PSA 103:1 Bless the Lord, O my soul · Jun 29, 07:27 AM
PSA 103:1 (A Psalm of David.) Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities; Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit; Who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
As we sipped our tea/coffee in the quietness of the morning, I became aware of the Lord’s presence with us. It is hard to describe…just a sense of someone else in the room along with tears streaming down my face, which always happens when He is near. I felt the need to just sit quietly and soak in His wonderful presence. I toyed with the idea of asking for his healing touch, but my heart just said to sit quietly and yield to Him and His will. As I did I was reminded of Psalm 103 (above) and I realized I didn’t need to ask, He already knows my needs and has made provision. I only need to sit as a child in His presence and trust that He knows what is best for me and when.
How do you respond when He comes near? Are you quiet? Are you afraid? Do you make plans for projects as Peter did on the Mt. of Transfiguration when Jesus was speaking with Moses and Elijah?
I was talking to one of my children recently about not knowing how we will respond in certain situations until we are in them. I never would have thought I could have endured the rigors of chemo, non-stop, for four years.
Nor would I have thought I would pass out cold when the Pit Bull tried to leap over the fence at me back in December of 2005.
I would have said nothing could ever scare me so bad I would pass out, but I was wrong, just as I have been wrong about being able to keep battling stage 4, metastasized breast cancer.
This week has been particularly painful and difficult. No one knows why, it just is. So, I have taken my pain pills and stayed in bed reading a lot to distract myself
(one or two days I pushed myself to keep my grandchildren, who always bring joy to me!) But, my heart continues to brim with gratefulness for this wonderful, full life He has given me and as long as I stay focused on Him and His blessing I am able to get through each day.
There is no bitterness about the pain, just a quiet acceptance of each new dawn I greet and the knowledge that He is with me. I guess it is a “looking past” the pain to the joy set before me.
What are the circumstances in your life surfacing in you? Are you choosing to be bitter or better? He did give us the freedom to choose, didn’t He? When I went for my lab work yesterday, I saw my friend, the pharmacist. She will be leaving to have her baby next week and I said I would miss her. She came over and hugged me and looked me in the eye and said, “You have no idea how much you have helped my husband and me during this season.” Wow! I had NO idea. I have only tried to be a friend and keep a positive attitude. May we all be a reflection of our wonderful, loving God to the world around us…even in our pain.
Blessings,
Debbie
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Back from Brazil July 7 - "Breathe" ... personal reflections
Wow Debbie… a deep well. Wisdom that comes from above and then from within. You nailed another update! I’m both encouraged and challenged.
— John and Vicki · Jun 30, 08:51 AM · #
you are truly amazing and few people could hope to have your strength and grace. Love, Julie
— Julie and Steve Atwood · Jun 30, 10:38 AM · #
Debbie:
I often think of what makes a hero. So many people use that word so carelessly and for such little criteria ~ the person who does what is right isn’t a hero to me, they are doing what they should. I think a hero is someone who has obstacles in their life that make them over-comers, that in the midst of sometimes overwhelming circumstances, can still give sustenance and joy to others, looking beyond themselves to fit into the purposes of the Lord.
You are a hero to me. xoxoxo
— Selena · Jun 30, 04:33 PM · #
Thanks for the good word Debbie. I still wish your road was easier.
— Patti Crute · Jul 1, 09:25 AM · #
Thanks John and Julie, and Selena, I agree with you. She is my hero. Have you heard the song by Beyonce, “halo”? I sould download it and put it on here. It describes how I feel about Deb.
I agree also with you Patti, I wish her road was easier … but there are a lot of people being encouraged and inspired by her example of courage.
She is at the Dentist just now, getting a tooth removed.
— joseph · Jul 1, 11:53 AM · #
I have tears in my eyes Debbie; well I guess they are spilling over.
Love,Betsy
— Betsy · Jul 1, 12:17 PM · #
Deb is taking a nap beside me now as I check these comments. Here are the words from Beyonce’s “Halo”:
.............
Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You’re the only one that I want
Think I’m addicted to your light
I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
— joseph · Jul 1, 02:54 PM · #
Debbi, it’s so good to see you looking at the silver lining. When my son looks at rays of sunlight stabbing the darkest cloud, he always says “Hey, Dad, look! God’s speaking!” May we all have ears to hear..Love u, mom!
— Bri Bri · Jul 4, 04:55 PM · #
Thank you for sharing your life and experiences. Thank you for sharing your love and relationship with the Lord. I love you all and I am praying for you all. You are a true testimony of God’s love and mercy.
— Kimberly · Jul 6, 09:58 PM · #
Debbie, is amazing how we learn to appreciate the deep valleys we go throug in our lives. We esperience the reality that our God is what He says He is…..He is Lord of the deep valleys and the high mountains. The gentle spirit that the Lord has blessed you with, is the very thing that has kept you, to deal with this with an attitue filled with the grace of God. I was meditating on the scripture in Ezekiel 18 about the potter’s house. verses 3-4 say this: 3-4So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot. Sometimes things work badly in our lives, but, is good to know that when they do, the potter simply starts over again. He never takes His hands our lives, He is always there. Your testimony blesses my life. I continue to pray for you. Receive lots of hugs and kisses. Say hello to Joseph Holbrook.
— marien · Jul 16, 09:43 AM · #
Debbie, is amazing how we learn to appreciate the deep valleys we go throug in our lives. We experience the reality that our God is what He says He is…..He is Lord of the deep valleys and the high mountains. The gentle spirit that the Lord has blessed you with, is the very thing that has kept you. It has enable you to deal with this situation with an attitue filled of the grace of God. I was meditating on the scripture in Ezekiel 18 about the potter’s house. verses 3-4 say this: 3-4So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot. Sometimes things work badly in our lives, but, is good to know that when they do, the potter simply starts over again. He never takes His hands our lives, He is always there. Your testimony blesses my life. I continue to pray for you. Receive lots of hugs and kisses. Say hello to Joseph Holbrook.
— marien · Jul 16, 12:20 PM · #