Resting

Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. Genesis 2:1-3

Being brought up in Andalucia, a nap or siesta was part of our culture. When we moved back to the United States, my parents just changed our nap time but it was still a routine for our family. My parents were very active at home, work, ministry, education, athletics, music, etc. so they understood the importance of taking time to rest. 

As an adult I cannot tell you how many times I have heard someone guilt another person by saying things like "Oh must be nice to be able to nap." As if naps or quiet times are not available to everyone. I really never understood that mentality but it seemed to me that they were securing meaning and worth by all their pursuits and not having to have any rest.

Resting (a nap or quiet time) is good and necessary not only for our spiritual welfare but also for our physical and mental. God gave us an example in these verses to go by and we need to listen in order to receive the blessings of a good rest!

 My son's daughter Isabella posing on a statue at the zoo on our visit in 2009.

Inconvenienced

                                                      My soul melts from heaviness;

                                                   Strengthen me according to Your word. 

Psalm 119:28

Every day we have some type of interruption we don't plan or expect. Our life is filled with things that are out of our control. Sickness, accidents, death, emotions, rudeness, incompetence,  forgetfulness, misunderstandings, weather, etc. There are so many things that become life inconveniences! 

For anyone with a planning type of personality like my own, it can cause a bit of stress, okay let me be real ~ MAJOR STRESS. These are those moment that I know I should trust God but so hard for me to do. If God allows these inconveniences in my life then there must be something I cannot see in the big puzzle of life. I know I do not have the capacity of being able to protect myself from all the terrible things that God protects me from each day. Yes, I do see some of what life throws at me but I believe there is so much more that I do not see that God is guiding me through without my even being aware. Some days I get it dreadfully wrong and I have only myself to blame...some days I get it right and know I have God to thank....

Last year  there was a man killed by a passing truck on the exact location I walked 15 minutes prior and I was reminded again of God's protection for my own life. Next time I take a wrong turn I must remind myself of the possibility of danger had I taken the right turn. I need to trust God in everything including all the inconvenience life may bring each day! This lesson may be more for me than for you.....

This picture was taken when I took my grand~kids to see some beautiful butterfly gardens, March 2015.

Love The Shepherd & Prayer

During our most difficult days when my husband was suffering from kidney disease it was our Pastor and his wife that were able to embrace our grief along with us. There were others who had good intentions but could not handle our situation, then there were others who wanted us to rise above it. Most days we were lucky if we were able to rise out of bed much less have the strength to rise above our circumstances. People are not always equipped to handle each others emotions especially when it comes to something life threatening and we understood. 

 My Pastor requested many to pray for us during that time and so they did. Pastor and his wife took time to pray with us and for us. I requested prayer from everyone I could think of because I believe so much in prayer. Praying became difficult for me personally after so many years because I had lost the strength and didn't know what to even say anymore. I would pray, Lord, you know who and what we need today more than we do. I was grateful to know prayers were being lifted up in spite of me and there were many days we felt those prayers.

Now I pray for many others who are going through their own difficult circumstances because I know they too may not feel up to praying some days. Our own journey through the valley of the shadow of death has opened our eyes to the hopelessness and fears people are facing during those dark times. Pastors have to take care of many in their congregations who are suffering from all types of serious health issues. We want to remember to pray for our Pastors and their wives as they come along beside others and as they have their own situations with health issues. Let's consider that our Pastors, their wives and their families walk through the valley of the shadow of death with all of us so let's make sure we are continuously praying for them.  Encouraging them and walking along with them in their own personal valleys in life.

Thank you Lord that you sent others in to our life to be the hands and feet of Jesus. You brought us hope when and where we least expected during every hard and difficult moment. Thank you for loving us through others and through your Son who bore the cross for our sin and all our shortcomings.

This picture was taken at a church graveyard while visiting New Castle, Delaware in 2014.