A stitch in time

The doctors have taken out hubby's stitches, just only a few days before the fourth week of his surgery. Yoohoo! I have seen so much improvement since that day he was cut all open. It's amazing how we take putting on our own clothes and shoes for granted, not to mention bathing ourselves too. Well now that the stitches are out, an even better healing can begin.

That's the way it is with our relationship with God. First, we are up doing our thing. Then we get caught up in our own thing that God has to knock us down in order for us to realize that our ways are not God's ways. After we get knocked down, God will stitch us up so that we can get back up in order to give Him the glory. When we're down, we see how good we had it when we were up; but when we are up, we don't think we will ever get knocked down.

I told hubby that God had to knock him down for a while in order for him to sit down and enjoy life. As I mentioned before, hubby was the one who cooked dinner and had it ready for me when I got off work, he was the one who washed all the clothes, he was the one who ironed up all the clothes, he was the one who ran my bath water, he was the one who picked up and dropped off children where they needed to go, he was the one who made out the grocery list.....should I go on!!... and I say was because these are things he did and then some before his surgery. Often times, I have told him to sit down because after all, he is 60 and has had three hip replacements, and a broken leg, but noooooo, he didn't want to listen to me.

I'm not glad he had to have surgery, but I think there is a purpose for everything. He had to have a time to be stitched, not only physically, but mentally as well. He had to have a stitch in time...a time to sit down and let somebody else take care of him the way he has taken care of everybody else. I don't mind, for goodness sake, it is for sickness and in health.

Ecclesiastes 3:1~ To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.

Going in dirty, coming out clean

I'm not a huge fan of too many television preachers, but I love watching Noel Jones and Jamaal Bryant. So last night before I settled in, Jamaal Bryant was on and had a powerful message to share. He said that he passed by a car wash, then he passed by the cleaners, then he passed by a hair salon and then he got to church and was upset. I was sitting on the edge of the couch because I wanted to know why was Dr. Bryant upset. He went on to say that he saw dirty cars go in the car wash and when they came out, they were clean cars. He also said that he saw dirty clothes go into the cleaners but when they came out, there were clean clothes; and then he said that he saw nappy hair go into the beauty salon but when the people came out, their hair was straight. Ok I thought that made sense, and then Dr. Bryant went on to say that when he got to church....he saw dirty people going in, but saw the same dirty people come out. Whoa! Now that was deep. I wasn't expecting that. I looked at my husband and said that was powerful.

I don't want people to see me as the same person that I used to be. I want them to see a new and improved person. I want them to see Christ in me. No, I don't have to be on a hallelujah pillow and be acting all holier than thou, but how can I expect my children to dress right, talk right and live somewhat right if they don't see me at least trying to do something right? My daughter doesn't see me with all my cleavage and behind showing and my son surely doesn't see us with our pants drooping either. I'm a quadzillion and a half miles away from being perfect, and I don't claim to be either but wouldn't it be great if Tide and bleach could just clean up some of this dirty mess we got lingering around us!!
Psalm 51:10 says Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Finally over for now

Finally, my class is now over. I took Intro to Criminal Justice. I made an "A" in that class and I couldn't be happier at this moment. You see, I've taken three classes already that are going towards my Bachelors of Arts in Criminal Justice. Even though I have about 900 more classes to go, it's OK because I'm taking it step by step and when I get that degree, then I will be even happier. When I was going for my A.A. in Pre-Legal Administration, It took me four years to get a two year degree, but I got it. Thank You, Jesus! This class that I just took wasn't a hard class, but it did become somewhat stressful after we found out that hubby had to have his surgery. I prayed and still managed to find time to study despite it all. Yes there were late nights that I had to stay up but that's all part of it, right?

Well I will not be taking any classes this summer, because I do need a break; but hopefully I will start again in the fall...that is, if I can get somebody to pay for my classes. HaHa.

