blessings

My last post included a plug for the song Blessings by Laura Story (#16 in Playlist on this blog).

Yesterday I was listening to this song as I drove somewhere. (Can't remember where which may be a bit scary and an indication I drive too much!)  I was thinking of the words and how they really are for each of us.  All of us have been through trials and tribulations.  We can all, usually within seconds, recall our worst and best times in life.  Sometimes they are even the same experience.  For any Christ-follower they hopefully can tell you that trial time was their closest time to Jesus, even if they couldn't feel His presence while in the trial.

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise  

It is that way for me.  I long to feel that closeness again, while fearing what that may mean for my circumstances.  So we have this memory.  A time we think about every time we hear a song that talks about leaning on Jesus or trials of this life.  Something that comes to mind when we hear someone speaking about a time like this in their own life.  That memory may seem to haunt us as it comes so often because let's face it there is a lot of crap in the world that we hear about!

I am going to try to make the Blessing of that memory mean something.  I am going to use that wave of recollection to remind myself (because I forget A LOT) our God is faithful.  He isn't done with me and has things for me to do for Him.  And I am going to call on Him to fill me with the wisdom to see that memory as a blessing.  Because, I can say that one year out from my lowest trial with Jesus, it is a blessing.  It was my best memory.  I hope this encourages you with your memories too.

And started my morning with a huge blessing.  An e-mail notification that some lovely family has donated $1000 for the Tullo Kebele Playground.  Such an unexpected wonderful blessing.  Not unexpected because of this momma's heart that was behind the gift.  She is one of the most kind and generous friends I have.  But because we all have things in life we choose to spend our money on and I wasn't sure that someone would choose this.  Silly me to forget it isn't about me or this playground or money, it is about God and His will.  Blessings to my friend and her sweet family.  She just earned herself 1000 entries in the Ipod Touch giveaway, which pales in comparison to what her gift to God really means, for her and for others.  And for me today!

You have through May 18th to get in on the fun and be a blessing.