Pull Up Your Britches

Today is May 11, 2011 and there is snow falling and accumulating on my deck. I know everyone says we need the moisture, but can’t it come in the form of rain?

God has promised us the seasons and they do show-up, but sometimes there is a teasing that the next season has arrived only to have it snatched away by a sudden reversal.

This happens in our lives too.

A dark season that has been hanging on seems to be ending, light has begun to spill through and we turn our faces towards it, feeling the warmth. With our eyes closed and our face lifted to the heat, a shadow suddenly chills our heart.

We open our eyes to see the clouds have once again rolled over us. Discouragement digs its tentacles into our mind and we are tempted to shut the door on hope. That is the one thing we must never, never do. Hope is our anchor.

Just as I know in the next few days the sun will be shining and I will be outside in my yard planting flowers I know the despondancy that thinks it has a hold in our life will melt away like the snow.

We are filled with questions, screaming for answers which may or may not come. God has His reasons for not revealing all His plans to us but He gives us hope through His promises. As God guarantees that the seasons will continue He gives us assurances in His word concerning our lives.

I will bless you with a future filled with hope—a future of success, not of suffering. You will turn back to me and ask for help, and I will answer your prayers. You will worship me with all your heart, and I will be with you and accept your worship. Then I will gather you from all the nations where I scattered you, and you will return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah 29:11-14 NCV

My choice: Do I throw a pity party and call all my friends to join me or do I take a deep breath, pull up my britches and call out to God:

“Good morning Lord, I'm reporting for duty, what do you have for me today.”

Spring Come Quickly

Day 11 of 40 days of Lenten Posts

"The rain

and snow

come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth.

They cause the grain to grow producing seed for the farmer
and bread for the hungry." Isaiah 55:10 NLT

I am so ready for spring. I want to put away my heavy coat and boots and see flowers bloom. Colorado Springs has to get through the month of April before we can breath a slight sigh of relief that our snow times are over. Sometimes we are surprised with one last covering of white in the month of May.

How about where you live, has spring started to show with green grass and buds on trees?

Night and Day

Last night driving to church was an adventure. Blowing snow, icy streets and lots of cars made for a very slow trip. My 20 minute drive became 45 minutes of alertness and prayer, “angels, don’t let anyone slide into me and don’t let me slide into anyone.” I’m glad I left early. I arrived in the parking lot at 7:00pm, I made it on time!!!

This morning the sky is so beautifully Colorado blue and the snow is a clean, bright white.

I sat with my cup of tea (see previous post) looking at my back yard. There were three Mule deer enjoying our hospitality. Momma was eating off the Pinion pine and one of the young ones, born last year, was munching on a Yucca plant. The other young one was still curled up from the night.

When there is snow on the ground it is easy to tell where the deer have bedded down, just look for the oval bare spot.

It was such a contrast from last night’s tense drive on icy roads.

It makes me think of the times when we have had a rough day and we know we have blown it. We know that it was a day that we were not pleasing to the Lord. Not that we did some huge, horrible sin but we know we could have done better. The argument with one of our children just before they went to bed and then the disagreement with our husband about how we handled the situation. Those are the icy road, blowing snow days.

But God is so gracious to us, His Word tells us:
Yet there is one ray of hope: his compassion never ends. It is only the Lord's mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day. Lam 3:21-23 TLB

MERCY! Thank you Lord for your daily mercy, we so badly need it.

And he doesn’t stop at mercy. He always gives more.

His anger lasts a moment; his favor lasts for life! Weeping may go on all night, but in the morning there is joy. Psalms 30:5 TLB

JOY! He promises us joy in the morning!

What a wonderful God we serve. He knows our painful stumbling and provides the balm of Gilead to heal.