Count Your Blessings and Lucky Stars!

Oh and I am canning produce from my garden and God has sent us rain as precious as any gold could be. Thank you God

My blessing today is I have started teaching sunday sschool again and that I have been smoke free for 35 days. God Truly blesses me.

My Blessing is that I made it through a terrible rain storm coming home from the shore. Today is beautiful and I am looking ofrward to a great day!

I am counting my blessings for sunshine today, after a much needed and tremendous thunderstorm last night. I enjoyed some late night fireworks, as well. I was up late, working on financial matters, and the usual irritation of noisy neighbors was actually a welcome sound. I watch as rockets exploded into a fantastic light show, and thanked God for respite from my toil. O that I could always be thankful for interruptions from the mundane! I love summer, and wish I were freer to enjoy every second of it, but duty calls, and keeps us bound. Someday, all this will be behind us, and we can rest from our labors. But today, we work, and serve, and love, and look for the blessings, no matter how small. Thanks for reminding me to "count my blessings." I am praying your day is blessed, and God smiles on you.

Michele,
Great news. We will keep on praying!
Lina

Hi all, I have good news, Mom is home with us and doing very well. She is recovering great. I'm glad she didn't have to stay too long in the hospital she came home on Monday and now she has pt twice a week and nurse to check her vitals and all twice a week also. Thank you for your prayers, always in my thoughts, Michele

Austin'
I am so sorry to hear about your loss, but you need to know what a wonderful caregiver and wife you have been. We have looked to you for support and guidance. Now it is your time to lean on those who love you. Bless you and your family.
Linda

For most of us, the death of the ill person we've struggled so hard to care for leaves us with many mixed feelings. There's grief over the loss of a loved one, but often relief that they are no longer suffering. There's also, for some, grief over the loss of their caregiving role, but for most there is also some relief that they will be able to make some decisions to move forward in their own lives. It's a tangle of emotions, but isn't active caregiving the same?

Austin, we are with you in our hearts and prayers and you travel the uneven emotions ahead.
Blessings,
Carol

Dear Austin, so sorry for your loss, I suppose he was much more ill than anyone knew. this is a terrible thing to say when you are grieving but God always knows best and now this stress is gone from your life and now you get a turn, Of Course, most of us know that this is the way it is going to end for caregivers some will be devastated others will be releived. Know you are loved and God will help you thru this as He has helped you thru everything else. Neon

Thank you all dear friends

Thank you all wereally did not get to say good- because he went downhill so fast but he did know for a while we were with him and I know he was not in pain and it was a peaceful passing.

I am so sorry for your loss Austin but glad you have such wonderful support and love around you. We will continue to keep you in our thoughts and prayers.

God bless you Austin and you bet we will!

Thank you everyone for your support I am very blessed to have all of you dear friends and my church family and my kidssupporting me I am still numb and can not believe he is gone- he loved the father and I am confident his soul is there now-I can not imagine what it must be like when I had to ID him at the funeral home his expression was I have been telling you all for years this is what I wanted. The phone has been ringing all day and everyone wants to come to the memorial service our small church will be busting at the seams I am going to bake lots of brownies they were his favorite for that time. Soon I will get back to getting involved with your lives until then please keep me in your thoughts and may God bless you all.

Austin, your prayers are with you. I'm so glad you have the support of your grown children. You have been a wonderful example for them during this long ordeal.
Blessings,
Carol

Dearest Austin, I am so sorry to read about the loss of your husband. With all you have been through the gamut of emotions must be overwhelming. Please forgive me for not being here when things were getting tougher. For the past two days we had a severe storm hit that wiped our area out of power for two full days. We had downed wires, trees uprooted, etc so its been hectic on top of a normal life.

I am going to write on your wall.... and please know that my heart in all sincerity is with you. Be comforted my friend....

Dear Austin, I will keep you and yours in my prayers I'm sorry for your loss. You have done so much , please take care of yourself.

Dear Austin, I'm also praying for you, for your loss, and the strength for the future too. God Bless You sweet one.

Austin,
My prayers are with you and your family for your loss. You have been an inspiration to all of us and our thoughts are with you now and forever. Take care dear friend.

Neon-thank you for your posting I will read it again tomarrow when I am not so exhausted -my husband passed away this morning at 4am we were with his as he left us-we took him off life support meds 12 hr. earlier except for pain med and breathing tube and our son and I went to the funeral home our families have used forever and made arrangements since I was working on medicaide we had to plan what we would do when the time for us to go be with the Father so I knew what he wanted and the kids 41 and 44 supported us in the decision and have been a Godsend but am glad I am alone and do not have to hold it together tonight.

