Obtaining Mercy

A Day to Celebrate!

 

Happy Birthday to the world's greatest Mama!!!

 

Thank you for loving me.

Thank you for teaching me about Jesus.

Thank you for giving me home full of love and peace and fun.

Thank you for being YOU.

I love you,

Alesha

The 12 Days of Nativity

I mentioned in an earlier blog that I always put my Nativity scenes out first, when I begin decorating for Christmas.  I have several different sets, and so I thought you might like to see them.

I have everything from intricately painted bisque sets to dollar store trinkets, nativities from Israel made of olive wood and one painted on a sand dollar.  There is a set made from simple wooden pieces and one collected piece by piece, due to their expensive price.

I love them and treasure them all.

It's funny I just realized that I have one for each of the 12 days of Christmas!

A nice even dozen.

:)

I hope you enjoyed seeing these Nativity sets.  May you find your own decorative reminder of the Reason for the season - the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Alesha

Isaac's Funny Little Schedule

Hey y'all.  We've had a good week here at our house.  With the exception of continuing allergy issues, we are all doing well.

Isaac has developed this really odd schedule, and I thought I'd share it with you.  Keep in mind this is a child who has multiple special needs and is not supposed to be aware of things, you know.  Heh!

We put Ike to bed between 8:30-9:00.  He listens to his "Hallelujah" (Gaither video) for about an hour and falls asleep. 

Then somewhere between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. he wakes up.

Then he goes back to sleep around 7 a.m. and sleeps until Noon.

Isn't that peculiar?

So why is he waking up and staying awake???

Because DADDY is home!  Daddy comes to check on him.  Daddy sits in his room for a while.  Daddy changes him if he's wet.  Daddy gives him his juice and meds at 5:30.

And why does he go back to sleep after 7???

Because Daddy comes in and says, "I'm going to work now.  Be a good boy for Mommy and Mrs. Julie today."

And out he goes like a light!

Isn't that something???

This poor, little unaware, handicapped, developementally delayed child that knows nothing, and is incapable of making decisions or understanding the concept of time wakes up to spend time with his Daddy.  And sleeps the sleep of the dead when Daddy is not here.

Julie and I can talk.  The dogs can bark.  Julie can vacuum, clean the bathroom...he snoozes through all of it...because he doesn't want to spend his waking hours with us.  He'd rather spend them with dear ol' Dad!

I love that he loves his Daddy and is so attached to him.  I love that he knows who he wants to spend time with.  I love that he can alter his schedule to suit his own needs and desires.

God has been so good to us, and I am so thankful that He is allowing our boy to grow and mature.

 

Psalm 139:14 "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well."

 

It also makes me wonder how excited I am to spend time with my Heavenly Father.

Do I wake up early to be in His presence?  Am I willing to give up sleep to talk with Him?  Will I alter my entire schedule just to sit with Him for a while each morning?

Yes, I think there is much to learn from my child in this area.  I think I should probably pay close attention to see what else he can teach me about myself, about life and about God.

I used to think the following verse applied to simple salvation, but maybe there is more to it than that.  I will be meditating on this for a bit, I think.

 

Matthew 18:2-3 "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."

 

Praying you have a blessed weekend,

Alesha

Taking Captives, First Thing This Morning

Do you ever wake up, before your feet even hit the floor, and feel defeated?  Or sad?  Or angry?  Or despondent?

It's not a good way to start the day, is it?

For me, the two things that can start my day off in a very negative way are pain and dreams.  This morning, it was a dream.  About Isaac.  About someone hurting Isaac. 

I woke up angry and sad and feeling unequal to the task of starting a brand new day.

These are the mornings that I must immediately begin to practice the truths of Scripture, particularly this one:

 

II Corinthians 10:5 "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;"

 

Bad dreams are not reality.  They are imaginations.  And if they are contrary to reality, they are contrary to the knowledge of God.  They must be brought into captivity.

 

How can we bring a thought into captivity?

1. Ask the Lord to remove the images from your memory.
2. Pray for forgiveness of any waking thoughts or fantasies that could have encouraged the dreams.
3. Deliberately refuse to relive the scenes of the dream in your mind.
4. Begin to quote Scripture or sing a song of praise to focus your mind on true things.
5. As soon as possible, find time to read God's Word so that the Lord can fill the emptiness left by the dream you have cast down.