Wrinkly Finkley

My 13 year old son almost tried me this morning. The key word here is "almost". I don't know how many times I have told him over and over again to get his clothes out at night so he don't have to be rushing around early in the morning. He knows without a shadow of a doubt that we leave our house at 6:50 a.m., maybe 6:55 in order for me to drop him off at school and then for me to get to work. How come at 6:45, he is walking out of his room with the most wrinkled shirt on you have ever seen!! I paused and looked at him and asked him where was he going with that wrinkled up shirt on and why he didn't iron that shirt last night. He said that he didn't know he was going to put that shirt on this morning. I said, "Well it's a good thing you didn't know, cause you're still not wearing that shirt this morning." Five minutes to go and we are out....um, why did he go in the closet and pull out another wrinkled shirt? Inquiring minds want to know! I sent him right back around. I mean, dead folks are buried in nicer clothes than that! Duh! The third time was definitely a charm because when he came out of his room, he held out his arms as if to say, "OK?" I nodded and we were still out on time. I would have rather him go to school with his chest out than with that wrinkled shirt on....OK maybe not a bare chest. That would be a little extreme.

I got this

As I was finishing up dinner, hubby tells me that he has a doctor's appointment a week from today. I asked him if he has found himself a ride and his reply is, "I got this." So I'm asking him what does that mean that he's got it. He says that he will be driving himself to the doctor. I said in a not so pleasant voice, "You're doing what!!!" Oh yeah I heard him, but I was making sure that he heard himself. I wasn't asking him to repeat himself, I was asking in shock. I told him that the doctor said that he couldn't drive for four weeks, but once again he says, "I got this." So I had to voice my opinion whether he liked it or not. I told him that he needs to sit his tail down and just let God heal him in His own time. It's not time for him to drive until the doctor says so. I told him that it's ok to ask for help sometimes and to learn how to accept help from someone other than his family. I am sure there are some retired men from the church who wouldn't mind coming to take my husband to a doctor's visit. What about the people who said, "If you need anything, call me"? Those are the people I am looking for, someone who is willing to lend a helping hand.

I'm almost certain that when the boy who cried wolf saw the wolf actually coming, that his last words were not "I got this." Pride will make a person be without and I'm not that person to be stubborn enough not to ask for help when I need it. Well if hubby hasn't called someone to give him a ride by the weekend, he will know that it will be in my hands after that and then I'll be the one to say, "I got this".

A Queen and her colony

Today makes two weeks since hubby has had his surgery. Each day is a new day of strength. Thank you Jesus! This past weekend, I've been extremely busy doing this and that, along with studying for final exams. I put my son on dish duty this past weekend and he tells me that he doesn't have time to wash dishes because of all the homework he has to do. I tell him that if he's got time to sit down and eat, then he's got time to clean up my kitchen. My daughter was put on household clean up patrol. She wasn't too happy but if I threaten to take her cell phone from her, then she has a different perspective as well. She also wanted to get on the computer, and I allowed her to do that, but only after the work was done, but then when I saw that it was half-done, I took away the computer as well.

Hubby was telling the kids that if he was feeling better, that he would help them out. I told him that he just needs to stay put and stop worrying about stuff like that. I feel that a little work will not kill the children, it'll only make them stronger. Hubby says that he hates to see his queen work around the house because he was so used to doing it. I don't mind because I know it has to be done. I can't just sit around and let things go idle and wait for my husband to get back to normal. Along with taking care of the house, working a full time job, taking a class, helping the kids with homework, nursing my husband back to health, and a few other things not listed, I am busy. These children of mine know that their help will be needed and they know there's a new sheriff in town and her name is QueenBee!

So, what's for dinner?

I must be doing something right to have great friends like I do. Even though I could probably count them all on my hand, they are great just the same. I also have great co-workers who have all gone out of their way in one way or another. While hubby has been out of commission, I've only had to cook once. That is so wonderful. There have been friends and co-workers cooking dinner and bringing it by the house or bringing it to work. Not only do they just cook, but they cook enough and it's tasty too. It is just so wonderful that people take time out of their busy schedules to help accommodate me and my family. Didn't God say that he would pour out a blessing that we wouldn't have room enough to receive it? He said it alright!

Here is my thank you and my gratitude. It means a lot to me, so much more than I could ever express with words. One friend asked if I needed anything but said for me not to say for her to cook dinner. She said that she could go and pick up a bucket of chicken. I told her that a bucket of chicken is a universal language and it goes with every occasion. What's for dinner tomorrow? I don't know what it will be, but once we give thanks, I know it'll be tasty. Bon Appétit!