FOOD FOR THOUGHT - A DEVOTIONAL
ASK AND RECEIVE
Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them,
and you will have them.
~~Mark 11:24~~
Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them,
and you will have them.
~~Mark 11:24~~
Someone has said that before our prayers can mean anything to God, they must first mean something to us. Mindlessly repeating a prayer we memorized in childhood, or vaguely asking God to bless everyone, everywhere -- that isn't authentic prayer. Prayer is speaking to God about the deepest concerns of our hearts.
What is the source of true prayer? It is a heart attuned to God. It is a life lived in loving obedience to the Father. The Bible says, "And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22).
God delights in the prayers of His children -- prayers that express our love for Him, prayers that share our deepest burdens with Him. Don't pray casually or thoughtlessly, but "come boldly to the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16).
The Reverand Billy Graham
THIS WEEK'S NEWS
You know, for the first time in ages I can honestly say that I'm overwhelmed. I try hard, I make a real effort, to stay upbeat and positive no matter what. But this was a hard week.
I don't get sick very often. I'm one of those lucky people who gets a cold maybe once every two years. And two years ago almost to the day, I had a doozy. I haven't been sick since then except for one little rotovirus thing that went through the family last spring. Compared to a chest cold, that was a piece of cake. I've been sick for the last week and I don't like to talk about it when I'm sick but it really just made this past week difficult to get through. So I'm sick, but I'm getting better now.
Tip: if you have a simple head cold that starts settling into your chest, I can't begin to tell you how much you need Mucinex. If I hadn't started taking it yesterday I can assure you I would not be sitting here typing this Sunday post right now. I'd be in bed.
Our Thanksgiving was wonderful. All of us who live on the western side of the Rockies were here. Counting my little grandbaby, we were nine. I know that doesn't sound like a crowd but my house isn't big (especially my dining area) so it's definitely a blessing that we all like each other a lot.
For some reason, maybe because I was sick, making Thanksgiving dinner seemed overwhelming to me this year. Everyone helped by bringing things but I cooked from Tuesday morning until Wednesday night, nonstop. Seriously, nonstop. (We have our Thanksgiving dinner Wednesday night so Krissy and Andy can spend Thursday with his family.) Dinner was wonderful but when I saw all the food we'd all made, so much I had to put it on the kitchen counters and ask everyone just to go through the line, I thought, there has to be a way to cut this back.
Do any of you feel like that? I know most of you probably have a bigger gathering than nine people but do you have so much food left over you wonder why you made so much? I would honestly appreciate some input. We love the leftovers but it almost seems decadent to me to have that much food for one meal. My problem is that every single member of my little family has one special favorite dish that he or she loves.
Well, anyway. We had dinner Wednesday night and all day Thursday I refused to open the fridge because I didn't even want to see all the leftovers.
Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Krissy and Mandy and I did something I can absolutely assure you I'll never do again. We went shopping. This was the first time in my life, fifty-six years, that I've done this. Give me a serious break. Why would anyone who is drop-dead exhausted from cooking for days and days go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving?
I wanted to take lots of cold medicine and stay in bed and Mandy wanted to stay in her pj's all day and make lesson plans for the substitute who will cover for her when she has all four of her wisdom teeth removed next week. But Krissy was intrigued with the idea of shopping on the day after Thanksgiving. I understand that but when you factor in finding a parking spot, finding a shopping cart at Target, and a fussy baby who just isn't into it, why on earth? No way. Never doing it again. We all three agree that it's ridiculous. I think Kris was disappointed but I also know she won't want to do it again next year.
Here are our results. I spent exactly $21. Rob and I have always had the multicolor lights on our Christmas tree but when I saw Krissy's tree done in all white lights last year I told him, I want to do all white lights. It's amazing how the white lights make all your beautiful ornaments just pop out. Anyway, I bought ten 100-count packages of lights. (We have a huge tree.) Mandy bought Christmas stickers and some other things related to multiplication tables at the teachers' store. Krissy bought, I think, diapers, and she actually bought two Christmas gifts that were on her list. Mandy treated the three of us to Starbucks. And we all bought some groceries. Next year we'll do this shopping trip on Saturday.
You know, this week was just hard. It started with Rob being injured on the job, losing his job, the gut-wrenching stuff we went through with that and then him deciding he wouldn't let this happen. If you read my blog then you know what happened in the last ten days. He fought it and got his job back but it was a hard week for both of us, emotionally. Throw a huge family dinner into the mix and toss in a mom with a bad chest cold and an insane shopping day and it was just a tough week.
