Wrote from: July 30th to August 28th 2016
This is letter # 3 …. WHEW !!! …. time sure is flying by …. I am having to encourage my maintenance man Martin to complete my office … ordered my last two cabinets and Mike picked them up 2 weeks ago … I took a mini-vacation July 25th & 26th hoping to come back to a finished office ….. SIGH!! …. “nope” …. poor Martin …. he has adult ADD I think ... & is a inventor/genius at heart …. and his mind goes in a 1000 directions constantly …. and sometimes I have to be patient and I am learning quickly I have to be VERY DIRECTIVE if I need something done. Well as of today Saturday July 30th …. my cabinets are in place, 2/3rd of the drawers have their pull handles attached … ( I bought pull handles for all my cabinet drawers, they didn’t come with any) several of the temporary counter top supports are still sticking out, all the paneling is in place around the counter top, now to get the trim on …. and the rest of the handles attached (Martin will have to go get longer screws to attach the rest of the handles, the ones that came with it were too short to go through the drawer fronts.
My mini -vacation was to help work at vacation bible school, Sunday thru Tuesday evening, the theme was “The Rainforest - Sunquest” … I helped with the 3rd and 4th graders which worked out perfectly … none of my grandkids were in them grades …. Bella was in pre-K to 1st grade, Bubby was also in that group. Pixie was in the 2nd grade group, and Ryver was in the 5th and 6th graders. It was fast paced and fun …. this Sunday they get to bring home their crafts …. 3rd through 6th grade made Brazilian tree stump stools …. (I helped decorate an extra just in case a child showed up on Tuesday and needed one so i get one too …. YEAH!! ) Pre-K thru 2nd grade made stone ladybugs (from PinInterest) …. they are really cute.
Hubby is in The Big City today taking Disaster Training Classes, he will be there next weekend also. Due to his corrective heart surgery in 2014, it is vital he has health insurance …. between the very vital necessary medicine he has to take daily and the vital blood work that is part of his monthly routine to keep check on his medicine levels it is a HUGH FACTOR!! ….. He has drove truck for years. several years ago the owner sold to another trucking company …. it hasn’t been “easy” since …. the ‘“company” now has put a young person at the dispatch post who has the “SHARE THE WEALTH PHILOSOPHY” …. that means if you have worked for the company for many years or if you have worked for few hours you all share the runs equally …. what this means for the older drivers with seniority is that their paychecks have gone from good wages during the season to mediocre …….. and health insurance is $135.00 a week right off the top of my hubby’s paycheck so often times his “bring home $$” is under $200.00 a week. For the older drivers with years in this company it has meant going from $800.00 to $900.00 dollars a week during the good running season where you can put money back to help you through the “famine season” to $200.00 to $300.00 a week and just making your bills. Even through this God has blessed us abundantly and always supplies all our needs. It is sometimes pretty scary @ the eleventh hour but God has never failed us and never will!! ….. also … I realize I don’t mention specifically my Hubby a lot … He is involved in Gun Shooting Competitions, him and his “shooting buddy” Dippy have attended several of the national competitions in the last year. He also does "The Big City Search Dog Assoc." (that’s where he is this weekend) and he does Search and Rescue also in a near by county. This is his weekends (when he’s home he is playing his “game” on the computer “DELTA WARS” he has developed several friendships around the globe … literally …. he has several people he talks to in Germany, England and a couple other places regularly) During the week it’s truck driving.
Sunday evening @ 9:44PM …. a leisure nap and coffee in the afternoon is always a relaxer …. till you get to this hour of the day …. and …. you realize being awake means you write … LOL. Today was the last day our Pastor & his wife were with us @ ECC. … He is retiring from being a Pastor but will still be involved with Bible camp , and other ministries. I will miss them greatly but trusting the Lord for our next Pastor …. we also are on a journey and an endeavor @ purchasing a new building and moving as a church body into a bigger church building.
