Month: April 2018

Happy Birthday, Charlie and Grandma Nellie

On By gaillovesgodIn Heaven's Residents, So Much Loss, So Much Gain, Uncategorized17 Comments

Happy Birthday, Charlie and Grandma Nellie! The Lord knows how much I love and miss you both! Thank You, Lord, for the assurance that I know they are safe and happy with You on their special day and every day! ❤

Grandma Nellie Mae was my Dad’s mom. We saw her sparingly, but she was nice. My dad didn’t really grow up with her either because he was just 5 when his dad died, and Nellie was suffering from mental illness and could not take care of him and his 14 siblings. So his older brother from the 1st marriage, who was 30 something years older, raised him. He struggled with bitterness toward her for a great while but was still glad to see her. It would not be till years later that we learned Charlie (my baby brother) was born on her birthday! She died while we were kids.

A picture we have of her as a nurse looks so much like her daughter Beulah (our aunt) that sometimes there is a playful debate over whether it’s actually Nellie or Beulah.

Charlie was my baby brother. Yes I said was. We were 10 months apart. My mom literally had him 46 days before my first birthday. He was my 1st birthday present. 😉
Below is a picture on the left when he was just 3 years old at the state fair that used to come to our local Speedway but now comes to the Agriculture Center.
In the picture on the right I was barely 12 so Charlie is 11. He’s standing on the car getting ready to lunge and hug my mom. Nathan has a hold of his leg because they wrestled all the time. We had just moved to Hickory.

Below in the left picture Charlie is in the middle of cutting up with his friends. Charlie was blessed with a multitude of friends, a handful of close guy friends, but Homey (in blue) was Charlie’s best friend.
The picture below on the right shows where he loved to be… on a roof! He was a roofer like dad. He could carry 3 bundles of shingles up a roof, but it made my dad so uncomfortable. He preferred he only carry 2… lol. (So you know, most roofers struggle to carry 1 bundle.) Charlie was very strong, yet had a very tender heart.

He also had a dream to be in law enforcement. When he met his wife, she encouraged him to follow his dreams. They were divorced after his BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training) graduation, but before he became a deputy. Here are a couple of pictures the day he got his uniform and handcuffs. He was so excited that he wanted to show off the uniform and use the handcuffs… which he did on my son Anthoni.

Charlie’s birthday is the hardest for me to mention because his loss has been the hardest for me. In 2007, my mom’s sister had died and we were at her viewing when they took us into a backroom of the funeral home to let us know that Charlie was shot and killed in my mom’s home. He was 37. It is so hard that I am writing this the day after his birthday. 30713429_10215427963030520_2759935727145344905_n (1)Sometimes it is too hard for me to talk about people I love and miss on their special days until afterwards, or not at all. It’s so personal, and I am horrible with dealing with my emotions. I have been even more shut off since Charlie’s death. Writing poetry is where I can do that because poetry allows for symbolic and vague meanings, yet allows a writer to express what they want to reluctantly say behind safe words. I learned to do that with writing at a very young age.
I miss Charlie so much it hurts more than I can say. It literally takes my breath if I think too much on it. It was such a cruel and senseless death. But as I leave you with more pictures of his smile and personality, I leave you with the same words that Christ left me.

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
– 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV

My baby brother is in a much better place. I would never be so cruel as to bring him back to this cold and vile world just so I could hug him but then make him have to suffer the troubles of this world, know sickness and pain again, heartache, and to worry about him every time I hear of terrorism, airplane crashes, train derailments, or the rampant deaths from flu, and the never ending growing list of friends and family dying slow painful deaths of cancer and so many other illnesses that suck the life out of people.

And if there is anyone who understands the pain of my loss but the joy of Charlie’s gain it is my Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus not only felt the loss of his dear friend Lazarus who was resurrected, but Jesus also had a dearly beloved cousin who was needlessly murdered as a party favor for a seductress, because of the influence of a heartless woman, and because of a coward who could not control his lust, and was more concerned about being a laughing stock by those who witnessed pride get the better of a weak man. John the Baptist was decapitated and had his head served on a platter during a birthday party. No one paid for his crime… YET!
Christ will have his day of justice. And so will my brother. For now, John and Charlie, and even Jesus, are now at home with our heavenly Father. No one will ever harm them again! Nor make jokes of their deaths! And because Christ STILL chose to die for us regardless of His own grief and pain, I can pray for my enemies as well. That’s just ONE more of the tender acts of mercy and grace Jesus did because of how much He loves you and me!

PRAISE GOD FOR A SAVIOR WHO LOVES…
MORE THAN WE CAN EVER UNDERSTAND! ❤
THAT IS A BIRTHDAY PRESENT WORTH CELEBRATING!

 

A Season of Distress and Grief

On By gaillovesgodIn Uncategorized, Writing6 Comments

Lord, how simply marvelous, wonderful, and loving You are to me. Despite that I am so undeserving of You, You think nothing but good OF me! You think nothing but good FOR me! You think of me, even when I am so easy to be so distracted with the stresses and cares of my life and easily forget You are there for me.

Last night I was so distressed about so many things that I could not sleep. I was so grieved that I was distressed that it exhausted me. I was making sure to play the 3 songs You have been ministering to me with when I have been in prayer over these things:

  1. Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken by Indelible Grace
  2. Oh My Soul by Casting Crowns
  3. Fear Is a Liar by Zach Williams

Eventually I fell asleep at the computer in the middle of doing the This or That Tag. When I noticed I had, I put everything aside and went off to lay in Your arms, in Your sweet rest. There would be an early morning appointment on the way before long.

“For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.”
– Job 33:14-17 KJV

Sure enough, the morning came along to stir me. Before I could even gather my senses, think on the day waiting on me, or really open my eyes I heard it! ❤

“In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!”
– Sweet Hour of Prayer,
classic hymn lyrics by William Walford

This was the song You wanted in my heart! You whispered that this would be what I needed for the day that lay ahead. You brought to mind a couple of challenges You and I both knew I would be facing today, and that only You knew the ones I did not know would be waiting for me. I would need to be prepared. And these were the words You wanted me to think on. Not just to help me through what was on the way, but to praise You for being so personal, so specific, and and so loving before I could even fully join the day. It would be a reminder of how You heard each word, each distress, and knew what grieved my heart.

