Morning Cuppas With Glenys

Where God wants me to be

Next month I will be 72. All things pertaining to ageing are at an all time peak. Everything that can ache, does.

Every day I need a nana nap to get through to dinner time and really there's nothing I can do to change that. I am forced to go with the flow.

I used to buy Lite N Easy food as part of my Aged Care package, but Chris and I have become sick of it. I have no choice but to cook.

As dinner times are when my spoons are usually spent, I sit down at the kitchen table and prepare whatever I can beforehand. Then it's just a matter of cooking some meat and doing some gravy.

Both ageing and fibromyalgia keep me living in pain, but I try to not complain about it too much.

I know at this season of my life that I can take that nana nap when I need to or leave the clothes to be folded another day. Likewise I can go to bed as early as I want... there are no schedules to keep.

Each day brings its challenges but even so, I am glad to be here...life is still sweet!

Even in this quiet season of my life it is very comforting to know that I am just where God wants me to be.

And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places; Isaiah 32:18

Words that bless

When I was young growing up in a house of alcoholics I often heard profanities and swearing. Even at a young age, I hated it and grew up to be anxious hearing it.

With their sobriety, however temporary, came a respite from words of filth and it was a welcome time of reasonable peace.

Later on in my first marriage, I was the target of abusive filthy comments punctuated by blasphemies. It was soul destroying. I longed for the peace that wholesome words brought.

The words of the world, especially of the base world where God is not a holy word, but a blasphemed expletive, and people are described in terms that would make a sailor blush- do not edify, but bring the hearers down.

Words are so powerful and can be used for good or evil. They can be as sharp as a sword, piercing through one's heart, remembered for all time. Or they can be a soothing balm.

The scriptures tell us the power of words are so effective that we are to choose our words wisely, edifying and building up only. We are to have kindness on our tongue at all times.

The words we speak will show what is in our heart and soul. We will be judged for every idle word we have ever spoken.

Words that uplift us and that calm us and give us peace are what I term "Kingdom Words"...

Let's think of that peace by reading some Kingdom Words in the Bible, of which there are thousands. I have selected a few for illustration...

grace, forgiveness, mercy, love, justice, righteousness, holiness, kindness, honesty, peace, hope, joy, faithfulness, gentleness, humility...

Let us cultivate our speech to be a blessing to the hearers and let us train ourselves to reject the use of questionable and hateful language.. Let "Kingdom Words" have dominion in our vocabulary and bless others with them.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29

Still or not, you suffer

I have been very ill off-and-on for several weeks now. But I needed to drag myself out of bed and "Make an Easter for the Family" as Connie Hultquist would say. I will be okay. My husband (who is disabled) and I learn to live in pain and suffering. He will say that he is going to suffer whether he is doing something in life, or sitting still and hurting. He chooses to do things and live, rather than do nothing and suffer. He will suffer no matter what. But we put on a happy face and enjoy the family and our home and all the wonderful blessings we have. Mrs White of Legacy of Home

As a chronically ill woman, I have seen two lots of sufferers- those who feel like Mrs White and I and those who take to their beds and surrender to it.

Just because the former types of ill people push on as much as humanly possible does not mean that their illness is all in their head and therefore subject to discipline of oneself.

It means that they realise that they may as well try to live as normal a life as possible instead of taking to their bed like the latter half and doing nothing...

We all have days where illness or disability makes it impossible to do anything, ensuring we have to rest, but those who never try to live won't even try to have a life even on better days.

Last week I had a fibromyalgia flare and it was truly torture to try to do those jobs I need to do.. I had no other choice than to rest. But today is the first day I felt a bit better, and so resumed my "normal" routine and feel better emotionally for it.

Others would prolong the flare and continue to stay in bed as they often fear bringing on another flare. Instead, they often succumb to depression because they have mentally put themselves in the invalid role and therefore often endure the loneliness and joylessness of the invalid.

Over the past 24 years of fibromyalgia and other illnesses, I have decided to push myself a little in order to enjoy more of my life. But there's always a balance- if I feel particularly down, I will take a nana nap or actually go to bed.

The trick is learning to co exist with these illnesses and try not to allow those dictators called "Spoons" to literally dictate how we will live each day and how much enjoyment we will derive from each of those days.

As I have been up for quite a few hours already and done some housework, my muscles are cramping and I need to rest. But at least I have some job satisfaction and can cross some tasks off my daily to do list...

Until next time, may you find some spoons to energise you and some motivation so as to enjoy the most of your life that you can today...

Don't let the spoons dictate your life every moment.. still or not, you suffer..

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Unwanted blessing

So forty-five years ago I was having a cup of tea with my new neighbour. She was a Christian and I was a babe in Christ.

She already had two children and was dismayed to find herself pregnant with her third. Planning to adopt a child, this pregnancy was not part of her plans.

To rectify the problem, she told me that she consistently jumped off her kitchen table to dislodge the baby if possible. It did not.

I was shocked at her actions because she seemed oblivious to the fact that trying to procure a miscarriage was a sin. In previous discussions she said that abortion was sin and she would never go to an abortionist... yet here she was trying to abort her child.

