What will I choose today?

As I sit here and write it is cloudy and raining outside. It is the anniversary of Sam's accident and the anniversary of the 9-11. I sit here at home today because my client had to cancel and now look to replace the wages lost that were to buy our groceries. All I have been writing about on this blog and even the one my son was writing for his blog on trust will be tested today. So what will I choose?

I chose God this morning before getting out of bed. I chose to put on the armor of God. I chose to cry out to Him because He is my hope today.
My sweet little four year told me to choose to pray as a family this morning, too. (The first school day of each week we start with a family prayer. She sensed we needed an extra one today.)
I chose to open God's Word and read His truths.
I chose to cry a little because today has become a little overwhelming.

Now, my other choices for the day:
To trust or to worry/stress about financial funds lost that were for groceries?
To open my home to other teens this weekend or cancel plans because funds are short?
To mourn over all Sam has lost or celebrate all he has been able to do?
To focus on God or focus on the stress?

I will choose to trust God and His provisions. We have had even less and He provided.
I will choose to let this home and this family serve its purpose. I will open it to these teens because they hunger for something much more than food.
I will choose to celebrate Sam's life and the many blessings God has given us through his injury and those we have been able to help.
I will choose to cry out to God, give Him my worries and keep my eyes on Him today.

Choices will not always be easy. Choices may mean sacrifice. Choices may mean trusting and hoping in something we cannot see or do not know. But we have to choose, we cannot try anymore.

Look back over the previous blogs so far. Do a little accountability check. And then get ready for next week's study on choices. It is going to be tough but good.

And as I finish writing, the sun is peeking through the clouds while it still rains. Isn't God great!!!!

"9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. 11 Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done." Psalm 9:9-11

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"18I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us...

26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:18,26-27,31-39

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"25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:25-34