PRAYER IN ALL THINGS

Dear Friends,

I would ask you to please life up in prayer our sweet friend "Mzzterry", her daughter Bean, and their respective husbands tonight. They are grieving the loss of their precious unborn child.

True to the form of the Terry we all know, they are glorifying God in all things. Please pray for them to experience the comfort that only He can provide. Please pray that they will be surrounded by people that care for and love them and that those people will be a great support system during this saddened time.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers on behalf of this family. Terry's has conveyed by email how much she appreciates all of the prayer support. She also appreciates prayers over the next few months as they all deal with the loss and the physical distance that separates them from being with Bean and her husband on a daily basis.

Blessings ~
Mrs. Brownstone

PRAYER IN ALL THINGS

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/07/prayer-in-all-things.html

CALLING ALL PRAYER WARRIORS!!!

One of my blogging friends (and a fellow Ten Things blogger to many of you) has posted that her daughter, who is expecting a baby in February, is in the ER with pregnancy complications.

Please pray for Terry and her husband. Pray that they can be a source of strength to their daughter and her husband. Pray that they will draw their strength from their relationship with the Lord God Almighty.

Please pray for their daughter "Bean" and her husband "JBaby" right now. Pray that they keep their hearts focused on the Lord. Pray that they will have peace and comfort in this scary time. Please pray that Bean will remain safe and healthy.

Please pray for the sweet unborn child growing in Bean's womb. Pray for the health and strength of the baby. Pray that the baby will come into this world with a love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him.

Please pray for the doctors and the nurses. Pray that they will use their God-given talents to the best of their abilities. Pray for their wisdom. Pray that they will have a gentle beside manner with the entire family during this time.

Thank you, dear friends, for lifting up our sweet friend "mzzterry" and her family!

CALLING ALL PRAYER WARRIORS!!!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/07/calling-all-prayer-warriors.html

TEN THINGS TUESDAY

Dear Thankful Friends,

I am sick today with a whole mess of allergies that have settled in my chest. Please pray that my body will be able to fight this off before it ends up becoming something worse. I promise to come back and post a thankful list at some point today, but I need some rest first. However...I'm going ahead and opening up the link for all of you, so feel free to link back to your blog! I can't wait to check them all out later. It's one of my favorite things to do during the week because it's so uplifting!

Thanks so much in advance for your prayers!

Blessings,
Jill

(P.S. Don't forget to come check out my thankful list later today! It will be added to this same post.)

Updated at 12:12 pm to add my "ten things"!

1. WOW! I am so blessed to come here and read your comments from this morning. Thank you for your prayers and sweet words. This blogging community rocks!
2. And speaking of blessings...aren't we blessed that God gave man the knowledge to create medicines that can make us feel better!?!!
   
3. The sunlight is spilling in every window, and it fills my heart with joy!
4. I am so thankful that my siblings, siblings-in-law, Mr. Brownstone, and myself are not "just family"...we are all friends ~ genuine, true friends.
   
5. And speaking of genuine, true friends...one of my dearest friends brought me a Diet Coke with easy ice, cherry syrup, vanilla syrup, and real cherries from Sonic this morning because she knew I was feeling yucky...
6. That's not to mention the Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Burrito she threw in for good measure...
7. OR the fact that another one of my dearest friends rang our second line (while the first friend was telling me she was coming) to ask me the same thing! (Maybe I should have taken her up on a second cup of sheer delight!)
8. My kids are both healthy right now, and that makes me soooo happy!
   
9. It is quiet today...with the exception of the occasional pick-up game of squirrel basketball in the attic.
10. Some friends of mine got a better report from their child's doctor than they were expecting this morning. I'm thankful that a virus can (simply??) run its course, but please add "D" to your prayers because a virus never SEEMS simple when you're the one that has it (OR when it's one of your kids)!!
    

Ten Things Tuesday Participants

1. Dallas 2. Dyane 3. Emily 4. Darrah 5. Chandra 6. mzzterry 7. Mercedes 8. Adrian

9. Rosheeda 10. We are THAT family 11. Amanda 12. Jennifer 13. Nikki 14. Jill 15. Joy 16. Danna

17. Michelle 18. JenniJ 19. Jen 20. Amy 21. David 22. Jason 23. Jamie 24. Andria

Learn more about Ten Things Tuesday here.

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TEN THINGS TUESDAY

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/ten-things-tuesday_15.html

WHEN A COMPASS LEADS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION...

