March - Yet I will exalt in the Lord!

Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. - Habakkuk 3:17-18

It's been quite a month! Today I can write about it to you. I recently wrote a friend something like this, "I'm so thankful for the time I spent in the Word developing MyBible365, a devotional blog." Everything in life changes so quickly. Thank God that the Word of God stays with us as our Hope forever!!! 

Ernie's Severe Neck Problems: In the last two months, Ernie has walked down the path of having electric impulses shooting down his arms and hands seeking to do them harm. The nerves in his feet have already been harmed, along with his strength slipping away. Through various doctor visits, we've been told that he has spinal stenosis and myelopathy, which means his spinal cord is being strangled by his narrow spinal canal. One neurosurgeon is recommending decompressive cervical laminectomy for 3 different areas between C3-C7. This means they want to go in from the back of the neck and cut two sections out of each vertebrae that is causing the compression. We're told it's two months of recovery and maybe there's no more carpentering. We don't know anyone who has gone through this and has not had consistent pain thereafter. The surgeon has said that the surgery really doesn't fix anything. It just prevents further damage to the nerves. There are also suggestions that additional surgeries will follow for fusion for stability of neck bones. To say the least we are researching other options and asking for a second opinion. Therefore, we know that we have to do something soon. Would you please let us know if you know of anyone who has successfully gone through surgery without a continued life of pain and limitations? We'd love to talk to anyone who has experienced this! 

We covet your prayers!

Making a Home: We are starting down the path of becoming Texans. We have purchased Texas car license plates and are now working on our drivers' licenses. We had purchased country HUD property with a home in Lindale, TX, and then had the opportunity to return it after finding out about Ernie's pending neck diagnosis. We are thankful for this divine intervention now understanding that Ernie probably should not pick up a hammer for a while. This means that we'll probably stay in our 5th wheel for quite a while.

We covet your prayers!

We are so thankful for each blessing!

We daily count our blessings, knowing the Lord is faithful!

Here are just a few of the blessings we counted today!

• We know the Lord’s promises. The Lord will never forsake us!
• We are in love. God has protected our marriage during the most difficult of times. The Lord is faithful!
• We have a wonderful group of believers praying for us! Pastors and elders at our new church have prayed for Ernie, anointing him with oil, and are constantly encouraging him. Ernie's family has been fabulous during this time. They have filled our heart with support day in and day out! The Lord is so kind to show us Himself through these friends and family. It would be much more difficult to walk through these days without friends!
• Moni’s work continues with Food for Orphans. She is fundraising and helping create new outreach strategies. This has been a God-send. It’s a great blessing as we see the miraculous hand of God move in such fun and exciting ways for this ministry. It’s simply marvelous to see the Lord's hand! 
• Moni’s work continues with Office Pizzazz, her new little eNewsletter business. Although progress has been significantly slowed down with everything else, she has had the opportunity to talk with a believing entrepreneur, who is also a long-time friend. This God-send helped guide with excellent wisdom during the web design process. It was such a gift from the Lord. I’m so thankful to the Lord for kindness in allowing this opportunity. It’s amazing grace!

• We now have working Internet in our home. This is a blessing which gives us two more hours in each day as we no longer have to move around finding Internet access. It saves on wear and tear on the car and lightens lots of personal stress.
• We have the special joy of playing with our grandchildren daily. Some days when you don't think that you can take any more, it's a wonderful blessing to grab a little hand or have one say in their own way ... "Oma/Papa, I love you!!"
• Therefore the blessings are endless ... beautiful country living, daily walks, wonderful weather, precious devotional disciplines, a position of gratitude every day, friendly folks, and the Lord's presence. What else can one say; but, "Thank you, Lord!"

In closing, here's a new family recipe: Spicy Spanish Rice. It's got kick!

1-2 tablespoons Oil
1 1/4 cup Rice
2 3/4 cup Water
1 cube Condensed Tomato & Chicken Flavor
1 mini-cube Chipotle Seasoning (Knorr)
2 tablespoons Parsley Flakes
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
1/8 teaspoon Curry
1/8 teaspoon Garlic
1/8 teaspoon Marjoram Leaves
1 teaspoon Mrs Dash (Tomato Basil Garlic Seasoning)

Heat oil. Stir and fry raw rice for a minute or so. Some raw rice will turn a light golden brown. Add water. Stir quickly. Add seasoning cubes, and rest of seasoning. Make sure the seasoning cubes crumble and are mix in the mixture evenly. Bring to boil and cook for 14 min on low. Makes 5 servings. Excellent!