Expecting Good...

"Hallelujah!  I want to express publicly before his people my heartfelt thanks to God for his mighty miracles.  All who are thankful should ponder them with me.  For his miracles demonstrate his honor, majesty, and eternal  goodness."~~ Psalm 111:1-3

June 22, 2012

Good Morning, Readers!  It's going to be a hot day in Central Texas.  Michael had the air conditioning turned down below 70 degrees and I woke up thinking it was the middle of Winter!  He has high blood pressure and gets really warm so we fight over the thermostat!  I probably have some readers who argue over that same thing!!  It's too hot ... no, it's too cold!  We're funny, aren't we?!

I just love love love my prayer time in the morning.  I can sit outside drinking my coffee, reading, and drifting in and out of my prayers.  I am thinking that I need to get a small CD player to put outside so I can enjoy some uplifting music.  Different kinds of music put me in the mood for different things.  I can hardly wait to have a bubble bath in my new claw foot tub with soft music playing and candles lit in the background.  Ah yes, the simple pleasures of life are often times the best!

Don't you just love it when you experience the miracles of the Lord?  Don't you just want to shout "thank you" from the tallest building?  I am so in awe when God gifts me with surprises.  I wake up in the morning with high expectations of what is going to come my way.  I look for those gifts just as a child looks for presents hidden at Christmas.  When I find my gifts, I grin from ear to ear and run to tell those close at hand what I've found.

"Jehovah is constantly thinking about us and he will surely bless us."

~~Psalm 114:12

I pray expecting good results.  I just know that God is listening intently and acting according to His will.  His sovereign will has the big picture before him ... my job is to trust in that will ... and, I do whole heartedly.  It used to be hard for me to trust in God's perfect will when things happened that hurt me or those close to me.  I would cry out in pain ... Abba Father, why?  Why?  There would be a silence that I hated ... a deafening silence that I didn't and couldn't understand.  Why did you take my cousin at 17?  Why did you take another cousin in her thirties?  Why did you take my dad at fifty-five?  Why did you allow me to be hurt as a small child?  Why did I have go through painful divorces?  Why did you take my cousin's son in Afghanistan?  My questions went on and on.  Then, all of a sudden one day, I got "it."

"The Lord gives, the Lord takes away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord."

~~Job 1:21

As a Christian all I had to do was trust that God knew everything I didn't know.  He gave gifts ... it was my choice whether to savor them as long as I had them or take them for granted.  When I expressed my gratitude for my gifts whether they be people, my home, my income, my health ... I had this sense of peace and wellbeing.

"I love the Lord because he hears my prayers and answers them.  Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe."~~Psalm 116:1-2

I have friends going through the pain and uncertainty of cancer.  I struggle with the thorn in my side of Fibromyalgia.  My husband struggles with extremely high blood pressure and digestive issues on a daily basis.  I have family members going through personal trials that are cutting to the core of their faith.  All I can do is pray; but, isn't that enough?  When my prayers are released to the heavens, God immediately acts sending out his resources.  He works behind the scenes ... I know he does.  I've seen the miracles -- big and small.

"It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in men.  It is better to take refuge in him than the mightiest king!"~~Psalm 117:8 

My daughter and her family are in Minnesota attending the wedding of Tim's mother.  Love truly is a gift at any age.  The blending of families ... a gift.  The opportunity to meet and greet family and friends and create new memories ... a gift.  I wish I was there to partake in the festivities.  I just love a lively party!!  I will need to be content to receive texts and photos via my IPhone and look forward to getting a play by play report.  (Giggle) ... I just got a photo text ... my daughter got a polka dot pedi for the occasion.  I heard myself saying, "I want one!!!" and did a text back.  She said, "Come to Florida!"  I do love the gift of being a part of that family's life!!

We seem to get out of life what we project.  If we think bad and expect the worse, guess what?  The nastiness of life comes a calling!  If we speak good and expect good, it seems to appear out of nowhere.  I am very careful about what I think and speak. 

The work on the casita has come to a screeching halt.  Lupe has had a horrible time finding a plumber to get the tub in.  I am learning patience and savoring the process.  I recall the frustration of getting the kitchen in the little casa.  Now, it is but a faint memory and I enjoy my gourmet kitchen each and every day!!  The casita will be done when it's done ... no use getting all bent out of shape!!

Sadie is having a good morning.  She went outside with me and enjoyed a stroll around the gardens.  I love watching her as she checks out the paths of the squirrels and snaps up the flies.  Funny how accustomed dogs get to routine ... All I have to do now is say, "medicine time," and she comes running.  I sure do love that Scottie dog!  As I type my feet snuggle into her black fur ... ah, contentment (for both of us!).  She is with me today ... a precious gift!

As you go about your day today, I pray that you will look for the gifts of life and say "thank you."  Always remember you are loved and prayed for ... YA YOU!!

Miss Dottie