I finished studying Job

 Like any good book, I finished studying Job and now I feel like I’ve lost that ‘good friend’ because I’ve finished the book.  I’ve read Job before, but maybe not to the understanding I am now.  I didn’t realize that Job’s friend’s were brash and uncaring.  That, in some ways, we can be that friend - thinking we’re helping and ‘giving advise’ but all we’re doing is rubbing salt in wounds and blaming our dear friends when they just need us to listen.  I know I’ve jumped to wanting to give much needed advice when it was never asked.  Maybe not so much now that I’m older but I remember thinking I knew everything.  And while I like to have thought I was a good friend, maybe I wasn’t all a long.

Job’s message is to stop, listen, and remember where you come from.  Remain humble and righteous in your blessings AND your seasons of misfortune.  We can’t always anticipate when bad things happen, but we must be thankful we get every opportunity to endure them because God wants to polish us and purify us to make us more like Him and in his image (reflection).  It doesn’t really answer why bad things happen to good people.  It’s never because they deserve it but likely some lesson to reflect on in a future need to share your witness.

Example, my husband a few years ago was deathly sick.  So much that he was in the hospital and no one knew if he’d survive.  I felt helpless and lost and during that time, I never heard or felt God’s presence.  At the same time, I never lost my faith either.  Fast forward to today and he’s healthy and alive and not only is our faith more strong as a result, I feel that I can relate to situations where grief is really needed.  I may not have lost my husband- but I did ensure that really traumatic situation as if it happened.  And so in a sense I have a much more deeper understanding because of it.  Now, I can’t say I can truly relate if your spouse has passed, but I can say I sort of understand… if that makes sense.  Did I deserve that?  I hope not, but I walk away with reflecting my knowledge and greater understand because of it.

Not everyone would probably appreciate thanking the good Lord they ‘experienced’ said situations or loosing their house to a natural disaster or something of the sorts, but though they’re angry now I do hope in time they can see the good Lord’s love and understanding through the whole thing.  It is my belief that things happen for a reason.  That nothing happens to us by coincidence or by chance.  It’s done for a reason.  We just have to have faith to learn and understand what that reason is.

Thank you Apostle John

 So I recently heard some things that flooded my brain with anxiety and traumatic ptsd.  I have issues with a particular someone in my family, which I've mentioned here before and they're up to their usual tactics.  And while it bothered me for a bit for the duration of the day, I knew this time I wasn't going to say anything.  (maybe to my husband - whom green flag hugged me and showed me love) but I just prayed on it.  I gave the issue to God.

While the bothering feeling is still there... I am not focused on it anymore.  It's now with God.

Which brings me to my next revelation.  In preparing for tomorrow's church study, 1 John, I was reading how the commandment to be within the light is love.  To not put down or hate fellow believers or brothers/sisters in Christ.  And if you do - you're not in the light as you say you are, but in darkness, blinded and not knowing of where to go.  ( ref. 1 Jn 2:11 NLT - Don't take my word for it, look it up!)

To which, I read this chapter aloud to my husband whom where this issue stands.  He's not the one in contest, but trying very diligently to remain Christlike and abiding to what the Holy Spirit is having him say.  I also trying to be within the light can only trust and stand by him as he sends His message.

And with this message, both from my husband and more-so from the Bible it has really given me some answers to why I may have witnessed the events I've recently seen.  Now, it will be placed on me to remain Christ-like and pray and support these souls so that they too may be in the light.  Amen.

Holy - hold my wallet ... I must challenge myself.

This mount is currently on the Blizzard website... For $90 US dollars.  Yes- $90 dollars.  I have never paid so much for a blizzard product.  Even Epic edition expansions are under $90.  The most I've ever paid for a product for a game is $30 for a Diablo 3 Amiibo that is a Loot Goblin. (Well worth it, it gives a daily puzzle ring, which is a guaranteed loot room for upgrades.)  And even at $30, it was only about $5 more than what would have been retail costs on Amazon.

