Tamara Rodrigues

It’s Tuesday. I woke up feeling like I could cry at any moment. I had no idea why. Thought perhaps I had dust or Jordy fur in my eyes. Something from the heat being on. About 12:30, I learned why.

My Mom’s treatment for NSCLC is going to begin tomorrow. The medication she is currently on has given her serious side effects. Her doctor is going to spread the dosage out over two days to see if it will aid in lessening the side effects. What it is targetting is her eyes. She has other side effects as well, that are very unpleasant, but the worst is her eyes.

I choose to believe God hears our prayers and that He answers them. I trust Him. As soon as I received the email from my sister, I began praying and telling Him that I trust Him, that I love Him and that He will take care of Mom.

My niece is also going through some trials. January 10th, 2012 is going to be remembered as a day of news in our family.

What is interesting to me is that you can be having a day that seems to going along okay and then one email, one phone call, one letter (does anyone still do that?) – can send your day spinning.

Thankfully, those of us who are in the Lord, who love Him and seek Him, always have Him to turn to. God is good all the time. All the time, God is good.

Blessings to all.

Our two dogs love to bark at squirrels. They sit on the back of the couch looking out the window, just waiting for a passing leaf, squirrel, cat, or dog. Then the alarms go off and Jordy first and then Emma launch into a chorus of alerting barks. Jordy (Jack Russell mix) can lay and stand on the back of the couch. Emma has to have her back legs on the seat and her front legs on the top. They will stay like this for hours.

Today Sammy (the squirrel) was in rare form. He came across the yard which caught Jordy’s attention and came on the deck. Taunting him. Then Emma joined the chorus. Sammy hopped up on the post and I know hhad to secretly be saying “na ne na ne boo boo”. Dave finally went out and chased him away.

This continues to go on this morning, Dave has been on the deck four times already chasing them away. Another squirrel has joined Sammy, we”ll call this one Susie. I do think they are messing with our dogs.

This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it

Blessings to all.

Yes, it’s back to work today! No more moratorium, work will commence as normal as it is – unpredictable. Today closes with a trip to the oral surgeon. My Mom has her oncologist appointment this morning. As Gilda Radner would say, “It’s always something.”

Even with work, the dentist, and the doctors, it is a new year. New deductibles. New chances. It’s exciting and scary all at the same time. What will the New Year hold for me, for us? I have come to learn that if we put our trust in the Lord, whatever comes, He will handle. There may be trials – those help us to grow. There may be highs, those help us to appreciate all we are given. There will be opportunities to reach out and help the poor.  Some thing we as Christians, are called to do.

Let’s make 2012 a year where we keep our eyes open for those who need help. We are the most blessed nation on earth. Even the poorest of the poor have more than the poorest of the third world countries. We who have more, must help those who have less. When we do, we are Jesus to the hurting world. We may be all they see of Jesus.

Blessings to all.

You can find God everywhere. I was heading to the car dealership today for my 15,000 mile service on my car. As I was in traffic, the overhead sign was flashing – there was a stalled car in the middle lane. Of course, I was in the middle lane. At first I wondered why someone didn’t get the car out of the middle lane instead of putting it on the sign. Then as I came up on it, I watched a gentlemen get out of his car and go and push the ladies car to the side of the road. I was happy to see that. So many will just drive by. Not only did the man stop, but all 4 lanes of the highway came to a stop so he could move her safely to the shoulder. How is that for working together!

It is amazing to me how God just continues to show up everywhere I am. I just have to look for Him. He’s there. I sometimes don’t slow down enough to see Him in action.

In 2012, let’s all slow down to see Him and His handiwork. It’s there, we just need to look.

Blessings to all.

Yes, two days before Christmas – is Christmas Eve Eve even right?

Two days until we celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus Christ. I love Him so. I want all the world to know Him the way I do. Without Him, I am nothing. With Him, I can be what He has called me to be. His faithful servant. I can do all things because He gives me strength. There is nothing that He cannot overcome.

