Surrender

In preparation for my Wednesday codependency group I must hear from God.  He is the One leading our group and it is He who gets to pick the topic.
One Word was all it took and it spoke volumes.
Surrender.

Yesterday we gathered with close friends and family to celebrate Ray's retirement.
Everyone would be arriving around four in afternoon, which gave me plenty of time for the numerous details that needed tending beforehand.

Just one fly in the ointment....
Friday night I became terrible ill.

A toilet and a bucket.
Need I say more?

Throw in violent shaking just to make things more interesting.

By morning I was so weak that lifting my head was an effort that resulted in the room spinning.

I told Papa that it was very poor timing...
I hadn't even made my to do list, which was on the previous day's list.
I took a nap instead.
The fatigue should have been a tip off.

My lovely daughter (in-law), Mindy came to the rescue.
She nursed me, took dictation so my list would be on paper, ran her previously assigned errands, plus a few extras and then came home to set up.

A few hours later my sister (in-law), Audrey arrived and we had the dynamic duo in full swing!

The help was greatly appreciated, yet it was hard for me not to be doing anything. 
My body kept me relatively subdued.

I honestly have learned to trust my LORD.  He does know what He is doing and His way is best.
It just is that there are times that I am not too thrilled with how He is directing things!

When my head lost some of its fuzziness and my eyes could focus I thought I would see what Papa might have to say to me in His Word and through a few of His servants.

I read the first seventeen verses in the seventh chapter of the Old Testament book Second Samuel.  King David wanted to build his God a temple in which He would be worshipped.
God was pleased that David had such a heart for Him, but building the temple was not his assignment.  David's son, Solomon would be doing that once he was king.
So God said no. 

But it was a good thing that David had in mind to do! 
Good is not always best.
David had to surrender to God's will.

I wanted to bless my husband and have everything just so for him and his guests.
God said no to my desire to do it myself.
I had to surrender to my God's will.

Oswald Chambers' thoughts for Saturday were about being faithful in the small things so that you will be able to be faithful in the bigger and tougher things.
In the grand scheme of things setting up a party is really, really small...
To be faithful one must surrender.

Max Lucado urged me to remember that eternity was mine and Heaven awaits.  When I turn my heart and mind to these things, it takes my breathe away .
Jesus is preparing a banquet for all who love Him and it will far surpass any party I could ever pull off!

Ah, then we have David Jeremiah....

He spoke of bumps in the road being opportunities for growth.  Otherwise, we will just get tossed about and banged up without gaining a thing.
He wrote that we should not ask  "Why, LORD?", but rather "What, LORD?"
What can I learn?  What do You want me to see?

Let me tell you what I learned...
My God wanted to give my dear Mindy and Audrey the opportunity to be blessings, to have a sense of being needed and meeting that need...
They did and all were very appreciative.

The party was a success.
Ray was surrounded by those who love him.
He was encouraged.
He was blessed.
So was I.

I was blessed because I had surrendered.

Oh, we are going to have a good session on Wednesday!
Surrender will be the topic, but it is more than a topic-it is a way of life...