Finding the Light in the Darkness

March 24, 2010

It’s been a bit of a rough ten days or so at our house. We finely got Kim up and running from pneumonia and William recovering from pretty bad congestion when I came down with the Horrible Crud. Well, this stuff really likes our family for it has lingered on for what seems forever, and now that I can finally see the light of day, it has hit my dear husband. Oh, everyone gets colds, I know, but it makes other things a little harder to swallow (and I mean that literally, Ouch!) when they get off track; like Shannon, Kristin and Bethann’s mom falling and breaking bones while helping Kristin and Alan move into their new house, like my great Uncle (my grandfather’s last living sibling) dying, like Terr’s brother, Tim, finding out he has a clogged artery and may have to have open heart surgery, Mary’s mother falling and not doing well and stories of others who are in need. It gets a little depressing and hard to handle when you already feel like the world is dark brown.

But let me tell you where the light is…

Last night I got the big guy headed towards bed and he encouraged me to go, without him, to our weekly bible study meeting, along with my prayer list. The study was enlightening and our sharing and prayer time healing. The lyrics to an old hymn came to mind while driving home…what a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear, what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer, oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry ,everything to God in prayer. I felt renewed in spirit and ready to tackle another God given day. (Hold on to that thought Merry!)

After Terr dragged himself off to his legal world this morning, to attend a couple of previously scheduled meetings, then hopefully off to see the doctor before coming home, I picked up an old book (suggested by a friend and ordered from the internet) from my bedside table. Deciding the bed could wait to be made a few minutes longer; I sat down to read. The book is Mr. Jones, Meet the Master, by Peter Marshall. I have been amazed each time I have read from this little book and this morning was no different, as I read the chapter entitled; The Paradox of Salvation. I was so profoundly stuck by the powerful, must have been God given words, that I stood up and read the chapter aloud with tears blurring my vision and heartfelt gratitude for the promise of the cross.

“Christ has suffered for our sins. He has paid the penalty for us, so that there is therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. He has, with His own blood, written “Paid” across the ledgers of Heaven.”

Jesus lived and experienced all pain and despair of this world, because he came as one of us, he knows our needs and will take the burdens that we cannot bear.

I’ve always wanted to write my statement of faith, so that all of you would know clearly who I am and where I’m headed. I got this idea when I once read a letter written by Terr’s grandfather Brown, entitled simply: My Statement of Faith. It was a formal letter telling his children and grandchildren exactly what he believed and of his faith in God. It was a little treasure when found and I thought a lovely gift to leave his family. Well, this day, the greatest gift that I have ever received is on my heart and in my mind too and now it belongs to you. When told of the woman whose assurance was that if she could but touch Him...even only the hem of His garment...she would be healed.. She touched Him in faith...in desperate believing faith and He stopped! The touch of one anonymous woman in a crowd halted the Lord of Glory. That is the glorious truth of this incident. She touched Him. So can we... and He won't ask, "Who touched me?". He will know. Luke 8:40-40.

I am looking forward to Easter!

Mama, Mimi, Merry