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Nov. 11, 2009
a postcard from God
A few weeks ago, my friend Jodi posted on her blog about a "postcard from God". She shared it because, not only was it special to her, but she felt that God was prompting her to share it with someone who needed it. I felt that it was meant for me - I needed it right then - and I need it right now.
Jodi was sweet enough to share the postcard with me so that I can share it on my blog:
Awesome, isn't it?
Maybe it's just what YOU need today too.
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Oct. 27, 2009
Feeling Discouraged?
Lately, I've been feeling a bit like Anne of Green Gables when she says that she is in "the depths of despair". I've been overwhelmed - with work, housework, our schedule, and all the various things that are going on around me (which are way too numerous to list here). I actually even went to the doctor last week (which is amazing for me!) because I've just felt like the burden is getting heavier and heavier and I'm sinking under the weight of it all. (FYI: blood test results came back yesterday - and everything is normal [thyroid, cholesterol, and blood counts])
Sometimes I'm just amazed by God. I know we should always be amazed; but I confess that sometimes God's timing is just so perfect that I'm extra amazed. It's like he's tapping me on the shoulder saying "this is just for you". Such a time occurred this past Sunday morning . . .
I walked into the adult Sunday School class at church, only to find out that the regularly scheduled teacher couldn't teach that day (due to a recent death in his family); so the pastor was teaching. Someone passed out a handout; and when I looked down and started reading, I immediately knew that this lesson was FOR ME. It was a study on Psalm 3 and the paragraph at the top said this:
"This is a psalm where 'enemies' may symbolize any misery, problem, difficulty, or distress. It is a psalm to use when you are at your wit's end, totally discouraged, seemingly surrounded by problems, defeated. It is an example of what I Peter 5:7 tells us to do." Needless to say, God definitely got my attention with this! Even my mom leaned over and said "this is for you, isn't it?" it was all I could do not to cry (and I've been doing an overabundance of it lately).
[I Peter 5:7 - "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."KJV]
If you're feeling discouraged or defeated as well, maybe this is just what you're needing. I'm planning on committing Psalm 3 to memory this week. Why don't you do the same?
Psalm 3 (English Standard Version)
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
The psalmist's COMPLAINT to the Lord about his enemies:
1O LORD, how many are my foes!
Many are rising against me;
2many are saying of my soul,
there is no salvation for him in God.
Selah
The psalmist's CONFIDENCE in the Lord despite his enemies:
3But you, O LORD, are a shield about me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head.
4I cried aloud to the LORD,
and he answered me from his holy hill.
Selah
The psalmist's CALMNESS in the Lord despite his enemies:
5I lay down and slept;
I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
6I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
who have set themselves against me all around.
The psalmist's CALL (or CRY) to the Lord about his enemies:
7 Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!
For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
you break the teeth of the wicked.
8Salvation belongs to the LORD;
your blessing be on your people!
Selah
NOTE: The words in italics are my own notes, showing the way this particular psalm is organized. The psalms weren't just written with no rhyme or reason, rather the psalmists chose certain formats for writing the psalms - this one has an a, b, b', a' theme.
I share this in the hopes that it will speak to someone else as well. If not, though, that's ok. I'll take my own personal tap on the shoulder from God. I needed it!
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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Aug. 5, 2009
It's not about me
I receive Max Lucado's Upwards newsletters through Crosswalk.com. Last week's topic seemed very timely - a reminder I was needing. So, I thought I would share:
My Success is About Him
by Max Lucado
With success comes a problem. Just ask Nadab, Elah, and Omri. Or interview Ahab, Ahaziah, or Jehoram. Ask these men to describe the problem of success. I would, you might be thinking, if I knew who they were. My point, exactly. These are men we should know. They were kings of Israel. They ascended to the throne...but something about the throne brought them down. Their legacies are stained with blood spilling and idol worship. They failed at success. They forgot both the source and purpose of their success.
You won't be offered a throne, but you might be offered a corner office, a scholarship, an award, a new contract, a pay raise. You won't be given a kingdom to oversee, but you might be given a home or employees or students or money or resources. You will, to one degree or another, succeed.
And when you do, you might be tempted to forget who helped you do so. Success sabotages the memories of the successful. Kings of the mountain forget who carried them up the trail.
The man who begged for help in medical school ten years ago is too busy to worship today. Back when the family struggled to make ends meet, they leaned on God for daily bread. Now that there is an extra car in the garage and a jingle in the pocket, they haven't spoken to him in a while. In the early days of the church, the founding members spent hours in prayer. Today the church is large, well attended, well funded. Who needs to pray?
