Monday, October 18, 2010

Small Stuff

So, here's the thing. I've been struggling all day on if/when/what I should write about. I mean, we are all waiting on tomorrow so there seems to be so little to report. And I'm sure you aren't always tuning in to hear my feelings.

(But hey! If you are, you have to be either 1. related to me or 2. glutton for punishment but I love you more than my luggage! Gold star to those who can name the movie that line comes from!)

In high school and college, I worked in a store called Wilderness Equipment, down the street from my parents' house. (They made me walk! The horror!) There was a shirt they carried that said "Don't sweat the small stuff." On the back it had, in fine print, "It's all small stuff."

I ran a search on BibleGateway.com for "small stuff" but, unfortunately, that is not Scriptural vernacular.

There has been a lot of small stuff, coming from the most unexpected places, today. And when I say small stuff, I mean the stuff that really gets under my skin. The stuff I dwell on and have arguments with invisible people about. The stuff that takes my attitude from mostly positive to down right nasty, toxic.

This is not the best attitude to have going into tomorrow. I know this but I've held on to it all day, in fact, even after so much love poured out on us at church, it may have crept in last night.

Either way, the details of it all are just ticking me off.

So, when my "small stuff" search turned up nil - I did a search on "details."

I love it when this happens. With a word, His Word, The Lord can spin me (and my bad attitude) on a dime. He reveals to me exactly what details I should be worried about.

In 1 Chronicles 28, King David is filling Solomon on how to be God's King - including how to build and manage the Temple.

The end of the chapter is where I was led. Verses 19-20:

"All this," David said, "I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan."

David also said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.


As I read this, I realized what details are important. They are already laid out, a part of His Plan - and He will give it to us in writing in LESS THAN 12 HOURS! He will give us understanding. He will show us the way. Because He is The Way.

What do I need to do? Be strong and courageous, keep looking for His footprints. I need to do the work, to see Sophia through this treatment. What a blessing it is that I am at home! That, too, is part of the plan. He is not going to let this fail - no matter the outcome - when The Lord is involved, when it is in service to Him - nothing comes back marked "FAIL."

This is a promise I am taking to the bank. He knows the outcome, He is preparing Sophia's body to receive the treatment and her body to be healed. We will come out of this renewed, restored and revived - to bring more people to Him.

Maybe, like my friend Alison, you have endured much small stuff coming at your way. It probably feels like big stuff - I know mine did. And there is more on the way, I am sure. But rely on The Lord to steady you, so you can stand. So, in the face of your detractors, your head can be lifted and you can persevere until the time of the harvest.

I can't think of anything else right now but how He is answering and will answer your prayers over us. What a wonderful God to be so in the middle of this - so in the details!

Where is He in the details for you??

3 comments:

JT said...

(((/\)))
Sending you hugs and prayers!

Was the movie line from Steel Magnolias?

--Janet TerLouw

Lynne Piper said...

Today, Tuesday.
Dear Father: May today be the day that your plan for Sophia's treatment is revealed. Let this plan be the one that decisively removes any and all evidence of this tumor. Please give Amy and Dave the undeniable peace that comes from You. Let them not be rattled by stern-faced doctors, but instead, trust in You. Call Amy and Dave to seek refuge in You as we claim your promise in Psalm 91:1-2. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!"

God Bless, Vogel family. We'll be with you in prayer today.

Lynne Piper

Anonymous said...

Loving all of you and praying hard for Sophia and all of your family.

Susan Hilton