i just got this in the mail and HAD to share it with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if you are encouraged, blessed and touched by it as i was, please send a friend over to read it!!!!!!!!!!!

UNANSWERED LETTERS

There are many times when we begin a certain task that God lays on

our hearts and because we think our efforts are minimal and not

making a difference, we quit the job that God told us to pursue.

The enemy loves to plant seeds of doubt and lure us into thinking

that we are not capable of making a difference in this world, but

with God’s help we can overcome and fulfill the destiny that God has

for every believer.

If you are going through a situation of doubting your task unto the

Lord, then I hope this story will bless and encourage you to never

quit what God has laid on your heart because you may never know of

the lives that you are touching.

I read of a man who was involved in a tragic accident. He lost both

legs and his left arm and only a finger and thumb remained on the

right hand.

But he still possessed a brilliant mind, enriched with a good

education and broadened with world travel. At first he thought

there was nothing he could do but remain a helpless sufferer.

A thought came to him. It was always nice to receive letters, but

why not write them–he could still use his right hand with some

difficulty.

But to whom could he write?

Was there anyone shut-in and incapacitated like he was who could be

encouraged by his letters? He thought of men in prison–they did

have some hope of release, whereas he had none–but it was worth a

try.

He wrote to a Christian organization concerned with prison ministry.

He was told that his letters could not be answered because it was

against prison rules, but he still decided to commence this

one-sided correspondence.

He wrote twice a week, and it taxed his strength to the limit. But

into the letters he put his whole soul, all his experience, all his

faith, all his wit, and all his Christian optimism.

Frequently he felt discouraged and was tempted to give it all up.

But it was his one remaining activity, and he resolved to continue

as long as he could.

At last he got a letter. It was very short, written on prison

stationery by the officer whose duty it was to censor the mail.

All it said was: “Please write on the best paper you can afford.

Your letters are passed from cell to cell till they literally fall

to pieces.”

No matter what your situation may be like, you still have the

ability to encourage someone who is discouraged and lift up someone

who is feeling low.

Take this story as an encouragement to give your all for someone

else and do not worry about the results. No good work will go

unseen and only God knows of the impact that your life can have on

someone else.

Let us not do our good works so that we may be praised, but let us

do good works so that others may be lifted up and God be praised

because of our intervention.

The only thing that we can take with us into eternity is what we

have done for the Lord. There are no bank accounts in heaven to

show how much your net worth was on the earth, but there will be

accounts in heaven of what you did to show your life as an example

in leading others to Him.

— Author Unknown

hello! i got up really early (for a Sonday) and decided to do a few quizzes.

thursday thumb twiddler, only one of them:

3. Over the course of your life, what have you probably spent more time pondering than anything else?
hmmmmmmmmm oh this is SO hard (as if!)! having children!!!!! of course when i was a girl i used to think being a mommy would be the best and easiest thing on earth. when i got married i wanted to be a mama right away but jerry and finances wouldn’t let me. then when we finally started, we find all these problems!!! my goodness. so it’s STILL on my mind….even when i do have children, i will still think of them all the time, what i can do to be a better mama, what i can give them and teach them to help them love their Lord more, what will encourage them to be kind to others, what kind of spouse they will marry….my mom always prayed for my husband and my brothers’ wives, from when we were young. i plan to do that too.

wednesday what if?

March 26th, 2003

1.) If we looked in your freezer right now what would be in it? in the kitchen freezer, there is a mishmash of different things, from chicken fingers to chicken breasts to vegetables to cheese to ice cream (mainly things that when i take them out of the big freezer i’m too lazy to put them back, or i think, i may need this again soon!). in the big freezer there are grampa’s tv dinners, frozen pizza, frozen meals, lots of veggies and extra bread, etc etc (it would take forever to list everything!!! it’s a huge freezer).

2.) If we looked under your bed what would be under there?? extra blankets, a suitcase with summer clothes (i need to pull that out soon! :), dust bunnies….

3.)What if we looked in your purse….what is in there? gum, keys, pens, all sorts of cards and ids, a flashlight, a calculator, pencil…

4.) What if we looked out your front window what would we see? a mailbox, bushes, a lawn. (we still need to plant new trees since the icky ones were hauled away.)

5.) What if we could see you in person RIGHT NOW…..what do you look like? oh my…..i woke up and didn’t do anything….i don’t even have any pants on right now!!! lol!! t-shirt, undies, messy messy hair, i just wiped the sleep out of my eyes a minute ago i look a fright, let me tell you!! be glad i have no webcam! LOL

well that was fun i need to take a shower now. may be back but we’ll see. i have a birthday party and a church pitch-in today. i thought this was supposed to be a day of rest?!?!?! i made my famous deviled eggs for the pitch-in.