Success begets amnesia. Doesn't have to, however. God offers spiritual ginseng to help your memory. His prescription is simply, "Know the purpose of success." Why did God help you succeed? So you can make him known.
Why are you good at what you do? For your comfort? For your retirement? For your self-esteem? No. Deem these as bonuses, not as the reason. Why are you good at what you do? For God's sake. Your success is not about what you do. It's all about him--his present and future glory.
From
It's Not About Me
© (Thomas Nelson, 2007),
Max Lucado
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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Aug. 5, 2009
I'm looking for ...
....HEAD WRAPS
(for cancer patients)
My friend Sue, that I've asked for prayer about in the past, is facing her first chemotherapy treatment today. She's already ordered a wig, but would like to find some head wraps to wear when she's at home. I know there are so many connections on the internet, so I thought I'd post and ask if any of you know of anyone who makes these.
I'd be more than happy to post about them on my blog, complete with links and pictures, in exchange for a wrap for my friend to "model" for them. Please leave a comment or send me an e-mail with contact information. THANKS!
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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Jun. 26, 2009
I'd like to introduce you to a very special friend ...
Last year, while making the selections for the FIRST EVER TOS HOMESCHOOL CREW, I met a very special lady. Her name is Renee Walker and, in addition to many other things she does to keep herself busy, she also has a blog right here at HSB. I'd encourage you to stop by and visit her blog and check out her very informative reviews.
And, since today also just happens to be Renee's birthday, be sure to say "Happy Birthday" while you're there!
Over the past year, Renee has not only become an inspiration to me, but she's someone that I proudly call "my friend". I asked her if she might take the time to answer a few questions that I can share here on my blog - questions about her life and a non-profit organization that she has set up to help others.
I'm sure that you'll be as blessed by Renee as I am. She's one special lady!
Hi, Renee! Thanks for taking the time to visit with me and my blog readers! I’m excited to introduce them to you and your business/charity. Please share with us a bit about the journey you’ve been on for the past 10 years.
Hi, I am happy to share. I was born 48 years ago hard of hearing. I have a deaf mother and a deaf uncle, so as their hearing loss had been progressive sensorineural hearing loss, it was not a shock to my parents. I continued to lose hearing until I was considered profoundly deaf in my teen years because I could no longer understand speech. I began wearing hearing aids around 6. It was discovered that I was night blind around 6, as well. Other than being nearsighted and night blind, my eyes were seemingly fine. Hearing loss continued, but I went to school to become a teacher and had no problems in school because I read lips so well. My real journey as far as I am concerned began about ten years ago when God put an obsession in my heart for His word. For two-three years, I couldn’t sleep or eat much because I couldn’t get enough of reading and deeply studying the Word. I knew He was preparing me for something, but I had no idea what. Then I began to notice vision problems. At first I thought it was the “my arms aren’t long enough” syndrome many of us get when our eyes begin to age, and we learn we need reading glasses, but it worsened. Finally after many experts and tests, I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa. It meant that my retina was dying starting in the peripheral areas. I found that I was already well into legal blindness and had been driving like that. My first diagnosis showed a 10 degree field of vision and by the next round of tests, the doctors no longer considered prescription lenses for my rapidly blurring central vision. I was diagnosed eventually with late stage RP. The full diagnosis was Usher Syndrome which is the genetic condition where the RP and hearing loss are combined. I had been compensating for several years and wasn’t noticing the gradual loss. I was suddenly considered DeafBlind and duly registered. It seemed overwhelming, but the miracle that God had been working in my life for the previous two-three years now left me with a complete peace that it would work out. God was truly in control of my vehicle through life. I was totally confident now in the passenger seat. I hadn’t realized it, but God had managed to switch places with me. I was no longer driving. He was the driver.
I know you went to visit the Helen Keller School for the DeafBlind in NY. Tell us a bit about that visit and what you learned there.
I went to Helen Keller National Center for the DeafBlind in August 2007. It was scary for me. I had not been so far away from family since losing my sight. Though God was with me, new places still frightened me. The people there didn’t know what to make of me at first because though I needed to learn how to do things differently, I was fully able to independently take care of myself. I had a job as a principal of a private school and umbrella program for homeschoolers. I just needed training in communicating in new ways. I needed tactual ASL, instruction on using braille displays, and contracted braille use. I had already mostly taught myself how to move independently first with a cane and then with a guide dog. I had learned uncontracted braille on my own. I had learned how to continue cleaning my house and even cook blind. The instructors got on board and took my skills to new heights. Many were pleased to be using teaching skills they had not used in a while because most of their students come knowing much less. I was lucky. God had been preparing me for this mission all along.
