I have recently entered the world of Skype. For those of you that don’t know, Skype is a long-distance calling system whereby a person can talk to their contacts and also see them via a web cam while they are conversing! It is such a blessing to be able to have a virtual visit.

Several weeks ago my husband experienced severe back pain. He was on steroids and muscle relaxers to help alleviate the discomfort (hello Lala Land!) He was helped some, but was still uncomfortable. After a week or so of suffering, someone gave him a back brace to wear. He was surprised at the relief it brought him. It gave support and strength to his lower back that was so weak.

On this Monday morning I’m thinking back to last week and the “brace” that the Lord gave me during my dad’s illness. During his six day hospital stay he received a defibrillator and had cardiac ablation, helping his heartbeat to beat regular once again.

It was hard, as his daughter, to see my dad have to go through these things, but the brace the Lord gave to support me was Psalm 31:24 – Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that trust in the Lord. Of course, we were asking the Lord to strengthen my dad’s physical heart, but the greatest need for each of us was that He strengthen our spiritual hearts. That happens when we run to the Word and obey it. Our courage was not in the doctors, though we are thankful for the wisdom the Lord gave them. Our courage was not in the fact that we are Christians, for we know that God’s children will experience trials so He can strengthen them. Our courage is stated in the last part of the verse – in the Lord. We knew that we could trust Him to do what was best for my dad. We were reminded that He is sovereign and would do the right thing. I’ve asked the Lord to make me strong and not let me fall apart in times of trial. His Word is my brace. It strengthens the weak places of my fearful heart.

One special thing that has happened as a result of my dad’s illness is that this verse has become special to me as I’ve claimed it. It’s now listed in my Bible memory book under the category “Trust” so I can go back and review it and keep it tucked away for future reference. I know I’ll need it again…my heart will be a good place to keep it. It’s a brace that will help me to stand strong and rest in the Lord.

This week finds me in Kentucky. My father has had heart problems for some time and was hospitalized Sunday to have fluid removed from his body. That difficulty prompted the doctors to change his pacemaker to a defibrillator. The surgery took place this afternoon. He is doing well at this point, thank the Lord.

Several things have stuck out to me today as we were at the hospital:

1. Our times are in God’s hands – Rest in Him!
2. God is always enough – Rely on Him!
3. His Word is adequate – Run to it!
4. Family is precious – Love them!

I will be updating my blog as time allows.

On Saturday I had the privilege of hiking five miles to the top of Beauty Spot. It’s a gorgeous bald where you can see for miles and you’re so far away from civilization that the quiet is deafening. The trail began very easily; it was fairly even ground and the trail was relatively flat. However, if you want to go to the top you must go UP! We began our climb. I tried to pace myself at the front of the group, but as the incline continued without any reprieve I had to take an occasional break while my lungs were trying to suck in enough oxygen to keep up!

I made it to the top and it was beautiful. It is well worth the hike. The trip down was a proverbial piece of cake – downhill most of the way. Except for having to watch for the tree roots so I wouldn’t trip, it was much easier than the hike up!

As I was coming down I thought “Isn’t this the kind of path most of us would choose for our lives? Downhill sailing all the way is the preference.” Who wants to strain upward, pant with each breath, and sweat with the work of it? But if we only we went downward we would never have the reward of the climb – the beautiful view!

This morning my dad continues with his heart problems and is lying in the hospital with fluid retention and pneumonia. This is a hard path for him, a hard path for me, his daughter. This is not a downward hike – it is uphill. It’s hard; it’s not what I would choose. I am reminded by the music I’m listening to as I have my devotions today that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in His way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” Psalm 37:23, 24) I can follow my Guide. Though the journey is difficult I know the strain will be worth it. The view from the top is learned dependence on the Lord, greater trust in His Word, and a drawing nearer to Him. I choose to “press forward on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day, still praying as I onward bound, Lord lead me on to higher ground.”

One of the delights of each morning is having a fresh cup of hot coffee. I’ve not acquired the taste for drinking it black – I enjoy a little sweetener and enough cream to make it a caramel color. I even have a system of adding the cream and sweetener – I put them in the cup before I add the coffee, then when the coffee is poured in it turns that perfect caramel color and has these little bubbles on top that make it soooo good! Do I sound a little fanatical about my coffee? I guess I am!

There is a down-side to not drinking black coffee, and that’s when I go to a restaurant and have it with my meal. I’ll add the cream and the sweetener and get it just the way I like it and then while I’m engulfed in conversation with those at my table the waitress will come along and add hot coffee to my cup making my once perfectly flavored coffee diluted into an awful gray! Where did she come from anyway? Sometimes I think they hang from the ceiling and wait for unsuspecting coffee drinkers to set their cup down and then – Splash! Their diluting duty is done! It’s not that I don’t like hot coffee, I do, it’s just that in their attempt to re-warm my cup they ruin the caffeine perfection I was enjoying! Back to the creamer and sweetener I go adding and stirring until the blackness disappears and changes into coffee heaven!

The same kind of diluting can happen in our hearts. We may have gotten up and filled our cup (heart) that morning with the Word, with time in prayer and we were made glad by the Lord’s presence. Now our day is in full gear and everywhere we go there is noise – music blaring in each restaurant and store. Televisions are yelling out at us in the doctor’s waiting areas. Our phones are ring everywhere we go…beeping, texting; it’s constant. Even at home the children may be fussing or just playing, but, whatever they’re doing, it’s not calm! It’s rare to find quietness. Our hearts get diluted. We look in the “cup” and there’s blackness where earlier it was just right! What we need to do is the same thing I do when the waitress dilutes my coffee – we need to go back to where we got the sweetness and add some more. Turn on some heart lifting music. Listen to a CD of a message that will encourage and challenge you as you drive to town. Turn on a radio broadcast like Revive Our Hearts (http://www.reviveourhearts.com/ )Post little notes around your house of things you read that are a blessing – verses, quotes from good books, or a line from a song or message. These are little “shots of cream” that can be added to your heart throughout a busy day. We each fight the dilution of the busyness and noise of the world, but there is a solution – go back to the source of the sweetness and add some more!

Starbucks anyone?