Be Clean

I have read the scripture many times about the lady who went into a home and washed Jesus' feet with her hair and tears. Also she poured her perfume on him. I just thought of something. 

 After she washed his feet she probably had a lot of dirt and dust in her hair because in those days, they most likely wore sandals. She took on the dirt of Jesus' feet.  

It made me think of Jesus. When He died on the cross, he took on the dirt and filth, the sins of all of us. It was like it was all over him, spiritually... billions of people's sins all over him.  Yet when he rose from the grave,  he was cleansed.... our sin and filth is gone. 

Jesus did this for us...

Reference Luke 7:36-50

www.biblegateway.com

a spoken tongue

When I moved to Japan with my family, I was a shy, 11 year old girl and I only knew the English language. I went to a school where they spoke English and everyone on the military base spoke English. When I stepped off the base to go downtown,  I visited the stores and enjoyed the culture. Yet everyone mostly spoke Japanese.  Yes I was a foreigner in the land.  When I would hear someone talk in the English language I could immediately understand it and I would perk up and listen. I knew exactly what they were saying. 

I did take Japanese language and Japanese culture classes in school, which I enjoyed.  Yet there is always something familiar when someone speaks your own language. It's comforting and it gets your attention when you aren't in your own place of living. 

Acts 2:1-11 "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: 'Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!'"

Can you imagine you hear something extraordinary? Something you will remember the rest of your life?  Say you are visiting a conference with like- minded individuals. There is only one person,  in this gathering, from each of the nations. You all hear sounds coming from a building. The sounds are of loud chattering.  Then you recognize someone is speaking your language and you understand what they are saying amongst other people.  You listen closely yet you are amazed.  Other people around you, who are from different places in the nation are stopping in the streets too,  doing the same thing, as you.  They are listening closely because they are hearing someone speak their language too. But it's not in your language,  it's from their own home town. Each one hears his own dialect.

Acts 2:16-21 "Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd...this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

''''In the last days, God says,

I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.
 I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.''''"

God has got everyone's attention after they heard things in their own language.  Now He's using Peter to witness to them and say:  "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Now everyone goes back to their hometown and this news spreads to each country. 

Jesus wants you to know, if you call on his name, you WILL be saved. 

  

Traveling with pain

Here's a little bit of what I did to help me on my travels on a trip I recently took. You may not understand it unless you deal with daily chronic pain. If you deal with pain,  maybe some of this will be helpful to you. 

I went on a trip which was 2 hours ahead of California time. I was getting up earlier each day,  about 4 hours or more than usual.  Some days I felt like a zombie.  Yet there was a couple days I spent time resting. I spent some alone time, just resting, which I needed to keep going. We did  2 weeks of stuff in one week. So I basically had to pack 3 different times for traveling throughout one state.  And I tried to keep eating foods that kept my irritable bowl syndrome in check and didn't eat foods that would cause a fibromyalgia flare up.  My health was good there mostly and yet the humidity caused pain in the mornings. Thankfully hot massage showers took edge off and I kept biofreeze with me. I made sure I had a microwave and fridge in each hotel I stayed at.

I did take an egg crate cushion section that I cut enough to lay my body on, when I go to sleep.   Plus I brought my special pillow with me so that I could be comfortable in each bed.  My pain was so bad with first plane trip,  so on the way back I sat on the egg crate foam cushion which helped a lot.  I had originally packed it on the check-in luggage.  

Both ways I brought a tiny pillow with me on plane to help my back pain and posture. I didn't want any more new pain brought on by not sitting correctly on the plane. 

Plus I brought my regular mypillow with me in check-in luggage. I brought my ice and heat packs too. Each night I used my hot, moist pack that I could microwave to heat up and wrapped it around my shoulders and head. It all helped. I wish I could have traveled lighter but I knew what I needed to make the trip better for my body.  I have learned to do this and I even have a check list I keep in my computer so I know when I go out of town,  I don't forget my important medical stuff. 

Transform pain?

I was reading and something struck me. I know we live in our bodies and that we deal with groanings, burdens, and pain.... but sometimes I forget that our earthly tent (our physical body) so longs for our heavenly dwelling. 

