Sunday Songs of Grateful Praise - I Will Not Be Afraid

I learned a little hymn when I was a child.  The story and song have stayed in my heart through the years.  It was true back then - and it's true now.

This hymn was written in Occupied China during World War II.  It came from the Bible House in Tientsin, China.  Before long both Chinese and foreigners in that city began singing it.  Then it reached Free China and soon the Christian students and soldiers began singing it, and even the non-Christians took it up.  It is said that the soldiers marched to it and the students sang it as they went to school.  The song reached American and brought inspiration where it went.

I will not be afraid,

I will not be afraid,

I will look upward, 

And travel onward

And not be afraid.

He says He will be with me.

He says He will be with me.

He goes before me,

And is beside me,

So I'm not afraid.

His arms are underneath me.

His arms are underneath me.

His hand upholds me;

His love enfolds me.

So I'm not afraid.

His Word will stand forever.

His Word will stand forever.

His truth it shall be

My shield and buckler,

So I'm not afraid.

He will give grace and glory.

He will give grace and glory.

His cross before me,

His banner o'er me.

So I'm not afraid.

He says He will do marvels.

He says He will do marvels.

Above our asking

Or even thinking

So look up and praise.

So we go singing onward.

So we go singing onward.

We're pressing upward,

We're marching Homeward

To Him, unafraid

"We take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, 'The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid.  What will man do to me?'" Hebrews 13:6 (Amplified)

Song: 'Unafraid'
Music: see photo above
Reprinted from : Christian World Facts

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Sunday Songs Of Grateful Praise

Quite a few months ago I heard this song and it immediately spoke to my heart.  The words are so true of my life. I've seen the evidence of God's goodness all over my life - through the years and seasons of my life - in good times and bad. There has been attempts to spread fear throughout the world over the past year and a half but I refuse to be afraid. Because God's goodness is all over my life. He is my strength, no matter what happens and there is no reason to fear.  His promises are true and they always will be.

He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down (relax My hold on you)! Assuredly not!  Hebrews 13:15b  (So why should I fear?)

All throughout my history

Your faithfulness has walked beside me
The winter storms made way for spring
In every season, from where I'm standing

I see the evidence of Your goodness

All over my life, all over my life

I see Your promises in fulfillment

All over my life, all over my life

Help me remember when I'm weak

Fear may come, but fear will leave

You lead my heart to victory

You are my strength and You always will be

I see the evidence of Your goodness

All over my life, all over my life

I see Your promises in fulfillment

All over my life, all over my life

See the cross, the empty grave

The evidence is endless

All my sin rolled away

Because of You, oh Jesus

I see the evidence of Your goodness

All over my life, all over my life

I see Your promises in fulfillment

All over my life, all over my life

So why should I fear?

The evidence is here

Song: "Evidence"
Written by: Josh Baldwin, Ethan Gregory Hulse, Edward Martin Cash

You can listen to the song here:  

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Change

It's been a long time since my last post and a lot of things have changed. So much has happened in all of our lives - and our world - and the word 'change' has become a way of life for all of us. I've missed being here and I plan to begin bringing my blog back to life again.

In the middle of the craziness of the past year and a half my sweetheart and I have had moments to get away and times when we stayed home to 'keep the home fires burning'. We've flexed and changed and made plans for changes yet to come.

We are grateful that we have stayed healthy and have found ways to make the most of the changes that were required in all of our lives. While at home we've been working on projects to simplify life and get ready for more changes ahead. When things were shut down from our normal routine we quickly realized what was really important in life. That led to setting some new priorities, changing some of our involvements and praying about and looking forward to changes yet to come.  In time I'll share more about that and what we've been doing since I was last here, but for now, it's good to be back again.

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Sunday Songs Of Grateful Praise - I Know Who Holds Tomorrow

Through these past days - in this time when normal isn't normal anymore - this song has been on my mind. If you could stop by my house (and I wish you could!) you might hear me singing these words. They were written when I was a little girl but they are true - so true - today. I'm not living in fear because I know Who holds tomorrow - and I know He holds my hand. No matter what may come. My prayer is that these words will bless and comfort your heart.

I don't know about tomorrow

I just live from day to day

I don't borrow from it's sunshine

For its skies may turn to grey

I don't worry o'er the future

For I know what Jesus said

And today I'll walk beside Him

For He knows what lies ahead

I don't know about tomorrow

It may bring me poverty

But the one who feeds the sparrow

Is the one who stands by me

And the path that be my portion

May be through the flame or flood

But His presence goes before me

And I'm covered with His blood

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.

Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic . . . for the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you. Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT)

You can listen to this song here.

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Song: I Know Who Holds Tomorrow
Words and music by Ira F. Stanphill

Catching Up And Looking Back

Good intentions are always at the top of my list but the reality is that the best of intentions don't usually take priority when life requires a change of plan. That's what has happened here. I have great intentions and then the unexpected - not always bad - comes along and switches my plans. And so, my best laid blog plans have taken a back seat.

My sweetheart and I will be leading a group of volunteers to Paradise, California next month. Fifteen months ago the town of Paradise was almost completely destroyed by the worst wildfires in California's history. Rebuilding and recovery has begun and we are going to help wherever we can.  Recruiting for the team and the initial planning is over. Now we are in the middle of the paperwork part - reams of paperwork, or so it seems. There are a lot of forms for every one of the twenty-two team members to complete and return to us in time to meet the deadlines needed by the volunteer center in Paradise. Finances are being raised by team members and from donors, plus there are the unending logistics for getting us there and back again. And there are the details to consider for our 'down' time when we're not working on projects on location. I will share more about our plans, our destination, what we will be doing and give you some background about this soon.

