Blessings!

Another WOW day … amazing what God is doing!  First off, I start my day totally freaking out … I had gotten my first speeding ticket in 16 years last Nov. and the date was set for Feb. 4 to take care of it.  I went in on the 4^th and got one of my 2 objectives out of the way – that of getting rid of the 4 points they WERE going to put on my license.  They told me if I want the $256. reduced (there’s no way I have that much … we barely pay what bills we do have), that I needed to come in on March 6^th and talk to the judge.  I even had a note on my desk to remind myself … I looked at it during the day and knew I was to go in later in the day.  I THEN FORGOT!!!  Because I missed that, they called and told me I had to come in next Thursday without fail or I would be arrested!  I was totally freaking out.  I came back to my studio and taped that paper front and center on my store counter …. SOMEBODY CALL ME NEXT THURSDAY and remind me!!!  That was my first WOW for the day.

I then had one of my new friends come in to paint (she’s been coming in 3-4 x a week!).  She brought more gifts: hot chocolate, granola bars, and mixed nuts – my favorite!!  I told her how I thought about teaching English and talked to my husband about it, so I asked her what day would work for her – next Wednesday morning it is.  In the mean time, I’ll talk to the others who want to learn English and see what happens.  Anyway, so we sit down to paint and have a wonderful time, she did an awesome job with her painting of a yellow rose.  So as she’s finishing up, another lady and her daughter came in (they had so much fun last week, they plan on coming every week), bringing a huge storage bin full of art supplies (including paint!) … it was like Christmas, so many gifts in one day!  So we got started on a project at the same time I’m helping this other lady finish up.  So she leaves, and I continue working with the others, when 20 minutes later she comes in with a fried chicken basket for me!  I had been so busy and didn’t stop for lunch (it was almost 2 at this point) and she brought me lunch!  Not only that, she left $40 in the donation jar.  WOW!  I am so blown away by everything, not just the gifts, but the wonderful conversations we all get into.

sunsets around here are incredible ....

I got to thinking about the past few weeks, and actually, more was going on than I’ve already discussed … my step-dad died 2 weeks ago.  He and my mom were together for 50 years.  What was amazing is how it all came about.  Sometime in early Feb. he had gone to see his brother, whom he hadn’t seen in over 20 years due to a disagreement where my step-dad was at fault.  I guess this was really bothering him, since his brother is dying of cancer.  So he goes to see him and I guess my step-dad apologized for what had happened between them.  He then goes home and for the next 3 days refuses to eat or drink anything as well as refused to take the variety of medicines he was on.  Needless to say, there were physical effects, since he is 86 years old, and he had a couple of heart attacks in a row, ended up in intensive care and it was touch and go for a week or two.  At this point, my mom was calling me and asking me to come home to be with her during this time.   I couldn’t because I had no money (and neither did she) nor could I leave my shop for any length of time since it has been getting so busy lately.   I kept in constant contact and helped where I could via phone.   My mom and brother took him home, basically as they said, to die at home, which he did.  My brother held him those last 15 minutes of his life and they had a great and important goodbye.  What’s more, is that he has gone his entire life rejecting the ‘religion’ of his mother – she was a very devout, praying woman – saying he didn’t need that.  Over the years I or others would speak to him about this, but he always rejected it – until the very last!!  He finally said yes to Jesus about a week or so before he died!  What a blessing!   My older daughter did fly out there to be with her grandmother last weekend, so I’m glad for that.

Never give up praying for or speaking to those who are unsaved … God always accepts the repentant heart, even at the very end!