Aaaahhh, Fruit Flies!!!

Our kitchen had been overrun by fruit flies - I had let some fruit get too ripe. These fruit flies were really beginning to bug me (no pun intended 😉😃), so I looked online for a solution, and I found one - place a cup full of apple cider vinegar overnight close to the 'scene of the crime'.

When I woke up the next day I checked the cup expecting to see the flies on the surface of the vinegar, but they were not there.  I did notice that their numbers had reduced, but I was disappointed that the so-called solution had not worked.

Now, I do not know about you, but the smell of apple cider vinegar is not one of my favorites 😒,  so I decided to empty the cup.  That is when I found my surprise. The solution had been effective - the flies had just settled on the bottom.  Interesting...

As I thought about this, GOD reminded me that sometimes even when it seems like nothing is going on, HE is still working on my behalf.

The Bible says, " [i]n his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working," (John 5:17, NIV, biblegateway.com).

So do not worry about what you do not not see, HE's working on your behalf, and HE's got your back 😊.

Be Blessed 🙏,

AAA

I Love It When This Happens

We had received a recommendation to use a certain brand of sunscreen/bug repellent lotion for our Lil' One.  However, we already had a different one, and wanted to try it out first.  In spite of that, I still went ahead and put the recommended one in a shopping cart online (because it was on sale then, and sales are my love language 😉), but then I forgot about it.

Months later, we decided to get the recommended brand because the first one we got did not work as we wanted, but of course, the sale was over on the website I had visited previously, and it was back to its original price (about twice the sale price). Let us just say this Mama was not happy about that. 😞

We needed it though, so I held my nose, and clicked to put it in the cart. Once I did, I realized that there were other things already in the cart.  Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the ones I had placed in the cart months before were still there, AND Still.At.The.Sale.Price.  What!?!?  You know what happened, right?  This Mama burst out some moves for the Lord. 💃💃💃 

I just love it when HE does stuff like that - taking care of things even before I know they are a problem.

Once again GOD reminded me that HE really does have my back; and that from eternity to eternity, [HE is GOD] (Isaiah 43:13, NIV, biblegateway.com)!

HE truly has ALL time covered - now and then.

So do not worry that you cannot see into the future, HE's got your back! 😊.

Be Blessed 🙏,

AAA

Big Fish Lessons

I have read, and heard about, Jonah's story numerous times, but one day as I read it again, it grabbed me a certain way - a different way.

So let's recap (paraphrased from Jonah 1 & 2 - NIV).  

GOD gives Jonah a directive.  Jonah blatantly and categorically disobeys it, and he boards a ship headed in the opposite direction to where GOD is asking him to go.  (Ha! Puny mankind and our continuous attempts to defy an Almighty GOD). 😏

GOD catches up to Jonah.  It is not as if HE has far to go - HE is Omnipresent after all.  Because of Jonah, GOD sends a powerful wind on the sea, and a terrible storm arises and begins to buffet the ship.  The sailors pray to their gods, gods who have no ears to hear, nor power to help.  Meanwhile, Jonah is found sleeping - the very nerve of him. 😑

The sailors finally cast lots to find out who is responsible for their woes, and Jonah draws the short stick.  Yep, it always catches up to us.  The sailors are terrified.  They remember that he said that he was running from his GOD.  Jonah tells them to throw him into the sea to save themselves.  (Now I don't think that the sailors are given enough credit when this story is told.  They could have beaten up Jonah for involving them in his mess, and then thrown him overboard, but they did not).  They try, instead, to row harder to get to dry land, to outrun the storm  - the GOD-engineered storm.  Um hmm, puny men at it again.  

When they realize their efforts are futile, they call on GOD and ask HIM to show mercy on them, even though they are guilty of aiding and abetting a fugitive, and also for what they are about to do to said fugitive.  Then they throw Jonah overboard, and the storm calms down.

NOW HERE'S THE KICKER:

The Bible says, that GOD had prepared a huge fish (a whale?) to swallow Jonah, and he stayed in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.  Each time I had heard this part of the story previously, I was disgusted by the very thought of being in anything's stomach - eewww.  However, on this day, GOD opened my eyes to see things a little differently:

If GOD had not prepared the huge fish to swallow Jonah, what would have happened to him?  More than likely, he would have drowned, that's what, OR he would have been attacked by some of the more unfriendly inhabitants of the sea.  Sharknado anyone? 😳

Yet GOD in HIS mercy - HIS mercy that has kept us from complete destruction - HIS mercy that is new every morning (Lam. 3:22, 23 NLT, KJV) - prepared a resting place, a safe resting place, for HIS hard-headed, disobedient son; a place where he, Jonah, could think about what he had done - a divine time-out, so to speak 😊; and when Jonah saw the error of his ways, repented, and asked for forgiveness, GOD commanded the fish to throw him up onto dry land.

