our little life happenings

Blessings Come Down as the prayers go up...

With Christopher at his softball game I have plenty of time to reflect. Something that I have been thinking a lot about are answered prayers. I'll admit, I have not been the best prayer person. In the past if you asked me to pray for something there was really only a 25% chance that that would actually happen. But Christopher and I have turned over a new leaf.

I have decided to look at things in a new way. Being the recovering criticizer that I am, it is often hard for me to look at a situation and think that anyone else has something to do with the outcome other than myself. I'm going to do better and this, and the previous paragraph, leads to this post. Recognizing God for the little and the big things...

It all started with an answered prayer. I started reading "The Power of a Praying Wife" a few months ago. The first few chapters were on being in silent prayer for those things that I, as a wife, cannot change, but that God will have to change over time. So I did, I started praying for something that I had been wanting to happen in our relationship consistently like it did in the summer of 2002, studying and praying together. A few weeks ago when the War in the middle East started up again Christopher was really thinking about what if this was the end and what if we haven't done enough. I think that that is a common thought for everyone if they feel that Jesus' coming will be soon. Have I done enough??? I knew the answer to that for myself, and I didn't like what God was telling me either. So we talked about it and that night went out and purchased our first Bible study that we were going to do together. We prayed to be committed and consistent, and 6 lessons into it I must say that we are! It's so wonderful to be able to study and pray with your partner. It's something that I did not grow up seeing in my house, but that I would like for my children to see. I would like them the learn that in order to grow together as one you must grow through God first. I feel as though we are taking the first step of many on our journey that God is taking us on.

Another answered prayer, Kory's cousin. She is 6 years old and was diagnosed by the Mayo Clinic with Cancer in her stomach. Kory told us, so I started praying. A few weeks later as they were about to role her into surgery the Dr. stoped them and said that there is no cancer that it is a tumor that has a much better survival rate than the other. What can you accredit that do besides a miracle of Jesus!

Jennifer had a girl in her youth group murdered. She emailed, we responded in prayer, as did several other thousands of people I'm sure, and the two boys were caught! So much healing that must now happen in that youth group, but God is on there side and is with them every step.

Leah needed a job. She had an interview, she emailed us, we prayed! Even though it is not her ideal teaching kids in a school setting job, she is somewhat relieved that she for now has a job. Later will be her career.

Today. The only way that I can explain this is pure intervention by God. I have been thinking a lot of one of my buddies from the LifeCenter, Neil Goodwin. His wife was on dialysis and I have only talked to him a few times since I left there 11 months ago. Today as I was leaving the LifeCenter I saw a man coming out of the Occ. Med. Clinic that I thought resembled him, so I stepped out into the parking lot to get a better look. Usually I would not call out a name for fear of embarrassment that I may have the wrong person, but today I did not hesitate. I yelled his name and he spun around and said "I thought I recognized that voice!" (yes, I have been told that I have a very "distinctive" voice) I walked him to my office so that we could visit a little. Come to find out he was there looking for me. He was about to get into his car to drive closer to the LifeCenter when I caught it. Had it not been God's plan for me to see him today, I would have stayed a little longer in the LifeCenter, I wouldn't have been there late, and my meeting wouldn't have been canceled that allowed me to workout, but He did, so they did! As we were walking and talking I asked him about his wife and he informed me that she had passed away about 1 1/2 months ago. It broke my heart to hear him say those words. I could see the hurt in his eyes. It crushed me. Here was a man that spent the last several years of his life devoted to the care of his wife. He seems so lost. He was talking about how he wanted to sell his house and move but was told by his son and friends to stay put for a while and to not get to anxious to do anything drastic. I can see why he would. Too much pain. For so many years he would help his wife get hooked up to her dialysis machine before bed and listen to that sound all night. He would be the one to wake up if it starting making noises or anything was wrong, now what? The statement that me made today when I asked him how things were going he just said "it's quite." I pray that he finds peace in his quietness. I'm sure the death of his wife brings him some relieve in knowing that no longer is she on machines at night, but can dance the dance of joy all day and all night!