The Goodness of God

This evening we went over to Luke (my younger brother) and Bea's for supper. This year as we have been adjusting to the new normal of life they have issued pretty much a standing invitation to come over after work and Bible study on Wednesday evenings. It has been a huge blessing to us.

     As we walked to the door the smell of something delicious emanated from their house. It ended up being seafood lasagna and collard greens which were simply delicious. After supper Bea and I cleaned up quickly while Megan does what she is an expert at (spending time playing with entertaining the little ones) and Aaron and Luke talked and planned for a camp that we are all going to in mid September. Then I pulled out a project that I was trying to get finished up today to work on while we visited. A friend had hired me to make a jingle dress for her niece. I had almost gotten it done before work this morning but just had a tiny bit left. Beulah (age 1 1/2 ) happily and carefully held my pin-cushion for me while I worked and handed me pins when I needed them. She loved that job. 

  We were all visiting about music for Jackpine Retreat (the camp we are going to) as Luke is leading the music for one of the sessions. Pretty soon Aaron and Luke picked up guitars and we started singing. What a beautiful thing to be able to sing praises to the God we love with people that I love. One of the songs we sang is called "The Goodness of God", you may have heard it before. This summer it has quickly become one of my favorites.

The lyrics say "All my life you have been faithful, and all my life you have been so, so good." This is so very true. Though people in your life may not always be faithful and they might not always be good either, God is - ALWAYS!  

   My life goes so much better and is so much happier when I take the time to notice the goodness of God and to praise Him for it. This evening when I sat down to write this post I opened up my computer and glanced over the e-mails and noticed that one had come in from Ken containing the 3rd draft of the divorce papers that he has been working on. I admit that almost derailed me from writing this post. Sometimes being in the middle of a divorce has seemed so big that I struggle for a bit to keep my eyes on God's goodness. But thankfully the Holy Spirit reminded me that I don't have to be derailed by that e-mail that came in. That is what Satan wants and I am not on his team. I am on God's team and I will tell of His goodness even when life is sometimes hard.

   Here are some ways I am seeing the Goodness of God in my life lately.....

• Getting to spend quality time with each of my children. Even in the busyness of working we have found time to visit, do fun things and just have fun together. I am so very grateful.
• My extended family both on my side and Ken's side. They have been so supportive and loving as we go through different changes in our life. From bread made for us each week to a message of encouragement sent, a hug given and so very many prayers said on our behalf. I am so very blessed.
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• Work that I truly enjoy. I am so blessed to be able to work with flowers both at Netzer's and in running my own business. I love being able to share beauty with others in this way.
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• This little guy! I love him so much. He lights up like a candle pretty much whenever I visit with him. Malcolm has a real knack for bringing joy to his Grandmama's day.
• Heaven and the hope we have of going there. I am getting more excited about Heaven all the time. I recently had both an Uncle and an Aunt (we are traveling to her funeral soon) go there. We are so happy for them as they are now free from their pain and struggles and it is exciting to think about joining them some day.

• Even amidst the drought we have had this summer we have still enjoyed many beautiful flowers. I am so thankful.
• The ability to make music and to do it with others. I am so thankful that God made music. It makes my life so much richer.
• A bumper crop of beans. It has been so dry and I have been so busy but still our garden produces well. God is good!

   

• Tiger lilies blooming this summer. I had gotten starts last year or the year before. I love them. They remind me of my childhood.
• Aaron selling his first truck for the price he asked. It was a blessing to get that out of the way.
• God's love!

There are so many more things that I could thank God for. What are some things that you are praising Him for?

 

I started this post last week but life got in the way of finishing it very quickly. But here it is now.