He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

He's Got the Whole World in His Hands

God showed up in amazing ways so far today…I decided yesterday that I needed to go to a quiet place to write if using my dictation software because the areas to sit at the nearest Starbuck’s have speakers that are directly above me (as if Dragon NaturallySpeaking doesn’t generate enough random words already…bwahahaha). Once I was able to leave I went to McAlister's Deli where I had recently purchased a large (vente size according to the Starbucks employee) plastic cup. This cup is good for free refills FOREVER! Even though I got the cup before I even realized that so many wonderful new types of tea besides the famous Southern tea were offered which is a huge plus for me as my taste buds like change. Anyway, writing at McAlister’s didn’t work so well either but that’s because writing at McAlister’s was according to MY plan. Leaving my house I prayed that God would use me however he could today and I had no expectations as to how he would use me.

I stopped by 10s to see the firefighters for a second just to say "hi" if their busy day hadn't started already (ha who am I kidding, firefighters are ALWAYS busy)! Even though I woke up thinking about stopping by McAlisert’s today I had left my wonderful new cup at home. Although I thought this was causing a delay, it was no delay according to God, His timing is PERFECT!.  When I made it to the Deli I got water (so I can keep a girlish figure for my sister’s wedding). Soon I realized that the purpose of buying the large, plastic McAlister’s cup was being defeated by drinking only water and not their great sweet tea so I got tea.

I already had pulled out my laptop trying to connect to the Wi-Fi before deciding to order when I thought that maybe my computer needed time to readjust and realize what was going on. You know that moment you wake up at someone else’s house wondering “Where in the world am” and it takes a second to readjust…..Just me???  Well that’s what I thought  my computer was doing so I went and ordered lunch.
Oh! I forgot to mention that as I first walked in I noticed that there was a lady who, at first glance, appeared to be Middle Eastern. By the way I NEVER make snap judgements (never…lol)! Every time you call a computer or cell phone repair company do you speak to someone that you can barely understand that is not from America? Okay not every time because exceptions are out there but I’m sure you can relate. I also don’t assume, assuming is a huge no-no. Well I took an educated guess…yes an educated guess by merely glancing at this lady, and decided that she was from the Middle East and must know about computers.

After I had my food and was back at my computer I tried to connect again before going to meet the “middle eastern” lady that HAD TO know about computers. I learned that she is actually from Alabama but has her Masters’ in computer science or in a field related to computers-- SCORE!!! Although she said that her knowledge is from a long time ago and is irrelevent now, her daughter was working on the same degree and would look at it. After apologizing for my snap judgments we began talking about her daughter being on break and going to college in Alabama. Alabama? That's right next to Mississippi- the state I was in a when I eanded up in a wheelchair. And of course that brought up my non-fiction story, Dream of a Lifetime. That brought on more conversation including but not limited to being drawn to McAlister's because of its Southern origin (or at least the South is where McAlister's originated in our minds.

Dream of a Lifetime kind of screams out loud (WARNING: don't try to scream silently because it vibrates molecules in the roof of your mouth and then itches and that is a very hard place to scratch) that I am Christian and thus, another wonderful topic began. So now it makes sense why I forgot my cup and had to wait for the next bus half an hour later--. He’s got the whole world in His hands!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXtFqCw6rH8

Just Being Himself....

Being so....well like Himself, God gave me this verse at JUST the right time! While I was meeting with a friend this verse was thrown in my face. I had no clue why so I kept it to myself. As the meeting continued the perfect time arose and screamed "insert verse HERE" so I did. More conversation was had and then my friend piped up and explained what God was doing in his heart and how that verse sparked ideas for lessons and activities in the future. Please pray that these minute changes are accepted and that the Lord raises up leaders to come along side (parakletos) my friend.

Not My Words

This seems to me like the idea behind most of my posts, but friends have been making it so clear to me over the past few days that everyone is fighting their own battle. Thursday night a friend took me to Church and even though the Church is less than 5 minutes from my house many in depth conversations have started on that stretch of road.  This friend is a military man and was describing what he deals with everyday. Only having the stress of my recent graduate classes to try and relate with him, I really have no idea what he is going through. The service focused on disappointments and I was reminded that even through we may be dealing with situations that we may view as a disappointment, God is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).

            Yesterday my friend Lisa and her husband took me to Church.  Watching Lisa’s husband “be” Lisa’s husband was beautiful. He was incredibly patient, supportive and encouraging of her ideas, and a beautiful, Biblical example of what a husband should be . As I wondered why God was showing me this I remembered that in the not so distant past I had been praying for a Godly man (potential significant other) to enter my life. I later remember praying and asking God to show me tangible examples of what I was praying about if my prayers/ideas were part of His Will. What I’ve gathered so far is that good, Bible-believing and following Christian men are still out there and not to settle for less.

I just returned from meeting with a friend who was sharing the ways God is using him at a Church and the struggles that he is overcoming. During the meeting while I was praying about the situation, God put words in my mouth that I, myself needed to hear. 
THANK YOU GOD!!!

