Monday, normally a day that I am up at 5:00 am, showered; dressed; dog pottied - fed - and medicated; to-go breakfast made with hot cocoa in a to-go cup (with 3 marshmallows and a squirt of whipped cream); laptop and all accessories packed and on the road by 6:15 to pick up the young man that I mentor for a full day's worth of activities with a private school. It's the Monday after Christmas and I SLEPT UNTIL 7:45 and didn't quite know what to do with myself. It was actually kind of restoring to see that a sunrise can happen without me being behind the wheel of my car. Wow! None the less, I have enjoyed myself immensely. Word of advice though, if you have anything to exchange or return, mercy, don't do it today. Been there, done that.....
Today has been a day that my wonderful husband, son and I decided that we had consumed our fair share of sweets, rich foods, and cheese delicacies and it was time for a hot dog, just a plain old normal all beef hot dog smothered with spicy mustard. It was like eating prime rib. Yum! I would imagine that many of you felt the same way. Sometimes, easy, simple and lack luster are the way to go. Now to concentrate on those couple of extra pounds that managed to find me over the past few weeks. They hide all year and manage to creep up, attack and attach themselves to my unsuspecting body every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Sneaky little things! The rule at our house is if it is not gone by January 1st, it goes out the door and into the trash bag. We have to start the year with good, healthy meals! Right! I refuse to succumb to the lettuce and water routine for 30 days! Just have to use my head and plan things out a little better so that we chill on the stuff that's bad for us.
When you stop and think about it, isn't everything in life like that? Aren't we challenged every day with decisions about what's right and what's wrong? It's not just about sweets and rich seasonal foods, it's about everything we do.
For the past several weeks, I've written about the days leading up to Christmas. Yes, I know I didn't publish every day. We've talked about that. Sometimes, what I write ends up being so fine tuned and directed at myself, that it stays that way. Those are the times that I write and talk to God while I do and then wait for His answers. They always come, sometimes right away and sometimes, days later, but they always come.
A few years ago, a country song came out called "Unanswered Prayers". I believe it was done by Garth Brooks. The song always bothered me a little, because in my mind and in my heart, it wasn't true. God answers EVERY prayer, but sometimes the answer is "NO" or "NOT NOW". Too many people take the absence of a positive result for them or the person or situation that they lifted up in prayer as "unanswered". Sometimes, we are not meant to get the winnings or resolution that we want. It's not always about what we want, but what God wants for us or knows is best for us. The answer may not make sense at the time. Maybe it is not supposed to. Maybe we will never know as long as we walk the earth the "whys" and "wherefores" of His answer. As His children, we need to all trust and obey. We need to have that mustard seed faith and walk on in the direction He leads us and not always be asking "why". He has His reasons and sometimes those reasons or answers test our faith.
Over the past almost 3 years, my very dear friend has survived multiple surgeries and battled countless problems as a result of illnesses that she has had to deal with her whole life. Added to that mix 2 years ago, was breast cancer followed by over a year's worth of chemo treatments, weekly magnesium and potassium drips, blood transfusions, hair loss, nausea, and medical bills piling up to a point that seems never ending. Added to this mix was loss of employment and questions about what to do, how to do it and where to go.
My point with all of this is simply put - prayer. I have been by her side in emergency rooms, hospital admissions and doctor's appointments. I always prayed for her, but she began to ask me to pray, and I did. I prayed for her healing, inside and out. I prayed for a peace to come over her and an assurance that she was constantly surrounded by angels that would watch over her even in those times that she was not aware of things around her. Praise be to God!
Those guardian angels have worked overtime, trust me. It was all part of God's plan and He led us to each other under very strange circumstances, knowing that we would gain strength and faith through our friendship with each other. Go figure, you meet your best friend at the mall! Since that day, we have laughed, cried and enjoyed so many wonderful times together and I thank God with all of my heart for putting her in my path on a certain day in February under strange circumstances, 3 years ago this coming February. After we talked for 5 minutes, it seemed as if we had been friends for life. Do you or have you ever had a friend like that? Those are some of God's earthly angels and if you have now or ever had one in your life, give Him thanks and praise for putting that person in your life.
