Sweet Ride

TA DA





This is my new Sweet Ride.

I was no longer allowed to write off my Hyundai Elantra on my income tax because it is too old. So, I had a problem. I needed to lease another vehicle. So ...
DS says ... Let me research a new vehicle, Mom.

Look what I ended up with!!!!

I interrupt this program ...

Blessed are the humble in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.

Sometimes the Lord shows me interesting things and I spend weeks working it through in my mind and with my clients.

The latest is with a 22 year old who is struggling with his pride following a recent relationship breakup. Out of my mouth comes the statement that the greatest strength is found in humility. Since it was out and his face registered disbelief, I had to elaborate with the anointing of the Lord, because I wasn't sure what I was saying anyway.

Ever have that happen??

I wish the Lord would fill me in on His thoughts in advance.

In a nutshell ... when we are humble before all around us, it is not a position of weakness, rather it is a position of strength. Because, with that place of humility, comes the death of our pride. And with the death of our pride, comes the strength to withstand any onslaught of those who wish to hurt our pride.

Humility is the emptying out of the flesh, crucifying it, and walking in the Spirit. It is always the Lord's desire to bring us into the likeness of His Son. Stripping off the flesh is an ongoing very painful process, but oh, how worth it when we step a little further into the Spirit.

Christ, Himself, did it. He is our example. He left His heavenly home and took on this flesh in order to conquer it and all its appetites. Pride being the most difficult at all. It is a condition of the heart, and one He does not want us to walk in.

But humility takes us to a place where we can truly see the Kingdom of God with all the love and power and glory. Where we look at others through the eyes of God and see their worth and value to Him and ultimately to Him. It is from that place that we are able to truly love ... and be loved ...

sigh

Sounds good.

Easier said than done.


Carry on...

Palm Sunday

I was thinking this morning about the liturgical passion week from my former Lutheran church and how much I missed it.

Lent, the fasting and praying
The looking within
Palm Sunday and the procession of the palms
Maundy Thursday and the seder meal with the washing of feet ... and the stripping of the altar, all of us leaving in silence and prayer.
Good Friday Service ... solemn and quiet. ... the procession out to the back yard of the church which is up on a hill and can been seen for many miles. There we always erected three crude crosses ...
Easter Sunday sunrise service
The celebration and the looking for the Allelujah banner.

I miss that.

This morning I walked into my beloved Pentecostal church to be greeted with palm branches (!!!!!) and a wonderful service with an incredible sermon. I had missed the mid week Pastoral meeting because I was so busy with the funeral and the parents. What a blessing.

I don't know if it is the fasting or the place I am right now, but the Lord is showing me things that are His heart in a precious new way.

I am so thankful for Stephanie and Robby. That the Lord's promises and blessings and love - all are new every morning.

Good news ...

Robert is engaged!!

He started dating an old friend a while ago. They have been spending a lot of time together as friends and have really been having a good time. I liked her from the moment I met her.

Robby came to me a week ago and asked if there is any way that one can know that "this is the one" so quickly and with such security? Oh yes, we can.


She is the sweetest girl! You can easily see it from the picture. I've never seen Robby so happy and so content.

The best part ... she is a Christian! And a lovely one at that. She loves the Lord so much. What a blessing.

Last week, we painted the new condo - well, the Kitchen, Livingroom and diningroom. We had a great time and really got to know each other. We had Christian music playing - quite load - and found we like the same artists. We were singing ... well, I was really very, very blessed. She bought me a present - and a card thanking me for welcoming her into the family with open arms.

I couldn't do anything else.

For all the dark times and the concern I have had for Robby and his future ... and for the many prayers ... God is really returning with joy.

Challenges continue

Last friday evening ... March 23 ... I was the oncall Chaplain for the local hospital. It was a very long day and I was just settling down to change into my jammies and drink a cup of camomile ... having forgotten my commitment. Within half an hour of my last client, I got a call from the hospita asking me to come in for a death.

Half an hour later I was faced with 40 something parents who had just lost their 10 month old baby boy.

This is not something there are easy answers for.

I stumbled through the next 3 hours ... not knowing what to say, what to do. I felt I was in the way, but stayed close to them anyway.

Praying over the baby
Committing him to the Lord
Praying over the parents
Praying with their sister
Praying .. praying ... praying.

I went home that morning, feeling that I had been of little use because I didn't have many words to say at all. I just sat there, looking at them. Staying with them when the coroner came in to look at the baby, while the detectives came to talk to them (standard proceedure in our area) ... walking to their car...

I finally went home and slept for a few hours and then did what any self respecting pastor would do given this circumstance:

Pray ...

Question my call
Pray

And then I picked up a paintbrush and painted the livingroom, diningroom and kitchen. Steph helped me ... see previous post for good news!!!!

Later in the week, I got a call from the local funeral parlour. The director wanted to know if I was willing to take the funeral for this little boy. The parents had been so comforted by my presence at the hospital.

Whew ..

Thank You Jesus!

So I embarked upon one of the most difficult and yet fulfilling weeks of my life.

I couldn't understand why the Lord had me start a fast just four days before this death. I assumed that it was for my husband ... but quickly realized it was for this family. As of this date ... 2 weeks later ... I am still fasting, but that's another story.

