It has been a full day, Father. Though I struggled with it, I know what kept us occupied most of the day was of utmost importance. Thank You for the love that drove it all, and may that love continue to burn brightly. Amen.
1 Corinthians 16:1-9 (<<click here to read the passage)
The Apostle Paul frequently refers to the fact that he is open to the Lord’s discretion of how his time is used. This is exemplified in today’s passage. He is wrapping up this letter, which speaks of his involvement in his “missionary” journey and his desire to visit with them there in Corinth. He says in verse 7,

This time I don’t want to make just a short visit and then go right on. I want to come and stay awhile, if the Lord will let me. NLT

For Paul, it is a state of mind. He has plans. He has wishes for things he’d like to do and places he’d like to go, but as a devout follower of Christ, he is 100% open to doing and going wherever Christ leads him.
I need to be honest here. I alluded to it in my opening prayer, but most of today was spent with Karen’s mother. As some know, her mom is dealing with advancing dementia. Over the weekend, she fell and broke her nose. They sent her to the E.R. to ensure there were no other issues. We spent several hours with her yesterday after the hospital sent her home, confirming that there were no other issues.
Through the course of events, she was given medication to deal with pain and the combative nature that had arisen from everything. Long story short, it put her to sleep…like a hard, cannot-wake-you kind of sleep.
She’s never been a napper and still doesn’t sleep long at night, but she was out! We left yesterday, never really talking with her because of it. After hearing she was up this morning and had eaten breakfast, we stopped to see her, and upon our arrival, we found her once more sound asleep in her room. We could not wake her.
Mid-afternoon, we grabbed some lunch and headed back to see how she was doing. She finally woke up enough that we got her to dinner and returned to her room, with plans to connect her with Karen’s brother out of state. I thought we were heading home at that point…well we didn’t. Over an hour later, we headed home. After a long and wearying weekend, I was not a happy camper. I didn’t start writing until almost 8:00, and I try to be in bed by 9:00.
When I started to write, the Lord called me out. What was most important? My schedule…or Karen’s mom, and for that matter Karen, too.
He showed me that I needed Paul’s mindset. I wished for something (selfishly), and God pulled the reins in on me and accomplished what His love wanted to accomplish. I know Karen feels much better about the whole situation and will sleep better tonight, having done what she did.
Lord Jesus, I am still a work in progress after all these years. Continue to pull the reins as needed. Refine my mindset to continuously be, “…if the Lord will let me.”

Apr 1st, 2024, Mon, 7:50 pm