Sabbath

Today has been a good day. I don't feel any better--in fact tonight my head is hurting a lot and looking at the screen of the computer is starting to bother me more and more. But I am more encouraged. Thank you to a couple friends--you know who you are--that have emailed me the last couple days. I am encouraged and I think the Lord is using you to lift me up. One of you also lent me a couple books that I haven't started yet but looked through today and they have already encouraged me even though I only read a few things here and there. As I looked at one I found a poem that I had read years ago and loved but hadn't seen again. It is:

The Weaver
by Grant Colfax Tullar

My life is but a weaving betwixt the Lord and me,
I do not choose the color--He worketh steadily.
Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride,
Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.
Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttle cease to fly
Shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver's skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

I have been reading through the Psalms (and Mark) for a while now and am nearly done and I am either going to study Job or Lamentations after that. Again I skipped forward a little bit because I saw a website by a fellow chiarian that had some quotes from Lamentations so I looked those up last night. Lamentations 3 was a good reminder. I would like share parts of it (but I am skipping some of the verses b/c of the length).

I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; surely against me he turns his hand again and again the whole day long. He has made my flesh and my skin waste away; he has broken my bones; he has besieged and enveloped me with bitterness and tribulation; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago. He has walled me about so that I cannot escape; he has made my chains heavy; though I call and cry for help, he shuts out my prayer; he has blocked my ways with blocks of stones; he has made my paths crooked. He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes; my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is; so I say, "My endurance has perished; so has my hope from the Lord." Remember my affliction and my wonderings. . . But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him. For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.

One of the friends emailing me told me of some people that are reading the blog and praying for me that she talks to. Sometimes I feel so alone so it was a comforting reminder that there are readers out there that I don't hear from or know that are reading this that are praying for me. It is humbling and encouraging to know that others care. Thank you!