love and hugs!!!
jenn

well i’m still thinking and feeling the same thing i was thinking about and feeling the other day (below). (ASIDE: i just went through past posts on here, and more than 2/3 of the entries begin with “well” LOLLLLLLL go see for yourself if you don’t believe me!!!! hehehehehe! i just crack myself up!) i talked to my pastor and a few friends at church about my situation, and have asked them to pray for the miracle i mentioned. i know the Lord can do it. i’m not saying He HAS to just because i ask, but it can’t hurt to pray for it, right?? i say a miracle because that’s what it would be if i conceive without drugs or invasive treatment. since none of the pills worked, it’s pretty positive that i cannot conceive without invasive treatment, OR A MIRACLE. it’s not one of those just don’t think about it and it will happen kinds of things. it’s real, physical infertility. i am also praying to find a Christian RE (reproductive endocrinologist) in town. i have heard there is such a person but i’m having problems finding him. please pray about this too.
i’m thinking about changing the song on here….what do you think?
ps, if you haven’t seen it yet, i have a fake poll running over at faithfulfamily. it’s got the names that i plan to use for my children. i already know which ones i want to be first, so it’s really just for fun! interested in voting? and while you’re there you can take a look at faithfulfamily!! note that you don’t have to become a member to vote, but i’d LOVE for you to become a member!!! click here!

love and blessings,
jenn

i just wanted to tell everyone i’m still here and i’m ok. i’ve been really tired, busy and not much in the mood for the computer lately. when i’m on i’ve been working on faithfulfamily a bit and also searching and searching for the perfect free graphics for my next design. i cannot afford to pay and none of the free ones i’m finding are what i really want. oh well.
well getting ready for church now. hope everyone has a great Sonday and thanks again for worrying about me - it makes me feel so loved!
oh, i posted at so if you’re interested and leave me a prayer (you don’t have to literally leave me a prayer on the site, just a comment that you’re praying is fine
hugs and blessings,
jenn

well, here’s what i’m thinking. i am waiting for a while for God’s timing. right now is obviously not the time to proceed because of money. plus, i will not be able to leave work right now (the ultrasounds have to be performed every other day!!! craziness). so what i’m praying for now is for GOD to make me pregnant!!! i know that He works miracles, and He deals with impossibilities….that’s what this infertility is. and it’s just like Him to do something that modern medicine deems an impossibility. please pray for me. i know it’s not guaranteed this will happen, i know it’s what is in HIS will. but please pray pray pray pray pray.
love
jenn

got this in my email today…thought i would share it. it voices my feelings EXACTLY. hope all are well today. love and blessings!!!!

Last week, the Shelby County (Tennessee) Legislative Delegation hosted
a “Stand Up for America Rally.” More than 1,200 people attended
including featured speakers Chief Justice Roy Moore, Adjutant General Mark
Bowen and State Auditor Beth Chapman.

Below is a copy of Mrs. Chapman’s speech, which resulted in five standing ovations, tremendous applause and an encore. It’s a short read and well worth it.

I hope you enjoy it as we continue to “Stand up for America!”

Stand Up for America Rally Speech
By: Beth Chapman

I’m here tonight because men and women of the United States military
have given their lives for my freedom. I am not here tonight because Sheryl
Crowe, Rosie O’Donnell, Martin Sheen, George Clooney, Jane Fonda or Phil
Donahue, sacrificed their lives for me.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was not movie stars or musicians,
but the United States Military who fought on the shores of Iwo Jima, the
jungles of Vietnam, and the beaches of Normandy.

Tonight, I say we should support the President of the United States and
the U.S. Military and tell the liberal, tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing,
hippy, tie-dyed liberals to go make their movies and music and whine
somewhere else.

After all, if they lived in Iraq, they wouldn’t be allowed the freedom
of speech they’re being given here today. Ironically, they would be put to
death at the hands of Sadam Husssein or Osama Bin Laden.

I want to know how the very people who are against war because of the
loss of life, can possibly be the same people who are for abortion?

They are the same people who are for animal rights but against the
rights of the unborn.

The movie stars say they want to go to Iraq and serve as “human shields”
for the Iraqis. I say let them buy a one-way ticket and go.

No one likes war. I hate war! But the one thing I hate more is the fact
that this country has been forced into war-innocent people have lost
their lives - - and there but for the grace of God, it
could have been my brother, my husband, or even worse my own son.

On December 7, 1941, there are no records of movie stars treading the
blazing waters of Pearl Harbor.

On September 11, 2001; there are no photos of movie stars standing as
“human shields” against the debris and falling bodies
descending from the World Trade Center. There were only policemen and
firemen - -underpaid civil servants who gave their all with nothing
expected in return.

When the USS Cole was bombed, there were no movie stars guarding the
ship - - where were the human shields then?

If America’s movie stars want to be human shields, let them shield the
gang-ridden streets of Los Angeles, or New York City, let them shield
the lives of the children of North Birmingham whose mothers lay them down to
sleep on the floor each night to shelter them from stray bullets.
If they want to be human shields, I say let them shield the men and
women of honesty and integrity who epitomize courage and
embody the spirit of freedom by wearing the proud uniforms of the United
States Military. Those are the people who have earned and deserve shielding!

