Letter to Prayers September 29, 2010

Driving to Cullman, Alabama yesterday to the Doctor I prayed knowing others were praying with me.

At one point my friend said, “are you praying for me?” I didn’t say anything. Because, at that point I wasn’t praying or trusting, I was fretting. Yep, fretting. Who would think I could fret?

Why in this world I feel the need to fret after I have prayed I do not know. He has heard me, and He has always been faithful to answer.

I knew others were lifting us up in prayer, my precious nephew, my best friends Shelaine, Valerie, my sweet Aunt and Uncle, our church, and my incredible prayer warriors the Sonrise Writers.

I think Jesus shakes His head and maybe it hurts Him when I fret and don’t let go or something after I have given it to Him. But, His awesome grace truly is sufficient and amazing.

Yesterday He answered in a mighty precious way.

My prayer has been specifically that the doctor would be understanding and compassionate and my friend and I would feel comfortable with him. I’ve have had terrible experiences with doctors who were not understanding or compassionate. Oh, how I did not want to go through that again. 

We walked into the office waiting room, Alabama Crimson Tide Central. Daniel Moore Crimson Tide Prints on the walls of the waiting room, very elegant colors and furnishings. A Kenny Stabler number 12 Jersey signed and framed as well.!! Talk about right up my alley, as a lifelong Alabama Crimson Tide fan. I liked the doctor already.

The nurses were very nice however we did have to wait a long time. About an hour. We struck up conversations with the others in the waiting room. I checked my email and sent one to my Writer’s Group just to make sure they were there praying. They were.

Finally, the nurse called us back into an exam room. Soon the door opened and there stood a handsome man, about our age, with a big smile, big cowboys boots, jeans and a crimson and white checked shirt. He had the sweetest countenance. We talked about Alabama Football then he listened, examined my friend, explained what we had to do next and then shook our hands and said he would see us soon.

My friend will have to have an MRI now. The Xrays show he has a deteriorated disc in his lumbar spine, and multiple bone spurs. After we get the MRI we will know if surgery is an option.

He does not do well with MRIs so the doctor called and made sure the MRI team knew his anxiety over the test, gave us some premed to take and made sure they would let me go in with him. I heard him ask the MRI tech to talk to him during the test, make sure he knows how long it has been and when it will be over. His nurses will schedule it and call to tell us when.

We were so relieved. I know my friend was relieved because he was his old silly self, pooting on the elevator thinking it was funny. No one else was on there thank goodness.  We laughed anyway, a very expression of total relief. 

I opened the sunroof in the car and we rolled down the windows on a beautiful fall afternoon. He took my hand smiling and said, “God has given us a beautiful day…..now let’s go eat.” The short statement said everything.

We ate at Cracker Barrel. Well, he ate, I picked at mine but mostly I shopped. For the first time since my parents went to heaven I didn’t cry because they weren’t here to care that we were out of the doctor’s office. I didn’t cry because I didn’t have anyone to call. I realized, right this moment, I have Jesus Who does care. He has blessed me with close friends, some caring family members, an awesome church family, and my sisters at SonRise Writers.

My job is to trust Him more and learn how to stop fretting!! Even if horrible bad news comes I know He will not leave me or forsake me. He will not abandon me, and He will give me people who truly care. Oh, I thank Him for that.

Doctor Disrupted August 21, 2010

Doctor Disrupted

By Angela Posey-Arnold RN BSN

Making rounds on my first full day as Director of Nursing in Long Term Care one resident I talked with asked me if I was the Doctor. I told her “no mam, I am the Director of Nursing.”

She said very honestly in a clear frame of mind, “Well I was wondering, I have been here for twenty years and I haven’t seen a Doctor yet.”

That was my first clue that we had a problem.

Working in a 103 bed Long Term Care facility was all new to me. I had no idea of the massive world of the Long Term Care industry but I had a feeling I was about to learn. The prior DON had taken all the books, records and files from the office. I did not even have a job description. I was literally flying by the seat of my scrub pants.

I did not know any Federal or State Regulations, yet. But I did know good nursing and that is what I had to guide me.

I quickly discovered that the Medical Director, Dr. Nix, actually opened the facility years ago and owned it for many years. He  sold it five years before but remained as the Medical Director. The new management company had no idea of the medical direction he actually provided.

