Praying For Strangers

A story caught my eye that week that has not only pulled on my heart strings, but has also made me questioned some of my core beliefs.  But above all, this story has reminded how importain it is to pray for others; even for those we don't know.
Brittany Maynard is a 29 year old recently married woman in Oregon.  Right after their wedding, she found out she had terminal brain cancer.  She has decided to end her on November 1st.
Now, while I believe suicide is wrong, I am compassionate of the reason she has chosen to end her life: she's facing a very harsh and painful death.  She also wants to make it easier for her family.  I do respect her decision, I just don't know if I agree with it.
However I can pray for her.    I can pray for her healing, for peace, for comfort and understanding for her family and friends.  I don't have to know or even to agree with her to pray for her.  Some people think that to pray for someone is  to say that you agree with them.  I say sometimes this is true, while other times this can't be further from the truth.  If we are praying for someone's salvation we are obviously not in agreement with them if they believe there is no God.  Sometimes the best prayer for others; strangers or not; is "May God's will be done."  Isaiah 55:8 says "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.'"  It can be very hard to pray  for God's will to be done because no one but God truly knows His will.  So therefore, we can pray for others even those we don't agree with them.
I can remember when I was little, my mama used to tell me to "people  watch" to cure boredom whenever we were out having to wait.  This is not only a great source of entertainment, but it's also a great opportunity to build you prayer list: we can prayer for the harried clerk at the local supermarket who's been yelled by many customers even though she's not to blame for the long line in her lane.  We can pray for the mother in the park who's trying to gather up her kids to go home and take a nap even though they don't want to go.  We can pray for the businessman  who is sitting alone in the food court at lunchtime; massaging his temple with one hand and trying to balance his check book with the other: Working 18 hours a day, 6 days a week is causing nothing but migraine headaches and only a few more dollars to work with when deciding what bills to pay first.
The truth is everyone has a story.  The chance that we'll ever know a stranger's story is slim to none, but it doesn't take away the importance of their story.  When we pray for them, we are lifting them up to God and pleading for Him to have mercy for them.  We may be the only person that will ever pray for them.  Sad, but true.  
Pray for strangers, and remember,  "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have showed hospitality to angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2

2014 GOALS

All this talk of planing and getting closer to God has made me eager to make some goals for this year.  Yes, I know tomorrow is the 1st of February, but I wanted to make some true goals and think and pray that I would set goals that God want me to follow.  As I discussed in my last post; Made to Crave - Chapter3 - Getting a Plan, I like the idea of making plans and goals, but the act of following through can be a problem for me.  But here goes:

GOALS FOR 2014:
-Read through the Women's Devotional Bible.
-Blog at least 3 times a week
-Try to do more blog hop
-Keep my house reasonably clean
- To create a healthy meal plan for my family.
- Get on a "normal" sleep schedule (I've actually just got the book, THE EARLY TO RISED EXPERIENCE by Andy Traub)

So, we'll see.  Please pray that I'll be successful in meeting these goals.  Thank you. 

The Last Days of SUMMER!!!

Hard to believe, but school starts a week from Tuesday.  Bobbye Sue and I are doing our happy dance & Dalton, of course, is dragging his feet and starting to make those loud  moaning noise that cause me to halfway be concerned, but mostly be annoyed.  So, we're trying to sneak in a last few days of "FUN".  Yesterday, we went skating  with some of the  girls from Girl Scouts.  Bobbye Sue's BFF since 2nd grade is moving to Indiana in about a week, so we're trying to see her some.  God is so good...Barrett's niece,  .Kaylei, has came to live with her grandparents.  I think this will soften the blow when her friend moves.  
      So today, we went bowling with my BFF, Becki, and her 3 kids.  We met up with another friend and her daughter  The kids had  a blast and discovered Alex & Dalton LOVE laser tag!!!  I love that our kids are so close and get along, even though we sometimes don't get to see each other a lot.  We laugh at Alex & Dalton, they're always hesitance about getting together, but always fun when they do!   
    As we start this next week, we've really have to transition back to school 'mode'.  We started going to bed early last week, but this week we got to work on GETTING UP EARLY.  Barrett start his new shift this week which we allow him to be home earlier & see the kids more (YEAH!!!!!!!!).  Hopefully, I'll be able to get into a better routine myself; especially with house cleaning and healthy menu planning, & maybe even more time for blogging.  The start of school is always (still) an exciting time for me because it's fresh new star - a new year.    I can't believe I have a 7th grader & a  4th grader.  They're growing up way to fast.  I prayer that God will help be aware & gracious of the days in my little people's lives. 

