SelahV Today by hariette petersen

SIDEWALK NOTES

Ever taken chalk and wrote notes on the sidewalk?  Drawn pictures or played games like hangman, hopscotch or tic-tac-toe?

Just before Christmas, I had my granddaughters for a weekend visit.  I was feeling rough because of my back and had taken a pain pill that knocked me out for about an hour.  While I was sleeping, my husband did watch-duty.  The girls played quietly and went outside to draw pictures on the sidewalk and porch with chalk.  Later that evening we took them home and I was feeling blue because they couldn't be with us through Christmas.  When we returned my husband told me to read the notes on the sidewalk.   My heart filled with an abundance of joy at the words I read.

There was one huge sign that said, STOP!

The next said, "This house is the Petersens."

The next said, "Only come in here if you love MY-MY!"  (mimi....that's me)

The last said, "This is the love house!"

I'm so grateful that at my house my granddaughters know they are loved.  I'm so glad that they would think about that when they are writing sidewalk notes.  They could have played tic-tac-toe, or drawn hopscotch squares; instead they paid tribute to the love they found when they are in our home.  What joy it is to have this to cling to throughout the days ahead.  What a challenge to live up to!  selahV

BETWEEN THE RUBBER AND THE ROAD

I absolutely hate shopping for cars.  I actually don't much like shopping at all---even grocery shopping.  But automobiles probably tops the list on things I abhor shopping for.  If it wasn't for the fact that we no longer have any reliable transportation and the rust is what holds our 1994 van together, we wouldn't even be thinking of purchasing a new vehicle.  However, it costs us in gas each month what it would cost most folks for a new car payment.  We get about 8 miles to the gallon as we calculate it.

At present, we are taking advantage of the fact that auto dealers are looking to get rid of inventory before 2007 changes to 2008.  We're trying to find a dependable vehicle, with low mileage that gives us high mileage for the amount of gas we put in the tank.  Our goal is simple---the most for the least.  It's a big decision for us because we are on an extremely limited income these days with Social Security Disability and a part-time job in accordance with the Social Security guidelines.  If we make over one dollar of their designated guidelines, we lose the whole check--not part of it---all of it.

Unfortunately, my husband's 4-hour a day job as a custodian/maintenance man for a little private Christian school situated two blocks from our house has created such a dilemma.  When we were forced to apply for early Social Security due to my husband's congestive heart failure, we were told he could only make a pittance of an amount for the year.  Whether he worked or I worked, it made no difference.  If we wanted to keep the 1,242-dollars each month, he couldn't make very much to offset our income of the check.  Since he couldn't return to full-time work anyway, we were grateful the Lord provided this job that afforded him the opportunity to only work 4 hours a day.  His stamina is less since his open-heart surgery and since it fell under the government guidelines, it seemed divinely appointed.

Enter the Disability status.  He was assigned disability status because his heart is so damaged it only pumps out blood to the rest of his body at a 38% rate.  Normal is closer to 65.  28% makes you a candidate for a heart transplant.  So that gives you an idea of how things shape up.  Unbeknownest to us, the disability status lowers the amount of income we can make by issuing a monthly amount---not a yearly amount.  Because my husband's job is filled with time off due to school vacations and breaks, it would average out to less than the yearly minimum---but not the monthly during the months he is actively working.

So what's a person to do?  At this writing we are looking forward (or NOT) to an appointment January 2nd with the Social Security Administration to see if we have violated their rules and regulations.  Scary.  If we have, we could end up having to pay back the checks we've already spent for food, gas, medicine and rent.  And the upside is that we may be able to keep the little janitorial job--but will have to take a cut in pay to accomodate the newly acquired guidelines.  Plus---we are privileged to have to begin paying Medicare 98.00 a month beginning in March even though we are cutting our income of twice that.  Senseless.  It all seems so senseless.  But that is the way it goes.  No way around it.  Guidelines are guidelines.  Charts are charts.  And we are simply numbers in the scheme of things.

I share this, not for sympathy, but for prayer.  We seek God's intervention that we will not have to return any money that we don't have.  We seek to be able to receive an exception to the rules for the income he makes and pray that the monthly checks will continue without interruption.  These are some tall order requests, friends.

