DID YOU MISS ME?

Last week got a bit hectic and I did not post a blog. A 12 year old grandson hurt his knee and thought he might have surgery Friday. Since I am the surgery/recovery grandma, I got all my ducks in a row so I would be available.

Thursday I:

+ prepared the Sunday School lesson so the class would have a discussion outline,

+ did up the laundry,

+ gave the bathrooms a quick cleaning,

+ cleaned off my desk.

+ fixed Bill a good meal because he might be eating on his own for a few days,

and

+ waited for the call about the surgery.

Well, the call came and there would be no surgery. AMEN! They “froze” the knee, used a needle to check for fluid, put Joshua’s leg in a brace and sent him home.

The call was a relief but part of the call was, “Grandma would you come stay with me tomorrow?”

Of course I said yes and the blog did not get written.

Did you miss me?

SCRIPTURE: PSALM 143:8

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

QUESTION

Do you think God ever misses you?

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

Hello God, It’s me. I had good intentions of spending time with you today. I put those dirty clothes in the washer and realized I hadn’t told you good morning. Did you miss me? I looked around and saw bills that needed to be paid and realized it was afternoon and I hadn’t thanked you for my lunch. Did you miss me? The clock told me it was time to fix supper and I realized I had not read one verse in the Bible. Did you miss me? As I crawled into bed, I realized -- I realized that I have missed you. Amen

THIS IS WHO I AM --

How would you describe yourself? Would you begin with your age? Your smile? The color of your hair or eyes? Would you tell what your job is? Would you tell what you do for fun? How would you describe yourself?

This is who I am --

• A daughter and sister
• A wife
• A mother and grandmother
• A volunteer
• A Sunday School teacher
• A writer

The answer to this question has changed on a daily basis and at different times in my life. When I really get into a book, I would describe myself as a reader. Sometimes, I just have to find the next piece and would describe myself as a jigsaw puzzle nut. Sometimes, I work in the flowerbed but I would never describe myself as a “love to work outside” person.

I have been a daughter and sister since day one. When I married, I became one-half of two. Then I became a mother: “Oh, you are Bill’s mother.” “Oh, you are Terri’s mother.” Now I am a grandmother. Yes, the things that define me have changed over the last 65 years.

But, these are all earthly definitions of who I am -- of who we all are -- and those definitions can change quickly.

Last week at church, we learned a young woman, -- a wife and mother of two teenage boys -- has cancer. Her identity changed. Something new has been added to the list of how she will define herself. Now she will say, “I have cancer.”

One minute, we are healthy and the next we add cancer to the definition of Who I am. One minute, we are one-half of two and the next we become a widow or widower. One minute, we are a mother and the next we are a mother without our child.

SCRIPTURE: PSALM 102:25-28

In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

They will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.

But you remain the same, and your years will never end.

The children of your servants will live in your presence;

their descendants will be established before you.

THIS IS WHO I AM --

Yes, I am a daughter, sister, wife, mother and grandmother. I volunteer. I teach. I write. These are all earthly definitions of who I am and these definitions can change quickly.

But, there is one answer to this question that never changes. That is eternal.

WHO AM I --

• I am the daughter of the one who laid the foundations of the earth and created the heavens.
• I am the daughter of a Father who will never leave me and does not change.
• I am the daughter of the King.

Who are you?

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father, I am - Some days that is the best I can come up with -- I am. Other days I want to shout, I AM. Some days, my identity changes so quickly, I am not sure who I am or how I will be able to cope. As my life changes, there is one thing I know for sure. You are my Heavenly Father and you will not allow me to walk alone. Amen.

PRAY, PRAYER, PRAYING

This being the week of the National Day of Prayer, I decided to look up a scripture about prayer. As I started looking, I discovered the scriptures tell us:

• We should pray to the Lord.
• We should be humble and pray.
• We should pray for: The king, The peace of Jerusalem, Those that persecute/mistreat us, Those who believe, Each other, Our friends, Perfection, Ourselves, Children and The saints.
• We can pray: Up on the mountainside, By laying on hands, Over there, As John taught us, Always, When we don’t know what to pray for, In the Spirit, Continually, When we are in trouble, On our knees, Inside a fish, With our face on the ground, In a solitary place, Looking toward heaven, After fasting, Joined together with others, When breaking bread, In everything, With hands lifted, In faith, In our heart, Standing and All night.
• We pray in order that we may live.
• When we pray, God: Is near, Hears our prayers as they rise to heaven, Answers prayers, Accepts our prayers and Is pleased.

Wow and all of this just from the concordance. Although the count varies depending on which site you use, the King James Version uses the word prayer 114 times, the word pray 313 times, prayed 65 times and praying 20 times. 512 references to prayer. Makes me think God wants prayer to be a priority in our lives.

But how do I pick just one? Have to go with Jonah praying from inside a fish.

SCRIPTURE: JONAH 1:17 - 2:1-10

But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God, He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all the waves and breakers swept over me. I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.”

And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

PRAY, PRAYER, PRAYING

Not sure what I would have done but I know I would not have waited three days and three nights to start praying. I think I would have gotten humble real quick, fell to my knees, acknowledged that I was in trouble and prayed so I could live.

When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.

God does consider prayer important. Why? Because He loves us and, when we pray, He accepts our prayers and is pleased.

Do not be like Jonah. Do not wait. Pray now!