On a recent mad dash to the library on a Friday evening to make it by their closing time (6:00 p.m.), my dear husband, Robert was perplexed and perturbed to discover upon our arrival (5:45 p.m.) that the library was, nevertheless, CLOSED. There were two signs posted; one for the closure on Monday for Memorial Day, but the other was not easily read by me from my cool location in the car. Upon Robert's return to the car, I saw the consternation (similar to constipation) on his face as he approached the car and muttered something to me that sounded amazingly like "They're closed for Lloyd Farrell Day and Memorial Day, but they are open tomorrow, Saturday. That makes no sense to me. Why in the world....." And he was off. I tried to listen. I really did. But something kept nagging at my brain....over and over and over..."Who the heck is Lloyd Farrell and why does he get "a day"?" Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, I interrupted him and yelled, "Wait a minute! Who's Lloyd Farrell???!!!"
Utter silence and a look of complete amazement from my dear husband and then...
He burst into laughter, tears streaming from his eyes....and could barely get out the words. I kept saying, "What did you say? Who is it? What's so funny?" Finally, he took a deep breath and said "NOT Lloyd Farrell. EMPLOYEE FURLOW!" And we were both off in a fit of hysterics. Nothing like going out to dinner with the hubby on a Friday night.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Ever notice when you are in the midst of a struggle, a storm, a whale of hurricane that your prayers seem to get lost in the wind, the rain, the downpour of trouble, worries and guilt that seem to be pelting you from all directions?
It's also hard to hear God's answers when we are struggling just to keep our head above water. It's hardest to be still and listen when we keep jumping up and down, shaking our fists and screaming at the top of our lungs, "God, where are you? Aren't you listening? I'm hurting! I'm afraid! I NEED! NEED! NEED! I want an answer and I want it now!" Somehow, we feel our Creator, the One who loves us most, the One who created us in His image is busy, distracted, working on someone else's problem and it becomes a little bit like a child hollering for their daddy's attention..."Watch this, daddy! Watch this! Look what I can do!" It's hard to imagine, especially if you are a parent, that He keeps this big ol' universe running and handles everything all the time for all of us. And answers our cries in the most perfect way that is perfect for us. However, if we aren't listening or watching for the answer, we'll miss it. I've heard that God often whispers...He doesn't yell or scream or knock us upside the head with a hammer (well, sometimes I guess He does if necessary). Little signs along the way, random people you come into contact with, fragments of a conversation you may hear, the sermon last Sunday, the song on the radio with that one line that SHOUTS, "THIS IS THE ANSWER". And then you know. There is love. There is a wonderful, loving, infinitely patient, heavenly Father and He answers every prayer, every whispered sigh of a cry for help. Pray without ceasing. Knock and keep knocking. The answer may be on the radio, in a bird's song, in the title of a book, in a random act of kindness you witness from afar....but trust in this fact: The answer WILL come and it will be right on time.
Faith can feel like you've jumped out of a plane without your parachute and you are falling head over heels at terminal velocity to crash- SPLAT!- onto the ground. But rest assured that God will never let you hit the ground....so you might as well enjoy the adrenaline rush!
It's also hard to hear God's answers when we are struggling just to keep our head above water. It's hardest to be still and listen when we keep jumping up and down, shaking our fists and screaming at the top of our lungs, "God, where are you? Aren't you listening? I'm hurting! I'm afraid! I NEED! NEED! NEED! I want an answer and I want it now!" Somehow, we feel our Creator, the One who loves us most, the One who created us in His image is busy, distracted, working on someone else's problem and it becomes a little bit like a child hollering for their daddy's attention..."Watch this, daddy! Watch this! Look what I can do!" It's hard to imagine, especially if you are a parent, that He keeps this big ol' universe running and handles everything all the time for all of us. And answers our cries in the most perfect way that is perfect for us. However, if we aren't listening or watching for the answer, we'll miss it. I've heard that God often whispers...He doesn't yell or scream or knock us upside the head with a hammer (well, sometimes I guess He does if necessary). Little signs along the way, random people you come into contact with, fragments of a conversation you may hear, the sermon last Sunday, the song on the radio with that one line that SHOUTS, "THIS IS THE ANSWER". And then you know. There is love. There is a wonderful, loving, infinitely patient, heavenly Father and He answers every prayer, every whispered sigh of a cry for help. Pray without ceasing. Knock and keep knocking. The answer may be on the radio, in a bird's song, in the title of a book, in a random act of kindness you witness from afar....but trust in this fact: The answer WILL come and it will be right on time.
Faith can feel like you've jumped out of a plane without your parachute and you are falling head over heels at terminal velocity to crash- SPLAT!- onto the ground. But rest assured that God will never let you hit the ground....so you might as well enjoy the adrenaline rush!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)