Friday, July 20, 2012

On Being Different ...

I think most of my life I have always felt different.  Different in that I was 'less' than most of my friends.  As a young child I felt like the house I grew up in was not as good as my friends.  It was a house built from love by my Daddy when he and my Mom were married, however, sometimes love comes with difficulties.  For most of my early growing up years, my Daddy was an alcoholic which caused much tension between he and my Mother.  Praise God the last 5-6 years of his life, he let the alcohol go and we had the peaceful home life for which I had always yearned.  He passed away when I was 19 years old.  In my mind, my Daddy's alcoholism made me different.  As a child/teenager, I was quite sure that none of my friends lived the life I lived at home.  My friend, Janice, was the only friend I allowed in my house and felt comfortable with during those difficult years.  She was my calm in the midst of my storm.

Today I know that I wasn't as different as I always thought.  I've reunited with some of my high school friends and have learned that some of their growing up years were as difficult as mine.  As a matter of fact, some of their lives seemed worse than mine.  Looking at us now ... we are obviously grown ... most of us decided we didn't want our growing up years to define us or allow us to be a person that says ... oh whoa is me, I had such a crummy life growing up.  We have dealt with our past and moved on ... making our children's lives better than what we grew up in.

My Jesus calling devotional today says ... Do not be afraid to be different from other people.  The path I have called you to travel is exquisitely right for you.  The more closely you follow My leading, the more fully I can develop your gifts.  To follow Me wholeheartedly, you must relinquish your desire to please other people.  However, your closeness to Me will bless others by enabling you to shine brightly in this dark world.   ***Today it doesn't bother me to be different.  I am different.  I believe my cancer made me different ... it made me realize a lot of things about myself but most importantly it has brought me closer to my precious Lord and that is an amazing 'different'.  Let me be the person described in Philippians 2:15 ... that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.  I want to be different, I want people to see Jesus in me.  My prayer is that I have a heart that reaches out to others.  I want to shine brightly in the dark world that surrounds us.  Today I am different ... and ... today I am perfectly at peace with my difference.

Have you ever misplaced something that you just had yesterday?  Yea, you have.  Have you ever found that something in the weirdest place?  Yea, probably so.  Years ago one of my girls opened the top door on the pantry to discover a very swollen gallon jug of milk.  There was absolutely no telling how long that milk had been in there.  Obviously we were not really big milk fans because no one had looked for it or even wanted.  The jug literally looked like it was about to explode.  Oh how we laughed.  I reached for the jug just hoping it didn't explode ... I was as careful as a bomb squad.  I got it out of the house before it detonated.  <smile>  Well last night I was cooking bacon because we were going to have BLT sandwiches.  I had a canister of those cherub tomatoes just the night before that I leave sitting on the counter and they were missing.  We couldn't find them.  Alicia was in the kitchen with me and the first thing I told her was ... check in the cabinets.  They were no where to be found.  I just chalked it up that for some strange reason they must have been thrown away ... however, it was a brand new canister of those little jewels and we had enjoyed some on our salad the night before.  They were gone.  So, I did what I always do, starting putting clean dishes up and pulled one of the pan drawers out and guess what ....


There they were ... nestled down in the the pan drawer.  I couldn't believe it ... Alicia and I looked at each other and she of course said ... I didn't put them there.  It was probably me ... but gosh I sure didn't remember doing it.  It didn't matter who put them there ... they were found before they rotted and Madelyn got to have her tomatoes.  <laughing>

On another note, yesterday morning I was got my wallet out to get my money for my special breakfast (bagel and two pieces of bacon ... I treat myself with my special breakfast the day before I have a day off---weird --- but I have oatmeal every other day)  I pulled the stuff out of that side of my wallet and much to my surprise ... there was $150 in the mix.  There they were ... three $50 bills.  Praise the Lord.  You make call it luck ... I call it 'blessed.

Praises:
* My friend, Patti, came through her surgery yesterday very well.  I think it took about two hours.  I ran by the hospital on my way home from work and she was a little groggy after having just woke up from a nap.  She was ready to eat and was getting a full meal for dinner.  Lucky her ... I had to have liquids.  <smile>  She will get to go home today (unless something happened over night).  They call this a 23 hours surgery ... in and out.  Thank goodness they have not perfected this to be a 'drive thru' surgery yet.  UPDATE:  Patti has already text me this morning and she is doing good.  Praise the Lord.
*  My survivor sisters who were just after me with their treatments are doing well.  All of us have our hair growing back and feeling good.
*  The yard guy was here yesterday and my yard looks so good.  Was able to water the front last night and will work on giving the back yard a drink.  The heat is so scorching.
*  Praising God for the job I have with the National Weather Service.  I so enjoy working with the people there.  They bless my life.
*  Many praises ...

Prayer Requests:
*  The people in Colorado who were involved with the gunman who opened fire in the theater, killing 15 and injuring many others.
*  Pray that Patti continues to heal and gets through the weeks to come without incidence.
*  My long time friends have positive results today that involve a baby.
*  The current mosquito issue and all the West Nile Virus cases.  It truly makes me afraid for my grand babies to be outside without being sprayed down with mosquito repellent.
*  All those recently diagnosed with a dreadful disease.
*  All those currently going through treatment for a dreadful disease.
*  My a/c unit hangs on for one more summer.  Ohhhh Greta and Kristi !!!  <smile>

John 14:27  "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."

I live in peace ... I am good with being 'different' ... I know who my Father is and I know He is with me always.

Blessed and praying blessings for you today.

gkmorrison12@gmail.com

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