And...... I did it.

 I kid you not... it took me between 3 and 4 hours to get this set up the way I wanted it - and I'm sure I'm going to make some more changes as well.  I started with the top left drawer and started going through it, and moved through all the drawers and shelves of this old desk that is in the 'non exercise room'.    I cleaned it off, got rid of a lot of cards... cards that come in the mail all the time from places that want me to send them money.  I started sorting them out - and many of the cards are also those I have bought in boxes.  I pulled out the few I wanted to keep and I put everything else in a box to take to Savers.  I filled the box, and it is about 8-10 inches high - yes, I had that many!  And there are more in my other desk, but I'm not going to worry about those for right now.  This desk is the one that I wanted to clear off.

Found a desk lamp out in the garage - you know the kind - it's metal and it has the elongated 'neck' with the light at the end.  Yeah... I brought it in, but I think I'm going to look for another type of light.  For one, when you first turn this one on, it is so brighr you can't open your eyes.  And two, it generates heat.  Now, I'm always cold, so generated heat shouldn't be a problem... right?  But, it really does generate heat and it is even too distracting for me.  I am thinking a lamp that will stand on the floor and hang over the desk.  I don't want a desk light - there isn't that much room here (and I still need to move pitchers and glasses from the top of the desk).

I have also found that hubby grunts and moves a bit in his chair - LOL - as I am sure I do, and I'm sure he can hear the typing of the computer.... or not.  He's down to one hearing aid right now.  Something has happened to the one and he took it to Costco yesterday and they needed to send it off to be fixed.  It will be about a week or so before he gets it back.   

I don't have the 'quiet' that I had in the back bedroom, but I am awake and close to the coffee pot. :-)  My first cup is already gone.  I don't always have a second cup, but some mornings it is nice.  Especially if I don't have to get ready for work. Of course this morning we will be going to church so I need to jump in to the shower very shortly now.

Today is Pentecost Sunday.  Don't know what that means?  Read the book of Acts.  In fact, I have been reading in the book of Acts for a few days now. I also pulled out a book I've gone through several times titled Acts 29  by Dr. Terry Tekyl.  I heard him speak years ago and bought the book then.  It has been 50 days since the Holy Spirit landed as tongues of fire upon the 120 people in the upper room who were there praying.  Wouldn't it be awesome if the tongues of fire would fall on our people today?  I mean, I know several people who do speak in tongues.... but to actually hear the rush of wind and see it!  How amazing that would be!  

Another book I am reading, Fear of the Lord by John Bevere shares how he went to a revival meeting in South America and people were just talking and not paying attention to the singing or any of the speakers, and God showed him that they didn't have the fear of the Lord.  When it was his time to speak, he waited until it got quiet... and told them what the Lord had spoken to him; that they didn't fear the Lord so the Lord wasn't there.... long story short... things changed and they came with a focused heart to worship and the fear of the Lord was there and a rushing wind was heard inside the building and people started speaking in tongues.  Never have I witnessed such a thing, but I have read numerous books on this topic.  We are in the last days.... are you ready for them?

Jesus said in Acts 1:7-8 (NKJV):  "And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.""

The end of time is coming when God will say 'ENOUGH' of all that is happening in our world.  Our job is to be ready for Him; to be sharing the Word to others and to live for Him.  We are to be His examples on earth; sharing the gospel and living the truth.  Are we?  

Are we being an example we want our children, our grandchildren, to follow?  Do we want our lives to become theirs by our example?  I have fallen short of being what I should have been.  But I pray daily for each one and pray that they don't make the mistakes I did... and that they will each one turn their eyes to Jesus and will be able to say with a clear heart -

"Though none go with me, I will still follow Him."

Blessings!

It was an interesting day....

 Church was good yesterday.  I mentioned about the guest pastor yesterday and church was unlike anything we had been to.  He called up three different people and gave them a Word from the Lord, and it must have been right on, for they knew that God had seen them, He knew their dilemma, their situation; He heard their cries for help.... and He answered them.  It was a powerful service.  The anointing of the Holy Spirit was there, for sure.  I would have loved to stay for the second service to see what would happen... but hubby didn't want to stay. 

Later in the afternoon I went across the stress to visit Ms. Diane - and ended up staying for nearly two hours!  We had a great conversation, and I even got to ask her a personal question.... "Have you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?"  Her response was, "I believe in God."  I told her that it isn't the same thing.  Even the devil believes in God.  But accepting Jesus as LORD is totally different.  We had a good conversation, but I didn't push it.  But it is weighing on me this morning and I am hoping to be able to go back over today and really talk to her about accepting Jesus as Lord of her life.  

I saw a post by my friend's husband's son yesterday on Facebook that answered my internal question and I know it brings my friend peace about his very unexpected death.  His son wrote, "In recent years, Dad gave his life to Jesus and accepted Him as Lord.  He read his Bible every day and spent time with Jesus every day. When I called him, we would always discuss what he was reading in the Bible."  Wow.  What an legacy this dad is leaving for his children!  The son, even though he lives in another state, was able to share about his father's walk with Christ!   

My prayer is that when I die, my children will be able to share that they knew I spent time with Jesus.  I want to leave a legacy like that; that my children, grandchildren, and even my great grandchildren, know that Jesus is first in my life.  And I pray that it will encourage them to seek Jesus and dedicate their lives to serving Him.  There is nothing like seeking Jesus first.  I don't mean just in the day; but also in every step of my life.

There is no greater joy than knowing your children walks with the Lord.  

