God Has Spoken

The Lord has been waiting for me to ask for his help. And yesterday I began hearing him loud and clear!

I had been on such a high from all the time I spent working on the benefit dinner http://lpgodspots.blogspot.com/2008/05/saying-yes-to-god.html
that coming back down got me a little depressed. I know we can’t stay on the mountain with God all the time, but I wish when I came down I didn’t always feel like I crashed and burned. But Saturday night after I got into bed I told God I needed his help, because my life was out of control.

One of my jobs for the benefit was to be in charge of anything that needed writing or printing.

I love to design stuff, but I am an absolutely terrible proof reader. I am posting a picture of my office to help you get a sense of what I am about to say. The papers on the floor, on the desk, on top of the bookcase, and printer are all goofs. I must admit they weren’t all my goofs. Lots of things that I had printed for our silent auction had to be renumbered and reprinted when last minute donations arrived. But somehow the goofs never get in the trash. I give you exhibit #1



I said I loved to design; however what comes to my head sometimes takes a lot of time to get right, since I am self taught. Notice the watermelon paper. I spent most of Friday night making this border just to jazz up a plain piece of white paper. The women in the group have no idea they are so special to me that I want to give them special paper. Sometimes I think God just shakes his head at the amount of time I spend on things that aren't necessarily of his kingdom. Even when it is for his precious widows. Here is Exhibit #2

Our “Survivors” (other widows) Get Together in June is going to be a picnic, so I wanted to fancy up the newsletter by using that theme. The watermelon frame looked too plain so I needed to add a border and for the life of me I couldn’t seem to figure out where on earth to find the program I had used to do it before. Finally at midnight on Friday, I finished printing the letters.

My dining room table turned into this mess on Saturday morning. See Exhibit #3


The short envelope is a stack of thank you notes for the benefit that I had just finished stamping. The newspaper is there because I kept fielding calls asking if I remembered to include so and so in the newspaper thank-you! There is a pile of mail that I can no longer leave unattended, and my computer to google addresses for my sister to put on her stack of thank you notes.

The long envelopes are newsletters to be sent to the widows of my “Survivors” group. As I finished sealing the last self sticking envelope I remembered I hadn’t included the birthday list. So instead of reprinting the letter I decided to just enclose a 2x3 card inside. So I had to unstick 45 envelopes and insert this little ditty.Exhibit #4


By the time I was finished stuffing and drove to the post office for stamps it was closed and so I had to resort to using some old stamps and I do mean old. I'll show you what I mean. Exhibit #5




Saturday evening (or for that matter the whole last two weeks) I didn’t have the energy or desire to lift one finger to clean the mess.

That’s why I was on my knees calling out to God for help Saturday night.

I am absolutely positive that God allowed me to feel that depression so I would draw closer to him. As much as I understand, and never failed to mention, that all the credit belonged to God for every positive thing that the benefit produced, it was really hard work not letting all the accolades go to my head. While the depression was keeping me humble, it was creating havoc with my home. I needed to de-clutter.

When I took it to God he simply said “Fast.” Like an obedient daughter, I said okay, and fell sound asleep.

Well needless to say I forgot about the fast until I was getting ready for church. My Raisin Bran was already digesting, but even so I decided to begin right that second.

When I got home from church my stomach was calling out for something sweet. Instead of feeding the urge I filled a 3 cup glass full of water and began sipping.

The fasting was Gods way of helping me get started, by de-cluttering my life, by first stopping my food addictions.

I am a stress eater. During the benefit preparations I found myself being calmed by anything sweet and gooey, and at the most stressful times I wanted something I could crunch.

When I failed to eat the sugar that spiked my blood sugar and then zapped my energy, I got something accomplished. Ex#6


and Ehhibit #7





And I had enough energy left to walk to the post office and mail my letters.

And since 6 a.m. this morning I have spent an hour in prayer, eaten a half a cup of oatmeal and I’m ready to face day 2 of cereal, and water.

P.S. In His discussion with me God has convinced me he wants me to send to Goodwill the rubber tubs of clothing I have been waiting to fit back into. (Obviously my fasting isn’t going to produce all the effects I hoped it would)