Going Through The Marriage Devotional Bible - Day 2

Mathew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you won't fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."

I've never realized how powerful this verse is until right now!!!  I believe it's so important to pray.  Prayer is our most vibrant communication we have with God.  I am to pray for my husband and with him; I am to pray for my kids and with them.  I'm to pray always; without ceasing...

My body is very week.  I wake up every morning thinking: "Today's the day that I become "Susie Homemaker": My house is going to be immaculate, I'll have a delicious, healthy meal on the table promptly at 6, everyone will have clean clothes in the correct drawers, thee kids won't fight and we'll all sing "The Good, Good Daddy's Home" in perfect harmony."

WELL...at the end of the day I realize, once again, that didn't happen.

When I'm not really trying to do my best; watching and praying I will fail.  There are days - & periods of my day - when I truly need to stop and rest.  But, truth be know I can probally push myself a lot hard than I do.

Go Away you Green Eyed Jelous Monster

I'm feeling very jealous tonight.  Two of my sisters-in-law have had babies in the past 4 months and my other sister-in-law is expecting her 4th child in March.  While I am happy for them I'm also envious.  God bless me with two wonderful children after 2 difficult pregnancies.  With Bobbye Sue I went into labor at 27 weeks and I spent 2 months in the hospital.  She was born perfect (as Dalton had been; which was another story.)  It was with a heavy heart that I decided to have my tubes tied when Bobbye Sue was 6 months old.  After much  prayer and discussion with Barrett, we decided we couldn't risk having another baby - the doctors said that I probably would  never carry another baby to term.  I know in my hearts of hearts that I'd have a hard time dealing if I lost a baby due to my inability to carry it.  I feel so bad for any women that losses a child - but know that I had a great chance of losing one - I just couldn't  do it.  I worry that people think that I'm selfish because I did choose to take procedures so I wouldn't have more kids.  I grew up in a family of 7 kids and in a church that really looks down up birth control and having lots of babies.  I can remember when we joined the church when I was 7 - there were four of us kids then - mama said that they had one of the smallest  family  and people wanted to know when they were going to expand their family.  LOL!  So I truly had to pray about this because I do believe that children are gifts from God and true blessings.  God has promised me that I will have other children in my life.  Also, I think I want another kid, but then I start thinking my kids are 12 & 8, do I truly want to start with a little bitty baby.  I don't think so.

Thoughtful Thursday - I Want to Be a Prayer Warrior - part 1

Well, today's THOUGHTFUL THURSDAY.  We've had VBS all this week and it was fantastic!!!  Last night we had a guest speaker; a woman who lived in Honduras for a year and worked at the children's home there.  Such an amazing testimony!!!   I was asking if there were many disabled childrem in Honderuas.  She said that while there are some kids with some mental disablities, but at this time, the children's home isn't equipped at this time to care for children with phsically disablities - but that there are  praying to  be able to soon.  She asked me to prayer for this need.

This got me thinking.  I really want to go back what I believe is on of my calling...to be a prayer warrior!!!

All my life, I've wanted to do is to server God and make Him.  Yes ~ I know ~ that I, in myself, cannot make God happy.  But I do believe that when we are obedident and follow God's will for our life ~ that we can and do please God.

Sometimes ~ too many time actuallly - I think of my Ceberal Palsey as a hinderance; that it keeps me  from serving God.  But truth; it only hinders me from servving Him the way I think I'm suppose.  But I have to realize that many of th ways I think I'm suppose to serve isn't what he intended me to do.

One of my Favorite Book

 This is a book that a dear gave me years ago when little people were 5 and 2 I think.  It's a small book - only 144 pages but's is a great resource  It's bible verses that goes along with topics such as nightmares, health, obedience, spiritual growth.  It one of those book filled with notes,  highlights and dog eared paged.  It also specific prayer lists for Barrett,  Dalton  and Bobbye Sue, plus  my "ABC Prayer List".  I keep this book by my bed.