This sure makes me want to shout HALLELUJAH!  Because it reveals a FATHER who loves us so much that HE will not let us get away with our sin, our disobedience; and yet, HE loves us so very much that even in the midst of HIS discipline, HE provides us safety, and covers us with HIS love and mercy.  Oh HALLELUJAH!  🙌🙌🙌

This is too wonderful to fully comprehend, but it should encourage us, remind us that no matter how far we stray, our Father is going to do it all takes to get us back to HIMSELF.  Actually, HE has already done all it takes to get us back.

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV, biblegateway.com) says,

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

AND,

In John 3:16 (NIV, biblegateway.com) we have the all time promise,

"For God so loved the world that HE gave HIS one and only Son, that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have eternal life."

Never forget, HE reeeaally loves you, and HE's got Your back! :)

Be Blessed 🙏.

AAA

HE Gives Laughter....

Ooooh I was not happy.  My life was imploding, and all my best laid plans were in disarray.  What was worse?  I had prayed all manner of prayers, I had quoted scripture upon scripture, I had declared out loud my faith in GOD's ability to turn things around in my favor.  So did HE?  NO!  Well, not exactly in the manner I had wanted or expected.  So yes, I was not happy.  Scratch that, I was ANGRY 😡😡😡, particularly, at GOD.  How could HE?  Why would HE?  Had HE not said HE would answer our prayers!?!  

The funny (not haha...well maybe, haha) thing was that even though I was angry with GOD, I also knew that HE was my Only source of help, so I tried to keep my anger to myself, mostly fuming in my head.  Hmm...  Like HE did not know what was going on in my mind and heart 😉😌. 

On one particularly rough day, I came back to my apartment for a quick break from running errands.  When I got ready to leave to continue with my errands, I could not find my apartment key.  I looked everywhere, and I could not find it.  That sure Did.Not.Help!  I got super frustrated, and after a few more unsuccessful attempts at finding the key, I stormed out to get the spare.  It was only when I got out, and heard the click that it hit me - the only way I could have gotten in was with my key, sooo it was definitely in the apartment.  Oh, so what was new 😑.   

I got the spare, and still frustrated, stormed back to my apartment, throwing a 'mini', internal hissy fit - you know, the 'I can't believe You would let this happen to me' kind.  

It was then that GOD decided to step in and teach me a thing or two. 

Not too long before this implosion that was my life, I had been discussing the story of Job with a colleague, particularly, the part about GOD coming in and rebuking Job, after he and his friends had gone on and on about his (Job’s) situation.  Also, as a way to escape from my woes, I had been watching a lot of sitcoms - giving GOD all the tools HE needed for this lesson.  

Because, right in the middle of my fit, I heard, clear as day, “Girrrrll, don’t let me get started on my ‘where were you when I laid the foundations’ speech,” (please check out Job Chapter 38 for this speech).

I stopped dead in my tracks, and thought, “okayyy, we would not want that,” and just burst out laughing.   As I laughed, I felt the weight I had been carrying around begin to lift, and the fear that had consumed me, also began to fade.  

Things did not turn around immediately, nor did they work out the way I would have wanted then, but I made it through, with a few more stumbles into fits, along the way. 😉😊

Thinking about it afterwards, it amazed me that even in the middle of my hissy fit, GOD found a way to remind me that HE was with me, and also that HE has a sense of humor 😃.  

That day, and many times afterwards, I have found that HE gives me something to laugh about, even in the midst of the hard times, and that helps me get through them.

GOD promises in Isaiah 43:2-3a (NIV, biblegateway.com),  

² When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

And in Matthew 28:20b (NIV,  biblegateway.com), HE assures us, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

So, do not be surprised if you find yourself laughing or smiling, when everything would dictate otherwise; GOD's got You 😊.

Be Blessed 🙏,

AAA



*Clipart : https://www.google.com/search?q=free+image+of+laughter&tbm=isch&tbs=rimg:CQEmwfvOtChxIjhvlfgAczlbhlc5E4AMXeg-MSyWfxIJQ5jcAhk-e62gQN1r4h-U13vs-tS6tczuaV0EZmmZ00AqpyoSCW-V-ABzOVuGEQFPBCIV7lQZKhIJVzkTgAxd6D4Rp3pk0O0mVyMqEgkxLJZ_1EglDmBHqGe6T-Y8KlioSCdwCGT57raBAEXesimkg0ejEKhIJ3WviH5TXe-wRED_1P_14jpYYoqEgn61Lq1zO5pXREQYkG2entuoyoSCQRmaZnTQCqnER_1g3Csk23NG&tbo=u&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNhbnQjO_gAhUjUt8KHdj1D9IQ9C96BAgBEBs&biw=1229&bih=578&dpr=1.56#imgrc=AXsS-LVYfw3Y1M: