Monday Magnificat ~ The 5th Day

My Monday Magnificat ~ The 5th Day

Last week I shared what happened on February 4th, following the three days I had set aside for my Happy New Year do~over. On that fourth day, God impressed me with ONE WORD ~ Double.

And on the very next day the enemy tried to hijack my ONE WORD to this word ~ half. You see while God is into multiplying, the enemy is all about division.
Of all the nerve!


On February 5th, I returned from my morning teaching job. As I stepped into the front door, I took my glasses off and laid them on my desk. Lately I have been wearing my glasses a lot because I have not taken the time to go to the vision store and pick up new contacts.
Since I am nearsighted, I could not clearly see One Fine Man’s face when I entered the living room. He was sitting on the couch and even though I could not read his expression, I felt something was wrong. I was right.

A new challenge had presented itself that morning while I was at school teaching my Spanish classes.
In past years, I would have succumbed to fear under the threat of this kind of division (the half). But we have been through some things…and God is Good.
One Fine Man and I talked and agreed that fear would have no place as we faced this newest challenge (opportunity for further growth), instead we would continue to trust God, overcome fear with faith and stay on our journey.

Those of you who left comments on my ONE WORD post, have blessed me with your insight. Thank you for that. I am searching God’s Word and seeking Him for ways in which I can be a double blessing to those in my circle of influence. You may remember that on the last day of 2008, I wrote about getting out of my circle of ease! It was a fun post & vlog for me to do. I enjoyed it doubly because One Fine Man had a hand in it!
I plan to do more of those…though not on skis for awhile!

I can truly say I am leaving my circle of ease one step at a time. I am moving upward and onward. While reading this week, I was drawn to this statement: If you want to move up, that will inevitably mean doing something new (author, Shaunti Feldhahn).


As I move up I declare I will:

choose faith over fear

seek God and His wisdom

love my husband like no one else

and

double _____________________ (I’m leaving this one for God to fill in.)

My Monday Magnificat? When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him (Isaiah 59:19). For this I utter my praise!


Magnificat ~ an utterance of praise from the Latin magnificare ~ to magnify.

Monday Magnificat ~ I Gave My Book Away - part one

Last Wednesday I was on my way from Florida to Colorado to stay with One Fine Man until he could be released from the hospital to return home.

Throughout the terrible ordeal of the injury and accompanying the boys back home Sunday, I kept telling God that I wanted HIM to be glorified in the circumstances. Accidents happen. People get hurt. Or sick. Or worse. But I believe that we can offer up times like these as an opportunity for God to redeem the circumstances for HIS purposes.

In no way do I want to minimize the trauma, the surgery, nor the recovery process that One Fine Man has faced and is still dealing with. He is on continued bedrest with his leg elevated. He is taking Percoset every 2 hours and has to inject Lovenox in his belly once a day (to prevent blood clots).

Heavy on his mind are the responsiblities of supporting our family and all of the things he normally does for our household for which he is now relying on me. Impatient Me! Today my job was to make phone calls to find an orthopedic surgeon who has expertise in skin grafts and the kind of trauma One Fine Man sustained to his leg.

I am delaying my return to my teaching job for another week to wait on him and, hopefully, drive him to an appointment for follow-up care and physical therapy.

As I said, I do not minimize what One Fine Man is going through but I know that in any situation, if we are teachable, God will reveal His heart to us. I am learning.

While on the first leg of my flight from Tampa to Atlanta, I was reading this book. (My BFF, Alisa, posted about the book here.)

I was sitting in an exit row and during the initial descent one of the flight attendants sat in the jump seat opposite me. A few minutes passed, and she asked me if the book I was reading was good. I said yes.

She said, "I was just asking God a question and looked over at your book. I got the answer from the back cover."

So I passed the book to her so she could take a closer look. She looked through it for a little while with a serious expression. She asked me what church I attended and handed back the book.

