Am I a Smarterer Bee?

I'm a BzzAgent, which means that I get to try things, often for free and then give my honest opinion about whatever the item may be. This is a great opportunity for me because I get to try new things, and a great opportunity for the company who has the item, because they get advertising from someone who has actually tried it, and come on, lets face it, that has more weight behind it, doesn't it? I can tell you about an item that I've heard or read about, but the fact that I've used it and can tell you honestly how it worked for me, and provided I liked it, then you are more likely to try the item for yourself,, right? It's a win-win situation.


BzzAgent calls these opportunities "campaigns" and now people are invited into campaigns based on a score  they earn, from 1 to 10, the higher this score is, the more likelihood to be invited into a campaign, along with requirements the company doing the campaign might like to add, like certain ages, people sex, or whatever.


I tried some quality dog food, well my dog did anyways. Before that, I actually did myself try some wonderful coffee, which is now my favorite. So when I saw this listing: 

"TAKE THE BZZAGENT SMARTERER TEST

We've worked with Smarterer to develop a test exclusively for BzzAgents. Are you ready for the challenge? Go here to take the Smarterer test for BzzAgents. This exclusive test covers just about every component of what it means to be an Agent. Take it and then go public with your score to show the world what kinda' Agent you are."

I jumped on it. 


I thought that the questions would reflect things one needs to know to be a good BzzAgent, you know the stuff we learn in BzzTraining. I thought I could prove that I was a good BzzAgent, the kind of agent they want to give campaigns to. Instead it seemed most of the questions were trivia questions about the company or website, which I found I really didn't care about. In fact, I just couldn't seem to get excited about Smarter. I tried. I thought perhaps it might get more interesting later, but alas, it didn't.


Perhaps it's my age? Or maybe it's because I don't feel the need to brag that I know that Dave Balter is the founder and CEO of BzzAgent, Inc., which he founded in 2001 and that it was sold to dunnhumby in 2011. Or maybe it's the fact that at my age, remembering important things are challenging enough, without trying to remember what symbols represented the different levels, the expressions on this or that bee's face (intense, not angry), or which exact order the heading words are on various pages, all information which is now defunct. I would just simply look on the website to see what I want to click on. Perhaps I just don't see anything useful for my particular situation as a disabled person who no longer runs my business (I had to hand the reins over to my husband).


Having said that however, I can see that younger people might enjoy taking these trivia tests and boasting about their scores on Facebook and Twitter, about how well they know about Facebook and Twitter. I've also seen where it's been linked to job searching and it could be useful to show that you know PowerPoint, or Excel. There's even an English for Business which says "This test helps non-native English speakers validate their comprehension and composition in an English-speaking work environment. Questions address common phrases and terminology used to communicate about schedules, deadlines, project outcomes, team responsibilities, and priorities." Again, might be useful for some.


I guess you'll never know how Smarterer you are, unless you try? Here's a link to the featured categories, choose one to take a test about it. 


http://smarterer.com/browse/categories 



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Science Diet Ideal Balance - Who Wants Some More?

 Toby saying "I do! I do! I want more!"

I love teaching Toby, my service dog, new behaviors, it keeps his mind sharp. He also loves working with me to learn new things. Tricks are also nice for him to learn because some people are afraid of dogs and I encounter many at my church. I have Toby take a bow and they often seem a little less afraid and start asking questions, sometimes then they even work up to petting him when they see how well behaved he is after we've 'talked' several times. Any service dog is an advocate for all service dogs and their handlers (their handicapped person or their trainers) and I want Toby to be a good representative. I've even heard young people tell their parents, or vice versa "you are not supposed to touch a service dog unless their person says it's ok, it distracts them from their job" and I know they are either someone I Toby and I have worked with before, or someone else has. 

When switching a dogs food, slow is better, because sometimes it disrupts their digestive system. So start by adding only a little to their food, adding more each day until they are totally switched over or you are on that dog food only (in the case where you are keeping them on it). Since I only have 4# and Toby is a big dog, I decided to use Science Diet Ideal Balance at training treats. First I needed to see what 'value' Ideal Balance might have. Treat have different value, some like maybe steak, or hamburger Toby will do just about anything for, that's really high value. Other's aren't very interesting to him, but he will eat if there's nothing else, that really low value. There is much that Toby isn't interested in at all at eating. I also wanted to do Ideal Balance as treats because my other dog can't eat chicken. His digestive system can't seem to handle it, and he's 18 years old, so I don't want to take any chances. 


