Absent from Blogland...

... but none of you are far from my heart!

It's been a while since I have posted. I have a few posts brewing in my heart and some thoughts on paper, however the last 2 weeks have been the type of weeks in which I am really thanking God He got me through. Jim's dad was rushed to the hospital on Tuesday the 15th and came home that Friday. Monday the 21st he went back in... came home on Thursday. Between work, the hospital and our other activities I have not been able to sit down and truly put my thoughts on paper and type them into the computer.

Yesterday I was praising the Lord for renewing my spirit. I could tell that the events of the past two weeks had cause me to become weary. Not just by the circumstances, but also allowing myself to get so caught up in the monotony of waking up in the morning, starting the coffee, doing the crossword and failing to truly devote time to prayer. Oh yes, there were brief prayers in the car, moments at my desk, time of prayer after reading a blog post and just a simple cry to Him to get us through the day. I realized I had been distant from my God... and praise Him that He was not distant from me. Create in me a clean heart oh God and renew a right spirit within me!!!!

Our Epistle reading from worship yesterday was one of my favs, and I believe one of the most beloved of many Christians... even with all the tough things going on... God IS working all of this together for good!

Romans 8: 28-30

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[c] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[d] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Watching a loved one's body slowly deteriorate is difficult. But we know the glory that God has in store... it's still a work in progress. God is still working out His plan. He began the good work and will bring it to completion with glory! We are still praying for that peaceful release. Although it will be bittersweet when that time comes, what joy will fill our hearts knowing that not even my father in law's physical death will separate him from the love of God which is Christ Jesus, for we know what God has already done in Christ... so no matter what the circumstance.. all things work together for good.

God bless each of you this week. I pray I find time in my busy schedule to publish a post I have started that was inspired by Le Tour de France. You know how crazy I am about cycling!

Have a wonderful Monday!
With Love,
Kristen