Sometimes....

Sometimes you just gotta call a spade a spade. When someone is being a jerk for no apparrant reason, filled with unwarranted venom, hating on innocent people, you just gotta call them on it! You can still love them, but you have to put them in their place. Someone has to stop them, and it might as well be the one who loves them most. Jealousy is a green eyed monster, has no place in my life, and I won't tollerate it, especially when it involves one of my children. I love each one of my children equally and differently, I love my husband with all my heart, and my grandchildren uniquely, but I won't ever be able to pour up my love in a measuring cup or put it on a scale to make sure it is exactly the same for everyone. I treat each one with a special unique love and that's how it will be. I don't want to be under a magnifying glass about who I did this for and who I did that for. I do for each as what their need is and how I can help them. And while I am quick to tell one that they are being a jerk, I still love them! I believe God might just do this to us. There are times when he quickens us to look at ourselves and see how we acted out or spoke out of place, only to have us see where we were wrong, and if we are sensitive to His correction, we will ask forgiveness. Even though we behave badly, God still loves us! He wants us to take correction.

Do not dread tomorrow

Dreading tomorrow is a belief that it is going to be a worse day than a past one. It's a lack of faith that you are going to have a good day. IF YOU set yourself to accomplish what you say you are going to do, things are going to happen! Trust in the Lord to guide your footsteps! Have simple faith in what God wants you to do. Even if it's something you don't want to do, do it! There are miracles attached to the most simplest of acts of obedience. When you are out of the realm of God, not walking in the light of God's grace, it is easy to fail and be out of place.

Wisdom

Wisdom always chooses to do now what it will be satisfied with later.    Start your day asking God for wisdom. Make right choices using wisdom.

To blessed to be stressed!

I love this! To blessed to be stressed! As I watch two beautiful women of God play a game show on tv I marvel at their faith, composure, and belief in God. They are playing for a half million dollars....giving much of it to a ministry to build ophanages. Their motto: Live to Give! What a wonderful motto. How proud God must be of these young christian women. He must be filled with joy each time He hears them lift Him up. To blessed to be stressed. wow!

It's a good day, a good, good day!

Though the rain is falling and it's freezing outside, it's a beautiful day! Though we waited an hour and a half past our dr appointment time, it's a good day! I choose for it to be a good day! I will not let anything change my attitude! I praise the most high God for this good, good day!

I'm back and with a new attitude!

It's been a while since I posted. I was waiting on my cable internet to get installed. Finally it has. Today was a very stressfull day while the gentleman installer worked to get me connected, I ranted and raved about not getting my "wireless" internet that we ordered. I'm such a child sometimes! Well, after questioning hubby to find out exactly what he told the lady on the phone we wanted, I figured out it was probably not conveyed to the company that we wanted wireless. Anywho....sorry Lord for acting like such a spoiled brat!

Tonight Lord, is the first night of the rest of my life! I am going to choose to spend the rest of my life happy and full of joy and love. I will not entertain bad decisions, choices, thoughts, nor actions. I choose to be happy and have a good attitude. I will wait upon the Lord for blessings and I will be generous giving to those in need. I am the head and not the tail and I refuse to let the devil trompal me down! I will be blessed when I rise and blessed when I lie down! Every day is a blessed day for me. No weapon formed against me shall prosper! This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! I expect good things to happen! I love you Lord and praise you will all my might!!!! Praise be to God!

Be careful...

Todays topic: Be careful what you pray, wish, hope, speak for.

Have you ever wished for something and it came true? Have you ever prayed for something and it came to pass? Have you hoped for something to happen and  it did? Have you spoke to a mountain and it moved? If the answer is yes, then you have used "faith".
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Heb11:1 
You believed if you wished. prayed, hoped for something it would come true...and it did! Wonderful! But sometimes what we speak isn't so wonderful. It works both ways. As much as it can be used positively and to the good of one, so can it be negatively and against one. The spoken word is powerful! When we speak, not only does God listen, but the devil listens also. We give him ideas, did you know that? The word says our tongue is like a two edged sword!
We say, " Man, I haven't had this (bad thing) happen in a while."
The devil rears his ugly head and says, "hmmm, now there's an idea to make their life miserable".
See what I mean.
I am forever getting on to my husband for confessing bad things. He will say very negative things, such as, "Yeah, I am probably gonna die from that", (whatever the topic might be).
I tell him the devil just loves to hear people condemn their selves to dying of some horrific fate. He jumps at the chance to make it happen!

Why is it so much easier to believe a lie or a negative than the truth or a positive? Because we expect bad things to happen, NOT, good things! Call things as though they were, NOT as they are, but as though they were!

