Do not worry.....

In my teen years, I remember my dad's den.  This was a room of contradictions - it was a place of quiet reflection or stern contemplation, it was a place of relaxation or possibly apprehension, it was a place you wanted to be or dreaded to be.  You see, my dad never physically punished us.  He used the words "I am so disappointed in you..."  and whatever situation we found ourselves in became a character building experience.  Have I said already that God gave us the absolute greatest parents in the world?  Because he really did!

Anyway, there was a picture hanging on the wall in the den and I think it is this same man praying and the saying on the picture is "I have had a lot of worries in my life but most of them never happened."  This has been one of my mantras for years (more than I wish to number!)  Whenever a worrisome event occurs in my life, I pause and reflect on this saying and it really helps put things in perspective for me.

My mom lives this saying!  I remember many times in our adult friendship together when she said "I am leaving this in God's hands" and she did!  The situation resolved itself in the way God intended and Mom was satisfied with that.  (What is so amazing is that my mom is a person who likes to be in control.  This speaks volumes to me about her faith...)  Although I haven't had this conversation with Mom, I watched her throughout Dad's illness and, as difficult as it had to have been for her, she left it in God's hands.  Mom loved Dad so much every single day (and still does) but her faith in God is allowing her to accept and move on.  Once again, God is providing us with this greatest example from His loving servant!  For Psalms 48:14 says "that this is God, our God forever and ever.  He will be our guide forever."

For some reason, I was reading Luke this morning and I just couldn't put it down.  I came to Chapter 12:22-25 and found this under the heading "Do Not Worry"

[Jesus] said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.  For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.  Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds!  And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to span your life?

It was like God and my mother talking to me at the same time!  I am just grateful it was about a good thing....

Somewhere in my parents' move from Hooksett to Northwood, the picture has been misplaced.  I have already called dibs on it!  So, one of these days it will show up and then I can hang it in my house.  I wonder if it will even be this same praying man?  But I think it might because my sister has this same picture (the one above) hanging in her kitchen.  That cannot be a coincidence, can it?

Until then, I am thankful for the message and for the example!