A JOYFUL NOISE

Today is Thanksgiving.   All of November I have been posting each day about what I am thankful for on Facebook.   I plan to continue this through the end of December, except that I plan to change December to "my Treasures of Christmas" which in many ways is the same thing as what I am thankful for. I've been through so much this year.  I've had a lot of physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional hurdles that even now is lingering on and burying themselves into my heart and body.  I try not to complain.......People (including doctors) remind me about how long my year has been and believe me, no one knows as much as I do. I can go on and on listing my thrones this year.   Thrones such as: more than one or two UVA appointments a month countless MRIs or CTs scans many invasive testings/surgeries hearing  of "we don't know the answers" being referred from one doctor to another feeling hopeless, helpless, fearful  Deaths of friends News tha...

A few nights ago, I had an unusual dream .  I was dreaming that I was up front on stage at church (Covenant Presbyterian) with a few members of the worship team, our Pastor of Worship, and our ASP kids, and ASP leader.   All of us were positioning ourselves upfront to get ready to help the ASP do their annual Christmas program.   As I was trying to stand up front (with my back facing the audience) to help the children, my foot slipped and I fell.  Not sure how that happened, but I fell.   Two people cane to my aide to help me get up. Once I got up and they let go of me, I fell AGAIN.  I was horrified, but I refused to step away and sit down.  I even went as far as to take my shoes off but I still kept falling, repeatedly; I refused to hold on to anything or anyone.......  that's when I woke up and realized it was just a dream....... It's interesting the lessons we can learn from our dreams.   I was reminded once again th...

"Look at me Yeeyee.....look!! I'm soooo strong!"   My niece Caitlyn said as she showed off her muscles to me after eating all her asparagus my mom put on her plate.   "Wow Catie...you are strong!!! Good for you for eating all your asparagus! Mama and Daddy will be proud of you!   Caitlyn asks me if she will be just as strong as her daddy.   She hopes to one day; I tell her she needs to eat healthy and eat her meats and veggies (which she does well).   Last weekend she knew I wasn't feeling well, she told me the pot was too heavy for me to put away so she said " no Becky, I will put it away, it's too heavy for you.. you can rest." *Sigh*, if only strength were as easy as eating your veggies and depending on a 4 year old to put away a pot.    But this is not the strength I'm talking about.    I'm talking about the struggles that seems to suffocate me daily.    I'm reminded  by the words of Matthew ...