We spent a week at a favorite RV park on the Oregon Coast to celebrate our forty-eighth anniversary last month. This seems to have become an annual tradition for us. When we check out at the end of the week my sweetheart reserves our favorite spot for the next year. Our anniversary trip was great this year, even though we had very strong winds that made we wonder at times if we would set sail for parts unknown. The tides were very high and we were all warned to stay off of the beaches for most of the time we were there. Not a problem! We were snug, safe and warm in our cabin-on-wheels and we were happy. 

A few days after we returned home from the coast we got a call we knew would be coming soon. Our oldest granddaughter, Abigail, was in the hospital in labor. Her precious baby girl arrived three weeks early. Safe and sound and absolutely wonderful! We headed to the hospital a couple of hours later to meet our first great-grandchild, Miss Riley Suzanne! This picture was taken when she made her debut in the world outside the hospital the next day on her way home.

So many more things are happening as they do in all of our lives. Things routine and unplanned and things that surprise and bring joy to our days. There is so much more I want to share with you. Places we've been, things we've seen and experiences we've had. I truly hope I can get back into a regular pattern of sharing here because I have millions of thoughts - and perhaps even more photos - to share. I truly hope it can happen. Honestly, I do.

With A Grateful Heart,

Adrienne

Sunday Songs Of Grateful Praise - Thank You, Lord

During this month of Thanksgiving my heart turns to songs of thanksgiving and praise. Through the last year I have come to realize in new, deeper ways how many blessings God has given me - things I took for granted. How can I not say thank you? I've been singing this song as I count the blessings of His grace and goodness to me.

 I come before You today
And there's just one thing that I want to say
Thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

For all You've given to me
For all the blessings I cannot see
Thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

With a grateful heart
With a song of praise
With an outstretched arm
I will bless Your name

Thank You Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

For all You've done in my life
You took my darkness and gave me Your light
Thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

You took my sin and my shame
You took my sickness and healed all my pain
Thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

With a grateful heart
With a song of praise
With an outstretched arm
I will bless Your name

Thank You Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You Lord
I just want to thank You Lord
Thank You Lord

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! 

 His faithful love endures forever.

Psalm 118:1

Song: 'Thank You, Lord'
Written by Don Moen

You can hear this song here.

With A Grateful Heart, Adrienne

Sunday Songs of Grateful Praise - Great Is Thy Faithfulness

 

cross carved from burned tree at Paradise, California church

mobile home park destroyed by fire in background 

I have always loved this song. It speaks to my heart and calls me to remember the abundant blessings God has showered on me. Three weeks ago today my sweetheart and I stood and sang this song with a small congregation in a church building surrounded by devastation in Paradise, California. Nearly a year ago most of the town was destroyed by the largest, most destructive wildfire in the history of California. This was our second trip to Paradise since the fire but our first chance to join in worship with dear folks who survived.  Nearly all of the people in that congregation lost everything they owned - their homes and all of their belongings. Their stories of escaping while raging flames and thick, blinding smoke nearly engulfed them is almost too much to comprehend. Yet, that day as we stood together they sang from their hearts, 'Great Is Thy Faithfulness...all I have needed Thy hand hath provided'. It was hard to hold back my tears. How could I ever complain? How could I not praise God for His blessings to me?  The words of this old hymn took on new meaning. Every Sunday morning since I remember and I wish I could be there with them again.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father!

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness,

Great is Thy faithfulness,

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided

Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me!

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion', says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!'  Lamentations 3:22-24

Song written by Thomas Chisholm, 1925
You can here the song here.


With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Sunday Songs of Grateful Praise - Whiter Than Snow

Last week my sweetheart and I traveled to the mountains of Eastern Oregon to go deer hunting. The views were gorgeous from the mountain roads. The weather was cold and brought some snow. It was obvious that winter was on its way.  As we drove high mountain roads the beauty around us was incredible. I couldn't be still! Songs came to mind and overflowed from my heart and voice. Seeing the snow reminded me of God's promise to us.

'Come now, let's settle this,'
says the Lord.
'Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
I will make them as white as wool.
Isaiah 1:18
(NLT)

And the prayer of King David came to mind.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7
(NLT)

Early one morning as we drove high on the mountain the words of a song I learned as a young girl became my prayer.

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to ransom my soul.
Break down ev'ry idol, cast out ev'ry foe:
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus for this I most humbly entreat;
I wait blessed Lord, at Thy crucified feet.
By faith, for my cleansing I see Thy blood flow:
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, Thou knowest I patiently wait;
Come now, and within me a new heart create.
To those who have sought Thee, Thou never said "No:"
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

Chorus:
Whiter than snow, yes whiter than snow;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Song: 'Whiter Than Snow'
Written by James Nicholson (1872)

You can listen to this song here.


With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Sunday Songs of Grateful Praise - It Is Well With My Soul

I love this old hymn. Although the story behind it is heart-breaking, the truth of the words has stood the test of time. I've sung this song many times at church, at memorial services and when I needed the reminder that it really is well with my soul.

Horatio G. Spafford was a successful lawyer and businessman in Chicago with a lovely family - a wife, Anna, and five children. However, they were not strangers to tears and tragedy. Their young son died with pneumonia in eighteen-seventy-one, and in that same year, much of their business was lost in the great Chicago fire. Yet, God in His mercy and kindness allowed the business to flourish once more.

