How's Our Word Lately?

“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’   ... Matthew 5:33


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Way back in August, my niece (via Facebook) asked if I'd send a postcard to her friend's daughter's class. They're collecting cards from all 50 states and other countries, if possible.

I told her, "Sure! No problem. Be happy to." Then forgot about the whole thing. 

Eegads.

Eventually my brain kicked back in. Whew. シ Fortunately the project will last the entire school year. 

So I went searching for postcards. Easy, right? Especially since whole droves of folks come to stare at something we've got in my town. 

Well Honey, the Times, they've changed. 

It's been like shopping for video tapes, plastic rain scarves, 8-tracks or live dinosaurs. 

Don't laugh, but I began feeling a tad desperate. Why? Because keeping my word matters. To me and to God. If I don't do what I promise, then why would you believe anything else I say?

Finally, last night--oh my. I recalled that in the window of 'my' coffee shop, there's a tiny wooden box with vintage postcards. Yeah, about 3 feet from where I sit twice a week. 

(I worry about myself sometimes. heh.)

And at this moment? A postcard is clothes-pinned out front to our mailbox, waiting to zoom its way to, well, a fiery California.

Oh dear. Tom and I have many relatives, friends, in CA and again we find ourselves asking God to keep us praying, not worrying.

These times in which we all live, right? I remind myself (often) that God has created me--and you--for such times as these. And at this point in History may each of us determine to do our God-planned part in easing others' burdens--

--and by backing-up all of our spoken-aloud promises with action. God always keeps His promises and may the same be said of His kids.

"But whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him..."   ...1 John 2:5





May we remain unchangeable in our faithfulness even while our world changes all around us.

Sometimes when this world feels all complicated and not-so-pretty, I like to escape and go here to listen. And let God speak new creative ideas in the calmness.

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Oh My. Tuesday and Wednesday.

"But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, 'Do not fear, only believe.'  ...Mark 5:36

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Eegads. Tom awoke on Tuesday morning having not slept and feeling weird pains which he described to me.

I said, "Ugh! That sounds like a urinary tract infection," to which he replied, "I think it started on Friday."

"Friday? Why didn't you tell me? (Normally he lists his pains to me in minute detail. er hem.) "You can't play around with U.T.I.'s! Good grief." 

So I jumped up off the red couch then brought to him--

cranberry juice
a cranberry pill
a vitamin C pill
an acidolphulus pill

I made breakfast, sent him back to bed. Hours later he burst from the door, shivering like a washing machine in spin cycle and making sounds reminiscent of dying soldiers on his war videos.

Great. Now he's got a fever. 

Well, I doused him again with the cranberry regimen, raced around opening heating vents, (pulling clear tape from some), then ran the main heater full blast, first time this season (after changing the filter which I'd procrastinated, of course).

I laid hands on him and prayed, then also prayed in the kitchen for any spirits of sickness to leave our house because Sam The Cat also chose this time to throw up. Hugely. On the white carpet in our office.

Color me rejoicing over that revival weekend I told you about. Something I love about God? He knows the future--and how best to prepare me for it. 

Really, I needed that extra boost of spiritual encouragement, especially later that night when satan whispered in the dark, "You should seriously worry, you know."

Anyway, after the fever left, Tom called the doctor and made an appointment for Wednesday afternoon. Every four (or so) hours I made him take the pill/juice regimen, watching him closely to make certain he wasn't worsening.

And Tuesday late afternoon? I stepped outside to get the mail just as two teenage girls walked past, one of them singing a lovely song. Wow. The song remained with me for an hour and I thanked God for such a special gift.

Always expect unique presents from God, ok? He truly gives the best gifts and at perfect times.

Next day in the kitchen after seeing the doctor (who, after Tom mentioned having chills said, "Wow, you were sicker than we thought!") he showed me his little bottle of antibiotics. But yeah, I still made him drink more cranberry juice.  ツ

This morning before he drove away to work Tom said he's feeling much better.

Whew. Color me so grateful for, well, everything. 

Perhaps not until we reach Heaven will we truly understand what a miracle every single day was, but me? I'm going to try, even now while still upon this God-created planet Earth.

