Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Philippians 4:2 (NLT)
Some days you just don’t get your way. Nothing is easy, everything is hard. Your good intentions are thwarted through no fault of your own. It’s been one of those weeks.
As excited as we were with the addition of Parker to our family, our excitement turned to dismay this week. I discovered that I am very allergic to her. I’m a cat person with no problems but I have never had an indoor dog so I couldn’t figure out why I started coughing. I thought it must be a cold but I had no other symptoms. Then I noticed that if I was gone for a good part of the day, no coughing until I returned home. A thorough Internet search revealed the bad news. For Mark, it was a tough decision, me or the dog, but I won. We found a wonderful family for her, but it is a little empty around here. So much for my idea of helping Mark get a little exercise.
Last year, I thought it would be a nice idea for all the family to come here for Christmas, 2010. The last time we all got together for Christmas was a couple of weeks after my mother passed away four years ago. It was not at all what we thought it would be so I wanted the option to do it up big one more time. I know that my kids would prefer to celebrate at home and not travel with the grandgirlies during the Christmas season but they agreed to my plan. Little did we know we would have a new grandbaby this year who will be just a bit young for the trip. Disappointed? Yes. Yet, we now have plans to travel to see her in November and everyone else is still coming in December.
I received a phone call today from a woman who was part of a seminar I gave on depression last Spring at our women’s retreat. She wondered if I would be willing to call her struggling friend whose husband suffers from depression. Of course. I’ve been there and understand in ways only members of this particular club can. The interesting thing was that I didn’t think the seminar had gone very well.
Random thoughts and circumstances–but God. It’s not all about me. Sometimes I listen to the still small voice and other times, He has to shout. Help me, Lord, to listen well.