systems failure

To use a computer analogy, it is amazing to me how quickly my system can overload and break down. Little bugs and viruses creep into my heart and mind and I am quickly taken down. Yep, that is what happens. Add a little PMS into the mix and I am a mess :) Seriously, though I have had a few things weighing on my heart and mind here lately. Nothing I thought I couldn't handle but you add a couple new things on top of it and well...I think I need to head to my Programmer for some guidance. And, He never dissappoints. I opened up my little devotional 31 Days of Praise that my sweet mother in law sent me long, long ago to todays reading and wham! the truths just kept flowing and the cleansing process is well under way...here is what it said(its sorta long, but oh so good);


"Thank you that You have me in the place You want me just now...that even if I got here through wrong choices or indifference or even rebellion, yet You knew my mistakes and sins before I ever existed, and You worked them into Your plan to draw me to Yourself, to mold and bless me, and to bless others through me. Thank You that, even if I'm here through the ill-will or poor judgement of other people, all is well; for in Your sovereign wisdom You are at work to bring about good results from all those past decisions, those past events beyond my control-good results both for me and for others. Thank You again that You meant for good the terrible things that happened to Joseph, who was sold into slavery, exiled to a distant country, and later sent to prison on false accusations...and that through all this You had him in the right place at the right time, for highly important reasons. I'm glad, Lord, that You are the same today-well able to work things out for us, to turn evil into good. I stand amazed at the complexity and mystery of Your wisdom. How safe it is for me to trust Your reasons for acting (or not acting) and Your methods of working!

Thank you that I can safely commit my location and situation to You. I can "be willing for You to shift me anywhere on life's checkerboard, or bury me anywhere in life's garden, gladly yielding myself for You to please Yourself with, anywhere and anyway You choose"(source unknown).
Thank You that I can trust You with my future places-ready to go, ready to stay.

So I rest in the fact that You have me in this place for this day, and I praise You that You will faithfully guide me through out life to just where You want me to be, as I seek to do Your will.

And most important of all is my place in You. How delighted I am to have You as my dwelling place where I can settle down, feel secure and be content anywhere on earth...You are my blessed home, "where I can enter and be at rest even when all around and above is a sea of trouble" (Andrew Murray). How my soul delights to hide in the secret of Your presence...to take refuge in the shadow of Your wings, to eat at Your table, to drink my fill of the river of Your delights. How blessed I am, my King and my God, for You have chosen me, and brought me near to live in Your Presence, to behold Your delightfulness, to seek Your counsel...And, to think that I will dwell in Your house forever!"


Whew, I feel better already. The part about location is what really got me today. My friend, Carla and I were talking about the challenge of keeping our blogs "real." Its just so easy for me to only want to share the good days, the fun stuff. But, that is not always the case so this is my little effort at authenticity, umm, I like that word...might have to consider that for my Word of the Year 2009.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Christie