Recently work has been "tough" for me. I have been challenged in way's that have been like blows to the face. Then there's always that thing called money that tends to make life even more stressful. To be honest, I don't make much at my job, but I am reminded by my husband who so patiently reminds me daily that we are "okay, God always provides and that his seasonal position at CalFire will resume before we know it."
But i've decided to post about how I "feel" simply because over the past four months my husband and I have been challenged in many things. My job having it's highs and lows (which I won't go into detail about), and me dealing with those highs and lows with my husband being gone almost the whole summer fighting fires has made us realize just how valuable time together is. Time fellowshipping, our families and friendships, simply time spent at home, our adorable dog that thinks she's human, and our youth kids that we have the privilege of working with.
So as I sit here and write about the last four months that I found to be challenging, yet so rewarding, I can't help but smile thinking about how boring life would be if there were no challenges or hiccups in life. I'm also learning how stressing over material things like money or starting to think about a budget for christmas gifts or how much to spend on my next grocery shopping trip is nothing compared to God's grace and provisions. Do we need money to live this life? Well yes, duh that's a no brainer question, BUT to allow that to dictate what kind of mood I'm going to be in or allow my day to become stressed over that is just ridiculous.
Material things are temporary. Life is temporary, but the grace that God gives us daily, the provisions that He gives, His love and everlasting salvation is a gift that I too often take for granted and forget about. In Him, my needs are met and my life is blessed. I am married to a man that I just adore and who cares for me more than anything in this world, I have family that is definitely the best fambam in the world, and a home that is adorable and cozy!
So I guess all my rambling is simply about being grateful for what is, and all that I have. Stressing over things won't fix or change a situation, but trusting and walking in God's will and grace can. Believe and He will grant you the strength, energy and courage to overcome whatever it is that is causing stress. A couple of verses that reminded me of just how precious God's love is and just how much He cares for me, I hope all who read this find peace and encouragement in this.
Matthew 6:26-34
26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
