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How I Learned to Count My Blessings
Learning of a little girl's struggle with cancer makes this mom realize all she has

By ClubMom Member Martha, Baltimore, MD


I have a 4-year-old little boy. I love him dearly, but there are times that I joke that I am going to sell him on eBay! I bet you've also been frustrated when your child won't listen, does something you've asked him or her not to do, or won't pick up toys or clean his room. This makes my inner child have a tantrum! I'm guilty of more than a few episodes of ranting and raving over something that, in retrospect, really wasn't all that important.

Lately, I have come face to face with something that I have known all along, but just never thought about. What is it? It's appreciating my son for everything about him, even the more exasperating behaviors. You see, I recently "met" a little girl, who's only 6, who is dying of cancer.

Each day, I read the heart-wrenching updates from her parents about her latest bout of failed medications, latest round of infections, her loss of the things that we, as parents, take for granted. This dear child cannot move now; only an occasional shake of her head. I cannot begin to fathom what her parents are feeling. My brain won't let me imagine "what if" it were my child. At the same time I am crying along with her family, I am learning about grace, about faith, and, about being a better mom.

You see, I'm sure that their daughter isn't perfect. I'm sure that she, like all other children, at one time or another, did things to exasperate her parents and siblings. But in light of her present condition, those moments are long forgotten, and, perhaps, even longed for. I'm sure her mom and dad would love to have to tell her again not to jump on the furniture. To finish her dinner PLEASE. To not fight with her siblings. But, short of a miracle, those conversations won't happen anymore.

So now when my son jumps on his bed, won't eat his peas, leaves his toys scattered all over the floor and I trip over them for the umpteenth time, or he otherwise tries my patience, instead of yelling at him, I'm learning to hug him instead. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff and I'm just grateful that my boy is healthy and able to do all the things, good and annoying, that little boys are supposed to do.

It has made me more thankful for my son. I am grateful for his health, for his being a "normal" preschooler, and I am learning to be, I hope, a better mom one who hugs more and yells less.

Published: May 2, 2006
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The Christian's
Declaration of Independence



I I am FREE FROM FAILURE for the Bible says in Philippians 4:13
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
II I am FREE FROM WANT for the Bible says in Philippians 4:19
"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
III I am FREE FROM FEAR for the Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:7
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
IV I am FREE FROM DOUBT for the Bible says in Romans 12:3
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."
V I am FREE FROM WEAKNESS for the Bible says in Psalms 27:1
"The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
VI I am FREE FROM THE POWER OF SATAN for the Bible says in 1 John 4:4
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
VII I am FREE FROM DEFEAT for the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 2:14
"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place."
VIII I am FREE FROM IGNORANCE for the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:30
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption."
IX I am FREE FROM SIN for the Bible says in John 1:7
"The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe."
X I am FREE FROM WORRY for the Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
XI I am FREE FROM BONDAGE for the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 3:17
"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
XII I am FREE FROM CONDEMNATION for the Bible says in Romans 8:1
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

My Favorite Websites



www.onlinechristianparents.com

www.prairiehomemaker.com

www.handsofdorcas.com

www.dailybiblestudy.org

www.dana.lifewithchrist.org

www.gotquestions.org

www.bibleinfo.com

www.choosinghome.com

www.christianfreebies.com

www.family.org

www.home.earthlink.net/~servant_of_the_lord

www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com

www.preparingdaughters.com

www.nogreaterjoy.org

www.dennis.hitzeman.com/worldview

www.reviveourhearts.com

www.thetruthintheword.com

http://www.luke1423.org/shoutpage.html

www.rbc.org/odb/odb.shtml

people.becon.org/%7Egprins

cbh.gospelcom.net/KFK/home.php

inhissteps.gospelcom.net

www.needhim.org

www.thequickenedword.com



Feel free to leave your favorite christian websites in my comments so I can check them out and add to my list!

Prayer Warrior
She's down on her knees, with head bowed in prayer; She looks weak and helpless, as she's kneeling there. But the truth of the matter about this humble scene Is that she's battling forces that our eyes can't see. And her power is greater than earth's strongest man; Against the army of Satan she courageously stands. She's casting down strongholds and tearing down walls; She's releasing the captives as she prays for them all. She's waging spiritual war, with God in command; She finds strength for the conflict in the blood of the Lamb. So the next time you see her with head bowed in prayer, Remember, there's a battle going on there.