I know these seem very simplistic, but this is the only process I have found to combat the negativity that can overwhelm me when I wake from a nightmare.

Finally, let me encourage you that today can be a day of victory and peace for you.  You simply must ask the Lord for courage to face the day, resting fully in the truth of the Word:

 

Joshua 1:8-9 "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

 

Those are bold words, aren't they?

Let's begin our day by trusting in these promises of God...by leaving behind the things that weigh down our spirit...and by meditating on His Word to find the good courage that will lead us to success!

I am praying that you have a great day, despite the way it started,

Alesha

Resting the Body, Working the Mind

Oh my goodness.  We are such a sleepy bunch here at our house!

Isaac slept until after 10 a.m. yesterday, then - mercifully - slept all night too. Yay!

Doug came home from work and slept for several hours, as well.  Thankfully, Isaac was his angelic self and played quietly while Daddy slept.  Of course, the fact that we turned on his favorite radio station had a lot to do with his contentment! :)

I didn't actually sleep, but I was very happy to quietly watch videos on the computer all afternoon and evening too.  I was pretty convinced that, at some point in time, my head was going to explode due to the sinus pressure and barometric pressure combo, but it never did.  Secretly, I would have welcomed the relief! :o(

Doug and Ike are not going to try to go to therapy today.  We are all still dragging, and there is no need to push it.  Continuing to rest seems to be the best option.

I have been loading up on every supplement that I think will help me fight this cold: oregano, echinacea and vitamin C especially.  I am taking quadruple the usually dose of C and I really feel like it is helping.  It is not upsetting my stomach at all, so I just keep increasing the dose.  If my stomach can take it, I know it is certainly helping the rest of my system!

 

 

Newton the Magnificent

 

On a sad note, we are pretty certain that Newton (our 8-year-old Labradoodle) has some sort of growth on his spine.  We have been giving him supplements and he is moving around much better than he was, but he has developed a knot right on his backbone.  Since his movement is good, and he doesn't seem to be in pain, we are not pursuing a diagnosis at this time.  We'd appreciate your prayers for wisdom and peace, as quite honestly, we are having a hard time with this.

My devotions this morning were about "mortifying the deeds of the body" and "mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth" (Romans 8:13 and Colossians 3:5).  Not a popular subject on any day, but especially when I am sick and don't feel well!

Honestly, though, I could come up with that excuse all the time, because due to fibro, I always have "something" that hurts!  I know it is a work of the Holy Spirit when I can set aside my physical pain to do whatever task is before me.  That is something that I can almost never do on my own.  It is just too hard. 

Even though I often ignore my physical body and do what needs to be done, there are always other areas that still need work.  My mind is usually the most rebellious "member" that I have to work on!

• Am I indulging in self-righteous thoughts? 
• Am I harboring hatred toward anyone? 
• Am I letting coveteousness to control my mind? 
• Do I allow lustful thoughts to linger? 
• Am I catering to self-pity?

So, even while I am taking it easy, due to illness, I can still work on strengthening my inner man through the obedience of my mind to the Word of God.

Today's word for me:  "Mortify".

(I've got a feeling it might be a l-o-o-o-n-g day!)

;o)

Alesha

 

Twenty-Four Years Ago

...on July 15, 1988,

 

Two crazy kids...

 

 

said "I do."

 

And my life has never been the same!

 

Oh, how I love this man!!!

Happy Anniversary to Doug - my amazing husband and very best friend.

Looking forward to the rest of our adventure together,

Alesha

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

 

It's been quite a rainy day today, here in central Florida.  In between the rain showers, I was admiring the blooming magnolia tree across the street.

 

After lunch, my hubby came in with this:

Pretty impressive, huh?

Um, I mean my hubby's thoughtfulness, not the blossom.  (Although, that is quite impressive as well, isn't it?)

I am so thankful for that man!

;o)

HopeFULLy,

Alesha

 

When God Answers, He Answers BIG!

We went to the car dealership, signed papers and came home with this vehicle - free and clear.  I have no idea who all was involved or what deals were made...I'm absolutely sure it was all legal and Christ-honoring, though!!! :)

This is a 2012 Ford Transit Connect.  It is brand new, as you can see by the odometer.  Right now, it seats Isaac beautifully, as well as stores his chair completely upright in the back.  Our little ramp fit right across the back for storage, as well.