How sweet and intimate is the love of my God! ❤

The day has now came and went. And those challenges absolutely showed up. Fiery and fierce were the darts of the enemy. Just as You described them.

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” – Ephesians 6:15 KJV

Even now they weigh so heavy just to look upon. I would have been sorely wounded without Your warning. But just as faithful are the words and love of my Jesus! ❤

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
– John 14:27 KJV

Thank You, Father, for thinking lovingly on me. For whispering so clear what You knew I would need to hear. And for finishing my day with a sweet reminder from WordPress. 🙂

anniversary-2x

Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!
You registered on WordPress.com 2 years ago.
Thanks for flying with us. Keep up the good blogging.

I close by leaving the lyrics to the whole song. Thank You for allowing me to hide all of those words in my heart that I might not sin against You! ❤ I love You! ❤

– Sweet Hour of Prayer,
classic hymn lyrics by William Walford

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
The joys I feel, the bliss I share,
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for thy return!
With such I hasten to the place
Where God my Savior shows His face,
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
May I thy consolation share,
Till, from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight:
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize;
And shout, while passing through the air,
“Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer!”

This or That Tag 4.24.18

On By gaillovesgodIn Awards & Tags7 Comments

“Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
– James 4:13-15 KJV

Ok, Lord, You know that’s where my mind went when I read
THIS OR WHAT! 😉
Here Miss Lovely of Discovering Your Happiness has created…

  This or That Tag.
this-or-that-tagWhat kind of conversations are going on between You and our Lovely Anita to keep these tags and nominations coming?
Of course! Creative ones! 😉

So off to the questions You and I go.

Rules:

  • Thank & tag the person that has tagged you…
         Thank you, Miss Lovely! ❤
  • Attach the tag photo
  • Answers the ‘This or THAT questions
  • Tag a 10-20 friends.

LET’S GET STARTED!

  • Dog or Cat?
    • Cat
  • Netflix or YouTube?
    • both
  • Phone Call or Text?
    • Text
  • Toast or Eggs?
    • EGGS!
  • Cardio or Weights?
    • Cardio
  • Facebook or Twitter?
    • FB
  • Ice Cream Cone or Snow Cone?
    • Ice Cream
  • Mobile Games or Console Games?
    • mobile
  • While walking: Music or Podcasts?
    • podcasts
  • iOS or Android?
    • Android
  • Cake or Pie?
    • neither
  • Swimming or Sunbathing?
    • Swimming
  • Big Party or Small Gathering?
    • Small gathering
  • New Clothes or New Phone?
    • New clothes
  • Rich Friend or Loyal Friend?
    • Loyal friend
  • Football or Basketball?
    • Basketball
  • Nice Car or Nice Home Interior?
    • Nice Home Interior
  • What’s worse: Laundry or Dishes?
    • DISHES!
  • Jogging or Hiking?
    • Hiking
  • Bath or Shower?
    • Shower
  • Sneakers or Sandals?
    • sneakers
  • Glasses or Contacts?
    • Glasses
  • Hamburger or Taco?
    • taco
  • Couch or Recliner?
    • couch
  • Online Shopping or Shopping in a Store?
    • Shopping in store
  • Receive: Email or Letter?
    • either
  • Passenger or Driver?
    • Driver
  • Tablet or Computer?
    • computer
  • Most important in a partner: Intelligent or Funny?
    • a love for Christ
  • Car or Truck?
    • Car
  • Blue or Red?
    • blue
  • Money or Free Time?
    • Free Time
  • Amusement Park or Day at the Beach?
    • Day at the Beach
  • At a movie: Candy or Popcorn?
    • candy
  • Pen or Pencil?
    • Pen
  • Toilet paper: Over or Under?
    • over
  • Cups in the cupboard: Right Side Up or Up Side Down?
    • Upside down
  • Pancake or Waffle?
    • waffle
  • Coke or Pepsi?
    • Pepsi caffeine free
  • Coffee Cup or Thermos?
    • thermos with something other than coffee
  • Blinds or Curtain?
    • Curtain
  • Train or Plane?
    • Plane
  • Phone or Tablet?
    • depends
  • Iced Coffee or Hot Coffee?
    • yuck on coffee at all
  • Meat or Vegetables?
    • veggies
  • International Vacation or a New TV?
    • International Vacation
  • Save or Spend?
    • save
  • Honesty or Other’s Feelings?
    • honesty
  • Coffee or Tea?
    • Tea
  • TV or Book?
    • TV
  • Movie at Home or Movie at the Theater?
    • movie at home
  • Ocean or Mountains?
    • mountains
  • Horror Movie or Comedy Movie?
    • Comedy
  • City or Countryside?
    • Countryside
  • Winter or Summer?
    • Summer
  • Mac or PC?
    • PC
  • Console Gaming or PC Gaming?
    • PC gaming
  • Soup or Sandwich?
    • soup and a half sandwich (my usual order)
  • Card Game or Board Game?
    • depends
  • Camping or Binge Watching Shows at Home?
    • binge watching
  • Working Alone or Working in a Team?
    • alone
  • Dine In or Delivery?
    • dine in
  • Sweater or Hoodie?
    • Hoodie
  • Motorcycle or Bicycle?
    • Bicycle
  • Book or eBook?
    • book
  • When sleeping: Fan or No Fan?
    • fan
  • TV Shows or Movies?
    • both

My Nominees:
The Graced Citizen
Therapy Bits
 Not Easily Broken
God’s Anointed Princess
Just a Quiet Girl
Words of a Little Heart
BUniq
Sophie Harris
Peacock Poetry
Jessy
Girly Christian
Invisibly Me
The Godly Chic Diaries
Caution District
Tamie’s Alcove
Reading Between the Lyme
Dreamer’s Outlet
Whosoever Will May Come
Removing the Vail
My Thoughts Exactly
Life With Jesus
Nana’s Love Notes
Defining Yellow
The Nerdy Lion

Congrats to all the nominees! Please do not feel obligated to participate.
If you do, please do not rush. It’s meant to give you a light hearted smile! 🙂
Do it in your time. God loves you!

Thank you again, Miss Lovely! Me and God love you!

4.26.18 Update: Kimberly’s PCT Hike

On By gaillovesgodIn Kimberly's PCT 2018 Hike Updates2 Comments

For all of those helping me pray for Kimberly on her PCT hike, she is doing awesome!

