Content: Blessings In Disguise

Warning... this is long and most likely boring to you.... consider yourself warned! As I was writing this post I realized that I needed to record some God sightings.....may I never forget what HE can and will do, no matter what emotional state of mind I am in! 

I took an unexpected leave from posting....... Why? Ummmmm, well I don't really have an answer to that question.... other than I am Not Up To It.....You  see, when I decided to start this blog, it was mostly a lazy way for me to scrapbook our family, sort of anyways. I wanted everything I posted to be uplifting and encouraging and lately, I was feeling the opposite of both and every time I thought about posting, I just thought, I will do it tomorrow. I was not up to posting anything about my little pity party.

Have you had times in your life that everything seemed as if it was going wrong and nothing you did seemed to help? Well, this is how the past several weeks have gone. Why am I posting about it now? Well, in this life we can always pretty up the outside, put a smile on our face and let the world think we have it all together and then post away...... sort of like a Cinderella story where she lives happily ever after. And because this blog was originally started as a scrapbook for my family....I don't want those that read it years down the road to think for that every thing in life is supposed to be all smiles and happiness. I want those that read this to understand that in this life there will be trouble, there will be heartache, trials and tough times along the way. And I want them to KNOW that God is there with them every step of the way. Even when they feel like they cannot take another step, God will carry them.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

I don't like to give the enemy credit, but I will say when you are doing something for the Lord.....watch your back, because it will make him mad and he will do what he can to take your focus off the LORD so your circumstance will obstruct your view. I thought I was prepared for him, but not prepared enough. I would shake him off, and he would attack me from another side.

Let me just say in the past month, my oldest son broke his thumb, he was out of baseball and drum playing for a month, my insurance changed so all the bills would be applied to my deductible therefore, we have to pay all of it, my youngest had an accident at school that rattled me pretty good,  then I beat myself up for my "o ye of little faith", my van was worked on four times, only to find out it needed more work and it wasn't even worth what it was going to cost to fix, our washer broke, our laundry was already piled high, our schedule has been a mess, we had Easter Drama practices, baseball games, soccer practice and games......I was right in the middle of Bible Study....Believing God by Beth Moore. So with that and the Drama (keep your heart clean before the Lord and get things right so there will be nothing hindering the Lord during the Drama itself) I should have had the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD covering me from head to toe and then some!!!

I know you are tired of reading my pity party, just hang on for the best part of this post.....

BUT GOD (don't you just love a but God story?) HE REDEEMS ALL THINGS!!! In spite of my doubt, God showed up and answered prayers in ways that ONLY HE CAN!!! He has blessed me so.....and I am so unworthy of His LOVE and FORGIVENESS!! PRAISE HIM!!!

THE LORD....

Healed my son's thumb, he is back at starting catcher, and to drumming (thank you Lord for a little quiet~blessing in disguise!!lol!!).
The PA at the doctor's office waived the charges for the X-rays. I ABOUT SHOUTED RIGHT THERE IN THE DR's OFFICE!!! If you were in the parking lot when I left, yes, I was the one running & Praising the Lord as I went to my car! Really? Did that just happen? Of course it did!!! God can do what HE wants to do!!

Kea and another little boy ran and collided into one another and they called 911 for the other little boy, he was fine just a really bad black eye, They checked Kea's head and they said he was fine. Yet he didn't have a hard raised knot, his forehead was very squishy and it really scared me, I had never seen such and fear set in when he went to bed and I just lost it.......

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, 

and of a sound mind.2 Timothy 1:7

God placed a young single mother in my path last Thursday, God used her to gently remind me of the many blessings in my life. Even though I have had some troubles, been far from content, He showed me that I am blessed in ways that I fail to see every day. So, when my washer's spin cycle didn't work at 10:15pm. I just laughed, so what? at least I have a washer and a husband that can most likely fix it!

Knowing that we were going to look for a vehicle the next morning I felt a peace knowing He had all this under control. It is just a memory to Him. I had prayed that the Lord would prepare the way and that it would be quick and easy ..... and of course HE DID.....We have a really nice van.  He provided above and beyond what I asked....another blessing!!

On Saturday, I decided since my laundry room was piled high with clothes, and not sure when B would get the washer fixed I decided that Sis & I would go to the laundromat. It's been years since I have had to go, but let me just say this..... 11 loads of laundry (I am always behind!) and 2.5 hours

ALL OUR LAUNDRY WAS DONE!!!!  That hasn't happened since I was on maternity leave with Kea!!! That's over 7 years.....can you say HAPPY DANCE!!! A HUGE BLESSING!!

Our family has been a part of our church's Easter Drama for over 10 years and this year was no exception..... it can be stressful with the practices and the fact that me a three other wonderful servants were responsible for 23 children. They are so excited it's hard to keep them quiet & still while waiting on our parts..... BUT IT WAS WORTH IT ALL!!!

So far, there were 21 lives robbed from satan over the weekend. God is soooo good to me. I had the opportunity to lead 2 precious little girls to Christ on Sunday. I am sure that even more lives were changed over the course of the Drama.... ALL HIS GLORY..... More blessings!!!!!

My grandmother always said, "everything happens for a reason". I find that I say that a lot as I have gotten older. God does have a reason for things in our lives and sometimes we get to see the fruit of it and others, we may not know until we get to Heaven. We never know what are truly blessings in disguise. Looking back over the past couple of weeks, I was so overwhelmed with things that I wasn't looking for the blessings,  I was too busy worrying about everything and having my pity party.

God is faithful, even when I am wandering around as the Israelites. Lost and undone. He still chose to use me, even though my view was clouded. He is faithful, even when I am not.

 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13

Looking back at the past several weeks, I am reminded of many of David's Psalms. David cries out for God's mercy in the beginning, and by the end he is praising Him for who He is and what ONLY He can do. I cried out to Him in my affliction and He heard my cry and He has done wonderful things that only HE can do!!! May I never forget what God has done and will continue to do for me!!!

Will I worry again? Probably.

Will I find  myself having another pity party? Probably

Will I turn to the Lord again and again? YES!!

Will the troubles in my life be over? No.... BUT GOD can and will answer my cry!

Am I learning anything about CONTENT? Yes, with God leading the way!!

If you have read this entire post, (bless your heart!) and you are having your own pity party, open your eyes,  God has a multitude of blessings right before your very eyes....sometimes you just have to work through the fog to see the SON!!!