In November of eighteen seventy-three, the French ocean liner, Ville du Havre was crossing the Atlantic from the U.S. to Europe with three hundred thirteen passengers on board. Among the passengers were Mrs. Spafford and their four daughters. Although Mr. Spafford had planned to go with his family, he found it necessary to stay in Chicago to help solve an unexpected business problem. He told his wife he would join her and their children in Europe a few days later. His plan was to take another ship.

About four days into the crossing of the Atlantic, the Ville du Harve collided with a powerful, iron-hulled Scottish ship, the Loch Earn. Suddenly, all of those on board were in grave danger. Anna hurriedly brought her four children to the deck. She knelt there with Annie, Margaret Lee, Bessie and Tanetta and prayed that God would spare them if that could be His will, or to make them willing to endure whatever awaited them. Within approximately twelve minutes, the Ville du Harve slipped beneath the dark waters of the Atlantic, carrying with it two hundred twenty six of the passengers including the four Spafford children.

A sailor, rowing a small boat over the spot where the ship went down, spotted a woman floating on a piece of the wreckage. It was Anna, still alive. He pulled her into the boat and they were picked up by another large vessel which, nine days later, landed them in Cardiff, Wales. From there she wired her husband a message which began, “Saved alone, what shall I do?” Mr. Spafford later framed the telegram and placed it in his office.

Another of the ship’s survivors, Pastor Weiss, later recalled Anna saying, 'God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why.'

Mr. Spafford booked passage on the next available ship and left to join his grieving wife. With the ship about four days out, the captain called Spafford to his cabin and told him they were over the place where his children went down.

According to Bertha Spafford Vester, a daughter born after the tragedy, Spafford wrote “It Is Well With My Soul” while on this journey.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blessed assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trumpet shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, with my soul,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.

 
Anna gave birth to three more children, one of which died at age four with dreaded pneumonia. In August eighteen-eighty-one, the Spaffords moved to Jerusalem. Mr. Spafford died and is buried in that city.

And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding,
shall keep your hearts, your minds through Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:7.

Song: 'It Is Well With My Soul'
Written by Horatio G. Spafford

You can hear a beautiful rendition of this song here.

When the world seems upside-down, what a comfort to know that it is well with my soul!

 
With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Sunday Songs of Grateful Praise - Good, Good Father

That's me with my dad! I had an incredibly wonderful, loving, kind, gentle and Godly father. He was a preacher and anyone who knew him knew he always lived what he preached. And that's true - what you saw in public was the man he was at home. He was a good father - and I was blessed!

Quite a few years ago a new song appeared in worship music in churches around the world. It had special meaning to me and I immediately identified with it. You see, the way we visualize God is often influenced by our relationship with our earthly fathers. That was true of me. The Heavenly Father described in this song touched my heart deeply because my earthly father taught me by his example that I can trust my Heavenly Father.  He taught me that God means what He says. He taught me that God loves me more than anyone on earth will ever love me and His love will never fail. He taught me that God is good, even when it seems things are wrong or unfair - because God is a good, good Father.

I've sung this song many times as I've walked through tough times. It's always a reminder and a comfort and it brings reassurance and peace to my troubled heart. As my father was about to leave this world I sat beside his bed in the middle of the night and sang this song. I sang it repeatedly through the last days of my dear mother's life and I sang it again recently as I faced a serious health crisis. The words are true - God is a good, good Father. No matter what things look like. When life is good and all is well. In those in-between times when you don't know what's going to happen. In the hard times that seem as if they will tear you apart. God is good all the time! I know it's true because He has proved it to me over and over again. He's a good, good Father - that's who He is. And I'm loved by Him - that's who I am!

Oh, I've heard a thousand stories of what they think you're like
But I've heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night
And you tell me that you're pleased
And that I'm never alone

You're a Good, Good Father
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

Oh, and I've seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we're all searching
For answers only you provide
'Cause you know just what we need
Before we say a word

You're a Good, Good Father
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

'Cause you are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways to us

You are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways
You are perfect in all of your ways to us

Oh, it's love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think

As you call me deeper still
As you call me deeper still
As you call me deeper still
Into love, love, love

You're a Good, Good Father
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

You're a Good, Good Father
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

You're a Good, Good Father
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am

You're a Good, Good Father
(You are perfect in all of your ways)
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are
And I'm loved by you
(You are perfect in all of your ways)
It's who I am, it's who I am it's who I am 

  

So if you sinful people know

how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will your heavenly Father
give good gifts to those who ask him.
Matthew 7:11
(New Living Translation)

Song: 'Good, Good Father'

Sung by Chris Tomlin

Written by Pat Barrett and Tony Brown

(you can hear the song here)

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Sunday Songs of Praise - How Great Is Our God

The splendor of the King
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice
All the earth rejoice
He wraps Himself in light
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice
And trembles at His voice

How great is our God
Sing with me
How great is our God
And all will see how great
How great is our God

And age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the End
Beginning and the End
The Godhead three in one
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb

Name above all names
Worthy of all praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God

 

Blessed are you, God of Israel,
our father from of old and forever.
To you, O God, belong the greatness and the might,
    the glory, the victory,
the majesty, the splendor;
Yes! Everything in heaven, everything on earth;
    the kingdom all yours!
You’ve raised yourself high over all.
Riches and glory come from you,
    you’re ruler over all;
You hold strength and power in the palm of your hand
    to build up and strengthen all.
And here we are, O God, our God,
giving thanks to you,
    praising your splendid Name.

