Blogger Tag: Or What You are Dying to Know About Me. Lol

I received a Blogger Tag from Jolie at : https://joliesattic.com/

Jolie is a wonderful person and I love her blog; it's so fun and interesting. 

So here I go with the questions:

Question 1: How tall are you?  

5'2 3/4 inches. I've always wished I was taller so I could eat more. Lol

Question 2: Do you have a hidden talent?

I once wrote a comic strip about two dinosaurs. I was very good at it. People thought it was funny. But I read about what happens when you sell a comic strip. You have to fly to the newspaper and give interviews to the media. Yeah, no. Aint gonna happen. Lol

Question 3: What’s your biggest blog-related pet peeve?

Posts that are waay too long. But I've been guilty of that myself a few times.

Question 4: What’s your biggest non-related blog pet peeve?

When I read about the rich oppressing the poor.

Question 5: What’s your favorite song?

That changes over the years. Right now I have two songs I listen to regularly. "Be It Unto Me," and "Be Glorified." They are both sung by Don Moen, who has been a huge blessing to me through his music.

Question 6: What’s your favorite social media website?

Facebook, without a doubt. I can keep up with what my family and friends are doing. Also, I have learned some interesting things from other people's posts.

Question 7: What’s your favorite way to spend your time when you’re alone?

I like to read and do crosswords when I'm alone. I love reading blogs. I find people so interesting. It feels sacred to get to know another human being.

Question 8: Whats your favorite junk food?

Ice cream with chocolate sauce.

Question 9: Do you have a pet or pet(s)? If so, what kind and what are their names?

I had a dog until we had to move out of my daughter's house and got an apartment. We left the dog with our granddaughter, Faith. She is happy with Faith and family. Her name is Leia, after the Princess of fame. She is a Lahasa Apso. 

Question 10: What are your number one favorite non-fiction and fiction books?

Non-fiction: Man's Search for Meaning, by Victor Frankl. It's the story of his life during WWII, when he was in a concentration camp. Fiction: To Kill A Mocking Bird. I read it when I was young and have read it a few more times.

Question 11: What’s your favorite beauty product or tool?

Ponds face cream. I've been using it since I was in my twenties and I have very few wrinkles. However, I have a chubby face, so that may have something to do with that. Lol

Question 12: When were you last embarrassed? What happened?

When I posted on Facebook about my gay sister and how God is helping her and put it on a friend's wall by mistake. The friend is an old-time Evangelical Christian and I'm sure I embarrassed her with all her friends. But she was so gracious. When I found my mistake, I wrote her and apologized. She said I am always surprising her. Lol  She is a lovely woman. She kept that post on her wall for days.

Question 13: If you could only drink one beverage (besides water) for the rest of your life what would it be?

Easy: Coke or Pepsi. Love them both.

Question 14: What’s your favorite movie?

"Notorious," which stars Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman. As a girl, I slept with a picture of Cary Grant under my pillow.

Question 15: What was your favorite lesson at school?

Oh how I hated school. Never had a favorite. Hated all of it. Lol

Question 16: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

I live in Canada, and I would stay here. I would love to live by the ocean, so anywhere along the coast of British Columbia. I live inland now in Kelowna, BC.

Question 17: PC or Mac?

PC and Tablet. Love the tablet.

Question 18: Last romantic gesture from a crush, date, boy/girlfriend, spouse?

Hubby keeps buying me woodworking tools for my hobby. He surprises me with them. I now have 4 different kinds of saws if you need to borrow one.

Question 19: Favorite celebrity?

Cary Grant. 

Question 20: What blogger do you secretly want to be best friends with?

Everyone I follow.

Question 21: Who is your biggest inspiration?

Jesus.

Question 22: What is your favorite blog to read?

I couldn't pick just one.

Question 24: Are you in education or do you work?

I'm retired after years of raising my children, babysitting other children and then my grandchildren.

Question 25:  One thing you are proud of?

One time, I flew down to a sister's place in Florida. She had to sell her house and move because she was too sick to work any longer. I'm proud of the great job I did on her house. Cleaned and painted it. My mom came and helped and my sister did what she could. She sold the house quickly.

I am now supposed to tag people. Well, I would like anyone who follows me to do this Blogger Tag. I'd love to know more about all of you.

Update on My Family.

My granddaughters left to right: Hope, Faith and Cherish.

In my previous post, "The Meltdown of a Christian", I wrote about some trials my family is going through. I want to thank you for your prayers and tell you what is going on now.

My sister-in-law, Heather, is trusting in the Lord about her cancer. She knows he could heal her or allow her to die and has accepted that. She loves God and is close to him. She is living her life in faith, and for that we all rejoice.

My niece, who hurt herself at work, has received Worker's Compensation, and is slowly healing. She won't be able to work for at least three weeks, but hopefully she will be able to use her arm again.