Fried pickles Fit

OK, Just need to talk this out, please.  Tonight, I took the kids and granddaddy (who sat in the truck)   to Captain D's.  Dalton had wanted fried pickles.  Well, in the process of ordering, there was a miscommunication between the lady who took our order, him and I: She told him it would cost extra and  showed him what he could get as sides,  He said OK, assuming he would get the pickles.  Well somehow the pickles didn't get ordered.  Well, instead of nicely if he could order them, he got ugly and started throwing a fit, and said he wasn't;t does it and wanted to go out to the truck.  It was quite a scene.  Then Bobbye Sue got involved .  She went and told them that we wanted an order of pickle.  I politely told the lady "No thank you."  and explained to Bobbye Sue that she couldn't override me like that.  She turned on her big puppy dog eyes and said;  "Mama, I was just trying to be a good sister.: :cry:  I told her I knew that, but she need to let me be the mama.  Anyway, all the way home Dalton continued to fuss.  This of course upset DFIL.  I feel he think I'm a bad mother.  But I have to do what I think is best for them and giving in to them doesn't work.  They have to respect me.  I know Dalton  is growing up  and trying to figure  out who he is.  We had a(nother) long talk when we got home.  He said I don't love him.  I told him I did and that I pray, and cry and fret over him more than anything.  I told him my job is to raise him, not to bend to his every whim.  I told him that he may not really see how much I really love him until he's an adult and has kids.  I really think our talk planted a seed and In fact he called me from Granddaddy's before bed to say was really sorry and he loved me.    He's such a good kid and I know growing up is hard...All I can do is pray to the greatesr father of all.   I felt peaceful today, I usually feel like such I bad mama, but I just have this great sense of peace today that holding my ground  was the right thing to do

A to Z Blog Challenge - F is for Friends

  is for friends!  This is something I pray constantly; especially  as my little people grow up and start  to figure out who they are.  They are going to need people to lean on in their life...People to encourage them and balance them; people who can challenge them and help them to be  a better person.  I also pray that God sends them friends that may not know God that may kids may witness to  them.  The friends - especially those that they will make during the next years will be some of the most influential people in the life.  As they grow up, my little people need to discover who they are for themselves not who they are in Mama's and Daddy's shadows.  I may not like  all the 
choices that they, or their friends make.  My job is to prayer for them, offer them the best advice I can and to try to live my life in a godly manner as example to them 
        O Lord,  Please watch over my little people and help to a;ways do Your will and seek Your guidance.   Pleas give them good friends who will be there to help guide them and encourager them to be the people that you want to be.  Please help them to also be encouraging to theirs friends.  If their friends do not no you,  Please allow them them be a light to help lead them to you.  In  Your Holy Name, I pray, Amen

He Gets It & Is Passing It On

I love to listening to preaching/teaching on the radio or CD.  (If you didn't know better you'd thing I'd marry someone in talk radio or something...LOL!!!) My favorite thing to listen to are teaching on being a Christian  wife and mother.  Last week Dalton and I was talking about it -which of course he thinks it's wried that I do this- I told him, I do it to keep my mind focused.  As I go about my daily routine, I'm listening and learning more about God and how to follow Him and do His will.  One of the things I've been listening to lately is The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian.  In the book she tells about how her son was having nightmares.  So she went in his rooms (and yes, I do believe in going into my kids rooms; call me nosey if you may) and she found a video game  that was violent and even had stuff to do with an occult I think.  They took the game out of his room and prayed over his room.  Well, lo and behold, the kid stopped having night.  I'm not sure why I told Dalton this story, but I did.  Well, on Sunday the sermon at church was talking about surrounding yourself with good teachings, music, ect.  Later that afternoon I asked Dalton if he understood more of why I listen to the CDs.  He said no and then proceeded to tell me of a friend of his who was having  nightmares and having trouble sleeping.  The went on talking and his friend told him about a song he'd been listening to.  His friend sang it to Dalton and Dalton said: "Mama, it was a horrible, horrible song!"  He suggested to his friend that he may want to stop listening to that song, he actually retold the story of Stormie Omartian's son.  His friend said he would.  So proud of Dalton!!!

A to Z Blog Challenge - E is for Education

 is for EDUCATION.  I'm not one of these people who thinks that everyone HAS  GOT TO go to college, but I do think education is very important.  Barrett and I were the first in our families to go to college.   That's where we met.  Yes, I want my kids to go to college, but above that I want them to follow God's will for there life.  We are fortunate to live in a community with good public schools,  I've been thinking a lot education lately, as Dalton will start middle school in August.  I even pondered the idea of homeschooling.  Through much prayer, I've come to the decision that is not the road for our family right now.  God may allow this one day.    As I'm not their teacher, I'm to oversees their studies, to be their advocator  and their encourager.  The scary thing about your kids growing up is that you don't know everything.  And you've got to do that big thing and TRUST them!  I keep think back to their lives: Did I teach them the right things?  Did I cross all my T's and dot all my I's?  Did I pray for them enough?  Do I love them enough?
     Dear God,  Thank you so much for the blessings  of my children .  Lord, I pray that their for are clear and focused.  I pray that they have good,, godly teachers.  Give them patience and peace in the class room.  I pray the  school staff and administration.  Please help them to make good decisions.  Please just have Your spirit over the schools of Rutherford County and  over all of this nation.  I pray for peace and safety  above the schools.  Help  my children to follow Your will for them  in their life.   I pray that whether my kids go to a   formal school or barely pass through the school of hard knocks, that they always appreciate the education that You give them.  May they take always take advantage of any opportunities that You may give them.   In Your holy name, I ask...AMEN

