There is still reason for rejoicing!
Have you ever been so stressed for time you don’t even have time to breath? That is usually when disaster strikes. Trying not to be late for work, you are just going to grab a yogurt and a glass of tea. Unfortunately you don’t put the tea back on the shelf correctly and it spills all over inside the refrigerator. “I don’t have time for this!” you scream to no one in particular. Grabbing everything out of the fridge, you mop up the offensive tea, which has managed to run all the way to the bottom. Now you start inspecting everything on the counter for its ability to be salvaged. You suddenly have an epiphany, and grab a crock pot. You take the two containers of the au jus that came from the carry out sandwiches you didn’t use and throw them in the bottom. Next comes the wilted celery that only has one or two days of shelf life left along with the diced onions you found in a container in the back of the fridge. Unwrapping a piece of tin foil you find a nice piece of stake and cut it into chunks and throw that in next. A wrinkled bell pepper comes next followed by a bowl of California blend veggies. You look at the leftover mac and cheese and so to time constraints, throw caution to the wind and add it also. You set the crock pot on low and put the rest of the now clean jars of mayo, mustard etc. back in the fridge and still manage to get out of the house on time for work, although you are a bit frazzled. Satan would have loved to see you lose you temper and curse and swear, and throw a tantrum, but you didn’t succumb to the temptation. Now,
upon entering the house that night, a sweet aroma greats you when you open the door, and pop some refrigerator biscuits into the oven to cook while you change clothes. You dish up your slumgullion, (lovingly known as mustgo, or everything but the kitchen sink meal), and take your biscuits out of the oven. You grab a glass and go to the now clean fridge for what is left of the ice tea and pour yourself a glass. You and your family have a great meal, which was formed out of a disastrous, frustrating morning. The best part is clean up is a snap!
God does the same things with our lives. No matter how much or how often we have a disaster in our lives, he can make it into something wonderful, and praise worthy. We just have to quit fighting him and let him have his way.
As parents we need to teach our children to take disappointments and turn them into praises. We need to be patient with them and help them figure out how to see the good in every situation. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
We as authors have wrinkled up more than one paper that we thought wasn’t worth keeping. But I challenge you to put them into a pile until you can objectively take another look, and maybe make a slumgullion out of the refuse.
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:10
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118:24