a reminder......

About a year ago, I think I read this verse, Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful, I Cor.4. I felt like the Lord was challenging me to be faithful in this trial, be a good steward of all that "I do not know" of why this happened, "the mysteries of God." As time goes by, sometimes we forget things don't we?? I read a verse this morning and it was a reminder of this verse above, but first I want to say that I am so weak in faith, I have many fears, I do not do well when a child gets ill, when circumstances, like the "no work for the guys" in about 6 weeks!! Last night I wanted to get on here and have a pity party because Mercy was laying in our bed and she did not feel well, she had a slight fever, she did not have energy and she was just not herself. In my mind I immediately go off in thought, as I lay there begging the Lord to have mercy on her and make her better, all I could do was have "flashbacks" of moments after Joel had his seizure and how I was at his side begging the Lord to have mercy. Would He have mercy this time?? All I could think of with Mercy laying there was " O, Lord I can not do this again, I can not go through another child sickness!! As I continued to lay there, other thoughts pushed in my mind, it was raining, thundering and lightening, and I was wondering if the rain would come through the leak in the roof and then I was reviewing the conversation at the store when I was purchasing a pair of jeans for one of the guys and the lady said," you should have come yesterday, it was tax free on all clothes." I think I looked at one of the girls and said under my breath, "yesterday I did not have money to buy the jeans!!!" All these thoughts were trying to force me to have pity for myself, and I did let the tears come for a bit but I finally fell asleep of sheer exhaustion of watching Mercy breath and praying all would be well with her. Thankfully this morning our little sweet girl, Mercy seems to be doing fine. So you see I forget sometimes to be faithful in difficulties, I fail so often and let fears direct my mind, I forget that God knows best and loves my children more than me, I do not want anymore "hard things" to come our way. I become faithless with my faith. It is so true when any of us face difficulties, we are drawn to those before us "that made it through." I have had many say to me," I could never go through that!!" Well....we do not actually have a choice. First off, a person will only make it through by the mercy and grace of God but we can be encouraged by reading, looking at the "faith" of others, like chapter 11, in Hebrews and all the ones in the OT that came through trials and fires. So if you face such as we, you will not make it through because what I have written but by His mercy. As our faith is tried, the Lord might give us opportunities for others to be encouraged, so I want to honor Him and that is where the verse I read this morning comes in, it helped me get back to a purpose for others instead of a "woe is me."

And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and comfort you concerning your faith.That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for you yourselves know we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulations; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain. But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you. Therefore brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith: For now we live, if ye stand in the Lord. I Thes. 3:2-8.

Afflictions will come, Paul was telling them in a sense "I told you so." He wanted to know how they faired. Paul was aware that the devil can cause one to fall under the trial. When they heard of their faith, it helped them in their own afflictions and distresses because of the faith they heard reported back. The ones in distress could "live" because of the others standing fast in their faith. Like I said, you will, others will, make it because of Jesus first and as He allows He will put people in your path that will encourage you to "live" too. Now back to the challenge I felt like I had from the Lord through this passage, I want to be faithful in this trial, I want to encourage others as they have faced a death of a toddler. I was thankful for the reminder from the Lord, of "what I can do" to show others Jesus. Do not look at me as victorious, I told Terry the other day, I feel like I am "trudging" through until the next scripture that the Lord gives. My faith is so weak even when it comes to other things, the temporal stuff, jobs and such. I know there are others before me, that I can look into and see how the Lord brought them through. I guess we all have a sort of responsibility with our faith......that others may see it and be encouraged!

Lets see....things around here......Terry is working in the garden, Bethany is doing something with her showgoats in getting them ready for the State Fairs coming up, the" littles" are playing with legos, and some of the "bigs" went to town. I need to fix dinner....what shall I fix??

Again if you think of it, pray the Lord will provide some jobs :)