Trials & Hope

The last couple of weeks have been stressful. Micheal's truck broke down. He still had to deliver bread. He was supposed to be able to stay with the kids while I had a couple photo shoots. That didn't happen as he had to work on his truck. Therefore I took the kids with me. We barely made it. He fixes his truck with great excitement, only for it not to start 2 days later. More stress. More frustration. More long days as he works with his cousin to get both their routes done in the same amount of time as it usually takes to do just one. Then came Saturday night. Micheal had worked another long day. We were on the phone discussing what to do. So we decided to look at some trucks. You need a truck to make his job possible. He drove around looking for a good deal and God gave us one! Success! I have to say, I am so happy for him. He has wanted a nice truck for a long time. The guy never buys himself anything. Monday morning comes and now it's his cousin's turn to have a broken truck. If Micheal wouldn't have bought that truck they would have both been not working. So another couple of days of working long days together. At least the job is getting done. :) 

That was Micheal's side. Mine consists of crazy winter weather and staying home and having cabin fever because of a flat tire and a sick baby. A whining, feverish, sad baby who needed to be held constantly. I am good and fine with snuggling and holding my babies, but how exactly do you get things accomplished while holding a baby 24/7? Some things require two hands! Micheal would come home and fall asleep. Not a lot of communication going on between us. Not because we don't want to but there just wasn't time! 

Circumstances! They aren't always what we would love. But this is the Advent season. The looking forward to. The longing of Hope. And thank God for that hope! He got us through these last couple of weeks with much more grace than we knew possible. Not to say I didn't lose it a couple times, crying at my frozen hands trying desperately to air up that darn tire or screaming out to God to help this sweet child in his pain, which in turn would help this weary mama. 

The circumstances have changed. Micheal now has a truck that starts right up despite the freezing temperatures. Little baby lover's fever has waned and he is sleeping again. The whining is replaced with his usual cheerfulness. The weather isn't quite so cold and windy. The tire is aired. We got out of the house! 

But God is the same and He always will be. Our circumstances change and sometimes we go through a trying couple of weeks. But God is El Roi, the God who sees. He is El Elyon, the Most High. He sees us. Has sympathy for us. He is the Most High, yet comes down to meet with us and show us his mercy and kindness. His provision and faithfulness. My LORD is just so GREAT! 

The purpose of a spiritual experience is to equip us to do and say something for God. - C is for Christmas. 

So here I am. Doing life with a praise song in my heart and saying to you all, God is good. Life is good because of Him. I long for the hope of heaven. The time when He will receive his followers and we shall live eternally with Elohim, the Great Creator. But until then, we go on living day by day, trials as they come, successes as they come, and we can live it joyfully as to the LORD because of WHO GOD WAS AND WHO GOD IS AND WHO HE IS, YET TO COME. THE SAME FOREVER. 

LORD, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the  mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. -Psalm 90:1,2

Look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. He can and will get you through anything that comes your way. And not just get you through, but get you through with JOY!