Sunday, June 7, 2009

DORIS REFERRED TO HERSELF AS A "CRYBABY"

HE TOOK PETER AND THE TWO SONS OF ZEBEDEE ALONG WITH HIM, AND
HE BEGAN TO BE SORROWFUL AND TROUBLED. THEN HE SAID TO THEM,
"MY SOUL IS OVERWHELMED WITH SORROW TO THE POINT OF DEATH. STAY
HERE AND KEEP WATCH WITH ME."
GOING A LITTLE FARTHER, HE FELL WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND
AND PRAYED, "MY FATHER, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, MAY THIS CUP BE TAKEN
FROM ME. YET NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS YOU WILL."
~MATTHEW 26 : 37-39

MY FRIEND DORIS SENT ME AN E-MAIL. SHE REFERRED TO HERSELF AS A
"CRYBABY."
THIS IS NOT LIKE DORIS.....DORIS MAKES THINGS HAPPEN AND SHE IS ALWAYS
HELPING PEOPLE, WHETHER IT BE FAMILY, FRIEND, OR STRANGER.
DORIS IS IN A DARK PLACE OF UNCERTAINTY...HER BELOVED GRANDSON JAMIE
IS ON HIS WAY TO IRAQ, PROBABLY ALREADY THERE. SHE IS SO PROUD TO
HAVE HIM SERVE BUT LIKE SO MANY OTHERS, HE IS SO YOUNG AND SHE ONLY
WANTS HIM TO RETURN HOME SAFE. IRAQ IS A DARK PLACE OF UNCERTAINTY.
I AM IN A DARK PLACE OF UNCERTAINTY OVER AMY'S UP COMING SURGERY.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN DARK PLACES OF UNCERTAINTY WHETHER IT BE
THEIR HEALTH, THEIR MARRIAGE, A DEATH OF A LOVED ONE, LOSS OF JOB OR
HOME, OR THE LOSS OF BOTH OF THEM.
WHAT IS ONE PERSONS DARK PLACE OF UNCERTAINTY MAY NOT BE ANOTHER'S
BUT WE DON'T ALWAYS KNOW HOW MANY BLOCKS ARE SWAYING BACK AND FORTH
AND WHAT BLOCK WILL CAUSE THEM TO TUMBLE INTO A PIT OF DARKNESS.
HOWEVER, EVEN WHEN I WAS AT MY DARKEST POINT, IF I STRAINED REAL
HARD AND HELD ON TO WHAT I KNEW TO BE TRUE IN MY HEART I COULD SEE A VISION
OF A FAINT LIGHT, THROUGH ALL THE TEARS, BEGGING, PLEADING AND EVEN ANGER.
LORD PLEASE, I NEED AN ANSWER AND I WOULD CRY SOFTLY. THEN LIKE A CHILD THROWING
A TANTRUM I WOULD GET LOUDER AND LOUDER AND WAIL....I WAS THE QUEEN OF
CRYBABIES......ALL I GOT WAS A HEADACHE FROM MESSING UP MY SINUSES...no crown

WHEN I COULD GET MYSELF CALMED DOWN, I COULD HOLD MY BIBLE. SIMPLE
SNIPPETS WOULD COME FROM THE WORD THAT I HAD HIDDEN IN MY HEART.
I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!
JESUS LOVES ME AND IF HE IS FOR ME, WHO CAN BE AGAINST ME
I WOULD SING A FEW LINES OF "SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT"....LOL....
BUT NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SEEMED I WAS BEGINNING TO SHOW GOD MY
FAITH
BY SPEAKING HIS WORD AND AS I DID I SAW MORE HOPE AROUND ME.
THE LIGHT OF HOPE WAS BEGINNING TO BE A LITTLE BRIGHTER EVEN
THOUGH I STILL HAD SOME DARKNESS OF UNCERTAINTY....BUT NOW I
WASN'T CONSTANTLY DWELLING ON THE DARKNESS.


