Man cannot change the direction of the wind, but he can adjust his sails

Copyright Chris Brown

I’m giving myself a day off today.  Yesterday was a wonderful day.  Our daughter and son- in- law had us over for a turducken Thanksgiving.  (That’s a chicken stuffed into a duck and then stuffed into a turkey.)  Son-in-law and daughter worked so hard and created a wonderful meal. Everything was delicious.  Son’s sweet potato casserole was a big hit.  Son’s girlfriend contributed the roasted vegetable recipe that I love.  She also made wonderful yeast rolls.  She is one talented lady!

Later when the youngest granddaughter, five years old, had a temper tantrum, the older granddaughter, seven, and I prayed and God answered our prayer.  She said, “Thank you Lord!” So God was glorified in the middle of a bad situation. The rest of the day was fun.  Pops took pictures, the kids played, older granddaughter took us on an “Art Walk” of all the Thanksgiving masterpieces made in the last few years at school, church, and home.   We were presented with foam board drawings of ourselves with the granddaughter. Son’s girlfriend taught letters to the five year old.  Son played a Brazilian beat solo on the antique cowbell that had belonged to great grandpa. I visited with the other grandmother and she explored the yard and pasture with the granddaughters.  Daughter played a couple of Thanksgiving hymns and we sang.  Grandson cooperated by changing his clothes for a picture and had fun riding the ATV.

But today I’m exhausted from the 80 minutes it took us to drive to and from their country home.  Also the visiting tires me out.  People with fibromyalgia need more rest than most folks.  Sometimes the pain gets to me but then I remember that life is short in the light of eternity.  I try to look at my life in that way. Also I read biographies of great Christians like Susannah Wesley, Amy Carmichael, Fanny Crosby, David Livingston, George Muller, and others. They had all kinds of problems and overcame. I look at my own parents and grandparents and see that they made it through to the end so I can too. God is interested in our souls not our goals. And sometimes it is just better to not think! I listen to music and smell great smells. I watch funny movies like "You Can't Take it With You," and other movies from the 40's when I need R and R.

Sometimes God will comfort and or convict us through The Holy Spirit.  The picture above is of our granddaughters playing with a toy sailboat.  They are creating wind.  To me it represents the way the Holy Spirit works.  In John 3:5-8 it says, 5 “Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 

We can’t force ourselves to be born again.  It is the gift of God.  We need to stop "trying" and just trust God. It's hard to do but with God's help we can begin.

PS Here is granddaughter's drawing of Pops and MeMa with her.  She labels it, “Family is Forever.”