While we were waiting for a Social Security representative the other day to set up an appointment and give us some information, we met a disabled man who'd exceeded his income allowance by twenty dollars.  They immediately stopped his check.  He will have to refile.  I pray for this man that they get it straightened out quickly.  It was quite obvious that he was not able to make it without the check.

While we consider the same possibilities, I am still reminded that my God is sufficient to meet all my needs.  We may find ourselves between the rubber and the road soon, but I will still put my trust in God--not in chariots and horses.  You see, I've learned that when the road narrows and appears dark, the Lord is at His best to show the light beyond it.  selahV

MAY YOU BE BLESSED

Wishing you

the blessings of Christ

today and always.  selahV

BLESSINGS OF THE MOMENT

My hubby and I took the girls to see Alvin and the Chipmunks and highly recommend it to everyone.  It is hilarious and fun and delightful.  Even if you adults have no children to take, go see it yourself.  It's worth it.  My little Haylee jumped off my lap at one point and started dancing with the chipmunks.  Simply adorable.  Such a blessing to see them laugh and giggle.

We celebrated our Christmas tree in our traditional way even though we didn't get to do it on Christmas Eve.  Grampa told the Christmas story; 3-year-old Haylee answered all the questions.  Then we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus.  We opened our gifts one by one so everyone could see them and each of us could thank the other for the gift.   We had such a wonderful time.  I managed to find a copy of THE NATIVITY STORY movie for my granddaughters and that seemed to be one of the best gifts I could have purchased.  Brooklyn watched it once and wanted to watch it again but we didn't have time.  She took it home so she could show her mom and stepfather and his children.  She's so excited.  Abby was eager to wear the new red satin blouse we gave her to church on Sunday.  She looked precious in His sight. 

  Before we took the girls home we received an added blessing!  My son's friend, Chacon, who was also an employee for three years before Chad died, dropped in to visit yesterday.  It was such a surprise!  I hadn't seen him in months.  He shared how he'd stopped by several times and hadn't found us home.  I'm so glad I was home this time.  He brought his little baby boy for us to see.  He shared how he'd ran into a man who use to cut glass for my son's business.  The man saw Chacon's bumper sticker and asked about my son.  As it turned out, Chacon had a bumper sticker made up that says, "In Loving Memory of Chad Petersen".  And this glass-cutter saw it and they began talking about my son.  The glass cutter didn't know about Chad's death.  Chacon loved my son like a brother and keeps him in his thoughts all the time.  He often visits my son's grave and leaves little things behind...one half of the Mizpah necklace I gave him, flowers.  It gives me comfort to know someone else remembers my son and the significance he played in their lives.  Chacon remembers well the times my son helped him study for his American citizenship test, and all the Bible readings they had together.  Chad was so much more than the tiny dash between the two dates on his headstone.  It was clearly visible on the girls' faces that they needed the visit from Chacon as much as I did.  They spent many many hours with him before their daddy died. 

Tonite we go to my daughter's house for turkey dinner and to celebrate her family's gift exchanges. It's good to have traditions.  But traditions change when we least expect it.  Seems like every year we make a new one.  And every year we let go of an old one.  It's best not to hold them too tightly, lest we have to give them up.  It's best to be thankful for the blessings of the moment and to make each moment a blessing for others.   That blessing will last forever. Store bought gifts wear out and memories of them fade away.  But each blessing we share is of God and will be stored in heaven for all eternity---never to be forgotten.   selahV

[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2007]

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT dailyIMPACT for my daily devotional.       

I SPOKE TOO SOON

I've been emailing and telling folks how much better my back is.  Well, all I did was wrap a few (very few) presents, put several birds on my little Christmas trees and WHAM!  Not only is the back screaming for me to sit down and forget about Christmas cookies, grocery shopping, stripping beds, dusting, vacumning and sink full of dishes---but it is sending subliminal messages to my toes.  Each time I take a step with my left leg it sends sparks of numbing pain through my feet.  When I switch weight to my right leg to compensate, my knee locks up.

THIS IS CRAZY!

