God Is Always Good!

" ........Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. " Job 1:21 

Today would have been my dad's 67th birthday.  There is no way to begin to describe the hole that was left in our hearts the day that he died last August.  I know many of you have experienced a similar loss and know exactly what I am talking about.  For my family, today is just another "first" since his death.  As I sat here this morning and watched the slide show of pictures that we put together for his funeral the tears began to flow.  I don't do this often but today is just one of those days that I felt it necessary to grieve.  I miss my dad.  He was a wonderful man with a huge heart.  Though I miss him and would love to hug him and talk to him, I know he is where God wants him.

You see when my dad frist got sick and we pretty much knew right away that he would not be alive much longer, many people said how sad it was and that he was too young and that it just wasn't time for him to die. I had seen people in the past that never accepted that it was God who had given them their loved ones and it is God who calls them home.  I did not want to be that person who questioned God and thought He had made a terrible mistake by taking my dad.  I decided to meditate on the fact that God is good.  Everything he does is good and perfect in every way.  It may not seem that way to us but God sees the whole picture and we have to trust him.  He did not make a mistake in taking my dad.  It wasn't too early and he wasn't too young.  It was his time.  Isaiah 55:9 says " For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." I can't imagine how much more difficult it would have been to lose my dad without accepting this truth.  If we turn our backs on God and question why he is putting us through trials, we are hurting ourselves.  He is our comforter and no one can heal our broken hearts like he can. 1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. "

So today (for the rest of the day) I choose to rejoice.  I will rejoice in the life that my dad lived, the memories that we made with him, the time I had with him before he died and most of all that we know he is with his Savior.  What better way is there to spend your birthday?!