I am Thankful

I am thankful for a new day. It is dark and cloudy outside; however, in my heart I am rejoicing because I am alive and I am in my right mind. I am also thankful that this semester is almost over, and I look forward to a few days off before starting next semester. I am thankful to God for giving me strength to make it in these challenging days. I am also thankful to my family, friends, and instructors for their support. So, for the few hours that I will not be studying today, I just want to express how thankful I am that I have life!!!!

     "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee." (Isaiah 26: 3)

A Prayer for Help

Dear God, in the name of Jesus, I thank you for life, protection, family, and friends.  I pray that you will forgive me of all my sins, and I accept your forgiveness. I pray that you will continue to give me, my cohort, my family, coworkers, professors, and friends strength, knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to accomplish our immediate and future goals. I pray for Your divine help in all that we do, and may we remember to give You honor and glory for helping us.

Father God, I pray specifically for myself, my daughter, my son, my cohort, and all students that are doing finals at this time. I pray that You will continue to guide and strengthen us as we study. Please help us to feel refreshed each day even though we are not getting enough sleep. Also, please help us to understand and remember all the materials that we need to know for our examinations. I also pray for the strength of the professors, and I pray that they will be fair in grading all their students. I pray that both students and professors will be honest in all that they do, and no one will be hurt due to dishonesty. Father, thank You for hearing this prayer and answering it, in Jesus' name. Amen.

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4).

Be Blessed,

Joy

Projecting into the Future

I am taking a few minutes to write about my feelings, and to update what is going on in my life. There have been very few changes in my life recently. I am still juggling school work, my job, and personal life. So far, keeping ahead has been challenging. I need a day with more than twenty-four hours to keep up with all that I have to do. However, I am still optimistic that I will achieve my goal of graduating next spring. Therefore, I have placed a picture in my mind of me in my graduation gown. I know that I have the abilities to achieve my goal. I am able to do the work; however, more time is what I need. I could work less days but I will lose my health insurance. I work just enough days to get health insurance for me and my family.

It is scary not to have health insurance, yet I know that there are many people without it. Many of those people do not have health insurance because they do not have a job, and I empathize with those people. I have a daughter in college who is covered under my insurance plan and I just could not have her in college without health insurance. I believe I will find a way with God's help to have more time to get me through this course.

Taking less credits in school is not an option for me because the classes are set for my cohort and we take all classes together. Dropping out is not an option either because my cohort is the last one in this program. Also, I do not believe in defeat. I believe that with hard work and commitment one is able to achieve his or her goal. I also believe that God will give me wisdom on how to get more time to accomplish all that I have to do.

I look ahead to graduation day when I will be able to say thank you God, thank you family and friends, thank you church family, thank you instructors,  thank you to the members of my cohort, thank you co-workers, and thank you readers for all your support. I know I could not have done it without you.

So, until then I will carry on until I gain my prize. My prayer for you is that you will receive the strength that you need to accomplish your goals. I pray that you will receive the answers that you need for that thing that is closest to your heart. May God bless you abundantly.

                                               Projecting into the future


Be Blessed,

Joy

Having Support From My Husband: Priceless

I am really thankful for the tremendous support that I have received and I am still receiving from my husband. My husband has suported me in every way through happy times and sad times. Since our marriage, I have been in school three times and each time he has helped me without complaining.

My husband has taken on almost all the chores at home because he knows that it is very challenging for me to juggle school, work, and family responsibilites; therefore, he has relieved me of many of our family responsibilities so that I will have time to study and do my assignments. I just could not make it in school if I did not have the support from my husband. The support that I have received from my husband and I am still receiving is priceless.

I pray for people who are in relationships. I pray that God will be the center of your relationships. I also pray that you will love, care, and support each other. I pray that you will help each other to be all that he/she can be in this life. I pray that you will have the peace of God in your lives now and always. Amen.


Be Blessed,

Joy

Time Spent with Family: Priceless

Family has always been very important to me. I was born to parents who really wanted children. My father had other relationships before he met my mother and in those relationships he wanted children but all his efforts were futile. However, when he met and married my mother he was blessed with five children. Unfortunately, the first child died at eighteen months and I was like the first child, even thou I am the second child. My mother and father always treated us with love and kindness. My siblings and I felt wanted by our parents. We were blessed to have both our parents at home while we were growing up.

My father loved to tell stories. He would planned story telling nights with us and other times he would tell stories to us and other children from the neighborhood. Time spent on my father's lap or next to him while he told us stories is priceless. My siblings and I love to reminisce on the wonderful time that we spent with our parents. Time spent with my parents and siblings is priceless.

When our son was living at home he would tell stories to us and dramatized portions of the stories. He loves to entertain people. My son is also an excellent musician. He plays the drum. piano, and guitar very well. We enjoyed those moments with our son. Time spent with our son is priceless.

Our mother is one of the most selfless person that I know. My mother cared and nurtured us. She let us know that we were all special. Our mother is a woman of great faith. I have never heard my mother speaking negatively about any subject. Even when the outcome of things do not look promising , she will still find something positive to say.

This spring break my husband and I had our daughter home for one week. I must say that we had a wonderful time. Time spent with our daughter is priceless. No amount of money in the world can equate to the time spent with my family.

I pray for families everywhere. I pray that the relationships among family members will be filled with love and understanding. I pray that there will be a strong support within each family and that the strong members will encourage and support the weak members. Amen.

                                                        My younger sister: Vel



Be Blessed,

Joy

I am Taking One Day at a Time

My schedule is so full that it is only with God's help and the knowledge of prioritizing that is getting me through this time. I will not get anything done if I do not make a list of what is to be done on a daily basis. I have to stay committed to my daily list and make sure I work on items that have the closest deadlines.

I am working with limited time; therefore, If I could afford not to work until I finish college I would be able to work better on all the projects that I have to complete. I am really praying for a miracle that will allow me to have more time to work on my assignments and to have some time to get adequate sleep at nights.

The members of my cohort and I were informed that our course was challenging and it was recommended that if it were possible we should not work while doing this course; however, most of us in my cohort are working. The more days we work the less time we have to work on our projects.

Despite the limited time that I have to work, I am very committed to this course. If I have to cut more things out of my life I will do so; however, by God's grace and mercies I will not cut school.

So, today I pray for myself, the members of my cohort, and anyone else who need a miracle in their lives. I pray that God will give us wisdom on how to use our time wisely.  I pray that God will send us solutions for our problems. I pray that He will give us strength and help us to accomplish our goals and all the desires of our hearts that are within His will for our lives. Amen.


Be Blessed,

Joy

Juggling My Personal Life, Work, and School - Part 3

Last week-end I worked and this week I will work a couple days. There are many needs to be met at my job and I really love to help meet the needs of the clients. However, it is very challenging to meet all the requirements of school, fulfil my duties at work, and take care of myself. If you notice I did not even say take care of my family because my husband is doing most of the care at this time.

I just could not manage if my husband was not doing almost all the chores around the house. I am very tired especially on days that I go to work and can hardly find energy to do anything else. I am very thankful to my husband who is helping me and making it possible for me to achieve my educational goals.

My commitment to my educational goals is the drive that keep me going. It is very important to me to finish my academic path. Therefore, I pray for strength and guidance as I put the necessary work in to accomplish my goals.

To My Readers:

I pray for your strength and I pray that God will guide you on the paths you have chosen. I pray that happiness and success will be yours now and always.

I do like the words of Bob Marley's song:  Don't Worry About A Thing

Be Blessed,

Joy