Just for today...

Verse...    This has been said to be the most beautiful prayer in the bible.  Hannah was praying to God after he blessed her with a son after many years of being barren.  I can relate to her. Hannah prayed and said, 'My heart exults in the LORD; my strength is exalted in my God. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in my victory. There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. Talk no more so very proudly, let no arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves our for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and on them he has set the world. He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness; for not by might does one prevail. The LORD! His adversaries shall be shattered; the Most High will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed.    1 Samuel 2:1-10




Song...






A story for today...  Here is a little exerpt from Hannahs story..  It says God had closed her womb.  Her husband married another woman just so he could bear children.  But he still loved Hannah and she prayed to God to give her the child she so dearly desired.  I think that ladies that have gone through loss or ttc troubles can certainly relate to Hannah.  In the end God blessed her with a son and she dedicated him to service to God.  And after she followed through with what she promised she would do God blessed her with other children..

Again we see how Hannah's story mirrors the experiences of modern women. Elkanah really tried to make up for Hannah's loss. He gave her the double portion. Peninnah picked on Hannah, "because LORD had closed her womb." How many times have well meaning Christians provoked modern Hannah's? "Well, dear, if you'd just pray a little more, I'm sure God would give you a child," we sometimes hear. Or, "You just need to clean up that sin in your life, dear." Remember this went on for years. When we know the gist of the story, we may think, "Oh, it was so easy, Hannah just went to the Lord in prayer and her problem was solved." But Hannah had experienced this "year by year".




Hannah's story also reminds us to use discernment when dealing with a problem. In the church it is popular right now to give Satan and sin credit for everything "bad" in our lives. We hear that satang steals this from us, or took away that. We're told we should demand those things back or "storm the gates of hell to take back what he took". Well, not everything we don't like in our life can be laid at the enemy's door. Satan hadn't prevented Hannah from having children. Several times the Bible says, "the LORD closed her womb." Just because we don't like something, doesn't mean its not part of God's "good plan" for our lives. Hannah's infertility lead to the founding of Samuel's ministry. Samuel anointed David. Without Hannah's infertility, her vow and her obedience Samuel wouldn't have been raised in the house of the Lord and wouldn't have anointed David.



Elkanah shows us we also need discernment in dealing with people. He shows what happens when we lose patience with people. "Why do you weep?" he asked, knowing full well why. "Am I not more than enough to you than ten sons?" "Look at everything else you have," might be a modern response. Not only does Elkanah demonstrate self-absorption (did he really think he was better than ten sons?), but a lack of understanding. Since he had sons, he couldn't understand Hannah's grief. He couldn't experience compassion, because he'd never experienced lack. Today, when I watch members of my church, I find compassion most earnestly expressed by those who have overcome drug addictions, homelessness and criminal histories. These are the people who have experienced lack. People like me, who have grown up in the safety and security of the church tend to be less understanding--because we've never gone without spiritually, we tend not to have compassion for those who experience lack.





Poem...

Just For Today


Just for today, I will try to live through the next 24 hours...not expecting to get over my child's death, but learning to live with it...one day at a time

Just for today, I'll remember my child's life, not his death, and bask in the comfort of the treasured days and moments we shared.



Just for today, I will forgive all the family and friends who didn't help or comfort me the way I needed them to. They truly did not know how.



Just for today, I will reach out to comfort a relative or friend of my child. For they are hurting too, and perhaps we can help each other.



Just for today, I will free myself from my self-inflicted burden of guilt. For deep in my heart, I know if there was anything in this world I could have done to save my child from death, I would have done it.



Just for today, I will honor my child's memory by doing something with another child, be it my own, or someone else's, because I know that would make my child proud.



Just for today, I will offer my hand in friendship to other bereaved parents, fo I DO know how they feel.



Just for today, I will smile...no matter how much I hurt on the inside...for maybe if I smile a little, my heart will soften and I will begin to heal.



Just for today, I will allow myself to be happy and enjoy myself, for I know I am not deserting my child by moving on.



Just for today, I will accept that I did NOT die when my child did. My life did go on and I am the ONLY one who can make that life worthwhile again.



~by V.Tushingham, taken from the Bereaved Parents of the USA Tampa Bay Newsletter, Sept 2001.