The Reward for Surviving Rough Seas

The Reward for Surviving Rough Seas
We are all like sea shells tossed about in rough waters and being re-shaped in wondrous ways. But have you ever contemplated the notion that sea shells have to complete their journey through the rough waters before they get to rest on the shore? Yeah, we are ALL like sea shells and Heaven is The Great Shore.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

I Will Remember Today!

Greetings Everybody,
Here I sit, alone, but very contentedly nibbling my dinner and pausing to think and type.
(In case you are wondering, it's a little medley of scalloped potatoes, diced-up baked chicken, and broccoli chunks...all stirred with love...warm & delectable. It didn't start out as a casserole, but I realized it was richer when I blended it. lol  Lots of things are better like that in my opinion)


Anyway, I am here alone tonight because our congregation meets in small groups in peoples homes on Sunday nights... and the home we meet in has a very real and very beautiful and very FRAGRANT Christmas tree.


Live Christmas Trees are wonderful for most folks...but are rather deadly for me.
My asthma takes great offense at them...and then makes me pay dearly for being stupid enough to be around them.


Asthma tends to control certain aspects of my life like that.


Hubby is there with them right now, and will be sharing in the lesson tonight... and the fellowship & food that will follow.  


I wanted him to get to go. 


He would have stayed if I had even given him the smallest indication that I needed him to do so,
but I really wanted him to go and be with the others.


I am here alone


However, I am not lonely.


God is here with me.


And as I reflect on today I am anything BUT sad & lonely.


Today was a GREAT DAY!


It didn't start out that way though.
It started out with me STILL not being able to sing at church.
I LOVE to sing.
And it just breaks my heart when the asthma steals my voice.


If GOD asked me what job I wanted to have in heaven, I would ask Him to let me be one of HIS Singers.


In fact I HAVE asked HIM for that. 


REPEATEDLY and OFTEN


Not sure if there ARE such jobs in heaven or if it's more like EVERYBODY will be one of God's Singers...but I don't care.


That's the job I want. 


Can't imagine ANYTHING more wonderful than singing praises to HIM eternally.


...with a Voice That Would Never Grow Weary 
...with Lungs That Would Never Run Out Of Air


But  I digress, let's get back to the scene at church this morning


So there I was, while others were standing and singing...I was just sitting there on the pew...crying little tears...singing in my heart...closing my eyes and concentrating on the notes that I WOULD have been hitting if I had been able to sing.


Yes I was pouting.


It was a heartfelt grieving.


I wanted to sing to GOD.


And I was miserable because I couldn't do it.


Not sure WHY I turned around, but I did JUST in time to see my daughter coming in the side door with my grandson.


Suddenly my tears dried up and that baby was in my arms.


My son in law had to work today, so my daughter and the baby decided to visit our congregation instead of going to their own.


The baby snuggled with me and immediately eased my heart.


And I realized that God had slipped my heartache away when that baby was slipped into my arms.


After church was over, they came back to the house for lunch and ended up spending the whole day with us.


Today I fed the baby several bottles, changed several diapers, played with him and loved on him...then when he needed a nap, his mother put him in that magic baby swing I just bought.


And he slept "Like A Baby" lol...for several hours.


It played soft classical songs and as the Baby slept, my Daughter curled up in a chair and slept too.


It played soft classical songs and as the Baby and my Daughter slept...my Husband, who was on the sofa, also slept.


It played soft classical songs and Everybody in the whole house slept...Except Me.
I was wide awake and loving the fact that I was hearing ALL of their soft little snore sounds.


My heart soaked it up like a sponge.


All of those little sounds are now stored away in my heart.


God reminded me of something today...
He reminded me that HE is in control.
He reminded me that HE gives amazing gifts if we take the time to see them
He reminded me that there are things that are far more precious than whether or not I can sing.
He reminded me that I am loved, that I am blessed, and that in terms of those blessings...I am rich.


(Sort of like my dinner tonight, I now see that this afternoon my home has been warm & delectable. The sounds of my husband & my daughter & my grandson all making their soft little snores stirred my heart with love. I realized that the sadness of this morning had been blended with joy, and that it had turned into something MUCH better because of the blending.  The human perspective requires a little of the "SAD part of Life" in order to fully appreciate the "GLAD part of Life". The blending makes it richer.  Lots of things are better like that in my opinion.)


I Will Remember Today!
In Him,
Grace

3 comments:

Betsy Brock said...

Aw...what a wonderful story! I love it when God's care is that blatant and that obvious...like dropping a grandson in your lap! ha.

I do my best thinking and de-stressing when I'm alone. And I love your dinner. :)

Grace said...

Thank you. gOD DOES SOME REALLY COOL STUFF SOMETIMES LOL

And, Yeah, I kinda need my alone time too.

Just got home from school, & am thinking about what to make for dinner tonight.
Still have leftover baked chicken, and am contemplating homemade Shells & Cheese in a casserole dish with the leftover baked chicken all diced up...topped with heavily seasoned garlic breadcrumbs. Whaddya think? Sound good???
Wish I had gotten a salad for tonight too.
Oh well...we'll see what i come up with lol

It really sounds alot like last nights dinner doesn't it? Oh well...it'll be warm and delectable :)

In Him,
Grace

Grace said...

ooops...meant to capitalize the G on GOD...

sigh!

Grace