Hello, again.

Hello, dear Friends.
I am restarting my blogspot. I have much to say since we have experienced much since my last post on February 9. It seems like aeons ago. I will be posting some thoughts on Monday...seems like a good time to start new things...blogs, diets, projects...

It's been a long time!

My last post was in February. A lot of water has gone over the proverbial dam since then. I have had major surgery. I had my right hip replaced in May. Between Ben's hospitalization in February and his last in July we were in the hospital 8 times for his heart. On August 2, Ben was placed in hospice (at home). The doctor said that he had about six months to live, but because there was so much love in the home, he could live longer. We are okay, mainly because of our faith and trust in the Lord and because my sister, Moneita, moved in with us. She has been our angel. I could not keep him at home without her being with us. I hope to be regular in posting to this site. Please join me in conversation again. Peace to you and yours.

Need to take a hiatus

This will be my last entry for a while. My husband, Ben, has been sick for several days and is now in the hospital for congestive heart failure. On Thursday he will be moved to St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta to have a device placed on his heart called an LVAD "left ventricular assist device." This device helps the heart beat more efficiently. We do not know much about the surgery regarding how long he will be in the hospital or what to expect about his recovery. Rather than feeling guilty for not writing my blog, I have decided to take a rest from posting.

We ask for your prayers during this time of our lives. I have finished with chemo (Thank the Lord) and will have a PET scan next Thursday and have my port taken out shortly after that. I am depending on the kindness of my darling family to help me through this time in our lives.

Love and joy to all of you. Goodbye for now. Carla

Been Missin' Me??

Nah! You probably don't know that I've been gone, but only for a week and a day. The new semester started and I've been grading papers and doing "school stuff." I am working on an idea though that I found in Scripture; it's "don't take the road to Egypt." Stand by for that idea in a couple of days. Meanwhile, may love and joy come to you and yours! Happy Birthday to me in two minutes!! Yea!!!!When I grow up I wanna be an old woman!!!! Love ya, friends.

Alpha and Omega

Hello Friends,
Today was my third "LAST" chemo day. I was somewhat disappointed that I didn't actually get to have my chemo because my white blood cell count was so low they couldn't give it to me. (I felt like today I "deserved" it, somehow!) I bought a butter cream icing cake from Publix. If you've never had a butter cream icing cake from publix, you don't know what you are missing!
I view today as the day to start over. It is the "Alpha" day. I will have monthly blood labs for a while starting on Feb 8 and shortly after that probably a PT Scan.
Having had three of these Alpha days, I am familiar with what they mean. Now that I am off chemo, my hair will start to come back in. Every woman I know had her hair to come back curly and darker. HMMmmm...Not me. Straight and gray (make that SILVER!) Two times so far no surprises. I figure that the only way to have curly hair of a different color is to do what I been doing off and on since January, 2005--wear wigs!
I am trusting in the blood of Jesus to keep me healed. He is, after all, my Alpha and Omega. He gets things started and one fine day, He will be the Omega, the one in whom the end of time is found. He will forever be the bright, morning star, and our eternal Saviour.
Pray for me that my body is totally and completely healed of cancer. No more, Lord, no more! Thank you, Jesus.

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

My husband is a Gideon. I used to be a member of the Auxiliary, but no longer am eligible as I am an ordained minister with my church. As you know the Gideons distribute Bibles into hotels, motels, schools, military induction centers, and many other places. The women, the "Auxiliary," have their own places to distribute God's Word. One of those places is at Nurses' conventions. Several years ago I "worked" a Nurses' convention in Atlanta. Our booth was at a strategic location so I got to speak to almost every nurse who came into the exhibit hall. Many, if not all of the nurses, took the New Testament that I offered to them.

One woman, that I remember so well, stopped at the booth out of curiousity just to see what I was giving away. I told her who I was and who I was representing. I offered her a New Testament. She said, no, that she was Jewish and did not read the New Testament. I told her that I understood and that while I knew that she did not read the New Testament I worshipped the same God that she did. She agreed that, indeed, we did. I suggested that although she might not "need" the New Testament, she might have a patient that would like to have a copy and that it would be okay for her to give it away.

And with that, this precious Jewish nurse reached out and into her hand, I placed the story of the greatest Man who every lived: Jesus, the Messiah, Yeshua ha Mechia!
I planted, someone else watered, and He gave the harvest. What an honor to give the story of Jesus to a Jew!

I'm Baaaaacccckkkk!

Hmmm...I've used this title once before, it seems. My computer guru fixed me up. $200 later, removal of 2 or 3 viruses, Norton's installed and a long weekend without my "Running Bear." We name our computers, you see. Ben's is Daddy Bear, my pc is Mama Bear, Ben's laptop is Baby Bear and my laptop is Running Bear. I am not sure what we would name a 5th computer. mayby "Barely There." (It's a joke, folks!)
Why in the world do we need four computers?? I "need" my laptop so that I can work from my bedroom when I am recovering from my chemos. I have really used this thing since my surgery in August. I rarely used it before. I have thanked my sweet husband many times for getting it for me at least two (maybe three)years ago. Ben's laptop is out on loan right now.

On another topic, I started my last round of chemo today. I had a wonderful converstion with Rosylyn, a hospital chaplain. St Joseph's is a Catholic hospital, so I think she may be Catholic. She asked me if I were Catholic. I told her no and gave her several mouths full of Pentecostal theology!! I'll do chemo tomorrow and then the last one next Tuesday. Rejoice with me that another leg of my journey is over. I can't wait to see what God has for me next. (Please, God, let's not do the cancer thing again. I think that 3 is the number of perfection. I hope that it's the number of completion...but I don't think it is!)