When teaching Toby, I 'shape' the outcome, slowly adding more and more until I have the total behavior I want. I don't use a clicker, as I have a muscle movement disorder and thus trouble with timing, so I 'mark' with my voice saying 'yes!', this tells him what he is doing right that moment, is what I'm looking for, so he tries various things until he knows exactly what that is.. As you can see shaping any behavior takes a while, and at first, one has to use higher value treats. Some things a dog will do with no or very low value treats, which is often what a behavior becomes after they get so they will do a behavior any situation (with more people around, distractions, being out in public, then with lots of noise and/or people, etc). Some behaviors require higher value for longer because it's something they don't normally do, or they don't like to do much. For instance, picking up my hair scrunchies has always been something Toby really enjoys, he has never needed anything more than my praise and a good scratch (which is another reward - it isn't always treats, he also likes to play as a reward.) However going potty in public, on command while on duty, is something he doesn't like to do, he takes his job seriously, so that took work with higher value treats for much longer. 


To show how something might be shaped, I'll tell you about how he learned to bow. For some reason shaping the bow was something that was much harder than anything we've ever done. I got the treats out (that told him school was in session, figure out what to do to get the treat) I watched him, and when he looked down I said 'yes!' while he was still doing it, and he looked at me to get the treat. We kept that up until he understood that 'down' was something we were looking for, but yet now all the way down in a down position. We kept working on that until he figured out that looking down got the treat, while going into down position got a 'uh huh'. So then I began requiring his front end to be lower to get the treat, while his back end was still in the air. This took a long, long time for him to get. I would often try to get my foot under his back end to keep it up, but that was a challenge for a couple of reasons, firstly because I couldn't seem to control my body to get it under there fast enough to mark his butt in the air and also because of my movement disorder, he's used to moving out of the way of my body doing things, so he thought I was just having weird movements, so he would stop and move over and then lay down. We kept it up. To show how difficult this was, most times, I can shape a behavior and have it finished and be working on adding distractions and reliability in less than a week. This we worked on throughout the summer. Have you even learned something that you just couldn't seem to get and then suddenly it's like you get it and wonder why you never could? My movement disorder hit as an adult, so when I was a teenager, backwards skating was one of those things. So Toby finally figured out I was doing that to keep his back end up and I wanted his front end down and voila, he had it! We've continued to add distraction, longer time and reliability. 


What we have been working on lately with Toby is teaching him various things in a 'begging' position, (a lot of times I use his other knowledge to teach him something, like a paws up to teach him to get something off of a table by name etc.) you know on their back haunches with their front legs up in the classic dog begging position, however, Toby is a big dog. We don't really do the 'begging' just the position of it, but he's been learning to go into that position to wave 'hi' and also to look like he's raising his paws like 'put 'em up!' This morning, I motioned for him to sit, then held the treat above his head, so he knows he's supposed to go into beg position, then I 'wave' at him, so we worked more on it until I could just wave at him, and he knew that was the prompt to sit on his back haunches and do his best to wave, or I make a motion like pointing a gun at him, he puts his paws high. We worked previously on giving high five or high ten on my hands (a kids favorite.) We are working on adding distractions to that one. So I gave him the first treat and he happily took it and chomped. This told me that finicky Toby liked the way it smelled and the fact he didn't spit it out said it had some value to him. So I asked him to sit up again, which he did, that told me that there is enough value to do it again. So far, Ideal Balance Chicken is a bit of a success! We practiced using the Ideal Balance as a treat until I could wave and he would sit up and try to wave, and we worked on high fives. I teach Toby to do the behaviors with either a motion or a command. I don't want to have to be speaking commands during something quiet, like church. So I worked on high fives with both a vocal command and a motion. He continued to happily chomp Science Diet Ideal Balance as treats! We'll try another training period tomorrow and that will tell me if he's still interested in Ideal Balance, and I will be able to add more into his diet. I also think I will play a game with them that he likes. I hide treats and he has to find them using his sense of smell. I'll have to put Mutt Lee in another room when we do that and be sure Toby gets all the treats. I pray that you do Ideal Balance in beef or lamb and rice.

