Everyday Provision

I haven't posted on here in a while, and part of the reason is I haven't had any "BIG" prayer requests answered lately. I haven't felt like anything God has done is worth sharing. Wrong! :-) God has been doing so much for me lately! I got plenty of sleep last night in a comfortable bed. I have eaten two filling nutritious meals today, with the virtual guarantee of a third one. I am dry amid the pouring rain we have been having thanks to our cozy house. I have a wonderful family that I get to spend my time with. God is continuing to prepare the way for my internship in the fall and for a possible summer job. Even in the "little" things, He has faithfully provided!

Thanking God for His faithfulness,

~Mac

School and Future

As CJ said, we've been terribly lax about updating this blog! I haven't really had any single big prayers answered in the last several months, but I have had quite a few smaller ones answered:

1. I still have yet to fail a class or test! I got 2 As on my 2 classes that I have finished since September and I passed the Marketing Communications TECEP. So far everything has transferred smoothly, so that's a real load off my mind :-)

2. All of my classes lined up so that I can finish my schoolwork in April!

3. God has been making things clear about what I should do for at least a year after I graduate, and has been opening the doors for that to happen!

Yes, He is good :-)

~Mac

losing things...

So the title doesn't really make sense, but I was never a good title-maker...

I don't lose things that frequently... ok, maybe that's a little too relative, but I don't lose things as often as the other females in my family :P .

However, if I do lose something... here comes "terrific" (as in terrifying) frenzy.

I look EVERYWHERE for that one object... notebook, nail clipper, guitar pick, special eraser, ... occasionally my cellphone or permit, etc., whatever.  It's awful.  I look in every place possible... even the places impossible.  At least, that's what it feels like.  And it often happens when I most need it (of course, that's because you only find out when you need it).

And I've noticed, my problem with losing the object wasn't as big a deal as getting upset about HOW it got lost.  I would always try to figure out who was the culprit of misplacing my necessity, why did they misplace it, and of course, where did they misplace it.  Sometimes, I made the mistake and sometimes others and sometimes no reason could be found for its disappearance or misplacement.  Regardless, I got upset.

Honestly and shamefully, I confess I showed my frustration in an un-Christ-like manner.  In fact, it has happened soo many times, I got fed up with myself.  It's obnoxious to both me and those around me. I wondered how in the world I was going to stop sinning in this area.  Kind of hard when I can't force myself not to lose things.

*ding ding* Why not just ask God to help me find my things?  He never said we couldn't do that!  It would save both me, the innocent bystanders, AND God, the aggravating grief.  

And what do you know?  When I started asking God to help me, HE ANSWERED.  That's not to say, I sat back and waited for my lost things to come floating into my hands, "Ooo, thanks God, that was easy."  No, I still did my part, but calmly asked Him before I started searching, "God, please Please PLEASE, help me find ----. I need it pretty soon but I have no idea where it is.  I'm sorry if I misplaced it and I'm sorry I wasn't more careful, but please help me!"  And I knew I would find it.

Sometimes, within 5 minutes I will find that "thing".  It's amazing, I didn't even have to ask every single person in the house if they had seen it.  Nope, God knew where it was and helped me find it. It saves time and effort.  Other times, I realize in a couple minutes, "Ok, this isn't working, but I don't have to worry.  I'll find it later."  And on my next attempt, I will find it in <30 seconds, or even maybe "chance" upon finding it.  It's so amazing, it's weird.

It's mind-blowing to think, "Wow - God just stooped down to help me find my guitar pick... the little plastic chip no bigger than a memory card... why in the world did You do that, God?"  Why? Because He is faithful to His promises.  He will never back down on His Word:

Mark 11:24 (ESV)
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

Soli Deo Gloria,
~CJ

Fridays.

Every Friday, and often Thursday night as well, both my parents and my only older sibling are gone. This leaves me "in charge" of my grandma who has Alzheimer's, and my three younger siblings. I have sort of come to dread this day as it can be rather stressful and hectic.

I told this to Miss CJ, who greatly encouraged me and offered to pray for me.

Guess what..? This Friday has been the best yet! It's my little brother's birthday, so I made a cake for the party tomorrow. And by God's grace and through Him alone, I didn't get frustrated with my grandma at all. :) Which... if you've ever helped someone with Alzheimer's... it takes a ton of patience. ;)

On top of that, my little siblings had bunches of fun watching a military exercise that had helicopters flying very low right over our house, and dropping men who parachuted into the lake across the street. This went on for several hours, with two copters containing 6 parachuters each coming and dropping about every ten minutes. So that added a special fun twist to the day which kept my siblings occupied and happy... when they weren't decorating the house with paper snowflakes and snowmen cut out from Christmas wrapping paper. :D (I'll let you guess whose idea that was)

Anyways, I am ever so thankful to God for answering my prayers and giving me a happy day. ;)