The Joy of time in prayer

[demonhunterfan]

Greetings all. Just had a wonderful moment in prayer with our Father......... I was just thanking HIM for blessing me with Debbie, a wonderful woman HE has put in my life, in HIS way, and HIS times, etc, which was driving me absolutely bonkers at times coz this one aint at all like the other relationships I got into and totally messed up. So there I am thanking HIM for how HE is working this with Debbie, and actually thanking HIM that I truly am desiring HIS will in it-- even confessed I'd rather have it my way, but.........nevertheless, not my will, but YOURS be done. So then, HE 'hits' me with this reminder:

"I HAVE SOMEONE FOR YOU"

and I was taken back to '06, just before I retired. I had come home from work, with only days to go before I was gonzo from 33 years of greasy bearings, and I was realizing that I would not be spending much, if any, time with my dear sister in Christ, Karen, at work anymore. I was kinda distraught, and HE said that "I HAVE SOMEONE FOR YOU". Well, being the Crap'n I sure did take it the wrongo way for so longo, if'n ya know what I means. I kept waiting for that "SOMEONE" and HE kept helping me see just how much HE was talking about when HE said that to me.

For quite some time I would run into women I thought might be the 'SOMEONE' HE was talking about, but it never worked. Then one day, while Karlie (a fellow sex addict like me and another sister in Christ) and I were taking a walk and talking, it hit me, and I got to share it with Karlie-- HE had been putting 'SOMEONE' in my life everyday! if for no other reason to help me, and/or for me to help them.

Then when I was really down about the whole 'SOMEONE' thing, HE reminded me of JESUS..........duh........

So, now, just a bit ago, in prayer, as I was thanking HIM for this current relationship with Debbie, HE got me to say how thankful I am for helping me to let HIM handle this one, and it hit me---this 'new me' that is surrendering 'me' to HIM is that 'SOMEONE' that HE had for me! WOW!

Well, fellers, I'd like to show you all a picture of Karen, my friend, who probably had something to do with this here wonderful moment in prayer.

God blessed me with Karen, at work, this wonderful young lady--she's 6 weeks younger than me ;D-- shortly after my first divorce. We became very good friends during the 5 years we worked together. You shoulda seen her in one of those one piece white paper coveralls! She's only about 5' tall, but was a giant servant of our Father. I told her one time that she was like a flower in a field of cow manure (the rest of us scoundrels at work). She moved around to different departments at work, but God kept us in touch. Very touching moment when I got to say good bye to her on my last day at work, but God let us see each other a few times after that day (Aug 31, '06).

At the beginning of '08, Karen started having trouble walking. It got progressively worse, and she had to take a leave of absence from work, where she was working 19 days straight, sometimes 12 hours a day, getting one day off and then right back to the 19 days. That kind of working killed a few of our co-workers, I am convinced of that.
Anyhow, Karen just got progressively worse, being diagnosed with Lou Gehrigs disease. She put up a good fight, but on one visit she told me that everything she loved to do had been taken from her, except her love of reading. Oh how she loved Jesus! We would talk about HIM and her face would just glow! She finally is with him, and you all gonna get to see her. I'm so looking forward to it. I don't 'miss' her, coz I know exactly where she is.

Later, and God bless.

[Fletch]

John, God has a tendency to bring people into our lives that are bigger influences then we even begin to realize. Their actions, their attitude in the face of illness and adversity change us forever by just being around them. It sounds like Karen was one of those people in your life. Even though she was suffering with ALS she still found a way to Glorify God. When you're in the presence of such strength you can't help but to be changed.

Three years ago my wife's step father was diagnosed with liver cancer. We were told to expect 3 years of "Quality" life. So they went out and bought a new travel trailer and spent a couple of weeks at the Oregon coast.

Those of us who know the Oregon Coast know it a place God created. We also know that Oregon is the second promised land. Because, Myrtle Wood is found only in Israel and Oregon.

After getting back from their first trip he went to the Oncologist to have a port installed to make the Chemo easier. The idea was Chemo once every 10 days to keep the cancer at bay. The day after the first Chemo treatment he was no longer able to stand. He went to the hospital, we met with his Dr. We were informed the cancer had gone from stage 3 to stage 4 in that short a period of time and that the cancer was a lot more aggressive then they had originally thought. I was allowed to see the MRi scans, his liver was 95+% tumor and the cancer which was originally colon cancer was continuing to metastasize.

The Dr told us to get his affairs in order as he didn't expect him to even leave the hospital. That they didn't expect him to live more then the next 3 day. So in the course of 4 weeks the prognosis went from 3 years to 3 days. Needless to say we were all devastated by the news.

