Strength for the day

Yesterday seemed huge to me. It seemed even bigger when I hadn't had a very good night's sleep (the privilege of being a parent). I bundled up my tribe to go out and pick up 1/2 a beef that had been processed and then traveled to a different location to pick up 36 chickens. (At $1/lb for free range, already butchered and frozen chickens, it's hard to justify trying to raise them yourself). In between scheduled pick-ups, I had 1 hour and decided to go ahead and make the grocery store stop that Keith had previously offered to do for me. We went to the children's favorite store where they each had a child-sized cart to push. I had to stop them about every 20 seconds to help them get out of the way of others, remind them to stay behind me in a row, etc., but they had a wonderful time.

After stopping to say hello to "Daddy" at work, we made it home by 1:00 or so. We loaded up the freezer and then started making a turkey supper with all the fixings for a family that just had a new miracle born last week. I don't think that I sat down more than once or twice. This is unusual as my feet usually ache desperately after standing for a couple hours. Trying to organize and plan such a meal and have it all done and hot at the same time is hard for me in general, but there's an added dimension when you have to pack it all up and travel 40 minutes with it. Despite the challenge, we arrived at their house at 5:30, held and cooed over the pink bundle and left at 6:00.

On the way home, I was very aware that God in His mercy and grace walked with me through the day. It was one of the few times that I have truly recognized God's strength working through me because I was exhausted before the day had even begun. Normally when other's talk of God's strength for the day, I would think, "Sure, you can call it that, but really, you just put your mind to it and did it." I'm sure that has been my thought because that's what I have done so many times...and then crashed with exhaustion at the end of the day.

But today, it was as though God wanted to show me beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is possible to glean from His strength and it is so much better. I even told Keith when I got home about what God had shown me of His strength for the day and then added, "But I'll probably crash tonight!" God was smiling I'm sure because last night after cleaning up the kitchen following our meal, I went down to Keith's shop and we all helped paint his office. I even offered to finish up while Keith put the children to bed.

God is so good to so graciously give of His strength to make it through each day. I pray that this is the beginning of me learning how to receive such a gift regularly...for His glory.