In God's Time

Making it to the 9 o’clock service this morning eager to receive God’s word without tears, the same message was completely different! The announcements, videos and pastor were all the same but my heart was in a different place. After the service I knew I had received the message differently than last night. As I sit here trying to disipher notes I scribbled, these thoughts stuck with me: It’s amazing how wicked the heart can become when it lacks the fear of God. What does that say to you?

What about this Just because you are being blessed does not mean God approves it. It could just be God showing grace!  WOW! That hit me like a ton of bricks!

So often I think it is my job to repay a person who hurts me but much but like Judges 9 shows about Abimelech and the people of Shechem, God will handle it.

Being once told that “it’s amazing what happens when you just leave things alone” and that coincides nicely with today’s sermon. Thanks Bert!

After the service I was so blessed when a lady told me how much of a blessing my Facebook posts are are to her. I had also been told similar things by my previous co-workers, family members, and friends.

While I want to go into writing about how I recently had a learning experience, the thought hasn't fully developed quite yet.

Disappointments

Disappointments

I was offered a ride to The Following earlier and was super excited to be able to go yesterday! While at Church last night Josh started talking about disappointments and I thought, disappointments, me? NO WAY! My life is wonderful! Shortly after as I sat by my friend who is a teacher, reality hit. Oh yeah…disappointments. Weren’t you going to be a teacher? How’s that working out for you?

 

As the night went on, Josh described disappointments he had faced. Josh is an ex-military man. I dislike using the term “ex” because of the negative connotation to explain that he used to be in the coast guard. Although Josh and his wife Jenna appear to have everything going right for them, it was made clear that everyday God is still at work in their lives and they face disappointments but that God comforts them in their disappointments through His word-- GOD WILL COMFORT US IN OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS THROUGH HIS WORD!

 He then asked “Is your disappointment hindering you from what God has planned for you?” I thought and I thought….Kimi, just like Josh and Jenna had everything planned when God changed their plans, are you being open to God’s change of your plans in your life? SIDENOTE: God never changes His plans, He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8).

 

I had plans to be a school teacher and not becoming a school teacher was a disappointment. Although I’ve had many people including teachers during interviews question if I was going to let that stop me, During other later interviews I realized that my teaching might just be in a different role other than a school teacher.

 

           As I went to bed last night I thought about how I had been encouraged to blog. Blog? I thought. That requires organization….my thoughts apparently aren’t organized. I prayed about it and when I woke up this morning I had amazing texts—The first was actually a FB message from a man I look up to, Andrew P encouraging me to continue posting the Biblical posts I posts and the second was actually from last night but was an unrecognized number. This morning I found out it was from Hannah! My mind was filled with memories of Hannah and her family who have now live elsewhere as Pastor Evens now has his own Church (okay, it’s God’s Church).

 

 Here goes the blogging adventure….again.

Root beer floats

At 2 a.m. in the morning I realized that it was free root beer float day at A&W…the firefighters-- they need root beer floats I thought. After going to visit them in the morning I had plans to go to the closest store, getting a sonicare toothbrush head, writing, then getting floats for the fire station.

I went to the neighborhood market knowing that they wouldn’t have sonicare toothbrushes but thinking and hoping that all I needed was the sonicare toothbrush head because I knew they had those as I had previously purchased one at that location. I live right behind a Target but I think that Wal-mart cheaper so I'm went down to the Neighborhood Wal-mart and picked up the toothbrush head and confirmed the fact that they don't carry the whole sonicare toothbrush. So I got on the bus go to a supercenter where I was sure they carried the whole sonicare toothbrush. The bus broke down in the middle of Academy and would not go anywhere so we had to wait for another bus. When I finally got to Wal-mart the only sonicares I could find and that they had stock were $140. I shook my head, looked again and thought there is no way, this is Wal-Mart….they have to be cheaper than any other store.

In the aisle of Walmart I called Target and asked them if they had a sonicare tooth brush and their price. Very relieved, they do have a sonicare tooth brush that is 1/3 of Wal-mart's price and I just wasn’t looking in the right spot.  After 3 or 4 hours I was headed back to where I had started to get a toothbrush. I finally got the toothbrush at much cheaper price and remembered I had to go to A&W to get the firefighters who beer floats. I stopped and thought to myself, there are 8 firefighters and you have 2 hands minus the one hand that steers the wheelchair. Your other hand….well it's not much of a drink holding hand.
            I began praying asking God to somehow send a helper because there is no way I can do this in my wheelchair by myself.  Even though my wheelchair is a hot rod and is electric I have to steer. I left the fire station headed toward A&W when  I saw a man riding his bike who looked pretty nice. I quickly wheeled up to where I could talk to the man and asked him if he wouldn't mind helping. He said that it would be no problem and off we went, headed to A&W. I explained how this might be a difficult feat to a complete because asking for 8 root beer floats when we are only 2 people is not generally “oked.”

I wheeled up to the counter and briefly explained how I had asked this person to help me bring the firefighters who beer floats. Surprisingly she didn't question me and smiled and started preparing the floats.  Soon the person I recruited to help me treating the firefighters, Shane, and I were headed to the fire station with floats in tow. The trip back to the station took a little while however we made it and were able to have a root beer floats with the firefighters!

Aaron Jeoffrey--"He Is"