Remembering

You know how you start hearing from every area about one particular thing, and you KNOW God is trying to tell you something? Well, that’s been me the last few days, folks. I think God is reminding ME, as well as wanting to share with lots of you out there, that we need to remember Him. We need to remember all the good God has done in our lives.

Joanna and I are doing Me, Myself and Lies, a Bible study by Jennifer Rothschild. This week has been about remembering.

Yesterday I was blessed to have an amazing angel (see previous post) come and clean my house, for free, someone I had just met when she walked through my door…just because she loves to serve God, and God wanted to bless me through friends. She asked me to tell her my story, and I was remembering all the things God saved me from while I was really, really ill.

I receive Chronic Illness Devotionals in my email every day, and guess what yesterday’s was? You got it: remembering the good God has done.

If you have read this blog long, you know my favorite book on the planet (besides my Bible) is my Synonym Finder. I’m a word nerd. So of course, I had to look up every synonym for “remember.” Here are a few of my favorites: recall, recollect, call to mind, have at the tip of your tongue, keep in mind, bear in mind, be aware of, review, go over, memorize, have by heart.

Wow. Can you imagine if we truly did this? If we made a list of all the good God has done…Well, we couldn’t even make a list that long! But then, to really remember. To call to mind. To go over. To memorize. To have by heart.

One of my favorite Scripture stories is of God leading the Israelites through the Jordan River. Not to mention it was at flood stage! He told Joshua to take 12 stones out of the MIDDLE of the Jordan, and build a memorial as to what God had done there. That way, when their children asked, they could explain how God had saved them once again.

Do you have a memorial? Do you have any physical reminders of God’s goodness? I encourage you to find one. For many, it can be photos… I have many photos from when I was ill, and to look back and see how far God has brought me, well, it’s just amazing.

For some, it’s something that may have caused them physical injury or helped them heal: a cast, a piece of metal; for soldiers, maybe shrapnel or a bullet. Something that you can show your children and say, “This is just one way God has done good for me.”

Even in the BAD times, God is working for our benefit. I know if you are going through something right now that may be reallllly tough to believe. But I am telling you from experience! I have been fighting myasthenia for 14 years now. Nine years ago I should have died. More than once. My ENTIRE life has changed. I’m on disability. I can’t work. I didn’t think I could have children (see Jacob, miracle child!). My independence is virtually gone. I have lost numerous people in my life whom I thought were friends. I am judged constantly because I don’t look like I’m dying. I have a trach through which I breathe.

And yet, I wouldn’t trade any of it, because God has done so much in my life since then. I know Him better, although I still have a loooong way to go! I love more deeply, more easily, I forgive MUCH more easily, I’m not nearly as impatient as I used to be. Life is precious. I don’t get angry like I used to. Things that used to bother me just roll off me like water off a ducks back. Now, I’m not saying nothing ever gets to me, because it surely does. There are things that will always be wrong and unjust, and that will never change.

But things like traffic jams, construction delays, changes in plans (which used to send me over the edge), unexpected small problems, what to eat and what to wear…it’s like, who cares? The God of the Universe has reached into my soul to change me for the better. Whatever I have to deal with I will, because I wouldn’t have missed that for the world.

“Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits!” Psalm 103:2

Will you share a remembrance of what God has done in your life?

Angel Friends

First of all, my deepest sympathies to anyone who had family in Ft. Hood that were injured or killed. What a horrible pointless tragedy. My prayers are with you.

Now for something positive and wonderful and uplifting. I met a real, live angel today. Her name is Kathy, and she's the one of the kindest, warm-hearted people I've ever met. My dear and precious friend Shawn (who is also one of the kindest, most warm-hearted people ever) passed around a list at her Bible study for people to sign up to come and help me for 2 hours a week doing whatever...cleaning, helping with Jacob, etc. God Bless you Shawn! It's so frustrating not being able to keep my house clean! Like even sweeping (with a broom)....I can do about 2 or 3 passes, then I have to rest my arms. Ug.

So last week, a friend came TWO days in a row for more than 2 hours and cleaned. Today, Miss Kathy came over and cleaned from like 10 til just after 3. And she said she wants to come back once a week until it's "done." Can you BELIEVE that? Just when you think there aren't any decent people left...God shows you in a big way that you just can't give up. What a precious, precious lady. And she didn't even KNOW me. I just met her today~ That's what gets me. I have a few friends who are amazing and wonderful and would do anything for me...(love you girls!) and then there are people who I've known all my life, and, well, let's just stop there, because I'm at a happy place right now.

THANK YOU KATHY!!!! What a blessing!

You know, this disease is so bizarre. I think it has given ALMOST as much as it has taken. God has shown me things I never would have seen, good and bad, without MG. I wouldn't change it. I love what I have now that I wouldn't have, even with all the ugliness.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Randomness

The sun!! It DOES still exist!!! Jacob and I will be bundling up to go outside shortly...it's still a bit chilly, but the sunshine...well, we can't pass that up. You never know when you'll see it again in Michigan!