Oh, and I forgot to mention Tom ached all over because he'd returned to working out and was bent like a very old man. In pain. Oh, and he had a 3-day sinus headache, but he didn't tell me that till it was over. All this made it scarier.

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A normal day! A normal Autumn day, even. How I love these returns to my normal.

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My neighbor, Sue, cracks me up! Here's what she posted yesterday at Facebook--

Soo....I was given a crock pot...I keep thinking of Jack and am afraid to use it. 🤪 😂#ThisIsUs #onlysomewillunderstand

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

Where She Has Herself A Merry Little Revival

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord...So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. "...Acts 3:19, John 8:36


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Uh-oh. I'd joined the Complainer's Club. Again.


Our kitchen sink barely drains water. 
Sam-The-Cat's thyroid level are wild and he's skinny. 
After cleaning a certain carpet spot, it turns brown. 
The day after my 'tired legs' got healed, my hip began hurting.
Real coffee officially keeps me awake now, even with taking extra melatonin.

And there's more negative stuff that I concentrated upon rather than the good.

Oh, and please remember our problems arrive customized. What majorly bugs me, might make you giggle--and vice versa.

Then last week Joyce Meyer preached (again) that by complaining, we 'remain' (get stuck) and open scary portals to discontentment, sluggish growth, blocked joy and who knows what else?

Yikes! So it was Conviction City 'round here and I tried to immediately quit the Complainer's Club. But this time they wouldn't let me dump them that easily. Uh-oh.

So, guess what? God 'said', "Oh Debra! You need your own little Weekend Revival."

Ooooo. Hadn't had one of those in ages.

So I watched, like, 15 episodes of Sid Roth's, It's Supernatural. They shared stories of our huge God which then made my complaining feel downright pitiful. Embarrassing. (Color me blushing.)

Sid Roth's guests always pray at the end and oh! I'd raise my hands and get in on all those healing prayers.

I told our tv remote's lady, "Launch Christian music," and whoosh! She did. (Whenever Tom and I tell her to do anything, we find it's hard to not say, "Thank-you.")  シ  I sang along and smiled.

Over at Open Library I read Encountering Heaven And The Afterlife which, wow! Was filled with stories that thrilled my heart and answered some recent questions.

Oh, and Jesus and I sat at the front porch bistro table and gazed at the river. Such palpable peace out there. Amazing.

And then my homestyle revival finally got me kicked out of the Complainer's Club. They don't like flooded, happy, set-free hearts there so they bid me good riddance. 

Today's lesson? 

Never just settle for plodding along on Oh-Hum Road. God wants to shake us awake! And may He use us to awaken others, for oh, the love, joy and hope available as we continue along this glorious journey with Him.

"Habakkuk had a complaint. The Bible says that he went to God with his complaint. And you know what God said to him? 'Get a vision and write it down so plainly that everybody who passes by might be able to read it'. 

Here's a prophet of God who ... went to God with his complaint and God said, "Get a vision". We don't need a complaint. We need a vision. And we don't need to be complaining about our government, our nation. What we need to do is get a vision to stand up and be the way that we should be and believe that God can use us to make a difference."     ---- Joyce Meyer


One of my super favorite episodes of Sid Roth's It's Supernatural? This one.

"Do all things without grumbling or questioning..."... Philippians 2:14

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

In a Battle? Perhaps You Did Something Very Right.

"But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded... do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ... 2 Chronicles 15:7, 1 Peter 4:12


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When I started this blog in 2004? Oh, what a battle! 

Our computer began acting wonky. Freezing, blacking-out. 
Heck, my brain did the same! Meaningful sentences came to me, yet while typing, I'd forget their second halves. 
A perfect word would appear--then phhhht. Fade into my brain's white space where I could not retrieve it.

And remember how I (recently) felt horrified that my oldest posts screamed, "Debra forgot every writing lesson from high school and college"?

And let's not mention my own self-doubting thoughts nor that a couple folks told me sharing my personal life online was foolish, dangerous and prideful (I expected strangers to care about my life?, they asked). 

