I did clean the garage

After cooking breakfast yesterday, I went out to work in the garage.  It was beautiful out - cool, and although it had rained a little in the morning, the sky was a beautiful blue.  I pulled everything away from the area I wanted to clean, set up a table and put my appliances and things on it, and totally cleaned that area.  Then I waited.  It wasn't long before the SIL and daughter were here and he started right away on putting together the shelving.  And, it didn't take long at all to get it done.  They left right after putting it together so I was able to keep going and put my bins and appliances I don't use often on the shelves.  I will probably change it up eventually, but for now, I have it fixed just fine.  Hubby kept offering to help, but I would have to explain what to do with what so it was easier to just do it myself.   Which makes him angry I won't let him help, but 'it is what it is'.

I am thinking I may make that run to urgent care today if it isn't busy.  My 'bite' woke me during the night with a sharp pain, like the skin had been stretched.  This morning the redness has spread out another 1/2 inch.  No, I'm not measuring it, but I have a brown spot on my leg and it is much closer to it this morning than it was yesterday, and it is burning.  The red/pink round with the dots in the middle... which makes me wonder how many spiders were in my pajamas and why so many bumps!  I had three open 'bites' in a row and probably 20 bumps.  With the burning and spreading of the pink/red, I think I will make the trip to urgent care and see what they say.  Maybe I need antibiotics to clear this up.  I had told hubby last night that I wasn't going to church this morning because it hurts when anything this against that area - and it's either my fat inner thigh or clothes - and either makes it hurt.  Got to do something, it is driving me crazy.  One week is enough, right?  It's actually 9 days today since it happened. Yeah, I probably need to get it checked out. And be told to 'keep doing what I'm doing' - right?  Naw - something is definitely wrong.

Depending on when I go to urgent care - which I'm thinking about 10AM or so - I will either be spending the day there or coming home and just chilling.  We definitely 'chilled' last night and watched 3 movies on Up Faith and Family.  Hubby slept through most of two of them, but I watched and crochet'd.  Almost done with a blanket for my trainer's baby for Christmas.   I was tired - and yet it was a good tired - after I did the garage, and then staying up until around 10PM-ish before going to bed - and waking up during the night with my leg - I slept until 5:45AM this morning!  I am sure I would have slept longer but I heard hubby shuffling down the hall to the bathroom.   I don't feel him getting out of bed - it's his shuffling feet that I hear going down the hall that always awakens me.  I may take a nap later today. Or

 not.

Remember when I cleaned out my closet a few weeks ago (over a month ago!) and got things off the floor?  NO, I still have not gone through my clothes; I still have hopes of eventually losing an inch or two of this fat so that I can fit into some of them.  But I want you to know that it is still clean!!  I hadn't thought of it until the other day and I went to look at it - and the floor was still clean and nothing way stuffed in there.  It had gotten so bad before I cleaned it that I just shut the closet door when the housecleaners came over so that they wouldn't go in there. There was no room for them to clean anyway.   But for now, it is still clean.  Makes me a happy camper.  I need to start on this room.  Yet - there are many other projects that I'm on as well.  I know I'll choose which will be the most fun and the least work.

Jeremiah 17:14 (NKJV):  Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved, for You are my praise.

That is the verse that comes to mind this morning.  I say it frequently, so perhaps that is the reason why it is right in 'front'.  I'm in the spot right now.  Many times I will pray that over my children, saying it like this..... "Heal (name" O Lord, and they shall be healed; save them, and they shall be saved, for You are not only my praise, but they will learn to praise You for their healing."

Life is so hard anymore.  It's not saying life was easy when I was growing up, or when my parents were growing up.  We all went through our own battles, our own trials, our own seeking for the truth.  But with all the 'freedom' the world has been given now, many have turned aside from the Lord, even if they were raised in the church.  They have allowed the distractions of the world to shut God out and they try to live their own lives, only to find there is no happiness in it.  

My heart breaks for my children and my grandchildren who have turned away from knowing God.  Some were never given the chance to know Him.  A couple Sundays a year in church does not teach them what they need to know to grow in Him.  Life is hard, and in many cases, we try to let our children 'learn on their own' as they go out in to the world.  But our heart grieves over their choices.