Listening to kids settle in …. everyone had naps and slept late today … but … school starts in 10 days here so parents are having the kids go to bed earlier …. right now they sleep in here because it is A/C and we have had a lot of storms come through at night where they were doing the mad dash through rain , thunder & lightening into the house Harry and Fanny feel more secure with them in here so everyone can get a good nights sleep. Thinking about this …. Tomorrow is already August! WOW!! ….
We are still a bit stunned here a man we knew died over the weekend, … he was a neighbor of ours, 60 years old … his name was Jimmy A.; he owned a small engine shop for years before he sold it and started working at a local business. We did business with him …. in the first years we were here so many times we had old clunker lawn mowers he’d fix on credit for us till payday …. He was always so good and kind to us. … he will be missed!!
I went to a party @ a long time friend & acquaintance house yesterday, Sharon, met her and her family when i worked at the outlet mall 22 yrs ago … Sharon and her husband ran a jewelry store @ the mall and their daughter Sarah who was about 3 or 4 then … was a frequent visitor the clothing store where I worked part time. … Sarah is now 25 and lives in Chicago, and her sister Amy is 26 and lives in another state too. Sharon and Randy have a 8 year old named Lia who is just this incredible little girl …. Sharon is trying to sell Nerium … a skin care & health product line …. a bit over my budget but never the less she invited me … we had a chance to pray with another girl who attended the party too; Sharon met through their jewelry business. She had just moved here from down south a year ago … and was diagnosed with MS recently … and is facing back surgery Wednesday August 3rd of this week.
There is all a lot of different stories out about people, who they met, who touches their lives and the twists and turns each life can take …… It never ceases to amaze me the people who I have met here and their lives and how we often continually intersect and intertwine back and forth …. For Pastor’s last message he read the story about a guy who starts his day off with a lot of troubles and gets mad at God till God tells him about all the blessings He gave him inside those troubles ….. This morning the elderly man Gramps, who lives at my apts normally gets a ride with Fred, to church but Fred was speaking this morning @ the first service about our Brazilian Mission we support so I had to go get Gramps plus transport 3 kids to church …. AND THEN MY CAR WOULDN’T START …. I immediately began to praise the Lord …. I found this frequently helps … opposed to anger, upset or frustration. …. needless to say my Hubby was able to jump start my car … I took the kids to church, dropped them off headed to town to get Gramps … and arrived back at church 5 minutes after 10 … ! I think on the goodness of God’s preventive measures that i may not understand till eternity but yet I know this hiccup in my morning was a blessing He gave and bestowed on us …..
Tuesday August 2nd @ 9:25PM …. one of those tired evenings …. had corn flakes for supper, Fanny and Harry made everyone pancakes (I had one, they were tasty too.) … yep … lots of carbs …. Today was one of those so much happened in 2 days my head is still trying to absorb it all …… more happening with “MT’s” process … that I mentioned in my other letter …. “MT” arrived at my office first thing Monday morning … I had placed two calls to the inspector @ the end of last week to no avail (all Section 8 applicants must have an inspection of their perspective apartment before the Section 8 Housing will authorize funding for the apartment) ….. I had been hoping to get “MT” moved in by or near the 1st of the month. When “MT” arrived I picked up the phone dialed the number and the inspector for the apartments answered on the first ring …. (miracle #1) then she said are you available today? I said “yes” and she said “I am on my way” (miracle #2) normally every Section 8 inspection I have ever had, I had a 1 to 2 week process getting an inspector there …… She arrived within the hour, and we passed and I handed “MT” the key to his apartment …. He just sat there stunned and in tears ….. I then realized we hadn’t processed anything on our part …. (as far as my office goes) so I began flying through that process ….. I had “MT” call the electric company to get it turned on in his name …. another hurdle … apparently there was an old amount showing from 2006 that he owed $76.00 they couldn’t even locate the address where it was generated from …. he was in tears again because of the set back … I called a local pastor I know real well and after 2 days between meetings we made contact and he went directly and paid