Trials and Assurances

As we all know too well, trials will erupt and spew fire in every life. Thankfully, though, we can rely on our heavenly Father to help us in times of need, as Psalm 121 assures us.

Verses 1 and 2 read: "I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Although thieves would hide in the mountains and prey upon innocent travelers, the psalmist knew just where to turn for help. Likewise, when we come face to face with the unknown ... fears or trials of any kind ... our sovereign Lord will be there to sustain us (Ps 103:19) ... even when others let us down or us doing things in our own strength fails.

"He who keeps you will not slumber" (Ps 121:3). With all the billions of people in the world, it is difficult for us to comprehend how God could possibly know even the smallest detail of our lives ... or why He would care for us so much that He would number all the hairs on our heads. But this passage confirms for us the fact that God is alive and well and alert to every aspect of our lives and pays attention to all our needs. We are never left to just ourselves alone; God is ever with us.

"The Lord is your keeper" (v. 5). The Hebrew word for "keep" comes from the same root as does "guard" and "protect." We would use this term when a parent asks someone to "keep" her child while she is away temporarily. The childcare provider is expected to protect and provide for the needs of this child. In the same way, God promises to keep His children, which means that He will defend us, give us just what we need, and grow us into His likeness, and guard us from evil.

The world would seem to be a dangerous and lonely place without these promises of God. But we can successfully face unknowns and difficult times with confidence, knowing that the Lord will always keep us and help us live our lives for His glory.

********

Nothing new and exciting going on around our home here in the foothills. It's going to be another warm day but I don't think it's going to get as hot as it got yesterday. I'm all for the cooler temps. I can't believe it but we have actually had a very nice spring up here. Last year we didn't have a spring at all. It went straight from winter to summer! This year we've had a long, leisurely spring. It's been very nice. I like having four distinct seasons. Of course I could totally go without summer. I know we need it to grow things but I just hate the heat.

I made it to church yesterday but my ankle hurt for the rest of the day so I probably shouldn't have gone. But I wanted to go so badly. Saturday evening we will be having Leo over for dinner again. He's got his heart set on Tamale Pie, salad with bacon bits, and peach pie for dessert. Michael had to run to the store yesterday after I got home and he ran into Leo while he was out and Leo had to remind him that he likes bacon bits in his salad. I always fry up a couple strips of bacon for him to put in his salad.

My ankle is slowing healing. It's still pretty swollen and discolored but I can walk on it pretty well with a limp of course, but I no longer need crutches. Yea! Sure a dumb thing to have happen, turning my ankle like that, but things happen. Heather and her clan are slowly making their way home after spending quite a few days on the road. It's been great for the family. I can't imagine what it must be like to have to work at creating new memories ... a whole new life. Especially when you were quite happy with the life you had. But life tosses us a curve ball occasionally and we have to dodge the pitch once in awhile. Heather can go and make instant friends wherever she winds up. She can turn a car problem into immediate friendships. What an inspiration and blessing she is to everyone who is privileged enough to know her. I think they are finally on their last leg home. I bet it will feel really good to finally get back home after having been gone for as long as they have. Please pray for their continued safety on the road. And that they won't have any more car troubles.

I can't believe I have stayed true to my journal for as long as I have. I'm so good at getting bored with things and just giving them up in no time. But journaling has turned out to be one of my favorite times during the day. And when I journal at night I can write all about what the Lord did in my life that day and it's amazing how much He really does do. When I first started I worried that I wouldn't have anything to say in a journal but it has so far proved to be an interesting closing to my day. I've started high-lighting the answers in yellow so it will be easier to find the answered prayers when I look back and it's amazing the number of high-lighted sentences I have in my journal now.

We're having a bar-be-que Thursday night at church in the patio with a free Dale Johnson concert. I'm not familiar with him but they played a few of his songs before service yesterday and he has a beautiful voice. I'm looking forward to going. Hope I'm not still hobbling around then. I'd like to be walking normally.

Well, I am sitting here without anything to write about. That's what happens when you get laid up with a bad ankle. I know this hasn't been much of a blog at all but I'm going to go ahead and post this and just hope to do better the next time. I really apologize for this one. There's just nothing to write about. So until next time...