The Package and the Radiator Cap

Last week Larry, my husband, was unexpectedly admitted to the hospital for a re-evaluation of all the medicine he was taking.  He began feeling poorly during a routine check-up on his shoulder which he had surgery on four years ago. The surgeon told him he needed to see a doctor asap. As God provided, one of the local doctors was able to see him…thus the admittance into the hospital. 

               Now this in itself was a blessing as Larry has been having health issues for some time.  This new doctor was determined to find the cause of his problems. Consequently, he would need to remain in the hospital for a period of time.

               Since his health issues weren’t life-threatening, I decided to drive back and forth from our home to the hospital which made about a 120 mile round trip.  Normally, this trip wouldn’t be a concern; however, our “well-travelled” car, which has been a reliable vehicle for years, has developed a problem.  It now requires coolant/antifreeze added to its radiator about every other day, depending on how much we drive it. This doesn’t seem like a huge problem, only an inconvenience. However, try as I may, I have NOT been able to remove the radiator’s cap. Larry has shown me how to do it, but my attempts have failed so he is the one in charge of this task.  Consequently, with him in the hospital and with me driving back and forth, removing the radiator’s cap became my concern.  Granted, I could have driven Larry’s Dodge pickup, but to be honest, I’d rather ride in it than drive it J  So stubborn me had to rely upon my own strength or (and this was the main source): the strength of JESUS!!!

               In the morning before I left to drive to the hospital, I prayed that Jesus would either give me the ability to take off the radiator cap or send me someone who would.  Taking a deep breath and trusting in Jesus, I attempted to remove it, but I couldn’t. Consequently, I would follow my second option which was to find someone who could.  With the Spirit’s urgings, I contacted a friend of mine who has a son who’s a mechanic so she said she would call him to let him know I was bringing in my car to have him help me.  I sighed with relief, but just as I was finishing our conversation, Larry called.  He told me that the postman had contacted him because I had a package that needed my signature and wondered if I would be home.  WOW!!!!  It wasn’t my friend’s son that God had planned to help me but the postman.  AND to top it off, the package was from my spiritual sister, LaJuan, (Dimes and Hearts post) who had sent me a package from Hong Kong.  I had no idea that LaJuan had sent me a package, but God did, and HE also knew I would need someone to help me with the radiator cap on that particular morning at that particular time!!!!   What an awesome God we serve. He was in control…all I had to do was TRUST Him and stay out of His way!    

               The postman came to my aid so I was able to make the trip to the hospital twice before adding more coolant. By that time Larry was home and was able to do it.  Yes, Larry is some better, and hopefully, the new medicines and other physical therapy treatments will make him feel even better.

 We are praising God for His assistance through this unexpected lifestyle change, and I am praising God for his amazing orchestration as the package from LaJuan brought me my rescuer.

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills---from whence comes my help?

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121: 1-2

Eagles

            Several weeks ago I was challenged to post a Bible verse on facebook for seven days.  Finding this challenge to be a good way to share God’s Word, I accepted it. However, I knew it would be difficult because of all the verses I wanted to include. So I asked the Spirit’s help, and He led me to the seven ones I posted. But as the week ended, I felt drawn to discuss one of the verses further.  That verse was Isaiah 40:31: “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”

               When I read this verse, I am reminded of the last segment to The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. I enjoy that trilogy a great deal. In fact, the more I watch the movies, the more I appreciate them, and after reading The Hobbit as well as the trilogy, I find the entire series even more fascinating. But what strikes me the most is the scene in the final movie where Frodo and Sam are rescued from the lava flow by giant eagles. By the appearance of these life-saving eagles, what seems to be the end for our heroes turns into new opportunities for both of them. This scene demonstrates a breath-taking picture of rescue.

               But then what’s even neater comes from another Bible verse that I discovered in my research for this post. In Exodus 19, Moses and the Israelites arrive at Mount Sinai and camp.  Moses then approaches God and He replies, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.” (verse 4)  Once again the image of eagles rescuing God’s people presents evidence of His faithfulness, His goodness and His love.

               I believe God continues to rescue His people today, perhaps not as dramatic as the eagles in the movie but in more subdued approaches.  He rescued me through His Son Jesus when I was a teenager. He gave me the Scriptures to provide wisdom and insight. Throughout my life, He’s provided family members and a variety of spiritual friends to love, to trust, to share, and to walk life’s path together. Yes, God has rescued me time and time again, and He’ll continue until I, too, might board an eagle and fly to Heaven.

“I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust…He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge.”  Psalm 91: 2,4

A Mother's Reflection on Easter

               As our son and his family entered our house for a short visit the day before Easter, I gave him an extra-long hug. Yes, we had seen them about a month ago, but this day was different.

               Before their arrival, while I was reading my devotions centering on Holy Week, I was reflecting on all the events that occurred. But this time as I reviewed the week, it was Jesus’ age that gripped my heart because when He was crucified He was only 33, the same age as my son.

               I couldn’t help but think of His mother, Mary, and empathized with her emotions. When I imagined my son upon that cross, my eyes filled with tears and my heart broke with overwhelming loss. How could she have borne such an act? How could she watch Him suffer and die?  How could she let Him go?  It was almost too much for me to bear.

               But that was Friday, and on Sunday her pain and grief turned into praise and gain…praise that her Son was alive and gain that she would be with Him forever. What a day to celebrate, bringing everlasting results.

               So when I gave my son a tight and lingering hug, I, too, felt praise and gain…praise that my son and I are believers in Jesus as our personal Savior and gain as we shall share eternity together.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3: 16

Rocks continued...

             As I have mentioned in an earlier post, I have a rock ministry.  Consequently, whenever I take off walking down our country road, I keep alert for more rocks to gather.

            One evening as I was strolling with the Spirit and picking up rocks, I examined one and threw it away. I heard the Spirit’s voice ask me why I had thrown it away.  Hmm…because it was broken and rough around the edges, not smooth and slick.

            “Pick it up,” I heard the gentle command.

            Fortunately, I had dropped it a short distance away and found it almost immediately. When I returned home with my sweatshirt pockets full of rocks, I began washing them off one by one. When I came across the broken one, I couldn’t help but smile as this rock now looked clean and showed character after its bath!

            Then, I had a thought or two.  Don’t we do the same thing with people? Don’t we often ignore those who are different from us?  Who might be broken and rough around the edges?  Who might ruin our reputation if seen with them?

            What if we were to befriend them instead? What if we would mend their brokenness and bring back their smiles?  What if we would do for them what Jesus did for us?  Because before we knew Jesus as our personal Savior, we were like those broken rocks: dirty, rough, tossed away or thrown down. BUT through Jesus’ sacrificial death upon the cross, we were washed clean by His blood and made whole. Jesus picked us up, gave us a bath and made us shine!!

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”  I John 1:7