His Sufficient Grace

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 I have a friend that is very sick.  I received word that she has had multiple strokes and is in Seattle in a hospital, miles away from her family and friends.  I've been putting it in God's hands again and again.  I take it back and worry over her a little and then give it back to God, committing to trust His perfect will.  This afternoon as I was sitting at my desk and feeling overwhelmed and worried, I prayed, I sat looking through the Bible, hoping that God would give me a verse, a word...anything.  I was looking for the peace that I know only He can give, wanting so much to be calmed by His presence.  In those quiet and sad moments, God did speak to me.  He gave me back a verse I read earlier this morning:
2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

God says His grace is sufficient.  Sufficient means adequate, enough to meet a need or purpose.  What God promises to give me is enough for the moment.  If He were to do things my way, I would have enough with some extra left over so that I would have insurance that it would all turn out the way I hope.  God doesn't work that way.  He gives us just what we need for the moment and we must depend on Him and trust that He will be there in the next moment and the next, offering sufficient grace.  It isn't up to me.  In fact, it isn't about me at all.  It's about God and the gift of His grace. It's about His power that is made perfect in my weakness.  It isn't about my comfort, although I sometimes wish it were.

God then brought to mind the times I was so sick and in the hospital.  I'm not very good at being on this side of things, but I have lots of experience in being the patient.  I remembered those times and how the one thing thing that really kept me going was the thought that I had to be here for my kids.  I fought with all that was within me to live because I wanted to see my kids grow up.  My friend has 4 small children and she has a lot of fight in her too.  It was then that I realized that it's all gonna be OK.  She's gonna fight with all she's got for her babies. 

Please pray for my friend Kendra.  Things are starting to look better but she still has a long road ahead of her. 

The Privilege of Prayer

 Lately I have found myself awake and praying early in the morning.  It begins with this inner wrestling match at about 5 a.m.  I try my hardest to get back to sleep, but God's not having it.  There are people who come to mind that I know need prayer and I lay there, thinking about them and praying for their situations.  Once that begins, I'm up for the day. 
This morning I was thinking about a friend who will be having pre-op today for shoulder replacement surgery tomorrow.  I began to think about this special friend and all of the people God has placed in my life who have prayed me through a great deal of health issues. 
After I had the twins I was in ICU for 6 days.  I had acute renal failure and my body was shutting down.  I remember one morning after my mom had spent the night with me in ICU, Hubby came early to see me and he was so exhausted that he took a wrong turn in the hospital and ended up in a different wing.  As he began to realize he was in the wrong place, there was a lady mopping the floor who asked if she could help him.  He explained that he was looking for ICU and she said, "Hey, are you the man whose wife just had the twins?"  He said yes.  She said, "Please tell your wife we are praying for her and for those babies too."  I didn't know this woman, never met her, yet somehow throughout the hospital, people had heard about us and were praying.  God put people in our path throughout this incredibly hard journey who let us know they were praying.  Once I was released from the hospital and could go to where the twins were in the NICU (an hour and a half away) it was the same thing.  The receptionist at the hospital there would ask me every time entered or left.   "How are those babies?  I've been praying for y'all."
When I had my first surgery in 2006, our church in Georgia had Prayer Pagers.  The number of the pager was published to our church community as well as friends and family.  The idea behind it was that whenever someone was praying for me, they would call the pager and I would know that someone was praying for me.  I never dreamed that pager would go off so much!  It was such a comfort to know there were people praying for me,  I didn't know who, just someone who had thought of me at that time.  At night I would awaken to the vibration of my pager on the table, and it would amaze me that when my side of the world should be asleep, someone was up praying for me. 
This morning I was thinking of all of the countless prayers prayed on my behalf and it changed my heart.  I have always known the importance of praying for others and have felt privileged that God would give me such a heart for people, I just thought that praying at a more awake hour would be nice.  This morning God brought to mind all of those times in the middle of the night that my prayer pager went off and how good it felt to have people I didn't even know cover me in prayer.  It is my privileged to pray any time of the day or night and especially at those times when most of my side of the world is asleep.  Perhaps when it is dark and quiet, those are the times when others need those prayers the most. 
Today I thank God for the privilege of prayer.

