Longing For A Safe and Sheltered Eternal Life As Much As We Long For A Safe and Sheltered Physical Life

Thought that has been stirring around in my mind today.....I hear people complain all the time about the crime, drugs, and bad people in our area. They say, "I won't put up with these kind of people/behavior, I'll move to a safer place" And rightfully so no one wants to live around chaos discord and crime. We all long for a peaceful life with out fear of people hurting us and our family.

But this kind of mind set should also apply for our souls and Eternal Life as well, not just our physical lives. Because even though we can move away to a possibly safer place in this world while we are alive and get away from the murderers, rapists, drug dealers, thieves etc. But, If our souls are not ready to go to heaven when we die, those same type of people we strive to avoid all our lives we will be stuck in eternity with them, living in the same house with them FOREVER! There will be no policemen to protect us, no apartment manager to complain to try and get the bad people evicted and moved out so our community can be more safe. All that will be there is ever lasting torment and suffering.

The only hope we have for a safe, peaceful and sheltered life and Eternal life is Jesus without Jesus and the repentance of sin there is no hope for that peaceful, sheltered and safe community. HE is the only policemen, protector we have that can truly keep us from harm and the desires of the devil to steal, kill and destroy.

turning 34 and dealing with the everyday life

on may 28th i turned 34 years old. Wow how time has flown by, some may get depressed and down to see the number their age increase, but me i embrace every birthday God gives me. I hold on to every special moment i get to share with my husband, family and friends.

The past few weeks my crohn's symptoms have begun to increase again and mostly due to the intense stress i'm under.  My husband lost his job last thursday and now we are faced with some difficult decisions and possibly rocky roads in the very near future. But no matter what happens, and I know Jesus is there guiding and directing us.

I've really been digging into the bible and doing my daily bible studies and it's so amazing how clam and at peace i am after my bible study and even with every i am facing in this life, i am reassured through his word that He will take care of me.

The other night i was lying in bed and had a horrible panic attack hit me that
 lasted 2 hours. Fear had control of my mind and all the problems i am facing came crashing down on my shoulders and i could not bear the weight. So i got out my tablet and listened to the song below.  I listened to it and cried and in the midst of suffering and uncertainty i raised my hands and praised my Jesus even though i was so weak i could not even stand from the weight of my burdens. i found the strength to let them go because of Jesus and i listened  to the song and  a peace came over me and i was able to sleep peacefully.

link to song "didn't i walk on the water" https://youtu.be/TZHbIbkq5Ks

 When the music fades and the church services are over, and there are no lights or special programs to entertain and encourage us in our faith. Jesus, the bible and or salvation has to be enough to sustain our faith and relationship with Jesus. Because one day we all will get to the point where we cannot go to church as often as we want due to illness and there may not be someone coming to you to have church with you, what then? Will you have the faith to continue on in your relationship with Jesus and shout and praise His name and worship Him even when you are all alone and facing such adversity in life as you have never known? The only way my faith has sustained me through all i have been through is knowing that "I cannot even walk without Jesus holding my hand" and that i will learn to stand in the face of life's storms down on my knees in prayer. No music, no lights no fancy things to entertain or encourage, just Jesus and His word is what has sustained me.

When we can praise and worship our Lord while enduring suffering that is when you know Jesus is more powerful than anything the devil and this world can through at us ans He will take care of us.

The Sound Of Music, My Old Fourth Grade Teacher and The Story Of the Dead Squirrel

Last Saturday Jeremy and I went and spent the night at my mom's and then Sunday morning headed to lancaster to first go to my sister and brother in laws church, and then after Mom, Jeremy and I went to 5 guys burgers to eat lunch, where I saw my 4th Grade teacher Mr. Barnes for the first time in probably 20 years!!!  And for my husband to know who he was meeting I had to introduce Mr. Barnes as quote "this is the teacher I put the dead squirrel on his porch" end quote.  And now I'm sure you want to hear this story so here it goes.....

When I was 8 and a half years old my 4th grade teacher Mr. Barnes just so happened to also be my neighbor the year I was in his class. Well, one day my sister Autumn, a girl friend who lived up the alley from us named Channin (who was also a classmate of mine in Mr. Barnes's class), and I were playing outside in my yard. We looked over into the neighbors yard to the left of my house and saw a dead squirrel lying in their yard. Channin said that we should pick up the squirrel and put it on Mr. Barnes's porch (who was the neighbor to the right of my house) and write a note saying "ha ha ha". However, Channin was too chicken to go through with her great idea, and ended up daring me to do the deed. Now, I was the type who would never back down from a dare (even at age 8) and so with a handful of paper towels i grabbed from my house I picked that dead squirrel up by the tail and carried it, along with Channin's hand written "ha ha ha" note over to Mr. Barnes's pourch and laid the dead squirrel and the note with it and then Channin, my sister Autumn and I ran for our lives back into my house.

