This morning, I went out for my run with tears in my eyes but came back feeling like the most BLESSED person in the world. Here’s what happened under my God tree, when at 27 minutes past the hour, I picked page 27 to read on our family’s website, werollwithgod.com:
I first read about my daughter, Ember. I called her to ask one question, “Do you have any doubt that God arranged all of this for you?” My girl is about to leave to what I call a country club university in New York, where she can learn horseback riding, join the tennis club, and most crucially, have internship opportunities with the top companies in the world. I can’t get over how the university already received a part of the loan money from Discover Card. Her dad did not initially agree for her to go, so I said I would guarantee them for her like my mom did for me.
One day I said to her, “Don’t come to work until you find out about applying for student loans?” She Googled and discovered that Discover Card offered them. Within less than a few hours, they approved her for up to $140,000 for her 4-year degree. This is after the school had already given her $120,000 of scholarship monies. When I write that God exceeds our expectations, He truly does! “Please, God and university, take her, and finish raising her for me!!!” I have no doubt God will continue to guide and be with her every little step of the way. God, our confidence is in You!
“LORD your love reaches to the heavens, your loyalty to the skies” – Psalm 36:5
Then, I continued reading about what had me in tears before leaving – my hurts – that have become my cross to carry for God:
“What then will the cross be for us? Look: what do you find most difficult in your everyday life? Well, that’s the Redeemer’s cross for you. Those tough temptations you meet, your ill health, your heavy demanding work, the defects of the people among whom you live, WHO HURT YOU…. Have supernatural outlook! All this, for you, is the cross of Christ…Carry it joyfully, lovingly. Carry it generously and you will learn to hide it from those around you, as you would hide a treasure. Hide it behind a generous smile and you will discover in the depths of your soul, what our Lord’s words mean when he says, ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light’ (Mt 11:30); for he, the good Cyrenean of souls will help you carry it.” – Jesus As Friend by Salvatore Canals
And on Good Friday, when, historically, Jesus carried his cross thousands of years ago, God was personally asking me to carry this one. No problem, God, anything for You. I will happily and joyously carry it. Especially after talking to my brother, Kevin, who said my cross is nothing compared to the crosses others have to carry. I’ll take my spec of a cross any day, any time! (SMILE) What’s your cross?”
Reading that “spec of a cross” was just the perspective change I needed. I decided not to run back home but to take a slow walk to look around and smell the roses. I passed Calvary Church, promising God that just like Jesus who carried his cross to Calvary, I too will joyfully carry my cross for Him and stop being a big, babyface whiner.
“Look around. Look at your life,” I felt God saying to me in my spirit as I walked home happily singing and dancing. God has been my loving Guard Rails who has guided my life on a gorgeous path. Thank You, God, and my brother, Kevin, pictured here with me. I will joyfully carry my spec of a cross, being my most loving and joyful self, all for the glory of God! Everything is between Him and us, not between us and anyone else. Ember, enjoy the country club! You deserve it, my fierce babe! Keep blazing the trail for your siblings to follow!
