not jealous.. no MWS Cruise for me

listening to a little tidbit from the MWS and Friends Cruise going on right now.. I am reminded of a lot of things...

I am thankful for technology. without it I could not be listening to Laura Story sharing part of her story and singing...

I am thankful for the fact that I have friends I love enough to miss them, they are on that cruise..

I am thankful that I have met them all on a cruise just like that..

I am thankful that during  the last 6 years I have been on 3 cruises like this..
time spent with like minded Christ Followers,  each time spending a week of praising our Father in Heaven, learning about Him

I am thankful that in all the trials and tribulations God teaches us so much more than just learning to trust Him

He teaches us how much He loves us..
He shows us how much He cares,
that He alone is in control and that what He has for us is the best..
even if we might not be able to see it so clearly at times..

a few months ago, when the time came to pay the balance for this trip I needed to make a decision.
my mother was slowly but very surely dying from cancer and the fact that she lived in Switzerland and I lived 6,000km ( 3,728.227 miles ) away on a different continent just made it so inexcusable to spend this kind of money on a trip so frivolous.. I needed to spend my money on going to see my mother and, I needed to be available at any given time to rush to her...

not even a month later the unimaginable, unbearable happened.. my mother passed away, expected yet horribly sudden, too late to get a few days with her while on this earth, we still had to rush over there to be with family and to honor her...

we had been praying for God to have mercy on her and God was merciful... He took her and spared her more suffering ... I am holding on to that when the waves of grief still overwhelm...

not being on that cruise this week still is a hard thing to do...

but again, I am thankful

thankful that I could instead have been tending to family for the last 10 days

thankful to be home with my husband who is such a pillar of strength for me

thankful that, as with my mother passing, there is now new opportunity to be transformed..

to be content in all circumstances.

to not be jealous but to rejoice with those that are rejoicing.

to take feelings and thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ and to allow Him to change me

I wish I was there, but God had a different plan

His plans are not only to not harm me but to prosper me, to give me hope and a future, they are the very best, it's actually a no brainer.

we did not know the timing of it all.
He did.

time spent with my daughters who I am missing so and who miss me..
time spent with my father, who having lost his wife, bowed his knees before Christ just 4 weeks ago
time spent with other family members trying to help navigate new territory
reconnecting with friends who needed encouragement and who encouraged me.

so, long story short.
God never wastes one second of our lives.
He always is faithful to mold us and shape us,
to make us more like Himself..
often through taking away,
always through blessing us.

there is strength within the sorrow

there is beauty in our tears

and You meet us in our mourning

with a love that casts out fear

You are working in our waiting

You are sanctifying us

when beyond our understanding 

You're teaching us to trust

Your plans are still to prosper

You have not forgotten us

You're with us in the fire and the flood 

You're faithful forever

perfect in love

You are SOVEREIGN over us...

..beyond our understanding you are teaching us to trust...

one of the many, many most wonderful things that happen at the Michael W Smith and Friends Events is that we sometimes find out a few things that no one else knows yet.... ooooolala....

but seriously, it is quite amazing to hear 2 songs Michael has been working on for his new "album" that will be coming out some time next spring..

being part of some of the background vocals for one of them was out of this world..
the other one, that he played for us during the Sunday church service is what God has been using in my life over the last few days...

since I love the kind of music he writes, obviously, and love his voice.. :) it's often the lyrics that make a song stand out for me... God uses those to minister to my soul...

this is what this one, and I don't remember if he told us the song title... says:
( and I didn't tape the whole song... so this is all I have)

........ ( missed the first part... )

you are working in our waiting,

you are sanctifying us,

beyond our understanding,

you are teaching us to trust.

your plans are still to prosper,

you have not forgotten us,

your are with us in the fire and the flood,

you are faithful forever,

perfect in love

you are sovereign over us

you are wisdom unimagined,

who could understand your ways,

reigning high above the heavens

reaching down in endless grace..

....... ( missing a phrase here... sorry..)

compassionate and kind

you surround and you uphold me

and your promises are my delight..

your plans are still to prosper,

you have not forgotten us,

your are with us in the fire and the flood,

you are faithful forever,

perfect in love

you are sovereign over us

even what the enemy means for evil

you turn it for our good

 for your glory

even in the valley you are faithful

you are working for our good

for your glory..

your plans are still to prosper,

you have not forgotten us,

your are with us in the fire and the flood,

you are faithful forever,

perfect in love

you are sovereign over us

amazing how God orchestrates things.... perfect comfort at the perfect time... nothing new, just put in words and to music that stirs my soul... 

He has not forgotten me... He is working in the waiting... and He is always working for our good.. for His glory.. because He is faithful...

a wonderful start to a new week... to Him be the glory forever Amen!!!

..suspended somewhere between Heaven and Earth...

... sitting at my desk this grey afternoon... having some time now to reflect ... it has been a busy week, and " work wise" the week will be over for me in 40 min...

my children, but one, and she leaves tomorrow, are away... my brother and sister and families are gone for the summer as well...
friends are on vacation, even my pastor is gone for the month of July...

just returned from one of the highlights of my life... I feel so very blessed..
a trip to Franklin, Tennessee to spend with wonderful friends from all over North America, enjoying amazing concerts, food and fun...
Worship times, devotions, skeet shooting and hot air ballon rides... sunshine, delving deep into the history of the battle of Franklin in 1864, antique shopping .... if I had to make a list of what would make me happy I couldn't have put it together any better.....

spending these few days in an area they call the "buckle of the Bible belt"... just what my soul needed..
when there is Christian music playing in a little boutique with the finest of clothes, antiques.. a prayer wall and the owners donate 10% of their profit to Christian charities a year.. when parking in the two parking garages of Downtown Franklin is FREE.. when those you pass by in the streets make eye contact with you and genuinely greet you and wish you a "great day y'all"... you know you are suspended somewhere between Heaven and Earth....

recording a few lines of background vocals for one of Michael W Smith's new songs on the new CD that will be released sometime next spring... John Elefante, former Kansas lead singer performing "Dust in the Wind" and some of his own Christian songs... more concerts, Brandon Heath being one of the song writers performing during the "Writer's Round" at the Open Air Concert by the lake and the willow tree at Deer Valley Farm......

leaving this little piece of heaven is hard for me every time I have to do it.....

so thankful to my Father in Heaven to allow me these kind of experiences..so undeserving I am, and yet He showers me with blessings...

sitting here, all alone, soon I will go home to my house... the last two days have been exhausting yet exhilarating.. serving my Jesus always is... I think I will just have to lay low and bask in the afterglow of this great little trip I just came back from...

#SoliDeoGloria