The Month of Thanksgiving – 11

On this 11th day of the month of Thanksgiving I am thankful for my wife Madge.  She has loved me, stood by me through thick and thin, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health as she is an encouragement to me.

For over forty six years she has tolerated me when I was very unloving, or unkind to her. I love her more than my own life, and I thank our Creator for her every day.

Thankful from the banks of Flat Creek,

`tim

Well, It is Official Now

It is official now.  The national news media has proclaimed that over one half of the nation is in a drought.  That would include Missouri, Arkansas, and that includes my little ole place on Flat Creek.  There are many States which are suffering from drought, heat, and in the West there are fires.  In some places there are floods.

The thing is there is not a thing we can do about there being no rain.  All we can do is what we have always done; keep on keeping on.  We can also pray and ask God for mercy, and we could ask Him for rain to bring honor and glory to His name.

After all; which is more important: that we have rain, or that the name of the Lord be glorified?  Your answer to those questions will show the attitude of your heart.

All I ask is that you think about it for a while.

We are in a drought; there is no doubt in my mind about that.  We do need a good rain.  Maybe it is time to do some serious praying about our own condition.

-tim

Being blessed with more Rain

Today is the last day of Summer.  At least according to the calendar hanging on my wall.  Friday the 23rd is the first day of Autumn.  That seems to be a little later than usual to me.  It seems to usually fall on the 21st or so; but not in 2011 I guess.

It is raining again.  Thank the Lord of all grace and mercy and love.  It is wonderful how He loves us all.  It seems to me that rain is a reminder of His love, grace and mercy and our need.

It will not be long and we will all be longing for those warm, even hot Summer days; at least I know I will.  I must admit some of these past Summer days were extremely hot; but that is Summer.

It is great to be alive.  It is great to have family and friends whom I love and who loves me.  It is even greater still to know that there is a God in Heaven who also lives within me, because He loves me and cares for every need.  All because of the gift of His Son Jesus – His death on the cross, burial and resurrection; and knowing that one day soon He will return.  O,  What a day that will be…

Thanks for the rain.

-Tim

Writing a Journal

I guess this is my way of committing myself to doing it again.  Several years ago I committed to writing a journal and in the past five years or so I have wondered away from it. I think it had a dramatic impact on my walk with God, and that is one of the things I wrote in the journal this morning.

As of today, August 30, 2011 I am committing once again to keeping a daily journal of my daily walk, events and challenges of life.  There may be days I post some of it here; and other days I will not.  I will be writing the journal after I finish my daily reading of Scripture; and will be reflecting on the previous day, and thinking of, or planning the day ahead.

One thing I cannot get away from and that is that God is marvelous, gracious, and full of mercy.  I am very glad He is.

Thank the Creator for His blessings of wife, family, friends, and friends I have not met yet.

From the banks of Flat Creek.  I am…

-Tim

Matters of the Heart

When we hear the word “Heart” we think of the blood pump in each of our bodies, we think of a person’s character or life; we even think of spiritual matters, and hear phrases like “Give your heart to Christ”; and I have used that one a few times.  By that we mean, “Give of your whole being, and self to Christ; leaving nothing out.”

Well the heart is a major organ within our body, and it is amazing what doctors can do for our hearts in this day and time.  We need to realize though that doctors cannot heal; that there is only One Healer and His name is Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God.

The reason I bring this “Matters of the Heart” up is that my wife Madge and I have just recently had doctors work on our hearts.  Back on 2007 or ’08 my wife was diagnosed with an anyerism of her aorta in her heart.  It was not large enough for them to do surgery, so waited until it grew large enough to do it.  They did the surgery on September 21, 2010, and by the grace and healing power of God she came through it miraculously.

In February of this year (2011) I was scheduled for a stress test by my cardiologists order.  As far as I knew there was nothing wrong; had no chest pains, if I did too much at one time I needed to take a rest, thinking it was due to being physically out of shape.  The February appointment was postponed due to bad weather; until April 05.  I took the stress test and they found what they called “abnormalities” and wanted to do an angiogram.

On Monday April 18 I went in to the hospital for the angiogram, and they ended up putting four stents in me, and never finished; I was to return the following Monday (April 25) to get another stent for another artery of my heart. Due to these surgical procedures I spent a total of two nights in the hospital.

I am thankful to the Lord for His watch and care, and recovery of these things.  He is wonderful, powerful, and gracious and merciful.  To Him be all the praise.

I believe that I am feeling much better, though it is yet to be seen when I am able to get out and become more physically active again.

I appreciate all who have prayed for my wife and I, and thank you very much.  Where would we be without you all.  Thanks also to the great doctors and nurses who provided the physical care and knew how to use the technology available.

Thanks and praise be to the One who is Lord of all.

-Tim A. Blankenship