Phil, Sandy, Lelia and Julie will probably remember this day that had a
storm.  But here's just a small miracle God did for us that was big in our
eyes.

Anybody got a boat?

Have you ever had one of those mornings where you got out of bed on the
wrong side and there was no way to crawl back in and get out on the right
side?  Well, that was me on Wednesday morning August 18thof 2004.  Woke with
a headache in a less than desirable mood. Then I couldn't find this or that
in the process of getting breakfast and heading off to work.  Just as I was
going out the door, the last straw happened causing me to loose my temper.
On top of that, Rory went back to bed and wasn't ready to go to work.  He
had to be called several times as well as be gently but firmly coaxed out of
his cozy bed.  By the time I got to the bus I really did have a headache,
and the loss of my temper had me feeling far less than my ideal picture of
how a victorious Christian should feel.

After boarding the city bus, I pulled out my Bible and began reading from
Psalms 86.  Several verses jumped out at me.  Here they are from The
Message.

"Bend an ear, GOD; answer me. I'm one miserable wretch!"    Thinking to
myself how true that felt, I came to verse 5. "You're well-known as good and
forgiving, big-hearted to all who ask for help. I continued reading.  6Pay
attention, GOD, to my prayer;

10"For you are great and perform great miracles.
        You alone are God.
11Teach me your ways, O LORD,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
that I may honor you.

12With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,

13For your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death!"

Verse 5 especially spoke to me. In New King James it reads:
Verse 5: "For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You."

And verse 15. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

As a side comment, note the references to truth in these verses.  It is
interesting studying truth, as it is referred to, time and time in both the
Old and New Testaments.  I've been looking at what God says about truth
lately; both by studying it out and by experiential learning.

Back to my story.  I took time right in the middle of the bus full of other
commuters to quietly talk with the Lord, calling on him for his forgiveness
which he graciously granted, according to his word.  I began thinking about
His goodness, and what he had not only done for me in answering my prayer,
but how he had been with me in the past.  How he had been there for me in
every way.  By the time I got to work my attitude had completely changed, my
heart was lighter, and there was a difference in even the steps I took along
the familiar path to the office.  I went through the day aware somewhere in
my consciousness that for this day I would trust in his never ending mercy
and love.

Shortly before work ended, the weather changed markedly.  The wind began
blowing with determination and big rain drops fell faster and faster until
they relentlessly pounded the large full length plate glass window pain next
to my desk.  I realized that it was a good thing I hadn't left work at my
regular time, and was still able to call my husband for a ride.  We could
barely hear one another on the phone as we spoke together.

The way home was slow going because of the high water and unbelievable
traffic.  And the rain kept coming in steady sheets.  It suddenly dawned on
me that I never closed the upstairs window, which I'm always careful to do
before leaving in the mornings, and my heart almost skipped a beat.  But,
not on this day.  I started to feel irritation and concern about my own
careless omission.  I thought, "I'm gunna need a boat to clean up this huge
mess, and who knows what else I'll need."  I wondered about insurance
coverage and cost.  I made excuses for the error and was just going to think
all those negative self blame thoughts once more, wondering what a mess I'd
come home to when verse 15 suddenly invaded my blame game. "But You, O Lord,
are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in
mercy and truth."  I had trusted and relaxed in his mercy all day.  Why
should that change now.  Because my circumstances had changed? I resolved to
continue to trust in his mercy, and truth,, and take his peace.  Yes, I
still felt concern, but no longer did I feel the sting of worry  and blame.
I realized that I couldn't do a thing about the open window with the rain
pouring in right now.  And how far open was that window, I wondered.
However, we were sitting in traffic going nowhere fast.  There were big van
shaking booms of thunder and constant jagged flashes of lightning and the
rain was continuing to pound on our gold colored van.  It's a good thing it
wasn't hail.  I don't ever remember seeing rain come down like that in
Colorado.  There was one June first several years ago, that came close to
it.

It was more than an half hour before we could get home.  When we arrived,
John noted that the window was definitely wide open.  We made a run for it,
from the van to the back door in the deluge.  After getting inside, I could
immediately picture the rain pouring down from the open window, which faces
north and running down the attic stairs like a river on to the floor and
furniture below.  I didn't even want to check on it so I asked John to
please check.  I held my breath.  When he returned, he reported that there
was just a small amount of water on the window sill.  That was all.  I could
hardly believe my ears.  That window faces north and always lets rain in.
And furthermore, it rolls off the sill and down the wall in just seconds.  I
've been in the kitchen doing dishes when I hear the rain start to fall.
Seconds later, when I dash up the stairs to close the window, water is
everywhere.   So I asked him what he had said, and he repeated it.  I
thought, "incredible."  A few minutes later, I went to see for myself.  John
had closed the window.  When I opened it, I found that the screen was
absolutely soaked.  The water was still on the window sill, and only on the
sill.  I thought to myself how truly amazing that was.  There was no water
drenched carpet or ruined furniture.  No mess.  No anything except for my
keen awareness of how God had performed one of his miracles for us.  The
boat that I thought I'd need?  Well, I didn't even need a bucket.    I only
needed just a small cloth to take up the water.  I was the one who had
difficulty keeping the water from slipping from the sill to the floor while
wiping it up.

Next time you think you might have some reason for needing a boat, try
trusting in the one who says:
That he  is a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and
abundant in mercy and truth.