To make it all more amusing, Rob and I had a nice virus attack our computer yesterday morning. After he sat in here on line with support help for fourteen hours today, we're back on line but have lost a lot of things that make computer life easier.
Sigh.....this was a tough week. Period. Just one of those weeks. And if I tried, I couldn't possibly post anything more yucky for my friends to read.
NEW IN BLOGGITYVILLE
My niece Sarah and I are working together on an exciting project. We'll tell you more later but it's wonderful and we're having fun.
SUNDAY DINNER
Well here's a huge surprise. Uhmmmm...Thanksgiving leftovers but the good news is we're almost done with them!
ONE LAST THOUGHT
I don't have a quote from anyone famous here. This last thought is mine.
Smile. Seriously. smile. If you're having a bad day or you're stressed or just in a bad mood, do yourself a favor. Go into the bathroom and lock the door. Look into the mirror and smile at yourself, no matter how bad you feel. Chances are, you'll walk out of that bathroom in a better mood.
Trust me, it works.
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30 comments:
Oh Barb, I do so look forward to your Sunday posts. I am so sorry dear one that you are not feeling well and that you had such a stressful week. You have every right to feel overwhelmed. I am 38 and just reading all the things you accomplished this week, has worn me out. :-)
I know exactly what you mean about having too much food but I think in every family, each family member has a certain dish that they need in order for it to “feel” like the holiday it is.
I will be praying you feel better soon. How has that handsome husband done this week? Is he feeling better?
Praying for you both.
Lyndy in GA
Oh boy! On top of everything else you get the chest cold. It's like adding insult to injury. It sounds like Thanksgiving went well and I agree with you about the food. There were five of us at my house and I cooked (starting chopping on Tuesday)Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon. Crazy! Must be a better way. I skipped the shopping on Friday. There are no deals good enough to get me to go out on black Friday. I did it twice and won't be doing it again. We decorated the house Friday instead from noon to 8:30 pm. Probably would have been less exhausting to go shopping:) I hope you feel better and I hope you have a wonderful week. I loved the Devotional. Sometimes it's hard to remember to stop, and have a thoughtful conversation with God. Sometimes I feel like I do a prayer drive by. Thanks for the reminder to slow down and take care of what is REALLY important this season.
I love the Billy Graham devotional!
You have had a "too much on your plate" week, haven't you? Both meataphorically and with Thanksgiving literally! :v) Hope your on the mend really quick with that cold.
We don't have Black Friday in Canada. Of course, our Thanksgiving is in October so who's thinking of that kind of shopping for Christmas in the first half of October. That's probably a good thing. We do however, now have Boxing Day Sales. The day after Christmas sounds like your Black Friday. There is no way I'm going shopping the day after Christmas but lots of people do. I can't be bothered to fight the crowds of people or to be in a store right after opening gifts.
I'm not sure what to tell you about all the food. Except maybe to make the absolute faves, and a little less of them, and cut out everything else. Either that or invite the neighbors! :v)
Praying you're better really fast, Barb! Not going to church today so if you want to email me, I'm around.
I gave in and went shopping with my girls on Friday, too. We waited until after the Razorback game, though, which gave me an excuse not to brave the traffic in Little Rock. After just 2 stores, I was exhausted, but I'm sure it was the idea of spending money that did me in rather than the fact that I'm out of shape. Yeah, that's it.
More importantly, I got to spend time with them, and I got some great pictures. I'm off to post them now!
xoxoxo
Well thank goodness that week is history and today is the beginning of the rest of your life! Trite but true!
Hope you kick that cold quickly (I wonder if turkey soup works as good as chicken?) OK I'm running now!!!
:)
Great devotional.
Sorry to hear you are not feeling well. I have never heard of Mucinex but I will check it out when I get sick.
9 sounds like a good crowd. We are 7 and invited my friend and her 2 kids so we made 10. I don't have much advice about the food except I only serve turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and corn. I did add a little ham this year. Of course we have pies, but only 2 kinds. I did buy it from Safeway as you know and yes it makes it a whole lot easier.
I did not shop on black Friday this year, but I have in the past. About 2 years ago I stood on line at a K Mart for 3 hours before opening and got the kids bikes for $25. each. It is definitaly not fun. It seems to get a little nastier each year too. People pushing and shoving.
