I'm so glad that I have a husband who loves the Lord with all his heart! Today is Sunday and this morning I had a bad case of "bad attitude". You see today Jason flies to New York City for a conference. I wanted so bad to go with him! It just didn't work out this time. But like any "child" that doesn't get their way I spent a great deal of the morning feeling sorry for myself. Jason was so patient. He was very loving with me and I could tell he was standing in faith for me. That's one of the beautiful benefits of marriage. When one of you feels weak the other stands strong. He was very strong this morning. Very positive. Very loving. And very patient. I often give my children this great little lecture about how we don't get our way when we throw a fit. I frequently tell them that now that they've thrown a fit I can't give them what they wanted. I tell them that when they don't get their way they have a choice to either feel sorry for themselves and focus on yucky feelings or they can choose to shake it off and count their blessings. Yikes. Today I really needed my own lecture. The Pastor's message today was titled "A Day of Liberation". The text was Luke 13:10-17. He pointed out that the crippled woman was there in the synagogue again - even after 18 years of being bent over and crippled. When Jesus saw her he called her forward and said, "Woman, you have been set free from your infirmity." She could have felt sorry for herself that day and not went to hear the teaching. She could have held bitterness in her heart for the 18 years she spent not healed. She could have chosen to focus on thoughts of doubt and unbelief. What if she had said to herself, "Why should I bother going again. God has forgotten me. God must not really love me or He would have healed me many years ago. I'm just a nobody." Maybe she did have some of those thoughts that morning. Maybe she didn't even notice Jesus noticing her. But in His great love and grace He was attracted to her. He heard her silent cry. He touched her and gave her the desire of her heart. If she had let her actions be driven by doubt and self-pity she never would have seen her dream realized. So today as my heart wants to act like a child and total up all the little tiny things that I didn't get when I wanted - I choose to let my faith mobilize my actions and not my feelings. I choose to stand and proclaim that His Word is true. I have benefits because my life has been redeemed from the pit and I'm crowned with love and compassion. He satisfies my desires with good things - and my youth will be renewed like the eagle's. He has compassion on me, His child. (Psalm 103) He has come to give me a life that is full and abundant! (John 10:10) God is able to make all grace abound to me, so that in all things at all times, having all that I need, I will be able to abound in every good work. And He will make me rich in every way so that I can be generous on every occasion, and it is through this generosity that thanksgiving and praise will be given to God. (2 Cor. 9:8-11) So today I'm shaking it off and counting my blessings! I've got a lot to count. Thank you, Lord, for Jason!