Monday, February 28, 2011

Help for Adversity - Part 7 - Romans 8:28



Happy Monday Sweet Friends,

Seems like forever since I have posted for some reason.

So how in the world are you anyway????
Doing well,  I sure hope!!!

We had a busy, yet very nice weekend, but I will wait
and tell you tomorrow and hopefully, it will keep this
post from being too long........... at least, I can try
anyway........can I help it that I am long winded!!  lol

Well,  today is tip 
#9
and this truth from God's word has served us very well
for many many years now, and is a real must I feel.

Remember to read and to claim

Romans 8:28
"All things works together for good for those
that love the Lord and are called according
to his purpose"

Yes, repeat it out loud over and over again
when needed,

  and then ask God to help you
see the good that is coming out of the situation.
Look for that good, even in the smallest of things, 
because it is there!  We always learn so many
things in these situations.  We learn about God's
faithfulness,  how others come to help us, how 
much others care about us, how much faith
we have or don't have, and a myriad of other
things the Lord might want to teach us.

And.....He always has something to teach
us, and that will continue till our dying breath.  

A good example, the Lord brought to my mind 
happened 8 years ago.....

the last time my hubby was laid off..........
 for 10 mos. - and that we are quickly
 approaching now!!  lol
When he got the new job,  he had to take 
sizeable cut in pay,  he had to go from 37 
days of vacation to 10, and his commute time
 went from 20 mins to 50 minutes. 

Truthfully,at the
 time, none of that looked like a better blessing,
even tho, we were ecstatic that he had a job.
So we began to look for the blessing in the situation.
So.... we thought at least he was able to car pool
 with his christian friend, who attended our church
 and helped get him the job. That was a blessing
and then of course, having a job!!  But stay with
me!!

So the first blessing was the long ride he and his
 friend had into work was relation building,  and that
 they took turns driving, and that was good!

  Then, after he was there for a few years, he had
to have heart bypass surgery. This is when we 
really began to see that God works all things
 together for good for those of us....
 who love the Lord!

  Had he not been at that job,  he would not have
 gone to the Cardiologist he did, nor would  he have 
 wound up in the best hospital for that surgery, with
 the best Cardiac Surgeon in the area. Plus he would
 not have been able to work from home,  which 
helped immensely with his recovery which was
 6-8 weeks long, and of course, they aren't allowed
 to do much physically,  especially not allowed to
 push or pull anything or pick up anything over 5 lbs,
 and no driving during that time.  So you can just 
imagine how boring that can get for a guy!!

So after a few weeks of recovery it was so great
 for him to be able to do work from home.  It was
 also great as we were learning new habits foodwise
and starting to take small steps everyday towards
new exercise habits.

Also, that was when hubby was able to create
the most significant and most used software
the Company ever used.

Then, 2 years after that, he had to have another
 procedure and again was able to work from home,
 which led to him working permanently at home 2
 days a week, and that was a blessing, but became 
and even greater blessing when his friend had left 
that job and they could no longer carpool.
 His working at home added 4 hrs. to our week, 
and even tho he was working those 2 days,  it
 was nice company for me,  and it gave him
 a nice long weekend, so our Wednesday nights
were our Friday nights!!

  So the job he got laid off from back in May 2010,
turned out to be an awesome blessing to us!!
But.....
in the beginning we did not understand a lot of
 things, but God.... knew things we had no idea 
were going to happen to us,  and he went before
 us and prepared the way!!  and I just praise Him
so much for that!!

So we know,  that the Lord knows what is up 
ahead for us, and whatever the new thing the
 Lord will lead us to...... will be for our good, 
because
 God loves his children and wants the best for
 them, and watches over them, and goes before
 them, even when it doesn't always look like it
 on the front side of things!

This is also a verse we love as well, and my
favorite version of this verse.

For I know the plans I have for you, says 
the Lord.  They are plans for good and not
for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
 Jeremiah 29:11(The Living Bible)

Seriously,  I could give you soooo many more
 examples like the one above, of this scripture 
but you would be here reading all day
 or  for maybe days!!
So I will spare you!!  lol

Hope you find encouragement in this story,
cause seriously,  the Lord is on our side,
even when we don't feel like it or think
it is so............

Stop by next week, when we will be 
talking about being Thankful in times
of trial.

If you happened to miss last week post,  just
Click Here and it will take you to it.

Thanks so very much for stopping by today,
and hope you have a very good week ahead,

May Sweet Blessings abound to you,
Nellie

Oh................And 

Happy Birthday Susan
(that's my sister-in-law in case you 
are wondering!)



Hope you are feeling

better today................

 and hope you have

 a great day, Hon!!


Thursday, February 24, 2011

Welcome to Thankful Thursday - February 24, 2011



He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way so that I may show
the salvation of God.
Psalm 50:23

Hello Sweet Peas, 
and 
welcome to Thankful Thursday!

Hope you have had a great day today, 
 but if not, maybe you'll be a bit cheered
 up when you leave.  Hope so anyway!!

