Keeping Company with Jonah and Elijah

Sometimes, LIFE creeps up behind me with a baseball bat

 and knocks me behind the knees.

This week, I felt like one of the elderly people for the Life Alert

 commercial who are calling out from their  old linoleum floor, 

"I've fallen, and I can't get up!"

Things were going fine and then

~WHAM~

  things weren't so fine.

I had an issue with a kid,

 but it wasn't as serious as some of the things we've handled.

There was a lot of work to do,

but I had the strength and ability to do it.

I experienced several inconveniences and setbacks,

but nothing drastic.

Crazy hormones can be a reason, but not an excuse.

I was troubled when reviewing my previous year

for a potential blog.

I realized that all the troubles that begin 2010,

the water damage to my floor and the cancer,

are still unresolved.

The new year started with the SAME problems.

The floor expanded with the heat in July, heaved like a tee-pee,

and had to be repaired.

Now, the extreme cold is causing it to contract,

and the seams are widening.

People with a lot of children spilling food,

don't want wide cracks between their floorboards.

The new dishwasher, installed after the leaky one was removed,

had a pile of broken plastic underneath it.

It didn't last six months.

The cancer tumors are still there,

but the higher dosage of thyroid hormone,

and the Lord's restraining hand,

are keeping them from growing.

  

My life circumstances hadn't changed that much,

just my ability to handle them.

As I was experiencing lack of faith in my life,

the Lord reminded me I was in good company.

 I was whining like Jonah, more concerned about a vine than souls....

(after bringing a city to her knees in repentance)

 I was trembling like Elijah, who feared one godless woman...

(after challenging the prophets of Baal and WINNING!)

In the midst of my grief,

 I acknowledged the best part of being knocked from behind,

is being brought to your knees.

So, like Jonah and Elijah,

I repented for my lack of faith.

Then, I praised the God of Heaven

who is going to carry me through another year.

WHO???

 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

WHAT???

who comforts us

WHEN???

 in ALL our tribulation,

WHY???

that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble,

with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Because that's what He does best.

He restores what the locust has eaten,

He makes beauty out of ashes,

He makes crooked things straight.

He heals the brokenhearted,

He binds up the wounded,

He makes the blind to see.

He gives hope to the hopeless,

love to the unloved,

faith to the faithless.

He saves us,

changes us,

blesses us.

He

loves

us.

Can I hear an AMEN?

Praise His Holy Name!