You need a new compass.

Normally I do not like to forward things that come to me by way of email... However, I could not with good conscience NOT pass the following information along to as many people as possible.

I received the same basic email from two separate people yesterday and then received the same one again today. The emails were regarding a movie that is scheduled for theater release on December 7, 2007. Mr. Brownstone, Tornado, Twister, and I had seen a preview for "The Golden Compass", starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and the voice of Freddie Highmore, among others, and it looked pretty good. I remember turning to the kids and saying, "We may have to see that over the holidays. It looks like it might be good."

The trailer is very deceiving.

The Brownstone Family will NOT be viewing this movie in the theater, on cable, from a rental service, or otherwise, nor will we EVER read the book series, "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman, upon which the film is based.

I encourage each of you to visit HERE to what Snopes has to say about this movie, and I further encourage you to make the choice to boycott the movie and the books. These works are propaganda from an unbeliever. The ploy is to keep the first movie, "The Golden Compass", mild in the hopes that parents will take their children to see it, and in turn, the kids will love it so much they will want to buy the books. The thought of any child reading this series is unsettling as they are about children killing God. And just so you are aware...the first book in the series is available to purchase in some Scholastic book order forms.

I actually went to Mr. Pullman's website to read his personal views. He is indeed an athiest, at best an agnostic. (I will not provide a link for his website as I do not want to send any visitors his way.) I also searched for interviews with him and found THIS. The following is an excerpt:

In Pullman's trilogy, Lyra is the new-age Eve, and Will is the modern-day Adam. God is a wizened spent force of an "Authority". And "The Fall" is to be celebrated as the defining moment of mankind, rather than the source of all worldly evil. Little wonder that His Dark Materials has been denounced by some religious zealots.

Pullman, though, expected more. "I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak. I'm a great fan of J.K. Rowling, but the people - mainly from America's Bible Belt - who complain that Harry Potter promotes Satanism or witchcraft obviously haven't got enough in their lives. Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God."

Please note his final two sentences. I agree with one of my dear friends in saying that this is not something we can just sit back and ignore! Mr. Pullman and New Line Cinema may have the right to free speech but SO DO WE!

Please pray that this movie and these books will not taint the heart, mind, or spirit of any child, or any adult for that matter. As believers in God, we have the opportunity to make a statement by not supporting works such as these.

WHEN A COMPASS LEADS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/when-compass-leads-in-wrong-direction.html

IT'S SNEAKY, AND IT STRIKES AGAIN

It is with a heavy heart that I am writing this. After receiving such great news about my grandmother, we have received news from the other end of the spectrum for a close family friend.

Please pray for my sweet friend. Out of respect for her privacy and her family, I will refer to her as Mrs. C...God will know who you're talking about when you pray for her!

Mrs. C was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She has just found out this week that it is Stage 4, and she just found out yesterday (Thursday) that it has metastasized to the bone. (She has six spots spread over three different areas of her bones.) It is in all of her lymph nodes as well.

They will be treating this cancer very aggressively. Chemotherapy will be the first step of many. Mrs. C has a very long battle ahead of her. Aside from the cancer, Mrs. C is very healthy. She has taken care of her body, and this will help her during treatment.

Ladies, Mrs. C was very faithful in getting her mammograms each year. Please carryout this important procedure on a regular schedule and do monthly self-exams. Report anything that feels or looks suspicious to your doctor.

I believe that God can take away Mrs. C's cancer if He so chooses. I believe in the power of prayer.

Matthew 19:26 says, "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

Please, please pray for Mrs. C. Please pray for her husband and her two sons. Please pray for her extended family. Please pray that they may find peace in all of this sadness and fear. Please pray for a full recovery for her.

Blessings to all of you...

IT'S SNEAKY, AND IT STRIKES AGAIN

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/09/its-sneaky-and-it-strikes-again.html

AND THE TITLE MEANS MORE THAN EVER...

My grandma remains faithful to the title I have given her: The Encylopedic Energizer Bunny That Is My Grandma!

Thank you so much to all of you that sent up thoughts and prayers for my grandmother yesterday as she had her mastectomy...and today as she recovers...and ever since we found out last week that her lump was actually breast cancer.

I truly believe in the power of prayer, and I'll tell you a few of the reasons why.

