Good Saturday to you from Iowa in January! It has been a bit chilly the last few days with temperatures dropping below zero and a wind chill of -33 one morning. Are we having fun yet? It took us back to when our middle daughter was married on a cold January day in Minnesota. And I mean cold! -37 degrees meant getting up during the night to start everyone's cars before the day of the wedding. And tt was a bitterly cold night outside for a wedding, reception and dance.........but the church was packed, the ceremony beautiful and we celebrated!
So the theme of this first full week of 2022 was staying warm and resting. We have appreciated our fireplace, wool socks and slippers, and sweatshirts. We have appreciated that we had no agenda whatsoever, I have read three fiction books since Christmas Day and Joel and I are reading aloud a book Santa gave him about a donkey named Henry. Henry is buddies with another donkey named Flash and we have read that book about Flash too. The author does a great job in blending life with donkeys with faith. Seriously, they are good. The fiction books I have been reading are a series of "mindless matter" by Jana Deleon. Sometimes you just gotta escape and with this "virus that acts like Covid but tested negative for Covid" still dragging me down some, a fun read or two has been a good thing.
Speaking of Covid, our hospital and Des Moines Mercy hospital put out a message asking people to please get vaccinated. In their words, they are "overwhelmed" by all the hospitalizations and deaths they are dealing with. I hear from others the idea that "if you want to be vaccinated, do so, if your don't don't." Keep your opinions to yourself. I get that, except for the fact of how it is affecting our medical angels of mercy AND those who can't get the care they need for other medical concerns because the hospitals are filled with unvaccinated (and some even vaccinated) people. Our choices have a rippling affect.
Speaking of a rippling affect, we put away our Christmas decorations on Epiphany but have left the undecorated tree up in the living room. Joel is enjoying the lights and is just not ready to go back to the stark look of winter in January. I am in agreement. Often at around 5-6 in the morning Joel goes downstairs and sleeps in the recliner with the fireplace and tree lights glowing around him. Nice..........peaceful way to begin the day, or end your night?!
We have sat this week and reread the Christmas notes and newsletters we received this year and looked again at the photos. We enjoy doing that once the holiday has past. It just leaves you with a good feeling! One couple that we hear from we have not seen in person since 1976 when we tearfully said good-bye to Helen (and George) from the airport in The Philippine Islands. We have remained friends from afar and we know some day we will meet again, even if it is not this side of Heaven.
It has been a year since Joel self-published his book, "A Little To The Right Of Crazy". He did not expect it to be a best seller and it is not. He wanted his story of healing put out there for our family and friends, he wanted God's story of healing to be told. He was obedient to God in writing it. It is why I write things on my blog that may make others uncomfortable or that they disagree with regarding my own journey of faith. It took me a long time to be okay with writing what God shows me in my divine imagination as I have heard it called. It makes some uncomfortable, it sometimes makes me uncomfortable but I have had to trust that God has a purpose for me/us sharing what we share. Do we always get it right? By no means, but when God speaks or shares or gives me a "video" playing in my mind, I pay attention. Ana Werner has helped me greatly with her own stories and books on her gift of seeing in the Spirit. Her gift goes wayyyyyyyyyy beyond mine, but is affirming for me.
Speaking of Ana Werner, Joel and I are taking her Healing School 8 week class again this year with new speakers and new teachings. The first one had us "uncomfortable" as we stepped out of our comfort zone into a realm new to us, but solidly Biblical. I am also, thanks to a friend, tuning in to a woman named Liz Wright and her teachings. Attempting to start the new year out with our favorite thing to do........learn something new!
So today, I am thankful that I can learn new things regarding God, and for how He speaks to me through videos/visions in my mind. Grateful for a warm house, a toasty fire with the push of a button, lights this give off a warm glow on a chilly morning. So grateful for books that transport us, teach us, entertain us. Grateful for Joel's book, his story in print. Grateful for phone calls, texts, emails, pictures, and prayers of friends and family. Grateful for being encouraged by God when feeling discouraged. Grateful for catching up with old friends via Christmas cards and photos. Grateful......for all this and so much more.
Enjoy your weekend!
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