God's Chisel

Please Pray for Jake

I’m just writing. It’s been a stressful day. The day didn’t start off stressful, but has developed into a sick gut full of angst. At one point, I just had to walk outside and tell myself to breath and when I exhaled I shot little arrow prayers up to heaven; angry little arrow prayers full of frustration.

Nearly one year ago we moved to Pennsylvania from Iowa. In Iowa, we owned a beautiful home, The Taft House, steeped in history. We had no idea the real estate market would take a nose dive due to the economy last summer. We still have not sold the home. Even after $50,000 dollars worth of repairs this spring due to a pipes breaking in the second floor of the home, it still has not sold. We thought we had a buyer last week, but they decided on another home. We are in the process of my husband’s company buying the home from us, but know in doing so we will take a VERY big loss on top of the financial loss we have suffered thus far in not selling the home for such a long time.
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A few hours have passed.
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I have just gotten off the phone with my cousin. Her son has been sick and they have not been able to diagnose him. She took him to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh last week and a team of doctors took on her son’s case and are playing live “House” (TV drama about a doctor who tries to solve medical mysteries) on him. Yesterday she found out that her son may have had strep go through his entire body and damage his heart in the process. He will be a senior this year and will be 18 in December. Tomorrow he goes to get and echo-cardiogram to determine if there is damage and the extent of the damage if any is found.
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I’m such a schmuck for even stressing over the money. God has always taken care of us and I don’t think He will stop now.
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Money is nothing. A young life is everything. Please pray for Jake!

Do you have a hard time accepting compliments from others? When someone gives you an accolade do you turn around and put yourself down in the very next breath? I know I do this to much and too often. I have come to realize this is just as much a sin as it is for one to be prideful in themselves, talents, or gifts.

Think of this...God sends someone to build up and edify the very gift He gave to you. Through this person, God encourages us to continue on the good work which He has set upon our heart to do. Immediately, we take and tear down exactly what God wanted to build up in us...confidence. We rip to shreds the unique creation God made in His own image.

I once did this very thing after receiving a compliment from a pastor's wife at a church in Iowa. She really liked the outfit I had on and the way I had done my hair that day. I quickly spoke and put my body down, the clothes as old rags, and my hair well it just wouldn't cooperate. I'll never forget what she said to me,

"Shannon, just say thank you ."

As women, we are hard on ourselves. We always seem to think we just don't measure up or we could be better. How about we stop putting ourselves down and making our Heavenly Father cringe with disappointment. Let's accept a compliment with a simple...."thank you" and then also thank our God for who He made us to be...His wonderful creation!

I’m in a good place at the present time. I sense God near whispering softly to my soul. I want it to last forever, but I know forever won’t last in this earthly vessel. Trials will come. When they do, I’ll sit unwavering in the eye of the storm where peace still abounds as the winds blow around me. I’ll breathe deeply with my eyes lifted to the sky for my help comes from the Almighty. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He began a good work in me and will see it to the finish. But along this journey I now trod, I will rest in the presence of the one who makes my yoke easy despite the difficulties. For I am grafted into the power of the One who’s blood was shed for me…Jesus. I will rejoice in the victory He has already won. Christ’s love story for me is this; He defeated sin in His death to bring me life. So I will call Him my forever love and become a slave to righteousness which brings me freedom. Righteousness will lead me to holiness. Holiness points toward eternal life. Holy, holy, holy, art thou O Lord God Almighty! Worthy, worthy, worthy, is the Lamb that was slain!

“…but now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 6:19-23

Rheumatoid Arthritis Healing Powers

This writing is off the cuff. No edits. Just purely from my heart.

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Aug. 29, 2007 -- Rheumatoid arthritis patients on Remicade or Enbrel have a small but higher risk of skin cancer, a new study confirms.

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In late January 2009, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. I could not button clothes, help my children tie their shoes, open a jar, and many other simple tasks became nearly impossible to do. I'm only 42 and became a bit down thinking I was to young for such a disease. They say there is no cure and medicine with horrible side effects, including cancer, would be my only option to slow the progression of the hand and feet deforming sickness. It took me six weeks to get in to see a specialist and once there I had another round of x-rays and blood work.

