Brokenhearted

Howdy from Texas!

First day, I have felt near healthy for three weeks.  Still have a dry cough but it is begging to be the last cough.  The weakness is still present but not as bad as last week.  Tomorrow is a new day!  Praise the Lord!

John found 5 big patches of ground in the back yard that had been  dug up last night by hogs.  We knew they were in the neighborhood.  They are regular tillers or plows.  I have always been aware of them but always thought they would be in someone else yard.  I will check tomorrow to see if John can shot them. The subdivision has rules about shooting.  Texas is over run with hogs and needs to pay something for each hide for an incentive to reduce the population.

This is a photo of a hand carved hog stretcher used by my grandfather when he butchered hogs.  My son is learning to be a meat cutter.  I think he might like this someday.  It has been hanging over these doors since 2005.

Yesterday, our preacher read Isaiah 58 and talked about how evil reared it's nasty head last Sunday on that little church south of San Antonio.  You can seek God, by going through the motions,  but we need to know Him.  He talked about fasting and making sure it is done from the heart and not as show.  Around verse 8 and 9 he talked about the light and the brokenhearted.  He had two pitchers the same size and color, but yet very different.  He had a light bulb on an electric cord and he turned it off and on.  On represented God.  We all want to be that perfect vessel for God.  He put that light in the first vessel and the light only showed from the top.  He used that to demonstrate how we look at people that we don't think have any problems  The light shines from the top and we know God lives in them.  The other vessel pitcher was broken and looked like it wasn't usable.  When he put the light in the broken pitcher and shut the lights off , it was beautiful to see God shining through the brokenness.  He read Psalm 34: 18 and I will never look at that verse  the same.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who have a crushed spirit.  What comfort that brought to me.  I have walked around brokenhearted for a long time.  My story is one, I have hidden in my heart.  I had a friend that shared ...all hurt needs light to heal.  This last year, I have been healing.  It has been a slow heal, but I know now that God was always close to me and He understands my crushed spirit. Not seeing my daughter and grandchildren keeps my heart broken, but I know who holds the pieces. Yesterday, I saw the beauty of my brokenness when he put that light in the broken vessel.  I don't know when or if the Lord will fix my broken relationships, but I know He is near . I am forgiven and loved.  The Lord is in the miracle business and He has His eye on me.  I rebuked the devil and sent him into  a herd of pigs. Now the pigs need to go over a cliff and get out of my back yard.  He ended the message with "It is not hard to be nice!  Let your light shine!"

The word of today is Brokenhearted and the Bible reference is Psalm 34:18. According to Merriam-Webster Online dictionary it means to be overcome by grief or despair.  The verse reference is:

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.  Psalm 34: 18

The promise for today is:
I wait for opportunities to show you, My compassion.  Isaiah 30:18

I am asking a special blessing for my preacher and his family.  He is a great man of God and I am blessed from his study and love for the Lord.

Tomorrow is my writing group.  I can't wait to see my writing friends.  This has been a great day.

Love is in the ink.

Mary Kay


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