We may deal with physical pain and suffering on earth yet we will be free from all of that when we are in our spiritual body, in heaven, if we are believers of Him,  Jesus. Our spirit may groan and be so desiring of our heavenly bodies.  I look forward to that day in heaven when my physical body is transformed into something new and am grateful, and find peace and joy when looking forward to eternity, forever, when we will no longer have a physical body that feels pain and suffering.

"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,  because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.  For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."

2 Corinthians 5:1-10

thanks to these guys

To the men in different stages of my life,  thank you for treating me with love and respect like a father or big brother would.  I appreciate you for looking out for me when my father and family didn't.  Bob Boartfield Sr.  Marlin Hines. Rob Hodson  ,  Rick Pena (husband of Mary Pena ), the late Bill Thornburg, Daniel Cardenas,  Terry Henderson And big brothers Jon Llera, and the late Roy Vasquez (husband of Virginia Vasquez ), Joe Zichichi (husband of Lisa Zichichi ), Nick Thouas . And for the rest I forgot to mention. 

Happy Father's Day and Happy Big Brother's Day. (I know I made up the last one).

And to my husband Timothy Carroll  thanks for all you do. I appreciate your hard work and how you look out for me. We don't have a human flesh baby,  yet we have one well-fed fur baby cat named after your Rocky. Lol 

And thank you God for everything.  For showing me what unconditional fatherly love is and for bringing me people in my life the last 30 years to help mold me into what I am today. Thanks God.

Life in a Pandemic

2020. It was one weird and crazy year that I never thought would exist in my lifetime.  A pandemic was something I heard about in school in the history books. I never thought I would ever experience a global pandemic in my life, or how to live in one. And never thought I would understand the reality of a quarantine or stay-at-home orders.

Covid19 rolls off my tongue like something that seemed like it always existed, but it hadn't. Some people think it's a hoax and yet others know it's serious. Some because they have either had a bad case of it or knew someone who passed away from it. Through Facebook, I have actually seen people from my past, pass away in the pandemic, most of them were from the Covid19. 

We are in an uncomfortable world where our lives have changed. It feels like we aren't getting enough oxygen because of the face masks we have to wear everywhere we go. Yet we endure it to not spread this virus. I adjusted by keeping a hand-held fan blowing on my face so I don't feel like I'm going to pass out or get overheated. 

We have had stay-at-home orders and learned a new way of life with social distancing. People, like me, who are huggers have had to hold ourselves back with every ounce of our body so we don't reach out and give a handshake or a hug. I've learned if I extend my arms out from side to side that makes about 3ft. And if another person does the same of about 3 ft, that's equivelant to the 6 ft rule of not standing too close to people to not spread the virus if we had it and didn't know it. 

We go to restuarants where before we had taken for granted the enjoyment of eating in the dining area. Yet now we are lucky if they are open and have a drive thru or do walk-in orders where we can eat in the parking lot, in the outside makeshift dining area, in our cars or just take it home. I have adjusted. I bought a tray that I keep in our car so the experience of eating in the car is easier for me;  I don't drop chips and salsa on the floor like I did at the beginning. There are restuarants that allow people to eat inside at times. Most have every other table open yet sometimes they have to close because of how fast covid19 is spreading and what the government says to stay open or not. 

Even church and Bible study groups have changed. Most are doing their services online and little by little I've seen them open their doors to do service inside or even outside with the intention of social distancing...but that's not always easy. Watching church online has been easier for people like me who watched church online, before the pandemic, due to major health issues. Yet seeing people not be able to go to the actual building is heartbreaking. Their ministries changed or haulted temporarily until life gets back to normal. Again things we took for granted has made us look at life differently.

We go grocery shopping or other shopping and hope no one coughs or sneezes. When people get too close it gives some anxiety because we know we could then be exposed to the virus. Masks are to be worn over the nose and mouth.  At times I have even caught myself feeling overheated with the mask on, so I put it below my nose or hang it on my ear, one-sided, so I can breathe easier. And others do the same. I've learned me wearing a mask is protecting you, and you wearing a mask is protecting me. Or is my mask protecting me? and your mask is protecting you? No one seems to be a 100 percent positive in the way it works.

