Sing Your Praise to the Lord...

This song has been going through my head at various times today.
(Rich Mullins or Amy Grant...you really can't go wrong).
And I have to believe God has placed it there,
I know my past few blogs have been stressed related
Overwhelming in content and theme
But God is good.
I feel the prayers of those I love.
And feel the blessings and provisions of the God I serve.

I've learned
Through years of ups and downs
And times of mountains and valleys
That if I don't focus on the praise
The funk
The worry
The depression
The thorns
Will overtake me.
Sometimes I have to just make a list of praises.
Sometimes that list is like a 1st graders listing the things they ate.
But sometimes that simplicity helps me get back on track.

Today there were some BIG praises.
New ones.
Some in the works.
Some on the horizon.

But I definitely need to be singin' my praises to my Lord!

Praise 1:
I received a conspicuous fb message from a foster friend this morning
Asking for my cross streets.
I provided them
I don't have fb access throughout the day
But when I returned home there was a new fb message
Offering to go grocery shopping for me if I just provided her with our list.
How sweet is that!
We are actually good.
It's a weird week
And while the refrigerator is more empty than usual
It was that way with some intention
It's one of those weeks where I have meetings
Or appointments
Or responsibilities that won't allow us to be home for dinner
Wednesday - Sunday night this week.
Yeah - that's might be adding to the stress this week.
:-)
May I be that in tune to others needs and someday offer similar help to a friend.
Thanks, Jen H.


Praise 2:
Miss M spent the afternoon and evening with a dear friend
And was spoiled with a homemade dinner
Games
Cat loving
And more
And my friend happens to be Miss M's art teacher.
I about had to pile her off the ceiling this morning as we left for school
She was so excited.
She was beaming from ear to ear when I picked her up.
So thankful for friends walking beside m on this journey.
May I one day do the same for others.
Thanks, Jen P.

Praise 3:
I need care for Miss M on Friday night
As I have to work the school carnival from set-up to clean-up
And I really did not want to bother a teacher friend with this task
After a long week of work
And I really wanted someone who could pick Miss M up and settle her at home in bed.
So I emailed my former school family
And so many of them offered to give up their Friday nights for me
For Miss M,
But the awesome news is that one of my friend's daughters
A recent ASU graduate
Stepped in and offered to pick up Miss M from the carnival
And take her back her and stay until I can get home.
So blessed by her
And my friends.
Thanks, Carolyn.
Thanks, Alyse.

Praise 4:
Wednesday night is Miss M's weekly phone call to her mom.
I admit
I love being a listening ear on the other end.
I admit
I respect Miss M's and Ms. O's mom
For her hard work
For her determination
For her humbleness.

Tonight the girls' mom and I talked after she talked with Miss M
We talked a little about Ms. O's visit last week and how it went
We talked about our plans for our sleep over this weekend
Then she shared an amazing story
Today at the bus stop she got into a conversation with another lady
That lady mentioned her mom was looking for someone to work as a receptionist
She gave the woman her number, hoping for a call, but truly not expecting one
She got a call a few hours later
She has an interview this Friday!!!

We talked about the Lord's provisions.
We talked about the Lord's plans.
We talked about getting "God-bumps" at His timing and His just showing up BIG time.
I shared with her the verse that was on my heart the other day
And she was encouraged as well.
(Love how God does that.)

Then as I was hanging up,
I knew God was telling me, no.
Not yet.
Pray with her first.

Now, you see - this is a big deal for me.
I used to never pray out loud for myself.
I used to never pray out loud with others.
I was raised where the men were the ones who prayed out loud.
It's taken me many years to not feel like I have to weigh every word of my prayers.
It's taken me many years to not fear that I am not address God in a "right" way.
But I know now
WITHOUT A DOUBT
That He hears my moans
My groans
My pleads
My songs
My internal thoughts
My laughter
My tears
And He takes it all as prayer.

Then I asked if I could pray for her over the phone.
It was my honor.
My pleasure.
My delight.
Me on the phone.
Her on the other line.
And me holding her little girl's hand.
Standing in the living room of my condo.
Praying for her.
Praying for her interview.
Praying for God's will for her.
All while I hold her little girl's hand.
Then
Without even thinking it
Without even process it
I told her I loved her.
And I do.
Just as much as I love her little girls.

And we hang up.
And I held it together
For Miss M's sake
Until after her shower
Until after her Bible story
Until after roses and thorns
Until I typed the BIG PRAISE here.

Sing your praise to the Lord,
Come on everybody,
Stand up and sing...one more
Hallelujah,
Give your praise to the Lord,
I can never tell you,
Just how much good...that it's
Gonna do ya

Prayer Requests:
--Please pray for the girls' mom's interview on Friday afternoon!  Pray that the Lord's will is clear to her. This would be a huge step in her life...in her independence....in her continual hard work toward being reunited with her children eventually.
--Please pray that the girls' CPS caseworker gets in touch with me and has news about the paperwork for me.  I'm trying, trying, trying not to be anxious...but it's not going so well for me.