Author: ObtainingMercy

A Summer of Diligence

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Blessings, Hallelujah Diet, Isaac Update, What's Happening

Hello.

I know it's been a while, but I'm going to just jump right in.

We are all doing well.  Isaac is growing and happy and we've had to start shaving his manly whiskers once a week now!

Doug and I are doing well too.

Last Monday marked Doug's first day of unemployment for the summer.  While he is actively seeking a job, nothing has opened up yet; and while all our bills are current, we have been unable to save toward the summer.  It is going to be a real journey of faith, and I thought perhaps you would be interested in reading about that here.

I am going to try to blog daily, and just let you know what the Lord is doing, and how He is helping us save money, make money stretch and in-a-nutshell, survive 12 weeks without income.

It is important, too, for me to let you know that Doug has been accepted into a research program for the Hallelujah Diet, and we will be eating according to that program for the next 5 months.

So, let's get started!

Week #1 –

  • We scaled back the  minutes on our cell phone plan and that will save us $20 a month.  Also, Doug switched to one of our old cell phones – a non-smart one – and that will save us $30 a month.
  • We changed our internet plan from the medium-speed to the slowest speed and that is going to save us around $17 a month
  • We found a grocery store closer to home that carries the foods that we usually have to go to Whole Foods to buy.  We saved on gas and some products were actually cheaper there.
  • I had a jewelry order come in, with the monies going directly to Paypal, and the purchaser actually paid a bit over to cover the fee amount that Paypal charges for money transfers.

We were also given some new stuffed monkeys for Isaac – which he loved!  He pulled them out of the bag and started playing with them right away! 🙂

So, week one was a rousing success.  We aren't going hungry and all the bills are currently up to date.

My theme verse for our new "diet" and for this summer is Proverbs 13:4 – "The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing:  but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

Seeking the diligent way,

Alesha

 

Spiritual Smilies

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope

 

So, I was doing a little Bible study this morning, and came across a Biblical emoticon!  A "smilie" in the Bible…how cool is that?!!


Bibleemoticon

 

My favorite part is that it's a verse about music and musicians!

Do you need a smile today?

Spend some time in the book of Psalms…you might just run across Asaph's name again.  He is the writer of some of those "songs".

The beautiful verses of poetry and praise are guaranteed to move you to praises of your own.

I love that God's Word is ever current and always timeless…even when it comes to smilies in the Bible!

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Alesha

A Thought for Today

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope

 

"For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from
the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my
hands." Nehemiah 6:9

 

Fear makes us weak.

Faith in God makes us strong.  

 

Nehemiah's job was to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.  Satan sent his people to delay, to mock, to frighten and to entrap Nehemiah and his workers.

However, Nehemiah refused to stop, or even slow down, to listen to the enemies of God.  They completed the work, despite the interference of Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem.

Our enemy does not want us to be successful in the work of the Lord.  He wants to frustrate us and to make us afraid, so that we will not be able to do the task with which the Lord has entrusted us.

Do not be afraid of the cynics, the critics or the prophets of doom.

If God called you, He will equip you.

 

"So the wall was finished…

And  it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all
the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast
down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of
our God." Nehemiah 6:15-16

 

God's work will be completed; and the world will recognize that it was His power that accomplished the task.

 

 

Fear makes us weak.


Faith in God makes us strong.

A Little Reviving

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope

 

These verses blessed me this morning, so I thought I would share them with you.

 

 Ezra 9:8-9a - 

"And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the
LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in
his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little
reviving in our bondage.
For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us…"

 

What a loving God we have!

I pray you have a wonderful weekend, and are able to spend time in the Lord's house on Sunday.  You need to be there.  It will help you.  Don't allow Satan to keep you away this weekend.

Blessings,

Alesha

Tea Perfection

by ObtainingMercy, posted in Blessings, Florida Weather, Food and Drink

 

Doug and I have been really enjoying drinking hot tea this winter.

(Not that it feels like winter all the time here – it's in the 80*s today – but we're drinking the tea hot, nevertheless!)

So, I wanted to show you this most excellent Christmas gift I received from Isaac's caregiver. 

Here are the reasons that it is my favorite mug ever:

1.  No pretty flowers.  No sentimental words.  Just shiny black with a normal-hand-sized handle.


Teamug1

2.  It's one bit a decor – this fancy little swirl on top of the awesome LID!


Teamug2

3.  The lid flips over to become a saucer…


Teamug3

4. To hold the perfectly-matching basket when it's removed from the mug!


Teamug4

5.  No messy tea bag or leaves dripping, no cold tea after the steeping is done. 


Teamug5

Perfect tea every time in my perfect tea mug!

You know…maybe I should order a spare…yeah…I'm gonna look into that right away!  Just in case…

And, who knows, Doug might like having a "perfect" mug, too!

;o)

Alesha

2013

by ObtainingMercy, posted in A Door of Hope

 

Celebrate

 

Happy New Year to you,

my dear readers!

I am wishing God's richest blessings on you in this new year.

 

Psalm 8

[1] O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
[2]
Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength
because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the
avenger.
[3] When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
[4] What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
[5] For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
[6] Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
[7] All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
[8] The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
[9] O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!