I worry about being near people especially my friends. I'm silently wondering Do they have the virus? Can I get the virus? Do I have the virus and not know it? Did I just give it to them? So again we aren't seeing our loved ones as much, or not at all, because of the unknown of the virus. We are told that there are so many complications that can lead to death with this virus or you can test positive for the virus, and be a carrier even though you don't have symptoms. The unknown has put fear in some.

Then there is the hand sanitizer. Before pandemic we were told not to use it as much because then we are becoming immune to the benefits of it. Now we are told to use it every time we go inside a store or touch someone or something, and to use it often. Actually we are told not to touch anyone unless we live with them. So we carry small bottles with us everywhere we go. We go into the store with our masks on and come out, putting hand sanitizer on, in the car; then we touch the bag from the store or touch the steering wheel. Did we just grab germs again? We touch the bottle of hand sanitizer and accidentally touch the lip of the container. Oh no, did we just unsanitized the sanitizer?  It's all so confusing. 

Some go home and Lysol their shoes when they come home from work. We can't touch our loved ones yet until they take a shower. That is still hard for me. Being newly married, I would greet my husband with a kiss and hug when he came home from work. But since the pandemic, I have to wait till he takes a shower, which is hard.

Then people put their work clothes in the hamper. Did we just expose our dirty clothes that were in the hamper already, to the virus?  We do our laundry and then realize maybe we should wash our hands because we touched the dirty clothes that could have been exposed to the virus. Then we put our clean clothes in the washer and dryer. Did we kill all the germs? Who knows? 

All I know is, I can't wait till this pandemic is over. Some say it might be a couple years. After that, I hope I won't be afraid to hug all my friends, give handshakes, freely eat at restaurants, and attend Bible study groups without any hesitation. I hope we will let go of the habit of putting on face masks and hand sanitizer all the time after this pandemic. Or should we let it go? Who knows?

my window view

I looked out the window at 6:05am and saw A beautiful, white, petite cat with brown and beige markings on it, sitting on our patio.
Then she looked like she spotted something. I saw a black and white animal, oh It's probably just Panda our neighbor cat.
Nope. it is waddling. It's a skunk.
Then the cat starts following it in a sneaky way about 5 ft away from it, yet hiding with each corner they turned.  I see the skunk's tail go up but he didn't spray just kept walking. And the cat just followed it until they were both out of  view. Someone's morning may not end well. Lol...

Keep America Great again?

I've been biting my tongue a lot this past year but I can't hold it in any longer on Facebook so I'm just going to say it. If Trump is so good like a lot of people say, why does he act like he does. I've asked some people why did they vote for Trump.

1. Because he is for Pro Life. I say Protecting the unborn child is awesome which is what I'm for too, but once that baby has grown, how does Trump treat them. He treats people like crap. Just because a person is powerful and rich doesn't mean he has the right to treat people horrible and get away with it.

2. They say to "Keep America great again." I say he has already had 4 years. Shouldn't he be saying "Keep America Great Still" or "Continue to Keep America Great".

3. They say he's a Christian. I say anyone can go to church or hold a Bible that doesn't mean they are a Christian. Where is his fruit? Where in his character or attitude does he portray God?  What are his actions?

4. They say I voted for him because he gets the job done and they say I'm not looking at his character. 

Yet I say, so does that mean that any person who molests a child, or rapes a person, or abuses anyone in any form, or  does a major crime is okay as long as they get the job done in the work world. So should we release all the prisoners? Should we overlook these major things. I don't think so. I don't think God wants us to overlook these things. If we do overlook these things then we are not for children, or teens or young adults, or adults or the elderly. If we overlook these things then we are not for the hurting, the disabled, or the widows. If we overlook these things then actually I think America has gone backwards not forwards and that breaks my heart. 

I think it's time for Trump to humbly step down like he's supposed in January and act like a civilized man who is in power and realize he doesn't always gets what he wants. I have never seen such a divided country and blinded by Trump's actions, character and attitude. 