 One of the nice things within Blizzard store though is you don't have to use real money to buy things. Yes you heard me correctly.  You don't have to use real money to buy things.  Blizzard has these tokens that you can buy for ingame currency and turn that into real money.  Now at the moment the tokens are inflating due to everyone doing this same thing RIGHT NOW...but I don't anticipate this mount going away anytime soon, since it was just announced today.  I should have a few months to square things away and hope ingame prices fluctuate back down to a more reasonable cost.

But my goal is to earn enough ingame currency to buy this $90 mount and not have paid any real money for it.  I think I can do it, I'm currently half way there and should be able to gain that if I continue to earn gold.  If I don't get it, well, I'll just have that much in game gold!

 

Really good study tonight

Job is teaching me the importance of making sure to find the fruits in people and not necessarily focusing or just only seeing their thoughts. All too often I think people can only see the faults and nothing more.

It also brought understanding to why we make got through refining of our image through trials in life. God is making us more pure or better than we are! Sure I think I’m dying going over the mountain of the mole hill He may have me on… but I come out a better person for having gone through that. Did I deserve it? I’m not sure “deserve” is a word we will know in heaven. Meaning it’s an earthly word we use to have understanding of the current situation, but that isn’t the complete understanding to it. We won’t completely understand until we get to heaven. I think we have a lot of Earthly words like that.

Job's 'Friends'

 In the middle of Job and I'm learning just how "helpful" Job's friends are in his time of needing someone to just be there for him.  They would rather be negative, hostile and just put him down when he needed someone the most.

I don't understand how people can be ok with being so negative towards others like that.  That they're OK just spouting off whatever retort or thought that comes to mind.  Do they think they're actually being helpful?  Why would you feel so comfortable and ok in your own skin to put someone in their place when they're already down?  I will never understand that.  

I'm thankful that I really try not to say the negative things I think.  I may say them.. in my head... on this blog.. but never to someone's face.  Not unless it's _really_ provoked to do so or just in extreme cases.  I was taught to just keep my mouth shut and say nothing at all.  And you know... I feel better not saying anything.  Not a loud anyway.

Interleaving my Bible, cheaper than buying one!

an old dotted journaling notebook, a paper cutter and a glustick gives ANY bible extra note taking abilities to give yourself more room! Works wonders.

Eat your heart out Starbucks!

 

Not my image

 

I've been reducing how much sugar intake I eat kind of by choice since July.  I avoid sugary drinks if I can (hubby may not always remember and bring home a Dr. Pepper out of habit).  I feel that I can make that choice to not have a diet full of sugar, I'm going to.  A lot of processed foods and things we eat/drink on the regular are just unnecessarily full of sugar.  

I've noticed the change too.  After not having sugary sodas for months, hubby (like mentioned) brought home a Dr. Pepper.  It was almost gross with how sweet it was.  I mean, I don't even put sugar in my coffee.  Just ice, milk and coffee.  Which brings me to my post!

I've been wanting something 'sweet' just for the holidays and fall and decided to see if I couldn't make my own pumpkin spiced (iced) latte.

I took 3 spoonfuls of pumpkin puree

some pumpkin spice mix (maybe 1/2 teaspoon - I don't measure, just sprinkle and dump)

Milk (I have this 16 oz mixing cup for an individual 'mixer' - aka ninja nutri-blender personal that's a knockoff.)  I just fill that or eyeball that with the milk to mix with the pumpkin mixture and I also added Vanilla syrup, maybe 1-2 splashes. 

Put that on the mixer to mix while I get a cup full of ice.  I also have a Moka Pot that I use to make my espresso 3 cup.  I add that to the ice/milk/pumpkin mix.  Voila I have Pumpkin spiced iced latte, no added sugars and hella cheaper than what I get at Starbucks!  It is quite delicious too.