Modern Day Miracle

As I sat and watched Dr. Kent Brantley walk up to the podium to make his statement to the media upon his release from Emory University Hospital, with tears rolling down my face, I thanked God for this miracle. Yes God has performed a modern day miracle. God worked through the doctors and medical staff to heal Kent and Nancy of the deadly virus Ebola. For this I am so very thankful!!!!

I have watched and read all of the news stories following Kent and Amber Brantly's journey, I have prayed for them continually. I have been in awe of their steadfast love for the Lord and their faith in God through this journey. I have been moved by their words and their actions but most of all I have been moved by their faith that God will heal Kent. I am thankful to them for the example they have set.

I know they never expected to be where they are now when they went to Liberia last October. But because of their faithfulness to God's call....they went....they lived....and they loved as Jesus would.....through some of the most unimaginable circumstances. They have allowed God to work through them to be Jesus to the people of Liberia.

Over the last month as I have prayed for Kent and Nancy and their families, I have spent some time reflecting on what I am being called to do here in Abilene for God. 

Am I listening to God's voice in my life?

Am I keeping my eyes open to the people God puts in my path?

Can people see Jesus in me and my actions?

Do people around me know that I am a Christian?

I really took a hard look at my everyday walk and what people see in me....at the grocery store in the check out line....in my car driving down the road.....at the restaurant how I talk to the waitress. Do I get so busy in MY life that I can't or don't see the people right in front of me that don't know Jesus. 

I fail every single day to take the opportunities that God puts before me to reach out and show His love. Yet I continually ask God to place people in my path, on a daily basis, that I can be Jesus to. I have asked and not followed His call.

I realized through Kent and Nancy that I don't have to do anything major....go around the world....to be Jesus. Kent and Nancy were doing what they were trained to do....take care of the sick....and were doing it with love for God. I too can be Jesus to the people around me.....those I interact with everyday....work with.....even those that I don't even know.....by living for Jesus every.

As Christians the way we live, the language we use, the way we treat people, all of this is being watched by others....some that are not believers. We are being watched everyday by people that don't know Jesus. Millions of people have followed Kent and Nancy's story.....think of how many people have seen Jesus through their words and actions.What are people seeing in my life that indicates I am walking with Jesus?

I have thought a lot about the people in my life that I have seen living Jesus every single day.....those that have influenced so many others with their love for God. I am particularly reminded at this time of year of the teachers that have lived Jesus to me and to so many others on a daily basis.

I know a lot of school teachers but right now I can think of two in particular that have shown Jesus to everyone of their students throughout the years. One lives in a small far West Texas town and taught English to Jr High student for nearly 30 years (retired last year). The other lives here in Abilene and teaches 2nd grade in a nearby school district. Both of these teachers have been Jesus to their students. They have loved students when they were unlovable.....given hugs to students that never got hugs at home....bought shoes, coats, Christmas presents when they needed them and their parents couldn't afford it....visited them when they were sick....gave lunch money so they could eat.....and most of all they prayed for each one of them lifting their individual names to Jesus. When students left their classrooms at the end of the year.....they KNEW they were loved.....and they KNEW who Jesus was.

Kent, Nancy and the teachers went about their everyday life doing what they were trained to do.....committing their life to Jesus and showing it in all they do! 

I need to be more like these people....I need to be more like Jesus....

From my corner of the world.....

Second Chances One Step At A Time

It's been a while since I posted.....summer has flown by! I have enjoyed having time with family....mainly my sweet grands!! Ken and I went on a two week road trip to Ohio, New York City, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. I loved every place except New York City....way too many people!!!! Made me a nervous wreck!!

At the first of summer I started attending a Zumba class at ACU's wellness center. I felt the need to do more cardio and thought this would be the answer. I went for about six weeks....2-3 times a week!! I began to have a lot of pain in my hips.....more than normal with my arthritis. I went to my doctor and he pushed around on the side of my hip where the pain was so intense.....I about came unglued.....I literally told him to stop doing that!!! Good thing we go to the same church and we know each other so well! LOL He started laughing when I swatted his hand away from my hip!! 

He told me that not only was my arthritis inflamed but I had bursitis!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I told him that old people have bursitis.....he just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders!! 

He gave me anti-inflammatory meds and said to lay off the Zumba for two weeks.....that was the first of July and I haven't been back. I felt totally defeated....here I thought I was doing something good for myself....getting in better shape....and I ended up doing more harm to my body than good!! 

Last week I started walking again....this seems to be the one thing I can do without hurting in my hips to stay in shape! I had decided AGAIN that I was going to take control of my health, my body, and get moving! It seems that I make this decision....start eating better and exercising....keep it up for a couple of months, then something will happen.....LIFE happens....and I fall off the band wagon so to speak and quit going only to feel defeated again. I get discouraged and completely give up on the idea of being "healthy and in shape".....whatever that means at my age.

Today I was walking at the indoor track at the wellness center which is on the second floor and is open and over looks a couple of BB gyms on the first floor. When I came to the last gym on the end I looked down as I passed and the women's volleyball team was practicing!!! I was so excited to watch them.....I played one year for the ACU volleyball team back in the '70's.....LONG time ago!! 

Every time I made a lap around the track I would watch the team.....remembering when I was able to jump like they were, run like they were, bend and stoop like they were!! 

Watching them motivated me to keep up my pace!! I have just started out walking for thirty minutes a day! Not sure how many miles I get in.....it takes 8 laps around the indoor track to make a mile....I can't keep up with how many laps I do.....something about walking and chewing gum......can't seem to walk and count laps at the same time! LOL

Today after the first lap I hit my "groove".....the place when walking or running where your are striding, keeping pace, feeling good completely unaware of others around you.....those that walk/run regularly know what I mean.....you are just in sync and moving right a long! It felt GREAT!!!

Before I start my walk, I set my stop watch on my phone and I stay in the "groove" for 30 minutes then when the timer goes off I usually walk a slower lap to cool down.....rest my weary bones.

Today felt good, but I can't tell you how many times in the last few years that I have started and stopped on the road to a better me!! Every time I stop or get sidetracked I get really down on myself....feeling like a failure completely disgusted with myself and especially feeling old!! I want so bad to keep at it, to feel good physically, to eat better, to have more energy.....to feel young again. I begin to feel older than I am....making me more depressed!!

Having been an "athlete" a good part of my life, I know how it feels to be fit, my body knows what it feels like to be fit. So when I'm not doing some type of exercise and not eating right.....my body doesn't work well and I feel slow and sluggish but once I start......again.....taking care of myself.....by body is HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!!! You would think that would be motivation to keep it up!

The one thing that keeps me starting over is that I start thinking about my relationship with God and all the times God has given me second, third chances....continually cleansing me with His grace and mercy! He loves me and allows me to make bad choices....fall....He then picks me up and loves me some more!!

This is what I am learning to do for myself.....give myself some grace and mercy.....love me when I fail....pick myself back up....and start over again! It's not easy because I am my worst critic but I know that I am worth the "do-overs".....the second changes.....because God loves me and I am learning to love myself. It's a journey that God walks with me, loving me when I don't love myself....encouraging me to get up off the couch.....to take one step at a time!! 

That's all I can do.....take a step at a time.....and if I stop walking and start sitting on the couch again....God, who loves me more than I love myself.....will nudge me again to get up and keep walking!!!

From my corner of the world.....one step at a time.