a little perspective...

Me:    God, can I ask you a question? God:   Sure. Me:    Promise you won’t get mad. God:   I promise. Me:    Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today? God:   What do you mean? Me:    Well, I woke up late. God:   Yes. Me:    My car took forever to start. God:   Okay. Me:    At lunch they made my sandwich wrong and I had to wait. God:   Huummm. Me:    On the way home, my phone went dead, just as I picked up a call. God:   All right. Me:    And on top of it all, when I got home I just wanted to soak my feet in my new foot massager and relax, but it wouldn’t work!!!   Nothing went right today!   Why did you do that? God:   Let me see, the Death Angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life.   I let you sleep through that. Me:    (humbled):   OH... GOD:   I didn’t let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that would have hit you if you were on the road. Me:    (ashamed) God:   The first person who made your sandwich today was sick and I didn’t want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn’t afford to miss work. Me:    (embarrassed):   Ok... God:   Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give false witness about what you said on that call, I didn’t even let you talk to them so you would be covered. Me:    (softly) I see God. God:   Oh and that foot massager, it had a shortage that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight.   I didn’t think you wanted to be in the dark. Me:    I’m sorry God. God:   Don’t be sorry, just learn to trust me …  in all things, the good and the bad. Me:    I will trust you. God:   And don’t doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan. Me:    I won’t God.   And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today. God:   You’re welcome child.   It was just another day being your God, and I love looking after my children. I've seen something similar to this before, it's still a good reminder, and I am sure things like this happen with God and us over and over again... probably many times every day!

Do you pray for a parking space?...

I'm not being either funny or sac-religious...

I'm remembering when my mother used to pray for a space to park when time was short and the lots were full. My greater remembrance is that she prayed about... everything! Parking places in her conversations with God were just part of the daily needs, so she went right to him. I have to say that very often, even while we 3 kids were chuckling at her, she GOT those parking places. She didn't look exactly like this cartoon, but she always said a quick 'thank you' to the Lord.

I find that I do the same thing. I don't usually ask for a parking place, (although sometimes I do that too) but I do pray about details, small details, and sometimes in detail!

God says we are to PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING...

My 'everything' takes place in the daily world around me, with family, friends, errands, business, etc. It's the same for all of us.

I'm thinking you probably do some of these things too...

For instance, whenever I pass a wreck, I pray for those inolved, first that they would know Jesus, and maybe this situation would draw them to him. I pray for their courage, comfort and protection for what might be ahead. I can barely hear sirens without lifting up whatever situation they may be headed toward.

I pray for my bank tellers after we've had a few friendly and often interesting exchanges. I have some of the neatest bank tellers in town! And the clerks, at Kroger, CVS and Wal Mart. They have become my buddies. One of my Wal Mart clerks goes to Tony Evans church in Oak Cliff, and she is quick to share words about Jesus, and smiles all day long. Each one has a set of their own needs and longings, and a quick prayer as I leave makes me happy, and might be the very thing they need.

I know I pray this way because I saw my mom and dad do it, all through my life. I pray this way because it's the way they prayed for me, in detail, and God heard each prayer. It's the way I pray for my own family, and you probably do too.

I pray this way since many times I don't know what else to do, and I DO know that each of those prayers matter, that God is hearing them, and perhaps in direct response, is already doing a shift, or changing a heart, or healing a body.

I'm not sure I can say that prayer is my genes, but it definitely runs in my family. When I googled my dad, Armin Gesswein, everything that came up had to do with prayer.

My parents lived by prayer, voiced prayers, both silent and verbal, trusted God for their prayers to be answered... and never got too far away from praying about everything.

Just this morning, I got THE best parking space at Kroger, the one I NEVER get, and since I never even thought of asking God for it, I'm sure that many times our needs and desires are supplied before we even ask or think them. If it matters to us, it matters to Him.

Parking places are not what I'm really talking about though.

What do you think "Pray about everything" means?

Is anything too big or too small?

(photo courtesy of Google)

We plan, God smiles...

Our precious little gracie was born about 5 months ago. You remember the story. Our daughter in law had gone through cancer some years before, and because of chemo and radiation, they couldn't get pregnant...

Gracie is the beautiful result of all that, as Molly carried her perfectly through the 'snowflake adoption'.

Now, 5 months later, may I present Gracie, wearing her t-shirt, and announcing to all of us the latest news...


YES! Gracie is going to be a big sister. Man plans, God smiles, and His ways and plans are beyond what we can even dream up. The pregnancy that 'couldn't happen', has happened!

Our family is grinning from ear to ear, even as we shake our heads in wonder... as God smiles.

My latest read...

I read Elaine's book today, all of it.

It's been here for a few days, but I waited for a quiet day to myself and this was the day.

The reason I have looked so forward to this book is because I have read Elaine's blogs, many of you have too, writings that have challenged me and struck a chord in my own heart over and over, words that were written before cancer even became a chapter in her life.

I knew this was going to be special. It is...

It won't take you long to recognize yourself on these pages, whether you've ever had cancer or not. I haven't, and by the end of page 2, I already knew there were many lessons here for me.

Elaine writes so beautifully, as most of you already know, her pen is God's gift.

These words are about so much more than cancer, although she shares both her struggles and rough times so honestly, it will be a treasure for cancer patients and their families. This book, with questions at the end of each chapter, and also a facilitator format, is ideal for churches to offer in a group or small group setting.

I'm sincere when I say that Elaine and several others of you blogging sisters are as good as it gets! Move over Beth... :)

The secrets she shares here are for every one of us. They are principles for living, God's way. There isn't anyone who travels this journey of life without 'something', be it cancer, or some other form of suffering. But as Elaine so clearly says, all of our 'somethings' matter to God, are known to Him, and will be transformed in our lives for good, because of His grace.

You will gain so much insight from Elaine's honest and gifted words. I just love this girl!!

I could give you so many quotes, but I really hope you will read this book yourself, so I won't, maybe just one...

"Hard surrenders made in the leanest of all of life's seasons indicate an underlying, undeniable, and underscored personal trust in the work of the cross."

Get the book!



http://www.peaceforthejourney.com/

More 'rising up'...

No, it's not Mother's Day...

but often a fellow blogger catches your eye and you find you are on the same page with her thoughts. Have you noticed that?


Today, as it has been many times with her, it was Janette and her blog title 'Rise up and call her blessed'.


That scripture, Proverbs 31: 28 - "Her children rise up and call her blessed;Her husband also, and he praises her," brought to my mind how many times as I was growing up, my mom used that verse when she spoke to christian women's conferences and shared her testimony.

She would say...

"In our home, instead of my 3 children rising up and calling me blessed"... they rise up to make fun of me when I talk!"

She said it with a big smile, she knew we all loved her accent.
As we grew older, she claimed she had no accent left, after all, she had come to America as a young bride, many many years earlier, and she felt she had lost her accent long ago!

She NEVER lost her accent, and I'm so glad she didn't!

She knew very few words in English when she met dad in Norway as a young woman. Their love story was a heart story, certainly not full of the English language in the beginning.

She used to tell the story of a young Scandinavian bride who married a preacher and knew very little English. Her husband's church put on a big dinner to welcome her to their church and to America. When she stood to thank them, in faltering English she said...

"I tank you from da bottom of my heart, and I tank you from my husband's bottom too"... :)

My mother loved that story... I always thought it sounded just like her.

But oh did we rise up and call her 'blessed', with our whole hearts, to this very day.

So with all of you whose mothers are still here or are already in heaven... for the heart and life of those who loved us and taught us, I 'rise up and call them blessed.'