Blessings

Marsh knew I was having a particularly challenging day (thanks mostly to my horrible seasonal allergies!) and played a song for me when he came home. It's called "Blessings" by Laura Story:

While he played it, I sat on the couch folding laundry and crying into the clean washcloths.  I thought of the waiting we have been doing for almost a year now and how difficult it has been recently to have the date continue to be inched back further and further on the calendar.  Then I remembered the thought that came to me the other day that the Lord has a timeframe for a greater purpose than I can see right now.  After I had received that impression, I thought about all the reasons it was good to be home at this time and all the reasons He could be keeping us here for a while longer.

Then I thought of Ruslan and Nastia and the challenges they have been through.  Some might say that an unloving and unjust God allowed them to be orphaned, or even struck them with this tragedy because He is an angry God...or even that, because of this injustice to these innocent children, there is no God at all. 

But, in their specific case, without the tragedy there couldn't have been hope for something better.  Because of the loss of their mother, they will have an intact home, a father and a mother, siblings, grandparents who love and support them, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the advantages of the United States, the beautiful surroundings of our little town, animals to care for and learn from, work to do on a little farm and the list goes on.  It is painful to describe it that way, that the loss of their mother creates a better life for them, but it is just one more evidence that the Lord has a plan and that our trials can bring about greater joys, greater growth, more compassion, more gratitude, more blessings...if we will let them.

So, our rain drops in this journey are simply bringing about flowers of blessings that we just can't see today.  We may someday understand it all, but the important thing now is to allow the Lord to continue guiding this journey and pay attention to how He is watching out for us along the way.  He doesn't do anything that doesn't have a purpose.  Every creation has its place.  It is our job to rely on His mercies and have joy in the journey.