Loving my Saturday

 I slept in until about 5:30AM this morning - and loved being able to just stretch out in bed and chill.  But I did get up and come in here to spend my time with God.  Hubby got up and made my coffee and brought to me.  I know, I'm spoiled.  I can get my own coffee, but as I have mentioned many, many times, he likes to do it.  I could look at it two different ways.  1) It's all about control (which I am sure I have felt many times, or 2) He loves me and just wants to serve me.  It's all in the thought process.  And, whatever I think can make or break my day.

I've already been in for a second cup of coffee this morning and it is now gone.  It's after 8AM so will be stopping after this to fix something for breakfast - probably bacon and eggs, or sausage and eggs.  Hubby has already asked me if we could leave at 11AM to go .... and I looked at him blankly and asked "go where, you have to remind me.", and it was to Verizon, of course.  The guy he talked to is only working until 2PM today and he wants to work with him.  Whatever.  I knew we would end up getting iphone 16s.  In fact, without my agreeing with him, I went ahead yesterday and bought cases for them - for him and me - for I knew that if he wanted it, unless I threw a fit (and why would I if it was free? would be his response) and said no, we would be getting them.  He's already confirmed it this morning.  Oh I dread the transferring and opening of the apps and finding my passwords!  Or do we have to do that anymore?  I don't pay any attention.  

What does complete surrender to God look like?  Have you ever thought about that?  In my Dear Abba book this morning she talked about that.  The story was there about how she created a shoe box and every time she tried to take control of a situation, she would write it out on a paper and put in the shoebox - and give it to God.  Is life really that simple? That we only need to write down our issue on a paper and throw in a box and say "it's Yours, Lord, take it over"?  I think we can, at least sometimes.  Sometimes God does want us to just do the right thing and it will take care of itself.  Do you agree?  But many times, there are situations that we need to pray about it, and then release it to God to take care of.

Many, many years ago my boys were involved with things they shouldn't have been.  It was in my early stages of being a Christian and learning what that was about.  After all, I never had an example of what a Christian was, at least none that I remembered.  But I remember now that every single day I was on my face praying for my boys and asking God to deliver them.  And He did.  God answered my prayer.  I had to take my hands off and do what I only knew to do.  That was to pray for them.  And pray for them I did!  God heard my prayers, saw my tears for them, and He answered as only He can.  It is truly a miracle of how He answered.  I don't know all the details, but the situations my boys were in, they walked out of.  So grateful to God for His answers.  But I had to let go.  I couldn't corner the boys and say "don't do that".  It wasn't my place.  It had to be God to get them out of the dungeon they had gone to.  All praise to God for His deliverance.

I still pray for my boys daily.  Pray for my daughter as well.  I pray for my grandchildren.  I pray for my great-grandchildren.  I pray for friends. I pray for hubby. I pray for myself.  I pray.... and may God's will be done.  Some days I will feel a specific burden for one, and that one gets specific prayer, even when I don't know what is going on.  Other times it is when a family member will share a bit of information so that I will know how to pray for that specific one.  

Everyone lives their own life in their own choosing.  It's difficult for me to explain for it to make sense.  But many times (in my opinion), when someone entertains evil thoughts, or retorts in an evil manner, or watches violent and evil movies, or reads books about evil situations.... they are opening the door to the devil in their lives.  In their homes.  Things people look at on the computers, just for a peek, will invite the devil and he is devious.  He is sly.  We as Christians, must not give the devil a foothold!  We are to stand against the devil for the Lord is on our side!  I think many times people don't realize the entertainment they allow in their homes, in their minds, are things that will disrupt their homes, their lives, the lives of their children.

So what should we do?  Repent.  Ask for forgiveness.  Seek God to make right for what was wrong.  Many years ago I threw away - literally - books and videos that were entertaining when I read them, but after I became a Christian, I realized that Jesus would not watch that movie, nor would He read those books.  It was a real eye-opener to me.  And I can give you an example.

When hubby and I were married almost 43 years ago, neither of us were Christians.  On our honeymoon we went to watch 'The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas' - I think that was the name of it.  It was hilarious and we both love (and still do) Dolly Parton who starred in it.  BUT.  One day I found it at Savers and I bought it, remembering how much we enjoyed it when on our honeymoon.  Then we sat down to watch it.  Talk about being convicted!  Words and actions stood out like a sore thumb.  We could not watch it, and it was thrown into the trash.  Some of you may scoff at me for doing that - but I could not watch the movie once I became a Christian.  What I thought was entertaining then, was not entertaining as I saw the scenes I had forgotten about.  I still love the songs from that movie, but I cannot watch it.  

Jesus wants our lives to be clean.  We are not to entertain thoughts that are not of Him.  Does that make sense?  Let's see if I can come up with an example.  You know that hubby and I have our difficulties at times.  Ok, many times.  But a lot of that is from both of our stubbornness to give up our 'rights' and our 'control'.  I think we all go through those phases.  Right?   What if, as I live with hubby, my thoughts were always lusting after another man.  Or for hubby, what if his thoughts would be lusting after another woman.  That is opening the door to the devil and to a lot of trouble that he can cause.  

Bottom line - Keep your thoughts pure and holy; for Jesus said, "Be holy, as I am holy."  We will never be perfect; Christ is the only Perfect One.  If we keep our minds, our thoughts, our lives, focused only upon Him, you will find such joy, peace, and everlasting refreshment in Him.  What are you going to do?  Live life as you are now?  Or surrender your life to Jesus and ask Him to help you kick the devil out of your home.  In fact, why not get up right now and tell the devil to get out of your home, that you and your family, your children, belong to Jesus and the devil is not welcome in your home!  I've done it. I've gone around and anointed the doors and windows of my home, praying that God will block any evil coming in when we are angry with each other. That we will sit down and talk through it and work it out. Every family has disagreements.  Don't let your disagreements affect the atmosphere in your home, or in the lives of your children.  Be conscious of the words you speak, for you never know which ones you will have to eat.