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However, I had a much greater Physician on my side. I knew Doctor Jesus, as my faithful Grandma Bowser would often refer to Him as, could do anything...even heal me. I began to pray as did many of my brothers and sisters in the Lord that God would rain down His healing touch. I cried out to the Lord many nights when my hands hurt so badly,

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"Please Lord take this pain away!"

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It took me six weeks to get in to see a specialist and at that time in mid April 2009 they took many more x-rays and did more blood work. Prior to this appointment I had been feeling very good. In fact, even told the doctor I was not having any pain for the past four weeks. But given the fact the previous x-rays had shown deterioration of my bone structure in my left hand, the additional tests were done.

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I had done a lot of research on some of the suggested medicine for RA and had decided before going back to the doctor's for a follow up after all the tests...I was not going to take any of the medication, but trust my Lord to continue to heal me. I even took four sheets of printed off material to argue with the doc about why I shouldn't take the medicine. Needless to say, none of the arguments I had planned were used. The doctor said the blood work showed no RA and my x-rays showed no deterioration as previously diagnosed. WOW! It felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders and a huge smile came over my face. I looked at the doc and said,

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"That is a sure answer to prayer!" as the doctor smiled in return.

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I'm so ever thankful and grateful to my Lord! I am so blessed to have a Heavenly Father who loves and cares for me so much! I just praise Him this day for healing my body and making me whole!

Fragrance of Grace

The windows were open and the lace curtains pushed back off the frame dancing freely in the spring air. The smell of the crisp soft gale was clean and rejuvenating from the rain that spilled from the heavens the night before. I stood in front of the opened window. The curtains almost touching me and the gentle wind swept softly against my cheeks. I took a deep slow breath trying to capture the beauty of the morning air. At the height of my inhale, I held my breath and closed my eyes seeking to hold onto the sweetness of the moment for as long as possible. I slowly exhaled and opened my eyes. I looked beyond the frame of the window to the pasture. I marveled at the color pallet of the brilliant green set against the peaceful blue sky.

I whispered softly to my sweet Savior,

“Thank you Lord for this piece of heaven revealed to me today. I’m grateful for the smell of your sweet presence in the refreshing rain and the touch of your gentle hand in the quiet breeze. Remind me of this moment today and quicken me to love others with the same love you have touched me with in the beauty of your creation!”

He Loves Us!

There is never a question whether the Lord Jesus loves us. He loves us! He loves us! He loves us! He loves us despite our bad choices, judgemental thoughts, gluttony, and all other sin we commit daily.

Even though He loves us lavishly and unconditionally, He still longs endlessly to hear our sweet voice. He desires silent solitude with our thoughts focused on Him alone. He wants the chance to lull your tender spirit into rhythm with His. His heart beats with the pitter pat of love as He waits for your acceptance of His invitation to dance with Him. He is sad when He is rejected by the one He truly loves, but then again, He is use to rejection. He remembers two words..."Crucify Him!"

When we forget about Jesus and all He did for us, we crucify Him all over again. Let us not put our Lord through such pain and anguish. He suffered enough to build a bridge to God for us. He longs to love us! We have a choice every day to let Jesus rule us and have peace or allow the world to dictate hurt and pain upon our soul. Sing this...

O how I love Jesus,

O how I love Jesus,

O how I love Jesus,

Because He first loved me.

Don't forget how much Jesus loves you and desires to bless you with the best of everything! All praise, glory, and honor to Him forever and ever!

The Field of Daisy's

It's nice to know our Savior sits and thinks about us. It seems pretty impossible that He would have the time, but He does just so...gives us His time. He lays in a melodious field of daisy's and picks the petals off saying...

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"She loves me...she loves me not."

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It's a sad thought, Christ pondering this question, but I'm sure we leave Him wondering by the lack of devotion we show Him on a daily basis. Do we take the time to show Him the praise and adoration He truly deserves? Do we spend time to sit awhile with Him, talk to Him, and allow Him to whisper sweet nothings in our ear? Are we to busy with our list and "to do's" to even hear Him speak and tell us how special we are to Him.

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I'll leave you with this image...