She has already hit 300 miles! 🙂31206184_10155215758961035_8237159365719621632_n

has jumped off cliffs into water!31225841_10155215759041035_7588188394249781248_n

and is making the most out of everything she can.
She has hiking buddies and
great views from her front porch
(her tent at night when she camps down for the night)30728150_10155198379261035_1121127665600823296_n

and is taking plenty of pictures
(that she has given me permission to share with you!) 🙂

This is a burn area.  😦 31073316_10155210790881035_6264394020953260032_n

And a gorgeous sunset!  ❤ 31230460_10155216626996035_3991404071285161984_n

Kimberly is also so excited to know you all are helping me to pray for her!
So please keep it up! You are encouraging her! ❤  🙂 29511773_2055391427809044_3113805081282536436_n

 

Happy Birthday, Granddad!

On By gaillovesgodIn Heaven's Residents, So Much Loss, So Much Gain12 Comments

Happy Birthday, Granddad! Another one of my loved ones who is with You, Jesus! ❤ Oh how I miss him so. He’s been gone 40 years but I miss him like he left yesterday! I never cared for having an hero growing up, TV or real life, but my Granddad and my dad came the closest of anyone! ❤ He was loving, so protective, and very much a family man! His death was the kind that affected everyone in the family from 3 yrs old to very senior. He was very loved.

 

I love this picture because it is where our family “started”…LOL. My grandmother loved to tell us the story (a true one btw) of how she rode off on a motorcycle to marry a guy she had practically just met. They eloped to South Carolina, and on the way back they ran out of gas and had no money. A kind passerbyer gave them and the bike a ride in the back of their truck to get them back up the mountain. She got tickled when the first time I heard this story I asked, “You mean they had motorcycles back in that day.” And that was after first tickling her by asking after seeing her picture in her leather jacket, “You mean they made leather jackets back then.” 🙂

gail33 - Copy

This picture was taken when my grandparents found out my granddad was dying of lung cancer. He had worked on the railroad. That is why the “I’ve been working on the railroad all the live long day” song makes me smile. It makes me think on my granddaddy. He took me to the local store every weekend to get a new coloring book and crayons. And when I was in a regional spelling bee for my 2nd grade class, he gave me a $5 bill even though I came in 6th. He said it was because my mom said the girl who came in 2nd bawled her eyes out, but I didn’t “pitch a fit like that”. He was proud of me for accepting my placement with good character. I bought a hamburger so big it wouldn’t fit in my mouth. And I remember it had purple onions. The first time I had ever seen purple onions. All of these are memories that my granddaddy gave me, and so many more.

I love and miss you, Granddad! I so look forward to your hug more than you know! ❤ Hug Jesus for me and tell Him “Thank you” for helping you to get baptized when you were so scared in the hospital. You were so afraid of dying without being baptized, and a pastor friend was able to work it out to baptize you in the therapy pool. You didn’t care that it could make you sick. You wanted Jesus! You wanted to obey him no matter the cost! ❤ You set a great example! ❤

Happy Birthday, Geneva!

On By gaillovesgodIn Heaven's Residents, So Much Loss, So Much GainLeave a comment

Happy Birthday to our dearest Geneva! Lord God, she is so blessed to be with you! THAT is definitely a birthday present! ❤ Geneva is the biological mother of my brother-in-law and my adopted sister. She passed in 2007, just a couple of weeks after my aunt, my brother, and my pastor’s wife passed. She had diabetes, which led to a leg amputation, and quickly declined in her health. She had such a fun spirit. That is why I love this picture. He shows her playful personality!

10501775_10203728815839152_4515118760470159060_n

Thanks for all the laughs, the hugs, the thoughtfulness, those 2 beautiful girls!, those 2 rowdy boys, and the advice on guys 😉 !, a sweet kindness, and a fierce fight. I remember the many birthdays you and mom got to share together. Even in times when you two didn’t along, you were still so alike! 🙂 I am most glad to have been present when you prayed for salvation when Pastor Bray came to visit! Now you have eternal life, a brand new leg, a brand new body, and ONLY love in your heart… because that is heaven! Say hey to mom for me, and give a hug to Jesus too! Keeping your family in prayer as often as the Lord allows! Me and God love you! See ya soon! ❤

Twenty Two Days Ago

On By gaillovesgodIn Uncategorized15 Comments

In adding this to my poetry page, it was difficult to read, let alone keep. Yet the Lord convicted me of many friends going through the same situation. It was 20 years ago, but it was still very real, still very hard, and I would STILL make the same decision. God was loving to look out for me! ❤ Praise You, Father God!

gaillovesgodspoetry

Twenty two days ago, I asked God to help me to know His will for my life,
And to help me to fulfill it.
No matter how much it would hurt, I wanted to obey my God and trust Him.
I prayed not to allow me to hurt anyone if it were avoidable,
But that no matter what, fear or no fear, pain or no pain, to help me to do His will.

Twenty two days ago, I was so in love, and so was the man who wanted to marry me.
He loved me so much He would have laid down His life for me.
Now today, he couldn’t care less if I were alive.
He no longer wants anything to do with me.
I am the last thing he wants to think about.
In twenty two days, the love even he vowed forever,
And believed himself would never…

View original post 738 more words

Happy Birthday, Mom and Gran! <3

On By gaillovesgodIn Heaven's Residents, So Much Loss, So Much Gain, Uncategorized12 Comments

Happy Birthday, Mom and Gran! I love and miss you both! ❤ That’s a message You can pass on to them for me, Lord! I know they’re both with You, but You were the one who blessed me with them, and You are the one who holds and keeps them now! Hug them for me! And Mom and Gran, hug Jesus for me!

