November 14, 2010

• Gifts....

  Today I had a lovely gift waiting at church for me from my secret sister. I wish I had taken a picture before I "un-did" everything. I tried to put it back together, but it doesn't look nearly as cute.  I have a VERY creative SS!!

  

  Tucked neatly in the basket was a set of 4 pumpkin shaped coffee cups, a pack of disposable travel mugs (which will be VERY handy!!), a Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie mix (Mmmmm!!) and a few decorative Fall trinkets.

    

  Also, wrapped separately was a cute fall rug that found a spot in front of my stove!! It's nice to have something other than cold floor to stand on while cooking!! I'm not sure about my ability to keep from spilling stuff on it though!! 

  

  Tonight I used on of my new cups!!  Coffee with pumpkin spice creamer, whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice sprinkled on top! Mmmm!!

  

  I also received another sort of "gift" today. It was Dan's Sunday to preach today.

   Well, this has been an especially busy week for him. He worked a 12 hour day on Monday, which pretty much means an evening of studying is shot. He was finishing up one of his classes for this semester this week, and also is taking another class which required lots of reading. I don't know what reading does to you when you are tired, but I know it puts my poor hubby to sleep!! Wed. night was church, so another evening of not much school work. Thurs. evening he couldn't stay awake, so he took a short nap, and then stayed up till 12:30 doing school work! Saturday was the auction and we left the house at 5:30 AM. I drove to and from to give him more time to read. We didn't stick around real long, because he still needed to finish the reading and take a test that night yet.

   On top of all that, he had a sermon to prepare for today!!

   He got up early this morning to put the finishing touches on it and even had time for a short nap before we left for church!

   I will often ask him what he is preaching on, or will see bits of it since he uses Power Point sermons and usually asks my opinion about backgrounds, etc. Well, this morning I was in for a total surprise! I hadn't seen a stitch of what he was preparing!! 

   Dan has been a huge contributor to my spiritual growth and today was no exception!!
    His sermon was titled, "Waiting On God:What Psalms Says About Waiting" This was a sermon I so needed!! I have been struggling with some issues that I wish I had answers for NOW and wondering about some things in our future. There are many times I don't want to WAIT. I want answers NOW! But I have been trying to rest in God and wait for the plans he has for our family and for me personally, to unfold in His time, not mine!!

   Here are just a few of the highlights of the sermon that spoke to me....
   *Psalm 62 speaks of waiting....quietly. Waiting on God has the quality of rest, silence in my soul.
   *Psalm 69:3 ~I am exhausted from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes are swollen with weeping, waiting for my God to help me. NLT
     I was encouraged to hear that David also went through times like this!! Someday's I feel like I just cannot learn these lessons that God is trying to teach me. I keep failing. I feel like I will never get the hang of trusting and resting in my Creator!! But in Matthew 7:7, we are encouraged to "Keep asking, keep searching, keep knocking"! So I think know God knows we won't always "get it" the 1st time!

  Another set of verses he read that encouraged me was Psalm 130:3-4 ~ Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you. NLT

   He tied the message up with the entire chapter of Psalm 145, the response of someone (David) who waited successfully. My desire this week is to have a taste of waiting successfully!! Pray for me as I strive to rest in God and his plan for my (our) lives. And pray that we can get caught up on sleep!! 

  I will leave you with the verse Dan shared in closing!! A verse I am going to print and hang somewhere where I can see it EVERY day this week!!

  Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

   

  Have a blessed week~

  • 10:52 pm
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