Ecstatically Single

I guess I should clarify my last post; been struggling with major irritation and stressing out, and didn't know how to deal with it. Yeah, sure, you pray for forgiveness, you try to do better, and ... you mess up all over again.

Sunday night service was awesome. A lady volunteered to play the piano (all of our regular pianists were gone), and it seemed like God used her to set the mood of the service ... kinda hard to explain, but anyways, we had a great time worshiping God.

Preacher kicked off his message with an interesting illustration. Apparently, there's only two birds that fly across the deserts in the United States: vultures and hummingbirds. A vulture only looks for dead, rotting meat, and that's what he finds. A hummingbird only looks for sweet nectar, and surprisingly, he also finds what he's looking for, whether it's from cactus flowers or whatever else is in a desert. (I don't live in a desert.)

Translation to self: if I'm looking for the bad in a situation, I hanged will find it. Has that been my problem? Only seeing what is going wrong, and not stopping to look for what is so awesome and right about it?
Then Preacher brought out the verse, "Blessed be the Lord, Who daily LOADETH us with benefits, even the God of our salvation." The cool part was, my sis and I had just used that verse in children's church. We found a bunch of heavy things like books and stuff, and loaded Dawson's arms with it all until he was staggering. (Preacher must've stolen my sermon notes.)  ;).

 Hey, this isn't about needs that God provides for; this is about benefits. Extras, as Dawson put it. Good grief! This huge bright side that I've been missing.

Then he talked about God's grace, and it reminded me of how I've been facing problems. They jump out in front of me, and I in my human logic go "Oh boy" and try to handle them on my own. But God's amazing, strengthening grace is there for the asking.

So I tried it out Monday morning; asking for grace, that is. Wow, the difference! Seriously. God, You are so good, always giving me just what I need.

And finally, I have a chance to use the cool quote that Sarah stumbled across months ago: "Look at all these insurmountable opportunities!"

Thrilled and thankful, :D
Jenn