Hey, ya'll...
Okay, so that's not exactly your Grace-esque greeting, eh?I wanted to do a post about praising God in the storms of life...because I'm in one now. In fact, this year has been a storm. My family has been dealing with health problems and other issues since literally December 31st, 2014. While we've come out stronger...it's still hard.
Right now, as I type, another storm is surrounding us.
While my parents and I live in the Midwest, my grandpa was born and raised in the cotton-fields of Alabama. He moved here in the 1960s to be with my grandma, and they raised their family here. But my grandpa left a brother and two sisters "down home".
His sister, my Aunt Sara Lynn, was diagnosed with cancer...I think it was 2012. She was in remission, and then sick, and then in remission, and then sick again. It was a cruel, ravaging course that we took every few months...being hopeful of her full recovery, and then not knowing if she would ever make it through the night.
Well, Aunt Sara Lynn has been in the hospital this fall. She had been in remission, and then they re-diagnosed her. And then they found cancerous tumors in other places. Finally they told us that radiation wasn't working, and if they gave her any medicines at all, it would just be to keep her comfortable until the end.
They got her out of the hospital a few weeks ago and sent her to rehab to regain her strength. And then...about a week ago, she went back to the hospital.
Last night my grandpa called. When my dad answered the phone and we heard his voice, we thought he was calling to tell us Aunt Sara Lynn had died.
No, she hadn't died. But she was dying. She couldn't move, and could barely talk. They said Friday that she started crying and said she wanted to go see her mother again. She's ready to go.
But as the first death of my grandpa's grown siblings, it's hard. Aunt Sara Lynn used to come up about every summer. I wish I had held her a little longer, a little tighter, that I had kissed her cheek, and told her how much I loved her.
As if I wasn't grief-stricken enough...I woke up this morning to discover myself lying on something very important. It's called glasses, and I'm quite literally almost legally blind without them.
They were smashed. Flat.
My first thought was, "Really, God???? First Aunt Sara and now this??? Why?!"
But slowly He's reminded me that we must praise Him...in all things.
"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"-- Ephesians 5:20
So...I thanked God for the blessings I did have...a loving family and wonderful friends, a Church family that adores me, Miss Promise, my senses of hearing, tasting, and feeling, a healthy body...
I was about to write this post when I turned on YouTube so I could listen to music while I write. The only song I could think of was "Stand Still", sung by a trio from a high school in New England (here is the link). These are the lyrics, from Elyrics.net:
Verse 1:
The Father has a plan. Though it's hard to
see it now
You feel you're walking all alone.
But He is there no doubt
When the storm around you rages,
And you're tossed to and fro
When you're faced with life's decisions,
Not sure which way to go
Chorus:
Stand still and let God move,
Standing still is hard to do
When you feel you have reached the end,
He'll make a way for you
Stand still and let God move
Verse 2:
When the enemy surrounds you, And the walls
are closing in
When the tide is swiftly rising, And you wonder he's been
Friend, there never was a moment, That His arms
weren't reaching out
You can rest assured and be secure, God is moving
right now
Chorus
When you feel you have reached the end, He'll make a
way for you
Stand still and let God move
The answer will come, But only in His time
Stand still and let God move, Stand still and let God
move.
It's so hard to praise God in the storm...but so worth it. Oh, so worth it. Because I praised Him, repented of asking the "Why?!" question, and asked for a blessing, I am actually able to wear my glasses for reading. I don't know about my aunt, but I'll call my grandmother and ask if she has passed, and if it was as peaceful as I prayed for.
I know Thanskgiving has technically passed, and everyone is now looking forward to the Christmas season, but...really. Every day should be a thankful day. <3
~ Grace
Every day on this planet is a storm. Thank you for the reminder to be grateful for what's good.
ReplyDeleteEspecially yesterday, with San Bernardino. The words of The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah give me comfort... "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.......And He shall reign forever and ever!" <3 -- Grace
ReplyDeleteEspecially yesterday, with San Bernardino. The words of The Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah give me comfort... "For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.......And He shall reign forever and ever!" <3 -- Grace
ReplyDelete