Today's Beginning

Wednesday... After planting there is rest and rejoicing. In my starting each morning with my thanksgiving I usually start with thanking God for a good night of rest and for the opportunity of a new day. The night cleanses us and shuts the door on yesterday and the morning sun comes up with a new chance, a new privilege and a new opportunity. Tomorrow is over and today has begun. But there are situations that do come from yesterday but we can look at them in a new perspective, in a new way, as a new challenge. Thanks God for the good night of rest and thanks for a new day of opportunity. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 126:4-6 (NLT), "Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest." It is so good for us before we go to sleep to stop and give to God the concerns and the difficulties and the challenges that we faced in our day. ...

Saturday... Life has its variety, doesn't it?  It has it's good days and it has it's difficult days.  The Psalmist writes in Psalm 126 (NLT) , "When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream!" Maybe when we finally get through this time that we have been going through it will feel like a dream.  He goes on, "We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, 'What amazing things the Lord has done for them.' " It is as we have gone through difficult times and come out on the other side that we really do see how good God is to us. Verse 3, "Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!" And He has, He really has. Verse 4, "Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert." That is our prayer, isn't it? And verses 5 & 6 are an encouragement to us, "Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, b...