Our day has been good..........I was very excited that we
 got to work outside again, and it was sooo beautiful out too!
We got quite a bit more accomplished, course, there is still
plenty more to do,  but ............lil by lil we will get there.

Not much going on...........so I will start with my thankfuls, 
OOPS - right after I get back from exercising!! 
Hubby just put our video on, so gotta get going. lol

Well, I am back ....  not only exercised but had dinner
 as well.  Pasta, Meatballs,and Marinara sauce.  Yum!
I cheated I didn't make the meatballs or the sauce
this time,  I used the frozen meatballs and I have to
say they are pretty good, and I love Barilla's marinara
sauce, it is mighty good too.

Hubby is getting ready to go to a meeting,  so I will
be working on a table for my sister-in-laws birthday
celebration on Sunday...... 

Well, guess I had better hush and get to my list!!

#1
I am thankful
that my Give A Way Prize arrrived on Tuesday..........
(You can read about it here if you want,  but once you
 get there go down about 4 paragraphs after 
the 2nd heart.  - Click Here)

 I loved loved loved everything in the box.
 It was truly a pleasure kit!
  You will get to see and hear about everything as 
you read my list


#2
I am thankful
for the lovely card you see above which is from
 Bonnie as well,  with a precious and sweet handwritten
 note.  You don't get those too often anymore!
So it was a delight!


#3
I am thankful
hubby is still in the running for that job. No news yet,
 but am wondering if perhaps the Lord is saving it as
 a birthday present for my Guy, since his birthday is
 just around the corner!!


#4
I am thankful
for the feel of Spring in the air,  and all the beauty
 of the green leaves and new shoots and grass coming
 up everywhere. They are just the loveliest shades of 
green, you just can not beat that new leaf green.
So breathtakingly beautiful!!



#5
I am thankful
for the wonderful time we had with the kids on
 Sunday and Monday, and the gift of their time
to us.  A precious gift indeed!


#6
I am thankful
that we got to see an old friend of 30 years
that we have not seen in a long time.  The
last time we saw her she was really going
thru so much with just life in general,  and just
was not herself, and even tho I tried to reach out
 to her, she just didn't seem to want to be reached
out to......
So it was so good to see her and she seems
to be back to her old self,  and that just warmed
my heart and thrilled my soul because I love
her and have missed her so!



And these are my goodies!!


#7
I am thankful 
for this lovely book Bonnie sent me,
Called "One thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp.
  I have never heard of her before, but from the 3 
chapters we have read already,  I feel like It is 
really speaking to me and I feel like she is talking
 about the same things the Lord has been teaching 
me in the last almost 2 years since I have been
blogging and doing Thankful Thursday.
What an affirming book for me!!
Bless you Bonnie
for this sweet gift!



#8
I am thankful
for these absolutely delightful and delectable
chocolate covered cherries! 
Now these are not those typical chocolate
covered cherries with the creme in the middle.


 These babies
are big, and delicious with real dried cherries
at the center covered in chocolate and a 
burgundy red coating of yogurt or something!


Hubby is always so happy when I offer him one!! lol


#9
I am also thankful
 for these wonderful cheese sticks. 
 OH MY, are they the yummiest and sooo crispy!!
I love love love crispy foods, so they were perfect
as well.  The actually remind me of some hor'derves
that an old friend used to make using stella dora
bread sticks, bacon, and parmesan cheese.
Awesome!!



#10
I am thankful
for the beautiful birds nest on the front of the
book jacket, because it reminds me of the
time we had a nest with birdies in our shed,
and it was so sweet to go out there and see
the cute lil eggs and then later those lil babies
 chirping for their Mommy to bring them food. 
 So Adorable!!


and what is it about birds nest anyway???
they just thrill us so................
Maybe it is the Mom in us that likes to
feather and build our nest,  who knows,
all I know is a birds nest is tops in my
opinion.




#11
I am thankful
for fresh clean crisp white sheets that
make our bed feel like we have died
an gone to heaven!




#12
I am thankful
that the hubby of one of the young couples
we were working with and praying for,
got another job in his Company.  He used
to work shift work and weekends,  and now
 he has an 8-5 daily job and weekends off.
She said it had made such a difference
in everything!!  We are so happy for them!!


#13
I am thankful
for the great attitude my sweet hubby has
exhibited over these past 9 1/2 months of
being without a permanent job.  It is very
hard for our hubbies to be out of work,
since they feel that call from God to 
provide for the family,  but he has just
leaned on and trusted the Lord so much.
It has been a blessing to watch.


and now.....
 I  just can't.... not do


#14
I am thankful
for how good the Lord has been to us,  and all
the ways he has been faithful to take care of
all our needs.




Well, Sweet Peas...................
What are you Thankful for Today!!


Tell us ..............
we would really love to hear about it!!


Thanks for coming by and for your warm
and wonderful comments,


Love, Hugs and
Blessings Abundant,


Nellie

Happy St. Patrick's Day

  Happy St. Patrick's Day Sweet Friends Have a Lovely Day, Hugs, Nellie