God is Stronger

Copley Square.  Boylston Street.  Commonwealth Ave.  Watertown.  Places I hadn't thought of in a long time.  It had been almost 30 years, since I'd lived there.  They were now locations that were constantly on the news, and the internet.  Two radicals had decided that the famous Boston Marathon would be a place to carry out their horrendous plan to murder and destroy.  They succeeded in the course of five days, to kill 4 individuals, and injure countless others.

But they didn't count on the spirit of the people of Boston. Some hailed from Beantown, others were "Bostonians" only for the day.  During the aftermath of the bomb blasts, countless brave souls immediately helped each other.  People who didn't know the person next to them, comforted and assisted them.  They did what they could to nurse those who were bleeding and afraid.  Through the next few hours, others who watched the horror on local television, opened up their homes to the families of the hundreds who were injured.  They became the Hands and Feet of God to those in need.

It didn't stop at the Boston City Limits.  People from all over the world, via the internet and television banded together and through their tips, assisted the authorities in finding the location of both suspects.  Heroic officers from Watertown Police, Boston Police, and Massachusetts State Police banded together, along with the FBI and over the course of the next five days eventually overtook both men.

I could not imagine how many people all over the world have been praying, in the last week.  Praying for those injured, for the families of those who lost their lives, and for the safety of the people of Boston through the apprehension of the men involved.

God heard.  He heard and through the valor of these amazing people, they are now no longer a threat to society.

There are no answers for the 'whys' in peoples' minds.  Evil exists in the world.  It will eventually be Vanquished...but for now...it is here.  We, who are Christians, have to hold onto the Hand of our LORD, Jesus Christ...just as small children held on to the hands of their parents, last Monday afternoon.  Amid the turmoil and fear, we hold on tight and don't let go...not for anything. The catch phrase, "Boston Strong" will now have more meaning to those who live there.  But as strong as the people of Boston are...God is Stronger.  His Hand will never get tired.  He will never let us go.  We follow where He leads us, knowing He knows the Way.  He will be there for us...even if we are injured and in despair...He is there. He promised it...and He cannot lie.

Deut. 31:6  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Matthew 28:20  "And remember that I am always with you until the end of time."

Time For A Trim

Oh my!  It's that time again.  Marley is in desperate need of a trim.  

I know he can't see that well. Big fluffs of hair are in the way.  He keeps scratching his ears, because hair is growing in there, and it tickles and irritates him.  His feet are hairy, and attract dirt and junk from the outside, and he brings it inside with him.  Time to get the scissors.

If I've failed to mention this...he is not a willing participant, in the makeover!  He doesn't realize I'm doing this for his benefit...because I love him!  Marley wiggles and yanks his legs and head, to try and make me stop.  But I just pause for a moment, then continue on with the process, until it's done.  If he would only realize, his fighting makes the whole transformation take longer!!  

Hmm...kind of like my own 'trims'.  God looks at me, and says, "Oh my!  Looking a little 'hairy' down there!  Got to get My Scissors out, and do some trimming on the one I love!  Fluffs of pride and stubbornness are clouding her vision.  I need to get that out of there.  Her ears are full of the sounds of negativity and lies that disturb her and make her unable to hear My Voice clearly.  Snip, snip, snip...  Her feet have been walking around, and she is dragging the dirt and junk of the world, into the clean Life I try to help her maintain.  Trim, trim, trim....  

I cannot fail to mention that I am not always a willing participant in my own 'makeover'!  All the while, I'm yanking around, trying to make the trimming stop...and God is probably thinking, "Doesn't she know, it's because I love her too much to leave her this way?" "The more she fights, the longer it's going to take."   Do I get it?  Nope.  Just like Marley, I keep struggling against the blades of the Master Trimmer.  I'm glad God has patience with me.  He may give me a little breathing room, then He begins again, snipping away the unnecessary growth, until I look presentable.  Until my character looks the way He intended it to be...like His Son, Jesus.   

As for Marley, he survived his ordeal, and like me, is much better for it!

2 Corinthians 3:18  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.