I Chronicles 29:11-13 (The Message)

Song: ' How Great Is Our God'
by Chris Tomlin
You can listen to the song here

With A Grateful Heart, Adrienne

Sunday Songs of Grateful Praise - Like A River Glorious

One  of my favorite hymns was written in the late eighteen-hundreds by an English lady named Francis Ridley Havergal. She wrote many well-known hymns, poetry and children's books.

While vacationing she became seriously ill with pneumonia and was not expected to live.  Her friends were amazed at how peacefully she received this information. She survived and later that year she wrote the hymn "Like a River Glorious". She pointed to the source of her perfect peace: "Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blessed, finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest."

Miss Havergal was a devout Bible scholar. She incorporated the truth of Scripture in this hymn where God promises "peace like a river." This hymn paints the picture of this peace. The hymn was first published in its present form with the name "Perfect Peace," in Hymns of Consecration and Faith in 1876.

This hymn has touched my heart all through my life - from my youth until now. I have sung it often when peace seems impossible. I have sung it joyfully as a statement of what I truly believe - God does us give His peace when we focus on Him!

 Like a river glorious
  Is God's perfect peace,
Over all victorious
  In its bright increase.
Perfect, yet it floweth
  Fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth
  Deeper all the way.
Stayed upon Jehovah,
  Hearts are fully blest,
Finding as He promised,
  Perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow
  Of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow,
  Never traitor stand.
Not a surge of worry,
  Not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry
  Moves the spirit there.

 Stayed upon Jehovah,
  Hearts are fully blest,
Finding as He promised,
  Perfect peace and rest.

Every joy or trial
  Falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial
  By the Sun of Love.
We may trust Him fully
  All for us to do,
They who trust Him wholly
  Find Him wholly true.
Stayed upon Jehovah,
Hearts are fully blest,
Finding, as He promised,
Perfect peace and rest.

You will keep in perfect and constant peace
the one whose mind is steadfast
[that is, committed and focused on You -
in both inclination and character],
because he trusts and takes refuge in You
[with hope and confident expectation].
Isaiah 26:3 (Amplified Bible)

You can hear the beautiful melody of this old hymn are recorded by one of my favorite Pacific Northwest musicians, harpist Bronn Journey, here.

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Sunday Songs of Grateful Praise - Lord, You've Been Good To Me

Today I'm starting a new feature on my blog. On Sundays I plan to share a song that has special meaning to me and speaks to my faith. I love the old hymns and some of the newer songs of praise and faith. I hope they speak to your heart as they do mine. I may share the stories behind the songs and a Bible verse or two. I might share how a song has touched my life and I may share how songs have touched the hearts of other people.

If you know me well, you know that music has always been an important part of my life. I started singing almost the moment I realized I had a voice. When I first discovered my grandma's piano I couldn't keep my hands off of it. I studied music through my growing up years and through college and taught piano lessons for many years.  I've used my music gifts to serve God in many places. Music seems to be embedded into my soul. I can't imagine a world without it. If you visit my home you will most likely hear music playing or you may catch me singing as I go about my day. It's only natural that music has been a part of my life - in the best of times and in the hardest of times.

During my recent health crisis and through the continuing recovery time there have been many songs that have spoken deeply to my heart. Some were prayers asking God for strength to walk the path ahead. Some were songs of praise and faith for what He has done and will continue to do. Some were songs that brought joy and peace; others were songs that caused me to stop and worship Him. One song that was new to me has become a song I sing often these days. The words are exactly what is in my heart! I hope it blesses you, too.

 Lord You've been good to me
All my life, all my life
Your loving kindness never fails
I will remember
All You have done
Bring from my heart
Thanksgiving songs

New every morning is Your love
Filled with compassion from above
Grace and forgiveness full and free
Lord You've been good to me

So may each breath I take
Be for you Lord, only You
Giving You back the life I owe
Love so amazing
Mercy so free
Lord You've been good
So good to me

I lift you high in praise, my God, O my King! and I'll bless your name into eternity. I'll bless you every day, and keep it up from now to eternity. God is magnificent; he can never be praised enough. There are no boundaries to his greatness.Psalm 145:1-3
(The Message) 

Song: 'Lord You've Been Good To Me'
Written by Graham Kendrick
Listen to the song here

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

Simply Grateful

It's been a long time since I've shared anything here on my blog. Too long, in fact, but life really came hard and time away was necessary. There are so many things I want to share - and I will. I honestly hope to get back to being here often to share my comings and goings and things on my heart. Today I will just share the big reason I've been away so long. Later I'll catch you up with other things I've done through this year.

Life can take a major turn when we least expect it and that's exactly what happened early this Spring. Tests to determine the cause of continuing upper digestive pain revealed that my gallbladder was one hot mess! I knew where that diagnosis was leading but I was totally unprepared for a more serious health crisis that ensued. The ultrasound also showed that I had a large mass in my left kidney. Consultation with my doctor led to a CT scan that revealed that the mass was a large tumor. The tumor appeared to be renal cell carcinoma. Cancer. Not an easy diagnosis to hear. Your life can never be the same again when you hear the words 'very high probability that you have cancer'.

The kidney was high priority so I saw a kidney specialist first.  Due to the size and location of the large tumor, my left kidney would have to be removed - cancer or no cancer. Two surgeries would be required. My kidney specialist would remove my kidney and a general surgeon would remove my gallbladder.  I asked if it was possible that I could have both surgeries done at the same time. His answer was a relief. Yes, the two surgeons will coordinate one surgery - one surgeon and his team will begin the surgery and exit the operating room. The second surgeon and his team will take over and finish the job. Two surgeries in one! One hospital stay; one anesthesia and recovery.