Recently I was working. Able to pay the bills, living comfortably. I was tired, sure. Working long hard hours (I always said hard work never killed anyone), getting paid a lot less than I was worth (according to me and some of my co-workers). I complained daily. "I should be making more. These hours are gonna kill me. I need another job. I wish I could stay home." 
Well, I, got my wish! My prayers were answered! Here I am sitting at home (like I had wished for). Only it's not working out quite as planned. I got sick and ended up in the hospital with a stroke and God knows what else. I am now told I cannot return to work. My bills are all due and I don't have a paycheck or means to pay them. One by one, I am losing all the things that I thought I could not live with out. (YES, you can live without satelite TV and phones). I have no idea why I still have internet. Guess God wants this message out! The next to go will be my house if there is not a miracle in the next few weeks.
But Hey, I got my wish! I'm not working! See what I mean.....Be careful what you wish for. Be careful what you speak out loud so the devil hears it. He listens to your every word also. He comes like a thief in the night to kill, steal, destroy!

Today I ask God's forgiveness for my lack of faith.  Please forgive me for not being grateful for the blessings I have and thankful for all you have given me.I thank you that you are my provider and in you I have hope.

By His Stripes!

Today has been a rather uneventful day. I slept late again....couldn't sleep last night. I was in too much discomfort with the python squeezing me around my back. I continue to have this "squeezing" feeling around my trunk and head. The left side of my body feels as if it is a piece of fruit being dehydrated. Like gravity is pulling it down.  I am not sure what is going on with my body, but I know God is here. I know he hears my cries and is holding my hand. I know that I have hope in the future because of the past....Jesus died for me...by HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED!  Thank you, Lord!

Author Anonymous!

"You promised me, Lord, that if I followed You,
You would walk with me always.
But I have noticed that during the most
trying periods of my life there has only been
one set of footprints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
have You not been there for me?"
The Lord replied, "The times when you have
seen only one set of footprints, My child, I carried you."
Author Anonymous!

Why do you think each time you read this, whichever rendention it is, it says
Author Anonymous or Author Unknown?
Why do we NOT know who wrote this infamous poem? It has been spread throughout the world. Put on t-shirts. Painted on canvis. Printed on bookmarkers, but Nobody knows who to give the credit to!
AOL coined the phrase  "You've got mail", now it's infamous. People say it and hear it every day, They even named a movie after it! Everyone knows where it originated. Then there are single words that represent groups or teams, such as, HOORAY, the US Marines or Whodat?, the New Orleans Saint fan's cries! We all know where those came from....Fans! Members!
I believe the reason the author is anonymous is that SO MANY have cried out to GOD.
"Where are you God? I need you God! I don't feel you or see you! Why have you left my side, God?"
Multitudes have felt alone in their hour of despair. Hopless when faced with life changing trials. Helpless when disaster strikes. BUT, this poem brings to prospective what kind of GOD we have.
*One that would Never turn His face from us.
*One that would carry us when we are down and weary
*One that is with us through thick and thin.
*One that brings hope, healing, comfort, salvation, peace, joy
HE is always here with us. His word says "He will never leave nor forsake us".
So Why would we not feel Him in our troubled times?

Here is a thought to ponder....
How do we expect to recognize God in our times of troubles if we don't take notice of Him in the good times?

me,me,me...GOD, GOD, GOD!

Now it came about that the apostles were going around performing miracles, healing people, and preaching the word of God. There were multitudes following them, lining the streets, selling their possessions, giving their proceeds to all in one accord. There was a couple who sold their possessions but held back a portion of the proceeds for themselves. When the men of God heard this, they confronted the man asking why he kept what was already his but had been promised to God. He asked why have you allowed Satan to fill your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit? The man was so fearful he dropped dead right there and because his wife was aware of his lie, when they confronted her, she dropped dead also.

Do you think they dropped dead because they were embarrassed? NO, the word says they were fearful. What were they fearful of? I believe they feared what they had seen done to Jesus and the two thieves that were crucified. God just now showed me what this passage was all about. I was trying to find some deep meaning or parable in it, but it's really about this. We are such a "me" generation, that we would rather die than to give over our possessions, i.e. big homes, expensive cars, tvs, cell phones, dining out once or twice a week, drinking, smoking, etc.. We are all guilty of it. I have bought cigarettes before when I didn't have milk money! How selfish is that? 
We all live above our means and are just one or two paychecks away from foreclosure. Let something catastrophic happen in your family, i.e. death, illness, loss of wages, let's see how long you can hold your head above water. If you are like the average Joe, not very long! But! be of good cheer, God has got you covered! He said He will provide for you according to His riches in glory....NOT your riches.... but His riches.
Praise be to God! He is faithful and just!

