City on our Knees - TobyMac

I just read the book "City on our Knees" by TobyMac and wasn't expecting it to be such a great book.  I saw it when it came out and did not by it because it was $20 and I didn't think it would be 20 dollars good.  I found it yesterday at Books A Million for $6 so I picked it up.  Well less than 24 hours later that book is done.  All I can say is "Don't judge a book by its cover or author".  Now to be clear.  I love TobyMac's music.  I was just expecting a cute book that kinda spoke along the same lines as the song and to a certain extent it was about the song but not in a way I was expecting.  It included stories of people that have made a difference in life.  Alot of it was about the power of prayer and the need for intercessors.  The power of prayer part really spoke to me.  I have witnessed its power first hand.  I am still here because I prayer.  I believe that. I may share some of what I read over the next couple of days on here and/or on facebook.  In between chapters it shared quotes, scriptures and a prayer.  The prayer that follows below is one I have never read before.  It is the prayer of Saint Patrick.  There are several versions of this prayer.  If you are interested google them and read them all.  They are Beautiful.  Here is one of the ones I liked best. 

The Prayer of St. Patrick

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God's strength to pilot me;
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's hosts to save me
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation

Is that not BEAUTIFUL.  I LOVE IT. 

Well that's all folks, I can't say anything better than the above.  Getting ready to start a read thru of the Bible again on Jan. 1.  I am really thinking of reading through with J. Vernon McGee and listening to his recordings on each chapter and verse.  Its all on www.walkthruthebible.org for free.  You can download the mp3 files there. 

Love you all.  KEEP PRAYING AND KEEP LOOKING UP.

I am still doing Great!  Weaker than I used to be, still losing weight but hopefully not as fast as I did for a while.  (trying to eat on those early days after chemo to help with that). 

Once again, Love Ya

Tammy

Christmas

I've got lots of thoughts running through my head this Christmas!  Back in March/April and even up until June/July I wasn't sure I would be here to see this Christmas but I am still here.  And knowing that I am still here causes some pretty intense feelings at times.  Today is the day we celebrate Jesus' birthday.  Oh where would I be today without Him.  To know that all those years ago God sent His Son to earth to be born and to live as a man and then to die for us all is truly the Greatest Gift of All. 

I have spent time with my family and feel truly Blessed.  Thank You God for the Gift of Life and the Gift of Eternal Life.  God .... this child of yours loves YOU! 

Keep Praying and Keep Looking Up!

Tammy

Good Morning!

Yes, I am up early.  I was hungry.  The first few days after chemo I really could care less about eating.  I am nauseated some of the time and know that eating will stop that but until I get nauseated sometimes I don't want to eat.  So this morning I woke up and felt the need to eat.  So Honey Nut Cheerios it was.  They hit the spot.  I go today to get my pump removed and find out what my new tumor markers are.  YAY ME!  Then out to finish some Christmas shopping since my child is staying the night with her Grandma.  I love Christmas!  The warm weather doesn't affect my feelings for Christmas at all.  Christmas is one of the best times of the year.  It represents the birth of my Savior Jesus, Christ.  Thank you God for this gift.  Thank you God for everything.  I love you and thank you for the gift of Christmas for me this year.  In February of this year, I didn't know if I would live to see Christmas this year but here I am.  Thank, thank, thank you!  I can never repay the debt I owe to you, God but just know that I am trying.  Once again I love you! 

Keep Praying and Keep Looking Up

Tammy 

It's Almost Here!

It is almost Christmas Day!  YAY!  I love Christmas time.  Always have and always will.  I love the lights, the trees, the decorations, the spirit of it all and the time with family and friends.  This Christmas is extra special because I am still here to celebrate it.  Earlier in this year, I didn't know if that would be a possibility but here I am.  YAY GOD!  Some of my favorite parts are already over... The Christmas Cantata.  I love music and all those months of preparation are a fun to me.  It is actually a little of a let down when it is all over and now we don't have choir practice for at least 2 weeks so I will go into withdrawal.  It's o.k. though, I get used to it. 

I do have an interesting thing to note when it comes to the choir.  For the past couple of years I have tried to journal what is going on in my life.  Alot of time this was written after Bible study and prayer time.  Yesterday as I was reading some things I had written in October/November of last year, I came across one about the time spent in choir practice.  I don't know specifically what happened but in my notes I mentioned that I was looking for a move of God during the morning worship service that day but did not specifically feel God's presence.  What is interesting is that I noted that God waited till choir practice to blow me away.  I don't know if it was a song we sang, a prayer that was said (I suspect it was the prayer) or what it was but I know that during choir practice God was there and I felt His presence.  What an awesome thing!  He can be anywhere we are, we just have to open our eyes and heart to see and feel Him.  So yes, it was probably my fault I didn't sense His presence that morning but Thank God I was open to Him that afternoon. 

Well it is Tuesday Dec. 20 and it is chemo day for me!  Pray it all goes well and that I don't get sick.  I am gonna try my hardest to eat while I am there today.  I usually don't like to eat while getting chemo but then I feel really bad and I think part of that is because I need to eat.  So today I am gonna try eating something mid day while there.  Pray for me on this!  I always eat breakfast before I go but then don't eat anything but a few crackers while there. 

Love you all, Keep Praying and Keep Looking Up!

Tammy Wright

A word from the Word!

Our message at church this morning was on John the Baptist and it was a Christmas message.  Huh? you ask.  I learned anew that all 4 gospels tell the story of John  prior to the life of Jesus.  His message was one of repentance, sharing and serving Christ.  He ultimately gave his life by preaching this message.  His purpose on earth was to Point the way to Christ thus bringing about the advent of a new time on this Earth.  Our Savior had arrived, John knew this.  He knew salvation would come through Him and by Him.  Are we go through this season let us remember Christ.  His birth, His life, His death and then His resurrection.  It doesn't matter what day this occurred on but it does matter that it happened.  So Dec. 25 may not be the exact date He was born but who cares.  My Savior came and died for Me!  Don't forget Christ this Christmas season.  In the words of a Christmas song,  One king held the frankincense, one king held the myrrh, one king held the purest gold and one KING HELD THE HOPE OF THE WORLD.  That King is the one I speak of.  Don't forget Him this Christmas Season.  And be like John...let your life point the way to HIM. 

Love you All. 
Keep Praying and Keep Looking Up!

Tammy

30 Days of Thanks

Sorry the delay once again but I had chemo on Tuesday the 29th and Yesterday the 30th.  I felt really bad.  I was nauseated most of the day.  But today I feel much better, YAY!  So to end my 30 days o thanks I am gonna say that I won't end it.  I may not post it every day but there is so much to be thankful for I can't end.  I am thankful for like more this Christmas season than I have ever been.  I didn't know earlier in the year whether I would see this Christmas or not.  I have made it thru Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and now Christmas is right around the corner.  My daughter has finished elementary school...which made me cry because for a while I didn't know i I would see her start middle school but here I am and she has one 9 week period under her belt and her 12 birthday is over.  Oh How I thank God for this and much more.  I am thankful for time to spend with my mom, my husband, my in laws, my daughter, my friends, my church, and all that I love,  I am amazed that God loves me each and every day.  I am thankful for more time to read the Bible to learn more of God and His works.  To learn more of the Son and the Spirit.  I am honored to pray for others to lift their names up before God for his healing power to work in their lives.  So as I end this 30 days of writing my thanks I will continue to thank and Praise my Father.  To Him Be the Glory - Great things He Has Done! 

Love you All

Keep Praying and Keep Looking Up!

Tammy