New BzzCampaign - Science Diet Pet Food

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I'm not sure how I learned about being a BzzAgent, but I signed up and waited for my first campaign. In fact, my first campaign was rather comical, as I love, love, love coffee and Green Mountain Coffee invited me to try some and tell others about it. Easy! Especially since Green Mountain Coffee was one of my favorites, due to such yummy flavors as Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Vanilla Cream. I had no idea that I could actually get all my favorites on their website, and by signing up for Cafe Express, I save $2.50 a k-cup pack, making it cheaper than buying at amazon.com. I shared it with friends and family. Now some of them are signed up for Cafe Express, and have had the opportunity to learn about many different wonderful coffees they sell. Some of them are also BzzAgents now too! :) Morning is my favorite time as I sit on the couch, with my Service Dog Toby's head on my lap, sipping some yummy brew.

So I was quite happy today when I received an invite from Science Diet to try some of their food. Well, not me specifically, but it's for Toby my Service Dog. Anyone who has a Service Dog, or knows someone who has one, knows how valuable they are to handicapped people. I constantly kick my shoes off, and he's so happy to grab it, do a paws up in my lap and give it to me. Something else I constantly drop are my hair scrunchies. He presented that behavior on his own when he was a puppy, so it was the first behavior he learned consistently, as I praised and played with him, he quickly learned to 'get scrunchie' and I was able to build on other things from there. Before Toby, I had to find someone to get something I dropped, quite embarrassing! Since he takes such good care of me, I take good care of him. I look forward to introducing Science Diet dog food to him (and blogging the results the results!) Perhaps while I'm sipping my yummy brew, he can be chomping some yummy grub.

May God Richly Bless You!

Fresh Ground Coffee, Caramel, Brownies with Oreos, I'm THERE!

We were invited last night to a private event to check out something new. This is the first thing that caught my eye, and I bet you would never guess where I am?

This is the first thing that caught my eye, and I bet you would never guess where I am?

This is the next thing that caught my eye after the fireplace was big screen TVs.

The place was packed and kind of difficult for me to get around in my power chair, so I parked myself by the fireplace to enjoy the ambiance. Any ideas of where I am yet? I bet this will be the clue that helps you figure it out.

I bet you know now? :) Wendy's! It's the location at Paradise Valley Mall in Phoenix, AZ They are doing a new thing and this is the first store to open with the new ideas. They took to this Wendy's down to the foundation and built a beautiful restaurant, using a lot of stainless steel and red. The seating above, with the fireplace (which is cool to touch, so now I have a new thing on my dream list!) reminds me of hotel or resort seating. Another location with the new design to come soon.

Redhead Roasters is the name of their new fresh ground coffee line of drinks. Yum! Y'all know how I love coffee! I didn't try any last night, I sure wish I would have!

The menu boards are video screens and very inviting. They also have some as you walk in the door promoting new food. On the right of the menu, under beverages, it says there are 100's of choice in their new beverage dispenser.

This is the new drink dispenser, I couldn't get near with my chair, so I had someone else take a pic, otherwise I would have shown you the menus on the dispenser. Choose your base drink on the screen, then you have choices of flavors to add, like vanilla, or cherry (Next time I will try cherry vanilla coke!). 

Before
independent.co.uk/
"thicker 1/4 lb beef patty than its predecessor, topped with crinkle-cut pickles, sweet red onions, thick tomato slices and topped with a buttered, toasted bun that lost some of its signature square edges. The burger is also available as a double and triple-layer sandwich." 

After

The new burger is much better, much juicier and better flavor. I think it give Five Guys and In-And-Out Burger a run for their money. I absolutely stuffed myself, and still had all this left. I did however leave a little room for the new goodies.

          Brownies, those are Oreos on the top      

It’s our creamy, classic Frosty swirled with all-natural brown sugar granola, fresh red and green apple slices, and real caramel. It’s a tasty, feel-good treat.










                                                                 

However, my favorite was one I tried last week when they gave me a sample - the Caramel Shake - it's SO good!   The changes to the burgers, the new desserts, I love the new stuff and look forward to years of continued patronage to Wendy's. Maybe you will see me at the new location this weekend? If you do, say 'hi' to us!

