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Psalms 37: 4, 5 – Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and petitions of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord (roll and repose each care of your load on Him); trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass.
JOURNAL, dated 11/2015, turned into a newsletter for MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) newsletter:
Reading that passage in Psalms makes me think of my daughter’s Rapunzel doll. She’s about two inches tall, plastic, and can be found most readily at the checkout of your nearest Walmart. That’s where my daughter found her a month ago. Our family of four was buying a little bit of groceries, not because we needed them, but because this Walmart was a half hour away from our in-laws’ house where we lived and, frankly, we needed a break.
We had moved from Colorado to Ohio and felt displaced, disheartened, and kind of forgotten. Our 5-year-old Isaac was struggling with all-day kindergarten in a new place and tonight he broke down, in the checkout of Walmart while 3-year-old Heidi told me repeatedly that she wanted this Rapunzel trinket. Isaac continued to cry on my husband’s shoulder.
I paid for our chips and salsa while telling Heidi the doll was very pretty, but it was time to put it away. Isaac’s cries were now muffled in his Daddy’s arms.
Honestly, I think we all felt inwardly what Isaac was emoting. We’re tired. We’re cranky. Life is hard. My main thought, though I couldn’t have told you at the time was, “God, are you there? We feel so alone.”
Someone tapped me on the shoulder. She was white-haired, holding two plastic, two-inch dolls in her weathered hands. “Which one would your daughter want?” she asked. One was Rapunzel, the other Cinderella. I started to protest when she held up a Hot Wheels car. “I’m already getting this for her brother.”
Choked up and humbled, I told her Rapunzel was her favorite. She bought both for our kids and handed them to me. “Tell your son I hope tomorrow is better.”
After thank you’s to her and her husband, I took Heidi in my arms and told her that doll was a blessing. She pulled that doll out of her purse a few days ago. “Mommy, look, my blessing,” she said.
But for me, God was saying, “I see you. You’re not alone. Tomorrow will be better.”
Do you need a two-inch reminder to delight in Him today? Whether it’s a sticky note of a Bible verse on your bathroom mirror, a favorite song, or a picture that reminds you of His goodness and faithfulness, I encourage you to take delight in God being our Lord!
RESPONSE
Oh Lord, just reading this again today, remembering how hard our first months of our move were. So much uncertainty: where my husband would find a job, where we would live, where the kids would find friends. Thank YOU, Father, for times like this. In times of alone-ness, we seek all the more for YOU. YOU do not disappoint, for when we seek, we will find. When we ask, YOU answer.
One more thing, readers! Don’t have a Bible? Want a simple way to look up Scripture? YOUVersion app is great for your phone, your tablet, your laptop. One of my favorite features is the audio feature. I can have Scripture or reading plans read to me while I do dishes, work in the garden, or fold laundry. I’m hands-free and still learning. Here’s the link: https://www.youversion.com/
Thanks for reading. You can email me at [email protected]. Let’s continue to learn from each other!
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