Joyful Help Meet At Home

Good Morning Girls!

The sun is shining and the birds as singing here. A nice break from the damp, rainy days of last week. Not that I am complaining, we are thankful, ALWAYS, for the rain, snow, sleet, because they all fill our spring and well. Plus in the summer, the garden thrives on rain.

My plans for today are to continue sorting files, books, and all sorts of accumulated stuff, so I can prepare for school, and get to many projects that I have put off for the past 2 yrs.

There were many hard trials and tests that our family went through in short amount of time. These nearly destroyed our family unit, and us as individuals. We went through months of "the blame game"-totally non-productive and very hurtful and harmful to those you love. During this time, I had a spiritual breakthrough, or awakening, if you please, that I wish could have occurred years ago. But God's ways and times are not ours. The LORD knew I needed to endure the trials, tribulations and tests to reach the point where I was teachable or ready to set aside my will for His.

I've testified several times about this, but I want to be very clear, and give God ALL the glory and praise for His patience, love, tenderness, mercy, longsuffering, gentleness, which He extended to me, and my loved ones.

It was only when I reached the point of letting go of my hopes, dreams, desires, wants, wishes, wonderings, and preconcieved ideas of what is supposed to be, that the lesson could be learned. At best, I probably received only a D- but that is still a passing grade, right?

What did I learn?

At times when we were going through a rough patch, or sorrow, or what-have-you, Christian friends and family were quick to quote Rom. 8:28 to us. Too often it was like a dart to our heart. The intended comfort poured salt into my wounds.

As you know, there are situations and circumstances that we must trod through in this world, that with our earthy eyes appears to be useless for any good at all. You are in so much agony at the moment, it is impossible, in our flesh and emotions, and human spirit, to fathom the minutest possibility that any positive thing could come from it.

"Time heals all wounds" is not entirely true. Not all wounds heal, nor are they intended to do so.

Time is a bridge from one event in life to the next. And as you cross each one going away from specific painful places, you get reprieves from the sorrow, grief, and hurt.

The bridge is Rom. 8:28. We can't quite cross the bridge without paying the toll. The toll is some happening in life that appears totally disastrous. To pay that toll requires us (me) to trust the LORD and the Holy Ghost with HOW this (current) THING will work for good, believing that God said it would and that is that. Again, I understand how hard that can be.

Within our human heart and mind, there is the desire to do it ourselves-fix it, figure it out, prevent it.... Any doubt about? Watch a baby. As soon as a child can do anything for himself, or he thinks he can, he attempts to do it. He will fight anyone who tries to do it for him.

Here is an example: after a bath, it was customary for our children to have a snack. With a 1 yr.old, in clean "jammies", feeding herself was NOT an option. She would stay "I FEED" when you tried to spoon ice cream or cookie pieces into her mouth. She'd clamp her lips shut. Only after giving up on feeding her, would she willingly accept the food being fed to her.

Isn't that what we do with God? We say "I FIX."

God lets us try doesn't He? Then after we figure out we can't do it, and we FINALLY give up, our last resort is to say, ok God you do it. Really believing Rom. 8:28 is the opposite of all this. It is the life preserver to keep us afloat when the waves go over our heads, and we want to sink in the murky waters of the deep, and give up on life.

Rather than splashing around helplessly ignoring the lifesaver, Rom. 8:28, right before me, I am learning to look for it, and grab it as quickly as I can, and hang on for dear life, waiting for my rescuer-Jesus-to get me out of the waters in His time.

"And we know that all things work together for the good, to them that love God, to them that are the called according to his purpose."

Do you KNOW?

Mrs. Bob L. Leib (Terry) (c)2009