Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Memorial Box Monday (on a Tuesday, almost Wednesday...)

As I mentioned on an earlier post, Linny at A Place Called Simplicity is challenging my faith. Linny does something called Memorial Box Monday. She has a box that she keeps small reminders in of the things God has done in her life. It is often the case that my head hits the pillow at night, and my stomach clenches up with anxiety - and oh how everything seems so much worse at night! And I know it's all going to be ok, but I wonder how much stuff I'm going to have to sacrifice and I don't want to! And yet, I know nothing is impossible for God. So on nights like this, it calms me so to read through all the posts of how God has worked in the lives of His people! He loves us! Linny's recent post was a story about an eye contact (I would highly encourage you to head over and read her post and the comments following!) God has done many things for me over the years - some, though, I have forgotten about or they've bccome hazy in my memory. Her post helped me remember a story of my own. And I guess if I had a Memorial Box, I would put a contact and a blade of grass in it. Here's why:

During my sophmore year of college, I was an RA (Resident Assistant) and a group of us were taken out late at night to a campground for training. (This was college! Crazy times!) So we are in this field with just car headlights for light. It was cold and there was a dew or frost on the ground. As we ran around playing the team-building game, someone yelled out that they'd lost a contact. Now it's dark, there are 15 or 20 of us running around on this wet/glistening grass and someone loses a contact. But they couldn't see and it wasn't like they could run home and get another pair. So we began searching in the darkness. I can't remember how long we searched - it doesn't seem like it was too long. But with soft contacts, they dry up fast and I was worried it would dry out and crack. I could remember times when as a child, myself or my brother would lose something. My mom would have us stop and pray. And God would inevitably show us where the item was. So I stopped everyone and told them we needed to pray. I was nervous, but had this strange boldness too. I was kneeling down in the grass and prayed outloud asking God to show us where that contact was - He knew!! He could show us if He chose to. As I opened my eyes, I felt like I should look at the ground to the right of me. I glanced over to my right area in front of me and saw something glistening. Now all the grass was glistening from the dew/frost/whatever it was, but I reached down and it was the contact! It was amazing! God had answered my prayer. Out of that whole field, He had made me kneel right in the correct spot and impressed on my heart to pray - not so I could get the glory for finding the contact, but so HE could! We do serve an awesome God, who cares about even the small moments of our lives. It's hard for me to comprehend and then I know He cares for the small moments and still I struggle to trust Him with the big moments. Shame on me! God is good to us - all the time, not just when He feels up to it. He always wants to take care of us and He always wants us to rely on Him. I so need reminders of that on a daily basis.


On another note, please continue to keep my Grandpa in your prayers. Although he is home from the hospital, he is very weak. He will fail and then he will rally. Pray especially for my Grandma too as she is losing her best friend ever. My heart breaks to think of it. How glad I am that they both love the Lord Jesus and have accepted the work He did on the cross for them! I know they will be reunited again, but I'm sure the time in between will be painful. So please pray for my Grams and Grandpa, and the rest of my family, too. Thank you.

3 comments:

Rachel Tumbry said...

Great story Jessica! I, too need these reminders of the Lord's faithfulness. We should remember that the Lord is faithful in all things, and we should lean on Him for ALL of our ups and downs, not just a few, or just when we happen to think of it. It really does take experience to teach us to go to God first. I know I have gone to others first when I have had a problem. I am slowly learning that prayer should be first. I'm not a fast learner unfortunately. We want to give the glory where it's due! But what's wonderful is we both have children that can be our motivation too! To teach them the right thing to do. Many times, when something is going "wrong", it makes me happy to know that often my children can witness me praying and pray with me about whatever it is. (Because they are watching me, it helps me remember sooner about what is important to do FIRST! PRAY!!!) Hopefully they will remember me doing this just as you remembered your Mom stopping everything to pray! I enjoy reading your blogs so much! :) Love, Rachel

Rachel Tumbry said...

Your Grandma & Grandpa are in my prayers too. I often think about what it would be like to lose the closest person to me on this earth, my husband. I feel so sad thinking of people losing their spouses at any stage of their togetherness. (Each and every time Ron leaves our house, I pray that God would bring Him back to me safely if it's His will.) May the Lord give your Grandma peace as she copes with this uncertain time and praise the good Lord that HE will be the one welcoming your Grandpa whenever he makes his arrival! It sounds like he's had a life in which he has loved much and many and has been loved much by many as well. What a blessing!

(I have one grandparent living, my Nane, my Dad's Mom. She just turned 93 in August. She is good health still but I'm sure it won't be long until we are coping with her passing as well.)

Take care!

Scrappy quilter said...

What a wonderful post. Our God is so faithful. I hope your grandpa starts to improve soon. Hugs..