Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Questions For Today...

My heart is heavy as I contemplate over a few things and am spending time in prayer. I have some questions upon my heart. I know God has a plan and is in control. Thankfully, nothing takes HIM by surprise, but is it alright to wonder why things happen?

Have any of you ever taken the test on Temperaments? I usually come out as a Sanguine/Melancholy. Sometimes, I come out as a Melancholy/Sanguine. I guess it depends on what kind of mood I'm in the particular day I take the test. Talk about Bi-Polar!!! Well, it seems today all of you are going to see my more melancholic side.

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1)Why is sweet Patti continuing to have health difficulties? I've included the latest journal entry.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 2008 10:35 PM, CST
Well, when we were celebrating Patti's recovery and today being her first day back with the church, something happened.
At 1:00 all of a sudden she was in a lot of pain, ended y at the emergency room in Saint Joseph Hospital and now has been admitted with what it looks like some type of obstruction, she has been vomiting as well. There were no signs , everything was working in the proper order and now this.
She needs your prayers again, I'll keep you informed.


God bless,
Raisa
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2) Why am I heavy in spirit? I haven't really posted much in the past few days. Have any of you ever had so much on your heart and mind, that you considered it best to just be quiet and not post? That is where I've been for the past few days, hence, the ready-made posts.
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3) Will I ever realize that my grown son is his own man and must live according to his own personality, not mine? Will I soon learn how to parent an adult?
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4) How much longer will I remain submissive, perhaps the best word to use here would be "patient", concerning a certain situation in our lives?
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5) Am I failing in the same areas with my second son as I failed in with my first?
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6) How many hand fulls of hair is it normal to lose in a day?
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I know the answers to most of these, but wanted to share what I'm praying over right now. God is revealing some changes I must make. I'm enjoying some extra quiet time with Him. A well known passage of scripture I'm earnestly trying to apply to my life this year is Philippians 4:8&9.

Verse 8 - "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

Verse 9 - "Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you."

I love that passage and it's exactly what I need right now!



Blessings to you all!

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Pam, I just found you through Mama Roar's blog. I have taken these tests and come out with the same results as you, perhaps it is the shared name?! :)

May your friend be finding a peace with the Lord in the midst of her health struggles.

As a Mom of three teens, 19, 18 and 16 as well as two littles 7 and 8, I am right there with the questions on making the same mistakes with more than one child. My oldest married this past year and that has helped me let go of the need to "parent" her when she is moving into her adult roles.

Since my 18 yo is still in the home and will be for a while longer (he just graduated) it is a test to find that balance between child/adult.

My 16 year old just graduated as well. He would like more freedoms, but his age is a huge deciding factor (although he is as mature or more so than the 18 yo).

It is difficult at times to know the how's, what's, why's, when's of all these emerging adults. Just keep seeking the Lord's direction and loving them through it all. I look forward to hearing your wisdom as you live this season.

Anonymous said...

((( pam )))

i take breaks from blogging here and there - sometimes those 'breaks' include introspective posts that seek to draw my heart to the Lord in a deeper way. i find it wise to be quiet before Him and able to share that transparency with like-minded ladies.

so often in blogdom there's an assumption that everything is hunky dory in our lives. sometimes it is that way but there are times where hearts are hurting and questions lay heavy on our shoulders.

my blog is quiet, yes. it's a sort of soft place i've created to help me sort things out and view life from a heavenly prospective. i guess i could consider it my *petal pink padded cell*..ha! in real life my sense of humor is keen & i can be loud, but my life overall *is* a bit more quiet than most. i strive for that. i desire it and crave it.

mothering adult children. hm. it's a work in progress. sometimes two steps forward and three steps back. while we (hopefully) offer grace to our children, we can, in turn, ask for grace to be given to us. we're sinners. we fail. we're so very human, aren't we?

realize, dear pam, that your son is an awesome young man. a young man that will make some mistakes that you perhaps shouldn't warn him about. allow him room. dwell on the wonderful attributes he posesses and let him know how proud you are of him...in many ways.

with my daughter, i'm having to learn better ways to communicate with her. i'm having to learn when she wants to be mothered and when she wants to just share about something for the sake of sharing...no advice asked for. i'm learning to back off and not sweat the small stuff, to celebrate that she's a lovely young woman and the Lord has an amazing plan for her life.

oh dear - this has become quite the epic post. i apologize.

email me.

lulashardt at gmail dot com

bless you sweetly,
sherry

Anonymous said...

on the other hand ...

if you notice your child (any of our children) falling into habits that lead them *from* the Lord, it is absolutely necessary to lovingly exhort them.

Webutante said...

Pam, just stopped by to say hello and send my love. I have been fairly self-centered lately and want you to know I am going to be thinking of you and your heavy heart and praying for you too. It's the time of year for deep thoughts and emotions for all of us, but it isn't always fun. Please take good care of yourself and get plenty of exercise/walking/fresh air in. I will check back in soon.

Anonymous said...

I love the change to your blog...it's pretty!

As you know, God brings so many different trials into our lives to keep us leaning upon Him. All of them grow us up in Him to be mature children who are pleasing in His sight all because of Christ's righteous life lived on our behalf and His payment for our sins. We suffer with Him that we may partake of the crown with Him

~~Deby said...

(((((HUGS)))))
I have tested out the same....both Sanguine/melancholoy....
and I think whatsa matter with me...
I have my highs...and I have my lows...so did David, read the Psalms...

It is much harder parenting adult children...
A wise older woman told me this one day:

"IF WE WERE EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WE SHOULD BE FOR OUR CHILDREN, THEY'D HAVE NO NEED OF A SAVIOUR"

it does not take us off the hook..but it takes us off the hook that we have no right hanging ourselves on.....

