Sunday, October 17, 2010

I stand amazed

I am filled to the top and bubbling over. I would not have thought that as the day began.

As the songs at church played, their words tugged at my heartstrings as I considered our friends sitting behind us, continuing down this painful path of mourning the death of their son. As the pastor drew us into the sermon reminding us to recognize our blessings and from whom they flow, tears flowed behind us, tears flowed from us as this couple thought about the blessing of the child now gone.

They left during the last song, and after a little time we decided to visit them. We visited, hugged, cried, laughed and left truly touched by the strength that is carrying them through this time. Daily they struggle with waking up and being hit with the reality of not seeing their son. Daily they delve into the Bible and devotions, work and move through the day. He shared how he is making a point to visit with all of his son’s friends. One, they had over the evening before, and shared his faith and his son’s faith, making sure the friend remembered where his son had turned for strength and answers. Each friend he is giving a Bible. They are working on the epitaph, but there is so much they want to say, and they want it to be something that will speak strongly to all that will see it. In the midst of his pain, at times confusion, he is encouraging and loving and sharing God’s love and God’s help.

Between taking The Man to church and the Bible study I attend, I called a friend whose grandfather passed away last week. At 98, he spent the last few weeks in my friend’s home in a hospital bed, after a couple years in a couple nursing homes. She had closed a business the first of the year and for the past 6 months she has cared for this gentleman, handling all that comes with the position of a caregiver. The plan has been to eventually start job hunting, but pop’s care was the priority now.

Last week another friend at church mentioned, in a group, that an employee was leaving and they would soon be in a desperate need for the position to be filled. Not knowing that this other friend needed a job, they were told of the need. Now there is an interview in the morning.

In the same conversation, she shared an event worthy to be sent to Guidepost. Last Thursday, as she settled in, having returned from the funeral, to handle papers and catch up on email, her phone beeped that she had a new message. She opened the message, seeing it was from her 14 year old, and there was a picture of her pop, a hat on, a lollipop in his mouth and a smile on his face. While she was touched by this happy picture of him, she knew she had to address the use of the cell phone during school. When her daughter came home a little later, she showed her the picture and mentioned about the phone use at school. Her daughter reminded her he didn’t have his phone. It was on the dresser and turned off and he had not sent it earlier.

And while this may not seem that great of the day, it was more than enough to fill my cup with joy. At the end of this day I am so thankful of the witness of others of the work God is doing in their lives, and their willingness to share and bless others.

And at the end of this day…

I stand amazed!


The heavens are telling the glory of God
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
Psalms 19:1-4

5 comments:

FancyHorse said...

Amazing indeed! God is so good!!!

Finding Pam said...

Lailani, this is an awesome post. I stand in awe, too as God takes care of all our needs. There is no better place than church to feel loved.

Jules~ said...

Thank you for sharing this. Death is such a hard thing for our hearts and yet God is so amazing to stand with us and hold us and never let go.
I loved your friend's cell phone story. I knew a couple that had a funny but divine message experience. The husband was seeking guidance about an issue and then promptly received a text from his wife containing a scripture with sound guidance. The funny thing was that it had been sent a year earlier and was floating around in cell phone wave space. God sent it when the timing was right.

Have a blessed and amazing day.

Robin Lambright said...

God is so very good!

Blessings
R

Robin Lambright said...

God is so very good!

Blessings
R