Well, the surgery is over and the hair in the eye sensation was quite real last night. However, as I awoke this morning, that is gone. All I notice now is some flickering light. I go in again this morning for a follow-up visit with the surgeon to make sure all is well.
Living in this body of flesh is something one rarely thinks about until things start going wrong with it. My nephew with his brain cancer, my son-in-law having heart issues, the prayer requests I get from church, from Celebrate Recovery and the emotional difficulties I hear in counseling include these physical needs as well as many emotional ones. All of this reminds me that these vessels of ours are “jars of clay”–fragile, as we are told by Paul in II Corinthians 4:7. So much I take for granted until I can’t do that any longer. It is then that I am reminded of this truth. Living in that sad state however is not where God wants me residing. His promises of life beyond this momentary state is forever without these physical ailments! Today I am living in this state–God’s Promise of Life Eternal with Him!
Today I have a minor surgery–cataract on my right eye. They will do the left one in 3 months they say. They say I can’t lift anything heavy for a week and not to bend over. I asked if it’s ok to hoe in my garden? Surgery in June is quite an interference! They said I could do that if I didn’t bend over and I said I’d be a good boy.
God has been showing up in some very touching ways in our immediate family. I won’t go into details about this, but for grandpa, it is so wonderful to see family members taking hold of God in their lives. Life is so, so much richer when God is in control and we let go of selfishness.
As I was reading my devotional this morning the theme was thanking God for our weaknesses as Paul did. For, in our weakness, we find God’s Strength. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve read this and heard this, but the true significance of it has never really made sense.
For months now I’ve been working on understanding the power of God’s Holy Spirit within me and learning to submit fully to Him. This morning as I was reading about Paul’s thorn in the flesh and his thanks to God for it, I was asked by God’s Holy Spirit to do the same. He used words I often use in counseling sessions. He said, “Why don’t you turn the coin over and instead of dreading your thorn in the flesh, thank God for it. It is in our thanks that we find God’s Strength to withstand and even overcome our weakness in our flesh.” I do often use that phrase “try turning the coin over and believing what’s on the other side”. Little did I understand that I needed to do the same–practice what I preach!
God never quits growing us and I never want to stop being a good student for Him. He’s SO AMAZING!
This weekend is a little different for this grandpa. Grandma is in Wallowa, OR for a grand nephew’s graduation from high school. I’m home because a grandson needs transportation yesterday and today for a basketball tournament he’s in. His mom is in Texas helping her daughter (my granddaughter move). My grandson’s team won both of their games yesterday so that was fun! Later this afternoon there are two more and hopefully their success will continue. My oldest grandson is coming in today to move his bride to the Air Force base in California where he is stationed so he will be here tonight and tomorrow night as they pack. Grandpa feels worthwhile even if I don’t know sports well.
A little change from normal is good for all of us and this is one of those times for me. I’m loving it! GOD is always GOOD!
For several months I’ve been working with a young man who has been dating a young lady. They seem to be a good match for one another but, she was raised in a religion that didn’t recognize the need of accepting Christ into one’s life. They had talked endlessly about this and she and I had also met where I gave her scriptures and a prayer she could pray. When I met with this young man yesterday and asked how his week had gone, he told me his girlfriend had accepted Jesus into her life and he was able to be with her when she prayed. It tears me up just writing this here.
He had been told by family members he needed to break up this relationship before it took him astray. He liked her enough to stay with her and give her the time she needed. Well, I know not all relationships work out this beautifully, but I sure do praise God this one did. This young man said that now he is free to move into a relationship building to see if the outcome is to be marriage. How beautiful is all of this! It is so rewarding to watch God working and the patience He has allowing His kids the time needed. What a wonderful God we get to serve!
