When Your Feathers Are Ruffled

Not Maybelle's best look. I think she was actually upset with me for opening the curtain while she was eating lunch.

When your feathers are ruffled by difficulty, busyness, and changes, my friends, may you find refuge beneath the wings of the Lord of hosts. His feathers are never ruffled. He is not biting His nails in concern over how this situation will turn out. He has your life in His capable hands.

May we find grace to believe that, to remember all He has done in the past, and to find rest in His love, which He demonstrated beyond shadow of doubt in His Son's sacrifice for us when we were yet enemies. It's in the name of that one and only Son Jesus that we can present this and all other prayers with full confidence the Father hears and will answer for our good and His glory. Amen.

If your feathers are a bit ruffled today, dear crumble, you might find encouragement in Beth Moore's words in this post at the Living Proof blog and in this other prayer by Pastor Scotty Smith for casting anxieties on the Lord.

Last week was so full of good (and a bit of ruffled feathers, too). Where do I begin to give thanks to the Lord?
a date with the duck family and the summer wildflowers;

 string beans, blackberries, and tomatoes from Allen's garden;

Asiatic lilies blooming out, one by one

Ebony helping me with my knee exercises;

Allen taking time off to take me to a lupus second opinion appointment Wednesday;
butterflies on the nurse's scrubs;
revisiting 12 years of medical history (a bit of hard eucharisteo);
a doctor listening with compassion;
a medication change to try;
a skillful and kind phlebotomist who managed to take 9 vials without a hitch;
waiting for test results;
text message conversations with distant friends, love over the wireless networks;
ability to replace our geriatric dishwasher;
a husband working hard to mulch all the garden beds on his long weekend;
watching fireflies blink outside the window at night;
fun, impromptu supper from grill and garden with parents and sister;
watching TED talks together and laughing hard;
singing hymns on Sunday morning;
keeping company with Moses, Isaiah, and John in the mornings;
learning from Andrew Murray's wisdom about prayer;
celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit with Christians around the world this Pentecost Sunday
(from the gratitude journal, selected from 6044-6117)