DADS AND DAUGHTERS

I have ridden with both my hubby and our daughter and realized they are two peas in a pod. Although Bill likes to listen to country music and Terri leans more toward Pink, they seem to have the same reaction when a song comes on they do not like. They switch channels or turn it off.  Sorta annoying. Okay, more than sorta.  It is annoying. That on/off just makes no sense because the next song, which they will now miss, might just be their all-time favorite.

BUT, sometimes I wish I could do that in life.

• Coming down with the flu?  -- Just turn it off.
• Bad news?  -- Change to another channel.
• Nope, do not want that in my day!  -- Will try another station.
• The day is hectic. -- Find a channel with quiet, soothing tunes.
• Wonderful day. -- Stay right there. Do not change channels.
• Kids behave. -- Program that station to be on permanently.

Life is not that way though.  We cannot just turn off the things we don't like. Or capture the days that are perfect and rerun them tomorrow.

Life is life! There will be trials but there is great news about these trials!

We will make it through!!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

Okay - no one considers trials pure joy, but maybe we should. When do we learn the most? When everything is going great? OR When life just plain throws us a major curve ball? Every difficulty we pass through, is a learning, a growing experience. We mature. We move from a child's simple faith to a mature complete faith.

Trials do not last!!

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

What a comfort to hear "for a little while." Yes, a little while might consist of years but, compared to eternal life, a few years here is a snap of the fingers.

There is a reward for making it through our trials.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21

Our trials may seem impossible to get through BUT with God all things are possible. Did you get the "ALL" things part. Not just the little mishaps. Not just the middle size headaches. Not just the major, life changing trials. We can make it through ALL of our trials if we call upon God to be there with us.

And when we get through them -- oh my: PEACE! A peace that only come from God.

And it just gets better! WE WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE WITH THE FATHER!!

AMEN!