Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Value of Disaster

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! When I stepped outside this morning, sure enough, the moon was gone, but Venus was shining brightly in the east, and way off in the heavens, a tiny light was flashing on and off. Was it an UFO or a plane ? Only God knows.

But a few minutes later, I looked out the window and saw white fog... very strange. "The fog crept in on little cat feet.." Yesterday, more trees were being planted in the Park, magnolias, among others. Pretty soon, the open area in the newly opened park of the Park will be filled with a small forest of trees. It will look much better than it does now, and will provide much needed shade.

We saw Mr. Peacock strutting his stuff with tail feathers spread, while Miss Peahen just looked at him and did her own thing. God is good!

From Quiet Moments with God:

For two years Thomas Edison attempted to invent a storage battery. His efforts greatly strained his finances, then in December 1914, nearly brought him to ruin when a spontaneous combustion broke out in his film room. Within minutes all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and other flammable goods were ablaze. Though fire departments came from eight surrounding towns, the intense heat and low water pressure made attempts to douse the flames futile. Everything was destroyed.

While the damage exceeded $2 million the concrete buildings, thought to be fireproof, were insured for barely a tenth of that amount. The inventor's 24 year old son Charles searched frantically for his father, afraid that his spirit would be broken. Charles finally found him, calmly watching the fire, his face glowing in the reflection, white hair blowing in the wind.

"My heart ached for him," said Charles. "He was 67--no longer a young man--and everything was going up in flames . When he saw me, he shouted, "Charles, where's your mother?" When I told him I didn't know, he said, "Find here. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives."

Te next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, "There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew." Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first phonograph.

With each new day, we have the opportunity to start again, to start fresh-no matter what our circumstances. Let the Lord show you how to salvage hope from debris. You never know what joys are ahead.

We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance.
Romans 5:3 NKJV

Difficulties are meant to
rouse not discourage. The human
spirit is to grow strong by conflict.
William Ellery Channing

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis