It's been a while!

Hello, precious friends of my heart!  It seems like forever since I have been able to blog..... I have been helping care for my grandmother, (who is making some progress and doing better) and my heart is full of Praise for my Jesus!  He has brought us through so many things in the last few months......
I have been teaching piano,  and working on lots of music for different people that need different songs for one reason or another....... and I have been attending  wonderful revival services at our church....... where many have been saved, delivered, and healed.........

Some news of a personal nature...... slept on my new, sealy posture pedic mattress for the first time yesterday, after staying up all night with my grandmother..... and it was awesome...... like sleeping on a cloud!  when I woke up, my poor old back didn't know what to do...... because it didn't have crick in it! LOL!

Whew!  It has been sooooo hot here in this part of Texas...... I just saw on the 'net that Texas has broken a record for the usage of power in the month of June....... thank God for air conditioning....... I stepped outside yesterday at one point and it literally felt like stepping into a blast of hot air from a heater set on high!

I hope things are going well for you and your loved ones..... are you having a good summer?  Sorry I haven't gotten to visit with y'all lately on my favorite blogs..... but I miss y'all and think of you and pray for you often...... will try to visit soon and see what's new with you.......

Hugs,
Jenni

He's so good, just gotta share it!

Well, dear ones, I have been fretting and worrying this week!  I had misplaced something that I use when teaching; it is really important to me!  I use it all the time...... so, this week I have looked and hunted and searched and wracked my brain trying to figure out where it was.........I asked my family if they had seen it.......and I thought and thought some more, and doubled back over all the places I had looked and searched....... and could NOT find it..............

It was bugging me!  And I needed it.........

Last night, I talked to the Lord about it..........I said "Lord, you can see it!  You know right where it is!  Please help me find it; please show me where it is! In Jesus' Name!"

I sat up all night with my Grandmother (who is still recovering from the last hospital stay) and then came home this morning to sleep....... After I lay down, I had a dream!  In the dream, I saw a bag, such as I carry my teaching supplies in........and I heard someone in the dream telling me "You transferred it to another bag.  It's in a different bag."

When I woke up, I remembered one place I had not looked, and sure enough, found a bag there that I had not looked in!  As I went to peek inside, I had the thought: "You transferred it to another bag, and it's in THIS bag..."

And there it was!

Now, to some people, this would sound silly! To some, it would even seem ridiculous to tell a little story such as this....... But, dear friends...... if you have been reading my blog very long..... you know I love bragging on Jesus!  He's my best friend! So I am thanking Him today for helping find this lost item..... Thank You Lord, You are Amazing!

Proverbs 15:30 says: "...a good report maketh the bones fat."

I believe that is indicating that when we hear good reports of what the Lord has done, it strengthens us and makes us Spiritually strong and healthy!  So I just had to share this with you all today!

Back to Bethel with all my heart......

       (This is a photo I took of a Magnolia Tree recently at Kemah)

As I reflect on a discussion I had with a dear student this week.....a song is on my heart.....

Draw me nearer,
Nearer blessed Lord
To the Cross
Where Thou hast died
Draw me nearer,
Nearer blessed Lord.....
To Thy Precious Bleeding side

My student and I were talking about  the story of Jacob's ladder, found in Genesis chapter 28.  And how that Jacob came to a special place as he was fleeing from the wrath of his brother Esau, after he had taken the blessing from Esau that was meant for the older son..... The Bible tells us in verse 11 of chapter 28,  that Jacob: "lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep."

 Then Jacob has a dream of a ladder reaching up to heaven, with God's angel's ascending and descending upon it...... and then, the Lord God speaks to Jacob and gives some very important and precious promises to him.......and Jacob wakes from his slumber and says in verse 16: "Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not." Verse 17 goes on: "And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." And then Jacob set up the stone he had used for his pillow as a pillar and poured oil upon it.... consecrating it as an altar.... and he named it "Beth'-el",  which means "the house of God".....

Jacob was dedicating and consecrating himself to God, there is no doubt about that...... but he wasn't truly and completely changed until  he came to another special place of consecration as he was returning to his homeland, many years later..... and  wrestled with the angel until the breaking of the day, desiring a blessing from God...... the angel touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh..... and it caused him to limp for the rest of his life...... and he recieved a new name..... he was called "Israel" , for the angel in verse 28 of Genesis chapter 32 says: "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel:  for as a prince hast thou power with with God and with men, and hast prevailed." And Jacob named this place "Peniel" which means "the face of God"..... Verse 30 tells us: "And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel : for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

I have been reflecting, dear friends, on times of consecration in my life.... times when I was completely and passionately dedicated to seeking God... doing my best to draw near to him.... what precious times of prayer and fasting they were! Oh how rich was the Glory of His dear presence.... how I would linger in prayer for hours......... and how He blessed me........what glorious memories I have of these times.... but I realize I cannot stop and rest on the experiences of the past....... I've got to return to those Beth-el and Peniel places in my life..... Oh I must consecrate again!  I must get beneath a surface relationship!  I must rediscover the passion! The Dedication! The seeking of God's face!  I cannot allow the things of life to side track me...... that is the enemy's dirty business, you know....  To let the cares of life overtake and choke the consecration, the prayer life, the fasting, the reading of God's Word, and the dedication out of the lives of God's children......