So, the rest of the day I shall try and figure out a way to make some cookies, forget the house cleaning, and grocery shopping and rest my back.  AGAIN.  ~sigh~  On top of that, several of my prayer partners are under the weather as well as me and so I don't even know if they can read of my plight due to the illnesses they are battling.

It's all such a nuisance.  And the pain is not nearly as bothersome as the thoughts of not having my house ready to receive my granddaughters in grand style for the holidays tomorrow afternoon.  I hear the Voice.  Do you?

"Martha, Martha.  Mary chooses the best thing."   Oh yeah, I hear Him.  Time to go read and pray and meditate on the Lord and the goodness of His grace and mercy.   Talk to you later.  selahV

TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY

  December 19th.  I love it.  It was the day I witnessed my granddaughter being baptized just 3 years ago.  My son was alive to tape it.  So much has changed in our lives since that day.  My granddaughter has grown in faith---but not nearly as much as she could have.  She has memorized some scriptures, but not nearly enough.  She really misses her prayer times before bed with her daddy.

Please pray for her.  She is so young and has so many things that could enter her life and pull her away from her faith.  She turned 10 years old a few days ago.  She still loves Jesus.  She still reads her Bible at times.  And when she comes to visit, she goes to Sunday School and loves it.

Pray she buries the Words of God she has memorized in her heart so deeply that the Spirit can bring them to mind each time she is met with something to challenge her understanding of God and His love.

  She has memorized "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, lean not to your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths".   She has also memorized "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."  And we have discussed what that means.  And she is able to share it with anyone should they ask.

Believe it or not, she is concerned with folks who do not acknowledge God as God.  It bothers her a great deal.  She is young, but she sees the inconsistencies in people's words and actions.  Pray she is able to look to Jesus as her standard and no other.  Pray she always hungers after righteousness.  Pray the Lord brings other strong Christians into her life each place she goes to school.  Pray for her teachers.  Pray she is more concerned about the beauty inside than the beauty outside.

And please pray for God to give me wisdom, too.

Thanks so much.  selahV

QUOTABLE WORDS, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Why is it when a person asks a question they are automatically analyzed for asking the question?  Why must a person have an ulterior motive for voicing a question?

Just a few minutes ago I was told that "questions are not always just questions".  To be quite honest, I think this person is correct.  Sometimes questions are simply their answers.  When I ask a question I do like to have answers.  Not more questions.  My husband is notorious for answering all questions I have with a question.   It's almost like he is thinking I have some well-thought-out plan behind each question to entrap him.  We've had a bunch of laughs over it in our 42-plus years of marriage.

However when I want to know about a person, I usually begin with questions rather than analyzing them and their questions.  Call me naive and foolish.  Call me a bit intrusive.  It's just the way I am.  My brain has enough trouble dealing with straight-shootin', clear-speaking folk, without trying to analyze each and every word they say.  I just like to cut to the chase with most folks and ask them how they feel, think or believe about something.  I like to know how they came to the conclusions they've come to in life.   

Just today, I was reading the Quotable that Geoff Baggett posted for Sunday's sbcIMPACT blog.  It was simply a quote by Dr. Malcolm Yarnell who'd stated we needed to teach sinners how to pray:

“As far as a ’sinner’s prayer’ … There is no way a sinner is going to be saved apart from a prayer, so sinners need to pray, and we need to teach them how.”

According to Geoff, Dr. Yarnell's quote was "in response to a question on the “sinner’ prayer” and “altar calls,” during a panel discussion at the recent Building Bridges Conference on Southern Baptists and Calvinism."

Quite a discussion ensued on the "Quotable" at IMPACT.   To be honest, I was tired and truly wasn't all that lucid to go read all the stuff Dr. Yarnell said.  But I did enjoy reading through the comments on sbcIMPACT's stream regarding the quote Geoff posted for dialogue.  One new blogger (I'd never seen, or noticed at IMPACT or any other blog I'd frequented) posed some rather interesting thoughts on the topic and the comments in the stream, therefore I was curious as to what he might add to the discussion regarding his own salvation experience.  So I asked him a few questions--completely out of curiosity, mind you.   After all, folks have come to Jesus with as varied a testimony as there are individuals.  And while most all Believers who claim to be born-again will attest to being saved by grace through faith, we each have had our own personal steps to the Door being opened to us.

