When you get old, cold gets really cold!

I used to wonder why cold weather seemed to bother my grandmother more than it did me. Now I understand! The older you get, the thinner your skin and the more cold temperatures seem to affect you. 

And when did winters shift from November though January to January through March? When I was younger, our weather was pretty predictable. Now we don't know from one day to the next what it's going to be. That makes dressing a challenge. 

My heart goes out to the homeless, especially on these super cold days. I can't even imagine having to live in a car or underneath a bridge. We've camped in extremely cold temperatures before and even with layers of clothing, down sleeping bags, and tiny camping heaters, it's been unbearable. Can you imagine having none of that to keep you warm? 

Oh, these days are so hard for so many. Prices on everything have risen. Basic necessities are out of sight and those with very limited resources are one paycheck away from being homeless. 

Thank the good Lord that we're doing okay. Yes, living solely on Social Security is a challenge, but growing up poor has helped me understand the value of things. I know how to pinch a penny until it bleeds! 

Please keep the homeless in your prayers. Yes, some of them are homeless by bad choices they've made, but others have found themselves in that situation due to uncontrollable circumstances. 

Never take anything for granted. If you're blessed with a nice cozy home right now, give thanks. If you have warm clothing, consider looking through your closets and drawers and donating the things you no longer need or use. 

I did this several days ago. I looked in our coat closet and realized both my husband and I had several winter coats. We only need one each, so the rest went to shelters. 

The Bible tells us to love one another. We can do that in practical ways by helping take care of each other's needs. Let's remember we're the hands and feet of Christ here on Earth. We can help those less fortunate. 

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?" 1 John 3:17

 

Writing a book is like giving birth

This is the year I'm supposed to complete my book. That was the impression I got from God as I prayed about it. Over the past few years, I've felt I was supposed to write about the story of how He led me through the valley of breast cancer, but one thing after another has gotten in the way. I'm a firm believer in God's perfect timing and I know, He's been working to get me to a point of obedience regarding this matter. The other day, I heard a sermon that said something along the lines of when we are disobedient to a call God places on our lives, that's the very point Satan steps in and takes advantage of us. That really made me stop and think. Had my busyness been a blatant refusal of being obedient to God's call on my life, I think it probably has been.

So, for the past few weeks, I've been focused on making myself sit down and re-read my journals. I've kept a journal since the first day I found a mass in my right breast. It's been hard reading them again and reliving every aspect of my journey but it's been necessary. Without my journals, I'd have forgotten about all I've been through - well, maybe not everything, but a lot of the fine details would have been lost due to my aging memory and post traumatic stress from cancer.

As I've been reading, I've asked God to point me in the right direction for this book. I had a concept and had written over 45,000 words but this morning, as I woke up, God shifted my perspective and He's taking me in a completely different direction.

For the past 6 hours, I've been writing. I had no idea what time it was until I just now looked at the clock. My shoulders are killing me and I'm about to stop but wanted to do a quick blog post. I haven't been keeping up with my blog either, by the way. I've just had stuff to do.

So I scratched some of what I'd already written and boy, did it feel weird deleting that much content, but when God says, "No," I can't very well say yes, can I?

Now I'm excited about my book. Before, I was feeling weighed down and like I had to do it just to complete the project. Maybe that's why God had me shift gears. I know He wants us to experience joy, so thank you, God.

The goal is to have my book published early next year. I have no idea who's going to publish it but I'm trusting. And if God says I'm to self publish, then I'm going to pray for His provision for the funds to do that. In any event, it will be published next year unless I'm raptured first.

I love how God cares about every single detail of our lives. As we learn to walk by faith and not by sight, He takes us on paths we never expected to cross. He's such a kind and loving God. I'm so thankful I know Him.

So keep your eyes pealed. One of these days, my book is going to hit the shelves. Until then, you can keep coming back to my blog and reading about my life. I promise, I'm going to work hard to do better about posting on a daily basis.

One thing I've learned throughout this process is that writing a book is difficult. It's like giving birth to a baby. The labor pains have just begun as I pour out the first few pages. I'm sure the intensity will grow as I remember the trauma I've experienced. One thing I do know is will be worth it in the end. I'll have a finished product that I'll be proud of and I will have been obedient to God. So yay, me! The let process continue and may the words flow freely today and for the months to come.