. He's not going to tell you "you can't do that anymore"... He leaves that choice up to you. And when you come to love Him more than you love the other things... you willingly, albeit slowly, give up those things of the world that hold you now.
Interestingly, after breakfast yesterday, hubby asked me a question that really odd. During breakfast with my son we had talked about the VFW and he shared he was involved in a community project (and I am proud of him volunteering his time to do it!). Of course other things go on at the VFW as well. My first husband was a commander of a VFW post for awhile and we were there all the time. Probably not as 'wild' as it is now... but still, I have an idea of what it is like. Anyway... hubby asked me if I missed that lifestyle. I asked him what he meant, for I didn't understand. So he said it again. I was puzzled for he and I never have gone out evenings to a bar and danced/drinking. We just never have. Then he referred to my two single years before him. Now why in the world would he refer to those years that didn't even have him in it? My response is NO.... I don't miss those days. But I will tell you what I do miss. Having fun with friends. Yes, even slight acquaintances are fun to be with. No, I did not go out partying every night... but I did do some partying, I will admit. Do I miss that life? No, I do not. It just seemed like an odd question for him to ask me.
When I ran back to Jesus after marrying hubby (I know, that sounds weird, but he was the reason I did run back!), I had to do a lot of confessing, trust me! I did a lot of repenting. And sometimes even now the devil will bring a thought of something back to my mind, trying to condemn me for what I did... and I have to tell him to 'get thee behind me satan!' because I am forgiven my past. I confessed it to Jesus, asked His forgiveness, and He gave me His robes of righteousness, covered me in His sacrificed blood at the cross. He took all my sin and shame from me, and set my feet on solid ground. Jesus doesn't bring our past back at us .... He remembers it no more. Don't let your past defeat you. Jesus went to the cross for you and for me, taking the burden of all our sins and shame, and nailed them to the cross. And that is where we leave them.
It was finished then. And it is finished now. They are still nailed on that cross. Jesus left our sins on the cross and rose again, that we may live with Him in eternity.
Take some time to talk with Jesus this morning. Give Him your burdens; lay them down at His feet. And start today with a fresh start. Sometimes we have to do it every morning.
Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
Blessings!
