Psalm 107 ~ and He brought them to their desired haven

Psalm 107

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.

4 Some wandered in desert wastes,
finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty,
their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul,
and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,
11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze
and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;
24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
and were at their wits' end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He turns rivers into a desert,
springs of water into thirsty ground,
34 a fruitful land into a salty waste,
because of the evil of its inhabitants.
35 He turns a desert into pools of water,
a parched land into springs of water.
36 And there he lets the hungry dwell,
and they establish a city to live in;
37 they sow fields and plant vineyards
and get a fruitful yield.
38 By his blessing they multiply greatly,
and he does not let their livestock diminish.

39 When they are diminished and brought low
through oppression, evil, and sorrow,
40 he pours contempt on princes
and makes them wander in trackless wastes;
41 but he raises up the needy out of affliction
and makes their families like flocks.
42 The upright see it and are glad,
and all wickedness shuts its mouth.

43 Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;
let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord.

Edward and I were Thrilled to move to a small lake in the Houston area in the year 2000. Thrilled. Perfection of neighborliness. Pioneer Church. Ten years of Bible Studies on Friday nights. Three or four nights a week of Youth Ministry. Six kids sleeping on the floor for breakfast during summers and holidays.

Of course, life isn't perfect. We had financial problems when the economy struggled. Sadness when beloved Buddy died. And unexpected pregnancy in 2008, and 3 pound Isabelle died. A few unnamed family squabbles. And reactions to that squabble.

Have you ever lived through a Hurricane? The kind of Hurricane where your family calls you from 900 miles and urge you to run? Well, we had to stay, Isabelle was in distress. And John said, "Have you SEEN the radar??? It's the size of the Whole of the Gulf Of Mexico? Please leave."

Well. Last night. As the baker said, I remembered my sins. And the dreams began.
During the Hurricane, our bedroom vent started to pour water on the bed. Our sons were arranged strategically from our neighbor, who had done wind studies on an oil refinery for safety during the hurricane. God Bless our neighbor, Dick. And God Bless Dee and Cindy who came over for an hour to pray for safety for the house and family. And we all sat on my sofa and prayed Earnestly.

So. Edward was told, and coerced to go put pans in the attic. Turns out as he was up there, the tornado of the neighborhood arrived! Poor Edward! That Hit the first two backyards in the block and ours. Damage was done. A tree top was spun in a circle and flung lakeside. The next, the grand old lady I loved was the size of small sequoia and leaned with great care on the neighbor's house. Let me add, frankly, he did Not appreciate that Act of God. Or the one that followed in 2012. Like the trees groped his house - he acted with such effrontery.

Lately Edward had to go to the specialist doctors. For something we have wanted him to go for for quite some time. Let me say - It's Stressful. Prayers are appreciated.

And I went to sleep with a good deal of pain last night.

And I began to Dream. Dreams I will remember all my life. The Biblical Number Three.

In the first dream, we were home during Hurricane Ike. The dream would not relent. I'd say it was thirty minutes of reliving the Hurricane, the tornado and beautiful Isabelle. During a Hurricane, you don't know if your 3 Foot Diameter Tree is now a missile. You don't know if the big windows will explode. You don't know if the roof won't lift off (because it sure sounds like it will) and you will be left in the storm of some magnitude. With Tornadoes. Houses make the most amazing sounds in Category Four Hurricanes. I'd say leave if you can. Really.

Well my reaction to this Amazing Dream. Get up, go to the bathroom with the thought at the back of my mind - fussy, fussy with God. Climbing back into bed - I was Less Than Pleased. Poor God. Sometimes you have to have Compassion on the God - John, who walked with Jesus, called Love.

Back to sleep, slept for hours.