James 4:8 says: "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you....."  I've got to go back to Beth'el and to Peniel with all my heart..... and I know without doubt Jesus is waiting for me there.... how about you, precious friend.  Will you go too? 

A sweet gift for a sweet Mom

Here are some pics of the gift bag and card I crafted for my Mother for Mother's Day......

Goodness!  Things have been so busy here in my part of the world..... The good news is that I am definitely on the mend from pnuemonia, and, though my grandmother had to go into skilled nursing for a while, she is doing better and getting stronger.  She was having such terrible pain in her lower back that the doctor decided to have an MRI and some X - rays done.  We haven't heard the results yet, but hope he will tell us something on Monday.....
Friday evening was a bit of fun in the midst of all the hectic pace.... my sister and brother - in - law, and I were able to go eat with a precious friend and her husband and two darling children..... they go to our church, and it was her birthday..... she wanted to eat at a Mexican resteraunt that we all enjoy....Her baby girl is a hoot - and a - half!  She is so entertaining,  I jokingly told our friends they should charge people for the entertainment Haven provides when they go out to eat....
Well, it is Mother's Day again, and, yet again, I am so very thankful to God for my dear Mother..... She is so precious to me....... He blessed me beyond measure by making her my own wonderful Mom.....
I wish all of you, my sweet blogging friends, a "Happy Mother's Day!"  I hope this day gives you a glimpse of how much you are loved.........
And a Big "Thank you" to all of you who left encouraging comments and prayed for me......
Hugs,
Jenni

Pnuemonia is back, but God is STILL Good All The Time

Today is my birthday. I am 39!!!!!  Oh my goodness!  I Never imagined myself being this age!  But I can say with all my heart that God has been faithful, every day of every year.......
This past week, as I sat up at the hospital with my Grandmother, I got that "funky" feeling in my chest that I always DREAD.......and, sure enough, by the next morning, I had the "Yuck" gurgling away in there....... went to the Dr. yesterday and the chest X-ray confirmed pnuemonia in the left lung...... ****Sigh**** so, had to get the steroid shot and the antibiotic shot again....... I was sitting in the pharmacy next door, a bit later, wating to get my prescriptions..... and thought "Why this, NOW, Lord?"  A lady was sitting right next to me.... and we got to talking....... and, Long story short....... I was able to really witness to her, and got to give her a church card, and invited her to our revival services....... and, I found out that she had been going to Church in Mississippi when she was a teen.  So, was it coincidental that I sat next to her in my time of sickness????  NO!  I think I got an answer to the questions I was asking Jesus; He showed me that good can come out of difficult situations.........

I wish all of y'all could visit the Revival at our Church..... I am not exaggerating when I say that it feels like Heaven on Earth around there!  We have had a lady healed completely from diabetes; the doctor told her she DID NOT NEED her insulin anymore....... Praise the Lord!  And so many have been filled with God's Spirit........ my own family recieved a MUCH NEEDED Financial blessing...... no human knew how badly we needed it, but God did!  And He provided as He ALWAYS does......He takes such wonderful care of His Children.........

Thank you all for letting me share my heart with you on this gorgeous Saturday morning......... Y'all are never far from my thoughts, and in my prayers........ I hope this is a wonderful weekend for you and your families!

Hugs,
Jenni

All I can Say is "Wow"!

Hello, precious friends!  So much has been happening, I am wondering where to begin?  First of all, my Grandmother passed out while eating breakfast on Sunday morning, and the paramedics were called, and she has been in the hospital ever since..... they have run all kinds of tests on her and found she was anemic and losing blood...... finally tracked down some ulcers caused by her arthritis medicine..... so the doctor has discontinued the arthritis med, and she has been getting some much needed blood transfusions......
She is doing much better now, thank the good Lord.......

On last Friday, my Mom had the contrast CT scan and some gall stones were found in her gall bladder....and today she underwent a colonoscopy....... some polyps were found among other things, but no cancer, Thank the Lord!

Now, for the "God" thing....... Oh my!  I just LOVE sharing with y'all how awesome He is and how good and kind and loving He is!   So, last night I was worn out and a bit worried and fretting and afraid..... just for my Mom and grandmother, etc...... so I talked to the Lord..... and went and looked outside of our sliding glass window in the dining room...... I gazed up at Heaven and said "Lord, I am worried and afraid about all of this........"  and then a scripture came to me and I began to quote:  "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee."  I said it over and over....... and then I prayed some more and went back to bed......