That Little Voice Inside of You

I had a different post planned for today, but Princess trumped it with this story:

This morning on the way to school, Princess was talking to me about whether or not she should be in her school talent show.  She really wants to sing, but she isn't sure if she should or not or if the song she has picked (from the movie "Tangled") is going to be considered "baby."  She gets her indecisiveness from my mother and it is painful for both of them to make decisions.  We have had this same conversation for the last 5 days and she has until Friday when the permission slip must be turned in.  So we are in the car on the way to school and Princess says, "Mommy, I think I want to sing in the talent show.  There's this little voice inside of me that keeps telling me I need to do it."
Me: Oh?
Princess: Yes, this voice in me wants me to sing and to praise God no matter what anyone else says because people need to know about God.
Me: That's called the Holy Spirit
Princess: Well it's just something that I feel called to do.  God doesn't talk in my head like I can't hear him or anything but I know in my heart that I am just supposed to sing.  God is calling me to sing and I just want to sing for Him and to sing about Him so that other people can know about Him. (Yes, she really talks in run-on sentences like that)
Me:  That's great darlin'.  So your gonna sing in the talent show?
Princess: I don't know.  I know I should obey what God wants me to do and I feel called to sing for Him and not worry about what everyone thinks about it because I have to make Him happy, you know?

So many times the Holy Spirit tells me what He wants me to do but I let my fears get in the way.  It amazes me that at 7 years old, Princess is starting that discernment process and trying to sift through what she feels is God's calling on her life.  I am so glad that God is using my kids to teach me more about Him every day.   

Wow!  It has been quite a while since my last post.  I don't know where the time has gone.  We have been so busy since Christmas and it has been hard for me to get back in the groove of blogging.  Here I am 2 months later, finally getting down to it.  One of my resolutions for this year is to spend less time on my computer and more time with my kiddos.  They are growing up so quickly and I want to savor every moment I have to spend with these little people.

What have we been up to?

We rode elephants and zebras in Tampa at the zoo.

We have been to Atlanta to the aquarium for an amazing mini-vacay. (More about that in another post!)



We have not been home many weekends this year so far.  We have been to Georgia and back several times as well as Tampa twice (I had meetings) and have been pretty booked up. 

However, I am looking forward to getting back to it soon.  I have missed all of you in blog land.  I haven't written and I haven't read either, but I am back.  Thanks for hanging in there and for still reading!

Christmas Memories 1

My cousin graduated from college last weekend.  I am so proud of her and wish I could be there to celebrate with her, however this is not possible.  I do however want her to know how much I have been thinking of her.  You see, I was 14 when she was born and I loved babies.  I felt like I had my own real live baby doll and I wanted to babysit every chance I got.  When I turned 16 and got my license, she was my sidekick.  My uncle and aunt allowed me to take her with me out and about and we had great fun together.  Since she started talking she has called me "Ro," she still does to this day.  At the risk of embarrassing her in a major way, I want to share a favorite memory of her from Christmas time. 

I couldn't find a good picture of the two of us to match this post, but here I am holding her after her baptism.  The 90's were alive and well ~ check out my clothes and hair!

We used to take lots of walks around the neighborhood and we'd talk about what all we saw.  At Christmas one year, she had to be 2 or 3, we were walking when I took her to a house with the light-up nativity in the front yard.  I knew the people who had this, they were church members and knew they wouldn't mind if I brought her into the yard for a closer look.  That became our "thing" that we did together.  Whenever she wanted to go see it she would say, "I want to go pet the baby Jesus, Ro."  So we'd walk to see the nativity and she would go up to baby Jesus and rub his little head and talk to him.  It was so sweet to be a part of that special time as she talked to Jesus and "petted" his head.  That was 20 years ago and as I drove by that same nativity the other night, I thought of that Christmas and how Jesus was becoming real to her at such a young age.  It seems like it was only yesterday and here she is graduating from college.  My how the time does fly! 

