Joy? – the secret!

Ever had one of THOSE weeks? Well I have just had one and barely survived! Okay a slight exageration here, but it was a tough week!

Started off on Saturday night. I came home from a very busy afternoon shift at work and ended up having a stupid discussion/argument with a person who I love very much! Yes, my halo slipped badly! I don’t know why I bothered to get involved in the discussion as I already knew we were poles apart in our opinions on the matter. Normally I would try to keep peace knowing that our relationship was way more important than ‘who was right’ at the time, but fatigue took over and I didn’t back down. Consequently, I have made a call to say sorry, and to try to get our relationship back to good standing. But I guess it may still take time. This was definitely a time when I could have done with God putting a guard on my mouth. I guess my strong self will was much bigger at the time! Hmmm a lot of self examination went on for the next few days.

On the Tuesday I decided to take my Mum and sister to the ‘Tuesday Special’ movies. We went to the movie ‘The fault in our stars’

Have you seen it? Oh my goodness…. it is not a good movie to go to when you are already feeling emotional! I cried the whole way through. Actually the whole theatre cried! One lady was even sobbing! But really, it is a movie to see. Go have a look for your self, and remember to take your tissues please 🙂

Then I had a call to let me know that church friends of ours adult daughter had had an asthma attack. And she died! She died! I still can’t believe it. She was beautiful, active and a great personality. A mum to three young lads and a devoted wife. She was also sister to two other young ladies who we know really well. What a shock to the whole family. My heart breaks for them all! Gina was farewelled on Saturday morning to a crowd of approx 650 people. Sadly I had to work so I couldn’t attend, but my thoughts have been with them all constantly.

And throughout the whole week I have been sick. It started with a sore throat, and a whole week later I am still coughing…. all day long! I worked Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon and then Monday afternoon and had several coughing fits during the time. Talk about embarassing! Nose running, tears falling and a tickly itchy throat that demanded several coughs to fix! Thankfully other than the wasted feeling after a coughing fit, I actually don’t feel too bad.

And what did I learn from my week? Below is my reading from this Saturday. As I read the first portion of the scripture I felt like it was describing my week. A week of despondency!

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, 
neither shall fruit be in the vines; 
the labour of the olive shall fail, 
and the fields shall yield no meat; 
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, 
and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, 
I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

The LORD God is my strength, 
and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, 
and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. 

Habakkuk 3:17-19 KJV 

But the last part of the reading helped me to refocus! Yet I will rejoice in the Lord and joy in the God of my salvation, and He will be my strength! No matter what is happening around me! God knows it all anyway and I can trust Him with the details 🙂 Praise God!

The Joy of the Lord is my strength!

Where does your inner strength come from?