Bizarre thing....I've had the froggiest voice for the last 3 days. Just hoarse and weird. Been super tired too, but that's typical for over-doing a bit, and just the whole MG thing. The voice is annoying though. OH well.

My superfast internet is still fantastic, and while we will be keeping the dial up and phone until we get back from vacation in February (so Doug's parents have back-up!)

On a serious note: I checked this out on Snopes, and they confirmed it was true. There is a little boy named Noah who is suffering from neuroblastoma, and will not see Christmas (according to his doctors). His family will be celebrating Christmas this weekend. Noah loves Christmas cards, and they are asking that people send a card. SO....if you would like to, here is the address:

Noah Biorkman
1141 Fountain Circle Drive
South Lyon, MI 48178

Thanks!

Wow.

Amazing just how "human" some humans are.

Surprising how often people talk out of both sides of their mouth.

Unbelievable the slander that comes so easily for some.

Shocking the levels of hatred expelled upon you from those you once loved.

Life

I must say I am thoroughly enjoying being part of the 20th century technologically. I haven't quite made it to the 21st yet, but I'm thrilled to be where I am. This broadband thing is amazing. I was downloading stuff yesterday that would have taken at LEAST 5 minutes per page, and I instead, I would just watch the numbers zoom up to the end, and it would be ready to go. INSANE!!!

AWESOME McTalking time last night with Joanna. Whoo! What a study. My goodness. It's a good thing we only meet every two weeks, because it takes us that long to absorb one week's worth of material from this woman! Plus we are both homeschooling moms; she having a much larger workload than I because she has 3 children, and I have just one...but still....this study is so amazing. Me, Myself and Lies by Jennifer Rothschild. This woman gets in your business like you couldn't believe. She has the uncanny ability to say one sentence so spot-on that you're just left there rubbing your cheek. Joanna and I have both been Christians for a very long time, but are both learning things we've never known....It's amazing. SO worth the time and effort put into it.

On the home front, time to go to the diabetic doc in Grand Rapids today. Whoopty-do. They're pretty cool about everything, and I don't get lectured about my health (gee, ya think? With all the crap I go through and all the medication I'm on...you'd think ALL doctors would know better...) But it's just a pain to have to drive all the way up there. Thankfully my mom and dad are wathcing Jacob for us, then we will be all going our for dinner with my aunt Dee.

Been pretty stressed the last few days. Dealing with some personal angst. My stress levels have been bad enough to affect my health. While doing this study, one thing we're really working on is how we talk to ourselves, and taking our thoughts captive and making them agree with Christ's thought about us. Ms. Rothschild said right in there, don't be surprised when people start coming out of the woodwork attacking you on many levels because of the strides you are making spiritually. Whoa. Talk about truth there! I have to keep reminding myself that I am not fighting against flesh and blood. satan has his plots and schemes, and they almost always involve other people.

I've also been having many issues with my trach. I had to take it out last Friday because it hadn't been out since the MRI, and when I put it back in, I didn't get it "just" right. It's AMAZING how many muscles in your neck can be affected, and how they react when one little part of you is "this much" off. Holy-pain-in-the-neck-Batman. So Saturday morning I took it out again, and by Saturday night it was still killing me...I thought I had it, but I didn't....twisted it a bit Saturday, got SOME relief, but realized Monday morning it wasn't abolutely right. FINALLY got it in correctly before Bible study. Now I'm not touching it for a while!!! Between that and stress...I pretty much have no strength, and no voice. Oh well. Life goes on. Suck it up, Buttercup. Everyone has problems.

Please keep my sister Lori in your prayers...she and her husband don't have medical insurance right now, and she is super stressed about it. She tries not to worry, but I know I would, and I'm pretty sure she does. She's got health issues as well, and it's hard for her to be on her feet for long periods at a time, but she has to work...they still can't pay all their bills...anyway. Thanks.

Oops! Monday Me-Me

Sheez...I've only done this for one week and I already forgot...I was just so excited about my fast computer! Okay.....


1. Do you like to cook and/or bake?

2. What is you favorite fruit?

3. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be? Why?

4. How many blogs do you visit on a daily basis?

Have a great week girls....make sure you comment!!

Good news.....

I'm so excited!!! My computer is SO SO SO SO much faster! I actully just watched a 4 minute VIDEO!!! First time EVER at home. I think I'm the only person on the planet (besides my parents) who have never been on youtube. Whoo-hoo!!!!

Saturday we went Costco to get pictures done, do some shopping, and then we were going to go to the mall to the Verizon kiosk and get a new phone and cord so I could get a faster internet. Turns out Costco has a Verizon thingy right there, and so it was TOTAL one-stop-shopping! I was biting my nails as I installed it and tried it out...and it works!!! OH my WORD this is cool.

My facebook page just loaded in 5 seconds. SECONDS!!! NOT minutes! Sometimes it doesn't even load! This is amazing.

Pardom me while I go surf the net in my euphoria!!
Tomorrow's post will have some substance.
: )