For All of My Tomorrows

                   Yesterday I went to work sick and as the night progressed I got worse and worse.

I felt horrible. My cough was unquenchable, my fever was the kind that makes you

feel bad all over, and my nose ran like a fountain.

Of course no one would come in to relieve me so I had to stick it out.

I went straight to bed and finally fell into a restless sleep.

I thought to myself and what possible good could come of this?

As I pondered I was thankful to be alive. My nose being stuffy made me

remember to give thanks for the breath. My sickness made me to think about

my patients with cancer who will not get better and to their sickness there will be

no end. It made me think of those with respiratory disease who will not breath better

tomorrow.  As I rest in bed it made me to think of those who are in bed for life.

Those who won't be able to get up and go back to work in a few days.

It makes me to remember that even if I whine a little now tomorrow will

be better. I thank God for all my tomorrows.

In the Storm We Are Made Strong

Today! Yet another day to breath his name, another day to serve him.

I stand in awe at all the beautiful things he has done for me. Things which I don't deserve.

 A couple of years ago I tore my rotator cuff. I have never known such pain in my body and

in my soul. I hurt both day and night without relief. I was on a lot of pain medication and

took sleeping pills for a couple of months. I had to sit up to sleep.

I became angry with God. I prayed and no relief came.

I ask God to take the pain away yet day after day I hurt. I didn't care if I died.

I wanted to climb out of this darkness but wasn't able. I went to church and ask for

prayer but nothing seemed to help. I felt like I was deserted and no one cared.

Months went by and I began to crawl out of the darkness and little by little

day by day things got better. Today I look back and can say thank God for

the storm. I did not realize how venerable I was. I thought I was safe and secure

in my faith and my love for God and then at a moments trouble I gave up.

It taught me to stay closer to the throne. To pray more and never, never give up.

Through the storm we are safe in his arms. He never leaves us when we are down.

The only footsteps walking away are our own.

In the storm we are made strong.

The Barn Out Back

The Barn Out Back

I painted this today and wondered what kind of things hide in a barn.

When I think of barns I think of the thick sweet smell of hay. Then if you listen closely

the scurry of mice. Spiders may lurk there but not the nice kind like in Charlotte's Web.

It brings to thought my life. My soul to be more precise. What things have I allowed to be hidden there?

In the past few years I have allowed things like cobwebs to form in the corners. Many are hidden

in the crevices out of view from the people who know me. I haven't prayed enough. I have let

the burden of prayer for my family fall on someone else. I have put off fasting as I should.

I am Pentecostal by faith and I do believe in baptism in water in Jesus name

 and the infilling of the Holy Ghost . I was awakened to tears this morning as I had dreamed of my dad.

He died last year and in the dream there was an a man who I thought was an angel and he ask me

if I had witnessed to my dad. I awoke and thought I will call and talk to him now then I startled when

I realized he is gone. I will never have that opportunity again. Did I miss my chance? I can't remember.

I hope that from this point on I will not miss any opportunities. I want to pray more, to intercede for

those who are lost and to help those in need. I want God to clean my barn. I want him to make in me a new

creature. I want to be pleasing to my savior. I want to go to heaven but I want to take someone with me.