His Great Love

Yesterday morning started by reading Psalm 107. The theme that stuck out for me was God's continued, delayed deliverance...it's never too late to cry out to Him, He's ready to save, and waiting for us to ask. THEN give thanks (v 1, 8, 15, 21). His acts of saving (v 9, 14, 16, 20, 29, 30, 41) in this psalm ended up being exactly what I needed for the day. And in the end...it really IS thankfulness that automatically flows out of my heart. Whew. "For great is Your love, higher than the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the skies." (Psalm 108:4)

My friend Veronica and I got up early to walk. I hurried and showered so I could be ready before the kids got up at 7 since Jon now leaves at 7:30 everyday for his language class. Kolby would be going with Kristie and her boys to VBS at 8:20. Kristie ended up being sick so we worked up a plan. Veronica would take Gabby, I would take their truck (our truck has now been in the shop for a month) with the boys to VBS from 9 to 1, and Kristie could get some rest. So by 8 we are walking out the door to Veronica's. I tell Kolby to go potty before we head out for the day. He goes to the bathroom (at V's house) and locks the door...yep...and then he can't get the door unlocked. Funny thing about the doors around here...you can't really break in :) Bars on the windows; the hinges to the door are on the inside with Kolby. Kolby starts FREAKING out...Veronica herds the girls to the other room while Justin and I stand there trying to figure out what the heck to do. It's so hard to think when your child is seriously in distress! Justin is trying to put the screwdriver in the lock and keeps pushing out the key. Kolby keeps trying to put the key back in and screaming louder saying he needs a new key...Justin goes to try and find something else and I am trying to talk to Kolby through the key hole. My first thought is "I will call Jon 800 times if I have too and he will come with an axe and break down this door!" My second thought is "Jesus, PLEASE, help me get Kolby out!" I'm starting to panic now...probably 5 minutes has gone by really. No lie, in that moment Kolby just gets hacked and takes the key and throws it under the door. It slides right by my hand, I grab it and unlock the door from the outside. (Wow! What a novel idea! One neither Justin or I could think of!!) Thankfully, by 8:30 Kolby and I were on the road to VBS calm and happy. All I could think about was Psalm 107...and I told Kolby that Jesus gave him the wisdom to throw the key under the door...that made him feel so proud and immediately he calmed down (funny, after VBS I tried to give him some cough medicine and he said he didn't need it b/c God was going to heal him!!). The 30 minute drive to VBS consisted of me telling God thank you over and over for helping us get out of little situations.

I'm convinced Jesus helped Kolby throw the key under the door :) Seems like we need help out of tons of little situations around here these days...waiting for a taxi in the heat, finding someone that speaks English at just the most frustrating time, a friendly offer from a friend to help, knowledge to deal with whatever comes up...whatever it is, God has seriously dug us out of some holes! Always faithful..."Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men..." (Psalm 107:8)