Ecclesiastes 1 - "Even If"

Yesterday's afternoon activity with the boys was about keeping God as our focus. We played a game to get them thinking about the 'center' of things. Afterward we talked about how to keep God in the center of our life and how it enables us to keep our focus on Him. I knew time was drawing near for their Grandma to leave this earth so I talked with them about how God always answers our prayers but not always the way we want. He always answers them the best way for all and in His time. I hope they thought about that a few hours later when they were told she had died. This morning He brought the words to "Even If" to my mind...

Even if the healing doesn’t come
And life falls apart
And dreams are still undone
You are God You are good
Forever faithful One
Even if the healing
Even if the healing doesn’t come

Children may not be able to comprehend but we adults can. God heals in different ways. Sometimes it is miraculously. Sometimes it is through doctors and medicine. Sometimes it is through death. In the Bible it speaks of death as glorification. When we leave this earth and are in heaven, we no longer have these decrepit bodies but are given new ones. We will have no more pain or suffering. Instead we will be brand new. That is comforting to think about when we lose a loved one who has been suffering. When we lose one due to an accident, we have to trust God in the reason they are no longer with us. No matter what, we must trust Him throughout the grieving process. My Daddy has been gone five and a half years yet I still grieve over him. I would never want him back here suffering with the cancer but I would love to have another morning phone call from him. I would love to hear "Sheila Babe" one more time. Knowing he was praying for me and hearing his encouraging words would be a blessing once again. He would always tell me when I was struggling with the MS, "Now, Sheila Babe, you need to rest but don't stay there. Don't give into it." He knew there is a fine line that must be walked with MS. You do have to rest but if you do too much resting it becomes difficult to get back into the swing of things. I'm grateful I have a fighting spirit as my Momma and Daddy. I'm most grateful I have God to guide me and encourage me. Another thing I'm grateful for is Doc who listened to God and brought us to South Carolina. What a blessing to know we are living in the center of God's will. We are touching lives we never would have had we not been obedient in our walk. At this moment we are here with a family during a very difficult time as they go through this death. With my friend being states away I felt hopeless until she said told me to love on 'her boys' until they were together. I can do that. Today I will love on them with an extra dose of God's love as they prepare to travel. This family has become family to us and for that I am grateful. I am still trying to get use to living in a military community. We have seen many who have moved on in their military life and that is hard. But the ones who God puts before us we enjoy loving on. I am grateful God healed me from the last MS exasperation so I can do what I am doing. I continue to pray for the MS to stay quiet and the cancer to stay gone so I can keep on keepin' on for Him. I've had many times of healing. Some through doctors and medicine and some instantaneously through a miracle. I am grateful for all of them. I know we all leave this earth at one time or another. I also know I want to be loving on people with His love when my time comes. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this song this morning that reminded me of how You heal through different avenues. Thank You for the lesson You gave me yesterday for the boys. I pray it helped them last night. Father, I pray for the funeral preparations that are happening to be filled with Your presence. I pray for the Hunter family who are going through Ray's funeral later today to feel Your presence. I pray for Debbie and her family who are going through tough days with the loss of her husband and Darlene and her family with the loss of her father. So many deaths. Oh how I pray each one of their dear loved ones are with You in new bodies. Father, cleanse me so You can fill me to overflowing with Your love today. May people see/hear You instead of me. May I be who You desire me to be throughout this day. Thank You Jesus for being My Healer. Amen.