365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 187 & 188

My Saturday turned into a nursing day as my daughter came down with some stomach bug. Thankfully, she seems to be better this morning so we will prepare for her going off to camp later this afternoon and hope that this feeling better stuff sticks around. There is something about my kids being sick that spurs my compassion and my fears. I will do whatever they need to feel better and I will sleep fitfully because of fear of how they are doing in the middle of the night. I am sure I am not alone in this. Most mothers out there are nodding there heads with a been there-done that kind of attitude. I got up once at 4am and went to check on her. Something about seeing how they are takes the fears away. As all this was going on, I was concerned about some spots that appeared on my lower legs and my arm. The Shingles sign at the pharmacy has been on my mind and so my imagination worked with my fear but I stopped myself from continuing this line of thought and prayed for God to take away this fear. Having more knowledge about shingles has helped. They recommend getting the very safe vaccine for ages 50 and up so I have a couple years. I just don’t do well with pain and from what I have heard and seen about shingles it is not something I want to get. Prayer and thanksgiving are the best antidotes to these kinds of “what if” fears. So, I am thankful these spots I have are probably a bug that bite me a few times to many and I am thankful my daughter has a strong immune system and that I know the Lord is watching out for her. Peace has taken over the spots of fear in my heart.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 132

Oh Lord, you are so amazing! To you I give myself. I woke up this morning from a dream. I haven’t dreamed for the last couple weeks because I have not gone through the sleep cycle to get to the point of dreaming. I also realized I slept all night long without waking once to go to the bathroom. I am so in awe of my God, I want to shout and sing and dance. God brought me through it, healed me and showed me that he is in control of all things and I have to let him have them. I feel renewed and it is all because of Him.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 298

I didn't sleep so well last night. May be partly hormonal but is also because my shoulders and a pain in my ankle towards the top of my foot woke me up too. I have been researching the possiblity of arthritis being what is happening to me. My joints have been recently cracking and popping a lot so I started researching and determined its either osteoarthritis or rhematoid arthritis. I am going to keep a log of all my symptoms for two week and see what that may tell and of course will pray for the Lord's healing and guidance. I don't think they mentioned arthritis at my shoulder doctor, just tendonitis but I do know I have some osteoarthritis from my sternal-cavical joint seperation when I fell back in 2009. It has recently been acting up as well? It's a mystery! I do love to try solving mysteries and am resourceful but working with a not-so-great night sleep has effected my brain this morning. So, let me just praise God for waking up to a new day and pray this new day will bring all that I with the Lord's help can bring it.

Jeremiah 17:14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 107

Last night I was tired. Not an exhausted kind of tired but I just felt like curling up in bed kind of tired. I got into bed about 8pm and started reading a book by Billy Graham about angels but I struggled to get through the chapter as I kept dozing off. I finally got through it and put it down and rolled over curling up on my side and fell asleep even though my daughter was right there in the middle of the bed playing on the laptop. My wonderful husband came in at 9pm, our usual bedtime and found me in a solid rock sleep so he took care of getting Faith to bed. This morning he tells me he was a little worried because he woke up later in the night and I was in the same position. He said he laid there trying to listen to see if I was breathing. Yep, still alive! I don't know where that solid kind of sleep came from as it is very rare these days but I am thankful for it. My husband says I think God was looking out for you because tonight we have to spring forward and lose an hour. Aha! That's it God was taking care I got enough sleep. I will go with that! Thank you God for a good nights sleep and for the cozy bed I have to sleep in.
2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 71

Sleep. It hasn't been so good lately but instead of going into the easy cranky negative mode from lack of sleep, I am going to praise God that I have a bed and home to sleep in. It is one of those things that we very much take for granted but there are so many around the world living on the streets, using a cardboard box for cover and their own dirty clothes for any warmth. My prayer is for those without a home and a warm bed to sleep in that hope will be sparked in them and that God will use people to reach out and help them. Here is a link to a local shelter See how you can help!
Psalm 4:8 I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.