What prompted you to start DeafBlind Hope and who benefits from this charity?
While at HKNC, I noticed friends who were being denied equipment and even training because their state couldn’t provide and neither could they. Many were sent home too early or without anything they had learned to use to help them become independent contributors to society. In the end, I finished my training after many months away from home and returned only to be told that I would not be receiving any equipment from the Vocational Services in my state. All that work seemed for nothing. I quickly sunk into a deep depression. I could see no point in my learning to be independent using technology to earn my way if the state nor I could afford the equipment. A good braille display is about $5,000 and the software needed to let it run on a computer is an additional $1000.00. A braille embosser (prints braille) is $10,000, and I needed it to print the students’ records and teaching materials in a way I could read. How can anyone afford this equipment? I sunk lower until God pulled me up and told me to find a way to pay for it myself and to help others get what they need. DeafBlind Hope was born. I work without Assistive Technology mostly because my display is borrowed. I use it when I can. I use my residual vision which is less than 2% now and with central acuity of 20/500 to run my school and to do the extra writing jobs that I do to raise awareness and sometimes a little money for DeafBlind Hope. I also work with individuals and organizations to do fundraisers. We are providing teaching materials and an intervener (a specially trained person for the DeafBlind who are only found in Canada) for an eight year old DeafBlind child. He lost both hearing and sight within a few weeks of birth. An intervener we provided for three weeks last year taught him how to dress himself and potty trained him for the first time. When we were able to get her back for a couple of weeks, he began learning his colors, numbers, and spelling of short words. Individuals and organizations help me by holding fundraisers of all kinds and get the tax deductible donations for us. The money I receive goes straight to people who need it for their equipment or training. I do not receive a salary. Most of the overhead is covered from my school’s operating budget. This allows us to help more.
What can we – as homeschool parents, vendors of educational products, members of our local communities – do to make life easier and more pleasant for people with disabilities?
As individuals, you can help by donating, of course, knowing that your money will be used wisely and directly for a DeafBlind person’s training and equipment needs. You can set up your own fundraisers and help us get the much needed funds. However, some things that everyone can do is learn ASL and be willing to do it tactually, help a DeafBlind person in your area go shopping or read their mail (that is called a Support Services Provider), or just go and talk with someone. DeafBlind people can be the loneliest people in the world even in a crowded room because very few people can communicate with someone who can’t hear or see. Vendors and businesses can be willing to make their materials available in accessible formats. The cost isn’t overly expensive and can be written off your taxes. Take the time to ask your customers who are blind, deaf, or deafblind what they need to be able to use your products or services and be willing to accommodate them. For example, Adobe .pdf’s that are used for many homeschooling resources and e-books now are not accessible to screenreaders and braille displays. Be willing to provide your blind and deafblind customers with a .rtf (rich text format) file. Yes, copyright is hard to adhere to there, but allow your blind and deafblind customers to provide you the evidence documenting their need and have them agree to not provide the information to others in any way. If you are willing to take the time and effort, there are ways to help people with disabilities to enjoy a productive life.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us today?
Well, it is important to know that there are many DeafBlind people in the world. There are over a million in the United States, and most are getting little to no help. Adults sit in dark rooms unable to communicate even to family. Children are being left in the back of special education classrooms literally beating their heads on the floor because their teachers love them, but do not know how to teach them. Help us to provide what these children and adults need. It is expensive, but if we all pull together and give a little in time, money, and effort, DeafBlind people can learn to be independent and give back to their communities. It is their dream. It is my dream to continue to be independent and to contribute to my world. We can’t do it alone, though. We need your help. I promise you it will be worth every bit.
I'd like to encourage you to consider making a donation to DeafBlind Hope. DeafBlind Hope is a program operated by The Joseph Aaron Evangelistic Association through its educational division, Wynfield Christian Academy. It is a 501 c(3) non-profit corporation that accepts tax deductible donations. Federal ID # is 58-1489908. In blessing others, you too will be blessed!
(Also, if you are talented in making graphics, I know she'd just love to have a logo for this very-special charity. If you would like to help by sharing of your time and talents in this way, please contact Renee or me. Thanks!)
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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Apr. 26, 2009
Another Sunday at Home
And just when I am starting to feel extremely depressed about not knowing where to be on a Sunday morning, God puts this verse right in front of me (on my Gathering Room group homepage):
I will instruct you and teach you
in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Psalm 32:8
Just another reminder that I need to keep trusting in God and HE (only) will direct our paths. The last few months have been difficult, to say the least, but I just keep praying for "joy in the morning". I know that, one day soon, it will come again.
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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Apr. 1, 2009
My New Bible!
