Remembering 9/11

I posted this last year at this time, but I have more people following and everything I wrote then, is still true...  Today, this country should stop, and take time to remember the tragedy of 9/11 AND it's hope! It is something that we should never forget. We, as Americans, are NOT invulnerable to terrorist attacks, and we should be praying for this country, and its leaders, everyday!

I also want to keep in mind the wonderful way that so many people became heroes that day, just by showing love and care to those around them.

So many risked their lives for people they didn’t even know, and for so long afterward, so many “linked arms” and worked together to support each other in their times of sorrow and suffering.

9/11, for me, was also the day I knew my Mama (or Nana, as everyone called her) was going to die VERY soon. She had been fighting cancer for quite a while, and that day, when she saw the horrifying start of what I know she thought would be World War III, instead of fighting back, by praying as she had always done in every trial, she told me to turn off the TV because she was just too tired… Her body lasted another 5 days, but she finally let go and went home to her rest in Heaven with all of her loved ones here on earth to say good-bye, for a time, around her. I know, at that same time, that all of her loved ones up in Heaven were there to meet her and have a glad reunion the second after her spirit left here… her sister, her brothers, my dad, my brother… so many that had left ahead of her that she loved.

I have a hard time, at this time of year, remembering, but I also try to remember that here on earth, all things have an end except the love that has been shared. I know that she is just one more of those precious treasures that are laid up in Heaven for me to see when I get there. I am so thankful for the time I had with her and for the lessons in love that she taught me.

Nana wasn’t perfect, and neither was my Daddy, but that was because they were human. They did the best they could and they ALWAYS tried to do things out of love for us and others. They didn’t “preach” but just lived lives that showed their love and faith. My Ma would answer questions if I asked for advice, but she didn’t tell me how to run my life... she showed me, through hers.

When I was young and went my own way for a time, she let me, but I always knew I could come back and that she would love me, and she did. I know, now, the tears that she shed for me and the prayers that she said for me, for I am a mother now, with children that have gone on to lives of their own away from my area.

I was truly blessed by the gift of my wonderful parents that God gave me, as well as the gift of having had the chance to live in this country. Though things are bad and in many cases, getting worse, there are still a lot of good, wonderful, loving people in this country, and I need to do my part, whenever possible, to be a servant that shows the Master’s love to those I am brought in contact with.


Thank You, Lord, for the life You’ve given me… for my parents, and other loved ones, and for this country. Forgive me, Lord, for the times I have misused the privileges you provided, and help me to walk in your steps, daily, so that others see You in me, like I saw You through my Mama. Amen.


Here are the words to a song that helps me when I need encouragement. God truly does "Raise Me Up..."

Turn on your sound, you will be able to hear this wonderful, uplifting song. Enjoy… and get out the hanky…

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;

When troubles come and my heart burdened be;

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,

Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

There is no life – no life without its hunger;

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;

But when you come and I am filled with wonder,

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

Joy to the World – Verse 1

A few blogs ago, I mentioned that I'm trying to look at the words of some of the Christmas Hymns and let God speak to me through them... Well, this one has really touched me:

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room,

And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

God DID give His Joy to the World that long ago “Christmas” Day. It might NOT have been on December 25th that it happened, but it did happen. God sent HIS son into the world… The one that reigned with Him on high, to live as a human, sharing our joys and pains to truly “walk a mile in our shoes…”

Because Jesus KNOWS all of our problems, temptations, and heart pains… our tiredness, our anger and hurt that makes it hard for us to forgive, and all the rest of our sin, and STILL loves us enough so that He would pay for our sins on that cross, we have a “FREE” ticket into heaven.

Through the gift of His Holy Spirit that comes into our hearts when we repent (turn away from) our sins and become “born again,” we have a way to find peace that passes understanding as we travel through this life.

