The Day
Only one reason.
For you and I, it’s the same.
God, gave us the day.
Psalm 118:24,29 (HCSB)
24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.
For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations. Psalms 100:5(KJV)
About four and one-half years after my miscarriage, God gave us a son. Complications I had with all my pregnancies could have resulted in miscarriages each time, I would find out years later. I am so thankful for our two children and grand children. When Alan was almost 16, I asked him if he wanted to volunteer at the hospital where I worked. I thought he might be interested and it would occupy his summertime break. He answered my question with “yes”. At the time he immediately thought, “Who just said that? I can’t believe I said yes.” That was not how he thought he would spend his summer. I worked the day shift at the hospital and Alan would just be riding with me to the hospital.
The very first morning that he volunteered is a morning that both of us will never forget. We know why God had him in the car with me that morning.
Alan related the events of the morning to me . We were riding down the Interstate when I suddenly began going too fast. I almost ran into the back of cars, and big transfer trucks. He didn’t know what was happening, but knew he didn’t want to die. He quickly decided he had no choice but to scream at me to try and get my attention. He was trying to tell what to do. I know that had to be hard for him but he knew he had no choice. He wondered if there would be consequences for his behavior, but we would be alive. He said he had to tell me to slow down, then to speed up. He tried to help steer the wheel. He said he was so scared and just knew that we were going to die. He had to keep the car on the interstate from the passenger seat to keep us from going off an embankment. Several times he tried to get me to pull over on the side of the road, but I would not. Finally, we got to our exit where he directed me off and I went up a small embankment but did not wreck. It did get the car stopped. Alan was able to help me over into the passenger seat and he drove us the rest of the way to the hospital. Alan doesn’t hesitate telling anyone that he knows God had him in the car with me that day to protect and take care of his mother. He will also tell you that he knows now when he answered my question, if he wanted to volunteer, who it was answering for him. I know he was volunteering that summer for one reason and maybe more. I know God protected both of us that morning.
Indeed, everything is for your benefit so that, as grace extends through more and more people, it may cause thanksgiving to increase to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:15 (CSB)
Giving thanks always for the beauty of God’s wondrous creations!
It occurred to me that I never shared why I chose the name of my blog to be Renewing of Mind and Body. At the time I began the process of starting the blog, I was still lost in my mind and body. In some ways I still may be. I had attended a few writer’s conferences and listened carefully as others talked about having blogs. I thought to myself, I could never do that. I continued to listen and a strong desire to share God’s grace and love in this way grew and grew. I presented the beginning of a book I was writing to publishers at these conferences about the miracle of my survival and continued undeserved grace given to me by God through many situations. They all agreed that it was an amazing story. Also, they agreed they were unable to publish it because I was not a celebrity. I could not guarantee a large number of sales of the book. I understood what they were saying. I did not like it, but I understood it.
I had been typing one finger at a time to write my story. Unable to organize or make outlines, I just typed the story. When I first started, I had great problems with word recall but writing was easier than talking. Word check on the lap top is fantastic. I really did not know what I was doing or how to accomplish writing skills I just knew my desire was to share my story of God’s mercy and grace.and it. I sat with my lap top searching, reading and my blog was created. I knew that it was not Gay Nell Olive creating the blog. The name Renewing of Mind and Body originated because I knew without a doubt God was renewing my mind and my body.
As a young person, I was in a speaker’s tournament and I gave a speech on the verse in Romans 12:2, Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. I knew God had been with me through my whole life. I had to relearn so much after my strokes. I didn’t even know where passages of scripture were found in the Bible. I was in a body I didn’t know with a mind I didn’t know. The one thing I knew was I was still alive. That meant there was still a purpose for my life. So I just started with eagerness and excitement to try and create a blog. The name to me was evident, RenewingofMindandBody. With God’s help and the Happy Engineers at WordPress answering so many questions, the blog was started.
