My husband and I went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina last week.  We are pictured here with our grandchildren on the morning that we are getting ready to leave.  Every morning, I got up early so that I could enjoy the sunrise over the ocean.  The sunrise photo was taken by my talented daughter Hope.  I am so thankful for this trip and how God worked everything out.  When we got there, I asked to be put in a room on my daughter’s floor so we could optimize the time with our family.  The nice desk clerk at the resort not only accommodated that request, but she also gave us an ocean view room right next door to our daughter and her family.  And we only paid $1.00 more than our original reservation of “restricted view.”  So, that was a real blessing. Then, every night except one, we went out to dinner, using the gift cards that my children and husband had gifted me for my birthday.  So, great food and really low cost to us!  God is so good!  He worked out every detail of that trip, from beginning to end.  I am so thankful for the beauty of the beach, the time with my family, and the Caravelle Resort that made our stay so enjoyable.

I could have been fearful all week about the children going in the water or the allergies that I have to things like sand or my husband’s foot that he hurt just before we left on the trip.  But I decided to trust God with the big things and the small things.  God is the center of my life, so I was able to relax and enjoy my holiday.  The children swim like fish, so I was happy to see how well they took care of each other in the ocean and at the pools.  My husband’s foot healed enough that by Thursday he was able to go down to the beach for a little while.  And although I got a rash from the sand, it wasn’t life-threatening or anything and now that I am home, it has almost disappareared.

This week I am home and facing the threat of a hurricane headed for the coast near us.  Each time I hear the word “hurricane” I cringe because shortly after we had moved to Virginia, there was a hurricane that changed to a tropical storm and that wreaked havoc in our area.  We had no electricity for almost two weeks (eleven days, to be exact).  We stayed with my sister for three days and then she said we couldn’t stay any longer.  (Don’t ask; it’s just how she is.). Then, because I have trouble breathing without air conditioning, we had to stay in a cheap motel for a week (as long as we could afford it).  We went home for several days of darkness, gasping for breath and scrambling to find something that we could eat that didn’t require cooking or refrigeration.  Fortunately, at that time, I had not had a stoke yet, so I could eat canned things like pork and beans and packages of crackers without fear of the high sodium levels.  Anyway, I hear the word “hurricane” and I start praying hard for God to spare us.  This morning, my prayer was for God to turn the storm away.  He is able!  But even if He doesn’t, He is also able to sustain me through it.  That is what trust looks like.  You trust God before the storm, in the middle of the storm, and when you are picking up the pieces after the storm.    God is good…all the time!  I hope that He is part of your life and that you, too, can hold on to this comforting truth.