Sunday, May 29, 2011

Half a century or is it 5 decades??

My dear, dear, running walking friends from Battle Creek, held this little celebration in the van they came to Mt.Pleasant in!! (after we had lunch at a restaurant mind you!) As you can see, they outdid themselves! The cake was wonderful but the company was even sweeter. God has truly blessed me with Christlike, fun lovin', generous girlfriends!!! They sang like angels and gave me precious memories to take back home...I received a LIFE IS GOOD sticker and plopped it on my VW back window!!
I was able to go for a long bike ride, down by the bay, with the entire family! (that was part of my birthday wish--to see 12 wheels, 6 helmets (5 Nathan gave me his!) and all those smiles---the BEST PRESENT EVER!!! Tim also sent in my Bible to be rebound and recovered..THAT will be a gem when it comes back in about 3 weeks..that Bible has been through so many things with me, I couldn't even imagine getting a new one.

Other birthday blessings: having 59 people over, to surprise me. Oh wow...it was awesome! I blew out all 50 candles with one puff! Hot air I know..
Lots of people gave me plants to place in the HOPE garden. Thank You Lord...

I listened to my brother singing happy birthday to my mom and smiled. I know it wasn't meant for me, but I needed to hear his voice just the same. I am very grateful for todays' technology...


Other musings:

Been reading a book by Ann Voskamp entitled "One Thousand Gifts: a dare to live fully right where you are"
Her blog's button is on my page..you must go there. You must.
I love it when I come across a soul who tackles ugliness of soul.. and tenderly reveals to this soul
the choosing..will I trust in a good God or will I curse Him?

See?
"In this toxic air of the world, this atmosphere we inhale, burning up or lungs, this No, God?
No, God, we wont take what You give. No, God, Your plans are a gutted, bleeding mess and I didn't sign up for this and You really thought I'd go for this? No, God, this is ugly and this is a mess and can't You get anything right and just haul all this pain out of here and I'll take it from here, thanks. And God? Thanks for nothing. Isn't this the human inheritance, the legacy of the Garden? " from one thousand gifts, page 14.

She quotes Henry Ward Beecher "Pride slays thanksgiving..A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves." Ann continues, "Dare I ask what I think I deserve? A life a material comfort? A life free of trials, all hardship,all suffering? A life with no discomfort, no inconveniences? Are there times that a sense of entitlement--expectations--is what inflates self, detonates anger, offends God, extinguishes joy?" from one thousand gifts, page, 177,178

I'm seeing me sprinkled through the pages of her book. Me in how i used to view trials and injustices of life, to me now, having had my breasts surgically removed from my chest, my body pumped full of chemotherapy and me, my chest, neck and armpit burned with rays of invisible, power filled radiation.

I did not want those things, the cancer, the threat to life itself...I did become closer, more intimate with God through it. I made my choice...
THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS BLOG!!!
GOD IS WITH YOU in your trials.
He did not DO THIS TO YOU!
He is not like that...

Ann writes way better than I do. She has not suffered with cancer but her life has held many tragic things. Do I discount her and say I have suffered more? No. I read her words and am blessed, challenged, softened and emboldened to live more for God, not less.

I pray you will too.
I have an extra copy of her book.
Whoever responds first on my comments, I will gladly give it.
I tell you though, you will not be the same after you ingest her words..

He is faithful,
Bonnie



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