NO, I HAVEN'T FALLEN OFF THE PLANET! (YET)

For those of you who drop in now and then I wanted to let you know that even though it may appear so, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Times have been both busy and difficult for me through the last month or so, making it virtually impossible for me to post anything.

Here are a few of the things that have been happening:

• The weekend after I moved one daughter closer to home at the end of April, I then helped moved my other daughter and her husband as well. During that weekend I was privileged to take in the Saskatoon Bible Conference featuring Dr. Rob Lindsted of Milk and Honey Ministries, John Plantz representing Friends of Israel, Dave Dunn of Bridges for Peace and past-president of Creation Science of Saskatchewan (CSSI), and Warren Smith, author of The Light That Was Dark: From the New Age to Amazing Grace, also Deceived on Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose Driven-Church, and an online book, Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel. It was a wonderful weekend of education and fellowship.
• Helping to get my kids settled into their new home, which they are sharing, as they get settled into their new jobs.
• I have been driving the school bus for a neighboring farmer on a regular basis during this busy season of seeding on the farm for the last few weeks.
• Injury to my right shoulder and tail bone after a fall down a short flight of stairs at the beginning of March.
• Problems with the tendons, ligaments and muscles in my left leg above the ankle.

The last few years have been particularly difficult for me physically, as I struggle with chronic back pain as well as intermittent pain in other joints/ligaments/muscles. Most of the time I feel like I have just a touch of the flu with body aches. For this reason, I sometimes have trouble keeping up with things I am involved in. I have had health problems since my teen years with short seasons of relief in between times of difficulty. I was plagued with a distressing cough for the past two years until I finally was able to see an allergy specialist. It just about knocked the stuffing out of me! During most of that time I had difficulty speaking and I'm not sure if I'll ever have my singing voice back. It was finally discovered that I have multiple allergies. I have now gone from receiving three allergy shots per week to every two weeks. This has brought about a great improvement for my cough. I thank God for some good doctors who did some great investigative work on my behalf.

Since my fall and shoulder injury at the beginning of March I have also injured my right leg. I injure very easily and often have unexplained pain. Doc originally chocked it up to fibromyalgia a number of years ago, even though I've never been convinced. I have seen a number of specialists over the years without any satisfactory answers, but now it looks like I MAY have a condition called Hypermobility Syndrome. It affects 1 in 5-10,000. It is sometimes linked to a genetic disorder affecting the body's ability to produce a particular type of collagen in the connective tissues. It is not life-threatening, but does, however, affect the quality of life. At this point I have been considering quitting my bus-driving job which saddens me because I really enjoy interacting with the kids. If my name crosses your mind, I would appreciate your prayers for me, both for my healing, and for my doctors and therapists to have the wisdom and skill to help me cope with these challenges in the event that God chooses not to heal me supernaturally. It is affecting my life far-reaching ways these days, often making it difficult to get the simplest chores done at home. Although I am typically in good spirits, I do have my days when I want to have myself a real good pity-party! I frequently have to remind myself that "It Is Well With My Soul" and though the outward man is wasting away I am being renewed inwardly daily through Christ. You can also pray that God will give me patience and wisdom as I cope with pain on a daily basis at this point in time.

For those of you who struggle with chronic pain or illness I recommend the supportive Christian website providing devotionals for fellow-believers in similar circumstances provided by Rest Ministries. I have placed a widget on my sidebar under the heading Encouragement, Hope and Inspiration for easy access here on a regular basis.

I really want to continue posting articles from time to time. At this point I will likely not be able to do so on a consistent basis. I have been working on some articles which I have not yet completed but hope to shortly. I have recently read Epicenter by Joel Rosenberg as well as his novels based on prophecy and highly recommend them. I continue to read and study as much as I can and hope to share some of my findings with you. There are many great websites dealing with these same topics, some of which I have included on my sidebar. It is because of them that I have gained some of the knowledge for some of the articles which I have written in the past, and I give them my thanks for their diligence and a sincere love of the truth.

A passage of scripture which has become dear to my heart as I hear of the natural disasters which are occurring worldwide and dealing with my own physical disasters is Romans 8:18-28:

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for
the manifestation of the sons of God.

For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly,
but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered
from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know that the whole creation groaneth
and travaileth in pain together until now.

And not only they, but ourselves also,
which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
waiting for the adoption, to wit,
the redemption of our body.

For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope:
for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not,
then do we with patience wait for it.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
for we know not what we should pray for as we ought:
but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us
with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searcheth the hearts
knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints
according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Because of this, I can continue to praise God and look forward to His soon return. We are truly a privileged people to live in these exciting times as we see prophecy fulfilled before our very eyes.

God bless till we meet again, and hoping it won't be too long!

In His Grace,
Bonnie