I found my place to read again. But I couldn't read it because I started to think maybe I should give her my book. I had about 1/3 of it to go and I really wanted to finish it then reread it. I said to God, "I'm willing to give her the book. Are you asking me to give it to her or did I just think it might be a good idea? Because I'm willing but I don't really know if you are directing me to do that." Plainly I heard these words, "If you give it to her, I'll make it up to you."

No more questions.

I removed my boarding pass serving as my bookmark and wrote my name and blog address on the inside. We landed and she opened the door for passengers to depart. I was the first one out but not before handing her the book. Smiling, she thanked me. I prayed that God would speak to her through the book and draw her closer to Him.

For the next few days the words, "I'll make it up to you," echoed through my mind. Hours would pass and then those words...

To be honest, I don't know if they came at all during what I referred to as the day of despondency in my post entitled Do It Anyway. From the vantage point of a few days since then, I believe that I was under spiritual attack that day. Thank God for the TRUTH of His WORD that can bypass emotion and intellect and go straight to the spirit of His child.

But today, the words came again..."I'll make it up to you."

In a most surprising way, while sitting in the parking lot of Publix ~

He did.

Part Two to follow...

My Monday Magnificat? He makes the wilderness a pool of water (Isaiah 41:18). For this I utter my praise.

Magnificat ~ an utterance of praise from the Latin magnificare ~ to magnify

Monday Magnificat ~ Strength and Beauty Part I

My Men

To say "a lot has happened" since my last post would be a great understatement! But to say that God is faithful, the body of Christ is a blessing and prayer is powerful would be stating the obvious to anyone who has ever relied on God, His people and battling in prayer.

The day after writing about breaking out of my circle of ease and saying no more playing it safe, my husband had an accident while skiing. We have skiied several winters with only minor injury - if by injury you count a broken fingernail, a scraped chin and a bruised toe.

One Fine Man and Skate~Boy were skiing and snowboarding a slope on New Year's Day when, for some reason, my husband lost control skiing moguls (hills in succession), went airborn and landed on one leg. This resulted in a compound fracture (tib-fib). Our youngest son was with him when it happened and came down the mountain alone to the condo. He called on the way and let my oldest son and me know what had happened. I didn't believe what I was hearing. After waiting for Skate~Boy to make it safely back, I left for the medical clinic.

The medical staff removed my husband's ski boot and I wish I had not seen what I saw but I am glad neither he nor our kids saw it.

I made phone calls and friends and family began to pray. After surgery at a hospital in Frisco, the surgeon talked with me and I was overwhelmed to learn that my husband had a serious open wound (bone protruded through the skin) and would need a tissue graft requiring a stay in the hospital for 7 - 10 days.

Once again I made phone calls. One family member stayed on the phone and listened to me cry. She helped me begin to think clearly and make plans. I called our daughter who had stayed home and she prayed a beautiful prayer for me and I physically felt anxiety fall away from my shoulders. In its place the peace of God rested. My wonderful friend, Alisa, and her husband, Doug, assured me they would continue to pray and offered spiritual insight that strengthened my inner man. I sent text messages and emails and calls came in from people who prayed for us over the phone. I won't mention names but thank you to our pastor and his wife who called to pray and emailed offers of help and prayer!

Yesterday I flew home with my boys and my parents traveled several hours to come stay with them. My neighbors brought food and offers of help.

After taking care of some details here at home, I will fly back and stay with my husband until he is released to travel home.

The Psalmist writes, Strength and Beauty are in His sanctuary (Psalm 96:6). These past few days I have found Strength in Beauty...the beauty of God's Word, the beauty of the body of Christ, the beauty of faith overcoming fear and the beauty of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. I have been strengthened physically, emotionally and spiritually. I have entered His sanctuary while making logistical plans, in a hospital waiting room, driving through snow on icy roads, and lying alone in the dark with tears in my eyes.


My Monday Magnificat? In all of those places I have found that strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. For this I utter my praise!

Magnificat ~ an utterance of praise from the Latin magnificare ~ to magnify