FRIDAY NIGHT IN OUR TOWN WAS THE "RELAY FOR LIFE." THE FIRST TWO
PICTURES DIDN'T TAKE VERY WELL BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DARK PLACES OF THEIR LIFE, AND THE PRECIOUS
HOLY SPIRIT JUST QUICKENED IN MY SPIRIT TO USE THE PICTURES.
FRIDAY NIGHT WAS A LOT OF FUN UNTIL THEY HAD THE LIGHTING
CEREMONY TO REMEMBER ALL THOSE WHO HAVE PASSED FROM CANCER
AND ALL THOSE WHO HAVE CANCER AND THE HOPE TO WIPE OUT
CANCER. A LADY TOLD HOW HER PRECIOUS HUSBAND HAD HELPED HER
THROUGH BREAST CANCER AND 5 YEARS LATER SHE HELPED HER HUSBAND
THROUGH A 2 YEAR BATTLE OF CANCER AND THAT HE WAS NOW WAITING
FOR HER IN HEAVEN.
THE NIGHT WAS BALMY WITH A GENTLE BREEZE....SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE
OPENLY CRYING, SOME SOFTLY, YOU COULD HEAR ONE OF THE DOGS BROUGHT
BY HIS OWNER ALMOST HOWL AS IF HE SENSED THE SADNESS, SOMEONE
WAS LAUGHING, YOU COULD HEAR A TRAIN IN THE DISTANCE AND
I COULD JUST SENSE THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD.
THESE TWO LIGHTS AND THE TWO BELOW MIMIC THE LUMINARIES
THAT LINED THE STREET ONE AFTER ANOTHER AROUND THE SQUARE
OF THE COURTHOUSE IN ENID, OKLAHOMA.
AS WE CELEBRATE JESUS....HE INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE
AND REMEMBER THAT HE SHED HIS BLOOD FOR US SO THAT WE CAN
HAVE LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY HERE AND IN HEAVEN FOR ALL ETERNITY.

SO WHEN WE
CELEBRATE
AND
REMEMBER


WE ARE ABLE TO
FIGHT BACK
WHILE HOLDING ON TO OUR
ANCHOR OF HOPE
WHICH IS
JESUS CHRIST.
WE DO THIS THROUGH PRAYER, STUDYING OUR BIBLE, SURROUNDING
OURSELVES WITH CHRISTIANS WHO LIVE THE WORD THROUGH THEIR
LIVES, WHO ARE NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BUT ARE NOT
JUDGMENTAL OR HOLIER THAN THOU. JESUS IS THE ONLY JUDGE.




AS MY HUSBAND AND OUR SCHNAUZER SAMMY WAS WALKING, I JUST
HAPPENED TO LOOK DOWN ABOUT HALF WAY AROUND THE SQUARE AND THERE
WAS OUR DAUGHTERS LUMINARY. THERE WERE SO MANY
LUMINARIES IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU WERE SEARCHING
FOR A PARTICULAR NAME. IT MEANT A LOT THAT WE SAW AMY'S.





THIS IS THE PICTURE OF AMY IN HER NEW RED WIG. SHE IS HOLDING
MY FUR BABY GRANDDAUGHTER AND HER NIECE IZZY. SHE IS A LITTLE
YORKIE WITH THE FACE OF AN ANGEL. SHE IS WEARING HER LITTLE
SEERSUCKER DRESS THAT HAS LITTLE PINK AND WHITE STRIPES
WITH PINK CHERRIES. SHE IS A LITTLE TOM BOY SO I BATHED HER
BEFORE WE WENT TO RELAY FOR LIFE AND SHE STOLE THE SHOW...ALL
THE LITTLE CHILDREN JUST LOVED HER AND SAMMY.







