A Trip to the Dentist

I had to go to the dentist today. Yuck. I do not have particularly good teeth. I'm in the process of getting my fifth, yes count them, that's five crowns in my mouth. If they were a little less expensive I wouldn't worry so much. Which brings me to the real purpose of this post.

Earlier today (before the dental appointment) in my daily devotions the Lord took me to IThessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." So I started singing, "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice...."(I hadn't gotten to the part about being thankful yet, but I was praying!)

A little later my husband called and asked for prayer about some work related stuff. I asked him to pray for me because I was down and out about this crown. He said he would pray for me and I said I would pray for him and then he told me to read Romans 8:28. Now I'm not the greatest verse memorizer in the world but I do have that one down, "All things work for good for them that love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose." This was reassurance. I love the Lord and am a member of the called and my deepest desire is to be used for His purpose so He will work everything for good. I was beginning to be thankful in my circumstance.

Still a little while later I was sitting in the dental chair waiting for the lidocaine to kick in. The dentist had assured me that I would not need a root canal, but that the tooth (with a large filling) had cracked and had to have a crown. I was thankful and that's when the Lord showed me that if it hadn't cracked, I may have ended up with a root canal...that He had everything under control and that He would provide. Of course, the question that immediatly came to mind was, "How Lord?" Then he lead me to a passage in Elizabeth Elliot's book Keep A Quiet Heart which I had brought along to read as I waited, "A close and fretful inquiry into how spiritual things 'work' is an exercise in futility. Even wondering how 'natural' things are going to work if you bring God into them--how God will answer a prayer for money, for example,...is sometimes a waste of energy. God knows how. Why should I bother my head about it if I've turned it over to Him?" Why indeed. So I can work myself into a lather about it? For what purpose? Certainly not His purpose. God's will for me in Christ Jesus is that I always be rejoicing, pray without ceasing and to be thankful in everything. He will then work out His purpose for my good and His glory.

So God can use a trip to the dentist and a bad tooth to reveal Himself. Thank you Lord, where would I be without You?

Just An Ordinary Week

This is just a quick post to let you know I am still posting! We finished school the Friday before Memorial Day and I immediately dove into my List by painting our bathroom, making new drapes (that's not as wow as it sounds) for our bedroom and getting ready for a visit from my parents. I managed to get it mostly done by Friday and my Dad very graciously took us out to dinner on Friday night. That was a huge blessing.

Saturday was spent by picking strawberries, enjoying one anothers company and making Strawberry-Rhubarb Pies. My Mom and I also managed a quick trip to the local Quilt Shop. She's guiding me in remaking my bedspread which is thread bare. I hope I can do it...but that's another post.

Sunday we served and worshipped our Lord. I was so blessed by all that entailed. I love being with Him and being used by Him to bless others.

Today (Monday) I'm recovering. I loved everything about the last week, but boy am I tired! I slept in and took a two hour nap and I can't wait to go to bed! I'm so thankful He is giving me this day. The kids were pretty tired too and Daddy got to take a day off of work today. So truly, this is a Sabbath for us.

Tomorrow we're back at it. I'm not sure what I'm going to tackle next on my List but I'm thinking about the kids bathroom. Of course, that means more painting and I can't decide if I want to take a little break from painting or not. I think I'll sleep on it. Hee-hee!

You know, one of my all time favorite shows is The Andy Griffith Show. I was watching it the other day and wondering why that was when it dawned on me. It's really a show about ordinary people living together and loving each other and living just an ordinary life. It's about the sometimes humorous ordinary things that happen and how ordinary people react to the occasional extra-ordinary events of their lives.

I had an ordinary (all-be-it busy) week, last week. And it was wonderful, sometimes humorous, sometimes tiring and completely a blessing from the Lord.