Divine Appointments are Irreplaceable

I was overly excited about coming home this week, but I didn't know why. It was just another visit home, nothing special. But through my quiet times and talks with God, I've seen that He put the urgency in my heart to really reach out to my family this week, showing them the light of the gospel in everything I do and say. I haven't noticed my actions being different, but I sure have had a lot of comments about them -- which could be taken as a compliment or as an insult of how I used to act.

My mom hit my car yesterday. Backed straight into it. Her excuse...I was looking at how cute Sandy was laying on her pillow (Sandy is my dog). Was I angry? Oh yeah. I mean, come on, she just seriously injured Misty (Yes, my car has a name). So that was situation #1. Thankfully, God put me in an awesome mood during my quiet time that morning and my best friend gave me some solid advice to calm me down. It wasn't until that night that I saw how my reaction impacted my mom.

Today was a pretty eventful one. I spent the day with my grandma visiting residents at the nursing home. My grandma goes every Tuesday and volunteers, so I asked if I could join her this week. Hearing nothing but compliments about my grandma and how they love her visits made me realize how lucky I am to have this amazing woman as my grandmother. She is one of the best role models a woman could ask for -- selfless, humble, caring, forgiving. The last room we went in, we visited a lady who was reading her Bible. Seeing that immediately brought a smile to my face. She was a wonderful woman and I got the priviledge of talking to her for almost an hour. She was telling me how she had wished she had "gotten into the Bible" (the phrase she used very frequently) earlier in life and how much it had changed her perspective. The whole time I listened to how God had put peace in her heart, all I could think about was how I haven't been setting aside time to acknowledge the peace I've gotten from Him. There she sits, all day every day, in a nursing home....and she's joyful. That joy can only be from God alone. It was so humbling to hear all she had learned and we ended up reading a passage out of John together before I left. I was able to tell her about my interest in going to Australia this summer on a missions trip and I have never experienced the kind of encouragement I got from her in just the few minutes we had together. Women like her are who I admire. Divine appointment indeed, thanks God.

We sang this song together before I left her room...with tears rolling down our cheeks.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;

whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul. 

It is well with my soul, 
it is well, it is well with my soul. 

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, 
let this blest assurance control, 
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, 
and hath shed his own blood for my soul. 

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole, 
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, 
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!  

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, 
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll; 
the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, 
even so, it is well with my soul.