I had surgery early in May and stayed in the hospital for three nights while my body began to adjust to life with one kidney. My remaining kidney is strong and healthy - that's good news - but the best news of all was the phone call from my kidney doctor with the lab results from my tumor. He had joy in his voice when he told me - NO cancer. Benign! The percentage of possibility for this outcome was very small. But many people were praying for me. I was at peace no matter the outcome because my life is in God's hands. But this news brought tears. Tears of gratitude. And such relief.  We laughed together on the phone as tears poured down my face. Because of the type of tumor I had I will have to have a yearly ultrasound for the next two or three years, but I am healthy and doing well.

Recovery is long and slow when a kidney is removed. I knew this going into surgery so we planned for me to live life at a slower pace as long as I need to. It's amazing how God created our bodies to handle this situation.  A Bible verse I learned as a child has taken on a whole new meaning.

Thank you God for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
Psalm 139:14
New Living Translation

During recovery my remaining kidney is adapting to life on its own. It's actually enlarging as it adds more filtration tissue to handle the load it carries. It's strong and healthy and working exactly the way it should.  This could take up to a year. While that happens fatigue is an almost constant companion during this process. I never understood fatigue before. I have been exhausted in the past but this is different. It's the feeling that I'm a big rag doll. I can't push myself and I run out of steam quite fast but the fatigue is getting less and less and one day won't be a part of daily life. It's beginning to taper off and I'm so grateful to have a day here and there with no fatigue. I really am doing great. I'm able to do some simple tasks again - slowly - and, if you could see me, you would probably say I look good. I look healthy - and I am healthy.

The support and prayers and love I've had from my family and friends who have walked this journey with me means more than words can say. My life has changed. I'm different now. I'll never be the same again. I don't take life for granted. Each day I thank God for another day to live and to serve Him.

Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise You!
Psalm 63:3
New Living Translation

There's no way to describe what I feel in my heart except to say that I am simply grateful!

With A Grateful Heart,
Adrienne

       

   

A New Use For A Gift Box

The holiday season has begun and it seems to be moving by quite fast. Before I jump into the holiday season with both feet - well, I might not jump, I may try to sneak or stroll in - I want to share a way you can use a gift box in a new way. Something you might not have considered. I certainly didn't but my sweet, little dog gave me the idea.

Shortly after my dear mother passed away early last year I cleared some things from a storage cabinet in her garage. She had a big gift box that I decided to take home with me. Another thing I added to my car that day was a very soft, cozy blue throw pillow. The pillow fit inside the gift box so that's where it traveled as I drove a few blocks to my house. The box and pillow stayed on the back seat of my car for a few days. A few days later my little dog, Joey, rode in the car with me while I ran an errand. It wasn't long before he discovered the box and the soft pillow on the seat of the car. He must have decided that it was the perfect place to curl up and take a nap. He loves to sleep on cozy, soft things and this was an opportunity he just resist. I'm sure he thought the box and pillow were meant for him.

After that ride in the car I took the box into the house and decided to let him have it for a bed. Joey is not allowed to have a 'real' doggie bed anymore - the fabric kind with stuffing inside. He chews holes in the fabric and delights in pulling the stuffing out. We have tried nasty-tasting spray made to prevent dogs from chewing things. It works for a few hours and then he ignores it and chews his bed anyway. We've tried many times and no soft dog bed has survived. So, when he adopted the big gift box and soft pillow it seemed like the perfect solution. He doesn't chew on the box or the pillow and that's a good thing. The gift box and pillow even ended up on the back seat of our truck when we left for our Grand Trip last year. It was a good place for Joey to nap while riding down the road on our long trip.

Time went by and the gift box began to show wear. Joey had stretched and moved so much that he eventually kicked out one end of the box! My sweetheart did what a lot of guys would do - he fixed it with duct tape! The box held on for a year, then a year and a half and a few more months. Recently, it seemed it was time to replace the box. But where would I find another big, square, sturdy box? Putting on my thinking cap - and arming myself with coupons - I headed to a fabric and craft store nearby. And I found the perfect box. It was more sturdy than my sweet mother's big gift box. It had a lid but that didn't stop me. I knew exactly what to do - and it was just right. So, the new gift box came home, was thoroughly inspected by Joey and then. . .he hopped in and settled down. He liked it! Lid and all. (Notice which box I chose. Perfect, isn't it?)

A day or two later - when he wasn't looking! - I carefully cut the lid away from the box. He knew immediately that something had changed but he checked it out and hopped right in - yes, he hops in - and he settled right down for a long nap.

Sometimes he just sits in his new box with his head held high as he watches the world go by. . .

And sometimes he rests his head and pays attention to the world outside his little box.

And when the mood strikes, usually when the sun shines, he hops out of his box and climbs up on the love seat to see what's going on outside.

When there's nothing exciting going on outside he closes his eyes and goes back to sleep.

So, my friends, if you ever need a doggie bed you might want to try a gift box. If you have an extra big gift box lying around you might try to find a little dog who needs a bed!