it for “MT” …. Pastor Charlie’s church is next door to the library where “MT” hangs out all the time …. “MT” had decided to wander by and see if he was out of the meeting he was in when we went there …. Pastor Charlie recognized “MT” and shared he knew me real well and was able to minister to “MT” also. “MT” was able to get his electric on right there and then after Pastor Charlie paid the old bill. As I think about the sequence of events leading up to today I sit as stunned as “MT” feels …. as I realize how strongly the hand of God has played a major role in this man’s life ….. and “MT”s response ?? all he wants to do is pay this forward and pay back all the kindnesses …. Pastor Charlie has suggested he become part of the Food Pantry help and “MT” has graciously accepted with joy. God is so good …. It’s not just “MT”s life events but all around me I see God’s hand working and sometimes miracles that only He can do ……
I think all of us has dreamed of winning that million dollar prize and what we would do with the money ….. my particular dream has always been on a bit grander “scheme” for some reason I have always thought I’d like 5 million … not just a million. I have lists and wishes made up of what I would do ….. BUT ….. the other day as I contemplated these wishy dreams of mine … I clearly heard the Lord speak ….. and i am positive I cannot repeat here word for word what He said but …. here’s the just of this conversation … occasionally …. and not all the time … when Power Ball and Mega Millions gets big ….. yep …. confession time …. I buy a ticket and spend time dreaming “if I win” ….. so in light of all the needs lately between my Hubby’s lack of work, and Harry & Fanny moving up to our place, my son & his wife's health issues and financial and housing needs …. my mind raced to see if the jackpot was worth buying a ticket …. it was then God had our discussion …… He said “ if you will trust Me, like you have been over these last few days in “MT’s” case and these other things you see me working in …. you can trust Me with all your needs and everyone else’s too…. you do not need to rely on the world’s system of money, you have Me!” WOW !! was all I could say and Yes Lord you are so right!!! ….. So with peace and my faith in place and my hand in His …. forward I go trusting Him with everything ….. and yes …. it won’t always be easy …. but walking sometimes blindly by faith takes a bit of practice and balancing skills ….. but for those of you who have some scary doubts or what if’s ….. I am out on the tight rope of life right now …. and I found that a upward look beats a downward glance anytime!!! …… and yes it is scary and downright frightening at times …. but His hand is steady and strong … and I have made the choice to follow and trust Him ….
August 6th 2016 Saturday @ 10:44AM …. I have been up since 6:30AM but it already feels like a whole day …. Fanny had a call from her sister, she needed her to babysit this weekend 35 miles away for her 4 kids ….Fanny ask me and I said GO! … Annie & the kids will be fine here. Annie & l had to be @ the high school @ 9:AM this morning to pick up her computer, for school. We had to be out of the house by 8:40AM …. took about a 1/2 hour @ the school … stopped by the store and was home by 10AM.
On Thursday Harry received a call from his employer …. they were laying off 40 employee’s he had his choice “lay off or go to 1st shift” they were only offering this to a few weekend employee’s of which Harry is one of them. He normally works from Friday, Saturday & Sunday from 6AM to 6 PM …. he will now be working Monday thru Thursday from 6AM to 4:30PM …. and he looses the $2.00 and hour weekend bonus. All things considered we are discussing “the positives that can be” and not dwelling on the negatives that could be …. life is always full of choices ….
Sunday August 7th 2016 @ 6:18PM Sitting here relaxing after a wonderful Sunday …. We had a dinner after church …. we had a special speaker today from the Solomon Foundation they spoke during Sunday School and church and also we were introduced to our new temporary pastor Brother Paul and his wife Lin What is so neat this morning God had me up early with a word …. TACTICAL WARFARE …. I sat for awhile with this “word” and pondered over it …. the Lord had me look up it’s meaning in my two dictionaries …. one is a Thorndike & Barnhart and the other is a Funk & Wagnalls …. As I proceeded to look up definitions the Lord impressed on me that it isn’t about me but it is about the enemy we face …. Eph.6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. v12 ... For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
I first looked up the word TACTICAL … in the Thorndike & Barnhart … Concerning tactic’s characterized by adroit procedure and skillful expedients.
