More Change

There's change in the air. Three couples that I know well have left our church. Denise has opened a thrift shop to help people coming out of jail. Teresa is graduated and is moving into a trailer with friends. I'm doing what I didn't want to do, getting trained to substitute in Portsmouth schools. Need the money.

So, everything changes. I made a mistake and clicked onto my copy of Danny's blog this week. It made me sad. He was so talented and so honest. But we have to grieve to heal. It took awhile to get through it, though. Our church is known or going to be known as a healing church. Healing of bodies, emotions and marriages. I know so many marriages that are tanking, but God can heal them if the parties involved cooperate. Ray's body can heal completely. It's possible. He's a miracle just to be alive.

Change is painful but necessary. I never liked it, even when I knew it was for the best. I guess I'm just a stick-in-the-mud. I like to build my nest and stay there. But God can't do His best work if nothing changes. So I should get with the program. Gonna be a "goalcoach" for a woman at the HER shelter for battered women. We'll see how that goes.

Jesus' Birthday

Hi. Long time no write. Had a wonderful experience yesterday at the jail. Prayed over and anointed with oil 7 ladies. I really felt electricity going through me on the last one! Her mind needed clearing out. The Holy Spirit was strong in the room. That's what it's all about and of course, salvation! Thanks, Jesus, without your birth today and resurrection, we would never be able to tap into Your resurrection power to heal and lead someone to salvation. You are awesome!

I Just Sold My Wedding Ring

I just sold my wedding ring yesterday. I had it for 43 years. Didn't wear it after Jerry died, but still had it. I went to a pawn shop and got some money--not enough--for it.
When Jerry sold his wedding ring, it was to feed the family. I didn't like that. It seemed disrespectful to me, and there had to be another way to get money at the time.
I figured gold was worth a lot (which it is) and Stephanie really didn't want my wedding ring. Somehow I got taken but I didn't care. Who wants my wedding ring, anyway? The pawn shop got richer in that transaction. But money is transient and so are wedding rings and so are people.

There's Somebody Living in My Backyard

There's somebody living in my backyard, actually 2 somebodies, and it isn't really my backyard, it's my neighbor Lisa's. But it feels like my backyard cuz I can see them when I look out the kitchen window. Lisa's grandchildren, a man and woman, are sleeping in a camper in her backyard, have for months. Does this mean that the economy really, really, really sucks?
It's just that I don't want living people looking in my bathroom window. I loved the country for that reason--nearest neighbor 1/4 mile away. Normally it doesn't bother me that I can see 6 backyards now that I am in the city, but this is creepy. However, when the holocaust comes, not only will people be sleeping in my backyard, but probably all my friends who are single, renting out rooms from somebody will be in my house--and you know how I hate living with somebody. So now I'm mad that I didn't pay off the mortgage when I had a chance, cuz we all should own our own homes with a garden when everything collapses.
So I'll just concentrate on the problems I CAN solve, like leading people to Christ and getting my bathroom sink unclogged. Oh, well.

Just a Little Kindness

Just a little kindness to a lady in the jail yesterday led her to come into a Bible study she never intended to go to. She was having it out with a guard who she said yelled at her while I was waiting to get into the gym area to start the Bible study. I asked her about her new baby (she had mentioned a C-section to the guard) and complimented her hair. We talked for a minute, then when the other ladies came out to the study, she came, too.
Before we started, she said this could wait till the end, but she wanted to be sure she was saved as her roommate was talking to her about Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs. I said, "Let's pray right now," and we all prayed the salvation prayer with her. She started to cry, and one of the other ladies put her arm around her. What a wonderful "accident" to happen even before the study began.
God was in the place!

God's At Work in the Jails

Had two great times in the jails this week with Denise giving a lesson about sin. The ladies are serious about staying in the Word. Some of the most faithful are being discharged from HRRJ. One is being deported to an unknown future. It's an honor and a privilege to work with these women who are undergoing trials. They know they are having consequences of their actions and this is keeping them from their children. It's very hard.

There was a God moment in Portsmouth Jail when I brought in a "Battlefield of the Mind" workbook for one inmate, but she had been discharged. I was going to turn it back in to the bookstore, but another girl who had been depressed came on my mind and I said she could have it, but I didn't have the book to go with it. Amazingly, she had the book, so the workbook was just in time for her to battle her thoughts. Go, God!

So I haven't blogged since June. For some reason, I was going through a bout of depression. Maybe things just ganged up on me. Maybe it was this insane heat of 115. Maybe it was the 5th anniversary of Danny's death coming up. Don't know, but praise God, it's over now.

Still doing jail ministry, enjoying it, having great results with the ladies. They are so amazing to build their faith and praise the Lord WHILE IN JAIL! I don't know if I could do it. We had song "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God" in Portsmouth Jail Friday after study. Satan has been hindering me getting in for 2 weeks (I got in each time). So I knew we were going to get some good things out of the Word, and I was right!

Going to spend time with my grandson Friday. It will be his day. Doing a movie and something else he chooses. I enjoy the one-on-one with him where he can be himself. He needs what my daughter got after we adopted her--his body getting permission to grow. It's like saying, "Body, you're safe now. Go ahead and flourish!"