JonnieNick

Find God nearby on Maps

I just couldn't resist. I loaded the Google Products page and at the top it asked 'What do you love?' with instructions to click the heart after I type it in. So I typed 'God' and had to laugh at the results. God loves to make me laugh and gives me things to giggle about all day long. Google uses what you type to do a search of different media, like maps, Youtube, blogs, calendar, etc. So here are some of the results: Find God nearby on Maps, Watch videos of God on Youtube, Plan your God events with Calendar, Search God blogs, Explore God in 3D, Translate 'God' into 57 languages (sadly there was a message 'No results were found. What if we told you we didn't find anything? Still friends? Try simpler terms.' Hmmm... God, how complex and yet how simple, truth there.), Call someone about God with Voice, Email someone about God, and my personal favorites See pictures of God on Image Search, Search God, on the move with Mobile, Alert me about God with Alerts, and Scour the Earth for God with Earth. The final item on the page was 'More coming soon'.


Of course He tied right in with what I was thinking about last night and this morning. He seems to often communicate with me while I sleep. I assume because there's less clutter to get in the way then. Those of you who know me, know I've been doing a complete bible in 90 days. I realize that it's more difficult to do in depth study then, but there's something nice about a quick overview. When I was in collage, many years ago, we were told to do an overview of a book before studying it. Today is day 60.


Perhaps a bit of a background before proceeding. I have a muscle movement disorder, sometimes they relax at inappropriate times, but more often they contract without my control. In fact, the more I try to control them then, the more they go berserk, so the trick is to relax, to give up. Which has become a bit of a motto for my life.  Almost 20 years ago, I started a business, which got busier and busier. We bought a house way out on the edge of life, so then we started really early in the morning commuting, my husband to his job, my kids to different schools and then me to errands and then my store. My husband, Nick was working a job then, and started coming at lunch to help me because the previously strong me, was struggling to do things. I went from dancing for hours most days to collapsing in a heap, crying because I just couldn't seem to do what I had previously done. Nick came in the afternoons, flexible hours was a new thing then. Doctors couldn't figure out exactly the problem. My cardiologist put a stent in, my pulmonologist said it wasn't my asthma, both pointing fingers at the other. Personally, I trust my pulmonologist more, she's really been an advocate for me, but points out that she can't make other doctors do their jobs. She finally did a test where she hooked me up to a bunch of gadgets while on a bike, and told me to go until I couldn't anymore, while cheerleaders around me encouraged me, so I did. They had to carry me out and asked why I rode so hard. I chuckle at that now. The results were "if I didn't know you, I would have looked at your test results and thought we had some super athlete." It wasn't my breathing systems, ball in the cardiologists court aaaaand he drops it! 


One day while leaving a restaurant, I had to go down two stairs, Nick was behind me and I stopped. He waited a moment then suggested we get going, but I couldn't move, I was just frozen there. The end result is that he had to carry me out and stuff me into my truck, I was rigid. In retrospect, many people say this, why did I just say 'huh' and shrug? Later it happened again. Then again, then more often, then daily, then constantly. The events weren't all the same, but basically I had lost control and I was tiring more and more easily. I continued to try to do all I had before, but couldn't, Nick and my kids stepping in more and more. I was having more and more angina (cardiologist continued to shrug), exhaustion and muscle control issues. I still tried to soldier on. I was using a walker, but by the time I got the heavy thing out and walked from handicapped into a store, I was too exhausted to go on so I would use their motorized scooter, but many times there were none, and I had no energy to get back out to my truck and get the walker back in, so I would just collapse to the floor and rest. 


I tried to or saw neurologists, often I would schedule an appointment which would be months away, but by the time the date came around, they no longer took my insurance. If I saw one, they wanted to do a bunch of tests, sometimes doing some, sometimes doing nothing. The end result is no one knows why I'm doing this and after a while it seems they can't handle that so they just do nothing. My PCP is the one who said that we need to treat you with something because you've been going downhill. Most of the other doctors felt it would muddy the test results. I think it was 2006 when I was told I could no longer work, by this time my husband had been laid off and decided to do the store full time. The last time I had worked, I ended up being taken to the hospital via ambulance, causing the store's only time ever of being closed during regular business hours. I was put on nitro, then later it was upped and that has helped with the angina. It's a muscle movement disorder, chorea (ironic since I was so upset I couldn't dance anymore), tonic-clonic seizures, all kinds of labels. 


