all inclusive blessings...

I listened as Dianna explained the conversation she had just experienced and the tears began to well up in my eyes and run down my cheeks.

We had been praying for a number of things to happen for months. The list included a change of address, new jobs that would support the move and accommodations that would give us more room than we had at the time. Along with several other things that more or less relates the main requests.

I hadn't given up but I was discouraged because God hadn't answered my prayer fast enough. I have always had an issue with patience and so this was a good lesson to learn. But I do have to apologize for that now because I was lacking in faith; it's certainly not because God was slack in answering.

Anyway, Di went on and on almost non stop for about five whole minutes and all I could do was repeat 'hallelujah' over and over as I listened to the mounting list of answered prayers.

It was all coming together for us in one big package and yet I could hardly believe it knowing it to be true.

"This has to be the Lord," I told her as she finished. I could tell that she too was weeping and marveling at what was coming about.

"Yes," she replied, "We're seeing it come true for us at last."

Isn't it odd how our lives make turns and twists and go in and out through precarious places and yet, we survive. We go on and on and the provision is there; always.

I don't know how to adequately put it all into words right now but I couldn't pass up the chance to try.

I'm sure there will be more in the coming days, but I thought it appropriate to mention a few things at this time. A multitude of our prayers have been answered once again. We have a new home, much larger than the one we have been living in and we are close to our church. We will be able to keep Josh in school online so Dianna can continue to help with what he has needed. Our other grandson, Nate has been blessed with a college nearby that offers a Christian orchestra he can join in order to further his career as a cellist and both of us will be paid to work besides having our lodging provided as part of the agreement.

How many times have I wondered when something is going to happen? How many times have I given up on a prayer and gone on to seek out other options? Have many times have I tried to hurry God?

I used to think that I was a mature christian but I may need to rethink that belief and make a concerted effort to listen better and not be so quick to jump....

...no matter how hard you try...

I had just left the clients office. After working on his project for hours putting everything I could into it I felt really good about what I had done. The story line was moving at a good pace and the subjects were progressing so that the reader wouldn't get bored and put it down. All the elements of a good story had been put into place and I was expecting a good review. Not so. The phone rang as I drove away from the man's office. I hadn't gotten a mile at best.

"Uh John, I don't like what you've written. It just ain't me. What you wrote on your own was okay but it's not going in the right direction and you got the facts wrong about what I was saying."

Needless to say I was devastated. I didn't agree at all with his take on what I had done. On the contrary, I thought it was pretty good given the material I had to work with.

What to do?
Do you just walk away from someone like that or do you stop and reevaluate the work and see if you are the one that's wrong here? At best you wait. Let some water run under the bridge and then go back and take another look at it. It's not the end of the world, it just seems that way.

I am going to have to learn how to deal with rejection a lot better than I do now or I'll never make it. This world is full of naysayers and critics. We can all agree that most haven't a clue what they are talking about at the time or even most of the time but they are there none the less.

I sat back and took a deep breath. The phone rang again. This time I didn't answer it; I just let it ring. Perhaps I'm far too accessible.