Trusting in my Creator.

I gave life a big eye roll last night.  I have been known to give very good eye rolls, so I'm sure life feels pretty bad right now.

And I don't even care.

Take that, life!

Three years ago the recession hit us as hard as anyone else, and life has been chock full of struggles ever since.

And last night we added a broken AC to the stack.  Hmm.  Silo.  Not "stack."

"Whirl, whirl, whirl, ker-splat."  That's the same noise we heard last year when the heater broke.

A head shake.  And eye roll.  Practical life can be such a pain in the rear end.

P went to bed, and I stayed up.  I stayed up and worried.  I stayed up and cried, because I was tired.  In those moments, it is so easy to become self-absorbed.  It is so easy to feel sorry for myself, and to wonder "why."

And in my moment of despair, I remembered what God said to a very desperate Israel in Isaiah 43.  "I am the Lord God who formed you, created you, redeemed you, called you by name, and you are mine."  He goes on to encourage Israel; and to remind them of how enormous He is, and how small their problems are.  He says that before we ever knew him, he gave us his surname.  In line with Galatians 4, when God encourages Christians in this way, he is reminding us of our sonship.

I am his.  I have his last name.  I can absolutely call him, "Daddy," and I have an inheritance in him (Gal.4:6-7).  And just as I would walk up to my dad and ask him for ANYTHING that he has to give, I have the privilege to ask God for anything He would have for me.

But as much as I was taught by the "name it and claim it " crowd of my youth, I don't necessarily believe that God is going to drop a new AC in my back yard if I pray for it (although I wouldn't try to give it back if that happened).  In my age, I have learned that this is an opportunity for me to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5), and for me to lean on Him in my desperation. It is not a time for worry, or weeping, or why's.  It is a time to trust, and believe that God has something beautiful in mind.

For his girl.  And for his girl's sweet family.

After all, it was his kindness that led me to repentance (Romans 2:4).

And I love him because He loved me first (1John 4:19).

I serve a good God.  He is good!

And now, to take the focus off of myself and my issues-

I made this cake for a friend's friend's birthday.  But at the sight of it's pink sweetness, I think of another friend.  Congratulations, Melissa, on the birth of your sweet girl!

If there is ever a woman who could be a gracious mother to 10 children, it is Melissa.  She had a successful natural childbirth, and what is more- she and her husband decided to wait to find out the sex of the baby.  Her little girl was born just over 24 hours ago, and I am sure she is stunning.

I can't wait to meet her.  Melissa, you deserve all the sweetness that little one can give you!  Congrats again!

Have a great day, everyone.  Spending my whole day in my... er... someone else's kitchen!

Rachel Bee