I had a jewel of an LPN in Margaret. She started at the facility ten years earlier as a CNA, worked her way up to LPN and was now in Nursing Administration. I knew early on that she was the best right hand I could have hoped for. She told me the DON had always met the Medical Director when he came on Fridays and she would be with me the first time to show me the ropes.

I was prepared to make rounds with him. When he came in he went directly to the Nursing Administration office where an entire rack of charts had been rolled in for him. He sat down, and proceeded to sign everything that had been flagged for him to sign. He never read one word of what he was signing. It took him one hour. When he finished blindly signing everything, he asked if anyone was sick. Margaret reported those that needed attention. He ordered meds and left. He never saw the first patient.

I thought-‘ok, this if ok—he knows all these patients and he will see them next Friday’.

Next Friday came and he did the exact same thing. The next Friday came and I had four patients that I insisted he examine. I went with him. He walked in the room, looked at the patient—I mean he actually just looked, wrote some scribble in the chart and left. He was obviously incredibly irritated at me for making him see a patient.

I definitely had a problem. We had Medicare Part A patients fresh from the hospital; they needed to be seen by a Doctor. I had only been there three weeks when the State Surveyors showed up. I had no idea who they were or why they were there. But I could tell by the panic on the Administrators face this was serious.

Sometimes blessings come in disguise. Sometimes the look like state surveyors. As a result of a horrible survey they gave the facility thirty five days to “clean it up” or they would be back to shut the doors. This seems ominous enough but it was a blessing, it started the change ball rolling.

 I knew there were some terrible problems and I was doing all I could to change them, but night after sleepless night I knew I could not do this alone. The Administrator stayed in his office all day and the nurses had been without leadership for so long they were flying by the seat of their scrub britches, too. Doing things the way they had “always been done” which clearly was not working. Many were not willing to change. The Surveyors did me a huge favor—they got some attention and some action! I was only too happy to oblige them. I wanted the same things that they did—better care.

Corporate came flying in with all their weaponry like the calvary. I had a great clinical director and a wonderful teacher as a nurse consultant. Help had arrived and I felt relief.

The Administrator was history and they hired a new one. The new Administrator and I spent five minutes together and knew we were going to change this facility together, beginning with the Medical Director. The problem was finding a new one before we fired the old one.

Amazingly enough I had a sinus infection and went to see my Doctor. While he looked in my ears, I had a thought, Dr. Mack! He would make a great Medical Director. He was kind and jolly smart and attentive. And he had been a nurse before he was a Doctor. He had the compassion and insight of a nurse and the authority and skill of a Doctor. He was the perfect candidate. Without even discussing it with my Administrator I talked to Dr. Mack about it. He seemed interested.

Within a few days to my happiness he was sitting in the Administrators office ready to take the job. He was hired. Then it dawned on me, somebody had to fire Dr. Nix.

Dr. Nix had been the Medical Director for twenty five years. There were two other sister facilities in that county and he was the Medical Director for all of them. He had been a Doctor in that county for thirty years. Even so, he had to go. These patients deserved a Doctor and I had to have a Medical Director that actually directed medically.

My Administrator decided, to my relief, that it was her job to break the news to him. Thank God. I was free and clear or so I thought. We waited until his normal visit day on Friday. When he came in there were no charts lined up for him and he was asked by Margaret to go to the Administrators office. He rarely spoke to my Administrator or me. I think we scared him.

She shared the results of the state survey with him. He had gotten a deficiency from them. The facilty had defieciencies because of him. That helped. Then she told him that we were going to have to make a change and that he was being replaced. The words had to come out somehow, so she just told him, professionally and bluntly. They worked out the details of the transfer of his patients to the new Medical Director and he left her office.

 Unfortunately he came directly to mine. He walked in, closed the door, and chewed me up one side and down the other. He was mad. Really mad and he blamed me for it. He threw a chart on my desk and left. He didn’t eat me. And it really didn’t hurt so badly either.

We had a reception welcoming our new Medical Director. He set aside one entire day a week to come to the facility. He actually came in, made rounds, examined patients, and really cared about their well being. I could call him anytime I needed to and he wouldn’t yell at me. We made things as easy on him as we could and worked together to turn the facility around into one with thirty five Level A deficiencies to a model facility that provided a high quality of care and life. When the surveyors returned, ready to close the doors, they were pleasantly surprised at what the team had done in only thirty five days. They said they could tell the difference when they walked in the door.