My granddaughter, Hope, recovered from her dislocated kneecap. She didn't have much pain at all after the incident, for which I was extremely thankful. She stayed at my apartment all week and we had a lovely time together. She is a lot of fun. She has to strengthen her muscles or her knee will just come out again. She asked if they could operate, but they told her they only do that after multiple dislocations. She is pretty scared of doing it again. I told her to keep it wrapped or wear her knee brace all the time. That is hard news for a 21-year-old to hear. I'm sure she will start exercising when they tell her to start.

My grandson could not quit drugs cold-turkey, so he is going back to the Methadone Clinic. He was on that for two years and could work and function. This is better than the alternative, so we accept this and pray he will one day be off all drugs.

My husband saw his neurologist and will have back surgery and be off work for 6 months. But he is covered by insurance at work and will receive the same paycheck and we live in Canada so everything is paid for. I'm so thankful for all that. The surgery is not dangerous.

I wrote that one of my daughters needed money. Well, my mother, who has a bit of money, gave her $1,500. My daughter was so happy she was crying and then my mom started crying. My daughter doesn't like to take help from her, but like my mom said, "What am I going to do with my money? Take a trip? I can barely walk from my bedroom to the living room."

So, as usual, God has been with us all and helped us all through our problems and sorrows. He is an amazing God and powerful one who can come into our hearts and minds and give us peace and comfort.

"...I am always with you;

you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,

and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?

And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and my portion forever."

Psalm 73:23-26

A Glimpse.

Sometimes I get a glimpse of what I would be like without God in my life. Last night, I had a terrible time getting to sleep. As soon as I would nod off, my brain would jerk me awake. This happened three times. I felt so upset and discouraged, I prayed and finally fell asleep.

This morning, my daughter and granddaughter came over at 11:00 am. They woke me (how nice, lol) and we were visiting in the living room. My granddaughter turned on the TV and there were some people on it who were laughing and enjoying themselves. I looked at them and thought, "Yeah, sure, laugh it up." I felt angry at their happiness.

I told my daughter what I was feeling and she was shocked. I said, "It's a good thing I pray each morning before I get up or I would be the biggest bitch in this city." My granddaughter laughed, but I know that is the truth. Without God, I would be angry, bitter, cynical and jealous of other people's happiness. Sheesh, what a mess I am.

The things I write on my blog about living a Christian life are concepts I ardently believe in. Living them is something else. I try, but of course I stumble and fall. The carnal part of me, as Joyce Meyer points out, sometimes takes over. But I know that when I stumble, it's a chance to learn something about myself that I can talk over with God. I don't let it discourage me anymore. It's a good thing to be humbled.

Jesus and Jacob Wrestling with God.

In my last post, I wrote about feeling overwhelmed. I said I thought Jesus was overwhelmed at Gethsemane when he pleaded with his Father to find another way to save the human race. Jesus felt the sins of the world pressing down upon him and felt like it was killing him. He said, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

 After Jesus continued praying and great drops of blood came from his forehead, God sent an angel to strengthen him. God will do this for all of us who are overwhelmed.

Jesus is our model of what to do when we feel afraid and desperate. What did he do? He prayed; he prayed until he received help. He didn't pray for awhile, get up and do something else. No, he stayed where he was and prayed until he could face what was happening.

This reminded me of Jacob, who was afraid of dying by his brother's hand. The Bible says he was in great fear and distress. He was alone by the river. A man came and touched him; Jacob thought he was an enemy and wrestled with him, but as the night wore on, he realized it was a holy person.

 Then he (God) said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

Then the man (God) said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."   Genesis 32:28

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

"I will not let thee go, except thou bless me,"—It is evident that Jacob was aware of the character of Him with whom he wrestled; and, believing that His power, though by far superior to human, was yet limited by His promise to do him good, he determined not to lose the golden opportunity of securing a blessing. And nothing gives God greater pleasure than to see the hearts of His people firmly adhering to Him.

One Bible commentator wrote that Jacob had believed in God previously, but also trusted in his own strength to get things done. That night by the river, Jacob knew he could do nothing to help himself. God had to do everything for him so he and his family could live. That is why he wouldn't let go. He had to know God would save them.

I have a lot to learn about the power of prayer. I am no example to anyone on the subject of prayer. But a few times, when I was severely depressed, I did say to God, "I'm not getting out of bed, and I'm not going to stop praying and reading the Bible until I feel better."  Previously, I had been forcing myself to get up and face the day. Well, that prayer always ended up with me feeling better about the coming day. The Lord did bless my perseverance.

Some of us don't have the luxury of not getting out of bed in the morning. Lol  I do because I'm retired. So, for those who are working, taking care of children, doing housework and yard work, I would say, pray as often as you can and as long as you can when you are overwhelmed. Pray while you are working at home, pray at your lunch hour, pray when the kids are in bed. Keep praying, God will bless you. No doubt about it.