Wednesday, January 3, 2007

awesome words I want to store and remember forever!

These are words of encouragement from a woman who has more than a dozen and a half kids, all very close in age. The amazing woman has been pregnant or nursing for at least 16 years....
I know these angels she's talking about, I have them too. I don't think I would know the power of God to provide in this way had we not had this situation on our doorstep. This is hard but I keep telling everyone, and myself, that it's a different kind of hard. This "hard" has a pay off. Babies, kids, and one day, very far from now, friends.

It was 1:00 AM in the morning as I stood folding laundry with tears streaming down my cheeks. Feelings of being overwhelmed flooded my mind. I cried aloud, ”LORD I NEED YOUR HELP, I can’t do it all! I feel so inadequate! Diapers, dishes, laundry, meals, cleanup, school lessons, baths, hugs, kisses, correction…” My list seemed to go on and on. Then it was as if a still small voice said, ”Michelle, it’s easy to praise ME when things are going good, but are you willing to praise ME now?” Immediately the scripture that says, “Offer up a sacrifice of praise”, came to mind. I said, “OK Lord, I will praise you even now! It really is a sacrifice!” So through the tears I began to sing, “The joy of the Lord is my strength”. In my heart there was a release as if a burden had been lifted. I finished the laundry at 2 AM and went to bed. Days later, I was at our piano teacher’s home (at 7 AM) trying to catch up on paperwork while the children were taking their lessons. Instead, I kept drifting off to sleep! The teacher noticed and asked, “Are you OK?” I replied, “I’m fine, I’m just tired. I was up late finishing laundry.” As we talked more she said that she actually enjoyed doing laundry and that she would be glad to come and help me! That weekend when she arrived we had mountains of dirty laundry, and when she left we had nice, neat, orderly stacks of clean laundry! For 10 years now, our piano teacher, whom we consider a part of our family and loving call “NaNa” has faithfully come (now twice a week) to help us with laundry! GOD sent “An angel” in answer to my cry for help. He is faithful to hear the humble cries of his children. “Humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.” God lifted my burden (literally mountains of laundry!) and freed me to meet the more urgent needs of my family. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory…” Remember mothers, where God guides He provides!
With Love, Michelle
Proverbs 3:5-7

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am so glad she encouraged you much more than my inadequate attempts. Take care.