What an Incredible Day

What an incredible day, is right! Praise be to God from the top of my lungs.

Okay, so even though I had to delay my cocoa with the girls, we had a very good lunch, hand made burritos with cocoa. Real cocoa. Real cocoa with whip cream in our snowman mugs at the dining room window looking out at the birds and the snow. Great lunch.

When we went outside to go to town this pretty little things was singing the sweetest song. Look at that sky, so blue and clear. An amazing start to a great day in town.

We checked out a new shopping center, I introduced the girls to Mary at McConkey's Nursery Supply where Anna scored big on the "take it for free" shelves. (and Mary's candy bowl)

And then home to an easy but satisfying real dinner made by Bet while I immediately fixed my ninety percent off (fake) bouquets, out with the pine boughs in with some white carnations and now they are perfect for February. Oh, and I modeled my seventy-five percent off leather dress gloves for Dirt.

After dinner we were laughing at Janie and saying how she looks like a little piglet like Toot and Puddle, so Bet went up and got her book Toot and Puddle, by Hollie Hobbie and read to us while Dirt ate his banana split. You're never to old for a read aloud from a good picture book.

Who would guess that I feel very close to the emotions Paul spoke of when he said, "that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life."

Burdened by the things of this world that taunt and pull at all of us, the very things that drag some of us down. Burdened for those who's struggle runs deep, who are entangled beyond sight.

Burdened by the things of this world that are the fire that Jude spoke of when he wrote: "And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."

In between that hard spot of compassion, heart aching compassion and tenderness for some and the urgency, gut wrenching, adrenaline surging reaching for and hope of pulling others from out of the fire. The hopeless fire of the pride and desires of this world that scorch and burn the core of the very people you love, the very people that only God could knit into your heart so tight that you can't breathe when they hurt. Tirelessly expressing hate for the defilement caused by the flesh, sometimes spoken in harsh words, sometimes spoken in silence. Feeling overwhelmed by the fight. Yet being buoyed by the knowledge that:

"Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many. "

Being buoyed by the prayers of the faithful, who pray whether they know the situation that their brethren are slogging through or are just burdened through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Lifted up. Lifted up out of the quagmire and "despair for life" by the very thing from Christ, His Body. The members of His Body in prayer for one another.

Comforted by the sweet mercies that God brings. His cool soothing breath that He breathes on my heavy laden heart. Sweet mercies that are echoed and appear in days like today and days like tomorrow. Mercies that I cling to, Sweet Breath that I breathe in, breathe in again, breathe in deeply. Mercy and comfort to my weary soul, tired but not spent because of Him and Him alone. Comfort even in the face of endless escalating battles. That I might echo Paul:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. "

Oh Lord God, that sweet sparrow songs could come from my throat, burned and aching from the scorching battle. Oh Lord God, you make it so, you make me sing the sweet song in the morning. You wake me gently to clear skies and songs of mercy and love. You wake me from deep and restful slumber, taken in Your arms alone,

You hold me up when I can no longer stand. You dance me on my feet, You give me strength to hear and catch the beat and cadence of Your doing, You set me gently on the branches above the raging muddy flood waters of pride and lust and put Your clear water before my beak, that I may drink and sing to You my Dear Lord.

I look forward to the comfort of tomorrow and I pray that I may in turn deliver comfort to one who needs it. My hands are scorched but my Lord has brought soothing balms, He has tenderly applied the balm as I have wept and told Him of my deep sorrow. It is His song and breath that sang me to sleep and rest that I found strength and resolve to continue when He calls.

Today's verses (in purple) are primarily from Second Corinthians Chapter One . A dear sweet messenger delivered God's words to Dirt and I last week that we should drink them in and share them out.