I haven't been on the blogs too much but was shocked to hear hubby lost his job but glad to hear he got it back. My father in law is going through some rough stuff with Ford which he has been with for 25 years. He put in papers for retirement but they keep saying not until April yet he is laid off at least 2 weeks almost every month. This is getting ridiculous.
Glad to hear you got to enjoy Thanksgiving with your family. That is a blessing. Have a great week.
Hi I don't think I have commented here before, but I have visited before.
I'm so sorry you have been sick I hope you are feeling much better. You are so right that keeping a cheerful countenance really changes the way we feel and how people react to us, something I know I need to remember. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in England, but Christmas is coming!
I also love that Billy Graham quote, how inspiring. Blessings.
I've had weeks like that...weeks where the best news of all is that I never have to relive it!
I'll be praying you have a refreshing week ahead!
No braving the retail crowds for me, online shopping is so much easier and more fun... :)
Barb, I am so sorry you weren't well this week. It must have been hard having all your loved ones around and feeling crummy. I just love coming to your blog each day. You are so real and have such an ordinary life, but God is using you in an extraordinary way to reach hundreds of women. Please take "ordinary" as a compliment. Your daily journaling has delighted me, encouraged me, and challenged me to keep on "keeping on" along with you and all the other ladies out there trying to live our lives for Christ.
I hope you are feeling better Barb. I didn't have to do nearly what you did (Thanksgiving wasn't at my house this year)- but I felt wiped out by saturday. We had the whole family here (sixteen of us now) all day friday. I love being with my family, but I'm the kind of person who tends to do well with "quietness" and I just get overstimulated or something and crash when it's all over.
So don't feel at all bad about feeling bad - I'm with ya.
My bloglines is just plain persnikkity - not notifying me of half the posts that are up. I thought at first that everyone had just taken the holiday off. But no...I am terribly behind on reading posts now. I love you little prayer of thanks to Jesus. It is straight from the heart.
I can't wait to hear about what you're doing with Sarah. I just love mysteries!!
Have a restful day - praying you'll be better soon (you and Rob's arm).
I hear where you're coming from with making way too much food...that's always been my problem but then I was raised with the saying "rather have too much than not enough" and that has stuck! Like you said too, it's hard to cut back when you want to make everyone's favourite dish!! I had heard that in the States the busiest shopping day was the day after Thanksgiving...here it's Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. I stay home that day...I value my life too much!!! Sure hope you feel 100% soon...you gotta get ready for Christmas now ya know...just thought I'd remind you! hehe Runsssssssssss........
Feel better, Barb. Being sick or injured during a holiday is a double whammy.
Hope you have a great week.
I love the last bit -- SMILE! How true that is. Well, dear friend I have been praying for you all week long. I pray you are well very soon.
I didn't have left overs as we ate out and I sure missed them but I am SMILING!
God Bless you!
I'm so sorry the last few days have been so hard for you. Those chest colds are miserable -- I get them too. And Mucinex is magic, pure magic!!
I think in all my years, I've only gone shopping once or twice the day after T-giving, and I.will.not.do.it.ever.again!! It's a terrible time to fight crowds who are crazed with being first in line.
I'm looking forward to whatever project you and Sarah are concocting. If you get tired of smiling in the mirror (although that's a really great idea) go take a look at my sunrise/sunset pictures blog. It's God's food for the eyes and soul!
I'm with you on the day after Thanksgiving thing. I haven't gone out that day in years, not since the year I worked retail during the holidays and was just appalled by the ugliness I saw. Secret - the Sunday after Thanksgiving is IMHO the best shopping day!
Hope you're feeling better soon.
((((hugs)))) I am sorry it was so overwhelming. Everything is so difficult, especially a holiday, if you are not feeling the best. I hope you get some R&R this next week. I missed you in bloggyvile (even though I was the one away ;))
I'm sorry your week was not good, hope this new one will be better and that you'll feel better.
I hear you on the food thing; we had about 20 and that was with some extended family but we had food for days. We were at the beach for the week and threw stuff away today before coming home and it seemed such a waste. There's got to be a better way...and we ate way too much!
Next week when Madison goes back to school and Scott back to work...I may take you up on your advice with the smiling and the mirror thing....
Bloglines is about to drive me crazy.
Barb, I'm so sorry you haven't felt well this week. It's no wonder with everything y'all have had going on. I'll be praying that life settles down for you over the next few weeks.
