It wasn't as bad this time. I recognized the shooting lights and vision issues while I was out shopping yesterday afternoon. (Could I possibly be allergic to shopping? - NOT!) I decided it was time to head home and took a pill and told hubby I needed to lay down and rest for a bit. And I did, for about an hour. I don't know how much I slept as my mind was going over different things, but at least I laid there with my eyes closed and rested. Of course hubby has to be near me, even without the TV on, and I could hear him going through his phone (vibrating out of his hearing aids) and all the 'stuff' he listens to. But I rested, and it pretty much went away. This morning, though, no visual effects, but a dull headache so will take an Ibuprofen and hope that keeps any visual changes away.
This morning begins our preaching at one of the RV parks. I re-typed the message with all my changes the other day. I went through it yesterday again and printed it out. This morning I have read aloud through it, and have scanned through it again. Since I pretty much follow closely the words I have written, my going through it several times is to make myself more familiar with the flow of how it should go. And after all that, I pray. If God doesn't help me, then I can't be helped. Bottom line. Granted, because I haven't reviewed it as often as I usually do, I may flub up, but I also trust God to help me get through it. Instead of going through it again last night before bed, I watched an old movie 'While you were sleeping'. It has been on my mind (Christmas season?) and as it is a favorite, wanted to see it. Hubby watched the Notre Dame game and I watched the movie on my kindle fire and with ear plugs. Of course he had to interrupt me a few times to 'help' him find something to eat. Sigh.
28 days until Christmas, I think. I have so much wrapping to do! Got some shipping to do as well and I need to start working on that this week. I like to get things out early in the month so that things get delivered timely. Some of them will wait until Christmas to open; others will open right away. Like me, if it's delivered to me, then I get to open it, right? My big brother, who the past few years has unexpectedly sent me a very nice gift unexpectedly, always makes me wait until Christmas. And out of his request, yes, I do wait.
My little sister drives me crazy. Have you figured that out yet? She bought her couch and loveseat; then cancelled the order last month. She found another one and ordered it; and she text'd me last night that she cancelled THAT order, because it really wasn't what she wanted color wise. BUT she went online to a wholesale place and found exactly what she wanted, still Ashley Furniture, and ordered it and it should be delivered in a few days. Then proceeds to tell me they have already taken the money out of her account, leaving her $21 and is now wondering if they are a 'scam' wholesale company. Insisted I go look; I found the website, and they look legit... but I don't know anything about that stuff. Her money is gone - whether she gets the product or not. In fact, all the money she had received as an 'inheritance' is now gone. And probably then some. I told you she is a shopaholic.
And I can't say much about myself ..... I tend to over shop when it comes to family too. I've spent more this year than I planned to. I've got to plan better, that's for sure. And I'm still not done. Or is it that prices are so much higher than the past years? That too, I'm sure, which means I need to cut back a lot. Just finding summer sausage for my boys has me re-thinking if I should even buy them. I end up buying nearly 12 of them.... the least expensive for a small one this year is still over $4. I'll keep looking until the last minute, but they may fall by the wayside. I forget where I was, but I found the chocolate covered cherries I give the girls on sale for less than $2.... and another place found them for over $5.... mark up is unreal, ya know?
I Chronicles 4:10 (NKJV): "And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God granted him what he requested."
Do you remember what we have come to call 'The Prayer of Jabez'? As I was searching for a scripture to share with you this morning, this is one that popped up. Jabez means 'pain' (or along those lines of it), and although the reason the name was given to this child we do not know, but we wonder what caused his mother to name him pain. Labor in childbirth, perhaps? Whatever it was, Jabez knew that with the blessings of God, he could be successful. So he called on God and asked for His blessings. And I love the final sentence.... 'So God granted him what he requested.'/
There have been many times I've prayed intently for someone to be healed, but they were not. There are been many times I've prayed for circumstances to be changed and they were not. There have been many times that I have prayed for the salvation of each of my children, grandchildren, and those prayers are not YET answered.... but I still believe that God will answer my prayers. God doesn't always answer my prayers the way I want Him to, but He always answers. I still trust Him, because He is in control of all that concerns me. I prayed for years we could sell our 'old place' - and hubby wouldn't agree. When he finally agreed, it happened so quickly that I barely kept up. I'm still finding things I miss but still have no place to put them if I had them. (and that's ok) But God did answer my prayer in His timing, for we got 3 x the price we paid for it (nearly) and was able to pay off bills and move in here easily. This place opened up for us. It was all in God's timing, I believe that. "So God granted me what I requested."
Think back over your life, perhaps even things you didn't pray about, but wished you had. Can you see God's hand on your life? Sometimes when bad things happen, we can only see the bad things and get angry at God because they happened.... and yet, perhaps if you look at it as it being part of God's plan for you.... and see the good that He has brought to you from that pain, perhaps you will see His hand in more things.
The bad stuff that happened to me over the years.... it brought me closer to Him in so many ways. If I had to go through all I have to get to where I am right now, I would do it again. Loving God and following Him is worth everything I could have gone through. It took pain and difficulties to bring me to this point. But I would do it again, to gain Christ.
Would you go through all the pain you have gone through to gain what you have now? Something to think about. What if you asked God for clarification; for direction; for wisdom and knowledge of what to do; and got it? Would that change anything? Something to think about.
Happy Sunday - and may God's blessing be upon you today. I gotta get in the shower and get moving!
Blessings!
