I composed this over a week ago, but it sat as a draft because another testimony needed to be added to this and you will find it at the end. Throughout this time span I have been burning my Hanukkah candles in my menorah each night and praying too. Last set of candles are all set for me to burn this evening. There is something beautiful about the glow of the flames coming forth from the candles, peace, peace and more peace.
I thought the words I received from Holy Spirit interpretation given to me from praying in tongues was marked from a prior event in my life. Not so much so I come to find out. Literally, a few hours after I published that blog entry, I received a phone call in regard to my mother. I am not sharing what it was about, but I knew what to do, what I am called to do best. A prayer of agreement with my sibling. I step aside and let Holy Spirit flow through me with the exact words He knows what will cover the situation placed before you. Guess what? I reached out to my spiritual mom in Ohio and asked her for prayer. As she prayed, I am noticing the majority of what she prayed was what I prayed with my sibling earlier that day. I shared that with her, and she responded that her praying was a confirmation of what I prayed.
I have things going on in my life right now that I seem to be leaning toward not going to Atlanta to see my mom next week. The original plan was she along with my 2 children were coming to TN for Christmas because of these things going on in my life that I was not going to go to Atlanta this year for Christmas. I did not ask anyone or solicit from them to come here instead. They chose to make that decision and then let me know. I have time to take off with pay and I was going to use that when they came for the visit. Things are looking like that plan is being altered a bit. One of my children will be going to Atlanta to see their Nana and the other one lives there. They are urging me to go to Altana, but I do not feel this unction at this time to go. I am not comfortable driving in my car for 4 hours there and back because of feeling cramped and aching after a long trip like that. Then I am not in my own bed, and I cannot soak in the tub also while there. I know what works for me in my own setting at home. My children are considering driving to TN to spend a few days near Christmas with me and I also told them my blessing was with them if they could not get to TN too, to do what they need to do.
I prepared food and it is in the freezer, and it is a bit too much for me to lug all that stuff with me to the car to then take to Atlanta. Have to load up my car with luggage, gifts, food, cookies I baked and have no one to help me with this. That puts strain on my physically and then have to get in the car and drive for 4 hours. A bit too much for me at this season in my life. I then have to have the gas money to get there and back home. I have to follow Holy Spirit in this because He sees the whole picture not just maybe a portion my children see. They said they do understand if I do not make the journey.
When I received the phone call the other day, I did what I do best, bake. That day I baked Reese peanut butter cup cookies, and another cookie recipe which you make a cocoa dough and wrap it around a Hershey's mint truffle candy and bake them. They sort of look like butterball cookies but with cocoa and no walnuts in them. I also made the cookie dough for butterball cookies and a cream cheese butter cookie with sprinkles. I baked them the next day. All baking is done now.
The other day it was exhausting with getting the phone calls and then updating people on the phone too. I was tired and just wanted to rest a bit that evening so I stumbled upon World Outreach Church Childrens Christmas program and found delight in viewing it. Amongst all of this I am working some overtime too. I have a pretty full plate so to speak and I have found God is faithful in all things He really is. Oh, on occasion my car fob does not turn over the engine to start the car, so I keep both sets of keys with me. I cannot be on the road away from home and get stranded because there really is no one to come and rescue me. When you are single you learn to adapt and do what is best for your life, you truly do.
There is one thing that stayed with me throughout the day. Go to my car and bring into my apartment the song by James W. Goll, "Miracle Hymn." It was like Holy Spirit was wooing me with that particular song to calm me down inside and release into the atmosphere the expectancy and anticipation of miracles. That is how it works with me. He nudges me and I then have to choose to follow through in His gentle nudges.
It was the other day I felt Holy Spirit wanted me to bless 2 children of one of the leasing staff in the office where I reside. I went in search of 2.00 bills at the bank and I was able to buy 4 of them. This is terrible, we are no longer in covid mode so why are there restrictions still in place and they blame it on covid. The bank used to be able to order 2.00 bills until covid changed all of that. So, it truly is a blessing when you can find some at a bank anymore. I knew where 2 were going but not the other two. Here is the testimony ... I am standing in line @ a Dollar Tree Store because one of my children likes pretzels, so I bought the bag of snack sized pretzels. I struck up a conversation with the young mom ahead of me in line and her young son, Josiah was such a delight. There was a display of reading glasses, and he was telling his mom a color of one of the glasses. I then said do you see the orange one, he pointed to it and a few more colors he also pointed to when I asked him if he saw that particular color, I asked him about. It was in that moment that Holy Spirit wanted me to ask if it was ok to give her son a 2.00 bill for snacks. When I pulled it out of my purse, she got tears in her eyes. She began to share how her Grannie gave the same to them and she was in heaven for about a year now and her birthday would have been on Christmas. She thanked me and I said thank Jesus it was a gift from Him not me. She carefully placed it in her wallet so as to not fold it. I am standing in line and somehow, I noticed 2 lines long with people behind us. Holy Spirit set up this event to witness to listening ears that Jesus does give gifts. I shared how my 93-year-old mother always did this for the grandchildren when they were young. We went about our day. Oh, I thought to myself while waiting to be next to check out I said to Josiah in the beginning the money was to get a snack. Oh my gosh, I had a pretzel snack in my hands. I asked his mom if it was ok to give him the snack, I mentioned to him. She said yes and I gave him a bag of the pretzels snack size. As we were in line, she also shared with me that when she was pregnant with him, and they were having an ultrasound his dad heard the words to name him Josiah. Don't tell me God does not speak still today because He does.
After that I dropped off 2 more of the 2.00 bills in the leasing office for her children. I don't do this without asking the parent first if it was ok with them. So, one more remains, and it is going to my mother in her Christmas card along with her Christmas gifts. My children when visiting with Nana did Face Time with me so I could see and talk to my mother. I shared the 2.00 bill stories with her because she was the one in our family that started the 2.00 legacy/tradition with the children in our family. That brought a smile to her face. My children will be coming to TN for a short visit with me. I baked early this morning pepperoni 3 cheese homemade bread, made sour cream french onion mixed with some ranch dry dip mix to make a chip dip for them. Tonight meatloaf (my sons request), tuna noodle casserole (my daughters request). I made a side of cornbread stuffing and will make roasted broccoli with lemon infused olive oil and seasonings and salad also. Christmas dinner will be stuffed cabbage, stuffed peppers and all the side dishes to go with that also. My son requested if I could make mish mosh one morning. I boil a few gold potatoes to chop them up and in butter along with bacon, sausage, I have some fresh spinach too and onion you then add eggs and of course cheese to finish it off. I told them I have pub style cheddar cheese with horseradish that might be a good choice to add as the cheese. I also thawed out some of my homemade Challah bread for them to enjoy too.
Of course, what mom doesn't get snacks to have on hand also and my baked cookies too. Even in the midst of what is going on with my mom she still requested I send with my son for her the 3 Sarma's I froze for her. Oh, there may have been adjustments to our original visit plans, but we will still go and see the Frank Lights in Franklin since I literally bought the ticket moments before I received the phone call about my mother. God is good all the time and ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD.
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