I started writing the sermon. There are few places on the net with instructions for pastors in this case. Several for a baby dying in birth, but few for one who dies at around the year mark. I talked with every pastor I knew well and none of them had ever been there ... each one prayed ... but each one said there is no way you can come through this and not be impacted.

I sat at the computer. And quaked.

God just took over and He produced a lovely work for them.

Stephanie sang as the casket was being brought in and again at the cemetery when we released what seemed like a hundred balloons into the air. The stayed around for the longest time, little bright coloured dots in the air... very moving.

*sigh*

I found during this week, the very thing God created for me to do ... brought the comfort I had been looking for. That in the death of a precious child, I found the life I had been searching for ... and the purpose of life ... to comfort others.

I need to keep writing ... sharing ... praising God!!

Out of the dark place

I cannot believe it has been three months since I last posted. It has been a difficult three months for sure.

My precious husband has been diagnosed with kidney cancer. We have to wait until Wednesday to find out how serious it is, we are praying for a miracle. We did pray over him at church yesterday and I am going to stand on faith that God's will will be done.

We are still not in the same house; he does not see the severity of the mould and continues to live there inspite of the obvious damage it has done to his endocrine system. We do, however, spend Saturday nights together and yesterday he came back to church after a few month's absence. We are truly seeing answers to prayer there.

I finally had to submit to some antidepressant medication. It appears that the mould and resulting illness left my system so stressed that I fell into a fairly deep clinical depression. I have counselled many people who have been depressed, but had no idea as to the possible depth of how bad it could get. It is a very, very, very dark place. I cannot imagine those who refuse the medication as for me it was an almost instant improvement with the second one. From that point on, it has been a steady climb up and out of that pit.

My ministry is going very well. The Lord continues to provide enough clients to keep me busy but not enough to hire another therapist. I'm wondering what His next step for me is, but since He has chosen not to include me in on His plans, I must wait until He opens a door for me.

Robert is also doing well. He has reduced his course load at the College and is working hard on learning what he is enrolled in. It seems that five courses were too much for him last semester and we needed to give him a bit of a break. I keep forgetting that he is not me and that he needs to move at his own pace. God has been very, very faithful to us.

My regret is that I did not continue to journal during the dark times. It would have been interesting to read the upward progression. Oh well.

God is still good. All the time.

Out of the dark place

I cannot believe it has been three months since I last posted. It has been a difficult three months for sure.

My precious husband has been diagnosed with kidney cancer. We have to wait until Wednesday to find out how serious it is, we are praying for a miracle. We did pray over him at church yesterday and I am going to stand on faith that God's will will be done.

We are still not in the same house; he does not see the severity of the mould and continues to live there inspite of the obvious damage it has done to his endocrine system. We do, however, spend Saturday nights together and yesterday he came back to church after a few month's absence. We are truly seeing answers to prayer there.

I finally had to submit to some antidepressant medication. It appears that the mould and resulting illness left my system so stressed that I fell into a fairly deep clinical depression. I have counselled many people who have been depressed, but had no idea as to the possible depth of how bad it could get. It is a very, very, very dark place. I cannot imagine those who refuse the medication as for me it was an almost instant improvement with the second one. From that point on, it has been a steady climb up and out of that pit.

My ministry is going very well. The Lord continues to provide enough clients to keep me busy but not enough to hire another therapist. I'm wondering what His next step for me is, but since He has chosen not to include me in on His plans, I must wait until He opens a door for me.

Robert is also doing well. He has reduced his course load at the College and is working hard on learning what he is enrolled in. It seems that five courses were too much for him last semester and we needed to give him a bit of a break. I keep forgetting that he is not me and that he needs to move at his own pace. God has been very, very faithful to us.

My regret is that I did not continue to journal during the dark times. It would have been interesting to read the upward progression. Oh well.

God is still good. All the time.

Out of the dark place

I cannot believe it has been three months since I last posted. It has been a difficult three months for sure.

My precious husband has been diagnosed with kidney cancer. We have to wait until Wednesday to find out how serious it is, we are praying for a miracle. We did pray over him at church yesterday and I am going to stand on faith that God's will will be done.

We are still not in the same house; he does not see the severity of the mould and continues to live there inspite of the obvious damage it has done to his endocrine system. We do, however, spend Saturday nights together and yesterday he came back to church after a few month's absence. We are truly seeing answers to prayer there.

I finally had to submit to some antidepressant medication. It appears that the mould and resulting illness left my system so stressed that I fell into a fairly deep clinical depression. I have counselled many people who have been depressed, but had no idea as to the possible depth of how bad it could get. It is a very, very, very dark place. I cannot imagine those who refuse the medication as for me it was an almost instant improvement with the second one. From that point on, it has been a steady climb up and out of that pit.

My ministry is going very well. The Lord continues to provide enough clients to keep me busy but not enough to hire another therapist. I'm wondering what His next step for me is, but since He has chosen not to include me in on His plans, I must wait until He opens a door for me.

Robert is also doing well. He has reduced his course load at the College and is working hard on learning what he is enrolled in. It seems that five courses were too much for him last semester and we needed to give him a bit of a break. I keep forgetting that he is not me and that he needs to move at his own pace. God has been very, very faithful to us.

My regret is that I did not continue to journal during the dark times. It would have been interesting to read the upward progression. Oh well.

God is still good. All the time.