Yesterday, before the day ever unfolded, the Lord had me in 1 Chronicles 21. More specifically, this time my husband flipped to the same pages I flipped to 11/19/25. Do I see the difference a month can make? #YESSIR! Mistakes, mercy and consequences combined with a piercing note about being the HUB. It’s rare He has me wait to post, as He is doing this evening.
One of the sweetest surprises of the day was Miss Omie walking through the door. Last week was her birthday, and I had shared the 12:11 Scriptures with her. Yesterday, she returned exuberant and with three physical gifts—-A prayer journal with birds on it, a necklace, and a precious Christmas ornament from her Joy Club.
The greater gift was her literal presence and learning maybe, just maybe, why the Lord often has me write about cherries on top of His proverbial sundaes. #ISWYDT. That humbled me more than she could know. When she wanted us to take a selfie, I was tickled to pieces!
My sweet Omie
The rest of the day was…work. Real work. Problems that required attention, patience, and follow-through. Square issues. American Express issues. Product listings. Orders that needed fixing. Nothing dramatic—just one thing after another. And I handled them the only way I could: one thing at a time.
In the middle of all that, I learned something hard. We lost a substantial amount in business last month. That number landed heavy. It means we need to make some serious decisions, slow down, pray, and talk. At the current pace, it will be a blessing if we are still open a year from now. It is a reality which can’t be ignored.
There may be another sacrifice —yet to be determined.
And yet—this is what I don’t want to miss—I felt the Lord with me all day. Not loudly. Not urgently. Just steadily. I felt encouraged even when irritated. Corrected without condemnation. Strengthened without panic.
That’s the heart of 1 Chronicles 21 for meyesterday.
God does not abandon us in responsibility. He meets us there. He allows us to see clearly and feel the weight. Only then does He invite us to deeper connection. .
My obedience certainly isn’t glamorous and it doesn’t always make sense to those around me. I only know radical obedience has led to radical results.
Today, I was beyond blessed to simply linger with Him. Perfect peace. No work -not a stitch. He woke me just in time to make jiu-jitsu and resolve a financial matter at the bank. After that, it has been me and Jesus all day long and it has been glorious!
Today Isaiah 60:1–4 sat with me—not loudly, not urgently—but steadily.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.”
I’ve known these words. I’ve shared them verbally and I have posted them. But today, I wasn’t being told to move—I was being told to notice. I noticed it was ten days before I watched the first half of Episode #2358 and everything went into warp speed .
This morning’s Jesus Calling spoke straight into the depths of my being. He reminded me that He speaks in the language of Love, that His words bring Life and Peace and Joy and hope—but only if I am still enough to hear Him. Living close to Him requires making Him my First Love, above all others.
When I realized that I had posted the original “Rise and Shine” on October 4, it didn’t feel accidental. I wasn’t trying to make something happen then. I was responding to something I could sense but didn’t yet understand. The light had already come; the meaning was still unfolding.
Isaiah says that darkness covers the earth and thick darkness the people, yet the LORD rises upon His own and His glory is seen.
I’m learning that rising doesn’t always look like action. Sometimes it looks like standing still long enough for God’s glory to settle clearly—without interference.
Isaiah 60 tells me to lift up my eyes and look around, to see what is gathering, what is returning, what is coming from afar. That feels like this season: watching instead of striving, trusting instead of pushing.
And Isaiah 54 holds me there.
It reminds me that this is a chapter of restoration, not performance. Of being re-established, not rushed. God speaks comfort before commission, peace before purpose. He assures me that I am not forgotten, not abandoned, and not required to prove anything to step into what He has already promised.
So today, I wait. I don’t rush the next step.
I let the Lord establish me in His timing. I trust the words are going to roll right off the keyboard when He says it’s time.
When He says arise, I will. Until then, I remain still—-secure in His covenant of peace.
Truly an exceptional focal point as I engaged with the world today. I learned someone else precious has gone to be with Jesus. Miss Rhonda’s is the third death in three weeks. My prayers are for loved ones, especially her husband and sons.
I shared with Becky and Miss Pam that I was in the best mood as I drove to the salon. As I drove, I compelled to tears singing “Trust in God-Radio Version”. I lost my voice and started crying with the lyric, “and what you did for me at Calvary as more than enough”.
It will always make me cry to consider the depth of the cross.
