Deep Thoughts By Jack Handy

So last night I was going to post more pics but as I went to open them up they weren't there. I had to deal with the problem right then because these were my precious pics. Not just animals but my kids and everything. Frantic I searched my disks to see if they were on there and phew they were. I had forgotten that I had transferred them to a disc. Thank you Lord.

So God is so good. Today he specifically answered two of my prayers for two kids with cancer. As I read updates on them I was just humbled. Total that's three that He's answered (one had to do with a different kid that didn't have cancer) specifically (I mean lately as I've battled with doubt) and that frankly I've prayed with very little faith. Lately I've just prayed although I confess Lord I don't have the faith...and then pray anyway. I praise him so much and I feel His love. His answers do more than just help the person being prayed for...they encourage me to keep praying and build my faith. Every prayer might not get answered but I'm still going to pray. Lately I've been praying big because my God is a BIG God. I was guilty of praying small..."well if it's your will Lord please do this and that..." Now I'm praying, "In the name of Jesus I ask this and that! I claim this and that!...not demanding God rather just praying in his Almighty Hugeness. He's God. He can do anything. I was praying small for lack of faith...now I'm praying big because He's a big God.

So anyways and then today He led me to an article in Discipleship Jouranl, an issue I've had for at least a month. Last page...and he just kind of dealt with me about some issues about guilt that I have for my sin. He's brought me to a place where I realize who I am apart from him, how horrid I am apart from him...how wicked I have been, the true ugliness and dirtiness of my sin. I see it and then I was like ugh.... I really felt low and stained. But at the same time I knew I was forgiven but how do I live now Lord with my eyes opened to this. My sin's so huge and so heinous what now. But he just showed me that is the place I need to be and that is the place where David was. Then we see our need for His blood, then we see the chasm His sacrifice his gapping, then I know that it's not me but him. It's nothing about me It's all Him. I'm the bottom of the barrel. And still would be without him.

But "the greatness of our sin is no obstacle to mercy." David says, "...pardon my guilt, for it is great" It goes on to say, "Because the greater his iniquity was, the more need he had of pardon." and "God allows such a plea because He is moved to mercy toward us by nothing in us, but rather by the miserablenss of our case. He does not pity sinners because they are worthy, but because they need His pity."

(like a cold drink in the midst of desert this is to my soul)

He says three things (this article is in the Nov/Dec issue of DJ and it's adapted from J. Edwards' sermon"Pardon for the Greatest Sinners)

1 We must see our misery and be aware of our need of mercy...(I'm so there)
2. We must be aware that we are not worthy that God should have mercy on us. (There too)
3. We must come to God for mercy in and through Jesus Christ alone. Amen!!

So this article was written for me today. I feel refreshed, renewed, and drinking anew from the Cup of Jesus I feel that His blood covered me today anew because I understood it in a fresh way. I think God can do that with the basics truths of the Gospel. We can learn them and know them and live them but we can also learn them fresh once again as God continues to grow us and thus receive them again perhaps on a deeper level than before.

(Breathe in.....exhale....Breathe In...... Exhale....Breathe In.....keep going.....exhale....content smile)

In other news my little boy has a fever...or did when he went to bed. I need to check on him soon. He's in our bed tonight and my hubcap (I crack myself up you thought I was going to type hubby hardy har har) is already in bed. He's got a cough which is typical with him. Last winter he had two mild bouts with pneumonia. Whenever he's sick it's cough first and usually a fever will accompany it. Poor kid. He's a trooper though.

In other news realtor comes Wednesday now. But we should be done for sure by then. Just the mantle to put up and clean. Oh and paint the bathroom and touch up paint. Which I'll accomplish tomorrow God willing.

Oh and since we have a new front door we have 4 count em 4 new keys. So hopefully we can keep them all for the new owners.

Well gotta bolt ~Betty

PS Don't know how to make link from clicking in the pic...but reminding all to visit www.helprebekah.com and pray for her and all the other kiddo's with cancer.