Tuesday, March 16, 2010

God works in Mysterious ways

God works in Mysterious ways!

Apparently, this line came from an old hymn.

But I can see how God has worked, just in the past 24 hours.

I was wondering how I could be at the office to start a new person I hired while at the same time getting dad out of the hospital.

Then there was a weekend storm. It rained for many days (not 40, but many).

We saw the usual flooding, but a bit more pronounced.

I just happened to power up my work laptop to get a phone number (for a benefit at work that allows us to get help for elder care). I thought, well, while I'm in here, I might as well check my email. And, there was an email that the power was off at the office and we should work from home!

God works in Mysterious ways!

Monday, March 15, 2010

Difficult times

Wow! What a week (or two) it's been!

  • We attended 3 wakes and a funeral (sounds like a movie title) the week before last and into last weekend
  • This past week, my dad went in the hospital for a skin condition (he's coming home today)
  • This past Saturday, Ocean Grove (where I'm a trustee) had a big fire (see links below)
  • Also, on Saturday, a church in the next town had an explosion (link)
  • We had a record rainfall for days resulting in my Aunt's foundation collapsing under her house... flooding, trees, and power-lines down all around (as of Saturday 323,000 in New Jersey without power, dozen's of thousands without power in NY)
  • Power is out today in the area where my office is (92,000 without power in Bergen County NJ with news that power may not be restored until Wed/Thurs)
  • I heard that there are trees and power lines down near the office - it looks like a disaster area
  • One of the people from work in Fort Lee NJ (by the cliffs near the Hudson river across from New York City) told me cars were moved in the parking lot from the high winds
  • Flooding with roads closed all around
  • Where my daughter works, they are being told to boil their water (note: if you are in a similar situation, keep in mind that I don't think a water filter will filter out bacteria, so do boil the water when they tell you to)
  • Not to mention the Haiti and Chile earthquakes in recent weeks

Yet, with all going on in my personal life and all these storm related issues, I keep remembering the word that the Lord has had for me lately:
  • John 16:33 Jesus said (My paraphrase) "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world"
  • And, the scripture written on the wall at the Hospital my dad is in: Psalm 55:22 Cast your cares on the Lord and he will SUSTAIN you.
So, be of good cheer in the midst of it all, God is in control!

Links to Ocean Grove fire: