Fun and Sad Day

Yesterday after church, Rodney, Riley and I went to the State Fair. We went with a few friends from church. One of them was one of our, just graduated, youth. She rode with us to the fair grounds. On the way we found out that this was going to be the first time she had ever been to the state fair. We also found out that she was headed to college this next week end, so this had been her last Sunday, for quite awhile, to be with us at worship. We all decided it was going to be a sweet, fun, but sad day.

And it was...The day was beautiful, but the sun was too hot for me so I had to stay under an umbrella. This meant I had to be careful not to hurt people with it.  We saw some really cool things at the shopping tents but none of us really had money to just burn, so they went without being bought. We ate some really good fair food but it can be expensive. (Totally worth it though!). We saw the cutest brown cows but you know what happens to most of them after the fair.

The one thing that our sweet friend wanted to find most at the fair was the deep fried cookie dough. She finally did and they were delicious but oh so, so sweet. Too sweet really. 

We heard some wonderful Christian rock groups, while we were there. Our favorite, was a newer band called "For King and Country". We bought their one and only CD. Riley was really sad they didn't have more CD's.  You can bet he will have us on the look out for them as they come out. 

The gift of life can be full of sweet with the sad. School is starting but that means your babies are growing up. Graduation comes but that means your children will be moving out into this world, on their own. Your job relocates you, and that is exciting, but this means you leave friends and family behind when you move. You have a loved one who is not going to make it and that is sad but the very sweetness of this is that they will be with our Lord.

There is one common denominator in all of the ups and downs of our lives, and it is this...God is there for us. He smiles with us and He cries with us......He is our refuge.....the author in these Psalms truly understood this for us...

Psalm 62

Common English Bible (CEB)

Only God is my rock and my salvation—
    my stronghold!—I will not be shaken.

My deliverance and glory depend on God.
    God is my strong rock.
    My refuge is in God.

All you people: Trust in him at all times!
    Pour out your hearts before him!
    God is our refuge! 

Psalm 144

Common English Bible (CEB)

15 The people who have it like this are truly happy!
 The people whose God is the Lord are truly happy!

Life is a gift from God. Every morning we unwrap the paper to see what the day will bring. Yesterday we had a very mixed but rewarding day. Wonder what today will bring? 

As you unwrap the present of the your each and everyday, remember that God will be there through every up and down, every sad with sweet. Every surprise the world gives out. God is there for us, through it all!

Blessings!