Craziness is what happens when we get together. My family adores her and my kids refer to her as "aunt". Last year, we attended an event right smack dab in the middle of her chemo issues and she fretted for days on end about looking professional and proper. Her bald head was beautiful and we all teased her about losing small islands in the Pacific from her head whenever she would lose another hunk of hair. My favorite was when she chimed in and said "Oh look, there goes Guam!". Ultimately, this all led up to a trip to the salon and the clippers grazing across her rapidly shedding noggin. My son and I attended for moral support and my heart broke when she couldn't hold the tears in any longer. It was a moment she knew was coming, but hoped and prayed that it wouldn't, that somehow, God would spare her from this part. To us, it looked as though the prayer went unanswered, but in actuality, He answered it in such a way that none of us could ever imagine. He answered it with her total healing, a clean scan and total remission from this wicked disease. Praise be to God! Anyway, back to our social gathering. Georgia July temps made it almost unbearably hot. We are all in sundresses, pony tails and sandals and here she comes in a full wig. It was important to her to look fully dressed and that included a proper hair style. What she didn't think about was the heat and ultimately the itching. Halfway through the evening, she was so miserable, we took a break and found a place where we could sit and she could remove that wretched wig. It was at that point, that we all realized that this person before us was strikingly beautiful just the way she was and we convinced her to accept that thought and return to the event without her store bought tresses. She was so scared and apprehensive, but we all stood by her and walked into that function as if nothing was different. At that point, she realized just how beautiful she was just the way she was, with or without hair. I don't think she has had that thing on again since that day. Praise be to God! Another miracle and another prayer answered. I love her spunk and faith. I love how through all of the illnesses and surgeries and healing and not healing, she has held her head high and walked on. I love that she asks me to pray for her and I always do, and I always ask others to lift her up as well.
I am telling you this now because on Wednesday, she begins a series of surgeries to put herself back together, to make her "whole" on the outside. Please just lift up unspoken prayer for her as she starts this new journey. Pray for her courage, her healing from the surgery and future wellness, and pray for a peace to come over her as she anticipates the coming event and the days that follow.
Miracles are not uncommon in my life. I've been so blessed to be witness to so many, more than I can count. I've seen God take the worst possible scenario and turn it into a testimony of faith for the person(s) involved. I've seen Him heal and give life when doctors said "no way possible". I've seen Him mend bodies, mend hearts, open hearts, bring peace and change lives in such a mighty way, that I've been left with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes as I quietly told Him thank-you. There are people in my life right now, family and friends, that are here because HE is not done with them yet and has a purpose for them to continue to be that miracle that everyone sees.
So, yes, every prayer is answered, but that answer may or may not be the one that we each had in mind when we lifted up that prayer. Yes, God speaks to everyone of us when we call out to Him and even when we don't. Remember, don't listen with your ears, listen with your heart and have the faith of a tiny mustard seed that your prayer is being answered, often before you even lift it up. When that answer doesn't make you happy, don't grumble about it. He has a reason and just may not be ready to share that with you at this very moment. Have faith and give thanks and don't ever stop praying because He never stops listening!
On Saturday, December 25th, we celebrated the birth of a King, God on Earth in the form of a precious, tiny baby boy. What a wonderful miracle then and what a wonderful miracle for each of us now.
Use one of these well known acronyms to help you remember! FROG - Fully Rely On God. PUSH - Pray Until Something Happens. GRACE - God's Riches At Christ's Expense and last but not least, my favorite - BIBLE - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.
Tomorrow is another day - a good day filled with new experiences, a new sunrise and a new sunset, new miracles and new life. Don't take a moment of it for granted. Pray, have faith and be the miracle that God created you to be! You know I try to always end with a song that sums up what I've written. Today is no different. I hope you enjoy as you think about how you are one of God's many miracles. Peace and blessings to each of you as we continue to celebrate the birth of Christ the King and as always, In Him...
Kaye
