Praise To You, Lord!

Lord, I don’t think there is any way that I can thank You for all You’ve seen me through this year.  As I’ve looked back on 2012 I have realized just all that I’ve gone through.  I’ve seen 6 different doctors in Alabama, Michigan & North Carolina, been in hospitals in Birmingham and Michigan, had more tests than I ever knew existed, tried more possible treatments for my headache, and endured multiple travels that were so hard on me.  Yet, by Your grace, I have been victorious through it all.  There was no human way that I could have wandered my way through it all without You, Your peace, Your grace and Your strength.  It simply was not humanly possible.  Looking back over 2012, I realize now that You have been paving the way for the doctor of Your choosing to truly identify what is going on inside my brain.  At each juncture this year You have eliminated the wrong diagnoses in order that the true diagnosis will be clearly evident when You show it to the doctor You desire to find and treat it.  You have narrowed the possibilities in such a way that the true diagnosis will shine through, showing us exactly what is happening inside my brain.  Thank You, Lord, for showing me Your overall plan in 2012.  I am awed and amazed at You and what You have done.  Again I am speechless.  You are truly Lord of All.  

“I make know the end from the beginning...”  Isaiah 46:10

“a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away...” Ecclesiastes 3:6

Happy Birthday!

Sing along with me.....

“Happy birthday to You, 

happy birthday to You, 

happy birthday, dear Jesus, 

happy birthday to You.”

Now, Lord, my response... same tune.

“Thank You, O my Lord,

thank You, O my Lord, 

thank You, Lord, for Jesus, 

thank You, O my Lord”

Awesome, Lord!  I can just hear the angels singing along with You and me.  Happy birthday, my Savior.  I’m so thankful You willingly came to earth to save me.  Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

Merry Christmas!!!

“For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”  John 3:16-17

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:11

Connecticut

Speaking of suffering, Lord, the news from Newtown, CT pierces my heart and brings unspeakable grief.  Come, Lord Jesus, come.  

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”  Psalm 147:3

Lucy

2 Kids, A Taco, and Cancer: Go Rub Some Dirt On It, You’ll Be Fine by Zach and Shawna Weber is the book of Your choosing for me to read right now.  You know that I’ve been following Lucy’s cancer story for well over a year, but this book brings her and her family’s story front and center in my life.... especially in light of my own physical sufferings.  The insight into this family’s battle with pediatric cancer has had a profound effect on me.  Their fear, perseverance, hardships, joys (yes, joys), defeats and victories inspire me as I face my own health challenges.  No, my sufferings are not as severe as theirs, but they are my own and in no way diminished by theirs.  My heart breaks as I read about their journey.  Watching and helping a child with cancer has to be one of the most difficult things a parent can do.  I cannot imagine what they go through every day.  

Yet, You, Lord, know all about watching Your Child suffer.  Jesus was misunderstood, mocked, beaten and battered while on earth and You had to watch it all from Your throne, knowing that there was no other way for Your human creations to come back to You.  You watched His suffering and let it happen because of Your great love for us.  While I am so grateful, Lord, for this Perfect Gift to us, I simply cannot imagine the magnitude of Your pain and agony through it all.  It is infinitely beyond anything I can ever conceive while I am still on earth.  All for love... You did it all for love, knowing full well what was going to happen.  I just can’t imagine, Lord... I just can’t imagine.  Thank You, Abba Father, for Your Perfect Gift Jesus, born in a lowly manger, crucified on a Roman cross and risen from the dead.

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33

“He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.  Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”  Isaiah 53:3

The Grinch

Lord, the now familiar story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has resonated throughout my life for quite a few years now.  The Grinch, because of his cruel, tiny heart decides that he is going to get rid of Christmas and takes all resemblances of Christmas away, thinking that Christmas cannot be celebrated without all the gifts, decorations and food.  For many this is true, Lord.  Yet You have shown me and placed in my heart a deep desire to celebrate the real reason for Christmas no matter what.  This year that lesson is extremely poignant in my life.  

This year, Lord, there is no Christmas tree in my home.  You have simply “deleted” that from my Christmas this year due to my health problems.  There are gifts, yet those gifts are simpler this year.  We will go to my Daddy’s house, Lord, and have one of our daughters with us there, yet I wonder how much strength You will give me while there to do all the things I usually do when visiting my family.  While I am so very grateful to be able to go to see my family, this year that isn’t the focus of my Christmas.  This year my focus is You.  May it always be so. 

Despite the world’s celebration of a secular Christmas, You have graced me with most wondrous times with You when I see that Christ in Christmas has not entirely been lost.  There was the spontaneous singing of Christian Christmas carols at the mall online.  The time of peace and solitude as I listened to Christmas carols with You in bed last night.  The peace of knowing that You are King and Lord of All, even when my “traditional” Christmas is altered because of my health.  You have truly given Christmas a new meaning for me this year.  More concentrated on You and the wondrous gift of Your Son, His life and His death for the salvation of the world, including me.  He truly is the Reason for the season.  I pray that more and more people in this world will realize this and turn their hearts toward Your Son at Christmas and throughout the year.  HE is the Gift.  May You be glorified in Christmas forever and always.  Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.  He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”  Colossians 1:15-17

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.  We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  John 1:14

Not One But Two!

Not one but TWO, Lord!  Just when my comfortable old tennis shoes had worn out completely and I found out that they have been discontinued, You provided TWO pairs of new tennis shoes!  To say that I am thrilled, Lord, would be a great understatement.  I thank You and my hurting feet filled with neuropathy thank You.  You are so good to me!  Your love, mercy and faithfulness overflow to me and I am awed, amazed and humbled by Your gift to me.  Wow, Lord, TWO new pairs of tennis shoes.  Perfect provision by my Perfect Provider.  Praise You from Whom all blessings flow!

“And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:19

“Now to Him Who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.”  Ephesians 3:20-21