I ask you, my reading friends, is it wrong to ask someone how they came to their saving grace conclusion?  If I were to ask the following questions of you, would you be upset with me?:

1. could you tell me how you were saved?
2. when did you know?
3. how did you know?  just wondering.

If I were a lost person in search of answers, How would you answer me?  Look forward to hearing your answers.  selahV

BERRIES, TWIGS AND OTHER FROZEN THINGS

Don't you think it is rather odd that the memories we have of the past are sometimes those worst remembering, rather than worth remembering?  It's like they are frozen in the memory banks of our mind.

So often we hear about the storm that beat all storms.  The castastrophe that remains unmatched.  The mistake we can never overcome.  The betrayal we can't seem to let go of.  The worst Christmas we ever had.  Before you linger too long at that well of dormant thinking, let's consider another way of looking at the past hurts you have.  Can you recall a moment you wish you'd swallowed your words rather than voicing them?  Can you recall an action you regret?

This is what helps me through the difficult times of life.  So often we tend to recall how we have been hurt, how unkindly folks treat us.  Yet we forget how our actions have hurt others.  This is a good time of year to let go of the bad memories frozen in our memories.  This it a good time to let the Lord enter in and melt the coldness around our feelings toward someone who has wronged us.  And it is most valuable time to confess those cold-hearted feelings toward others and let the Lord take them away as softly and gently as He melts the ice on storm-laden trees.  And as we give them to God, He will take them away as gently as He takes the water to the sky when the sun reappears.  selahV

[copyrighte, selahV Today, 2007]

DON'T FORGET TO VISIT dailyIMPACT for MORE OF MY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS.    

FUNNY LITTLE STORY

There were a couple of city workers being observed one day.  One would dig a hole.  The other would fill it.  Over and over again these two workers diligently repeated their efforts.  One would dig a hole; the other would fill it.  This continued all morning.  The observer finally went over to the workers and queried.  "I've been watching you all day.  You have been working diligently and with great effort expended.  However, I was wondering if you could explain to me exactly why every time you dig a hole, your co-worker immediately fills it?"

"Sure, there are usually three of us.  But the one who plants the trees called in sick today."

This story reminds me of some of the blogs we read.  Someone writes a post.  And someone comes along and digs it up.  Then commenters come along and fill it up again.  Then someone observes the digging and filling and writes another post on their own blog property.  And some of the same folks go over and start digging and filling.   I wonder.

Don't you think it's wonderful when we see some folks come along and plant trees?   selahV

MAKING MEMORIES

It begins with graham crackers, icing, candy, cookies and US!  Us is my son's two little girls, my husband and myself.  I mix that with our church family's annual Gingerbread House Contest and memories are born.

This is the 2006 Petersen's House ==>  These are my son's two little girls, Brooklyn (left) and Abby (right).  They absolutely loved making this house together with all the other families in our church.  And YES, we take our house home and eat it afterwards.  MMMMNN, Good!

<==And this is 2007.  We've come a bit further with decorating.  Brooklyn's arm is in a sling but she wasn't deterred from making a snowman, decorating and making two trees.  She also built a mailbox for the Christmas cards we were sure to receive. Grama is woozy from pain meds, grampa is handing everyone items.  Abby is so excited to be here, eating candy, cookies and smothering icecream cones in icing, m&m's, licorice, as well as building her snowman.

And now we have the Wells Family 2007 below. The amazing thing about this house is it is designed by my pre-engineering student grandson, Ryan (16).  Constructed by Ryan, his dad (home builder by trade), his mom (homemaker/baker), his 14 old brother, Jordan (motocross racer) and baby sisters 3 and 14 months.  The babies ate the candy.  HayJae stands proudly by the Wells' Family House of 2007.  It won first place.  With its two-story construction and double wrap-around porch.  They're already making plans for the house for 2008.

And would you believe all houses must be constructed within one hour.  It's amazing what folks can do when they work together, don't you think?