Any other President can do the same job but with great character. 

I've been praying for this a lot

First half of 2020 written in a hilarious way (not by me)

You can read my notes afterwards. I just found this post funny and it basically sums up what we went through in the first 6 months of 2020.

Here it goes: 

I did not write this. I borrowed it from somebody who borrowed from  somebody else’s Facebook page who also didn’t write this. I am posting it so that in 5-10 years, I can read it in my FB memories Edition,

In January, Australia caught on fire. I don’t even know if that fire was put out, because we straight up almost went to war with Iran. We might actually still be almost at war with them. I don’t know, because Jen Aniston and Brad Pitt spoke to one another at an awards show and  everyone flipped out, but then there was things happening in China, then Prince Harry and Megan peaced out of the Royal family, and there was the whole impeachment trial, and then corona virus showed up in the US “officially,” but then Kobe died and UK peaced out of the  European Union.

In February, Iowa crapped itself with the caucus results and the president was acquitted and the Speaker of the House  took ten years to rip up a speech, but then WHO decided to give this virus a name COVID-19, which confused some really important people in  charge of, like, our lives, into thinking there were 18 other versions before it, but then Harvey Weinstein was found guilty, and Americans started asking if Corona beer was safe to drink, and everyone on  Facebook became a doctor who just knew the flu like killed way more people than COVID 1 through 18.

In March, (poop) hit the fan.  Warren dropped out of the presidential race and Sanders was like Bernie or bust, but then Italy shut its whole (place) down, and then COVID Not 1 through 18 officially become what everyone already realized, a pandemic and then a nationwide state of emergency was declared in US, but it  didn’t really change anything, so everyone was confused or thought it was still just a flu, but then COVID Not 18 was like ya’ll not taking me seriously? I’m gonna infect the one celebrity everyone loves and  totally infected Tom Hanks, but then the DOW took a (poop) on itself, and most of us still don’t understand why the stock market is so important or even a thing (I still don’t), but then we were all introduced to Tiger King. (Carol totally killed her husband), and Netflix was like  you’re welcome, and we all realized there was no way we were washing our hands enough in the first place because all of our hands are now dry and gross.

In April, Bernie finally busted himself out of the presidential race, but then NYC became the set of The Walking Dead and  we learned that no one has face masks, ventilators, or toilet paper, or THE  (xxx) SWIFFER WET JET LIQUID, but then Kim Jong-Un died, but then he came back to life… or did he? Who knows, because then the Pentagon released videos of UFOs and nobody cared, and we were like man, it’s only April….

In May, the biblical end times kicked off historical locust swarms (in Africa) and then we learned of murder hornets and realized that 2020 was the start of the Hunger Games but people forgot to let us know, but then people legit protested lockdown measures with AR-15s, and then sports events were cancelled everywhere. But then people all over  America finally reached a breaking point with race issues and violence.  There were protests in every city, but then people forgot about the pandemic called COVID Not One Through 18. Media struggled with how to focus on two important things at once, but then people in general struggle to focus on more than one important thing, and a dead whale was found in the middle of the Amazon rain forest after monkeys stole COVID 1 Through 19 from a lab and ran off with them, and either in May or April (no one is keeping track of time now) that a giant asteroid narrowly missed Earth.