Oh Barb, I wish I could reach across the computer and give you a big hug! I'm sorry you had such a stressful week and were feeling so down and sick! Glad to hear you're starting to feel better though.
I don't know why we make so much food for Thanksgiving - we seem to go overboard don't we? Maybe it's because we really want those leftovers so we don't have to cook anymore for the next few days :)
I'm with you - I have yet to go out shopping on Black Friday! I don't get the novelty of it either - I'm not a morning person, so getting up at the crack of dawn doesn't interest me and I can't stand crowds. I like to get in and out of a store and I hate standing around waiting in lines. I'm always sleeping in on the Friday after Thanksgiving!
I always love coming here Sunday night. The devotional is always just what I need and I love to hear about your week.
Iamsoooo sorry though to hear that you are sick and that you had a tough week. I do hope this week is better!
I can not imagine going shopping in those crowds after all the exhaustion of a holiday meal. I saw commercials for sales starting at 5am!!! That is INSANE! I would NEVER shop before 9am!
Im sorry it was a hard week. Hope youre feeling better now. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Plesed your Thanksgiving was wonderful. Barb the thing that I have been pondering recently is the fact that you have Thanksgiving and thn a month later you do it all again with Christmas. In New Zealand we only have Christmas and people get exhausted just doing that!!
You guys do it twice WOW I take my hat off to you
Oooooo my thoughts and prayers are with Mandy for next week.
Hope next week is better for you
When I was growing up my mother had an ordement in the bathroom of a little man and inscibed on to it was the saying "Smile. It amkes people wonder what youve been up to" LOL Blessings Barb hope this coming week i a better one for you
Jen at http://jenz.wordpress.com/
Big hugs the week is over and a great new one has started! Your post always make me see the things that I should be thankful for instead of being down and out! Big hugs!
Well Barb my friend, I finally dragged myself over here. Feels like I haven't visited in forever :)
Hope you're feeling better.
You know I only cooked for 4 people and I felt overwhelmed too, I don't know what is going on this year. I do applaud you for being brave enough to go shopping after thanksgiving, I can honestly say I've NEVER done it and refuse to LOL
Have a great week :)
Sandra
I understand completely about all the leftovers. My husband thinks we always make waaaayy too much food and spend hours doing just for it to be over in 30 minutes. So for the last 2 years we have gone out. Although eating chinese last year wasn't the traditional thing to do! Anyway this year our daughter was going to in-laws, one son was going to girlfriends family, other son in Georgia and the other son didn't do anything. So Jim's sister and her husband, his mother and I all went to the Holiday Inn. They had very traditional food on a buffet. Waiters to keep your drinks filled, no mess to clean up and no leftovers.
While I would still like to have a traditional Thanksgiving with all the family there, sometimes going out isn't so bad, and more enjoyable.
I HAD to go to Walmart fairly early Friday morning and after I realized what day it was, I was dreading it. But actually it was like any other day. I didn't notice an increase in traffic, or people in the store. What a relief!!
Smiling!
I hope you're feeling better soon.
Diane
Good grief! Hope this one is less awful at least. I froze the rest of the turkey last night, told Don no more stuffing or we'll both looked stuffed. I'm looking forward to potato soup tonight - anything but turkey sounds good. Don never did get tired of it - it's still his favorite meal and he complained when I threw out a cup of stuffing. I do not and never will understand men. And yes, white lights are oh so lovely. I personally think there should be a law against the colored lights - they hurt my eyes.
I have to say that I agree with the "special dish" philosophy of Thanksgiving. Yes, it makes for a lot of food, but in my family Thanksgiving and/or Christmas were times that we came to expect those little specials.
And I wanted to applaud you for doing Tgiving dinner on Wednesday night and graciously sharing with your in-laws. That makes it so much easier for everyone to enjoy their holiday with family.
I'm sorry that you got a cold over thanksgiving. I would find that very overwhelming too. I hope you feel better soon!
(((HUGS))) Barb! I'm sorry it was such a tough week! Sometimes it feels good to just vent a little to your friends, and I'm sure we all don't mind a bit!
Actually, we have some stuff going wrong just now which I may decide to post about soon...nothing horrible drastic but just something that has gotten us a bit stressed. So I can identify! Add a holiday into the mix, and the stress factor just goes up!
And in your case, add sickenss and...well...nothing is really too great when you feel sick!
Get lots of rest this week, Barb!
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