Looking Up

It is a new morning and as He is faithful. He "grants me new mercies fresh every morning." (Lamentations 3:23).

Yesterday morning my labs showed that my iron count was up by .02%. Not sure that was enough of an increase to make Carl turn green again from the liver and onions. My white blood cells (the infection fighters) are really low so I'll have to be extra careful not to catch anything. But I was able to receive the chemo. After a difficult morning with discouragement, I went home and slept. When I woke up, my friends Petra and Alyssa called just to give me a hug over the phone. God's timing is always "just the right time." What a blessing friends are in our lives!!

Later in the afternoon, the steroids kicked in and I have been wired ever since. Finally fell asleep at 3:30am and woke up at 6:30 wide awake and ready to go, but without the dampened spirit of yesterday morning.

As soon as I opened my eyes a scripture verse came to my mind. "I will lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help." (Psalm 121:1) I haven't thought of that one in a very long time but it must have been the one the Lord had chosen for me today.

As if He wanted to reinforce His message to me, I received this e-mail from my friend Pat. She felt like the Holy Spirit had led her to share it with me. (Yes Pat, He did!) I wanted to share it with you in hopes that it will bring you encouragement at "just the right time."

The Buzzard, The Bat and The Bumblebee

THE BUZZARD:
If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT:
The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once it takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE:
A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides
near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE:
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up!

Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But faith looks up!
Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and trust in our Creator who loves us.

And today, I will look up and "lift mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help".