Tag Archives: love

An Ear Cuff and my Big Head

Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , , ,

I have an enormous head. No, not “that” kind of large head…literally, the circumference of my head is so large that if I wear a ball cap, it must have that adjustable part in the back. I am pretty sure it is genetic, but I won’t share which other family members have one too.

But, my ears are relatively small in comparison. Since I am a cool, 61-year-old grandma with a short, sassy haircut that is my natural color and curl, my ears show. And they need adornment in my humble opinion. Haha.

I have a couple of piercings, but instead of a third… I opted for “ear cuffs.” I figure my ears can draw all the attention away from my big head.

All that introduction to tell this story. While running errands today, I came out of a store and took off my mask. I got into my car and flipped down the visor…and low and behold…the left ear cuff was missing. I had lost it somewhere in the store or walking out of it.

I talk to the Father all the time and so I mentioned, “the only way I can find this is if you put that little cuff right in front of me, Lord.” I kept my head down looking as I walked in the store.

I went back to the counter. Nothing.

I retraced my steps. Nothing.

I retraced them again. Nothing.

I headed out the door, figuring that ear cuffs just weren’t meant to be part of my adornment.

I looked down as I went out the very door I had just went in…and there it was. A small ear cuff…waving at me to pick it up.

Many of you are scoffing right now at the fact that my heavenly Father would take the time to help me find this little piece of jewelry. A sheer coincidence, you might be saying. After all, He is dealing with wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, lawlessness, and other things a little more important than my ear cuff.

The best part is that I would not have been upset if I had not found it. I was careless and did not secure it enough on my little ear. A consequence of my own behavior.

But, I learned a long time ago that you cannot put God in a box. Neither can you put Him above it, over it or under that box. You cannot put Him in finite terms, after all…He is infinite. You cannot assume that He is too busy for you and the little things in your life.

He had time for me today. It was a small gesture, allowing my eyes to see the very thing that I had looked for five minutes earlier.

He loves me. He loves you. He is a personal God, and He has time for you today. Even amid your chaos in this fallen world… and even if you don’t find your ear cuff.

Someone needs this today.

These Hands

Spiritual Encouragement, , , , , , ,

I painted my nails for the first time in several months.

My hands

As I looked at my hands, wrinkles and all, I was reminded of my maternal grandmother, Grandma Fannie.

Grandma’s hands

She always had the most lovely nails. When I was a little girl, I use to spend the night with her. We would watch Lawerence Welk while eating popcorn, then paint our nails. She spent several years in a nursing home, and when I arrived she did not remember me, but she knew I could paint her fingernails. And that is what we always did.

My lovely Grandma

These hands remind me of the love my grandmother had for me, and the love I have for my granddaughter.

These hands remind me of the first time I held Norah.

These hands remind of life…the good, the bad and the ugly.

These hands have wrinkles and show I have lived.

These hands have been enveloped in the love of my husband’s hands and cradled my sons.

These hands have clapped at games and been thrown up in exasperation!

These hands have been cold, warm, and tense.

These hands have been burned, and hurt.

These hands have been raised in prayer and praise…to the one who loves me most.

These hands are full of love.

~Be Encouraged Today~

Tammy

My Valley Fever and Sweet Syndrome Journey Chapter 3…My Hope

Spiritual Encouragement, Valley Fever/Sweets Syndrome Journey, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Biblical definitions of Hope in the Hebrew and Greek=To trust in, wait for, look for or desire something or someone; or to expect something beneficial in the future. Anticipation and the absolute certainty of God’s promises, confident expectation.

I was in Arizona, visiting my one and only grandchild and her parents. About a week before I was to come home, I developed a dry cough and thought I was reacting to the dry air and fires. I became very fatigued and attributed it to my Fibromyalgia and overdoing it.

I was wrong.  

Fast forward to October. By October 1st I was very ill and had to go to the ER on October 13, upon the insistence of my husband and neighbor. I ended up being transferred to Barnes Jewish and spent eleven total days there. I was very ill, and they did a lot of testing; I was in isolation and it was a time that the Father showed Himself over and over.

They transferred me by ambulance one evening from my local hospital, arriving at Barnes at 3:30am.  Suffice it to say, I would not recommend a two-hour ambulance ride on a bucket list! I put it on so I could check it off!

I was very ill and alone. I was peaceful, and I knew the Father was with me. We arrived on the 14th floor and the charge nurse introduced me to my nurse for that night and the next night.  

Here is where the Father affirmed his presence, and that He was my hope.

“This is your nurse. His name is Alphonse.”

“No, that cannot be,” I muttered quietly.  

I am sure they thought I was one of “those” patients.

“Yes, ma’am, he will be your nurse.”

“But that is my husband’s name!!”

No one could believe it!  

Who has that name? We all know of Alphonse Capone. But other than the Capone fellow and my husband, I knew of no others.

This nurse, Alphonse from Kenya, was such a blessing to me. His name alone was a comfort since my husband was not allowed to be there. Peace came over me. He was a believer, and we prayed for one another through those nights. 

He had a burden that he had been carrying for years, and I prayed over him. Night was the worse for my pain, so he prayed for me.

All the nurses heard the story and each time they came in my room, “Shang ra La” as I called it, I told them it could be a place of rest. The Lord let me love on every one of them and encourage them in their profession.

“Alphonse” never got to meet my “Alphonse”. In fact, he was not on duty with me after that second night. I told him we were adopting him, after all he was 35 and just a year older than our eldest. He was married, with two precious girls.  

I told our sons that they had an older brother, who just happened to be named after their dad. How “coincidental” is that? I don’t believe in coincidence. It was a “God thing” and will always be.

The doctors continued to test me for all kinds of diseases through that first week. I was in isolation, but with the Father’s continued presence, hope and support… we finally got some answers.

The Father will always be with you in your journey, no matter what it is. He is who I always knew He was. The journey may not be easy, but He will never leave you alone.