THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY

There have been times in my life I've felt God's direction and been able to figure out why HE did what HE did. Then there are other times I've been moved by the Holy Spirit and not understood at all. The Lord sent a young girl my way. A child who has been abused horrifically. In fact, I have never heard of an animal being tortured more than she has been. But through God's grace she was able to survive. In the midst of the trial against her parents she was placed in a foster home where she suffered more abuse. My prayers every morning have been for the Lord to lift her up and protect her. She was able to be at the hospital the night her brother died, but the caseworker dropped her off and forgot her. He passed away around 3 a.m. She left the hospital on foot because she is too young to drive. She walked in the rain and "a nice man" stopped in a truck to pick her up. He offered her food. Her guardian angel prevented her from getting into that car. She called me the next morning and I begged her to go walk back to the hospital and call her therapist, and then call me to let me know that she got in touch with her. I hung up the phone and prayed. Then I turned to my husband and said, "why would the Lord put me her in my life only to have her thousands of miles away. I can't help her." My husband had no answers either. I continued to pray and as the day progressed, her therapist canceled her appointments,and drove to the hospital to pick her up. Because she had been walking in the rain for hours wearing only a sweatshirt, she developed bronchitis. Her therapist first took her back to the foster home. But while she was there, realized my little friend wasn't the only child in that home who was being abused. The therapist removed two other children. But she broke all the rules and took my little friend to her own home. My little friend was wet down to her tennis shoes and socks, and very cold. By then she had also developed a deep cough. The therapist got permission from the judge to keep my little friend as an emergency until she could find another safe shelter. She took her into her own home, took her back to the emergency room for treatment, and kept her safe the rest of the weekend. I sat thinking about the situation, praying when the Lord smacked me in the head. "You don't have to physically be there to "help" her. You have to pray. I will take care of her. I am her heavenly Father." That's right Lord. You sent the first Guardian Angel preventing her from getting into that truck and the second Guardian Angel (her therapist) I prayed for. You also orchestrated the weekend where she was safe, and warm and had food to eat. You arranged for her to get treatment and medicine. Like the birds of the field. You are watching out for her. I need to be where-ever I am, praying to You and thanking You. Yes Lord, it takes me a long time. But now I understand. You are in control. You are looking out for this precious child. My "job" is to be her earthly Mom for now. To listen to her and encourage her. To guide her. To love her, like no one ever has before. It's my job to teach her about you. She told me during one of our first conversations that I was the first person who had ever told her "God loves you." I get it Lord. You are in charge, You are in control. And I love the way you took care of her this week-end. Even if I was thousands of miles away. You were right there with her the whole time. She knows that now too.

MY OWN SYSTEM

Years ago I had no type of filing system, but just stuck paperwork into a manila folder and stuck it in a drawer. I usually wrote on the outside of it "research". Because that's what it was. Every time I researched a character, or a town for a particular scene I was trying to create, I added another manila folder, and again wrote on the cover, research. Well, you can imagine how frustrated I would become pulling out all those folders with research written on the cover. So one day, I went to a thrift store and found a filing cabinet. I came home with a couple boxes of hanging file folders and set out to organize my files. Today I have a file for everything. My husband gets so upset with me when he tries to find anything in those files. I have two big file cabinets in my office. One drawer holds personal receipts and the other drawers and file cabinet contains my writing "stuff". My husband, to my knowledge has never filed anything. Whenever he has something he wants filed, he lays it on my desk, knowing if I don't have a file for it, I'll make one. A few days ago he was looking for an insurance quote. I was busy writing, so he didn't want to disturb me. However I choose to believe it is a man thing and related to his "never stop to get directions gene". He was pulling papers out dropping them on the floor, laying them on the top of the filing cabinet, and finally in frustration asked me where I thought I would have filed the paperwork. I smiled, knowing just where I "stuck" that one. He said, "Why are you grinning." "Well, sweetie, you aren't going to believe this, but that particular piece of paper is filed under the agents ex-wife's brother's name." It works for me.

