After the hurricane, that hit our area, this past September, we had to have the trees in our front yard cut down. Our front yard looks a mess! Stumps everywhere and mounds of dirt and pine straw. At some point we will start to have the stumps removed. It is all good because we are safe and now we have a clean slate to work with and can plant whatever we desire. But it will all take time. Or maybe not so long!
We have a large stump about 4 feet from the deck and the bird feeder. Our very large chocolate Lab, Buddy, has decided to dig all around the front of the stump. The holes he digs are large and deep. He sticks his body into those holes looking for moles. When he is digging and comes across a large root he chews and pulls on it until he breaks it loose. And if the yard was not enough of a mess and now I have these large holes dug and when it rains I have mud holes! But maybe he will be the dig up the stumps and save us some work!
So far, if you are still reading this you deserve an award. Where are you going with this, you might be wondering. Well, this is where. Look at the picture at the top of the page. It is a five foot sunflower, reaching out from this mess of stumps and mud with it's beautiful yellow face looking toward the sun!I have done nothing to bring about this beauty. It is about two feet from one of the biggest holes Buddy has dug in front of his favorite stump and in that hole are about six more sunflower plants growing. How blessed am I with the beauty that is right in front of me.
So here are some of my thoughts. Lately, I have known multiple people who are struggling, their paths in life seems big and dark. They are struggling. The path of life is definitely hard right now. Life has veered off the path they know and have expected to stay on. It is barren of joy and they can't see what the landscape will look like in the future or how to move forward. It is a dark times for these people I know.
Yet we have a God who can bring beauty, joy, peace, and a new path through anything...ANYTHING! It seems a little trite to compare a wild sunflower growing in a messed up yard to some of the life changing events happening to you but yet it is not trite! It is the way God works. Simply and yet with power! Isaiah 46:9 tells us to "remember [carefully] the former things [which I did] from ages past; For I am God, and there is no one else; I am God, and there is no one like Me..."AMP. God has given us special blessings to hold onto so when the road gets rough we will remember him and his power and mercy. It is part of the potter's plan to build our faith in Him so that when we hit those dark times we know the truth. God doesn't bring suffering to us...that is part of this fallen world...but he does promise to stand beside us and comfort us and not withhold blessings from us. It is on us to remember his goodness and mercy, love and promises...Psalm 119:50 "This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life."
One last thought...when I experienced that dark time of my daughters's near fatal accident I couldn't seems to pray or read my bible. My thoughts, my heart, my attention was all over the place. I needed God and his comfort but I just couldn't physically calm down my brain. It took me years to understand that through my tears, through my pleas, through my groans and through the prayers of others He was ministering to me.I loved God but I am human just like you! He helped me put one foot in front of the other each day, it was through his power I was able to make decisions, it was through his comfort I was able to shut my eyes and rest, and it was through our God Almighty, the one and only that I grew closer to him. He knew my love for him and He took hold of the rest until I was able. I want you, those going through the dark days, to remember that you will emerge from the mess of life like that beautiful sunflower to turn your gaze to our God with praise and thanks! He will make it happen...
God bless you during this time of suffering and grace and my prayers are with you!
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God. And we now that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:26-28