The next dream, I was returning to the salad days - two bedroom house we lived in and had that cottage cute as a bug. With my now very grown Alexander, youngest son and his very wonderful girlfriend, Ashley. In the dream, this was still home. And it was the day after Christmas. I was astonished to find, not the one new Christmas tree we bought when the boys told me to get a new one and I'm so pleased with it, but multiple, multiple, multiple Christmas trees, with the actual new one collapsed. "Oh well." Ashley politely said with faux, but cheer you up, cheer.

I couldn't get over the damage and was crushed and perplexed by the tons and tons of Christmas trees I'd obviously have to clean up. And the embarrassment at the over the top Christmas trees like a forest. The best was yet to come. The house was stacked every single   item you could think of: canned goods, old greeting cards, thread, yarn, stuffed animals. None of the like that belonged to me. Obviously, something in my absence had gone very wrong. And top that off with Xander knew it with me. And we were trying to be nonchalant to Xander's gf visiting.

The horror of being thought to be what you were not. The extreme embarrassment. I wanted to cry and how to clean up the damage. It was overwhelming.


And as I woke up. An entirely different reaction. Joy.
Joy for the new Christmas tree we had loved. For the provision of the Christmas Tree.
For the young girl who had come and made a beautiful day for the family.
For her joy in her gift we gave.
And her's to us!
And! The Joy of Knowing the House was So Clean when she unexpectedly (oh sons!) arrived
for the day.
For the Joy in this Season in Life!
For being understood!
For my Family of clonk heads!
And the Forgotten GRATITUDE we have to move with a Shovel.
IF you Don't DIG for GRATITUDE - JOY AND BLESSINGS WILL PASS YOU BY!!!

(Thank You Father GOD!!! In Jesus AMEN!!!)



The next dream was a return to an vintage, lake side hotel we visited a lot when I was a child. I met people I haven't really seen in a long time. And Edward was being very hept up about the recent five year events causing the specialist doctors. My college roommate was offering Edward style commentary from her resting place. And all I wished was he would hush and calm down. It was so aggravating seeing all the emotions churned up, the pent up anxiety. Just give me a little peace for God's Sake!

And I woke up to see, that of course, the emotional reaction was me. And if you had drama trauma - you'd want a heck of a lot less fuss.


So with that I have much more gratitude for what was, what should be appreciated, and what should be Cherished.

Thank you to the people going out of your way to help. Earnest prayer is always appreciated. Lemon Martinis don't hurt either! Birthday Parties at Starbucks. People who hamburgle you!  A particular friend coming to fix the pool. Crying for an hour in the horse pen with my new friend, who has been there. Life gives you twists and turns. But GOD BLESS THE ONES WHO RISE UP WITH YOU TO MEET THEM. ESPECIALLY When GOD gives you the dream to remember What You Have. And BE GRATEFUL. 

Psalm 134

Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord,
who stand by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the holy place
and bless the Lord!

3 May the Lord bless you from Zion,
he who made heaven and earth!


The LORD FATHER GOD, who has all the Power in His Word to Create the Entire Universe comfort us, guide us, strengthen us and empower and embolden us to Speak His Love. May we be the generation refusing to yield to any coercion mild or strong which would hold us back from proclaiming God's Love.

Even when we recognize Love in the Chocolate Chip Cookies and the others giggle. Let us be in affirmation of WHAT IS RIGHT IN THE WORLD!

Let us not shrink from understanding that GOD just might have a Plan and HIS Plan is more worthy than the armchair critics of nightmares or dreams realize. The critics of the Old Testament are not privileged to see all of His Wisdom. And God is not the God of the Reformed Old Testament but the completion of HIS Amazing Promises to us who believe in Jesus the Lord.

What great Love the Father has lavished on us, we Are called Children of God! And that is what we are! God HAS shown His love sending His one and only Son, Jesus. That we might Live through Jesus Christ the Lord! Give us the Day and Help US to forgive sins that we also commit. Strengthen us to speak, to act, to be merciful and to reclaim the path He would have us walk. In JESUS THE LORD. Amen.

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