LOVE THE WAY HE WORKS

A few days ago I sat at my computer, willing the words to come. I watched the birds at the feeder and listened to the tinkle of the wind chime. Try as I might, not a word appeared on the page in front of me. Well, I thought, what kind of writer are you? You are not qualified to write this project. I'm completely out of my comfort zone on this one. I leaned my head back, "God are you sure you want me to do this? I don't think I know what I'm doing?" I pushed away from my desk, played with my little dog Meko, answered a few email and prayed some more. I reached for his leash when I heard the little "ping", the noise my computer makes when I have an incoming email. I checked to see who it was from, wondering if I could ignore it and just sneak outside for a while. After all I wasn't making any headway at my computer. The email was Jodie Bailey's blog, Faith and Fiction With a Touch of Southern Grace. Her blog was about feeling "out of your comfort zone", and not feeling worthy to do a project you feel the Lord has called you to do. I read, and re-read her words. She was feeling unworthy? Is this a conspiracy Lord? I immediately emailed Jodie to thank her for the blog. And to let her know I was feeling the same way probably about the same time she was. Her response to me was, "Don't you love the way God works?" I smiled to myself, grabbed Meko and Bailey's leash and we went for a walk. Every step of the way I thanked the Lord for reminding me. If HE calls me to do a project, HE will give me the resources to finish it. I was having trouble starting it. So he gave me Jodie's blog. Yes, I do love the way God works.

I don't remember who sent me the email several months ago, and I can't even remember the lesson that went with it. Well, it wasn't about memory, so stay with me. The email was about self-worth. I think at some point each of us has wondered about our own worth. And sometimes I think we wonder what kind of impact we leave on the people around us. "Do they know we are here?" "Would they miss us if we were gone?" "Would they be happy if we were gone?" "Or sad they we've left." I had a friend, or perhaps I should call him an acquaintance. I think his lot in life was to argue with every one he met. I'm sure you've known someone like that in your life too. If you said it was raining, he would say the sun was out. If you saw blue skies, he saw clouds. And so it would go. After being around him for a while, I have to admit I was anxious to see him leave. I've been with other friends I couldn't get enough of. When they get up to leave I try to entice them with one more cup of tea, or another cookie. Just to spend a little more time together. I read just this morning I Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others. My prayer is that I'm doing that. I hope I'm the one you want to spend just a little more time with, you will entice me with another cup of tea, or a cookie. I pray that I leave you feeling a little better when I leave than when I got there. Whenever I visit my children my daughter-in-law usually says to me, "Mom, please stay another day, I'll take you to the mall and I'll buy you a new outfit." I smile at her and gave her another kiss. And with tears of joy in my eyes at her outpouring of love. But what I have always said to her is, "Honey, I would love to stay another day, but I don't want you to be as happy when I leave as you were when I got here." Try to make a difference in someone's life today. Make them happy they know you. I am, and I love you.

TOTAL SUBMISSION

For over a year and a half every morning I prayed, asking God for a specific request. And every morning I would add my own understanding of what God's answering that prayer would mean. I asked friends and family to join in my prayer. I usually added, "Your will be done." But did I really mean it? I don't think so. I knew what was best for me. Didn't I? I could see all the work I was doing for the Lord, couldn't HE? I prayed everyday, without ceasing. I Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually, "Okay, Lord, isn't that what I'm doing? I thought I was doing every thing right. Giving God all the glory and honor. One day while sitting in my office, facing one of the bird feeders, a Painted Bunting landed and began eating. He looked around, as if checking everything out before he continued. He was all alone. He had no idea where his food supply was coming from, but yet he looked well fed and healthy. It was almost like that little bird was looking at me. "What are you thinking? Telling God what's best for you?" Right that minute I got down on my knees, "God, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I am giving this petition to You. I will do Your will. I will go where you call me." Three days later, after my total submission, God answered my year and a half long prayer. My prayer today is, "why am I such a slow learner, God?"

WAIT A MINUTE

My husband likes to share with our friends that he spoils me. I'm not arguing, because he does. He does so many things for me that are wonderful. Like always keeping the car full of gas. In fact, since we've been married I think I've only made one or maybe two trips to the gas station. He does most of the yard work, takes out the trash, and a few months ago when I pulled some of the hair out of my head from frustration he took over the laundry. He loves to go shopping with me and seems to enjoy our time together. We laugh together about a lot of things. That's probably one of the best aspects of our marriage, the silly things we laugh about. Just a few days ago I was working in my office. I had papers scattered across my desk, and was trying to make sense of research I've been doing for my latest work in progress. Completely focused on what I was doing, I heard a little voice from the living room. "Honey, do you know it's lunch time? I'm hungry." Okay sweetheart let me drop everything and rush right out to the kitchen. Wait a minute. I'm spoiled?