❤ I love you all and hope to see you soon! ❤

10342997_10203728912081558_6617778088541939163_n

This picture was taken just after I was 19 and a single mom of the cutest little curls! This was a picture my grandmother wanted as a 4 generational picture. She had my mom. My mom had me. And I had my son. They were both so loving of my little man! Today would have been both of their birthdays! My grandmother would have been 93, and my mom would be 69. My grandmother has been with Jesus 18 years, and my mom has been with them both for 2 and 1/2 years. They are with several of our family members who have birthdays in April too. I will post them as they come up this week. April use to be a very active birthday month. Heaven gets to celebrate then now. One day will join them! ❤

❤ What a day that will be when we all get to heaven. Some glad morning. When my journey’s over I am going home! Soon and very soon. I’ll fly away! ❤

The “Would You Rather Tag” 4.19.18

On By gaillovesgodIn Awards & Tags, Random Challenges, Uncategorized12 Comments

Would I Rather???
❤ I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today! ❤
Now, Lord, You know I couldn’t see that kind of question and not think of Your great hymn I’d Rather Have Jesus. ❤
And You know how much I love Your dear Son! ❤
Yet here You have allowed Lovely Anita of Discovering Your Happiness to create another new tag… The “Would You Rather” Tag…  to quote her, “as a BOREDOM BUSTER!”the-would-you-rather-tagThe ‘Would You Rather’ Tag gives you two options to choose from
– it’s funny to see what people will choose.

** Either/Or questions always leave 4 options…. Either, Or, Neither, Both 😉 LOL **

 

Rules:

  • Thank & tag the person that has tagged you
  • Attach the tag photo
  • Answers the ‘Would You Rather’ questions
  • Tag a handful of friends

My Answers:

  • Would you rather have all dogs try to attack you when they see you or all birds try to attack you when they see you?
    • neither one thank you
  • Would you rather be unable to move your body every time it rains or not be able to stop moving while the sun is out?
    • unfortunately I know both the feeling of not being able to move my body and the feeling of being restless, but at least being restless with the sun out I would mean I could be active with a lifetime of living to do 🙂 making for a sweet peaceful rest.
      “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.”
      – Ecclesiastes 5:12 KJV
  • Would you rather spend the rest of your life with a sailboat as your home or an RV as your home?
    • RV for me! Keep me on solid ground please! 🙂
      “And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”
      – Matthew 7:26-27 KJV
  •  Would you rather walk around work or school for the whole day without realizing there is a giant brown stain on the back of your pants or realize the deadline for that important paper / project was yesterday and you are nowhere near done?
    • I’ve met many a deadline as an Editor and a student. I love a challenge!
  • Would you rather eat a sandwich made from 4 ingredients in your fridge chosen at random or eat a sandwich made by a group of your friends from 4 ingredients in your fridge?
    • I would rather control what I eat! I want to know what I am eating!
  • Would you rather have plants grow at 10 times their normal rate when you are near or for people and animals to stop aging when you are near them?
    • The more people who know that Jesus went away to prepare a place for them, the more people there will be to stop aging… someday 😉
      “Never grow old, never grow old,
      In a land where well never grow old
      Never grow old, never grow old,
      In a land where well never grow old.”
      – Never Grow Old, lyrics by James C. Moore
  • Would you rather have chapped lips that never heal or a terrible dandruff that can’t be treated?
    • being I have dealt with both of these I choose NEITHER!
  • Would you rather have out of control body hair or out of control body odor?
    • Doesn’t everyone have out of control body hair as we get older? LOL
  • Would you rather know all the mysteries of the universe or know every outcome of every choice you make?
    • God reveals the mysteries of His world to us every day! ❤
  • Would you rather never be able to wear pants or never be able to wear shorts?
    • Never able to wear shorts.
  • Would you rather only wear one color each day or have to wear seven colors each day?
    • one color each day. I use to wear everything color coordinated when I was younger.. earrings and makeup included.
  • Would you rather eat rice with every meal or eat bread with every meal?
    • rice
  • Would you rather have no eyebrows or only one eyebrow?
    • I’ll keep both thank you, but I have had friends born without eyelashes or eyebrows.
  • Would you rather your only mode of transportation be a donkey or a giraffe?
    • donkey
  • Would you rather live in a cave or live in a tree house?
    • I go to the rock! ❤  😉
      “He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
      That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
      He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
      And covers me there with His hand,
      And covers me there with His hand.”
      – He Hideth My Life, classic hymn”Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in Thee;”
      – Rock of Ages, classic hymn
  • Would you rather never sweat again or never feel cold again?
    • my body hates both, but never sweat again
  • Would you rather never have to clean a bathroom again or never have to do dishes again?
    • No dishes! We use all paper products already, and that would be one nasty bathroom!
  • Would you rather move to a new city or town every week or never be able to leave the city or town you were born in?
    • Stay home. There’s a difference between traveling and constantly having to move. We moved over 20 times when I was growing up.
  • Would you rather live a comfortable and peaceful life in the woods in a small cabin or a life full of conflict in a mansion in a city?
    •  I already live in the country.
      Just give me the cabin and praise the Lord for peace!
  • Would you rather be in debt for $100,000 or never be able to make more than $3,500 a month?
    • 3,500 a month. I hate the stress of owing.
  • Would you rather be the best in the world at climbing trees or the best in the world at jumping rope?
    • Double Dutch!! ❤ I LOVE it!! Which makes me think of a old favorite that is ALWAYS fun! We use to listen to this all the time. I’ve listened several times, singing all the way through each time just to get this for you!
      Do do do do do do do… 😉
      Thanks for putting a smile on my face!! I have had a HORRIBLE time of fear, stress, and a tear or two tonight! So thank you! 🙂