(I looked up the word tactic: -“procedures used to gain advantage or successful methods - the art of arranging)
Then I looked up the word ADROIT …. it meant … expert use in the hands or the mind, skillful ….
Then I looked up the word EXPEDIENTS … fit for bringing about a desired result; desirable or suitable under the circumstances, giving or seeking personal advantage; based on self-interest - useful means of bringing about a desired means or results
This is from the Funk & Wagnalls TACTICAL ….. Pertaining to or like tactics, exhibiting adroit maneuvering -
(TACTICS - The science and art of handling troops in the presence of the enemy or for immediate objectives - Any maneuvering to gain an objective. )
(ADROIT - skillful expert )
If we take these definitions and instead of trying to apply them to ourselves ….. we apply them to our enemy Satan …. it gives us a clearer view of what we are up against ….. He and his demonic troop have been honed …. in the art of warfare since the beginning of time … his objective is to use procedures and to gain advantage or use successful methods and the art of arranging to manipulate us to take our eye’s off Jesus. He uses ADROIT procedures; he is an expert in the use of the hands or the mind, he has skillful EXPEDIENTS … which are fit for bringing about a desired result; desirable or suitable under the circumstances he places in our lives, he gives and seeks personal advantage in all of us; he does this by using our weaknesses & deepest desires based on our own self-interest - he is crafty in using any means of bringing about a desired means or results ….
2 Corinthians 2:10-11 New English Translation (NET Bible)
v10 If you forgive anyone for anything, I also forgive him—for indeed what I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) I did so for you in the presence of Christ, v11 so that we may not be exploited by Satan (for we are not ignorant of his schemes).
Genesis 50:20
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
As God began to speak to me on this I realized that we are our own worst enemy … and i need to do some deep soul searching to weed out and get it before God anything the enemy can use against me …. and right now I have been so “PROUD” of my lack of fear that it has become a target for the enemy …. and on top of all this is ideas, ideals, motives, thoughts …… that need to be checked and rechecked that they line up with the Word of God.
It is 8:01PM ….Harry & Fanny arrived home a bit ago … Harry was informed today that they have decided to lay 10 more people off and he is now one of them …. I told Fanny that I am so glad … they are here and not going to have to struggle else where ….
Sunday August 21st 2016 @ 8:32AM … Harry has a job he starts tomorrow … it is about 25 miles away, then yesterday he ran into a friend he worked with @ the old place and was told he’d already been called back to work and they were talking about they might need him back … so I am praying for God’s best for him. We are going to have to leave in about hour for church. The kids have had their bath’s and are dressed …. they get excited about going to church, matter of fact I do too … I really enjoy going.
Sunday August 28th 2016 @ 4:17PM …. Had a great time at church today, Pastor Paul preached on John 3:16 … For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. He brought a whole different aspect to it …. he had 3 points based on the “Good News” verse …. it is #1) Truthful News #2) Positive News #3) Hopeful News …. I really enjoyed it.
Over the last few weeks I have been spending time reading a series of Lori Wick books … called the Rocky Mountain Series. One of the theme’s throughout the books was learning to trust God … the other theme that was woven through the stories was “Learning to not judge” …. In the last book one of the characters faced the challenge of whether she was judging or “fruit inspecting” …. Then today as Pastor S. spoke, God spoke to me again in regards to this cliche “ We aren’t suppose to judge….
Matthew 7: 1-4 v1 Judge not, so you aren’t judged. v2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. v3 And why do you behold the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the huge log that is in your own eye? v4 Or how will you say to your brother, Let me pull out the splinter from your eye; and, behold, a huge log is in your own eye?
