We have had a great weekend in Canada and enjoyed our ride home yesterday stopping and seeing different sites. After not having much sleep we were all tired! Since Sarah has roommates when we come visit we always get our own place. If Mike is along it has to be a nice hotel because he is the high maintenance one! When my cousin comes with me or if Sarah and I are traveling we get an airbnb. That is how you get the whole experience of living somewhere!
After close quarters all weekend Sarah told me last night she would not be staying with us. She would go out with her friends, have some alone time and sleep in her own bed. Sometimes I think my girls think this will hurt my feelings but what they don't understand is I DO UNDERSTAND! She dropped us off quickly and was on her way. We are staying in a beautiful old home in downtown Portland that has been renovated. We are on a peaceful and quiet tree lined street and we can walk anywhere we need to go. But what excited me most was the big front porch with rockers. I knew where I needed to be. I love to rock and I love to be outside!
As soon as my cousin and I settled in we walked to a local store and got our dinner and ate on our front porch. We sat there for hours! There was a cool breeze and you could hear the leaves on the trees rustling. We laughed a lot and we also enjoyed the silence. It was just what we needed after going strong for a week! It was so peaceful and relaxing.
As I sat there last night I was thinking isn't this how it is with God? We are tired, grumpy or just need some down time and He gives us rest. Just like I was excited to see the rockers on the front porch I should be excited to know that God is going to give me rest. Matthew 11: 28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Psalm 23: 1-2, "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters." King David is the author of this verse. He knew hardships and he knew God gave him great comfort. He knew that what God provided for him is what he once provided for the sheep he tended. David knew God always gave him what he needed, one day at a time.
Psalm 4: 8, "In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety." Sometimes in a new place I have trouble going to sleep but not last night. I thanked God for an amazing day and beautiful nature and asked Him to keep all of my family safe and give us rest. (Night time prayers are short because according to Mike I have about 20 seconds before I am out.) The last thing I remember thinking was the above scripture.
Our bed was very comfortable but it was a four poster bed that almost reaches the ceiling....10 foot ceilings. There was a lot of giggling when I got in the bed last night because I had to jump, hold onto the headboard and pull myself in. My cousin had the steps on her side. Thankfully, I never got up during the night because that would have been a circus. I slept so good last night! I never heard anything! I woke up so rested this morning!
I am so grateful we are not alone on this journey of life. God knows all of our hardships, fears, needs and He is our Shepherd. He will give us what we really need. Even a good night's rest! We can be full of comfort knowing God's goodness and knowing that we are a flock of sheep that He tends!
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