Safe in HIS Arms...

YIPPEE... I actually posted TWO days in a row! ;-)

Okay, seriously now... I said I wanted to share something that I learned about GOD recently and I just couldn't wait to share it. (Maybe it'll keep some of you from experiencing unnecessary guilt)



See, I'd always heard that we should "give thanks" for everything. Here's the scripture... (It's AMAZING how ONE little word can change the WHOLE meaning of a sentence)




1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.




See, I'd been thinking I was having a rebellious attitude towards GOD for not being thankful for the path my life has taken. (Losing Brent, you know? I mean, we have been thankful for many things during this trial, but not for the very act of losing him or for the way he suffered)

Well, you may have heard me mention that I don't put a lot of faith in what other people tell me about the Bible. Not immediately anyway. See, there are SO MANY scriptures that we've found over the past 3-4 years that have been TERRIBLY misquoted... so if I hear something I go and look it up for myself.

ANYWAY... all of that to say that I was in my room folding clothes one night and the TV (itself) changed the channel from what I was watching to a pastor that I used to LOVE to listen to. (It was Tony Evans... I suppose I had set the thing to change itself when he came on)

Now, I've not heard Mr. Evans preach anything that didn't line up with scripture.. but there are MANY others that I have. (Thus my check it for yourself attitude... PLEASE, if you find a preacher on TV that tells you GOD wants NOTHING but GOOD for you.. change the channel.. that's JUST NOT SCRIPTURAL! The Bible tells us to EXPECT trials.. oh well, that's another post)

So, I don't remember the theme of what Mr. Evans was preaching but I DO remember him using 1 Thessalonians 5:18. I listened closely as he explained how we don't HAVE to be thankful FOR everything.. but we are to be thankful IN everything. See, I KNEW I was NOT thankful for losing our son and watching him suffer the way he did. HOWEVER, IN those circumstances.. (we have learned) some came to accept JESUS as LORD of their lives. Now THAT my friends is something to be THANKFUL for!


So I don't have to thankful for all of the TERRIBLE things that have happened since October of 04 (the year we learned Brent had cancer), but IN those trials we were and ARE thankful for MANY things in CHRIST JESUS! (We were always looking for SOMETHING to be thankful for.. You know.. even in those last days, the CREATOR of ALL allowed us to witness "conversations" between HIMSELF and Brent as HE prepared him to go HOME! Again, THAT is something to be THANKFUL for!)


You see what I'm saying?? We're NOT thankful for sin, but in this sin-filled world, we ARE thankful that GOD'S own SON came to pay for our sins. (So in that sense we ARE thankful "IN" everything, but not necessarily FOR everything.


I can't tell you the burden that knowing this lifted from me!




Okay, now on the day to day stuff...

For our History class yesterday we watched the 44th Presidential Inauguration. I explained to the boys that THIS was history in the making for so many reasons. I also told them that we need to pray for him just as we did for President Bush. I explained that we need to PRAY that our new President will seek the HEART of GOD in EVERY decision he makes and if he's not saved, that he will be. (You know, because the Bible says we will be know by their "fruits" Matthew 7:20) I know that he was elected (by some) because he's so liberal in areas like abortion... but it's in THOSE VERY AREAS that I PRAY that he will KNOW GOD'S HEART and will not allow countless babies to be killed every day. Okay... all of that has been debated over and over BEFORE the election... I won't drag you though it again today. See, I'm ADHD like that. It only takes a second for me to get off track. LOL!!

I guess that's it for me today. It's time to wake the little people and get them ready for school. I hope you all have a WONDERFUL day!