Thank You Lord

This past weekend was not only my turn to work but the midnights manager was on vacation which put me either in the hospital or on call for 48 hours, 8:00 Saturday to 8:00 Monday morning. So I need to say thank you, Lord.
I only have two complaints about my job; working weekends and being on call. So obviously this was a weekend I wasn't looking forward to. Well, that's not really true. I have tried in earnest this week to put busy summer days and just plain laziness behind me and become Christ-centered. It's one thing to say I'm Christ-centered but another to actually be sure that daily, I am. I know the symptoms of being Christ off-centered. My Bible sits. And sometimes I am not sure where it is. I find myself reading and think, I should at least take ten minutes of reading time for the Word, but I don't. Church can't catch my attention or I walk away with more criticism than joy. And God becomes a second thought rather than second nature. There's lots more but the point is that it is not turning my back on him so much as sort of turning sideways. Living by his mercy more than my passion.
But this week I have taken those specific steps we all need to take to put Christ back at center. Turned off the television, read the scripture, dedicated prayer time...
And when this weekend started taking form in the middle of last week, I took it in stride. I prayed about it and found that I was not dreading it or aggravated. It just had to be dealt with. So I never got twisted. Although I did hope it wouldn't become a nightmare. And it was and wasn't.
I had to do some swing shift. Had to juggle some things. Had to be flexible with my sleep schedule, which only the Lord himself could accomplish! And it was fine. It was more than fine, it was a good weekend.
I have found that the best times can often only be seen in the rear view mirror. Challenges that arise and aren't easily tamed are when we find out just how strong we are. And if we are smart, we immediately realize that means just how great God is.
So I made it through with only two short midnight phone calls on Sunday night, and those to tell me something had been dealt with and just updating me. The people I work with saw me stretching and stretched along with me so we all shared the load together and I didn't feel overwhelmed or alone in any of it. Kindness prevailed when stress increased and a rotten weekend was a good one.
I don't think that Christ was more active because I read a few chapters in Judges or that I shifted my axis. I think that I just got that bit of tuning in that the Holy Spirit provides to show me the truth. The Truth. The truth that I am his and he prepares every moment. Including the rotten ones. That in some divine way the exhausting days in life are the ones that produce the greatest moments to praise and glorify God. And that when we glorify him, he is magnified.
No, he didn't get bigger. I just got smaller.
So, thank you Lord.


Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

written 9/21/08