As I prepare for His second coming, I think of His first coming. His humble beginnings and life. The way He led His life here on earth. The way He reached out to the people who needed Him, not the “acceptable” people, but those with leprosy, those who were blind or lame, those who persecuted Him and His followers.

From where I sit in a country where I face very little persecution for being His follower, it is hard to imagine all He went through and all people are going through now – even to the point of matyrdom for Him.

Pray for those who are serving Him in places where just saying His name can land you in prison or worse. Pray for those around the world protecting our freedom. Pray for those who do not have a home this Christmas and are living on the streets. Pray for the leaders around the world to focus on helping the “least of these” so that there is no more war, no more hunger, no more sex trafficing. This world we live in is fallen. But, we can make a difference – one life at a time.

Blessings to all.

Half way through the week! I love hump day. Promise for the rest of the week, part of the week behind me. This week is extra special as we celebrate Christ’s birth on Sunday. Let us not forget that. So many people rushing around to get last minute gifts.

The reason for the season is His birth. I often wonder how all this gift giving came about. How it has become so materialistic. Back to the Magi. They brought expensive gifts to our King. Celebrating His birth. That I can understand. The Savior of the world was born. Through Him we all have an opportunity to spend eternity with Him.

How have we gotten to where we are from where the Magi were? Seems to me that the less people have, the more they appreciate the gift of Jesus. May I always remember His gift and be thankful for it. May I shine His light to the lives of others to help them want what I have. Only through Christ can that happen. I pray He will use me and I will not be afraid to shine for Him alone.

Blessings to all.

Work has been taking over my life lately. Amazes me. I am looking forward to some down time when I come off duty for covering for my boss. Sleepless nights have been the norm for the last week and a half. I am ready to go back to just being me.

I wonder if any of the prophets or apostles ever thought that. If I could go back to just being me. A fisherman, a shepherd, whatever the job was that defined them before they were called. They are human, they probably thought it.

Thankfully, the Lord doesn’t think that – He is. He is who He is. Praise His name!

Blessings to all.

Yes, one week until Christmas. Are you out running around trying to find the perfect gift for someone? Are you sitting all comfy at home knowing you have the best gift you could ever receive already? Confused? Think about it.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior – you have a gift that no one can buy you. You have eternity with Him. Do we really need anything else?

So many rush around here and there to purchase the perfect gift. Have you seen the lines the day after Christmas? People returning the gift you picked out especially for them – that perfect gift.

It has always amazed me how we can get so caught up in the things of the world and lose sight of what really matters. Our relationship with Him. We scurry to fill that hole in our lives that can only be filled by Him. How do I know? I have lived it more times than I care to count. But I know this, He is faithful. He cares. All HE wants is for us to want Him. To serve Him. To allow Him to fill the void in our hearts.

Lord, help me to remember this when I want to get crazy for things of this world. You are the only One who matters.

Blessings to all -

Tam

Today my husband and I had a wonderful time riding in the country celebrating the 31st anniversary of the day we met.

We saw road construction (yep, all year long here in the Carolina’s), bulls, cows, goats, ravens, bunnies, and a red-tailed hawk on the side of the road enjoying his kill. I wanted to get a picture of the hawk as that is the closest I have been to one in the wild, but he flew off when my husband turned the car around and went back.

We also toured a winery out in the middle of nowhere. We had a great time as we were the only ones there. We met the owner and grape grower and the assistant vitner. We learned alot about what it takes to grow grapes and when to pick them so they have the most amount of sugar which equates to alcohol level in wine.

I am not a drinker, but my husband tasted seven different kinds of wine. They talked about all different kinds of things that made no sense to this non-drinker.

As they were talking, the thought of Jesus’ turning water into wine at the wedding feast became more real to me. Wine must ferment to reach it’s peak flavors and alcohol content. Jesus just turned water into wine. No easy feat. I knew it was a miracle – but now I understand just how much of a miracle it is.

Blessings to all.