One of those days to say--Wow, Lord!

        Sometimes you simply have to say, "Wow, Lord!  Thank You, Lord!"  Today was one of those days.
        Now granted, it is a spectacularly beautiful day...more like spring than the last day of January.  Sunny and 60's and, oh my, life is good.
        But more than that, I'm thanking the Lord for an amazing day at church.  Wonderful message at Sunday School (thank you, Thomas!).  Fun sharing the greeting duty with a dear friend (thank you, Scottie!) at the front door of our church (which is Broughton High School--sure feels like a holy and happy sanctuary to me--thank You, Broughton!).  Incredibly powerful message through the sermon (thank you, Joel!).  Great music (thank you, Lane!).  And then, to top it all off, we finished off by singing "Forever Reign."  And this is where I say: THANK YOU, LORD!!
       As our youngest son, Peter, said, "Mom, as soon as we started singing that last song, I knew you'd start crying...and sure enough, I looked over there...and you were."  Yep, pretty pathetic.  A grown women unable to sing one of her favorite songs, because the tears were flowing.  Really flowing.  But they were happy, joyful tears.  Good thing I don't wear makeup.
       You see, as I've probably shared here too many times, that was one of the key songs we listened to when Janie lay unconscious and unresponsive in that little ICU room.  Right before her accident, we had seen a very inspiring video that was set to the music of that song.  The video featured a college runner in a regional track meet.  It was the real recording of the actual event, and Heather (I think that was her name) fell hard after the first lap of the 600 meter race.  That's not the sort of fall that you can jump up and recover from in a fairly brief race...much less resume running and be anywhere close to being in contention.
       But remarkably, she did.  In fact, she actually ended up winning the race at the finish.  And all the while the song in the background--"I'm running to Your arms, I'm running to Your arms.  The riches of Your love will always be enough.  Nothing compares to Your embrace. Light of the World forever reign."  And that's just the chorus...the verses are even better.
       While Janie lay unconscious in that bed, we listened to a CD of wonderful Christian songs our daughter, Mary Norris, had made for us.  When this particular song came on, all I could think of was this video.  And my husband and I had prayed, "Lord, that is our Janie.  She's fallen down in her race.  Father, we ask, by Your infinite power and in Your great mercy, that You would allow our Janie to get back up and resume her race...for Your glory, all for Your glory, Lord, and by Your grace."
        And all praise, glory, and thanks be to God that He did.  And she is running her race to--and by--the Savior that she loves.
       So you see, whenever I hear that song, it simply takes me back to a tiny ICU room in Greenville, NC.  A place of sorrow and brokenness...but also a sanctuary of God's love, grace, and beautiful presence.   And all I can say is, thank You, Father, thank You.  Thank You for the treasures of our church...of our dear friends...of our family...of music...of Your glorious creation...of simple daily gifts of food, laughter, home...of Your supernatural healing touch...of days when You are so close, so real, so loving to us in our brokenness...and also of days of joy when we feel Your pleasure....of Your mercy and grace that is infinitely greater than all our sin.
       Lord, keep us running.  Running to Your arms, all the way to the finish line.
       And for any out there who are weary or burdened or discouraged, might they take to heart the message from Joel this morning which might be summed up in a few simple words:
      "Don't stop!  Don't put your gun down and wave the white flag!  Don't. Ever. Give. Up!"
      Thank You, Lord, for the reminder.  To God be the glory.