In June, science and common sense just got thrown straight out the window and somehow wearing masks became a  political thing, but then a whole lot of people realized the south was actually the most unpatriotic thing ever and actually lost the civil war, and there are a large amount of people who feel that statues they don’t even know the name of are needed for … history reasons..... but  then everyone sort of remembered there was a pandemic, but then decided that not wearing a mask was somehow a God given right (still haven't found that part in the bible or even in the constitution), but then scientists announced they found a mysterious undiscovered mass at the  center of the earth, and everyone was like DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH IT, but then everyone took a pause to realize that people actually believed Gone With The Wind was like non-fiction, but then it was also announced that there is a strange radio signal coming from somewhere in the universe that repeats itself every so many days, and everyone was like DON’T YOU DARE ATTEMPT TO COMMUNICATE WITH IT, but then America reopened from the shut down that actually wasn’t even a shut down, and so far, things have gone spectacularly not that great, but everyone is on Facebook arguing that masks kill because no one knows how breathing works, but then Florida was like hold my beer and let me show you how we’re number one in all things, including new Not Corona Beer Corona Virus. Trump decides now is a good time to ask the Supreme Court to shut down Obama Care because what better time to do so than in the middle of a pandemic, but then we learned there was a massive dust cloud coming straight at us from the Sahara Desert, which is totally normal, but this is 2020, so the ghost mummy thing is most likely in that dust cloud, but then I  learned of meth-gators, and I'm like that is so not on my (xxx) 2020 Bingo card, but then we learned that the Congo's worse ever Ebola outbreak is over, and we were all like, there was an Ebola outbreak that was the worse ever?

In July…. Aliens? Zeus? Asteroids? Artificial Intelligence becomes self aware?

Thanks to whoever started this for the copy and paste.  I have no idea who wrote this; and (xxx), I want to know.  Also, why didn't I know about the whale in the Amazon?

----------------------------------------------------------------

Note: I didn't write it but I saw it on Facebook. Even though I think it is hilarious, I do believe that covid19 is real, and it's so sad that people have died. Plus I believe that we should wear face masks. I don't like being quarantined but I respect the government's decision and abide by it when they say it's needed for covid19.

I think Black lives do Matter, but I don't believe in destroying property. I don't feel like explaining everything but you'll understand when reading it. I did take out the foul language.

moving forward

I may not like wearing masks. I may not like it when they close the indoor restaurants or other places again. I may not like everything that goes on in the world.  But I respect the fact that they are trying to keep us safe. So I wear the mask. I order take out if I need to and I pray and try to be content in the circumstance I am in.

I learned a long time ago that Life isn't always easy and it doesn't always make sense. So I've learned to keep on going even when I don't agree, to keep on praying, to keep on believing. Hopefully some day our new normal will change for the better, but even if it doesn't, we keep on moving forward, we keep on looking to God for our strength, and keep on living and striving for what God wants us to do in each season of our life.

Got Masks?

We went to a store yesterday. Some people were walking in without wearing face masks or coverings. Due to the covid19, it was and is mandatory to wear a mask. 

The worker kindly asked each person to put a mask on and said if they didn't have one, she'll give them one.  Some people were immediately angry and walked out of the store without shopping. 

I wish some people understood that the masks are to protect us and others.

(Yesterday our governor said its mandatory that we wear the masks because covid19 has been spreading a lot again....I wish people understood that it's only to protect us and each other.

Stay safe

Please refrain from negative comments

To BE or NOT to be skunked

Last night, my husband and I were chatting with a neighbor over the fence in each of our yards. We have been a little apprehensive lately because there has been skunks in our neighborhood. I was going to tease my husband and say there is a skunk coming in our yard. Well I was too late.

Within minutes I literally spotted a skunk wobbling toward our car. He hid by the tire as we told our neighbor. Turns out our yard is in the path a skunk takes to go under our other neighbor's shed. Today we have even spotted 25 small, not so deep, holes dug around our yard. We think it's from the skunks looking for food.

My husband decided we should go inside but we were trying to figure out the best way to go to the porch without getting sprayed from the skunk.

We slowly walked towards our porch to not disturb the skunk so she wouldn't be frightened. Actually my hubby walked faster than me. I was trying to be slow so not to make any sudden moves.  I felt like I was on a Lucy and Ethel episode that would have turned out bad for Lucy. 

I was intrigued yet concerned for the safety of my healthy smell, or umm, well-being. I couldn't imagine being sprayed and stinking so badly for days.  So I tried to hurry but my body wouldn't let me go faster.

We were laughing during our ordeal and hoping not to get skunked. It was rather funny. And thankfully, we did not get skunked.

Nature at it's finest.

I texted my neighbor to see if the mothballs that I placed by the shed earlier today, helped deter the skunk from getting under the shed.

Turns out he didn't stay for the skunk either. It's funny how one tiny animal can change the course of time in someone's day. 

