goodness

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 (9:56 a.m.)

Carnival Elation ~ Cabin U112

“At Sea” (off Catalina?)

Oh Your Goodness Lord!

Oh, Your Holy, amazing goodness! I don’t even know which way to turn Dear Lord! There are so many blessings! Where do I even begin to thank You for them all?

Is it to say thank You for such an amazing husband that booked this incredible adventure and wanted desperately to include his mother-in-law in it? How about the peaceful, calm, lake-like waters upon which we are currently cruising? Lord. You are amazing!

There are so many friendly, helpful people and so much to see and do. You are amazing Lord. Truly amazing!

I sit here in solitude on this fabulous balcony, not wanting to do anything else but commune with You. Looking at the sun’s reflection on the water, I see a combination of twinkle lights and diamonds and I claim them as Your gift to me. Another glimpse of Your goodness Lord. Your amazing, generous goodness.

As I sit here contemplating Your Word (Hebrews 6:5; 19) and ‘singing to You a new song’ (Psalm 96:1) by keeping the tune but changing the words ♫Holy is the Name [Blessed Be Your Name]♫ Lord, I am blessed!

More songs come to my heart, my mind, my soul quicker than I can even begin to sing them. ♫Lord of all creation Of water earth and sky The heavens are Your Tabernacle Glory to the Lord on high God of Wonders beyond our galaxy You are Holy, Holy The universe declares Your Majesty And You are Holy, Holy…♫ and then especially, ♫Lord, You Are More Precious than silver. Lord, You are more costly than gold. Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds. And nothing I desire compares to You♫ (Proverbs 3:14,15).

Thursday, November 19, 2009 (11:15 a.m.)

U112 ~ Ensenada (“Enchilada”), MX

Mm, Most Good and Holy God,

Thank You Lord! Thank You for the last two mornings of waking up remembering that ♫This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice. I will rejoice and be glad♫

It’s not yesterday or tomorrow or the day after or before that. No, it’s today that I am to rejoice and be glad. Regardless the circumstances or locale, THIS is the day that You have made! I WILL rejoice and be glad! (Psalm 118:24)

Thank You God! Thank You for an early morning [9:00 a.m. – not exactly early according to non-cruise life] one mile “on deck for the cure” breast cancer awareness walk coming into the harbor. What an incredible way to start the day.

Thank You too for actual hunger in the morning for which to join my mom and husband for breakfast. Lord, how I am being made even more aware by others of the blessing that I still have in my mom. Blessed Father God, I am truly asking that You would enable me to more fully appreciate EXACTLY what we have in her!

Rather than rejoicing and being glad with where she is today, I fondly/bitterly recall the yesteryears and fearfully anticipate the tomorrows. ♫THIS is the day that the Lord hath made... I will rejoice in it!♫ Help me remember this!

Psalm 118:22-23, “The stone rejected by the builders has now become the capstone of the arch! This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous to see!” Blessed God, I confess to rejecting Mom’s current health and mental restrictions. Rather than embracing them (and her!) I hold her at arms length. I help keep her safe. I want her to feel loved. Far too often though Lord, I know I ‘tolerate’ her much more than I treasure her.

“THIS is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (v.24) I don’t want to continue rejecting these circumstances Lord. Truly, I WANT to rejoice and be glad in them!

You are truly good! You know exactly what You are doing. I want to trust You with every aspect of my being. “O Lord, please help us. Save us. Give us success.” (v.25)

I would not have chosen for myself this role of giving care to a dementia-impaired parent. In fact, You saw better than anyone how long and hard I rejected this particular ‘stone’. It truly is because of Your goodness that I get to continue catching glimpses of Your mercy and grace throughout this whole process.

You are building us into a masterpiece I could never have even hoped to imagine and for that Dear God, I truly rejoice and am glad in it! Thank You Lord. I love You. Amen.

(773 words ~ 12:30 p.m.)