"But, like all happiness, it did not last long..." -- Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon His name: make known His deeds among the people.

Sing unto Him, sing psalms unto Him: talk ye of all His wondrous works.

Glory ye in His holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. 

Seek the Lord, and His strength: seek His face evermore.  Psalm 105:1-4

So sometimes, not all of the time, but sometimes it is possible for me to get discouraged.  The “When LORDs?” start to stack up in my mind and topple. He is not a Coke machine that produces our requested icy can with a push of a button with only an occasional jiggle or shake.  I do my thing, put in the required coins and offerings, and rattle boom, my very reasonable-in-my-mind requests are granted. Nope.  Not happening.

Psalm 105 goes on to list His deeds amongst His chosen people, beginning with the calling out of Abraham and His oath of an inheritance, even when they were very few in number...actually old Abraham was just himself without the progeny, no fruit of his loins.  And Jacob working his seven years plus seven.  Then Joseph whose feet were hurt with fetters until that time when he should be made ruler of all his substance and teach his senators wisdom.  And Moses and Aaron and their water into blood and abundant frogs and divers sorts of flies and lice and flaming fires and who could see His grace in all that, but it is all about grace, for He brings forth His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness.

And I am not the only one who marvels at the hard heartedness of the people of Israel who ask, and He brings quails, and satisfies them with the bread of heaven. He opens the rock, and the waters gush out; they run in the dry places like a river, and then somehow those people forget all of this by the flip of the next page. And what’s with that?  

 Not even twenty-four hours have passed since recounting the delightful celebration of joy under the twinkle lights, the electronic page has not even flipped yet, and I am asking, “How long?” with a leeks-and-onions grumble in my voice. And what’s with that?  

I have my own tales of abundant frogs and divers sorts of flies and flaming fires and I am told to make known His deeds, to chronicle them and not keep silent.  And to glory in His name and rejoice.

1. For a community group with hard questions, transparent answers and great snacks under the spring sky.
2. For water which if I even pay attention is for an instant is an inexplicable marvel of creation yet is accessible at the turn of a handle. 
3. For the simple elegance of an old moon hanging in the early morning dark blue. 
4. For Jincheng’s broad smile as he tries to follow my how-to-live-better instructions.  
5. For sweet early morning chit chat emails from my so-very-dear sister
6. That I will never see olive oil and hard cheeses the same after Giovanni.
7. For the chirping birds doing somersaults through the greenhouse window 
8. That even though it is a long journey through a barren land, there are some young souls who are choosing to remember the moments of gushing water.  
9. For the haunting passion of Ryan Coykendall when he leads worship; who woulda thunk?
10. That now when I drive up and down Speedway every morning and every night I can plot attacks of engagement.  How can I effectively communicate the urgency of each day?

So this all means, His ways are not my ways.  His ways are not my selected soda can.  But they are indeed wondrous works. And he brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness.