A Call to Prayer - In My Heart

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A BLESSED NEW YEAR'S.  Being in a Muslim country is very difficult for me a Christian and especially at this time of year.  This week my Bible Study group had their annual Christmas dinner so I was up at the crack of dawn this morning to SKYPE with them.  Having Internet is a blessing and seeing them all filled me with joy. They are such a blessing to me. Thank you ladies for keeping me in your prayers.  I do watch sermons on line. My friend when she lived in DC took me to her church "National Community Church" or Theater Church (literally I went to church in a movie theater).  The Pastor name is Mark Batterson and he spoke on God with us, God for us and God in us. God's present with us and we should remember what this season is for and be a blessing to others.  After hearing his sermon, I decided that my first goal would be to stop complaining about the trash around the area where I live and do something about it.  So, I go out once a week and pick up trash, which leads to goal #2, stray animals.  This country has no system in the regions for unwanted animals, so I will feed them what I have.  I have bread that I soak in broth, soups , chicken sometimes and vegetables. God has blessed me and He has supply me with extra. So the 3-4 dogs around here ( and are now down to 1), I put out what I have. When I pick up trash, I pet the one puppy and she is very happy. 

I just petted her

She is so sweet

 Oh, I came home from school a couple of days ago and a kitty was sitting on my door step (and I live on the 2nd floor go figure) and she came in and just made herself at home.  She came at the right time, because the weather has changed to heavy rains and snow. She is very sweet (so I call her "Mint") and she purrs all the time.  She is grey and white strips and she loves to play. 



 

 

Here is "Mint" She was waiting for me on my Door Step!!



My 3rd goal and to me the most important, is every time I hear from the mosque "Call to Prayer" (which sometimes is 5 times a day) I stop and pray for my friends, family, co workers, nations and this week, for the 20 little children that have been taken from us and I pray for Daisy Love (who is the daughter of my pastor in Ventura) who tumors have come back again in her precious little 7 year old body.  I ask God to be to in my heart and keep my focus on him and his will.

Winter has come with a vengeance. Last week it was in the low 50's and this week the temperature dropped 30 degrees into the low 20's.  I am chilled to the bone. I am glad I winterize my apartment and my heater has been a God sent but I had forgot how cold it can get but I remember NOW!!!!!  I have to leave for school at 7:40 am to catch the marshutka and it has been extremely cold and icy that time in the morning.  The forecast calls for warmer weather (into the 30's oh joy) later this week.  I have to go to Baku this weekend for retesting and it will be 20 degrees warmer, but with this cold weather, I want to be a bear and just hibernate until Spring!!! I hate SNOW and being cold. Please pray for a heat wave!!  See pictures of last week Fall and this week Winter!!

Me at our Heyder Park Note the tree in the Background

These colors are Awesome!!


 

Yuck.. it is Freezing

This is just the start of Winter Oh Joy!!!

Life Challenge:  God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.......   Saint Augustine