Blessings!

Facing that cancelled contract today...

 That thought just popped in my head as I was thinking about what to write in here today.  I wonder if my boss has seen it and sent me an email about it yet. I didn't look  I have all those terminated contracts I need to actually go into the system and terminate as well.  I haven't completed the minutes from the meeting last week I attended with the doctors.  Yeah, I think I have some work already lined up for me today.  I'm trying to have a good attitude about it.  Hubby is going to meet a friend for coffee in about an hour.  

Yesterday was practically a 'do nothing' day, I think.  We did go out for a half mile walk, with hubby using his new walking stick.  I had to keep reminding him to stand up straight as he tends to lean over when he walks - and he believes me now that his trainer has told him to stand up straight as well.  After our short walk, I wanted to get the potting soil added to a couple pots and plant some seeds.  Workers were at our neighbor's house and making noise as they put in the flooring.  The new neighbors arrived to check things out - and ended up coming over for about 30-45 minutes and sitting and chatting with us.   They will be a fun couple, I think.  At least they are active and not using walkers.  I should have visited Ms. Diane or Ms. Vicky, but I did not.  Lazy me.

I did work on this art project that my big brother had sent me.  I got the beads all put in little containers and then worked on it for a short while.  Hubby was watching Iwo Jima with John Wayne.  After a while I gave up and sat down to watch it too (I do like the John Wayne movies, and he has gotten to where he is watching a lot of them lately).  We also watched The Quiet Man.  With the action movies nowadays, you can see easily how no one really got hurt when they did punches back then.  LOL  I did cook dinner last night and that made hubby happy, cause I didn't cook breakfast and we ended up at Jack in the Box for lunch (totally 'off diet').  We did go see a great-granddaughter for a few minutes; she had fallen the day before and broken her arm.  She wouldn't get out of her daddy's arms, but she did talk with us.

Reading in my book for a short few minutes this morning I still picked up a few things.  One being that sometimes we get so caught up in our lives, so busy doing things half-way because we can't get time to finish them (sounds a lot like me, doesn't it? Does it sound like you too?).  Of course my life isn't near as crazy as a young mother's who has children to take care of, car pools to run, grocery shopping to do, laundry to handle, ironing to do.... hubby refuses to let me do laundry, I don't iron anything anymore, I do the grocery shopping but it usually isn't much for the two of us, and we have no children to run after.  My life evolves around hubby (which he likes) and work.  But even with that, I need to sometimes take time out for me - which I do, as you know.

Sometimes it is just putting a pot of water on to have a cup of tea.  Yes, if hubby is home, I still come back here to my room and continue working, but when he isn't home, and I take a break, I can sit down and just enjoy the tea.  Sometimes we just need to step back and reflect .... not do anything, but just be quiet.  We tend to keep so busy, because there is always something to be completed, right?  Toys need to be picked up, meals to be prepared, work to be completed, and so much more.  But when do you take time out for you?  Just to sit back and be still.  Drink that glass of water without gulping it down.  Sip that glass of tea (or cup of tea) that you just need to get that caffeine fix.  Ok, - some will grab the coffee for that.  But when do you take time out for just you?  Even just five minutes?

I know I don't do it often enough.  Work, moreso lately, overwhelms me and some days I just want to go hide. Hubby doesn't get the stress I go through.  He gets mad at my boss when I complain about him... and yet, he thinks that's enough.  Does he realize how much he stresses me out?  He will come ask if it's ok he turns on the TV and watches something.  I just look at him and 'I don't care; I have to work'... he lives his own carefree life...and yes, sometimes I am resentful; sometimes I am jealous.  I'm grateful for my job, don't get me wrong.  It is probably the only that that has helped me keep any sort of sanity.

Romans 12:15 (NKJV):  Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Yesterday was memorial day, a day in which we remember and honor those in military service died; those who served our country.  What an honor it is to pause and reflect on their sacrifice of lives, of time, of family, to serve this country.  I was proud of my son and grandson as I read how they put flags on the veterans graves at a cemetery yesterday.  At least they did something.  I was remembering those in my family who have served, I have cousins who served in the Marines, brothers in the Navy and the Army, husband(s) in Army and Air Force, and of course my youngest son, who served in the Army.  I had uncles who served in the different branches of the military as well.  Praise God, my uncles all came back.  Seems like I had an aunt as well that served.  Guess I need to review my family history as well.  I do know I had relatives that served in the American Revolution.   

We rejoiced when loved ones came home, and we wept when others did not.  My heart always goes out to a dear friend who lost her son, a Marine, several years ago now.  Praise God he had become a Christian while there and was baptized, so she knows where he is.  He is with Jesus.  I taught this young man in Sunday School.  I went to his funeral and my heart was broken for this young life taken so soon. I think he was just 21.  So Memorial Day is always bittersweet for my friend.  I can't imagine losing one of my children, let alone in a war and not being able to be there with them.

My thoughts are going all over the place this morning so I'm going to hush and get off here.  Need to get the work computer turned on and get dressed and ready to start the day.  It's a 4 day work week and many times those 4 days seems like ten in a row.  

The Lord is merciful and good.  He always goes before us.  Blessed is the name of the Lord.

Blessings!