My poor little baby Jayden had a diaper rash tonight. :(
He had spent the last 2 days with acidic diarrhea, so I had been lathering him with diaper cream and changing his diaper VERY often. I kept thinking that his acidic diapers would clear up quickly since nobody else in the house was sick.
Tonight at my boys' cub scout pack meeting, I took little Jayden out to change his diaper, and his little bottom looked even worse! All of a sudden I realized that because I thought his bout of diarrhea would be short-lived, I hadn't even prayed for him to feel better yet!! Right then and there I said a sincere prayer that I would know how to make him feel better.
I lathered him up with diaper cream again and returned to the pack meeting. Right when I went to my table, my friend approached me. I casually told her that Jayden had a sore bottom, but I didn't even tell her I was having trouble or needed advice. She immediately told me about a natural oil and vitamin mixture she makes for her baby. She continued to tell me she had some at her house that she had just made, and she wanted to give it to me.
I couldn't believe it. I exclaimed, "Oh my gosh!! I just prayed in the mother's room to know what to do; and within minutes, you came up to me and gave me a wonderful alternative!" She kind of brushed off my comment and proceeded to tell me more about her mixture. Laughing, I stopped her and said, "Do you realize that you were a direct answer to my prayer? That's a big deal!! Angels just spoke to you!!!"
She laughed this time, but I was touched. My prayer had been answered. I'm sure she laughed because she didn't see herself as someone who had just received a Heavenly communication. I don't think she realized that she was following a prompting to walk up to me and give me advice at that very moment. I think it works like that more often than not though. When we're simply working hard at trying to be a good person, God uses us just the way we are to be an answer to someone else's prayer.
After the pack meeting, I went directly to my friend's house for the special mixture. She gave me a whole jar of it! Once we arrived home, I rubbed it all over Jayden's little bottom, and he has been sleeping soundly ever since.
I love daily miracles. I love answers to prayers! Because God answered my prayer so quickly tonight, I realized that HE is always hearing my prayers at the very moment they are offered up. When HE takes a little longer to show me the miracle, HE is answering that particular request in the very best timing that it is needed for my greatest growth.
Jesus did not perform miracles lightly and they sure were not "Keys" "constructing stories" "baby bottom cream". I have thought from the beginning you would have been better served to call your blog "My daily blessings". One who is totally saved by Grace and very, very old.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that you do not like the name of my blog. I do not understand what you mean when you say "keys" "constructing stories". I started writing this blog last May and did not show it to anyone but my husband. My own mother hadn't even read in here! It was just my way of writing down the miracles that God does on a daily basis. It wasn't until close to the end of January that I shared my first story because I felt the Spirit moving me to do so. My hands went numb with nervousness to share my daily miracles that are so close to my heart. I have witnessed numerous blessings and and miracles from sharing my testimony of Christ so openly... many of which are of too sacred a nature to even share on here. It may seem strange to you that my miracle was in the diaper cream, but to me it was nothing short of a miracle of healing. The diaper cream that I was lead to has healed my son's bottom so that he is not bleeding anymore. Are there some miracles that are greater than others? Why yes! I believe there are. I do not have the amazing opportunity to have been there when Jesus walked on water, but I do have the amazing opportunity to talk with Jesus in my heart each night as I kneel down and pray about how to write the miracles HE has performed in my life that day. I would be negating HIS presence in my daily life to call HIS works anything short of a miracle. In my humble opinion, blessings are miracles... the Grace of God is a miracle. Thank you for reading.
DeletePlease do not get distracted by the semantics of words. As you said, you have read my blog since the beginning. There is a reason you have felt an urge to do so. Let the purpose for my writings be the focus... seeing God's hand in our lives.
DeleteI am sorry I hurt your feelings and made you so defensive. Every prayer is a legitimate prayer even down to "finding car keys and diaper cream". I guess that you and I have a different meaning of what a miracle is and yes semantics of words is important. (Miracle - Act of God - Amazing event - Blessing - God's help - something fortunate) They simply are not the same thing. To me you bring a miracle down to the mundane of everyday living.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with you, the Grace of God is a miracle, a true miracle. Jesus did not perform miracles for personal gratification of the person receiving it. It had a very important purpose for his ministry. I am sure you look at your daily life in the same way but it is so grandiose.
