Post 200

This is my 200th post. I admit that I write mostly for myself. My blog only has 7 followers {for whom I am very thankful:} and I rarely get comments. I know others read, but usually, that is not why I write. I do not always find the right words, and even more often misspell the ones I do use:)

But today, I am writing to be read! If you read this and feel any connection, please, pass my blog address on to someone. What I have to say today, the whole world needs to hear. This will be a post about God's love, His grace, and His mercy.

As I type, my dear family and I are at the beach! Yes, the beach again. Justin called yesterday and told me that he would be off both Friday and Monday for the 4th of July and that we should get away. I have been asking for a short trip to the gulf to witness the oil spill and clean-up efforts. {I will blog about that later}. As usual, the plans we had for this trip turned out not to be the plans God had for us. I sat down and considered our $$$s and what we could manage for this trip. It was during this process that I cried for the first time.

As I was looking at our savings and checking accounts and thinking about what we could so, it hit me. Not that long ago, we had no savings and usually just enough in checking to pay bills and get us well fed. God as ALWAYS provided for our every need. I do not want anyone to think any differently. I have always been blessed. But, when I consider the point God has brought us to, I am simply amazed. I also do not want you to think that we have some sort of unlimited budget, ha! Come on, I am a public school teacher for crying out loud! But, after many money mistakes and praying for God to provide us with the discretion and wisdom to make better choices we are reaping the blessings {which we do NOT deserve} of following His plan for our family and our lives.

The second cry came later in the day. Sawyer had some sort of allergic reaction to something. His entire body is covered in this horribly itchy rash. Did I say his WHOLE body? It was at its peak Thursday around noon. I had just gotten out of class and we were all in Tuscaloosa and I realized (a) our doctors office closes at 12pm on Thursday, and (b) I did not have my insurance card with me. I called a local walk-in clinic and they were able to look up our insurance information via and on-line system {thank you Lord for technology.} Carys and I took him. Thankfully, even though it was a really bad reaction it seemed to be limited to his skin. So, he was given meds and we were on our way home.

At one point during the visit I looked over at Carys. I asked what she was thinking and she said it was strange for her not to be the one at the doctor. Amen sister! Here is where the tears came. I have no idea why God healed Carys. But I do know that it was a total act of mercy and grace. Then the new came of new occurrence of tumors in our dear friend Hannah Grace Harrison.

I do not know how to describe a heart {mine} that contains such joy and such heartbreak at the same time. There are no words. God's Word says...

Ephesians 1:3
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

Every spiritual blessing. That is what I feel like I have.

Sawyer was so sweet about his rash. When I told him that we could not see his doc but needed to see a doctor he was a bit upset. He looked up with me with a heart full of faith and said, "Momma, I don't have to go to the doctor. We can just pray really hard about this and God will take care of it." Wow. How was I gonna explain this to him, when I cannot completely wrap my mind around how God works.

Later, Carys wanted to know if God "makes" people sick. I took a deep breath and we talked about Job and how Satan was out to get someone, and God said, Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." {Job 1:8}

I explained to my wonderful children that while God does not "make" us sick nor does He find any joy in our painful times, He does have a master plan. See, God knew Job's heart and in a way He chose Job to face what satan had in mind. We can apply this to our lives. It is hard to see loss, difficulty, sadness, loneliness, heartbreak, or sickness as a gift from God. But, if we find ourselves in difficult times like Job did we can consider ourselves chosen. God is waiting for us to show our faith and trust in Him and fully rely on His all sufficient Grace.

The blessings I experience today I could have never imagined when I started this blog. If you go back and look at my first post I talked about Jesus being the Rock. He has sustained me through so much and I want the world to know about all the spiritual blessings that God has provided through my simple and often inadequate faith.

I am going now, to swim in the pool with my kids. I pray that you will find something here that will speak to you. I am not sure why God allows all the "stuff" to come into our lives. In fact, that is not even important to me. But I do know that God uses these time to make the blessings in life so much sweeter!

I'm off to savor the sweetness!