Seasons

This is a time of change:  the trees are coming into color, the days are cooler, the nights crisper, the birds circling and arcing in the sky.    I also see a change coming to our lives.  Grandchildren are growing up and my parents are growing older.   It could be a time of melancholy....but it is part of God's purpose. 

 This new season brings some burdens with it for our family.  My mom has some health issues right now and I would ask you for prayers for her.   Whenever there is a burden to bear I look at two scriptures.  The first is the one above, "And he changeth the times and the seasons:  he removeth kings, and setteth up kings:  he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:  He revealeth the deep and secret things:  he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him."  (Daniel 2:21-22)

The second scripture I seek is, "For I am the Lord, I change not."  (Malachai 3:6)   God has promised to love us, to strengthen us and bear our burdens.  He will give us wisdom if we ask and the grace to go through.

Whatever difficulty we are passing through,  it is only for a season. Time continues on and circumstances will change but God is unchanging.  When I look at the colors that are beginning to fringe the trees I see another season beginning - another gateway I will pass through holding on to the hand of the one who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

May our unchanging God bless you today!
Laura

CRY!

I did this very rough sketch thinking of my oldest daughter.  I don't know how she does all she does.  I watched 1 grandchild today for 3 hours and I was exhausted.  Guess that's why we have children at a young age so we can keep up.

This week has been particularly rough for our daughter.  She had 3 sick children and just found out she won't have her regular part-time teaching job at the college (no students for her subject).  When she told me about not teaching this semester, she was already  assuring me that the budget would be a little tighter, but they would be just fine.

There are days like this for all of us!  When just One... More... Thing... is going to tip the cart, break the camel's back, or spill the milk.  In those times there is only one thing to do and that is cry out to the Lord.  That phrase is repeated so many times in scripture I don't have room to list them all here.

David says in the Psalms, "from the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I"  (Psalm 61:2).    When we put our trust in the Lord our burdens become lighter.  In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  "For my yoke is easy, and my burden light"(v. 30).

Did you get that? It is Jesus' job to bear the load, to take it on his shoulders.  He does not want us to worry or do His job. And when we give it to Him, that's when we get the wings of a dove to fly high and be free of the burden, whether it is job loss, indebtedness, relationships, or just plain frustration.   He'll find us a job, he'll change relationships, he'll free us from debt IF YOU LET HIM.

Cry out to the Lord today, he's waiting to hear from you.
Laura

  P.S.  Kasey has written 6 books, and is working on another, along with helping me finalize mine.  She's writes a regular blog ministering to moms, she does website design and is a virtual assistant.  She and her husband also have a Christian writing ministry together.  You can read more about all of this at her blog.

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

My apologies for the late hour.  It's been a busy day, and I failed to put God first, today.  Since it is so late, I thought perhaps a night time thought would be appropriate.

Do you sometimes lay awake nights, worrying about things for which you have no control?  I'm guilty too.  God invites us to trust in him.  So why don't we?

Are we better able to cope with our problems?
Do we know more than God?
Are we able to rearrange the future?

If you were carrying 20 pounds of potatoes and someone offered to share the load, or better yet, drove up with a car and said, 'Get in, let me take you where you need to go,' would you accept the offer?

Then let God take your burden, worry, problem, heartache, or stress.  Trust him with it.  And don't ask for it back.  Matthew 11:22 says,  "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
Trust Him and sleep in peace.
Laura                                             Illustration Note:  This sketch was inspired by a poem written by my daughter.