Lost and Found

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A lot has happened since I shared my last post. We've made a couple of short trips with our cabin-on-wheels and made more memories to treasure. And - in the middle of it all - my blog disappeared. Again! I shared the loss on Facebook and some of my blog friends questioned why my blog was lost when they have never had that problem. I shared the issues with them and how my blog differs from theirs. Here's what happened. I first started blogging with a 'generic' blog through blogger. That meant that my blog address ended with blogspot.com. Then, a few years ago I decided to purchase my own domain so my blog could easily be found. That's when the 'address' changed to withagratefulheart.com. No blogspot. Just my own blog name. And that's exactly where the issue all came about.

This is the third time my blog has disappeared - all because my private domain didn't renew as it should. So - it expired. Thankfully, each time a family member or friend has alerted me that my blog wasn't where it should be. The first time took some serious detective work to get a solution. The second time it happened I had to jump through many, very confusing hoops to get it back. It seemed that the issues had been resolved and this wouldn't happen again. Both times - and this time - they were certain that I received an email notice that my blog renewal was due. My annual payment was set to auto-renew but that didn't happen. Google's Customer Service can be very confusing and I was never able to get back to the online account where I could check my billing and contact information.  Then, it happened again. When it shouldn't have. Again I was not able to get into my account so I could do anything about it. Requests for help were sent and no one responded. Then, in desperation I did more research and found that Google is the 'third party owner' of my private domain. So I reached out to Enom, one of several companies who sell private domains, the company that sold it to me - with Google in the middle. I found a phone number for Enom to see if someone there could intervene and help me. I was very pleased to see that they are in the U.S. and based just a few hours north of my home. In the same time zone.  A very sweet young lady answered my call. Within minutes she discovered and explained the problem. My email address on file was wrong. It had never been changed as I was told it had - and it had not been set to auto-renew, as it should have been. This sweet, helpful young lady made an offer for me to consider. Since my 'Google' affiliation had expired and Google's policy does not give a grace period, I could renew it directly through Enom and she offered to take care of the details to restore my blog. That means in the future I can deal with them directly. With no one in the middle. I was already impressed with the level of Customer Service she offered and it appeared that their site is extremely user friendly.  I didn't have to think about that offer for long. Within minutes she set up an account for me, sent me an email with details about how to pay and where to check to make sure my information was correct and up-to-date. Then, within minutes, my blog was back online. It was found! I am very happy with the decision I made.  Not only did she give me kind, courteous help to get my blog back - she emailed me after everything was said and done. She expressed thanks for allowing her to help me! Her thanking me? Really, I was the one who was thankful for her. She gave me her direct line and email so I can contact her in the future if I have questions or need help. So - I'm back! Ready to go and encouraged that there are still people 'out there' who are kind and patient and helpful. And grateful for the chance to help.

Now all I need to do is to sort through and organize about a million photos and get back to more regular blogging. See you here again. Soon.

I'm grateful to be here and I'm grateful for you, my dear blog friends, who add a bit of sunshine to my day.

An Ending, A Change of Plans and New Plans

Oh, my! I really didn't mean to wait so long to write another blog post. But, as you will see, life has been crazy busy around here and things have been happening. Some expected and some not so much. It's all good - really, it is. Major plans had to be changed and once they were we had such peace. We know we're right where we belong these days and we're happy to be here. So. . .let me share a bit of what's been going on.

I'll begin with the end - an ending we had worked toward for a long time. A lot of hard work and what seemed like endless hours went into the final result. After much prayer and thought and some hard decisions about my dear, little mother's home we knew we should sell it. That was not an easy thing for me or for our kids and grandkids but it was the right thing to do. I was torn about it at first. We had thoughts of keeping her house - the home my father built while I was in high school, the only family home my children and their children have ever known. My roots were there which made the decision harder. But, as we took stock of our needs and how that home and ours would meet our needs we knew selling was the right thing. Then, God brought us buyers that we never could have dreamed possible. Friends!!! A young couple who knew and loved my dear mother. They never got to meet my father but they knew of the heritage of the home and they wanted to continue to build a heritage for their family, following in my parents' footsteps. My mother absolutely adored them and their little girl and I think my mother may have done a happy dance in Heaven about this decision. We have been in their home for dinner and have walked around the yard to talk about things growing there and stories of life on the big back deck and yard. We were thrilled when the day finally came to turn everything over to them. Yes, we walked away with a sense of freedom but knowing that we will always be welcome to return and visit. And we have.

This photo was taken while my dear mother still lived here. We had to take out the big trees on the left due to disease and we trimmed back the shrubs outside the bedroom area to the left to open things up and let more light inside. We added a new roof before the sale was final and new house numbers chosen by the new owners. Things look a bit different now but the house is still wonderful and is loved by our sweet friends who call it home.

We had BIG plans for the summer and I could hardly wait to share them with you but shortly after my mother's house sale was final we knew we needed to completely change those plans. We were SO excited about our plans and could hardly wait to leave home and travel north - north to Alaska. For the whole summer! With our cabin-on-wheels. We read every book and pamphlet and brochure we could find. We planned and plotted our trip and we were part of a Facebook group of many others who were going north with their RV's this summer. We wouldn't travel with them but it was almost for sure that we would meet up with some of them along the way. This was a big dream on our bucket list - has been for many years - and we could hardly wait.