Thank you, Jesus, for this sweet nudge to look back. If only to acknowledge, “I see what You did there,” it would have been enough. But, you, in your infinite wisdom, seem to dole out extra portions to me. How could I not be in constant amazement of YOUR Great love. 💜✝️💜
In this season of doors closing and opening, it feels like my head is on a swivel. Everything feels like an ISA 22:22 “door”. Connection upon connection is both beautiful and similar to playing “memory jenga”.
Jesus holds EVERYTHING together, including me.
MySpace Memories converge with Our Gracie and BJJ Gracie’s, Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness, my 40 year NEHS reunion planning and everything else. Everything feels super-connected. Just this morning, I saw a post from 12 years ago from My Chrissie.
Thank you, Jesus, for My Chrissie. I know she is YOURS.
Yesterday, the best thing on my human brain would have been to sleep in after the week I experienced. That was NOT God’s plan. Instead, I needed to get up early to take Mark to pick up his vehicle. Despite feeling “off”, I went to One Nation Jiu-Jitsu and experienced great teaching. All in all, a stellar day, capped off with watching Tracker and another show with my husband. We went to bed early and I slept deeply.
Around 5 am, the Holy Spirit was nudging me back to Joe Rogan Episode #2358. “What did he actually say—-check the transcript”. Sometime during the last two weeks, I know I had already done this. So, I searched my photos for the screenshot “receipts”.
Luke 2:48 is a bridge…Jesus before 13 💜✝️💜
It’s not my first early morning rodeo with the Holy Spirit. That said, it is the first time I can recall being spurred further to see what I missed. Because, quite frankly, Jesus wasn’t happy with the receipt I kept on my phone. So, I searched that episode number on YouTube and was stopped dead in my tracks.
It also explains to me why WILDERNESS was attached to Jiu-jitsu—-without me ever fully knowing why.
Luke 2:51 💜✝️💜Obedience
After He started buzzing around my brain, I had two of the best hours of sleep possible. When I woke, I grabbed my Bible and flipped. I am meeting Miss Dottie to drop off her order before going to see Miss Becky and getting my hair cut.
I have the option of a leisurely day but MUCH to get accomplished. Best option for me is to ground my day in His Word. What fascinated me was learning most of the notes were from May 2025 onward.
Job or “JOBE” like my MySpace Friend —-now a pastor
At first glance, all I could do was wrestle with the vapor of 5/30/25, 7/27/35 @Casa Mull #ISWYDT, and “lingering” on 8/12/35. Almost instantly, it was contrasted against notes from 11/4/2018, “ Lord, teach me where and how I have been wrong so I may learn and be better reflection of you “
The note from 11/25/18, “Lord, please humble me and teach me why you brought me here again today.”
He had me wrote those notes SEVEN years ago for His good purpose. Not shocking to me was to see the red marker used on 7/27/25 —- the same day I made a Romans 8:28 note. Maybe it’s only funny if you know my habit of enlarging font when He makes a point. Romans 8:28 is actually in the study notes. For me to “write it down” larger is an inside joke, so to speak.
What stands out now are the green highlights from today—fresh, alive, and unmistakably present.
They don’t erase what came before; they build on it. It feels like God is saying, “ You learned what you needed then —-I’m teaching you something new. The same Scripture, the same voice—but a deeper invitation. Not to revisit old pain, but to recognize growth, and to keep learning with an open heart.
I see what He did there…relationship with Him is a whole lot like Jiu-Jitsu. The GrandMaster keeps showing off for The BPC in Tennessee.—-and I am ever-so-grateful. Good heavens, I don’t deserve it—-but boy, oh boy, am I grateful.
Yesterday was side control, toreando passing and ankle locks. Lindsey was a huge help amd pushed me to exactly the right amount to feel progress click.
This morning I didn’t really feel up to going to train. I pondered scriptures on signs because I felt strongly led that I was supposed to go anyway. I’m grateful I listened.
I ended up having one of the most meaningful drilling sessions I’ve enjoyed this far. I partnered up with John and we worked on moving from closed guard to a few transitions where the legs end up around your partners neck.
We quickly figured out we learn the same way—counting steps, slowing things down, letting understanding settle before moving on. It was easy, natural, and encouraging. I even joked that if we ever competed, we’d be the tortoise and the hare—me being the tortoise, and his last name being Hare.
