My Three Greatest Needs

One of the questions for small group tomorrow night is "What are your three greatest needs?"
Got me to thinking. My greatest need was easy to name, I need a closer, more intimate relationship with God. The second is I need to become a better steward of all that I am given and use what I have to bless others. I had to think a while to come up with the third of my greatest needs. I think it ends up being wisdom. I need wisdom to stay focused on chasing Him. I need wisdom to know the better ways to manage my resources.
Maybe I need the wisdom first. If I had the wisdom I would realize that "I" can't achieve any of this. I need to turn it over to God. I need to trust Him and quit believing that I can work harder, read more or do something. Bottom line is my only need is turn my entire live over to HIM

Picasa Web Albums - Anita - November 08

Picasa Web Albums - Anita - November 08

Good bye Summer

If the weatherman knows what he is talking about, this is our last 70 degree day. This has been an awesome summer. Visits from The Durbins, and Karen and Dorian were definitely high points. Brian was not "home" but nearby. I have enjoyed spending time with friends and making new ones. I am posting some of my favorite summer photos and feeling pretty thankful for all that my Heavenly Father has blessed me with.

Thoughts

I have kept my opinions to myself during the last year and a half leading up to the election. But these days, I am less interested in what others think and more concerned that I speak my heart. All I have heard lately is how we must vote our faith and values. Well I thought and prayed about the election and I voted for Obama and I feel that I did vote my faith and values. Christian values to me are more than abortion and gay marriage. They are about value in ALL human life. What about the people in Darfur and the innocent killed in wars? And also the really difficult one, what about death row? If human life is valuable then who are we to decide which lives are valuable? I think the moment I heard the interview that Rick Warren had with both candidates, Obama had me. When he talked frankly about his belief in Jesus and that his sins were covered by Jesus sacrifice I was intrigued. Values? My values are for the disenfranchised, the poor, the lonely the unloveables. And sorry I don't get scared at a redistribution of wealth. I am tired of seeing the poor get poorer. I am also tired of "fixes" like Medicare Part D which only give another hoop to jump through. This great program automatically signed seniors up for plans that would not cover the specific meds that they were on. I don't like labels like liberal, conservative, democrats, republicans. Too often I have found that we use labels to limit people and take their power away. I have been ashamed of emails that I have received concerning Obama such as his being a muslim, won't wear a flag pin, won't put his hand over heart during pledge of allegiance. I am never disappointed by someone with a differing opinion but I am disappointed when people use fear and hatred to get their way. So while I am cautiously optimistic for this president I realize that no one can change everything. This is a monumental moment for our country when you realize that history was made. For today I am glad the emails and commercials are over and we can all pray that God will lead our leaders and our country back to HIM. Born Hopeless, Lovingly redeemed, Chasing Him.

This is the day that the Lord has made...

Worship was awesome today. Preaching was on expressing gratitude and that is something that we all need to do. I am so thankful for so many things. Ron mentioned this morning making a list of blessings. I will use this blog to do so but remember that they are in no order other than how they pop into my head. They are also far from being all inclusive.
My church at belpre
Lisa, my princess
Karen, who inspires me
Brian, whose wit makes me laugh
Sue, the most wonderful sister in the world
Sharon, the friend who feels like family
a job where I get paid to help people
a car that runs (believe me there have been some that didn't)
Enough food to eat whatever I want, whenever I want (blessing & curse:)
a beautiful home
a yard that helps me think
Terri, a coworker that encourages me on
BJ's Buddies, small group that rocks
A funny MOther
One good dog and one demon dog
computer to talk to my children on
cell phone that works most of the time
a bed that is so comfortable
a passion for others
a relationship with the King
caffeine
a Christian country
socks to keep my toes warm
and I am forgiven of all the mistakes I make
Born hopeless, lovingly redeemed, chasing HIM

It is cold!

I am so glad I do not live in North Dakota, (sorry Amanda) The older I get the less I like the cold. Things have been interesting lately. I am having some issues with hormones not being what they should be. So I think, yea I am 52, it is probably menopause starting. no big deal. No, I could not have something like other people. God truly made me unique. The hormone that is elevated for me is one that is usually present in pregnant and nursing mothers. Yep, that is right. I never do anything correctly. Well my doc thought that maybe there would be a small tumor on pituitary gland that would account for the elevation. Nope, none there. So at this point I am to get an appointment with an endocrinologist and go from there. And the local endocrinologist isnt accepting patients. Besides the annoying aspects that no one wants to read on here (sore breasts, etc.) I seem to be experiencing depression also. This is a hard one for me. So that is why I am writing about it.
Some part of me is ashamed to admit that I have been on anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds for bunches of years. I finally accepted that this small amount keeps me moving and live is better. But now my doc has increased my meds twice. Yep twice. That is very, very difficult for me. My Doc tells me that this is just a chemical imbalance and it will probably pass. The hormones might be causing it or whatever causes the hormone imbalance might be messing with mood chemicals in brain.
But for now, right now, I feel like I should somehow be able to "suck it up" or be strong and tough it out. I know, I know, I tell all those I work with that this is nothing to be ashamed of but it doesnt feel like that way. So God is going to use this to help me help others. And I know 100% that it will be for good, but it is just a difficult place to be right now.
The good news is that the meds are working! I am not extremely emotional and wanting to cry constantly. Hopefully with the new increase I will have greater clarity of thought.
I needed to write this and to admit that I am powerless without God working in me, I only have hope in Him and God is good all the time. So for now, my six word testimony that Grubbs asked us to think about is:
Born Hopeless,
Lovingly redeemed,
Chasing Him.

A time of concern

Everywhere I go and everyone I talk to is talking about the uncertainty of the times. this is a time that both the well off and poor are concerned about their future. Everywhere I go, I hear that times are tough. I do ache for those that truly do without and do not know where they are going to come up with money for meds or food that is needed on their special diets. These people need all the help that we can give them. But most of us, and I include myself; are maybe eating out a little less and worrying as we watch the stock market plummet and our money on paper decreasing daily. I attended a college football game and it was filled with people who had spent a lot of money on tickets, tailgating, etc. Pass any restaurant and you still find people waiting to be seated. So while we might be affected by less in our portfolios when we retire, the really needy are "retired" but have no money to care for themselves. Political commercials right now make you want to not vote...........For tonight I pray that all of us will pray about our voting and pray for the ones who have so little around us.