Wednesday’s are a very full day of counseling sessions. Yesterday, as it began at 11 am, started with an older couple who have each been divorced and were seeking counsel about their marrying. The next session was deleted from my calendar so I went into that time with this first session. I was planning to run home and eat for the next sessions were to be continuous until 8:00 pm. I walked out of the room with this couple only to see the “cancelled session person” waiting. I have no idea how it got cancelled on my phone, but it was. The next 4 sessions were continuous and each ran into the next due to my blunder. I have said many times I’m not a good secretary for myself and this was another proof. What amazed me the most was no one seemed to care except me. Each session seemed to accomplish what was needed for it.
I did get to go home later in the afternoon for a moment. I hadn’t eaten until then. As I returned for the last 3 sessions a new problem arose. The planned materials for these sessions missing from their files. Even early this morning I could not find where they were. I thought I must have left them here at home, but they are not here. They were saved on the computer so I have now rerun them. In spite of this, the sessions seemed to need to address what was on the individual’s mind different from the original plan.
I do not like going into any planned time unprepared. However, I do know that God trumps all of my work when He wants something else taken care of. This morning I just shook my head as I thanked Him for reminding me to keep His plan first for I need to be flexible. It is amazing how He works!
I likely say this far too often, but God is amazingly faithful and trustworthy! I marvel at the ways He works that I get to see and all of the ways I hear about but don’t witness by sight. And this is just what I personally get to witness. All over the world God is working to bring His children to Him and we get to be a part of this. How fortunate we are!
A husband I’ve been seeing for 6 months has been having his wife come these past few sessions. Yesterday we tackled an issue he felt he could never talk to his wife about. Yet, in talking about it he was astounded to hear what she had to say. He just shook his head in disbelief. All he feared he’d hear was not even a slight bit evident. It reminded me of my own telling Kathy 42 years ago about my past. I had told her to pack her bags for she’d be fleeing once she knew the truth of who she had married. Instead, when I’d finally gotten the whole story out, she simply asked, “If I had just told you something similar about me, would you be leaving?” It floored me when she asked that. I responded saying I just hadn’t thought of it that way. She then added that I just needed help.
When this conversation took place yesterday, with the problem out in the open, we agreed we could step into it next week. The husband was amazed his wife wanted to join him in this. How FAITHFUL our God is!
I’m not sure what is happening to the daily posts I write, but I see that yesterday’s isn’t available. This happened a week or so ago too. That time I figured I’d not hit the last post button. Since that time I make sure I see the post complete before I log out. ???
I went to see my prayer warrior Lois yesterday. As I was catching her up on ones she is covering in prayer she told me something I had heard from her once before but had buried it at that time. Isaiah 61:3 says God takes the mourners and makes them oaks of righteousness who are STRONG, MAGNIFICENT AND DISTINGUISHED. A year or two ago she had written this out and sent it to me. At that time I put it in my bible thinking she is such a nice lady! Yesterday, when she said this to me again, she said I needed to not just hear this but to believe it. The very Jesus Christ Who lives within me is all of this and I am this too because of WHO is in me.
This morning as I journaled I thanked God for Lois and her words. When I asked Him what He wanted me to know for today, His response was to take these characteristics to heart and praise Him today for making them real in me. I think good grief, only a Savior and Lord could take the shame I kept hidden for so very long and use it in a vessel, me, making it strong, magnificent and distinguished! I shake my head with great humbleness and thanksgiving for this loving and gracious GOD we get to serve!
With June comes summer and the weather is shifting to it. We just had a week of summer-like weather and now it has turned cooler like spring again. It is actually fun to watch the ups and downs as the new season approaches. I love what summer produces but the heat of it is something to endure. The pro’s do outweigh the con’s however!
Our Oklahoma granddaughter and her husband came to visit us yesterday. They are planning to be full-time missionaries. In one month they will go on a one month missions trip to Japan. Her husband has taken Japanese and become quite fluent in it. This will be his second missions trip there. It is so nice to see God’s plan for them being so excitedly fulfilled by these two. They had to be at the airport very early this morning so we were up by 2:30 am so we could leave by 3:00. I told them it was easy for grandpa to take afternoon naps and today will be one greatly appreciated!
God is so good and it is so nice to watch Him working in the lives of one’s family!
Earnie Lewis 