Afterward, Brother John H. took time to help me drill through a few things and offered genuine encouragement. He showed me that for most real life situations, I would use the “praying hands” motion to break their posture and grab the elbow to drag to under my armpit while my core is engaged and in motion. Each person has a different view and it’s fun putting all the pieces together
Well, let’s back pedal a pinch—— the outline of the pieces I have this far. 🤣
What struck me most is that just two weeks ago I had written about a conversation John and I shared around Lamentations 3:58—about connection, and the Lord meeting us there. Today felt like a quiet continuation of that moment, without any overt Godversation.
I’m thankful for obedience, for faithful teachers, for unexpected partners, and for the gentle ways God confirms His leading—even on the mat.
Until this morning. I don’t recall the last time I rolled out of bed at 9:20. I was up around 6 am and went back to bed. My days are jumbled after an exceptionally long week without my husband. Still, we both wanted to attend church, be with our people and pay our tithe. We had under twenty minutes to brush our hair and get dressed.
Still, it was a peaceful drive to church. I shared Megan Wood’s “Royal Blood” and Elevation Worship’s Radio version of “Trust in God”. It felt good to share two of the songs given to me in his absence—-then to sing Christmas Carols at church with Mark.
Today’s sermon was Matthew 7:7 — Ask. Seek. Knock.
I’ve been living in variations of 7’s and 14’s for a while now. I just wrote in the past few days about “Bangles Suzanne” losing both her mother and grandmother on July 14, different years. 7+ 7=14.
What stood out most was the reminder that these are not suggestions. They are commands. Present imperative tense. Ongoing. Repetitive. Continuous.
You don’t ask once. You don’t seek once.
You don’t knock once and walk away.
You keep asking. You keep seeking. You keep knocking.
Christmas itself is an invitation, and so is this passage. God is not bothered by our pursuit—He invites it. In fact, Matthew 7:7 feels like proof that God wants His kids just a little stubborn… stubborn enough to keep chasing Him.
Brother Shad said something that made the whole church smile—he talked about telling his wife “I love you” every day since the first time he ever said those words to her.
I couldn’t help myself and said, “Aww,” out loud, Suffice it to say, the church agreed and it was a beautiful, light moment of sweet laughter. But it landed deeply. You don’t say “I love you” once and call it done. Love is daily. Pursuit is daily. Relationship is daily.
There was a moment where I felt a surge—and then heard that same surge echoed through Shad’s sermon.
There was holy fire being stoked with each word out of his mouth.
He shared about praying for something for fifteen years and enduring the silence. My note was “ must stand in the gap. After church, Mark and I prayed together for that very thing, whatever it may be, to be answered. We don’t need the details, The Boss has every last one covered. Our job is to intercede, especially when being nudged the way I was being nudged. I prayed out loud while Mark drove.
Crying out in submission and pleading is not weakness—it is active pursuit.
And yet, here I am, still pleading—because that’s the invitation.
Jesus even brings humor into Matthew 7:7. Then again, I am a huge fan of Divine Humor and love it when others acknowledge it. Brother Shad talked about giving a good gift of a pink bicycle and having it not be received the way one would expect. When he mentioned his red-haired Olivia, and my heart immediately thought of a friend who lost her baby Olivia last summer.
I owe Miss Kristin a phone call. 💜✝️💜
In the same breath, I couldn’t help but think of a gift I recently gave—something placed with love and obedience—that hasn’t been acknowledged at all.
I confess—-in my flesh—- that stung. Of course it did. Still, I remember Jesus wept, too. While I haven’t cried about the lack of acknowledgement, it’s because the Holy Spirit has told me quite clearly my job was to be obedient. I did exactly what He told me to do and even painful obedience makes my soul do a “happy sigh”.
So, the Lord met me there too. It’s not about the response. My part was obedience and that part is done.
Today’s sermon laid directly on top of that truth.
Psalm 84:11 says, “No good thing will He withhold.”
Luke 11:13 reminds us that God gives what we need, not always what we want.
James 1:5 says to ask God for wisdom.
James 1:17 reminds us every good and perfect gift comes from Him. My son’s birth announcement is 25 years old and that was the verse printed before he arrived on his due date.
So, yes—we resist, and we keep resisting. We knock, and we keep knocking. We go back to the beginning again and again.
I thought of my daughter today—more than once. At first, I thought of her when Shad talked about a VW Bug he got wrapped like Herbie for Olivia. Later in the service, I kept picturing all of God’s kids seeking His attention. I pictured how my own get my attention.