  • Would you rather never run out of battery power for whatever phone and tablet you own or always have free Wi-Fi wherever you go?
    • I was going to say never run out of power because you can’s use WI-FI on a dead computer, but then I remembered I am typing on a laptop that requires my power cord to stay plugged up to use the WIFI that’s letting me type! LOL
  • Would you rather 20 butterflies instantly appear from nowhere every time you cough or 100 butterflies die somewhere in the world every time you cough?
    • give life! don’t kill it!
  • Would you rather never be stuck in traffic again or never get another cold?
    • never get sick!!
  • Would you rather know the uncomfortable truth of the world or believe a comforting lie?
    • The cold hard truth! ❤
      A comforting lie can haunt you for the rest of your life! 😦
  • Would you rather every shirt you ever wear to be kind of itchy or only be able to use 1 ply toilet paper?
    • Isn’t this what cheap toilet paper is? Double fold the 1 ply
      I have an autoimmune disease that breaks out for months and makes life miserable if I aggravate my skin or allergies. 😦 No thanks!
  • Would you rather have no fingers or no elbows?
    • I’ll keep everything the good Lord gave me thanks! 🙂
  • Would you rather have all traffic lights you approach be green or never have to stand in line again?
    • My spinal damage makes it hard to stand for too long. Besides, if all lights were green there would be major accidents. Traffic lights have a purpose.
  • Would you rather have a flying carpet or a car that can drive underwater?
    • I want to fly! ❤
  • Would you rather find five dollars on the ground or all of your missing socks?
    • $5 🙂
  • Would you rather live on the beach or in a cabin in the woods?
    • I take one of each please. Gotta have somewhere to go during a hurricane, and somewhere to get away from slick mountain roads in the winter.
  • Would you rather lose your left hand or right foot?
    • Again I will keep what the good Lord gave me! 🙂
  • Would you rather face your fears or forget that you have them?
    • Face the real ones, forget the irrational ones.
      Said like a true hypocrite.
  • Would you rather snitch on your best friend for a crime they committed or go to jail for the crime they committed?
    • I’ve watched too many people go to jail for someone who never changed, nor gave one ounce of care about the one who took the fall for them.
      I’ve also seen people continue to get away with hurting others because none of their victims not being able to say anything or those aware of their guilt not  speaking up.
  • Would you rather eat a box of dry spaghetti noodles or a cup of uncooked rice?
    • let’s cook them both and enjoy! 🙂
  • Would you rather humans go to the moon again or go to mars?
    • I’d rather us all go to heaven! ❤
  • Would you rather never get angry or never be envious?
    • I don’t like to be either one.
  • Would you rather go to any theme park in the world for free for the rest of your life or eat free at any drive through restaurant for the rest of your life?
    • free food! 🙂 Free Cheddar’s Spasagna! A dream come true!
      Free Chick-fil-A. ❤ I get this alot because they are so generous!
  • Would you rather never lose your phone again or never lose your keys again?
    • I can easily buy a new phone and switch my number over!
      It took me forever to break the habit of losing my keys.
      Praise the Lord for overloaded fobs! LOL
  • Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?
    • Neither! I would be so sad! 😦
  • Would you rather live under a sky with no stars at night or live under a sky with no clouds during the day?
    • a sky with no clouds! It’s coming soon! What a Day That Will Be! ❤
      “Oh, the land of cloudless day
      Oh, the land of an unclouded sky
      Oh, they tell me of a home where no storm clouds rise
      Oh, they tell me of an unclouded day”
      – Unclouded Day, classic hymn
  • Would you rather have constantly dry eyes or a constant runny nose?
    • Neither. They’re both miserable.
  • Would you rather never be able to eat meat or never be able to eat vegetables?
    • I can do without meat.
  • Would you rather always be able to see 5 minutes into the future or always be able to see 100 years into the future?
    • I can see into an eternal future with my Jesus! And I yearn for it so! ❤
  • Would you rather be married to a 10 with a bad personality or a 6 with an amazing personality?
    • An amazing 6…. He’s in love with me and Jesus! ❤
  • Would you rather never be able to drink sodas like coke again or only be able to drink sodas and nothing else?
    • no soda
  • Would you rather have amazingly fast typing / texting speed or be able to read ridiculously fast?
    • Read fast! I struggle to read things… even blogs because of my eyes. But if I typed any faster the mess I tend to make would be much worse!
      Praise God for my favorite compute keys… delete and backspace! 😉
  • Would you rather sell all of your possessions or sell one of your organs?
    • All my possessions
  • Would you rather never have to work again or never have to sleep again (you won’t feel tired or suffer negative health effects)?
    • It is so tempting to say No Sleep! Boy, I could just live life to the fullest. But I am reminded of the Breathe Bible Study the Lord allowed me to do.
      Breathe: Making Room for the Sabbath by Priscilla Shirer reminds that God created the sabbath for a purpose… not just for our health, but to allow to enter into that beautiful thing called… REST. Oh how wonderful the feeling of kicking up one’s feet and remember to Be still and know that He is God! ❤ Such sweet fellowship! ❤ He promises His people rest for a reason!
  • Would you rather get one free round trip international plane ticket every year or be able to fly domestic anytime for free?
    • If the Lord allows me to actually cross the pond, I need the International plane tickets. I can drive anywhere domestic.
  • Would you rather be balding but fit or overweight with a full head of hair?
    • Fit with hair! 🙂
  • Would you rather be able to be free from junk mail or free from email spam for the rest of your life?
    • No Spam! I have to rescue messages from friends out of the junk mail all the time.
  • Would you rather know when you are going to die or how you are going to die? (You can’t change the time or method of your death.)
    • I’ll leave that one up to the Lord.
  • Would you rather never be able to use a touchscreen or never be able to use a keyboard and mouse?
    • bye bye touchscreen
  • Would you rather be able to control fire or water?
    • I’ll let God keep control of those.
  • Would you rather have everything you eat be too salty or not salty enough no matter how much salt you add?
    • unsalty… my blood pressure will love me for it
  • Would you rather have unlimited sushi for life or unlimited tacos for life? (both are amazingly delicious and can be any type of sushi / taco you want)
    • Tacos! I’ve never had Sushi.
  • Would you rather be unable to use search engines or unable to use social media?
    • both are so valuable
  • Would you rather give up bathing for a month or give up the internet for a month?
    • Give up internet
  • Would you rather donate your body to science or donate your organs to people who need them?
    • to science… it’s too diseased to help anyone, but maybe the research could save and or prevent others
  • Would you rather be able to teleport anywhere or be able to read minds?
    • my lack of trust in others says read minds, but to be able to transport away from danger is much more helpful
  • Would you rather never use social media sites / apps again or never watch another movie or TV show?
    • no social media or apps. TV is too vital for local news and weather, and the Internet is too unreliable… the connection, the speed, and the information
  • Would you rather have an easy job working for someone else or work for yourself but work incredibly hard?
    • Work obediently and faithfully for my Lord
  • Would you rather be locked in a room that is constantly dark for a week or a room that is constantly bright for a week?
    • I’ve been locked in dark rooms. That’s too cruel.
      Give me Jesus and you give me Light! ❤
  • Would you rather be poor but help people or become incredibly rich by hurting people?
    • Help others
  • Would you rather live without the internet or live without AC and heating?
    • If I want to be able to breathe and not freeze to death, I better say the net!
  • Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or always be 20 minutes early?
    • early! Being late throws things off.
  • Would you rather your shirts be always two sizes too big or one size too small?
    • 2 Big! 😉 Baggy!
  • Would you rather live in the wilderness far from civilization or live on the streets of a city as a homeless person?
    • In the wilderness. John the Baptist, Moses, and Jesus thrived in the wilderness.

