Always a reason to smile

"The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him." Nahum 1:7 NLT

"Mom, I'm really sick. Will you come to Springfield? I need you." "Oh Luke," I said completely stopping in my tracks upon answering my son's early morning distress call while out running yesterday. "I'll be there as soon as I pick up your sister who woke up with what we think is an ear infection." And so what began as a mundane Monday quickly turned into anything but mundane with an Emergency Room stay with my son followed up by an urgent care visit with my daughter, Hope. And you know what? As we sat in the exam room waiting for Hope to be seen - her lying on the examining table and my son slumped in the chair next to me (feeling a lot better) - I smiled. "Thank you Lord. This may not have been the way I would have envisioned getting my children together but being in the same room with the two of them makes my heart smile."

And you know, every one of us will experience days like this when nothing seems to go as planned and life seems completely out of control. But you know what? When this happens you and I have two choices... we can look at our burdens or we can look at our blessings. And you can be sure that if you are a child of the King, there is a blessing in the midst of every trial - something the psalmist clearly understood when he wrote, "The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him." And that's the blessing in every situation! God is always good. And God is always with us. 

So if your day, your week or your year isn't going as planned, won't you choose to look at your blessings instead of your burdens my friend? And to look up and say, "Lord, this is not how I pictured my life going but that's okay. I know that You are always by my side and for that I will choose to smile?"  

Heavenly Father, thank You for always giving us a reason to smile. In the midst of trouble, you are beside us closer than a friend. When our hearts are burdened, You are there to provide comfort. And when we are anxious, You give us peace. Lord you are good all the time and for that we will choose to smile as we count our blessings today and every day. It's in your precious Name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Smile - Sidewalk Prophets