One Thousand Gifts: Friday, Week Twenty-Nine

 

Happy Friday, Friends!  

I hope that you had a wonderful Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, and a calm and peaceful beginning to the Lenten Season.

I was very inspired by this week's lesson.  Entitled "humble grace," Ann shares with us about her son's stay in a children's hospital for about forty-eight hours.  There is nothing in the world more humbling than witnessing the suffering of children.  It is so frightening when any of our little ones are ill, and it is also humbling recognizing God's gift of health.

Have you noticed that Ann has many epiphanies in her laundry room?  I like that.  Do you have any thoughts about this week's devotion?  I liked her wisdom about how expectations can ruin a relationship, especially our relationship with God.  

Speaking of laundry, winter is visiting again this weekend in Central Alabama.  I will be keeping sweaters and throws close at hand!  I'm hoping we can have a peaceful weekend with little activity because this week has been so busy for us.  We've had tons of activities at church, mostly for Mardi Gras and Lent.  I started a Lenten study that meets at our church weekly.  We had a nice Valentine's Day dinner, too.  Also, I had my mammogram, and it looked great, and my healing/scars (internally especially) has improved exponentially from last year.  Thank-you so much for your prayers, and I'd like to praise God for always answering our prayers and for forgiving us and healing us of all our diseases (Psalm 103:3-5).

Here is this week's scripture.  I apologize for not posting it on Monday, but I had a hard time with this graphic.

Prayer Requests:

• Thank-you, God, for your constancy in answering our prayers!
• Kitty asks that we pray that her Grandson Connor and his dad will make amends; Son Mike will find a job; and Son in law Eric will be able to manage his cervical dystonia.
• Sam is back to his monthly Drill schedule with the Wisconsin National Guard. Prayer request is for strength and wisdom. Longer drill periods have been set for this year.  Pray for the 157th!
• A group of Wisconsin National Guard will be deploying to Syria. Please continue to pray for our military and military families.
• Remember Rita's daughters in your prayers as they head into their spring semester of graduate studies while working full-time.  She is particularly concerned about their levels of stress.
• Carla asks that we please pray for COMMON SENSE regarding the border to prevail. And as the Texas National Guard vs. The Border Patrol, may the hearts of these brave sons and daughters not get corrupt by government, but know what is best for the PEOPLE of this beloved country.  Pray for the fallen and the injured in the recent attack on our troops in Jordon.  May our military feel our prayers and support.
• Pray for the families of the Marines who were tragically killed in the helicopter crash in California.  Pray for all our Gold Star Families.
• Pray for the health of all our family members.
• Praise! for my most excellent mammogram!
• Praise that Little Snickers is walking again, however, he could improve even more.  Keep praying! 
• Pray for Rita's cancer-surviving sister's MRI on Tuesday on her lower back.  She is a breast cancer survivor of 8 years had an MRI for her lower back. She's been in pain since the day after Christmas, finally went to an ortho end of Jan, and an x-ray showed L4 fracture, but her doctor wasn't sure if it's an old or new fracture, hence the MRI. She had to have a pacemaker placed a year ago (on the side where she had radiation treatments), and will have to have her pacemaker checked out after the MRI to make certain no malfunctioning there.  Keep praying for her, and that her medical team can treat her back in the best possible way (best practices).
• Pray for Lenten Blessings for all the families represented here on this blog!

Trip and I were able to sleep in today!  His case was cancelled, and the dogs actually allowed us to sleep-in.  I think they've been tired, too!

Now I'm off to make some Peet's coffee and do a little reading!

Stay warm this weekend, Friends!

Until next time...

Blessings!
Ricki Jill