From Rats to Memories

I was awakened by a door slamming at 3:15 this morning. I forgot to prop Micah's door open and the wind came up. As I lay there wide awake trying to go back to sleep, I kept hearing the sounds of rats right outside our bedroom window and in our storeroom. I realized I wasn't going back to sleep anytime soon. I had a sense I should get out of bed and pray for our family.

It has been a rough season. Having the holiday season in a new culture and climate is different, to say the least, but also difficult. To add to that we moved from yet another house to a new house with many glitches to be worked out and apparently many rats to keep out. We also moved from taking care of a dog and chickens to no animals whatsoever (except the rats, yes!). We have all been struggling to differing degrees. For me, most of all, I have struggled seeing my family sad.

So when I decided to get up and pray, I started with those things God had placed on my heart about my family for 2011. He brought me to the one thing that hinders me most from loving my family the way I need to and that is fear...fear of anything besides the fear of God (a loving and reverent awe for God). Psalm 86:11 stood out in my mind:

"Teach me your way, O Lord,

and I will walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart

that I may fear your name."

Then God started flooding my mind of memories of things He had shown me in the past:

Fear of the Lord is foundational

Prayer must be like breathing

All must be for the glory of God

Righteousness and justice are inseparable

God's Word is the Bread of Life

I needed to remember those foundational building blocks the Spirit of God had shown me in the past to give me a Rock to stand on. I never thought I would thank God for rats but...Thank you, Father God, for the rats. You can bring back the owl to our tree tonight, though.

Only by God's grace, Tim