STORIES OF BLESSING #6

NANOWRIMO PREPARATION

Written 2014-10-20 12:30:23, Monday

I'm taking part in NaNoWriMo. November marks NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, where writers around the earth gather together and write 50,000 words in 30 days. 

Yes. It's NOVEL writing month. Meaning fiction. Therefore, why would Stories of Blessings, a work of nonfiction, be part of this? 

I'm what NaNo calls a rebel. The writing of nonfiction is being a rebel in the fiction writings of traditional NaNoWriMo. 

I want to use November, the month of Thanksgiving, as the opportunity to write as many of my life's stories of blessing as possible--or at least 50,000 words. As a matter of fact, since last week, I've been trying to do the same. I want to see how many stories of encouragement and inspiration I can tell as I act as a counter of blessings--and as a storykeeper of blessings--in that I want to see how many stories of blessing from your lives can be shared on this blog.

Life is tough at best sometimes and having a resource to turn to for hope, inspiration, and encouragement is, well, quite the blessing. 

My goal is 2,000 words per day of Stories of Blessing captured on the page. 

I started this blog, and this goal on Saturday, October 12, 2014. It's been 8 days. So, I should have by the end of day today 16,000 total words written. 

So far, I have 13,536 words written. 16,000 is my minimum. Therefore, I am roughly 2,500 words short. (I guess I better get busy counting!) 

Therefore, between now and November 30, 2014, I will have at least 88,000 words written of STORIES OF BLESSING, VOL. 1. 

I want to take all of my blog posts, combine them, edit them, add to them, and publish a book of 400 pages or so. I imagine it will be every 2.5 months or so. 

This is my progress and plan for NaNoWriMo. I will keep you updated about my word count progress (my goal progress). 

What a blessing it is to think of writing and keeping all of my blessings ans stories of blessings--along with yours. 

-- By Stacy Duplease of Virginia

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UGH... WHEN THINGS DO NOT GO AS PLANNED, FINDING THE BLESSINGS

Written 2014-10-21 07:06:31, Tuesday

Yesterday, in the early afternoon, I got my new computer. This was a major blessing. Of course, I spent the rest of the day working on set-up as well as trying to figure out how it, and.Windows 8, work. Which means I didn't get the 3,000 words of writing my stories of blessing done. (Sigh.)

However, I got my new laptop. This is a major blessing. (Thank the Lord.)

But, I didn't get my writing done, which means 5,000 words are due today. So, yesterday didn't go according to plan in general and with my counting of blessings. 

Am I complaining and whining a little bit? You bet I am. That means I now need to try to find the blessing in there and count more than normal. 

Then, for the last month, I've been dealing with back and neck pain. It's muscle related. That much I've figured out. I also know it's sleeping related. Is it pillow, sleeping position, mattress pad, or mattress, I'm not sure. I've been trying to figure it out. The first thing I tried was a different pillow. Three actually, but not one has helped. All three are cheaper pillows. I think we will go get me a nicer one later today and see if that helps. If that doesn't do it, I will try a pillow between my knees. And, then try getting rid of the topper or the mattress. 

After a month of getting five hours of.sleep on average... and last night four hours... I am desperate. I need sleep and pain free sleep, thank you very much. 

Now, after a house complaints, where do I find the blessing? After not much has gone according to plan in the last day, what now? Blessings? Hmm.

Yep. My crankiness is caused from pain and lack of sleep, which shows me all the more how I have to count my blessings and more than usual in order to counteract my mood and busyness.

Oh, how I so thoroughly need desperately to find some blessings. 

I feel blah and heavy, never mind hurting and tired. 

What blessings can be found in these things? Let me think...

I am alive. 

I am healthy... other than that.

My husband, B, is a very fine man, is an extremely loving and loyal husband, and is my bestest friend in the whole wide world. He is so good to me. He spoils me rotten, but also holds me accountable. He brings out the best in me. 

See. I'm feeling better in body, mind, heart, and soul already. Whew. 

For my five critters.

My home.

Rice socks! I warmed one up and have been using it on back and neck and feel so much better. Thank the Lord. What a blessing.

Being able to call home

Being able to email home

My new laptop

A hot shower on a sore body

Atkins shakes

Coffee

Morning

The sense of wonder

The wild cry greeting of a deaf old lady cat 

Stores

Water to drink

Water for shower

Hot water heater

New ideas

Mom

Dad

Granny

Aunts and uncles

Cousins

A throw blanket to snuggle under

Going to lunch with hubby, then shopping for new pillows

Yes. I feel a great deal better. Counting my blessings changes me, my perspective, my mood, etc. It's hard to be cranky while doing so. 

Counting my blessings is a blessing.

What a way to conquer when things go wrong or poorly.

-- By Stacy Duplease of Virginia

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*** Updated last on Oct. 21, 2014 at 139 p.m. ***

THE ANSWER IS WHAT I MOST FEARED: A PERSONAL STORY OF BLESSING

THE ANSWER IS WHAT I MOST FEARED: A PERSONAL STORY OF BLESSING

Written 2014-10-14 06:37:36, Tuesday

Over the last few days, a question has popped into my mind. "What if this isn't what God wants from us--in the way we thought?"

The "this" is an answer and direction for something I have wanted all of my life, every single day, but with my husband in particular since October 2008. It's been a strong desire in my heart for four decades. Therefore, the question of what if God doesn't want it from us was a puzzle to me. I couldn't think of a day I didn't want this. 

