Award Graciously Given

Bren,a sister in Christ and fellow blogger,has graciously given me this award.Thank you Bren.I am somewhat uncomfortable accepting an award for something I just love to do,which is write,but thank you anyhow Bren.We stayed home from church today.Husband's back went out again and we are to babysit long hours later.So he is resting his back and I am finishing laundry here and posting on my blog once again.We had some snow flurries here earlier.Surprised me as I forgot the weather man said we may see a flake today.Glad it was not the human variety.It's a cold and damp 34 degrees here.Though we both love spring's arrival my husband longs for it even more than I do.I blame it on all the years he lived in Southern California.A place where they don't really have winter.Or a real spring for that matter in my opinion.That combined with his dislike of early sunsets and awakening in the dark make winter a difficult season for him.I on the other hand see the beauty in each season.I do not mind winter as much as my dear husband.Viva la difference'!I welcome the snow.Dark awakenings are commonplace for me as I get up early to write and pray and start my day off in a calm and peaceful way.Sets the tone for the rest of my day.Most of the time anyhow.Yesterday was one of those days.I was frustrated that his back and hip were in pain again.If you live with chronic pain and/or illness or know someone who does it can wear on you at times.It's hard to watch someone in pain when you love them.You long for them to be well.You pray to that effect.And sometimes God heals instantly.And sometimes you must wait.And wait.And for me,it gets frustrating.As I prayed yesterday I knew I was praying out of frustration and not faith.It was the kind of plea uttered by a whining child who is lacking in patience at that given moment.And God immediately brought that to mind.He reminded me of the importance of praying in faith and not in frustration.He reminded me of how it's so important to pray from our spirits and not our flesh.How it's harder to pray that way but it's well worth it because without faith it's impossible to please God.And really when we get down to it,that's our main goal and desire as Christians,is'nt it?Pleasing God.Loving Him.Drawing others to Him.I for one am thankful he takes the time to remind me of these things.It tells me He loves me and we all need to be reminded of that from time to time.

Blessings~Sharon

Answered Prayer

Thank you to those who prayed for my husband's hip.He's moving about the apartment quite nicely today!God is so very good!!I also want to publicly thank God for another answered prayer.We have found a church home.A place to gather with other saints regularly to worship the One who created us,Who loves us and Who died for us.It took some time but He is always faithful.I prayed and asked the Father to show us where we were to go and felt compelled to try a church in West Salem.It's called Salem Vineyard.And it's a perfect fit for us.The right size and filled with His presence and Holy Spirit.The people are friendly and the atmosphere is casual but not casual in the pursuit of God and His call on each of our lives.It's casual in dress and we love that.The worship is lively,upbeat and powerful.And I am not sure but it seems the pastor has the ability to read my journals while miles away.Big grin.I talk to God in them and pray about things.The pastor ends up speaking about these very things the next time we are at church.How good God is!I asked Him to make things very clear as to His leading us to a place to worship.He surely did just that.We've been out of church so long due to illness and financial woes that it feels really good to be back at a place of fellowship.To gather with some of His other children to show our love to Him and to each other is a blessed thing.Our spirits get revived.Renewed.And we get to grow deeper and stronger as believers.This church where we gather is very focused on maturing the saints.Not letting us merely be chair warmers but finding out how God has gifted us and then putting us"to work."I like that.For too many years I attended churches that were only concerned about maintaining"status quo."No maturing there.Stagnant.Dying.I cannot live that way any longer.And have not been able to for years.Once he opened my eyes to a different way of seeing things I was unable to go back to business as usual.And for that I am immensely grateful.Thank You Jesus,

