 |
| Day 30 |
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16 ESV) Pastor Mark's sermon - Oct. 28
On the East Coast people have just experienced a violent storm.
NEW YORK (AP) — Millions of people from Maine to the Carolinas awoke Tuesday without electricity, and an eerily quiet New York City was all but closed off by car, train and air as superstorm Sandy steamed inland, still delivering punishing wind and rain.
For those of us in rural, Northern California it is hard to fathom. If we have a bad storm we are out of power for 3 or 4 days. We may have to use a bucket of water from outside to flush the toilet when the power is off, we don't have water and we have to eat what we have, but we can still use our cars. In the winter of 1995, just before Christmas we had such a storm.
I put my diaper pail outside, because I hadn't been able to wash clothes for a couple of days and the final day of the storm I was expecting to see diapers plastered all over the blackberry hedge when I opened to door. The diaper pail was unmovable.
We didn't have power for 4 days and I had an elderly mother-in-law, and 3 little girls ages 4,2 and 20 months needing my every moment of attention. A friend on the other side of the creek called on the 4th day and invited me over to use her washer and take a shower. ( They had just gotten power.) Before I got home the power was back on and I had a fresh stack of diapers.
That year we were in another kind of storm. The storm of extreme poverty. Pregnant with our 4th child, my husband got pneumonia. The end of the 2nd month I gave birth to our son. My husband was so weak he couldn't take a walk with the girls, as I was proceeding through labor. He had been out of work for some time and that Christmas, while I was pregnant, I have no idea, how many people God used to bless my young family. My oldest daughter was almost 5 and she remembers her shoes, doll and the doll of her younger sisters.
This year we have faced another storm. The children are much older and the outcome seems much larger. The child like faith they had for provision and protection when they were young has to return, so that we don't go on our own strength. Our strength comes from the Lord.
Blessed be the LORD!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
and with my song I give thanks to him.
The LORD is the strength of his people;
he is the saving refuge of his anointed.
Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
(Psalm 28:6-9 ESV)
Three things that Johnathan Edwards said that the believer must know about Christian Joy:
1) Your griefs will turn out for the ultimate good.
2)Your great things can never be grabbed away from you.
3) The Greatest is still to come.
At the end of Monday and you are thankful that you only ran the shopping cart into a pillar and not the car was the only thing you ran into a pillar, because you have been so tired from life that you can't completely open your eyes.
When it seems like you don't remember the last time you got to sleep 8 hours when you awake on Tuesday after a complete 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
When the sun is shining in your window and you know that all is well with all your children, they are safe in school or at work and they have their personal needs met for the day.
You have electricity, phone service, warm dry clothes and let's not forget Wi/Fi
A season of refreshment fills you...
This doesn't take away the hurt of yesterday
This doesn't take away the cares of the world
BUT this should give you reason to be thankful.
I was thankful yesterday through my pain, sleeplessness and fear, but today I am thankful in the rest of God, in Jesus my savior, my hope, my strength and my deliver.
The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
(Psalm 18:2 ESV)
Crazy Joy Dare ~ Day 30- 3 Gifts Overjoyed!
1) My daughter, Abbie, about having her radiator fixed
3) My heart that aches, but has hope in my deliver
No comments:
Post a Comment