5 Weeks to Go!

Today starts our 4th week of 4 – 10 hour days. It is exhausting. During the week we don’t do much but go to work, come home, eat and back to bed – it is exhausting. Three weeks are done and the next will probably fly by as we will be housesitting for our son and his family while they go on a much deserved vacation.

We will really be pup sitting – CJ & Sean and then of course Charlie…he loves being able to play with his friends and I love that there is a doggie door so no early morning walks for Charlie to do his business 😂

I’m trying to look at all the positives ~ well really there aren’t any negatives to hanging out at the kids place except the kids & grands won’t be there – I feel like it’s been forever since we have been able to spend any time with them. Our two week’s vacation, our three weeks of dealing with Covid – don’t wish that on anyone!! and then the lovely 4 days of 10 hour weeks.

There is a big positive that happens each week of our extended schedule – Charlie gets to hang with his friends and we don’t have to worry about the AC kicking off while we are at work. Last week we had two days where when I walked in the door it was 97 and 100.4* in the trailer. So thankful our kids are willing to help us out with Charlie.

I know it’s been awhile since I have written here – so I am hoping this week to get back into my morning routine of spending time with Poppa God, then doing some writing before heading to work. I received an email from my Bestie saying she missed “hearing from me and what we were doing with our busy life.” Thanks for the nudge Dee!!!

I am doing a Bible study on Psalm 23 – its a 7 week study but this lady will probably take 3 months. But that’s okay, Poppa God understands. I have completed 4 days of the first week. Today starts Week 1, Day 5 but I know Poppa God understands and I appreciate how He opens doors for me to share things that I’m learning.

A dear friend of mine has been really struggling this week and someone told her to read Psalm 23 and she sent me a note of how she had written the psalm out for her, just as Jesus was sitting and chatting with her. I loved how she personalized the chapter. I have done that before – taken a passage and rewritten it, inserting my name where applicable.

As I have spent time on verse one the past few days I keep thinking about a conversation I had with Mr. Mortley when we were in Southport, NC, working at Providence Home Emergency Teen Shelter. It was shortly after we started and Mr. Mortley was concerned about us getting paid in a timely fashion (it takes a bit to do automatic deposits) and I said to him “we have enough.”

In verse 1 of Psalm 23, the second part of verse 1 “I shall not want” and figuring out what is a WANT and what is a NEED. I know I/we have what we need ~ we have a home to call our own, we have jobs that we enjoy (most of the time), have some great co-workers, we have vehicles to get us to & from work, even though one has no air~conditioning which is nice to have here in hot, humid Florida. But as Ron says “I just roll down the windows!” He just needs to remember to put close them before the afternoon thundershowers start.

Wants & Needs ~ sometimes they get mixed up, what we think is a need is really just a want. I know sometimes Ron would like a nice ribeye steak for dinner but we give thanks for the chili dogs & mac & cheese as if it was a steak! God provides what we need, not necessarily our wants.

One of the questions asked in Week 1 has really gotten me thinking about how intimate & personal my relationship with Poppa God can be and is. What does that look like?

First I see a picture I have that Bev Clarke drew for me. It was during some of the hardest times in my life and we were talking and I shared with her…how I see myself in times of needing comfort…a little girl of 6 or 7 sitting on Poppa’s God’s lap and he is giving me this great big bear hug reminding me I am not alone, that he will always protect me and he loves me like the Daddy I needed and wanted. I carry that picture in my Bible.

My response to the question is more from the present day: I picture Poppa God standing strong & tall, with his staff in his hand close (for guidance). Close enough where he can reach out to me but far enough away that I am standing by myself, thinking about his words ~ he will never leave me alone. I am freely able to stand alone but I am not truly alone. Poppa God is standing nearby, smiling at me, pouring his love out of his eyes into mine where I know without a doubt that Poppa God loves me.

Another question was to make a list of WHO God is ~

• He is my Rock ~ strong
• He is my Light ~ I’m not living in darkness
• He is my Refuge ~ I can hide in the folds of his garments and be protected at all times.
• He is my Helper ~ I am not alone, I don’t have to do things all on my own as he is right here with me; I just need to seek Him!!!

If you are interested in the study I am doing, it is Psalm 23 by Jennifer Rothschild.

~ wandering thought – as I was typing out Jennifer’s last name “Rothschild” I thought about a momma friend from many years ago when I was just a child – Rita Roth ~ I always wanted her to be my mom, she had adopted a baby, named Bonnie and I just wanted her to by my mommy and she said she couldn’t by my momma but she could be my adopted~adopted mom. Rita Roth, a woman who loved God, loved children who were not her own, never called me names or let me go hungry and encouraged me to do the things I didn’t believe I could do.

The little Assembly of God church we were attending was having a Sunday School contest – the boy and girl who brought the most visitors to church in 60 days would win a bike ~ and I wanted that bike so bad.

Rita and her family helped me to win that bike (like the one in the picture above). I don’t remember how many people came to church with me “and Rita’s family” but I do remember when they announced my name as the girl winner and riding that bike home! My real mom was so surprised that I won the bike. Thank you Rita for loving me, encouraging me and helping me to become the loving and caring person I am today. Thank you Poppa God for the sweet memory of a special time in my life where I knew I was loved just for me.

Thank you Dee for the nudge to write again, thank you Jennifer Rothschild for writing the Psalm 23 study where I am reminded of who Poppa God is and thank you Poppa God for loving me just as I am and blessing me over and over (that’s another blog post) and thank you Ron for being the best hubby for me that Poppa God knew I needed.