But those plans had to be changed for several reasons, The sale of my dear mother's home was delayed almost a month beyond what we had requested. This made finalizing the other business of her estate impossible to complete before our planned departure date. Add to that the fact that the main entry door of our new cabin-on-wheels had a defect that caused the door and frame to be out of alignment enough that opening and closing was becoming a major problem. We had sensed a problem soon after we brought it home and had it back in the shop a couple of times for work that we hoped would fix the issue. In the end, a complete new door had to be ordered. At first we thought we might  wait until the new door installed and then leave for Alaska a bit later than planned. We're so glad we decided against that idea! We were told it should arrive and be installed mid-June. At this moment, we're still waiting!  We just heard that the factory has just now begun to manufacture our new door. They say it will take four weeks to manufacture and ship to our dealer for installation.  In the meantime our dealer's service department was able to do a temporary 'fix' so we can still use the door without much problem. And then another thing happened that let us know we had to change plans. My sweetheart had his routine dental exam and learned that he needed oral surgery and some other work that shouldn't be postponed until we returned in the fall. Once we knew about that the decision was quick. We knew what we had to do and we had total peace as soon as the decision was made. We knew this summer was not the time to leave home and head north. We haven't regretted it for a moment. We're following the adventures of the Facebook group that's up there now and we're making notes of places they have camped and adventures they've taken. Their photos inspire and excite us - and now we have a new plan. We plan to go to Alaska next summer! Now we're part of another Facebook group and we are enjoying the camaraderie we're finding with this group that will make the long trek north when we go. Many from the group that is up there now have met each other - some even camping in the same campgrounds. Fireside chats and dinners out together and stories shared have intrigued us and we hope for the same experience next year. How will we find each other? Simple - we ordered and just received a big decal that will be placed on our cabin-on-wheels. It will identify us as members of this group. Some retailers and RV park hosts have even been giving discounts to member of the group up there this year. When our decal  arrived the other day we got excited all over again.

So, what are we doing since our plans changed? We are working hard to catch up with maintenance and projects around our home and yard. Things at home had to take a back seat over the past few years while we cared for my dear, little mother and her home and yard. Then we spent many, long, hard months of dealing with her belongings and repairs and maintenance to get her home ready to sell. Homes that were built back in the day often have issues that must be brought up to current building codes and that takes time. Now we are free to focus on one home - ours - and it's overwhelming at times. We will be making upgrades inside and out. And there will be adventures in the mix, too. When we knew we couldn't go to Alaska this summer we promised ourselves that we wouldn't just work, work, work. We've spent some days away and we have more short trips planned.

There is so much more I want to share with you and I know I haven't finished sharing our Grand Trip from last year yet. That will happen again soon and I hope to stay in touch a bit more often than I have recently. Time flies when you're having fun. Or when you're enjoying grandkids or having new adventures. For now, we are at peace with the decisions we've made and we are looking forward to adventures and experiences in the future. And when next summer comes, we may just be the most prepared travelers on the highway north!

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Making Our Cabin-On-Wheels Ours

A few weeks ago I gave you a sneak peek at our new cabin-on-wheels. (Click here if you want to see what I shared.) I promised to show you changes we made and how we've begun to decorate it and make it feel like home. Life keeps moving along and we've had a lot going on, including some trips away in our cabin-on-wheels. So, finally, I slowed my pace and took some photos to show you what we've done. I took photos a on a gorgeous day last week. It was sunny and bright - and difficult to get the best photos because of the extra light and glare. But, inspite of that, you can get an idea of how we live when we're on the road. There are more things to do but this is a start. As with any home I think there will always be something to change or rearrange or organize. When I asked my sweetheart what kind of decor he would like in our new trailer he said, 'hunting cabin'. I suggested we do a more vintage cabin feel and not so much hunting. He liked that idea so you will see how we've added the cabin feel to make this our cabin-on-wheels.

Here's the way the kitchen looked straight from the dealer. I shared that we ordered it without the black, glass back-splash. Soon we will add our own back-splash - and it will be worth waiting for!

This is my kitchen with a few things added.

We eat a lot of fresh fruit so we always love to have a bowl of fruit on the counter. I found this colander at the Goodwill and knew it would be perfect. It holds our fruit but it also adds a pop of color to my kitchen area.

We bought this spice rack at World Market and my sweetheart attached it firmly to the side of the kitchen cabinet. It's so secure that it travels just like this without a problem. I need to add more spices and one of these days I will get matching bottles with cute labels. I decided not to use glass spice bottles because of the weight so I have my eye on some cute plastic containers that I can dress up with my own labels.

It's always nice to have an assortment of handy kitchen tools available. I needed something fairly lightweight to hold my kitchen utensils. When I found this cute grater planter at Hobby Lobby I knew it was just right. I have plans to replace a few of these utensils with some that have more color. I always love to brighten a spot with color when I can.

I had a plain stainless steel teakettle on the stove in our cabin-on-wheels. It was practical but it wasn't anything exciting. One day my sweetheart and I were walking through Walmart when he spied this Pioneer Woman teakettle and decided it was just what I (and my little kitchen) needed. I love it!  Do you see the daffodils on it?

This sign above the microwave is another Hobby Lobby find.

And I found this cute magnet at The Dollar Tree as I walked through the store one day. It's a cute addition to my range hood. The directions say: 'Mix well and serve with love'. Tips: 'One cup full of hugs. One teaspoon of kisses'.

I always wanted a small lamp on the dining table and I found this on sale at a local store. I knew it would be perfect and it adds a bit more light. It's perfect for soft light in the evening. The cabin piece was a gift to my sweetheart from our daughter.

This is the way the dinette and entertainment center looked in the basic model. Since we ordered our cabin-on-wheels we chose some options that we haven't regretted at all.