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Jesus lifts himself up from the field of flowers and begins to walk towards the sunset. The tips of His fingers gently graze the top of each daisy. The yellow pollen displaces itself upon the hems of His robe. His hair dances back from His shoulders. He turns and looks at the trampled path He has mad and amazingly the flowers arise as if untouched. Christ then turns His entire body around and begins to walk backwards motioning with His gentle hands to come along my love...come along with me this day.

Submission, Surrender, Obedience

The word submission, surrender, and obedience often confuse me. Individually they can all stand alone, but they also connect to one another as well. When one states they have surrendered all to Jesus they could also exchange surrendered for submitted or obedient. So do they all mean the same thing or does one come first and then the others follow?

Upon looking up the three words on http://www.dictionary.com/, I found all three words have commonalities. All three definitions contain the word “yield”. The word obedience is defined as submissive and the word submit is defined as obey.

So here is my take on the three. You must first submit to the Lord God Almighty. When you submit you defer to another. In this case, you defer to God’s judgment and opinion. Then you make the conscience choice to surrender yourself to Him based upon the opinion of God and abandon or give up control of your life to live for Jesus. Once this is achieved, which by the way needs to be done on a daily…moment by moment basis, one can become obedient and yield to the whispers of the Holy Spirit and comply with the Lord’s desires for their life. Confusing? Yes, I will admit it is a bit.

Think of it this way. It is like the braiding of hair. You need all three strands woven together…one on top of another…all crisscrossing and intersecting until beauty is achieved. When you submit, surrender, and obey to the will of the Lord a flame of fire occurs…a kind of combustion when the three come together. They cause a blaze of intense zeal and passionate love for Jesus. One will glow and shine brightly. But the most amazing thing is... we in turn serve our risen Lord and become His host or hostess offering and distributing his love to others in hope that they too will catch the flame and become a blazing fire for Christ Jesus as well! Therefore the circle of life continues to abound and expand in Christ's victory of deaths sting...ultimate beauty is acheived!

My Body is Failing Me

I’m tired today…really tired. I awoke at the normal hour, but left by 7:50 am for a doctor’s appointment. Ginny went along with me and her soothing voice which guided my way gave me a calm assurance I would reach my destination on time. Today’s visit to the doctor was all about my diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). I had to see a specialist. There were a lot of questions, pokes, prods, and the question,

“Does this hurt?”

My left hand has been highly affected by the RA. Around Christmas and through mid March, I had severe pain in this hand specifically the index finger. I was unable to do the simplest tasks such as tie my shoe, put a button through a button hole, or open a jar. It was hugely discouraging to say the least to be face to face with this disease (RA) at forty-two years old. After all, arthritis is for old people…right?

When I left the doctor’s office today, I had a prescription in hand and then traveled across the street for blood work and x-rays. They just didn’t take one, two, or three valves of blood…nooooo…they had to take six! Then it was off to x-rays. They just didn’t take one, two, or three x-rays….get this….they took twenty-five! I guess it is imperative for the doctor to have something to compare my joints to in future years. Needless to say, I was glowing as I walked out the exit.

I drove home thinking this is it…I’m officially old! My body is failing me. Rheumatoid Arthritis is actually an auto immune disorder which causes your body to attack itself. No one knows what causes it or how to cure it. You’re just prescribed drugs to lessen the long term affects such as disfigurement of your hands and feet. My body is failing me. All the blood work was done to rule out other deficiencies so they can know what medicine to give me or not give me. I don’t even know if I want to take the medication. They all have such bad side effects. My body is failing me! They really have to take into consideration my four leaky heart valves which were discovered in September this past year. I was diagnosed with Aortic Regurgitation Disease. I need an echo cardiogram every year to watch the progression of my valves. I’m told I’m looking at valve replacement in future years. My body is failing me!

Even though I had my friend’s soothing voice to guide me to my destination, which by the way, Ginny is my GPS system. I had another much calmer voice settle the fear within me. The Holy Spirit made his presence known and whispered softly telling me…even though every day my body fails me…I’m one day closer to being home! What marvelous peace it brought to my countenance. I love knowing my friend and Savior Jesus and the hope He brings to me each and every day despite life’s difficulties!