God...and "dumb" questions!

We spent several days in Baños last week, celebrating our anniversary.  In one place where we had lunch, there was a sign similar to this on the wall.  (I wish I had thought to take a picture of it!)

It made me wonder about how God sees some of our questions.  Does He ever consider any of them "dumb"?

Since He knows absolutely everything, (imaginable or not), surely some of our queries might be considered odd, inappropriate, "dumb"...but mostly sad.  (Maybe He shakes his head and muses, "The things these people come up with!!)                                          
                                              *************************

"Can you fathom the mysteries of God?  Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?"  (Job 11:7)  Do we have any right to ask Him questions? Should we save only the really knotty ones for Him and figure He wouldn't want to be bothered by the lesser ones?  (For fear that one of the questions might turn out to be really "dumb'!!)

Actually, we are encouraged to ask, call, seek!  "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)  King David was full of questions!  (See Psalms 74:1 and 10:1, for example.)  I doubt God ever considered any of them "dumb".

If, as Hebrews 11:6 says, "...He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.", we can trust the fact that He will see first of all our earnestness...and to Him, an earnest question is NEVER "dumb"!

                              ***************************************
Maybe this would be a good thing for us to remember when someone asks us a "dumb" question.  Instead of irritation or ridicule, consider that for that person, it could be a very valid search for an answer.  (Or the questioner may have had a bad night, or be going through a stressful situation, and not be very coherent.)  Can we show the same grace as God does  in the face of "dumb" questions?
                              ***************************************                                                              
Job must have been rather perplexed when, towards the end of his story, God confronted him, saying: "Brace yourself like a man, and I will question you and you shall answer Me."  (Job 38:3)  Yes, He asks us questions, too.  And God's questions are never "dumb"!  They are always pertinent, used to teach us and make us think.

                                        ****************************************

                             Father, thank You for your patience with our questions!
                              Please help us to be patient with those of other people.

Happy Anniversary, my Love!

Forty-three years ago!  Here we are in a classic after-ceremony picture.  (Everyone else in this photo is dead by now!)  To Germán's right is his mother (María), and to my left, my parents (Bruce and Joyce).  It's hard to believe that Mom and Dad, at that time, were only 43 and 44!

Yes, forty-three years ago today we knelt together before God to begin our shared journey.  It has taken us over many trails, with twists and turns, sunshine and storms, ups and downs, chronic illness, laughter and tears. Our journey has brought us two wonderful children...and after they married, five beautiful grandchildren.

Forty-three years ago, the Tsáchila still used their native dress.  Now very few do.  It was fun to have some of them as our guests!

                    *******************************************************

Here are two Bible verses that reflect our gratitude to our God:

"The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy."  (Psalm 126:3)

"Surely your goodness and love will follow {us} all the days of {our} lives, and {we} will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."   (Psalm 23:6)
                              *****************************************

                            Thank You, Father for these forty-three years!

"This Trail That's Before Me"...a poem to encourage

Shaken up...challenged...scared...We sometimes feels like "the trail before us" is overwhelming.  How will we ever make it all the way through to the "better times" that are supposed to appear eventually?

When your way looms difficult ... daunting ... intimidating, talk to God about it. Take to heart what He says...in this poem...*




                                         This Trail That's Before Me

                        This trail that's before me - it's so narrow...untried!
                        Don't worry!  There's room there for two side-by-side.

                        No guardrails protect where there's steep, rocky ledge.
                        So I'll always walk between you and the edge.

                        But what if I stumble, and can't see at all?
                        I'll pull you back up if you trip or you fall.

                       Don't fear what's before you, though shadows grow deep;
                       for, watered by tears, great joys wait to be reaped!
                         
                               ******************************************   (Becky Rhon)

...and in His Word:

"Along unfamiliar paths I will guide them.  I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth."  (Isaiah 42:16)

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."  (Psalm 23:4)

"The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all those who are bowed down."  (Psalm 145:14)

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."  (II Samuel 22:33)

"'I will strengthen them in the Lord, and in his Name they will walk', declares the Lord."  (Zechariah 10:12)
                               ********************************************

May every one of you who is facing a difficult time be encouraged by remembering that God offers His children:
                                "The oil of gladness instead of mourning...
                          the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting."   (Isaiah 61:13)

                                               *********************

* (His words in italics.)

I had always wanted...just once in my life!

Look carefully at the airline tickets in the picture. What do they show that could have (very pleasantly) shocked me?
***************************
My travelling to the U.S. for the three-week visit with kids and grandkids - that I have written about in the last two posts - started with a tremendous surprise.  When I saw that my seat was in row 2, I thought maybe this particular plane didn't have a first-class cabin.  But when I boarded...there was the first-class cabin, and there was my seat! (I asked the flight attendant, just to be sure!)

When I switched planes in San Salvador, I was still in first class. Once I got to Chicago, and Steve, Debbie, Liliana and Miriam picked me up, Debbie told me that it was Dan's doing...and that he'd said, "But tell her not to get used to it!"

I assumed that the trip down to Orlando, two weeks later, would be on a regular ticket.  So I was really surprised when it turned out I was in first class again!

They were the most relaxed, least stressful flights I've had for ages! So much leg room, softer seats,  meals on china (set on a cloth place mat) and metal silverware...flight attendant at your service for whatever...even the restroom exclusively for first-class passengers!  It was so much fun! (Even checking in had special perks.)

I doubt Dan even knew that one of my little "dreams" was to travel first class just once in my life...just to see what it was like.  I never figured it would ever happen.  We always fly in the "commoners'" section.  Because he travels so much, Dan has a huge store of frequent-flyer miles, and used some to get me the tickets, to give me a surprise.  (Thanks again, Son!)
 
                    ******************************************************
As Proverbs 13:19 says, "It is pleasant to see dreams come true..." or, in another version, "A fulfilled desire is sweet to the soul..."

Even if Dan hadn't known of my dream, God did, and He used my son to make it come true. Jesus said, "So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him!"  (Matthew 7:11)  (Although, to be honest, I don't remember ever asking specifically for this - but God knew!)
                    *******************************************************

Orlando was chosen as a place to get together because Dan had a conference to go to there.  He would always attend in uniform, as in this photo with us.

In the photo below, Micah dons his dad's beret, as Eli peers around (maybe to make sure he got in the picture, too!)

We've been back in Quito for a couple of weeks now, but the whole adventure will stay in our memories as long as we live.  (Unless we get Alzheimer's!)

How we thank our heavenly Father who "gives good gifts"!
              **************************