Week 8 – Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens

OH HAPPY DAY! Happy Belated Birthday to me! I saw evidence this morning that my dog Skowt finally figured out, after a couple of months, what this 44″x24″ patch of artificial turf is for on the patio! My Twitter and Instagram followers and my Facebook family and friends have seen my lovely video and picture posts of me surrendering to the elements of cold and snow to walk my dog Skowt, despite my health concerns.

Even though it truly was delightful watching him romp in the snow as far as the leash would allow him, the cold was tough on my body and triggered slight fibromyalgia flares. I prayed for wisdom as to how to handle this and to get relief from loving task. Even sent my son a text message yesterday with the intent of asking him to take Skowt to his home for a few days. Instead I stopped at, “Are you at work?” Even with his “leaving now” response, with dismay, I sensed the inner prompting not to ask. Why? You see, that seemed the likely solution because not only are he and his wife dog lovers, foster dog parents and have 2 dogs of their own, they also have a really huge back yard! Does not that seem it could be the answer to my prayer my way?

Twice yesterday when I ventured outside and saw the ice beyond the building overhangs, I uttered prayers again. It was like an inner peace came over me, stronger than the cold I was experiencing. Why? Shortly after we returned to the apartment, my dog was oddly giddy to get out on the patio which he requests a few times a day anyway. But this time seemed different. Why?

My Dog Skowt – Lesson in Obedience

So I let him out. I then began unlayering and praying my muscles and nerves would not wreak with pain. Prayer answered! Not only that, but to my utter amazement, I peacefully slept until almost 10am this morning. Why?That is totally unheard of for me! Well, there was a slight interruption to the slumber state. It was when the 6am text alert message sound came from my phone. OH HAPPY DAY AWAKENING! By the intervention of the Lord and His grace and mercy the text read from my daughter notified me that she made it on a flight, standby status, out of Boston to DFW! That indeed was a miraculous answer to the prayer for which I prayed with her over the phone just before I went to bed at 1:00am.

Oh, by the way…For those who know my priority to be in church on Sunday morning and anytime there is service, no need to fret or travail in heavy intercession that perhaps I have backslidden 🙂 Got notification yesterday afternoon Sunday church services was cancelled due to extreme icy conditions entering and on the church property).

Okay, back to the my original OH HAPPY DAY report….

I scurried immediately out of bed to let my dog out of his crate and then laid back down, grudgingly comtemplating getting all bundled up to take him outside. Again a peace came over me, instead of the conjured up “…count it all joy…” It was like a peace that passed all understanding. Why? My dog, Skowt, came to my bed with noticeable glee in his eyes, as he gently pawed my arm with purpose. Why? Thinking I was going to have to make haste to get layered up for our cold trek outdoors, he instead led me to the patio door. Why? Well, of course, I opened it and let him out. Then I watched him curiously, yet cautiously approach the artificial turf…

OH MY! There it was!!!! The display of reasons for all the “WHY’s”! …why the inner sense prompted me to NOT ask my son to rescue me; why I felt the peace last night as I returned from the walk with Skowt; why Skowt immediately wanted to go out onto the patio shortly after we returned; why there was not even the hint of a fibromyalgia flare last night; why I peacefully slept until almost 10am; why the thought of evoking joy by faith was replaced with that peace that passes all understanding; why the the glee in the eye of Skowt and the gentle pawing… It was all a set up to answered prayer! The way of escape had been prepared as divinely orchestrated in my lesson of obedience about to be taught by my dog Skowt. In reverence to that inner knowing NOT call upon my son to rescue me, a choice was made to trust and obey the inner voice!

There was a joy unspeakable and full of glory dance and shout of praise which erupted from my inner being to override that of the manufactured joy I anticipated having to again put on and wear! You see, my eyes became fixated  on the literal nugget-find of gratitude lying on the turf even when the cold of life happens!

Be sure to once again check back next week to see what nugget find of gratitude has been unearthed. And do not forget to leave a comment and ❤️ my blog site. Hopefully, you will then follow my blog, invite others to view and do the same. A blessed day to you because I know #Iamblessed and enjoy #givingyouhope!

Week 7 – Finding Nuggets of Gratitude When Life Happens

You must hear the totally unexpected blessing that overtook me this morning! Oh My! How awesome is our God! Hang on to tolerance, endurance and patience fruit of the spirit because the nugget of gratitude is in the detail! You know God’s voice could be in the wind, the thunder, the rain, the sunshine or some other element or in a person. AAANNNDDD…answered prayer could come through INTERRUPTIONS, as was my case this morning! It could be all in the attitude by which you handle said pesty and annoying interruptions.

I was on the 30-minute B12Shot Shark Leadership Coaching/Training call, which I listen to M-F at 9am. Take a moment to make a note to self, DO NOT call Miss Rainey between 9&9:30am M-F! Well, a call came in about halfway thru the call. Not desiring to interrupt the training call plus not recognizing the number added up to ignore the call and listen to voicemail later. Shortly following that would be interruption, the next number on my CallerID was that of someone at the gate requesting entrance. So the perfect combination of again not desiring to interrupt the training call plus not expecting anyone at that hour of the morning added up to ignore. Then a couple of minutes later, someone was literally banging on my door which naturally startled me! A look through the security peep whole was obviously a technician, but why and who! The response to my, “Who Is It” was, “AT&T here for an install or something.” Fortunately not only is the training call available on replay, but I record each call with my trusty nifty Livescribe smartpen. But my thing is I want to hear it LIVE..NO INTERRUPTIONS!

I slightly opened the door to better hear why he was here. The confusion in his voice and in his countenance and total body language was apparent that he had NO IDEA for what reason or why he was dispatched here. He could make no natural sense of this mystery repair/install ticket he received.

I tell you, I have seen plenty of service technicians in my over 6 decades of life, but not ever one as perplexed and disoriented as he was. When I released and redirected my divided attention away from the interruption to singly focus on the matter at hand, that was when a tech support call I made 3 weeks or more weeks ago came to mind. I recanted that call to the technician and told him I adamantly chose not to create a service ticket because of the enormous cost just for someone to come out. It was at that moment when I saw his face relax, all angst disappeared and he uttered the following words to me that a realization hit me!

Oh! Another pertinent detail that transpired this morning between the Lord and Me. I had even pulled an item of furniture from the wall to try to gain access