My mother comes into the livingroom and sees all 3 of us huddled around the front livingroom window looking out and asked what we were doing, and we told her what we had done. Now my mom being who she is and having the type of sense of humor she has actually didn't ground me or anything but instead stood at the window with us watching to see when and if Mr. Barnes would find his surprise!  About 10-15 minutes later we see Mr. Barnes come out of his house, walk down the steps of his porch and see the dead squirrel. He looks around trying to see if there is anybody outside that could have possibly done this to him, he then picks up the dead squirrel and carries it across his yard and throws it away in his trash can.  Now while all this is happening Channin, my sister, and I are laughing our heads off and my mom was laughing but also telling us we shouldn't have done it and we should not do it again.

Now fast forward to the next day.....I was sitting in class the next day and Mr. Barnes comes to my desk and asks me if I saw who put a dead squirrel on his porch.  I looked up at him as innocent as an angel with a halo around my head and said "no i didn't see anything" and he then says "well it must have been some of the teenagers in the neighbor hood." and then he walks back to his desk. While on the inside I'm grinning like the grinch in the cartoon when he comes up with his "awful idea" because I did something that adults only thought teenagers were capable of thinking of, and I was 8!!!!  Well Channin didn't sit too far from me and she leans over after hearing what Mr. Barnes asked me and says "I dare you to tell him the truth and tell him it was you!"  Of course another dare, and of course I could NOT back down!  So I raised my hand and Mr. Barnes calls on me, I look at him and say "Mr. Barnes, I put the dead squirrel on your porch." His eyes popped out of his skull, and he said in such a shocked voice "YOU!? MIRANDA!? YOU DID THAT!? I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!? I was so sure it was one of those teens! I never would have thought you would do that?!" and then he started laughing his head off! And all the kids in the class were just dumbfounded that me "quiet, innocent, little Miranda" would do such a thing! However, if you lived with me and knew me the way my parents and family do you would know my looks were very deceiving and I was always getting into something or coming up with some hair brained idea.

Crazy thing is Mr. Barnes never punished me or scolded me for doing it!!! He thought it was HI-larious. So much so that a few years later when my sister was in his 4th grade class, he stood up in front of the whole class and said pointing at my sister Autumn "would you like to know what her sister did to me when she was in my class a few years ago?" And proceeded to tell his new students about the little blonde girl named Miranda who played one of the best pranks on him EVER!

Mr. Barnes and I 25 years after I was in his class!

This happened 25 years ago!!! And when I saw Mr. Barnes at the 5 Guys Restaurant last Sunday, we both still laughed our heads off about that dead squirrel. Now, I just wonder if come Monday if he told that story again to his current students at the school he is teaching at? I want to believe he did, because honestly that is a great story that should be shared with all in my opinion hahahahaha!

So after eating our lunch at 5 Guys Burgers. Jeremy, Mom and I headed to the Mall.  Mom and I watched a special 50th anniversary screening of "The Sound Of Music" and Jeremy being the manly man he is went and saw a movie he could enjoy since he is really not into romance musicals. It was so awesome to see the movie on the big screen like it was 50 years ago. Especially the wedding scene in the cathedral Oh my goodness I felt like I was literally in that big beautiful church. The Details of the carvings and designs were breath taking.  It's so great to have these experiences with my mom because she and I have always been movie buddies and now getting to see "The Wizard Of Oz" Gone With the Wind" and "The Sound Of Music" in theaters in less than a year has been an amazing time. And memories I will cherish forever.

By the time the day was over and we all got back to my mom's and then Jeremy and I drove home. My body was screaming in pain and I was bed ridden the rest of the night and for 2 straight days I was sick as a dog with the crohn's and also a Bladder infection (i get these every so often since i got crohn's for some reason more than likely due to the dehydration from the diarrhea) but it was worth it to have these memories. The bladder infection is gone thanks to meds and the crohn's pain has stayed at bay all week until today.

The only thing i was sad about last Sunday, was when Mr. Barnes and I were talking he asked me what I have been up to all these years.  I looked at him and said, "that is kinda a sad story" and when I shared with him about my fight with crohn's it was like I could literally see his heart break for me.  He hugged me and told me he was sorry, and I told him that today was a good day and I was enjoying it to the fullest and he was happy to see me so upbeat and positive in the face of such adversity.  But really when I see the sadness that fills peoples eyes when i tell them of what life has dealt me, I wish i could take that pain from them, because I'm so use to the pain it's as if I'm nearly immune to it now. But those who love me and care for me even after all these years it is so hard on them.