Wow, right?  Battle-like, indeed, and ok, sometimes I did get all --

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But mostly? I'd remind myself of Bible verses like this one:


"For a wide door of opportunity for effectual service has opened to me --along with many adversaries."   ... 1 Corinthians 16:9


So today if you are facing a battle, with voices chiding you to quit? May you remember that satan does not want us to bless anyone. Only after he sees our consistent determination will he step away and bug some likely-to-slink-away-whimpering, soul.

Whether you're starting a --

home Bible study group or
a way to help your neighbors or
prepping your home/family for all emergencies or
obeying God by getting out of debt or eating right or
beginning a cooking ministry, writing a book or volunteering, etc.--



--stay upon the battlefield where God placed you. Someday He'll say, "You've finished! Well done. Now let's move on to this new thing I've planned for you." 

And because 'greater is He who's within us', we can win those upcoming early battles, as well.

Satan fights us hardest on our most meaningful, legacy-type stuff. We must not let him win those battles.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."   ... Isaiah 43:19


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Ooooo! I discovered a beautiful thing. A window, via our big screen tv, will sail me happily through winter by going here.

(P.S. Youtube can take you just about anyplace you wish to go. Seek, then find.) 

(Oh, and Tom's co-workers asked him for a photo of the new tv. He pointed to the two blue bowls and said, "Those illustrate Debra's Last Stand". Ha! I laughed like crazy because that's exactly how it felt to place them there.)  ツ













"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

October This and That

Another Tuesday with Debra.  ツ


1.) Am I still happy that we ripped out our 100 feet of hedges? Well, you decide. Every time I step outside our red front door, this is me on the inside--

シ

2.) Speaking of that, walking back from the Salvation Army drop-off last week, our neighbor 6-doors-down practically burst out his front door and said, "Your yard looks great now that the hedges are gone." 

We chatted all friendly-like, I thanked him, then nearing home I thought, "Hmm. I've never noticed that guy before in my life, but he certainly knew who I was."

So note to self! Always remember: God is watching that I behave--and so are the neighbors.


3.)  Gee, I hope you're using Rakuten (formerly Ebates). It's truly like getting paid to shop. After Rakuten paid me last time, I bought two pairs of new leggings from Ebay for just $5.50, total. Gotta love that price in our 2019 world.


4.) Ok, I've mentioned this before, but is anyone else enjoying A Very Brady Renovation from HGTV? Each episode feels like a sweet, customized gift from God just for me. (No, truly. Happy sigh. My quirky vintage longings, satisfied. ) 

The end credits flash and always, my mouth feels stiff, crooked, after holding a huge smile the entire hour.

5.) Remember how I have Aldi deliver fresh groceries to my front porch each week? Well, if you're unfamiliar with Aldi, Kathryn will show you the thrill she gets from shopping there. Here you go!


6.)  Woo hoo! Tom and I, (appreciators of Life's simple pleasures), are elated that our tv shows are back. Here are our Top 9 favorites:


1.) Chicago Fire
2.) Blue Bloods
3.) FBI
4.) The Rookie
5.) The Good Doctor
6.) Chicago Med
7.) Hawaii 5-0
8.) Chicago PD
9.) Magnum P.I.



7.) I'd not had an adventure for some months so last Friday, via a taxi, I took Sam The Cat to a nearby vet. (My exciting life, right?) But hey, the cab driver drove like a maniac, so there was that. 

Anyway, Naomi usually drives Sam to a farther-away vet, but she's moved, has a new job and now's unable to. So here's to more regularly scheduled adventures for good ol' Debra.


8.)  Is this adorable, or what?

9.) Gee, we've had many grey, cloudy days lately and, whoa Nellie! All the times I've needed to remind myself that "greater is He who is in me..." and of powerful quotes like this--

That, and all the lamps I've kept burning bright.  ツ (P.S. Each of us must, personally, find what works--and we can! We're not helpless, you know.)


10.)  Saturday morning felt a bit like Christmas! I emptied my closet of Spring and Summer clothing, then opened my drawers and had a reunion with my much-planned-out Autumn and Winter clothes. I gave each an appreciative little pat while I hung them on hangers. 

Don't you love it when you put extra effort into a project and then, later, reap rewards, making your life simpler, more enjoyable?

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And I'll leave you with this which convicted me to the moon and back. (Yikes!) 😶

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15