But here's why, and I'm finally getting to my point. Many times in the old testament we read where God is trying to get people to notice and know Him. Many times we read of the Israelites being led back to Him by His discipline of the nation. With 20/20 hindsight, we can see the circle: *Israelites walk with God, Israelites move away from God, God punishes the nation (by going into captivity or whatever), Israelites return to God (go to *). This isn't exclusive to the Israelites of course, we just read about it in the OT. This is the circle I had done and he was trying to lead me back to Him. Romans 3:10-11 says “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God." He seeks us, using events in our lives to try to get our attention. Joyce Meyer says that Satan yells and screams, God speaks quietly and lovingly. Amen. So with all the clutter in my life, I allowed it to drown out His voice.


This is a poem that He showed me that really speaks of what happened to me.

I NEEDED THE QUIET

I needed the quiet so He drew me aside.
Into the shadows where we could confide.
Away from the bustle where all the day long
I hurried and worried when active and strong.

I needed the quiet tho at first I rebelled
But gently, so gently, my cross He upheld
And whispered so sweetly of spiritual things
Tho weakened in body, my spirit took wings
To heights never dreamed of when active all day.
He loved me so greatly He drew me away.

I needed the quiet. No prison my bed,
But a beautiful valley of blessings instead.
A place to grow richer in Jesus to hide.
I needed the quiet so He drew me aside.

Alice Hansche Mortenson

From the book I Needed the Quiet © 1978 by Beacon Hill Press


My illness forced me to sit still and I began to hear Him calling me back. He led me to Dr J. Vernon McGee 5 Years Thru the Bible (click 'free downloads' then click on 'MP3 download of the 5-Year Series' on the left)and I began to listen. Dr McGee said reading the bible causes you to fall in love with Him, which in turn makes you want to read more, a wonderful circle. He has really made the bible real to me.


I've been walking closer and closer with Him, which isn't to say that I don't slip up, or stop listening to Him for a bit, but He is so patient and has so much mercy. He's been teaching me about His love, and giving me peace and joy like I have never had in my life. Much like the lesson with my muscles, the more I concede control, the more He gives me. Which isn't to say that everything is rosy and wonderful all the time.   Sometimes it takes every last bit of what I have to get through something; I have learned to trust Him and I'm still learning how to trust Him more and give everything over to Him, and I know that He is the One who carries me. I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency. (Philippians 4: 13) The weaker I get, the more He is able to do what needs to be done through me, because I really have to admit that I can't do anything myself . Many plans are in a man's mind, but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand. (Proverbs 19:21) For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. (Jeremiah 29:11) He has really made the bible real to me. He has given me a strong craving for His word and told me that time is short, there is much for me to learn. So I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (Psalm 16:8) Because I have he has also show me how important a positive attitude is. He is teaching me about speaking what is to be as if it is. He constantly gives me things to laugh about, often as I'm crying about something else. I have learned first hand A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

What Was His Expression?

Daniel 3

I have to laugh whenever I read this! Nebuchadnezzar goes from admitting that the God of Daniel is the highest God, to making an image of himself and requiring everyone to bow down to it when the music plays. Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar thinks it's a misunderstanding when he's informed that Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego didn't bow down, so he gives them the benefit of doubt. They tell him that their God doesn't allow them to bow down to idols, and not only that, but their God will deliver them from the furnace.

Here's where I read between the lines. When we read about Moses, we read a very small about about his life after fleeing from Egypt. He lives with the Priest's family and obviously his faith has grown some. Great faith, like Moses' during the wilderness trek, doesn't happen overnight. In fact it comes about during many challenges in our lives. We are not told much about what has happened to these men, but clearly they have learned great trust in God.

Here's where I begin to giggle, as I think about the expressions on Nebuchadnezzar's face. He might look magnanimous as he explains they can try again. Then rage as they tell him they clearly won't be doing that, maybe his face it getting rather purple as he tells them to heat the furnace seven times hotter than usual, he might sit back in satisfaction, while waiting for them to get what's coming to them. The furnace was so hot, that his strongest army men put the bound Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego into the furnace and die!

This is where I really began to laugh out loud, thinking about old Neb's face as he watches these men get up and begin to walk around. Perhaps he's thinking it isn't really very hot, but no, the army men died. But wait, we put three men in, and now there are four walking around. My sides are nearly hurting due to my laughter as I imagine old Neb jumps up to ask if it was really only three men and it's obvious the fourth figure is really someone special! He approaches the furnace and what was his expression as he asked the men to come out? Perhaps he hesitated? Perhaps a few ums? Clearly his attitude was quite different!

