It was a no good, very bad day.

Will today be better? 

Because yesterday was awful.

It started with a sleepless night, which ended with early rising.  Not such a bad way to start off, as I grabbed some sweet time with the Lord and snuck out of the house before 7:00 am to head across the street.  It was a perfect time to slap another coat of paint on the house we're moving into. But as I walked in through the basement, I saw my dread.  Water on the floor from a leak that we thought had been resolved.

Deep breath.  "That's okay, Lord.  I'll trust you with this."

Instead of running home and waking my husband in a fit of furry, I let it go.  Truly, a miracle and sign of much growth.  I gave it to the Lord and didn't let the peace disappear.

Satan was just starting to mess with me.  It think I must have ticked him off with my response.

So I went on to painting, hobbling through the house gathering the supplies and tenderly moving up and down the ladder to reach the top of the wall.  See, last week, I rolled my ankle on the precarious steps that approach the back door.  No big deal, except that all the up and down on the ladder, as I've painted the dining room, kitchen, den, bedroom, and living room, must have caused the strain to worsen.  It will go away, but only if I rest.

That's okay. Deep breath. I'll press on in the Lord's strength.

Before 9:00 am, I managed to finish the room I was painting, grab a shower, drive my oldest to work, and hobble through the super market to pick up groceries for dinner.  As the morning wore on, I was growing wear, forgetting to pace myself and depend on the Lord.


But a woman has to do what a woman has to do, right? 

1:00 pm.  Vet's office.   My sweet cat, Georgia, has not been herself and showed signs this past week that her time has come.  I sobbed and sobbed.  She was the cat I loved, and then didn't love.  Showed affection for, and got annoyed by.  Begged to bring her home, and later on, wished she would go when her hair and my allergies reached an all-time war. 

I cried for the times I didn't love her as I should have.  I cried for the ways the days turned into months and years and now 16 have passed.  I cried for the pain of death and the fresh reality of life's temporariness.  

And than, just like that, I stopped crying, as I drove to Wal-Mart to buy one of those hair removal things, since my shirt was covered in the last signs of Georgia.  I drowned my sorrows in a McDonald's chocolate milk shake before heading for my previously scheduled hair cut.  How bizarre.

All in a woman's day.  Right?

So I took a deep breath.  I numbed out.  I didn't turn to the Lord.  I went on to the second half of the day.  Fixing dinner.  Girls to basketball practice.  Anticipation of a date with my husband later on, where I could just relax and talk it all out with him. 

Smash! 

The sound of glassed being blown apart as I drove through the gravel parking. 

Hissss.

The sound of a flat tired.

Errrrggggg! 

The sound of angry woman whose no good, very bad day got worse.  Date canceled.  I hobble home with my hurt foot.  Literally, the reason I drove to practice instead of walking was because the foot hurt so bad.  And now, here I was walking home. 

Ridiculous.  Satan was really camping out on me today, desperately trying to steal my joy.


Deep breath.  Oh, Lord, wasn't this day bad enough?  

Putting my cat to sleep and a flat tire all in one day?  Come on, Lord!  But leave it to my girls to see God's hand.  The flat tire was in walking distance of home, and my husband was available to go fix it.  And the truth of the matter, I really need to get to bed and get some sleep, not hobble around town on a date.

Yes, it was a no good, very bad day.  But the Lord is never no good and very bad.  He permitted each difficult moment, but remained faithful to carry me through each circumstance.  He never let me go from the palm of His hand, even though I felt abandoned at times.  The old me, with my old theology, would reckon to think I must be in trouble with God.  No, that's not true.  God is simply letting me be pressed into the woman He desires and using all the circumstances of this fallen world to do His work, while He holds me tight to His chest and secure in His grip.

Deep breath.  Thank you, Lord, that you have changed my thinking, grown me in understanding your love, in spite of my circumstances, and have poured out new mercies every morning.



Friends.  Make the most of every opportunity today to love those God has put in your lives -- your spouse, children, friends, co-workers, and even pets.  Life is short.  Time passes quickly.  Live in the moment, love the Lord with your whole heart, and don't let Satan rob your joy by believing his lies.  Believe God.  Trust Him.  And let Him do what He pleases with your heart through your circumstances.  


By His Grace & Mighty Power,