WHEW! I’m finally done! God bless you 10 times over if you have actually read this far along with me! Lord, help me to choose the ones who love and live for doing these. I want to be a blessing, not a burden!

My Nominees:
Pennies for Dreams
A Fractured Faith
Dreamer’s Outlet
The Word
Quiet Girl, Noisy World
Sophie Harris
Real as the Streets
The Shower of Blessings

PTL! Congrats to the nominees! Please do not filled bound to do this Tag. If you do, us the same questions as above, and in your own time. That is between you and God.

Thank you, Miss Lovely!
❤ I still would rather have Jesus! ❤

“The Get To Know Me Tag” Tag 4.18.18

On By gaillovesgodIn Awards & Tags, Uncategorized12 Comments

Ok, Lord, here You go getting creative again through our Lovely A of Discovering Your Happiness, as she has nominated me for The “Get to Know Me” Tag. This was a tag that she created herself. The interesting things that You allow!elebrating

🙂 Thank you, Miss Lovely, for thinking of me! 🙂
❤ Me and God love you! ❤

Below are questions & answers for all of the nominees  ❤

  • What are my strengths?
    • Christ (Philippians 4:13)
    • faith
    • encourager
    • supportive
  • What are my short term goals?
    • Therapy
    • Keep copying God’s word
    • try not to give up
  • What are my long term goals?
    • Follow God
    • Love God
    • Serve God
    • Let others know God loves them ❤
  • Who matters the most to me?
    • My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ❤
  • What am I ashamed of?
    • every sin I have ever committed against my Jesus! 😦
  • What do I like to do for fun?
    • walk the Parkway bridge
    • puzzle books
    • blogging
    • writing poetry and short stories
  • What new activities am I willing to try?
    • Whatever God asks of me.
  • What am I worried about?
    • too much
  • What are my values?
    • faith
    • Christian
    • relying on God’s Holy Word!
    • Keep God first… No Matter What!
  • If I had one wish, it would be…?
    • To be with Jesus! ❤ Soon and Very Soon! ❤
  • Where do I feel the safest?
    • In the heart of my Lord God! ❤
  • What or who gives me comfort?
    • The Comforter (aka the Holy Spirit:) ❤
  • If I was afraid, I would…?
    • pray, sing a hymn, or read God’s word
  • What is my proudest accomplishment?
    • Giving birth to my son (by God’s grace and strength)
  • Am I a night owl or early bird?
    • night owl
  • What does my inner critic tell me?
    • Keep it all about Christ!
  • What do I do to show my self, self-care?
    • Shower
    • eat
    • lotion
  • Am I an introvert or extrovert?
    • introvert.
  • What am I passionate about?
    • the Love of my Savior  ❤
  • What do my dreams tell me?
    • For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
      – Job 33:14-17 KJV
  • What is my favourite non-fiction book?
    • The Holy Bible (King James Version preferred)
  • What is my favourite fiction book?
    • Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyon
  • What is my favourite movie?
    • Jesus of Nazareth
  • What is my favourite band?
    • Casting Crowns for one
  • What is my favourite food?
    • spasagna with garlic bread
  • What is my favourite colour?
    • lavender
  • What am I grateful for?
    • That God sent His Only Son to Save me! ❤
    • That Jesus willing paid my price to save me! ❤
    • That the Holy Spirit comforted my Jesus ❤
    • That Jesus is not in the grave any more, nor in pain! ❤
  • When I am feeling down, I like to?
    • lay in my Savior’s arms ❤
  • I know I am stressed when?
    • I get a headache, get shaky, get fearful, get painfully quiet or extremely chatty

I would like to nominate the below people to do the same tag:
A Sagittarian Seeker
Becoming His Tapestry
Teen, Meet God
Reema’s Garden
Hands Full of Blessings
Lea’s Spiritual Journey
Isaiah Roebuck
Cocina Italy
Coffee, Crime, and a Whole Latte More
Jack Flacco
A Better Man

Congratulations to the Nominees! Please do not feel obligated to participate. If you do, please do not rush. Using the same questions, please feel free to skip any question you do not like, or be as creative as you already are.
This is just meant to be a little “Get to Know You.”
❤ God loves you each one! ❤

Thank you again, Lovely Anita! ❤

TMI Tag 4.16.18

On By gaillovesgodIn Awards & Tags, Uncategorized23 Comments

Tag, Lord! You’ve made me it! You used Lovely Anita of Discovering Your Happiness to nominate me for the TMI Tag! You open her heart to me so often! Thank You for thinking of her with a nomination too! Bless her, Lord.

So ok, Father. I sense a little fun is what You seek to share with me. 🙂
So I will be sure to pass it on! Everyone needs a smile! 🙂

TAG QUESTIONS:

  • What are you currently wearing?
    • clothes.. *GASP* I know! Shocking right! 😉
  • Have you ever been in love?
    • I still am… with a wonderful and beautiful Savior! ❤
  • Have you ever had a terrible breakup?
    • unfortunately I have… if only we would obey God first and always!
  • How old are you?
    • hanging onto my 40s by the hair of my chinny chin chin! 😉
  • How tall are you?

    • tall enough to duck, but short enough to stretch
  • How much do you weigh?
    • I could qualify as a heavyweight if I were a fighter 😉
  • Do you have any piercings?
    • Yup… my ears took one for the team years ago… lol
  • What’s your favourite drink?
    • Nesquik Chocolate Milk
  • What’s you favourite song?
    • Sweet Hour of Prayer and LOTS of other hymns
  • What’s your zodiac sign?
    • one of those horoscope creatures 😉
  • How long does it take you to shower?
    • I tend to take 15-20 mins 🙂
  • What’s your favourite show?
    • Jeopardy... I like seeing what I can guess… AND learn! 🙂
  • What’s your favourite band?
  • Something you really miss?
    • swimming 😦
  • Where do you go when you’re sad?
    • to the arms of God… with my head on His Word! ❤
  • How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
    • 10 -15 minutes to awaken.  15 -30 to be ready to go
  • Have you ever been in a physical fight?
    • unfortunately
  • What turns you on?
    • the Love of Christ ❤
  • What turns you off?
    • anything that hurts my Jesus 😦
  • Qualities you look for in a partner?
    • the man whom God has chosen to be my guide that has such a love for Christ that He will lead me closer to God every day, not leading me further away by the minute. He won’t be perfect, but as long as He is making sure we keep our Savior first, He will have my whole heart and complete trust. And we will love the one who created that trust in both of us! ❤
  • What’s your favourite colour?
    • lavendar
  • Loud music or soft?
    • soft
  • Favourite quote?

