When everything else feels wrong, something needs to be right. We need that, don't we; that glimmer of hope, a thread of hope, any semblance of hope on which to cling. You have to find that something right every day sometimes. It's not always the same thing. Some days it's merely the fact that the sun came up after several days, weeks, perhaps months of clouds. Some days it's a perfectly timed phone call from a dear friend or loved one. Some days it may be a moment with your cup of coffee while hearing the birds singing their morning song of thanks and praise. Some days it may be the arms of a child wrapped around your neck. Some days it may be the complete acceptance of your pet as it lays it's head on your leg to receive your affection. It can be anything that you can think of that on the right day, at the right time makes your heart fill with love and gratitude and makes your spirit sigh and proclaim, all is right with the world... or at least proclaim, there's still hope.
Don't think me down, blue or discouraged today. Quite the contrary. My inspiration today comes from the variety of responses I've seen and heard to today's date - February 14. There are those thrilled with the day and will buy the pretty cards and boxes of chocolates - some go for the more expensive Valentine's Day items like diamonds or even cars. There are those that proclaim this day as so commercial it is anti-love and anti-romantic. There are those who suffered the sting of loss too recently than for this day to be nothing but a painful reminder of that loss. There are those missing a loved one whose job has taken him or her to another country - perhaps constantly in danger. There are those who have sworn off of love forever and those who vow that they will love again.
I couldn't help wondering if there are those who find it difficult to find that one thing today that helps them to believe, hope is still alive. I have found myself in so many of the categories I listed that my heart goes out to those who dreaded today's dawn and for whom this day cannot end quickly enough. I suppose those are the one's who are my true inspiration for what I write today. Because I want them to believe, to hold on, to find something today that touches their wounded or aching hearts and let's them know - today's sun will set like it did all the days before, and unless The Lord comes today or changes something drastically, it will rise again tomorrow. And because of what you are going through, what you are feeling, today more than most days, The Lord is so tender toward you, is even nearer... it's only the clouds covering the sun that keeps you from seeing that He's there. So just like you know the sun is there on a cloudy day and await for it to rise again through a stormy night, know that He is there full of love and grace abounding for you! On days like today, you may have to look a little closer, try a little harder to find that hope but just remember He is The One Who has promised that He will never leave you or forsake you! I have suffered enough and healed enough to confidently attest to that truth! If there is only one sure thing for you today, you can stand on that fact with complete confidence!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sweet Blessings!
For the past week I have given much thought to relating the most recent events. It has taken some time for me to process everything! I am astounded, in awe, amazed... and for the past week I have been speechless!
A little background information may help you grasp the impact of what has recently happened so, let's begin with that information. For the past nine years my Daughter, her husband and their growing family have lived with me in my two-bedroom house. When we first moved in together, they numbered four and it was just me alone - so five people in a two-bedroom house. Their number grew to six while I remained at one until a few months ago when a friend of mine who had lost her job moved in to room with me temporarily. We expanded to a household of eight in a two-bedroom house.
Recently, my Son-in-law was blessed with a very good position making considerably more money. He presented that we should consider renting a larger house. Now the two-bedroom house is in my name and it is nearly paid off. However, aside from the over crowding, it needs considerable, serious attention. Local utility companies began writing letters to me to get the house up to code, the floors were rotten and we were constantly getting splinters in our feet. We had to remove the cabinet doors from the kitchen cupboards because they were more of a decorative size than for dishes or the usual kitchen items. It was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I could continue with a long list of what was wrong with that house, but it would be faster to say, it had served its purpose and was overdue for retirement. It was the first... only house I have ever owned. The taxes, repairs, more repairs, and more repairs we put into that place really worked our budgets over mercilessly. I decided that for a single woman on my meager income, home ownership was not all that it was cracked up to be. I agreed with my Son-in-law when he proposed looking for a larger house to rent.
We were looking but not avidly. It was more like keeping our ear to the ground, sort of thing. My Daughter and Son-in-Law were on their way to Abilene to do some shopping when they had to stop off at his brother's house in Coleman as a favor for his Mother. Their Sister-in-law mentioned a house around the corner from them that was for rent. She thought it had four bedrooms. My Daughter and Son-in-law decided to check it out and it turned out that it has five bedrooms, three baths, a decent living room, dining, kitchen, breakfast nook and laundry room. It obviously needs a lot of cosmetic repairs but it seems structurally sound. So they returned home and talked to me about it.
It is my nature to resist change. My immediate reaction was, no, I did not want to move to Coleman. My Daughter, knowing a little something about me, presented the proposition by asking me how I would like to quit my job and stay home. That little something that she knows is that I am domestic by nature and much prefer that lifestyle than to work - even the six-hours-a-day that I am working. She caught my attention - not that I would seriously take her up on it, but I was intrigued as to why she thought she could make such an offer. I listened to her enthusiastically tell me about the house. Then her Husband came in and picked up where she left off - again, with much enthusiasm. They both made it clear that they wanted me to move with them - even offering me the master bedroom with private bath. They told me it would be large enough to hold my home office, my full-size bed, the twin bed my friend is sleeping on, my treadmill, my chest, my sewing machine and still have room to spare. We all agreed to drive to Coleman the next day (which was conveniently, a Saturday) to look at the house and make a decision together.