We talked them into allowing him to at least have the comfort of his home to spend his final days instead of in the hospital. Hospice care was set up with all the bells and whistles. All the guys he use to work with came to visit. Even though he was in a great deal of pain, he still managed to tell each and every person that came to visit that the best thing he had ever done in his life was to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

We ended up having 99 days with him. Until he was no longer able to speak he told everyone of the Love and Grace and Forgiveness and Plan of Salvation God has for each and everyone of us.

I had the opportunity to spend time with a man who truly loved God. Who was bold for God in his final days like we should be every day. The impact on my life immeasurable, I know when you stand in the presence of someone who is "Right with God" you will never be the same.

John, just as you will never be the same because of your friendship with Karen. God allowed you to see him Glorified even in Karen's illness. After seeing that kind of Love you can't help but to be changed.

[demonhunterfan]

Thanks Dave,
Almost sounds like you knew Karen! Maybe because it sounds to me like your wife's stepdad was a lot like Karen. You got it soooo right, my man. Karen never, ever, compromised when it came to God and truth, etc, even if I didn't want to hear it.

Aint it weird, how even after we (supposedly) give our life to Christ, a big part of 'us' still remains (for awhile). When Karen started in the steel mill we worked at, she took the job of 'scrap burner' who cut the large pieces of coils (that ya'll see on the trucks) after there was a wreck in the rolling mill and the large--200' long pieces were pulled out of the mill housings with the cranes. She used a torch that was taller than she is. Very dedicated and consiencious worker. Bosses loved her, workers didn't. When she first came into our roll & bearing shop, I was attracted to her the 'normal' way , but she wasn't interested.
I was just an infant in Christ, but I had enuff of HIM in me to care about hurting people, even tho I probably tried to use that to get to women. Anyhow, we finally started talking when I learned that her Dad was dying, and so I started ministering to her, and she in turn ministered to me, helping me thru my divorce pains.

Truly a God thing all around, Dave. One day Karen told me that I might like the company of a friend of hers named Linda who had MS. Weirdest thing was the look on Karen's face after she told me that--like "What am I doing?" Nothing more was said about it, but about a year and a half later, I met this Linda, our second date was dinner with Karen, and it was soooo cool to see the two of them together after they hadn't seen each other for years. About 3 weeks later I asked Linda to marry me, she did, great yearlong honeymoon, then I got PFA'd out. Karen remained, and our friendship grew, and I think we both influenced each other, helping each other to grow in Christ. So neat how, just like your wife's stepdad, many of Karen's coworkers came to visit her in her last 6 months. And Karen never voiced any anger or bitterness toward God, instead saying that perhaps HE wanted her to slow down and just sit with HIM.

You are so right Dave. Karen, to me, was the consumate servant. She, like us, didn't attend church--- she did church 24/7. Just dawned on me-- her Dad was a country preacher, built his own block building church and preached to the local folk. Karen's daughter Amy now has her Tshirt business in there. I'm trying to say, that yeah, she had an enormous impact on my life, because she actually lived her life for Christ, as all we believers are to do. Thanks Dave, I believe I am living my life now, following her example. Talk about our being 'brothers'---Praise God!

Later, and God bless

[Fletch]

I look back on those 99 days now and realize that Everett did more to minister to us during that time then we ever did to him. He woke up every morning and praised God for one more day. Even when he was so frail he couldn't eat or drink he praised God. If he wasn't praising God he was watching the St Louis Cardinals.

When he was 19 he went to try outs for the Cards. He was quite a pitcher. The pitching coach wanted him to come back the following day for a second look. He went home that night and told his dad what the coach had said. His dad told him there was no money in baseball that he was a farmer and that was what he was suppose to be. He didn't go back the following day. He passed away before the Cardinals won the World Series that October. His Hat and glove were there in his chair for every game of the series. Yeah, it was a silly gesture but, it was our way of dealing with the loss.

I learned more in that 99 days about being a man and a servant for our Lord and Savior then I had learned in the previous 50 years.

When we slow down and allow the Spirit of God to speak to us we begin to understand the great beauty around us.

The past couple of years I've had the opportunity to be the Track Chaplin at Sunset Speedway in Banks Oregon. Of course being the Chaplin one of my responsibilities is the invocation during the opening ceremonies. Part of the time the opening prayer is given from the front stretch sometimes from the announcers booth. Like most race tracks the announcers booth it sits above the grandstands. Even though I knew the land around the track, I knew it from ground level. The first time I gave the invocation from the booth, I looked out on all this land that was magnificent. God had given me a new perspective. All because I had slowed down enough for Him to get my attention.

Sometimes I wonder how many of the "Rock" songs from the'60 were Gods attempts to get our attention.

"Slow down you're moving to fast, got to make the morning last....."


We miss the Glory of God in our hast.

[demonhunterfan]

Apr 24, 2009 20:08:40 GMT -8 Fletch said:

.....

Sometimes I wonder how many of the "Rock" songs from the'60 were Gods attempts to get our attention.

"Slow down you're moving to fast, got to make the morning last....."

