Love this.... explains so much!

I cry when he talks about the cross,

about what happened there.

I always cry when someone talks about it!

One of my FAVORITES!

“I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. 

A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough 

without ever having felt sorry for itself.”

D.H. Lawrence

Like Joshua

Ever read through Bible stories and wonder;

Why was everyone so afraid when an angel came?

Anytime an angel shows up in the Bible,

they say "and they were afraid"

or something of the sorts.  And angels,

so often, begin their message with "Do not be afraid".

I like to think that if an angel showed up this minute,

I'd be thrilled!  I'd hit my knees and praise God,

and I'd probably be laughing and crying at the same time.

But I don't think I'd be afraid!

Well, I've never had an angel approach.

So I guess it's not fair to say how I'd respond.

I was reading in Joshua and payed close attention to

chapter 5.  Mid chapter, an angel appears to Joshua.

There is no mention of him being afraid.

He falls to his face in worship of the Lord, but the

angel doesn't have to start with "Do not be afraid"

before sharing God's news for him.

I look back on my life and realize I am usually afraid

when I get news from God.

It's usually a sitution so far out of my control,

and so CLEARLY God, and I'm terrified.

Why be scared of something I KNOW is not happening

out of my will?  If it is clearly God's will,

shouldn't I hit my knees and weep and praise?

I look back at about a year ago when Matthew and

I found out we were expecting number four.

I was scared!

I was terrified!

Medically, this was not possible!

We took all precautions..... the kind of precautions

that make it impossible!  I conceived Ædith

at a time that I was not fertile.  And beyond that,

we were taking plenty of precautions!

Matthew had to sit me down a couple days

after we found out about the pregnancy. 

I remember him saying this one thing:

"Why are we so scared when this is so clearly God's will and not our own?"

And after that I took comfort, knowing

this was out of my control, and better that way!

Then she was born!  We realized right away that God

has a will for her.  We begged Him, while she was on that

helicopter, to make the murmur go away, to make her oxygen saturation

go back to normal.  So she'd arrive at Pitt and they'd say she's totally healthy!

We made the long drive to Pitt and we were told about her valve

and about the surgery, and possible surgeries to come.

We cried for a few minutes, and then we prayed.

God, this is YOUR will, so we're not afraid!

I'm there again!

In a situation so out of my control, so scary!

The possible outcome here could effect my life,

and the lives of our whole family forever!

NO CONTROL!

NO OPT OUT!

In this situation, we have seen God work.

TOO many coincidences to chalk up to coincidence!

God's got a plan here....

and now, as the news appears to me, I praise!

Why should I be scared to hear that God is working?

I'm not!