Take Time to Rest

I don’t need an alarm clock. I always awaken to the bell on my cat’s collar as she dashes up the steps and gently pushes open the bedroom door. The squeak of the door announces “Ruthie time”. She jumps gently onto the bed. I can feel the give of the covers as she marches up slowly to sit near my face. She stares at me wanting me to acknowledge her presence.

I tease her by lying still with my eyes closed. Ruthie increases the intensity of her purr and places a paw on my nose.

I open the covers, hoping she wants to cat nap a few more minutes. Ruthie responds by nuzzling my arm and padding in a circle. She flops down in anticipation of her morning ear rub. I can’t resist her sweet impatience. I rub her ears, under her chin, and all the way down her back ending with a quick slide off her tail. Her jet black fur feels silky and warm as she cuddles against me. She brings smiles to my heart as I lay back and relax during our morning routine. I enjoy this quiet time of peace and comfort before my hectic day.

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Ruthie came into our family [that’s another story] three years ago. She has stolen my heart and adjusted my perspective on life. She has shown me how to take time to just relax and enjoy the day.

"A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest"— Proverbs 6:10

The Joy and Peace of God's Presence

Thoughts for Today: I listened intently to a 60 year old man telling his story about losing his job. He had recently gotten another job after about a year of interviews. The difficulty was selling his current house. His new job was in another state and that meant purchasing another home. With the depressed real estate market, both he and his wife knew it wasn’t going to be easy. After putting their house on the market, they soon realized that they could sell it, but for a price of $150,000 under what they still owed on their home.

He and his wife shared many of their thoughts as they moved toward a decision. They decided to sell their home at a loss and use retirement funds to pay the difference. In the process, they discovered that they had enough left in their retirement funds to use on the down payment for their new home. They also had money left in their retirement account.

At the end of the interview we see the husband and wife embracing on their deck. They were reassuring each with a quiet, “everything is going to be okay”.

It had to be a difficult year for the couple, but in the end the husband did get another job. They faced the difficult decision of selling their home for less than what they owed, but they had funds to make up the difference with enough left for a down payment on their new home. And they had money beyond that! The couple had what they needed. Seeing one’s lifetime planning and work towards retirement disappear is certainly devastating. They obviously had each other and they were able to do what they needed to do. Certainly they wanted more. Most of us would have wanted more security and reassurance.

As the couple’s story unfolded, it became clear to me that God was creating some good things within the couple’s struggle. I’ve also noticed that whenever bad happens in my life, God reveals some good things to go with it. I have learned to hold on to the good things in my life to get through the bad times. The good amid the bad is not always easy to see. Sometimes it takes me a while to clear the fog so I can look, but I know God is by my side. He’s always with me to help me through each day, good or bad.

I have no idea if the couple I listened to were believers. Were they aware of God’s presence as He protected and cared for them? I wondered if they knew that they were experiencing His reassuring peace as they said, “everything is going to be okay.” I pray that the couple is aware of God’s presence and are thankful for the joy and peace which came from receiving God’s blessings!

Scripture for Today: The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace. Psalm 29:11