Of course they kept a close eye on us to make sure we were serious about providing quality care. We worked really hard, the staff worked really hard, and in three years we had a survey that was very close to being deficiency free. For some reason they just could not bring themselves to let us be deficiency free. They got under the dumpsters out back and wrote us up because our dumpsters were dirty.

Our Medical Director was the best the facility had ever seen. He really loved and cared for the residents and their families. They looked forward to him coming and they felt better cared for. It wasn’t about money to him. It wasn’t a burden to him. We actually talked him into playing Santa Claus at Christmas. He loved it. We loved it and our residents thrived. They thought he was the best Doctor this side of Heaven. Personally and professionally, I did too.

© 2008 Angela Posey-Arnold RN BSN

gracenotes@hughes.net

www.angelaposeyarnold.com

Born Again February 23, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aley9_d8vrE

Third Day Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aley9_d8vrE

Born Again by Third Day

My sister in Christ and fellow Sonrise writer member, Cheryl, has a picture of herself coming up out of the water while being baptised. The look of joy, pure joy, reflects the light of Jesus in her face. I love looking at the picture. I can only imagine a picture of myself being baptised. It is one in my mind’s eye.

At the age of twelve I knew Jesus. I actually do not ever remember not knowing Him. In my baby book my momma wrote, “Angela loves to hear stories about Jesus”. How did she know that? Because she read them to me, told them to me, showed me pictures of Jesus and how He loved the little children. As much as I loved the stories of Him then I so much more love them now.

It is amazing how I can read a parable I have known all my life and see something new and different each and every time. It is like God allows my mind to expand, taking in more of Him, each time. Scripture that applied to me at the age of twelve apply to me now at the age of fifty.

This video from Third Day inspired my heart. Seeing the look on the faces of those baptised, washed in the blood of the Lamb of God, I see joy. Glorious joy!! All the gifts of the spirit flood their souls and shine from their faces. Peace, Joy, and love wash over them in a way unlike any other. Each one walking away a new creation, a child of God, born again to begin the journey with Jesus.

Along this journey there are time when we begin to feel dry, all we have to do is go back to the living water!! Go back to where we started and be refreshed.

I hope this video and the words to this amazing song will permeate your soul to act. To be doers of the Word. your life will never be the same. There is Power in the Blood of Jesus. During this season of Lent, leading up to Easter, think on the life of Jesus and what He and only He could do for you. Thank Him, Praise Him and most of all love Him.

Fireplace Remembrances January 4, 2010

Fireplace Remembrances

By Angela Posey-Arnold

The front door of our home opens into the great room. Enter the room and your eyes are drawn to the large fireplace which spans three quarters of the far wall. The chimney extends twenty two feet to the atrium of the ceiling. Like a magnet it draws people to it.

Not only does the fireplace provide warmth in the winter it is a gathering place for family pictures and visits. The wide hearth serves as seating for long talks with friends and family. The mantle, made of six inch Cedar holds memories even in the wood. Keith’s Dad made the mantle and gave it to us. Papa Ray went to heaven in 1999 knowing one day we would have a fireplace to use the mantle on.

2003 brought the reality of building the log home we have always dreamed of. Before we got married we began collecting items in anticipation of using them in our “log home, someday”.

Our first home was in a neighborhood subdivision. We dearly loved our neighbors. One neighbor was the fire chief and when homes burnt and declared total losses the firemen could bid on the clean up jobs. Our neighbor gave us two decorative bricks which survived a fire that destroyed a historic landmark in the city. The decorative pattern in the brick scrolls into two crosses in the middle of each one.

We saved the bricks for years, moved them from place to place and using them as bookends until we had a fireplace to place them in. Carefully we picked out the right spot on the new fireplace and the Masonry worker placed them where we chose. They now serve as a reminder of the love we had with our neighbors for eleven years.

With the mortar still wet my parents brought a Navajo Minister friend to visit us. He came to bless our new home. He asked if we had any anointing oil. We didn’t but he said any oil would do. I found a small glass bottle of oil that came with my Great Uncle’s shaving kit.