I awoke this morning (the day of Mom's proceedure) and was feeling that old worried and fearful feeling....... so I began praying, and went and sat on my bed,  and said:  "Lord, I am worried...... would You let me open the Bible up to a scripture that will help my not be afraid?"  So, I picked up my Bible, and opened it, and, guess what?? I was looking straight at Psalms 56:3:  "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee".... my Loving Father was reminding me that I had said I would trust Him, during those dark night hours, and that I needed to keep doing so...... and He was letting me know He had heard my prayers and the scripture I had quoted to Him repeatedly......isn't that awesome? 

Oh I felt sooo much better!  It's no wonder that in the book of Isaiah, chapter 9, Jesus is described as:  the Wonderful, the Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace........... for He spoke sweet peace to my Soul through His Word........and I give Him Praise from a thankful heart for doing so............

I hope all is going well for you all.....
Hugs,
Jenni

Two wonderful trips

(These photos are of one of the places we went, Moody Gardens, on Galveston Island)

I was recently blessed to go to two different places..... one was a trip of several days, to a Music Conference in East Texas; the other, a day trip to lovely Galveston Island......and I am so thankful to the Lord for allowing me to go...... my health is not always good, so I am always afraid when I leave home, of getting sick...... but Jesus kept me! Even though I didn't get much sleep on the East Texas trip, my Lord was with me and gave me strength and health! And the day trip to Galveston was fun, too......

I've just got to share something the Lord did for me at the Music Conference..... first of all, I was priviledged to attend with my Pastor's wife ( a wonderful Musician in her own right, and very annointed by God through Music) as well as my Sister, and some other fabulous Musicians that are from our Church.....

Now. for the "God - thing"! I have a confession to make..... I am a perfectionist that is soooooo far from perfect...... I am SO hard on myself....... and, when I went to this music conference, I was feeling rather down...... worrying about some things...... . But Isn't it wonderful how Jesus cares so tenderly for His children? What an Amazing friend and Father He is........ I had taught some classes before at several Music Conferences..... but the last time I did was in 2003.......... Nine years ago! Well, I was just enjoying the Conference, going around learning and listening and soaking it in...... and a minister's wife came up to me, and said: "your name came up in one of the classes" and I said "IT DID?" she siad: "Yes, some people that had taken your classes before were discussing how good they were, and how much they learned when they took them..... and how they had saved all the handouts from your classes....." (now remember, dear friends, the last time I had taught at a conference was NINE years ago.......

Well, I kept my composure and thanked her for sharing that with me, and then later, just cried and thanked my Lord...... He knew just what I needed to lift my spirits and let me see that I had done some little bit of good in this world and helped SOMEONE.......He is so good! and it made me think of Proverbs 25:11, which says "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver....." because that minister's wife ministered to me with her words...... and it makes me want to use my words carefully..... so that they will uplift and encourage someone like she did for me........ Words are powerful, aren't they? So I think God taught me something through this little object lesson, too, along with encouraging me.................

May He strengthen you today! I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

He's Risen! A Joyful Easter!

(This is a photo of some chocolate - dipped Peeps marshmallow bunnies that my sister fixed for Easter. She got the idea from Phyllis Hoffman's Celebrate magazine. Aren't they cute?)


Hello, dear friends! I hope each of you is having a wonderful weekend...... we have been out of town on two trips since I last blogged, (more about all of that later) so I have missed reading your blogs and seeing what's going on in y'all's worlds...........

Oh my! Today was simply gorgeous! Not too hot, and just beautiful, with breezes and sunshine and green grass and blooming flowers and singing birds............ went to choir practice this afternoon...... and had some lovely time talking with Jesus in the sanctuary, before everyone arrived..... and then, as we sang songs about His birth, death, burial, resurrection, and steadfast love....... I just began to feel something stirring in my spirit...... and it was all I could do to stand still and sing! That Joy just began to feel like it was going to bubble over out of my soul...........

Another song has been on my heart today, also...... along with the ones we are singing for Easter..... it's called "He's Alive" and the original one was done by a man named Don Francisco???? The Chorus has just been running over in my head.....

He's Alive!

He's Alive!

He's Alive and I'm Forgiven

Heaven's Gates are open wide

He's Alive

He's Alive

He's Alive! He's Alive!

Do y'all know that song? I surely hope so!

Well, I must go and wash my hair and get ready for tomorrow..... but please know there is Hope today because Jesus Christ did not stay in the manger, on the Cross, or in the Grave....... He's Alive, and is still forgiving hearts, washing people's sins away, and filling souls and lives with His Precious Holy Spirit!