Pam...I know these kind of DAYS...I feel under the clouds...and it overwhelms me....yes mam...I know them personally...and the scripture you quoted is perfect...dear one...

This too shall pass....

The Battle has been won...the Victory is ours....Be still and KNOW that HE is GOD...

LOVE TO YOU...
Deby

Kristi said...

(((HUGS))) to you, Pam. I love you.

~Kristi

Yekwana Man said...

Hey Pam, yes it is me so get back up into your chair and close your mouth, (the gaping expression of surprise is unnecessary)
I have learned over the years that even tho I "think" (male arrogance says "know")I can give an answer to each question and fix the problems.....I am not supposed to. I need to just say.. I hear you and I am praying for you girl. You have some great boys and I am proud to call them nephews. I love your loving spirit. I still don't care what color your bathroom towels are. But I am trying!
Love you girl! Give your Queretaro quesadilla a hug.

Rebecca said...

Sending you a big hug right now and a prayer for peace and direction. I've been through number two more than once. Draw near to Him. He WILL see you through. I love you.
Rebecca

Teresa Maynard said...

Sometimes it's difficult to know how to handle situations. However, calling on God is always the first step.

Anonymous said...

PAM.....God's ways are not ours and just because we parent in certain ways, it does not mean ALL OUR CHILDREN ARE ALIKE OR NEED THE SAME TEACHING OR DISCIPLINE!!

I guess I should tell you to back off....you can school at home or home school!!! AND LEARNING DOES NOT TAKE PLACE BETWEEN 9:00-1:00 daily.....and, wisdom and character DOES NOT come from books---except the BIBLE, of course....
Oft times we try to measure our children according to others we know in public or private school, and then Satan would have us to believe we are being a failure!!STOP ACCEPTING THE GUILT HE DISHES OUT!! You are where God called you!

We DO MAKE MISTAKES!! AS a p[arent, a wife, a friend.,a daughter....there is where forgiveness comes in. But often, in the parental realm, God is trying to teach them things.....REMEMBER GOD LOVES THEM MORE THAN WE EVER COULD AND KNOWS THE BEST WAY FOR THEM TO LEARN THINGS!!

Chill a little and do not believe things are storybook in anyone's life....you see we all have issues and even tho we read and comment, we may not blog....sorting life!!

BTW, the hair thing is both the weight loss and the thyroid....do not be alarmed!!

Love and hugs to you, my dear friend!! I am praying for you, and I wish you to do the same for me!!

Pen of Jen said...

Hi Pam!!
I am back and sending hugs from New Mexico! I pray that all is well and I also want to let you know that most of us have these questions.

My advice is directly from the scriptures. Leave these ponderings at the Cross.

Explanations on my blog, penofjen and soon double nickel.

Miss ya
Jen

Rita Loca said...

Call me tomorrow , girl!

Cherish the Home said...

You said:

Why am I heavy in spirit? I haven't really posted much in the past few days. Have any of you ever had so much on your heart and mind, that you considered it best to just be quiet and not post?

YES!! That's where I have been this week. That's why I've been posting mostly Scripture this week.

I'm so sorry you're going through such hard things, I wish I could say something to encourage you because your comments have encouraged me many times.

I just prayed for you, your friend and your family.

{{{Hugs}}}
~Mrs.B

Susan said...

Thanks for revealing your heart, Pam. We all go through times like these but it's truly important to get our eyes off ourselves and back on HIM. That is where our answers and strength come from and no where else.
Susan

Humble wife said...

I tagged you:)
Jennifer

Lyndy said...

Yes, Pam I have taken these test and mine always prove to be right, I am choleric-sanguine. Bossy and happy. ;-)

I can understand your confusion about Patti, we have several people in our lives, at the moment going through some type of serious health battles and I just don’t understand it. I don’t understand why some people have to suffer so and honestly, I don’t think we ever will know the answer to this on this side of Heaven.

I can also relate to your having so much on your heart and mind that you feel it best to just be quite and not post. I have been there so many times over these past months and it is sometimes a helpless feeling.

I can’t tell you how many handfuls of hair you should loose a day but you know this is something I have battled over the past year due to my low iron. I am finally getting to a point where it is back to normal but had I not had lots of hair to begin with boy would I have been in trouble.

Praying for you my sweet friend.

Love and Hugs, Lyndy

Baptist Girl said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Baptist Girl said...

((((Pam)))))

I have not been faithful to my favorite bloggers as things have been going on at home. My thoughts and prayers are with you. You are a dear lady and an example to me. Where our children are concerned we can give them advice, direct them in what God wants for their lives and after all that, we just keep praying. My thoughts and prayers are with you dear sister.

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. (KJV)

Cristina

Friday, January 25, 2008

Mishel said...

Big hugs coming your way!! And prayers too, as you seek the Lord for these "heart matters". Parenting adult children is a whole new ballgame for sure! And even though Zach is only 17, I'm finding it's so different parenting a young man compared to a young woman. But I do know this--God is faithful to give wisdom, when we seek Him! : )

Much love to you!!

groovyoldlady said...

I'm pretty well 100% sanguine. Fortunately, the fruit of His Spirit makes up for our weaknessess!

All I can say is that answers rarely come when we demand them. He shows us His plans in HIS time.

Our comfort comes from the fact that He is in control and He IS GOOD. He can use her suffering for His glory.

And parenting? Oy! All I know there is all those people who "have the answers" mean well, but they are often wrong. None of us are perfect parents. None of us have perfect kids.

One of our pastors pointed out that Adam and Eve had a perfect Father, and they screwed up. Jesus had fallible folks (contrary to some heretical doctrines) and He turned out perfect...

There is no magic formula. Just press close to Him, KEEP pressing close to Him and trust Him.

...and when He tells you to change, obey Him!