So glad to hear, what a relief. Give her a hug for us dear.

Hey Neon and Naus, Thanks for your prayers, Mom is a little better today, Thank God and they found she does have 2 fractured ribs ( explains why she can't cough).I was in last night and got her to cough up stuff for me that really helped her breathe. Things are looking better I'm going in now to see her, you guys are always in my prayers and such a blessing to me!!! Take care now. Michele

Micheleangel, praying for your mom and you too. Neon, quilt of holes made me cry, so beautiful.
I'm counting my blessings my dad is healthy, physically, at the moment. His healthcare coverage issue has been a nightmare, and made me crack today. Can't explain all the details, too long. I just got off the phone in tears after the benefits center for his retirement said to me "believe me, we understand". I cried into the phone, "no you don't!". My father is 74yrs old right now with no health care benefits (trying for over three months, to get coverage) did everything I was told to do, and still no answers whether or not his coverage will be in place July 1st. Please pray for dad and I. Michele, after reading about your mom, I totally realized how critical this situation is, and totally lost it with these people over the phone. My dear husband seeing me in tears, spent an hour on the phone with the same people, and was told that Monday, we would receive a call back with info. "Yeah right!". OOps, this is venting. Back to blessings, dad is okay today, but what about 5min from now, or tomorrow?

Wow, Neon, I am so glad I happened to come today to visit this site. You are an inspiration to me. Your strength and confidence in knowing who you are and especially as a child of God has given me the boost I needed today. God bless you for all you do and for your ability to act during a crisis. I was feeling blue today with one of those pity parties and crying. We have had a crisis and I know that has a lot to do with how I am feeling. My son has been with a young woman for about four years. She is almost finished with getting her radiology degree in ultrasound. This past Fathers Day her father commited suicide hanging himself. She had been estranged from him as he had left the family when she was around 11 years old and he was an alcoholic. Yet, she would see him from time to time and did see him at Christmas. She was so worried he would go to hell. So, I gave her a card and reassured her that God is a loving God and that his old spirit man has fallen away and is replaced with a new holy spirit and for her to have comfort in this. It is going to be a long process for her and we are in the process of getting a Christian counselor for her and my son. I just want to thank you for putting things in perspective for me today. God Bless!

Micheleangel you and your family are definitly in my prayers how sad that something so wonderful turns out this way but like you said we never know do we what the day has in store for us. not even the next minute is promised to us. God Bless and stay sweet. neon

Sometimes we can't figure out why things turn out the way they do and only trust in the Lord that he oversees all and everything happens for a reason. I took my Mom to see my Dad on Fathers Day and she hadn't seen him in a while, we were only there about an hour and she fell. She seemed ok and we didn't go to the hospital then yesterday we did and they admitted her she has pneumonia. They think from the fall (she didn't break anything they did a ct scan of head too) she was very sore and she can't cough it hurts so pneumonia set in. They have her on nebulizer antibiotics and all and I pray she will get better. I feel so bad though that I took her to see my Dad and this had to happen I don't understand it.He was so happy to see her and she was too. I think she tripped on her shoes, rubber soles on carpeting. Everything was going well here with Dad in new home and I just got help in for Mom in my home. Please keep her in your prayers, Thanks so much.

Thanks Neon, That was really nice and appreciated.

Quilt of Holes

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls.

Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in every day life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was
disheartened.

My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose; each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and wealth, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with
the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light.

An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes.

Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, 'Every time you gave over
your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles.

Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.'

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through!

God determines who walks into your life ......it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.'

That's wonderful, and is truly a blessing, Austin. You are in our prayers.
Carol

My blessing was that my son and daughter and grandaughter were able to spend time with my husband with me in ICU yesterday at the hospital and he was alert at times and is not in pain and I think he is not afraid of leaving us and realizes he is ready to go home with the Lord and all the support we are getting from the nurses and docs and our friends as he is critatal at this time. The whole staff have been great and bend the rules and let us all in the room together. He became very ill at the nursing home on Tue and at frist it seemed like his usual pasing out but became very serious quickly and is not septic and hhas have heart damage and kidney shut down and is in shock but is alert enough that he knows we are there for brief times and all the docs explain every thing but it is getting time to take him off the drugs that are keeping him alive-he really did not want to have to live in a nursing home forever and our church family have been outstanding and because I was applying for medicaide we have talked about what we would do at the time and we both wanted a memorial service instead of a funeral and the 'kids' 41 and 44 are supporative of me.