Prayers

I have slacked off lately on my blog because we are finishing up the house in Rocky Mount. We are very satisfied with the results so far and are really trying to get everything done before my arm surgery 2-7-13. We have installed the dishwasher and scheduled the heat pump installation. That, as per usual, leaves us a few little things to be done. I am sincerely praying that this Wednesday and Thursday will finish us off. We still have some caulking to do, touch up painting to do, door handles and brackets to replace, a gazebo to be cleaned off and electicity to be reworked, pine straw to be blown off the roof, skylights to be cleaned, and general clean-up to do. Seems like so little, but it grows daily. We have talked with the real estate agent and she tells us to pull the wall paper and repaint the master bedroom, but we are hesitant. It may be too male, but the pink bedroom either suggests a girl or repainting also. Let's see if prospective buyers are as excited about the place as we were when we thought it was for Carl. We are simply trusting the Lord for the right ideas for the sale or some good use.  I'll let you know how well this goes!

Prayer answers

Wednesday was another simple answer to prayer that gave me a huge lift. I prayed simply that my son would want to go back down to Rocky Mount to work on the house we are flipping. We have been working on the house for five months and as we get closer to finishing, we get distracted so easily. Finally, at 10:00 or so Wedenesday night, he called and said that he and my granddaughter would love to go down to RM Thursday and work. The simple little answers to prayer that God gives us each day motivates us to continue down the path to obedience. We might question, but He will answer and provide if we simply trust.

Thursday was a little dumber on my part, but if we don't reach out, we will always fall short. I asked, simply, that all we did would be successful and work out safely and well. We had a lot of small stuff to get done, and I always forget the limitations that time puts on us.We drove the 90 minutes to RM but it took us115 minutes, so we were off our schedule before we ever got there. Somehow, we sanded the skim coating on the skylight and ceiling in the bathroom, painted 2 coats of Kilz and one coat of ceiling paint. We also painted the doors on the sun room closet, installed the racks and shelves, and touched up scuffs we had made in the previously painted walls. We cleaned up the dryer filter and painted the walls again ( boy, we must have rushed through that the first time), and put a temporary fix on the drain. We (notice how I take credit for all work done) took down the track in the smaller bedroom so we could re-install the folding doors, painted this closet, and tried to install the clothes rack (once again, however, we had not planned for a sloped closet wall). Brittany and her dad painted wood work and identified new places for me to caulk. One of my neighbors had cut 4" limbs off a couple of my pine trees and laid them neatly in my yard; so, I had no choice but to break off the many limbs and put them in the Yard Waste can for Friday pickup (laborious tasks Rose trusts me to do). The four of us stopped on the way home and had Bojangles chicken for dinner, and pleasant conversation and plans for the next time. My shoulder, which I did not mention to the Lord, did not bother me somehow until I lay down Thursday night; sometimes we just don't even see how He helps us without our asking. I am more than pleased with what we got done and can only praise the Lord for minimizing my mistakes and helping us all to stay out of Rose's way as we worked!

Prayer answers

I am going to remind myself of each day's most rewarding prayer answer. In this way I hope to make us all look closer at the little things God does for us every day in answer to our simplest prayers. On Monday my son got a warning ticket for late car inspection and registration; he was waiting until he got his car tax money available. He sent us a quick note and Rose and I said a quick prayer for him. Tuesday he went for his inspection and the check engine light had gone off and he only needed to replace a couple of bulbs in lights to pass. Do you really think we are worried about his registration? Not hardly. God has proven our trust again, and shown us how He cares about our little worries.
Tuesday, we prayed for a special time with our family at dinner. We had an estranged son come and have dinner with us, our granddaughter came with a special attitude, and our daughter-in-law joined us for dinner the first time in over a year. We were intensely proud and praised God for loving family and helping us appreciate Him and them more and more.

