This last week feels like it lasted a month.  But flew by.  If you know what I mean.

Last Sunday, we were in the middle of a heat wave.  All I did was sweat profusely for days on end.  Thankfully, my Pampered Chef host had central air conditioning when I went to her show on Sunday afternoon.  What a blessing--it's never any fun to melt in front of the guests.

Monday afternoon, all three of the kids got their teeth cleaned--NO cavities!  Woo Hoo!  We were supposed to go to the church softball game, but Steve got stuck on a job, and I figured it was a good chance to conserve some gasoline.  So we stayed home, and were glad we did, because it poured buckets here (but apparently only spit a bit at the ball field).

Tuesday morning I went walking with Sue & then we swapped kids.  I stopped at Joann's to pick up some embroidery floss for the girls.  I told them I would teach them how to make friendship bracelets.  They love making them.  I made myself an anklet:

I can remember making these when I was in grade school!  My sister is so jealous--I may have to make her one.  That was the first crafty thing I did this week. 

On Wednesday, we went to the Showcase Cinemas Bookworm Wednesday--free movie with a book report!  The movie was "Happy Feet", which we hadn't seen before.  I have to say, I hated it.  Next week is Curious George, so we won't go.

After the movie, we headed down to my parents' house for a visit and dinner.  We beat my dad home by an hour!  So we hung out--I had brought my computer, and was getting expense reports done, and the girls worked on their bracelets, and I think Eli read a book.  Anyway, we had a nice visit, although Madeline wasn't feeling well and spiked a fever.  She was fine the next day, thank God! 

It rained Wednesday night.  Really poured.  I was so happy to miss most of it, although we had left a window open, and Steve came home to a soaked living room, TV and cat.  I'm glad I missed that, too.

Yesterday, it rained all day.  Strong winds, sudden downpours, but not the thunder and lightning that we had Wed. night.  Luckily, I didn't have to go anywhere until last night.  I had a Pampered Chef show at my friend Theresa's house.  She only lives about 15 minutes away, so that was great.

Today is also a stay at home day.  I've been working on some rag quilts for the girls.  I have all of the squares done; next week I'll start piecing them together.  Here's a picture of all of the squares laid out:

I'm really happy with how it's going to look.  I also figured out how to clean my sewing machine and oil it.  I'm so proud of myself!  And that was the 2nd crafty thing I did this week.  If you knew me IRL, you'd know that's quite a bit of craftiness for me in one week! :)

Well, my dad just called, he's stopping by for a visit, so I'm going to cut this short!

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I am so excited and honored to be able to report that Tristain asked Jesus into his heart today!!!  Our focus for today was on salvation and how we can have eternal life if we know Jesus. He was asking Ms. Carol about this living forever thing and wanted to know if he would still be a kid, "'cause I'd like to be a few years older." he told her.  She told him that he will have a brand new body, which really excited him. Then he was telling her that he is always getting into fights at school and she told him that if he keeps Jesus in his heart then he could ask Him to help him and he would get into fewer fights. Tristain said, "I need that!!!"

At the end of the day he came behind the table at registration to give me a hug and very proudly informed me, "I got Jesus in my heart!!!"  This just makes my whole week!! This is the whole reason we do VBS!!

I just got back from flying to my parent's house for Dad's 80th birthday party.  They were telling lots of stories...funny how those always get better with age!

My mother was telling us about her pet skunk Puddy.  It seems that Dad was "blessed" with the "booby prize" from  a telephone company picnic.  Mother and her mother were in love with the skunk by the time my grandfather got home...so the deal was sealed.  At least until Puddy ate the stuffing out of the underside of the couch, chewed the insulation off the wires, etc....then he went to the National Zoo.

Mother said that my grandfather (a Naval officer) was the math department head at the Naval Academy at the time.  When the tourists would drive through the Academy (a historic site) they tended to drive up on the grass when they saw my mother or her sister walking Puddy on his leash! 

And I guess that explains a lot about me!  I was raised by the skunk people!

Feeling blessed, how about you?

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This is a really great article and one we should all stop and remember the next time we hesitate to share a prayer request with our prayer warrior friends!!!

I Hate to Burden You
Renee Swope

“Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the
Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people.” Ephesians 6:18 (CEV)

Devotion:
Although my email was intended to be a prayer request, it started out more
like an apology. I needed my friends to pray, but I was hesitant to ask them
I didn't want my request to be a burden. After all, the group of friends I
was sending the email to already had so many burdens of their own: illness,
job loss, death, stress, relationship strains, overloaded schedules, etc.

I wondered if my need rated high enough on the urgency “Richter” scale? Was
it bad enough to ask for prayer or should I wait to see how things turned
out?

The first sentence in my email went something like this: "I hate to add to
your list of burdens, but I need prayer for JJ."

My husband had signs of a health problem and was having tests done that week
I didn’t know whether it was going to be anything serious in the end. I
just knew that I didn’t want to walk through it in fear, in denial, nor in
my own strength. I didn’t want to go through it alone either. I wanted my
man to have as much spiritual protection as possible. I wanted those doctors
to be anointed in prayer, and I knew if my girlfriends were praying, it’d be
all right!

Within fifteen minutes after I hit “send” my friends who were on their
computers started telling me they were praying. Not only did they pray, they
thanked me for sharing what was going on and for letting them be there for
me. One friend shared how someone she knew had been through a similar
situation. Another asked questions and made some great suggestions. Then
another cracked a funny joke that made me laugh, which I really needed to
do!

The night before we went to the hospital, I got an email from my friend Amy
saying, "I've been lifting prayers heavenward for your family since your
last email. Know that you'll be in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow. Let us
know as soon as you hear results. We're all in this with you, friend."

As I read her last sentence, it was as though I could feel the softness of
her hands gently squeeze my shoulders and hear her voice saying, "We're all
in this with you, friend."

What if I had not shared our need with my friends? I would’ve missed out on
the comfort of having them “with me” and the peace that came as a result of
their prayers.
They would’ve missed out on the opportunity to be the “Body of Christ” by
guarding our hearts and minds with God’s promises and the power of prayer.
They also would have missed the joy of celebrating medical tests that went
really well, peace that surpassed our understanding and recovery that was
quick. Even as we wait for the test results, their prayers and God’s peace
remain as our constant companions.

I am so glad I didn’t listen to those thoughts that made me feel like my
request was a burden.

God is teaching me much about prayer. For someone who hates to impose on
others, I need to be reminded that asking for prayer isn't about putting
burdens on my friends. It's about letting them walk by my side down a path
that I was never intended to walk alone. In return, they let me do the same.

Lord, thank You for never seeing my prayers as a burden. Please teach me
more about the power and the purpose of prayer in my life and in my
friendships. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Renee Swope’s blog for the rest of the story, and for more ways to
connect with God and your girlfriends through prayer.

A Busy Woman’s Guide to Prayer, by Cheri Fuller

Intimacy with God: Your Daily Guide to Prayer by Tara Furman

Application Steps:
Ask God what friend He wants you to pray for this week, and who He wants you
to ask to pray for you as well. If you don’t have someone (or if you want
to have more than one), visit Renee’s blog where she’s connecting women
through prayer – sharing requests and praying for each other - for the next
few weeks.

Reflections:
Is it hard for you to share prayer requests with others? Why or why not?

Power Verses:
Psalm 68:19, “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our
burdens.” (NIV)

Philemon 1:4, “I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,
because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the
saints.” (NIV)

Colossians 4:2, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
(NIV)

© 2008 by Renee Swope. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.proverbs31. org 

Reprinted with permission