My daughter will call out “Mom, mum or Lois”over and over, like Stewie in that cartoon. It made me smile, because that’s exactly the picture Jesus is painting. Repetition. Dependence. Persistence.
Lord, forgive me for the moments it hurts when someone tries to squash what You are singing through me. It’s not about me. It’s about You. Help me remember that.
Ask.
Seek.
Knock.
And keep doing it. Thats the job. Love everyone on my path exactly where they may be. Love them all in truth and action. Yessir.
Since I shared this to Miss Omie’s Facebook page, I failed to post it here on her actual birthday. Today is “catch up” day in countless ways.
I am fairly certain Jesus wants me to give gifts like this to those I love. I know how He used creating this one for Omie to draw me even closer to Him. Miss Omie’s is the first —-so I should remember the day He spurred me on. May she always know how precious, set-apart and special He made her!!!💜✝️💜
Whether one verse or ten, His Word will always be the best. I’m so blessed to know and love Omie.
Today was exceptionally spirit filled and beautiful. I even did a cartwheel in the late afternoon and shared the silliness on our Community Vapor Facebook page.
This, all because I received a call which absolutely set me off. It was uncomfortable and painful to be that angry. I reached for our Fruit of the Spirit Bible and asked God to teach me something. Anything. Get me out of myself and my anger.
He took me straight to Job 36:16. Of course I did cartwheels all afternoon! Search My God Room for “woo” and perhaps it will make more sense.
Thank you, Jesus. Thank you for wooing me, loving me and saving me. I didn’t deserve it.
Today held a few quiet challenges, the kind only a mother can experience or feel to this depth. I was grateful to wake up in my daughter’s home and be ready to go before her alarm sounded.
On the drive, she shared Labi Soffre’s work. i confess it makes my spirit growl to see “Demon Music” and it hurts my heart to learn he is an atheist. Yet, given his life, I also have some understanding. The song is beautiful and blessed my day, regardless.
Intercession is my kind of jam when it comes to prayer. And, yes, I have prayed more than once for the Holy Spirit to pierce his 80 year old mind with His Wisdom and desire to learn truth. 💜✝️💜
Back to my sweet girl. My daughter is beyond brave, brilliant and beautiful. She is a compassionate warrior—- I am excited for the day she sees herself as I do. She has no real concept of how amazing she truly is…YET. When it was time to leave to get to work —- I knew she would be okay. I also knew it would be a grand time to chit-chat with Jesus—-all the way down the interstate.
Thank God, I don’t have to hold my phone up to my ear for 45 minutes when it’s time to communicate. We are so blessed to have our own “soup cans”. If you didn’t grow up trying to talk through soup cans and strings, it’s ok. I promise, we can still be friends. It’s just the image which is called to heart in this moment. I must include the reference for reasons I don’t understand.
First tree I have ever seen like this in winter
Our customers have known for a week that I would be delayed opening the store—-so I had peace about the drive time. What hasn’t fully processed is “Part II” or the folder of old blog posts, letters and poems tossed to my hands on my way to my daughters last night.
One blaring unprocessed fact- my dad’s cancer diagnosis was written about, along with the May 8 surgery date. Blogs about 8/8 and the impact of one weekend are all in this “forgotten wilderness”.
I shall blame menopause brain fog and simply praise God for bringing more truth to my heart.
The goal was to open by 1:00. I arrived at 1:11. As I walked in, I asked the Lord to please bless the business, despite the late start. I rarely ask for financial blessings. Today, I asked for something specific and it was delivered in the first three customers.
Of course, I am going to praise the One who holds everything together. Hallelujah!
I had barely turned off the alarm and turned on the lights when the TELEPHONE rang. Bless the telephone, indeed!!! Highly unusual for such a large sale to be phoned in and it immediately settled any unrest in my spirit.
And right at 1:21 —#ISWYDT— He sent us our first transaction of the day. Not only is it an exponentially larger sale than normal, it whispers “I really do have your back” to me.
Why? Because part of our chit-chat during the drive was all about MySpace friendships, the women who flew to TN for my 40th and the Beth Hart Lyric which connected us. It used a four letter word that most Christians would balk at.
The revelation getting here today was that many well-intentioned Christians truly damaged my spirit with their legalism and hypocrisy. I had to ask God to forgive them and to remove any trace of anything not of Him.
Anywho—-this all ties back to last Sunday’s message about Matthew 7:6 It is like He tied it all together for me on the road. I feel like I truly arrived in a different way today.