• God has been faithful to my family in our hour of need.
• My grandmother went into her surgery with complete peace.
• I have seen a remarkable change in my mom - she was very worried, even though she tried to keep that bottled inside to be strong. She is back to her happy self, and I can HEAR the relief in her voice.
• The surgery went well, and it went quickly. The doctor and his team said that the type of cancer she had was the best kind to have if you have to have breast cancer. (Of course, NOBODY wants breast cancer!)
• They do not think that there will be a need for any further treatment; though we are still waiting for the results of the lymph node biopsies. Please still pray for that!
• And now for the amazing part...my 85-year-old grandma came out of her anesthesia quickly and began talking in complete, coherent stories. Not sentences. Stories! My mom said that she came in from the recovery room talking and that she talked for the rest of the afternoon as she received visitors! She did not even take a nap!
• Today the nurses woke her at 4:30 am to weigh her, then the doctor came around to do a check, and when I spoke to my mom this afternoon, my grandma STILL had not taken a nap for the day.
• And now for the REALLY amazing part...my 85-year-old grandma HAS NOT TAKEN ANY PAIN MEDICATION!!!

I do believe that God answers prayers. Thank y'all so much for answering the call to pray for this sweet, sweet woman - The Encyclopedic Energizer Bunny That Is My Grandma!

AND THE TITLE MEANS MORE THAN EVER...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/09/and-title-means-more-than-ever.html

TODAY IS THE DAY...

My grandmother is having a mastectomy today.

If you are a praying person...
Please pray that she will have no anxiety as she goes in for the surgery.
Please pray that she has no adverse reactions to any medications or anesthetics.
Please pray for the doctor.
Please pray that he will be easily focused.
Please pray that he will have steady hands.
Please pray for the other medical people that will be in the room.
Please pray that they will perform their duties efficiently.
Please pray that they will get all of the cancer.
Please pray that the cancer has not spread.
Please pray that she will have no difficulty coming out of the anesthesia.
Please pray for her speedy recovery.
Please pray that someone will learn about Christ through this.
Please pray for my mom.
Please pray for my dad that he can be a great support for her.
Please pray for my siblings, our extended family, my family, and for me.

Thank you so much to all of you that have sent well wishes and prayers this week. I truly appreciate each and every one of you for your support.

Have a blessed day!
"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice, and be glad in it!" Psalm 118:24

TODAY IS THE DAY...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/09/today-is-day.html

SOMETHING FOR SUNDAY

Mr. Brownstone and I are involved with a youth group for tweens at our church. The church leadership recognized that class-size seemed to be shrinking in this particular age group because they had really outgrown the activities that are in place for the younger kids, but they were not really old enough to be part of the Junior High youth group ~ they were just left floundering somewhere in the middle.

After some deliberation, Club 56 was born. It's a brand new program, and we are so blessed and honored to have been asked to be a part of its conception. In addition, we are so very fortunate to be teaching with three other couples that are part of our closest group of friends. As a result of our friendship, we have gotten to spend a significant amount of time discussing this youth group and the direction we would like to take it.

Some of our goals for the group include:

• classroom growth
• increased excitement and actual involvement in Bible classes
• Spiritual growth
• learning new praise and worship songs
• daily prayer
  
• social development among church peers through class get-togethers
• to be good examples at home, church, public places, and school
• service projects
• to increase awareness of the world around us

Today we had an activity that related to the last goal: to increase awareness of the world around us. We had our class this morning, followed by church, and then we loaded the kids into vans and took them to a church in the inner city. Our kids had lunch with the kids at this church and got to sing some songs before the other kids headed off to their Bible classes. At this time, we loaded our kids back into the vans and did what is known as a "drive-by". This is where we got a driving tour of the community with a guide giving commentary. We were encouraged to look out the windows and notice different things along the route, and we stopped at three different places along the way as well to hear more from our guide and to pray for the community and the kids of the community.

Our first stop was a plaza. We learned some of the history and contributions of the community, and we also learned that the plaza was the first completed project in the renovation of the neighborhood. On this stop, we prayed for the development of the community. We prayed that necessary funds would be provided, for good weather when projects were under construction, for support from extended community leaders, for involvement of the community, and many other things.

I'm not asking for an audible (or visual in the case of a blog) answer, but I ask you:

• How often do you take for granted the opportunities and the businesses you have in your community?