I was amazed at the size of the house - coming from a cramped two-bedroom, it looked huge! We walked through looking and talking about the cosmetic issues. The landlord did not pretend that it would not be an issue that it needs cosmetic repairs and offered to supply the materials and knock off of the rent for the labor if my Son-in-law did the repairs. He also said that there would be a rent-to-buy option in the lease agreement. The house is a little more than a block away from the school - and when I say school, I mean from Kindergarten all the way through High School. They are in separate buildings, but on the same campus.
We decided that Saturday to take the house. The enthusiasm they had for getting moved 35 miles away would almost make your head spin! We had about 80% of everything moved by the following Wednesday when we went to bed that night in our new residence! This Wednesday we will be in there one week. We still have about 10% remaining in my old house to pack and carry. Then we will clean up my old house and property and I will eventually put it on the market - although I don't think it wise to try to sell it as a house for a residence. It would be best marketed as investment property for someone to tear down and rebuild on the nice size lot.
We have heard stories from those we know of how they or someone they knew stumbled upon a sweet deal such as this and have longed for it to be us. You could say that we happened to be in the right place at the right time that this time the sweet deal is ours but how we see it is; God orchestrated for us to be in the right place at the right time and blessed us with this sweet deal!
There's more, but some of this enormous blessing was a monetary gift by an anonymous "Christian Friend" (which is how the card was signed) and to say any more than that would be saying too much other than saying it was an unexpected and very generous blessing! I am amazed! To be so loved, so cherished, so treasured by my Father in heaven! Amazing sweet blessings!
A little background information may help you grasp the impact of what has recently happened so, let's begin with that information. For the past nine years my Daughter, her husband and their growing family have lived with me in my two-bedroom house. When we first moved in together, they numbered four and it was just me alone - so five people in a two-bedroom house. Their number grew to six while I remained at one until a few months ago when a friend of mine who had lost her job moved in to room with me temporarily. We expanded to a household of eight in a two-bedroom house.
Recently, my Son-in-law was blessed with a very good position making considerably more money. He presented that we should consider renting a larger house. Now the two-bedroom house is in my name and it is nearly paid off. However, aside from the over crowding, it needs considerable, serious attention. Local utility companies began writing letters to me to get the house up to code, the floors were rotten and we were constantly getting splinters in our feet. We had to remove the cabinet doors from the kitchen cupboards because they were more of a decorative size than for dishes or the usual kitchen items. It was cold in the winter and hot in the summer. I could continue with a long list of what was wrong with that house, but it would be faster to say, it had served its purpose and was overdue for retirement. It was the first... only house I have ever owned. The taxes, repairs, more repairs, and more repairs we put into that place really worked our budgets over mercilessly. I decided that for a single woman on my meager income, home ownership was not all that it was cracked up to be. I agreed with my Son-in-law when he proposed looking for a larger house to rent.
We were looking but not avidly. It was more like keeping our ear to the ground, sort of thing. My Daughter and Son-in-Law were on their way to Abilene to do some shopping when they had to stop off at his brother's house in Coleman as a favor for his Mother. Their Sister-in-law mentioned a house around the corner from them that was for rent. She thought it had four bedrooms. My Daughter and Son-in-law decided to check it out and it turned out that it has five bedrooms, three baths, a decent living room, dining, kitchen, breakfast nook and laundry room. It obviously needs a lot of cosmetic repairs but it seems structurally sound. So they returned home and talked to me about it.
It is my nature to resist change. My immediate reaction was, no, I did not want to move to Coleman. My Daughter, knowing a little something about me, presented the proposition by asking me how I would like to quit my job and stay home. That little something that she knows is that I am domestic by nature and much prefer that lifestyle than to work - even the six-hours-a-day that I am working. She caught my attention - not that I would seriously take her up on it, but I was intrigued as to why she thought she could make such an offer. I listened to her enthusiastically tell me about the house. Then her Husband came in and picked up where she left off - again, with much enthusiasm. They both made it clear that they wanted me to move with them - even offering me the master bedroom with private bath. They told me it would be large enough to hold my home office, my full-size bed, the twin bed my friend is sleeping on, my treadmill, my chest, my sewing machine and still have room to spare. We all agreed to drive to Coleman the next day (which was conveniently, a Saturday) to look at the house and make a decision together.
I was amazed at the size of the house - coming from a cramped two-bedroom, it looked huge! We walked through looking and talking about the cosmetic issues. The landlord did not pretend that it would not be an issue that it needs cosmetic repairs and offered to supply the materials and knock off of the rent for the labor if my Son-in-law did the repairs. He also said that there would be a rent-to-buy option in the lease agreement. The house is a little more than a block away from the school - and when I say school, I mean from Kindergarten all the way through High School. They are in separate buildings, but on the same campus.