My great Uncle Millard was an extra grandfather for me. He passed away a few years before and I kept all his things, passed down to me, the things no one else really wanted and things that were of no material value. Not to anyone but me. The box of his things happened to be in the middle of the great room as we were moving into the house.

Brother Fred Yazzie said the oil would be perfect. As we held hands and he prayed blessing for our home and us. He took the oil and anointed our home by placing a drop on one rock above the fireplace. I know the exact place he touched and set the little bottle of oil on the protruding sand stone where it remains to this day serving as a reminder of how God has blessed us and kept us over the years. Also reminding me of the love of my Great Uncle Millard and how he would laugh that I kept and used the oil in such a way. He loved to laugh.

Displays on the mantle are all special remembrances for Keith and me. A mixture of my family and his, and the home we have built together. We have a candle stick we found while planting flowers when we first moved to this land. There is an American Flag used to drape the coffin of Keith’s Daddy. A special flag, it is folded into a triangle and displayed in a triangle wood box crafted by our nephew who now serves in the Navy.

Next to the flag is an antique picture of Jesus looking over the city of Jerusalem. It belonged to my paternal Grandmother and always hung prominently in their home. I have always known this picture of Jesus wondering as a child why He looked so sad, understanding as an adult the sadness He felt.

Next to the picture is a beautiful large cedar cross on a stand. My Daddy made it for us from last year’s Christmas tree cut from our land. The heart and love that made the cross is a reminder to me of how blessed I am to have a loving Christian Daddy, the best Daddy ever, really he is.

Behind and the cross is an antique piece of scrolled ornamental ironwork which Keith and I found in an antique shop close to Memphis, Tennessee. In front of the ironwork is a rock, just a plain ole’ flat sandstone rock, not worth a penny to anyone but us. The year we got married I painted it blue and hand lettered in white three words, “Home Sweet Home”. 

Ending the parade of precious memories is a framed set of United States Quarters of all the fifty states. Daddy, Keith and I collected these together. Daddy making sure we had the states we could not find.

Hanging under the mantle is a wire sculpted scorpion constructed out of welding wire and made by a fellow pipe welder who worked with Keith for the 22 years he worked as a pipe welder before he retired.

And last but not the least is an antique match striker ornate and inscribed, “1833 New Orleans” Momma gave it to me and it was given to her by our Aunt Clema who admitted to “borrowing” it from the first apartment she and Uncle Larry lived in when they got married in New Orleans. It serves as a reminder to me of all the Christmases as a child spent with them. How precious the memories of those by gone days.

All these things remind me of the loving caring relatives who loved me and wait now in heaven to be reunited someday. Reminders of those who loved us enough to raise us in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. How incredibly thankful I am.

A simple fireplace, a mantle, displays the stories of our life, remembrances of our love and the love of family and for our Savior. Memories of the past and hope of the future surround the fire, warming our home and our hearts, everyday.

©2010 Angela Posey-Arnold

A Letter to You from Your Guardian Angel July 23, 2009

A Love Letter

By Angela Posey-Arnold

Greetings to you, my charge, in the name of The Lord our God and Creator Who lovingly assigned me to you. There are just a few things we need to clear up. I suppose it is odd for you to get a letter from me, your Guardian Angel, but I can’t wait any longer to serve this message to you.

I bring glorious good tidings of great joy. It is in my job description. I know you can’t see me but you know I am there. Remember just last week you felt my presence? Yes, that was me, sent by God to comfort and protect you. I am always with you. Possibly you know my work.

I want you to know that I am not in the little golden pin you see on lapels throughout your culture. I am surely not a trumpet toting porcelain figurine on the coffee table.  

I am a messenger and a protector for you. Everything I do is by command of God. I am very old according to your standards and I have been there with you through every trail and every joy. I was there to hear your borning cry and I will be there the day you leave earth. I am fascinated with you.

Be confident of the daily care and protection I was created for. You are the reason God sent me. But, make no mistake about it; God is the One worthy of worship. It makes me very uncomfortable when humans set us angels higher than we should be. Your worship and all your love must remain with God lest you be deceived.