It Breaks My Heart

It breaks my heart that George Floyd was killed.

It breaks my heart that some people are injuring police officers they see (and they did not even have anything to do with the incident.)

It breaks my heart that people are still prejudice.

It breaks my heart that so many people are damaging and/or catching buildings and items on fire. The owners weren't involved in the incident yet they are struggling even more due to covid19 and now this.

It breaks my heart that we were starting to open up the restaurants for dining and  stores due to the covid19 vs. quarantine but some had to close today because a lot of people were looting or destroying the restaurants and some businesses. 

This chaos breaks my heart. This Crime breaks my heart, yet why does one need to steal and destroy items and innocent  people.

Crime is not the answer. Peacefully protesting is okay. Rioting is not

Coping with quarantine and health issues

I pray you all are doing alright emotionally because having fibromyalgia or other health issues can be stressful or depressing. Then when you add the quarantine and social distancing too, it can feel overwhelming.

At the beginning of this pandemic where I live, I was overwhelmed...yet I have been doing better. I've been finding ways to uplift my spirits. And I use the techniques I've learned from having fibromyalgia. 

Here's a few tips:

- (Laugh and uplift your mood). 

Find funny videos on utube.

-(Feed your soul and spirit).

I've been Listening to Church online to learn ways to cope through this pandemic and also learn about God 

- (Socialize). Connect with people.

 (The leaders of the Bible Study where I usually attend, are using the Zoom app instead of meeting at their home so we can still chat and discuss Sunday's online service. It is so great to be able to connect and see our friends on our laptop during this time)

 Other ways to connect with people are video chat through messenger, writing emails or cards, texting or calling others. 

- (physical strength). 

Walking, stretching, exercising. Do what you can. this feels like a never engine battle.

- (focus on others)

Sometimes helping others will keep your focus off your pain.  Send a "I'm thinking of you" card, bake for your neighbor, ask a friend if they need something at the store,  or ask them if they need prayer,etc ...

Raise a Halellujah by Bethel Music

https://bethelmusic.com/videos/raise-a-hallelujah/

I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies

I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief

I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody

I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me

 

I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm

Louder and louder, you’re gonna hear my praises roar

Up from the ashes, hope will arise

Death is defeated, the King is alive

 

I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me

I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee

I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery

I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me

 

Sing a little louder

In the presence of my enemies

Sing a little louder

Louder than the unbelief

living in quarantine

I've been in quarantine for a month now due to covid-19. I've only got to go out to a few stores for groceries. My husband,on the otherhand,has had to work.

I'm so glad we got married last year and not this year. I would have been devastated with the global epidemic of the co-vid19 coronavirus and the global shutdown vs trying to plan a wedding. It was crazy enough last year in making sure all the details were in order by picking the perfect dress, making sure decorations, flowers, and other items were ready and that everything was organized. It would have been tough scheduling some things because some items are nonessential so those businesses would have been closed like they are now.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think our first year of marriage would be in an epidemic or even in my lifetime.  I am so grateful my husband and I have each other. I think it would have been much harder going through these crazy times if I was still single and living alone. The "social distancing" or isolation probably would have depressed me.

It is ironic that a lot of things are the opposite to what they normally are. The news used to announce that socializing only on social media such as Facebook, is bad for your mental health. Now they are telling us to self quarantine because of the coronavirus and only keep in contact with others through phone, internet or social media. 

The stores always advertise to come in their stores. Now the stores are closed temporary or permanently and are telling us to stay away.

The news used to announce that it isn't good to use too much hand sanitizer. Now it feels like they are telling us to wash our hands and sanitizer our hands so much.

Another thing that's the opposite is a lot of people lost their jobs or have to stay home temporarily so they are spending a lot more time with their family. Before the quarantine, they were going to school or work or both. Then there were the families that have children with different interests so they were rushing after school to go to music practice, or sporting event, or other activities. And that didn't even include more sports practice and games on Saturdays or Sundays. 

