From the side of the bed

8th Anniversary 11.24.15
Celebrating our anniversary November 24, 2015

 

2015-11-28 23.11.54
Sick in bed November 27, 2015

He has seen it all

My beloved, the one with soft blue eyes;

In the medical facility or on the road as we pass across the miles

He looks to me with a precious love that makes me swoon all the time.

It doesn’t matter my status that day:

The screams of terror, the gentleness of a warm embrace,

He just looks at me as if we were lying under a canopy, shielded from the hot sun

By the lush branches of a mighty oak one summer’s morn along the way.

But that is not what has gone before me once again these past 3 days and more

His vacation was spent caring for me in ways neither one of us would choose.

He steps forth to do what must be done just the same

And says of our time:  “we had a nice week now didn’t we?”  I guess so, maybe in some ways we did my love.

I sigh in awe, something short of disbelief.  How did love like this find its way to this place between us?  This bed is marked more by sickness than passion night after day after night?

Surely it goes beyond that which either one of us can see!

This walk was borne from the One who made us thus and so

The One who set this path for goodness, for purpose yet unknown.

While wasted days is all that I can see very, very late this night

(With tensions mounting, wills weakening under the weight of it all)

I see that my Heavenly Husband carries our hearts with His special sip of tenderness

Bringing sweetness to our lips when we need it most as he has so many times before.

From the side of the bed

I look up and know more than my Love,

Surely I humbly receive care from more than the one I can see.

Thank you Jesus for my Steve.  Thank you Jesus me loving so!

So if ever you are graced by a love like this, dear Reader, and I hope someday that you do:

Hold tight, hold fast with praise, with alms beyond your brokenness to discover what the Lord alone can bring.

For you are witnessing more than a miracle in the midst of hurricane:

You are finding grace that will see you through anything, truly, truly with love I say this to you.

JJ

This one is for you

Dearest Gentle Reader:

In the words of the apostle, Paul, I humbly express my gratitude for your readership, support, prayers, and friendship as we journey together in this thingy called, “life.”  You make a difference in my life and for you I am grateful.  Thank you!  Just Julie

Ephesians 1:15-21New International Version (NIV)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[a] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

 

Just another day

Today was much of the same:

Back to bed after hitting the wall, so to speak.

Hours later I cleared

And a phone call to my beloved at work

Got me in motion to do the tasks at hand.

The story doesn’t vary much . . .

Maybe an outing to test the waters may come

Only to push me back a few days and then

I wonder if I have really come forward much at all.

But “it takes what it takes” sometimes;

The good, the bad, the ugly like an old western:

I know the patterns at least so I cry less

Resting comes more easily as does opting out

‘Cause life is more about the meaning than the doing anyhow.

The last sentence in this prose

Must point beyond my tale of woe

For when a beloved friend faced losing a family member so dear,

I realized the blessings that abound in my life even so

Even so I will go on and things will get better of this I am sure.

It doesn’t have to be today you know!

A Wittle Update

I am grateful to announce that I sold my hobby business, Trinity Jewelry by Design!  DeAnn got her package in Minnesota this week and is excited to learn about making handmade jewelry!

All macramé, leather, and friendship jewelry is 25% off until Sunday, June 21st with Coupon Code FINALSALE.  This includes wholesale lots and Threads of Hope ministry jewelry featured in my shop at:  Trinity Jewelry by Design.

Moving forward, I have obtained my LLC for my new company, Two Step Solutions and obtained legal assistance for my logo and business motto trademarks.  And wouldn’t you know that after some prayer and Bible study, I realized that the initial logo just won’t do for the vision the Lord gave me for my company.  So I’ve hired a great family friend to craft a new logo before submitting my application to the US Patent and Trademark Office.

I’ve changed the name of my upcoming eBook to Caring for the Sandwich Generation.  With the sale of T J by D, I hope to have this guide for Baby Boomers completed early this summer.  Stay tuned for your free copy!

Oh and on a personal note, I’ve learned that the most wretched and lingering part of my biotoxin illness may be female hormone-related.  A new product from Quicksilver Scientific looks promising and has reduced the intensity of the convulsive episodes already.  We are hopeful over here!

Thank you for your support during these transitions Gentle Reader.  Summer in Indiana is looking up and I am both humbled and grateful . . .  JJ

jewelry sets, friendship jewelry, Threads of Hope, handmade jewelry, macrame, leather, wrap bracelet, layered bracelet, cotton fiber jewelry, jewelry sale
Here’s a sample from my shop closing sale at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/237409229/wholesale-lot-nine-mix-n-match-party?ref=shop_home_feat_3

My Other Dad

This past December we celebrated the 80th birthday of my father-in-law, Rees.  He is an amazing man:  retired Air Force Lt. Colonel, retired mechanical engineer, and now retired financial advisor.  He still bicycles many miles along the southern California coast each day to the beach, takes a nap in the sunshine then heads home again.  He keeps active in his church, as an avid reader, solving crossword puzzles with impressive speed, and keeping up with the latest in the lives of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  I am grateful to be his daughter-in-law in addition to being married to his wonderful son, Steve!

Camera 1 066Hey My Other Dad:  here’s a belated birthday present from our visit together in Austin, Texas.

Enjoy everyone else too!  JJ