I Won't Miss You 2011

"Dear God,
Please forgive me for this very short, very non-grateful sounding post.  And please forgive that my main purpose in writing this is to fulfill my 12 post a year obligation.  You know, because we talk about it all the time, just how grateful I am for this life that I lead.  And I know just how blessed I've been - even this past year.  But I'm ready to say good-bye to 2011!  In the big scheme of things, compared to other years, this past year has been a major downer.  I do NOT however attribute any of this to you!  I love you and the best part of 2011 has been how close I've grown to you.  You've taken care of me and my family in so many ways - financially (as always), we are all healthy (relatively speaking), and you've given me much new insight into myself and your purposes for me.  That's what I'm most grateful for from 2011.  That and my wonderful family!  Thank you for loving me and always forgiving me!  I am looking forward to an awesome new year and seeing how you move.  I plan to move right along with you, doing whatever it is that you ask me to do.  And even after the things I've faced this past year, I am moving forward without fear because I know that you have not give me a spirit of fear, and with you in my life there is nothing to fear.  Amen!"

Well that prayer pretty much sums up my feelings as we close out this year.  All I have left to say is:

"Bye-bye 2011!  Don't let the door hitchya on your way out!"

Happy New Year Everyone!  May you be abundantly blessed in 2012!

Merry Christmas!

"Dear God,
Happy Birthday to you and Jesus!  Thank you for sending your one and only perfect son to be our Lord and Savior.  That is indeed the good, no the best, news ever!  Please forgive me if I haven't been as thankful as I should be lately.  As you know I've had a tough year and I'm still recovering.  But I am immensely grateful for your son, also known as Emmanuel, meaning - God with us. I get such peace from knowing that I am never alone. You will never leave me or forsake me.  You are right by my side through all of these trials.  Thank you so much for placing me in and also giving me the greatest family anyone could ever hope for!  Thank you and Merry Christmas!  Amen!"

This is my prayer for today, December 25, 2011.  It is also Global Share the Bible Day so I thought I would share a link to a FREE Bible download app.  This app has literally changed my life and my relationship with God.  You can sign up for and choose from hundreds of different reading plans which I highly recommend as a way to get in the word everyday (or at least more than usual).

Here is the link if you'd like to check it out!  http://www.youversion.com/mobile

Christmas is all about remembering and celebrating the day that Jesus was born.  The day that God himself became one of us so that He could later die for the sole purpose of giving us life!  That my friends is LOVE!  I think this verse sums up this day perfectly...

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 NIV

Merry Christmas!

Top Ten Things About a Bum Knee

"Dear God,
I'm sure you're getting sick of my negativity.  My whiny attitude over this whole knee incident.  So I've decided that the best thing to do is to come up with a list of the Top Ten good things about having a bum knee.  I'm making the conscious decision to go positive.  And I know I've already thanked you several times, but thanks again that my surgery went well and I'm officially on the mend! You are the God of restoration, the great healer!  Amen!"

So here it is...

Top Ten Things About Having a Bum Knee:

10.  Lots of pain med induced sleep.
 9.  I don't have to go to the grocery store
 8.  I don't have to take my kids to school or run them around
 7.  I don't have to clean my house, do laundry, cook, or make my bed
 6.  I can't go upstairs, so I don't have to tuck my kids into bed (or wake them up)
 5.  Because of the timing, I don't have to shop, cook, decorate, or wrap for the holidays
 4.  I don't have to go to my kids holiday programs
 3.  Crutches are pretty handy when it comes to reaching things such as lightswitches, tops of curtains  (making it easier to open/close them), and doors when they're not fully closed.
 2.  I got to ride one of those scooters at Target
 1.  I've had LOTS of time to think and pray

Okay, so you're either reading my list and thinking that sounds like a dream come true, or you're thinking that's just sad.  It's both.  The list is true, these are the best things I can come up with for having a bum knee - or probably any physical ailment for that matter.  But these things are only good for about 3 days!  I'm going on my 6th week and have at least a month of physical therapy ahead of me - Ugh!

Making this list was supposed to lift my spirits, you know - looking at the bright side and all.  But when I finished, it had the opposite effect.  See, I really do like to these things.  I like to tuck my kids into bed and wake them up.  I like to drive them places.  I like to make sure they and my husband are well fed.  I don't really like housework, but I like the result and the feeling of accomplishment.  And if I'm being totally honest - I never make my bed anyway (stop your judging)!

This list represents my job and I have the best job in the world!  I don't like it when I can't perform my job.

And come on - who doesn't like to watch their kids "perform" in their various recitals...I really love it!  And you know what else I love...CHRISTMAS!!!  I love to go shopping, I love to pick out a tree and decorate it (and the house), I love to make cookies and other typical holiday foods.  I love to wrap presents.  I love to do all things Christmas-y!  But this year I haven't had the ability or the energy to do any of these things.  I've participated some, but not with the enthusiasm that I usually have!