I thank each of you with much sincerity who have supported me and liked my post. I have had many obstacles, that have made it really difficult at times to continue the blog. But one learns that is what life is all about. We all have trials, difficulties, pain health issues and grief. Knowing that we can rest in the assurance that all things will work out for the best,according to Christ will, is our peace and strength for each day. I know I fail each day to do my best but I have to keep trying. The wonderful thing is, I know with Jesus help, I can and will keep doing all that I can. If I do not, I am dishonoring Him and the day He has given me. This is my first extensive writing attempt to share about myself on the blog.
How beautiful the way beneath my feet
Watching each step that I take
Can anything but joy feel my heart
To see all these natural creations
Given to us by God
giving thanks always for everything
to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Ephesians 5:20 (HCSB)
When you care for us.
You see, listen and care.
Warm compassion and understanding is felt.
Not something that you have learned.
This is sharing something of you.
Given freely to those that you treat.
Your heart we do see as we sit before you.
Through the gentleness and kindness of each thing you do.
The beauty you have in your heart.
Radiates the love you have for your Lord.
Thank you for sharing that love.
When you treat me.
Being Thankful in all Things
As I have shared my experiences with many people, I have heard and been told many stories of how God has worked in some one’s life. There is nothing God cannot do if we let Him. We are to be thankful for all things. We often do not understand our circumstances but if we trust Jesus we can be certain that the best of the situation will occur. Being human, it may be hard for us to understand how it could be the best, but our trust and faith in Jesus assures us that we will be taken care of and that things will work out for the Glory of God, which is what we desire as Christians. In 2 Corinthians 4:15, we read , Indeed, everything is for your benefit, so that grace, extended through more and more people, may cause thanksgiving to increase to God’s glory. (HCSB)
This is a poem of praise I wrote several years after the event that left me in a mind and body I did not know. I knew if I did not do everything I could on each day I had been given, I was dishonoring God for giving me that day. So this is not a recent event I am writing about, but I just decided to share it publicly. My journey to this point has been long, and it was accomplished only with His help.
Having fun visualizing shapes in the sky while looking at the clouds.
Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Last year I posted what had happen to this tree. While sitting on my porch I was able to get this picture of both of them. They have only been back a few more times. I think maybe they have a nest close by. I don’t know. The woods are full of trees for them. I think the woodpecker is a beautiful bird. That is a lot of work on that tree to get some food.
From one day to the next afternoon, our geese and the eggs were gone. We were shocked and clueless. There was no sign of broken eggs, feathers or anything. They were just gone. It has been hard for me to post this. But yes, I had become attached.
Traveling our journey of life.
Sometimes we go with such ease.
Feeling the warm sunshine.
Fresh breezes of air.
Seeing and hearing.
The wonders of nature.
Then there are times.
When struggles, difficulties come.
And the journey is not easy.
Others we might question.
Or want that they would do more.
But realizing their journey.
May also not be easy.
And they might need our help.
Remembering the Golden Rule.
Pray for others with no exclusion.
As you would have others pray for you.
Being thankful always.
Has no limitations.
It’s being thankful in all situations.
Resting in the peace.
God is right beside you.
Weeks later I am still trying to organize the blog to make it flow easily and but I am not sure that I am accomplishing that. I would like to see it organized as I see some other blogs but I have learned to accept and be happy with what I have done. I hope that you can find my older post if you are visiting for the first time if that is what you desire to do. I will keep posting and trying new ways . Thank each one of you that have liked, followed, commented and supported me.
About 6 weeks ago I started the blog. I’ve changed, rearranged,added to, and taken away. Reading and comparing other’s blogs has helped me along with WordPress instructions. Being able to accomplish this is totally awesome and amazing. I had no idea what I was doing or how to do it. I just started and took it one step at a time. That’s why so many changes were made. I have problems with organizing so I’m still working on this category and post aspect. I function my days by routine steps. If a step is left out, I get confused. So I have to do this on the same basis. It’s time confusing and tiring but my rewards have been great. I hope that someone will find my blog rewarding and encouraging to them also. I am thankful to each one of you that have liked, commented and followed my blog. Your encouragement is appreciated very much. Gay Nell Olive