The journey my husband and I have gone through, hands linked, has been a painful one. We've experienced several doors slamming, not just gently closing, along our way. It's been a constant struggle. However, we remained faithful and hopeful. We had no other choice. Doing anything else would have made our plight worse. 

The question of what if God didn't want it was puzzling and it hurt. After all we've been through in trying to pursue this dream, what if? What? It just didn't make sense.

I didn't bring it up to my husband until yesterday because I needed to think it through and try to process what God asked me. In fact, I wrestled with it, mourned it, and felt rather shocked by this. Yet, there was an unexplainable peace underneath the surface at the same time. 

How was that possible? My biggest fear, the stuff nightmares are made of, was the path I felt steered toward and I was and am terrified of going off the edge of a cliff and the point of no return. This was not what I wanted all of my life or for my life. It was the exact opposite. 

My husband (whom I'll call "B") and I planned on going to Historic Jamestowne over the four-day weekend and make the trek we've made for four years, where we travel the Colonial Parkway every weekend for about three weeks to watch the color of the Fall leaves change and I take several photos. I had a feeling this would be a good time to bring it up to him. It would give us at least four hours of uninterrupted time where we could talk about this and process it together.

The problem was, I had no idea how to bring it up to B. It was one of those life-altering questions where once you asked the impossible question, nothing would or could be the same for you as a couple again, never mind individually. But, it was one of those questions I knew would grow us stronger and closer as a couple after we processed it together. After all, we would choose to make this the result as we clung to one another.

We usually go to our favorite restaurant before we head for one of the trips to Jamestown, which we try to make at least once a month, so it was tradition. After we finished our yummy omelets, and nursed our colorful mugs of coffee, this popped out of my mouth before I even realized it, "B, there's been something on my mind and in my heart the past few days. I'm going to ask a question, but it can be open-ended... What if God doesn't want us to...?"

His eyes went wide then narrow as he said, "Remember a morning this week when you sensed something was bothering me? I heard God ask me the same question."

We talked and realized we both were asked the question by God and were arriving at the same decision and struggling through it at the exact same time and in the same way. It was a triple confirmation: once for me, once for B, and as a couple. We leaned in to one another a little bit closer as we sat there, dumbfounded, and we tried to process what was happening. 

The trip to Historic Jamestowne was nothing like the over thirty trips we have made before. Everything was still and peaceful. There was no breeze or wind and the water was smooth as glass. Also, the traffic was light. It was the peace of stillness which happens after a major storm. My husband took note of it as he asked me, "Are we finally out of the storm? Because I feel the peace that transcends all understanding."

"Me, too."

What blessings we received yesterday: answers, direction, a situation which strengthened us individually and as a couple, close as to God, etc. I am so humbled and cannot help but count these blessings.

Have you ever noticed that there are answers that take years?

Have you ever noticed that the journey to the biggest answers and direction often are the most painful and costly? 

Have you ever noticed there are times the answer and direction you fear the most is the one you are asked to take--and it ends up being the biggest blessing, though in the past you never would have thought it could be? 

If B and I didn't stand together, linked hands, as we tackled this issue all these years, we could have easily fallen apart. It could have cost our marriage and sent us into major depression. Instead, the growth we've experienced has only made this far more of a blessing. We've been stretched and matured. We've been given a whole new perspective and it's changed literally everything of our futures. 

Nothing we envisioned of our future, of our next four to six decades, is going to come to pass. (Yikes.) But, that's the exciting part. We're going on this new adventure together, with our God. We cannot wait to see the journey in which God takes us.

By Stacy Duplease, Tidewater Area of Virginia

Matthew 11:28-30 and Times of Trial and Challenge: The Tough Stuff of Life

Matthew 11:28-30 and Times of Trial and Challenge: The Tough Stuff of Life

Matthew 11:28-30 / Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.(A) 29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me,(B) because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.(C) 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Cross references:

1. 11:28 : Jr 31:25; Jn 7:37
2. 11:29 : Jn 13:15; Eph 4:20; Php 2:5; 1Pt 2:21; 1Jn 2:6
3. 11:29 : Jr 6:16; Zch 9:9; 2Co 10:1; Php 2:7-8

-- HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Matthew 11:28-30 / The Message (MSG)

28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

--  MSG: Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.  

Matthew 11:28-30 / GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

28 “Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. 29 Place my yoke[a] over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves30 because my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 11:29 A yoke is a wooden bar placed over the necks of work animals so that they can pull plows or carts.

-- GW: Scripture is taken from GOD’S WORD®, © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.

Matthew 11:28-30 / Expanded Bible (EXB)

28 “Come to me, all of you who are ·tired [weary] and ·have heavy loads [overburdened; T heavy-laden] and I will give you rest. 29 ·Accept my teachings [L Take my yoke upon you] and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in ·spirit [heart], and you will find rest for your ·lives [souls; Jer. 6:16]. 30 ·The burden that I ask you to accept [L …because my yoke] is easy; ·the load I give you to carry [L and my burden] is light.”  

-- EXB: Scripture taken from The Expanded Bible. Copyright © 2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Matthew 11:28-30 / New Living Translation (NLT)

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  

-- NLT: Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

REFERENCES:

1 http://biblehub.com/matthew/11-28.htm

2 http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/11-28.htm

3 Etc.

(Image credit: Microsoft images online 2008-2014.)