This was something special that we dreamed of having and it was an add-on option we chose. A fireplace! It's electric so we can heat our cabin-on-wheels without using propane when we're plugged into power. We can have the 'fire' on without heat for ambiance, or we can have the 'fire' on with heat to keep us toasty warm. I couldn't avoid reflections on this very sunny day but you can get the idea.

On our first trip with our new cabin-on-wheels my little dog, Joey, pulled his doggie bed over in front of the 'fire' and decided that space belonged to him!

The fireplace has a little 'mantel' so my sweetheart and I decided to decorate it a bit. I added two little battery-operated candle lanterns (a yard sale find!) and my sweetheart chose this sweet little sign on a recent trip to Hobby Lobby. I'm still thinking about ways to hide the cords. I'm sure I'll come up with something.

He also found a holder for the remotes (for the television, stereo system and fireplace).

There isn't a lot of wall space in the living area of our new cabin-on-wheels so I had to be a bit creative. I found these two burlap and metal pieces on the clearance table of a local store so I added them to the cabinet doors above the television.

This sofa was what came with the basic model of our cabin-on-wheels.

My sweetheart and I decided to add the 'recliner' option and we are sure glad we did. These chairs are pure comfort and we feel right at home when we enjoy time here.

On the wall beside the recliners (to the left in this photo) is a sign my sweetheart found at Hobby Lobby. We thought it would be perfect here. And it is. It's a good reminder to relax and enjoy our 'cabin'.

I showed you this control panel that is on the end of the upper cabinet just inside the main door. I wasn't thrilled to see it there with all the buttons and switches and monitors in plain sight. I had hoped it would be a place I could decorate with something welcoming. But it wasn't so I had to be flexible. In each of our other two trailers my sweetheart has wanted a hat rack - a place where he could hang his hats. That wasn't the best idea in my opinion but when he and I talked about how visible this control panel is he made a suggestion and I jumped on it right away. He added two Command brand hooks above everything and - viola- instant hat rack! He's happy and so am I. And it's easy to access the switches when we need them.

I showed you the little bathroom area with the ugly shower curtain that came with the trailer.

The shower curtain was one of the first things I changed. I bought it long before we brought our cabin-on-wheels home.

We changed the shower curtain rod, too. We bought an Extend-A-Rod that's made for RVs. The rod has two 'elbow' joints (where I added arrows) so it can flex. It goes in and out of the way when the shower isn't being used. It makes the little bathroom feel a tiny bit bigger and it lets more light into the room through the skylight. (We also added a tension shower rod across the top of the shower so we can hang things to dry. It's great for wet coats when we come in from the rain!)

When we're ready to take a shower we move it out and we instantly have more elbow room while in the shower. It's been wonderful!

This model didn't have any cabinet or storage area for bath towels in the little bathroom so I decided to get creative. I found the perfect wire and rustic wood box at an outlet store. My sweetheart screwed it securely into the wall and I rolled the bath towels and it works great. I'm looking for a flat metal sign of some kind to add below - something that we won't hit our heads or backs on when we use the potty!

As I shared in the sneak peek before, the bathroom sink is in the hallway across from the bathroom door. You can see it in the photo beside the old shower curtain in the photo above. There is a lot of space in the medicine cabinet but someone didn't space the shelves to allow tall bottles to stand. So we thought about it for awhile and decided to add something to the side wall. This little rustic metal box from Hobby Lobby is perfect! It's handy and things travel in it without falling out. And I still have unused decorating space above it.

Our bedroom really reflects the vintage-y cabin look we wanted. Every new RV comes with a bedspread and most people I know quickly replace it with something else.  I spent a lot of time looking for what we wanted and I finally found it - in the children's department at Target! I was really surprised to find a queen-size quilt in the children's department. Notice the throw pillow that my sweetheart found on a clearance table at a local store. We had decided that we would only add one throw pillow on our bed because there's not much space to put them when we go to bed at night. I knew he really wanted this pillow and it adds to a bit of 'hunting' to our bedroom.

We have big nightstands on each side of the bed. That's something most RV's don't have and we were thrilled to have these. I found this cute little battery-operated lantern in the Christmas clearance aisle at Walmart. It has a timer and it makes a great little night light for evenings when we might go in and out of the bedroom. I wish there had been another one for the other nightstand.

I have a bit of decorating on the bedroom walls but there's more to come. We found this cute sign and it didn't take long to decide to hang it on my sweetheart's side of the bed.

My sweetheart found a vintage-style poster on canvas on a clearance aisle of a local store.

We both loved it immediately and knew it had to go on the biggest wall of the bedroom. It hangs at the foot of the bed and I plan to hang some of my own photos around it. 

There was one 'prime' decorating spot that I had plans for in the bedroom. When we did the walk-through on the day we got our new trailer I was surprised that this spot had been claimed for something I hadn't expected. But it is necessary. We added a solar panel to the roof of our cabin-on-wheels. It recharges the batteries that run the power we use when we're not plugged into land power.

So, I lost the decorating spot between the cabinet doors above our bed. The solar panel controller needs to go inside near panel that's on the roof above the bed. While I lost a decorating spot, it's OK. I'm getting used to it and I'll appreciate it when we are camping off-grid.

I enjoy having lights that add to the cozy feel in the evening. A girlfriend gave me some battery-operated lights that I added at the top of the slide-out dinette. We enjoy having them on when we spend an evening 'at home' when we're on the road.

And the fireplace and little candle lanterns on the mantel add just the right mood for those evenings in.

There are more projects and things to add to the decor planned but - like in any home - things take time. I'll share more when things begin to happen.