Miracles Still Happen

He did miracles in the sight of their fathers. Psalm 78:12a

A miracle had happened right under my nose the entire time. I was speechless when I realized God haddone a miracle, and it happened three days earlier. This has made me wonder, how often do miracles occur and I miss them.

Miracles still happen today! Are we looking for them though? Can we be so busy that the miracle is right under our nose and we aren't even aware of it?

God is still in the business of healing, He still answers prayers, and He still cares for all of our needs. A few years back, I had the chance to be a coordinator of a prayer chain. While praying for others, I was able to see God's hand at work. Cancer being healed, babies born healthy, or marriages being saved. It was truly amazing to see God's hand at work.
                                                                         


For a few months now, I have been praying for God to bless our Vacation Bible School. It was a simple prayer-good weather and possibly 30 kids attend. Our church is a small church on an average Sunday we have 8 - 16 kids attend. Last year our VBS attendance was 22, and we've grown by 2 -3 kids per year. Thirty is a bigger percentage growth.

Our first night we had 22, I thought well at least we have what we had last year. I also knew a few more could possibly come the second night. Sure enough night number two we add not three, but five. Now as many of you may realize attendance varies from day to day, so I began counting enrollment forms. Espically since kids were everywhere, and the guides knew who they had with them. I knew one needed to fill his form out and return it, so I counted his as already being there.

Still I prayed for the thirty, but also know that by night three you usually don't get anymore. We did though, we got two more. We were at 29, I prayed "Oh Lord, one more would be great, but I understand if this is it." Also said, "Man if that one day care kid could have come we would have had it."

The next two nights were the same 29. I was pleased with that after all it's 7 more than last year. So I made out the certificates from the forms, and was prepared for the final night or so I thought.

It's a sad but happy night, when VBS is through. I hoped these children's lives were touched and hoped they continue to learn about God. We began passing out certificates-this is when I began to realize that God had answered my prayer. One little girl's mom(who was there the entire time helping) failed to fill out her form. So her certificate was not done. WE HAD 30 KIDS FOR THREE DAYS!

I was overwhelmed with God's love as I realized he answered my prayer-He sent us 30 kids. A miracle which I failed to even realize until that moment. God is so good!

I need to keep my eyes open to the miracles he has in store, and trust that he does indeed answer prayers.

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.1 Corinthians 13:7 NIV

"You can't baby him, Eliza Jane, he needs to get up and come to the table. If he wants to eat he'll come," Laura Ingalls Wilder said (or something close to this) in the episode where her husband Almanzo contracts diphtheria. During a hail storm he rushes out of bed to save his crops during a hail storm, then he suffers a stroke leaving the left side of his body paralyzed.

The doctor seemed to think that if he worked the body parts he would regain use of them. Instead, he gives up and figures he should just accept the fact that he will live the rest of his life paralyzed and be no good to anyone.

His sister hears of his trouble and has come to "help", instead she goes behind Laura's back and babies Almanzo.

The reason I brought this up is because during the scene I described I realized that I am a lot like Laura. I don't like to baby anyone, I mean I'll try and help them when their sick. I like to see someone fight to try and regain their strength and hope to live. If someone is capable of performing a task even if it might be difficult for him then I much rather see him try.

During physical therapy I heard a lot of gripping and people wanting to give up. The therapist though were there to encourage and help them to persevere. I managed to persevere too, as I trusted in them to help me regain my strength and return to doing what I was before. With their guidance I am as good as new (Kind of I'm where I was before the fall).

Sometimes love can be tough, when all you want to do after a difficult time is protect and not let them get hurt again. Then again, we need to trust that all will be well and hope for the best even if it's tough as we persevere through the darkest days.

Oh by the way, Alamnzo finally gains his wife's courage and walks again. He's able to provide for his family once again.

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Psalm 126:2 NIV

It seemed like a good idea at the time. My daughter and I were in a home store just to pick up a couple of things for a VBS set. The need for a cart seemed pointless, after all we are two capable women.

The search was on...one can feel like a fish out of water what with wood, tools, nuts and bolts....we managed though to locate the first thing on our list, foam board. We each carried a package, not to hard to handle.

Then came the aisle with the PVC pipes, I even knew where they were. The ones that my daughter decided on were 10 feet in length. She wanted to get a cart, but we only needed two. I decided we could handle carrying the packages we already had and one pipe a piece. The cart after all was on the other side of the store.

We took a right turn out of the aisle with our foam under an arm and a pipe in the other hand teetering like a teeter-totter. The amusement of this moment was beginning to grow as we got looks from a few people who were on the aisle.

We turned towards the cash registers and managed to get there without knocking anything over or hitting costumers. Then came the moment to pay, now how would I manage. I delicately dropped the pipe on the floor and took care of the payment.

As I reclaimed my pipe, I almost lost it. But firmly grabbed it as we proceeded tthrough the parking lot. The bubbling of the laughter began and by the time we got to the car we were roaring.

"I can't believe you made me carry this through the store," my daughter laughed.

"Well now you'll have a memory, you won't soon forget."

Laughter has been said to be good medicine. It sure did lighten our moods and was certainly better than complaining. We've even been able to think back about our amusing time these last couple of days.

God wants us to be joyful and thankful, remember to take time to find the laughter then your joy will overflow.