In God's care

This past year has been interesting in more ways than one. When my husband lost his job over a year ago we wondered how our lives would proceed. On the other hand, God has never forsaken us and we didn't expect that to change. God's way of providing changes from time to time but He doesn't change his love to us or His care for us.

In January, due to some changes in unemployment 'status' that the government decided to do we only received one week's unemployment 'insurance'. We have been thankful for what we have received but we thought maybe it was time for us to learn to live on even less 'obvious' support.

Even though unemployment 'assistance' changed, the utility bills kept coming. We also had some other expenses we were not anticipating during February.

While this was going on, I had begun pondering a text near the beginning of James. "Count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, for the trying of your faith worketh patience. And let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. "

One morning, actually about 3 a.m. I got up, still thinking about the above verse. But it became more than mere thinking, I actually began to 'sing it'. I know a lot of scripture portions to music but that had not been one of them, so I quickly picked up some music notation paper and began to write the melody down. It is fast becoming one of my more favorite choruses.

More than just singing the words, though, I do believe God is enabling me to 'digest' the meaning of that concept.

"God, I love for you to be with me, even when things seem to be going wrong, intense, in directions I haven't planned for, or even when I am being challenged. Your presence with me is what is giving me joy. Even when finances would seem to attempt to overwhelm me, I know that You not only care but are in the process of supplying our needs. I praise You, God. Even more, Father, the more I learn to 'lean' on You, the closer I perceive You to be. Even before I 'see' answers to my needs I can 'count it all joy' so that when the answers become 'visible' I can thank you as well as praise how You have worked things out 'again' and 'again'.


This past week we received a reduced amount (calculated weekly) but since it was for about 6 weeks the amount was enough to pay some on our utilities so that 'nothing' will be turned off.

Count it all JOY!

Last week a couple of friends came over and helped Duane cut, split and stack more wood. Previously to their coming we estimated maybe three day's wood supply left for wood stoves.

Count if all JOY!

Last week I was able to get my printer replaced with a new one so I could 'print' again.

Count it all JOY!

This past week we have had a few warmer days and the wood stack hasn't gone down quite so quickly. We still have quite a bit of snow on the ground (it began at over 2 feet which is quite a bit for this part of the country) but the last two snows have 'fizzled' and for at least three days the 'warmer' (40s to 50s) have been melting the white stuff away.

Count if all JOY!

Even though our son and his wife are out in Idaho they have been keeping in touch by phone. I have been praising the Lord for some of the things we have been learning together as we have spent some quality time looking at some passages of scripture together at different times.

Count it all JOY!

For some time I have been compiling some scripture 'songs' that correlate with the studies on the Bible 'sanctuary'. I was able to complete that project this past week.

Count it all JOY!

There is more but I at least wanted to share a few things God has been doing to show that He loves for us to be with Him as well as we loving for Him to be with us.

Count it all JOY!

It is getting late so I will leave for now. But until we meet again, remember to 'count if all joy'. . .

Bringer of Peace