Ask those who know me and they'll tell you, I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago, 5 years ago, or even 1 year ago. God has really been dealing with me.

God saved my soul when I was only 13 years old. Several things happened that got me away from the church and I was surrounded by not very wholesome people during my teenage years. I became quite promiscuous, probably partly due to the sexual abuse I had endured as a child, and started using drugs to fill the void in my life. I had no idea where my life was headed and didn't care. I did finish school but I didn't attend my senior prom or even my high school graduation. I picked my diploma up at the school a couple of weeks after classes let out.

That summer was my bottom. I had moved in with a guy that I cared nothing about shortly before school let out. When I decided to go back home was when I started realizing the party/sex/drug life was not for me. I started dating another guy, a nice wholesome guy, who I really did care about, only to mess things up when I got high with some other friends and slept with another guy. I knew there was more to life but I started thinking there was no way out for me. God, however, had something else in mind.

On August 31, 1997, I was coming home from a party, very drunk, and I wrecked my car. When I came to, I tried to start the car and when it didn't do anything, I opened the door and glass fell all over me from the window. That's when I realized what had happened and I remember hoping that I hadn't hurt someone else. I didn't know at the time that I was hurt.

I started walking back to my boyfriend's house which was 3 or 4 miles away. I don't know what I was thinking. Walking along, I hadn't got far from my car when I felt something on my face. I reached up and wiped my face and brought my hand away full of blood. I started screaming and crying and started running down the road. A lady stuck her head out the door and asked if she could call an ambulance for me. I said that would be great and I sat down on the side of the road. A man came along with a cell phone and asked if I needed to call someone. I wanted my mom and dad so bad but it took what seemed like forever for me to remember their phone number. I finally did remember and Daddy said when he heard the phone ring, he started getting dressed because he already knew what had happened.

I wasn't hurt bad, by the grace of God alone. I still have trouble with my neck getting out of place and I have one little scar on my upper lip that most people probably never notice, but I do. Oh, by the way, it was a one-vehicle accident, also by the grace of God.

I was only in the hospital over night and most of the next day but my "boyfriend" I mentioned earlier never even called. He was afraid he would be arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. What a guy!!

He did call a couple days later and I am such an idiot, I went back out with him. But not for long, I was already changing and I didn't even realize it yet. I didn't want to drink or smoke weed with them anymore and he finally stopped calling.

During the next two weeks, my husband met me at my dad's business and wanted to get to know me. He knew I was friends with a girl down the road and he had her aggravate the fire out of me to come to her house and meet him. On Thursday of the second week, my "boyfriend" called and apologized, talking about how he wouldn't blame me if I never spoke to him again but if I wanted to go out tomorrow, give him a call. Yeah right!!! I went to the neighbor's. I wanted to get as far away from that telephone as I could. I didn't even care if Bucky showed up that night or not, as long as I didn't go out with the other guy again.

Bucky and I got married 7 months later. We have had our ups and downs. We've almost split up a time or two but God keeps allowing us to work things out. I know that I'm where I'm supposed to be, with him.

I can't say that I have been completely faithful to God the entire time we've been together because I haven't. You see, I still didn't want to admit that I couldn't live my life on my own and make things work. My faith and belief would be tried and tested time & again before I got to where I am now. Many tears have been shed and many times I've asked, "Why me?" before I realized when I forget about me, is when God truly blesses!

I know that God is fighting for me and I can't do anything on my own because God created us to serve him and be dependent on him. God freed me from my last addiction, cigarettes, two months ago. Hallelujah! I like coffee but I can take it or leave it. I am beginning to like eating a whole lot more. I just pray that God won't allow me to let that become a problem that will get in the way of me serving Him.

I completely depend on God for all of my needs and I want to do whatever it takes to please Him. Our preacher says that the greatest thing you can do to please God is to have faith. Man, do I ever!!!!