There is no other Master Servant than Jesus. The best I can do is to do EVERYTHING as unto the Lord. I am not a slave—-Jesus set me free and I cherish this freedom.
Curse no one. Bless everyone. Thats my job.
After a morning that pulled at my heart, that little numerical wink from heaven washed away any debris.
Thank you, Jesus, for getting me here safely and keeping me safe. I love you.
This morning started like so many others in this Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness season of mine—me stepping onto the scale. For many years, I enjoyed finding an accompanying Psalm to “weigh in” with whatever I may have flipped to in the Bible.
When I fell down the stairs in March 2022, I was 239 pounds. By October 2023, I was in the 180’s. Fresh eggs and “consider the source” led me to the 160 range.
When I got down to 150, I started reading the exact “Psalm of the Scale”. Letting the Psalms “weigh in” has taken an even deeper turn.
Oh, fair warning, today’s post will be a doozie.
This morning, I weighed in at 141.4.
I was tickled to check Facebook in the potty and see a sweet message from Elaine! In her honor, took a pic from my car this morning. She is 77 and widely known as “Jiu-Jitsu Grandma”. Beautiful soul.
Heck, I didn’t ever post the Jiu-Jitsu manicure and pedicure stories. Now my nails are just at the edge of my fingertips, the shortest they have been in decades! Seeing them in this photo just made me make a mental note. 💜
I digress. It is what I do, at least from time to time.
Most people would see a number at the scale of 141:4 and go elsewhere with it. This may very well be the best chance to explain to someone in the world how Jesus “speaks” to me. I firmly believe He speaks to his kids differently—-they are all unique relationships.
I can’t help that My Jesus led me to feel 13 again these past seven months. Seven complete months as of today. Oh, I see what He did there, too. #ISWYDT
I saw 14 / 14 / 14 / 14. Fourteen forward. Fourteen back. Blonde Polish Chick Brain or Jesus? I’m sticking with Jesus!
Just thinking of the three versions of Black Belt Wisdom makes my head spin. So sweet how Sandra wanted to buy my copy of it at the shop today! Seven weeks doubled” , forward and backward was the second version. This is why Version 2 had 49 quotes forward and 49 more backwards. Seven weeks each.
Bless all Veterans- especially Navy men in their 80’s 💜✝️💜
The Master Edit to offer PRECISELY 44 pieces of cardstock and 88 quotes to give Master Luiz and ONJJ confused me a pinch. Why not 40? These are questions I pray about and wrestle with Him over. I’m going to do what He says, regardless. I just seek to understand. The Boss said 44 and that’s what I gave.
What a perfect gem and different double blessing from Jesus! The number honors Mamaw Ruby’s 100th, my 44 years without her (May 8) our Oszczakiewicz Gracie and Rolls Gracie, as much as it honors ONJJ & Master Luiz!
Just like that, the childlike joy bubbled up and I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me, “Pay attention, sweet daughter of Yah. I’m speaking.”
And so I did what I always do.
I weighed with the Psalms. Literally.
I sent my husband the KJV “ dainties version” first. I know my Ginger Beard Man’s humor and knew he would dig the dainties. 🤣. I also know he needed to know I was focused on the verse prior- when sending the second version.
When waking and weighing, I never flip open my Bible for the verse. For whatever His reason, I am not to look at it or any notes He has had me write until AFTER I google the verse based on the scale.
I typed “Psalm 141:4” into Google to see what language heaven might choose to deliver through the internet today. It reminds me every day of typing in “ISA 63:7” and getting Psalm 63
And the first headline stopped me in my tracks:
God has kept Zahira Zachary singing this very track, “Stay”, over me for two plus weeks. I love, love, LOVE the grappling language. Mark has been leading our Prayer of Jabez since October! He just left me “my wilderness stone” on Saturday, before he got on the plane. Lots of repetition, so perhaps spiritual muscle instantly connected me to ZZ’s “Stay” and 1 Chronicles 4:10 in the same breath.
I accept it is a possible result of spiritual muscle. However, I think it’s far more about His leverage over my life. I take such tremendous joy in submitting to His Will and to Jesus, Himself. I personally do not believe it has anything to do with my strength or spiritual exercises. It’s all about Jesus.
I just really dig the way THE Alpha & Omega talks to The BPC-157 in Tennesseeand how He continues to heal me. 💜✝️💜
No commentary connects this to Psalm 141:4💜✝️💜
In the song, Zahira sounds angelic singing:
“I will stay tethered to You, You close the space between us.
