My Glad Heart Comes From the Lord

Sometimes when it rains it pours.  Lately the rain has been coming and coming and coming. The clouds linger, the sun pops through for a just a moment and then it begins to rain all over again.  Even with the rain, some of my flowers are starting to show up.

 It has taken longer for these tulips to push up and through and along my walkway very few have matured. They have dwindled down.  Perhaps they can try again next year.  Thankful for some color up my walkway.

Yesterday was a different kind of raining and pouring kind of day. Kids loaded, off to go and pick up one of Ethan's friends and then off to the museum of flight for a birthday special day.  Ethan got to invite just one friend, which was a hard choice, but he chose one friend in particular because "he loves planes like I do."  Car loaded and my car will not start.  Emily passed off her keys to me and away we went.   Sometimes moments like that make me a little stressed out. However the boys and I paused, ask God to calm our hearts and in knowing that He knows the desires of our hearts on this day things would work out.  And they did. The boys had a fabulous time at the museum.

Halfway through our museum time, I popped a mint into my mouth.  A bit down on something hard. It looked like a silver sharp chip. My first thought was this mint has been tampered with so I spit it out.  I checked the mint in Emerson's mouth and it looked fine. So I put another one in my mouth. This time a big chunk of nothing special just half my TOOTH!!!.  Sheesh, any more surprises today.  I held the tooth, called David, panicked, called the dentist three times, and a computer voice told me I was the tenth caller, stressed a little and then paused again.  Thanks Lord that this is a clean chip, and did not strike a nerve. No pain.  I could go about the day and not let this next storm rattle me further.

This verse came to my mind this morning, as I sat in the shop of the mechanic to fix my car.
Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord continually before me;  Because HE is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices."

Do you set the Lord before you?  Do you take a moment and pause, pray, and ask for His comforts in the midst of a rainy day.  I want my kids to know and learn that God is there always, in the midst of every situation.  If we cover the situation with prayer, there truly is a heart that is glad.  I was glad that Emily, who typically goes to the Tuesday morning study at church decided to sleep this morning, so I had a car in record time.  I am glad that my tooth was not broken from a painful root. I was grateful for my husband's schedule this morning to take the boys to school so I could get my car in. Thanks Lord Jesus that you continually go before me. Remind me in the storms to call on you. I have to give God glory and honor in these kinds of moments, because with four boys, their energy and my inconveniences it would have been really easy to grumble and complain. My glad heart truly comes from the Lord.