If God’s love was sufficient for my greatest need, my eternal salvation, surely it is sufficient for my lesser needs,
the adversities I encounter in this life.
~ Jerry Bridges, Trusting God
I pick up Kathy.
Together we pick up Alicia.
On our way to pick up Julie, we pick up...a piece of aluminum.
In my tire.
I hear the sound of trouble first. A hiss.
Did somebody roll down a window? Did the wind suddenly kick up?
Or...is air leaving a tire?
Then I feel the bump of trouble.
And pulling over to the side of the road, I see the source of trouble.
Metal in rubber.
The beginning of our first 4-day vacation together in 29 years was off to a flat start.
If God can handle the biggest need I have—eternal salvation—can he not handle a flat tire?
Certainly.
And he handled it quite well.
• We weren’t yet on the interstate
• Jeff was available and only twenty minutes away
• It never rained on us as 100% predicted
• Big Ten Tires was only 3 miles away and quickly patched us up
The slight adversity of this flat tire was an inconvenience to be sure, but God sent it wrapped in blessings. The only thing it cost us was a little time.
But it squeezed out of us a lot of gratitude.
Sometimes we’re more thankful in the rescue from trouble than if we’d had no trouble at all.
Seeing the trouble first helps us see the blessings more clearly.
The remainder of our week we remembered how good God had been to us—and remembered more—not in spite of having a flat tire, but because of it.
Continue counting His gifts...
# 48....50
~ the God who answers all my cries
~ a cell-phone answering husband who drops everything to serve me
~ rescues from troubles I know about and ones I never even see
# 51....54
~ Milo hamburgers; Garmin GPS; feet buried in sand; money for gas
# 55....59
~ a 5-day new record praying with Jeff
~ an afternoon singing & praying with Christ-believers
~ a real reason to re-learn Spanish
~ Jenna & I running into the Jelly Belly Mobile on tour
~ risking a spin on the Jelly Belly Bean-Boozled wheel
~ the free Lenten “I AM” devotional written by my friend Michelle
~ the hard-copy gifted to me by my friend Dianna
# 62....66
~ faith; peace; grace; hope...
~ ...and sufferings (but I’m only grateful sometimes—still working on it)
~ Romans 5:1-5
~ a growing confidence that God works through big things and little things
* * *
Do you remember to thank God more when you see a save?
16 comments:
True...in those little saves...Thank you for this reminder today!
Oh Lisa, a flat tire is an inconvenience. How wonderful that it didn't spoil your vacation. I'm looking at life differently too as I'm reading Ann's book. Loved your post.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
I don't know why, as many times as I have experienced this and as much as I know it, I still need reminders, but I do. But thanks for the reminder!!
Sometimes we’re more thankful in the rescue from trouble than if we’d had no trouble at all.
Seeing the trouble first helps us see the blessings more clearly.
Wow Lisa, I needed these words. Another doctor for Shelby today and then a referral to another. 17 vials of blood so far and still no answers. And I'm trying to count the blessings but my fear is taking over. I push it down and it rears its ugly head again.
Wasn't it me that posted not too long ago that I'd learned how not to worry? I need that girl back.
I love that your response was to be thankful for the gifts that were apparent in the inconvenience of the flat tire.
Still, I hope the rest of your vacation was mostly inconvenience-free! :-)
Such a special post and list! I love watching how God is opening your heart and eyes and hands to His gifts. He's simply amazingly stunning!
Wow, Well said. Thank you for the reminder ! So glad you had a good time with your friends !
Janet
The tire story – a little miracle story – and I love this: “Seeing the trouble first helps us see the blessings more clearly.” – amen Lisa
My favorite from your list? # 67 ~ a growing confidence that God works through big things and little things (mine has been growing like this for a while now – in spurts and non spurts – currently in a slow and steady growth period)
This was so good. Thank you. God Bless.
What a good reminder! Thank you for your post...I was just fussing about daylight saving time and God taught me a lesson. Thanks for teaching me again... :) Rachel
http://inhonoroftheking.blogspot.com/2011/03/our-heavenly-father-blessed-controller.html
You can always hope that you can laugh about it later, too. Good for you in seeing the joy in difficulty!
What a great quote! It's amazing when I start thinking about it.
Here I trust God with my eternal salvation, but I don't think He can quite handle that I'm still single (and growing older). I'll trust Him for eternity, but I don't think He can handle the demands my work puts on my time. Can not the God who orchestrates all of time also work out my times for His glory?
I believe, help me in my unbelief!
Rie,
Yes, it was YOU that learned not to worry and I’m grateful because it encouraged me to seek it extra this year. I know it’s still in there for you; the Lord prepared you for this circumstance. The ante has been upped with the unknowns of Shelby, but I know the Lord will continue to work with you to regain even higher ground in dealing with this new fear. I can’t imagine what you are feeling. I am praying for you and Shelby. My heart hurts with you, friend… Please keep us updated.
"Seeing the trouble first helps us see the blessings more clearly."
Yes, Lisa, perspectivve helps us see more clearly the blessings in our lives.
Sounds like you had a wonderful friend time!
I always love the way you see and explain the positive out of the negative. Wow I've never seen a tire as flat as that. I imagine God smiling, "I'm looking after Japan right now. A flat tire? Easy peasy, lemon squeezy" :)
Hazel,
I wince a little as I whine about my silly little flat tire when I see pictures of devastation coming from Japan. Wouldn't they love to have just a flat tire as their problem for the day?
I'm trusting God to send them blessings to overpower that adversity. So thankful He's big enough!
I'm so learning! It's been so great to come here today and read about your flat tire, how you handled it, and best of all, that you could trust the Lord and thank Him for everything in it! I think during the past few weeks I've really learned how to "see." And it is just the greatest thing to walk along with all of you who are "seeing", too! Thanks for being such a blessing with your list! It was great!
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