Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Just a truth

Exodus 20:15, "Thou shalt not steal." Four very simple words and yet very profound when put together in this sentence. What is the basic meaning of "steal"? Answer, To take something that is not yours. That something could be anything and everything.
Last month the LORD began to convict me about something in this area. It is a government program that many, many have had to use in the last couple of years. I believe it is a good program....until it starts to go beyond the realm for which it was created. I am talking about unemployment. All those who are rightfully employed (and their employers) have to pay into this program. If they ever get laid off from their jobs, then the unemployment program pays them back what they have already contributed. However, with America's economics being so bad, there has been something extra added to unemployment. It is called emergency unemployment. It gives out more money to those who are still not employed. I thought it was pretty nice, until the LORD helped me to realize that the emergency monies were not coming from the one who was once employed, it is coming from the monies of those who are still employed...and that is stealing. That emergency money does not belong to those who are unemployed, it belongs to those who are contributing it.
Once I understood what was happening, I repented of stealing, and took a step of faith. We stopped receiving unemployment for my daughter. Guess what? Within a week of doing that which the LORD commanded, He blessed her with a wonderful new job.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Freaky Friday part 2

If I thought Friday, October 1st was freaky, I wasn't prepared for Friday, October 8th. I awoke at 1:22am needing to use the bathroom. My guts felt like they were going to erupt. I thought it was just gas, but a few minutes later I gently got back out of bed and tried to walk around. The pain only got worse. I got on the internet to see what it could be and it said that if I had severe upper quadrant pain to go to the hospital immediately. By this time, I could barely walk, but had to wake Jerry.
At the Urgent Care, the pain was so bad, I was in tears and could no longer move without crying out loud. The doctor tried to examine my tummy, but his gentle touch felt like knives. They finally gave me a shot of strong narcotics and sent me by ambulance to Harrison ER. I don't remember much except them doing an ultrasound and determining that I needed to be admitted. I spent the rest of the morning trying to sleep and giving myself pain relief. It was so nice to have the self-administered pain-relief machine hooked up. The pain would have been tremendously horrible if I didn't have constant medication.
They finally took me into surgery Friday evening. It didn't take long for them to get me from my room and into the surgery to remove my gall bladder. The next thing I remember was waking up and being taken back to my room. It was so fast, but actually took two and a half hours.
It was so nice to be able to come back home on Saturday afternoon. There truly is no place like home. If it feels great to be back in my earthly home, I can't imagine how blessed it will be when I get to my heavenly home.
All praise and thanksgiving goes to the LORD God who gave me such peace and His blessings in this trial of affliction.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

A Freaky Friday

Last Friday was freaky for me. I had an interview that morning at a school where I had worked six years ago. It would only be a three hour, temporary position that I thought would be perfect. I had enjoyed working at this school, especially since the principal was a christian who had prayed with me when I went through a difficult situation. So, I was fairly confident that I would get this new job and couldn't wait to see the principal again.
It had been several months since I had colored my hair, so, I figured that I should do it before I went to the interview. Somewhere in the back of my brain was that small voice that kept saying, "Don't do it! Don't do it! Don't do it or you'll be sorry." I should have listened! Even though the hair dye wasn't the same brand that I always use, it was the same color....NOT!!! When I pulled the towel off my head, I almost fainted. I had ink-black hair and looked like Goth-girl. All I needed was a few chains and some piercings. I was devastated. I had no time to fix it. So, I chose clothes that I thought would down-play the hair. I got out the blow-drier and did the best I could.
As I pulled into the school, feelings of remorse overwhelmed me. "Maybe the principal will forget what I use to look like. Maybe I should call in sick and ask to reschedule. No, it's too late. Maybe the principal won't notice."
Waiting for the interview was torture. My brain just reeled. Half an hour after I arrived, the principal came out to shake my hand. I could tell by the tiniest look on his face that he was shocked at my hair. We sat down in his office, and to my regret, he informed me that the position was a very physical one. That was pretty much the end of the interview. We chatted for a few more minutes as I brought him up to date on my last five years of employment. As we got ready to leave his office, he asked the question I had dreaded, "Didn't you use to be a brunette?"
I couldn't get home fast enough. My fragile emotions were about to erupt. As soon as I ran in the house I grabbed a towel and the shampoo. I used it, but nothing happened. My hair-stylest had told me to try baking soda if you wanted to wash out a coloring. All that did was make my hair extremely dry. Then I remembered my mom telling me decades ago that girls used to use peroxide to lighten their hair. Gave that a try and all it did was disinfect my kitchen drain. I was now desperate. I went for the bleach. My mom had also told me that there were bleached blonds. It didn't matter to me if my hair fell out, so long as it wasn't black anymore. It took a lot of nerve to try the bleach. (Yes, it was diluted.) Then the tears began to flow. As I poured on the bleach, the tears poured from my eyes. I was so frustrated by the hair and by the job I wouldn't get. My sweet daughter was there to comfort. The main thought that kept running through my mind was, "Vanity, thy name is Alice."
It seemed that there was nothing more that I could do to get rid of the hideous color in my hair. Until, the Holy Spirit (that small voice) seemed to say, "Go to Fred Meyer, they have something that will work." Sure enough, there in the hair coloring was a wonderful box called "OOPS". It was a strong chemical, but it worked. It stripped out the black and left me with the natural color of my hair. It was a literal pain to use, but well worth it. My sanity was restored.
Proverbs 31: 30 (a verse I memorized years ago and need to continually apply), "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Peace perfect peace

There is nothing like the peace of mind that comes from the LORD.
For the last several weeks, ever since the weather began to change, I have been wondering what I should do. The weather can have a negative impact of those who have fibromyalgia or arthritis or other body ailments. It seems to be worse when we are going from high pressure to low. The aches and pains that seem to be doing better, get instantly worse.
I began to think about going south for the next six or seven months. But the thought of being away from my family was horrid. Then we began to talk about the three of us moving. But the thought of being away from home was awful. And I didn't know if I would be able to withstand the discomfort if I stayed here. We were in a quandry about what to do.
Of course we took it to the Lord in prayer and were just waiting for His answer. So, last week I listed all the possible options and left blank spaces for the "pro and con" under each one. I told my family to give their input as well. The paper sat around for a week until Rebekah finally wrote a few things. The saddest was how much she would miss her mom.
The Bible says for us to trust in the Lord and to seek His will. I was doing that, but it seemed I wasn't getting a clear answer until I read what my daughter had wrote on that list of options. God has given me great peace to just stay here. I know that there will be days of pain and frustration, but more than anything, there will be days full of blessings of being right where I belong...at home.