TRUST

Last night as I was listening to all the commentaries of the upcoming election, and trying to breathe, I thought about my precious daddy. Daddy loved politic! He was a conservative republican and proud of it. He and mama even went to one of the Bush inauguration balls! Every election, for many years, he would talk with the candidates that were running locally but also for state seats. He would get to know them and ask them questions about their views, aims and goals. He would study their past record and weigh what they had done against what they had promised if previously elected. Many times I saw him in action, taking him to Atlanta to the capitol to met with politicians and party heads. One year I helped mama and Daddy throw an outdoor barbecue for Paul Broun who was running for a congregational seat. And I remember when I took them to Washington, DC for my niece's wedding he had to go out to the suburbs to spend the day with one of his buddies who had won a seat in the Senate. He was heavily involved in politics and it was one of his passions and also one of his strengths.

Only this blog is not a tribute to my sweet daddy....though when I begin to talk about him so many thoughts, memories, and feelings take over. I know though you will give me that moment of digressing!  Many people went to Daddy for direction and guidance when they went to vote. Every election year Daddy would do his legwork and his homework. He would then make a list of all the candidates he deemed worthy to vote for. He would make copies of "Chuck's List" and then pass it around, mail it out, and hand it out! I clearly remember a phone call I answered before the election in 2016. His phone rang and so I answered it for him. He said to tell whomever it was that he couldn't talk right then. But on the other end was a very nice woman who insisted on speaking with him. She told me she had "his list" but had some very important questions to ask. Daddy ended up taking the call and I heard all of his side of the conversation. After they talked for about twenty minutes or so she was confident that he had steered her in the right direction. And I found out that he had distributed 200 copies of "Chuck's List"!   

Wow...a lot of people put their trust in Daddy and his knowledge. And I can think of so many times and people we trust for our big decisions. We trust, or I hope we do, the people in our close circles whether it be family members or friends. When my children were of pediatric doctoring age I loved our doctor. If he said it that was the rule...just like Yul Brynner in the Ten Commandments..."So let it be written, so let it be done!" We have our doctors that we trust completely and know in our hearts they are only going to do the best for us.  So many of us have our favorite auto mechanic who we wouldn't think of second guessing when it comes to car repairs..".just get the parts, fix it and let me know what I owe you!" We ask for guidance on home repairs, car dealers, doctors and surgeons, schools, daycare...and the list goes on. And when we trust and love that person we usually take their recommendation and go with it. 

Which brings me to last night. God brought this topic up to me. He asked me to review my trust in Him...humbling stuff! Where am I on running to him? And then when and if I do, what is my track record for totally trusting and running with what he tells me? I must say I barely slept last night. I know the feeling of mama or daddy or both weighing in on something, anything in my life and the total trust and peace it brought me. Have I worked on that with the Lord? Is my first thought to take things to him? The big things YES!...but what about the smaller things? What about the everyday stuff? I talk to one of  my sister pretty much every morning. Even my daughter made the comment today that we hadn't heard from her yesterday or today...that was before she called today...LOL! Yet how many days this week has the day gone by and I realize I haven't had a morning, noon, or even evening conversation with God? If I am not going to him, if I am not sharing with him, if I am not asking him for guidance or direction in all things...how am I going to fully ever trust him?

Last night was a night of looking back. Today is the start of looking forward! That is where I start in getting closer to my Lord and Savior! I am still clay in the potters' hands. The shape is there and some of the details but it is not a finished product...it still needs more molding and shaping!And I praise him and rejoice in the fact that he loves me enough to not leave me as a lump of wet clay on a potter's wheel. He guides me even when I am going everywhere but on that direct line to him. He speaks to me even when I am have not given him the time and attention he deserves. Tonight I will sleep "When I lie down, I will not be afraid, when I lie down, my sleep will be sweet." Proverbs 3:4

And tomorrow.....

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord Himself, is the Rock eternal". Isaiah 26:3-4