My oldest son and I just got back from a college visit to Colorado. This is my first time on this “try to help my not sure 17-year-old son pick a college” journey. I call this pre-launch phase because he is only a junior. I am laughing at all the funny moments we had this weekend together.
On Monday as we were standing in line waiting to board the airplane to come home, they called us in groups. We were in group 8, which means group 7 was going before us. And as I observed and looked around there were like 10 more people that needed to board so we got in line with the group 7 people.
So, the flight attendant clearly knew we were trying to skirt the system because she and her Harry Potter glasses, and scarf got on the announcement with great authority and reminded the entire area (all 10 of us) that we were still boarding group 7. So of course, my son was like “see mom we can’t be in this line.” I pushed back and said by the time we get to the front of the line she will call group 8. He was like no way I am not doing that...she is looking right at us. No she is not. Well so Ms. Harry Potter with scarf clearly was watching. And a lady behind us was laughing at our interaction about it being okay to do or not okay that I am sure we might have caught Ms. Potters eyes.
Again, as I looked around the entire boarding area it was me, my son and maybe 8 other people including the lady laughing at us and her husband. So... we moved out of the line.
And just as we stepped out of the line, like one step. I mean as soon as my left foot met my right foot out of the line, she picked up the speaker and said and now group 8 can board.
OMG seriously.
Our friend who was laughing at us before is now dying laughing at this whole situation, so I decided to roll my eyes and I laugh with her. Fine. Let us laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation.
That was just one of many that I could share but sometimes it is fun to get out of our routine and enjoy other people in different environments.
So, I share that because on the plane there (which the story above was about the plane ride home) I was stumbling through what to read, listen to or watch and decided I would read the Psalms. Right now, we are doing a bible study on Daniel, so I am reading, studying, and wanted something a bit lighter then the apocalyptic book of Daniel.
As I was reading, I was intrigued with how many times the word foot comes up in the area that I opened too. And don’t be fooled on how I approached which Psalms to read, I legit thought of a number and then opened to that Psalms. So spiritual I tell you.
I was caught by the word foot. We all have seasons where we do not want our foot to slip, fall or break, right?
In the bible both in Heb. and Gk. the foot frequently indicates the position, destination, or inclination of the person, and then further in reference to guidance of, and watchful care over, a person, principally by God.
Ps 8:6 - You make him rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.
Ps 47:3 - He subdues peoples under us and nations under our feet.
Ps 66:9 - Who keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip.
I have had to learn to avoid being a victim in life and ask the Lord what do you want me to learn? What are you teaching me and when the occurrence is painful and continues to happen repeatedly, I cry out, “Lord help me figure out why this happens so much.”
I am in a season where I am thankful for where He brought me and I can look back and see times when He enlarged my step, so my foot did not slip or fall.
Do not stop reading because you are in battle or storm, keep going.
There were times when I thought I was walking in green pastures, but he was leading me beside quiet waters because in God’s perfect timing He was preparing me for battle, illness, loss, heartache, distress, not being able to control things, let the list keep going. Through those times He girded me up with strength for battle; He subdued under me those who rose up against me. (Ps 18:38-39).
In those times when I was walking in the valley of the shadow of death, I can now claim, “He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and he set my feet upon a rock making my footstep firm” (Ps 40:2). Once it was over, He made me feel like hinds' feet and set me upon my high places (Ps 18:33).
In the same moment of reflection, I can claim God did not give me over into the hand of the enemy; He set my feel in a large place (Ps 31:8). I even like the idea of a large place, it is unbridled, I can spread out, I have room to breathe, to process and heal.
I can praise His name by proclaiming “Who keeps us in life and does not allow our feet to slip” (Ps 66:9).
Thank you, Lord, for you have delivered my soul from death, indeed my feet from stumbling, so that I may walk before God in the light of the living (Ps 56:13).
Did you know David wrote 75 of the 150 Psalms and the person who wrote the second most at 48 is anonymous.
David dealt with a lot and did a lot, but his steps held fast to God’s path and His feet have not slipped (Ps 17:5). God is a good God, and it is not based on circumstances. His quality is always good.
As goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life (PS 23:6) I want to praise the Lord in His Sanctuary, in His might expanse, for His Mighty deeds, according to His excellent greatness. I do not play an instrument but if I did, I would want to do it with trumpet or a harp or lyre, stringed instruments, pipes, loud and resounding cymbals. Since I have breath, I want to Praise the Lord (Ps 150 – last Psalms in the book, what a perfect ending to the Psalms, right)
Last story, as my son and I drove home from the long 30-hour trip, we are both tired and hungry he makes a HALT statement of “I don’t even know why we are doing this?” STOP WHAT?!?!
And because I am Hungry, Angry, Lonely and Tired I respond with “Oh really, that is how we want to end this great trip with you not being grateful.” And I will not share more but I will tell you that we both had to say 5 things we were grateful for by going on the trip.
Then the following morning I apologized for my pouncing on him with my HALT words and we hugged. We talked about how picking a college is like planting seeds and waiting to see which ones sprout and then which ones can you pick.
I wanted to start the day with gratitude so we both shared another 5 things we are grateful for, and we both moved forward with our day. My day continued through the kitchen where I met Brinley hanging out waiting for Whit to take her to school. So, as I hugged her, I asked her what 5 things she is grateful for this morning. Because she overheard the interaction in the other room, her evacuation plan of getting out of this activity went into full force. She proceeds to tell me, shoes, phone, flowers, cup and window. Everything in her line of vision.
It worked. I will take it! We are doing Great!
We all started our day with gratitude.
Dr. Allen wrote a book called And I Will Praise Him and he says,
“Only a Philistine could fail to love the Psalms. Of all the books in the Old Testament, the Book of Psalms is the one most loved by the family of God. Within the Psalms we find expressions of our deepest thoughts of reverence for God, our most excited joy in knowing Him, and our darkest terror in those moments we feel cut off from Him...In the Psalms we have the praise of God.”
I hope you can Praise your King today in small or big ways. (Let me know if want to praise Him with instruments, I could bring a cow bell or a triangle)
Thank you, Lord for your Son, Your Spirit, and Your perfect Word.
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