Blessings Jars

 

 

 

 

"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


Funny how we get so jaded at times with our "problems".  My son shared with me about his friends complaining at school how they didn't get the latest I-phone when it came out.  He told them "Ahh, stop with you white people problems.  You have no idea of what hard is.  There are people that walk 5 miles one way daily to get drinking water and you think you have it hard?  What about moms who see their kids die or sick and can't get them medical help because it isn't available?" and with that he left the lunch table at school.  

Now, Dale, is still friends with those kids but he put them in check.  That is God's blessing to us when we find the right circle of friends.  We can be there to confide, laugh, and share with each other but we can also call each other out on our own crud at times.  And, yes, I'm blessed like my son with not only one handful but two handfuls (yup, that would be 10) of people in my world that have seen my ultimate bestest days, been there to pick up the pieces, and know my darkest secrets and woes.  

Last week, I was prepping for a women's event at a church.  I've been compelled over the last couple of years to make my work more spiritual and true to the GG (God's Gal) that God has designed me to be. I was looking through my art journal where I draw out ideas, make notes and write inspiration scripture and quotes in.  I took a break and glanced at the computer and saw the "blessing jar" that I had placed there last year.  

When Emily left for college last year I was left in a house filled with boys....Tedster, Dale, and two of  our three dogs are boys.  My boys love technology, the tv, computer, and x-box. I noticed at times they couldn't pull themselves away to help with chores, to prep meals, or even talk.  I prayed over what to do and came up with the idea of a "blessing jar".  I took to mason jars, a pencil, and scratch paper and sat them near the computer and tv.  I then told the boys at dinner that night this- "Before you power up (meaning the tv or computer) I need to you to power down.  I want you to take and write a blessing in your life on the scratch paper and then throw it in the "blessing jar".  Once you've done that you can turn on your technology".  I shared with them that if we are feeling frumpy, sad, angry or hurt that we are going to go to the "blessing jar" and pull out a "blessing".  The "blessing" could be yours or another persons.  Once the "blessing" is pulled out we "power up" and give God some praise for that blessing in our family's life and that we are a family.  And we release what is troubling us to God.  

Needless, to say, I thought yeah, fat chance the boys are gonna do that.  But they did.  And I even gandered into the "blessings jars" being snoopy the first week and found that the "blessings" they wrote about weren't just one word but whole sentences.  And, yup, at each of them that I read I thanked God for the blessing, for the writer, and for God giving my boys that love the Lord and me.  

I made "blessing jars" with fun paper blooms with a vintage button in the center.  And shared with the gals at the women's event last weekend about them.  I told them that they didn't need to buy one of mine if they had a jar, some scratch paper, and pen at home just use it with your family.  And, yes, I shared with them about Emily and why I work creatively to help pay for her college tuition.  Those wonderful gals listened to me talk about Emily and how she wants to be a dentist and go into mission work.  I shared with how she mentored at a free kid's dental clinic in our area over the summer.  And, those gals, told me they would pray for Em and my family.  And, yes, that was a blessing that was wrote on a slip of paper and put into my blessing jar at the computer.  


You may have seen the scripture at the top of the blog this week.  It is a scripture that my mom would say when I was feeling frumpy, grumpy, or upset as a kid and more days than not as a teenager.  She often premised it with "I don't know what you are going through but I do know - Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus".  I remember as a little kid it gave me peace but as a teen I thought , "Ohh, geez, my mom is going all Tammy Faye Baker on me.  What's next the blue eye shadow?" and telling her in my best "Church Lady" voice "Isn't that special".  Geez, I hate to admit what a turkey (best possible word) I was.  Low and behold this weekend I was reminded of the verse by my pastor who used it in his sermon about prayer.  I quickly recognized the scripture and the context that it has played in my life and thought yeah, I should write that down.  

This week I went to my ob/gyn appointment.  I shared how over the course of the year that "ignoring" my medical stuff has caught up with  me.  I told her that I cramp daily and have nausea and vomiting.  I shared with her that if I bend to do a load of laundry it is hard for me to bend upright again and I have a to take a 30 minute or more break from my day after doing a load of laundry.  Ohh, and I shared with her about my bladder that feels like it is the size of a pea. I told her that I've got such intense cramps at night from trying to keep going through the day that my hubby and son have to help me get up the stairs at night more nights than not.   She did a pap, a basic exam (yeah, I cried from the pain of it) and scheduled a sonogram for the next day. She also reviewed my family's history of cancer (my mom, aunt, cousin, grandmother...yeah the list goes on) and my own scare when I had a partial hysterectomy.  She reassured me that she didn't know what was going on exactly but would look over my CT scan from last week and figure something out.  She assured me that if she couldn't help me she was going to find a doctor that was trustworthy that could.  

Yesterday, I went to the sonogram. They were only able to find part of the left ovary which had a couple of cysts on it but they couldn't get it to turn to get a better picture of it to see what else there may or may not have on it.  The right ovary showed a mass of 5x6 on it or roughly the size of an orange.  As the tech tried to get the ovary to turn I started to cry from the intense pain.  She then went back to try to find the left ovary.  By then I was crying and trying to breath in and out (like they teach you in child bearing class).  The tech looked at me and said "Your hurting aren't you" and I shook my head.  She told me "We're done for the day then".  She told my my doctor wasn't there to consult with me.  But that she personally was going to go access the CT scan and see what the ovaries looked like in it.  She said that my pap wasn't back so there was no news on that.  She told me that my doctor should be calling this week to talk with me and bring me back to consult.  

Once I regained composure and could walk without a ton of pain I left and thought of 1Thessalonians 5:16-18,  "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus".  I thought in the car, Sherry, thank God for today that you could leave the hospital and walk out.  That you are going home to your family.  And, so I did.  I praised Him for my Betsy bravada that got me there safely, the ability to stop at the grocery store and work through the pain to nab milk, bread, cheese, and a pizza.  And, when I got out I spotted two of my friends from church pulling in to the grocery store and silently thanked God that for them.  I stopped at the workshop on the way home to paint and some boards to do some work here at home and rest this week. As I left I thanked God for that little shop in Greenwood and it's owners that allow me to work there.  I got home and Dale was here and he carried in the groceries, made the pizza, and helped me to sit down....and yup, silently, I praised God for Dale, the ability to be his mom, and to have him there to help me.  Ted called on his way home from work and I could tell him about the sonogram without a tear shed....and yup, I praised God for that strength and mercy he showed me to do that with Ted.  I've come to the conclusion last night that God blessed me yesterday to know this: 1. Yes, there is something medically wrong with me and it's not all in my head, 2. God designed me with an inner and outer strength that really is remarkable and should never be taken for granted.  

So, with that in mind I'm going be working on some "blessing jars" to sell this weekend.  Focusing on orders that need to be made and shipped or delivered.  And, on my family who I love dearly and that God blessed me with.  And, yes, tomorrow, if I don't hear back from my doctor I'll call her office and try to either set up a time for the consult or talk to her directly.  Know why?  Because I praise God for the remarkable way He designed me to be strong, capable, and level headed with a dash of creativity and a pinch of spunk.  

Take care this week, peeps. Know that through it all we need to remember to thank God for our blessing no matter how small (try making your own blessing jar or contact me for one).  Don't forget to pray about your personal needs, your kiddos needs, and your family and friends.  God has designed us to be the change in our circles so show you strength, character, and love that He has given you daily.

Blessings- Sherry