Organizing a jumbled brain..impossible?

Confusion surrounds me.  A jumble of thoughts on so many things I think I want to blog about.  But the words get away before I can write them.   A lot of ideas and notes in my journal but what do they mean?  My goodness, do I sound like a crazy woman who is losing her mind?  Wow I hope not.  Rather I hope my brain is just on overload.  So many things on my mind like impending knee replacement surgery, desires and plans to move by the end of the year and how to accomplish that, as well as my weight loss issues and so many different things I think about in regards to my walk with the Lord and what God is trying to teach me with the repetitious messages that keep coming my way via Bible reading and studies, reading other blogs, sermons and just everyday things that cross my path.

First things first.  I know that taking all of these issues to God in prayer has to be my first priority.  I know so well that He is a willing guide for all of us if we just ask.   Spending more time in His word and in prayer and just being quiet and listening for His wise answers will be the most important thing I can do. I know He loves me and His plans for me are the best.

As for my impending surgery, though there is the very normal fear of being under an anesthetic and having a major surgical procedure, I know that God is the great physician and the outcome is in His hands.  I actually look forward to having this procedure done.  Once I have recovered, I will be able to do so much more!  I will be able to walk more than a thousand feet without pain, be on my feet for more than 15 or 20 minutes at a time before having to sit down and will be able to straighten my leg.  I consider myself fortunate to be able to improve my life in this way.  there are so many less fortunate than me. 

My move?  Well that will happen in God’s perfect timing if it is in His plan for me.  He knows best and I rest in that assurance.

All of the other jumbled up thoughts l have will, I pray, begin to make sense in good time and I can again begin to make sense in my blog posts.  Loving God gives me strength;  Mark 12:30.NIV  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.   Leaning on God I will not be tired.   Isaiah 40:31 NIV but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on the wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

I hope I have not completely bored you with this and have not proven myself to just be a crazy woman!  😀 Thanks for listening dear friends.

Simplicity is a great word

Frozen thorn

Colour at Christmas

Both photos used with permission of photographer MeticulousMick   http://meticulousmick.wordpress.com/2014/01/12/iced-thorn/#comment-4712   and  http://meticulousmick.wordpress.com/2014/01/11/colour-at-christmas/

Simplicity is a great word to describe the above photos.  I used to like much busier photographs and art work when I was younger but of late simplicity has been the key for me–simple and peaceful,  just the way I would like my life to be.   When I said that in my comments on one of the photos, the thought occurred to me that it sounded like the beginning of a blog post!  Ideas come from everywhere!

I love the peacefulness of simple art like much of the art of the Impressionists–Monet is a particular favorite of mine.  Depending on my mood, I will usually listen to more peaceful music of all kinds.  I found long ago that the more popular “rock” music of the last few years is mind jittering!  Now when I am in the mood for lively music,  give me that old rock music I grew up with in the 50’s and early 60’s and I’m happy as a clam at high tide!     Sometimes I just enjoy the peacefulness of no music or tv running when I am at home.  that’s not to say I don’t like to be around people.  I certainly do!   I love being in my church, visiting with friends in small groups.  I enjoy going out to eat even if it is by myself, wandering around a book store or a quilt shop (my budget shivers with fright when you let me loose in a place like that!)   A few days ago, one of my granddaughters asked me to go shopping with her while she chose fabrics for a quilt.  That was such fun!  She didn’t “need” me to be there with her–she has a great eye for color – but to be asked to go along and help just made my day!  A simple time of fun with a precious young lady and her Mom.

At one time in my life I thought that to be happy and to live well, I had to amass a lot of “things” as a way of showing others how successful I was in life.  If I didn’t have money in my pocket (which was often) I looked upon me as a failure.  I have to admit I still do like to have nice things and there isn’t anything wrong with that as long as those “things” don’t become the priority in my life–taking it over and keeping me from enjoying real living.

I found a quote which says it well.   “It is the sweet simple things in life which are the real ones after all.”   Laura Ingalls Wilder    When I saw the above photos, sweet and simple were the words that came to mind.  Don’t they just look like they are coated in sugar?  Sweetness and simple beauty in the midst of a stark winter background to remind us of the beauty of simplicity in our lives.