It will be a short week as Thanksgiving is Thursday.  I need to write out my grocery list - or at least make sure that I have everything I need to take over to my daughter's for that day.  And then, on Friday, we are having friends over for dinner, so I need to make a decision on what I'm going to fix.... for sure... and then make sure I have everything for that.  It's going to be a 'cooking' couple of days and I'm loving it.  You know how I love to get in the kitchen and cook.  I need to get started on my baking the cranberry pumpkin nut bread.  There are a few that do like it, and I always make sure they get it for Christmas. - and throughout the year if there is some in the freezer.  I meant to bake yesterday... but it just didn't happen.

I was able to get hubby to leave the TV off last night and read.  He 'read' his phone... but I was able to finish a book I have been reading here in the mornings.  It was an amazing book and Kyle Idleman, the author who wrote not a fan was right on target.  The name of this book is One at a time.  In it he talks about how we reach people for Jesus, one at a time.  I found it interesting that I read this one chapter AFTER I had spoken with Ms. Diane about her relationship with Jesus.  In it he talked about sharing Jesus with just one person.  Of course it is always good to share Jesus with many (think pastor preaching to a congregation), but get the focus of one person and reach them for Jesus....  I think that, plus my friend's husband passing, makes me feel I need to visit Ms. Diane again soon, and continue our conversation, for any of us can pass at any time.

So my question to you is..... what legacy are you leaving your children?  If you should pass away today, what would your children remember about you?

Jesus is always available, waiting for the one lost prodigal, the one lost sheep, to 'come home'.  He loves you beyond measure and if we come to Him in true repentance, He will hear you, He will forgive, and He will welcome you with open arms.  Just like the prodigal father did.

Luke 15:11-32 (NKJV):  "Then He said: "A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.' So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and i perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."'

"And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' And they began to be merry.

"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.'

"But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.'

"And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.'"

I've always loved the story of the prodigal son.  Why?  Because I can picture the father, every day, standing at the highest point he could go, and watching for his son to return.  As a parent, I, too, stand at my 'highest place', watching for my children to return 'home'.  Not to my physical home, but home to a life in Jesus.  They have known Him, but each have turned away.  I stand in the gap for them, praying and watching for their return.  And I know that the Lord hears my prayers for each one, and will bring each one back to Him, in His time.

Where are you at with the Lord?  Is He #1 in your life?  Or do you only bring Him out on Sundays?  Can you say Jesus is Lord of your life?   Seek Him, while you still can, for the time is growing short.

Blessings!

Who would have thought....

 that at 2:23AM I would be awake and typing on here?  I am exhausted.  No, I'm more than that.  I'm wiped out.  Spent the day at the hospital waiting on hubby to have his surgery, then he was sent to a room as they decided to keep him overnight for observation, although he was doing just fine.  The doctor told me it was because the incision was in the abdominal area and it was a couple inches deep to the vein he had to go down to get to the aneurysm behind the knee.  I left the hospital around 5:30PM-ish I think and then headed home.  Stopping at El Pollo Loco, I grabbed a 2 pc chicken meal to have when I got home.  I hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch except for a protein bar and some grapes/strawberries I had packed.  I was hungry.  Got home, ate, watched a movie, decided to crash about 8:30PM... which is around our usual time for bed during the week.  Only... this time... I'm tossing and turning, and am awake some time after 1AM.  I refuse to get up.  I continue to toss and turn. I pray for those tat came to mind.   I finally gave up.  I came in here to my room to sleep in my chair; perhaps that is what I'm needing.

Nope.  My legs are aching - more than likely from sitting for most of the day.  I did get up and walk occasionally, but obviously not a whole lot.  I sat and nearly crochet'd an entire baby blanket while I was there.  And that's with taking breaks!  So, my legs hurt, I'm really tired, and I can't sleep.  I'm thinking I can take a tylenol to maybe stop the ache and maybe in a bit I can snag another hour or two of sleep before needing to start work.  And, another thing that popped up in my very tired mind this morning is that it shows how inactive I have been with sitting all day, moving just enough to fix dinner, then sitting all evening.  I simply must start getting more active.  I don't think it is going to be today.

Hubby is to be discharged this morning.  I didn't take today off so asked him to call me when they discharged him and when he is ready to come home, I will drive over and pick him up.  I don't need to go up and sit and wait.   I remember last time I did go up the next morning and he had already been discharged and was finishing packing up.  No sense in me finding a parking spot and going up to his room when I can just pull up front and they will bring him down.  Of course if I went and parked my car, that would mean I'd be walking some... 

It was nice my bosses both checked in with me yesterday to see how things were going.  My one (male) boss.... I feel bad for him... his calendar is always back-to-back meetings, and he is one of these people who are so organized and keeps notes of every meeting, etc.  Since he and I often share 'true' feelings, he shared he got called on the carpet yesterday..... for not attending specific meetings.... when he is already double and triple booked most of the time.  He had delegated to someone else another meeting or two...  and was called on it.  He felt very discouraged... and he said I was able to help him get past that discouragement by reminding him that he doens't work for this company, he works for God.  Yes, he is a religious man.  He is a mormon, so I just share the goodness of Jesus with him.  And he listens.  I was able to share some thoughts with him and he said he appreciated the reminder.  Sometimes life really does get overwhelming and we need to stop and grab hold of Jesus' hand and remind ourselves that He is the One in control.  And yet, He allows us to make our own decisions.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NKJV):  "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."

In other words, do everything as if you are working for Jesus.  When you do your job well, you (usually) get paid well, but even more than that, you have the favor of Jesus.  Why do you have His favor?  Because He sees your heart and what you do.  He loves you.  He is always there for you.  Even now, as tired as I am, I know that today as I try to work, He will get me through it.  I have amazing bosses who will allow me to take a nap if I need it.  I'm covered by His hand.  And it is a very good place to be..

I'm going to try and grab a bit more sleep..... and if I can't, a shower and a hot, strong, cup of coffee (or two) will get me through the day.  Hope your day is going well.

Blessings!