Making a Difference

Have you ever wondered if you make a difference in someone's life? I want to make a difference in peoples lives, whether it be through my many roles as a wife, mom, nurse, daughter and through my witness of God's amazing love and forgiveness for me.  A LOT of the times, you will never hear about what you have done for a stranger or someone you know.  But every once in a while, you will hear it.  Sometimes it is straight to your face and sometimes you may hear it indirectly.
Now, don't get me wrong.  We are not to live to do nice and wonderful things for people for the attention of it.  You are to do these things in private and out of love.  But it is nice once in a while to be recognized.  I have recently had this experience and it gave me the right amount of encouragement to continue on my path. Last week, I finally got to meet someone I would call a friend, even though it was our first time meeting.  I first started talking with her about 2 years ago when we shared the same common illness....cancer.  She wanted some advice and encouragement and I was able to help.  On our meeting, she gave me the encouragement to continue to share my life experiences to help others with life's ups and downs.  I wouldn't have thought that my life, craziness and experiences would ever help anyone.  And sometimes it can bring entertainment to others.  But that's ok, I can laugh at myself.
God's words in Mark 10:49 say "Take Heart, Get UP, HE is calling you."  To go forward means you have to go every day and take your cross and go out into the world. God is with you through it all, the good, the bad and the ugly.  But we persevere and we push on because that is something that we have to do no matter how we feel.  I remember pushing through my cancer treatments and how the many feelings that I was going through would just bring me down.  Cancer still hasn't left my memory.  It lingers like a dagger ready to stab my heart.  Cancer has taken so much from me, but I refuse, as you all out there struggling with it, REFUSE to let it take more of your life.
You may feel tired, so tired that you feel you can't push on.  Do not be discouraged by your limitations.  God uses our weakness for HIS good.  Push through, and give it up to God to take control.  Once you have let go of it, and let God control, everything will fall into place.

Romans 10:13; "For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, will be saved."

Love to all,

saying goodbye again

It is so hard for me when the kids have to go back to school after being home all summer.  I joke about how ready I am for them to go back, but in reality, it is hard and I am going to miss them.  (I am really  happy about having a clean and neat house back though)
We started packing Erin's stuff today.  Most of my car and her car is packed full with her stuff.  Tyler moves in Saturday so I will have to do this all over again then!! But Erin has a lot more stuff than Tyler.  I think that is a girl thing!
I think college is a prep for parents when we send our kids off on their own.  Both of mine are traveling abroad this winter and will have internships next summer.  Oh my!  It is hard for me to believe that they are old enough to be adults to do this.  My stress level will be a 10+ this winter.
My prayers for them are for safety, wisdom, patience and calmness in their daily walks and activities.
These verses are for them but also for me and other parents sending off their kids to school.

Ephesians 6:10 "Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power."
1 Corinthians 16:13, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."

Love to all,

growing older

Yes the title is growing older, not getting older.  Theres a difference.  I am not getting older because that would mean I get something out of it.  I don't get anything out of getting older other than feeling old and people calling me mam.  Growing older implies that I am maturing and becoming wiser.  I would hope that I am growing older by my definition. My birthday will soon be here (November- shhh), and I will be _________ years old!  It's getting here.  Isn't is funny how the older we get, the more we concentrate on the number of the years?? I find myself putting more attention on what my body can't do anymore than what I can do.  As I have gotten older, God has given the ability to can- to listen more than to always talk.  He has given me the knowledge to can pickles!  He has given me some ability to cook better (even though I don't like to cook!)  And I know this because my kids are now eating my dinners! But he has also opened me up to new ideas and more courage than I ever had when I was younger.  I have been given the ability to understand more and have more empathy to understand others.  Some may call this maturity.  Call it what you want, I think it is God growing me into the woman he wants me to be.
So as my birthday approaches, I will accept that I will be 50 years old.  I may feel older than this on some days, but on most days, I am smiling and thankful for those pangs and aches.  It just reminds me that I am alive! And I have 3 more months left to be the younger 49!
"Praise the Lord.  Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." Psalm 106:1

Love to all,

Keep the Faith

I always think I have a strong faith in what God says he is going to do.  But then there are times when that doubt creeps in.  It's hard to not let it creep and plant that seed of doubt.  But it can happen.  I should have never doubted that God would pull be through.  He has pulled me through a lot in my lifetime so far, so why would I doubt him??  Well, I was fearing what my lab work would look like last week.  I feared those dreaded words, (booming voice inserted here) YOU ARE DIABETIC.  Well, God showed me that I wasted all that energy on fear when I should have just trusted.  My labs were AMAZING!! (angels singing in the background!!)  I am so happy.  All this exercise and trying to eat right is paying off.  Now I just wish I could loose some of this extra weight! But that will come.  I TRUST that!
"DO NOT BE ANXIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING, BUT IN EVERY SITUATION, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD."
Philippians 4:6

Love to all,

Listen and GO

Ever feel that nudge to do something?  Something you think God is telling you to do and you feel like it's just in your mind.  Then that nudge never goes away.  The thought of what you need to do stays with you and doesn't go away.  I have had this feeling that God is calling me for a certain task and I just keep pushing it aside.  I have tried to ignore it but He keeps nudging me to the point that I think I have a bruise!!
 Today, I heard it again......"Autumn, this is what I want you to do. " (big clap of thunder, please).  I heard that thunder and felt that big push on my conscious.  And I said, just like all the others God asked to lead in the Bible...."But I know nothing in this area of need and I would do more harm than good."  Then God answered this through Dave in our sermon.

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU.

SERVE others, give to others my LOVE.  It is a privilege and responsibility of all believers to serve others.  I must look at it as a JOY and EXPECTATION of Christ to serve others.
Well, there you have it.  God never said that when he asks you to follow that it would be easy.  He never said that he would put you in a place to serve in an area that you would be comfortable with it.
As a matter of fact, God puts us in places that will take us out of our comfort zone, places that show others that we are human and that God is working through us through our actions. Where we are weak, God shows that he is stronger.  I have had this experience before.  I was weak and wanted pity parties when I was battling cancer.  But God showed how strong I could be through it all.  In my weakness, he was stronger.
Philippians 2: 3-4,"in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

Love to all,