Yet, I WILL rejoice in the LORD.

When it rain it pours. Literally. I guess it all started during hurricane Matthew. I told Andrew to finally refill our attic insulation from our previous pipe's bursting and flooding our attic last year.

While he was up there, he saw 5 dripping holes in the attic. Great. Through the night of the storm, while the rain and wind was beating the house, he had to replace the buckets with dry ones.

Then this week, we ran out of ketchup. I know it doesn't sound like a big deal. But in the commitment of feeding 15 kids of the neighborhood (every Thursday we invite those from the neighborhood to come share a meal and a fire with us) we ran out of ketchup.

Well, I hop in the car, while Andrew is getting the fire going, I tried to avoid my neighbor's mirror (of course he parked close) and two trash cans behind me (it was trash day) and trying to do all this, I don't realize that my neighbor is parked into my path! Uh oh. Bump! Geez. Fender Bender.

At the same time, I am hearing some of the neighborhood kids yelling at a lady that was mowing her lawn about something. Apparently it gets pretty escalated so that Andrew has to leave the fire building and talk it over with all parties. I find out later that the lady said some pretty offensive racial comments, and the kids were disrespectful back to her. She even says that she is "Christian" and "those kids need to learn respect." WOW. Sad.

So I finally make it to the store to get ketchup. I come back to ONE kid in the backyard beside my own. ONE. We just bought over 20 hot dogs! All because of people getting offended, hurt and resentful. So then, instead of making dinner, our backyard becomes a therapy session. Everyone talking about how they were hurt. Ten-year-olds were saying things like, "I'm never going to forgive her for as long as I live."

I did not realize that kids can harbor so much hate and unforgiveness in their little hearts.

At around 8, they all are asked to leave to go home. We crash into bed and wake up to a terrible smell.

Apparently all night and day, our fridge had been broken. We never knew because the light still was working! Ugh. Over 2 gallons of milk, two containers of strawberries, yogurts and other expensive things, wasted. Gross!

First world problems.

You would think that in all things that we "do" for God that he would "help us out" you know? Life doesn't always work that way.

In fact, sometimes, it seems that tribulations only happen to God's people.

In Habakkuk 3:17-19 it says: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."

I think my version of this verse would be: "Though I have holse in my roof and not enough buckets, though the ketchup amount fails and driving produce accidents, though there are no kids in the backyard (with 20 hot dogs) and no fridge for my food, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."

Just today my mother calls me. Apparently someone from her old church, that she hadn't heard from in so long, calls her to tell her about my plight (I post it on my status on Facebook) and my mother has no idea that it all happened! The lady then asks my mom to pray with her about her son just losing his job and he just had his fourth kid. My mom then prays for her right on the phone.

Praise God that my struggle prompted someone's heart to be turned toward's the LORD and seek help.

Thank you God for all these things happening, because through it, you are working something amazing out!

You might be going through something right now. Be encouraged that everyone goes through difficulty. Praise God in it and look for ways to show other's his love and grace!

Christal

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