Divine Appointments

Summer time...I love it!  Yes the heat is challenging but I love the summer nights sitting on my deck with the lights and torches.  I love the cool breeze early in the morning when the birds begin singing and I
love swimming in the evening.  I love vacations and the fun summer brings but I guess I love life period.

I recently looked at the make up of the audience of my blog and I was astounded.  There were people that regularly view from US, Canada, Russia, United Kingdom, Germany, Lavinia, Taiwan, Ukraine, Alaska, South Africa, South Korea, India, Slovenia, Australia, Malaysia, Japan, Chilie, Brazil, Austria. Wow! Let me hear from you.  Please make a comment or email me personally.  Let me know what touches your heart.  kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or comment below.

Since I wrote last week, my father has had surgery and I spent Monday in the hospital.  He had 3 compression fractures and they had to put him under a general anesthesia which was risky with his heart condition but he pulled thru once again.  I think he is part cat and has 9 lives since this is his ninth hospital stay in 20 months. Each visit challenges me as it readjusts my life.   He and my mom celebrated their 53 anniversary this week.  What an awesome accomplishment.  I have decided the years of caregiving is my Ironman and I will finish strong.  
God supplies all I need when I think I cannot take another step...

I am leaning that to survive as a caregiver I must have times when I totally escape.  Our local newspaper printed an article about caregiving this past week and it said, "Caregiving for an elder loved one is an awesome and loving task.  Few gifts are more valuable than time and attention.  Far too often, though, the stress of caregiving creates health problems for the caregiver.  Studies show caregivers must first take care of themselves so they'll be able to care for their loved one.   Hard as it may be, it's critical they get a break just to be able to continue their important job."  I have to get out of town from time to time just to catch my breath as this situation has been intense  and long...

I want to talk about divine appointments.  Divine appointments are so much fun and make the day fun.  Recently when I went to California I had three divine appointments on the flights.  One was with a young man I knew from years ago.  His mom is in the last stages of cancer and as we talked and cried together I felt like I was able to help him embrace where he was in the grief journey.  The next flight I sat by a young man that had just won a trip for being top salesman for a mobil phone company.  He was 20 and as we visited I felt to encourage him in the gifts God had given him.  I shared part of my testimony  and then gave him the book I had written on  "Wake Up to Who You Are."  At the end of the conversation he stated that he felt he was to become a pastor and I was able to affirm his gifts and callings.  The next leg of the flight I sat by a woman from South Africa and she was a volunteer for a social service agency.  As we visited I shared my passion to help women discover their God given value.  She made an interesting statement,  "Women in Texas and especially in the church have not idea of their value.  Women in South Africa aren't like that.  They are much more confidant in their value.  You need to get the message to women in the church to discover their value."  She was a woman after my heart and passion and I loved our visit.  I have had three different people say in this past week, "You have a story that you need to get out there."  God continues to affirm what He has called me to do.  Now I wait to discover the rest of the story.  I love divine appointments and find them as I simply live my life and look for God in the journey.

One day this week I stopped at a local store to pick up some of my books I had printed.  As I visited with the lady in the store and heard her heart, I felt to pray for her right there.   God touched her heart.  Later that evening I went to swing dance lessons in San Antonio.  While there I had the opportunity to help a woman discover her God given talent and encourage her in her job search.  We prayed right there while others were busy enjoying practicing their dancing.  I love taking God into the world.  Too many times we expect these people that need His touch to walk through the doors of our churches.  I believe we need to take the church to them.

I am speaking at Second Baptist Church in Baytown Tx this Friday night at a Summer Ladies Night Out.  I can't wait to see what God has for this group of ladies.  He continues to show me His faithfulness, His goodness, His love even in the hardest of times.

If you would like a copy of my book, "Wake Up to Who You Are" contact me at my email.  The cost is $4.00 and includes shipping.  kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com


Yea God!

Kathleen