I really try to keep my blog lighthearted but it is pretty much my only scrapbook (sorry Mom and Haley, maybe one day), journal, etc and I want to try to tell the whole story of our life so that I will never forget it -- the good and the bad. I started a post the other night titled "Struggling" but decided not to post it for whatever reason. So that may give you an idea where I am headed. In my short life I have learned that life is full of seasons, some are bright and sunny and others are dark and stormy. Well, the past 2 months have been more dark and stormy than sunny and bright for me. Saturday I had a major melt down, and just really didn't know where to go from there....
Then Sunday morning we went to church and our pastor preached from this text...
1 Praise the LORD, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
2 Praise the LORD, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The LORD works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
15 The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
17 But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
18 with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
22 Praise the LORD, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, my soul.
His sermon was based on how we are to respond during difficult times. This has been a difficult year...if you know me or have read this blog, you know that we've been through about half of the top 10 most stressful things you can go through in life...all in a 6 month time span. I think the reality of it all may have just recently caught up with me. I have been having a hard time with our new reality. Not that it is all bad but it is about a 180 degree change from where we were a year ago. Have I ever mentioned I am not a big fan of change? :) I felt tears stinging my face during his introduction, and grabbed Terry's hand. I think verse 4 struck me the most, who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with love and compassion. I am not used to being the one struggling. But Saturday I was in the pit, and Sunday I felt overwhelmed by God's love and compassion. I also felt overwhelmed by His forgiveness, and Terry's as well. I am so thankful at the end of the day to be where I am....right where God put me, next to my best friend on earth, enjoying the most precious gift we have ever been given.
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