Sometimes I really hesitate in my mind whether to tell my story to those who I have not seen in many years and only remember me as the healthy, fearless, and head strong girl they knew years ago. And then I think "yes tell them" because the more people know about Crohn's the more awareness I can bring to my struggle and the 1.4 other million americans just like myself.  No I may not have gone to college, no I may not be able to hold down a job and am now disabled for the rest of my life, no I may never have children, but I am still Miranda, I am still fearless and head strong, I am a musician, an artist, a loving wife, a loving friend, and I have a servants heart to help others and help inspire others through my testimony and the Love of Jesus Christ. I may not look like much to the world when it comes to accomplishments and money.  But Jesus thinks I'm to die for and that's all that really matters.

I have come to terms with this disease, and I accept that this is my life until there is a cure found or I die. I am determined to make the best of every day I am giving whether good or bad happy or sad, as long as I'm still on this earth there is work for me to do for the Lord and there is still work for me to do and I will share my testimony and my talents until he takes me home to heaven. 

Spring Is Here and Change Is In The Air

Since my last post in March a lot has happened in my life....

1st my husband Jeremy and I are officially back together and in the next 2 months I will be moved back in to our home permanently.  We both are continuing to go to counseling seperately and together and making progress.

2nd I've been crocheting like a mad woman over the past 2 months.  After posting the blanket I made back in March I made another blanket for this same customer, and then my grandmother asked me to make her a set of placemats and a table runner for her dining table.  I don't have pics of the table set but hopefully in another week or so Grandma will have it out on her table for me to get a pic of.

Mitered Corner Afghan Throw I made the colors are brown and cream

 3rd. I'm still doing good with the Crohn's disease and so I was able to actually CANCEL a doctor's appointment for the first time EVER because I didn't need to go!!! I will see my GI doctor in 3 months!

However, I did have to be put on a new medication due to the water retention in my hands n feet that is caused mainly from the steroids I was on for nearly 2 years.  But I luckily have been watching my salt intake more closely and being more active, that i only have to take a water pill once a week usually.

I'm continuing to still have more good days than bad and have been going out so much and being more independent that after 5 years of not needing to have one, I once again have a Cellphone!!!

Last month I even drove all the way to my sister's house and spent the day with her!!! She lives an hour away from me and this was the first time EVER since being sick that I have driven that far from home by myself! We had a great day we went to an antique store at the mall and I found some awesome old records and old 45s I can't wait to go back and visit the store again.  Then we went to 5 Guys Burgers which I had never eaten at before and they were delicious! Then we went back to her house and we watched Big Hero Six and made cookies! It was a perfect day.

And now this month I'm heading back to my sister's house with my mom because on April 19th at the movie theater near where my sister lives they are showing The Sound Of Music in theater for it's 50th Anniversary!!!! My mom and I can't wait to see it for the first time in our lives on the big screen.  It's going to be like when we went to see Gone With The Wind last year. 

Oh and I forgot, last month, Jeremy and I went to our first Christian concert in 5 yrs due to me being so sick with the Crohn's!!  We went and saw Jason Crabb and it was such a blessing to be able to see Jason perform "through the fire" which is one of the songs I've listened to since my diagnoses to get me through the bad days.  When he sang that song, the tears just flowed down my face and I stood and praised my Jesus because I was able to be well enough to hear him sing the song that has helped me so much.

"Shells and Chords" Crocheted Afghan I made for a Customer

A friend of mine placed an order for an afghan throw a couple weeks ago. She said she wanted it in cream and light brown trim. Which left a lot of room for my artistic imagination to go wild with the pattern design.

So, i started going through a new pattern book i have not used yet and found the pattern "Shells and Chords" and I thought it was so elegant also gave the blanket a 3D look to it due to the raised stitching.  Below is the finished product and my customer is Thrilled with the finished product and hopefully her step daughter will be too when she receives if for Christmas this year.

Shells and Chords Afghan Throw

close up of the body and border stitching

Long As I Live Performed by Miranda Caverley

My Cover of John Michael Montgomery's "Long As I Live"
for Valentines Day 2015, Requested by my mom Becky.

JMC Vlog Episode 45 Snow storms and Milestones

I share a big milestone in my fight against Crohn's Disease

In my last vlog I was sharing about my "week of crohn's hell" I was dealing with. Thankfully that Crohn's flare only lasted a week and after 2 weeks of fighting to get my strength back and get food and nutrients back in my body, I was well enough to accomplish something awesome (to me anyway) that I have not been able to do in over 5 years!!!