Mark 9:29   (NKJV):  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

Sometimes it only takes one day of prayer and fasting over a certain thing.  Other times it takes a lifetime. (or so it seems).  I am going to make a covenant with God to fast one meal a week to pray specifically for my children, their family, and their children's family.  I need to cover the great grandchildren as they will face so much without a firm foundation in the Word and they need to be prepared by putting on the armor of God and believing and trusting in Him.  So that means that three days a week I will fast one meal and spend extended time praying over my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren.  They each are going through their own battles.

I can't always walk through those battles with them; many of the battles I don't know about, and if I do know, I can pray.  Prayer is the key to heaven, and faith unlocks the door.  I believe that God hears my prayers and He will answer - in His timing.  Sometimes fasting will increase not only my faith, but will bring about results in my lifetime.

A parent's heart is always broken when their child or grandchildren is troubled.  We're helpless; unsure of what to say or do.  We know what WE would do - but we must allow them at times to walk through their own battle.  But we can pray, and we can fast.  And we can seek God for His answers.

Sometimes, situations and problems and troubles happen because God wants to turn our hearts and minds back to Him.  It may not even be for the person afflicted.  It may be for those who know, to bring them back to Him.   Oh that our prayers and our fasting before the Lord will be heard by Him and He will answer!    Let us turn to Him and seek His face - surely He will turn His face to us and answer.

Blessings!

Thoughts going through my mind....

 I don't know what is going on with me this morning.... I am so tired ... I'm thinking my Wednesday pill is doing it this time, although it hasn't done it for awhile.  Yesterday was a busy work day, but still.  I got up, reluctantly, at 4AM this morning and even in trying to read my Bible this morning, the eyes kept shutting.  I just feel exhausted.  Probably because all that exercise I have done in my head all week that has not materialized on the outside of the body.  So here it is nearly 6:30AM and I still haven't done much reading, let alone write in here.  I usually start this around 6AM, if not earlier.  Just not motivated today.

Had lunch with my friend yesterday and it was a good time.  I've got it on my calendar to do this once a month so that we can keep in better touch.  She's still struggling since the loss of her husband last November.  It took her a week to clean out his work shed... I think she said he had 17 different size screw drivers!  And she threw out 5 bags of 'trash' - don't know what all was in that.  Guess she is going to put his tools in a yard sale at her sister's house.  One thing for sure, I don't need to get hubby any.  His tools could rust out before he would use them.  And that's all I'll say about that!

Taking off work early today to get my nails done, although I keep flip flopping about cancelling.  It would be nice to have my nails looking decent for a change.  With not working in the office I haven't been worried about it at all... but I do need to start taking better care of myself.  And no, I'm not thinking about getting my hair done just yet.  Stubbornness?  Maybe.  I hadn't been thinking of getting it done before the check.  Not thinking about it now either. :-)  

I have ten minutes before I need to stop and get dressed, turn the work computer on, and I'm drawing a blank as to what to write.  Even no scriptures come to mind.  What's up with that?  Am I really that tired? I went to bed maybe at 9PM...  I was skimming Instagram, which I generally try not to do, last night and saw all the postings about the revival happening at Asbury University in Kentucky.  It was in it's 8th day of continuous worship and praise.  

Wouldn't it be awesome if revival spread like it did in the early 1900's?  Our country could use a revival, for sure!  So many have turned away from God and all that He has for them.  So many have chosen their own path instead of letting God lead them.  I feel that much of it started in my generation, although there are many of us still worshipping God and following Him.  But for some reason, the generation after mine, and the generations after them, have forsaken God.

Even of my grandchildren who were raised in the church and I truly believed they would remain in Christ, have stepped away from the church, and from God.  They don't even think about Him anymore, and it grieves my heart.  My family needs a revival happening - which means I need to be on my face praying and fasting for them.  

Psalm 42:1-2 (NIV):  "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?"

I pray that your heart will begin to thirst for God and to know Him as Lord. Turn your eyes to Jesus, for He alone is the author and perfecter of your faith. He alone is your strength and shield, to Him alone, let your spirit yield. Let Jesus be your heart's desire. May your heart long to worship Him alone.

Blessings!