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:18

Dare To Dream

Nick and I have had an on-going dream to one day own an eating establishment. He loves to cook (thinks he is the best in the world!) and I like to eat....and cook on ocassion. Had we planned better I think we could have realized our dream by now and maybe we would be "sittin' pretty". It has never been about the money, though. It was always about doing something we enjoyed and doing it together. Something we delighted in.
With him working overseas, we were apart so many years, that we want to spend our last, whatever that may be, together. I believe God will let us somehow realize our dream and give us the desires of our heart, for that is what His word proclaims.


Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart!   Ps 37:4

My Son

Trampus Michalsky

I sketched this after his High

School graduation in 2000

　

The Chest

In this chest you will find,

Treasures of memories I’ve acquired.

No treasures of monetary value, per se,

Simply special things collected from day to day.

It’s timeless design was simply born,

Though someone’s room it’s sure to adorn.

Among it’s treasures there’s lots of love,

As well as my mother’s favorite gloves.

Things that were precious, I have kept,

Many days over them I have wept.

Keep them in this chest I pray,

And pass them down to your child one day.

　

　

　

Donna Askew

January 7, 2011

Good Morning to you too...

Let me just get it out there...I AM NOT A MORNING PERSON! Having said that, I am, however, one who wakes thinking of God and His wonders and blessings. This morning I slept in, thank you Nick. Once again I was up burning the midnight oil because I could not sleep. I did, however, fall sound asleep in the bathtub sometime after 2 A.M.. I woke in a frigid bath around 3:45 A.M.. I had decided to take a hot bath hoping it would help me sleep...it did! 

After waking, Nick brought me my cup of jo, and I locked myself in the bathroom where I read my bible. Isaiah 40 was what God brought to the table, OR THRONE, (pun intended) this morning.  I often wonder if it is sacrilegious or insulting to God that I read my bible while on the "throne". I had no longer finished reading it, than I heard Nick speaking very loudly and sternly to someone. It was someone on the phone. Let's just say, there was no question that he was not happy with this person. Anyway, the point is....the devil always comes in to try to steal, kill, and destroy...your day, your life, your finances, your health, your mood. Take up your armor of God so that you may be protected. Eph6:10-18   

Living with a time bomb

Sometime in February 2010, I suffered a stroke. I say some time, because I really cannot tell you the exact moment it happened, or how many I might have had before knowing my speech was affected. On February 5, I went into day surgery to have surgery on my sinuses and to remove a couple of tumors from my vocal chords. As you might expect, I had no audible voice for several weeks. I have had many surgeries and even after the major ones, I have memories of waking from the anesthetic. This one I did not. I thought it strange that I could not remember one moment of coming back to consciousness or the ride home. I didn't give it a whole lot of thought, thinking it was the effects of the drugs.  I noticed throughout the course of my silent period I was having trouble coming up with the correct words I wanted to use when writing on the internet or a piece of paper. I even made mention to my sister-in-law that I was having these strange difficulties. My thoughts seemed confused and I could not focus on every day activities. After several weeks when my voice was healing, but still very weak, I noticed I could not form words as I had before the surgeries. My speech was that of a child's. I left out consonants when pronouncing my words and conjunctions when speaking a sentence. My ability to spell (which I had always prided myself for) seemed to have flown out the window. And though I recognized all of these changes, I didn't know what they meant or the reasoning behind them.


Other symptoms were also appearing. My left arm had been hurting me and the left side of my face was pretty much numb most of the time. I couldn't really hear out of my left ear, but I both of my ears were stopped up before the surgery due to clogged sinuses, so I didn't think much of that. I was having terrible headaches in the back of my head. Of course I was having headaches before the surgery also, but they were in the front, eyebrow area, where your sinuses are located. Nothing was relieving the pain. I am not one to take pain killers, and I only had over the counter ones anyway, but there were a few occasions I probably would have taken something stronger had it been available. I did use some peppermint oil, which relieved the stress of the headache.One night the symptoms got so bad that I called my parents and asked them to come over.....911 was called and I was taken to the hospital. My life has drastically changed since then and this is my story...

