The battle began as I lay praying for strength to get out of bed. I know the power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me; therefore, if I am to walk by faith, then up I get and drag my tired body to the shower to pray, wash and wake up.
Then I wake the boys-a change I made because I want to be the first one to see their faces and greet them.
I head to the kitchen to make breakfast and as I take the milk from the refrigerator, suddenly a tall cup begins to spew dark liquid all over the fridge and ceramic tile floor...it isn't even 7:30 and already my opportunity to walk by faith, count it all joy has begun. Coffee that Love thought would be good the next morning...without a cover.
Forgiveness, joy, and power that gives one peace amidst apparent disaster!
So, I pull out the sword (can you see the capital S cape I've whipped out of my back pocket for just such occasions?), and begin to speak His Word, albeit under my breath...
"Count it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience and let patience have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, wanting nothing..." (a mixture of several versions I've memorized!)Whew, I passed that test...
"The joy of the Lord is my strength."
"In everything give thanks (as I'm wiping up spills that are hidden way in the back), for this is God's will for you!"
Ok, so they came in waves ALL DAY!
For the last two days, mom has poopooed every thing I've made...today, it began to get on my nerves...I reminded her that 'this isn't a restaurant and I'm giving you what we have'...that didn't change her mind...then I told her she had to eat...that didn't work...then the boys decided they didn't want to eat either...now I'm beginning to see the attack...
Soooo, I begin to pray. She eats, they eat and I clean up lunch.
In and out of the back door...momma wants to go outside, then in ten minutes come back inside...then piddle, then go back outside, then come in...I'm beginning to see the need for much more grace...so I pray for it...
Duh, grace is available here:
'when I'm weak, then He's strong'.
So, 'God, I'm sensing the weight of weakness take me down a path of self-pity that isn't going to help anyone. I'm going around in circles in this house and getting NOTHING 'done'. Become my strength, please.'
Oh, wait, I'm being Your servant, living out a lifestyle of grace...am I actually getting this thing?
Ok, so far, so good.
At about 2:45, I feel ill. I have a low grade headache, and I'm suddenly exhausted. So, I tell my dad I'm heading to bed for a little nap...no sooner do I hit the bed when I'm chilled, the headache has turned to a migraine and all my joints are screaming in pain and I want to throw up! I tell two boys to fold laundry in my room to be near me while I lay on the bed.
Realizing I didn't speak to Love at lunch, I have one boy bring me my phone and see I have a voicemail from him...so I have the blonde Lego designer call his dad and tell him to pray for me.
Immediately he calls and dad promises to pray. I sleep.
When I awake to Love peeking in on me, I feel a little better, and he offers to give me some pain meds. As I lay waiting for a cup of caffeine to help, I realize the enemy is working overtime today for some devilish reason...as though he needed one!
Well, I know the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in me, so I begin to pray/ fight for health, victory and no more wasted time in this already 'useless' day! I got up and began dinner!
By 5:30, the migraine is gone, everyone's bellies full and shared their highlights.
God is good, faithful.
"For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever."
Taken in my yard while I rested from working in the garden. He alighted when I least expected him to.
Just like grace.
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