A to Z Blog Challenge - C is for Confession

is for CONFESSION. Confession is 1) An open profession of faith (Luke 12:8). (2.) An acknowledment of sins to God (Lev. 16:21; Ezra 9:5-15; Dan. 9:3-12), and to a neighbour whom we have wronged (James 5:16; Matt. 18:15).  Confession is a very important aspect of our relationship with God.  It's the first step we take after God calls us to follow Him.  And its an act they we  will have  to  take this step many times throughout our lives.  Confession   does not alway easy or natural, in fact  it usually doesn't.  Confession isn't for God's benefit, but ours.  God is omniscient. He knows all of our sin before we even think about committing them.  Some people may even use this as a reason not to confess; saying if God already knows what I've  done  then why should I confess?  We confess to show our repentance and seek forgiveness.  We know that as followers of Christ, ALL of sins were forgiven when Jesus shed His blood for our salvation.  However there is something in our soul that yearns to get out when we have sinned; and the only way for it to get out it through confession to God. 

      O Father God.  Thank you so much that you sent Your only Son to die for our sins.  We know that once we place our faith in You, that we are forgiven before we even think about sinning.  Lord, help my kids to understand the importance and even to true gift of confession.  I just pray lord that there hearts may not feel at rest until they confess to You.   In Your Holy Name I pray...AMEN

A to Z Blog Challenge - Praying the ABC's FOR MY LITTLE PEOPLE

My friend  Ella introduced me to the A to Z blog challenge at Tossing It Out.  I think I'll try it.  I may not post every day, but will try to post a couple of post a week.    But I'm going to add my only little "twist" to it.  I've been really impress to pray more fervently for my kids.   There is no major problem.  I've been  listening "The Power of a Praying Parent." by Stormie Ormartian.    It really had just reinforce the importance of praying   for my kids


...is for ATTITUDE...I think it's so ultimately important to pray for kids attitudes.  I especially feel this way as my kids are entering their teen and preteen years.  I know that as they grow they have to test the waters for themselves and choose for themselves how the want to react to a certain issue.  I can  give them my opinion, but they ultimate have to make the decision.  My kids are 11 and 8 -  so they are best friends and worst enemies  at the same time.      A couple of weeks age Dalton was so angry he said;   "I hate Bobbye.  I wish she was never born."  I quickly told him that he was not to say this again.  He said: "Mama, you can control what I say, but how I feel."...He is right I can't control or change how he feel.   He loves his sister VERY much; I know this.  I have 5 brothers and two  sisters - we didn't always get along.  Mama used to tell us we needed to be best friends; because friends will come and go but siblings will always have you back.  I must say, I love watching Mama and her brother interact...they've come a long way from when she used to leave him on top of buildings to go play with her friends.
         Father God, please help my kids to have good, positive attitude.  It isn't about them always being happy - but please help them to be able to take whatever life throws at them with stride.  Help them to trust you and all time and to pray before they go off and react in haste.  Please give them a heart of mercy towards others.  Help them, Lord to understand that their ways may not always be Your will; but help them to understand that Your will is always right.   In Your holy, heavenly name. I pray.  Amen
     

Praying for my kids

  I do pray for my kids, but I feel like sometimes I do a better job than others.  Is  this natural?  I'm currently listening to "The Power of a Praying Parent".  Its really opening my eyes to  somethings I've know and have let go astray, but it's has also brought to light something that I have never really thought about praying for.  One of them was to have a spiritual "spring cleaning"  of your house.  This is exciting to me as many of us here at CHK are going to be doing a true spring cleaning in the next few weeks.  I think I'm going to try to incorporate this too.  Also, one of my favorite prayer books is a  book that my BFF gave me about 6 years ago called "Praying God's Promises For You Children".  It's a beautiful little book that's divided up by topics/subjects with specific bible verses to pray for these topics.  This is one of my beloved books that i write in and mark up;  It holds notes and extensive prayer lists for Dalton, Bobbye Sue and Barrett.