Saturday, August 26, 2017

Healthy, Prosperous, and Happy I think Not

I have been incredibly busy since March 6th.  Doctor appointments have become my middle name. And of all years for me to have decided to make each of my kids and grand babies handmade Christmas gifts.  I can’t wait to share the shark sleep sacks with y’all, that I’ve made for Logan and Carter. I may have a mermaid sleep sack for sale, because I found something sooooooo cute that goes better with the boy’s sharkies, for Aubrey.  So, look for a mermaid tail sleep sack that may be for sale before long. Unless I keep it for myself, lol. And quilt tops for all the others except Justin who is getting the softest blanket I can crochet. I have 3 tops done, 2 skeins of yarn in Justin’ blanket (Oh so soft), and the Grands nearly covered…lol…. I had intended to have all the quilt tops quilted but I may not make it. But I’m trying. But If there is an ice storm somewhere and we don’t have Christmas till March when Justin’s home. I may get-er-done.  And the kids know what their getting this isn’t a big secret. No way I could pull that off, it would have been nice, but I’m trying to keep how they look a secret. I will post them when they get them.
As we have made the Doctor merry go round in the last few weeks. Wednesday, I was confronted with a statement that I completely disagreed with. In fact, I was a little shocked at first and was tongue tied. (Yeah Lisa Freeman with nothing to say, a site to behold). I was talking with one of the office workers at one of the many appointments we had Wednesday. She was sharing how sick her sister was and how depressed she has gotten. We were just having a normal conversation, about such things. And I was sharing about my bouts of depression. Then I said “God would not have allowed me to have Myasthenia Gravis, if he didn’t have a purpose for it in my life. And I truly believe that. The only reason I’m chronically sick maybe to keep me on my knees and humble. Her eyes got big and she all but screamed at me that “God has no part of letting anything bad happen to us, he is a God that wants us Healthy, Prosperous and Happy. He never lets bad things happen.    I was speechless. So in her eyes does that make me and her sister horrible sinners because we aren’t healthy. I saw no sense in what she was saying. I just said well I think God helps us stay humble and in his will how he sees best. (with sickness for me). Now please correct me if I’m wrong and show me the scripture that says he only wants us to be Healthy, Prosperous and Happy.
And I will rethink my whole belief system. We live in a fallen creation. We are all sinners. I’m probably the biggest one. But I have my sin covered by the blood of Jesus.   In Job we are told,  Job 1 6  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
12 And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord.
Seems like a test of faith to me. His health, prosperity, and happiness was forsaken. Everything taken away. Job whined a lot but his faith in God staid true. I whine a lot, but my faith in God stays true.  Then there is Paul, who had a thorn in his flesh. The Bible doesn’t tell us what it was but it was bad enough that Paul ask God 3 times to remove it. God’s answer was “My grace is sufficient and my power is strong when you are weak”. Paul was put in prison, he endured things we probably can’t even dream of but his Faith stayed true. Not a very Healthy, Prosperous or Happy place. But he was content in whatever state he found himself. He had the JOY of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 12: 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Philippines 4: 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me
And then we come to Jesus. God’s only son. Did he suffer while on earth? In our earthly eyes, we would defiantly say yes. He didn’t have a home of his own, to lay his head. He was never sure where his next meal was coming from. He bore the ultimate sacrifice. He died on a cross for my sins and yours. He went to the garden to pray that this horrible thing might be taken from him if it was God’s will. If it was God’s will for Jesus to tortured, humiliated, nailed to a cross, die for my sins. And Jesus’s answer was “Forgive them they know what they do”. Then why should I think I’m any better than the Son of God. I’m not worthy to touch the hem of his garment.  Jesus told us in John 16:33 that we would have tribulations.


Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Matthew 26:36-42 (NIV)
36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
40 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

Luke 23:34New International Version (NIV)
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

I hope you don’t see this as gloom and doom. But the truth that as long as we live in a fallen sinful world life ain’t gonna be easy. What is easy, trusting God. Putting our faith in Jesus Christ our Savior. He never promised that I can find that the way would be easy, but he did promise never to leave us. So to state what I wanted to say to the Lady, my sick keeps me on my knees and I pray that it lets God’s light shine though my life and how I handle all the stuff that comes my way. And sometimes I do get depressed. I feel like that’s the devil whispering in my ear. And as for today I choose to find to Joy of Jesus living in my heart.  We are never going to have everything we want but if we have Jesus we have what we need. Love ya Lisa.