I have faith that when we truly do the best we can to please God and to be obedient to Him that He will keep His promises to us. I know that He never promised that life serving him would be easy, it won't. But He did promise to take care of our needs and to love us and give us peace. He has promised to be our companion, a friend that sticks closer than a brother. If God is for me, who can be against me? Praise the Lord!!!

I hope everyone reading this has a personal relationship with Christ. If you don't, I pray that God will convict your heart soon before it's too late for you!

We had a group at church tonight called "The Brown Family" singing for us. It was an awesome time of praise and worship and fellowship. I hope to be able to get to know the singers better in the future. They are really great spiritual people.

Bucky didn't go with us tonight. I'm looking forward to the time when he will succumb to the Lord and will decide for us to make this church our home. I feel that I shouldn't join without at least having his blessing and I don't want to ask for that because I'm afraid that would make him wait that much longer to join. I don't know if that makes much sense to anyone else but it does to me and God, LOL! Anyway, until then, I'll be the most dedicated visitor they've ever seen!!!!

I thank God that I have finally found a church close to home, all our neighbors go there, that we can go and worship Him, a church that Bucky is willing to go to with me sometimes at least! The last church I attended, Bucky wouldn't even think of going and didn't really want me to be there, either. So, that's a blessing in itself!

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul and for always answering prayers!!! Praise His sweet and holy name! Thank You for the blessings we received tonight with the beautiful singing and thank You for calling the Brown family to use their talents to minister and spread Your Word in such a lovely way! Help me, Lord, to always be willing to be obedient to You so that I might somehow bring you more honor and glory! Show me Your way, Lord, and help me to be strong and guard me against temptation, that I might be able to be a light to some lost sinner looking for his way home. In Jesus' sweet and holy name, Amen

What a glorious weekend full of the Spirit and fellowship! Saturday night, after I posted my blog, I went and studied my Sunday School lesson. I know it was a little late but at least I studied. The lesson was about Elijah and how he stood up to the prophets of Baal and proved to them that the Lord is the only God! I had never heard this story before and I was so touched by Elijah's dedication and commitment to the Lord. Between the wonderful singing at church that night and then this lesson, I was in the Spirit all night. I woke up several times praising the Lord. That's when you know God has really blessed your soul, when you're praising Him in your sleep!!! Hallelujah!

Sunday was another good day of fellowship and worship. I stood up and read "When Christ Returns" that I had received in a bulletin here on MySpace. That writing really touched my heart and I knew that the church would love it as well. I was so nervous reading it, I was afraid they wouldn't be able to hear me but every one said they really enjoyed it and I made it through it. Praise the Lord!

One of my friends who moved off to Indiana and got involved in life up there came down for church yesterday. I was so glad to see her. She's planning on moving back down here this week!!! Her boyfriend is supposed to be finding her a place and as soon as she gets here, they are supposed to get married!!!! I am so proud of them!

Praise the Lord, Taylor's mom was at church yesterday!!! Taylor was there for Sunday school and her mom showed up just before Sunday school let out. When Taylor came out of her class and seen her mom sitting there, she just kept smiling and saying, "Mommy, mommy!" It was soooo cute.

We have a baby at church. He's about 7 weeks old. Last night, I sat behind his dad. Most of the service, his mom was holding him but towards the end, daddy took him. Anyway, Greg was whispering to the baby with his mouth down close to Warren Michael's cheek. That baby was just smiling and cooing and talking to his daddy. That just really warmed my heart. I wish I could have had a video camera and got that on tape. It was such a touching Father/Son moment. May they have many more!!!

Tonight is World Day of Prayer at one of our sister churches. Praying that the Spirit will fill our service and will show us His will and give us submissive hearts that we may be able to bring Him the most honor and glory!

God has been dealing with me on this for a while now (about 2 1/2 years, I think). I've just now gotten to where I can say I'm striving to be a modest woman in all that I do. Being modest is not just about what we wear, although our physical appearance is the first impression most people have of us, and sometimes the only impression someone may have of us. Of course, God doesn't see the outer man but the inner, you may argue. Yes, that's true, but if our heart is right with God, then our outer person will reflect that, in no uncertain terms. This article explains it so much better than I ever could: http://home.earthlink.net/~servant_of_the_lord/id5.html.

I hope this helps someone who is trying to learn how to be more godly in an unholy world.