I stole this graduation picture from her facebook page.  Hope she doesn't mind!

So proud of you, girlie!!  

Celebrating a Special Lady

Today is a very special day for a very special lady. 

Today is my Mema's birthday. 

She's not just my Mema, but she is also my friend.

Throughout my entire life, she has been there when I needed her and she's been one of my biggest cheerleaders.
When I was born, my mom had some complications and had to go back in the hospital.  Mema took care of me and even tried to sneak me up to the hospital so my mom could see me. 
As a toddler, I would go on walks with Mema and she was patient enough to let me lift every trash can lid while I was looking for Oscar the Grouch.  She read me book after book when I continuously brought them to her.
In elementary school she would come and eat lunch with me and then go out to the playground and actually climb on the jungle gym with me. 
As a teenager, she was a great listener when I wasn't happy with things my parents had said or done and while she tried not to take sides, there were times that she did go to them on my behalf.
When my Grandaddy died I moved in with Mema and we were roommates for several months.  It was a tough time for both of us but I will always cherish those late night chats.
As the oldest grandchild, I have always felt like she and I had a close relationship, one which has only grown now that I have children of my own.  I love watching her with the twins as she has tea parties, takes walks, watches Prince play wii and attends their school functions. 
Happy birthday to my Mema, my friend, and a very beautiful and young great-grandma!

Just Call Me McGyver

Yesterday afternoon was not like I had planned ~ and you know I am all about the plan.  I had a to-do list a mile long and as I was checking off one very important thing, picking up my lovelies from school, I came out to find a flat tire.  I tried to call my sister but couldn't get her.  I hated calling Hubby, as he works an hour away, but I needed to talk this through with him.  There was something metal in my tire and I needed to know what he wanted me to do.

Hubby: Can you get air in it and see if it will hold till you get to Sears?
I was contemplating this and wondering where I would get air in the school parking lot.  Then I remembered that Hubby took the car-powered compressor out of his truck the other night and it was put back in my car.  Put air in the tire ~ CHECK!
The air was coming right back out of the hole made by this metal tube thing.  Meanwhile, Princess is squatting down next to me saying, "Mom, I think we have an oil leak.  Do you see that stuff dripping from the car?  It's oil."
"No, we don't.  It's from the a/c.  It's supposed to do that."
"No Mom, I think it's oil." 
Whatever Princess, I can only do one thing at a time.
As I was discussing this with Hubby, we both came to the same idea at the same time.  I chewed a piece of gum and stuck it on the hole.  It would hopefully hold until I could get to the store.  Princess had to offer her two cents worth, "Gross Mom, the tire people are going to have to touch that gum that was in your mouth to fix the tire!"  Did I mention that by this time it was raining?

Here is the gum I stuck on the tire.

I quickly loaded the kids back in the car with a quick prayer that we would make it 3 miles to Sears to get this tire fixed.  As we were driving there, Princess and I started singing:

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

At some point in the afternoon Prince said, "This is the worst day ever."  It could have been, but there were so many things that went right about this situation.  The compressor that doesn't live in my car, was put in my car and for some reason left there.  We weren't on the road when the tire went flat.  I found it that way in their school parking lot.  The rain held off long enough that I wasn't standing in a downpour while I put air in the tire.  I was able to make it to the store without stopping and we have their road hazard plan so they fixed it for free.  Just the night before I had been riding on the interstate and it was late, dark, and the roads were wet.  It didn't happen then.  God had His hands all in this.  Yes, it was an inconvenience, but it was manageable.  After talking to Prince and Princess about this, Prince said, "You're right Mom.  We are really blessed." 
These little inconveniences can really serve as wake-up calls that God is in the small stuff and He covers us with a hedge of protection each day if we will ask Him to be there.  I know that He was with my every step of the way and the Holy Spirit worked in my soul to keep me calm and help me to solve the problem.

And now for your listening pleasure, This Is The Stuff