My husband, Nick, was overseas working in Iraq supporting the troops. We had lived apart going on about 10 years, except for the short time Nick was home during his bout with Kidney cancer (but that's another story for another time). Things were going well. He had planned to finish out his yearly contract and then come home to retire. CJ, our grandson, is getting older and at the age that I could not handle him alone anymore. He is autistic and mentally retarded. (another story) Anyway, after my stroke, Nick worked a few more months overseas and then came home. Meanwhile I was getting better every day. I was on blood pressure medicine and aspirin, and medicine for my headaches. We had insurance so things were easier financially. I could afford my medicine. Then Nick came home, we lost our insurance, I couldn't afford to go to the doctor or buy my medicine any longer. I was getting better. My speech had completely returned to normal. My energy level had increased. Life was going okay...except for the finance. So, I decided I needed to get a job. That's exactly what I did. I contacted an old boss and asked if she had any openings and luckily she did. Great! I was going to be in the working world again. Little did I know, it almost killed me, literally! I worked hard, long hours as a security officer at a chemical plant. I enjoyed the work and had worked there before, so I knew many of the people. People I really liked and enjoyed. The work was what got me. Twelve hours of running your tail off for $9.50 an hour! Literally! I would pray each day for God to help me push the accelerator to get home, that's how tired I was. When I did get home I would thank Him for getting me there. Then I would pray I could make my feet and legs get me into the house. They hurt so bad. Then I would thank God for getting me in the house. This went on for months. Then I started having some of the same old symptoms. Left arm hurting, face going numb, ear stopping up, ear pain, headaches daily, chest crushing pain. Several nights and days I thought I would have to call someone to relieve me at work because of the pain, but I didn't want to face the truth that I was having these TIAs (Transient Ischemic Attack). Mini strokes, if you will. More like a preempt to a major stroke. I had worked several days overtime and put in a lot of hours over the months of November and December. I was feeling the throes of it and had to work all through the holidays. I was stressed with getting the house decorated for the holidays, buying Christmas, and having time for the family, plus working. On Christmas day, while at work, I started having chest pains and other symptoms. I wouldn't call anyone to relieve me because they were all home with their families and I didn't want any of them thinking I was just trying to get off because it was Christmas, so I just ignored the pains. My head was pounding, but I just took some tylenol and continued my shift. I still had to have a family party when I got home, so I hurried home, got things together and had the family over. We had a great night. I continued to work for the next few days, then had a day off to recover. I was suppose to work for a co-worker on the day before New Year's eve, but was too weak to go, so Nick called in for me. I woke up that morning and walked into the kitchen. I felt like my blood sugar was low or I was dehydrated. I made it to the cabinet to get a glass, then to the refrigerator, but I could not pour the juice. I called for Nick to come and pour the juice for me. My head was spinning and I was so weak. My legs were like rubber. The refrigerator was holding me up, had it not been there I would have been on the floor. Nick put a chair behind me and literally pushed me down into it. It was after that moment, my speech was messed up again. My words were slurred. No one could understand me. I was talking like a baby or so that is what it sounds like to me. They ran many diagnostic tests after the first stroke and found no signs of anything wrong with me. I was the healthiest person in the world, barr a little high blood pressure. This time around they ran a new test and found the culprit. I have what is called a Cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart. My particular disease is that I have blood clots in my heart. Pieces of that blood clot are breaking off traveling through my veins/arteries to my brain and causing the TIAs and the strokes. I have been having daily TIAs and my head and face has a strange feeling aura. I am on blood thinning medication to try and dissolve the clots, which has many side effects of it's own. I cannot go back to work, so things are pretty tight around here. We are close to going back into time using only the electricity we have to use...i.e. No TV, internet, cable, satellite, etc. I have applied for all the government assistance we have paid into all these years, but found, I don't qualify. So, I will live my last days, however many God choses to give me,  here, in the comfort of my own home, until they take that, and thank God for all the days He has given me.

Forever, O Lord, your word is settled in Heaven!   Ps. 119:89

Generousity

Something remarkable happened today. My daughter went to the grocery store and left some groceries on my doorstep while I was gone to the doctor with the cub. Now I know she lives on a very limited budget with all the children they have, so I know how much a sacrifice this must have been. I know God has seen her giving heart and is blessing her as I write.
Thank you, Barbie and Jason.

Life is too short, my friend!

There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE...Getting back up is LIVING.

Broken, but still be valuable

As I was sitting in front of the fireplace, I noticed a ceramic mosaic frog that I have had for many years. I love that frog! It's colorful, and a frog, which I have a fetish for. It's been broken for almost as many years as I have had it. Then I looked beyond that frog and saw a vase. One my mother had given me several years ago. It too has been one of my favorite pieces. It wasn't because it was expensive or even beautiful, it was just special because, well, my mother had given it to me. Then I saw above my head, on the mantle, a very small elephant. Actually there are three of them, one has a broken trunk. I refuse to throw any of these prize pieces away. Why? Because, they are valuable to me. Even though they are broken, I still see their beauty, still have a place in my heart for them, and still want to be around them. I think that is how God feels about us. Even though we are less than perfect, broken, if you will, He still loves us, still wants to be around us and fellowship with us, still sees beauty in us, and most of all, still has a heart for us.