Christmas 2012

Wow, what a difference a year can make. My replacement knee is fully effective now and I don't have the recurring pain, but I am still a little uneasy and unbalanced in my walk (notice that I identified exactly where I perceive myself as unbalanced). My son has purchased a foreclosed house 90 miles away and his favorite house flippers (cheap old Rose and I) are doing our best to get the house in order for him. It takes a lot of time, more preparation, and constant review and update. We have spent more time on his house this year than we have with him over the past 9 years (his wife thinks he should spend time with her). We have gotten more involved with the church lately after a period of feeling hurt and left out. I have published 5 e-books this year and just self-published and printed my first of this year by traditional publication. I enjoy this new career even though I don't ever cover my costs; Rose thinks it is some self punishment thing. Cece and her dad Randy have gotten so involved at church this year and we took on a ministry at Carver Living that has given us plenty of opportunities to serve. Speaking of which, my poor guitar playing and singing has spiraled (I still can't play nor sing, but I thoroughly enjoy banging.) My cousin Betty from Texas came and spent a week here; she and Craig always brighten our day. My mom is living with my cousin Eddie and his wife now; his home was more suited to an invalid and Mom continues to enjoy her time while her health just lies dormant. We don't know what to do for her except to try and give her some reason and desire to thrive. Life goes on and we all have our individual problems, but 2012 has opened new chances to serve for my family and I hope we and you will take advantage of all our chances to serve Him. Talk soon!

2013 Daily Devotions for the Good Life

I have published my new devotional on Smashwords; it is available for purchase at my author page on Smashwords: http://www.Smashwords.com/profile/view/Mikerosie458. If you are interested in a printed version, I should have them in my hand the first week of January, but I could not get them printed in time. The price for e-book is $4.99 and the hard copy is $20. Contact me @ Mikerosie458@yahoo.com for availability.This book is an outgrowth from an addiction counseling program in Creedmoor, NC begun in 2009 by may pastor Ernest Ferrell. These are daily studies from Proverbs to help any Christian develope a more perfect walk with Jesus.

Stem the release of anger with positive thoughts.

August 27, 2012

Proverbs 27 4     “Wrath is cruel and anger is outrageous: but who is able to stand before envy?”

            Wrath is an end to a personality flaw which results in cruelty. The wrathful person seethes in his feelings until it must be released in the form of mistreating an animal or person. Anger is a responsive state of mind to some idea of being mistreated by another. Generally, it is spontaneous and quickly forgotten—unless it is allowed to manifest itself as wrath.

            Both anger and wrath can be halted in their place by taking a count of ten and considering what the results and ramification of this action may be. A soft prayer or comforting thought while counting slowly will usually stop the highly volatile response.

            Envy, however, is more like a tick in the back of your leg. You can’t really feel anything happening until the tick has engorged himself with your blood and maybe even infect your leg. Envy is not perceived as a flaw; everyone looks at envy as being justified. We may say that we dislike the respect this person gets so we will underhandedly try to ignore their suggestions and plans and undermine their support. Envy eats away at one’s insides until he can think of nothing else but getting even with the person envied.

Lord, we love You today and seek Your comfort to release feelings of anger that could easily turn wrathful. Help us, Father, to respond properly to things that bother us. Especially, in the cases where we are envious of other’s success, Lord, show us the positive sides and make us respond Your ideas. For Your service, we live.      Amen.

Teach us to comfort, motivate, and heal broken spirits for You.

August 26,2012

Proverbs 26:4.5   “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.”

            These verses speak to the same thought but add a twist. We have often been told not to respond in kind to an angry person or one who speaks out of envy, malice, jealousy, or misplaced passion.  We, as Christians, should simply respond in a gentle tone with a soft answer. If the person is simply upset, this will calm him down until the two of you can discuss the real underlying problem.

            Sometimes, however, the angry speaker may be blaspheming God or making fun of your beliefs. If you do not respond at all or softly, it does not correct the person’s talk nor his thinking. Before you respond you must still consider closely what you will say and pray for His guidance. Then you must speak up—sometimes in the same tone of voice as the attacker—and stand up for what you believe.

            Apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith per 1 Peter 3:15. This school of thought teaches that Christians must be able spiritually and verbally to defend God’s Word against not only the erroneous teachings but even against the immorality of the world.

Lord, we love You today and know that the world often speaks incorrectly against You and our faith. Strengthen us, Father, to stand up and defend our faith against false teachers and society evils. Teach us how to comfort, motivate, and heal broken spirits for Your indwelling. For Your service we live.    Amen.