Day 343 - Saving Grace

"The food wasn't all that great."

Apparently the day wasn't all that great either. We went to a theme park last year that is called 'The happiest place on earth.' As I looked over the day's events it was anything but happy. There was a flat tire, disobedient children, bad food, crowds, a lost wallet and vomit on the way home. 

Have you ever had a day like that where it seemed that everything that could go wrong did? We actually planned the day for fun, happiness and family togetherness and ended up doing the opposite. 

It is funny though because the one saving grace of the day was something special. 

Remember the lost wallet? We were all so worried about it. My sister who lost it had that sick feeling. You know the one. That terrible feeling in your gut that all your personal information and access to your money is out there for anyone to steal. That feeling in the back of your mind that you will have to call every agency and bank you work with in order to stop the old cards and get new ones. It is a terrible feeling. 

We stopped and looked all around. We prayed and looked again. We asked at the lost and found and hit up every employee and trash can we could find. 

Finally on our way out they told us to look one last place. We had given up hope but thought we would try just in case. If they didn't have it that night we would call the next day.

I remember my sister walking to the counter, talking for a minute and then jumping up and down like she won the price is right. With tears in her eyes she was praising God. 

What a day. I guess it wasn't so bad after all. That one saving grace saved the day. It comes down to where you look. Will you look at everything that is wrong or look for the saving grace of God?

Have you had a day like the one I described? What was the saving grace that redeemed the day?

Day 268 - A Tough Terrible Day

"What a tough terrible day. Not that anything on its own was tragic or too much but when it was all added up it climaxed in becoming a day to remember for all the wrong reasons. The great consolation is that God is in control and works all things for our good. The question is am I willing to work through the problem and trial in order to get to the good?"

We have all had days like this where it is one thing after another. Add it all up and you end up negative. It is tough to navigate these types of days because you know that Jesus is on the throne and that you can handle it but you just want to throw in the towel. 

I recently had some really good advice given to me by a very wise friend. He told me that tough days will come and it is okay to quit every day as long as I show up on time the next morning. It takes the edge off a hard day when you realize that tomorrow is a new day. God has new mercies every morning. 

It is like the manna that the children of Israel had to get her in the wilderness. The scenery may not have been pleasant and they probably felt lost but every morning the blessing of God was to be gathered and taken in throughout the day. The Bible even describes the manna as sweet tasting like honey. 

Later Jesus reveals that He is the bread that came down from heaven. We can feed on His faithfulness and on the Word of God every day. He is the sweetness in bitter and harsh circumstances. He is the source of our energy and the life to our existence. All we have to do is get with Him each day and feed on His Word. It will carry us through every trying and tough day. 

Have you been through a tough day recently? What scriptures do you go to when you are going through a trial?