Continuing on our drive, we saw many homes in disrepair, many abandoned buildings, overgrown lots, signs posted on homes, such as "No criminal activity allowed. No standing. No sitting." It was very eye-opening for a group of tweens. We also passed a park that was not a part of the neighborhood we were visiting. We were told that it is the park to which they must bring the kids in the church and after-school programs because the park in their community is not safe. We then drove to the park in their community, where we proceeded to get out the vans. I will admit that it was a bit out of my comfort zone. There were people in the park lying on benches; there were men congregated in small groups. We had been told that the park was not safe because it was a place for prostitution and drugs. We joined together in prayer. We prayed for the children of the community. We prayed that the park could be reclaimed as a safe place for them, that they would not fall victim to the negative influences so easily visible to them on a daily basis, for the people that were preventing the kids from being able to use the park, and for many other things.

Again, I'm not asking for an audible (or visual) answer, but I ask you:

• When was the last time you could not take your kids to the park in your community because it was not safe?

• When was the last time you saw a "No Criminal Activity Allowed" sign posted on a home in your neighborhood?

Finally, we arrived at the area where the MHMR (Mental Health/Mental Retardation) facility and the homeless shelters are located. The MHMR facility works primarily with substance abusers and those with mental health illnesses. The homeless shelters do not need further description, as they are exactly what the name implies. We were not able to exit the vans at this location because although the doors to the shelter were not scheduled to open until 7:00 pm this evening, there was already a long entrance line when we arrived at 2:00 pm. We did, however, park our vans in the parking lot. We prayed for the shelters. We prayed that the people working there would always be able to extend a helping hand; we prayed that they would be blessed with the supplies and volunteers needed to support such a facility. We prayed for the people waiting in the line for a meal and a bed. We prayed for the shelter across the street that houses only women and children. We prayed for the women and children that would be housed there for the night and each night in the future. We prayed for the shelters around the corner and many other things.

And now I'm not asking for an audible (or visual) answer, but I ask you:

• When was the last time you were not content with your home?

• When was the last time you complained about having to prepare dinner?

• When was the last time you had to wait in line for five or more hours to receive a meal and have a mattress on which to sleep?

After leaving the area, we drove back to the church building and toured the facilities there. We saw where the kids have their Bible classes and the rooms where they can come after school to get help with homework and to have a safe place to relax. We gathered in a circle and talked to our kids about what they had seen today. We asked how they had been affected by all they had witnessed. The homeless shelters were the area that had the most impact on them. They could see the anguish and defeat on the faces of some of those who waited in line. They could see the bodies that had been destroyed by substance abuse and bodies that were undernourished. They could see the mental confusion in some. They could see men, women, and children that were holding all they possessed in the world. Seeing the hundred or more people either lined up or milling about the area left a very distinct image in everyone's mind.

After our discussion, some of the kids wanted to know more about how they could help the children of the community. They determined that first and foremost, they could continue to pray. They also wanted to know, though, if they could donate books. Some wanted to know if they could come down during the week and help with the after-school program. Many of them verbalized their own blessings. They recognized how we often have such an overabundance of things that we take what we have for granted and do not appreciate all of our blessings. The day was a great lesson in thankfulness and contentment.

Finally, I ask you, and please feel free to participate by commenting:
We have so many things. The people we saw at the homeless shelter today had literally only the clothes on their backs and anything they could carry in a sack or two. Let's recognize our blessings even down to the most trivial ones...

• What is something that you could do without?

I'll start by saying...I could do without television, without magazine subscriptions, without soda, without more than one pair of shoes, without restaurants, and the list could go on and on. I am so very thankful that we have a home. We have a comfortable bed. We have food in our refrigerator AND in our pantry. We have clothing that keeps us warm. We have a park that is safe for our children. We have amazing friends. We have families who love us. We have our faith and our church family.

If you are a praying person, I ask that you pray for the people that we saw today and that you pray for the things we prayed for in our drive-by of this community.

Blessings...

SOMETHING FOR SUNDAY

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/09/something-for-sunday.html

AND JUST WHEN WE WERE NOT LOOKING...

Cancer.

CANCER.

It's cancer.

Why…cancer?

WHY???

We've had a just over a month to prepare for the diagnosis. We were given the percentages. The doctors said there was a 98% chance the tumor was malignant. We were hoping and praying for the 2% chance it was benign.

We found out yesterday that the bigger percentage was bigger for a reason.

Eighty-five-years-old. My grandmother has been on this earth for 85 years. During this time, she has been healthy. She has rarely even had a cold.