....

I totally agree Dave, in fact I know that God uses anything and everything to get our attention, I mean if HE would let HIS only begotten SON suffer and die for us, HE would do ANYTHING! What so many of us call secular, perhaps HE calls foolish, but HE uses our foolishness for HIS purposes.

One day at work, I was working in a little shop specifically for one of the rolling mills, the Zendzimer mill, or Z mill. We were in a tiny little shop with dozens of small casket sized boxes containing the bearings and mill assemblies that we reconditioned. I was working with Gumby and he liked to have the radio on to the rock stations. I always found a way to set up my lunch area between some of the bearing boxes and would read my 'Upper Room' devotional before and while eating my lunch. I was usually able to tune out Gumby's radio at lunchtime, but this day, just as I opened my 'Upper Room' to read & pray--- 'INNA GADDA DA VIDA' came on. It was so wildly cool---I just sat there and let GOD sing it to me-- "OH WON'T YOU COME WITH ME? AND WALK THIS LAND?"
Can't remember if I knew it then, but like you say, I do believe God was trying to get the attention of the author. Got the CD for a show we did at the art gallery I volunteered at, and in the CD was the story of 'INNA GADDA DA VIDA'. Iron Butterfly was down to the two founding members and not doing any gigs. They were sharing an apartment and only one worked, at a pizza shop. The other stayed home and drank wine and wrote songs. Pizza boy cme home one night and saw a new song written and laying on the coffee table. His buddy was almost passed out drunk on the couch. When pizza boy asked his buddy about the new song,
(which his buddy had originally titled "In the garden of Eden"-wonder where he 'got' that idea?), all his buddy could get out in his stupor, as he tried to say 'In the garden.....' was, you got it! 'INNA GADDA DA VIDA'! No one can tell me that God wasn't trying to get that young man's attention. Sadly, I shared this with a drummer in the praise band of the last church I was a part of, and he really didn't want to even admit that he listened to the 'Butterfly', but he became a drummer because of it.

HIS Desire is that NONE of us should perish, so why do so many of us question how HE works?

Later and God bless

[george53]

John one of my favorite passages is the one that says"If HE would clothe an feed the little birds, what would HE do for US? I don't know all that much about verses, I know I may have it kinda off, BUT, I SURE DO know what he ment by it. He'll do anything for us if we just have faith in HIM! One day, hopefully, I get to meet all you guys and be able to share a HEAVENLY Pepsi!
GOD BLESS you, my Brother.

[demonhunterfan]

It is so cool to journey thru God's Word and find passages like that, aint it? I spent a goodlly part of the 5 years between marriages reading God's Word, and watching a lot of Christian TV. Charles Stanley taught me a lot. I was gettin' to the point of thinkin' ol' Charlie was God hisself, but then one Sunday mornin, God had ol' Charlie say sumpin' stupid in one his sermons. Just one of my lessons HE taught me, that HE ALONE is God, and we can listen to all the preachers & teachers we wants to, but when we listens to 'em, we are to be listening fer God's Voice.

Andyhows, them 5 years of reading chiseled a lot of them words on my heart. I don't read the Bible much now--- not a sit down and read a chapter or anythin' like that-- but what I do instead is read a daily devotion, like what Dave & KK post up here. For years I've gotten a little daily devotional book from the Methodist church called "The Upper Room" or "Our Daily Bread" etc. Really cool how HE provides since I don't be goin' to the 'buildings' anymore-- A Presbyterian church in the area puts "Our Daily Bread"s in the laundrymat I freakwents. Also I've gotten books from a Christian book store that are strictly devotional readings for a year. There's all types-- fer women, fer teens, fer jocks, fer guys............HEY! we should make one fer modelers!!! Dat would be cooly!

Well, whiles I's all fired up George, me Mom has given me some really good books. I totally reccomend the daily devotional book called "God Calling" written by The Holy Spirit thru two British ladies in WWII era. Like Mom told me, it is both challenging and comforting........and, as anyone who reads daily devotionals on a regular basis, like every day , you will be totally freaked as you begin to see that our Father does indeed know exactly what we need to hear from HIM, coz the daily reading will, so often, be the exact thing you need to hear for some trouble you be having. Gets so ya'll wants to read ahead......but it don't work dat way. I've always encouraged everyone to get and read a daily devotional, spend 15-20 minutes reading the verse 'they' have selected and the little practical application--- you can even do it while yer sitting on the pot, and I don't be meanin' the type you smoke (sorry I forgot bro, you does the 'shrums ;D)

I's been athinkin' bout mebbe doin' a road trip to Deetroits, or mebbe I can gets Debbie to take me fer me very first airplaney ride into Deetroits, but I's been athinkin' bout a visit, since we caint seem to talk ol' Gramps into letting us crash his li'l bunker, so..........we shall see.........HIS WILL be done.

Later and God bless