FINALLY, SOME SUNSHINE

Finally….I saw the sun shine in Waco, Texas today. It has been a time of, first snow, then ice on top of the snow and cloudy skies for days and days with temps below freezing for over a week straight. I can honestly say this has been a first for me. Well, except for that time we took our kids to Colorado for spring break and it was snow and ice the entire week. It was more snow than ice and the kids loved it. This ice here though has been a nightmare all around. People went without water and some still are without water due to their pipes bursting. Some went without electricity for over 4 or 5 days with temps below freezing, might I remind you. No way to heat their homes or keep food or even cook food unless there was gas or a wood burning fireplace. It has been unbearable for many and I know I am blessed beyond a doubt to not have endured those hardships. My prayers go out for all those affected. I only wish I had a way to rescue everyone but it’s not possible. I could go on and on but you get the picture of our Waco and most of Texas, I am sure.

I am grateful and humbled that my little family was spared from losing electricity, water, or anything else. We survived with minimal groceries and I was able to cook whatever I could find in the pantry and feed my family through this nightmare of a week and some days. Even if the average person wanted to go out and take something to someone, you couldn’t drive on the ice without endangering yourself or others who might venture out. It has been crazy.

So you can imagine how much happiness the sunshine brought to everyone today. The ice on the streets finally melted with the warmer temps, although I would not call 34 degrees warm, Lordy, but it did the job and we were all able to go out and search for groceries and gasoline and just get out of the house. Finally!

I am not a daily blogger, but when I do get on here, I want to have something of worth to say. I want to be of encouragement to you. I want to put a smile on someone’s face. I do like to be humorous and laughter is big at my house. Most of my friends, all mostly musicians, are always cracking jokes. We are just of that type of nature. We are all mostly night owls too. Maybe that’s why we are all HOOTS! Haha! See what I mean?

Well, all that to say, the Lord is still King over all the earth and all that is within it. We cannot blame anyone for our troubles but ourselves and our circumstances, which we walk into most times. Decisions we make are made by us alone. Whether we make smart and wise decisions or not is on us. I always hear the words “where is God when we need Him?” and that just bothers me to the bone. Why do we only want God to step in only when we need HIm but not always? Why do we only want what WE want from Him and throw Him to the curb when we DON’T want Him around? Is that the way we would want to help someone? Only when they need us and then they turn their backs on us after they received what they wanted from us? How would we like that? Would that feel good? Of course not. Well, God is a Holy God and not to be treated or addressed in that manner. If you don’t know that, well learn that today. He is a reverent God. He is the Creator of all things good. He is not to blame for man’s wrongdoing or man’s destruction of earth and earthly things. That is not God’s doing. That is all us. Mere humans. Mankind. We who say we do not need God to interfere. That’s all us.

So, the encouraging thing about it all is that, despite our human, sinful nature and our evil ways, God still offers something better. He offers forgiveness of our filthy sins, he offers salvation through the sacrifice on the cross of his only son Jesus, and He offers life in abundance. LIFE! What we need! Air, Breath, Life! Joy! Peace! Understanding! All those good things and much more. How could we say no to such a gift? I know I am happier with Him in my life than without Him in my life. I have experienced both. Trust me. I know the difference.

I hope something I said has inspired you to have hope for the future for you, your children, your future generations. Remember, life is a cycle that repeats and when you are gone, your children will need something of substance to help them through their lives. Leave them something of value and worth. Material things are not worth much of anything. However values, love, strength, integrity, stability, consistency, and joy from above are some of the things you can leave them. Wisdom from God is not found in anything else here on earth. Make a good choice for you and your children today. Let God take control of all and He will guide you down the best path and change your journey for the better just as He has changed mine.

I pray that you have a blessed rest of the weekend and that maybe you will spend time with God sooner rather than later. I pray He sheds His warm, embracing love upon you and your family. I pray His Holy Spirit will bring unity to your home and that Jesus’ love will be felt from the inside out in every single one of you. May God bless you. Until the next time.

love,

abbi