I've often wondered what it was like in there. They could see the flames, it burns off their bindings. I would probably look down at my arm in amazement, seeing the flames dance around and I would probably begin to laugh. I would look around and see the other men and... wow! I would think that the first words to the men might be for them not to be afraid. I like the Amplified version, it says in verse 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who believed in, trusted in, and relied on Him! And they set aside the king’s command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. They believed, trusted and relied on Him and as a result, many people learned about such a wonderful God who takes care of His own! He is a God who sees and a God who hears us.(Gen 16:13)

Thank You

1 Kings 19 11 And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice.13 When Elijah heard the voice, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?

This is so amazing God. First of all, Elijah knew Your voice. Secondly, that You weren't in the strong wind, or the earthquake, or the fire, You were in the still, small voice. I think that's how I know You too. You are the calm voice, the quiet voice. Joyce Meyer said that Satan yells, and you are the small voice. I know you by your peace, joy and laughter too. Throughout the day, things come up that just make me laugh, and I see You in that, I hear Your laughter too.

Holy Spirit, Jesus, I want so much to be a child of God, to be very close to You, to be taught what You want me to know. I believe You have told me repeatedly that the time is short and there is much to learn. Help me to submit to You and Your will. Help me to quit wasting time doing things I should not be doing, and doing instead what You want me to do. Help me to know and understand. Help me to trust You and rely solely on You. I feel such a longing deep down in my soul, that I don't fully understand, but I know it's for You.

Also, thoughout the day, when I think of You, the first thing I think of is thankfulness, praise and worship. I know that You have brought that about and I'm grateful. However, after thinking of some things I'm grateful for and sending praise Your way, I get distracted. Help me to stay on track and bring everything to You. Thank You that You are with me at all times. I love to feel You close by and in my soul. Help me to talk to You the way I should.

I am also so very thankful that You have helped me to read Your Word daily. I thank You SO much that You had Dr. J. Vernon McGee do the 5 Years Thru the Bible radio program and that it is available freely on the web. I have learned so much from him. I started 1st John last night and am a bit sad, I feel like I will be leaving a close real friend soon. The thought came to me, that after I finish the 90 Days Whole Bible program, that maybe I can do a 6 month, or a year plan and also listen to Dr. McGee's commentary on that section? I pray that You let me know what You want me to do next. I also thank you for the 90 Day Whole Bible Plan. It's only about an hour listen each day, but it's nice to be going so quickly through it, especially since I've been listening to Dr. McGee's commentary for a while now. I wish I knew when I started it, but I guess that You would let me know if I'm supposed to. I've been going slower and slower though, because I don't want it to end, but if You want me to start over, then that will take care of that, won't it? :)

Lord, I ask that you help me with my foot and my hand. Ever since I got electrocuted, um was that last week or the week before? I'm thinking the week before, well ever since they have really been hurting, even more so than anything else, which I think is saying something. I am a bit concerned, although I guess if there is damage, it's too late now and probably nothing can be done, at least from a Western Medicine point of view, however You can do anything, at any time, if You want to. Please guide me the direction You want me to go.

Also, when I last saw my PCP, she said that Western Medicine is failing me and suggested that I check into some other things, like acupuncture, or reflexology, etc. I am a bit interested, but also, don't want to waste our money on unnecessary things. Of course my comfort isn't necessary, but You know what I mean. Sometimes my pain and exhaustion are just so very overwhelming. And frustrating. There is so much that I would like to do. I know that You will give me exactly what I need to do Your will, which doesn't mean that it will be easy or that it won't take every iota of strength, endurance and everything else I've got. Great, now I'm getting weepy. Which is another thing, when I get so tired, I often get weepy, or worse, that I get depressed and hopeless. I'm so sorry that I succumb to that. This summer I have done better than I have in a long, long time. I no longer think about when that changes and I go the other way, because it will be when it is. You have been teaching me so much, like to speak of things as if they are, having a positive outlook, watching what I speak so as to give power to what I want to bring about, not what I don't. You have been trying to teach me patience, which ironically is something I can remember You working on all my life. I also have been interested in doing a Characteristic/Attribute study on You, to better know You. If You wish that to happen, lead me Lord.

