and...
KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY
FRIDAY:
Today I was outside for graduation for over 4 hours. I sat in my black robe/hat up on the podium and realized how very thankful I was for cloudy days. The sun was definitely still there... I could feel it's presence.
I looked out over the faces of 2,000 graduates (minus 3) and the many thousands of family/friends and pondered heaven. What will the throng around the throne look like? How many of the people sitting there today are ready?
In the last 24 hours, I have also thought a lot about the worldwide family of believers - the family of God. We are to know that no matter what the cloud cover or the storm, the Son is still there. We can feel His presence in the midst of suffering and difficult circumstances. It is not necessarily in days of celebration that we are drawn closer to our LORD and Savior, the LIGHT of the world.
- Today as a missionary family returned to Ecuador, their son, James (our nephew) continued to have seizures. Have the prayers gone unanswered for the seizures to cease? No! God continues to abide with this family. His answers require trust, obedience, and waiting.
- Last night as transformed mom Cherryl and one daughter, Darah, traveled by interstate, another daughter, Krissa, was in surgery to remove a large clot from her brain. Her family now surrounds this young woman who is in her 20's. We have seen Cherryl's family connections on her FB statuses like this: "Father. I am so very scared. I need your peace." This is requiring my friends Cherryl, Darrah, and the family to trust in Him as they wait and obey.
- Today, Tyson Lewis needs a new heart... he needs one now! He and his family have been through so much over the years. This young man has overcome cancer and amputation... doctors say if he does not get a heart this weekend, he will need the help of a mechanical heart on Monday. What a blow to Tyson and his family and friends. Tyson's dad is the campus minister at York College where Steve and I used to teach. His large extended family love the LORD deeply. What are they to do? Trust! Obey! Wait!
Hear Him say: "ABIDE WITH ME!"
~BLESSED~
SATURDAY:
I am tired! It's early Saturday morning and I'm alternating between grading papers, checking FB, and blogging (praying all the time). There are a few things I forgot from yesterday:
1. ABOUT GRADUATION: It's silly. Yet, I am so aware of different cultures depending on where I've lived in the USA from the West to the Midwest to the South to the East Coast and then to Europe to Asia. Yesterday, I thought, "Only in Jersey!", as graduates walked across the stage to get their diploma's, names were called:
"Nicolas ____i
Nicolas ______a
Nicolas ____o
Nicole _____i
Nicole _____a
Nicole _______o."
It's time for there to be a few more Saint Nic's in Jersey!
2. I LEFT DOTTIE OFF THE LIST! Yet, I am praying for Dottie continually. Our church secretary/administrative assistant has a tumor on/near her carotid artery. Procedures and surgery are May 25 and 26. Oh, how we have been waiting on the LORD as we trust and obey. Dottie's sisters in Christ are praying at assigned times around the clock for her.
3. I LEFT MAGGIE OFF THE LIST! Maggie Colwell is the new baby girl born to our friends Stephen and Joy at the end of April. Maggie has MANY challenges. Her daddy is blogging about it here as they trust, obey, and wait:
4. OF COURSE, THERE ARE OTHERS... you know of some, as I know of others who are waiting, trusting and obeying... Marcia had heart by-pass surgery recently... Cathy's needs are so great that her church family is selling their belongings today to raise money for her...
http://www.yorknewstimes.com/articles/2011/05/13/news/doc4dcc85f642259762130312.txt
5. I JUST LEARNED OF ANOTHER: Our friend, Jim, has a malignant melanoma in his eye. His wife, Janet, recently entered remission from a horrible bout with cancer. When God's saints are bombarded, what do we do? Trust! Obey! Pray! Wait!
God, for these people we pray that YOU ABIDE WITH THEM and their families. May You get the glory through it all. Please join me in praying now for:
Cathy
Dottie
James
Jim
Krissa
Maggie
Marcia
Tyson
~BLESSED~
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