Sometimes I ponder as you go about your daily business if you really know me or what it is you think of me. So many years have rolled by and I am concerned that you truly must understand who I am and why God created me. I want you to know God’s truth about angels. God is sovereign, only Him do we worship. You worship Him and I worship Him. I want you to know me because I will be a part of your eternal environment.

I am eternal and I am always pointing you in the right direction-toward God. Remember how we sang when Jesus was born. We were pointing you to Him then.

As an angel I already know the fullness of heaven. Someday, my beloved, you will experience it with me. Angels do God’s perfect will and we do so gladly. You can find everything you need to know about me in God’s Holy Word. Don’t pray to me, pray to Him. And for heaven’s sake don’t set me up as an idol. Talk about uncomfortable—that really gets under my wings. I am just a ministering spirit sent to serve the redeemed.

Some humans see us from time to time and some do not. As wonderful as it would be to be visible in your presence God has given you something better. He has given you the greatest gift of all. His absolute presence through His Holy Spirit.

I am far more involved in your world than you realize. That is why I am writing this letter. I want you to know me and the amazing things God’s Word tells you about me and my kind. Reading and meditating on His Word will bring you closer to Him, and that is what I want for you. His Word has over 300 references to my kind. We know He loves us and created us for a very special purpose.

When you die you will not be an angel. You will still be the redeemed. You will have songs to sing that we can’t sing, but we rejoice with you. Some humans may criticize you for believing in me, but don’t let that worry you one bit. You are in better company than they are.

Oh, and don’t be like those Sadducees. They really were ‘sad you see’. We all know what happened to them and they did not believe in us. We watched as the apostles were brought before the no-such-thing-as-angels crowd. Those Sadducees spurned angels; they also dropped from history within a generation. The imprisoned apostles simply obeyed God’s message delivered by none other than yours truly. They changed history’s course forever.

I love Matthew 25:31 “when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him,” Actually, I can’t wait for this day and we are in constant preparation. You should be too.

In closing, my beloved, remember to worship and pray to God. Only the Creator is worthy of worship, not the created. Prepare for the coming again of your Savior Jesus Christ and listen to the Holy Spirit within you. I will be with you. I think you are wonderful.

Angel kisses from heaven,

Your Guardian Angel

The Hole in Your Soul June 24, 2009

Faith Fills the Hole in Our Soul

Hebrews 11:1 KJV Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1 KJV).

Have you ever read this chapter of Hebrews? I counted the word faith 24 times in this one chapter. Paul illustrates historical examples of how faith worked in the lives of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Faith brought down the walls of Jericho and closed the mouths of lions. Faith in Jehovah God can set you free. Faith can make you whole.

Faith works the same way today as it did in the days of Daniel. Can you imagine the faith of Shadrach, Meschak and Abednego? Three Hebrew children, who would not worship the King but held tight to their devotion to Jehovah, were cast into a fiery furnace. They were not burned. When we pray, we are demonstrating faith that God is there and that He hears our prayers.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for. Without faith what hope is there? Hope is the trust that God indeed loves us and answers our prayers. Without hope there is only doubt, fear and despondency. Consider those who are lost and outside of God’s protection. It is a dismal consideration. Without Jesus Christ there is only hopelessness. Some may put their trust and hope in other people or in money but a hope placed in these can only bring disappointment and grief. Men may disappoint and desert you, but God never will. He is always there. When we need Him He carries us when we can’t even walk. Sometimes, the things of this life are overwhelming. Without hope, faith and trust in Him, how can we possibly hope?

Faith is the knowledge that life on earth is not all there is. Faith is in knowing that beyond this life we have life eternal with God. I know people who believe that this life is all there is, that when we die, that is just the end. How sad it would be to go through everyday thinking that all we had to hope for is nothing. As Christians we have faith that one day we will be in heaven and abide with Him. Jesus is the only way to heaven. Do not be deceived. There is one and only one way to heaven and it is through Jesus Christ. John 3:16 is all you have to know to be saved. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son and whosoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

In this life on earth we have two choices. We can believe and be saved or we can reject Jesus and go to hell. It is that simple.

To have faith there must be belief. Unbelievers have no hope. Faith is so simple. God made His gospel so simple even little children can understand it. It doesn’t take great intellect to understand that God made us. He loves us and He wants to have a relationship with us. Some scholars have tried to disprove God’s Word. They have taken away their own hope. They try to reason too much about this simple story. By picking apart the Word of God they have made it hard. The brain God gave them has gotten in the way of being able to believe.