Last week I posted about a pleasant surprise I had received - finding out that I had won a new Bible! After doing some research on the English Standard Version (ESV), I was anxious to receive my new Bible.
It came today!
I guess my expectations weren't very high, because I was anticipating the hardbound version. Instead, I opened the box and found this:
Beautiful, isn't it?
And what a blessing!
Now, I can't wait to begin using it!
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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Mar. 30, 2009
a new addition to my sidebar
Did you see this:
in my sidebar?
By clicking on it, you can make a donation to Team Ezra - my friend Crystal's March of Dimes March for Babies team. By clicking through to Crystal's blog, you can meet her and learn more about her wonderful family and Ezra, her miracle boy! We sure are proud to know him!
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Mar. 27, 2009
I needed this today...
The other week, I talked about watching the Oak Hills Church live streaming on a Sunday morning. That same day, I signed up to receive "UpWords with Max Lucado", delivered to my e-mail. I believe these are delivered weekly. If you're interested, you can sign up here.
Anyway, the one that came today really held special meaning to me for various reasons. With the Easter season fast approaching, not only was it appropriate for that, but it also really hit home. So, I thought I'd share:
Week of March 27
Jesus Betrayed by Judas
by Max Lucado
When betrayal comes, what do you do? Get out? Get angry? Get even? You have to deal with it some way. Let's see how Jesus dealt with it.
Begin by noticing how Jesus saw Judas. "Jesus answered, 'Friend, do what you came to do.' " (Matthew 26:50)
Of all the names I would have chosen for Judas it would not have been "friend." What Judas did to Jesus was grossly unfair. There is no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected. When, during the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that his betrayer sat at the table, they didn't turn to one another and whisper, "It's Judas. Jesus told us he would do this."
They didn't whisper it because Jesus never said it. He had known it. He had known what Judas would do, but he treated the betrayer as if he were faithful.
It's even more unfair when you consider the betrayal was Judas's idea. The religious leaders didn't seek him, Judas sought them. "What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?" he asked. (Matthew 26:15) The betrayal would have been more palatable had Judas been propositioned by the leaders, but he wasn't. He propositioned them.
And Judas's method ... again, why did it have to be a kiss? (Matthew 26: 48--49)
And why did he have to call him "Teacher"? (Matthew 26:49) That's a title of respect. The incongruity of his words, deeds, and actions--I wouldn't have called Judas "friend."
But that is exactly what Jesus called him. Why? Jesus could see something we can't...
Jesus knew Judas had been seduced by a powerful foe. He was aware of the wiles of Satan's whispers (he had just heard them himself). He knew how hard it was for Judas to do what was right.
He didn't justify what Judas did. He didn't minimize the deed. Nor did he release Judas from his choice. But he did look eye to eye with his betrayer and try to understand.
As long as you hate your enemy, a jail door is closed and a prisoner is taken. But when you try to understand and release your foe from your hatred, then the prisoner is released and that prisoner is you.
 From
His Name is Jesus
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009) Max Lucado
What more is there to say?
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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Mar. 15, 2009
What are you thankful for today?
This may seem a bit sappy, but today I am thankful for the internet. I know that there is a lot of bad that comes from the internet, but I have been repeatedly blessed. I have made friends via the internet who are closer to me and more loyal than many of my IRL friends. And, thanks to unlimited long distance, I talk to many of them on the phone quite often, making them seem more like neighbors than long-distance friends.
Anyway, this morning, thanks to the internet, Brian and I were able to participate in the worship service at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, TX. I've always wanted to hear Max Lucado preach (we feel a closeness to him - especially now that we have a part of him in our home!) Anyway, who knew it was possible to do so in the quiet of your own home, without having to board a plane and fly to TX (though Brian would probably love to do so during football season!)
Let me just say that not only was this one of the most refreshing and God-honoring messages that I have heard in a long time, but the worship songs beforehand were such a blessing as well. Wow! Beautiful harmonies sung with no instruments - amazing! God has definitely blessed that church with some talent, and it's being used to serve and honor Him. If you happen to be home on a Sunday morning, for whatever reason (maybe you don't have a home church, you're sick, or homebound), I would highly encourage you to check out the Live Streaming services at Oak Hills Church. (Times are 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 am on Sundays and 5:00 pm on Saturdays - remember, it's Central Time.)
Now, we are finishing up our worship time by listening to our favorite local Christian radio station - WGRC. (You can listen too, by clicking on that link.)
Wherever you are today, and however you choose to worship, I hope and pray that God is pouring out His blessings on you and that you are taking those blessings and turning them back into praise for Him!
Copyright 2006-2009 by Reviews & Reflections
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