I wish I could explain exactly how it feels. The Lord has been stitching a message through every crack of my days, in every little detail. Good heavens, I just talked to my husband for longer on the phone than I can recall.
We talked about Jesus- Starr -First-Kings-Jiu-Jitsu and a bunch of Dad/Joe, ice cream, passports and TT. That is shorthand for the Godversation which will now be remembered as “ Silhouette: God Sent Moses”. 💜✝️💜
I can’t recall our last phone Godversation that lasted more than ten minutes. We talk a lot in person, not on the phone. Even when he is traveling, we typically keep it short. Whatever His Purpose, I just know I am to write it down—-it matters for reasons I don’t fully understand.
I am to note that “Elizabeth Street” in Florida is connected all God did through My Assisi Elizabeth. My husband doesn’t even know yet . He sent me those pics after we got off the phone! #ISWYDT! God rest her soul and may her girl be thriving in Japan. Here is a “quote-link” to the day I learned my Assisi Angel earned her wings:
Praise God, obedience doesn’t require understanding. It just requires action. So, I am writing it all down in one blog, as directed.
Maybe, just maybe, I feel like a Gen X teenager because I talked to my boyfriend for 47 glorious minutes! The harsh truth is as much as I love my earthly husband, I will always love my heavenly husband more. But, I am giddy to have connected with my earthly love for such a long time.
Mark told me their cabin steward’s name is MOSES. He knew I would get a kick out of it, too. I said, “of course God would send you a Moses for your wilderness at sea!” We had good laughs on the call. Belly laughs!
I saw a full pattern this morning, or so I thought. We never see the full pattern; we are not the Master Designer. But, I saw far more of how the tapestry is stitched together. Then my husband was used to put another cherry on top of another Heavenly Sundae, with Moses . 💜✝️💜. #ISWYDT
Today— Monday, December 8, 2025, I weighed in at 141:4. It’s been tough to add a few pounds ; ideally building up muscle to 150 is the goal. I was nudged to search my ridiculously large photo library for photos of “scale”.
Divine Humor nearly made me piss in my britches! The last time I weighed 141:4, precisely, was the day we finished watching Episode 2358 of the Joe Rogan Experience. Three days later, I posted the link above which tells the Lamentations 3:58 story.
How perfect “Miss Ellie” came in today. 💜✝️💜
Here’s the thing—Psalm 141 isn’t just a prayer. It expresses the human tension of remaining tethered to the One who made me.
It’s the cry of someone who knows their heart is safest only when it’s bound to God. It is the joyous and the grieving tears which have formed two different streams of tears in my 57 years. It’s grief and gratitude intertwined like…grape vines. #ISWYDT2
“Set a guard over my mouth…Keep my heart from drifting…Don’t let me wander into wickedness…
Psalm 141 is the Prayer of Jabez in different clothing.
Not chapter and verse. Not theology. Not in “accepted commentaries”, yet absolutely the commentary Rabbi Jesus is whispering to my heart.
It’s the same Spirit in both. The posture, prayer and surrender are equally yoked between the two Scriptures.
It is a holy awareness that without His hand, we drift. Without His voice, we wander. Without His covering, the wilderness is too much.
It is no accident on Saturday—before any of this unfolded—my husband left town only after printing out the Prayer of Jabez onto green paper and cutting it the way he did.
A stone is always a marker in Scripture. A covenant—-a crossing place and physical reminder that God met you here. My husband “met me in the lab”—- that’s where he left me what the Spirit interpreted to me as a “wilderness stone”. Our marital covenant with each other and Him are all represented in that piece of paper. 💜✝️💜
It makes me smile because Mark probably thought he was just being thoughtful. But in the Spirit, he was participating in something far bigger—marking the very place where God was about to speak Psalm 141 over my 14:14:14:14 morning.
That’s the thing about walking with the Lord in these seasons. He hides messages in plain sight and leaves breadcrumbs in the wilderness.
He sings to me through worship leaders I’ve never met. He speaks through numbers I could never plan to see.
He threads Scripture through songs, stones, scales, and silence.
This has nothing to do with me and EVERYTHING to do with JESUS.
And all of it came down to one word today:
Tethered.
Stay tethered to Him in the wilderness…He will enlarge the path beneath your feet.
Stay tethered in obedience…He will bless you in ways that only make sense in hindsight.