Humility and faith go hand in hand. There are times when nonbelievers think they have it all figured out and they feel they have out smarted God. This is a major stumbling block for them to believe. It blinds them to the simple faith that passes all understanding. We as humans are not meant to know everything. If God wanted us to know everything now He would have told us in His Word. What He did tell us is He loved us so much He sent His only Son to die for us. No one can disprove this no matter how hard they try.

All human beings have a big hole in their soul. People try to fill this hole with many things. Money, prestige, fame, fortune, drugs, alcohol, sex but they will always come up empty. The hole will still be there. The only thing that fits in the hole is God and his love for us.

Faith fills up the hole and makes us whole. Trying to fill this hole in our soul with anything but God is like trying to put a square peg into a round hole. Nothing will fit. Nothing will fill the hole except for the power and love of God. He created us with the hole in our soul. He created us to only be completely at peace when we fill the hole with His love.

What we know as Christians is we have the faith one great day every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Now there is something you can put your faith in. There is the hope that fills the hole in the soul. There is the answer.

Dear Lord Help us to demonstrate our faith in You so that others may believe. Help us to help the lost fill the holes in their souls with Your love. Thank you for Your Word and Your peace. We praise You and love you, let Your light so shine that others may see You in us everyday. In Your Holy Name I pray, Amen.

How do you fill the hole in your soul?
Does your faith shine so that others may see something in you that they desire?
How can we reach those who need Jesus the most?

©Angela Posey-Arnold 2008

4Him2U June 24, 2009

SonRise Writers group publishes a web mag every month. www.4Him2U.com is a source of encouragement and inspiration. Visit, stay a while or subscribe. You’ll be glad you did!!

A Child of the King June 24, 2009

A Child of the King

By Angela Posey-Arnold

See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for He allows us to be called His children—think of it—and we really are!……(1 John 3:1 The Living Bible)

I sit here this morning at my desk and look at a picture of myself and my husband made twelve years ago. I am amazed as I reflect upon all that has happened in our lives since then.

Recalling memories of the past, twelve years ago seems like another life time. Since that time we have been through an intensive and heart breaking court battle leaving part of our family in shambles. We survived a horrible wreck and its aftermath. Our family has experienced illnesses and betrayals that took their toll on us all. There has been heartbreak of family division and the sudden unexpected death of a dear friend.

As I reflect on the trials I realize after every trial came spiritual growth. After every pressing came blessing. Perseverance and faith in God’s promises rang true each and every time. He never let us down and our faith grew. We came through the storms and on the other side of the storm was a rainbow and sunny skies, every single time.

In the trials, in the suffering we saw miracles, one after another. Maybe we did not see the miracle at the time it was happening, but in reflecting the miracles are brought to light. It was a miracle just to have survived some of those things. I am not surprised that we were brought through each trial. Coming out on the other side of each trial brought us closer to God. He promised He would be with us. He was. He never moved. No matter what life has thrown at us—God has kept His promises.

With each trial we had the choice of whether to turn to Him and trust Him or tread water in a desperate attempt not to drown. Too many times I first chose to tread water, leaning on my own understanding and strength. It was a bad choice every time. The bad choices were nutrients to my growth as a Christian. Through trials and tears I learned to pray first. Always pray first.

While going through the extremely difficult court battle with my husband’s ex-wife I felt like I was under attack. She was relentless in her aggressions motivated only by greed and hate. I remember being on my knees in the bathroom of the court house praying for strength. Other than our pocket book being lighter for her efforts—we survived. We grew, learned and continued to love. God never put us down. He carried us right through it.

I am blessed with a family of missionaries. One year while they were on mission I found myself alone in the midst of a storm. Again I was on my knees in a bathroom. (My husband says I could probably find a more sanitary place to kneel and pray).

This time down on my knees in a hospital cardiac unit bathroom. My husband was having an emergency heart catheterization. I cried out to God again. He, so loving and kind, answered me. He strengthened me and carried me through to the other side of the storm. The doctor said that my husband had the cleanest pipes he had ever seen. The problem was misdiagnosed acid indigestion, Praise God.

