I BLEW IT!

Yesterday was my amazing wife's birthday and I blew it.  You would think that after being married for 4 and 1/2 years I would have this down by now but I don't.  What should have been a day that was filled with fun, laughter and encouragement was anything but that.  Honey - I'm so sorry.

I do want to say that I'm grateful that despite all of the ways that I screwed up your birthday, I'm glad we were still able to go out for dinner and enjoy each other's company (Devries - thanks again for watching our kiddos last minute).  Thank you for forgiving me last night.  Thank you for being patient with me even though it seems you often have to tell me the same thing numerous times before it sticks in my thick head.  Thank you for being humble and continuing to open your life to me and sharing your thoughts/concerns/observations/etc.

You spur me on to be more like Jesus.  You remind me of Him and how even though I mess up a lot He is always quick to forgive and slow to become angry.  I'm grateful that you're my wife and can't believe how quickly 4 and 1/2 years can go by. I LOVE YOU and am so glad to be your hubster.

all my love,
danny

Food for my soul

Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:5–6)

There is nothing sad about sowing seed. It takes no more work than reaping. The days can be beautiful. There can be great hope of harvest.

Yet the psalm speaks of “sowing in tears.” It says that someone “goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing.” So why are they weeping?

I think the reason is not that sowing is sad, or that sowing is hard. I think the reason has nothing to do with sowing. Sowing is simply the work that has to be done even when there are things in life that make us cry.

The crops won’t wait while we finish our grief or solve all our problems. If we are going to eat next winter, we must get out in the field and sow the seed whether we are crying or not. If you do that, the promise of the psalm is that “you will reap with shouts of joy.” You will “come home with shouts of joy, bringing your sheaves with you.” Not because the tears of sowing produce the joy of reaping, but because the sheer sowing produces the reaping, and you need to remember this even when your tears tempt you to give up sowing.

So here’s the lesson: When there are simple, straightforward jobs to be done, and you are full of sadness, and tears are flowing easily, go ahead and do the jobs with tears. Be realistic. Say to your tears: “Tears, I feel you. You make me want to quit life. But there is a field to be sown (dishes to be washed, car to be fixed, sermon to be written).”

Then say, on the basis of God’s word, “Tears, I know that you will not stay forever. The very fact that I just do my work (tears and all) will in the end bring a harvest of blessing. So go ahead and flow if you must. But I believe (I do not yet see it or feel it fully) — I believe that the simple work of my sowing will bring sheaves of harvest. And your tears will be turned to joy.”

~ from John Piper's Daily Devotional