“The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”
Zephaniah 3:17, NASB
You never know how good you have it until something’s gone…
Last Friday, my family and I sat smiling around the table at my parent’s home. Friday night dinner at their place has become a tradition this past year, and we thoroughly enjoy it. I was running low on time, so we took frozen pizza and leftover baked ziti. Happily, my parents were pleased with this menu, which also included cake for dessert. Everyone interacted in good spirits, and our time together quickly progressed into a fond memory.
Then my mom fell. This past Sunday, she broke her hip. Our days since then have been filled with hospital visits and today’s relocation to the Rehab Center.
I knew these special Friday dinners were limited. But I didn’t realize until now how it would feel to go from eating together to missing the opportunity to do so. Tomorrow’s Friday … and instead of visiting at my parent’s home, we’ll spend time with Mom at Rehab. I already miss our regular plans.
We’re pressed. Mom can’t care for herself like before, and Dad’s routine has been overloaded with new experiences. My sister and I have been keeping in touch, making sure someone is with Mom as much as possible. Mark and my kids have been troopers, and they’ve given of themselves to cheer Mom in person.
God is SO good. This thought strikes me–if I can re-word my opening statement a bit:
We never know how good GOD is until we’re pressed into desperate need for Him.
I haven’t been able to read the Word much this week or pray like usual. Often while I’m en route I utter sentence prayers, asking God to meet specific needs of the moment. And friends, I cannot tell you how absolutely, perfectly, and wonderfully He has come through Every. Moment.
God’s love and His presence fill us up when we’re empty of all else. He never fails us, and the enormity of His supply is overwhelming. Whether we’re pressed by life’s circumstances or walking in joy, we can’t exhaust the resources God possesses. An awesome God and faithful Father, HE takes tender care of His own.
Much love to each of you in Christ,
Emily
Image courtesy of lemonade at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
“Hey! That’s my chair!”
One morning I received a call from our lawn service guy. It was the day his team was scheduled to come cut our grass. He informed me that he thought it was going to rain that day so they’d try and come out on the following weekend to do the cut. No, I thought! Not good! He and his team had missed cutting the grass for the last couple of weeks. They’d committed to come take care of this today. Am I being too impatient, I wondered? I went outside and stared at the lawn again. Two beaver-looking critters scurried underneath the fence when they heard me approaching. A third lingered boldly, as if invited to a grassy buffet in our backyard. Nope, I am definitely not being too impatient; our lawn was in desperate need of a thorough cutting. These guys need to come out and take care of business this morning! I called our guy back and urged him to come cut the grass that very morning, before any rain hit, since it wasn’t raining yet! They came and cut the entire lawn before one raindrop fell. I wouldn’t be surprised if they also got in several other lawns before any rain fell that day because it didn’t rain until that evening! Our lawn guy thought he knew when the rain would come but he really didn’t. He was willing to put the work off just a little longer in anticipation of an outcome for which he had no control.