Especially In The Hard Times

When we moved into our house almost 3½ years ago things were more than just a little bit hectic!  We had just moved back home to California after our three year Bible School adventure in Oklahoma and I immediately started a new and very different position with The Home Depot that required daily travel back and forth to multiple stores in the San Francisco Bay area about 1½ hours away.  At that time we had started all the medical testing with my wife and while we knew something was wrong, nothing solid had been determined yet.  Once in California I had to change our insurance coverage and provider as California’s plans were totally different (better actually - I felt) than what was offered through Home Depot in the other 49 states!

Before we had left Oklahoma we had established a plan for our return.  My Mother had insisted that my wife, our dog and I move in with her and my Dad until we got established.  I had figured that that would take us up to two months max.  My new position, with travel time (of which I was paid), was keeping me away from the home for about twelve hours a day, so my time to get things settled for us in town was limited. Well, wouldn’t you know, after a week or so, I started getting calls from my siblings strongly suggesting us to move out ASAP as my parents were getting a little nervous having us in the home and thereby changing their daily routine. I spoke with my Mom about it and they were feeling some pressure having guests in the house after being alone for many years. 

So with that, we accelerated our schedule, found our new residence and were moved in within another week.  This kind of put all our plans into a topspin!  Now I had to figure out how we were going to pay for the shipping of our stuff from Oklahoma and all the moving into a new home expenses within one month instead of two. Added to this were my concerns for my wife.  Even though she was still independent at this time, this would be the first time that she would be alone when I was gone and I was hoping to have some more medical information to work with before we moved out to our own place. 

Needless to say God was with us and worked all kinds of miracles for us and everything turned out great.  When we made the actual move our youngest daughter was still in town and she helped my wife to quickly unpack the vital boxes and put things away before she went back for her third year of school in Oklahoma.  All was fine until I had to start doing everything in the care of the home and for my wife.  I suddenly discovered that I didn’t know where most everything was!

Over the last two years I discovered many hidden items and had gotten into enough of a routine that I could work around not having all the right utensils,  linens, and other necessary items for daily life that I knew we had, but couldn’t  find!  Yesterday I finally broke down and cleaned out a closet in our downstairs bedroom where we now sleep.  While going through the many boxes, bags and other items I found a couple of boxes of old family photos.  It was like old home week as I walked down memory lane with a ton of photos of our family through the years.  All was going fine until I came across a photo taken of my wife when we were home from College during the Thanksgiving holidays back in 1973.  She was proudly standing on the driveway of a friend’s home beside her bright red, hot new Ford Pinto “woody” wagon.  I’m not sure why but as I looked at her picture I immediately broke down and began to weep.  I guess that it was because it has been one of those tough weeks where my wife has been really quiet and not as sharp as she has been and seeing her in the vibrancy of her youth brought everything to a head.

This morning my confidence and faith was lifted and strengthened as I read from the Ephesian prayer in Ephesians 1:17-23.  Then like as a hit from a bolt of lightning, as I glanced over at another Bible that sat opened to Psalm 91, the Lord spoke to me and said: “Because you set your love upon me, I will deliver you.  When you call upon me I will answer you.  With a long life, I will satisfy you, and show you my salvation.”  (Psalm 91:14-16 God’s Word ©)  I was impressed to look up the Hebrew meaning to the word “show” and discovered that it literally is translated “made to see” (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown)  With that I sat back in my chair and understood that the Lord was encouraging me with the truth that He would “make me to see His salvation” for my wife and I - no matter what it looks like right now!  WOW!

What more can I say on this bright and clear Friday morning?  God is always near us, especially when we are down and needing a hand, and ever true to His promises such as the one found in Joshua 1:5 where He declares that He “will never neglect us or abandon us!”  (God’s Word ©)  Take that truth to heart this weekend.  Remember that even when times are hard, His Word ever stands true for you!  Have a wonderful weekend.  Stay close and in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What GOOD REPORTS am I expecting today!”***

 

 

*** This is a special word for my good friends the Cromley’s!