WHY?

Why, when I  had prayed for protection from tripping or falling did I do just that when exiting my granddaughter's car in my parking lot after spending a beautiful Christmas day with my family?

Why did I fall flat on my face on the concrete sidewalk?

Why, when I've been trusting the Lord to help me get back on my feet financially, did this result in large unanticipated expenses that will drag me deeper into the pit?

Why, when I was in the middle of a special Christmas present project for one of my grandchildren have I now lost the use of my right hand for just long enough to make it impossible to complete before the end of the year?

Why all this now at such an inopportune time?

Why?

These were just some of the questions running through my mind.

Only God knows the answers. 

His ways are not our ways. He sees the whole picture, which we do not. He is the author of our stories, the driver of the train we are on. Now, more than ever, I need to cling to the truths that He is in control, that He is a good and loving God who has a perfect plan for my life, a plan for good--not for evil (Jeremiah 29:11).

I think of 1 Thessalonians 5:18--give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you...  it is not telling me to give thanks for what happened, but to find something in it I can be thankful for. And, come to think of it, there is a lot.

I can be thankful that I just chipped a tooth rather than knock it out, and that my glasses did not shatter in my face.

I am thankful that my granddaughter was with me and is very level-headed. I am thankful she helped staunch the flow of blood coming from my mouth and determine I did not need to make a trip to the ER, and then cleaned the blood off my jacket once she got me up to my apartment.

I am grateful that she stayed for a good while, offered to sleep over, and when I declined her offer, told me to call if I changed my mind.

I am thankful I was able to get a good night's sleep despite it all.

I am grateful to that same granddaughter for giving up many hours of her time today (the day after) to take me to the Vision Center to order a new pair of glasses for driving, and that I found an old, old pair in my car that, although not the greatest, work well enough for me to use while I wait for the other pair to be ready.

I am grateful that the Visiom Center had a cancellation that made it possible for me to get the appointment today rather than have to wait until some time next week.

I am grateful that when we went to the ER to get an Xray of my hand that was looking very bruised and swollen when I woke up this morning, it was not crowded, and we were ushered into a very comfortable room with private restroom to wait for the doctor instead of sitting in a crowded waiting room or a tiny cubicle partioned off from the others by a curtain.

I am grateful for all the kind people who attended us everywhere we went today.

I was grateful to hear that all the blood had been from a puncture (not a gash as we had thought), and though my lips are still very swollen, I am thankful that my mouth is feeling so much better today than it did last night.

I am grateful that the X-ray of my hand and the CT scan of my face did not show any fractures.

I am sad I won't be able to spend the amount of time I had wanted to with family visiting from out of town for a few days who I rarely get to see, because I won't be able to drive back and forth as planned due to a temporary, very unwieldy brace on my hand, but I am thankful that my granddaughter will pick me up and take me over there to spend the day tomorrow.

This incident could have been so much worse, and when I consider all that I may have been spared from, I feel very grateful for that.

A DIVINE APPOINTMENT

What started out as a very unwanted interruption turned out to be a Divine appointment that made my day. 

My plan had been to get up early and work on the painting I was trying to finish in time to give my granddaughter for Christmas. 

However, my plans had to be put on hold due to my jade plant having fallen off the windowsill during the night, spilling out of its pot onto the floor, and many of its leaves broken off and scattered as well.

I couldn't just leave it like that, so I had to go out looking for a place that had small bags of potting soil I could buy. 

My first stop was Giant, because they have a floral department, and because they were the closest place.

As I was getting ready to exit my car, I noticed a gruff looking old man loading his bags into his car parked in the handicap spot right next to mine, and I felt the Lord prompting me to give him one of the Random Acts of Kindness goody bags I had in my car. It was the last one I had.

I was going to put it in his car, but before I could get out of mine, he had closed the door and was pushing his shopping cart back to where the other carts were lined up. 

I felt the prompt again, so I walked up to him and said Merry Christmas as I handed it to him. He seemed genuinely touched and surprised, and his gruff expression softened as he gratefully thanked me for it. 

If that toppled over plant that caused me to change my plans is what it took for the Lord to get me to where He wanted me to be at that moment in time, it was so worth it for the warmth I felt inside.

My soul was singing as I entered the store, and even more when I found one bag of soil hidden away in a corner below the counter. It was probably the last one for the season, and it was waiting just for me.

AN ENCOURAGING THOUGHT IN THE MIDST OF A STORM

Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? 

You, LORD, are mighty and your

faithfulness surrounds you.

(Psalm 89:8)

An encouraging thought from today's devotional in God Loves Her:

"No matter what obstacles we face or how many obstacles we have to endure, God holds us as the waves rise and fall." (Written by my favorite contributor, Xochitl)