Today my new social worker came. Of course I saw my old one only once and for the first time last month. I remember when I was talking to the new one, when I realized that once again, there's no help for me. There was a moment that I succumbed to frustration and hopelessness, but then I felt You. You reminded me that You are always there for me and that You will take care of me. I really wish that I could care less about how clean my house is, Please help me. I wish that I wasn't concerned when I wonder how I'm going to see the doctor and not feel like it's a great exercise in Herculean Strength for me, leaving me overwhelmingly drained. I'm sorry that I do. I'm trying to give it all to You and just trust. Please, please help me?

Thank You that sometimes people notice that I have a positive attitude. Of course that isn't me, it's You. I do have so very much to be grateful for! I have a roof over my head, that to my knowledge we aren't worried about a great possibility of losing. While I wish I could have food delivered through Meals on Wheels, clearly I'm not lacking, my scale told me that this morning! :) Thank You so much for my critters and for my service dog Toby. They bring me great joy. Thank You unknown millions of times for my husband, the man who helped me learn about Your love, because of his great love for me. I pray once again, that he will come to know and love You beyond comprehension. That he will accept You as his savior. I pray for my kids and kids-in-laws. I wish I had taught them more about Who You really are. I'm sorry that I didn't. Help them to really know, understand and accept Your saving grace. Thank You for giving me compassion for Mutt Lee. I believe You have told me that he will only be with us until October. Help us to cope when that happens.

Thank You that I have so many resources to know You. www.youversion.com has been such a wonderful resource and I am really enjoying listening to Your Word on there. Thank You that I've been able to provide my favorite bible for a few people. Please help them to feel You and Your desire for them to read. Dr. McGee said that you can't help but fall in love with You if we read Your Word, and the more we fall in love with You, the more we want to read Your Word. Amen!

Your Word reminds me of when a child learns math. At first, they learn how to count and what numbers look like. Then they learn how to add and subtract with them. Then multiplication, etc. It's all math, but each year, new knowledge layers onto old to teach more and more. Your Word is like that. There are so many nuances, sometimes I can see it this way, then later, see the same passage another way, building onto what I know, You teach me something else about it. Wow. Thank You so very much for giving me the Holy Spirit and that I'm learning so much. Some passages, like John 1:1, are so very deep, that I know I can't fully understand them now, but pray that I will know in the Spirit. When I think of Your teaching, all I can think is Wow! What a gift for words, eh? But I feel so very, how to put it into words, such awe, love, thankfulness, so many emotions that I can't even put words to. Just Wow. You are an awesome God.

Thank You that You have made a bridge so that I can know You. That Jesus came here, died and was resurrected so I can spend eternity with You. That the Spirit is with me always guiding me. Thank You that You love me. Me. A worthless person, who has value, only because of You.

"He is the First and the Last, Beginning and the End, the Keeper of Creation and the Creator of All, the Architect of the Universe and the Manager of All Times, He Always Was, Always Is and Always Will Be Unmoved, Unchanged and Undefeated and Never Undone, He was Bruised and Brought Healing, He was Pierced and Eased Pain, He was Persecuted and Brought Freedom, He was Dead and Brought Life, He is Wisdom (? 3:15) and brings Power, He Reigns and Brings Peace, The World Can't Understand Him, the Armies Can't Defeat Him, Schools can't explain Him and the Leaders Can't Ignore Him, Herod Couldn't Kill Him, Pharisees Couldn't Confuse Him, People Couldn't Hold Him, Nero Couldn't Crush Him, Hitler Couldn't Silence Him, New Age Can't Replace Him, and Oprah Can't Explain Him Away. He is Life, Love, Longevity, and more, He is Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness and God. He is Holy, Righteous and Holy. He is Mighty, Powerful and Pure. His Ways are Ways are Right, His Words Eternal and His Will is Unchanging, and His Mind is on me. He is my Redeemer, my Savior, my God, and He is my Peace, He is my joy, my comfort, He is my Lord and He Rules my Life,"

Jesus Throughout the Bible

Salem Lutheran Church

Jack Stockton, December 5, 2010

http://theresurgence.com/2011/01/06/a-word-from-the-valedictorian-of-vacation-bible-school