Pray with me that this "Living in Laodicea" phase of our church will soon pass. I am hungry for more of Him. We do have a wonderful church with a fantastic pastor. We have "liberty" in our worship, but I sense a complacency coming over us...I do not want to be complacent. I want to be on fire for the Lord! And follow His great commandment. Enter into a prayer with me that God "shows up" and that the Holy Ghost will be manifested in such a great way that we fall on our faces before Him.

SO BE IT!

My Apologies

I signed up for a game site which, apparently, underlines words in my blogs. I am going to get the site removed--my guru will surely help me!! Meanwhile ignore the underlined words in my stories; I am not in control. Some little green man has taken over my blog! da da da da

7.0

We need to pray for Haiti. This terrible earthquake has decimated the country especially in the area around Port-Au-Prince. The average income is $2. a day. I am sure that we will hear much more about the devastation. Perhaps your church will participate in offerings for the rescue work there.
God, Our Father, our Help from ages past, our Hope for years to come. Right now there are thousands of our brothers and sisters that need Your help. Be with those who are hurting, who are lost and afraid in Haiti. Be with those who are coming to their rescue. Provide through us your wealthy ones in America the finances that are needed to assist those in desperate need in Haiti.

God in Skin

Wherever we go, He goes too. How can we separate who we are from who He is if He is in us? How can we be divided if our identity is in Him? Because He is in me, I literally stand for Him as He stands up in me. I was in the chemo lab today for blood tests (which, BTW, were very good this week--thank you, Jesus!) and I felt the need to "pray over" everyone there. I got up and went for a cup of coffee which was on one end of the lab and then went to the other end to check out the paperbook books. I went praying as I was walking. I don't know who needed the covering, but someone did and I needed to be God in skin for that moment.

Listen to the Spirit as He speaks. Sometimes it is quiet moments, sometimes, when He really needs to get your attention, He might shout. I really prefer the gentle, quiet whispers. Are you listening?

The Invincible Shield

Recently I bought a "Jerusalem Bible" which contains some books that the modern versions do not contain. One of those books is the book of Wisdom. In the book of Wisdom, Chapter 5, verses 18,19, we find these words: "...He will take up invincible holiness for a shield." Then verse 15 says that "the upright will live forever." Taking those two verses together and applying them to my life means that while I am here in these bones and this flesh, I can count on HIS holiness as my shield to defend me and because He is holy and has made me a partaker in His holiness, under the banner of that verse, I will never die. My soul will live on forever with Him because of His grace and mercy.
Chapter 19, v. 22, says, "Yes, Lord, in every way, You have made your people great and glorious; You have never failed to help them at any time and any place." What a joy it is to know that we can depend on the One who never fails, the One who shields us with His holiness and the One who gives us eternal life.
Be encouraged today with these words and realize that He cares, He knows, and He provides--the great things as well as the small things. (I have been known to pray for parking places close to the entrance to Macy's!!!)

Under the Influence

When I go to the dentist, I look forward to the nitrous! (My son goes early so he can have an extra half hour of the high it gives. I guess that's better than the alternative.) When under the influence of the gas, I usually get great spiritual insights that I share with my dentist. He thinks it's funny, but I think that it's profound. I am actually disappointed if I don't get some kind of vision. One time I saw the plan of salvation in what Dr. Chris was doing to me. First he removed the old filling (the "flesh"), cleaned the tooth (sanctification), then put a beautiful new "gold" cap on it (the Holy Spirit!). I thought that this was a brilliant revelation, but, as I said, Dr. Chris just laughed at me and took my money. Meanwhile I have a new gold cap (don't worry, it doesn't show!) and a great little story to share. May all of your dentist's visits be as much fun as mine!!

Shalom, Ya'll!

I have just come home from Wednesday night church. We started new classes tonight: "Experiencing Prayer," "Parenting 101," "John 1,2,3," and "Beginning Hebrew." We have the privilege of having a Messianic Rabbi and his wife attending our church. He taught "Our Hebrew Roots" last semester which was, surprisingly, well-attended. I say "surprisingly" because it surprised me that so many would be interested in attending such a "nonPentecostal" class taught by a Jew whom they did not know. Well!!! surprise of surprises!!! There were 21 crowded in our conference room tonight to start the journey learning a little Hebrew. Dr. Nudleman is very sure that God and the angels speak Hebrew. It's his contention that the human race all spoke Hebrew until the tower of Babel incident. Me? I'm not so sure about that, but I think that it will be an interesting journey. He did reveal to us tonight the "real" name of God but we can't tell any other Jews that he told us! They wouldn't like that! Meanwhile, let me encourage you in the spirit of the evening to " pray for the peace of Jerusalem." Shalom, Ya'll!!

Safe and Sacred

I go to St. Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta for my chemotherapy. St. Joseph's is a Catholic hospital so the "trappings" of a Christian perspective are all around the buildings and campus. There's the creche just inside the entrance; there are crucifix on walls in offices and statues of saints (probably Joseph) in the lobbies.

At 9:00 most mornings there are prayers over the intercom. Last Tuesday morning, although the nurse was dealing with a patient right next to me so hearing the prayer was a bit difficult, I heard part of the prayer. The voice said, "God, you are our safe and sacred space." Oh! What a comfort to know that this is exactly what God is: He is where we can go when we DON'T feel safe. There are times when life overwhelms us that we need Him to be the Holy One to whom we can turn.

As this new year opens, I pray that He will be your safe and sacred space and that you run to Him and let Him embrace you in His love.