In sickness

Our house has been rampaged by sickness these past weeks. The first week I had a terrible cold that kept me home from work one day, the next week Paul then got this stomach flu that had been going around and just when that finished he got a cold that between the two kept him home for 4 days last week, and this week I am down with that same stomach flu. Terrible. 


It's an interesting time to be sick - we both are in positions where we don't have sick days - so the choice to stay home is definitely not so easy. At the same time, we've both obviously needed this time off - our bodies have made that very clear. So between the two of us we have a week's worth of unpaid time off. I believe that God provides though - He always has before. It is amazing to see how our finances always work out - God is very good!


Last night church was amazing. There was such a sense of family and community there. It is amazing to me that at 3:30 church is still empty (though that is the start time) but by the time two songs have gone by and I go up to welcome the church, it is now totally full! I think we may need to learn how to be on time, but it is nice that it doesn't stay empty. 


Pastor Greg spoke on the differences between Judah and Joseph. Judah was one of Joseph's brothers. He was the one who suggested they sell him in the slavery. He is also the father-in-law in the story of Tamar. And Joseph, well you know his story. PG talked about the differences between Problem Solving and God Trusting. Whenever something bad happened to Judah he went out and fixed it. Whenever something bad happened to Joseph he trusted God. Joseph was born knowing that his father loved him and cared for him. Judah was raised knowing he was loved less. He was rejected by his father, Joseph was loved by his father. This made all the difference in how they saw the world and how they chose to make decisions. 


It is interesting to see how our starting points make a difference. If you believe that God loves and likes you, then it is easy to walk life out believing that he has your best in mind, even when bad things happen. Despite our circumstances we can trust God. Joseph understood this, within 4 verses in the bible we read that Joseph was sold in to slavery and that he was blessed by God. These generally look like opposites but it seems to be telling us that your circumstances can suck and that God can still love you and bless you. THis is so hard for us to understand!


I have always grown up really believing I was special. That sounds terrible doesn't it? But it's true. I always knew that if people got to know me they would like me. I grew up knowing that God loved me. That my family loved me. When good things happen, I kind of think, well of course. When bad things happen, I think, hmm...well I'll just keep trusting God, it should work out. And it always does! It's funny my uncle says something very similar to this in his sermon, but this is something I've always felt. 


Believing these things; believing that God loves me and likes me are huge parts of the reason why it is easy to step out and follow the things God puts in front of me. This harkens back to my entry on prayer - the belief that God loves me totally and provides, even the smallest of things. 


Anyways, I shall now go back to laying on the couch, wishing my stomach would return to normal.