Psalm 105:1-7
Oh give thanks to the Lord;
Call upon His Name
Make known His Deeds among the peoples!
2 Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
tell of all
His wondrous Works!
3 Glory in His Holy Name
Let the hearts of those
who seek the Lord rejoice!
4 Seek the Lord and His strength;
seek His Presence continually!
5 Remember the wondrous Works
that
He has done,
His miracles,
and
the judgments He uttered
6 O offspring of Abraham,
His servant,
children of Jacob,
His chosen ones!
7 He is the Lord our God;
His judgments
are in all the earth.
After our daughter was still born during Hurricane Ike, I met a very successful Pastor, I'd never met before, come up to me at a posh party. As I entered the room, I was asked when I was going to have the baby. Needless to say, I still looked pregnant. And I said, I'm not pregnant and my eyes filled with tears. That'll scatter the crowd post haste.
Then the Pastor came up and told me, saying, I don't tell people this very often, but the Lord lets me know by dreams I am going to meet certain people that very day. And I pray about my dreams and my heart is open and the Lord fills my mind during the morning prayers with ideas that are useful to the Lord that day. And he added he had a question for me, what about my baby's passing was humorous? I thought about it and knew I had experienced irony in trying to share something of value to me, but not one damn aspect had struck me as funny. I probably looked something like a fish caught on a line. And had to report, "Nothing."
By the time I got home, I was just damn, preggers fat and completely angry and mad at the world in general. And felt very bruised and battered.
Ok. Now that a decade plus has gone by, I have something to concede.
Life would have become better if I had actually had the emotional fortitude to make a list of daily thoughts that might have reached, possibly, to the point of being positive comments to myself.
What I missed in those years,
was seeing what was happening that might have been a pointer God was telling me, yes, Life still has blessings.
And this is the point that I just discovered writing this. And had to laugh.
Isabelle was born and died in her 36th week of pregnancy. This happened so quickly, our High School and College sons merely got texts saying, in the ER. That's not the funny part, obviously.
And I got home from the Hospital, a couple of days later, and we had family arrive from out of town. Usually, we have a planned visit and meticulous lists were followed by our family:
To have an outing listed suggestion. Followed by living in a superbly, coiffed house for us all to look around and enjoy our labors. A great time. We saw Museums, went far and wide to restaurants with a good view. Coffee. Breakfast burritos and tacos. New Orleans style Beignets. Wow, we went, we talked, we had fancy tea at home. Good and wonderful times.
And after I arrived, we had Family arrive. And about the 2nd or 3rd day, an in-law suggested to me, I should clean the bathrooms until Roosters crowed. At that point, I said it has been Hurricane Ike, with brown outs and I have been away. Where? The Hospital. Oh, well clean the bathrooms. And before the Funeral. Just saying.
And because of the Hurricane, many things were out of kilter. So, I went in to clean the Bathrooms. I do not think I ever felt life was so unfair. Ever. Ever. Ever. And what did I learn from cleaning the bathrooms. After the indignity was worn down, I realized, I was on my feet and capable of doing what needed to be done. Angrier, probably, than rejoicing. But the rejoicing was in there. A little.
Finally laughing now, because you don't say that to well known Pastor. It was a moment of private enjoyment and far better left unshared during a posh party. Kudos for private joy. Later my in-law said, something like that clean it up comment happened to her and it makes you realize Life requires the effort.
Call upon His Name
in
ALL Seasons
The Game of Limbo
was performed just prior to the funeral. One visiting family member decided to throw a fit over the funeral seating. And was won by my brother-in-law, crossing the aisle, so to speak, to seat the one going as loooow as they could go. If I'd kept a journal, I might have remembered this with more awareness. Blessings do occur. And that day, I discovered walking off, ends the pointless argument.
That's a real way, journaling, gratitude would have been found. Even when the horizon looks bleak. And is the joy of beginning to reassemble the pieces. Comfort given, Comfort to give. Reality.
Even the beginning of the staircase has comfort. We have to look for this.
Call upon His Name
in
ALL Seasons
Abba, Father,
Be present, O merciful God
And
Protect us through the hours of this night,
so that
we who are wearied
by the changes
and chances of this life
may rest
in your eternal changelessness
O God,
watch over those
whom You have called
to the study and practice of the arts of healing
that
through their work
the health of our community
may be advanced
and
Your creation
glorified.
O God, our Father,
Who didst choose Israel
to be Thine inheritance:
have mercy
upon us all
and
forgive us
all
for violence and wickedness
against our brother, Your child.
O God,
you have bound us together in a common life.
Help us
Be our
Help
Helper
Comfort
Comforter
to
remain in
Your Mercy
all our days
Thank You
for
Your Overwhelming
Promises
and
Steadfast Love.
Help us to be alert
to the signs
You provide.
And grateful
when our
gratitude is
weary and exhausted.
To rejoice
as in Proverbs 31
in the days to come.
To see in the common life
our compassion
stems from
the shared experiences
of the struggles
the Scriptures share
upon every page.
How?
In this common life
we are all
bound together
to mourn
the losses
of Mountains and Valleys flood NC
Fire sweeps through Los Angeles
people hurt
and night flooding
does monstrous harm
to many, far and wide.
And to
Pray
for the Power
of
God's Holy Spirit
to transform
the small Bits of good
we can accomplish
in our lives
to
OVERCOME
as Jesus Christ has Said.
John 21
Thank you, Jesus, our Lord Christ
Call upon His Name
in
ALL Seasons
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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