This is our new world right now. The unknown. No get togethers. No church services in buildings. No fellowships. No running to baseball practice. Nor enjoying hot meals inside a restaurant.  No watching the hottest new movie at a theater or getting our favorite hair cut style. And absolutely no phycial contact with someone who doesn't live with you which is hard for me. I love to shake hands and give hugs to others  

   

On a positive note, It is nice to see families spending more time together. And even though we have can't gone to church, they are watching the device remembering that the church building is not the I've been in quarantine for a month now due to covid-19. I've only got to go out to a few stores for groceries. My husband,on the otherhand,has had to work.

I'm so glad we got married last year and not this year. I would have been devastated with the global epidemic of the co-vid19 coronavirus and the global shutdown vs trying to plan a wedding. It was crazy enough last year in making sure all the details were in order by picking the perfect dress, making sure decorations, flowers, and other items were ready and that everything was organized. It would have been tough scheduling some things because some items are nonessential so those businesses would have been closed like they are now.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think our first year of marriage would be in an epidemic or even in my lifetime.  I am so grateful my husband and I have each other. I think it would have been much harder going through these crazy times if I was still single and living alone. The "social distancing" or isolation probably would have depressed me.

It is ironic that a lot of things are the opposite to what they normally are. The news used to announce that socializing only on social media such as Facebook, is bad for your mental health. Now they are telling us to self quarantine because of the coronavirus and only keep in contact with others through phone, internet or social media. 

The stores always advertise to come in their stores. Now the stores are closed temporary or permanently and are telling us to stay away.

The news used to announce that it isn't good to use too much hand sanitizer. Now it feels like they are telling us to wash our hands and sanitizer our hands so much.

Another thing that's the opposite is a lot of people lost their jobs or have to stay home temporarily so they are spending a lot more time with their family. Before the quarantine, they were going to school or work or both. Then there were the families that have children with different interests so they were rushing after school to go to music practice, or sports, or other activities. And that didn't even include more sports practice and games on Saturdays or Sundays. 

This is our new world right now. The unknown. No get togethers. No church services in buildings. No running to baseball practice. Nor enjoying hot meals inside a restaurant.  No watching the hottest new movie at a theater or getting our favorite hair cut style.

   

On a positive note, It is nice to see families spending more time together. And remembering that the church building is not the actual church. WE ARE. 

 church. WE ARE. 

I am a Survivor by Christiana Fletcher

In September of 2019 I tried to commit suicide and ended up on the floor of the hospital. 

For a long time, I wanted to stop the physical and mental suffering I was going through. 

Also a guy at my church who had been manipulating me for months, didn't help. When we became friends, I started seeing red flags yet I felt God wanted me to help him. We were even going to go on some dates, but he never showed up and he told me to never contact him again. I was crushed.

Note: Please be aware that people who are chronically ill are sometimes more vulnerable to manipulative and pathological liars. 

That was the last straw for me. Why was this world so cruel? Why was I suffering since the age of 17 (34 now)?

Because of the emptiness I felt inside due to the hurts I went through, I took every pill in the kitchen and it was no mistake God still wanted me here. I survived.

Let me warn, if you're thinking about doing this, remember the doctors will take away all your medication in the hospital if you try to commit suicide. The doctors will ignore your chronic illness and treat you like a psych patient which is where I ended up next, the psych unit. 

In the psych hospital, God starting touching my heart. I ended up meeting people and we all talked about God most of the time. We did music therapy, karaoke, and I was even asked to sing Lauren Daigle's song "You Say" which touched my heart and I cried. 

I knew this was part of my purpose, to reach people with music even in the hospital. When I went home, it took me months to recover. I was so distraught, yet God turned my anger into feeling sorry for this person that continually manipulated me.  God gave me supernatural, unexplainable peace for 3 days. Thankfully, I could finally sleep. It was definitely a supernatural feeling from God.

From there I had to drag myself from the bottom of the well and rise up. Thankfully I had help due to God helping me.

Ever since then, good things are happening for me. I entered a photography contest online and won, and I was featured in a national fine arts gallery. Plus I sold some photos. I've been writing songs like crazy and sharing them with people. Even a magazine called "She shreds" is even thinking about using me for a piece about chronically ill musicians. 