One of my favorite books in the Bible is Philippians.  Philippians 4:13 is a verse I cling to and has helped me through many things in my life, but leading up to that, Philippians 4:12 speaks to me also.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
(Philippians 4:12) NIV

The first part of the verse is true in my life as in many lives.  I strive for the last part of the verse-learning the secret of being content no matter the situation in my life at any given time.  Contentment –sometimes I feel it; often I do not a clue what real contentment is.  Definitely something to ponder and to work on improving in my life.  Proverbs 15:16
Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.    How very true!  After all, we can’t take it with us when we leave this earth so isn’t it better to spend our time learning to be happy and content with less and store up our treasures in heaven instead of on earth?     Lots to ponder on!

I feel like I kind of wandered around with Random Thoughts in this post and I hope it doesn’t bore anyone who reads it.  Perhaps I should change the name of my blog to Elaine’s RAMBLING Random Thoughts!   hahaha

Have a blessed day everyone!  Praying for a simple, happy day for all and for those of  you who are in the snowy areas of  the country, be safe if you are out on the roads.

Happy Birthday In Heaven, Joey

October 9, 1964 I gave birth to my first child, a wonderfully beautiful son named Joey.  I have to smile when I type his name Joey–I was the only one who he would allow to call him that as he got older.  I smile at a lot of things about that boy.  He was a very kind, loving son, very smart, but sadly he never believed that.  Oh how I wish he had believed me and the many other people who reminded him often of his talents and his abilities.

Joey is now my angel in heaven, having died at his own hands 11 years ago.  October 9, 2013 would have been his 49th birthday.  How I wish he were here to celebrate it with his family.  I know there would have been a lot of teasing about his age and reminders that he was almost 50 and all the usual stuff families tease about.  He would have loved it!  He would have had a few things to say about that and I know he would have let his brother and sister know that they should be careful what they say because they would very quickly be 50 themselves.  🙂  I can picture it in my mind clearly!

What gets me through the birthdays and the holidays, is all the memories of times spent with him as he grew up to be a man and until his death, plus the support of the Lord Jesus and, of course, the love of friends and family.   I am very thankful that Joey did accept the Lord as his savior a few years before his death, so I have the blessing of knowing that when it comes my time to be called home by God, i will be reunited with my firstborn child.

Happy Birthday in Heaven Joey!  I love you!

With Love from Mom

I have a new song

A few days ago I was reading Psalm 40 and also Psalm 70 (⁴ Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.) which was referenced with Psalm 40.    As I read, I thought about the changes in my life in the past few months as I began depending more and leaning more on God in my life.   Over  the past couple of years I have traveled a very bumpy road of feeling very downhearted, worried about a lot of things, and felt lonely. etc.  I felt like my life was moving in slow motion; time flew by but not my life.   To use an old expression, I just felt like I was “going nowhere in a big hurry!”

I prayed  a few times asking the Lord for help, but then in my silly human condition, I would take back the request; figured I could do it on my own.  NOT!   It doesn’t work that way.

God never gives up on us though.  He is very patient and long-suffering waiting for us to come to him.  He heard my prayers.  He continually put people on my path – people who I was able to relate to and could share with just as they shared with me.  We were (and are) able to be an encouragement to each other.  We shared the good and bad things.  We laughed together and at times, cried together. We celebrated successes and held each other up in the down times.    I had no need to fear things, to feel so alone. God was and is with me with every step I take.

My walk with Him is growing every day as I spend much more time in His word, in prayer, and with Bible studies.  I have started to get more involved with things at my church and I am having fun doing it!

Through this time I have developed a new interest – Blogging!  Yes me, really!  I am still amazed at this!  I never felt I had anything worthwhile to say, was not good enough to write anything of interest to anyone; not wise enough to to really have anything of value to offer.    I’m not yet writing as often as I would like but surprising to me, some of the things I have written have drawn people to respond and/or follow my blog.  This gives me more courage to write and post more often, simple though my words are.  Quite honestly I never thought I would see this happening in my life.  God is full of surprises!!

I noticed at the bottom of the page in my journal where I originally wrote these thoughts a quote that is so fitting.  The author is unknown so I can’t credit it properly but it says “Within each of us, just waiting to blossom, is the wonderful promise of all we can be.”  This is so true!  It  is a wonderful promise indeed! There is so much I am learning and finding out about myself through this process!   I can’t wait to find out what yet awaits me!

Lord I thank you and praise you for pulling me up out of that dark hole and showing me the right path to take to real happiness, for sending me my many “earth angels” to help me on my journey and for allowing me to help them as well at times.   I am so blessed Lord!!