Busyness, Craziness...and Peace??

Wow...life has been BUSY and a little crazy!
For those of you who don't live in Wa...we just went through a BIG storm that left us without power for several days. I actually liked it (for those of you still without power, I apologize!!) :)...once again, it brought life to a stand still and this time with no computer, phone or TV...it was GREAT! ALthough it was quite cold and dark!!! But I enjoyed the peace and quiet in the midst of such a busy season. One day I drove for almost an hour for a hot cup of coffee, some gas and some Burger King for the kids. It was an adventure for sure. :)
Our big Christmas service that we had planned for last Sunday ended up being just me and one of our guitar players (no power, just a generator)..it was cold. But it was nice, and our team will still get to do all our stuff this Sunday.

So...I had the coolest thing happen to me yesterday!! I must share this story.
OK, so yesterday was my one day to get all my Christmas shopping done. I was focused, with lists in hand..I was on a mission. Well, on my way to one store my car starts overheating. It starts running real funny, the temp gage goes off the charts, and my heat turned ice cold! So I pulled into the nearest Jiffy Lube and explained the problem. I didn't have time to sit and wait for my car so I asked the guy if he could give me a ride over to the store where I needed to shop. He did, but said that he wouldn't be able to come back for me. I figured I would worry about that later. SO, as I am shopping and my cart is getting fuller and fuller, I realize that there is no way I can walk back to Jiffy Lube with all this stuff! And there was NO way I was gonna push a shopping cart all the way there...no way!!! Also, I had no coat with me and it was very very cold. So, I prayed. I said a simple prayer, I just said "Lord, I need your help here, I need you to take care of me, you know my situation, would you figure this out for me, I place this care on you. I trust in you." Something like that. Then I choose to not think about it anymore and just finish my shopping. I get to the check-out with my cart packed full and begin to off load my stuff. While I was doing that a friend from my old church, Amelia, walks up and says hi and starts talking with me. No light bulbs went off for me yet...I'm sure God thought this was funny. We continued chatting and if she would have said "Ok, well I'll see ya later" and walked off....I would have totally let her! Blonde moment. Then she starts telling me that she is there to pick up some pictures but the picture place doesn't open for a half hour and so she has a half hour to kill. Nope...no light bulb yet. I know, I know. It wasn't until I fully checked out and then remembered I didn't have a car to go to, that I asked her, "Hey, you said you have a half hour to kill?? Would you mind taking me and all my stuff over to Jiffy Lube?" And of coarse she was more then happy to help. Amelia was my answer to pray yesterday. God worked it all out. He had it all planned. All I did was ask Him for help, and then trust Him to meet my need. What an awesome God. I was thankful and overwhelmed at God's kindness toward me in sending Amelia that I didn't even stress over the bill to fix my car. God is in control. He takes care of His kids.

That brings me to one last thought. We are all busy and life can get crazy this time of year, But, I just want to remind you that Jesus wasn't born so that life could go into a frenzy and total chaos for the month of December. I don't think that was the purpose. :) He came to bring joy...and peace. I pray that in the midst of all the busyness that you still experince that joy and peace, this season and always.

John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled."

1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.”