Pray, Praise and Give Thanks

The last four months have been a real time of trial for me. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. I have hosted several pity parties where I’ve been the only (dis)honored guest. A bit of perspective has finally broken through, though.

Prayer has always been a big part of my life, and God’s grace and mercy have been abundant. But in times of trial, I tend to forget about that and focus on the trial I’m going through at the moment. Most are familiar with the A.C.T.S. form for prayer. Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. When the going gets tough, I tend to go straight to Supplication. And I almost never touch on Thanksgiving. Until afterward.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1Thess 5:16-18

I KNOW all this stuff! I was raised with it!! And then there’s the biggest poke in the chest of them all…when St. Paul was given the thorn in his flesh:

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

WHO AM I TO COMPLAIN??? And yet, I still do. But things have become a little clearer recently. If not for the kidney issues, my cough would not have been exacerbated. I would not have gotten an xray and CT scan of my lungs. I would not have seen a pulmonologist. I would not have discovered that a combination of reflux and severe sleep apnea was the root of the lung issues. I certainly would not have had the sleep apnea addressed this quickly.

So while I may not boast about my weaknesses, and still have the tendency to whine and complain, I can definitely GIVE THANKS for the kidney issues that started this whole thing.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Ps 136:1

May 2018 Book Report

The Case of the Rolling Bones (1939) by Earl Stanley Gardner

A Perry Mason book. Uncle Alden made his fortune in the Klondike. Now greedy relatives say he’s senile and can’t handle his finances. We’ve been watching old Perry Mason episodes on TV and this book was made into one of the episodes.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The Compass Rose (1982) by Ursula K. LeGuin

Short stories. Very depressing except for two of them. I had noticed that her short stories tended to be on the dark side.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Deborah Goes to Dover (1992) by Marion Chesney

Regency Romance. Miss Pym meets the lovely Lady Deborah, who prefers to masquerade in men’s clothes for more freedom. Lord Ashton sees beyond the clothes to the lady inside.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

McNally’s Luck (1992) by Lawrence Sanders

The first in a series about Archy McNally, an investigator for his father’s business. A rich man’s kitty is kidnapped for an outrageous ransom. Another case involves Archy’s neighbors Lydia and Rod Gillsworth.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters (2006) by Gordon Dahlquist

WEIRD BOOK!! I LOVED IT!! The lovely adventuress Celeste, the sinister Cardinal Chang and the righteous Dr. Svenson team up to fight against the Cabal of evil doers in a Steampunk adventure.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Death Rides a Sorrel Horse (1946) by A.B. Cunningham

This book is one of a series about Sheriff Jess Roden. A mixture of a Western with a Mystery. Sheriff Jess finds out who killed Camille and tied her to her horse. I really enjoyed this one.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

theend

8 Random Words #2

Words for this one:

#2 - bucket, gaudy, lure, queen, command, battle, screeching, tickle

The battle began with the Queen in command of her troops. She rode in the forefront along with her generals. On either side rode the guards, holding the gaudy banners high. The supporting crowds lined the pathway waving their own banners and cheering. A small child banged on an upside down bucket, trying to make as much noise as possible.

The army rode for two hours, coming at last to the edge of the Wasted Forest. Amongst the sparse trees all seem still. Then the screeching began. It came from shadows rising from the ground. As they rose, the shadows became solid beings. They had no visible weapons, but the Queen’s army felt a cold tickle in their minds. Words soon formed: Be at peace! Lay down your arms!

“No! It’s a lure!” the Queen shouted. “Be fierce! Close your minds!”

They fought bravely, but were losing ground until almost sunset. As the sun died, the shadows returned to the earth and the Queen ordered the forest to be set on fire. As the trees burned, the screeching became almost unbearable. At sunrise the surviving troops returned home.