#10 is good in that I definitely like to sleep...but I like to wake up with a clear head, a settled stomach, and no pain.  Pain meds pretty much make that impossible.  Even the "pain" part because they've worn off by the time you wake up!  Sure - you can set your alarm to take them, again negating any "good" sleep you were hoping to get.

Crutches actually do come in handy for a few things, but they are more of a pain than anything.  And riding the scooter at Target was pretty fun, but the basket is too small, you can't reach anything high, and it's super embarrassing when you have to back-up because it beeps REALLY loud and everyone stops to stare at you to see if you're going to run-over anything or anyone!  You just know they're hoping that you do!

The only thing on this list that's actually been any good (and that's why it's #1) is the time I've had to think and pray.  It's helped me to reflect on my life and see how much I take for granted!  I meant all of the things that I put on this list (to a certain degree) because it's hard to appreciate them all on a day-to-day basis.  Or even a yearly basis (as with the holiday stuff) when you're so busy it's hard to squeeze them into your schedule.  I hope I never forget the hardships of this year and always remember how great my life really is!  Thank you God for reminding me!  I have great hope in you for 2012!

Merry Christmas to you all!!!

For Me 40 is the New 60!

"Dear God,
Let me preface this whole prayer by asking you to forgive me for the serious self-pity.  As you know, I'm in a low season and I don't like it one little bit!  I know that I'm whiny.  I know that I should take comfort in the fact that you are in charge, and you work all things for good, and blah, blah, blah, but I'm having a hard time doing that.  Sorry, that's just how I feel and there's no sense trying to hide it from you because you know my heart.  But I haven't given up hope.  I still have faith and I know that my spiritual enemy is just prowling around, waiting to devour me.  Trying his damndest to gain a foothold in my life.  But thanks to you and your word I'm onto his schemes (1 Peter 5:8)!  Thank you for always being there, and for never failing me.  I know it could have been so much worse, so thank you that I wasn't in public.  Thank you that I wasn't home alone.  Thank you that  it's not life-threatening.  Life-altering for sure, but not life-threatening.  Amen for that!"

So if you've read my last couple of REVs you already know that I've been having a terrible time with family illness, another lightning strike (yes it can strike twice), and all of these things adversely affecting our pocketbook.  Which doesn't really help with the whole getting-out-of-debt thing!  To top it all off I just turned 40, something I really didn't mind until now...

A week before my birthday I was hosting my first bible study group (Nehemiah - Rising from the Ruins, of course).  With a kitchen full of new friends, I stood there cutting a cake when one of the ladies asked me where the forks were.  I pivoted on my left leg to point and the weirdest thing happened.  My left knee-cap decided to slide right off my knee.  It happened in a micro-second BAM! - I hit the floor, knee bent, unable to straighten my leg.  Long story short - I was whisked away from our first meeting in an ambulance to the ER, where I was put to sleep to have my knee-cap relocated.

Who knew bible study could be so dangerous?

I keep saying that to people and we laugh about it, but just now as I typed it I realized it really IS dangerous.  Dangerous because anytime you are engaged in God's work you have the devil's FULL attention.  I honestly think this whole thing was his attempt to throw me and my whole bible study group off track.  We all know that his main goal in our lives is to steal, kill, and destroy by any means necessary (John 10:10).

Well the joke is on him because John 10:10 also tells us that Christ came to give us life in abundance.  He will not let us be destroyed.  I think my little incident actually gelled our little group in a way nothing else would have.  The genuine love and concern that has been poured out to me by these ladies, that only a few short weeks ago were strangers, is amazing!  It's odd because I feel so blessed, but at the same time I still wish it hadn't happened!  Can you be blessed and cursed all at the same time?  I don't really think so.  I'm sticking with the blessed theory even though it can sometimes be hard to see!

I've been on crutches now for a little more than 4 weeks and I'm having surgery in 2 days.  Yes.  Surgery.  From standing in my kitchen.  Crazy I know!

They say "40 is the new 30", but for me it feels like the new 60!

It has been suggested that I really ought to come up with a "better" story for how I got hurt, but that's just not in my nature, which reminds me of something else they say,

"The truth is stranger than fiction."  (btw - who is "they"?) 

So for now your prayers will be greatly appreciated.  Prayers that this surgery will work and be the only one that I need.  I'll update soon, afterall I've missed a few months of REVs and need to catch up before the end of the year.  That's the commitment I made to God when I started this blogging journey 2 years ago, one post per month (12 per year is the same thing right?!).  He always keeps His promises to me, and I'm going to try to do the same.