What I got for Christmas before Christmas...

What I got for Christmas before Christmas.

 I'm sitting here reflecting on the things that God has done in peace and quite  morning of Christmas.  What joy I have found in Christ this last year!! I don’t say this because of my own doing, because none of it is by me, it is by God’s Grace.  We have had less to give in stuff, but my heart isn’t heavy with worry and stress.  I’m walking in thankfulness and finding joy in what God has already given us.  Treasuring Christ above all is what brings me true joy.  I thank him for bringing me that joy and I know it will never end because I am His child.  Bringing joy to others through Christ is what I treasure.  I can only treasure this because of what I don’t have. Christ has opened my eyes by taking away the extra things that I have been distracted by in this world.  Because of the type of work that David does we don’t know when a paycheck will come or how much it will be.  This sounds hard and I’m not going to deny that but, I have found joy in looking back and seeing What God has done with this. I am depending upon him for our daily needs because I am praying for the paycheck to come.  He has been so faithful!! Their have been times that I have been filled with worry and God provided a way for me to pursue him and only find joy in being obedient to him.  And when the money wasn’t there he provided for the need in a different way.

Two of these things happened this last week:  All the bills where paid and up to date and after we had bought what we needed we didn’t have anything extra for gifts for the kids. I knew a paycheck was coming and I was hoping it would before Christmas.  Well it never did come, but I was content with that because of how Christ caused me to wait and to found joy in how he had changed my heart and shown me thankfulness. Two days before Christmas he laid it on someone’s heart to give us some money to buy them something. After that I was still content to give them nothing even when we now had something to give.
    On Thursday morning Liam woke up with goopy eyes and saying that his ear hurt.  (We have been waiting for word on some medical insurance that we have applied for so we currently didn’t have it.)  I called the doctor we have gone to in the past when we had insurance a couple months ago.  They said that it would be 174 dollars up front for them to see him.  I started to get a credit card and said no we can’t so I stopped and prayed.  After talking to a couple people and making some others calls I had an appointment that would only cost me 30 dollars up front and they would send me a bill for the rest later.  So I went with them and thanked God for what he had provided.  God not only provided a short line and short wait but he provided someone to take the girls so I only had the boys.  Liam got the appointment and the medication he needed for only 4 dollars that day. And the doctor that he saw and the person who filled his prescription took extra time off their lunch hour to provide a quick in and out.  But I came home and couldn’t find joy in my heart and I was saddened by this.  This day was very hard because I was deeply humbled and emotionally drained.  As I looked back over the day I see the still quite spirit that God had given me through out it all.  After I got home I was encouraged by reading a Morning and Evening by C. H. Spurgeon and my joy in Christ was restored. 

Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
by C. H. Spurgeon
Tuesday Morning, December 22

I will strengthen thee.

Isaiah 41:10

God has a strong reserve with which to discharge this engagement; for he is able to do all things. Believer, till thou canst drain dry the ocean of omnipotence, till thou canst break into pieces the towering mountains of almighty strength, thou never needest to fear. Think not that the strength of man shall ever be able to overcome the power of God. Whilst the earth's huge pillars stand, thou hast enough reason to abide firm in thy faith. The same God who directs the earth in its orbit, who feeds the burning furnace of the sun, and trims the lamps of heaven, has promised to supply thee with daily strength. While he is able to uphold the universe, dream not that he will prove unable to fulfil his own promises. Remember what he did in the days of old, in the former generations. Remember how he spake and it was done; how he commanded, and it stood fast. Shall he that created the world grow weary? He hangeth the world upon nothing; shall he who doth this be unable to support his children? Shall he be unfaithful to his word for want of power? Who is it that restrains the tempest? Doth not he ride upon the wings of the wind, and make the clouds his chariots, and hold the ocean in the hollow of his hand? How can he fail thee? When he has put such a faithful promise as this on record, wilt thou for a moment indulge the thought that he has outpromised himself, and gone beyond his power to fulfil? Ah, no! Thou canst doubt no longer.

O thou who art my God and my strength, I can believe that this promise shall be fulfilled, for the boundless reservoir of thy grace can never be exhausted, and the overflowing storehouse of thy strength can never be emptied by thy friends or rifled by thine enemies.

Now let the feeble all be strong, And make Jehovah's arm their song.