We decided that Saturday to take the house. The enthusiasm they had for getting moved 35 miles away would almost make your head spin! We had about 80% of everything moved by the following Wednesday when we went to bed that night in our new residence! This Wednesday we will be in there one week. We still have about 10% remaining in my old house to pack and carry. Then we will clean up my old house and property and I will eventually put it on the market - although I don't think it wise to try to sell it as a house for a residence. It would be best marketed as investment property for someone to tear down and rebuild on the nice size lot.
We have heard stories from those we know of how they or someone they knew stumbled upon a sweet deal such as this and have longed for it to be us. You could say that we happened to be in the right place at the right time that this time the sweet deal is ours but how we see it is; God orchestrated for us to be in the right place at the right time and blessed us with this sweet deal!
There's more, but some of this enormous blessing was a monetary gift by an anonymous "Christian Friend" (which is how the card was signed) and to say any more than that would be saying too much other than saying it was an unexpected and very generous blessing! I am amazed! To be so loved, so cherished, so treasured by my Father in heaven! Amazing sweet blessings!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
...Comes Much Responsibility
My inspiration today comes from the weather - it's unseasonably warm. I learned a lot from my ex-husband who was a dairy farmer. Unseasonably warm temperatures is potentially hazardous to crops, especially fruit trees. Unseasonably warm temperatures can cause premature budding and the buds become vulnerable to the inevitable freeze that (in this part of the country) typically comes just before or right around Easter.
As I wiped my brow this morning and gazed at the rain clouds rushing by overhead - too high to benefit this immediate area - the thought occurred to me that with knowledge (information) comes much responsibility. I immediately felt it my duty to pray in behalf of the farmers and anyone who owns a fruit tree, for the protection and preservation of their crop and thereby, their income.
That, in turn, led to another sense of responsibility. I repeated to myself that with knowledge (about something - anything) comes much responsibility. I applied that to a particular scenario. Suppose someone learns of a potentially hazardous situation in which someone is doing something harmful that could adversely affect that individual and everyone with whom he or she works. What is that one's responsibility? If that one keeps quiet about it, wouldn't that one be just as responsible for any harm that might come to anyone working with the individual that is doing something harmful? Why does knowledge come to anyone if not for that one to have the opportunity to do something with that knowledge?
Today, it is so easy for people to resist getting involved. No one wants to make waves. No one wants to "create a problem where there isn't one" - when what they really mean is, "nothing bad has happened yet, keep your mouth shut". But shouldn't having such knowledge put the recipient of that knowledge in the position to do something to prevent something bad from happening? Along with knowledge comes much responsibility.
Regarding my inspiration for this topic, I have no control over the weather. Should I be concerned about the crops of some unknown farmer or individuals? Along with knowledge comes much responsibility. I say yes. I have this knowledge, therefore, I can do what I can do. Since I cannot control the weather, I can talk to The One who does have that control. Regarding the scenario - do I look the other way, it's not my problem? Or do I have a sense of responsibility to do something to try to prevent something hazardous from potentially happening? Along with knowledge comes much responsibility.
As I wiped my brow this morning and gazed at the rain clouds rushing by overhead - too high to benefit this immediate area - the thought occurred to me that with knowledge (information) comes much responsibility. I immediately felt it my duty to pray in behalf of the farmers and anyone who owns a fruit tree, for the protection and preservation of their crop and thereby, their income.
That, in turn, led to another sense of responsibility. I repeated to myself that with knowledge (about something - anything) comes much responsibility. I applied that to a particular scenario. Suppose someone learns of a potentially hazardous situation in which someone is doing something harmful that could adversely affect that individual and everyone with whom he or she works. What is that one's responsibility? If that one keeps quiet about it, wouldn't that one be just as responsible for any harm that might come to anyone working with the individual that is doing something harmful? Why does knowledge come to anyone if not for that one to have the opportunity to do something with that knowledge?
Today, it is so easy for people to resist getting involved. No one wants to make waves. No one wants to "create a problem where there isn't one" - when what they really mean is, "nothing bad has happened yet, keep your mouth shut". But shouldn't having such knowledge put the recipient of that knowledge in the position to do something to prevent something bad from happening? Along with knowledge comes much responsibility.
Regarding my inspiration for this topic, I have no control over the weather. Should I be concerned about the crops of some unknown farmer or individuals? Along with knowledge comes much responsibility. I say yes. I have this knowledge, therefore, I can do what I can do. Since I cannot control the weather, I can talk to The One who does have that control. Regarding the scenario - do I look the other way, it's not my problem? Or do I have a sense of responsibility to do something to try to prevent something hazardous from potentially happening? Along with knowledge comes much responsibility.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)