A January of Prayer | Jan. 17 | my sister’s 15th birthday

 a January of prayer | praying through the first month of 2024

A January of Prayer

| 17 January 2024

Happy birthday to my sister! Today my sister Scarlett turns 15!!! How exciting is that!! 

For 15 years, since the day she showed up, she has been my best friend! We’ve been together through thick and thin and through all the many hardships and triumphs of life. I’m so excited to celebrate this day with her! *throws confetti*

Sadly, we are still fighting sickness so no birthday cake today but we are still going to make it special. We decorated the night before—we did a birthday tree (decorating a Christmas tree but for a birthday) which she has been wanting to do for a while—and we will have awesome gifts, a waffle cake (stack waffles together and put candles on top), a special Mac & cheese dinner and movie night! It’s going to be special and fun and I can’t wait! 

Today I just read one Psalm. Some days that happens, when I read a single chapter or psalms and that’s the only one I want to read and meditate on that day. Today, that was Psalm 103. This Psalm just gave me a lot of peace and I wanted to share some of what I read and what stood out to me! 

1Let all that I am praise the Lord;

with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.

2Let all that I am praise the Lord;

may I never forget the good things he does for me.

3He forgives all my sins

and heals all my diseases.

4He redeems me from death

and crowns me with love and tender mercies.

5He fills my life with good things.

My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! 

—Psalm 103:1-5 

11For his unfailing love toward those who fear him

is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.

12He has removed our sins as far from us

as the east is from the west.

13The Lord is like a father to his children,

tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

14For he knows how weak we are;

he remembers we are only dust. 

—Psalm 103:11-14 

17But the love of the Lord remains forever

with those who fear him.

His salvation extends to the children’s children 

—Psalm 103:17

20Praise the Lord, you angels,

you mighty ones who carry out his plans,

listening for each of his commands.

21Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels

who serve him and do his will!

22Praise the Lord, everything he has created,

everything in all his kingdom.

Let all that I am praise the Lord. 

—Psalm 103:20-22

3:45 pm 

I just finished wrapping my sister’s presents (I can’t wait for her to open them) and now the waffle cake is getting made! Since we are sick still, a waffle cake (stacking waffles on top of each other) is the cake we are doing! 

Tangled plays in the background—I LOVE this movie! *heart eyes* 

Now I should be off! 

Also, I finished Nineteen Steps yesterday and the review is now up on my goodreads! I’ll soon have that review along with others here but for now, here is the link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5766429992?book_show_action=false

4:34 pm

I keep wanting to cry. 

This is the first birthday without grandpa. That’s really hard. I keep trying to be happy. I don’t want to start crying and draw attention to myself. This is my sister’s special day. Her birthday. She doesn’t need me crying and making her day sad. 

So, I’ll come away like now and breathe and control the tears and then go downstairs and celebrate. I want today to feel special. I don’t want to cry. Not now. Not yet. Maybe tonight or tomorrow but not now. Hopefully I can make it through. 

It’s also been hard having Tangled on. I love that movie but it reminds me of him. 

6:50 pm

I broke.

I came down for dinner and started crying. We got to talk about grandpa and cry and feel. It was nice.

Then we did presents and now we are watching “A Walk To Remember”! It’s a sweet movie and I think my sister will really like it! She loves sweet love movies! <3 

My mom wrote a really sweet post about my sister: https://www.abigailaviva.com/2024/01/scarlett-turns-15.html

Previous days…

• A January of Prayer
• Jan. 03 | the first real snow
• Jan. 04 | Practicing trusting God 
• Jan. 05 | a living book  
• Jan. 06 | prayer for protection & snow  
• Jan. 07 | “what I have written I have written”  
• Jan. 08 | good morning to you  
• Jan. 09 | one of my favorite verses   
• Jan. 10 | a sick day    
• Jan. 11 | a sick day 2   
• Jan. 12 | the sickness that shall not be named    
• Jan. 14 | a month since grandpa passed   

God bless us, every one 

If you think to pray for me and my family I will be forever grateful! If you have a prayer request or need please comment and let me know! 

Goodnight! <3 

Love, 

Moriyah