Have you ever watched a father and a child? The father picks up the child; the little one starts to squirm and is ready to go again. The father keeps his watchful eye on the child because he knows even though he must let the child learn by his own mistakes, he will stumble and fall. The father knows he needs to be there to catch the baby.

It won’t be long until the child stumbles and the father is picking the child up again and again and again. God is like that with us. He picks us up and lifts us up when we choose to let Him. He allows us free will but He keeps a watchful eye on us knowing that we will learn from our mistakes, but we will stumble. And when we do He is there. He sees us stumble. He hears our prayers. He picks us up and dust us off and heads us in the right direction.

When life gets so heavy that we can’t move He is faithful. The miracle of it all is He is always there. Oh, I may loose sight of Him and try to fix everything on my own. He understands. I think He just shakes His head and says, “There she goes again.”

So when life throws me another curve what am I going to do? Am I going to hit my knees first and turn to Him or will I worry, fret and freak out until finally as a last resort I fall on my knees and pray?

I think I will look back on all the times His love has seen me through. I have learned. I hope next time, I will seek Him first. Next time I will rest in His arms and quit squirming so much. In doing so, the next 12 years will be so much better.

Thank You God for Your everlasting love. I know that I am just as a child, lost without You. I am so thankful for Your love. It is so awesome to know You are always there. Help me to always look to You first knowing Your love is there, all I have to do is reach up. Wonderful it is to know I am a child of the King!! Glory and praise to You. In Jesus Holy Name I pray. Amen.

©2008 Angela Posey-Arnold

Sweet Surprises and Little Pecan Pies February 5, 2009

This devotional is the last in the Lenten Book series. It has certainly been a joy and blessing for me to be able to edit testimonies written by my Mother, and two dear dear friends, and last but not least–my brother. Today’s message comes to us from the inspiration of Stan Posey, my brother, and Pastor of New Harmony United Methodist Church.

Sweet Surpise

 

Read Psalm 119

 

“How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”  Psalm 119:103 (NIV)

 

Those little pecan pies call to me from the check-out counter at convenience stores.  From my growing up years, I remember them as “Bama” brand pies; it’s hard to find those in north-central Florida.  But a reasonable substitute, homemade by different people, appear late fall in stores. Happily just before Christmas, one of those treats made by “Aaron” jumped into my hand when I stopped for a cup of coffee.

 

Climbing into my jeep and opening the pie as quickly as possible, I peeled off the plastic wrap and a small Christian tract dropped into my lap. “Aaron’s” had carefully folded the tract underneath the little aluminum pan.  Who knows how many others with a sweet tooth got tapped on the shoulder in the same way?  Aaron’s extra treat was a special blessing, all the sweeter in the surprise.

 

Aaron’s ministry is a reminder for us. We should always be sharing the Word of God, and always ready to hear it for ourselves in a new way.  The Word of God  refreshes us and strengthens us, with sweetness greater than any other treat – even a little pecan pie.

 

Lord, remind me my real hunger is for You.  Keep me open to Your Word, and always ready to savor its sweetness. Help us to bodly share Your Word in new and creative ways. In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

Prayer focus: Creative Ministries

 

Thought for the Day: Share God’s Word

 

Stan Posey

Live Oak, Florida

 

awesome–thanks Stan!!

Honey, I Did The Laundry November 11, 2008

 

“Honey, I Did the Laundry”

By Angela Posey-Arnold

Coming in from Church Choir practice tired with no voice left to speak actual words, Bear, my husband, met me at the front door. All smiles he said, “Guess what I did?”

I shrugged my shoulders gesturing, “I don’t know but I have a feeling you are going to tell me and it might not be as pretty as that smile you are wearing.”

“I washed the dishes and put them up. I washed three loads of laundry. And I mopped the floor.” He exclaimed with such pride I had to smile. I hugged him and thanked him.

“You are a good man, Bear. You are so good to me.” I said as I plopped down and took my shoes off.

Contented and assured that all was right in our little corner of the world; I went to sleep before my head hit the pillow.

Fired up from his evening of ‘honey do’ bliss he had some things on his mind before he went to sleep.

“Angie, are you asleep? Angie?” He gently said in the voice he calls a whisper. Bear don’t really have a whisper, so I heard him.

“No, I am awake, now. What is it?” I whispered.

