DAY 5 - GREEN JELLO AND WHIPPED CREAM

DAY FIVE - SAY IT FOR SEVEN -
"GREEN JELLO AND WHIPPED CREAM"
Last night, our son and daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren invited us to their home for a cookout. Fresh, healthy food and deep loving family fellowship. I am thankful.  It was a wonderful time. 
My daughter-in-law utterly limits sugar in the kid's diet. Utterly.  ON THE OTHER HAND..she understands that every now and then every kid likes candy.. or ice cream.. or a sugary dessert. Last night, after she cleared away the kid's dinner dishes,  she came back with three beautiful dessert dishes - filled with green jello and topped with whipped cream.  The children's faces lit up - they squealed with delight - and said, "THANKS.. MOM!"  Mom would acknowledge that there is ABSOLUTELY NO nutritional value at all in green jello and whipped cream.  But....it gave her JOY to give the kids what they wanted... just because they wanted it. It's a tiny part of their overall diet.  These children have been taught to make healthy food choices and they do.  But the truth is that no was one squealing loudly..."THANKS MOM!" last night for the joy of eating a fresh carrot or asparagus.   The kids understood that Green Jello and Whipped Cream is a treat - and not the normal diet a loving mom presents to children she adores.

And I saw myself in that scene.  I hate to admit that in a spiritual sense - I'm still - at times - a "Green Jello and Whipped Cream" kind of THANKER.  I  like getting SWEET THINGS from my Heavenly Father. I like the easy-to-swallow kind of stuff.  And because He loves me - He often gives me stuff I ask for, stuff I don't need, stuff that has no eternal value - just because He loves me and wants to see me happy. And I saw in those beautiful children that they didn't understand that it was what their mother gave them BEFORE the GREEN JELLO and WHIPPED CREAM was the REAL LOVE.

This past week I have lost two women I love to death... to death.  I've lost them to death.    It's been said that death is part of life - and that's true. But it's not a fun part of life.  It's a sad part of life.  One woman was a friend in her early 60's who passed away in a tragic diving accident, and the other was a dear aunt, like a mother, who lived a long life, and passed away after a short illness.  They are both in the Presence of Jesus.
And today I find myself wondering if... now that they can CLEARLY see the whole picture.. NOW that they are no longer looking through a glass darkly... now that they have God's PERSPECTIVE..

• I wonder if they are thanking God for stuff that those of us still "here" would not see as a blessing.  
• I wonder if now that they are "home" they are thanking Him for the trials He sent them - more than the blessings? 
• I wonder if they see trials AS blessings.. now that they SEE the whole picture?
•  I wonder if they can SEE NOW that it was the testing of their faith that was TRUE HEAVENLY LOVE? 
• I wonder if their thankfulness is completely changed now?  
• I wonder if I can have their perspective... but have it NOW?  I want to.

So...Today.. on Day Five.. of SAY IT FOR SEVEN... I am surprised to be praying a different kind of prayer of thankfulness.  I am thanking God in a new way today.  "Father, thank you for the days my faith is tested. Thank you for the days you orchestrate it that YOU are the ONLY ONE I have... because... You ARE the only One I have.  Forgive me for not understanding that it is in the trial that I grow.  It is the testing that makes me strong enough to overcome and arrive safely HOME.  Help me swallow the bitter pills of life knowing that you love me just as much as when you give me SWEET TREATS that make me smile."
I never expected, when I started "Say It For Seven" that on Day Five I'd have said goodbye to two women I love.. and finding comfort in knowing their lives belonged to Jesus.. and it is Jesus who holds them close.  Nothing else they did while on earth matters - except for giving themselves to the grace God gives through the Cross of Jesus.  Who knew what I'd be thanking Him for?  He knew. He knows.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."   James 1:2-4

I will post a few emails I have received from so many of you.  I will do it tomorrow.  Thank you for sending them to me. (awordtothewives@gmail.com)

I am astounded at how many of you are becoming friends of Mrs. Older.

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Be blessed today.. with good things... even the tough to swallow ones.
I love you,
Mrs. Older
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