We are in the process of applying for a grant that will hopefully allow us to have it modified with a ramp/lift for when Isaac gets bigger.  That will cost between $16,000-$20,000, and we will be without the vehicle for a month as it is shipped to Indiana for the conversion.  It will be a while before that happens, obviously.

So, I leave you with pictures and verses of praise and amazement.

"Our God is so great, so strong and so mighty...there's nothing my God cannot do!!!"

~~~~~

Isaiah 48:6 "Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them."

 

 

 

Job 42:2-3 "I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not."

 

 

 

 

Psalm 84:11 "For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly."

 

 

(of course, we had to try out the Sync program and call Doug's mom in Ohio to tell her the good news!!!)

 

 

And THIS...

...this makes it worth the wait.

I am so full of gratitude and we are overflowing with thanksgiving!

Our God is worthy to be praised.

Please join us tonight by leaving a comment in honor of His mighty work on our behalf!

AND tomorrow is Isaac's 12th birthday...could the timing have been any better?????

HopeFULLy,

Alesha

Finding a Van for Isaac - It Takes a Family, Not a Village

 

We are in the process of trying to find a wheelchair-accessible vehicle for our family.  Our truck died on May 8th, and we have been without a vehicle since then.

I know intellectually that family is incredibly important, but to see family spring into action on our behalf has really been amazing!

 

• My mechanically-inclined brother, who has done the physical labor on our truck the past several times that it needed work, and who had the wisdom to say (as did Bones on StarTrek) "It's dead, Jim!" when our truck blew it's head gasket last Tuesday.
  
• My fiscally-responsible brother and sister-in-love who unselfishly pick me up for choir practice each week, and bring me home from church on Sunday and Wednesday nights, who pick up groceries when we need them, or prescriptions when we have no way to get them, and who support me emotionally when I feel the need to let off steam, by simply listening or by taking me to the beach for a day (and thereby rescuing my sanity.)
• My extended family who are praying and watching for deals and encouraging us that God will meet our need.
• My brilliant husband who can tell you which car/truck/van has the best and poorest Consumer Report ratings for the past 15 years, and who is humble enough to accept rides back and forth to work but is independent enough to walk to the drugstore and grocery store when we needed something.
• My sweet mother- and grandmother-in-laws who give advice and encouragment to Doug each week and who help us pray for answers.
  
• My servant-hearted cousins who are willing to do anything at all for us from toting a wheelchair, to physically helping Isaac in and out of his wheelchair, and who act out the belief that "Pity is a benign form of abuse, " and therefore do not pity Isaac, but accept him just as he is and help him to be a true part of their junior church ministry every Sunday.
  
• My dad who has worked unfailingly to help us find a vehicle, who has loaned his vehicle for runs to the bank and the grocery store, who drives alone to church in his work truck so that the rest of us can fit in the "nice" vehicle, who believes in a fair price and a good work ethic, who has friends all over town because of his own work ethic, and who has blessed his family for many generations to come by following Christ's example and keeping a good Christian testimony.
• My mom who has taught all of us by her incredible example that PRAYER WORKS, and who is continuing to live out that truth by praying a MIRACLE down for us!!!

 

All these combine to make this time of waiting, bearable. 

As we sink our faith deeper into the mind of Christ, and trust Him to meet this incredible need, we are propped up and encouraged by these in our family who have come along beside us.

Of course, we have sweet friends who minister to us, too, giving us ideas and telling us about vehicles they've seen, and encouraging us with reminders of Who God is, and that He promises to meet every need.  These are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and so, by that definition, are FAMILY, as well!

 

The world has swallowed the lie that it takes a government, a society, a village of people to raise a child.  This is wrong and unScriptural.  It takes individuals who are committed to the success of the child and to the spiritual growth of the child, to properly raise that child to be a Child of the King.

In Isaac's situation, he is "safe" in the Lord, because he does not have the understanding to make a personal decision for Christ. 

So, in his case, we are not coming together to teach him about Jesus and salvation in a mental and spiritual way; but rather we are coming together to teach him how Jesus IS by meeting his physical and emotional needs.

 

I John 3:16-18 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

 

My family is loving Isaac, and loving us, "in deed and in truth."

That is very humbling and encouraging and is - quite honestly - just blessing my socks off!!!

Thank you, Lord, for my family!

 

 

HopeFULLy,

Alesha

Just a Thought

 

Checking my Face in the Book before checking my Facebook.

James 1:23-25

 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.