I'm thankful for the drumsticks

Saturday August 25 was Tony & my 17th wedding anniversary. I am thankful for the life we have built and the adventure we are on.

I met Tony on a January Sunday in 1994. It was a very informal introduction by a mutual friend, Al. I was not looking for a date...I had been pretty discouraged with dating and had taken a year off from dating. No problem.

Then in late November Tony showed up at Heart Reach for Super Kids. Al asked him to play drums for our music set. Tony looked around and could find no drumsticks. He told me he would get me some. I didn't really believe him. Many made promises and never followed through.

3 days later, there was a knock on the office door. Tony was standing there holding a bouquet of drumsticks. He said, "some guys bring candy. Some bring flowers but I brought you drumsticks." Then he asked if I would go out with him sometime. I said yes.

Later when I thought about it, that date was a year to the day I made a commitment to take a year off from dating. I am thankful for the timing if God.

This is why I'm thankful for the drumsticks!

10 focused on the giants & 2 remembered the promise

Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land. (JOSHUA 1:6 CEV)

Recently I've been struggling with the places I know I'm supposed to serve. There have been trials and battles and roadblocks. I know I am supposed to hang in there and be obedient. Sometimes it's just so hard.

Last night I got to engage in a worship service where the point were to hear God's direction, be obedient and He would do the impossible. I so very much want to see God change lives all around me! So I made a new commitment that no matter what happens around me I will be obedient to what He has asked me to.

A friend came to pray with me and give an encouraging word-remember when the 12 spies went to the promised land-12 saw giants and 2 decided to look also at what God promised. They still saw the giants but they didn't focus in them. They focused on the promise of God.

Then today's verse of the day came up, which just happens to be my life verse, which is listed above. It is the matching orders given by God to Joshua to enter the Promised Land-be strong and courageous wherever you go!

I will focus on the promise not the giant! Thank you God!

3 month checkup on Tuesday

hide and seek, here I come...come out come out where ever you are...where is my phone...who left this mess...all statements I've heard regarding looking for something or someone. the first two take me back to summer nights of hide and seek. the last two...well, we've all been there :)

three months ago, I sat at the surgeon's office waiting for some results. I had found 3 lumps in my breast and had the typical procedure done.  Doctor looked at me at eye level and said "the report was not showing anything out of the ordinary, but I want you to come in for 3 month ultrasounds for a while so that when it shows up we can deal with it quickly".....blank stare from me..."do you have any questions?", he asked. "uh...hmmm...you didn't see anything out of the ordinary?"..."the report does not show anything at this time. we just want to make sure we catch it right away when it shows up."

I was not expecting to hear something like that from a doctor-a good report, but yet we'll be watching for the bad one. I walked away from this one a little dazed. I deal with medical issues every day. I've never had a doctor tell me we'll be watching so that when the problem arises, we'll get it. It is usually dealing with it once there is a problem.

Now, I only told a couple of people about the doc's comments about getting it when it shows up. I didn't feel I should make myself a terminal case. People look at you different when you tell them stuff like this.  But I started to think how good it is that doc has this outlook.  He and I are just getting to know each other.

How often do we get involved in relationships that we don't keep our eyes open so that when something shows up, we can deal with it quickly? Don't we tend to keep our mouths shut and then find ourselves talking about it to others or condemning them when it gets out of hand? When Jesus said to "love one another" I think He wanted us to care enough about those around us to help each other out of trouble before we get there.

so to sum this up-start talking to those in your life about what is happening and how it affects life...if someone talks to you about you, let your pride have a 10 minute break and really look at the situation...and decide to love each other even if you choose to disagree!

btw, there is a history of breast cancer in my family, I do have some of the markers on the checklist. But, I'm not worried about this. I am treating it like anything else in my life-trusting God. Everything is possible with God-Mark 10:27