I get what you are trying to do, I really do. When I said I am very old, I have lived a very long time and I taught my children about prayer and faith. I taught them gratitude when a prayer was answered. I also taught them to look into why a prayer may not be answered, or not answered to their satisfaction. Now my children are teaching their children these same principals. Perhaps instead of saying to your young son, pray and God will give you a better story. Could you have encouraged him with, pray and ask God what he is trying to teach you in this disappointment.
I am not making light of what you are trying to do and I don't know the underbelly of your life, but if it were me, instead of making your case and being defensive to your cause, kneel down in prayer and see if God has not given this old lady something to say to you. As I was writing, your new reply came up my though was my reply really bothered her and what is God trying to tell her. And my urge to follow this blog is not for God given inspiration because that comes directly from God, nor to tear you down. The answer is more simple. Curiosity and how much your young soul has to learn.
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteA wonderful entry, yet again! Regardless of the other individual who is commenting on your blog, you are doing a fascinating job! And yes, I mean a fascinating job in finding the miracles in your daily life. Our Father in Heaven is much more present in our lives than He is given credit for. Miracles to one would not be so to another because their needs are different, but our Father in Heaven knows each of those needs and answers accordingly and, as you said, in His time.
ReplyDeleteI think you are doing a marvelous job with your children and asking them to pray for specific things and teaching them to watch for miracles in their lives will surely lift them up for the whole of their life. Everyone will learn about disappointment - EVERYONE, but that lesson should not be substituted for teaching a child to pray to their Father in Heaven. As a matter of fact, teaching a child to pray, in these circumstances, is a great tool for teaching them the difference between sincerity and "wishing". Miracles do happen every day, from waking up each new day (a blessing as well), to knowing how to comfort your child when you feel at a loss for words.
The truth is, since Jesus does not walk the earth, in the same sense that He did thousands of years ago, the miracles that we witness are different. He walked the earth, performing those miracles for a purpose. Now, His purposes are different and each individual child of God needs to find the Lord's hand in all things. ALL things. Not some. Not the ones that match a book definition. Not the ones that everyone agrees to. But ALL things.
Great job again! Praying when needed to help your little one was your lesson. The lesson for the rest of us might be to simply know that God is ever present and He answers all prayers.
To my Maybury friend that I hope to meet some day: You do not know the miracle you were to me tonight. I felt extra emotional today for many reasons, so receiving the post from the other individual hurt deeper than I would have liked. On my way to another activity at our church, I said a prayer asking Heavenly Father for someone to stand up for me while I was gone because tonight I felt weak. My husband was upset as well. I returned home to find your comments. I cried like a baby, and I still am...crying like a baby. The love that you have in your heart to help me- a complete stranger- is truly Christlike. Thank you for answering my prayer tonight.
DeleteAww, I am so glad that it was helpful to you. *applause* Although I do not yet know you, I can tell that you are an angel who walks the earth. I am inspired by your life (actions, words, thoughts, parenting, faith) and I find myself recalibrating to make better decisions in my own life. Having said that, I am a chicana through and through and so I cannot be quiet when I see individuals, such as the anonymous one, act in ways that are ugly.
DeleteUltimately, as I shared this exchange with my husband, he said it best when he said, "I think it is of no consequence to the Lord what word His children use to describe His works, simply that they recognize them as His is most important." So thank you for continuing on in strength and faith. We will leave the anonymous one in the large and spacious building :)
ps: to the "anonymous" commenter... This is not a Yelp review blog. This is not a forum for you to pit your knowledge against that of another. This blog belongs to a person who is sharing their experiences and feelings. You read it and either take something from it or not, but your reviews are over the top and not helpful, no matter how old you are or how many children you have. Given your feedback style, I think Yelp might be a better forum for you. I'm just sayin' ...and I'm not meaning to offend you or hurt your feelings. I just think you have a lot to learn about etiquette. Surprised your old soul hasn't learned it yet. But good luck!