I said this before on my devotional at dailyIMPACT, that it was incredible how teenagers found such fun and delight in doing something so simple and traditionally old-fashioned.  (With their parents, no less!!)  And they are even looking forward to building another next year!  Ryan, the pre-engineering student, is my grandson who broke his neck and back this past summer jumping a jump in motocross practice.

Last but not least is Kinsey who did her best to clean up the mess her brothers were making with the icing/mortar:

And these are just some of the memories we had this weekend.  I plan to tell you more as the week goes on.  So stop back by if these sparked an interest.  selahV

P.S.  Thank you so much for praying for me.  My back is feeling better at the moment.  Isn't it crazy that I'm up at 2:45 a.m. writing a post?  Silly me.

ALL THERE IS

I'm worn out.  The meds are taking a toll on me and I cannot sit for prolonged periods at the computer.  I hope to feel better soon.  I've tried to email some of you to let you know I'm okay but not at all well.  I managed to go to the ginger-bread house building with my granddaughters on Friday night and Lord willing I will get to take them to Sunday School tomorrow.

My heart breaks for them as this is what they look forward to most when they come to my house.  "We get to go to Sunday School."  Pray for me but more so for them.  I so want the Lord to be first in their lives.  NOTHING will get them through life other than Jesus.  I know.

Position.  I've had that.  Notoriety; I've had that too.  Possessions; I've had those.  Health, I've enjoyed that for most of my life.  Friends; they come and go.  Family moves on and away.  People die.  People disappoint you.  But Jesus is certain.  He is all there is.  He is all we need.  As I sit here tonite, I know that far more than I could ever explain to you.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord.  selahV   

CRYSTAL BALLS and MIRACLES

I believe in miracles.  I believe that each day God is working miracles.  But then, to me, life is a miracle.  Who can do what God can do?  Who can balance the stars in the sky---the moon, the sun?  Who can create just the right temperature in the atmosphere that we can breathe?  Who can produce air?  Water?

  I told you about my crystal ball.  I wrote about  the rainbows it creates throughout my house when the sun rests upon it.  It can't tell the future---but every day it brings new rainbows.  None are ever the same.  Each day the sun hits it just a hair different than it did the day before.  Nothing miraculous about it.  The sunlight strikes the cuts in the glass which simply reflects those rays in brilliant colors on my walls.

But I've had real miracles occur in my life.  Several as a matter of fact.

Jesus performed miracles for God's glory.  I think the miracles that have occurred in my life were for God's glory, too.  When my 5-year-old son was hit by a schoolbus, the surgeon who repaired my son's hand said, "It's nothing less than a miracle that he didn't lose his hand."  Every nerve and tendon was exposed on his palm.  Every bone on the back of his hand was broken.  It was a miracle.  I remember grasping his tiny wrist to stop the blood flow and I remember praying that God would save his hand.  Through that miracle, we came to know a broken-hearted woman and her son in the hospital who later received Christ.  It took my son's miracle for us to be where we were to help her receive her miracle.

I could tell you of some others I had---accidents.  Survival.  Interventions.  Healings.  It's amazing really.  What boggles my mind is why God sees fit to give one miracle, but not another.  He has a reason---a plan.  And while I may not understand that plan, I do accept it.  And I cannot help but get excited as I wonder what He will do with me on each new day.  Do you have days like this?

Have you had a miracle lately?  selahV    

STONED AND LUCKY TO BE SO

This a.m. I couldn't go to church.

I leaned toward the mirror to apply my eyeliner and "pop!"  Something in my back went wacko.  I couldn't move afterwards.  I couldn't bend to get dressed.  And now I'm at the mercy of my husband's care.  It's not a good thing.  Next week I must babysit my daughter's little girls.  I couldn't pick up a coffee mug, let alone my 25-pound granddaughters.

I'm not complaining.  God is going to take care of me.  He is going to heal me.  Fix the situation, etc.  My reason for sharing this little trial in my life is to ask you to pray for me.  Two percocets have me a bit stoned (well, more than a bit).   And the pain is only marginally less.  I still can't bend, and just typing creates more pain than I particularly like to rejoice over.  However, I am grateful for the percocets at this moment.

Thanks for praying.  selahV