I met a waitress tonight at Applebee's. Mark and I began talking to her
about what we were eating (trying to get back on track with healthy choices!)
and she started asking us questions about nutrition,
what to bring to work to eat that would replace cheeseburger sliders at 9 p.m.!
How to cook healthy food for her boyfriend and his kids that she could leave in the fridge
for them to heat up while she was at work.

One thing led to another and it wasn't long before she was telling us about this boyfriend
who'd had a heart attack last year at 37, had a pacemaker inserted,
drank a 12 pack of soda each day  and now had diabetes.
How her ex had run off with their kids for 5 months- but now they were back safely.
How, (now with tears) she felt God had not been very near
in all these difficult and frightening circumstances of the past couple of years.
None of this was said in a complaining way- she was drawn to us like a magnet.

People are so lost- we shared a bit with her and I am going to follow her up
with spiritual and physical help, AND pray.
But I was again reminded of  the light of Christ, the Word,
the Spirit of God dwelling within-
How found I am by comparison. In the middle of my darkest days,
I have KNOWN that God is with me,that He will never leave me nor forsake me.

I prayed again just the other day for divine appointments,
for God's grace to help me to open my eyes to those around me,
to win some precious ones to Him. I'm sure the gal tonight was sent our way.

What is more wonderful than to know that someone will spend eternity with Jesus
and you had a part, by His grace in that? I pray that will be so for this precious woman
and for many more.

Thankful

Mark recently told me about a writer who decided to thank someone who had impacted his life in some way - that is not unusual, but to do so each day for a year! Sounds like 'Julie and Julia' in the culinary world. 

But I love the idea- I started to think about different phases of life and realized that there are so many more people I could and should thank than I ever had thought. It's really quite overwhelming when I start to catalog just the first few years of life.

I remember when I was eight- first trip to an allergy specialist- which was a big deal back then, in downtown Chicago. I had childhood asthma and this doctor was so kind as she discovered one thing after the next that triggered it.

Cannot remember her name now, but she gave me a nickel for each one! I must have made quite a haul that day, but what I remember feeling was that she cared; she gave me hope that something could be done to help. 

Kind people that come into our lives- might just be angels! In the sense that God is showing his fallen creation his love, they are.

First Thoughts

I started to fill out the profile page and am not sure how much, or what to say!  I haven't gotten too far in it- probably less is better.


But I do want to say at the outset that my first thought in blogging is to honor the Lord- He has been SO gracious, loving and forgiving to me, and I feel as though I have done so little in return for Him.


He has invested so much in me, with Christian grandparents, parents, friends, Christian college education, years and years of mentoring by friends and prayer partners, so many opportunities to hear good teaching and participate in ministry opportunities, not to mention the freedom to pursue all of the above and much, much more. I suppose most believers in the U.S. feel the same way, especially if they live long enough!


I had a thought the other day that I want to mention. I was reading in James 5: 20-26- one of the passages on faith and works- how faith without works is dead. 


Sometimes the 'work' is doing nothing- my faith is acted upon by my standing still. Sometimes it takes huge effort to not try to jump ahead of God to alleviate the pain of an uncomfortable situation, to not 'just do something' because I am tired of waiting for whatever it is I have been believing and waiting for.


I will never forget the day in early April, 1977 when I called my mother and told her that I was engaged to be married. I wasn't THAT old, 28, :) but I had told her for at least 4 years that I was trusting God to bring me my husband if I was to ever be married. I know she felt on some level at least that, 'God helps those who help themselves.' 


I remember telling her, "See, Mom, I told you that God would answer!"  It was a precious culmination of a long period of uncertainty from my perspective, even moreso from hers, I think. I was completely sure that Mark was the right man for me, and so thankful that I had trusted God for him to come into my life. Nothing has ever shaken the certainty that I felt that day- and we have had all the usual trials, ups and downs, joys and disappointments of almost 35 years. (I suppose, more than some and less than others!)


In that instance, I had to stand still to see the salvation of God- and I have always been so thankful that, by His grace, and I know it was that, I did. (verses referenced: 2 Chron. 20:17, Ex. 14:13)


As my kids grew up they labeled me the 'queen of conclusatory remarks!' I came by it honestly; it was one of the absolutes in my family-- finished a week at a lake? Wrap it up neatly with, 'well that was a nice vacation!' or, pulling into the driveway from visiting friends, 'well, we just had a real nice time!' I don't want to do that, but I have to say something in conclusion--


I know I have to act on faith but I also have to wait in faith.  Both require lots of effort!! I am not sure which is the more difficult- but I know trying to trust God and walk with Him is worth it.