YES!!! These things should bring us JOY! When each of us accept that gift and acknowledge HIM as our Lord, He HAS come for each of us and we, (now of earth) can receive our King and worship him when we make room for, and have "communion" with Him in our own hearts. (Communion = 1. The act or an instance of sharing, as of thoughts or feelings.
2. Religious or spiritual fellowship)

His Word says that the Angels of Heaven REJOICE when one of us comes to KNOW Him and accept Him. It also says that soon, when He comes back, all of nature that groans now WILL sing with joy just as our Corgis "sing" with joy when they see us coming home, because of the love we share.

A Christmas Carol…

This year the holidays, for me, have been quite a mixture of the Past, the Present and the Future. So often I’ve found myself thinking about the past…

Past Christmases and Thanksgivings with my parents, and my kids have played over and over in my mind. These were times that were always so special. My parents always made the holidays into times of wonder for us. I think that they were often more excited than we were to see our reactions to the presents, lights, tree, food, etc. I remember the sight of my own kids being so excited to go to Nana’s (we always had our holidays at my Mom’s house) and the gatherings we all shared there with both of my sister’s and their families and usually several other friends. There are so many wonderful memories

Living in the present during the holidays, for me, is an up and down roller coaster. I miss my parents and most of my kids live so far away now, that I miss them, too! It’s harder during the holidays to not have them near, I think. I don’t feel that I “know” them or my grandkids well enough, anymore, to know what they like, so I can’t get excited about what to give them.

I am so grateful, though that Robert is here with my hubby and I and that we have the corgis. I’m usually to busy to dwell for long, on the sadness of those that are missing from my life, now, and that is a good thing so that I don’t go into a depression.

I’ve spent a LOT of time praying for so many of my friends and relatives that are also having a hard time this year: My oldest son and his four daughters that lost their Mom this past January, and another son that is having problems finding a job to support his family and dealing with the stresses of life that financial instability brings. I have so many friends and loved ones that are having huge problems with health issues, too, to pray for.

I think that the pain in those around me, that I know and love, is something that I have to be very careful to “cast” on Jesus, for He’s told me to “Cast all my cares upon Him, for He cares for me.” I know that He has everything in His control and can use all problems and joys to work together for the good for those that love Him, and I am so blessed to know that most of my loved ones DO know Him.

I know that He loves all those that I love that DON’T know Him yet, and is working in their lives to draw them to Himself, and that helps me too, to have faith that He is working things out! These are some of the things in the future that I can look forward to… that and seeing all my “dearly departed” that have gone home to a place of peace and rest that I can look forward to as well.

Each day, as I’ve been listening to the Christmas Carols that are being sung, I’ve been trying to LISTEN to the words and think about what they are saying, telling of the joy that God brought into the world when He GAVE HIS son, knowing what that would mean … a life filled with the joys, sorrows, pain and love that would allow Jesus to KNOW what life as a human was like, and then to sacrifice that Son He loved so that WE wouldn’t have to pay the price for our sins…

I’m trying to be sure to keep my eyes on the REAL reason for the season, and have Faith in what it meant/means for me and my loved ones in the past, present and future. He came to give us a HOPE, and He has plans for a blessed future for us, because He Loves us so much.

Depression and Praise…

I used to have a problem with depression, and sometimes, it still tries to sneak up and grab me, especially around this time of year, but I have learned a few ways to fight it that work very well for me. They work fastest if I activate them before I get down to far because then I don’t have to climb very far to get back out of the hole.

I try, whenever I feel it coming on, to find funny things to watch or listen too, preferably Christian comedians like Ken Davis or Chonda Pierce. If you haven’t heard of either of these, you are really missing out on some GREAT stuff. They are really funny, but they also help you to see how God can work in any situation… they build your faith and give you hope. Laughter truly IS medicine for me. (Proverbs. 17:22)

I also listen to Praise Music and let it just wash over my soul. Sometimes, I NEED to be able to cry to let out my emotions, and just knowing (being reminded by the music) that God loves me even in the hardest times, gives me that “rope of hope” that helps me to be able to start climbing up. (Ps. 45:8)

God, in the Bible, speaks of the “sacrifice of praise…” and sometimes, when I’m really down, it IS hard to force myself to turn to God and search for things that I can praise Him for. Even if it doesn’t seem to be much at the moment, I can praise Him for things in the past that He has done for me, and I can praise Him that He paid the price of sin for me and THAT will eventually get me into heaven.

