Your Light Shall Rise

If you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday. ~ Isaiah 58:10

Sometimes, I'm pretty sure God gets frustrated with me. Oh He doesn't necessarily send an overdue amount of trials and tribulations my way, but I get my share. And when I do, I pray about them.

But still worry.

I am not trying to question His plans or reduce my faith, but it just happens. And why? In the end -- and sometimes that "end" is way down the road -- it turns out OK. Almost always, something good comes of it.

For the past 10 days I've had a "concern" weighing on my mind. Something "suspicious" was spotted in my initial mammogram and I was ordered for further testing. I tried not to think about it -- on one hand knowing that the last time I went through this, it turned out to be nothing, but on the other hand knowing a friend of mine is battling breast cancer as I type this. So nothing to worry about, right?

Today was my appointment for further diagnostic imaging. I played it up like I wasn't too worried. But in all honestly, I was a bit concerned. And I tossed and turned all night. Of course this is where God chimes in and says, "And for no reason, right?" Right. Thank God. They did their best to squeeze the life out of me, but they determined I had no tumor. No cancer. Hallelujah!

I felt blessed and then doubly blessed as I caught much of the news coverage today about Hurricane Sandy. So much devastation already. Some 7 million people without power and I can sit and type on my computer -- with the furnace running, too!

Later, I felt triply blessed.

Carter and I volunteered tonight at The Neighborhood Table -- a nonprofit group that serves meals to the needy every Thursday plus the last Tuesday of each month. Since our church was one of the sponsoring groups tonight, I made sure Carter signed up to get his last confirmation service hours (which count for school, too), plus I thought it would do us both good.

It did.

We waited on a table and served the food, drinks and desserts, then cleaned up after them and set the table for more. I guess it was a slower night because we served only about 150 people. Still, knowing there are that many -- at a minimum -- in our community who are in desperate need of a free hot meal is sad.

It definitely makes us appreciate our blessings today!! We have our health. We are safe. And we know where our next meal is coming from.

The light is definitely rising in my darkness. Thank the Lord.