    God loves you! ❤

  • Favourite actor?
    • Ernest Borgnine
      ❤ (my two favorite roles are as Marty
      and as the Centurion in Jesus of Nazareth)
  • Do you have any fears?
    • I’m human. Of course I do.
  • What’s the last thing that made you cry?
    • an unpleasant memory 😦
  • Last time you said you loved someone?
    • to my stepdad as he was headed off to bed
      (poor little guy, his medicines win the war too 😉 )
  • Last book you read?
    • Besides my daily reading of God’s Holy Word aka The Holy Bible
      (which I am in the book of Exodus right now),
      it was either
    • Breathe: Making Room for the Sabbath by Priscilla Shirer
    • or Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith by The Voice of the Martyrs
  • The book you’re currently reading?
    • Again Exodus in my daily reading
    • Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand
    • and Jesus Led, I Simply Followed by Blanca Mesias Miller
  • Last show you watched?
    • Lion
  • Last place you were?
    • Ingle’s (our local grocery store and gas station
  • Last sport you played?
    • It’s been so long that I don’t remember. 😦
  • Who’s the last person you talked to?
    • my sister
  • The last song you sang?
    • This Is My Father’s World hymn lyrics by Maltbie D. Babcock
    • Be Thou My Vision hymn lyrics by Dal­lan For­gaill
    • All for Jesus hymn lyrics by Mary D. James
      We sang all 3 of these for family devotions tonight.
  • Favourite chat up line?
    • May I ask you to pray for me?
  • Do you have a crush?
    • No but I have a Caffeine Free Pepsi 😉 LOL
  • The relationship between you and the person you last texted?
    • A longtime dear friend
  • Favourite food?
    • spasagna at Cheddar’s
  • Place you want to visit?
    • wherever God wants me
  • What’s the last time you kissed someone?
    • 15 years ago
  • Last time you were insulted?
    • don’t remember
  • Favourite sweet?
    • ice cream
  • What instruments do you play?
    • little piano… very little
  • Favourite piece of jewellery?
    • don’t have any
  • Last time you hung out with anyone?
    • a dear sister in Christ treated me to Wendy’s
      I ate a chocolate Frosty with taco chips 🙂
      Was a blessing to catch up with church family ❤

My Nominees for the TMI Tag:
Arnya of  Walking With The Way
Caz of Invisibly Me
Hayley of Red Letters
Stu of Something to Stu Over
Siphe of God’s Anointed Princess

God bless you each one.
Feel free to tag yourself if you would like to do this!

Thank you for thinking of my, Lovely A!

❤ LOVE YOU FIRST AND MOST MY WONDERFUL SAVIOR! ❤

4.17.18 Update: Kimberly’s PCT Hike

On By gaillovesgodIn Kimberly's PCT 2018 Hike Updates, Uncategorized10 Comments

Hi, Y’all! Here’s an update for all of those helping me pray for my Cousin Kimberly who is hiking the PCT from Mexico to Canada! She is doing so awesome! She has plenty of the most spectacular scenery pictures, many even shot in the panoramic view. This week Kimberly passed 200 miles already, and that’s even with a couple of Zero days (days she doesn’t hike so there are no miles accounted for).

Along the way, Kimberly has met a lot of people and gained some trail family, saw snakes and lizards, hiked rocks and deserts, and has really embraced a lot more freedom with self expression (**which will be why I am not including even a link this time, as there would be language AND triggers for my dear friends in ministry, with young children, and struggling with addictions**). She is really enjoying her hiking adventure, and her smiles are huge! Thank you for helping me to pray for her! I hope you will help me to keep her in prayer! She still still has quite a way to go. Hopefully that will give all of this winter weather a chance to clear our before she gets up north.

Thank you for being patient with me on sharing her update from this week. I’m still having issues struggling with sleep, even under the wheel or at red lights, even if I do get good sleep. My body just wants to shut down. My neurologist is having me see a couple of my specialists, including my sleep doctor. She wants to see if it is part of my sleep apnea or something else. Otherwise, we are working on trying different things, including changing meds around, adding one to keep me awake during the day if need be, and today I started back with my regular physical therapy team. I have not seen them since November when I was sent off to lymphedema/lipedema therapy.

God bless you each one who prays!
❤ God loves you! ❤

Happy 26th Smoke Free Anniversary!

On By gaillovesgodIn Uncategorized43 Comments

Yay!! Thank You, Jesus! 26 years of being smoke free!! My lungs, my heart, my blood pressure, my sinuses, my entire body is so thankful! It’s so hard, and yet so delightful to know it has been 26 years! It was so very hard then! But You could not pay me to take even one puff! I am eternally grateful for Your help.

I really don’t remember how young I was when I first smoked a cigarette. I just remember by 7 years old, it was a habit me and my siblings had sneaking cigarettes out of cartons or packages belonging to my grandmother and my dad. Sometimes we even stole them from the stores, along with candy. We were so horrible! And I do NOT say that fondly, as if to promote that as a sweet memory. You were so merciful to see us through such sinful times. You are so wise when You say,

“Even a child is known by his doings,
whether his work be pure,
and whether it be right.”
– Proverbs 20:11 KJV

I do remember by 12 that my neighbor (who was also my best friend) and I bought a pack of cigarettes each, along with some candy, and made sure to eat the candy and smoke every single cigarette we had before we got home within 30 minutes or so. We stayed up all night. The next afternoon when she was supposed to go with us out to eat, my parents let me know she could not go because she had been throwing up all day. Before we could leave, I too became sick. They were highly suspicious but never figured out why. But I knew. It actually made me quit. But then…

Later that year, we moved to Hickory and I went to a school for troubled kids. Twice a day there was a 15 minute smoke break for the WHOLE school! Teachers and students smoked and talked together. Eventually I felt like I was missing out on something. Just a few months later, we moved back and I was smoking so often that my parents officially allowed me to smoke. The only lecture I got was 2 questions from my grandmother.
1. You know that is what killed your Granddaddy? Lung cancer? That it made his lungs black?
2. You know you are going to have to buy your own cigarettes, don’t you?
By Christmas I was on my grandmother’s Christmas list to receive a carton.