Her actions smacked of hypocrisy and I wondered at the depth of this woman's relationship with Christ and her knowledge of the Bible.

It wasn't until later on in my own walk that I realised that not everybody who goes to church or says they are a Christian in fact are. And even if they are, they are not controlled by the Holy Spirit and are living carnally.

I kept our conversations about every day things from then on, realising that I could be led astray by her rationalisations about sin.

I often wondered if she would actually have been upset if she had miscarried. Abortion and miscarriage tend to make a woman depressed and full of regrets. It wouldn't have mattered if she jumped off the kitchen table or went to an abortionist. The end result would be the same. A dead baby.

Thinking of her often, I am glad that she was unable to dislodge her baby... even if it was an unwanted blessing...

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. Psalm 139:16

Isn't He lovely?

So Tuesday was a sad day for us all. My sister and son had a lovely black cat called Missy. After weeks of expensive vet trips and medications that didn't help, it became obvious that she had succumbed to cancer and needed to be put to sleep.

Those of you who love a cat or dog know that they become family and the bond when broken hurts so much. There is much grief.

Even knowing that you have done your best for the animal doesn't really assauge the grief, so I suggested they get another cat as soon as possible. The problem with that is that most cats from a rescue shelter cost a lot of money and they had used their rent money on Missy.

Free cats aren't readily available anymore and my son badly wanted another cat. I suggested we pray about it. We prayed that God would lead us to a new cat who needed the love and spoiling that he and my sister could give... and at the right price...

We didn't have to wait long. A lady in the suburb next to us saw their FB group post for a free cat to be loved and private messaged them.

It turns out that the previous tenants left their cat when they vacated, and she had been feeding it. She couldn't keep it as she already has a cat who doesn't like not being 'top cat'. She had been praying for someone to want it!

So as I speak, this cat should already be in her/his forever home. They are not sure of the gender but my son and sister don't care. They will get it neutered in due course.

As I wait to hear about the cat and maybe see it in a few days, I marvel at the speed that God answered our prayers.... My sister and son, Chris and I and this lovely kind lady who prayed for it as well.

I am once more amazed that we love and serve a magnificent God Who cares about everything in our lives, both large and small. He has created love, for He is Love and He has demonstrated great compassion for all people and creatures...

I can hardly wait to see this cat blossom as it's loved...and to return the love to them.

Happy endings always make me glad and I am in awe of our wonderful LORD. Loving. Compassionate. Gracious. Good. Isn't He lovely?

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. -Matthew 10:29-31

I have the mind of Christ

Quite a few years ago I had a friend who was a big help in me becoming a woman of a calm and quiet spirit.

She was a few years older than I and was a widow who was previously married to a pastor.

We often had her come for a meal and we would talk about all kinds of things. To me she was my spiritual mother.

Being the wife of a sick husband, her own husband's health prior to his passing was similar to both Chris and mine: severe heart failure. It was very comforting to talk to her knowing that we walked a similar path.

We loved talking about the LORD and how to draw close to Him especially during trials. It was just so easy to not only talk, but to learn.

About this time, there was a lot of talk of strange goings on with UFO's being a very common discussion- but this was the time when this sort of thing implied that to believe in them may indicate some type of mental illness. But of course today, there are so many credible sightings etc that one now takes it as almost normal.

Trying to work out why my friend was not confused or agitated about these types of occurences, I asked her how does she cope with questions of UFO's and alien abductions and so on.

She replied that she believes they are fallen angels and not aliens and that this will be more prevalent as Jesus' return for us in the Rapture is very close. These sightings will be used to explain the millions of people who have suddenly disappeared. Aliens abducted them they will say.

I asked how does she not be effected by it all and she replied, "I see it as a distraction from doing God's work, Dear!"

That really got me thinking... and I believe it is meant to distract us from fulfilling our calling, if at all possible.

This gave me a certain peace and also ties in with what the scripture says about taking every thought into the captivity of Christ! 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; -2 Corinthians 10:5

If the evil one can get us quiver in fright and never pray or witness or serve, then he has won and has destroyed our peace. You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

The first battle ground is in the mind. If he can confuse that, he has rendered us useless for service to the King of Kings.

I chose to remember that we do not have the spirit of fear but of a sound mind. I intend to keep it that way- for as His daughter who loves and serves Him, I have the mind of Christ.

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. - 1 Corinthians 2:16

Don't let fear ruin your peace!

So the world has become a scary place with UFO's and "aliens" (fallen angels) and mysterious fogs and rumours of wars and new diseases.

We live on the cusp of World War 3 and often we despair as we watch news of existing wars and devastation.

I won't lie- sometimes I become afraid. I know we are in the end days and we wait for deliverence by the Rapture. We are more than ready to be with Jesus.

I admit that I have too much time to think and I am morbidly attracted to the News and updates on prophecy playing out in front of our eyes.

That comes at a price though. It robs me of my peace! I mean, often I find myself confused by world events and back tracks and I don't know what to believe.