The music will often lead me to a place where my soul comes to an oasis of peace, and I can grow stronger in faith, which also helps me to climb further out of the pit. (Heb. 13:15 & 20-21 AND James 5: 13-16)

Sometimes, I read in Psalms and His Word seeps into my soul and brings peace. I also speak scripture verses and stand on God’s promises for I’m told that if I resist Satan, he has to flee from Christ who is in me… (Examples: “Greater is He that is in me, than he who is in the world…” I John 4:4 AND “God has NOT given me a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind…” 2 Tim. 1:7)

Remembering 9/11 and My Mama…

Today, this country should stop, and take time to remember the tragedy of 9/11 AND it's hope! It is something that we should never forget. We, as Americans, are NOT invulnerable to terrorist attacks, and we should be praying for this country, and its leaders, everyday!

I also want to keep in mind the wonderful way that so many people became heroes that day, just by showing love and care to those around them.

So many risked their lives for people they didn’t even know, and for so long afterward, so many “linked arms” and worked together to support each other in their times of sorrow and suffering.

9/11, for me, was also the day I knew my Mama (or Nana, as everyone called her) was going to die VERY soon. She had been fighting cancer for quite a while, and that day, when she saw the horrifying start of what I know she thought would be World War III, instead of fighting back, by praying as she had always done in every trial, she told me to turn off the TV because she was just too tired… Her body lasted another 5 days, but she finally let go and went home to her rest in Heaven with all of her loved ones here on earth to say good-bye, for a time, around her. I know, at that same time, that all of her loved ones up in Heaven were there to meet her and have a glad reunion the second after her spirit left here… her sister, her brothers, my dad, my brother… so many that had left ahead of her that she loved.

I have a hard time, at this time of year, remembering, but I also try to remember that here on earth, all things have an end except the love that has been shared. I know that she is just one more of those precious treasures that are laid up in Heaven for me to see when I get there. I am so thankful for the time I had with her and for the lessons in love that she taught me.

Nana wasn’t perfect, and neither was my Daddy, but that was because they were human. They did the best they could and they ALWAYS tried to do things out of love for us and others. They didn’t “preach” but just lived lives that showed their love and faith. My Ma would answer questions if I asked for advice, but she didn’t tell me how to run my life... she showed me, through hers.

When I was young and went my own way for a time, she let me, but I always knew I could come back and that she would love me, and she did. I know, now, the tears that she shed for me and the prayers that she said for me, for I am a mother now, with children that have gone on to lives of their own away from my area.

I was truly blessed by the gift of my wonderful parents that God gave me, as well as the gift of having had the chance to live in this country. Though things are bad and in many cases, getting worse, there are still a lot of good, wonderful, loving people in this country, and I need to do my part, whenever possible, to be a servant that shows the Master’s love to those I am brought in contact with.

Thank You, Lord, for the life You’ve given me… for my parents, and other loved ones, and for this country. Forgive me, Lord, for the times I have misused the privileges you provided, and help me to walk in your steps, daily, so that others see You in me, like I saw You through my Mama. Amen.

Here are the words to a song that helps me when I need encouragement. God truly does "Raise Me Up..."

If you click on the link and turn on your sound, you will be able to hear that is wonderful, uplifting song. Enjoy… and get out the hanky…

You Raise Me Up

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;

When troubles come and my heart burdened be;

Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,

Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

There is no life – no life without its hunger;

Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;

But when you come and I am filled with wonder,

Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;

You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;

I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;

You raise me up… To more than I can be.