My nurse practitioner and hematologist are actually discovering what could be the root cause of my illness. They say I need a bone marrow biopsy to confirm it. I have to wait for the biopsy to see what happens 

God is using me through all that I have gone through. Recently I went onto a local campus with college students from Georgia, and ministered to them. I lead two people to the Lord and they accepted Christ. 

I realized that all the life experiences we go through, can and will be used to help others, if you let it.

I wrote songs in the hospital about what happened and here's a link to one of them. 

 https://youtu.be/sxV5njGnxqw

(Used by permission through contact from Christiana Fletcher on Facebook and Messenger 3/16/2020

CRAZY TIMES POEM

I've been sitting here watching the coronavirus news,

And have to do something so I don't feel so blue.

I start a LIVE video where I am the silly host.

then I read all of my friend's very talented posts.

I watch funny cat and dog videos, and all the coronavirus stats.

And see all my friends' pictures of plates of food, and say "hey, I can make that."

Then I realize my cupboards are free from all the ingredients and more...

So we jump in our cool car and run to the store.

I look for all the spices, veggies and the steak,

And look for some big potatoes that I can bake.

I'm running low on toilet paper, so why don't I get some NOW?

So I wheel the squeaky cart over to that aisle, and say "OH WOW."

All of the paper products are gone from the shelves, except one, you see.

One lonely roll of paper towels is staring right at me

I think that would be so rough on my bum, oh my.

Why is there no toilet paper? oh why? Oh why?

I watch as a sea of people wheel on by.  

Their carts are full with meat, extra canned goods and tons of that 2 ply.

I run over to them and beg for a roll or two.

They insist they need it all and I start to feel blue.

What am I going to wipe my bum with? Oh me, oh my.

Suddenly I see a friend who sees me feel sad and cry

He gives me a package of his limited 2 ply.
I am so grateful for his generosity and my tears are all dry.

My life is back to normal because I got some toilet paper, hip hop horray!!!

The world is gone crazy, but I'm a happy camper today.


By Tanya Carroll
a.k.a. Tanya Kirkendall

Happy?

People have asked me how can I be happy, smile, or laugh when I'm in so much pain.

Well, I have had about 25 years of experiencing chronic, intense pain and I have learned to use tools that are available to me. I have been in a chronic pain management program, been through tons of Counseling, and researched a lot about the pains and disease such as Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Syndrome that I deal with. I have learned what medications work or don't work for me due to trial and error. I have a huge list of meds that I have a bad reaction to. 

Another thing I do is when I'm in intense pain, I tend to keep to myself and try to rest and take care of me. I fought doing that for years but with the pain and symptoms becoming worse, I learned that I am important and I need to take care of me and I need to speak up and be a advocate for me because no one else will do it.

There are days that I'm not smiling but I try to keep my spirit and emotions up by watching funny videos on U-tube, spending time with friends in person, on the phone, or even on Facebook and finding humor in my pain or brain fog I get a lot.

Yet the most important thing I have is my faith in God in whom I lean on for daily strength. Without Him, I would be way worse off then I am now. I can't say it's been easy or the road I've traveled was great. There were times I was mad at God for not healing me but I've learned that He is using all this pain I go through so I can identify and encourage others who are dealing with major health issues, as well. 

First written June 2017

Baaa Baaaa

Jesus talks a lot about believers of the Lord in scripture, as sheep.  He protects the sheep. 

John 10:25-30

"Jesus answered, 'I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.'”

We are the Lord's sheep. Now look at the verses again, but say your name everywhere it says sheep or refers to sheep. Fill in the blanks with your name.

 

"...The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me (Jesus), but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 

My sheep _______ listens to my voice; 

I know them _______, and they _______ follow(s) me. 

I give them _______eternal life, and they _______ shall never perish; no one will snatch them _______ out of my hand.  

My Father, who has given them _______ to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them ______ out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Wow, It is awesome when you put your name in there instead of the sheep....because then it seems more personable and God seems so much closer to us.

Written Feb 2018