Stay tethered in the stretching…He will double what needed doubling.
This morning wasn’t about weight. It wasn’t about numbers. It wasn’t even about Psalm 141 or Jabez.
It was about the Father closing the space between us, whispering through His Word, His People and His Creation…reaching His Right Hand down to guide my day.
And the wilderness—my Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness—-suddenly didn’t feel empty at all.
It felt holy.
Marked. #ISWYDT
Sung over.
Held.
TETHERED.
And, in true BPC style, I feel like the child playing tetherball Zim-Zam with my sisters at Mamaw and Papaws house. what a precious memory, knocking the heck out of my front tooth and everything!
Thank you, Jesus. What a glorious seven months you have given me. I could never thank you enough !!! How cool to realize I CAN say “never” and mean it—-Never ever could I thank you enough for ALL you have done fore me, mine and humanity.
Thank you for every opportunity you give me to try.
After being long winded on Facebook, I had no time to write the letter by hand for Master Luiz. In the land of me- The BPC- it equated to Divine Humor striking me again. Oh, how it goes with the best laid plans.
Today was “Give it Away” day. By that, I mean give the original working copies of Jiu-Jitsu Wilderness: Black Belt Wisdom to Professors Cliff and Pedro, for Master Luiz. These are the “stones” and echoes the Lord has used to train me in this new wilderness season. It simply had to be today, as Pedro is leaving later tonight or tomorrow.
I had three time sensitive tasks. Find a proper card worthy of Master Luiz, deliver the quote books and arrive at the shop in time for Mark to make his flight.
Lord, may he and his dad enjoy all your travel mercies and blessings. May their cruise be blessed.
That left me 17 minutes to clean up, get dressed and leave the house.
Being me, I decided to give a card from the heart. It’s only counts as sacrifice if it costs you something, right? Well, I have kept a beautiful hand-crafted “you are my sunshine” card for over 20 years. I love, love, LOVED the memories attached. It takes me back to what God did in MySpace for Make a Difference Day.
I wrote my full name and phone number on the back. That’s it. I didn’t even have time to jot down the Psalm 78 scripture I didn’t even take a photo of it. Kind of weird, but also perfect. Master Luiz is exactly 9 years and two days my senior.
May brevity bless us both.
Being the BPC I am, I also had to honor my Chrissie for making me the book I am holding in this photo. Sillies for her Sunbeam has been in my prayer closet for almost a year. Today, I will make Chrissie a special gift, as now I have acquired the proper tools.
Thank you, Jesus, for always, always, ALWAYS and in ALL WAYS having my back.
For posterity, here is the Facebook post. It screams to be included because the center image is cut off at the place it says “create your own “ and the bottom word is SUNSHINE. That’s Divine Editing as far as I am concerned. There was no BJJ quote book, so I literally created my own.
For clarity, the center post was 12 years ago. It was roughly six months after our “Oszczakiewicz Gracie” went to heaven. Our Gracie (24) died 31 years (plus one day) after Rolls Gracie, (31). Our Gracie passed in a tragic car accident and Rolls in a hang gliding accident. I have been imagining their Godversations and wondering what my own earthly father would agree, “the qualities and character existing inside truly make me my father’s daughter”. 💜✝️💜
Rolls became extra important to me once I learned he was Master Luiz favorite Professor/Coach The link above the one for my dad goes to Anabel Grace Lee’s obituary. It talks about her living life on a “higher plane” and I’m fairly certain some angels have been working overtime on behalf of Polish-Chinese-Americans everywhere. Our Gracie would have hang-glided with Rolls, no doubt.
Bottom line, this gift honors so much more than The Gracie Family, BJJ, Master Luiz and ONJJ. It honors my Oszczakiewicz and Mull roots, as well. Most importantly, it honors the One who sent me to ONJJ via Joe Rogan and Chadd Wright on Episode #2358.
Excuse me while I giggle about about “JRE #2358 popped the BPC’s BJJ cherry.” 🤣🤣🤣
Without further Adieu…
9 photos from this day over 16 years…Rather perfect is the center image. #ISWYDT
And, for the cherry on top, when Mark left the shop, I went to the lab. My sweet GBM left me the best encouragement, without knowing anything about what the Lord is showing me about my wilderness stones.
Yeppers, the Blonde Polish Chick has “stones” of the best variety. The stones Father God gave me are getting polished quite sweetly these days.
My God Room 