Now she has cancer.

Simply typing it is hard.
Saying it out loud is even harder.

Breast cancer.

There is no family history of breast cancer. Of course, Grandma pretty much IS the family history. I’m guessing that breast cancer was not even detectable when her relatives were still alive.

I can’t really put a definitive label on my feelings right now.

I do know that I AM NOT angry with God. Grandma is 85! We can celebrate her life. We can celebrate that she has been healthy for 85 years. We can celebrate that she still has an amazing memory and is FULL of wonderful stories to share with us. We can celebrate that she has such a positive outlook on life in general, including her diagnosis. We can celebrate that she got to raise her children. We can celebrate that her grandchildren know her...even her great-grandchildren know her.

I do know that I AM sad. I am sad that there is cancer in this world. I am sad that there are so many people affected by this terrible disease in one way or another. I am sad that my grandma will have to experience any sort of worry over the next week as she prepares for surgery. I am sad that there are still more tests to run to see if the cancer has spread elsewhere. I am sad that my mom is feeling guilty for not knowing. How could she know??? I am sad that I did not know. She came and stayed with me for a week, and I did not notice anything out of the ordinary. I am sad that she will experience physical pain after the surgery. I am sad that she will experience sickness from the treatments. I am sad that my children have to know that their great-grandmother is sick. I am sad that Tornado is concerned about not finishing the big interview. I am sad when the thought creeps into my head that...she might not beat this.

And yet...I find a reasons to laugh and smile about the whole situation. I smile when I think about what happened after her biopsy. She put back on her shirt and said, "OK, now take me to Wal-mart!" I can't help but chuckle when I think about how the doctor asked this 85-year-old woman if she wanted to try and save her breasts. I think she got a chuckle out of that, too. I laugh out loud when I think about her telling me a couple of weeks ago that she had gotten an "angiogram" on the day she had a "mammogram". I have a smile, albeit a sad one, when I think about her positivity...when I think about her happy demeanor...when I think about how she unexpectedly got to stay with us for several days before we knew she was sick...when I think about that precious irreplaceable interview.

And finally...I am worried. Worry - I confess - is my biggest struggle. This past weekend I attended a women's workshop at church. We were told about a study that was done in which it was determined that the human brain is not able to worry and give thanks at the same time. Try it. I tested the theory and personally cannot do it. I cannot give thanks for something at the same time my thoughts are worrisome. Twice in the New Testament of the Bible we are asked, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" This exact verse is found in Matthew 6:27 AND Luke12:25, so maybe God was trying to tell us that this message is important - important enough to tell us...TWICE! We are also twice reminded "...do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear..." in Matthew 6:25 and in Luke 12:22. Finally, in Matthew 6:34, it says, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I think God is trying to tell us "DO NOT WORRY! I know your needs, My child. I will take care of you."

Easier said than done - right? I am worried about the obvious, the short-term. I am worried that the surgery will be too much for her tiny body to withstand. I am worried about the doctors having to give her enough drugs to put her to sleep before the surgery. I am worried about how much weight she might lose during the treatments. She doesn't have much weight in the first place. Then, of course, I am worried about the less obvious, or the long-term. It's breast cancer. Now it is most assuredly in our family history. Finally, I am worried about that thought that keeps creeping into my head...she might not beat this. And that opens the floodgates of regret. Did I spend enough time with her? Did I give her the attention she deserved? Did I appreciate her enough? Did I take in everything that she has to offer as one who has fully experienced life and all its tragedies, as well as all of its wonder? I think that the answer is "yes" to all of the above. However, it is easy to doubt...easy to worry...when you are faced with those questions.

For now, I am choosing to be thankful. I am thankful that I got to spend time with my grandmother recently. I am thankful that we have a close family. I am thankful that I have great friends. I am thankful that we captured a portion of her life on videotape. I am thankful that she walks in the Light. I am thankful that we have a God who loves us and has a plan for each of us. I am thankful.

What are your thoughts on breast cancer?
How has cancer affected you?
How did you deal with the illness of a loved one?

If you are a blogging person, I'd love to hear your thoughts. If you are a praying person, I'd love for my grandmother to have your prayers.

I do believe that God answers prayers. It may not always be the answer we want to hear, but God does answer prayer.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him." Ecclesiastes 3:1-14

AND JUST WHEN WE WERE NOT LOOKING...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/09/and-just-when-we-were-not-looking.html