It is then that I have to take my thoughts into the captivity of Christ. If what I am seeing or reading does not agree with scripture, then I reject it. If one believes as I do, that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, then it is imperative that one brings any doubts or fear to Christ in prayer.

Many are looking for the Anti-Christ and although there are quite a few who meet the criteria for that role, he will not manifest himself until after that which restrains him is gone. That is us with the Holy Spirit within us and until the Rapture has taken place, he is still restrained.

I am looking not for him, but for Christ. Personally, it won't matter to me who is he.. I know Who I follow and believe in.

If we have faith in Christ Who gave His life for us and Who will keep us eternally and carry us until He comes, then there's no reason to fret and worry. We are kept and secure.

God has told us what to expect in these end days and if we continue to pray and keep close to Him, fear will not get a hold of us and ruin our peace.

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

He did all things well

I was watching a video this morning about the miracle of Jesus healing the bleeding woman.

As always, I marvelled at the woman's faith and identified with her desperation as she begged for a cure. And as always with Jesus, she was healed and comforted and assured that she was loved and no longer unclean.

Mulling over the scene, I wondered if she had any fears when her normal courses returned. Was she still healed? Was the blood going to stop? And I imagined that each day of her period would be fraught with anxiety as she waited for it to complete its natural course.

Really, she would only be human to detest her monthlies recommencing, taking her back to 12 years of bleeding that made her unclean and an outcast. Surely, she would relive it each time.

I think this woman of faith would have asked herself questions but inevitably would have decided that this was only now the 'way of women' and that the flow would soon abate as in the natural course of events.

Her journey of faith did not end at her healing, but would rekindle every month and cause her to joyfully relive her encounter with Jesus her Healer, remembering that He did all things well.

And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour. Matthew 9:20-22

But by the grace of God go I

As you probably know, I suffer from a myriad of health issues from life threatening to annoying. Each day is a constant struggle to keep my home and look after Chris and myself and our little white cat, Xena.

Recently, I read an article about chronically ill bloggers who use the internet to feed their latent Munchausen's disease The writer who obviously is not suffering an invisible chronic illness, concludes- falsely that we are feeding a desire for attention and sympathy.

This writer had no medical expertise and spoke with the confidence and freedom of a healthy person who knows nothing of the pain every day brings to us who aren't so blessed. It made me both angry and sad.

Anyone who manages to carry on a relatively "normal" life, sacrificing their comfort to serve and love those closest to them, know that the only thing we really desire is compassion. We rarely take delight in our symptoms, in fact the majority of us try very hard to appear as a healthy person in spite of being in pain and discomfort.

Goodness knows, we suffer so much with people judging us unkindly and this simply serves to push us further into depression and loneliness. Especially when our illness is invisible, like fibromyalgia.

Many of us chronically ill people are housebound for the most part, and therefore we feel a certain amount of loneliness and disjointment from society. We simply want to be respected and allowed to simply exist without the stigma of mental disease in the form of Munchausen's.

We bloggers of chronic illness do so because we know the feeling of disenfranchisement in a social sense. We are stripped of our right to live in peace and freedom from bullying ignorant people.

Writing for those who suffer like we do helps us to reach out to people who would understand the psychological insulation and the sting of being misjudged and categorised as a malingering attention seeker.

Whilst it is true that we have the LORD to love us unconditionally, it nevertheless hurts us that people are so cruel and instrumental in adding ridiculous labels to us that demoralise us even further.

Chronic illness and pain is a horrid way to live and those who cast stones at us would do well to thank God that they aren't so afflicted. God has not chosen them to walk the lonely path of chronic illness and they also would do well to remember "but by the grace of God, go I"

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2

That none should perish

I was looking at this link today So many people are turning to Christ all around the world. It is so amazing to know that these people are now eternally safe from any harm that the world can inflict on them.

Truthfully, I am overwhemed that even at this late hour, the Age of Grace is still here. To be honest, I feel a tad guilty.

"Why?" you ask. Because I am so longing to be with Jesus myself, and am praying for the Rapture to be soon, that I have overlooked those who are not as yet, saved.

Jesus commanded all Christians to go and make disciples and that includes everyone regardless of ethnicity, colour or creed. Regardless of how much they have sinned, each person is loved and wanted as God's Children and co-heirs with Christ.

In my pleading for Jesus to come and take us to be with Him, I am in effect hastening the end of the Age of Grace. After which those who are left behind will suffer terribly and will be martyred for their new belief in Christ.

Prior to being saved, we are all on the road to Hell. God, not wanting anyone to perish sent His only begotten Son, Jesus to shed His Blood for us and all He requires of us is to believe that He is God's Son, died and shed His Blood in our place and rose again on the third day.

Any man or woman- any- is welcome to come to Him and not go to Hell. But we can only come through Jesus- because only His sinless Blood could atone for our sins. There's only forgiveness by the Blood.

My selfishness forgot that Jesus longs to bring many more to Christ before the Rapture and I have been remiss in not speaking enough of it. Now is the Day of Salvation... that none should perish.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: John 1:25