I quit when I found out I was pregnant just as I turned 18, but I started having quite a problem with my blood pressure. This caused the clinic to send me to a high risk clinic and sent a nurse to my house. EVERY DAY I was accused of smoking and told to quit for my baby. No matter what I said, they would not believe me, but only stressed me more by talking about cigarettes every second they could. Eventually I caved. When the nurse came back, she started praising me for quitting. When I told her the opposite happened she asked how much I smoked before hand. I told her a pack to a pack and a half a day. She asked me how much I was smoking now. I answered just one or two a day for my nerves. She asked if I had quit cold turkey, and I said yes. She said that was probably why and apologized for stressing me out. She encouraged me to quit smoking before labor.

I quit smoking for maybe a week or two, but after having him, again my nerves were so stressed that my body struggled to have bowel or bladder movements. It didn’t help that my little brother teased me day and night about wanting one, and smoking right in front of me to tease me, but it was my sister who told me it was because I quit smoking. So I started back, and sure enough. My body relaxed and had mercy on me.

I would try on and off for years to quit but could not seem to do it. By the age of 22, I was on antibiotics every 2 weeks. I could not breathe through my sinuses, so I had to hotbox each cigarette to feel anything. Taste was long gone. But I couldn’t finish even half a cigarette because hot-boxing was giving me such a headache, and making my sinuses so much worse. My doctor kept trying to tell me I was allergic to smoke, but I would tell him I had been smoking since I was little. And I thought that for a person to be allergic meant immediately rushing to the hospital to save your life. I also already had a damaged heart valve by then, but kept smoking.

One night at the ER, they refused to treat me… saying… “It won’t do me any good to prescribe anything. Even if I had a magic pill to heal you, one puff could undo everything. You already know you shouldn’t smoke with the damaged heart valve. You already stay on antibiotics so much and have a genetic disadvantage to emphysema (my dad already had it), so it is clear you are starting to develop emphysema, and I can promise you that you will be dead before you’re 30, and that’s if you make it.”

I don’t know why that visit made such a difference, but I can tell you it did! It scared me so much to know they refused to treat me, knowing I was so sick, struggling to breathe, after all the lectures they would give me about my heart valve. By the grace of God, I quit COLD TURKEY!! Yes, I would have challenges with my brother, my best friend, my sister, and so many friends constantly and intentionally getting in my face trying to get me to smoke again. My best friend even openly declared all the time that I made her look bad. But God had put a good scare into me. The closest I came was after I had a SINGLE cough while sitting in a college class, and this nasty yellow GUNK went into my hand. GROSS! My doctor told me it was my lungs clearing out. I told him if it kept up, I would start back because I had NEVER done that! He said I was lucky because not everyone’s lungs tries to clean themselves out, especially so quickly. God used that to encourage me!

During that summer, I was also blessed with another great love of my life… swimming… unlimited, night and day access to a swimming pool and a hot tub. I couldn’t smoke and swim like other smokers around me. I would have SUCH headaches and chest pain, so it was no contest. I LOVED swimming! And still do! I miss it so! 😦 I was able to play softball with the guys, was very active in the Jaycees, walked or ran 5 miles a day before or after work, and went back to swim every chance I got in the day! I not only avoided the usual gaining of weight (which everyone swore I needed then), but I lost weight, gained some sun, and improved on some surgical scars from the sun lotion! I felt so awesome!

I know this is a very long post that I meant to be a quick… YAY! PTL! But you have to understand the difference that made in MY life. I was a 22 yr old single mom, and my son was just 3 years old. If I had made it to just 30 (just 8 more years) I still would have missed out on so much! My son’s beautiful smile, his junior high graduation, being his escort for Senior prom banquet, his high school graduation, protecting him during a time family and friends were trying to push known sex offenders into my son’s life (literally into our home and to allow him to be picked up from his school). I was a fierce momma bear during that no matter what family or friends were offended, and directly confronted the sources! Even becoming a part of a two man (me and my son) team to defend those already victimized!

I was blessed to see his college years, to meet his first girlfriend, to know his bride, to be a part of his beautiful wedding, meet his wonderful in-laws, and new loving church family, be there when he went through an unwanted divorce, was there for him when the doctors thought he had bone cancer in high school, and so much more. I was able to be there for my dad when he was sick and in the hospital, to later care for my mom in her last few years, even when house ridden, bedridden, and my stepdad had a stroke around the same time. I beat myself up quite a bit, greatly insulting God when I do, but God uses my son and wonderful souls along the way to remind me of what HE DOES in and through me. And He uses this blessed anniversary to remind me each year.

So I share this because I have SO many family and friends who are struggling with quitting. Some are trying for the umpteenth time. Their health is screaming at them now! I want to support and encourage them! My health has a lot of challenges, and I am only here by God’s say so, but He does still have me here. If I had not quit 26 years ago, I wouldn’t even be here to give myself such a hard time.

This also comes at a time that I am struggling with many things physically because of childhood or teenage behaviors. Whether they were taught to me, done to me, or I simply learned or was allowed to do them doesn’t matter. My body is the one screaming at me now for many of those things. I am trying hard to follow God in taking care of my body… the vessel He gave me. Many of you may be struggling with or simply having to live with the consequences of your past. God wants you to know that even if those things cannot be erased, He can give sweet grace, mercy, peace, and sometimes even healing. But we must first come to Him, allow Him to point those things out, ADMIT to them so that we can deal with them by first giving them to Him! He loves you! He cares what has happened to you, and what IS happening to you now. Confess to Him.. even if it’s just the emotions of how things make you feel… how you feel towards Him.. be as honest.. as raw… as open as possible! He knows any way! He just wants you to trust Him!

One day we will ALL have freedom from our scars, our addictions, our behaviors, our abusers, our damaged bodies, our impaired thinking, our failing health, our weakened and bitter spirits, and all things that make life a challenge where God did not want anything but good for us. He has good waiting for us. He has perfection waiting for us! We have new bodies waiting! New names! New spirits! New homes!

❤ A NEW… ME and YOU!! ❤

God has went to prepare a new place for me and you!
❤ He loves us!! ❤

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
– John 14:1-6 KJV