If you've never taken the time to treat yourself to a body and face massage, you don't know what your're missing.

 

     First, I was made as comfortable as possible lying down.  Next came the really good smelling lotion.  A dab on each eye and then massage the eyes.  A dab on the cheeks and then massage the cheeks.  A dab on the forehead and the "oops" happened.  Lotion landed in my hair.  No problem for my masseuse.  As she glggled delightfully, she used a paper towel to wipe it right out.  Round and round those fingers go on my forehead.  The massage to the forehead is just awesome.

 

     From the forehead we go to the chin and neck area.  Round and round the fingers go.  The smell of the lotion is such a refreshing smell.  By this time I am sure I've gone on to heaven.  Please.........don't ask me to come back

 

     While I'm still enjoying the smell and rub of the entire face, lotion is beginning to be applied to my hands and arms.  Each finger gets personal attention.  My hands are delicately rubbed and smoothed all over.  Extra attention is given to the elbows and very careful attention to my shoulder that had surgery a year ago.

 

     By this time I am pretty much relaxed and don't want anyone or anything to take me out of the "zone" I'm in.

 

     Lots of lotion gets applied to each foot.  Round and round the fingers go.  Each toe gets very personal attention.  My masseuse makes sure there is none left between any toes and then on to the balls of my feet.  Special attention is given to the heels and balls of my feet.  Somehow they always seem to be rough, but after this great lotion and rub, they are always so much smoother.

 

     From the heels we go to the ankles and legs.  There is very careful, tender loving care given to my right ankle.  It's the bad one that swells and the fingers of my masseuse are so careful as the lotion is applied and rubbed and rubbed and rubbed.  (If this is all just a dream, PLEASE, do not wake me up!)

 

     Carefully, up and down each leg the fingers go, rubbing, smoothing, always applying more lotion when needed.  I can feel the stress from every fiber being defeated and floating away as the fingers do their magic with the lotion leading the way!  Awesome does not at all begin to explain how terrific this experience is.

 

     I am snapped back into reality when I hear Bryanna say, "Gramma, I'm done now.  Can we watch cartoons

                                              Dea Sipes, October, 2002

 

 

 

 

 

     As I relfect on this past year, my heart is so full of thanksgiving to our God for His goodness to me and my family.  The heartaches and struggles have been many, but God has brought us through each one.  I encourage each of you to take the time to count your blessings and take the time to thank God for all His goodness to you.  From our family to yours, we pray you all have a great Thanksgiving holiday time.

 

 

 

                         Some of Paul's Simple Advice

 

     Romans 12:12, "Be joyful in hope, patient in afflictions, faithful in prayer."  (NIV)

 

     What does the word BE mean?  Webster tells me it means, "to live or exist."  Let's read the above verse that ways, "Live or exist joful in hope."  I believe joyful can be replaced with the word "happy."  Lets read the verse again.  "Live or exist happy in hope."  Have you ever thought about what the word, "hope" means?  Webster tells me hope is"'to want and expect."  The verse in Romans is saying to me, "Live or exist happy in expectation."  Let's take a closer look at the word HOPE.

 

     H-------------------------His

 

     O-------------------------Operational

 

     P--------------------------Promises

 

     E--------------------------Energize

 

     I think we can agree His promises are operational.  In other words, they work.  They are dependable.  Not one time has one of God's promises ever failed me.  Daily I can grab onto any of His many promises, hang onto them and claim victory.  There are some days I find myself grabbing more often and even days when I am hanging onto them much tighter.  The key here is to grab, hang on and claim victory.  If His operational promises do not energize me to HOPE, then, I really don't know what would.

 

     "Patient in afflictions..." is the next bit of advice Paul gives us.  What is affliction?  I believe stress, problems, heartache, all of these words can be defined as affliction.  James 5:13,14, "Is any among you afflicted?  Let him pray.  Is any merry?  Let him sing psalms.  Is any sick among you?  Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."  (KJV)  What's the difference between affliction and being sick?  There are two different things being talked about here and each has different instructions.  Affliction is the heartaches, the problems, the burdens, the stresses we all have.  Sick is a physical ailment.  Look back at Romans 12:12.  Paul instructs us to "be patient in affliction."  Ever give any thought to what the word "patient" means?  Webster tells me it means, "calmly tolerating; diligently enduring pain and trouble."  Paul is saying I should calmly tolerate, be diligent, endure the heartaches, stresses, and problems I am having.  That's Paul's advice to me, to you.

 

     When things seem to be overwhleming me, when the financial, physical, emotional, personal, spiritual stresses all hit me at once, it's really hard for me to CALMLY do anything!  The Scriptures tell me I am to CALMLY tolerate.  I am to be "patient in affliction."

 

     I lost it all today.  Everything going on in my life right now got the better of me and I have screamed at God not just once, but twice.  I have behaved like a spoiled child.  I have kicked and whined and moaned and groaned.  I have been blunt with God and got it all out.  It is amazing how much better I feel.  As far as I am concerned, I have been patient.  I have gone the extra mile.  I have been diligently enduring trouble and calmly tolerating a whole lot in my life.  My halo was polished in my eyes and I very bluntly told God about every detail of feelings I was having.

 

     I also went before the throne and prayed, "Nevertheless, Your will be done."  Folks, sometime we just have to get it all out.  Who better to scream at than God?  His love is endless.  Romans 8:38-39 tells me that NOTHING can separate me from His love.  God is going to love me and never leave me, (Hebrews 13:5).  Those are the promises I have grabbed on  to today and held on to exceptionally tight.  These are the kinds of days that all I have is HOPE.

 

     Lastly, Paul tells us to be "faithful in prayer."  What is a good definition of prayer?  I liked what Webster says, "Supplication to God;  to make a humble request."  What simple advice this is.  Paul is telling us to just be faithful in making our humble requests to God.  I cannot make it any simpler than that.

 

     If you cannot remember anything else, please remember this:

 

          HIS OPERATIONAL PROMISES ENERGIZE!

 

     It is in HIM and thru HIM our strength and our HOPE lies.  Without Him, what do we have?

 

                                               Dea Sipes, January, 1989