Rain and Sunshine

Today I came home after being gone all day at church and shopping, and as soon as I walked in the door, I KNEW God wanted me to wash my floor. I was positive. How positive? Try a kitchen floor completely covered in water positive. Yep, it was to take up my next hour to be sure. My first thought and sound was *sigh.* Then Jesus so sweetly gave me a song.

I'll sing through the rain and the sunshine

I'll trust Him whatever befall

I sing for I cannot be silent

My Father planned it all

If it was anyone else besides God planning this, I wouldn't be happy with them. BUT since God knows how it all fits together, I'm more than happy to clean this mess up. I'm not sure what the future holds for my delinquent washer, but God does. It was a surprise to me, but not to God.

God is slowly but surely teaching me to turn my sighs into songs.

Church was awesome today. I was oddly wide awake even though I had stayed up so late the night before. I was thankful because the messages were a blessing. We also had communion, which was another wonderful experience of remembering what Jesus did for me on the cross. Every time we have communion, I can't hold back the tears. I don't bawl, but it just overwhelms me that God would see the sins I commit everyday and still choose to love with with that unconditional love and that He died for me. It blows me away. I know there is absolutely no good in me. All I can say is that I can't wait to meet my God in Heaven. That's going to be the cherry on top for my whole existence.

Philippians 1:12-18

¹²I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, ¹³so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. ¹⁴And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

¹⁵Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. ¹⁶The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁷The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. ¹⁸What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

I love these verses. I was reading them in some time I was spending with God the other night. I love the way Paul has totally accepted that his being in prison is just the way it is. Not only has he done that, but he's used it to glorify God. He knows full well that it might not make sense to him, and it might not seem ideal or comfortable. It might be downright painful, but God knows just how to use this trial for His glory. "The whole imperial guard" knows that Paul loves the Lord. That has got to be a lot of people. One man being thrown in prison has now been able to reach all these men. Could anyone look at that and still think it's a bad thing that Paul is in prison?

The second part I love too. Even those people who speak of God to afflict Paul...even those words are taken, flipped, and used to praise God. God is being preached, and Paul is joyful about that. If God wants to be glorified for something, then He's going to be glorified.

It just makes me think of all the things that are going to come up in my future because I love God and I refuse to be silent about it. Even the "bad" things. I have to always remember that these trials and what seems confusing in my mind will be used for God's glory. And that is ultimately what I want and what God wants. I can also remember the promise, "I will never leave you or forsake you." God is a good God. I can't say that enough.

Have I mentioned lately that I'm thankful for my parents? Well, I am. I got their Happy Birthday box today (along with a card from Gramps and Grams!--THANK YOU!!) and I was happy. :D I laughed at the card and went through all the fun things they sent me. As I was opening the box, my friend said "What did they send you?" and I "jokingly" said, "Oh probably cake mixes, jello, and some smoke alarms." "Smoke alarms?" And I just smiled and kept opening it. She laughed, thinking I was joking. When I opened it, she was shocked. "They really did send you smoke alarms!" She laughed. Yep. They really did. Thanks Mom and Pops for being the coolest most loving parents ever!! I love you!!

Peace.