ReplyDeleteMaybury Zoo, you have it excatly right. And I too have lived a very long time and I see miracles every day!!! Call them what you like. I still walk and that is a miracle.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much! I love you more than words can say. You are my forever miracle.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThe internet is an interesting and amazing medium. It emboldens those who would hide behind the face of anonymity. At the same time it allows people to share things in a unique way that is different and more massive than anything we have ever before seen. It all amounts to LOTS of power with very little regulation or consequence.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion using the internet comes with an opportunity for each of us to regulate ourselves. To some it may seem like a complicated thing to figure out what to say and how to say it. Some may ask how far is too far?
To me it is quite simple. It goes back to something I learned from my grandmother. She used to say, "if you don't have something nice to say, then don't say anything at all." Unfortunately, that old school way of thinking still escapes many, especially on the internet.
I have the unique perspective of actually being here when most of these blog entries are written.
Daily Miracles is a blog that is written under prayerful consideration by an amazing woman who has never claimed to know everything about this life or the life to come. I can tell you with a surety that Rachel is simply trying to do her best to raise a family and follow Christ.
She originally felt drawn to write her experiences because of a challenge issued by a spiritual leader to find God's miracles in our daily lives and write them down.
The concept is that as we seek to recognize God's miracles in our daily lives, we will become more grateful for His hand in even the smallest areas of our lives.
Rachel has always written what is in her heart. She kneels in prayer every night before she writes and seeks God's guidance.
At first she wrote with the thought that our family would be the only ones reading. I am so glad that others have now had a chance to read her thoughts and share their own. Most of those who have read it have received the words with the same intent that they were written.
While it is not really surprising, it is always a bit disappointing to see a negative person try to drag down another who is just trying to be positive and uplifting. Pessimists always hate to see optimists succeed.
I believe that inspiration from God many times is made manifest through those who do His work. Rachel is such a person and I am grateful to be married to someone who I consider my daily miracle.
Great perspective and a soft and congenial answer. Agree 100!
DeleteI feel so very sorry that I have been put upon the sacrificial alter. I never ever said your wife was a bad person. I was just giving another perspective on Miracle and blessing. Another avenue of prayer. You don't know me at all. I am not a negative person nor am I a pessimist. And I am especially not a person purposely out to hurt anyone hiding behind anonymous. God has gifted me with more blessing than I can count. He has also been with me in burdens I thought would crush me and would have had I not had his love and caring. If you live long enough you also may have crushing blows that will not be solved quickly. I always prayed that He would let me know why these burdens come to pass. If they would perhaps make me a better person with more love and empathy and could help someone in a very practical way. I don't wish your Rachel failure and was disappointed that you would think so. I feel badly that I seem to be the person that brought her down though I don't believe it was just me. Maybe I did not say it in a really eloquent way or with clarity. I feel very sorry that Maybury decided to attack me in such an unkind way. Her comments to Rachel were the encouragement Rachel needed and she most assuredly did not need to attack me. It was just plain uncalled for. You can leave this on and let people see I am not this really terrible person or you can delete it. At least I have had my say to you both personally. And I am not hiding behind anonymous, it is the only route that will let my reply's through to you. If you requested an email I would be more than happy to let you know who I am. I have no shame before you or my Savior. It is Rachel's blog and after a couple of days I will not be following it anymore. I will wait the few days to see if you have anything else to say to me.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting... Thank you for your comment. God bless you and your family.
DeleteI also thank you for softening your tone. I only deleted the comments that were the most negative and targeted at other people.
DeleteAgreed. Thank you for softening your tone. Everyone appreciates it. If you feel attacked from something I said well please reason with yourself that you can't have it both ways. You cannot comment on a blog in the way that you did and "not mean to hurt feelings or offend" and then when another person comments on your response, you likewise should not take offense. If you are often feeling offended by the words of other people then perhaps your longer responses should be shortened to a simple "nice post" or "happy for you", etc.
DeleteAt let me be clear. This is not meant to attack you. This is meant to give you another perspective of how you come across - across the internet. Happy that you have moved on. The Sabbath is a good day for cleansing action.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous, thank you for moving on. Just a clarification, you have never shaken my faith in myself or anything else. You're right... our perspectives are very different.
ReplyDeleteI thought I would look one more time before moving on. You did exactly what I thought you would do, delete anything that would make me look the least open and kind. But you would let Maybury have another uncontested unkind say about me. Do all of us a favor and delete everything because from my perspective this whole matter does not shine a Godly light on any of us, even you.
ReplyDelete