Believe it or not . . .

. . . Just after I finished posting the last blog I picked up my knitting and proceeded to knit.  Much to my surprise, I noticed I had a stitch out of place that was affecting the pattern.  My example had hit home!  Unfortunately, I've had to take out several rows to try to make the correction and that particular project has sat idle for several days.  One mistake yields consequences.  The good news, however, is that in life with Christ that mistake is forgiven and we are put right with God.  As I stare at the mass of red stitches, trying to get every stitch back in place and turned the right way, I am reminded once more of the pattern of God's Law I am to follow. 

The first time I really studied the Ten Commandments was in college years ago.  Since then I have studied them over and over, taught and preached on them and I'm still fascinated at the way God uses them in our lives.  Another first for me in college was learning about the Sovereignty of God so plainly taught in the Scripture.  That knowledge has kept me grounded and given me hope.  As I contemplated the Sovereignty of God and the the first commandment:  "Thou shalt have no other gods before me," I realized that if God, and if such a God as He is, really is first and foremost in our very being, then we wouldn't need the other nine commandments.  Thus began a lifelong process of trying to put no one, no thing ahead of God in my life.  How I have failed! Yet, the mistakes continue to be forgiven, to be made right and to help me move ahead.  Our God is a great God!  He is the great I AM. 

One of Elisa's newest words is "obsessed," an interesting word for a five year old.  Last week she told me that her daddy said I was obsessed with salt.  That has long been a sore subject.  I do consume too much and was made keenly aware of it when my blood pressure was giving me problems.  In her own way, Elisa was entering the salt discussion by suggesting I might be obsessed with it.  Whether or not that is true, there is one thing about which I could easily obsess:  good blood! 

On Friday, the 30th of August, I spent several hours at the Cancer Center receiving two units of packed red cells.  Within 24 hours I felt better.  As the days progressed I felt more and more like myself.  I did laundry, ran the vaccuum, cooked a little.  I began to look forward to the end of October when we hope these treatments will be modified.  I could easily and completely become obsessed with good blood! 

Treatment cycle five began this past Thursday and already I'm droopy.  The end, though, is in sight.  I do not have to rely on my own strength.  My God will supply--and does--my every need.

Blessings,
Pastor Margaret