“You need to put Clorox on the grocery list. Good night my love, now you go to sleep and get some rest.” He said.

Funny I didn’t feel sleepy anymore. I recalled buying a big bottle of Clorox recently. Panic flushed over me as I thought of all the clothes in the dirty laundry pile. Monday is my usual laundry day so everything we had worn for the last 6 days was in the pile. I got up out of bed and headed for the laundry room.

I opened the door to a usually very neat and tidy room. “OH MY GOODNESS!! What happened in here?”  

I have never really seen anything like it. It took me a few moments to evaluate the situation. It appeared much like an earthquake had occurred. Ah but nay, it was only the remaining debris from a ‘bull in the china shop’ situation. Or better yet, the ‘Bear in the laundry room’.

 His clothes hanging sideways on hangers my clothes folded in some odd fashion I have never seen before. My eyes focused quickly to my new, red fall sweater. There it was hanging on a wire hanger. Yes, it had been dried. Yes, my dog can wear it now.

Why he moved everything in the room, I have no idea. If only the dogs could talk and tell me what had happened in the laundry room. The washer was still on the spin cycle. The dryer running on the last fluff cycle, I was afraid to look in either one.

I made sure the dogs were okay. Both accounted for. The cats all outside and accounted for.

“Lord Jesus, help me not to scream. Help me to be gracious and loving. Help me not to say ugly things to my mother-in-law about the way she never taught him to do laundry. Give me strength Lord and help me to remember the proud smile on Bear’s face when he told me all he had done to help. Amen.” 

I decided if I wanted to sleep, I might should go ahead and take a quick peek in the washer. I carefully opened the lid and found old towels. Whew. What a blessing. Just old towels. With the strength of Solomon I opened the dryer. All seemed fine. All white things, socks, my favorite bra, and his white tee shirts.

 On top of the dryer I saw this huge pile of what appeared to be our nice set of lilac sheets. Wrinkled and crumpled but no real damage done I began folding them and lo and behold I found a pair of blue jeans still wet inside the wad of sheets.

With a deep breath and another small prayer I thanked Jesus the damage seemed minimal. “I’ll straighten all this out tomorrow.”

 With the determination of Scarlet O’Hara I thought ‘after all tomorrow is another day’.  I went to bed thankful for my Bear who did all this work, however scattered it appeared he did it because he loves me. Dreams were sweet.

With the breaking of dawn I woke up made coffee and thanked God for another day. An incredible sunrise slowly painted across the eastern sky as I retrieved a pair of my socks from the dryer. I put one on and my toe went through the end of the sock. The sock disintegrated before my eyes.

 With a little closer inspection I soon found out why we needed more Clorox.  I think he used the entire bottle of Clorox on the white clothes. Not really sure if he used water or not in that load. I got all the white clothes out of the dryer and discovered all the elastic in my bra had disappeared.

By the time Bear woke up I had gathered all the over bleached articles and thrown them away.

“Lord, help me to be gracious. I need new underwear and we both need new socks anyway.”

“Did you see all the laundry I did?” He said sipping his coffee.  Such a proud look on his face.

“I sure did. Ttttthhhaaannk you.” Whew I got it out. I even got it out with a smile. And I meant it. It didn’t matter about the clothes. What mattered was why he did it. He did it to make me happy. And it did. I lost a few clothes in the process but I gained more love, understanding and grace for the man I have shared my life with for twenty years.

“You’re welcome. I washed the dishes too you know?” He smiled, so oblivious to the disaster.

As I sat there eating some cereal and picking the dried oatmeal from the outside of the bowl, I said, “I know it, thank you. You are a good husband. Now, what are your plans for today? If you want to go to the hunting land you can, it is okay with me.”

“I believe I will. Thanks sweetheart.” He said as he donned his camo.

“You are so welcome, Bear. Have fun in the woods.”

I just hope the deer are not doing their laundry today.

Oh, and guess what he used to mop the floors? WD40. Yes, He read somewhere where WD40 would clean and preserve wood floors and make them shine, yet not be slick. He was right. It worked. They are so shiny and pretty.

So blessed. I am so blessed. We still have to have a talk about Clorox but other than that, we survived Bear doing laundry.

©2008 Bear’s Wife/www.angelaposeyarnold.com