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance (control): against such there is no law.
Matthew 7:16-20 v16 You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? v17 Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. v18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. v19 A tree that brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. v20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
For years the “common cliche” was “we are not allowed to judge but we can be fruit inspector’s” …. In a small loving voice over the last several weeks God has begun to show me this small white lie is right up there with “stick’s and stones will break my bones but words will never hurt me” …… A true “FRUIT INSPECTOR” looks a piece of fruit over and looks for the blemishes, rotten spots and imperfections ….. I am sorry to say this is JUDGING. The Bible no where says …. “FRUIT INSPECTOR” !!! It only says Matthew 7:16a You shall know them by their fruits ….. somewhere over time we injected the “INSPECTOR” classification. …. that’s not what God’s word says at all. It is our job to look for fruit not for the blemishes, rotten spots and imperfections …. God wants us to be “Lookers for fruit” …. and along that line of thinking we are to be the Aaron's and Hur’s Exodus 17:12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
We are to be looking for the Zacchaeus’s who may be hiding up in the tree ……
Luke 19:2 - 5 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
v2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. v3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. v4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
v5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
We are to be the Ananias’s to all the Saul’s in our lives
Acts 9:10 - 13 & 17 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. v11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prays, v12 And has seen in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. v13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto you in the way as you came, has sent me, that you might receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
It is so easy to look at someone else's appearance, how they dress or don’t dress to our specifications, how they act or don’t act, and the acts they have committed against us or someone we love or care about … how they talk, the speech they choose to use, their manner’s they present in front of us, their physical features, their faces may mirror their hard life, or their lives in that moment, It is not our’s to judge or inspect. It is however for us to love them as Christ loved us and to begin to pray for them as God gives us utterance. Could you imagine Ananias if he had told the Lord … “I’m not going to help that murdering piece of trash!! he was responsible for the death of a lot of my friends”!! …… I can see Ananias now as he walked in and seen the man responsible for 100’s of saint’s deaths sitting there blind …. and trying to obey with all the emotions going on in his heart as he was trusting God’s word ….
Is this easy? … not at all!! … it will take a lot to change course in our minds and hearts especially if we bought into the “FRUIT INSPECTOR LIE” …..
We are almost at the end of the month of August already …. I think back over the summer and how fast it went. …. Friday my computer died at work, I had to reluctantly contact my boss and tell her …. she wasn’t happy …. and my nerves were jangled but this too I had to hand over to the Lord instead of “worrying it to pieces” ….
We are adjusting to a family of 8 … and things are starting to flow and blend with God’s help. I am being forced to deal with my over-abundance of STUFF … I found prayer has helped in the getting rid of process …. and to whom ….
“Our Annie” is in 11th grade and taking Nursing courses through the Tech School. I forgot what it costs to have a kid in school and all the needs …. whew!! We were able to find one of her required school workbooks on the internet for fairly cheap. Bubby started out a little rough at first but is doing much better now and Pixie is doing good in school. …. Harry is adjusting to his new job and likes it …. he works for a place that makes classic car parts from antiques to more modern. ….
Hubby’s work is slowing down considerably even more so then it already was …… My maintenance man had a second call on the job he applied for …. so I am already praying if he leaves, for God to provide another maintenance person as capable as he has been …. and for wisdom for me as I interview … if it comes to that …. I believe a pathway to the future, laid with prayer is much easier to walk. Bonnie has been cut to 3 days a week and we had a meeting with her phycologist last week and discussed her meds she takes … he is a Christian and it shows, and i am so thankful we have him. Bonnie is having more and more memory issues and has lost a lot from her past …. it is sometimes difficult yet I know it is part of the process with this disease she has.
Well i am going to wind this down here ….. I am not sure how soon I will be getting another letter out Love to you all and may God bless you.
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