I have earned my MBA in life over the last four years and thank the Lord for the wisdom we gain as we grow older, but if the last four years have taught me anything it is to remember this one particular phrase: "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the LORD." Job 1:21. Job was a man of great faith and dignity and his words have bouyed me during the darkest of hours when it seemed that everything was falling down around us and Mike's life hung in the balance. No matter how hard things appeared to us, we didn't know loss like Job knew loss and if HE was able to praise the Lord, what was my excuse? I knew by those words that despite whatever He gave us or whatever He took from us, I absolutely HAD to praise the name of the LORD because no matter what we have or don't have, He is still God and He still loves us and ultimately, He gave us His son to take these soiled rags of sin to Calvary's cross so I could live eternally with peace in Heaven. Blessed be the name of the LORD, indeed.
This year has dawned with much more of a feeling of peace than years' past. The sun seems to shine brighter (when it decides to step out from behind the fog) and every day seems to bring a new rejoice and and praise on our lips. Today, Mike and I hung (or I should say MIKE hung, I was more of the cheerleader with the drill) some cabinets that his friend Shawn Raines gave him for the garage in exchange for Ali's play structure that was in our backyard. This was no easy feat and despite sitting down periodically to regain his strength, he did a beautiful job of hanging the cabinets and reveled in my praise and compliments. I LOVE these little nuggets of accomplishment that are appearing more and more frequently. From death's door to a victory of hanging a cabinet in the garage, God has been giving us such peace as Mike gains strength daily and he declared today a huge day in his pursuit of reclaiming his life that's been on what seems like interminable hold.
I am reminded often during the day how very fragile men truly are. Their hearts are tender and they thrive on words of praise and compliments. That has been a hard, and sometimes painful, lesson I've had to learn over the past 13 years and a lesson that is at the core of my need to right wrongs from the past and humbly ask forgiveness from some that were once in my life. Our tongues truly hold the power to lift up or tear down. It is a lesson I'm still learning and even today had to face, but His mercies are new every morning, and so are our chances for forgiveness.
I am filled to the overflowing with love for a man that is trying so hard to stand tall and strong again, to see him working so hard to resume the role of "hunter/gatherer" that every man assumes as head of the house. I am filled to the overflowing with love for two girls that are so different yet so much alike and both so beautiful and loved by their mom that they could never fully comprehend such love no matter how hard I try to explain. I am filled to the overflowing with love for a God that delights in teaching us to live a holy and love-filled life, a God that freely gave us His beloved Son, Jesus, that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. Blessed be the name of the LORD, indeed.
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