Great Peace

When God says that His ways are not our ways, He wasn't kidding.... (somehow that sounds like something I need to sell to those bill board people - you know, the ones who put up the signs like, "Don't make me come down there. -God" and "What part of 'Thou Shalt Not' did you not understand? -God"). 

Last night, after my day of trying to get ahead while getting further behind - well, I had my Thursday (today) all planned out.  I sure did.  It was going to be a GREAT day.  I was going to start off well rested and then balance my "to do" list with my "me first" list!  I had a nice, organized list in my head - and I was looking forward to a NEW DAY.  A better day.

Miriam slept well all night- and even though she got woke up when the kids were getting ready for school, she dozed right back to sleep this morning.  I snuggled back into my bed, thinking, "OH YEA, it's going to be a good day..."  I was even saying a prayer for my family as I was entering dreamland again ---- and then the phone rang!  And my day changed, my plans were immediately rearranged, and I was no longer feeling rested.  A friend needed me - and calmly, I said I'd help her out.  I hung up and felt very sorry for myself.

I have been somewhat  more aware of God's workings around me ever since like 1999 when I read Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God: Knowing And Doing The Will Of God.  Most recently, a book called Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream again made me aware of how selfish and comfortable we are here in America.  I wanted to be a Christian that reached out, that ministered willing, and who let God show me what I was to do --- except I guess I wanted it on MY time table.  I wanted to be the Christian who said, "Interruptions ARE my ministry."  But I didn't really want to be interrupted to do so...

Today I claimed a verse that Melanie reminded me of:  Psalm 119:165, "Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." 

This verse and I go way back ... in 1988 when I graduated high school, that was the verse my mom chose to put in my Senior yearbook ad.  I always thought it was kind of a strange choice of verses while most parents were choosing more of a Proverbs 3:5&6 variety of verse ("Trust in the Lord with all thing heart ...").  But I have thought of that verse often since I left high school - people & things & circumstances get in the way of plans and "offend" - but GOD can give a peace that overcomes that "offense". 

I also have claimed this verse for my husband.  In my prayer journal, beside his name, I have written Psalm 119:165.  Even working in a church and among Christians, offenses and disagreements and ugly situations can come up - and they do - more often than I imagined when I first entered into "ministry world."  At first, I was disappointed in my fellow Christians until I realized that sometimes I too could be part of the problem!!  :-O  As they say, "ministry would be great without the people."  ;)

Well, anyway, today didn't turn out like I planned ... and I'm not even beginning to hope anything for tomorrow ... but in the end, I am going to bed tonight in peace.  I did the right thing today - it wasn't fun and it wasn't easy and it wasn't what I planned.  But it was exactly what GOD had planned.  :)