Early July thoughts

Here we are, July 5.

I'm okay.  I suppose the world was waiting with baited breath for an update on that.  Are you okay?

I'm basically okay, but overwhelmed, and sometimes very sad.  Yet, I know that it will be okay.

I know and believe and have faith that it will be okay, because God is God.

"It is what it is," they teach you to say, to accept.  "It is what it is."  Nobody can argue with that.

It is what it is, and there are many things to be thankful for.

Warm showers.
Nice soap.
Hot coffee.
Blooming flowers.
Blue sky.
Kind people.
Prayer.
My collection of Bibles in different translations.
Soothing music.
A soft, brown dog.
Cars that work.
Watermelon.
Encouraging words.
Deep breaths.
Cold water with ice.


Too many blessings to list.

There's always something bad.  Another violent shooting, a dead tree on the boulevard, a store going out of business, a divorce, a disease, a disagreement, a disrespect, a disappointment large or small.  This is the world we live in, and sometimes it gets us down.

But we were not made for this world.  We are aliens here.  We were created for eternity, with eternity in our hearts.  Satan will use every tactic he knows to distract us from eternity, or try to make us stop believing in it.  He has a lot of tools in his arsenal.  He is much craftier than we are.  He can take us down.

But for God.

God is greater.  Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.  God can hold our faith together and encourage us through anything.  Look at what he did for Job.  God not only kept Job's faith, He even restored the locust years.

God is in control, and He will bring His good and perfect will to pass.  God is full of lovingkindness and grace.  He is for us.  He protects, defends, saves and delivers.  He heals and restores.  He makes all things beautiful in His time.

He has reached out to us, to save us from the dread of all the sin-stain on this world.  He sent Jesus so we could be forgiven, by the blood of His sacrifice.  And then, He sends His Holy Spirit to live in us, comforting, helping, teaching, reminding, encouraging and strengthening with power.  He sends His Holy Spirit to get us ready for Heaven and to carry us through to Heaven.

Thank you, Lord, for your Holy Spirit, with me today and always.  My strength and my confidence, the guarantee of my future in paradise with You.  Thank you, Lord.