Blessings all~Sharon

Home Days

Don't have anything real exciting or even real spiritual to share today.It's been a quiet day here at our apartment.Steve has done something to his left hip so has been resting for much of the day.We all need those quiet days I think.Even if not due to injury or illness.Days to simply be at home.To rest,reflect and relax.We've been enjoying days of sunshine here.Not a common sight here in the northwest in the middle of winter.Consequently I have thrown the curtains wide open to let in the delicious and oh so warm light.It makes me so grateful that God has created light and sun and warmth.Which reminds me of something.I have never really been a"tropical"person.I don't like excessive heat or high humidity and am not even overly fond of palm trees.I have always been more of a mountain lover myself.But lately I have been watching shows here and there on HGTV or the Travel Channel that have shown people buying homes in places such as Panama and Honduras.And I have been almost captivated by the warm,sunny climes and persistent tropical breezes blowing in off the ocean.I find myself wondering what it would be like to dwell in such a place.Which is odd for me but maybe not.The prayer most often on my lips and in my heart for myself this new year has been"Lord,change me."Perhaps He is.Just not in the way I thought He would.Just kidding.Please keep my husband in your prayers as his hip is rather painful.Thanks so much.

Blessings~Sharon

So Dramatic

To begin this post I must clarify something.The image you see here is an exact replica of our cat Shadow that I found on the web.This is not our Shadow but was found under black cats here.Our cat Shadow differs in the collar color(emerald green to bring out his dramatic eyes) but is the same in every other way.I do not know how to use our scanner yet so cannot download images of our sweet boy.That being said I am constantly amused by his feline antics.He has been a continual source of fun and joy.He's also quite dramatic at times.Like today.Picture with me, if you will, a man.Any man.This man has been in the desert for weeks.Okay maybe days.He's hungry.Covered in desert dust.Parched,cracked skin is stretched over bones.His mouth is dry.He sees an oasis in the distance."Oh,if only I can make it to that place of sustenance,"he thinks to himself."With the last bit of energy and vitality left within his weakened body he crawls his way to the shade of a palm.He is half crawling,half laying on his side.He's so weary.Exhausted.With one arm,he reaches toward an inviting pool of water and some fruit scattered on the ground,just out of reach.He collapses there,and stays that way for several minutes,left arm outstretched toward the life giving water and food.Now picture that man about the size of your average house cat,covered in black fur with green-gold eyes and a long black tail,body mere inches from food and water bowls,paw extended dramatically and you have a very accurate picture of the drama played out in our apartment this morning by our cat Shadow.Can you picture this in your mind?Got the image?Good,now enjoy it!Have a good laugh.I know we did.Have a blessed night dear friends.
Sharon

What To Do

I really like this picture.I can identify with it.This gal looks just slightly overwhelmed.I too get that way from time to time.The time I want to give to those things I am passionate about such as reading or writing get swallowed up by more mundane tasks such as cooking.Or cleaning.Now,Martha Stewart I am not.But neither am I Mary of Bethany.I am somewhere in between and I long to be both at any given time.I think that a worthwhile goal for 2009 for me would to be to find more balance in my life.To somehow restructure my life and reorganize my time so that I may do those things I have to do such as laundry and bill paying and to also do those things that I truly love to do,those things I believe God is speaking to me about doing.Like perhaps writing a devotional book.I am still praying on this.And honestly I do not know how to accomplish such a task both time wise as well as knowledge wise.Hence I am praying.Seeking Him earnestly.And wondering how some people seem to do it all.I don't know about you,my dear readers but I often get frustrated over such things.And then I once again, have to give it all,frustration included,back to the Father,as an offering of sorts.He is the only One I know who can take the tangled skein of yarn that is often my life and turn it into a thing of beauty.Say,a lovely afghan.Smile.What to do,what to do.I think for me,at this point,it is prudent to simply continue in prayer to the Father.Continue to ask Him about the meaning of a dream He gave me at night recently,while I slept.And make loads of time to listen.Also,to do what I can in the natural,physical realm to get,and stay organized.To guard my time so that life runs as much like a well oiled machine as is possible.To not waste this gift of 24 hours each day that He has given.Perhaps that is truly all any of us can do really.What say you,dear readers?
Blessings all,Sharon