Today I read an old blog my sister wrote. Just as I have in the past, she tapped in to the great wisdom available to us all via the lyrics sung by the one and only Hannah Montana: Life’s what you make it so let’s make it rock! I also received a text from a dear friend about how she has been studying about having “intoxicating joy.” She was ministering to me if intoxicating joy rules our life, then no specific circumstances will matter.
Again I don’t claim to be the brightest bulb in the batch; however, I did not just fall off the turnip truck either. I started to see that God has a message for me today. I recalled how last week another friend ministered to me through the lyrics of my FAVORITE band Superchick:
Waking up to another dark morning
People are mourning
The weather in life outside is storming
But what would it take for the clouds to break
For us to realize each day is a gift somehow, someway?
So get our heads up out of the darkness
And spark this new mindset and start to live life cuz it ain't gone yet
And tragedy is a reminder to take off the blinders
And wake up and live the life we're supposed to take up
Moving forward with all our heads up cuz life is worth living
We live we love
We forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love
God’s message to me was clear: live this day! Don’t worry about tomorrow! Don’t wish away this pain! This day is the only day you have been given, and THIS day is GOOD! This day is something to be grateful for. This day is a blessing from God.
I awoke this morning to breakfast in bed, cooked by my amazing husband who had the night before collapsed into bed in grave pain but had awoken this morning determined to push on through his pain and take advantage of this day he had been given. We spent the day with just Noah home, doing chores, spending time together, praying, crying, sharing, and loving. (Okay fine! We did a tiny bit of fighting too!) But this day was a BLESSING! In and of itself, whether there are any more days to share or not, this day was a BLESSING! We are all still a family. We have a roof over our heads. We have food to eat. We have a car to drive. We have jobs. But even if a day comes in the future where we have NONE of that, we have our salvation, and no one and nothing can take THAT away.
Closing tonight with words from I Peter 1…
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (vs 3 – 7)
What an encouraging blog Jami! Praying for you and John and the kids. Praying for lack of fear and anxiety, praying for full physical healing for Johh, praying for emotional, financial, spiritual and physical needs to all be met. Praying that God will bring you joy amidst the pain.
ReplyDeleteThe term beauty for ashes is such a ministry to me because I believe it. Unfortunately, I have gone through some trials that I haven't seen the beauty yet. BUT I WILL. This side of heaven? I don't know.
One of my prayers for your family includes seeing some of the fruits of your trial. I always prayed this during Luke's cancer and once in a while caught a glimpse. Now, in hindsight, it's very easy to see the fruits and blessings and eternal reward. It wasn't so easy during the fire. But now I see a lot more.
I pray that for the Kastner family. That part of HIS strength would come from the gift seeing the fruits of your suffering. . I also pray that you would be extra sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading. I remember thinking that we had the ultimate mission field. That about anyone would listen to us talk about our faith because we were watching our child fight cancer. I ask that for you. That the Spirit would lead you in how to minister to others through this.
Love Always,
Jodi