God Knew Best

            It has been a while since I sat at the keyboard to pour out my thoughts. Things have been busy, and I have been feeling pretty good. I get a slight headache by the end of the day, if I am pretty tired, but otherwise, I feel pretty good. I told Dr. Tolentino that I was feeling so good that perhaps they mis-diagnosed my disease. His smiling response was, “That means that our treatment for you is working.” At any rate, I do appreciate these good days that God has granted me to spend time with Margaret and our family. Each of the days we live, each breath we take, each beat of our hearts is a gift from God. When we are healthy and busy, we often forget that and take these things for granted.

            I have received many books, cards, prayers, and gifts from people since my first diagnosis. One of those books is a daily devotional called “Streams in the Desert” which I received from one of Margaret’s cousins in New York. I do not read it every day, but happened to read it on September 20^th. The reading really struck me that day, and again, I see the Holy Spirit guiding my life and what I do. Why did I choose to read this book that day? I truly believe it was divine guidance.

Here is the reading from September 20^th out of “Streams in the Desert” by L.B. Cowman.

            Did I not tell you that if you believed, you could see the glory of God? (John 11:40)

Mary and Martha could not understand what their Lord was doing. Each of them had said to Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (vv 21, 32). And behind their words we seem to read their true thoughts: “Lord, we do not understand why you waited so long to come or how you could allow the man you love so much to die. We do not understand how you could allow such sorrow and suffering to devastate our lives, when your presence might have stopped it all. Why didn’t you come? Now it’s too late, because Lazarus has been dead four days! But Jesus simply had one great truth in answer to all of this. He said, in essence, “You may not understand, but I am telling you that if you believe, you will see.”

            Abraham could not understand why God would ask him to sacrifice his son, but he trusted Him. Then he saw the Lord’s glory when the son he loved was restored to him. Moses could not understand why God would require him to stay forty years in the wilderness, but he also trusted Him. Then he saw when God called him to lead Israel from Egyptian bondage.

Joseph could not understand his brothers’ cruelty toward him, the false testimony of a treacherous woman, or the long years of unjust imprisonment, but he trusted God and finally saw His glory in it all. And Joseph’s father, Jacob, could not understand how God’s strange providence could allow Joseph to be taken from him. Yet later he saw the Lord’s glory when he looked into the face of his son, who had become the governor for a great king and the person used to preserve his own life and the lives of an entire nation.

Perhaps there is also something in your life causing you to question God. Do you find yourself saying, “I do not understand why God allowed my loved one to be taken. I do not understand why affliction has been permitted to strike me. I do not understand why the Lord has led me down these twisting paths. I do not understand why my own plans, which seemed so good, have been so disappointing. I do not understand why the blessings I so desperately need are so long in coming.”

Dear friend, you do not have to understand all God’s ways of dealing with you. He does not expect you to understand them. You do not expect your children to understand everything you do – you simply want them to trust you. And someday you too will see the glory of God in the things you do not understand. J.H.M.

 

If we could push ajar the gates of life,

And stand within, and all God’s working see,

We might interpret all this doubt and strife,

And for each mystery could find a key.

 

But not today. Then be content, dear heart;

God’s plans, like lilies pure and white, unfold.

We must not tear the close-shut leaves apart –

Time will someday reveal the blooms of gold.

 

And if, through patient toil, we reach the land

Where tired feet, with sandals loosed, may rest,

When we shall clearly know and understand,

I think that we will say, “God knew best.”

 

           

September 05, 2012

            It is a beautiful and sunny day today. The temperatures are finally dropping to a more normal range, and the days are pleasant once again. Now all we need is some rain. We should enjoy these days, as I assume Old Man Winter will visit us all too soon. Even though we all dislike snow, we need the moisture this year for the fields, rivers, ponds, and streams.

            I had my third treatment of Avastin yesterday. That went well – now they push the infusion through in a thirty minute time period. I have just a slight headache at times, but otherwise no side effects yet. My blood levels have been good, and things are going pretty well. I feel pretty good - sometimes it seems like all of this is just a bad dream. I have another MRI scheduled for early October – that is when we see how things are really going up there in that old cranium area. Good for now though! The doctors tell me to enjoy the now and not to worry about what is to come. That is my focus. I have a few things to do – the main project now is to build three more rocking horses out of oak for future grandchildren. Mark’s family has a horse, but Matt, Tom, and John need one yet. Don’t tell Jameson, but she will get a doll cradle for Christmas as well. So, I have some work to do in the shop. Once those are all done, I could use a few more bird feeders too.

            We found a dead male cardinal in the front yard a few weeks back. I have not seen or heard the cardinals now for a few weeks – they may have moved on to a moister climate area – who knows. Oddly, I heard a cardinal singing in the background of a movie. The movie was “Hope Springs”, which was not the best show I have seen. I don’t even know that I would recommend it to anyone. No six guns, no horses, no chase after bad guys – not much of a show at all. In one scene of the movie I could hear cardinals singing as the couple walked along. Now you tell me, does God show up in some different places when you least expect Him to?

            Tom and Michelle’s wedding went very well. Lots of family and friends, and a great time was had by all. My oldest grandson, Kolbe, did quite a lot of dancing at the wedding dance – he stole the show for the tune “Bust A Move”. He had the whole dance floor of people in a circle around him, and he danced and hammed it up for the entire song. Once we get the video back, I will post it in the Blog so you can see it. He had to get those moves from his mother’s genetics, as the Jarding boys do not bust too many moves.

            Have a great week and enjoy this wonderful weather. Football games are now started, soccer games are going strong, and soon we shall be chasing the wily Ringneck Pheasant as well. Fall is a good time of year. Have a great day, and look for God out there. He is looking for you!