A Joyful Post

I know my previous post (Early Morning Ponderings) was a bit on the doom and gloom side of things, albeit truthful and honest. Just part of the journey...

Today's post is truthful and honest, and on the bright and up-beat side of things. Again...part of the journey.

I just had to share with you another of those Warm-Gloves In My Pocket moments. I had awakened yesterday feeling especially low and lacking energy. "Coincidentally" my devotional time yesterday morning was Psalm 23. As I read the Psalm, I tried to read it with fresh eyes, not just reciting it from memory as one of the first Psalms I had learned as a child. Not feeling especially cared for or protected or nourished yesterday, I prayed through the verses in faith, asking the Lord to make these things true in my life; to help me see and know the truth of these words, to give me a new, deeper understanding in ways I haven't even known before. Not the surface stuff...give me the real, deep stuff.

It started with a few very encouraging things at work. It was a "good" day in the office and at one point my boss and I were even laughing, sharing a funny moment! I knew it wasn't anything I had generated, but rather, God moved and was at work in my employer (and me) and the circumstances to bring things to that point.

I have been praying for a bit of a respite, at least in my spirit, from the heaviness of life right now. While the circumstances aren't changing, but rather getting more intense, I really see the need for a little levity on a daily basis. Yesterday, the Lord gave me a light heart. It felt supernatural. I don't know how to say it other than that. As the day progressed, I found myself laughing more and more and having more opportunities for it, like I did with my employer. I had one of the best laughs when I was in contact with my mother's dial-up Internet provider last night. I was attempting to cancel her service as she no longer uses her computer. I'm warning you, this may sound really tacky, or even on the side of irreverent, but after going 'round and 'round with "Kamran" from who-knows-where", offering me every other option rather than complying with my request for cancellation, I pulled out the ol' "she-has-terminal-cancer-and-will-not-be-emailing-anyone" card. After a long pause on his end, he responded with, "I'll cancel the service immediately and here is your confirmation #." I'll tell you, if ever you need to get something done quickly, no questions asked..... well, let me just say it gets results!

But wait! That's not all. God still has more! You may recall a few posts back, as an addendum to Lesson of the Week , my inquiry regarding a treadmill and use of one for a few months. I didn't get any responses from the post, and even wondered if I should have been so bold as to put it out there. My husband "R" knew of my request, but hadn't said anything to anyone. In fact, he had asked me several days ago if I had heard anything regarding that. It seemed like a "no deal" kind of situation. I'll admit, I had even asked the Lord if it was "okay" for me to ask for a treadmill, or was he perhaps letting me know that I will need to work off these extra stress-eating related pounds in another way?

In the midst of my processing, you can imagine my surprise when "R" announced to me "Guess what? You're going to get a treadmill!" Of course I asked him for details, wondering how, and so forth. "R" relayed the story of a casual conversation he had with a fellow worker a few days earlier. The man--I'll call him Joe-- shared with R that his wife had been ill for quite sometime, and also said something about his son moving things into their house, or storing them there, or something, but generally, Joe was just sharing about life and all the many things going on. Joe suddenly stopped and asked my husband if we would have any need or use of a treadmill for a while due to the fact that they just don't have room for it at this time and since it was given to them, 'it seems a shame to have it just sitting there.' My husband was floored and so excited. He proceeded to tell his co-worker what an answer to prayer it was and the back-story to it all. Of course, it was a double blessing as this man was thrilled to know he was moved into action by the Lord. They will want it back at some point, but, for a few months, we'll get to use it and take care of it. Can you believe it!?!

And finally, to top off the day yesterday, my son received word that his friend "J" (mentioned in my previous post) suddenly woke up from his coma last night and was able to carry on conversations with his family. He seems fine, but will of course undergo tests, etc. Praise God for answering prayers and for reviving this young man. We need to be praying that "J" will come to know the Lord and that through this, his family will too if they don't already know Him.

The underlying lesson in all of these examples is that the Lord, my shepherd, is the one who had made things happen, or moved people (me included), or provided opportunities. It isn't because of anything I did, or tried to generate. It was all Him. He did it because that's what He does.

Thank you Lord for answering prayers and opening my eyes; for helping me to understand on a deeper level. Thank you for being my shepherd. I shall not want.