It actually feels good to be home (at least for now) and getting back into our normal routines. Yesterday we went to church - and wow! Pastor Pat was on fire again - he preached about Revival. I have prayed often for revival to come, starting with me. Stir a fire up within me that it can never be quenched. And I pray that over my children and their children and their children as well. I pray they all turn to the Lord and let Him guide their thoughts, their lives, their homes. It was a great message.
Afterwards we stopped for lunch before heading on home. Caught the son-in-law here cleaning out the gutters for us. They stopped on their way home from their church. After they left, hubby turned on the TV and promptly took a nap. I jumped on my work computer and was able to approve a bunch of timecards that were completed (it's 'Timecard Monday'!) and go through the 200+ emails that were left that I didn't delete while I was on vacation. I was able to get several meetings scheduled as requested too. I guess I worked about two hours. No, I don't get compensated financially since I'm salaried. In this case, it is fine. I do take off when I need to and I don't have to put in the time but just take it off for dental or doctor visits. I feel pretty good about starting work this morning since I won't have anything pressing to do. Well, I do have about 16 'meet and greet' meetings to schedule for one department, but they are not critical since this person doesn't start until September 6. I've got time to get them scheduled, but will probably get them done today so that they are done and over with.
Tonight we are meeting a couple from one of the RV parks we speak at, for dinner. Which reminds me, I need to start pulling together messages for this fall - November will be here quickly. I think my first one is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I also am scheduled for Christmas this year, and New Years. And it's ok. Last year I turned it down, but this year I said ok. And it will be. We have our Christmas early, and church starts at 9AM and we can be back home by 10:30AM. First group doesn't arrive until around 11-11:30AM and I can have lunch in the oven while we are gone if that is what they want. It will work out.
My boss text'd me yesterday to clear her calendar this afternoon as she got a new grandbaby over the weekend and plans to help her daughter with the new baby. I haven't heard anything about a new baby for us yet so guess the granddaughter is still waddling around. Surely the baby will come this week! It grieves my heart for my granddaughter's living situation, but there is nothing I can do. If we were at our other house, I would have pushed for her to come stay with us until she got on her feet. But, here we are and can not do anything ... except pray. And we do that.
Psalm 130:7 "Hope in the Lord"!
So many times we hope in different things, but do we ever turn our hope to the Lord? How many times do we 'hope' that we have a good day? We 'hope' that our medical reports turn out good. We 'hope' that our kids will do well in school. We 'hope' we have enough money for.... so many things we 'hope' for, but what would happen if we chose to put our HOPE in the Lord?
I guarantee you that if you place your HOPE in Jesus, that you will feel better. He is the One who guides and directs our path (when we ask Him). Being a praying woman or man does not mean that you'll never have bad days. It means you are willing to find beauty even in the ugliest days. And some days can get pretty ugly, I think!
I encourage you to sit back and think about the things that you 'hope' in. Is your hope in the Lord, or in material things? There is a big difference. It can also make a difference in how you look at your day when your hope in things falls short.
Look for the beauty in the day ahead of you. There is always good. Sometimes you have to look for it. Look for the joy, for the beauty of the day. It can set the tone for you. I pray you find your beauty as the day begins. Find hope.
Blessings!
