He Makes All Things Better!

I was in the grocery store the other day and on the aisle next to me a little child was not too happy to be riding in the buggy. He kept wanting his mama to carry him but the dad kept telling him no that he had to ride in the buggy. I went over on the next aisle to continue shopping and I quickly realized why mama couldn't carry the little boy. She was about ready to pop. Finally the dad offered to carry the little boy and the little boy took him up on the offer. And then the little boy said the sweetest thing I have ever heard. As the daddy got him situated, the little boy laid his head on his daddy's shoulder and said, "Oh Daddy, you are so comfortable!"

That little boy had the sweetest softed voice and his comment about did me in. "Oh Daddy, you are so comfortable!" I could have easily gotten teary eyed, but I fought it off and continued shopping.

Today, I have had a pretty blah day. If I had to put my finger on it, it would probably stem from a shift in my hormones due to Princesses Must Scream. (I stole that from someone else, but isn't it really fitting and cute.) It was one of those days when I just felt like I could have stayed in bed for the entire day. But like you, I had tons of things calling my name. So I get up and go through my day like a good little girl toting the blah feeling along with me.

I had to go back to the grocery store because I can't get my act together and get everything I need in one trip. Me and lists do not go together. I am more of a fly by the seat of my pants kinda girl, but that hasn't really been working too well for me here lately. I am too young for senior moments, but apparently they strike me in the grocery store and cause me to forget why I went there in the first place. And then before I know it, I have a cart full of stuff minus the one thing I really needed.

Anyway, on my way home from the grocery store I just couldn't fight the blah feeling any longer and so I just started praying. Then before I knew it I was crying and then next thing I know I am driving past my subdivision because I am in the midst of a full blown ugly cry and can not go home because my family will think I am crazy. Have you ever been there?

But can I just tell you that as I crawled myself up into the lap of my Heavenly Father and sobbed and told Him how hard what He was asking of me was, and how I couldn't do it and how this and that and on and on... His peace came over me. He was not put off by my crys or disguisted by my weakness. But rather He held me and my heart resonated with that little boys statement..."Oh Daddy, You are so comfortable!"

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion

and the God of all comfort." II Corinthians 1:3

I Trust You Jesus

This past week, I have had my own revival. There wasn't a special Preacher from out of town and no special music, unless you count me singing in my car. We did not meet Monday through Wednesday at 7:00 pm.

No, this wasn't a regularly scheduled revival and no one else was involved. Just me and Jesus.

Over the past few weeks I had let fear and doubt creep in to some areas in my life. And before I knew it they were being louder and more vocal than my faith. Thankfully, Jesus set me straight and reminded me that fear and doubt do not come from Him. I was also reminded that I needed to replace those things with faith.

So, I adopted a new saying...

I TRUST YOU JESUS!

I literally say this out loud when I start to feel fear and / or doubt trying to creep back in. Do you know what has happened as a result of this simple saying?

God has replaced the fear and doubt with His peace. I say it and immediately I feel better. When said, those four words demonstrate what is happening in my heart. Literally, I am trusting Jesus. No matter how uncertain I think things may be and how I would really like a little more confirmation in some areas, in my heart I do trust Jesus. I know that He alone is all powerful and all knowing and I know that He loves me and only wants what is best for me.

How could I not trust Him?

For several weeks, a church sign in my area had the following saying:

Faith is walking to the edge of the unknown and taking one more step.

Think about that for a moment...

That is a really cute saying but it is one of those things that is so hard to live out. A couple of years ago, God called me away from my career. I was making a great salary and loved where I was working. But I knew that if I stayed in my career that I would be missing a great journey with the Lord.

Guess what happened after I left my job...the economy took a nose dive. I had it all planned out that I would get a job at my children's school, that I would have their hours and the blue birds would begin circling my house and singing everyday all while carrying a yellow ribbon in their mouths.

Guess who had a hiring freeze...my kids school. But God provided for me and my family in ways that I never even dreamed of.

I find it easy to trust God when I am calling all the shots. When life is going along easy, peasy and I am comfortable. But that is not really trust at all. Trust involves abandoning my control of things and extending my hand to Him. Sometimes we may not feel His grasp but we still must extend our hand believing that He is there to guide us.

Before going into my boss' office to resign, I shut my office door and had a little talk with the Lord. I told Him that I wanted to be obedient to Him and that I was going to reach my hand out as far as I could. When He felt my fingers, I asked Him if He could just give me a little pull because I was scared to death of the unknown that awaited me.

He has been so faithful to me. He not only gave me a little pull but He held my hand and never let go. He promises us that He will never leave us or forsake us, never!

I pray today that you can rest in this promise. Rest knowing that God knows your name and every little detail about you. Rest knowing that He loves you more than you can imagine. And rest knowing that once you give Him your heart, He will never leave you or forsake you!

"My beloved is mine, and I am his..." Song of Solomon 2:16

The Hands of Time

The craziest thing has happened to me...

I woke up yesterday morning the mother of a 4th Grader and a 2nd Grader! Where has the time gone? If I stay in that thought process for too long the tears will come because I know day before yesterday I was knee deep in diapers and wondering if I would ever get to go to the bathroom by myself again.

I can't remember if I shared this already, but several months ago I was going through some things in the attic and discovered a box of my sons clothes. They were clothes from his first spring and summer. I started pulling outfits out of the box and the memories started flowing. The next thing I know I am smelling the clothes and in the midst of the "ugly" cry. Oh yes I was! I do not know how, but even after being washed and stored in the attic for years, they still smelled like him.

I remembered holding him in my arms and cuddling with him. My arms had ached for a baby for years and in God's perfect timing He delivered our son to us. He was the perfect fit for those aching arms.

Let me encourage you today by telling you that if you are waiting on God for something, His timing is perfect!

His timing is rarely like mine, but He is always right on time.

Since I was sharing about my son as a baby, do you know that my husband's desire was to become a dad by the time he was thirty.

Guess what day it was when we met and picked up our son?

If you guessed my husband's thirtieth birthday, then you are correct. Our God is a God of details and let me tell you from experience not one gets by Him unnoticed.

Take heart today knowing that He knows all the desires and dreams of your heart and He also know what is best for your heart. And that is exactly what He wants for you!

Praise Him today because He is always good!

He is always on time!

And He loves you more than you could ever imagine!