Throughout the course of history, this country has remained free, not
because of movie stars and liberal activists, but because of brave men
and women who hated war too. However, they lay down their lives so that we
all may live in freedom. After all - “What greater love hath no man, that
he lay down his life for his friend,” or in this case a country.

We should give our military honor and acknowledgement and not let their
lives be in vain. If you want to see true human shields, walk through
Arlington Cemetery. There lie human shields, heroes, and the BRAVE
Americans who didn’t get on television and talk about being a human
shield - they were human shields.

I thank God tonight for freedom - - those who bought and paid for it
with their lives in the past - - those who will protect it in the present
and defend it in the future.

America has remained silent too long! God-fearing people have remained
silent too long!

We must lift our voices united in a humble prayer to God for guidance
and the strength and courage to sustain us throughout whatever the future
may hold.

After the tragic events of Sept. 11th, my then eleven -year-old son said
terrorism is a war against us and them and if you’re not one of us, then
you’re one of them.

So in closing tonight, let us be of one accord, let us stand proud, and
let us be the human shields of prayer, encouragement
and support for the President, our troops and their families and our
country.

May God bless America, the land of the free, the home of the brave and
the greatest country on the face of this earth!

Copyright, February, 2003
Philippians 4:13

well yes the meds have kicked in and i seem to be getting better. physically, at least.
sorry i haven’t written sooner, but i’m afraid i’m kind of sad and annoyed that i haven’t been getting any prayers over at precious dreams. i realize some people are praying for me and not telling me, but i really want to know who reads it. if no one reads it, then it’s more to MYSELF and my baby that i’m writing it, but i wanted it to be for those purposes as well as a way that people i know in life and online can pray for me and jerry in our infertility difficulties. i realize there’s no tagboard there, and i don’t want a tagboard there. i want people to use the comments area, because they will always be there, so i can look over them whenever i want. i don’t care how deep anyone gets, i just want to know they read my post and are still praying for me.
i hate to sound whiny (and i know i am!), but only two people have put anything on there about my appointment monday, and this just makes me sad. i know i’m not the center of everyone’s universe, but one of the reasons i’d felt encouraged and not so weighed down by this was that everyone was seeming so supportive and prayerful for a while, and now, even if you’re praying…i don’t know you’re praying. i know GOD still knows, but, oh man i’m making no sense.
i’m just feeling discouraged and worn down, partly because of the sickness, partly, i believe, because i’m probably going to start my period soon…
well i’m going to visit people now, haven’t done so in a while.
love
jenn

just wanted to let everyone know that i went to the dr yesterday and i have SINUSITIS, PHARYNGITIS, and BRONCHITIS. yep, fun fun for me. i got put on the z-pack, the five day thing, because almost everything else i’m allergic to (or have bad reactions to). i thought i’d be feeling a bit better by today, but i’m not - still dizzy if i stand up for more than five minutes, still hacking and coughing and gagging and blowing my nose. so i am not going to work. my boss wasn’t happy, but i’d rather her be a little upset than parents being upset as to why the walking dead is working with their kids!!! there’s no way parents wouldn’t be able to tell i’m sick, because aside from the aforementioned, i’m very pale, i have dark circles under my droopy eyes and around my nose and on my nose is ALL red because of the blowing. i even have a blister on the inside of my nose!!! i would not have been good at all. i just wanted to let everyone know so you can pray for me. i want to get over this soon. it hit me on friday, full-force on saturday, and it’s still got me. the only thing that has lessened is my throat doesn’t hurt as much, but it’s still huge and gagging me. wonder why - ?? again please pray about our financial situation and the baby to be…i was talking to a friend about taking out a loan…but i really don’t think jerry would go for that. i’m also really setting up a paypal button for friends to pay online - not a lot, but whatever anyone can give is enough for me. and i’m looking into a po box number, in case anyone wants to send us money through that. you never know, some rich person who loves God and loves kids might happen upon my blog and say, oh what a nice young lady. she should have a baby! and send me a bunch of money. you never know, stranger things have happened.

love and hugs (but don’t get too close, i’m still a bit contagious
jenn

hi, i wanted to tell everyone to read Precious Dreams today - pray for me.

also, this sickness has caused me to lose nine lbs!!!!! because i haven’t had an appetite, so haven’t eaten much of anything, and i’ve also been dry heaving what is in me. i know you wanted to know that. anyway, please pray pray pray for me.
jenn

well this morning i’m going to another ultrasound appt. after that i’m going to the dr. to see what’s up with me (sick). i just wanted to ask everyone to please pray the eggs are big enough for me to conceive!!!

———

well i’m back from the appt, and the eggs weren’t big enough. i don’t know what our next step will be. we know next will be some kind of injections, but they cost a lot, have to be given every day, and have to be monitered with ultrasounds like every other day!!!!!!! i’m seriously going to put a paypal button on here. any little bit will be a help.

i’m so sad and so disappointed, friends. you have no idea.

love and hugs,
jenn