Praise God from whom all blessings flow......Do you know that hymn? I have to admit that I love it and I love to sing it around Thanksgiving time especially when the warm house and good food and seeing family makes it seem like that is the blessings just flowing and flowing.
But, not every minute of my life is like that. I have days weeks and months when trouble seems to find me. Recently I was mixing up a cake mix for my son's birthday. When I turned around to reach for a spatula I klutzed and the bowl full of my lovely butter cake batter hit the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Have you ever cleaned up large shards of glass and cake batter? Not a pretty sight. I had just been reading a book about praising God in all circumstances, especially the unwelcome ones, the troubled times. There is a purpose, a good purpose somewhere within the trouble. So, I praised God. Instead of doing the "Why does this always happen to me?" and the self reproach, I praised God and asked for help in figuring out what to do.
I ended up running to the store for another mix which I baked and finished icing just in time for the birthday boy to come over. I told the store clerk a little of what had happened as I was buying the new mix. We laughed. I haven't discovered God's great purpose in my little accident. I probably never will. I am happy that it didn't ruin my day or even change my plans. I praise God from whom all blessings flow that sometimes the blessings are disguised as disasters, and I praise God.
But, not every minute of my life is like that. I have days weeks and months when trouble seems to find me. Recently I was mixing up a cake mix for my son's birthday. When I turned around to reach for a spatula I klutzed and the bowl full of my lovely butter cake batter hit the floor and shattered into a million pieces. Have you ever cleaned up large shards of glass and cake batter? Not a pretty sight. I had just been reading a book about praising God in all circumstances, especially the unwelcome ones, the troubled times. There is a purpose, a good purpose somewhere within the trouble. So, I praised God. Instead of doing the "Why does this always happen to me?" and the self reproach, I praised God and asked for help in figuring out what to do.
I ended up running to the store for another mix which I baked and finished icing just in time for the birthday boy to come over. I told the store clerk a little of what had happened as I was buying the new mix. We laughed. I haven't discovered God's great purpose in my little accident. I probably never will. I am happy that it didn't ruin my day or even change my plans. I praise God from whom all blessings flow that sometimes the blessings are disguised as disasters, and I praise God.