LIBERTY.......
THIS IS A WREATH I MADE FOR MY FRONT DOOR.
I LOVED THE LIBERTY STAR:
WHEN WE
CELEBRATE
AND REMEMBER
WHAT JESUS DID FOR US
WE ARE ABLE TO
FIGHT BACK
AND CLING TO HOPE.
AS WE PRAY AND STUDY GOD'S WORD WE FIND
ALL THE LIBERTY HE GAVE US
THANK YOU FOR VISITING ME TODAY. PLEASE REMEMBER AT
THERE'S AN ANGEL ON MY FRONT PORCH
I WILL ALWAYS BE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR
DARK UNCERTAINTY
TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT BACK AND
SHED JESUS'S
LIGHT OF HOPE INTO THAT DARKNESS.
HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY
HUGS
debbie

10 comments:

  1. There is a light shining forth, just for you ... He is holding you all up. Blessings & prayers ... TTFN ~ Marydon

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  2. Hi Debbie,
    I'm so sorry about doris's grandson going to iraq, I can't even begin to know how she feels. I will keep her in my prayers and thoughts for jamie's safe return.......Yes, there is alot of uncertainty in everyday but I try to keep as positive as I can and trust that the lord will make things ok or atleast make things a little easier for me to handle. I'll be praying for amy and her surgery and for you and your family as I know this is going to be hard on all of you. I will be thinking of you and hoping for a safe surgery and a quick recovery. All the best ....love & Hugs, Jennifer ..Amy, your wig looks great on you and the color is perfect!!!! : )

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  3. After reading your post I guess I am a big ol' crybaby, too. But I'm in good company.

    So much darkness out there, so many bleak paths, and a lonely feeling when you face the darkness alone, and a worse feeling when you see so many in pain and facing even harder paths.

    But then there are people like you, who even though their back is breaking under their own burdens, and an ill wind is trying to blow out their little candle, still hold up a candle lit with their generosity and goodness and kindness and try to lighten others' dark paths. Thank you. Our faiths may differ but I have always greatly loved and been in awe of Jesus and certainly know he is real and works in miraculous and mysterious manners.

    On a "lighter" note, Amy looks terrific as a redhead!!! My childhood nickname was "Red" but nowadays we'd have to change that to "Gray," I guess. LOL. Going gray doesn't bother me; I think of my brothers who passed so early and never got to go gray.

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  4. I will also be praying for you and your loved ones also. I like the wreath you made, the star is a nice touch. Hope you all had a nice weekend.

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  5. Debbie, I'm thinking of you and Amy right now and your friend with the grandson in Iraq and hoping that all turns out well. Cute pic of Amy with Izzy.

    You are right about the Word. It it powerful and doesn't return void.

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  6. What a beautiful blog entry! I have been in that dark place with both of our job losses, lack of finacial security, and health issues. Oh, Debbie, I am praying for your daughter, Amy. You are such an inspiration of hope to us who read your blog. What a wonderful peaceful approach to faith that you exude! Pray for me that I can have that inner strength that you do. Sometimes, I am a big cry baby too. But the great thing is, I am not alone.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful post! I love how you made the connection between the dark picture and the dark that some people are working their way through! Your daughter is beautiful! Love the story of the one lady who suffered for five years only to have her husband die of cancer. I love how you put it, he's waiting for her in heaven. So sweet! Thanks for sharing about a beautiful cause!! Enjoy your week!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Debbie, what a beautiful post. Yes, we all walk in darkness and struggle to see the light at times. But you, my friend, give hope to others who feel lost in their own darkness. If you can see the light, then surely we, who have small problems, can see the light. I prayed so hard for Amy last night. Please let me know what the Dr. said. laurie

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  9. Thanks to all of you that prayed for Jamie. He called collect from Kuwait(will be there for a week for orientation) to let us know he got there safely. Praise God. Debbie, thank you..you are truly my angel and keep me inspired. I love you dearly and Amy is forever in my prayers as well as the rest of your family. Glad that this cry baby is not alone. Thanks everyone. Blessings Doris

    ReplyDelete

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debbie